positive spin on the weekend

I figured it out. It only took dozing off while I was talking after lunch. Yes, I managed to fall asleep while i was talking. Only for a second but man, no questioning it.

The lack of sleep is cumulative - the past three weeks of stress and late nights. And not the good bike interval workout stress. The wrong kind. Adding two really difficult races in the mix on tired legs was NOT conducive to racing at a higher level.

So that's the first positive spin. Tired.

My coach is telling me not to worry about the crappy results. The weekend was a huge success. I've tasted the bitter humility of being DFL, and being lapped (fortunately not in the same race). I don't want it to happen again. Coach also has pointed out that even with the bad results, I got a great honest race pace effort in, and really was able to work on cornering under pressure. Coach also said to stick with the plan. We're trying something different this year. It could be a total and complete failure, but the failure can't diminish how much fun I'm having racing. If it doesn't work this year? Well we'll make a note of it and be certain to make the needed adjustments.

Second positive spin. It is great to have a coach who's been doing this stuff as long as I have and who understands me really well.

Finally. My mechanic is a complete fucking moron. At least he was this weekend. Seriously. How did he get the tire pressure SO wrong on BOTH days? Seriously. And his crappy ass glue job didn't make it a whole year. Only 10 months!!! WTF? Come on. Seriously. I might just have to take over gluing duty from now on. Not to mention he has been to busy moonlighting as a VW diesel mechanic these last three weeks to even bother touching the Pit Bike. It is sort of close to being ready for pit duty but it didn't even make the trip to VT. And to add insult to his idiocy, he wasn't in the pit to help make the adjustments or to change the front wheel when I came in. I had to do it all myself.

I will give him the credit for picking the closest pit after my crash. G-ride's view of the crash confirmed really that it wasn't the rolled tire that caused the crash - it was my crash that caused the rolled tire. Pretty conclusive evidence of that. You can't go airborne and land with your tire pointed to the left when your body wants to go straight. Maybe my mechanic's glue job kept me from breaking the fork or the bike. Maybe he's not such a total buffoon after all.

Heck he managed to score a brilliant front wheel replacement for Sunday. A condition perfect Rhyno. I'm glad the rest of the field wasn't riding on Rhyno's I'd have really been OTB. There isn't a better tire out there for that condition. Me plowing through the corners with too much air in the rear (38 psi) slipping and sliding going straight and losing rear grip in a few corners, and that front wheel stayed glued.

It was really awesome to behold the power of that tread. No wonder it is so freaking popular and coveted. WOW. Seriously. It was as grippy in the mud as that FMB that I rolled the day before was in the dry dusty grass.

Off the bike was brilliant. Cooking, laughing, hanging out, having fun. Catching up with people in person like The Mayor, and Zanc, and Matt, and CCR, and all. Chilling with Skinny White Dude on the way up and down. G-ride, be sure to thank your wife for the beans, you'll be happy to know I fired the first volley... SWD met his stink equal on that ride home!

See. That's why you have a coach. Someone to help spin it all positively. And man. 24 hours after leaving the G-Ride compound I'm wicked stoked to go back next year and redeem myself.

Now if i can just get caught up with some sleep and get back into my coach's assigned workouts, well it will be good!!!

Heddwch
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