Friday, May 7, 2010

Experience


I think Nate coulda used this one for the latest entry to his blog. I may have already called one of my blogs experience. Or Welcome to PRO racing. Or this isn't D20 no more. Or I could think of many titles (sorry Nate). Just different style of racing. How many times do you ever see a local race with gutter action that lasts for 10 MILES??? Has anyone ever seen it round here lasting for 1 mile? I don't remember ever seeing it. Okay maybe at Turkey Day over the top of the hill when it was windy.... Last time I was there was when Saturn and Gen Jeanson were duking it out in Idaho and I wondered how I wasn't dead already. I was still alive and wishing I weren't. Okay, not really. But maybe you get the picture. I never want to try and compare the Bunny Hop to the Gila crit where speeds are 50-60kph the WHOLE 90'. Because these are 2 completely different races with a different list of players in a different ball park. Every individual has obstacles to overcome. I have come to realize I don't know why to all the questions the athletes' ask me. But I do know you just cannot quit. Coz sooner or later you make the break or you win a field sprint or you learn how to descend at speed. I have learned that the sooner you work on your limiters the better you will be. Of course I don't understand why some people get there sooner than others, I have theories of course. Alot is human nature or character of an individual. I know going into anything holding a + attitude is worth many many miles and/or much training.

One big reason I started a women's team yrs ago was to try and bridge that gap, from regional racing to NRC. For women it is not as big a gap I don't think, the depth doesn't exist as it does in men's racing. But women have other issues that often prevent them from making this jump. It is scary to bridge that gap no matter what the gender. Reading Nate's blog makes it all too honest how much different it is, the racing he is trying to do now vs the racing he was doing only 1 year ago. And it isn't ever going to get "easier", it is going to get more manageable. Coz he will learn how to read the races better and when to expend energy or when not to use an ounce of strength. I remember thinking the same thing on so many days, thank GOD I have good legs. Coz if I didn't this day would suck. But I have had plenty of days that did suck from start to finish. I just go to bed praying I feel good tomorrow. It is a hard man's sport cycling. No matter if you are cat 5 trying to get to cat 4. It is all the same. No matter if it is the cat 4 race at the Bunny Hop. 100 people line up and only 1 "wins". Isn't this so fascinating. I may see winning in different ways then the riders. But I know what they all want.


My last 3 days in Silver City were fantastic - we rode, hiked, then rode. Climbed about 15000 in those 2 days of riding - take me about 3650 trips on the W & OD to do this much climbing. It is just different. I tell people all the time, if you wanna be strong - you gotta go climb. If you have the choice of Haines Pt vs repeats on Brickyard - do some of both. Then whenever you can - get to real mtns - Front Royal, Luray Rt 211. Anything that goes up. I had to use a 28 tooth cassette (thanks KevinG) but so what at least I could still turn it. And I had FUN. Which for me, is something I wish I woulda had alot more of all those years of racing. Instead I was too freaking serious most of the time. UGH. Nate you are just 19 riding with the best in the US and some of Europe's best. You need to be patient. It is all going to come your way. It may be tomorrow, may be next week, thing is - all of this is in your future. Doesn't get much better.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Crit day 4


Pretty much the play by play has been on facebook; Kevin and Russ rode well to maintain their GC spots of 6th and 8th (respect); Nate and Blair rode the pro FAST race and rode fantastic. I never saw either one of them in trouble. For me, it was a great day! Blair has had some rough gos out there and I know, from experience, when you are down in GC it is hard to get yourself UP. You ? many things, why you sacrificing so much sometimes. But you have to get past the low times back to your dreams; and nothing can stop this. Blair finishing this crit means Blair has learned so much, in 3 short days. Huge congratulations to him. I was so very proud. I may write somewhat emotional blogs at times; but guess what - this sport takes alot of emotion. It all comes down to a real human level, and caring for each other. Freaking hard sport.


Pierre got them all ready for tomorrow, we chowed down on my taco nite mexican food ( for some reason I cannot make brown rice in Silver City - blaming it on the altitude - it always ends up sticky rice and this year we DO have a stove, so God knows what I am doing), and now bedtime. Tomorrow long day but inside I am really excited coz I know all the boys have legs. And when you have legs, anything is possible. I don't know how they fked up the crit times today; not that Nate and Blair were up in GC but it still is nice to see same time as Lance after you been on the ground and back, like Nate. But tomorrow the race suits all the KBS boys and maybe something special will happen. I will never stop getting excited for my riders and all th possibilities. You can never give up, coz you never know what can happen when you try. Defines this sport I swear.

Okay, I am beat.

Post TT and Crit day Tour of the Gila Days 3 and 4

















Not too much to report today; crits start in about 2 hrs for the cat 2 guys. The pro guys go at 3:15PM. Cold this AM but going to warmup. Calm wind so far; hope it doesn't crank up too much. Out here I just try to take one day at a time. Get through one day and then think about what we have to do for the next. The biggest factor yesterday was the fact that Kevin's bike arrived at the last second and thanks to our teamwork out here amongst the riders, the Browns - we got it built up in time for Kevin to race on. Russ and Kevin both had solid rides to retain their GC spots. I think they can light some fireworks today in the crit. They are 2 of the strongest guys in their field.

The pro race will be full on; Nate and Blair are going to have to fight in this one. If they can make it past the intitial chaos, they will be fine. Hard handling the pre race nerves I remember now. I don't know if it is harder watching (I think so) than actually racing. I am holding my breathe from start > finish. I will update via text to Jim post the cat 2 race and then update via blog the pro race.