Turkey day rides are fun

Grey day but fantastic ride out over tam and more... 4.5 hrs / 55 miles and lots of climbing. I'm ready to eat!

Another double-header weekend..

Under the lights!

First off it was BASP #3 (at the Sierra Pt. Crit course, also Wed night tack fights area) on Saturday night. The first night race here in Nor-cal. The Pilarcitos guys did a great job and it was a fun course. The lights were fine and I didn't have any trouble seeing the course.


I had some high hopes as I finished 13th here last year with a strong field. However after a dodgy start and moving up in the first coupe of laps I slightly rolled my rear tubie on the only re-mount! As I popped it back on, all the spots I just gained passed me by and I planned to get the "B" bike ASAP. Well in the confusion it took 2 laps for me to get it and I had to ride gingerley threw the turns--for fear of the tire coming back off.

Right before rolling the tire...

Well.. I finally got on the "B" bike and it was feeling weird but I picked it up and tried to make up what time I could. After a few laps, on a re-mount, the saddle slipped--up. Oh man. at this point my lower back was hurting pretty good and I rode as hard as I could to just finish in 26th... Ugh... Really cool event--not a very good result. Afterwards, knowing I was going to the CCCX race the next day, I was hoping to get everything fixed and feel OK for the DOD course.

So I managed to repair my tubie and after a whole lot of Advil, headed down to the CCCX race with Gabe who also did not have the best race on Saturday (broken chain in the final lap). I was just happy Jesse got back into the top 10, so the team did OK.

I have raced quite a few times at the DOD CCCX course for both CX and MTB and I like it. I was just focusing on riding well and retaining my top 10 overall and with a call up, being in 8th I didn't rush the start line for position. Well big mistake. I ended up in the 3rd row (no call up past 5th!) to my disappointment and got another crap start. Honestly my fitness was in question but I was off the back from the start and had to fight solo into the wind chasing on the long pavement straights every lap. I was doing OK for the most part to stay away from Dean and Jesse who were chasing but on the final lap My neck and arms were in so much pain I could barley hold onto the bars.

Dean attacked me on the small hill that starts the long pavement section and I could not answer. I was not a happy camper. After holding him off for laps I crumbled at the worst possible time. I finished 13th.

I have been trying to stay upbeat after the rough crash at Laguna Seca but it's been hard. I trained all year just for CX and in one quick moment it has really ruined my season (I know I'm not the only one). Who knew a sprained thumb could be such a setback? I'm 4.5 weeks into it and it's heaps better but has been slow to heal and the bumpy courses we have here in Bay Area (McLaren-ouch) have not shown me any mercy.

Last year when I hurt my knee I came back faster than with the thumb. My legs and Cardio feel great. It has been more of a challenge with the lower back and arms/shoulders aching. I know it will pass in a few more races but that's about all we have left in the the core of the season.

So I'm going to suck it up and do the best I can for the rest of the season and get as much fitness as possible out of it and hopefully take that into the early road season, produce some results and get points. I feel so much stronger than last year, but feel like I don't have much to show for it.

That's what's so frustrating right now... and that my friends, is what makes bike racing so damm hard!

-IMHO-

Thank goodness it's over!