27 miles
4000ft climbing
1:54:27
It really doesn't take long after the gun goes off to ascertain the "State Of The Legs." If you're lucky you can control your race, and control your competition. But a lot has to come together. In a season-long points race smart racers do the math ahead of time, and mark their targets up front. And if everything doesn't quite come together, your hopes of race victory turn to self-preservation: that is, keeping your closest competitors in the series behind you. And if you want that podium spot bad enough, the body takes over and does what it needs to, despite the pain.
A season of single-point gains and losses comes down to a shakeup in those cramp-filled, bottom of the barrel, soul-searching last couple of miles. You sacrifice, you train all year, you set goals early, and you dream. And there's no feeling in the world like attaining those dreams...
Now, I don't mean to over-analyze or over-inflate the situation, so bear with me. I am far from being a celebrity - even further from being a rock star. The races I do are worlds apart from those like the Tour De France. But it's hard to describe the pride and the joy of climbing on the Pro podium, arms raised with a bouquet and trophy in hand, and seeing a few hundred of your closest friends cheering. For those fleeting moments, one does feel like a champion...
Now, I don't mean to over-analyze or over-inflate the situation, so bear with me. I am far from being a celebrity - even further from being a rock star. The races I do are worlds apart from those like the Tour De France. But it's hard to describe the pride and the joy of climbing on the Pro podium, arms raised with a bouquet and trophy in hand, and seeing a few hundred of your closest friends cheering. For those fleeting moments, one does feel like a champion...
Mission accomplished...
And with the racing over, the rest of the weekend was all fun and games with absolutely no beer involved....whatsoever.
Who says you can't take a cross-country race rig and drop 'er into a freeride terrain park, anyway...?
So.......think the '08 racing season is over? Not so much. This weekend I'll be surviving the Fall Classic 2-day race in Breckenridge. It's one massive dose of high-altitude mountain bike racing, followed by....well, check the "Upcoming Events" and you'll get the picture...
Catch you on the flipside, party people....
1 comment:
Congrats again on your win!!!
I like that I am the blur in the last picture-Cuz that is all you see when you ride with me, a blurrr. HAHA
Super T! That's me!!!
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