I am still so new at this whole game of bike racing. After a successful early season of racing and training i packed up last week to head to road nationals in Bend Oregon. I was feeling fit and recovered, the sensations were quite excellent as some might say.
After a couple easy days of driving I turned up at the house in bend a group of para athletes had rented for the week. The first two days included easy preview rides and group dinners, connecting with friends and teammates seen rarely throughout the year. This year nationals included a road race and criterium before the worlds qualifying time trial.
The road race was solid, ending up with me being worked over and spit out by the winner on the last lap, leaving me on the podium but slightly frustrated. The crit was a race I would like to forget and remember as a few laps on a course where I got my openers done for the next day's effort.
After a restless night's sleep the big day came around. My bike was dialed, skinsuit pinned, body ready for the herculean effort that would be required to break the top 5 and make the world championship team. warm up and bike check came and went and i found myself flying out the gate. 40 odd minutes later i flew across the finish line, exhausted and hardly able to breathe. Knowing my abilities and past efforts i knew i did not have a stellar day, ending up in 8th place on the day.
The day continued with a random drug test that impeded my food consumption and did not improve my apathetic mood toward my race. The week end on a good note with a good meal accompanied by wine i dragged north, with all my teammates and friends who went through the same miserable experience that day.
While the race did not go according to plan it was an important stepping stone in my development as a racer. I see how far i have to go to reach the top, and that I will improve as time goes on.
