I'll never earn a National Championship. Maybe Lupine will.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
A Great Day at the Races
Lupine had a great first race yesterday in Ogden. She rode really hard and finished fourth in the Junior Women category. At the end she was in front of several boys her age and even a grown woman. I am so proud of her. When she got off the bike she was spent and just about to cry, and said "I'm never doing that again." My heart sank. By the time we were ready to go home she was talking about next weekend's race. That's my girl. I'll try to put in some pictures on the next post.
I did not place as well as Lupine. I only got a fifth in the Men's 35+ B race. I lost the leaders on the first lap as usual (my warm up was running around the course cheering for Lupine). By the third lap I was riding pretty fast. I knew I was in the top ten and with four laps to go some racers were coming back to me. I passed a guy named Jon and spent a lap and a half trying to shake him. With one to go I let him pass me. I told him "I can't get away from you, so go get them." I sucked his wheel until we caught another rider. Right before we made contact I blasted past both of them. I got into some traffic and the guy we had just caught came around me at a barrier, with Jon on my wheel. With the finish line coming up I instinctively took a direct line to the inside corner of the last barrier. I jumped it at an angle rather than taking a longer line to hit it perpendicularly. The gamble paid off (I did it the normal way eight other times). I made the pass before we were back on the bikes and headed for the Finish. I crossed the line with both guys still behind me.
It felt really good to move up two places on the last lap. The last time I raced was eight months ago in Florida. In that race I quite after only two laps. Yesterday, I did not quit. The rust came off, and I'm ready to go hard again next weekend. Right after I run around ringing the cowbell for Lupine.
I did not place as well as Lupine. I only got a fifth in the Men's 35+ B race. I lost the leaders on the first lap as usual (my warm up was running around the course cheering for Lupine). By the third lap I was riding pretty fast. I knew I was in the top ten and with four laps to go some racers were coming back to me. I passed a guy named Jon and spent a lap and a half trying to shake him. With one to go I let him pass me. I told him "I can't get away from you, so go get them." I sucked his wheel until we caught another rider. Right before we made contact I blasted past both of them. I got into some traffic and the guy we had just caught came around me at a barrier, with Jon on my wheel. With the finish line coming up I instinctively took a direct line to the inside corner of the last barrier. I jumped it at an angle rather than taking a longer line to hit it perpendicularly. The gamble paid off (I did it the normal way eight other times). I made the pass before we were back on the bikes and headed for the Finish. I crossed the line with both guys still behind me.
It felt really good to move up two places on the last lap. The last time I raced was eight months ago in Florida. In that race I quite after only two laps. Yesterday, I did not quit. The rust came off, and I'm ready to go hard again next weekend. Right after I run around ringing the cowbell for Lupine.
Friday, October 17, 2008
First Race
Tomorrow is a day of firsts. I have already missed two races of the Utah Cyclocross Series, so I'll be doing my first race of the season at noon. At 11:30, Lupine will be doing her first race ever! I am a lot more excited than she is. I've waited a long time for this, daddy and daughter day at the races.
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