Last year I made my racing day view at the Escape from Granouge. I would like to tell you that I rode my ass off and made the podium after a hard winter of Training....but thats not what happened. I got spanked. It wasn't so much that I was physically unprepared, but I was not mentally ready to race. I remember hitting a difficult section crashing or whatever while i was under some physical stress, then allowing 10 riders to pass as I remounted the bike.
One particular instance will stay with me forever. It was a wet day and as we hit a technical slick climb, the Sport Senior 2 riders bottle necked quickly we all dismounteed. Behind us were a few riders from Sport Vet I, and they pissed-yelling and cursing....to this day Ill never forget one of the riders, wearing a yellow jersey from one of the Larger Teams in the series....
Fast Forward one year later Marysville Team Relay:
I stood in the transition area next to my bike anxiously waiting for my teammate to cross the line when i notice the dickhead from a year ago mount his bike and start his lap......I need to catch that bitch I think.....wheres my teamate?? One minute goes by, two, three, Four, Five.....Six minutes go by-damn its probably hopeless now....theres my teamate, I snatch the baton and take off I put the hammer down, Pass a few riders the first climb, rip through the single track and start bombing down a gravel road only to crash on the the turn going into the climb....Ass over elbows Shifters and brake levers all out of wack, I begin to run up the single track to hold my place while inspecting the bike......After making it to the top I collect myself, put the pain aside as I remount and continue the climb...I hit the peak and start to hammer and try to keep pace with one of my teamates ahead.....We re-enter the single track.....up ahead I see a Yellow Jersey....A guy....spining in the grany gear, wobbling his way up the trail..I stand up lock out my fork and begin to attack like it was my first lap, he sees a log ahead and decides to dismount, I decided to make my move and hop that Shit in the big ring...as I clear the log I reach for my bell and let off a little ring.....yeah thats what its all about........
Ill leave out the part about Rob passing me on the same lap like I wasn't even moving....in jeans.