Natch

Another rough one out on the CX course today in MKE.

I had probably my best start on the year and could see eventual winner Timothy Guy through the tech section at the start. I hung in at the front of the race and marked Ben Marchewka who's been finishing consistently at ~5th every race. He usually starts slow and picks folks off.

I huffed and puffed up the wicked runup, got back on, did the sketchy descent, and promptly wiped out in some slick grass into the next climb.

So there I was, a bloody broken heap at the base of a climb, still clipped into the bike and trying to get out of the way. I lost about 10 spots and started to just admit defeat right then and there.

But I kept after it. Taking bad lines was the theme for the day. There was one corner that I just couldn't get through without riding into the brush on the side of the trail, which began to piss me off by lap 4. Nothing I could do. Just ride through the brush and work on cornering later.

I kept riding what I felt was a decent race and seeing folks who I'd finished close to just up the course. I kept after them, kept after them, and at the start of the 5th lap I found myself sitting in familiar territory with Scott and Gus Jeffers about 10 seconds back from Rick Walls.

As usual, I knew that they were more confident than I and better bike handlers. If I let them lead into the descent and subsequent twists to the finish, they would have me. We hit the run up and Jeffers was breathing so heavy that I thought he might not make it. Scott was hurting...but so was I.

I managed to not crash on the descent or the slippery grass and I sat 2nd wheel up the long climb until about 3/4 of the way to the top when I attacked Scott with all I had, put it in the big ring, and went for broke on the descent. He said "Goddamnit Jesse" as I passed him. I didn't look back until I botched the underbrush corner again and had to bushwhack my way out. I saw the two of them maybe 5 seconds back at this point. I punched it into the next climb and kept about 10 seconds on the two of them. Laid off the brakes in the last corner, chanted "Don't fuck up" on repeat hitting the barriers, took a look behind me and saw no one within spitting distance, and crusied across the finish line @ 14th.

Now, while I'm bummed about not seeming to do anything but finish ~13th every weekend, I am at least happy that I rode a decent race after a crash. From laps 1.5 to 4, I probably clawed my way past 10-12 people.

But the top 10 is just too fast. Once they were gone, there wasn't a lot I could do to close it down. I think if I could start the race there, I could stay there. But with the clusterfuck chaos of a Cat 4 race start, that in and of itself is a tall order.

I'll see how I'm feeling tomorrow. May race again. May not.

Only 4 races left before I call 2008 over and done and start packing on some winter weight.

As for last week, I realize I'm short on updates. I had a good training week. 3 days in the gym and 2 bike workouts. The gym was med. volume and pretty light intensity. I was feeling kind of tired toward the end of the week.

So no updates really. Just the usual heavy, assistance, speed work. I did a couple of change ups here and there, but mostly it was some small variation of normal.

I did manage 6 x 3 @ 200 # sumo style on Monday which, according to my calculations is right at 80% of my max on that lift. It was a brute, but by the end of it, I found the sweet spot of hip position with weight on my heels and I felt like I was getting the hang of it. Will keep at it.