The Calm Before the Storm
Right now I’m experiencing the calm before the storm, the last break in the action before the final two weekends of racing for 2009. After my crash in Boulder I had a hard time recovering to race the following weekend in Northampton, MA. At that same time, all of the racing and traveling that I’ve done this fall caught up to me.
By the time I got to the Mercer Cup USGP in New Jersey, I was both physically and mentally drained. I was hoping to hold out for one more weekend, but it was too late. I had a tough time in New Jersey, finishing 44th on Saturday and 18th on Sunday.
Now that is all behind me though. I took a few days off and resumed training to get a chunk of work in before the final USGP weekend in Portland, OR, followed by the National Championships in Bend. I am starting to feel refreshed mentally after 9 weekends of racing in a row. Physically I still have some work to do, but that is what I’m doing and I’m confident in the progress I’m making. Performing a training block of more than 2 days seems so novel, such is the nature of the cyclocross season.
This season has been very up-and-down, I put in so much effort and saw so much improvement, that was encouraging. Up to this point I have not achieved the results I had hoped for, but when I look back at it all I could not have tried any harder and I’m satisfied with my efforts.
In the next few weeks I have a few more chances to dig deep and give everything I have in these races. I have nothing to lose, and I want to finish this season off on a high note. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving and are able to fully enjoy the meaning of this holiday.