On the rivet at On the Cross race this weekend

Damn, I am still tired. After not doing any organized training for the past 11 months and JRA'ing everything, the idea of racing was not high on the list.

But since the ol' Frites team was helping put on the race this weekend, we got to race gratis. If it's free, it must be for me was the first thing that Dash and Brian said and "convinced" me to pin a number on and turn the pedals in anger.

Since we had to work before or after the race, I took the 7am registration gig. Damn, it is cold at 7am these days. There is reason number 1 not to race. And who decieded to change up the schedule this year for cross???.....this racing at 925am is crazy talk. I feel really sorry for the old guys, that are out there at 8am in the cold but at least picking up all the goatheads so I dont have to.

So I work until 9am and grab a number, change at the car and ride to the start area. That is the best warm up I am going to get. I line up at the back of the 65 strong pack and I already know that this is going to hurt. Both Dash and Brian get callups since they have been racing all year. I was going to decline mine but Al must have lost my name, thank god for that. He yells, "GO" and everyone takes off like fat sorerity chicks when they open up the all you can eat ice cream bar. Man, why does everyone take off so fast? I am just pedalling along and catch everyone at the right turn onto the singletrack. I am just JRA'ing and start to pass people. How does this happen? Who cares, just keep pedalling I tell myself.

When I start lap 2, I get into a rhythm through the singletrack and just let it hang out and start having fun again. I get to the road and catch some guy and start the draft and the whole race thing is coming back to me. I pass him through the barrier section and take the lead and now I can feel the heart rate start to creep up and move a little more forward on the saddle to keep the speed high. That lasted for about 30 seconds and then "POP", my day is done. Reason number 2 not to race...if you have not been training, racing sucks!!!

I have not done any speed work, any speed endurance work or any specific work on a bike for that matter. I go back to being a JRA'ing guy at the back of the pack. I finish the race and I would have to be DFL. I dont think that anyone would be behind me a the pace that I was riding at. I cross the line and feel a sense of joy that I have finished, not been lapped a did not break anything. Wait for the results and there are guys that finished behind me. I don't know how that happened. I have tried to finish last and cant do it. Maybe I did not try hard enough.

Maybe I will try harder next week.

I also want to throw out props to Michael Beck. He had to have surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his eye lid last week. Michael races for Crossniacs and I heard he is doing great and already working on next years program....Get well soon.