The Countdown Begins
We are only four days away from the Ramstein Criterium. This one is going to be pretty fun though because it's part of a fest for a local village in the area. The open race (which is 18-29) will be 42 kilometers, or thirty laps. Each fifth lap, the top four will get points (5,3,2,1). The challenging thing about the USAFE Flyte.com Cycling Series is that it's by age group and not by category or ability level. So we have everything from guys that are cat 2's to guys that are just now starting out. You just don't know what's going to happen.
A mistake I made in the Spangdahlem road race and time trial is that I went in with the mindset that I wanted to finish in the top five in the open. Guess where I placed. That's right: Fifth. When I did the Pioneer crit on Memorial Day weekend I went in with the mindset that I was going to go for the win. What did I do that day? I won the open category.
So I'm already preparing myself mentally, that I won't settle for anything less than a victory this weekend. The base is there after my year off of the bike, and I know that my legs are there. The first week I rode this year, I tested myself on a hill that the commander calls the "10 minute hill" because that's how long it takes him to get up it. My first time I did it in 9:02. Saturday, after a 35 minute warmup I did it in 7:37. I couldn't believe it. I was pumped and it was quite the confidence boost for this weekend.
Shout out to Ted Mcrae, cat 3 State TT champ in Missouri. He started out one year before me, and was cat 5 with me for a little bit. Bugman, watching you shows me what's possible with some training and work. Can't wait til 2008 so that I can get some Missouri racing in with you guys.
A mistake I made in the Spangdahlem road race and time trial is that I went in with the mindset that I wanted to finish in the top five in the open. Guess where I placed. That's right: Fifth. When I did the Pioneer crit on Memorial Day weekend I went in with the mindset that I was going to go for the win. What did I do that day? I won the open category.
So I'm already preparing myself mentally, that I won't settle for anything less than a victory this weekend. The base is there after my year off of the bike, and I know that my legs are there. The first week I rode this year, I tested myself on a hill that the commander calls the "10 minute hill" because that's how long it takes him to get up it. My first time I did it in 9:02. Saturday, after a 35 minute warmup I did it in 7:37. I couldn't believe it. I was pumped and it was quite the confidence boost for this weekend.
Shout out to Ted Mcrae, cat 3 State TT champ in Missouri. He started out one year before me, and was cat 5 with me for a little bit. Bugman, watching you shows me what's possible with some training and work. Can't wait til 2008 so that I can get some Missouri racing in with you guys.
posted by SPC Deal at 4:57 AM
3 Comments:
Interesting. So you are deleting my comments now?
Consider it an honor Bobber. The only other person that I've ever deleted a comment on is BillH.
Glad things are on the mending trail between you and I. Sorry it took so long.
SD
Shawn, thanks for the props. Look forward to seeing you in 2008, and I've no doubt we'll rub elbows in the 3s. Hmmm, on second thought in 2 years I may have already "retired" to the Masters ;-) -- ted
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