The Season That Wasn't

I've touched on some of this before, but the subject has taken on new life. Not to mention this is my blog and I'll talk about whatever the hell I want.....

This season really wasn't a season. Many factors played a part in that. I thought I was gonna chill, ride for the fun of it, and race 3 or 5 races for fun. Well... I rode less, raced lesser, got fatter, got another DVT, got more stressed, and VERY little fun was had. Then add in the family stress of our move to Michigan, and buying/selling houses, and it has/was just a donkey ball suck season. I wanted to say something less over the top than "donkey ball suck season," but there is no getting around the fact that while I've had on/off again seasons before, this one truly sucked donkey balls. I'm talking back room in Tijuana, 'did she just do that?' donkey ball sucking.

Then I had the vision a couple weeks ago.

I had put together a week of good riding, and the riding seemed almost routine again. Eat, work, ride, eat, sleep, work, ride, etc., I put in like 10+ hours that week. Yeah, yeah I know that's not win races type "Pro" hours, but it's "normal-ish" saddle time for me. I liked it. No, scratch that/reverse. I LOVED it. And I realized that while I am not a competitive person in the least- "You want up the hill first? Go ahead cowboy." And I was never a good racer, I truly miss planning a season and racing. I sort of like watching what I eat, tracking hours, calories, miles, and going to the gym.

That didn't make me a great racer in the past, but it made me a BETTER racer than the slob I became in a little over a year. Racing also made me a better person, and more focused. It made me better to be around, and had me making the most of what I admit is VERY little God givin' talent. It hurt like hell, but it was fun. I thought riding for shits and giggles, drinking beer, and eating buckets of cheese, would be fun. It sort of is, but then it gets not fun. And you realize that all your friends, and fellow racers who didn't give up got fast. REAL F*CKING FAST! That they are racing the races you love and having fun. And you got fat, depressed and ride alone because you're not racing them.

So while I make no promises for what my 2011 year will offer, I can say that I long to get this move DONE. To get my ass to Michigan (just in time for snow!), get to the gym, get on the icy roads, get on the XC ski trails, get on the trainer and get back to the routine of being a bike racer. Even if it's in the very loosest definition of that term. Because even if I'm not exactly racing to win, I do like living to race. And if you can believe it, that is more fun than drinking beer and eating bricks worth of cheese. And WAY more fun than watching your friends ride on while you struggle to catch up on casual rides.

I look forward to 2011 even here now in September 2010. I can't wait for long miles on Michigan dirt roads, and making the most of the Michigan race scene which seems plentiful and fun. Both XC an XXC speaking. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but am anxious to start. After all, Barry-Roubaix is only like 6 months away!

So what time is it?

Nope, not 7:15, time to start clawing my way back to mediocrity,
and set some 2011 goals. (No donkey balls required.)

But before things get too serious, I'm off to drink some beer and nibble that cheese brick that I got in Tijuana.

Later.