Pride in your hide

Saturday was a great day for racing. It was cooler, but earlier(which meant a 4 am wake up to drive down, yawn!) From the get go, the attacks were furious, but futile.
One lap to go and field was still together for about 100' and then wham the attacks started again! Fast, furious, just what racing should be. Lots of bumps, a whole lot of cussing, but no crashes and no cars on the course during OUR race.

Long drive home for a birthday and another 4 am start for Sundays PLT #3.

I swear competition makes you stronger. I live for it. I would much rather get 2nd or 3rd in a strong field, than 1rst in a weak field any day. When I ran, I used to win the local races on a regular basis. What were my favorite races? The big ones- the ones with the tougher competition. I could place in my age group at Lynchburg in the 10 miler, but couldn't get up for a top placing to save my life. Yet that was always my favorite race.

So having BJ, Maria and now Mimi down here racing has done me a world of good. They have made me be stronger and faster. When BJ went down this spring, it took some of the wind out of my sails, but Maria was always there to kick my butt. Sunday, Maria flatted about 1/2 way, but I knew that I still had to pour on the gas or Mimi would get me. She didn't. I beat her by one second. And in order to get that, I had to have my second best time on the course ever.

This one was truly a solitary effort. I left the new computer at home. There it was, on the counter when I got back. Good thing I was a runner and can do effort based racing. I'm thinking that next year I should just ditch the computers all together, and just do tt's by feel. Maria started a minute ahead of me, and I could just make her out in the distance. I was bound and determined to keep her in sight, but lost her in the curvy roads thru the trees. Next time I saw her her day was done. The only other rider I saw was Laura Cook as she blew by me on her way to another pr.

Trust me, it can get lonely out there. At least until the 6 mile road back when the Mafia were yelling for me. Thanks guys. You know I love you.

TT's are a solitary effort. Or they are supposed to be. Please don't plan to cheat out loud in front of my truck. It gives me heart burn to hear it. Cheating just sucks. Drug cheats aren't the only cheats out there. If you aren't fast enough to beat other people... work harder. You'll get there. I did. You can.

The boys did force me to find a new favorite place down in Chesapeake... Woodchicks BBQ. Ok, service is slooooow, but the Q is grand. Onion rings, yum! And the company, the best.