That time of year

It is official I am racing for ABRC and have been asked to be the team captain. Dave is on board as well and we will be with Momentum racing in the dirt. The new bikes and clothes are ordered. I took my one week end of year break off and the cold weather is rolling in. It was 34 degrees this morning so I am waiting to go ride. Hurry up and wait for now.....robert

The season is over

Last weekend was the final races and went pretty good. I got 9th place both days. I put together my race results for the year and was suprised to see how well I did. I did a total of 47 races this year and placed top 10 in 27 of them. My mind has been made up and I will be riding for Asheville Bicyle Racing Club this year and have been asked to be the team captain for the masters team. I am honored to be picked since there are a lot of talented guys here. This week I will take off the bike and next week start my winter training. Yeah, trainers and cold weather.

Fall is coming

The season is winding down and my body is glad. Since my last post Shawn and I have had birthdays and Kellie has had hysterectomy surgery. She is doing well. I have continued to get some more top 10's and raced a cross race last Wed. on my mountain bike. That was the 4th (?) time I have ridden my MTB bike this year. I went for a fun interval work out and got it all while entertaining the crowd. Next weekend should be camping with Dave and the next racing in Simpsonville. That should do it for the year. I built up my new TT bike and have ridden it once so far. It rides as good as it looks. For now just figuring out how much camping we can do by the end of the year and preparing to start winter training. Kellie is starting to exercise and watch her diet which I am glad to see. She is doing it for herself and to prepare for the next Roller girl try outs. Shawn is back in scouts and keeping it real in the 5th grade. The cat has not moved..........

Nationals

I did everything right this time. I was on the front row with 74 guys. The race was on and the first attack went. I was bridging up and pulled off with 100 meters to go to fall back and jump the counter move. We came together and coming out of turn 4 two guys went down 3 wheels in front of me. As luck would have it they ended up right in front of me and I had to stop. When I came out of the pit it was single file and I fell in the middle. The rest of the race was 30-33 mph and single file. No matter how hard I tried I was done. I ended up 43rd. I am over being depressed and having fun riding my bike again. The season is still going and now I need to focus on moving up to the 2's. We did have a good time going to the Indianapolis speedway and underground caverns. Shawn I think swam a million miles in the hotel pool.

14 days to go till Nationals

I raced at the track Wed. and came around people in the sprint I would normally have trouble with and did it without any trouble. I also pulled back the biggest break of the night and shreaded the field.
Today I motor paced for an hour in 94 degree heat.
This will be the year for me. Now I rest and take it easy from here on. After nationals I am concentrating on getting enough points to get out of the 3's.

22 days to go

Since the last post I took 2 weeks easy. Between the training and heat I had to back off. Last weekend was an omnium in TN. I took 11th in the cat 3 RR which was a waist of 3 hours of my life. It is so different between Masters and the 3's. The sprint was a joke and I got trapped. The TT that afternoon was better since none of the idiots where around me and I got first. The crit Sunday in the masters 30-40+ was super fast and I ended up with a 5th overall and 1st in the 40+. The cat 3 race was easy and on the last lap I was in 4th going into turn 3 and three guys did a hail mary move on the inside so not wanting to go down I backed off and had to try to pull it back ending up with a 9th.
The week before at the track I ended up with a 2nd in the masters a 9th in the A's and a prime.
This weekend everybody is coming up for the FBCC and I am doing the crits Sunday and an easy ride with Dave Saturday. It will be good to ride with and see everybody.
As for the 22 days left.......That is when I go pick up my national jersey. My attitude is getting very cocky, I am motor pacing at 30-40 mph and I am 12 pounds lighter this year. It is my year to win!!!!!

HOT

Weekend before last between SC and TN I got 4 top 10s in a TT and crits. This past weekend was the NC ST crit champ. There were 4 teams with no less than 5 riders each, Sat. the course sucked, oh and it was over 100 degrees. I survived though and only broke one wheel. 12,14,17,and 21 is how I ended up. It was my 4th week on a training block so I was not at 100% and on Sunday's second race on the line the guy next to me said his computer said 108 degrees. I got in some of the breaks and pulled some back so I did not sit in. I was there for the heat and hard races. Shawn got to play in the pool at the motel and we made it back in time for the meet and greet with the Blue ridge roller girls. Kellie will be trying out for the team this Sunday. Gotta go to work...........Robert