It is hard for me to update my blog. Im great with social media, quick posts to FB and Twitter im even good at posting to my GoFund me account, but this blog for me is somehow a black whole where blog drafts go to die. There are several posts, just sitting there never to be published, never to be seen . Why? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe its because I believe that no one reads this, or that what I have to say is not funny enough, or interesting enough, or maybe Im just lazy when it comes to writing about me.
This post will include some old stories, to catch every one up. If your not sick of reading about me a new up to date story will follow shortly.
Enjoy.
Quick update.
I just finished up three days of racing in Saint Louis at Tour de Grove. This was quite a different race experience than the previous weeks of NCC racing at Speed Week.
I hit the ground in a crash on the first night, but am ok for the most part. The second day was an NCC race so I grabbed a lot of points but could not quite pull off the finish.
The 3rd and final day was one of the hardest days of racing. I chose to be supper active and aggressive, working to create a break or go with a move that made one. This made for a very hard, active race. I was in just about every move except the one that stuck (always the story). My positioning for the finial lap was good for the final sprint but I wanted to try something new and attacked early hoping to stay away, but was caught at the line.
Over all I was happy with how I raced. I may not have made the podium but I walked away with the experience of what I did right, and more importantly what I did wrong.
I am out side of Chicago now for a week of training with awesome teammates, and being hosted by one of our incredible sponsors Enzo’s http://www.enzoscyclingproducts.com and will be racing in one of our other sponsors’ races, the PSIMET fox river omnium http://www.psimetracing.com/fox-river-omnium/ .
And then there were podiums in Chicago:
A year of firsts, and it’s only May.
This is the first year in several years I have been able to race without pain. This has given me the confidence to believe in myself and dedicate myself to racing.
The season is just beginning, and I have already raced in El Salvador, where I surprised myself and a lot of other people. This was the beginning. I had the fight to finish one of the hardest mountain climbs (a climb that destroyed the field!) I have ever done in a UCI race. I spent two stages riding in a break, one of those days attacking the break to win sprint points. Another first was placing top 20 in a UCI race.
I had the opportunity to race Redlands, the first NRC race of the season, and support my teammate to 3rd over all, and I placed 12th in the hardest crit in America.
I had my first win in 4 years at the Red Kite Crit in CA.
Today, in our 6th day of racing at Speed Week, I attacked the field 1 1/2 laps into a 37 lap technical course, creating the breakaway that would lap the field. In a sprint finish I came in 4th, unfortunately one spot off the podium. This is the first time I have ever lapped a field.
I have had many firsts and small victories already this season. Each and every one of them I am grateful for, and I could not have achieved without all of your help.
Your support, and believing in me have contributed to my success, and has opened my eyes to the athlete I can be.
Congrats Starla….first for having such a great season…..second for completing your second blog post this year 😉 Call me when you’re back in town…..it’s time for a ride together! Matt