Im taking a bit of a break tonight, before living in the library for the next month before finals, so why not give a bit of a season wrap up and look ahead.
Although last year was my first year of entering races, Id say this year was my first year of actually training in any form and racing. In the end I was faster than some and slower than most.
I wont recap road season again but, I felt like I had a pretty solid first road season, finishing mid pack in most my collegiate road races.
The whole point of road racing and riding was for mountain bike season. I had hope to really take some steps forward this year on the dirt and I did. In my most important collegiate race on my home trails in wilkes, I had a great weekend placing well in all the races and really showing great form in the XC race ( leading the first half and finishing 6th). This was a huge step forward from last year where I was fighting off DFL. Over the rest of the mtb season I got further into law school and further removed from training and my results suffered. Of course it wasn’t the second half the year that I had hoped for, but after getting married, moving and starting law school I guess you cant expect much more.
Although I had planned to step into the cyclocross arena at least once this season, it appears that is out the window. I had planned to hit up the NC State cyclocross race but they moved it 3 hours away. Then I thought Id go to the Wilkes Cyclocross weekend but turns out its during exam week. So unless something turns up it appears the season is over.
So whats on the menu for next year?
Well Im not prepared to put out a race schedule but of course Ill be racing the collegiate road season in the spring and iv already signed up to do the tour de cure again. Everything else is open.
I don’t know how to drop this bombshell, but I am planning as of now to step away from mountain bike racing next year to focus on road racing.
Problem is Id rather ride my mountain bike, however Id much rather race the road bike. Don’t get me wrong I still plan to ride the mountain bike and will certainly return to mountain bike racing but I think only as an endurance racer. I love events like 6HWC where you get to go out and ride your bike all day and enjoy hanging out and riding. I plan to target these kind of 6, 12 and maybe even 24 hour races in the future along with the 50 and 100 milers that are so great in this area. However, as far as the XC and short track goes I think Im out, its just not fun anymore because its not what I think mountain biking is for me. Dicky does is so it must be the right thing to do.
So what for the road?
Well Im looking forward to making some leaps forward this season. We will be competing in probably about 5 races around NC during the ACCC season this year. After that I plan to try and target some of the road races around the state and maybe some week night crits. Id like to do the NC state championship races this year for sure though. Iv been talking to a team apart from my collegiate team to ride for for the rest of the year so I will keep yall posted on that.
Anyway Im planning on putting in an even better offseason this year than last and at least hanging with the peloton in some big race next year.
That’s all for now. Ill update yall as to how the offseason is going next month sometime.
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