2010 racing in review

So, my "rookie year," looking back on it I accomplished a lot.  57 races in 44 weeks!

photo credit:  Jose Sandoval

I entered road season eager and stupid.  I had a ridiculously nice bike and absolutely no idea where it could take me; all I knew was that i wanted Cat III by the end of the season, a challenging goal but by no means impossible.  I already did a recap at the end of road season so I'll keep this relatively brief.

Looking back at my results I'm still 2nd in the Cat 5 Road BAR, 4th in the Cat 4 Road BAR, 9th in the Tabor Series-Cat 4 (with only 2 races) and 8th in the Cat 3 Tabor series (with only 3 races).

Time to receive Cat 4 upgrade:  29 days (4 races)
Time to receive Cat 3 upgrade:  101 days (17 races/stages)
Current standing:  16 races/stages; 4 points (21 left until Cat 2)

Favorite race of the year:  Rapha Gentlemans' Race
I still am in awe of how to describe this event.  Maybe just watch the video and read my teammate's recollection of the day.  Oh, and if you watch the video I'm at 8:46.  Still, a great day on the bike but good Lord we suffered.

post Rapha Gentleman's Race
photo credit:  Karey Swan

Favorite "real" (road) race of the year:  Elkhorn Stage Race-Stage 4-Mt Dooley
This race was an absolute killer but it served as a breaking through point for me.  It taught me that even after a fitful night's rest in a tent while it's pouring rain I could get up, race 101 miles in 45o rain and still fight my way to the top of a mountain.  While this stage race fried my legs for the next month I proved to myself that my success was more dependent on my mental toughness than equipment, tactics and sometimes even teamwork.

finishing atop Mt Dooley

Least favorite (road) race of the year:  Eugene Celebration--the entire thing (prologue) (road race)
Ok, I really appreciate all the time and effort OBRA and all promoters put into making these events happen but the Eugene Celebration was one of the worst run races I've ever been to.  A 19 mile circuit that some groups had to do up to 4 times?  A crit in an industrial park?  The longest, flattest TT on the planet?  I realize I was fully ready for cross season and that I shouldn't be comparing this race to Elkhorn or High Desert but maybe I'm just spoiled.

starting the Coburg Prologue
(photo credit:  Maggie Rising)

Favorite (cross) race of the year:  toss up between Pain on the Peak and Cross Crusade-PIR
This one is a toss up because I really liked the PIR course, had an awesome crowd there cheering for me and the mud waas perfectly suited to my riding style.  On the other hand, Pain on the Peak was my first cross race of the season and I flat out dominated.  Granted, it was a B race but I shocked myself that I was able to ride that way, especially with almost no time on the cross bike this year.

Pain on the Peak:  at the top of the runup
Photo credit:  Christian Reed

powering through the mud at PIR

What this all comes down to is I have a lot of people to thank:  my friends, parents, teammates, CB and every single company that has cut me a deal.  Team Oregon, you guys have been awesome to me and brought me from a strong and stupid Cat 4 into a pre-Cat 2 road and pre-Elite cross racer.  While I don't know where I'll be a year from now Team Oregon has definitely given me the option to do just about anything.

Teammates, parents, friends, CB thank all of you.  The rides, places to crash, massages after workouts/races, team housing and everything else, thank you!

I'm now due for a few weeks off the bike.  Updates will be sporadic over the next few months but I'll try and update this with non-bike related topics in the meantime.  Thanks again for putting up with this often disconnected blog.