2015 Race Season in review

Crazy season!

Dad life has been awesome, but has definitely presented new challenges in racing.

I was reflecting on this year with a teammate on a chill ride last week and came to a couple conclusions.

1.) In the techno-centric world we live in where life in a virtual world has crept into everything we do (ie Strava for cycling) there is no replacement for pinning on a number and toeing the line!

Case in point my fitness this fall did not reach the peak I wanted (see life getting in the way of my amateur racing ambitions)  That was a fact but I went and raced the 6hr solo at Temecula to finish out the series and try and hold onto my 5th place in the overall series.  In the end the field was still relatively deep (35+ racers in Open/Pro men) and I finally cracked the top 10 (9th) this also secured me 3rd place overall for the season.  Now was my outstanding performance how I got to 3rd?  No consistency and my stubbornness to push myself out of my comfort zone got me the result.

2.) Where I think I actually saw gains this season was not in my fitness or in my power meter but it was in my skill and speed in technical sections….

Over the past few years I have spent more and more time on the pavement training for fitness and losing my feel in technical tough sections.  This year I got off the road more (I did this also as I see the road being less and less safe to ride on with crazy drivers) this along with making some changes in equipment (ie tubular mtb tires are amazing, thanks Vittoria!)  I feel my fitness may not have been the best it has ever been but overall I was finding speed in other places.

As I start to look toward 2016 I see new challenges and tighter personal schedules but I have my eyes on some great events and look forward to progressing my riding taking some new avenues.

Thanks so much to my Teammates (Kerry and Ed), Mike and Doug @ North of the Border, Ken @ Vittoria, Katy @  Champion Systems, and Sam @ Honey Stinger  looking forward to a great 2016.