2009 was a year to forget. I started off weak and ended weak with no real clue as to why for quite some time.
First, I decided to go to Monterey California for some West Coast racing which I found to be quite dissapointing to not only how I performed, (DNF-Flat that wouldn't seal at Sea Otter) but also, the course was way too easy. There was UH spot where you decended on beach sand and the Laguna Seca Raceway section was pretty cool. I came home with some nice goodies and great friends from the Evomo squad. From stories I've heard from Brandon and Bryan on the Evomo team, I know they do have better trails than what was displayed at the Sea Otter and we'll just leave it at that.
From that experience on, I didn't gain a lot in any form of improvement or at least that didn't involve paying a price in the form of losing mass amounts of liquids in ways that would make newborns blush. In 2009 I would be blindsided from an illness that took the entire season away from me basically from after Levis 100 to Underdown (July to November) and possibly earlier with the doctor saying "based upon the progression of the infection you may have had this as early as May".....Really? Wow! I just thought I was pathetically slow all year, but it would explain bonking everytime I cross 3 hours of riding where I would have little or nothing left in the tank. It was like running through a well lit hallway at night and then all of a sudden the power goes out and you trip and fall down the steps that you couldn't see coming. Needless to say the Author had come in with less than acceptable results for 2009 and would dedicate himself to get healthy and make sure that 2010 would not be the same. Redemption was a must so enough of that crap, time to move on and I did just that.....
Soooooo.....
It all started in November after I felt better I ventured out on some easy rides, but really hit the gym hard. I had a muscular endurance program I've created that worked great. In december I partnered that up with skate skiing which I did not give up on like in years past. I skated all winter and logged hours 3-5 days per week. I decided to skip Badger State Games this year due in part by the fact that I didn't want to get into race mode so early on I was afterall building a base for cycling. The spring actually greeted us here in central Wisconsin early and showed signs that an early outdoor riding season would be on the way and thankfully that happened. I was able to ride the road and Mountain Bay Trail by February. I would then begin to take multiple trips on that trail as it was such a safe bet for riding during the night as it was still turning black halfway through my ride with toes frozen.
I think I was still tackling some of the lingering illness as I was told it could stick around up to a year even after the antibiotics ran their course, I think I really started feeling like myself just before the Green Bay WEMS Race. I was still feeling slow with aches and pains to that could only be matched by my constant need to sleep and rest for the Iola WORS Race I felt pretty tired and ached on race day, !2 Hours of Northern Kettles I was definately sick, maybe as bad as Levis in '09 and it was a damn good thing I stayed in Fond Du Lac, and maybe started coming out of it by the time the Rhinelander WORS Race started.
My first race of the spring was in Iola for the WORS opener. I thought I felt good, I rode the singletrack with confidence and lost a bottle ejector seat style. I got a bottle of mixed good from the Performa guys. Deuce and friends hooked me up and I completed the final of five laps and thought I accomplished something only to find I was once again near the back.
Second race was supposed to be the Green Bay Wems Race, but as I commuted to Shoe's place it was delayed, then cancelled. We then went to Titletown Brewery for pizza, curds, and beer and followed that up with a ride through the camp. The conditions of the course were in great shape but it was a little windy and a little chilly the rescheduled version became a 100 miler and the conditions may have been worse in some spots, but riding with the Performa crew was fun once again. My second race actually ended up taking place at the 12 hours of Northern Kettles. I started out really slow, no real zip to my legs to hang with the rabbits that took off, I of course would pay for this and wouldn't even come close to having a shot at capturing the leader despite my ubber efficient pit stops. I did get extremely ill once again similar to the episode that i've experienced at Levis in 2009 and I was greatful that I stayed in Fond Du Lac with my Dad and Dawn that night. I don't think I would have made it home. It was worth the 2nd place finish, but I know I would have rode 6 hours of that race much faster than I did.
Next race brought me to Rhinelander and I made it a point that in this particular race and each one going forward I would try to get to the front, but I still wasn't feeling all that strong and I could only hold the Performa rookie's wheel for about 3 minutes and completely popped within 20 minutes.....ouch!!!! Once again towards the bottom. Frustration is setting in at this point, but I still keep trucking along hoping to get the WORS Race I was looking for.
Green Bay 100 miler went well. No complaints except I wish I would have not let Carlos go so early in the race. I had way too much left in the tank at the end but at least I put together a complete race and finished 2nd place to a VERY strong rider.
I finally got to race on some good conditions for my home course at Nine Mile (changing to Underdown for 2011 by the way). I started out strong, but got caught in a mess early on. I spent a lot of energy trying to move up in the heat and eventually got dropped through the field and getting sick on the trail numerous times on the final lap, yay!! That was not what I had in mind for a good race. Would I rebound?????? No! well at least not yet.
Epic collapse and mechanical at John Muir. I clearly overtrained, the muddy conditions and course re-design didn't fit well, for me anyway. I more or less just should have not woke up that Saturday morning to go to a race. I said to myself "F this race......till next year"
Ahhhhh yes the Subaru Cup!!! Tensions were super high with the factory pros coming to town and I was amped up to say the least, I mean you would to if you've seen Willow Koeber right? I got a front row spot and took off like a bat out of hell. I got my wish to get out with the leaders and paid for it, never to do it again.....well at least on that course. I don't think I ever bonked that hard ever in a race. Of course as I got past the last real technical section of the course and tried to climb my and my knee gave me a sharp stabbing pain and felt weak. Apparently it didn't like the short punchy climbs and I found myself pulling the plug early...."bummer dude and F this race to....till next year"
In next week's episode:
* Levis 100 (or not 100)
* 12 Hours of Thunderdown (okay so like 2 hours for me)
* Wausau24 (more like 25)
* 12 Hours of Pitchblack (not under a full moon do you get pitchblack)
* Chequamegon 40
* The wrap up of 10 notes for 2010! (so I forgot five of them....no biggie I'll add them now....it's still 2010)
* Since the Madden Horse Trailer is no longer I will gladly take over and create my own "List" AKA the RAD Things Done on a Bike List (Stuff people do in the bike industry that's RAD like the movie)
Remember if you hear the Mavic "click" in your wheels you're not riding fast enough!
"Get Some!!" ~ Tim "Coffee" Wilcox
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