The 2009 Race season is right around the corner. Hard to believe the long Michigan winter is almost over. Just as I knew it would happen, the closer the first race gets the more I miss the training sessions. It's going to be hard to sit on the sidelines this year and not race but I know it's still for the better that I don't. Plus, my training for the 2010 season will be starting up soon. I will say the rest I have taken this winter has done wonders for my body and I feel like I am back at full strength.
One thing I don't miss is the big grocery bills and having to eat something every 45 minutes. I was pushing 4,000 calories a day just to not lose any more weight. And of course it wasn't 4,000 calories of junk food that leave you stuffed for hours. It was calories upon calories of veggies, fruits, chicken, pasta and all that stuff that burns away fast. Then the bill for all the hydration powders and gels to eat while I rode.
To keep busy I have been tooling around at the ramp parks on my bmx bike with my son Ashton. Also I am in the process of building a dirt jumper to use at the Stony Skills Park this year. Can't wait until I finish it. I have most of the parts but need a couple more things from the Captain to finish it.
Speaking of building bikes, I have started to brainstorm about my next race bike and what I plan to build. I am actually tossing around the idea of going with a 29'er. Kona makes a really nice full suspension 29'er frame that I'd love to try out. I am going to have to go take some test rides soon and see what this 29'er hype is all about. This next bike tho will surpass my last build in terms of what I want. The last thought is what to do with my road bike. It's so ready for some love and needs some attention. I keep saying every year I am going to get a new one but somethig always comes up and I end up buying a different bike r a lot of replacement parts for the race bike.
As far as the team goes for this year....not sure what's going to happen with everyone. Jeff is planning to do what's natural for him and compete in more endurance events. He will be going out and doing some 100 miles races this year. I think he's up for it. After racing with him in the 6 Hours of Addison and the Stony Creek Marathon I know he's ready for the jump to the 100 mile races. He'll do well too. The guy is a machine and can hold himself in a zone for hours. When he satrted peaking last season in our Expert/CAT-1 category he started winning the geared races and still making it to the podium in the SS classes. 50-60 mile race days became normal for him and you could see he still had more left in the tank.
I believe Heather and Dawn will be back racing in the Elite/Pro level. I'm anxious to see how much faster Heather will be this year. I haven't talked to her much this of season but the Captain says she's ready to roll. Mike and Brian will continue their quests in the Sport or now CAT-2 category. Brian is actually training this off season and I see him returning back to 2007 form when he spent a lot of time going fast and finishing on the podium.
As for Scotty, Alex the Kid, Goatboy, Amber Alert, The Godfather and Aunt Darlene, I am not sure what their plans are for this year. I hope some year that we'll get back to the 2007 team turnouts. At every race we always had a big turnout and it made race day loads of fun.
So hopefully we'll get more riders back to the starting lines, me included. But until then I'll be quietly training on the sidelines to come back in 2010 right where I left off.
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