Chain Slack

It's been 4 years since I raced a full schedule.  The last three years have each posed their own issues that kept me from racing again.  I was very excited  after talking with Sue and coming up with a plan that would allow me to race again this year and chase points.  The plan was formulated back in November of 2011 when my training for the 2012 season started.

Since then though, it's been a roller coaster ride to try and keep myself gaining and building to be stronger and faster than the races I did last year.  It seems for every solid block of training I have had this year I have had a block that has made me have to hit the reset button.  Since November I had been sick and in need of antibiotics three times.  The first time was a big hit over xmas when I had 10 days off of work and had planned to do an endurance block.  Well I was sick for 8 of those days and I never got on the bike.  The second time was the first week in April.  After having awesome weather in March and getting outside to ride quite a few times I came down with a horrible ear infection that side lines me for a week and a half leading into the first race of the year.  The third time, well I am in the middle of it right now.  After putting down over 400 miles in the last 3 weeks and on track to have well over a 500 shortened month.  I am on my fourth day off with no plans to ride again until Monday because I still feel like crap, coughing and blowing my nose every 60 seconds.

Yes, I have lost more than the last 4 days recently.  The second weekend of May I competed in a 12 hour race.  One thing led to another and I finished 112 miles on the trail in 10 hours but I picked up tendonitis along the way.  That injury kept me off my bikes for almost 3 weeks.  Three weeks that were supposed to be a huge build time for me.  Once off the injury I had to ride easy for a week and then was able to hit it hard for two weeks...until I got sick, again.

On top of that I remember taking a week off for the kids being sick.  That's something I know is going to happen now and again so it was no big deal.  But Sue also broke her ankle again in March and that had me take some time off to keep things running smooth at home.

So in the first 26 weeks of 2012 I have missed a total of 7 weeks of training time and 2 races.  You could say 8 weeks if you start the count from the last week of 2011.  Out of these 8 weeks missed, only 1 of them fell on a planned rest week.  On top of that I have 9 days until my next race which is a 50 miler and an 'A' race.  Needless to say I am not going to be in tip top shape for it so pulling down a podium may not be possible now as I have lost to much training time in the past two months.  Judging by last week's training numbers I am still hot for a 2 hour or less race but I am not sure if I still have the long haul legs I had 6 weeks ago to battle for a top 5 spot in the next race.  Lako, Osgood, Dubs, Moore and Bonnell are all podium threats for the next race and 8 months ago I had all intentions of placing top three at this race.  But to beat even 3 out of the 5 guys I just mentioned is a huge feat.  My log shows only one ride over 2 hours in the last 6 weeks and being sick I will not have the opportunity to ride this weekend to help develop a race strategy.

I am going to go still and race.  I paid for this stupid Cat 1 license so I may as well use it.  Like my man Osgood stated in his blog, "Can't plan viruses."  I preach race strategy to everyone who asks me for advise but for me on this one, my only plan will be racer's instinct.  Just start pedaling when the gun goes off and make decisions as the race unfolds.