This weekend wrapped up what is most likely going to be affectionately termed NECX Superweek in the future, with 3 great venues and 5 great races all taking place in the span of a week; The GP of Gloucester, The Night Weasels, and The Providence 'Cross Festival. So, with that, let's take a moment to quickly summarize the Providence Day 2 events that involved Comprehensive Racing. In one word I can sum up two races... mechanicals. Eric W lined up for the Cat 4's. Stuck at the back because he didn't prereg, he was forced to chase pretty hard and after a crash in one the many turns on the course, he would manage to break a spring on his brake. Unknowingly, he gave it his all, brake dragging and all and eventually ended up getting pulled because of the 80% rule. Next up would be me... Coming off a pretty poor showing at The Night Weasels, I wanted to rebound and last year, I had a blast on the Day2 Providence course, so I figured, why not get up at 5 am and drive 90 minutes for a 45 minute race?! I started 5th row because I pre-reg'd late, but had a great start and immediately moved into the top 30 of the field of 91. My legs felt good, and responsive and I had some good fast lines, so even when I was getting gapped a little in the power sections, I would make up ground and put passes on guys in the technical sections. Lap 1 in the books and lap two sees me steady moving up through the field, close to the top 20. And then it happened, a quick bobble in a corner when you are toward the front of a race with a line of guys behind you can result in disaster. My trusty Felt jumped out from under me and the next thing you know, the guy behind me is riding up and over my back wheel, frame and me. I jump up to find my derailleur has been jammed through my back wheel and the top tube of my frame has been indented into the side of my leg. Game Over...
So you ask, what can be taken away from this?
1) Stay on the bike
2) Stay on the bike
3) Don't fall off the bike
Seriously, in all of racing, there are both good and bad moments and how we deal with those can shape us as not only a racer, but as a person. In my everyday job, I deal with clients and projects all day long, some good, some bad, but at the end of the day, I think to myself that as long as I am helping them get their job done, then I am being successful. In the product development world, sometimes success is measured in incremental product gains through sales or profit, other times its measured by milestone progress.
In racing, I find success can also be measured a few different ways. The most obvious is by your finishing place, the closer to number 1 the better! For those of us, that were not gifted with the ability to ride a bike (or run or swim) super fast, we have to measure our results a bit differently. Everyone of us that gets to the starting line, no matter who they are, would like to win. In my opinion, anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or isn't very ambitious. On the flip side of that, I know, that while I would really like to win a race someday, the odds are pretty slim. That being said, I am working hard on it and this is my point today. I crashed out of Sunday's race. It happens. Crashes happen, bad luck happens. But, its how we deal with that bad luck. While disappointed with a DNF, I had a huge positive for the day!!!! I was FINALLY riding toward the front of a race and felt like I had the power to move up through the field. It was AWESOME!
So what's my point? My point is that, even with a crash, a huge bruise and swollen knee, and a busted bike, I was able to find some good in my racing! I challenge every one of you that might read this (all 3 of you), to look at your toughest race. One that you walked away from totally discouraged, beaten down and abused... From that race, take away one good thing! One thing that went right and learn from it. Use it as a confidence builder for the next time and be stronger for the future because of it. And if you think it might help someone else, feel free to share it here!
Until the next time, when this master of mid-pack finishes can actually stay on his bike to move up in a race, I'll be thinking, "Wow, so that's what the front of a race looks like?"
See you all soon!
K
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