Wednesday Update

Well folks, it's racing season. Believe it. It's here. I've raced once already, and while it didn't go well for me personally, I'm happy to say we did well as a team. Three in the top ten ain't bad. I pulled out of the race due to my inflamed knee, but that has since cleared up thanks to some pretty focused healing (read: as much RICE as I could possibly fit in a day, paired with a plenty of Ibuprofen).

I've got so many strong teammates right now, I'm filled with respect, envy, and fear. {At least I hope they're all just really strong -- as opposed to me just being really weak.} I respect them for the hard work they've put in over the winter, and for their ability to shove me inside the pain locker whenever they feel like it; I envy them because I know how much fun it is to be going good; and my fear is that I'll never get there myself, that I took too much time off last year, that I'm gunna stay this slow. Thankfully, this last week of training has helped mitigate that fear quite a bit. My knee is better, and my numbers are up considerably. Two months ago to the day I was in Oaxaca, Mexico building animal exhibits for a petting zoo.

Here are things I'm looking forward to:

The Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic.
This is the first stage race of the year, the 3-5 of April. It's a new race, but it's looking like it's going to be awesome. To begin with, it's promoted by Chad Sperry, the same guy who puts on Mt. Hood and Cascade (probably the two best organized, most impressive races I've ever done). The guy dos a good job. The courses are going to be beautiful and fun -- hard-man road races with enough climbing to be hard, but not so much they're pure climbers' playgrounds; an important fast TT; and a simple downtown crit. A year of stage racin' has never seen such a good start.

New BIKES!!!
We're getting a new bike sponsor! Goodbye Ridley. HELLLLLLLO Blue! They're a Southeast company, so you don't see a lot of them up in Seattle. Hopefully after we totally dominate our competition riding our sexy new Blue RC8's, that will change, as every racer in the land lines up to get himself a Blue. I think I'll name mine Hansel. DAMN THAT HANSEL -- SO HOT RIGHT NOW!!!


Better Weather
Come to me springtime
Be not bashful with your gifts
Let the tulips stretch

ok?