a quick glance at riding and racing for me in 2006

it is approaching another new year
it is a time of year where people look back and reflect
then look forward and plan
so... I am taking a quick glance back at my riding and racing for 2006

in short... 2006 was an improvement over 2005
if for no other reason than the fact that I was able to stay out of the Emergency Room
06 was better than 05
in 2005 I started my mountain bike season with the break/dislocation of the index finger on my right hand... which lead to surgery, rehab, and permanent disfiguration
then at the start of the cyclocross season I went over the handlebars and dislocated my shoulder
ouch...
major bummer

so... in 2006 I managed to achieve one of my primary goals... the avoidance of the Emergency Room

there were definitely other highlights
but staying healthy ranks right up there

at a glance I did roughly 14 races
a mixture of cyclocross, mountain, and multi-lap endurance mountain bike events
no... there were no road races
there are some things that I just will not do
okay... never say never... but the lure just is not there

in looking back at the season I see that there were a grand mixtures of highs and lows
a number of technical malfunctions which include a number of broken chains and even more flat tires
some of these things that can easily be avoided
some of these things are just bound to happen
especially to the bigger riders like myself

although I raced and rode a fair amount
I felt that my technical ability was starting to slip
some of which falls back on confidence
although I have never been a stellar technical rider
what little technical ability I once had is starting to wain
time to get back out to Gambril
time to slow things down and focus on the obstacles
try and get over things instead of going around them
need to reset the program in my brain that is seeking the Girl Scout Route
my current default setting is to find the safest and easiest path
which has been involving some unnecessary Cheat Lines
time to reset my brain to allow me to attack obstacles that I know I can clear

my racing involved a number of podium Clydesdale finishes
then also a good number of strong Expert 35+ finishes
putting The 24 Hours of Big Bear as a season highlight
no podium for the team... but an impressive 8th out of 160 overall
at the local Wakefield course I not only had the pleasure of holding off the fellow big guys in the Clydesdale Class at WAW... but I also had a surprising 2nd place finish with the Expert 35+ at one of the Cranky Monkey events
lots of great races
lots of great rides

next year I turn forty
and well
my boys turn six and three
this will be my 8th year of marriage
life is good
as much as I enjoy the bicycle... the family comes first
that is part of the reason why the number of races is not higher
family
and I am a tad lazy

hopefully the responsibilities of adult life will allow for as many races in 07 as in 06
if things go as planned there should be a few more
ideally I will build off what I have learned this year
and attack next year without making some of the same errors
then again... I am who I am
and I have learned to accept that I do things a certain way
not always the most sensible way
but it is my way

in addition to the riding and the racing I have also found pleasure in THE BLOG
for those that do not know... I keep a blog
it is almost as much a pleasure as it is a compulsion
in addition to a place where I can blow some steam and let out some thoughts
it is also a place where I can unleash some creativity
taking pictures and playing with the images is a pleasure for me
I enjoy the outlet
it also puts me in touch with an amazing network of people

a good number of race reports can be found on the DCMTB/City Bikes Site
or scan the archives
google can always be fun game
it amuses me what I find when I google various combinations with GWADZILLA

listening to the podcast on THE SPOKESMAN
Tim of Blue Collar Mountianbiking is on this Episode #6