That's a wrap, 2011..

I want to start this post off by giving credit where it is due. I want to thank my loving wife and my family for putting up with my obsession. If it was not for her support (this goes for all you married fools) lets face it, I would probably not be able to be out there and compete. And if I could, it would not be the same with out all of them behind me.

I really did not know what to expect for 2011 other than I did have high aspirations. Started off the season racing in Cat 1 for MTB. Last year I did win the UFD Cat 2 series on my singlespeed but knew some of top dudes and how fast they are, and that was a little intimidating.
Start of the season usually begins with Bone Bender where I found out real quicklike that I was not prepared. It was an team endurance race so the atmosphere from my perspective is a little more laid back than the usual XC events. After the race (and after the biggest leg cramp of my life) I needed to get my arse in gear.

Next up, my home race, Robidoux Roundup at Krug. One of the bright spots of the season, my first official Cat 1 race and I'll be damned if I did not place an overall 4th, 2nd in 30-39.

This turned out to be the theme for the rest of the season, I am faster than the slow guys but waaaay slower than the fast guys. So most races after the first lap I am in no-mans-land riding by myself.

The rest of the MTB season was kind of difficult for me because life kind of gets in the way. 2011 was insane for me personally, have a child, lose a job, move my mother in law in our home, start a business, lose our mother in law, and more, but you would not believe it if I told you.
As can be expected with responsibility, I was unable to compete in as many MTB races as I would have liked, but still manged to pull a 3rd in the UFD Cat 1 30-39 series, behind Elwell and Donn, both insane fast on two wheels.

CX season was a little bit of a different story, I raced more in 2011 than I have ever done. The convenience of races being short and not that far away make them way more accessible for me and my schedule. The season was pretty up and down. I ended up having to skip races that I needed to be at to keep my fitness level up. As soon as I stated getting my engine finely tuned, I would go 3 weeks without a race. Two steps forward and one step back kind of thing. I did end up getting my first podium in Cat 3 though, on a nice and hilly course out in Leavenworth. I ended up riding with gears a bit more than I anticipated this year, well because I had a new toy and had to ride it...
I honestly did have ambitions of racing an open race or two this year, but my fitness never reached the level I wanted. Owe well...

2011 had some ups and downs, but I did learn a ton about racing, training and nutrition that I am going to carry through to 2012 and hopefully be a breakout season so-to-speak for me.

I am already lining up some training, this year I am actually going to try and train a little smarter and more intensely. With a little help that is...

Also, after watching JPB go from pretty fast to stupid fast, I am pretty much sold on Paleo diet for Athletes which I have started. I did some of it in cross season, but was not that strict. I am determined to race in the 165lb region and hate counting calories, so I do really feel this is the way to go. So far I am great at it from Monday-Thursday, Friday-Sunday, not so much...

2011 was a great year for me, I learned more about racing than I had in the past two years and I met some awesome dudes I now call friends. 2012 is shaping up to be Epic!