It's interesting how we arbitrarily assign importance to relatively trivial events and activities. "Sometimes that weight allows us access to deeper meaning. Sometimes it's just bullshit to make us feel better about how we spend our time and energy." (mark twight)
My only goal this year prior to cross season with respect to bike racing was to race well at the state championship mtn bike race. Well, I guess that was a loose goal because when that race had the slightest cast of doubt associated with rain and subsequent cancellation, I began thinking about alternatives. Fitness has been building over the prior months...practicing what works and what doesn't so as to be ready to do the same next fall/winter. I suppose in my mind, the process of building and training is/was more my goal than the actual race. I love training and riding my bike but it is even more fun with something in mind. Unfortunately the execution phase of this particular goal didn't happen...which is certainly the most important part.
The alternate race ended up being the Tour of Ste Genevieve, a race I had wanted to do last year. I was nervous about the almost 90 mile distance....so my goals for that race were real simple: help my buddy and teamate Devin get into a break, try and get into a break myself, and hopefully finish. Thanks to Ron, Alex, Devin, and the sponsors of The Hub I was able to ride on an awesome new Giant TCR advanced road bike.
Goals 1 and 3 were accomplished. And before goal 3, I unfortunately dropped a chain at a very inopportune time, lost contact with the group, and finished by myself...pedaling alone with my thoughts and reflections. Satisfaction came from the process not the end. But a few days later, I'm committing to myself to not let a lack of execution become habit.
A long summer is beginning. Maggie is on the most time intensive rotation of medical school (surgery), I'll be doing a lot of elbow grease work in the lab, trying to publish 2 papers, we both must maintain contact with eachother and our daughter...and strangely, not despite-of, but in concert with all of that, riding will continue.
Onward.
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