Hollenbeck's Road Race Tomorrow!

Last training ride before the Hollenbeck's Spring Classic. Good thing I got an early start, since the temperature has reached the mid-80s this afternoon. Even though I tried not to push it, I ended up with an average speed of 19.6 with 2300 ft of climbing over 37 miles. Now I'm wondering if I rode too hard the day before the race. Oh well, too late to worry about that.

Trying not to feel to nervous before my first race. I think some Eno is in order! Now it's time to get my kit all packed for the morning. Trainer, towels, gatorade, gels, power bar, lucky jersey, best shorts, iPod...the boring list-making mode helps to keep me relaxed. Also, great news that my friends Natasha and Keith are going to show up and maybe even take some pictures. Thanks, guys! Who knows, maybe the family will even show up.

I guess I'm always this nervous about something new. I'm discovering that while I am fiercely competitive when competing against myself and the clock, I am afraid of failure. Not humiliation, just failure. So now I have to just adjust my expectations, and hope to finish somewhere in the middle of the Cat 4/5 and Masters pack. Anything better than that would be awesome, and worse than that will be a reality check.

Another think I'm trying to unlearn is my desire to attack when I see someone ahead of me who appears to be within reach. I tried a new approach today, and it worked well. I saw someone ahead of me on Ellis Hollow Creek Rd. who was clearly a little slower, but rather than attack, I slowed down, took a quick snack break, and passed at a moderate pace. Now I've got to internalize this approach.

Last Hollenbeck\'s Training Ride

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