Party's Over

Well, cross season is about done for 2008. Well, for me, it was done several weeks ago but the allure of potentially vomiting all over my lycra enclosed legs has brought me back to the "Last Call" cross race at Wheeler Farm this weekend.

It was a great year: great courses (although Matt could have added a few more "off-bike" sections, we'll get to that later) and great racing. To be up there with Art, Sam, Matt, McCone, Darren, etc. was, for me, a rebirth. I guess I'm a born-again Crosstian. It's been several years since I was able to sniff the front of the race.

One thing that I learned this year is that, as you get older, you can't really take time off from training. That doesn't mean keeping the same volume but it does mean making any gains in power the new normal. With a few hours a week on the trainer, sub-threshold and a couple of days skiing, tele and skating, I figure I'll come into the road season with about the same power levels. I may try a return to mountain bike racing by doing some of the mid-week races at Solitude and Soldier. I certainly could improve my CX starts.

Back around the turn of the century my racing was more of a steady, big gear style. Now, with cross-specific workouts (thank you JonnyG) it is much more of an attacking style: "I'm going to attack you 'till you cry". To some degree this was detrimental as I probably could have been a little more strategic with my attacks but hey, ya gotta find your breaking point.

So, thanks to all who made it happen this year; from Matt to Gardie/Bruce to Jon to all those racers who, while I was passing by, yelled encouragement to chase down Matt and Art- ALL TREMENDOUS. And especially to Teesh who came out to a bunch of races to cheer, take photos and who, despite enduring some grumpy-ass episodes by yours truely, still hangs out with me.