Last weekend was the first major race of my season, the Arizona State Police & Fire Championship Games. As I sit back now and reflect, it feels pretty amazing to accomplish goals that we set for ourselves. As cyclists we set goals in the beginning of the season. When we lay our goals out in the beginning of the season it seems like that particular event or events we are going to focus on are so far away. As the season progresses we continue to work towards them, but sometimes they seem to be just lingering in the back ground. We work on other short term goals or races, BUT before we know it race day is upon us. At that point, fear and self doubt set in “am I ready, have I prepared right, and many other what ifs and maybes.”
Last year I was just coming back to the XC racing seen and I was not on form. I ended up 2nd in the MTN bike race and suffering in the road race. One year later things were extremely different.
On Thursday police officers and firefighters from AZ, NM, and California lined up for the first of 3 races over the next 3 days MTN bike, Road race, & Time Trial. Each race is a one day, winner take all to decide who the state champion in each event is. There is also a Triple Crown winner. The Triple Crown is for the rider who has the lowest combined time in all three events.
Well, I’m proud to say it was Gary Fisher 29er Crew colors on top of the podium all three days. Thursday started off with the mountain bike race which had me getting on the single track 1st but that was short lived when I found myself 200 yards down the wrong trail with my main competitor hot on my tail. We quickly realized this and we got ourselves back on track. The problem was now 6th! I worked my way back up to the group and finagled our way through the group to get back to the leader. For a short time I set in 3rd and all I kept thinking was “Great I’m going to lose to a firefighter again!!!!” But, as luck would have it the leaders blew a corner and left the door wide open for me to slide around them. Not only that, they did it at the start of the downhill. I had my chance and I took full advantage of it. I knew I may not have another chance so I turned on the gas and never looked back. I crossed the finish line in 1st overall by almost a minute and 1st in my age group.
I have to say it felt good to know all the hard work which had been put in throughout the season truly paid off.
The next 2 days went good as well. I finished 1st in my age group, the road race and the time trial. My award for a solid weekend of racing was 3 gold medals and a yellow jersey for being the winner of the Triple Crown.
Let’s hope I’m the one doing the punching!
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