211: Obligatory Year End Post:

Well, it is Wednesday after my last cross race. No cross practice tonight, and the third day after cross. I have only gained 1lb, vs 5lbs at this same time last year. I’m really trying to show a little more self control this year.

I spent much of Tuesday texting Jebalicious who with Tom, Gavigan, Wes, and L-Web were speeding across the country in the Krafter and the Drafter, headed for nationals.
Jebalicous said something about Tom having a crazy look in his eyes, and peeing into Gatorade bottles on a nonstop trip? I called them at one point and offered to trade Jeb some beer for a stem he had won during the season. He responded, “sure I’ll take some beer for that stem!” Next thing I know all I hear is L-web cussing up a storm at me in the background !? She put the kibosh on the deal. What’s up with that? Is it wrong to offer a 16 year old beer for bike parts?A text at 6:00 am this morning confirmed safe arrival in KC. Jebalicous is busy jumping on the hotel beds, stealing the little soaps and bare assing all the furniture as I type.

So First The Goals and results:
Most goal setting material I have read says that your goals are not real unless you write them down. And if I am going to write down my goals, I might as well go through the process of making sure they are good goals. Generally speaking I use the SMART rule when make goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. So here’s how it went:

1. Top 5 in the MAC 2/3 : FAIL
Came close. Going in to Beacon I figured if I got a top 5, and then managed a top 10 at HP, that I’d have a really good shot to make this a reality. Beacon has historically been good to me, HP not so much. Well, instead I crashed and then got clotheslined in the first half lap of beacon. Despite a good race and a hard fought 10th place, I realized that I wouldn’t meet my goal at this point. Heartbroken I walked off the course the next day at HP, muttering something like, “I suck, I hate this…” For the year I finished 7th, which I’m pretty happy with. I never beat the top 3 guys,
and the next three guys I beat 1x each. So 7th is about right. You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you deserve. For those scoring at home the past 5 years of Final MAC Ranking: 08: 7; 07:9; 06: 10; 05:21; 04:43. Incremental improvement indeed.

2. Top 5 finish in a MAC 2/3 race: SUCCESS
After 10 long years, I finally made it. 4th place Fairhill. Very pleased with that. I might also comment that my teammate Meatball, in just his first year of cross, has picked up 2 top 5 finishes this year. I think he’s gonna be good at this game.

3. Medal in Maryland 35+ State Championship: SUCCESS
After 5 years in Maryland and not sniffing a medal, I got a nice silver this year.

Making it even sweeter was my teammates with the Gold and Bronze for a nice C3 podium sweep ...

4. Learn to use tubular wheels: SUCCESS
This was my least SMART goal. I rolled a few early in the year. Perhaps not using enough glue for a man of my girth? I had trouble with what pressure to run for a while too. When things went wrong I went back to my old clinchers, but then I rolled one of those at Granogue, perhaps costing me a sprint. I hardened my resolve and only ran tubies for the rest of the year, and at the end I feel pretty confident that I nailed this down. Thanks to the boys at Henry’s for being patient with me, and working to help me get these right.

5. Help C3-Sollay.com Win Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Cup Team Championship: SUCCESS
Last year we had the ability to challenge FORT, but frankly it just wasn’t on our radar as a team. A number of folks were surprised based on our depth and strength, that we didn’t win it. Coming into this year, I resolved that if we didn’t win the championship it wouldn’t be because we weren’t watching it or trying. As the year unfolded we were pretty dominate, and in fact ended up winning 8 of the 10 races. My role in this was to just make sure that the team was aware of where we were, who our rivals were, what we needed to do to win. I’m pretty stoked that we accomplished this goal. Our team is a dedicated cyclocross team. Aside from racing, we put a lot into developing the sport. This frankly is one of the requirements of C3, to not only race hard, but work hard for your teammates, and foster the sport. Three area weekly practices were run by members of C3 (not only for c3 riders) 3 races were promoted by members of C3, in general we tried to be ambassadors for the sport. This was the 4th time that I have been a part of a championship team (99,00 Wooden Wheels, 06 Fort Factory, 08 C3-Sollay.com) The Rock used to say,

“know your role” I’m pretty good as a cyclocrosser, but I also recognize that some of my biggest contributions to my team have very little to do with how I ride a bike. If that makes me some kind of cyclocross super domestique, I think I can live with that…

4 out of 5 ain’t too bad. I hope I didn’t sound like I was tooting my horn too much or making too many excuses, just trying to explain how or why things worked out the way they did, and sharing some history from my perspective. Truth is I don’t want Albright telling me I have more excuses than Billy Carter has beer or anything.

And finally the thank yous:

To my wonderful wife Diane, I’m the luckiest man in the world to have her experiencing and plowing through the season with me.

To my teammates on C3-Sollay.com, just the best group of folks out there racing. Many people come to a team with a hand out, “what’s in it for me?” “what are you going to give me?” The expectation on C3 is “how can I help?” “where do I need to be right now” This goes top to bottom. Some days it’s helping each other with tire pressure, or course info, pitting, or working for someone besides yourself in a race. Not everyone gets that. Best of all, we wear black, and bad men and women wear black.


To the DCCoD which again supports each other like a family, fosters cross, and in short just gets it. I am so fortunate to have so many quality training partners.
Of course post practice meals at the ole El Jefe are huge too. The DCCoD community might be one of the coolest things I get to be a part of… Especially Jan, who from a cross style standpoint is the ying to my yan, as our natural styles are completely opposite, working together we have both improved and rounded out out styles. Yeah he can be a grumpy sob sometimes, but that's pretty funny too.

To Henry’s Bikes: Slik Rick continues to be the wise man on the mountain providing me guidance, sharing his experience racing, Rik and Gavigan have done a great job keeping my bikes rolling despite my odd/antiquated set up. That's tougher than it seems some days.


To Buddy the keg breaker : always checking in on me, rock climbing with me for the first half of the season and helping to keep me level. I am looking forward to many mtb rides this winter.


To Mayhew: very frankly I had my best fitness, and was able to ride my best cross this year. This is largely a result of working with Chris. Season planning, focusing on improving my weaknesses, putting a foot in my ass when I needed.

Thanks to everyone that cheered for me and to all the cool folks in the cross scene
that just get it.So that’s it, 20 races (12 masters, 8 cat 2/3) it’s been a great season for me.
280 some odd days until cross 2009.
See you all at the prom…
remember it's not just for folks that won stuff, even guys that got 7th can have fun, and catch up with friends.

respect.
fatmarc