016: clutch

Like everyone who probably raced at Marysville last week, I find myself with some poison ivy on the tops of my feet. Like those dawgs needed to be any uglier.

All I can think is that between laps I was wearing my flip flops which were no protection against the evil three leafed weed. Hopefully I can get it dried up before it get all silly itchy.

Rotten Robert wrote a post this week that I wished I wrote. I feel like I need to comment on it, as one of the things that has kept me engaged in racing my bike for almost 18 years or so, is that for all that time, and sometimes, all that time being agonizingly bad, each season I feel like I have learned something, I have developed, I have gotten better.

I like that cycling isn't something that you can't learn overnight, that you may be talented, but raw talent can is not always the deciding factor in a race. I love that cycling has it's local heroes, and Jedi . Over the years I have cherished hearing stories about local riders that came before me, and the more experienced riders passing that info down to me. I would not be the rider I am without the wisdom, and sometimes lumps passed down to me over the years. Names like Todd Forrest, Cass Ramirez, Nancy Wadell, John Guetner, Dennis Smith, Mark Wise,Mark Epstein, Andrew Mein, Nick Riddle, Fuzzy, Tom McDaniel, Rick Mihills, Terry Blanch, Doug Mills, Katie Compton. All folks who took time to impart wisdom, and sometimes lumps that helped me be a better cyclist. Frankly, I still listen with unabated attention when these folks talk about riding and racing. Yes, even Todd.

A couple years ago I had the opportunity to ride for the Fort Factory team. I was a B rider on an elite team. Although that experience was far different from what I expected, it was a season that I would and will cherish as an opportunity to learn from our region's best riders. That was the first year Wes won the elite MAC. He really began to come into his own that year, and watching him work through that was awesome. Perhaps even more beneficial to me was the chance to follow around Yozell, Fergie and Gunnar Shogren. Getting to pit for Yozell was and is a duty of honor. He takes his racing seriously, and expects his pit crew to be on point. Ferg and Mike prepare for cross as I imagine artisans of our craft have for decades. They approach it with a reverence, and dedication, never losing sight of the fact that it is a love. Gunnar was just insane, and watching that madness roll and develop was amazing. After taking 3rd at nationals that year he said to me," that was a good year, I wasn't sure it was going to go that way but it kept getting better and I was getting stronger as the season went on" Currently my team situation is pretty great. We are a mix of young talent, and some pretty awesome sage wisdom. I am lucky to partake of that fountain and I'm happy from time to time to offer a nugget of information that maybe helpful. I won't even get started on the wealth of information that I can tap into with Mayhew. He looks at ever opportunity as chance to learn, and in turn be able to teach.

like I said, Rotten Robert wrote this great post, that I wish I wrote.

pictures from last weekend via Don Pagano.

respect.
fatmarc
"the ability to persevere is often the difference between success and failure."