Feeling like a bobble-head...

My life is being tossed around at the moment and it is completely out of my control. I know this is primarily about cycling but there is so much more going on at the moment. I am a wonderful transition to CO and yet moving away from everything I know. How exciting! I wish I was able to go straight into the mtns but I guess downtown Denver is so much closer than W.KY or Nashville. I hate to leave all my great friends, riding buddies, and family; but I'm for sure I am gaining something and someone that will make up.

Unfortunately I'm posting b/c I'm making myself not ride as I kick the last of this head cold. It is now to the point that all those green slugs are coming out of my sinuses. I am sure you love that description! I did actually go to the gym this week and renew a membership so I could do some type of exercise to keep myself content and from getting on the bike. I must admit, this is the 1st membership I have ever paid for. Luckily I have always been an instructor, but the gym here just cancelled all classes, so I can no longer just walk-in. I worked a deal for $20 until June when I leave so I guess it really isn't a membership. I am glad to have it back though b/c I have neglected my strength training since I have been overworked at my job and just making enough time in my off hours to train on the bike. To say the least...I am looking puny and weak. I can tell in the mtn bike races as my tris and upper body start to feel the fatigue nearing the end of the race even before the legs do. Not a good sign! So that is going to be my focus over the next 7 weeks...to get my strength back and not put in huge training hours on the bike.

I am signing up for the Cat 2 crits in Athens momentarily and hope to have a blazing weekend of racing after not touching my bike for 10 days. Wooo hooo!

Well got to get the race wheels on the road bike, bags packed, and off to gym before work. Next post....update from Athens.

Hammer on and let life lead you......
Daniel

In comes new motivation....

Wow over the past few weeks I have been a machine! My training has been consistent and rockin. I don't understand how I am doing it but it is working. I guess maybe it all didn't fall in my favor since it is now Sunday morning and there is an AMBC race in Clemson that I'm missing due to being sick. I guess I overdid the training, underdid (my new word) the sleep, and overworked myself in the office.

I officially have tapped out two 45 hr work weeks and still managed to train a mid-teen hours training week followed by a huge 21 hour week last week. Some reason I haven't been able to sleep lately, so that may be why my immune system took a dive and the circuit breaker shut off. Why did the immune circuit go right now though. I really wanted to do the race in SC. Oh well, there are always more races and actually a follow-up race is scheduled there next weekend that I might be able to make it to.

Well next weekend, some may be disappointed that I have decided not to beat myself to death running the 13 mile half marathon here in Nashville. I believe, if feeling better, I will be traveling to Athens, GA to compete in one of the biggest, most crowd supported criteriums in the SE. I have plans to go down with fellow cyclist and Cumberland U coach, Tim Hall. He seems to think I am riding well on the road right now and with my mtn biker "fearless" edge, I would be able to push the limits in the high paced crit races. I am going to give it a shot and see if I can keep the rubber side down in the Twilight races that are notorious for wrecks. Did I mention I really don't like the thought of wrecking on a belt sander (pavement)?

Well it is killing me at the moment, looking out the window, seeing the sun pop out from behind the rain clouds, knowing that I shouldn't go out ride. Oh well, I will just spend the afternoon doing a few "need to dos," like job search, write a resume cover letter, clean up bikes, and liquidate some bikes and parts in prep for the move to CO. (Which I absolutely can't wait for!!!)

Well really need to do some of the things above so hopefully next post will be b/c I am not sick and had a great ride or race.

Hit the road/trail, since I can't right now!
Daniel

Since the back to back days of the road race win and the Chickasaw disaster, I have managed to only race once and get in some other quality time. The next race on the schedule was the road race in Murfreesboro, but I chose hangin out with my brother, his finance, and my new girlfriend, Heather, instead. Sorry road racers, they drove in from Omaha and Heather flew in from Denver, so you lucked out. We decided to go hike at Fall Creek Falls for 4 hrs instead which was a welcome change from the usual hustle of a race
weekend, but that is yet to come as I headed to the White Lightning hosted by my sponsor team Wood-n-Wave and my all-supportive hook-up, Steve Wilson.

I was definitely pumped going into White Lightning, as it was the 1st race I ever did when I was 16 yrs old back in 97. Wow, that has been a while since the 7 mile 1st timer race that I finished 2nd in. I guess it was kinda ironic b/c that is how the results posted this time except in the Pro field. The race brought some fast names from the local scene, like teammate
Dustin Greer, Brian Schworm from Lexington, and Anthony Slowinski from Louisville. The race was actually ran in reverse direction so I was not as familiar as I would have liked with the trail, but I still almost knew every rock and corner since I was a weekend warrior there for years. I knew that I had to play my cards right and set the pace, so I jumped out front and
started mashing up the climbs that started the lap. I had an initial gap, which was closed by Schworm and Slowinski soon. I noticed Dustin a ways back with a group as I yelled for him to join us. I could not ease the pace as Slowinski and Schworm were breathing down my throat. I led most to the 1st lap and then again during the 2nd. I had a little extra push in me that day considering it was my home course, I had plenty of cheering section, and it was the first time that Heather was getting to see me race.

The pace stayed obnoxiously high and on the last lap, Schworm attacked up a tough climb. I made the move to stay with, but I felt something that wasn't quite normal in my low back. I stayed on the throttle anyways; ignoring the pain for about 10 minutes until I let his wheel go and he slowly crept away. I was in some serious pain with a half lap to go. At this point I was almost going into survival mode. It must have been bad if my sis and Heather told me that the grimace on my face coming under the canal bridge (halfway point) didn't look pleasant. I managed to roll across the line in a respectable 2nd and represent the proud blue and orange colors of the bike shop only a couple miles down the road.

I also want to throw out a quick thank you to all those that cheered me on last weekend at the race. You all don't know how much it means to me to have the familiar faces pushing me along. I love every minute of it. I am excited for what is going on with riding and racing in the Midwest region especially in the local hometown area. It is great to see my legacy proceed me while Murray State jerseys blaze through the woods and what a great following Steve Wilson has created by helping so many cyclists in the region. I give utmost props to Steve b/c I would not be where I am at today if not for him floating me on bikes, gear, and mechanic work. Thanks everyone for helping me stay mentally sound in an oh so tough sport!

Now I was in recuperation mode since I couldn't even bend down to fill my bottles out of the cooler. Finally on Friday after 3x/day of icing and Ibuprofen the pain started to subside as I decided not to attend Knobscorcher. I didn't think it was a smart idea and also I had a new bike waiting for me at the Wave. So I vouched for picking it up and dialing it in with Steve on Sunday. Oh how nice the new Top Fuel is!!! My back is so thankful to get off the softtail Moots to something with a little more cush.

That is all the race news as I plan for a free weekend coming since Easter races are rare. It will be good time off especially since the new big news for me is I'm moving to Denver. Yep, making the leap of faith to explore a relationship with a great girl. I guess that means Dustin won't have to have a photo finish sprint to rap up the TBRA jersey and he won't be forced to start at my obnoxious "fire under the a**" pace that I do. But people better watch out in the future, b/c now I will be living and training at 5280. I can see the hematocrit rising now.

See you in a few weeks as the road races are coming up and TN mtn biking is getting more full swing. And Dustin, you better plan on winning Montgomery Bell, b/c I will be in NY that weekend and we can't have any other person take the TN races from us.

Live to ride, ride to live!
Daniel