Zeeland Criterium

Good morning!

I would pay the government a significant amount of money if they could help me sleep in past 7am on any given day, but here we are. I couldn't tell you the last time I slept in past 7am and, and I have to pay $110 to renew the tabs on my car. That letter was an unpleasant surprise when I went to my parents house yesterday for dinner.

I don't have a lot to say this week. I think I understand how my racing is going, it is about the same every weekend. I can hang with the main group, which has been very fast, but I am not at all a factor at the end of races. On Friday I went up to Zeeland for the Zeeland Crit, a very cool race in downtown Zeeland. There were about 40 people in this race, so it was big and it was very fast as well. At the end, our average speed was 27 mph, 27 mph!

The entire race I was trying to move up the field and get towards the front, but I never did it. I think my training needs to be more structured, and it might even be better to train inside, where I can design my own very specific workouts and not spend time doing riding that is not beneficial to my goal: getting top 10's at these races I'm going to. I think I might train inside for this week and maybe next week, and see how my results are coming up. I have this weekend off of racing, so it might be a good time to try some new training.

I have a plan, and I'm going to see if it works! Like I said last week, I think this year is for learning what will work, next year will be the one!

4/14 Eagle Creek Crit, Indianapolis, IN 12th Cat 4/5 (29)
4/22 Notre Dame Crit, South Bend, IN 12th Cat 4/5 (29)
4/29 Ann Arbor Spring Training Series Ann Arbor, MI 22nd Cat 4/5 (40)
5/6 Kalamazoo Half Marathon Kalamazoo, MI 13th (27) AG (M 19-24) / 249th (1392) Overall
5/7 131 Racing Series, Martin, MI 1st "B race" (9)
5/12 Tiger Lane Crit, Memphis, TN DNF Cat 3/4
5/20 Ann Arbor Spring Training Series Ann Arbor, MI 6th Cat 4/5 (25)
5/28 Waterford Hills Circuit Race, Clarkston, MI 13th Cat 4/5 (38)
6/3 Cobb Park Crit, Kankakee, IL 18th Cat 4/5 (36)
6/4 131 Racing Series, Matin, MI 2nd "B race" (6)
6/9 BTR Crit, Kalamazoo, MI 8th Cat 4 (16) 20th Cat 3/4 (32) $30
6/10 Race for Wishes, Lawton, MI DNS
6/15 Zeeland Crit, Zeeland, MI 26th Cat 3/4 (43)
7/1 Great Lakes State Classic, Marne, MI
7/8 Ashland Crit, Ashland, OH
7/14 Detroit Cycling Championship, Detroit, MI
7/15 Corktown Crit, Detroit, MI
7/21 Whiskey City Twilight Challenge, Lawrenceburg, IN
7/29 Muncie Grand Prix, Muncie, IN
8/19 Gaslight Crit, Grand Rapids, MI
8/26 54th Annual Debaets-Devos Pro-Am, Detroit, MI

Yeah, 26th out of 43 isn't the best, I finished in the bunch sprint. Like I said, I'm going to take these next couple weeks, race on Monday nights, but I think I want to do some very specific indoor training and we will see if that makes me a factor in these races for the rest of the season. I feel like I am slow out of corners, and I don't think I have enough confidence to move up in groups, which that has to change but its all mental at this point. I feel like most of this racing is mental, and it's hard to get in that mindset that when I am racing, my only goal is to beat every one else, I don't think I am there yet.

So looking at that first result, it was pretty good! There wasn't much time to train outside before that race, so all my training was on Zwift, so maybe it is going to be a good idea to move my training back inside! In that race, I was towards the front the entire time, so that is where I need to be during the next races. I need to do what works for me, and I need to stay towards the front and chase down attacks.

It looks like July is going to be packed full of races, a lot of driving for those races but I am very excited. I think some more deliberate training is going to help very much. I probably shouldn't be as excited as I am about this next part yet, but the girlfriend situation is going very well! We've been on like 6 or 7 dates and they have all been the best. She is out of town for the next couple days, and I'm going over to my parents for dinner tonight for Father's Day, but I am super excited to have the healthiest relationship of my life, it feels very good.

Tricia and I went to Black Owl for coffee with her best friend, and it was a great time, and it is always a great time with her! I mean just look at this picture, everything is perfect! I actually spent a lot of the week going on dates with Tricia and either her friends or my friends, and double-dates are the best! It is been a nice distraction from the bike, but I'm still able to find time to train!

Very, very excited about the full-time job thing at Advia, I think it might even be in the Accounting department! I don't want to move back in with my parents in August, so I think as long as the full time thing works out, which again looks like it is all happening very quickly (:, I'll get a place by myself for next year and it'll be great.

So, my life is moving very quickly and I'm loving it, I finally feel like I am growing up, and let me tell you, it is very strange considering where I was 4 years ago. Every person has a different journey at this point in their lives, and mine is strange but it looks like it is all going to work out!

Hope springs eternal!!

Cheers! CE