Wednesday, August 22, 2007

A good sign

Well, after a great weekend of riding with the good doctor and our pal Myette, I have this pesky rest week. This past training block has been great. Sunday was almost a sad day. I didn't want to go on a rest week. I didn't feel like I needed it, physically or mentally. I still wanted to train. So this rest week has come at a perfect time in a way. A chance to come down a bit and relax, while avoiding over training. I certainly feel like I over reached in the last block, searching out some of my limits. But I felt sharp enough on Sunday to do some good town line sprints with Matt. So let the rest carry on.

Where am I mentally for cross this year? Hmmmm. Well, I am certainly psyched, but I am not coming out of my skull psyched yet. Some of my pals are already raging excited. I have been purposely trying to stay mellow, even and patient. Patient because the season gets longer and longer every year, which is why I am going to skip Agawam this weekend. The rest week is a good excuse to miss it. But honestly, it is to save some energy and to keep me focused on the more important races that start two months from now. Yes, I am really looking forward to Sucker Brook, but the real racing begins for me at Gloucester. If I did Agawam, it would basically be a 4 month season. If I think of Gloucester as the start, it is a 2 month season. That, to me, is more manageable and I can keep up my energy level for that amount of time. I want to be freaking-out excited when I get on the plane to go to Portland for the GP. I don't want to be burnt out and bored with racing. So that is where I am. If you talk to me and I don't seem super-pumped for cross, don't let that fool you. I am just trying to save my energy and enthusiasm for just a few more weeks.