Triumphant Return ... Now Get To Work!

My return to Austin was triumphant and joyous in a way that couldn't possibly last.  Everything falling into place, life was ultra romantic, provocative and easy ... way too easy.  My assumption that only running in the hallowed land of my fore fathers, bravely crossing glaciers and facing the northerly winds head on, would lead me to cycling glory was a false prophecy.  It turns out that the theory of specificity in training holds true.  Despite the countless miles of running logged on my finely sculpted mammoth quads,  the women of the south central racing scene had things other than glory in store for me.  And in the immortal words of my beloved team mate Bettina Hodges "and so ... now the real work begins".

My first race back, Pace Bend, yielded a 10th place finish and a glorious medal ceremony that will be remembered long into the off season.

 

After the highs, there is nothing that can follow but the lows.  The ensuing days brought nothing but heartache and quad busting destruction.  Lago Vista and the Women of the Cat 4 Peloton brought me and my bike to our knees.  Saturday, I finished strong after getting dropped and soloing one lap to a lung burning finish.  Sunday, feeling like climbing under my mammoth hide quilt to hibernate, I gathered the courage of a Tundra Beast, tucked strands of the magical pelt of my Wooly inspiration into my cycling cap and mounted my trusty steed, Piza, for another go.  Alas, my quads proved too much for my love life and my rear derailleur as I ripped both to shreds with two powerful pedal strokes.  What fool creates a derailleur with a max power threshold of 1500 watts.  Clearly they know not the power of the Wooly Mammoth and her tribe.  And yet I live to race and love another day.  Kee-yah my brothers and sisters.  Kee-yah.