The Crossover

tonight headed down crossbow, tacky and tight, feeling good, n'loose. 

during the summer, spinning up Rose Glenn, doing hill repeats.  I rolled down to the bottom to the return, and listened.  The creek water,  I listen.
"when it gets tougher, I'm tired, not quite as confident"
spinning easy for recovery,
"this creek, this sound, It,
I will use, recall"


It is hard for me to know howl I'll do at Nationals.
I'd like a top ten,
but what I'd really like, is to go in with a smile, calm,
a friendliness.
I'd line up in the second row, make the front group, suffer intensely, and be happy with that.

I'm not sure I will be able to conjure up the sound of the creek.
somehow it does not stick with me, and I can't pull it up.

The other day, just putting a few climbing miles in,
going down Rose Glenn there is a road that comes in from the right,
and the car pulled forward just a bit too far, soft on the brakes, and I had to brake to make sure,
to be safe,
and I slowed and gave some eyes to the driver.
In the few year old Honda,
and I think it was Allen Iverson,
it was!
Driving a Honda.
That, is what I'm going to run through my brain when I get up tight.
"Gentlemen, One Minute"
and...
I'll see him, Iverson,  looking at me, from that Honda...  and all will be fine.


Cheers!  dlowe.

solstice

I belong to a secret society.
A hood, sisters and brothers.


I looked at my shoes at the end of Solstice cross,
I am done, mentally, physically, my spirit,

the lust, shine, gloss, is scratched, stained


the color, now seems gaudy, the bravado is old.



and this society I belong,
some earn buttons, some give hugs,
some take podium pictures,
maybe one of my favorite ones form over the years,
men who have raced a lot, won a lot,
goofy a bit, hard earned win.

                                       Mens 45+ Solstice CX

                                   photo: Frank Wigmore

Saturday I raced Solstice Cross, aged down, to 45+.  got a back of the field start, jammed up in the first tight corner, staggered calmly, with a strong yank, I was off and free.
I got what I wanted, I battled Luxy and Joey Daub,
I had 'em,  got a good gap, toward the end of the race,  and decide to ride the wee small barriers, and of course,
biffed and baffed, my face in the ground.
of course Lux was cool, as he passed "you hurt"... me "fine"
and he dropped me,
then the Daub Luxx, passed just before the Whoops
and I caught a bit of the corner on the downhill remount and made friends with the frozen ground,
sat up, and sighed, again beaten by the Deluxx's,
I enjoyed my loss.
.

I have a cooler of unshared beer,
concerns and worries, over a member of the clan,
I have legs to revive,  for Nationals.
tears,
and a love of my foes, friends, the spirits of my sport.


Cheers,  David.

The Remains

Pierre Renoir  “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.”

I have stopped myself from thinking past my last race.  and I am not ready to start recapping my season, or planning what I'll be doing after this season.  

This last weekend I raced Saturday at Rivertown, and Sunday made the drive down to Reston with Kelly to race Capital Cross. 

         photo: evans rohrbaugh

I am in a funk zone, a bit mentally run down, not getting up for the races.
Sunday the course was well worth the drive, the event, sparkly, lively.
I went off the line well with a good clip in, and sat 2nd wheel on to the pavement,
Chasing the leader a bit.
good 1st lap, with the lead group.

There are so many types of pain, ...from the efforts,...
good In the Zone pain,  Pain of trying to crank the engine over, but it just won't catch, just grinds.
Pain in attacking a climb, crushing it and your opponents.

Saturday at Rivertown,  i'd say the most European small america town feeling cross race in the schedule, I got 3rd.
I never found my rhythm, I chased, and looked over my shoulder, not to get caught.

Kelly Cline gave some good advice to me, just a thing, simple an easy, "make your own podium"
get the blokes together, and pose and get a snap, picture of the podium group.
I like that.  

Sunday at Capital Cross, I ended up Ninth, lost all my battles. Mental and Physical.
it was one of the better days at a cross race though, pre-riding, seeing old blokes, and a new wee little baby.    Traveling and racing with a friend.

Deep inhaling quiet calm breaths, smart workouts,
out and buy some traditional after the race at Limekiln Masters dark beer, suds to sip,
to toast our pains, hopefully, the best pain, the pain of winning, and being crowned the
PA State Cyclocross Champ!


Drink deep,
til the head back,
to finish that bottle,
a long blink, eyes shut,
short dream,
yet not quite
till that finale sip at dinner
at a full table
Nationals.


Cheers!
dlowe



from the Kelly Cline archive of smartly self made podium pics: Masters 45+

                                               photo: Stacie Freymann