HPCX day 2

I did feel better today, and was able to go.   Got 5th.
and I really had no aspiration of finishing first.
I had the CX-eve jitters abit last night.
Focused on all the things I can do right.
and for the most part did them.


every second of a race,while I am racing, seems to have a story.  and at the moment, seems so super important,
your good line,
how I'll take a corner next lap.
or catching the guy in front of me
setting myself straight quick from a crash
contemplating that heckle
and soaking in the encouragement to GO!
to attack, sit in, get caught
the last turn to the pavement
where you can see the line, and bury myself to it

I think our race, We had perfect mud.  Good mud for me.
wet, slippery, a few slow deeper spots.
The rain came down heavy, and there to me is something special
about riding out in heavy rain.
It is unusual.  and feels strange.


All those stories, they get blurry, almost like it never happened.
and soon I'll be watch tv, with a blanket over my legs.
I am not quite sure how I how I feel about racing a mud race every weekend,
don't matter,
I'll do it.
half way done of this cx year.
a lot of moments, things, struggles, racing talking,
maintaining,
feeling up and feeling down.




Cheers,    dlowe

Not First

highland park cx day 1



13th,
a few big mistakes, but for sure, its a pretty accurate placing of me today.
I went with the front group,
but was whittled a way, no hiding.
It was a tough course for me, tough result.
Not the number I wanted, but got what I earned.
Definately not going to say anything about how I'll do tomorrow,

on the way out, I picked a spot, on the apex, and a strong post.
Felt racing go by.

at home,  out in the backyard with my wife and the cats, enjoying the weather, my wife said "sorry you didn't do well" or maybe it was, "sorry it was a bad day".

It was pretty easy to reply, with a truth felt "nah, I gave it all" "not feeling bad".

and I can't help myself
tomorrow, a top 10 placing?
I'll try.
I crack myself up, I'm sure, when my head is sunk down into my pillow tonight, and I'm think cross, waiting to fall asleep, somehow, it'll still creep in there, Riding in for the win.  and figuring, scheming, plotting, to get it done.


Well done, my ass is sore from your fine kicking of it.  Thanks, I expect nothing less!

Cheers, race hard, with all that you have got.  dlowe

Kutztown

driving down Main st,
A left on Noble,
and just a wee bit after you cross Normal St.
You get to the Kutztown CX course.

I don't drink shower beers often,  tonight seem like a fine time to indulge.
not like I rode 100 miles and 10,000's feet,
more like an hour, 10.7 miles for sure.

whats transpired over the last couple of months, just normal living, getting older and things, as you get older, you start to, things go away, and that's how it is, and that's tough stuff.

Work for me is a lot of the same as cross, and I found a good quote from a dude doing film making for a long time, really well, Roger Deakins - " I walk on a film set, on a new movie, and I think like,...it feels like I've never done it before, like I'm learning."



At work, I can dig deep, and give more cause I am a cross racer. Truth.
I work with people I like,
on projects, doing stuff,
that I enjoy.
the days can be long,
to do it well,
than means something, a lot to me.

racing gets me through tough work days,
disappates,  the jumble of needless energy, keeps me a bit more focused.
teaches me plenty, and has made me a plenty of good, really good friends.
It seems simply, hard.
and when someone ask me how long I've been racing,  I always feel like saying, "just started".
It does feel that way despite the large number of years I've been racing,





despite the risk, repitition, simplicity, and ego's, battles, small number of wins.
I learn something still, and feel like there is plenty left to learn.   and to pass
on a bit of advice, small bits, everyonce in a while,  something secret, but handy out there to someone racing,
that feels good.



I shirked my team reasponsiblities Saturday to race Kutztown, with a beady eyed mind to win.
it didn't work out that way, I was chasing the leader, Rick, and he crashed bad.
pretty seriously injuired.
Racing does have risk, and riding above the minds limits, or talents or flukes,
it's bound to happen.   It's not something I think of, or talk about.  I push it way back down in my brain.

race predictor has me coming in 6th, tomorrow at Highland Park, and that's plain wrong, I'm gonna win, I know those other blokes,
and I got 'em.

if you do anything, do it well.
dlowe.

the West Chester Cyclocross race

Yeoman

Today I did my work.  

I met some goals, and I think, I did better than I expected, with a 5th place finish. 

Douglas Gray, chased me down, I cleared my head, quick made a plan, snuck by him, and made it stick to the line. 

Bob Reuther and team made a good race great, with gentle tweaks to a tough race, that made it better.

Just pushing or pulling a stake in or out, making a corner, flow, but with challenge, 

that's a good course. 

today I got off the line fine, 

even put my nose out in the clean air for a short bit. 

But this race is an honest maker, and 

I could'nt stay up front.

my goals in cross, some are not about the racing, 

I got to the course early, and had a bit of nice extra time.

Pedaling around the parking lots, I got a chance to stop and chat 

and listen, shake hands, 

talk racing, 

with, 

whomever I came across. 

There is no way to explain this to someone, cyclocross

how it is, 

what it is like. 

Hopefully you do your best and are able to give it your all. 

on and off the bike. 

good weekend.  dlowe

Cooper River

I'd race, if the prize was, a paper plate with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, on it.
I don't know if it's going to be a regular thing,
but it seems to be working excellent.  Marc Vettori, took the camera, and as always,
brought the "A" game, taking the pictures, and provided all the excellent photos.

Cooper River, is a family affair.  so well done, great day, .....really,.... I thought about this race every night, after long days of work,  falling to sleep.  How I was just going to stick the wheel, and ride as hard as I can.  NO matter what.

There are a lot of number #1 races,  but this is #1,
Big foam finger, NUMBER ONE!

the loner, and all our little groups, old men, and old women, one really old women,
fat, thin, long bearded
fast, really fast
and slow.
elbows out,
and
something about MAC
the Sisterhood,
Brotherhood
someone planted good seeds, watered them, and
the roots, linger strong.

I really needed a day like today, so whoever in whatever way
had something to do with it,...
Cheers MF's!

dlowe