Being an athlete is pretty frustrating at times. I’ve been feeling pretty great training since returning from Wisconsin and skiing. I’ve been riding fairly long miles and have felt good the whole time. Twice out of the last three days I’ve ramped up the speed at the end of the ride. Both times I’ve felt great. I would take this form anytime of the year.

But yesterday, it was completely opposite. I didn’t feel good riding out the driveway. I probably should have just turned around and called it a day, but I kept riding my bike, hoping I’d snap out of it and feel better. I was riding on gravel down by the river, over to Lawrence, with a pretty good tailwind. And I still wasn’t going that easy. I was getting winded on the climbs and nothing seemed to be easy.

I got a cup of coffee in Lawrence and then started back against the headwind. I was starting to get mildly motivated, because I was still going over 20 mph most of the way back. But, I wasn’t feeling all that great. I was sometimes, but most of the time I was pretty iffy. 70 iffy miles. I then struggled walking Bromont last night and my leg muscles were still firing when I went to bed. None of this was good for my mentality.

I don’t get it. I don’t see what changes day to day to make you feel that much different riding one day to the next. I’ve never been one to call my shots. I have never understood it when I hear an interview from someone and he says that he is going great and is going to have a great race. Even if I’m supremely confident, I’d never say that. I would have to use the word hope instead of have. That is because I’m never 100% sure that it is going to be there, the form that is. Actually, it isn’t the form. The form is there. It’s the ability to access the form.

It’s not an age deal, I’ve always been like this. The best guess I have is something to do with allergies. That is historically. They have been burning some the last few days, so maybe that is it. Plus, I’m still having a tooth issue. A big enough issue that I’m staying here today to see the dentist and then hopefully going to Austin Friday early. I’m not going to put any pressure on my pedals the next two days. Well, a little, but not enough to get my legs tired or allow me to test myself. I was really looking forward to this weekends races in Austin, but now it’s a big question mark.

It is just February, I know, but since I have this left over cross fitness, I thought I would use it. Maybe not now, I guess I’ll see.

I think this is politically correct since it describes me. Anyway, I spent most all of the day yesterday at the dentist’s office. Actually more than one dentist. An endodontist did the majority of the work, which wasted me the most. I am now minus a couple more roots of the same tooth and am taking antibiotics, sort of. I did get out and ride my bike for an hour in 40+ mph winds while the temperature dropped 15 degrees while I was out. It wasn’t my best day.

Now I am driving down to Austin. It is supposed to be 40 mph tailwind, so I guess I didn’t mind the riding in the wind for a bit yesterday. We left at 6 am to try to get through the DFW traffic before it gets super ugly on Friday afternoon. The temperatures in Austin were in the lower 90’s yesterday. It is going to take a 30 degree temperature change by this weekend, so the highs are only going to be in the lower 60’s. Not bad for bike racing.

The race on Saturday starts at 8 am. It is way too early for my liking considering it is 40 minutes to the start. It is a PRO-1 race and there are only 40 guys or so entered. And 10 of them are from the Elbowz Team, so it should be a smear. Hopefully those guys don’t get too greedy and wait until the end of the race to destroy the field. The Walburg race normally has a ton of wind, so it is pretty easy to blow the field apart nearly anywhere on the course. Bill and I are going to be the only guys from Tradewind Energy, so we won’t be in control of our own destiny. The course isn’t hard enough, other than the wind, to make any selection.

Sunday at Pace Bend is a 6 mile circuit that is hilly. The races the next weekend at Lago Vista, have a much harder course that selects the strongest riders. Hopefully I’ll be back up to speed by then, without totally wasting myself during the week putting in way too many miles.

I love it down it Austin. I brought my MTB bike just in case I get a wild hair and decide to race the MTB race on Lance’s old ranch the next weekend. I really like the Lago Vista races, but I haven’t done a “real” MTB race in a long time. I’ll just see how it goes.

Okay, that is about it for this morning. 700 miles to go.