Introduction

Ok, so here goes. I've been thinking about making this blog for a while, so I'm finally going to make it happen. Let's start with intros: I am 30 years old and started racing bikes in 2005. I did gymnastics when I was little, then ran cross-country and played tennis in high school (never in the top 10 on the team). I then got really into rock climbing and competed in competitions around the south (I'm from Georgia) and pursued it full-on during college. I also snowboard, ski, hike, etc., but none of that competitively.

After graduating from college and doing a stint of travelling, I moved to Vail where I got involved in mountain bike racing. I progressed through the ranks up to Expert, but it just didn't seem like my body type was good for the type of racing in Colorado (races are usually up for 40 minutes, down for 20minutes, repeat 3x). So, I decided to get into road racing. Unlike mountain biking where the fastest guy pretty much always wins, road racing combines tactics and strength. You can be the strongest guy in the pack and still never break the top 10. You've gotta be smart and learn to "play the game" to win.

My first race in 2005 was the Koppenberg Circuit race in Boulder, CO in the CAT 4 field. I finished 43rd (mid-pack), but managed to edge out my friend who got caught up in a crash. I was hooked. 2nd race was up the 14,000ft, Mt.Evans hill climb race. I suffered badly and finished 72nd. It that point, I realized that I needed to train myself for the types of races that suited my body type. FYI, I'm typically between 180-185 lbs. and 5-11". I have more upper body muscle than most because of my years of climbing, so I can put out some high power, but not so great at power/weight ratio. So, I decided to become a sprinter.

During the fall of 2005, I accepted an engineering position for a firm in Boulder and joined a local race team, RockyMounts with aspirations of moving out of the CAT 4 field. To be continued...