The "Big Picture"

It's hard to believe that the 2011 MTB season is coming to an end.  I'm down to the final week of my season but parts of it  feels like it started just last month.  I can remember the base miles and toeing the start line at Iola.  Now we are closer to start again than we are removed.  Physically I feel great and they fittest I've felt all year.  I feel like I could keep going but I will welcome the time off.  Before that though, I need to achieve my final goal of the season.

Three years ago I was introduced to the Iceman.  The first year not knowing the tradition, I didn't take it so serious and I embarrassed myself in the waved start of the expert class.  That is all it took for me to understand what this race was all about, 1 race.  Determined never to feel that way again the Iceman has become a regular target on my racing schedule.  Last year I raced in the Pro/Cat 1 field and felt the cycling crazies push me with their screams to go faster.  Another reason why I'm determined to make Iceman a regular target.  Then there was watching a local hero, Brian Matter, win his 3rd Iceman against arguably the toughest field to date.  And again, another reason I'm determined to make Iceman a regular target.  It has that feeling of Paris Roubaix, win it and you become an instant legend.

Courtesy of Bill Stahl

The final weeks preparation started at UPCross Choco X on Saturday.  The weekend before a big race is not the tell all but it is nice to feel the race legs build up to the target weekend.  It helps build confidence for the week.  Saturday was not about the race, it was about the body.  I was picturing a start line with no one else on it.  I needed to worry about my body and race the way I needed to to prepare for the "Big Picture."  I didn't want to get caught up in tactics so I was to always be the aggressor pushing my body to its limit.  From the gun I was gone and never looked back.  Each lap I gained more time on my chasers.  It became a challenge of how hard could I push and how even could I keep my lap times.  I didn't keep my lap times as even as I wanted but they were all within 10-20 seconds of each other and my fastest lap was my last.  It was a good day and I felt like I achieved what I set out to do.  Along with my personal goal I also earned my 4th UPCross win of the year.

We are now 5 1/2 days out from the Iceman.  Still with an important week of preparation ahead it safe to say the work has been done.  It is time to believe in the work that has been done and put it towards positive thinking.  If you want to be the best you need to train like the best and then go out and beat the best.  Their is no day like today.  What will we do with it?