Goal Updates! As if you care! The original goals post is here.

1) Descend harder on a MTB -- Hit a log and hurt my hand at Mt Snow, pushed hard enough on last lap to make my triceps cramp. This is going well. Vermont 50 is coming this weekend, so more chances to tear down hills I've never preridden, so I'll make up a lot of time until I go over the bars.

2) Learn to Cross Mount Correctly -- Going badly. I went over the barriers on the last lap at Bedford with Mike Z and he killed it, while I did the lame stutter step. These were slightly downhill barriers, and I still only lost half a bike length. So this just doesn't seem pressing.

I did spend some time in a park last week practicing, and came to the conclusion that I can't do it at all. It's a mental block -- I jump up, swing my leg, and then my brain jumps in and goes "holy crap what are you doing?!!?" and my other legs goes straight down so that it touches the ground just before I hit the saddle. Any advice?

3) Win a non-Verge B race -- 6th on my first try, and I had beaten the guy who won the day before at Coonamessett. This looks very doable, I just need the right combo of smaller field/mtb-ish course/lining up at the front to get it done. I screwed the pooch last week and decided to ride my own race instead of fighting for the front group. What's worse, it wasn't all my starting position -- here's a picture of me directly behind the guy (Scott Rosenthal) who finished 2nd. So even with a back row start, you can stomp the first lap and get to the front like he did.


4) Top 15 Verge B's -- Looks doable. PvB has done this at least once, and I finished with him last weekend. Unless Pierre is part of a larger conspiracy to build up my confidence before destroying me at Gloucester, which is more plausible than you think.

5) Cat 2 Upgrade -- 4 points in the bank already, 5 if you realize that Lyne Bessette isn't actually a Cat 3 man. But she can steal my upgrade points any day.

6) Beat Josh a bunch -- 2 for 2, but of course he hasn't been fresh for any of those races. Probably part of that conspiracy I mentioned earlier. NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!

This weekend isn't about cross, though. It's about a five-hour MTB epic. And that's all right with me.

Comments

solobreak said…
Remount advice - This one is actually easy. Just do it in slow motion. You can't stutter step if you're walking. Can't happen. It also shows you how flexible you are or aren't. The higher your side kick, the less you need to jump.

Do the one-two-three swing the leg and go about a half dozen times walking. Then pick it up a bit. After that is should be automatic.
zank said…
Dude, I was hoping for another epic battle on Sunday. What's with this silly mtb ride?
josh said…
oh crap, who told you about the conspiracy?

I mean.....errr.....nice racing thusfar....
megA said…
colin--

today i found out that i know your roomate's dad. we ride together sometimes. odd place this world is, eh?

meg

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