SHORT TRACK SERIES FOR CAT. 3 19-39 MEN

CAT. 2

THE WEATHER WAS THE BEST ITS BEEN SO FAR IN THE NOTHING BUT NOODLES WINTER SHORT TRACK SERIES. THE SUN WAS OUT AND IT WAS A FEW DEGREES WARMER FOR ROUND #3. I WAS LINED UP ON THE SECOND ROW FOR THE START, RIGHT WHERE I WANTED TO BE. AS SOON AS THE RACE STARTED THE RIDER TWO OVER RAMED INTO THE SIDE OF THE RIDER BESIDE ME CAUSING HIM TO HIT ME. I WAS LUCKY TO KEEP FROM CRASHING. BUT I LOST ALOT OF SPOTS. I THINK I GOT TO BE DUE FOR A GOOD START PRETTY SOON. I PASSED A FEW RIDERS AND HAD A GOOD RUN, COMING HOME IN 10TH SPOT. I WAS HAPPY WITH THAT. I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO IF I GET OFF THE LINE GOOD. THE COMPETITION IS SO CLOSE. WITH TWO RACES REMAINING I'AM IN A THREE WAY TIE FOR 9TH IN THE POINTS. SO I NEED ANOTHER GOOD RUN IF I'AM GOING TO FINISH IN THE TOP 10 IN POINTS. I'VE BEEN TRAINING HARD IN THE FEW DAYS I GOT BETWEEN RACES. I ALSO GOT A FEW TRICKS UP MY SLEEVE TO TRY FOR THE NEXT RACE.

  ROUND 2 OF THE NOTHING BUT NOODLES WINTER SHORT TRACK SERIES DID NOT GO WELL FOR ME. I WAS SICK ALL WEEK LONG AND WAS NOT FEELING TO WELL BEFORE THE START. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THE TEMPS WERE IN THE HIGH 30'S. I GOT A DECENT START AND PASSED A FEW RIDERS EARLY. THINGS WERE GOING GOOD I WAS IN THE TOP 10 AND CLOSING ON A FEW RIDERS IN FRONT OF ME WHEN I JUST FELL OFF THE PACE AND COULD NO LONGER KEEP UP. I WASN'T PRESSING TO HARD SO I GUESS BEING SICK WAS JUST TO MUCH FOR ME. I WAS PASSED BY MORE RIDERS THAN IN ANY RACE IN MY LIFE. IN THE END I DROPPED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 15TH PLACE. BEING OFF JUST A LITTLE BIT MADE A HUGE DEFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE. IF I'AM NOT CLOSE TO 100% FOR NEXT WEEKS RACE I MAY SKIP IT.

 ON A BRIGHTER SIDE I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ABOARD THE SOCK GUY AS MY SPONSOR. I WILL BE PROUDLY DISPLAYING THEIR SOCKS AND LOGO AT THE NEXT RACE.

  THE NOTHING BUT NOODLES WINTER SHORT TRACK SERIES RACE #1 WENT WELL. IT WAS MY FIRST BIG RACE RUNNING IN CAT 2. IT WAS VERY COLD AND SPRINKLING ON AND OFF. I GOT A BAD START AND THEN A PILE UP IN FRONT OF ME CAUSED ME TO LOSE ANOTHER FIVE SPOTS. THEN ON THE SECOND LAP A RIDER IN FRONT OF ME COULDN'T GET THROUGH A ROCK GARDEN AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL CAUSING ME TO STOP. SO I SPENT THE WHOLE RACE PLAYING CATCH UP. ME AND ANOTHER RIDER THAT STARTED IN THE BACK CAME UP THROUGH THE FIELD TOGETHER. WE WERE PASSING EACH OTHER BACK AND FORTH EVERY LAP IT WAS A BLAST. IN THE END I PREVAILED AND GOT THE SPOT FINISHING 9TH! I WAS HAPPY WITH THAT. MY GOAL IN THE BEGINING WAS A TOP 10 AND I GOT IT! WITH A BETTER START MAYBE I CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER IN NEXT WEEKS RACE. I CAN ALSO GET IN A FEW DAYS OF TRAINING BEFORE MY REST PERIOD BEFORE THE RACE. I'LL UPDATE AFTER THE NEXT RACE ON JAN.25.