Racing starts again...

This weekend forthcoming is something indeed. In what is the first time since I suffered horribly at the hands of some pro riders and local hammerheads in Raleigh, I’ll be racing the bike again this weekend. Yes, I’ll be racing. I’m way behind schedule as far as races go so far this year, but over the next few weeks, should be able to catch up a little bit. This weekend is the annual French Broad Classic race weekend in Asheville NC (AKA Ashe-Vegas). It’s a good series of 3 races over the weekend, the TT on Friday night, the road race on Saturday, and the criterium on Sunday, but, it’s Asheville, there are hills around that place. This is something guys like me don’t like at all. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen, but what I do know is that I’ve laid down some good training over the last 5 weeks, so I can’t say that I haven’t really prepared at all. When I last decided to buckle down and start riding and training hard again, it was June 18th. When the training cycle was over, it was July 17, about 31 days or so. Over that 31 days, I rode 31 times, to the tune of over 80 hours, and close to 2000 miles. That’s some good mileage right there, and I’m starting to feel really good on the bike again finally. This weekend, might just be a decent weekend. Truth be told, I’m looking to get some good racing in, maybe make a result, but in the end, I just want to finish up the races, as I’ve had a hard time just doing that so far this race season. I’m sure a 3 mile climb at the end of the road race on Saturday is not going to do this lard ass any favors at all. You can check out the race website at: http://www.frenchbroadcyclingclassic.com/ As always this weekend, I’ll be accompanied by The Chad, whose on little cycling diary and or training diary, and or rant page can be found at: www.dirtycycling.com and actually, young Curtis Shirley Staples’ entries can be found there as well. There is going to be a lot of racing coming up though. This weekend, Asheville. Next weekend, Winston-Salem, then W-S again on Tuesday, and Crossroads starts on Wednesday and runs through Sunday. Unfortunately, I won’t be around for the weekend races during Crossroads, as my cousin is getting married, so I have to travel Northward again, for another wedding in a few week’s time. Should be a good time, and a large party, and this time, I won’t have to do much work for the actual wedding. I’ll just get to be a guest this time instead of setting up, carting people around, standing all day, and then picking up at the end of the reception as I had to before.