I started the 2010 racing season with eight points towards the 20 I needed to upgrade to cat. 3. Earning the remaining 12 before they started expiring in August was my goal for the year. Remember back in April when I said that my cat. 3 upgrade was the last one I was ever requesting? I lied.
Dear [SkiBikeJunkie],
The following request to change your USCF category has been approved and processed by USA Cycling:
xxxxxxxx - 2010-10-04 15:34
Member: [SkiBikeJunkie]
License: Road Racer
Request to change category from Cat 3 to Cat 2
Request was approved on 2010-10-05 19:30
Not to toot my own horn (really what is a blog for if not to toot one’s own horn?), but this isn’t something I expected to do, ever. It wasn’t anything I thought realistically about until two months ago. In June, I was feeling overwhelmed racing as a cat. 3. The state championship road race was a make or break event. I went into it intending to give it everything I had, and if it didn’t go well, I thought I might walk away from racing. I had a good result, and I got some confidence.
I won for the first time this season in July and from that point ended up with 10 podium finishes in my last 20 races, including four wins. Going into Lotoja, I was very nervous about racing against the 1/2 field. Nobody was more surprised than I was with how I finished. With that result, I had the points to move up, so I figured I should find out whether it was a fluke result or not by doing so.
Part of me is hesitant about making the move, as there’s still more to learn from racing as a cat. 3. But I started racing as a cat. 5 last year at an age when pros are retiring, and I’m not getting any younger. I won't be alone, either. My brother Steve's upgrade request was approved as well. If I’m going to go, now is the time. Or rather, next spring is the time. For now, I need to focus on cyclocross, where I’m still a cat. 4.
Posts
Congrats! Just one more and you can call that your last upgrade... Unless you turn pro!
ReplyDelete" Nobody was more surprised than I was with how I finished."
ReplyDeletei was.
Nice! I know a guy who sells bad steak and tainted plastic for when you turn pro. *wink wink*
ReplyDeleteMeow.
ReplyDeleteDug... ouch!
ReplyDeleteCat 2!? Awesome!
ReplyDelete(Now if I can just get another 30 or so of you guys to upgrade, I will be totally teed up for the 2011 season...)
so the race results are pretty amazing I guess, but I think the REAL accomplishment is that you went from a CAT 5 to CAT 2 all while sharing the house with quite possibly the best cook/baker in the state.
ReplyDeleteif i could upgrade based on caloric and fat consumption i'd be kicking some protour ass right about now.
nice work sbj.
ps - thanks again for the quick mechanic work last saturday. saved my race - not that 30th place can really be considered a save. but not finishing my first cx race would have been a major bummer.
It wasn't easy, but well worth bribing the Cat 1/2 LoToJa field to let you and Steve place well. Suckers!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, congrats on the upgrade and I hope Cat 2 is a good experience.
And lo, the meteoric rise has completed.
ReplyDeleteSoon to be followed "OH SHIT!!!!, what have I done!!!"
Nice work.
No need for a cx license in Utah. But I'm a CX 2. Whatever that means.
Nicely done, sir.
ReplyDeleteCongrats man-------
ReplyDeleteCongrats man, nice work....................
ReplyDeleteTurbo: First pro contract at 37. That would be awesome. Yeah right. Maybe if I had started at 15 instead of 35. Maybe.
ReplyDeleteDug: Thanks for keeping it real.
Grizz: Give me his number. Maybe the pro contract at 37 is attainable after all.
Rabid: Purr.
Watcher: One big training impediment will be out of the way in 2011. I expect big things.
Zeph: I'm just glad your garage is clean so you can come out and race.
Kris: I hope your bribe fund still has a balance. It's been appreciated.
Bob: Plenty of Oh Shit moments already.
Kim & Evil: Thank you.