This year I will race in the Masters 60+ category as my race age (real age +1 ) is 60. Since I want take advantage of my "youthful" energy in this category, I decided to work with a coach to be well prepared. Since Stephen Hyde (three time US champion) had an opening for a client, we decided to work together starting half August, a bit late for the season but we agreed on making the US Nationals in December the main goal, which would give us lots of time.
My first race was actually in August, Blunt Park in Springfield, the first of 5 races in the River Valley series. After a good start, I ended up with a burped tire, fortunately close to the pit, I switched over from my Mudhoney to my Seven Evergreen. After I left the pit, I yelled 38 psi, and in the following lap could change back to my Mudhoney, as Paula and the mechanic fixed the tire pressure. In the end lost about 3 places and finished 9th out 20.
The next race was a local low-key race at Wendolowski farm, a potatoe farm in Hatfield, with a surprisingly fun and hard race. There was an A and a B race, I raced in the B race and finished 5th out of 25.
For the next race, Paula and I went on a Camper Van camping trip to Maine for the Deer Farm race. We arrived the evening before and helped with setting up the course. I was also able to do a number of pre-ride laps. In the race my collaboration with Stephen started to show, as I was beating riders that were normally faster than me. Still some faster riders but I finished 4th out of 15.
I then took a break (no race weekend) for a training block and the next race was the 3rd in the River Valley series (missed the one in Holyoke as we were in Burke). It was a double weekend. On Saturday I finished 10th out of 25 with a good race. Sunday was less, as I was tired, and raced my new Canyon bike, that had not been fitted which resulted in a terrible back pain. This resulted in a 12th place out of 18.
