Cyclocross is wicked cool.

Saturday AM.
Swim short course. This was a great swim for me, mainly because I got worked over. The lead up set was 50 back, 75 free x 10 on one minute. No problem there. Then, the next bit of work was 75 bk/fr/bk on 1:15, 100fr on 1:15 x 7. The first couple were decent. I think I even got a little bit of rest. Luxury indeed. Then as the set progressed it turned into a continuous swim. Just hang in there.
I could have done the set on 1:20 and it would have been good work. I would have made the time no problem, had some rest, and in some views "done it properly." (side note here... thanks to my bro scotty for swimming around me.)

I think it's important to do things you think are out of your comfort zone. Beyond that too, even above your present ability. Because really, one of two things will happen. You will either surprise yourself and do it. Great, good for you, now you need a bigger envelope.... Or, you will not do it. But, in the process you will learn what it means to perform at that level. You are teaching your physical body what it means to do it. You are preparing your mental body to do it. You are coaching your emotional body to have the courage. Your spiritual body just gets stronger.

I'm going to skip a bit and talk about today's cyclocross race because it fits in here. One of the expert riders was telling me that he finds no matter what group he rides with in a cross race, it feels hard. That is, whether he is riding fast with the leaders, or slower with another group. Basically the moral is your body will rise to the occasion. It will do what you ask of it. Speed, Time... these things are irrelevant.

I found the same thing this morning. Starting out at the back of the pack, "ok this is kinda hard, but I'm going to ride with the group up ahead." Then once you're with that pack it's exactly the same thing, "ok this is kinda hard, but I'm going to ride with the group up ahead." Eventually here you are with the leaders, then you've reached the plateau. Remember rule #1: A plateau is not a limit, it's just a plateau. There are no limits, only plateaus. This is where you need to be conscious of yourSelf, and in this case: ride.

Here's a brief summary of the race:
It was a blast. I raced the intermediate division, came third and was named the most aggressive rider.

We started in a couple lines. I was at the back to begin with because of not having raced before. No biggie. I just got a feel for the race for the 1st two or so laps. After that I started moving up from one group to the next. I think I went from 14th, to 10th, to 6th, to 3rd. I was reeling in 1st and 2nd place and got within 7 or 8 seconds of second. Then the race was over, so I'll settle for 3rd this time.

Technically the race was pretty cool. There were a couple sections where we needed to get off the bike to run up a steep sandy hill and through some gravel. Then a single step which I needed to dismount for, but others were able to easily hop it. A little more practice and I'll have that down. There were also 2 decent sized mud pits we went through on each lap. The bike has officially been broken in.

I almost ate it on one a couple corners and some downhills a couple times, but managed to stay on the bike. You definitely learn pretty quickly to shift the weight around and take corners in the drops!

Now, back to Saturday afternoon where we had a sweet cross ride at Beacon Hill. There are lots of lessons learned these days. Maybe not all new lessons, but definitely more examples of the same thing happening again, and again... or maybe now I am just noticing things more clearly....let's call these "lessons" positive reinforcements.

Just be conscious of these things, and stay in the moment. Stay on YOUR path, Focus and Enjoy.