The 2009 World Championships have come and gone, leaving me with some amazing memories, things to work on, and completely exhausted. At the conclusion of racing the US team had managed to earn 11 individual medals including multiple Golds. The most notable moment for me of the World Championships was watching the men’s tandem ride away from the heavily favored Spanish team to become the 2009 4-km Pursuit World Champions. Watching Clark and Dave steam roll their way into the finals only to shave another second plus off there personal best to claim gold, left me in tears and truly amazed. Other notable rides include the women’s tandem setting a new World Record in the 3-km Pursuit, Aaron Trent’s two gutsy rides for medals (one after a broken chain in his kilo start, and the other coming from behind in the Pursuit finals) and lastly the 1.5 hour continuous dance session that left me sore and completely drained.
As far as personal results I am happy to say I road to two 5th places in the 4-km Pursuit and the Kilo as well as a 4th place in the Team Sprint. My first race was the Pursuit, held on Day one of the Championships, an event that I had not specifically trained for. Needless to say my expectations in the start gate were nothing more than to have a good consistent strong ride…surprise, my final time was 5:06 and change, marking a personal best and slotting me into a surprising 5th place.
Saturday, marked my big day with the Kilo being the race I have invested nearly all my training to. Unlike the day before in which I was relaxed and confident for the Pursuit, Saturday I was wound tight weighed down with some major expectations I had put on myself for the Kilo. I know that I am capable of going sub 1:10 in the Kilo and after waiting three years to return to international competition I was pouring the pressure on. Rather than being confident in my ability I spent the building moments before pondering what could go wrong. In the gate, I was able to flush my mind of these thoughts and as the clock counted down I was ready to attack the pedals. 3….2….1….hang up on gate….0….attack the pedals. The timing on the gate releasing and the clock reading 0 seemed to be a bit delayed and consequently when I exploded on the pedals the gate did not let me go…reload the pedals and I was off. Despite the pour start at the 500-meter mark I was flying running the second fastest time of the race…and then something happened. What happened? I am not sure nor is my coach but over the next 500-meter’s I went slower and slower rolling through on my final lap slower than I had gone for any one lap during my entire 4-km pursuit the day before clocking a 1:14:4. Again I am not sure why but I know my legs are capable of going faster than they went. I have to wonder if it was the result of all the pressure I had put on these 70+ seconds for the last few years, the doubt I had, or maybe I missed something in my training…in short it was not to be this year and I am now okay with that. I am proud of what has been achieved in 4.5 years and consider myself extremely blessed.
Sunday, was a cherry on top of things racing as a member of the Team Sprint team with our first ride qualifying us for the finals while at the same time setting a new American Record for the event. In the final’s we jumped out to an early lead but had it slip away in closing meters despite improving on the American Record we had set earlier in the day.
Now it is time to kick back, enjoy a few days off the bike, eat some dessert, and most importantly love on the family. Then as the days roll on we will start the evaluation and planning process for the next year. Surely there are some hard questions to be asked, some achieved goals to celebrate, and some tough training objectives to plan. The 2010 World Championships are 8 1/2 months away and I aim to be there relaxed and confident, riding at the fullest of my abilities.
