Fade....to....black.....

Over the course of the season I have watched numerous people increase their skill. Some have increased their general speed. Some have just gotten to be better all around riders. Me, I am a solid rider. I can bomb downhills. I can handle the level of technical trails in my area. My weaknesses...well...climbing is the worst. I have never been a climber, but I know I can work on that. I also am not good at the tight and twisty trails....like TK Lawless or Maybury offer. Maybe it is just my mass, I am not able to hold speed in the tight corners and flow into the next corner.

But I got off topic a bit. Early this year I rode with some people out on Barry Roubaix. It was rough on them. But the last time I rode with with one rider, I could tell he was stronger. I also know that I just didn't put the work in this year. On another ride we did Kal-Haven. I was dropped by a rider that never should have dropped me. I caught him, but it took me 70 miles. Again, he put more work in than I did...but I still didn't like the outcome.

Tuesday I had the chance to ride at Fort Custer. I headed out and just rode my pace. While I was slow, it did feel good to just ride and not worry about anybody else. No concerns that I was holding someone up. No concerns that I was ruining a ride for someone. Just trail. Roots and rocks and dirt. But my mind kept wandering to those that got stronger this year while I faded. This year sucked. There are multiple reasons why it just sucked, and none that need to revisit. But this year is fading into obscurity again....time...it feels....is passing by at an alarming rate. Soon the green will give way to reds and yellows before the ugly landscape of fall rolls in. Then there will be a blanket of snow and this damn cycle will start over again....

I will find myself stuck on the indoor trainer....hammering away with a monotonous drone of rubber against steel. But I will do it....because the only thing that will change my training is a fat bike. unfortunately, that doesn't really seem to be in the cards. I just need to find the motivation to throw my leg over the bike any chance I can get. Keep plugging away. Try to come out in the spring stronger than I did this year....and make my presence known....before I just fade to black....