Gearing Up, Again

In 24 hours we will be on our way up to Leadville again for the second race for me in the Leadman series.  This week at home has mostly been about catching up on things after the 11 day absence but now the tide is turning more towards preparing to leave tomorrow.  95% of camp is already up there and set up and since we are only going to be gone for three and half days, there is a lot less that we have to haul up there.  Packing should be a breeze.

Focused on working on the bike last night.  I topped off the Stan's sealant in the tires using the syringe and that didn't go as well as hoped.  I made mess on the driveway and the Jeep with the first attempt.  The second wheel went slightly better.  The bike is other wise clean, the drive train included and all of the pressures set for the shocks.  It's ready to roll and I will ride it a bit today when I work out later to double check everything.

Right now I am excited to get out of town and be up in Leadville again.  I am also very aprehensive about the race on Saturday.  Concerned even.  To sum it up, I know the course as I have ridden all of it by now.  I trust my fitness and strength riding the parts that I can ride.  The parts that I can't ride, the more technical parts that I have discovered I know I will have to dismount on at least three little descents to get around and that is okay.  I have to be conservative and not push it and keep safety, health and injury prevention at the front of my mind.  I feel I can hammer the ups, flats and 95% of the downs enough to do well.

But that brings up another question... what does doing "well" on this course look like for me?  I have a time in mind but it is ridiculously fast but crunching some key numbers indicates it.   I just can't reconcile those numbers to what I feel inside is possible at this point.  As far as doing well, I guess that I can summarize that in these four goals.

1.  Don't die. (B. Fuller is keeping my spare bike in Pb, so if I die Saturday he gets it by default.)
2.  Don't wreck. (Or don't wreck too badly.)
3.  Don't have a major mechanical to deal with.
4.  Come in under the eight hour cut off. (That's a 9mph average over the whole course btw)

I sort of feel that if I can manage goals 1-3 then goal four should take care of itself.

I hope.

So... there you have it.  I am really questioning my intelligence, sanity, critical thinking skills, and overall judgement going into this race.  I sort of wish now I had more bike racing experience under my belt than I do and did before I decided to change things up.  But this anxiety I am feeling, it is good... I mean what fun would this be if I were not going into it as a major challenge full of many, many unknowns?  That is what makes it exciting after all, right?

In 72 hours one way or the other this part will be over and then we will know.  Damn.

Seems apropos.