25, November 2010

Greetings atmo -

From all of us who ever have been a part of the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team to all of you who have ever
sponsored us, supported us, followed us, and raced against us, we wish you the best during the holiday season
and especially over the Thanksgiving weekend. The text that follows is courtesy of Matt Pookums Kraus with
one S and is pasted below.

Take care

e-RICHIE


Athletes love goals. Cross racers love the natz. The natz is a pretty severe season goal for cross racers. Cross racers live for natz,
even if its only a race like a race on any given Sunday. Racers do special things for this any given Sunday race, we train, taper, pay
attention to fatigue and take advantage of opportunities given to us. One of these such opps came in the form of the missing east coast
USGP that relocated to Colorado. That relocation, gave a gap to the calendar on the weekend of November 13/14. Most of us, myself
included, used that gap in the race program to get in some fitness reload. When racing weekend in and out, it tends to wear down the
fitness. The mid season (or so) reload can top the tanks off and set up the nats regime on a good foot instead of hanging on to a thread
hoping to have the stuff on December 9-13th. The downside of the weekend off, fitness reload is the broken up routine.

Loosing ones racing rhythm, while not hard to get back, it can be mental to let the racing mindset and form on a slightly longer leash while
the training happens. Longer leash means little fitness rover is not right out in the backyard where you can see him gnaw on a bone, he's
taken to running off after a flock of seagulls and has disappeared over the crest of the hill. When you call rover, sometimes he takes longer
than you want to come back. But when he comes back, he's usually pretty happy. Happy rover equals happy racer. Coming back from my
run over the hills, I raced in the new new Southampton relocated strong island race. Also worth noting, 1 hour from our apartment in Pleasantville,
which was the first time I can remember when racing a double weekend and getting to return to my wife and bed on Sat night. Not bad at all. Day
1 was my re re welcome back to the big leagues day. Watching football with my dad, whenever a rookie got his clock cleaned, he called it the
"welcome to the NFL" hit. Even managing a decent 4th on Saturday, my legs were getting their welcome to the racing hit, but I knew this was
temporary and the next day would be better sensations. I got overheated with an attack and could not recover, having to let 2 and 3 spots leave
the station. Day 2 got off to a better start, I found myself sitting in the leader group in 4th or 5th spot, feeling more comfortable. Two thirds of the
way through lap 1, I rolled a freshly glued tubi. Boo. Big effing boo. Lucky for this jew, I was near the pits and when I was back on trusty awesome
bike 2, I was in 12th. Now the good news is that I pedaled strong and well, and brought myself back into battling with a foe for 5th place. I lost the
sprint because I failed to 'mark' the finish line and timed my sprint too late, but that kinda rookie move happens from time to time. After the race,
warmed down, packed up and made it home to watch another barn burner...the Jets win what looked like a sure loss with a last minute 70 yard
march. First time I got the watch the Jets all season!

Anywho, it's Sterling MA, double in RI and then we fly out to natz. The season is on the tail end but the tail end we love and live for. Everything starts
to matter even when nothing really matters. It's the perfect trifecta, and I hope little rover is ready to rumble. The weekends keep ticking by and the
season is a much a memory as it is yet to unfold. I feel good about my team, my odds and my desire. I also want to take this opportunity to (re)thank
everyone that helps make this most awesome team happen. From the steel man, to the companies that help the steel work, to the donors who help
on the money end to lube the whole program. Its the most fun and something that has come to mean a lot to me, and I have said this before, I don't
know why you support us so devoutly, and I cant speak to what you get out of it, but I can tell you I live for this shit and embrace almost every moment
of it. Thank you. 

No comments:

Post a Comment