When things are going well, time flies. You don’t realize how good things are. When things are going bad, time seems to stop. All you can think about is how you want another chance as soon as possible. I raced well at Hoboken, even though it is only a couple days ago it seems like a long time. My mini stage race of kermesses did not go so well. Sometimes it is hard to read your body early in the season. The feeling of a need to race overwhelms you and you end up doing too much. The weekend started out well with an under 25-age race in Zwijnaarde just south of Gent. I felt good and was racing hard when I went to cross a gap and a friend of mine, Reno, flew past, smiling at me, to finish closing the gap. I jumped into the single file line of the race and just gritted my teeth in the hope that no other gaps would form but when the pace eased too soon I knew I was stuck in the second group. My team mate Brian Fagin and I rode aggressively trying to free ourselves from this group. Brian was able to form his own group and finish 24th. I finally got free with a lap to go and came in about 36th. My smiling friend Reno was able to just miss first place by a bike length. I am very happy for him and hopefully someday I can smile at him as I race past. Sunday at Drongen, there was a tough crosswind and the race just blew apart from the start. I missed the move and my day ended early. My teammate Brian made the group and pushed himself to the limit with an avg. heart rate of 184 for the race to finish 11th, a satisfactory result for so early in the season since we both have not been in Belgium for long. Monday I rode two hours to a kermesse in Denderhoutem. I was hoping to go well since this course had a cobbled hill but the cobbles proved to rough for my tired legs and I cracked early. It was a depressing ride home because I hate when I don’t finish races but I guess my body realizes when I need rest even when my mind thinks I can do it. This next week should be very fun; I am resting hard today so I can be back on top for the Staf Boone World Championships on Thursday in Wondelgem. Also Thursday morning I will be picking up my new team bike, which I am really looking forward to since I cannot get my Cannondale to stop having small problems. Then on Sunday I will be racing in Holland in a derny race. This race is like a time trial behind a motorcycle and I am looking forward to this new kind of racing. Wish me luck on this new style. Thanks
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