The Thing Called Icing on Top of the Cake - Nationals

I ate a salad with tuna for lunch today and yesterday.  So yeah … you can say I’m taking this somewhat seriously.

I’m taking a quick break from packing to bring you this update.  Regrettably, between racing, training, managing risk analysis reports on Bangladesh, and those few odd parts of the day when I get to eat and sleep, there hasn’t been much time to blog.  I will be blogging each day, henceforth hereon to cometh. through the trek to USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals.

Dartmouth – Quick and Dirty Synopsys

Saturday

First off, the weather was gorgeous both days.  Saturday was a meh, day though.  The Swiss Missile (Swissle, aka Natan) and I decided not to do the A TTT after much deliberation and save ourselves for the crit.  The day had a lot of crashes in it.  Jackie crashed on Carnage Corner and broke her pelvis.  Craig (it was his first A race…oh look he’s growing up!) and I crashed independently on the same lap.  I got up and took my free lap and got back to work.  I could only keep up with the pack for 2-3 laps before I shot off the back into the chase group.  My lungs were having some trouble working after the crash as I had landed on my side and rolled to my back.  Then my back started spasming.  Still, I finished 28th/71 – not bad after a bad crash and riding on for another 15 laps.  Other crashes plagued the day, but Ben had to show us up and crash twice in keeping with the tradition of him absolutely annihilating team kits through crashes more than anyone else of a given weekend.

The Banquet followed.  Natan and Craig swam across the something infested pond to the banquet to applause at the other side.  Afterwards we went back to our host housing (Thanks Dartmouth!!) and slept like 5-6 foot tall babies.

Sunday

Holy Flying Spaghetti Monster I hurt.  But I sucked it up, threw back some Motrin and put on the “elastic stretch net” to my torn up right arm and leg.  I looked PAS (Pro-as-$#!%).  I’m coining this acronym right now.  Done.
The Road Race – Pain in a bottle.  Ended up 24th on the day, but not at all disappointed.  The last lap I was at the front when the first hill came, and yet again I drift to what I think is mid-pack after doing work only to find half the field gone – including Natan (bummer).  Charlie from Temple and I did some in-race commentary right before the attacks started to fly.  The last climb was killer, and I couldn’t really do much until the very end when I won my little group.  My back was giving me problems all day, but I pushed through.

Nationals

I’m leaving, like, now(-ish).  I’m super excited that I am able to go.  It was real iffy for some period of time, but they the qualification rolled in.  This whole things is going to be the “Icing on the Cake” for my undergraduate career.  I’m pumped to travel out there with Natan an Kim and see all my fellow ECCCers out there in Madison, WI – racing and socializing (although not too much socializing, because my school says that’s a “no no”) with them in someplace new.

Follow http://twitter.com/k_bruley for the most up-to-date reports.  But be sure to check back in here each day for updates.