So here I am, sitting in my own bed in my own house in Las Vegas, Nevada. My brother's next door and my parents are upstairs. I couldn't be happier! I don't think I'm too difficult to please...the only 4 things I need in my life are Mum, Dad, Alexander and a bike to race. It's such a relief to finally be out of LA. Of course I'll miss all the climbing in the Santa Monica Mountains and doing my recovery rides along PCH, but as for the city itself (and the stressful commute out of it to get to suitable training roads)...well hate is a strong word but...
It's funny to see Vegas as a small place but after living on a campus of close to 18,000 students, I am looking forward to actually knowing the majority of people I interact with on a day to day basis (and not of course not getting sick every 2 weeks from sharing a dining hall with thousands of people).
Anyway, I don't want to focus on the negatives. I feel like I'm about ready to turn a corner mentally, and hopefully transfer that to form on the bike. My first week training with Tyler Hamilton was actually a week of NOT training. The plan we decided on was to take it easy while I was taking final exams, and use the opportunity to let my body rest and recover from all the work and racing I've done up until this point so I'll be ready and willing to thrash myself once the time comes...and that time is coming (starting Wednesday in fact).
I'm happier just being home than I've been in a long while. And to be honest I haven't ridden a good race in a long while either. Obviously I've had more than my fair share of physical setbacks, but even when I've been healthy I've had one or two motivational stuggles. I love riding my bike but sometimes when the chips are down you just can't motivate yourself to go out and do it (although I did force myself most times), or at least do it well.
Now I'm hopeful that things are on the up and up. Given the rest and being back home I'm motivated to go out hard and find some good form that I can hopefully carry through the summer to get some results (and upgrade points!). I feel fresh. As long as I'm not too strippped down (and a touch too fat) from my little break, I should be going well by the time Mt Hood rolls around.
For those of you that don't know me: I am a 19-year-old road racer (I do some CX mountain biking at the collegiate level). I was born in Northampton, England (and am an English citizen) but I have been raised in Las Vegas, Nevada (I currently live just off campus at USC in Los Angeles). I played soccer from a very young age and picked up cycling at 13 to improve my fitness. I began racing at 15, fell in love, and am now a CAT 2.
