From Cocktails to Pursuits

Well, its been nearly a week since my last update and I am here to update everyone on what happened in my first pursuit of the year......but first

On Saturday night Amy and I had a cocktail party to attend, to celebrate the 21st birthday of one of her friends, Maggie. I wasn't really in the know about how dressed up you are supposed to get for these occasions, but Amy and I spent a good 3 hrs on Firday shopping for a shirt and a tie that would go with the very nice dress she had bought.....she won't want me to say this but it only cost her $40, not bad for how good she looked......It was a good party, nice and simple with a few people who I knew, mainly just Amy's girlfriends....but i dont mind that.....they are pretty easy on the eyes. I was by far the best dressed, according to Amy.....ah....who am i kiding, i looked sharp. Together we made a nice picture. I was however consious of the fact that i had my first individual pursuit the following day and tried to spend as little time on my feet as possible.

And after 7hrs sleep, not ideal, but it'll do, i was driving into the velodrome, where i was told we would be starting around 12 or so.......4.30pm i finally hit the track. Dehydrated after vomitting, due to the pressure i put on myself to perform well, i hit the boards. And i didnt disappoint. Riding to a 4:35 schedule i pumched out a 4:34.8 to qualify fastest by 5 seconds. I was pumped, my 2nd fastest time ever and i didnt even ride double disc. I came out in the final with every intention of knocking out a PB, but after a mix up from my coach (where he grabbed the wrong schedule) i came home in 4:37, still 5 seconds the better of my apponent but a bit disappointed, because i felt really good the whole ride, but got told to just control it from my coach. Oh well, mistakes happen and i still won the event.

Now onto the World Cup. I started in the gym on Monday with my new program. I am alternating it with the pilates and it is working reasonably well. I finally felt like one with the track bike in tonights training session and was able to punch out a good session with my madison partner.

So 5 days away from leaving and here is where i sit:
-i have a race on Saturday night, big competition but im just going to get a feel for the big bunches again and mix it in the sprints, no real expectations for big results (ill save them)
-just heard that big Magnus Bagstead is racing in Manchester (awesome)
-loving the combo of gym work and the pilates and havn't missed a day yet
-just asked the head coachof the national squad if he'd give me a start in the individual pursuit in Manchester (we'll see how that goes)

Ill get back to you about Saturday nights racing and give you a last minute form guide before i leave for the UK.

Later