Geared and Ready to Go!

I went and had my knee x-rayd and got the go ahead to start riding again. Turns out I have severe tendinitis in my right knee, the joint itself is in strong working order. My right IT band is so tight that it is pulling on my knee cap moving it out of alignment hence the poping feeling I was having. I have taken more time off the bike in past few weeks than ever before and everything is starting to feel much better. I signed up for the Sea Otter Classic race in Monterey CA on the 19th of April. This is going to be my 1st geared race ever, and a really hard one at that. This one day XC race brings out the best of the best in the country and is a grueling 38mi fast pace power course, so well see if my fitness will be up to par. For now its a blast shreding on my 1st geared bike in 6 years, it feels so fasssst. Scary fast. The snows melting and my knee's on the mend now it's time to tune everything in to race mode.

US Cup #1 and Some New Developments

My first race of the year was kind of a bummer. I felt very prepared fitness wise but had knee issues 45min into the race. I have been dealing with some sort of tendinitis in my right knee for about 6 weeks now and was doing physical therapy on it. I thought that I was in the clear doing the right stretches and keeping it on the down low but the effort that I put in at Bonelli park on Sun made my knee swell and start popping. I finally was racing smart and just doing what I needed to stay in front instead of killing myself to put 5min on the field then when i decided to make a move my leg did not want to bend for a pedal stroke. Immediately following a popping knee cap feeling my leg felt like it was being stabbed for the remainder of the race..only 14 miles of agony. So I had to watch everyone blow by me as I was now in survival mode. Ohhhh Well that's racing I guess. I took 2nd in the Pro Single Speed by default. So I am now on a break from the bike until I figure out whats wrong with my knee. I also hate to say it but I don't want to race my single speed this year. I'm getting tired of only racing a few people and also feel like the bike is holding me back from what I can really do. Not to mention that it is taking it's tole on my knees. So instead of sitting in an empty apt in Huntington waiting to get better I have come back to Flag where I am comfortable and I can get health insurance right away at Absolute Bikes. I am pretty bummed but I want to be able to walk when I'm 50 so I guess bike racing and living the "Pro Hollywood life style" can hold off for a bit. Keep you all posted when I get some news.