Lies and the liars who tell them

I got out and rode yesterday right after work, I mean right after work, speed home, jump on the bike and hook up with James and JK.  After being couped up indoors and suffering through snow, being outside with the sun is so nice.  It is foreign to be on the bike feeling moisture on the skin, sweat in the eyes and having to carry more than one bottle.  It's hot outside.  Oh, the good times are here.  Everyone talking about future races, lack of fitness, and training, training, training.

If there is one thing you can count on in this world, it is cyclists lying about their fitness.  No one ever trains enough, or have not been training at all.  Lies.  Oh, or they rode really hard yesterday and today is going to be a recovery/easy ride.  More lies.  Yeah, I'm just not feeling it today -no one ever comes out and says "hey look at me I'm killing it and I am going to bury everyone today."  There are no PSAs in cycling.  You have to look at legs, arms, bikes, tires, and faces for any subtle cue that work has been done.  Good luck with that, cyclists are poker players and never show their hand, until the deal is done and the attack is on.

There is a little bit of the unknown when you toe the line for the first time of the season.  You have questions and racing will answer all of them.  You feel good, but is your fitness where it needs to be?  Your fitness is good, but is your head on straight?  It is easy to find out, renew your license enter a race and learn the truth.  After all you are only as good as your last race, Right? 

I'm headed to my first race next weekend, and the jitters are already starting to come out.  I'll be racing with three teammates and looking for some answers.  We are staring down our first crit, TT and RR all in one weekend of racing.  Answers should be plenty, just hope they are the ones I want to hear.  Have I been training -not enough.  How's my fitness -it's alright, could be better.  (fitness can always be better).  I'll show you my hand next Sunday at the end of the RR and they have the overall (answers) posted. Then we will all know.  If it is good news -great, if it is bad news -great!-now I have more work to do.