As the years go by, I grow more comfortable with all aspects of life as a racer–especially the part where time at home in the offseason flies by and suddenly I’m back in Europe, like I never left at all. I’ve grown accustomed to that feeling, but the last 3 months have seen a time warp like never before.
After Lombardia in October, I enjoyed a couple weeks off the bike–resting hard in anticipation of all the mountain biking I would be doing when I got home. I had fun on the dirt and seeing friends and family, staying busy all the time with innumerable activities and to-do lists. It seemed like every day ended as quickly as it began because I never had a moment of down-time. I enjoyed it, though!
Soon training began with renewed motivation. Over the years, I’ve learned all the various facets of being a professional, but the last two years have been such a step up that it took a while to adjust, and things never quite came together all at once. I’m determined for that to happen this year. Training, diet, rest, motivation…all are on point now and as a result I’m seeing progress in the gym, on the bike, and on the scale as never before. I’m looking forward to a great year of racing!
The main reason time went so quickly the last few months, however, was Kate. She grew up with my teammate Caleb’s wife, and a post-Giro epiphany resulted in our introduction (after we failed to meet each other when she was at the Giro). She’s an amazing woman with whom I can (and have) carry on a conversation on any topic, and the perfect companion for an adventure or a chill day at home cooking awesome food together. Things move quickly when it’s so obviously right, and just days before I boarded a plane for Europe, she said yes! So take my word for it that we are extremely excited for the year to come!
