Steamboat Springs

I'm watching my boys now, in the rental condo pool. They keep competing measuring themselves against each other: who can hold their breath the longest; who can sit on the bottom the longest; who can jump the highest out of the water.

By those kinds of measures, I'm not doing so hot right now. It seems that nearly every rider does something better than me: climbing.

Today's circuit race was 30 miles, 4.5 miles at a time at the Maribou Ranch north of town, two miles up, two and a half down. Our first time up the sharp climb to the finish, the group accelerated hard and my lungs started to spasm. Likely a combination of forty degree air, pollen and twenty pounds too much of me. Today's goal was to survive and conserve, same for tomorrow's road race. Monday is a flat, four corner crit, something suited to me.

The kids splash and play. The sun is shining and I feel good, alive.