Race Anecdotes: 2019 Bike Race Season Review

As I create my off-season training plan, I conducted a Bike Race Season Review. Although my results this past season were better than last year’s, my 2019 season was wrought with unnecessary drama that made it difficult to stay focused on racing. Between volunteering, managing a new initiative, job woes, and relationships, my head was not in the game.

I tried to direct my anger, anxiety, and depression into my racing efforts but it did the opposite. I can at least walk away from the season knowing I did what I could with what I had at the time. Thankfully, I have a supportive family. I know without them — showing up to races alone, warming up alone, and going home alone — it would have been even harder.

In the end, I had 14 Top 5 finishes, 10 Podiums, and 2 wins (mountain biking). My goal for the 2019 Season was to upgrade to a Cat 2. This meant earning 30 upgrade points by winning races or landing on the podium. I only had 13 points at the end of the season. 17 off from an upgrade. Why I thought this would be my year, who knows. I wanted to be right. I thought I’d do well enough but then Life happened. As it always does.

I wrote anecdotes throughout the season to help others as much as I wanted to help myself. I wanted other racers to know they weren’t alone and we (I) shouldn’t take racing so seriously.