Two Wheel Fury

It's official! I have been accepted to be on the 360 Sports cycling team for 2011. 360 Sports bike shop is a locally owned bike shop in Owasso that is ran by a great guy, Jon Ray and his family. They been open a few years and have decided this year to sponsor a race team and when I saw that, I couldn't resist to throw my name in the hat. And to my surprise, I was picked to be on the team.
I don't have a lot of racing experience on bikes. I have done a number of Duathlons and a few Triathlons just to prove that I can survive the water. I am more of a dry ground kind of guy, but I have been known to venture into the water. There is still something about Triathlons that intrigues me for the future. Maybe it is the lure of the Ironman?
I did do the Oklahoma Road Race Championships this last year and managed a 5th overall. This was only because a neutral was called towards the finish because of a crash. I was just getting ready to pass a guy to go into 4th and then go after 3rd, when it got called. Maybe next year.

There is something electric about being in a big group of bikes inches apart going over 20 mph. For me, it is really a big adrenaline rush. The excitement of going fast and the danger of being in a peloton all at the same time is exciting. Where as running is more of a solitary endeavor, cycling truly is a team sport.

So what does this mean for me for 2011, I am not for sure? We have our first meeting next week to discuss the 2011 race calendar and what key races we will target. That will help me plan what goals I will set for for this upcoming race year. My commitment to the team is for a minimum of 5 races to fulfill their requirements. That will not be a problem as I like to race.

So what does this mean, will I not be running this year? Not at all. Running is something that I can never see my self not doing. Even when I will have to concentrate more on cycling to get better, I will still run several times a week. I may even throw in an occasional swim just for kicks. Why, I am not for sure. Once we have the meeting and plan the year, I can make my plans around what commitments they require. In the mean time, this is going to be an awesome year and I look forward to trying something different. After all, that is how we grow to be better than we were the year before.