It's Over!

9.13.08



Since 2003 these past couple of weeks have been the reason for everything I did everyday

of the year. Even on my "day's off" or "off-season" the Games were a focus.

Now that my last race is in the books I can breathe and maybe even drink.



A lot of people have asked me what it took to get here and were all the sacrifices worth it.

Just walking around waving at a fellow cyclist who just happens to live in S. Africa makes all those days in the pissing rain vomiting on myself, by myself just fade away.

The lifestyles that everyone needs to adopt to make it here are ones we all share. Knowing that similarity creates a relationship that goes beyond the geographical, political and whatever other barriers that typically seperate people.

While writing this blog over the past two month's I've tried to explain what I do, how I do it and why I would do such a painful thing. The common thread to all of my entries - to me at least is a desire to improve myself.

I've used this as a personal Mantra for years now.

"compare yourself to your own potential"

Racing and competing is great, winning and losing is the sweet and sour but what really drives me is reaching for what I think is my potential. The bike is part of it. The drive, determination and plain honesty with myself are traits that have only really surfaced since getting on the bike.

The great thing with striving for you potential is that it's boundless! Only the cages that you and I create within ourselves can limit that.

I've always used that philosophy to keep at it. Many days I doubted my abilities and allowed results and performances to dominate my emotions. But here in China I've seen the best in people - People who want it and who truely reach for it.