A Fond Farewell

This afternoon in the training center here on Marian College’s campus we celebrated both my graduation and my signing my first professional contract with the Kenda presented by Spinergy Pro cycling team. It meant a lot to me to have a chance to take a deep breath after my last final and put the finishing touches on my time here in college. As I am graduating mid year, rather than the traditional May graduation, I won’t walk down the isle and wear the sweet hat and all that, so this ceremony served that purpose for me. It was also a chance for me to say thanks to my friends, my family, my sponsors, my coaches, school administrators and alumni who have made my time here so successful. We had a great turnout, filling up the center with smiling happy folks and took a moment to say goodbye to the “old war horse” of the team.
Coach Haklin, Coach Peterson and my dad Hans all stood behind me, appropriately I felt, as they have for many years, Thanks guys.
There was a great variety of folks at the event, friends, alumni, professors, the school provost, and my grandpa! Check out the background, my tour of Ohio jersey, and national champs jersey!

It has been a great three years, and this was an amazing way to finish it off. Now it's time to get down to business... training!

My team mates came down between finals to celebrate with me, thanks guys. In just a couple years you'll be on the other side of the table!! Check out the projector in the background, we had a compilation of photos from the latest nationals to some seriously old school stuff... like Race2Replace oldschool. (my first ever race in Marian kit)

I had a chance to say a few words, guys were takin' bets if I got a little foggy or not! Hmm.. pretty close for sure...

Things will move really quickly now; I move out this Sunday after our first team meeting in Columbus where we will meet some new guys, re-acquaint with some old team mates and do some training together. I’ll spend a little time with my parents in Bloomington, try to get a little riding in between the rain and snow, then head up for some relaxing time cross country skiing in Sheboygan for a week or two. After that it’s looking like 7 weeks in Tucson AZ leading up to our first real training camp in March in Greenville SC, and then probably begin racing the Carolina Cup stuff to get ready for the NRC and UCI big show.
I’m not going to lie, I’m wiped out. Getting all my ducks in a row these past three months has been chaotic and challenging. I have managed to do some riding, but it serves more as a stress relief than actual fitness development. Now that school is out of my way I am really looking forward to some relaxation and starting in January beginning to really develop the base of miles I will need for this year. I think some of my team mates are a little worried I will over train and suck from June on seeing as I will be in Tucson, but I’m not really going south to go psycho on training, I just hate the snow. It makes me depressed and moody, and nobody wants to be around that guy!

Finally, check this out… it’s official: http://velonews.com/article/85772/us-registered-continental-teams-for-2009