Well, I'm sitting here in a motel in Bryson City, North Carolina the night before US Team Trials, with selection for the World Championships in Sort on the line. Which is all well and good, except a summer of grant writing will preclude me from going to the Worlds, so selection is not really a concern. A good performance is not really on the cards after a back/neck screwup left me unable to even sit in front of my computer at my desk a few weeks ago. So, why am I here? Well, I'm hoping to have some fun and gain some motivation that will help set me up for a spring and summer of training and racing at a domestic level, and a good performance at National Champs out west, especially if they are selection for the pre-Worlds in 2011.
The downside of having fun is that the race is on the Nantahala. Its shallow, flat with a whole bunch of shoals, and it completely featureless so you have no idea where you really are at any given time. Being fat (yep, I'm a fat bastard again) really doesn't help on this course as the bottom drag is awful. However, the non-technical nature of the "whitewater" kind of suits me just now with so little time on the rough this year so far, and my Corvette is good for the river. I just got the boat weighed and was pleasantly surprised at how light it was (just over the limit with airbags) - shame about my fat gut.
I'm traveling with Stacy Gricks, a newbie in her wavehopper who is regretting not bring her glass boat. Kurt "Gigantor" Smithgall and Colby "Motivationless" Zebel are also here, hanging out in our hotel room just now before they head to the mountains somewhere to sleep out in the cold and wet (by choice).
I have no idea how I'm going to go tomorrow in the sprint, but hopefully I can feel good and get in a few nice runs. I hope to write more after the race tomorrow.
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