Blast from the Past!

My buddy & former coach Stathy sent this over the other day. It's from the Quad Cities Criterium, 2004.

Stathy was my VQ coach at the time, and I called him (behind his back of course) "frog legs". He had the biggest legs & power to weight ratio I have seen locally. Also probably leads to the fact that he was the Masters National Track Champion as well.

We worked together in races all year. At the Park Forrest Crit, we were off the front together in both the Cat 3's and the Masters 30+ races. I won the 30+ and he won the Cat 3 race, back to back on the same day.

At the Quad City Crit, he was off the front with 3 others, while I blocked the field. He won the Cat 3 race. Later in the afternoon, he worked for me in the 30+ race, as you see from the pic, and lead me out with a screaming final sprint to launch me to the line for victory. That was an awesome year for racing. I won 5 races, including a Pro, I, II race, 2nd in the State Criterium, took 13 top 3 finishes, and 15 podium spots. Stathy was with me all the way, especially the day before this picture was taken at the Muscatine Criterium. Stathy was off the front solo for 13 of 15 laps, in the pouring rain, 2 laps to go, we swallowed him up. I launched up the long steep hill, made the final right hand turn, kicked in the afterburners, and won the race.

Afterward I said great job, staying off the front and all, as it took a huge effort that didn't pan out. He replied that I should have won the race, because I didn't do a minuscule amount of work during the race! Thanks Coach!