Thanks for the compliments on the picture. It is a good pic, the photographers did a good job. There is a cornering one too
here Sorry about the watermarks.
I have been riding a total of 3 years now, and racing (counting the first few intermittent hare scrambles and such) for almost the same. I started doing more and more MX, especially after I got the KTM, the better I got at it. I am still not good at it but I am better. So I have been practicing on MX tracks for almost as long as I’ve been riding, although up until last year I still rode more trails than MX. Now it’s a pretty even mix.
First off, I DO still have fun. I would just have MORE fun if I did better. I am competitive by nature, and right now I am not skilled enough to back up my attitude.
Secondly, I know I am being very hard on myself, but if I am not, I won’t get any better! I can’t be complacent with my current level of riding or I wouldn’t push myself.
I know horsepower isn’t a replacement for skill, I was just kind of being sarcastic. Bbbom, come racing, I need someone to moto with! Everyone else just passes me. I think my bike fits me well. It weighs very little, has more power than I need but that power is very usable. I have ridden 125s and 250s and I like them both, but I would get in trouble on a 250, and a 125 would not be as versatile for me. The 200 I can ride on the track or in the woods. Suspension is the only issue but I am taking care of that tomorrow.
I know kids are usually faster too, they have no fear of pain or death.
Half of my problem is mental—I tense up at a race and make more mistakes. I get tunnel vision, I get arm pump too fast from being tense, and I stop thinking and just react. Which means I take the same line as I did last time or as the person in front of me, and go back to bad habits. I am getting better about that part but I still do it. I don’t have anyone to count lap times for me.
As for accepting that girls will beat me, if I set unrealistic goals for myself, I will only be that much more disappointed. Sarah and Lexi are much faster than I am. Catching up to Lacey and Kalee is a much more attainable goal for now.
Thanks again girls.
The fact is, I HAVE improved a lot. I am hitting jumps I couldn’t do last year and picking up more speed in corners. The whoops are still a big problem for me but I learned some new techniques that help—at the MX school I took, the instructor had me way far back on the bike and gripping the bike hard with my knees. While I am not a whole lot faster, I don’t feel as out of control either. And I worked on starts a lot--I got a really good start in my second moto. Everybody passed me again but oh well, I got off the line in 2nd or so. (hard to tell--we were on the same gate as the 80 Open Beginner class)
There is so much else out there that I feel like it is RIGHT THERE and I SHOULD be able to do it but haven’t tried it yet. I know I could clear about 3 or 4 more jumps if I would just pin it and go. I feel like my form has improved—I have even gotten a few compliments on it (thanks guys)—I just need to do it all FASTER.
So I am going to practice like hell and hopefully my next race report won’t be so pissed off.