Round 8...Progress is Progress
After an amazing four week break I am back on a plane headed for the UK. This time was VERY much need! There was a lot of things that I had to work on to get back to where I know I can be. I needed a little bit of everything from physical training, to focused bike training and some mental coaching as well. Heading into the last two races of the season, I have a very small opportunity to keep climbing the championship ladder and I wanted to make sure I did everything in my power to achieve my targets for the season. After countless amount of calls and texts with Coach Torres, opening up to the ones I trust, training various formats daily, riding various types of motorcycles and finding myself again internally; I went into the process of getting my head in focus for the fights that I was going to have in order to achieve my targets. With some new strategies to help as well, I felt more than prepared for this round.
This circuit last year was not very kind to me. Did I have the massive crash from last year in the back of my head? Yes, but I knew if I wanted to perform like how I had been training for the past 4 weeks then I knew I had to not let it affect me. Thursday track walk went really well, noticed a couple things that I hadn’t really paid attention to last year so I was feeling really good going into FP1 in the morning. Unfortunately I had some clutch problems throughout the entirety of the session and I knew the guys wouldn’t be able to do anything about it in pit lane so I took this opportunity to work on my riding throughout the track. Went back to the guys and studied everything besides the top speed obviously and I was feeling good going into FP2. Made a couple big changes to the bike before the session because it’s a practice session it’s meant to act like a test session. However we didn’t go in the right direction with the bike. The things I had been working on in the first session I perfected by the end of this session. Although the position didn’t show the progress I had made, I knew I could do something special in qualifying. After looking at the data and giving my feedback on the bike, we had come to a conclusion on what to change on the bike.
Qualifying went exceptional! Before my final lap I hadn’t really had a full clean lap but on the last lap I had a bit of a carrot in front and nobody else in sight. Pulled out an incredible lap on my final lap to stick us on P5 for Race 1. The bike felt so good which gave me the confidence to push as hard as possible, but now it was time to focus on the race. My doubts and internal pressures would arrive during race time in previous rounds but now with all the training I had done for the past couple weeks and the strategies we had come up with to block out the issues worked like a charm. I had no problems and was fully focused on the race.
Got a great start and got right into the front group. Now being back in and fighting with the front guys felt really good. A big crash happened and the safety car came out and bunched the whole field up again and it was my mistake that I didn’t put enough temperature in the left side of the tire. Lost the front through turn 3 at the restart but was able to save it, ran onto the green and only lost about two positions. I knew I had to get my head down and push to get up closer to the front, by the last lap I was right on the back of the group and made my moves to get into P4 and finished the race P4. So close to the podium but now I had proven to myself that I can be in the fight again after not being in it for many races. Got a great result and went up a spot in the championship so job done for the day.
Warm up on Sunday went really well, was within a second of my race time in only 2 laps so I was really looking forward to Race 2. The bike felt really good and the day was almost perfect. The paddock was full of people, the stands had people everywhere and the sounds of race bikes just filled the air. So many people walking around on Sunday. Many came by the tent to greet everyone. It is such an amazing atmosphere. The BSB paddock is amazing and I am so blessed to be in it. Warm up is really quick so it allows me to actually take in the sights and enjoy the experience of being here. Ok...reminiscing is over...back to Race 2!
Again my strategies to stop doubts from creeping in worked perfectly before Race 2 but it was my mistake. I wasn’t able to find the front group pace quick enough which caused me to get sucked into the second group but fought to get back to the front group the entire race. I lead the second group and pushed to catch that front group. Just not soon enough. Another 2-3 laps I would have caught them. I know this is a weakness for me and it had been for a while and on this short break I’m putting full focus in making it a strength. The pace is so fast and so immediate...if you lag for one second it is extremely difficult to make it up. I ended the race P6 which is not a poor result at all but I know I could’ve been fighting for the podium again. I showed that I had the pace just didn’t come early enough.
Currently I am holding P6 in the championship with 9pts to 5th and 7th place is 15pts from me. The target for the season was to finish in the Top 5 with a milestone being in the Top 3. A miracle needs to happen for the milestone achievement, however one race weekend left, the chance to finish P5 in the championship is there. It won't be a walk in the park by any means, but it is doable and I know I can achieve it. My team knows I can achieve it.
I can't thank my Microlise Cresswell team enough. Sandy, Neil and Bobby give me the best machine; Sandy and Jay provide me all the advantages I need to get the job done. John is always making sure I am ready and believes so much in me. My team at home is just as valuable. Coach Mike Torres working super hard to get my mind and body right. Tim and Buch are always ready to make sure whatever machines I am training on are prepped and ready to go. Big Bro SDK is always available for my random riding questions and techniques. My partners and sponsors as well keeping the dream alive. I head back to the UK on Monday for the final round. Targets are set...now just need to put all the pieces together and hit them!
