So far, so mediocre

In "Taking the Fork in the Road", I proved mathematically that I will win the 2017 cyclocross Nationals. The very foundation of mathematics is in doubt, however, because there is a growing body of evidence that 2017 might not be a sure thing after all.

For this racing season, I had three things going for me: gears, nation-leading points, and a new 65+ class, even better for me than a 60+ class.  All I had to do was get good starts and stay in front of a bunch of old guys - how hard could that be? Perhaps late in the season, after I had an insurmountable lead in cumulative points, I would allow someone else a little glory. I pretty much expected to win every race just by showing up. But there was one thing I didn't count on...

Nunzio.

In every 65+ race so far, I have finished second to Nunzio. He is either my hero or my nemesis ("Nunzio!", like "Newman!").  He rides really smoothly, pulls away on every straightaway, never seems to tire, and never makes a mistake. I make mistakes.

In half of the races so far, I have done endos (see the 18th reference on Wikipedia, the one that alludes to flipping "end-over-end", not the one about "marijuana", nor the one about "root canal").

In the season's first race, I didn't get the memo, literally. A late email on the eve of the race warned us to jump, not ride, over a deceptively deep water crossing. Horses know not to enter water when they can't see the bottom, even without checking email. Not I - my front wheel stopped cold and I landed on my helmet. No permanent damage, but I lost a quarter of a lap.

Remind me to tell the story of a more spectacular endo two Labor Days ago.

In the second race, another endo, another lost half-lap. I caught the third-place guy, so I suppose there was some honor in coming in second. 

No excuses in the third race, I had one brief fall, but it didn't make much difference, and the best man won.  That would be Nunzio, in case you're keeping score..

In yesterday's race, I had my first "tire burp" (dramatic flat tire), but that's worth its own story.  Spoiler alert: Nunzio won, I was second.

Don't give up on mathematics just yet, since the 2017 Nationals are for 70-74 year olds, not mere 65-year old children such as Nunzio, but the countdown has started on my 65+ PA State Championship.