Feeling cranky about this year's ICA racing calendar. With the Masters races now broken down into categories, I have far fewer races to race on any given race day. Super Spring was a great race for me previously because I had four different races I could race ( I usually did 3). Generally the start times were spread throughout the day so I had some flexibility in scheduling. The race is far but it was worth it because I'd get in a solid day of racing.

Generally speaking, I repeated this same plan at every race.

Now that's all changed. Of all the flyers I've seen so far, there are only 2 races for me per race and these are generally earlier in the day and sometimes back to back. With my work schedule, it's all but impossible to make the first race of the day if the drive is over 60 minutes. No way I can make Super Spring.

Then there's Sherman Park, which is very close to me. Certainly I can make the Masters race but it would be the only race of the day I could participate in. Previously, if I could only race once in a day at any given race I generally didn't go. It didn't make much sense to me to get all the gear in line, load up the car, drive to the course, deal with work schedules, to only race 30 or 45 minutes.

My first race of the day was generally crappy because I can never figure out how to warm up correctly; that, and it takes me one race to get my rhythm going and kick out the butterflies. I'm pretty good at beating myself up and if I get to a race and miss a clip in or flat or get dropped and end my day abruptly, I'll kick myself for hours and hours. Makes for a very unpleasant drive home.

I had a secret little goal I was working towards this year. I wanted to race the 30+, 40+, and 50+ races on a single day and finish strong in each one. I was eyeing Sherman Park for this goal.

I don't want to piss and moan but I'm upset about it and don't see myself racing nearly as much this year. The loss of a full racing calendar to play with really hurts. I love going to the races and will miss not being there.

There's a number of people that are also upset about this and I have made contact (politely) with the people at ICA. I don't intend to "boycott" like some have suggested but I've been following the ABR website closer than before. Racing in Indiana and Wisconsin is also something I'm considering.

I'm pretty blue about the whole situation...