Lessons Learned

What I've learned in my first IMBCS season:

1. Give absolutely everything at every race. It's a short season with only 10 races. The race that you "paced yourself" at may have been an opportunity to score some points. Don't hold back. (The "Sylvan Island Rule").
2. The Iowa East coast masters are a tough bunch of guys. Landon Beachy and John Adamson come to mind. I've never worked harder, and finished worse, than I did at Waverly.
3. I carried a tube, tire irons, chain tool, multi tool, spare parts (cleats, powerlink, etc.), and a mini pump in a seat bag. It weighs about two pounds. I used it in two races, both times because of broken chains. In both cases the chain was relatively new, so I can't blame maintenance (I'm pretty meticulous about my drivetrain stuff). I'm not sure that the weight penalty is worth the benefit. The jury is still out on this one. It did save me from two DNFs, but it's heavy.
4. I didn't flat during a race. I used my homemade slime in my tubes (not tubeless yet) and have achieved a Zen-like state between my tire pressure (40 psi) and my weight (currently at 197 lbs and falling). The homemade slime adds about 50 grams to my setup, but it's worth it. Every time I change tires, I pull out 2-3 thorns that would have previously resulted in flats.
5. If you have a spare bike, take it along. At Sockum Ridge I broke a seat rail on the first lap. Andy was nice enough to let me change bikes and finish the race. It would have been a tough race if I had to do it seatless.
6. Prepare for mud, cause you never know when it's going to pop up (the Lewis and Clark rule). Always bring a set of mud tires, or a mud bike.
7. If you are chasing points, attend every race. It's just that simple.
8. Team 14 rocks!
9. Oh yeah, have fun. Lots of fun. I know I did.