Pro Upgrade?!?!

So my MTB season is officially over and as I was saying previously that I would submit my race resume and see if USA Cycling would approve my request or deny me. I put all of my qualifying races as well as all my NUE finishes on my upgrade request(even though I know they are not USAC sanctioned - but figure it could help). So as of 4pm yesterday I sent it in and looked for a response...about 10 minutes later. Of course nothing. So I kept checking back and still nothing. In the morning I checked again and nothing. At work I checked during lunch and nothing. Ok, so at this point I figure it's coming later this afternoon or tomorrow. I prep myself to get turned down and figured I'd start chasing some early races in 2011 to make sure I get the upgrade next year. That sounds like a good plan. I thought that a relative good goal was to try and turn Pro by 35. 4 more years to go.

Ok at the end of work I check again...wait...there was a resolved request. Oh God. Preparing to be denied. I've worked hard to this point but knew it was going to be bad news. I check the completed request to see that USAC APPROVED MY PRO UPGRADE STATUS!!! HOLY CRAP!!! HOLY CRAP!!! HOLY CRAP!!! I really can't believe it. It seems like such a massive effort but looking back it took me 5 years of racing to get to this point. 1 year in Cat2, 2 years in Cat1 19-29, 2 years in Cat 1 30-39, and now I'll be racing Pro in 2011. I honestly thought that I would NEVER get to this point. How many people really are successful at this sport and how many make it to PRO. I'm really speechless.

It's even more impressive when I think that just over 2 months ago I was laid up in the hospital with a blood clot and my life could have been ended. I'm stunned...