Thursday, February 16, 2012

Groundhog day...

La Milagrosa awaits

Winter has been kind to me this year. All of us really. With temps in the 40's and 50's, we've experienced the type of winter reserved for the Mid Atlantic boys not us Northeasterners. It's rare to be in normal riding shoes in winter, let alone without shoe covers. Even more rare to be in the woods still. Yesterday on my ride I only had a base layer and a vest. Trust me, I'm not complaining...

My winter will officially end March 1st. Soon I'll be hitting the sweet trails of the Arizona desert. Originally I was going to go to the Pro XCT opener in Texas March 3rd but I'm registered in California the weekend after (Bonelli) for the triple crown, and with a lack of any real training I'd rather get a few days of riding instead of the race. I'm already regretting this decision, often checking VZ navigator for the best route from Tucson to Texas. At 14hrs drive time, It's probably not gonna happen.
So I'll go to Arizona on the first, ride for a few days, drive to Cali for Bonelli and then back to Arizona for a few days of rest before James comes to town. We have tentative plans for the 14th to the 20th. I wonder if coach has any idea what pupil is in for? I'm hopeful to be recovered enough to race the following weekend. MTBNJ short track and maybe the MASS endurance opener. It's a busy March and April for me. Some have said "I'll be toast by July". I say "I don't care". Improvement fuels the fire and this year I've been improving. I think. Either way, I've been having fun....

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Just a few that I'll be attending...

I will not be doing this...
Bonelli Park (Pro XTC) March 10th - March 11th, 2012 - SAN DIMAS, CA

SIERRA VISTA (MBAA) - Mar 17, 2012

Weekend of March 24th, Bagels and Bacon Short Track or
Tuscarora MTB Enduro (MASS Endurance #1)

April 1st, Bunny Hopbrook, Middlebury Ct.(Root 66 #1)

April 22nd, Bike Line @ Fair Hill (MD) (MASS XC #1) or
Chainstretcher @ Blue Mtn (N.Y.) (H2H #1) or
Winding Trails (Root 66 #2) Farmington, Ct.

April 28th Cohutta 100. (NUE #1) Ducktown Tn. (I got a mention)

June 2nd, 2012 Kenda Mohican 100 Mile (NUE #3)

July 28th, Wilderness 101 (NUE #7)

August 19th, Hampshire 100 (NUE #9)

September 2nd, Shenandoah 100 (NUE #11)

There are a lot of gaps, I know. The one thing I've learned over the years is you have to allow for some flexibility. I don't want to say I'm going in one direction and midway decide to scrap the whole thing. I will be attending local and regional XC races. If I have the chance to win a series I may decide to go that route. I've set myself up so I don't have to decide what series it will be, If any. In between the big events I've picked, I may race every weekend or not at all. Hell, I may race twice in the same weekend. I may decide to go to nationals. I may decide to do some 50s. I may just race local events for fun.
Race hard, have some fun, keep it light, and let the path lead you to where ever it feels good. After last years bullshit and stress fest, who needs another year of that crap? -M