Snowshoe National qualifier

This picture was taken at the finish line of the qualifier and 5 steps later I lost my breakfast. Notice the look on my face.

Well yesterday I entered a snowshoe race which was a qualifier for the national championships at Snowbasin ski resort held in conjunction with the X-terra world championships March 8th. The top 5 in there age category qualified. I finished 2nd in the 40-49 age 8th overall with no previous preparation. So now it looks like I have to get ready for a national before spring even arrives.

I will miss cyclocross until next fall. It's so real and unscripted.

Saturday we had a cyclocross race and award ceremony party for 2007 season. Finishing 3rd in 35+A's overall. Filled with former and current pros, a very hard race class I was happy with my results, even though it's been my slowest season in years or maybe ever. Now it's up to me to look past all the common distracting stumbling blocks that are there to discourage a work out schedule. Bills, bad weather, long work hours, family etc. All the usual's.

This evening I plugged in my night riding lights. I plan on riding a trial called " Pipeline ". The snow is packed down from snow shoeing ans cross country skiing. The temperature should be in the teens. It will be a 6 mile climb on the snow packed road with a 9 mile single track gradual descent. The trail will be as wide as the crank arms and 18 inches deep.

This Saturday is my first race of the season. It will be a cyclocross race in what looks like to be 47 degrees and raining on top of 6 inches of snow. We get the course last which will be all mud by that time. It should finish off my cables and chain. The award ceremony is for the overall season is afterwards, with a 80's theme contest to boot.

New years 2008

It's the new year and I'm looking down the barrel of the 2008 season. 2 large factors this season. #1 If everything goes as planned it will be my first chance to train over the winter since 2002-2003. Having coasted off of my base momentum for 4 yrs. Salt Lake only knows the slow Sam. #2 I move into the 40+ age ground mountain biking. Being the younger guy in the age group after 10 yrs.. Yesterday Jan 1st I went snow shoeing with my new racing snow shoes. Hope to catch a few races this season.