Training hard, but hardly racing

It's been some great training rides with the team, but do to gaps in the local race schedule and crappy weather the races have been the slowest ever. So I wait for the real deal and deal with pain with no chance of results.

3rd Cholla Challenge 4-4-09

Snow covered Utah from north to south as we drove in and out of blizzard/snow squalls. With in 40 minutes of the venue we dropped 2000 ft into a oasis valley of 60 degree sunshine. where I raced with just arm warmers. My second race with the 29 inch wheels left no doute when me and the biggest horse left out of the gate and gapped away on the first turn. With 300 meters to the first single track approaching I launch with discouraging momentum and enter technical single track with a 5-10 second gap. From there I just checked out what the bike could do and found my self off the front by seconds for 19 of the 22 miles. lamenting to a fully ridged single speed 29r ( surprise) first and last years state champ within 2 minutes of the finish line.who was too disappointed he didn't win by the usual several minutes and didn't show for the podium, "sand bagging" and still failing is a heavy task master for those type. I wrecked once allowing them to see me restarting and had younger expert age groups pride blocking in the single track. Last year I finished 8th, so hopefully things are getting faster.
Team " MonaVie/Cannondale" swept the top 3 in the pro men, impressive team in cyclocross and the XC circuit

Limited weather and races in March.

March has started off inconsistent in weather and race schedule. Training rides and training races have been great. Competing on a race car track is a ideal place to test fitness and components. Our team is looking poised to battle for the overall series this year.

XC 09 Season Opener..... 10th

Even though 10th isn't 1st it sure feels that way. The new 29r did everything I expected and even with 2 mechanical stops ( assembled the night before ) I was still 4-6 minutes faster than last year. I didn't have a chance to test ride the course or even ride XC since last fall. This should be my slowest XC race this year.

1st... Frozen Hog 2009

Frozen Hog is the XC season opener. Not a part of any series and predictably in some type of snow, it primary motivation is pure fun and fund raising. Never the less anyone who thinks they are good in the snow show up. 29r's incase you don't look around are taking over the podium and XC races in general and I knew snow was one of there specialties. So I lowered my tire pressure to about 18-25lbs and in the start road away from the pro field with a running start and held the lead until the last 4 minutes of the course and was passed by two 29rs approaching the finish line. They rerouted the course right before the start and I made many wrong turns and even back tracked until I could see second to confirm I was on the right path. I finished 1st in 40+ expert and 3rd overall. I get my 29r in the next week or 2, then the scales will be balanced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZeGRBWvbgY

147lbs at 15 yrs old and at 40 yrs old

This time last year I weighed 176lbs. By last July I sat at 150 lbs. Now I sit at 160+lbs. This year I may see as low as 140- 145 lbs. I don't care as long as I get faster.