Thursday, April 30, 2009

OK, just so I can finish out the month with another post, then on to May. April started out great, got dialed on my new Marathon Carbon Pro, local singletrack smooth and shreddable, first race of the year.......... Uh, oh, the first race, BRUTAL! Napa Valley Dirt Classic back on Sunday the 5th. You know how you think you're going fast and feeling strong before you jump into that first XC race? Then you find out again about the WORST feeling of pain in the world! At least that's how it was for me this year (like every other year), but I did get to experience it on some ripping fast singletrack in the wine country. After a weak showing at the Dirt Classic, I was primed and ready for the next beat down, the Sea Otter XC and Super D.

Well, the weekend after Napa, I ended up coming down with a heavy duty case of the flu of the non-pig variety. My lungs were full of sludge and I was feeling low and slow, straight up Houston style chopped and screwed, wanting to get up on that lean. My plans were to take off the Thursday before the event with some fellow bike riding pals. After missing Monday and Tuesday of work, I knew my chance was getting very slim to offer myself to the Sea Slaughter ) :

All said and done I ended up off the bike for two and a half weeks after my first race. Just last week though I was able to jump in on a couple of evening club races and am feeling quite good once again. The first race of the Nevada State Championship XC series is Saturday, the Pine Nut Cracker. This race is fantastic! Lots and lots of burmed goodness in a Pinyon forest fed directly into my hungry soul. Rain is in the forecast though, and the race is long at 35 miles. It's going to be a long day, but a very good one indeed.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Oh yeah, I've gotten out on the new GT Marathon Carbon Pro each day after work this week. The bike is sick! It climbs perfectly, descends very nicely, and feels tight on my local singletrack! Yes, back on a GT!

I'm gonna try my luck at the the Napa Valley Dirt Classic XC this coming Sunday, will be the first race of the year for me. I feel pretty good but it's always quite a shock to the system getting those race legs back 0 : Thank goodness I'll at least be enjoying some twisty Norcal goodness while the legs and lungs are being punished.

I can't wait to meet up with all the fellow Dirt Coalition racers. What a great program, I am so thankful to be chosen and am excited for all the racing, rides and good times on the trail coming our way!