5 months ago I was really just getting my training started for the season. That 5 months has gone by pretty fast, and here I am at the halfway point of the season. Actually, it is probably a bit past the halfway point, but the first A race of the season is done.
After the big long buildup to a key race it is great to take a bit of time off to let your body completely recover and more importantly, to give yourself a mental break from the 2 workouts/day routine. It feels good to get caught up on some stuff around the house, and help Jaime out with some things for the clinic that have been put on the back burner. About one week is usually all I can take though before I feel like I need to get back at it. So, that is the plan.
A quick recap of the season so far: I mentioned in a prior post that I had started training with EPC Multisport, and this year I'm being coached by Xterra Pro Cody Waite. I have really enjoyed training with a team, and Cody's coaching has been invaluable. I'm definitely getting faster at a faster rate this year than in years past.
So far I've raced 3 Xterras, and 4 mountain bike races. The Xterra's have had good results despite having moved up into what I believe is the toughest age group. Moab and 4 Corners yielded 4th place finishes in the 30-34 AG. Last Saturday was the Xterra Mountain Cup Regional Championship Race, which draws out the best competition in the ares, and is one of the qualifiers for the World Championships in Maui. I placed 9th in my AG, which is how I placed last year here, but this year I was 6 minutes faster, and that is what it really is all about. This was the first race that I could really compare vs. last year, since 4 corners had the course changed.
After this week's break, my focus is solely on the National Championship in Ogden, UT. I will get back to base training for a few weeks before ramping it up again in preparation for the big race. I didn't race here last year due to a wedding, but 2 years ago I had a 3:06:46. I am hoping to be somewhere in the 2:55:00 neighborhood.
Hopefully I will get better about making a weekly post, and getting some good pictures from epic riding as well. Anything you'd like to read about? Post a reply! Thanks for reading
Train hard
