a case of the slows

So it's Sunday afternoon and the Fontana weekend is already behind me.

I flew in on Friday afternoon to preride the course while keeping my days away from home at a minimum. I was not feeling that peppy but sometimes you don't after traveling. A poor nights sleep did not help but I kept positive hoping I could work into a good race. This course is tough with a lot short steep climbs that make it difficult to ease into. I warmed up ok but had a headache and could tell I just did not have much in the tank for racing speeds. I got a fairly good start but about half way through the first lap found I really had to force it just to keep moving and had nothing to give. I slowly slipped out of the top twenty and soft pedaled another lap before I pulled the plug. Man everything hurt from my back and shoulders to the rib I fractured in December, very hypersensitive.

I find I have to pick my battles and this was as not one of them, the honorable thing would be to finish but I knew that would only dig a deeper hole. In hindsight I should have seen this coming as I did not fully recover from my ski trip and attempted to put in a few efforts on the bike compounding the problem. This is a classic case of trying to do to much in to little time against my original plan.

So rather than hangout in Cali for the short track I cut my loses and jumped on a early Sunday morning flight to spend the day with the family and start the recovery process. After a poor performance the temptation is always to start training, which I know I need but not before some rest. I woke up this am with sore throat which confirms my theory about being a little run down and couple days of complete rest is exactly what I need before building some bike fitness.

So now I will return to my original plan of training at home while doing some local races and being there for Rosie while she survives the last few weeks of pregnancy, I will get plenty of big race action later in the year.

Boring post I know- new race rig this week with some pics!

centerfold

Check out the new Mt. Biking magazine for an article on La Ruta. Sager and I got a couple good shots including the centerfold. Notice the dune buggy follow car, classic!



I am trying to shake the skiing from the legs in time to race the 1st NORBA national in Fontana this weekend, I am not sure what to expect. New gear has been rolling in including the Kenda tires, the new Reynolds wheels ( 200 grams lighter), egg beater pedals, and Adidas shades. Also new MonaVie/Cannondale scalpel is on the way but I don't think I will have it in time for Fontana.

To make room for the new I am clearing out some gear including tons of new Michelin MTB race tires. Light and fast, these tires rip. Stans up great!
XCR dry2 2.o- $20
XC dry 2.o- $20
XCR A.T. 2.0- $20


Sugar is good!

Idaho hut skiing

Back from a great trip skiing the sawtooth's. Amazing views, new snow every day, good crew, good food, what more could you want.

the hut




the sauna


the hut view



the lines




do you see this one?


the teeth

the track

the pow


the pillow kickers

the boot pack chutes


I plan to put together another hut trip training camp next winter, maybe in February with tons of vertical and powder. Who wants in?

teeth

skiing the teeth this week, be back for some bike racing next!

later

84604

I got some good commuting in this week and was able to ride up the hill to my house pretty fast. Rosie is finally feeling better and left for LA today to be a pink pregnant bridesmaid. Eva and I will be enjoying a daddy daughter weekend, with a Little help from grandma so I can get in a Saturday ride in the UC.
I got my new F1 boots thermo fit today and they feel plush, after I got the dynafits mounted I got in a quick tour up neffs and found some surprisingly good snow. I kind of wish I was racing the powderkeg tomorrow but it will have to wait until next year. I am sure Jared and Chris P will represent well.
Leaving Sunday for some hut skiing in the Sawtooths, very out of character for me to not be on the bike much in the spring but the skiing is good and seems to be helping me stay hungry for bike racing. Will seehow it works out later in the year.
have a good weekend!

bonkers

Rosie has been down with the flu all week so Eva and I have had a lot of daddy daughter time. My exercise has been limited to riding to a from work this week until today when I got out in the mountains with Jared and Chris Peters.



We nearly made it to the top of twin peaks but above about 10500' the visibility was zero so we turned around and enjoyed some vertigo skiing until out of the clouds. We got in about 6000 ft with some good turns on bonkers which we ended up doing 2 laps on.

visibility failing

`


Jared

Chris P without a head

We kind of blew the exit but got in some jump turn/slip slide practice. Note the old sobe/headshok marmot orange shell I was sportin today, easily spotted.

the samurai rail slide.....

the non samurai method


Nice morning in the mountains!

Icup gets a little play

http://www.velonews.com/article/73012/gillespie-emmett-win-intermountain-cup-opener

George

Check the story at
http://www.mtbracenews.com

Back from the 1st MTB race of the year. Bryan brought his 3 girls down to play with grandma and Eva so we had non stop action all weekend.

Friday we burned a lap and got used to the dirt, felt good to be out in the sun but the legs were feeling like I had just come off the ski hill, kinda heavy.

Saturday brought perfect racing weather and a good early season field with some durangoan's. This is a good early season course as the climbs are short and not very steep so you can use momentum to get into a rhythm. The first lap my legs were heavy and without much snap but I rode near the front anticipating they would come around. At the end of the first lap I found myself alone on the front as Troy Wells punctured on the Rocky DH trying to hold the scalpel's wheel. I forged on alone and got into a pretty good rhythm with what felt like a pretty fast 2nd and 3rd lap. By the 4th lap my legs were getting tired but I still had pretty good energy and worked the momentum game.

On a steep climbing course I may have suffered a little more as I am a little heavier now than last years race weight but this gives me confidence that my winter endurance training is carrying over well and I should be able to make some solid improvements in my climbing in the next couple months, will see.

Ohran had a great race finishing 8th in the pro men, I had no doubt he was up for a solid ride. His result helps validate some of my training theory's as I have got him on the working man's plan.

Sunday we gave Cale and T brown a tour around goulds-gem-hurricane rim loop in the driving wind, it was a good time and we all had a laugh as one after another we were blown off the trail in the rim.

I am tired today as the body is not used to the punishment dished out on mountain bike races and rides, time to rest.
pics up later