Summer is finally here!

 It was 100+ degrees in SoCal this weekend which turned out to be a good thing for me today - more on that in a second.  This week was spent focused on work, but I was able to get my Remedy up and running again for a sweet Thursday evening ride on some of the more infamous trails nearby.  Saturday the weather turned hot (100) and after a fun mountain bike ride through El Moro in the morning the ocean looked so inviting I went straight down to the beach after my ride and jumped in.  60 degrees = awesome!  

My "rest" and lack of structured training actually had me out of whack and kind of in a funk the last couple weeks.  This week I was finally coming around and feeling good with the lack of riding.  I knew I still have some fitness in me though and decided to give it a go at the first race of the SoCal Prestige cross series this afternoon out by Irvine Lake.  My second row start was no problem with the mountain bike since I could take whatever lines I wanted to get around people.  After moving up to the top 5 Sid rolled away from us and I decided to pace myself with the heat and just cruise with the chase group.  It worked out well and with 2 to go I rode away ffrom everyone else fairly easily and actually brought Sid back to only 10 seconds at the finish.  Not bad on the mountain bike.  Next weekend brings a big cross race here in SoCal with back to back UCI races.  With some momentum going and good prize money on the line - I'm still going to call it a season and get out on Beths surfboard instead!!  Next weekend you can find me at the beach

Beth is out on the ocean tonight supporting our friend Ray in his Catalina Channel attempt - check out his fundraiser - http://www.clubdustfundraiser.blogspot.com/

Tarantula  

My Remedy is back in action on it's natural terrain

Beth in Laguna!

2011 Pro XCT Schedule

No excuses for someone living in SoCal who started racing in Texas... Anyone out there want to support me racing these plus the East Coast World Cups and Nationals in Idaho next season??

2011 USA Cycling Pro Cross Country Mountain Bike Tour:


March 12: US Cup Triple Crown Bonelli Park – San Dimas, Calif.
March 26: US Cup Triple Crown Fontana City National – Fontana, Calif.
April 16: Sea Otter Classic – Monterey, Calif.
April 30: Mellow Johnny’s Classic – Dripping Springs, Texas
June 18: Sand Creek Intl. – Colorado Springs, Colo.
June 25: Subaru Cup – Mt. Morris, Wisc.
July 24: Missoula, Montana XC – Missoula, Mt.

Cross?

Sometimes you need a positive result to end the season on, even if that means riding a local cross race on the full suspension bike to get it done...  I was able to do just that at the Urban Cyclocross in Palos Verdes on Sunday, good times!  Now back to work for me.

Wrap -Up

Doesn't look like I was too excited on the podium at Bonelli.  Somehow I finished 4th despite quitting the race at the end of the first lap.  I worked really hard (and carefully) to get some good fitness going just for this race and was determined to give Sid a run for it.  I was rested and motivated.  I even made it around the first lap with the front group and wasn't physically blown, but mentally something wasn't there.  I sat up and watched my last goal for the season ride away from me.  But I couldn't decide where I should pull off the course so I kept pedaling.  I wasn't racing but I also wasn't stopping, and a few weird laps later I finished the thing. 

So no big celebrations for me going into the off season.  I still consider myself fortunate, lucky, and blessed to have experienced the great year I had racing bikes.  Now I just need to figure out how to relax and enjoy some time away from it.

US Cup Finals 2009

This is what I looked like after the US Cup finals at Bonelli Park last September.  I'm ready for a better day to end the season this time around...

Laguna Beach Labor Day

The lawn bowling was getting serious

Winding up and winding down

Things have been slowly getting busier at work for me the last couple of weeks.  The spring and fall are the big seasons for fundraising events and things double compared to Dec/Jan or the summer months.  This week ended up being a little tough.  Luckily I needed to back away from my riding anyway.  Last weekend was the end of a 3 week training block and now it's time to rest up and see what I have to give at the State Championship. 

Tuesday was the last Over the Hump race and a good test for me at the end of all the training.  My day didn't go as smoothly as I hoped though and I was feeling tired by the time we got out there to warm-up at 5pm.  It was a nice evening though and a ton of people made it out (like 400 racers)...  Of course Sid, Tinker, and a handful of fast locals were there so I would really have to race for it.  Everyone was being a little tactical on the first half which wise fine since I was still waking up and starting to feel good.  Sid attacked and dropped us pretty fast and then not long after that a lapper crashed right in front of me blocking the trail and letting the others from the chase group get a pretty good gap.. So I rode tempo for the 3rd and 4th laps and still finished 4th.  It was a pretty fun evening and I was glad to be able to go fairly fast.