Bloomer XC - DNF

I got my first taste of expert racing XC style Sunday at the Tailwind USAC Bloomer XC race. I felt good in the first 2 laps putting up a 31 and 32 min lap. This was off the pace of the top 5. But I was actually in the top 5 group for about 1 lap maybe a little longer. Then I started to fall off the pace a little. Not knowing how my body would responded to the extra lap in expert, I think I was holding back a little. I was feeling good on the climbs and putting in some good power on the flats and actually making up ground at several points in the race. But for what every reason, my bike handling would slow me down in the corners and down hills. Maybe I have been faking it all these years in sport and beginner. Now I have to learn how to ride my bike all over again to compete with the experts.

About 1/2 way through my 3rd lap, I flatted. This killed my morale. I fixed it, but was only able to get about 15-20psi to hold in the tire. And it was the rear tire. This made for trying to go fast through the single track miserable. So I finished up the 3rd and called it quits. My first DNF in my 4 years of racing.

Overall I think the way I felt on the bike was good. This was a "C" race for me again, so I was not totally disappointed with my result. Just another training day. I am now on another much needed rest week heading into the Brighton Stage Race next weekend. Furthermore, this week will complete Build 2 and the week after the Brighton race will throw me into my peak! With the extra rest this week I am hoping to put in a good effort for all 3 legs of the Brighton Stage race and get some respectable results. Then during my peak and race weeks which will include Ruby XC and the Stony XC Marathon, I am hoping the results of my 22 weeks of periodization training thus far will kick in and then it will be -- game on!

Great job by my team mates. TSB had 4 racers all racing expert. TP and Coach way to finish strong. And way to go Brian for bringing home another podium spot!

Build 2 - "Slight Change in Plans"

I start build 2 tomorrow, and I am going to kick it off in style with "Have Mercy". 2 hrs of near max to max effort intervals on the trainer. Waaaaahoooooo! I have also decided to change my plans for build 2 and my peak. The original plan was to make Ruby my A race and then carry that fitness into the Stony Marathon. This caused me to cut my Build 2 a week short, and peak a little earlier and also catch the Brighton Stage race in the mix. But with all the rain, and the fact that parts of Ruby are still underwater from the creek, I have decided to make Ruby a B race. I figured I am not going to waste a peak for a race that could either be postponed, or be decided by overall conditions and not by who has the best physical conditioning. So with that idea in mind, I pick up another build week. I catch Brighton on my last recovery week of Build 2. And I put all my chips in for the Stony Marathon as my "A" race.

I am Just finishing up my Build 1, and finishing that up with a much needed recovery week. I am feeling better. Look forward to some harder training. And feel like the power is coming back. It is going to be a long 4 weeks. But depending on how effective I train, and how well I recover will make or back my peak and race periods in the end.