Transitions

At this time last year I was living in New England, deep in the hunt for UCI points. I had already raced a bunch and was living the cyclocross dream. It was great, but a bit exhausting.

This year, I've taken a hint from my nephew Asher to chill a bit more. To relax, slow down, splash around leisurely in the stuff that looks like fun between seasons and get back to my bike and to training after I've enjoyed a slower pace for a while. It's been awesome.

Maddy is loving my new schedule.

I learned a lot last year by throwing myself into a full UCI season with little cross racing experience. I still remember that when I flatted at Green Mountain Cross in VT and Matt Roy had to teach both me and Nate how to do our first bike change in the pit mid race. I had no idea feeds were not allowed. Pinning 3 #s gave me great amounts of anxiety. Perhaps ignorance was bliss, but Nate and I hacked our way through the season getting better with each race. I even managed to get on a few UCI podiums. Unfortunately, I think I burned my candle to the end of the wick. I got sick after Iceman, tried to race the USGPs in New Jersey the following weekend anyway, bounced back a little but hit the bottom again hard with a raging sinus infection that kept me from going to Nationals.

I'm spending my early fall enjoying lots of this instead of jumping directly into cross. The newly completely Ridge Trail on Teton Pass is perfection.

This year will be different. As I finally chose to focus 100% on ultra-endurance mountain biking, I have put a LOT of miles into my legs this year. I also chose to race Pisgah instead of starting up with cross right away, which means my first big cross race will be the USGP in Louisville. Am I concerned about lining up waaaay in the back for my first race? Whatever. It is what it is. I don't want to repeat my mistakes of racing myself into the ground after a great mountain bike season. So, an abbreviated cross season is in order. 6 painful weekends of UCI racing, Iceman in the middle and before you know it, it'll be ski season. I already have a new pair of S7s waiting in the garage (110 underfoot, yeah baby!)

Free time means lots of hikes with the dog. I love that I can walk to Wyoming from my house

What has this schedule done for me so far? I've had time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the spectacular fall weather we have been having for weeks on end. I flew direct from Pisgah to Vegas for Interbike and was SO incredibly grateful that I decided to skip CrossVegas. I quickly came down with a nasty head cold and enjoyed my birthday and anniversary (3 years-love you honey!) and the week in Vegas sick. But, I made it through the show and at least being sick gave me an excuse to hang inside in air conditioning as it was 100 degrees all week. We capped the trip off with a camping and riding trip to Gooseberry and landed back at home exhausted and happy to have made it out of Vegas alive for the last time.

There's lots more to report in terms of what's on tap for cross season (a few new sponsors and an awesome but short schedule), new training approaches, new bikes, etc. I did race Moosecross last weekend too, so a separate post is definitely in order. For now, I am quite enjoying having nothing to write about.