Break over...

So its been awhile to say the least. Now that Im back home and not working at the library I don’t have a set time to sit down and write my blog, that coupled with physical and mental break from cycling over the past couple weeks and my blog posting has suffered. Were back on track now though.

I did a lot of racing this spring 11 races in all with one stretch of racing three weekends in a row. For a relatively new racer I was on the cusp of a mental burn out. Toward the end of the season I was almost just showing up for races and going through the motions rather than racing. The mental sharpness just wasn’t there all the time like I like. This was a large contributing factor in my lackluster performance at the 6 hours of warrior creek.

After my last race at the speedway I began a two week transition period off the bike. Iv been reading Joe Friels training bible and it called for this type of break before training to peak for a second time in the fall for the ACCC mountain bike season. As you know last year was my first year racing I did little to no training. I would race one weekend and never get on my bike again till the next race the next week. This year I decided I would do better and this winter I tried to put in base miles on the trainer and Iv been riding regularly with loose training objectives in mind. This is my first formal structured attempt at training as sort of an experiment for the second half of this season. I did some warm up rides last week and this week I have got on the training plan. I have high hopes but realistic expectations. We shall see…

Right now Iv went back to a sort of base training mode before I start more intense building in july. I see now that this is the type stuff iv been doing so far this year just a bit higher volume. Endurance low intensity rides, tempo rides, and then one longer harder ride a week. Im eager to get to the build phase where the training plan should really help. Im doing all the endurance and tempo rides on the road or trainer and saving the harder longer rider (the force workout) for the mountain bike.

Enough talk of boring training and on to the point of all this training. Racing. It looks like im going to be missing an event on my “schedule” for the first time this year. The Burn 24 Hour Challenge is coming up this weekend and I will one again be on the sidelines. For multiple reasons I decided this wasn’t the year to make my bid at 24 hour racing. The first and foremost reason is that I am transitioning from a poor college kid to a equally poor law student. I honestly don’t have the money for the equipment including but not limited to the lights and even more importantly a bike. I know I have a bike but im not very interest in riding a rigid bike for 24 hours its cool for a XC race or even 6 hours but I just couldn’t do it for 24. I hope next time this year ill have a new (to me at least) mountain bike. My first real mountain bike has taken me about as far as it can and honestly that’s the reason iv been doing so much more road racing this year. Enough whining though bottom line things didn’t come together, more than just financially, this year but there will be plenty more. My fiancées sister’s wedding is saturday but hopefully ill stil be able to make It out to the race and have some pictures for you next week.

My next event will be the Tour de Cure June 4^th and 5^th. I will be riding 100 miles both days from cary to southern pines to raise awareness and money for the American Diabetes Association. Im really looking forward to doing my first century Saturday and my second century Sunday. Its fully supported with rest stopped every 15 miles or so and from what iv heard the peloton rolls along at a party pace of around 15mph so im not to worried. I mention it this week to give you guys an opportunity to make a last minute donation to the cause…

http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/RaleighArea?px=6461253&pg=personal&fr_id=7564

It really is a great cause and my fiancée has type 1 diabetes so I have a vested interest in finding a cure. As far as the ride itself, honestly m more concerned for my butt than my legs. More on this next week.

I know I promised a season recap last post and it may happen it may not…we shall see.