March 30th...

I have had a good winter in all facets of my "so called life" including lots of time on the bike [averaging over 13 hours per week since the week of November 20th]and so I am using this week [3/26 to 4/1] to just relax and get fired up...Next Monday begins a new phase, the Build Phase where I will start to get relatively "serious" about the upcoming racing season. I need to focus on eating better, drinking less beer, and specifically targeting my training for the redlining that is required in competitive mountain bike racing. Currently I am about 10 to 15 pounds over where I need to be by mid-May, so I need to commit to a more restrictive diet. This season I want to emphasize several longer distance events like the June 9th & 10th mega-enduro event in Southern Manitoba, the 12 hours @ 9 Mile, and the 100 miler in Hatfield, Wisconsin in August…as well as improve my efforts at some of my favorite venues, like the Cable Classic, The Ore-to-Shore, The PreFat @ Seeley, the WORS race at Eau Claire, and of course the Classic Chequamegan 40.

While I want to do well at the 300 miler in Manitoba, my plan is to not taper leading up to that race. In contrast, I will attempt "peaks" for the Ore-to-Shore or the WEMS 100 miler in Hatfield and the Chequamegan. In the next month or so I will need to choose between the Hatfield event or the Ore-to-Shore as they are scheduled on the same day. Either way it will be a great racing weekend!!!

As stasted above...I am on R&R this week...taking it easy...countin' my blessings...getting fired up...doing some "pretendin'" On Monday,its a new game...A time to stop pretendin' and start working towards contendin'