First 2010 Singletrack...

...at Tranquility Park last night. Pretty sweet to be on dirt again! This course is also a lot like Salem Hills in MN but with more climbing. Really nice because its only 2 miles from my apt so I can just ride from there. I was definitely breathing heavier than I should have been on the trail though on some of the climbs - lots of work to do. But, it felt good and I'm excited to get back out there.

Reading over some of the goals I set last year, I'd like to put some back on the schedule. Things like riding up Mt. Evans on the road bike and a 24hr mountain bike race.

Great training day!

There was supposed to be a training race out at Branched Oak Lake State Park today. The snow we got on Friday...and melted yesterday...dampened the trails a lot! Yes the race was cancelled. I walked some of it before I headed back and this course is sooooo reminiscent of Salem Hills in Inver Grove Heights, MN (the course for the MNMBS series opener) I talked to one guy out there volunteering his efforts with others to build more singletrack onto the 4+ miles already there. He said there should be about 6.5 miles by end of summer - sweet!

So back to the apartment to grab the road bike...yeah nevermind...the streets are somewhat like northern Arizona...sand everywhere and potholes the size of the Grand Canyon. Out comes the Orbea with its new, hopefully non-skidding/non-legbreaking rear tire and away I go.

I decided the first thing I needed to do is hit that hill that Sarah found nearby...very, very nice...that got the heart pumping real quick. Omaha is hilly. When you reach the bottom of one, up comes another! and they cover some decent distance taking 2 to 5 minutes to get up. After you reach the top, the descents go by so quick that you dont recover from the previous climb before you get into the next! Awesome! Legs were burning pretty good keeping the gears at 14 or higher (out of 27). I must say my first ride on the streets of O'town was excellent! Can't wait to get out again!

The last few weeks have been a little off and on. Work has taken up a little more time. I was in Chicago (Schaumberg actually) last week for work...soooo no riding or training then. But the career track is going well here and thats been really nice.

No race for muah tomorrow

Was hoping to get out there but something else came up that happens to be close enough to the same time as the race so I have to miss it. Kind of a bummer...could've been a great jumpstart to push myself like that - particularly when I haven't done it in quite awhile. Hopefully get out on the bike at some point tomorrow anyway...on the roads that is.

Probly going to Denver next weekend. Probly have to bring the bikes out there - both just in case but for sure will be out on the road.

"Spring warm-up" 30 mile race this Sunday

Panama MTB Enduro out on by Angry Cow Adventures is coming up this Sunday! It sounds like 30 miles of mostly gravel roads, which would be perfect for testing out my legs. The technical skills training will come later but right now I need to start loggin' some miles! ...30 of 'em in a mountain bike race on gravel should fit nicely into that category. A race...on March 14th! Sweet!

Then on Nebraska Cycling News I found two MTB singletrack training races put on by Flatwater Cycling the following two weekends! Awesome awesome!

Come on leg, stay together!!

March?? Already??

Yes! While it has been a pretty mild winter, I've been itching for March to come along...cause that means that snow should be gone soon! Especially around here! The roads are not bad now except for lots of water and sand/salt...but should be able to get the mountain bike out on the road soon at least!

Training is becoming 'almost' a daily routine now which feels really good.

Racing is right around the corner....strange to say that as in years past my first race was never until the MNSCS series Spring Cup in mid/late May. Six weeks til the Monterey, CA race - Sea Otter...still not sure if I'll be ready for that yet. The weekend after that is a race in Fruita, CO (MSC Series race). If I miss Sea Otter, then I'll probably do that instead.

2010 will bring some changes to my realm of competition. Along with mountain bike racing, I will be trying out some other forms...except not ready to say specifically yet. Why am I posting this on a public blog then?? I don't know...need to say a little bit of something to somebody somewhere I guess!