New Perspective

Got a helmet camera and it only took 4 rides before I actually got it to work correctly. Sad part is it's really simple to use. Coach and i road Skeggs Point today. I always forget how fun that place is. Here's a couple of videos from the day. Nothing fancy, just riding.

Goal number 1...check

Last weekend was the Napa Valley Dirt Classic. A little larger scale race here in the Bay Area, but still not as big as the Sea Otter. I made my goal earlier this year based off my last years times and the leaders times. My goal was to ride the course in 1:55 minutes. The week before the race I was feeling pretty strong so I decided to decrease my time by 5 minutes and shoot for 1:50. I rode the course in 1:48 which was good enough for 5th place. Although it would have been nice to podium, I'm extremely happy with my results since I was only behind 1st place by 4 minutes and I beat 24 other riders. The rest of the team rode pretty good minus our little Peanut (stacy) :(. Zach rode really impressive on the single speed enough to make me nervous. Coach cramp lived up to his name but shed some light on overcoming the cramping and working his way up. Cynders was almost claimed by the DNF reaper again this year, but got her chain going and pressed on.

Lots of fun, can't wait till next year.

Sound goals and sheer determination!

The training is finally starting to show. My first year racing I sat in the lower quarter placing of every race I did, my second year I sat in mid pack to the lower quarter placing. I used to sit and wonder what I had to do to start moving up, and thought to myself "I've never been good at endurance sports". With all that negative thinking I deserved the places I got. This year I have a new attitude, a training plan, and sheer determination to remain at the top of CAT2 class all season. I was doing intervals the other night in the dark at 9pm with not an ounce of me ready to go home till I finished my training for the night. I'm on a mission and this train is only picking up speed. See you at nationals!

Mad props to my teammates too! Stacy with hear millionth podium and a first place for that matter. Jesse with an impressive 2nd place SS finish, Zach with a 5th place SS finish and Covey taking on the beginner class and placing 2nd. I love the fact that we're one of the only teams with a public display of camaraderie. Screaming for each other when we catch a glimps of one-another during a race, full support at the finish line, and pure excitement for the whole team when someone places good. The Miracle was bleeding all over the podium and people were starting to ask....So who's this Miracle Racing team??? This is only the beginning of that virus.

2009 Season

Time to get pumped it! It has begun.

What time is it!

Game Time! and I got my game face on. Season officially starts for me tomorrow with my first XC race. I'm not super concerned on what happens tomorrow because this is a very low priority race for me. I'm using this race to get all the pre-race jitters out, see where i'm at, and start developing a pre-race routine. I want to try and eliminate all the stresses out of the equation so I can just focus on what i need to do to achieve my goals. Time to iron out the kinks and start working my way to the top. Get ready to start seeing me standing on podiums because that's gonna happen!

The New Fleet

I recently picked up a new bike and a new frame. I found myself becoming more focused in certain areas of my riding. My XC racing focus has been intensified this season, and so have my desires to actually stand on a podium. I also can't subside my desires to be able to ride like Thomas Vanderham. It is for this reason I decided to take advantage of the recent economic situation and seek out some good deals on some older model bicycles. With some help from the regional sales rep for Specialized I found my deals and fulfilled my desires. He worked with me to find the perfect combination of bikes to own and fit my needs. I ended up with the Enduro Pro that you see above for my everyday trail rider that holds 150mm of travel and weighs in at 28 lbs. I got to go for a spin on this bad boy on Friday and I felt nothing but satisfaction. I had my hesitations on "will i wish I got a more aggressive bike", but this bike was perfect. I affirmed myself this was the right bike when I cleaned every hill in front of me with ease and felt more confident on the jumps/drops then I ever did on the stumpjumper (obviously). I first wanted the new SX trail but quickly realized that i would suffer up hills more then I would give it it's proper flight time do to my yellow belly.


This little beauty is what's going to help me achieve my goals. My first race for 2009 was this weekend and it was my first time to ever ride this bike. I transfered all the parts from my Stumpjumper over to this bike and I loved the way it felt. It was light, fast, and handled really good. I was super impressed with this bike, and i'm really happy the way things worked out with both my bikes.

Bittersweet taste of Pain

Yesterday I took my new enduro out for a spin with Zach and Jesse. We were riding up a really fun trail and came to a pretty good sized double. Shortly after that a couple of fifteen year old kids blazed down the trail and didn't even hesitate to fly over the double right in front of us. Don't mind the fact that they weren't on the best bikes or over shot the landing by a bike length on the first run they just kept coming back for more till we left with our tail between our legs. We got to ride home in our own sorrow with the realization that we're not fifteen and invinsible any more. Maybe it's the fact that at 27 years old the injury just doesn't go away or the fact we have to pay for those hospital bills or maybe we're just wiser in our old age. More then likely it's the fact that we're just afriad of the pain that comes from the consiquenses.

I read a good aritcle today that had a bunch of different views on pain. I've felt some pain in my day and feel that I have a say so on what a real experience of pain is. My favorite quote that i've maintained through the physical pain that i've felt is:
"Pain is temporary, quitting is forever". So true, your mind can only remember that pain for so long. I like to run this through my mind when i'm racing. The pain in my legs can go away after the race until then crank those pedals!

Here are a couple more quotes that I liked on pain.

"The pain of the mind is worse than the pain of the body"

"Pain is weakness leaving the body"

"Pain has it's own noble joy, when it starts a strong consciousness of life, from a stangnant one"

And the one that ties into my orginal story about the kids: "There is no coming to consiquences without pain"

I guess those kids are just more willing to face those consiquences.... Maybe next time, i'll just hit the double and face the consiquences.