New Year, New Race Seasons, New Bikes...

Victoria from the top of Mt Quimper

Now that I've settled back into a normal routine of work, training, and catching up with non-cycling friends I am sitting back at my computer to start off my first blog post of the year.  There are no current race reports to write, no season wrap up.  This part of the year is about looking forward, thinking ahead, and creating expectations.

After Drew and I went away for Christmas (2 weeks off the bike with 100% inactivity and a lot of travel) I was slow getting back on my bike.  Two jam-packed seasons left me feeling motivated...until it got to be time to slide back into the Lycra, then all of a sudden the motivation would disappear.  Now, towards the end of January, I am finally back onto my winter training program and it feels great!

This season I am looking forward to focussing my season on a couple major races, for both the Cross Country and CX seasons I'll be heading to U.S. Nationals, which I haven't competed in before.  During the Cross Country season I'll be heading to at least one Canada Cup and then, of course, filling in with the BC Cup series, Test of Metal, and the local Island Cup Series.  For CX I'll be doing a similar schedule but with trips to Pacific-Northwest UCI races instead of Canada Cups.

I am back on Gary Fisher for the Cross Country season, but am heading towards a full suspension from their Fisher HiFi XC lineup.  I'll be on the SuperCaliber frame but dressing it up with a full Shimano XTR kit...Drew has estimated a 23lb full suspension bike.  The 4 inches of front and rear travel will ride like a dream on this super-efficient platform (I'll be sure to write more info on it after the first couple rides).  

But getting back to the riding...it feels great to get back on the bike and just ride.  No intervals, no racing headspace...just some amazing singletrack, some good friends, and time to focus on just turning the cranks over one revolution at a time--I love winter training!