MTB Natz Recap

           In a blink of an eye, I went from racing my bike at the Texas Pro XCT, to flying to Idaho for MTB National Championships. I knew this nationals was going to be one of the hardest ones yet. With little acclimation to the altitude and my leg still useless, I knew the only way I could finish the race let alone do well was just to get my mind in another place during racing and just never stop hitting the throttle.  The XC was Excruciating! With a 8+ minute straight up climb and to rock sections that rattled my thigh enough to cause a little more pain than I would have liked.

            From the start gun, I threw it in cruise control and just focused on my pace and nothing else. I didn't necessarily have to result I wanted, but I finished the race which considering the circumstances I was damn stoked. I raced with Cliff Shot mix in me bottle and a Cliff shot right before my start as well as half way through which resulted in zero bonking! The next day, I practiced some Super D and watched some pros race like mad men. Made me soooo happy I was still a JR. The following day I raced Super D in the AM which was going beautifully until a collision with a rider that I just caught threw me over the bars resulting in a non rideable bike. Later in the day, I raced the Short Track which my goal was just to go as hard as possible for the first ten minutes to try to get the usage of my leg back. I finished fairly well and was super stoked to start to get my full leg power back. Now, it's off to Missoula, Montana for one of the best XC races of the year. Hopefully a nice little recovery week will set me up nicely for some rehab and race speed!

Canada & New York World Cups

The Canada and New York world cups have come and gone. With nationals being on a course and elevation that doesn't exactly fall to my favor, I put my goals toward this double world cup action packed weekends. Last Wednesday I flew up to Canada and  checked out the legendary course that was MSA. It was sure gnarly and of course wet. The climbs were short and punchy along with technical descents, this was my course for sure and I couldn't wait to throw it down on Sunday. Unfortunately, the day before the race I had slide out crash on one of the wet sections that resulted in a seriously messed up left thigh muscle. Walking was crazy painful and riding wasn't much better. The morning of the race I hit up a super long warm up to try to loosen up my leg, but it was a no go. I started the race and survived for half of it before calling it quits.  I tried to take the next few days off in hope for recovery for the following world cup, but when you are used to a certain routine leading up to a race, it's hard to break that. Right after our race we made the 9hr drive to Windham. I was able to get some sleep once me and my two teammates next to me created a crazy/ oddly comfortable human Chinese puzzle. As the week went on my leg grew stronger and come race day I was set. My thigh was by no means 100%, but it was indeed strong enough to race... Or at least I thought. As soon as the race started and we stood up for the first steep climb, I felt my leg in the same useless pain it acquired the weekend before. With all the work load on on my right leg, I just excepted the circumstances and gave what I could. As the race went on my leg hurt more, yet my right leg grew stronger and stronger resulting in a some what ok race given the situation. I was stoked to at least finish and get some solid fitness in to hopefully use in the next two weekends ahead. National Champs is a play it by ear basis right now, but worst case scenario I survive the XC race and go for gold in the Super D! You gotta throw that focus somewhere. Luckily, there is always another race and another season. I do have to throw a huge thanks out to USA cycling and BMC Racing for helping me fight threw some serious pain and not giving up on me. Redemption at Natz, maybe, three healing days with no touching a bike, defiantly!