My First National

4/19 is my season opener at the Mountain States Cup race in Fruita, Co.  And why shouldn't it be at a national mtb race? And to top it off, my first ever national XC race? I've done national 24 hour events and I don't expect this to be much different but the competition will be fierce. Reports from friends in the front range say they've been riding outside since January, in shorts! To that I say, pansies! Try training in 4 layers without feeling your fingers. HA. Take that. And I bet they can't say they did it in the dark. My night vision is so keen, like a ravaging raccoon. Ok, so maybe that won't come in handy during the race but it will in case I get lost and have to spend the night in the desert. 

Despite all the inconveniences of training in the flat lands in the winter, I'm very excited to be racing in one of my favorite riding destinations, Fruita. I haven't raced at this level of XC in a long time, having been doing more marathon-type events since that's where my body seems to be taking me, (kicking and screaming). I'll be in the 40+ class. Argh! Seriously? Do I have to? I'm a bit nervous that the race is at the end of our vacation instead of the start (it was rescheduled after our plans were set) so I'll have to be careful the week prior. And not just to keep from injuring myself but also to not wear myself out. I'll have to be mindful of my pancake intake, enchilada intake, beer intake, margarita intake... you get the picture. All the things that make a bike vacation a bike vacation will have to be limited a bit this time. But that's okay. Just being out there with friends and having good times is really what it's all about, so I'm not dwelling on it.

Looks like a week of trainer rides for this dirt girl. I'm really gonna need a vacation after this week!