The Dirt Field

My training ride today was excellent. I felt fantastic and filled with energy, and I actually had to make a conscious effort to slow myself down to stay in the target heart rate zones. On the way home from the ride, I even waved and smiled at people (as opposed to my usual droopy expression of indifference and exhaustion) while singing out loud to my iPod. (Incidentally, there is probably nothing more irritating to a sweaty, bedraggled jogger than having a perky Mary Poppins wave gaily as she breezes by casually on a bicycle. But I was too chipper to care.)

The combination of having my legs be fresh from a week of rest and the joy of finally having a chance to work off the excess three million calories I’ve eaten lately made riding easy and fun. I also feel less stressed and happier now that I’ve restarted my training cycle. It’s weird how getting back on the bike changes everything for me – I’ve noticed that a lot in the past six months. No matter what is happening in my life or in my head, I can go out and ride and immediately feel better, even when I’m working my ass off and hurting all over. I suppose that is why mountain biking is my “thing”, much like road racing is Lance Armstrong’s “thing” and doping is Tyler Hamilton’s “thing”.

My main focus right now is the USA Cycling MTB National Championships this Saturday in Sol Vista, CO. I’m going to be racing the Category 1 Women 25-29 class and to say I’m nervous would be an understatement. This is only my second national championship, and this is my first time: racing at Nationals in Category 1 (formerly known as the expert category); riding at a high altitude; flying anywhere with my bike; traveling out west/to Colorado; and flying to a bike race alone. A lot of firsts for such a major race, but I wouldn’t take the time or spend the money to do all of this if it wasn’t for a major race. Guess I just need to rip the Band-Aid off and hope for the best.