Course Change

So I've updated my upcoming races. The biggest change is that Nature Valley is back on the menu, baby! This is a very good thing. It's like saying that coffee is back on the menu, baby! (That is if, god forbid, coffee were ever taken off the menu.) This feels right to me because I've got a bit of a bone to pick with Nature Valley anyway. Last year's running of the race wasn't the best for me; I seem to recall lots of nasty things like crashing twice on the second stage, broken handlebars, ill-fitting neutral bikes, and a subsequent total meltdown of my motivation. I'm excited to conquer those demons. Plus, now that Paddy Bevin isn't an amateur any more, I might have a shot at that green jersey. I'll have to miss Elkhorn, which is a bummer, but Nature Valley is where the big fish are (and I want to be a big fish).

This weekend is the Tour of Wenatchee. A pretty standard TT and Crit on Saturday lead to a bonkers-brutal road race on Sunday. Apparently there's a six-mile climb we hit three times. I've never done it, and it sounds like it's better that way (less to fear). Thanks to the highly selective course, and the descent prize money, this race usually attracts some of the stronger riders in the region: Morgan Schmitt of UHC, Ian McKissick, and a whole pack of strong Canadians (among others).

Then we've got the Mutual of Enumclaw stage race. This race is also pretty simple: short little TT, deceptively difficult crit (which somehow pissed off a rain god a few years ago, because it always pours on us!), and a really fun circuit race with a nasty climb capable of splitting the field. The close proximity to Seattle insures a large field.

Over memorial day weekend, I'm doing the Ski to Sea relay race. This is a crazy 7-stage event that involves nordic skiing, downhill skiing, running, road cycling, two-man canoeing, mountain biking, and sea kayaking (in that order). It's a unique event, and I'm excited to participate.

Then things get serious. June is just crazy: Mt. Hood, Nature Valley, Nationals. I'll be ripe for a nice long break by then.