2006 Race Schedule
If you found yourself wondering, where will Blue Star's travels take him in 2006, then this post is for you. A few months back during my transition phase, I sat down with Coach Thomas to plan out next year's race schedule. Why so soon? Well, the entire calendar year's training schedule hinges on two, maybe three if your lucky, "peaks" that are spread out throughout season. A peak follows a short period of recovery that allows all the hours of intervals, squats, and other suffering to add up to me being really fast on the bike. A person can not maintain peak form for more than a week or so. This theory of training is known as "periodization." Some proven benefits of periodization are improved muscular endurance, strength, power, motor performance, and/or muscle hypertrophy. Anyway, enough techno babble, the key to it all is I pick three big racesI want to go fast at and Coach Thomas designs my annual training plan around those races. Nevertheless, the goal will be to go as fast I can at every race I toe the start line at.
If you found yourself wondering, where will Blue Star's travels take him in 2006, then this post is for you. A few months back during my transition phase, I sat down with Coach Thomas to plan out next year's race schedule. Why so soon? Well, the entire calendar year's training schedule hinges on two, maybe three if your lucky, "peaks" that are spread out throughout season. A peak follows a short period of recovery that allows all the hours of intervals, squats, and other suffering to add up to me being really fast on the bike. A person can not maintain peak form for more than a week or so. This theory of training is known as "periodization." Some proven benefits of periodization are improved muscular endurance, strength, power, motor performance, and/or muscle hypertrophy. Anyway, enough techno babble, the key to it all is I pick three big racesI want to go fast at and Coach Thomas designs my annual training plan around those races. Nevertheless, the goal will be to go as fast I can at every race I toe the start line at.
The three races I hope to peak for are:
1) Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA: April 6-9. The self-proclaimed "Celebration of Cycling" is the largest racing event in the U.S. including almost every bicycling discipline. This is the first big MTB race of the year, so all the fast guys use it to show off their early season form. Hopefully, I have something to show off.
2) U.S. National Championship, Mammoth Lakes, CA, July 20-23. I affectionately call this race the "One-Day." The winner of this one is crowned national champion and wears the stars and bars jersey until the next year.
3) UCI Master's World Championships, Sun Peaks Resort, B.C., Canada, September 2-3. This one is for all the marbles. Put the wood to everyone at this race and you walk away with the rainbow jersey for the over 30 set. That's right, World Champ! It is even more exciting for me because the race is only a 5 1/2 hour drive from Seattle at the Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops, B.C. and the trails there promise to be epic Pacific NW style (i.e. rocky, rooty, super tech stuff). I'll be cocked and ready to go off like a rocket and represent the U.S. of A.
"B" races are very important, but don't fall during a peak in the periodization schedule. I hope to hit most of the NORBA National Championship Series for my B races. The Series Schedule (although not on their web site yet) is as follows:
April 22-23: Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park - San Dimas, Calif. Sea level = Fast Blue Star
June 10-11: Sugar Mountain Resort - Banner Elk, N.C. Probably going to skip this one.
June 17-18: Mount Snow Resort - West Dover, Vt. My absolute favorite course!
July 8-9: Deer Valley Resort - Park City, Utah. Coughing up a lung at 10k feet.
August 5-6: Brian Head Resort - Brian Head, Utah. Ditto. One epic 30 mile lap.
August 12-13: Snowmass Resort - Aspen, Colorado. Ditto. Can I get an altitude tent yet?
"C" races are mostly local stuff. Fun races to give 'er at and build fitness. I plan on doing all of the Indie Series races that do not conflict with anything listed above. I'd love to post the calendar for ya, but, in classic WA bike racing style, no schedule is set yet. Maybe they'll get around to it by January! I may also throw in a trip or two down to Oregon for an OBRA event, because they have their shizit together down there, unlike the WA folks.
I will fill in any gaps in the schedule with the "Wednesday Night World Championship" races Stiff Wick puts on at South Sea-Tac Park. These races, as the name implies, are every Wednesday night in the summer. Round and round we go in the sand as the planes take off and land. Low key stuff. Never really sure where I finish other than behind the pros and in front of most everyone else. Also, if it's being put on again this year, I'll probably hit the Dirty Dozen in Port Gamble, WA, because it's a fun course and they pay mucho $$$ for the podium finishers.
All this, of course, is subject to change based on the numerous variables that life can throw at me. I hope to see YOU out at some of the races. Suffering up a climb is always easier when someone you know is screaming their head off and ringing a cow bell.
'til next time, Blue Star
"C" races are mostly local stuff. Fun races to give 'er at and build fitness. I plan on doing all of the Indie Series races that do not conflict with anything listed above. I'd love to post the calendar for ya, but, in classic WA bike racing style, no schedule is set yet. Maybe they'll get around to it by January! I may also throw in a trip or two down to Oregon for an OBRA event, because they have their shizit together down there, unlike the WA folks.
I will fill in any gaps in the schedule with the "Wednesday Night World Championship" races Stiff Wick puts on at South Sea-Tac Park. These races, as the name implies, are every Wednesday night in the summer. Round and round we go in the sand as the planes take off and land. Low key stuff. Never really sure where I finish other than behind the pros and in front of most everyone else. Also, if it's being put on again this year, I'll probably hit the Dirty Dozen in Port Gamble, WA, because it's a fun course and they pay mucho $$$ for the podium finishers.
All this, of course, is subject to change based on the numerous variables that life can throw at me. I hope to see YOU out at some of the races. Suffering up a climb is always easier when someone you know is screaming their head off and ringing a cow bell.
'til next time, Blue Star
2 comments:
Looking forward to riding through the season with you, Blue Star.
KLH, SLR
Just compiled all your "b" races. Stop by and give me a shout.
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