November

November is here and so is the cold temperatures...well not quite yet.  It has been unseasonably warm in Bend that past few weeks, but I'm definitely not complaining as it has allowed me (and others) to continue to enjoy perfect trail conditions for rippin' it up on the singletrack.  This time of year in Bend, OR is always questionable whether or not the weather will be good or really bad.  We are supposed to be in an El Nino year, so I'm sure that the nice days will end soon. 

I have also begun to hit the weights now that we are in November and will be doing a completely different training regimen this off -season. I've used a certain protocol the past 3 years for my training program, but am looking forward to changing things up this year.  It's going to be pretty intense and focus more on power.  Let's hope come April this pays off.  I have some tentatively big races on the horizon for early 2011 and will use these to help get me into cycling condition for the reamainder of the season and able to peak for the priority races in August and September.  One of those priority races will be the Leadville 100, which open registration this Thursday.  It's not an easy race to get into, (I guess it's a lottery system) so we'll see if it happens or not.

2011 could be the pinnacle of my racing career.  I am still waiting to find out if I will have support from my Title Sponsor (ProAir/HFA) of the past two seasons.  In the meantime, I will do my part and make sure I am in the best possible condition when the snow melts.  Oh yeah, skate skiing is just around the corner!