76 days, Knee Status, working on bikes, training!

Ok. Just 76 days to go till the first race! Florida in October. You know, that is really early for 2 guys from the Snowbelt. But, we are going to give it our all. This adventure is just going to be the greatest time of our lives, or at least we are telling ourselves that now. Should be sweet fun though. Lot’s of hours behind the windshield of Scott’s diesel van. Sleeping in my pop up camper trailer. Working on bikes in campgrounds. Trying to stay fit. Trying to stay married. Trying to stay employed. And of course, trying to win a couple of age graded GNCC championships.

76 days is not that far away though.

So Scott’s wife Mary, runs a little business as an athlete trainer. She has a pedigree that I know that I am certainly not worthy of. 4 years with the Australian Institute of Sport, a professional mountain bike racer who rode for the Subaru Gary Fisher Mountain bike team, 5 time Australian Mountain bike Champion, 2 time American Series Mountain Bike Champion, 2 time World Cup Winner, 2 time Olympian, 24 hour solo World Champion… Wow! I sometimes feel silly just asking her for training advice, as even in her current 4 months pregnant state, I don’t think I could keep up with her on a bicycle if she didn’t want me to. You can check her out at Up and Over Fitness here in Lake Mills, Wi. No website yet, but maybe eventually.

My specific program starts this weekend. Kind of goes in 4-5 week blocks. It is going to be a challenge, but now that my knee is past just basic rehab, to get 3 hour race fit by March 4. 76 Days!

So, speaking of knee… The Therapist basically told me that there wasn’t anything he could do for me anymore. He implied that I am pretty much where he would expect me to be in February. So go to it. We fit braces on the 7th, and I will start getting to the indoor MX track in late January.

Yesterday we started working on bikes.

The shop

We pulled suspension from bikes to be shipped off to Factory Connection. We stripped one of the new bikes down to the motor and the frame, to prep it for build up. New bikes are really really fun. No mud, nothing bent, no oil splattered, no cracked anything… They are like working on a pro bike. Unfortunately, that new bike feeling only lasts for a short while. I am enjoying it while it lasts though.

Joe