Well it's that time if year again. I would normally be training my butt off and doing lots of strength, as it's the beginning of the National series of racing, beginning in November (last weekend in Perth at the Goat Farm) and progressing through to March. Yes it's a long season and planning is never optimal—there's always a big break with no racing on over christmas.
This year MTBA have decided, against the advice and wishes of the riders, to hold a kind-of stage race at EVERY national event. Though it probably means more fun and racing, it also means paying for more accomodation, more time off work, bigger entry fees and it's geared so that to have a crack at the title you have to compete in all events.
Considering I can't think of one (OK, only one...) MTB'er in Australia that has they're wage paid by racing bikes, it's a lot to ask for all the elite racers on a beer budget in Aus. Anyway, that's the end of my rant about that for today.
Of course, it doesn't affect me this year—I still look at pictures of the race track and go 'oh my gosh, that looks awesome, so many rocks (I love rocks) and lots of climbing!'. When realistically I would be creeping in my granny ring up ANY climb offroad now, and have become slightly more wary of rocks and technical trail features with each passing week. It's best I watch from afar.
However, I am excited to see what 2012 will bring. I am keen to go hard but you never know how life will change when Mayhem has a proper name. Aido is going to be 'support Dad/husband'. New challenges make not racing and riding hard almost bearable.
Anyway, a year out is not so much. Heaps of people do it...right?