Races...

Well, I am going to put this out here and see what happens.  There are a lot of races around, but most will require a bit of travel to get to them.  For some reason, there is no sustainable series based out of Roanoke.  Even the local races we did have are finding affiliation with different series.  There is the Southern Classic Mountainbike Series and the Virginia Off-road Series.  Both seem like they are fairly well organized.  I've scoured the net looking for potential races.  Of course, everything is tentative for me based on school work.  I can make time for races, after all everyone deserves a day of play. It's the training that I worry about.  Thusfar, the weather here has sucked.  I keep reminding myself that it is only January, but it will be April 3rd before I know it and I will suffer humiliation in the 6-Hour of Warrior Creek.  Why?  Because I signed up for it SOLO.  I'm still shaking my head.  It was hard enough last year with an 11-mile lap, but from what I hear, they are lengthening the distance of a lap?!?!  I have a long ways to go to be ready for this.  Hopefully I will be able to take my new 29er to play.  With the muddy trails and lack of a lot of daylight during the week after I get off from work, I've rarely ridden my mountain bike.  I did get in an hour long road ride the other day.  I've been trying to get in some cardio at the gym, and I continue to work on strength training.  The road bike is now set up in the trainer in the basement, so I guess I need to use it.  I will brag and say that I've found myself enjoying running again.  Last weekend I ran a 5k just to see if I could do it.  I followed that up on Monday with a 4.5 mile run on the greenway.  I'm hoping to run or ride afterwork this week.  Need to check the weather forecast and plan accordingly I suppose.  So I've rambled enough now.  Here's what I've found in terms of potential races for me:

2/21, 2/27, 3/7  -  Bedford Mountaincross Series
3/21 - Hobby Park, Winston-Salem, NC (Southern Classic MTB Series)
4/3 - 6 Hours of Warrior Creek, Wilkesboro, NC
5/2 - Middle Mountain Momma, Douthat SP, Covington, VA
5/29&30 - Burn 24, Wilkesboro, NC
6/13 - Shootout on Angler's Ridge, Danville, VA (VORS)
6/19 - Fat Tire Frenzy, Bedford, VA (VORS)
7/19 - The Sizzler, Greensboro, NC (Southern Classic MTB Series) *may be Commonwealth Games weekend though*
8/1 - Chimney Chase, Charlottesville, VA (VORS)
8/15 - Dark Mountain, Wilkesboro, NC (Southern Classic MTB Series)
9/25 - Southside Scramble, Danville, VA (VORS)

Now I'm not 100% committed to any of these races with the exception of the MTX Series and Warrior Creek right now.  These rest will just depend on work, school, etc.  I'd like to be able to do an additional endurance race other than Burn 24 with my team, but that all remains to be seen as well.

I also have one more thing I want to do this year and that is this Explore Your Limits 5k.  =)  It happens to be the Saturday before the last MTX race, so we'll see.  I think I might just be crazy. 

Ok, well I have to get back to reality now.  Thanks for checking in.  Meanwhile, it's raining and I'm sleepy.