My 2008 race season has started!

Yes indeedy! That's pretty exciting for me. All that winter training, riding up tough hills in the cold and rain, is paying off with some fun at the races. We've been saying "training should be hard, racing should be fun," and so far my two first races have born that out.

I also went surfing for the first time this year... I'm still sore, even though I lift weights and do core workouts specifically to prepare myself for it. Just goes to show that gym workouts are no substitute for the real activity. I sometimes wonder if going to gyms make any sense at all. Well, at least I don't stay for long and I do burn some calories there.

The waves weren't huge, but about head-high which is more than enough, and they were fast and powerful. I was tired just paddling out, and got pummeled when my first big wave closed out on me. Got another elevator drop later, and another closeout that I rode to the beach, before calling it quits after about 50 minutes. My lats were already screaming!

I post my race reports on my team's blog, so if you want to read them, just go to the links below.

This is my report on my first race, a mountain-bike race near Monterey:

http://teambicycletrip.blogspot.com/2008/02/cccx-cross-country-race-1-fort-ord.html

My second race, Cantua Creek Road Race near Coalinga, was yesterday, and my write-up from that is here:

http://teambicycletrip.blogspot.com/2008/02/cantua-creek-road-race-2162008.html

Next Saturday I'll be in the Snelling Road Race, north of Merced.

Enjoy!