My race this weekend didn't go as well as I was hoping. Altitude usually treats me well, but yesterday I was suffering and suffocating from the word go. I got some rhythm back on the 2nd half, but never felt great. I ended up 8th.
Today I decided to skip the short track because I feel the high altitude is not the place to do super high intensity at this point of my preparation for Rotorua. The course was also pretty sketch, so the risk of crashing was high. Instead I did a track everyone's told me I need to try, called the Rim trail. It was short and sweet, 1.30hr of smooth tight single tracks full of burms and hairpins. I also went and pre-rode the Super D course with Troy.. one of the mechanics of the US team (in photo riding the new carbon rush.) Super D is a new format in NORBA, something between XC and DH. The 15min downhill was great fun, but you need big balls, because its a mass start!
Its now just 2 weeks till the big race, so I need to get my focus set and put everything into my final training sessions. I'm flying home on tuesday.. can't wait.

I just took a look on my notepad and it was so nice to see how many nice comments there were.. thanks you all, you make me feel really special ;) And wow, go Sonia! 2nd in world duathlon champs!!! I'm now back in Colorado again, flew in via London on tuesday.. phew, just in time! My good buddy Whit just moved back to Boulder and is setting up a sweet new house, so I just had to see it. Also fun to catch up with Dubba and hang out at Boulder Cycle Sport. My planning was a little sloppy for the race this weekend, but by chance the Cannondale dealer was in the shop and hooked me up with the guys from the US team, Bear Naked/Cannondale. This team has kept the grassroots feel similar to the Sobe program, whom I rode with back in 99. There are some really cool and talented young riders on the program, so its been great.

Being at altitude again meant I had to come up nice and early to let my body adjust. Everyone reacts different, for me I need to get up early, suffer for a few days and be really lazy. Yesterday I didn't ride at all.. thank god for the internet, I spent all day looking at french web sites selling dish washers and ovens! Oh the joys of setting up a new place!!
Being at a norba is good fun, although the scene is no monster like in the past. There's a good number of big trailers and riders humming around, but spectators are far and few between. Its a totally different circus here, so lots of catching up to do. Everyone's getting excited for Rotorua and asking me what the weather will be like! Like how would I know!?
I got the chance to take a spin on a new system six with the Sram kit. Very nice.. the frame is more oversized than fat bastard, but feels great. The Sram stuff is kind of weird, using the same lever for shifting up and down, but after a little while I started to really like it. There's also a very sexy carbon rush around which is under 24pound stock standard.. will get a photo of it tomorrow.
Ok.. tomorrow is race day.. am looking forward to the wicked 20-30min single track descent which we will do twice :)