NAMRITA K. O'DEA

This week of training kicked my butt. No, it wasn't 30 hours, or even 20 hours..uh..it wasn't even 15 hours. It was a measly 11 hours and 20 minutes according to my training log. But, none the less..I am worked. Coach said I would be tired today, and I was. The last two days were hard rides and last night was a party at our office with the employees of Big Peach Running Co. in Georgia. The turnout was great and it was a great event for everyone including GA Sports Chiropractic, GA Sports Massage, Continuum Sports Solutions, and 55nine Performance.

It seems like we went right from winter to summer, wow! It's been in the mid to high 80 degrees lately..and it makes me even more anxious for the end of the semester. I'm pretty much over the exams and homework, right now I'd rather be riding my bike and hanging out in the sun with my dogs and my friends. This summer will be nice--no classes, just research in the lab. 4 more weeks!

It feels great to have had a perfect race! I would not change one single thing about this one. The BMCC group in Wilkesboro, NC builds awesome trails and puts on even better events. If you have not yet raced one of their events, you must do so!! The BURN 24 hour race is also coming up this Memorial Day weekend.

After my 3 HOUR lecture (that I have to give..not sit through, I don't know which is worse??) we are heading up to North Carolina for this 6 hour race put on by the BMCC. If it's even half as good as the BURN 24 hour race then we are guaranteed a good time. We are camping so I probably won't be able to update until Sunday night.

The Rotwild R.R2 hardtail is coming out as the weapon of choice this weekend...yeah!!

Hump day meant a day off for me to unwind. After coming back from racing in Arkansas on Sunday, I had two long days at school and, luckily, today off. We drove to Chattanooga, TN to drop off Bob (the foster dog) to his new home and then hit the Raccoon Mountain trails for a recovery ride. We are racing again in 3 days so the point of today was just to enjoy the sun and the singletrack...ah, bliss.

We've been fostering Bob through the German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue for about a month, now. It was so easy to get attached to him..and today I'm taking him to his new home. I am so happy for him but it is really hard to let him go.

Bye, Bob. May your new home be everything you deserve and more. I will miss you.

I slept really well the night before the race. Jeff's alarm went off at 4am and soon the rest of us were up. Surprisingly, we were all in a decent mood and not too grumpy. Breakfast was coffee, toast, and fried eggs.

We arrived at Oden Public Schools (the race start) before 7am and had at least an hour to change, walk dogs, and warm up. It was slightly chilly but really windy.

Sure, it would have been ideal to have the race at the beginning of spring break, rather than on the last day but that was not going to stop me from spending the week riding the famed Arkansas trails. We didn't do any long rides, per se, but we rode every day except Friday last week. That was definitely the most mountain bike hours I've put in this year. The trails were rugged and so fun that it was hard to NOT ride while we were there, though.

photo by Sonya Looney

Yesterday was cold and windy with off-and-on rain. Luckily the weather for the Ergon/Competitive Cyclist group ride wasn't bad. The trails were in great shape..there were a few puddles but the trails around here are pretty rocky and hold up to rain well.

The Competitive Cyclist office and operation was huge and really impressive. I think almost everyone on the ride was already using Ergon grips!

There are a bunch of photos from the ride and Klinik here

I know, I know, everyone keeps telling us to ride the Womble and I wish I had unlimited hours to ride this week. But, with the race on Sunday...I sort of have to keep the pre-race riding hours in check. Today our teammates Jeff Kerkove and Sonya Looney made it out from Colorado and we got out on the Ouachita Trail again. The trail is a blast, it's totally my kind of trail. I felt much better today. I didn't take the camera but Sonya and Jeff had theirs out for some still shots and video.