Back in the high life

Only five days until the most important race on the international cycling calendar, and I've hardly mentioned it. I am aware of that fact. Since I had such a shitty race last year, I did some research into how to prepare for a big race, and after minutes of scouring the internet, I found out about "tapering." Since I still have to ride to and at work, I have decided to taper where I can. That would include "tapering" my pre-race blogging.

Also, in an effort to make great make bike race, I have begun a "beer taper."

No more dank beer until after ORAMM. It has been hard so far, but I saved enough on an 18 pack to pay for my share of the gas. Drinking shitty beer is like climbing the long gravel road up to the Parkway (Curtis Creek Road). It sucks at first, but if you can keep your head down and power through, you'll get where you wanna be sooner or later.

That may be too much blogging about ORAMM. I'm feeling feel a little untapered'esque.

Now for some Breck Epic stuff.

Friday I mentioned that I registered for the 40+ class at the Breck Epic. I was trying to draw some ire from Peter, but unfortunately it was a lost cause as he is in Prague tasting beers. I went to change my registration to the SS class later in the day, but the site wouldn't let me. I had to send an email, and you can rest assured... I am in the SS class now.

Whatever. I'm still enjoying the benefits of e-living at altitude in Colorado.

Dan Durland will not actually be racing, so even if Peter signs up I should be a lock for a top five finish.

Going back to Breck was a hard decision to make. The 2010 Breck Epic was the first and hopefully the only time I finished DNF in the SS class in any race. I suffered more at altitude than the year before. No matter. Two of the best descents I've ever experienced in my life are in Breck, and if I have to do a little heavy breathing to do them again... so be it. Mike McCormack is the hardest working race promoter I know. Well, at least he looks like he's working harder than any other promoter. Usually when I see him at check-in the day before the race starts he looks like he just got done riding all the stages back to back to back to back to back to back.

photo stolen from Sonya Looney

I have no glamorous intentions this year. I realize that as much as I say I want to do different events every year, I'm almost repeating last summer EXACTLY. Remember last summer? I ended up way burnt out, and I almost took up solo synchronized swimming. Regardless, I just had a shit-ton of fun riding big mountains last year, and I see no reason why I wouldn't go back...

Aside from the whole "not being able to breath" thing, and the whole "freezing my ass off in a tent" thing, and the whole "couldn't be further out of contention" thing...

There's some other stuff, but since the Breck Epic is a stage race, I need to start my tapering now.