Countdown to Laramie

Michelle and I leave Thursday afternoon for Laramie, WY to race the Laramie Enduro. This will be my fourth consecutive Enduro but I am more anxious this year than in the past. A few weeks ago I decided that this race was more important to me so I skipped a couple of other events I had on the calendar in order to show up fresh for this one. I have a time in my mind that I want to beat and that is main source of my self-imposed pressure. My personal goal would mean taking a significant hunk off last year's time of 7:08:00.

Somewhere on the course during the 06' Enduro

An added twist to this year's race is the fact that Michelle has signed up to race her first Enduro. I am excited and nervous for her. Michelle is very new to mtb racing but she has been logging some big rides over the past two months to get ready for this one. Finishing is her only goal but finishing the Enduro is no gimmee. We have been studying the cuttoff times and talking about pacing and her hydration/calorie strategy. I can only hope that Michelle is doing this for her own personal satisfaction and not because she has been inadvertently sucked into the vortex of my training and racing. After our shakedown ride Sunday she was pretty excited about her new fitness level and the fact that she shaved 15 minutes off of her PR for that particular ride. I think if she finishes Laramie she will be hooked for good.