Sea Otter Classic 2013

The season finally kicked off this past weekend at Laguna Seca raceway with the Sea Otter Classic. This is always an exciting race because it is one of the first races of the year and all the big names are there. This was my first race with my new teammates and I can already see it's going to be a great season. I get along really well with Brook and Greg, they are both fun to be around. My race went really well, I finished 10th place in a very close race among the best in the world. I was 1.8 sec off the win and I am really happy with that. This coming weekend the team is headed to Seattle, Washington to race another U.S. National. The track is really good there and i'm looking forward to it.

NM

Spring Is Here!

This time of year is always the most exciting. As the last season becomes more distant, plans for next year get closer and closer. Team camp is right around the corner, and is always the most exciting time of year. New bikes, gear, and this year new teammates! An off season full of adventures has really kept me going, and I don't feel the distinct gap from one season to the next as I have in the past. I made trips to Mexico, Indonesia, New Zealand and Chile over the past few months experiencing new things and having a great time. I got to visit warmer places and be on my bike more than ever this winter.

The urban downhill in Chile was my latest trip a few weeks ago and what a wild experience that was! The track was so much gnarlier in person than in all the coverage I've seen. All the man made features were very intimidating, a lot more than anything on the world cup! The whole experience was great. There were lots of fans and Trek took great care of me. The day after the race we did some runs on a downhill track that was 45 min long with 10,000ft of vertical drop! It was amazing! The whole trip was amazing.

This year my training has been a lot more specific and much higher volume than in years past. Now that I'm out of school I can dedicate my time to training first. I have been on the bike so much lately and I am feeling very comfortable. I cant wait to be at the first race! It's what I love to do and it can not come soon enough!

Neko

New Zealand Summer

This year I decided to spend a month in the Southern Hemisphere to get a break from the worst part of winter and jump start my off season training. I am currently in Christchurch, New Zealand staying with my teammate and great friend Justin Leov and his wife Tory. It felt so good to hop off the plain and get the full feeling of summertime. Having beautiful warm weather and longer daylight hours allows me to easily get in all my training rides and really enjoy being out there on the trail, something that's a little harder to do in the dead of winter at home. The NZ National series had a stop here in Canterbury and I got a chance to race against some talented kiwi riders. I ended up finishing 2nd behind Sam Blenkinsop and ahead of Cam Cole, both top 10 riders on the World Cup. It felt great to do a race after such a long brake from it. The track was awesome, one of the best I've ridden and I just felt really fit and comfortable on my bike. That's a great feeling to have this early in the year and gives me confidence that my training is on the right path. Now I can put my head down and keep working hard up until the season starts, still 4 months away. I am really excited to be here the rest of the month, train hard, and enjoy the summertime!