Let's get this group moving!

[MALcontent]

Ladies, I can't help but notice a dearth of activity in the mountain bike section of this forum. Let's change that! I challenge you all to reply to or start a new thread each day.

I'll start by saying I had my first MTB ride of the year last night. The weather was amazing and the company great. It was only my 4th ride on my brand new Santa Cruz Blur XC. She's orange and I'm trying out the name Tang-o to see how it fits.

I was a bit tentative with many of the obstacles I usually blast over. Some I looked at and couldn't believe I'd ever ridden them! It will come back soon with more hours on the bike.

Who's next?

[ikkin]

i'll bite. went out last weekend for my first ride post acl reconstruction surgery. i'm 7 months out, which is awesome 'cause the knee is feeling really good. took a bit of a spill on a rocky/rooty uphill section and landed with the full weight of my body and bike on my "new" knee, and it was fine! scary as hell, but fine! no pain, no swelling, nothing. yay for rehab!

[bluebug32]

I've gone on several mountain bike rides so far this year. Until this season, I've done nothing but mountain bike, but after a long winter of training on my cross bike, I started to really love it and split my time between the two bikes.

But anyway....I'm surprised every spring by what a butt-kicker mountain biking is. I love that feeling after a ride of just being completely wiped out, yet still buzzing with adrenaline.

This season, I'm working up to a six hour endurance race in August. And I'd like to learn how to bomb over large logs and obstacles.

And, I agree, let's keep the posts and threads going!

[atombessy]

hello hello!

I also went on my first mt ride of the season this past weekend, I did stay on my road bike/commuter for a decent amount of the cool season, so I was pleasantly surprised by my fitness level! I also started rock climbing indoors this winter to keep the winter doldrums away on snowy/dark days (wait, more like rainy days, I think we only got one flurry shower this year!). It really improved my upper body strength which translated wonderfully onto the trails! I got some parts of the trail that I couldn't even get at the end of last season! Endurance is a little low, but as long as I get back on a good weekend schedule of longer rides I'll be in good shape I think! it was SOOO good to see the rocks and logs again!

[Drtgirl]

I raced the Sea Otter last weekend in the Sport category. This was the first race I've travelled long distance for and flying with a bike was interesting. I had so many people come up to me and ask what's in the box. My responses ranged from "the kitchen sink" to "my dad". Ha!

I prerode the course on Friday and nearly had a panic attack. 1. It was warm and sunny and 2. the course was all hardpack and sand. I live in Seattle so this was definitely out of my comfort zone. I was feeling doom and gloom the rest of the evening.

Luckily when I woke up on race day it was cloudy and cold! Yipee! It was funny to see how the other girls were dressed at the start line. I saw it all- fleece balaclavas, raincoats and most people had long pants on. I sported my team kit and armwarmers. The race started with a long section on paved racetrack. I saw no value in sprinting ahead and actually drafted off a few people. Once we hit the fire roads it was sweet. I played cat and mouse with a few girls and was in the top 5 for most of the race, if not all. The singletrack was fun but being stuck behind the slower men kinda sucked. That last climb was brutal, especially with those super strong crosswinds. Right at the end I was passed up by another racer and I rolled across the finish line in 6th out of 24. I'm pleased with my finish but bummed that I didn't make the podium. Oh well- there's always next year, right?

[rocknrollgirl]

OK, I usually hang out in the tri forum, but I agree, we need to get this board perked up. I normally ride all winter, snow and all, but I was out for 3 months with an injury. I started back slowly in March and I am currently riding 2x a week and starting to feel better.

It was amazing to me after that time off the bike how really hard this sport is. I did not feel like I lost bike handling skills, but holy cow, my leg strength climbing hills was gone. We have mostly short steep rooty, rocky stuff. No fire roads, so it is that fast burst speed that is missing. The stuff that is very quad intensive.

It is pretty humbling to have to granny up stuff that I could do in middle ring last fall, but hey at least I am back on my bike, right!!!

DG, great job on the Sea Otter Race. I would love to go out and race there.

OK ladies, keep the threads coming! I am riding today so I will report back later.

[madisongrrl]

Wisconsin weather has been terrible. I haven't been able to get on the trails yet as most have been closed. The last time I rode/raced my mountain bike was June 2007. Two pretty significant injuries put me on the sideline for most of the year and are still bothering me.

My first race is next weekend for which I wont be able to pre-ride the course because of a wedding. So my first mountain bike experience in almost a year, is going to be the Elite race at the WORS opener (www.wors.org). I think I'm in some pretty big trouble....but we'll see.

Hope everyone else who doesn't live in the god-forsaken state of WI has been getting some decent trail riding in.

[rocknrollgirl]

Oh MG...geez...not a great way to start the season, but remember if the weather has been bad for you, it has been bad for all of the other locals too.

Good Luck and let us know how you do.

[sundial]

I think I'm in some pretty big trouble....but we'll see.

I was talking with a racer the other day and he has not been able to train for his first race because of the erratic weather patterns and flooding. He was at the starting line with no training yet this season. So I'll bet you are in good company.

[madisongrrl]

Most elite (expert/pro) riders around here are training 8-15 hours per week. I got a late start on my base training because of my injuries so I'm quite a bit behind. Plus I haven't ridden on singletrack so long. The good news is I can only go up from here....and the weather can only get better.

Happy riding.

[emily_in_nc]

I've only managed two trail rides this spring (10 mile loop of fire road/double track at Umstead Park in Raleigh) so far due to weather and work duties, and in just two rides on my most excellent Selle San Marco saddle and PI shorts, my saddle-sore-from-hell from last year has re-erupted, as angry and sore as ever!

I had a cortisone shot in it over the winter at my dermatologist's, which instantly took all the anger out of it, but I guess it was just lying in wait for me to get on a saddle again. Sigh!

So, I'm mostly a runner these days.... I sure wish I could figure out why this one saddle sore just won't GO AWAY and leave me alone!

Emily

[madisongrrl]

Have you tried A&E ointment....it's what my doctor recommended.

[Jen-Jen]

I own a wonderful TREK 4500, but I haven't really done trails with it yet, umm come to think of it, I've only done trails once. I ended up with one skinned knee, a bruised forehead (I'm not sure how I did it), and a cut elbow.

Boy, that was fun! Only prob is we really don't have any good trails in Jackson, MI. I think that there might be one out towards Ann Arbor/Pinckney Area. I guess I'll have to look. DH and I both own MTB.

Get out there and get it done!

Actually he'll get it done and I'll break something!

[bluebug32]

OK, I usually hang out in the tri forum, but I agree, we need to get this board perked up. I normally ride all winter, snow and all, but I was out for 3 months with an injury. I started back slowly in March and I am currently riding 2x a week and starting to feel better.

It was amazing to me after that time off the bike how really hard this sport is. I did not feel like I lost bike handling skills, but holy cow, my leg strength climbing hills was gone. We have mostly short steep rooty, rocky stuff. No fire roads, so it is that fast burst speed that is missing. The stuff that is very quad intensive.

It is pretty humbling to have to granny up stuff that I could do in middle ring last fall, but hey at least I am back on my bike, right!!!

DG, great job on the Sea Otter Race. I would love to go out and race there.

OK ladies, keep the threads coming! I am riding today so I will report back later.

That's great that you're back on the bike at least. It'll come in time. Just have to be patient and keep riding, but patience is the hard part.

I'm in southern NY where the terrain is definitely rocky and rooty. We do have some fireroads. Not sure how close you are to the border. Are you in Northern NJ?

[emily_in_nc]

Have you tried A&E ointment....it's what my doctor recommended.

I haven't heard of that particular type, but I've tried all the "old wive's tales" suggestions like Preparation H, diaper rash ointment, and the old standby, chamois butter. This is a deep sore, though, and surface ointments just don't do anything for it. Nor do expensive shorts. I'm wondering about a different saddle but not sure if that will help either since the sore doesn't hit any of the saddle edges but is in such a place as it will hit the saddle no matter what saddle I use. Very frustrating!

Emily