Mountain Bike Race Virgin No More  

If you are getting bored loggin those miles on the road or tri bike, and want to mix it up a little, try a mountain bike race.

I was a mountain bike race virgin until tonight. As it turned out, it was a very convienient excuse to get in a hard ride because there was a kids ride before hand, and the B-Ling was all over it.

So we showed up, signed in, did a couple of warmup laps, then the kids went. Then we went. 8 loops of the “I don’t know how long it was” course at upchuck intensity.

The course was not too hard core, but I have to admit, it was a challenge for a newbie. All dirt, except for one downhill section on a gravel road that was covered in very loose crushed stone. The trail part of the course was one lane only, so if you wanted to pass, you had to go into the trees. One portion through the woods was full of bare roots, and huge boulders and you had to be on your toes to not throw yourself off the bike.

So what made this a tough workout, you go hard for about 20 seconds, and then hold on as you ride over rocks and yesmams. As well as blowing up your legs, your upper body is working to control the bike.

So now, I need to find some shoes, and pedals, so I don’t fly off next time around.

So if you need to mix it up, give it a try.