Posts By: Ignacio

I am going to do my best to get things all set for the weekend. However please use the comments section to ask any questions you may have as many other parents might have the same.

Middle Schoolers

Leaving the Clubhouse as CLOSE TO 4pm as Possible on FRIDAY.

We should then arrive in Prescott at approx. 8-8:30pm

We will have dinner already prepared so we should be able to eat and go right to bed.

Please bring only healthy snacks in the van. NO CANDY OR JUNK FOOD. Also please have a water bottle. ONLY WATER

Most tents should be set up upon arrival, however coaches and parents that are coming up on Friday please be ready to build in the dark.

Kids you will need to bring your own sleeping bag and sleeping pad and pillow.

I have packing lists at the clubhouse. Please ask for one. They should make your life easier.

Also riders remember that they are particular about the shorts we wear to race. Ask me about this. Also I have your team race jerseys.

We will pre-ride the course right after breakfast on Saturday. This will give us time to then chill before the races.

Awards will be over at approx. 5pm or hopefully sooner. We will hopefully be packed and ready to depart immediately after. This has us home then at 9pm or later.

Parents if you are going up to watch and you want to take your child home, that is totally cool. In fact very helpful. As one the two vans driving up on Friday will not return until Sunday. That being Morgans.

David Cross will be driving the team van on Friday and returning with it on Saturday evening.

Middle schoolers will have lunch at camp and be able to make a car snack as well.

It will be cold this weekend, so please pack for it, also there is no shower facility.

High Schoolers

We will have much the same flow as last weekend.

Saturday morning leaving at 8:30am SHARP. Show up on time to help load things. Really don’t show up at 8:15.

We should be back in town by 8pm Sunday night.

Parents if you are going to camp. This is open field at a park style. No campsites or marked spaces. There should be plenty. I am going to arrive on Friday afternoon and try and stake out a big area. I will do my best.

Parents we always need healthy car snacks.

All  other information for the race and series can be found here: http://arizonamtb.org

Lets start with “YEAH, THAT WAS FUN!!”

Holy smokes, did that first race of the season go well! I am so very proud that every one of you gave your very best efforts during the race. No one ever quite at any moment. That is the type of courage that will allow you to tackle all challenges in life. Bravo to everyone.

Also thank you to all parents and coaches who came and helped and did everything needed to make the weekend such a success. It really does take a village and I would never want any other villagers. You all make it a joy. THANK YOU

Obviously the racing went well. We went 1, 3,4 overall in the team standings and we have a  very real chance to put 2 or even 3 teams on the overall series podium. That to me sounds pretty darn cool. El Grupo has won the overall twice before, the first two years of the league, but we are in a two year drought. Sure would be cool to break that spell and put two teams on the overall podium.

I want to take a moment and give a special thank you to coaches Ali, Chuck and Richard. Thank you for giving us a weekend of your time and supporting the team. We cannot do it without you. THANK YOU.

Training Plan this Week

We are clearly riding well and are ready for the season. We want to keep this good form rolling but we also need to keep it for 9 more weeks to come. This is long stage race and we want to stay fresh.

Since the next race is in Prescott and also at elevation I want to ensure that we are ready but rested. I do not want to show up at an elevation race and be anywhere near tired. So for the next two weeks we are going to be maintaining our fitness via Steady State efforts. Enough effort to keep our engines strong but not enough to need a bunch of recovery. This will be a good time to practice riding fast without slamming the pedals.

Then after the Prescott race we are going to search for a fitness bump for the last few races. That will give us 6 weeks and we can really go into the final races flying.

Remember the plan only works if you are consistent, and if you try your best at what we are doing.

Tuesday– Clean bikes, and skills practice. NO SPANDIES.

Wednesday– 3:45 and 4:30. MTB Steady State intervals

Thursday– 4:30 Steady State work. Some of you will be on road bikes, so please remind me during the week and I will let you know who.

Saturday– C Team MTB 6:30am start

Oldest Man 6am

OLD Man shoot out 6:15am

Big Boy 6:30

Sunday– All others (not C team) MTB 6am meet and ride to trail head. All should be back by 10am.

I apologize for this late post. My home computer died and I actually had to buy a new computer to make this all work.

Don’t worry they say– Computers make everything easier.

Camping

We have 4 camp spots reserved for the team. These can accommodate 32 people. We have 21 racers coming up and 5 coaches. So 26 people. We have a small amount of space left. Please ask if you need it.

Sign up Genius. If you have signed up to help, please know that WE REALLY DO need you. It takes a whole village and we need all the help to make things run smoothly.

ARRIVE AT CLUBHOUSE BETWEEN 7:45 AND 8AM

I WANT TO LEAVE NO LATER THAN 8:30

For all the families that are thinking about coming up to camp. This is the information that the league has provided:   FLAGSTAFF CAMPING UPDATE: The campground is nearing capacity (if not already full). If you don’t already have a reservation and plan on camping you may want/need to start searching out other options. There… Read more »

Two practice today   3:45 and 4:30   Sorry for any confusion

Here we are.   No more waiting. No more I should do this, or that, its game time now, and what ever we have is what we have and is what we are going to have.   Basically this week, we are not going to find any fitness, we can make sure that we are… Read more »

Saturday– NO C TEAM RIDE. I do not have a coach and I want you all to ride a different trail.   Oldest Man Shoot Out– 5:30am. Ignacio will be on this ride Old Man Shoot Out– 5:45am. Morgan will be on the ride Big Boy Shoot out– 6am start. Max will be on the… Read more »

Just to be clear.   MTB’s All during the week

https://www.redbull.com/us-en/kate-courtney-xc-mtb-next?linkId=41541831   To  be prepared:   The end of a super hard block of training is a tricky place. You are strong but tired.   You need to rest to soak in all the hard work you have done.   You don’t get faster ever by sitting on the coach, but you only get faster… Read more »

I want to commend everyone for completing these last three weeks of training. They have been hard. It’s OK if they were emotional. It’s OK if you are tired right now and I am very excited for this skills week to come.   We are going to really focus hard on the skills this week…. Read more »