Prescott race recap and Week 12

[OVMTB]

Hello OVMTB,

 We had such a great weekend and race in Flagstaff 2 weeks ago that I was a little concerned about how we were going to follow that up for Prescott.  Not because of the riders- they have put in the work and many of them are even more motivated than 2 weeks ago.  Not because of the coaches- our collective experience (not age.....experience) and commitment have helped the riders build a solid foundation so far.  It certainly wasn't the parents I was worried about either; our support group and cheer section is unmatched by any other team, in my semi-biased opinion.  It was just that, as a team, we had set the standard really high that first race.

But we did it- Prescott was another massive success.  Many riders improved on their Flagstaff results.  Another boat load of podium positions, some repeats and some new. A very small number of light crashes or mechanical issues all met with grit and determination to push through and carry on. A team 'mostly' full of smiles, within a reasonable amount of time after crossing the finish line.  Let's be honest, if you were smiling right after the finish, we'd have walked you right to the medical tent for observation.

It wasn't all rainbows and cotton candy; there were difficulties with passing on certain sections of the course and some serious hill climbs.  Many riders mentioned it, but they all handled it and took it in as part of the challenge of racing.  One rider took a nasty spill that resulted in a motorized ride back to the medical tent.  He recovered well, even remembered he was on OVMTB,  and joined us in good spirits at the awards ceremony.  It was great to see them handle the adversity so well that it made me want to put OVMTB stickers on everything I passed on the way home. Thank you all- riders, coaches, and parents, for another great weekend. Except to the guy that asked for rain- can you time that better next time, maybe not during the high school awards?! 

Moving forward as we do....Week 12 brings a nice easy recovery ride on Tuesday and then some intervals on Thursday.  Saturday we'll go out to Sweetwater in preparation for a very technical, rocky, race coming up in Snowflake. 

This is a really good week to give your bike some love as we've still got 3 races left and your bike deserves it for sure. Check the sealant in your tires, check any new noises that are NOT coming from the rider and lube those chains.

If you're considering, or know anyone considering riding in that little local race they call El Tour de Tucson (that means "The Tour of Tucson" for my non Spanish speaking friends) make sure you check out Tim Rosario's email about signing up to ride under OVMTB or ask me for details.

Remember to put your lights back on your bike before Tuesday! 

Ryan

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Ryan McCoskey

OVMTB Head Coach

www.ovmtb.org