The year 2012 seemed to just end as quickly as it started – did anyone else notice that it flitted by in what seemed like a lot less than twelve months? This is in part due to a very busy year. Around the world, Mountain Biking is having a bit of a resurgence. Although Marathon racing and Stage Racing continues to grow, as does Enduro racing. And more people are getting on their bikes and heading somewhere remote. Trail centres continue to open, more ski resorts have trail networks to welcome mountain bikers in summer – and the scope of what we know is possible on mountain bikes continues to be broadened. So 2013 is set to be another busy and exciting year.
For now, beyond pedalling, there is a lot of preparation for my own 2013. With a deep running love of long distance mountain biking in Australia and beyond, it is difficult to find the right balance each year between racing, trips into big mountains, training to make the racing worthwhile, and packing my bike up and living out of a backpack for a while. Plus working enough to make it all possible.
Knowing when to race, and when to ride with your mates, is important.
These are great things to have on the agenda – and it’s not actually a terrible plan to have to put together. Riding a mountain bike, and racing with like minded people such as my Subaru-MarathonMTB.com Team mates, in spectacular locations is worth working towards.
So for the next few weeks new bike builds are being finalised or tweaked, wheel sets organised, spare parts sourced, and logistics spreadsheets are being compiled. Booking.com, Google Maps and skyscanner.net are all bookmarked and heavily used. From Kellevie, to Forrest, and The Western Cape Province to Woodend then Atherton, the 2013 racing year starts strongly. Racing in the Dolomites lead to Transalp – potentially just a training lark ahead of an epic race around the high plateau’s of Mongolia – before racing the Scott 24hr for the first time in half a dozen years.
Where is the mobile office going in 2013?
And although there is a lot of racing in there, I’m just as excited about the riding around the racing too. The long training kilometres in the North and West of Sydney still hold secrets, like the long dirt road descent through the Watagans on Boxing Day on my road bike. Recovery rides in the South East of Tasmania at the Hellfire Cup will be nothing short of amazing. And it’s no secret that one of the biggest reasons I like to head to Europe is the huge trail network surround Livigno, Bormio, Scuol, Pontresina and the Alta Valtellina region. Multiple trips, a number of races there – and there is still plenty to do.
It is a fine line between feeling overwhelmed and over excited. Hopefully your 2013 has you feeling the same way.