6 hours of uncertainty?

Simply stated, the number six can mean a lot of things. For me, the first thing to come to mind is THE Number Six from Star Trek fame:


Of course there is always my favorite beverage which usually comes in sixths:


I could go on and on about the number six but what it really boils down to is my decision to enter a 6 hour race in the dead of winter. What the hell was I thinking? On February 27 I will be in Hot Springs, Arkansas riding in the Spa City 6 Hour XC. This event is stop number 2 on the 2010 USAC-MTB National Ultra-Endurance Calendar. Whew. In most cases a rider starts out the season in a progression of shorter events such as Time Trials and training events to slowly transition into the race season. February here in Michigan has been typical, I am a wuss when it comes to outdoor rides (insert whiny voice here) and I have had very little time in the saddle. FWIW, I also hate my trainer. Here is the current forecast:


The last time I rode six consecutive hours was in the Lumberjack 100 last June. In true fashion I have been tapering since January! The race course is a 10+ mile loop and my goal is to run sub-hour laps and make the time cut-off to get in a 7th lap. I am truly looking forward to the challenge although I have to say I'm not feeling too prepared for it. More later...