Learning how to deal with roots, ruts, and large logs are all part of our training. NorCal race courses are typically fairly smooth but occasionally you need to hit a "bump in the road". We want all team members to feel comfortable going over any obstacles that came be on the course.

Stretching, we did a lot of it this season. Coach Roads had us stretching out before every ride. Why, well, a good stretch session can decrease the risk of injury, reduce muscle tension and help reduce anxiety and stress. By the end of the season, we actually had a team member admit that he felt stretching greatly improved his flexibility.

Safety- We talk about it frequently. While we always wear a proper helmet and strive to maintain our gear for safety, riding on the streets to get to our trails is the most dangerous part of practice. When riding to the trails, we maintain a line and ride together to form a large, visible group. Once on the trails, we continue to be cautious, avoiding any situation where a rider feels uncomfortable.

Early in the year, we had a maintenance clinic presented by professional bike technician, Travis Moore, courtesy of The Spokesman Bicycles in downtown Santa Cruz. It's important that every team member knows how to repair their bike. In a race, the rider is expected to fix their own bike. During the season, we cause significant wear and tear on our bikes and knowing how to take care of them is very important.