As has gone for the past few seasons, it is once again time for me and a few others from Arizona to hit the old dusty trail. The National Racing Calendar gets up to speed this coming weekend with the Redlands Cycling Classic in Redlands, California.

This race signals the change from a preparation mentality, to a buckle down and be ready to box mindset. NRC races like this are the places where aspiring young athletes like myself go to put our hard efforts to the test and do our best to showcase our talents. The excitement that arises from the opportunity to do so for the first time this season, is as high as its ever been for me.

A strong winter training base in Tucson, along with a the quality early season races like Valley of the Sun, Tucson Bicycle Classic and the handful of hotly contested Crits have brought me to Cali with the confidence and form to toe the line with the best riders in the nation.

The final touch has been added to my prep with the San Dimas Stage Race over the past weekend. Although it is not an ideal ride for myself, its a perfect reminder of the level that we are racing at, the matches must be burned wisely. In addition, the team as a whole looks like it will be ready to hold its own against a stacked field this weekend.