#7 do at least two races

I used to run half marathons.  Not super competitively and maybe only 1 sometimes 2 per year but I would pay entry fee, train, show up on race day and cross the finish line.  Sometimes I ran with friends and sometimes by myself. Sometimes I would have a goal time in mind and would really push myself and other times I was just out to enjoy the race.  Sometimes training would be hard and lonely and I couldn't wait for the race to be over (so the training would be over).  And other times I was training with a friend and loved doing the long runs as a chance to connect and catch up and talk about our lives.

And then I stopped.  

Achy joints? Maybe
Tired of training?  Could be
Wanting to spend my time doing other things?  I guess
Not getting out of the race what I thought I wanted to get out of the race? Hard to answer when I'm not sure I know what I wanted to get out of the race

Whatever it was, I kind of forgot about racing and I definitely stopped running (at least longer distances).  

So how did 2 races end up on my healthy and happy list?

I don't know if I have the answer right now.  I know that I enjoyed doing a cross country race a year ago with friends and knowing other friends who were doing it (and a beautiful March day probably contributed to that one).  I know that I biked 100 km 2 years ago and NEVER thought I would do that but it felt amazing to accomplish it (and even more fun accomplishing it with a friend).  

I think there is something about signing up for a race (or event) that makes you want to push yourself a bit harder than you would otherwise.  So I want to push myself a bit harder with mountain biking.  And not necessarily to go more technical (hiking a bike is not a sport I want to race in as evidenced in my tongue in cheek vanbatical post about it).   But I want to see if I can go faster.  Push my legs a bit harder.  There is something in me that is curious what it would feel like to cross a finish line again.  

Although this time, I think there needs to be a balance too.  I still love great rides with great friends where we just enjoy being out on a beautiful summer day, on super fun trails and chatting when we get to the top of a hard hill about how hard that hill was.  In this way, maybe I don't get to the point where I am just wishing the race would be over so I don't have to train anymore.  

So 2 races.  And no pressure.  If I am still not getting from the race what I think I want to get from the race, then I stop racing again but I don't stop riding.  Healthy and Happy.

Now - does anyone know how to train for a mountain bike race?