Ride Hard....Roll Fast

Lessons Learned - Salisbury RR

2011-04-04T03:27:00.000-07:00

An experience is only as good for you as the lessons learned from it. Second race of the season, felt better than the first, and starting to get over the lazy winter non-motivation. Well...THAT, in itself, is progress. Lessons learned this weekend: 11) I came very close to zipping that 8-week old German Shorthaired Pointer into my jersey and riding like hell home with him. That thing was beyond adorable. 10) Good brakes are better than crappy brakes. Thanks, B, for birthday present. My non-cycling friends don't quite understand, but I can already tell the difference. Yay Shimano. 9) Starbucks oatmeal makes a great pre-race ritual. So does not having to drive. Thanks, Roy & Ryan, for the lift. 8) I will ALWAYS prefer roof, fork-mounted bike racks to the trunk racks. Turning around to see your bike leaning parallel to the ground, flapping in the wind because one strap came loose is NOT a good feeling. 7 ) Caffeine as a stimulant....works! Especially when you give it up for the month prior and then down a skinny vanilla latte for breakfast. I think I STILL feel the caffeine in my system this morning. 6) If Monika and Lindsay take over at the front of the pack and start chatting, you'd better get ready to haul a$s. 5) I CAN chase after being dropped and get back on the pack. #1 goal for the day was met. 4) It's ok to feel pain. It means you're alive, right? And hopefully, it means you are closing the gap. 3) So when I do finally get dropped for real, it helps to have others to work with. Great to have Jen from Sturdy Girl and Annie from Breakaway to help block some some of that wind. 2) I need to work on my sprint or figure out how to be smarter at the end. It's disappointing to lead on the uphill finish only to get passed in the last 100m. 1) Train. Every day.

TT at Black Hills

2011-03-21T03:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a beautiful day for a bike race. Managed to avoid the potential mid-March snow storm and ended up with a sunny, 55 degree, breezy day. I had to play double-duty for the day, being assigned with setting up registration details prior to race day. The morning was just like any weekday morning, with a 4:30am wake up call. (Guess that's the one GOOD thing that has come out of having to be at work at 5:30am.) I wasn't sure how it would all work out being a volunteer for the race and throwing a bike race in the middle. Event days are tiring, so I was hoping I wouldn't feel the fatigue when I went to toe the line.
With an hour to go before my start time, I did a quick costume change, switching from Bike Doctor to ABRT, and could finally focus on my race. It was great to finally have teammates, and I hooked up with Kristin, Sandy and Sara to warm up on the course.

I rolled into the staging area with nearly 50 other women (the 1, 2, 3 race was run at the same time as the 4's), which was awesome. The nerves were there, but it had been so helpful to have come out to the course the weekend before to preview with the Juniors. Having ridden the loop at least 20 times, I felt comfortable going into the day. There is nothing more nerve racking for me than having no idea what an element, like the "black hill", will feel like at speed.

We rolled out and I tried to move from my spot towards the back as far front as I could before we hit the hill (which was seconds away). I found a good position around mid-pack, picked a steady wheel, and hung on. By lap 3, the 1,2,3 (and fast 4s) group pulled away and I lost the wheel, dropping back by myself. The pack moved out of site and I rode a few hard laps, just waiting for the main field of 4s to catch me. After 2 more laps, I turned around and couldn't see anyone, although I know my very strong teammate Kristin was not far behind. Shocked that I hadn't been caught, but knowing there was no way I could catch up with the lead group, I had no other choice but to TT the last 6 laps, hoping I could maintain my lead on the rest of the 4s. The headwind and sideways breeze made it tough to be out there by myself, especially on the backside of the course by the water. Even tougher was the climb up towards the finish line. Much more fun to ride with a group and have the vocal support of spectators, even if they aren't cheering for you. Instead, I rode past groups of silent watchers - it was almost eerie. Maybe "you're almost there!" and "looking good!" didn't really apply. Fortunately, B, Pete and the rest of the Bike Doctor team were along the course working corners and directing traffic, so between them, Spencer and the ABRT Junior squad, I had some support :)

I was lapped by the lead group of 1,2,3 (and fast 4s) s with 2 laps to go, and got stuck in between them and the chase group. I finished strong, having maintained the gap on the rest of the 4 field, but know the official results are not completely accurate as to my final placing. For the first race of the season, I was happy to have finished well, and surprised myself with being able to TT that many laps on that kind of course. Last year, I would have had trouble staying motivated to push that hard for that long, by myself. Next time the goal is to NOT get dropped.

I am definitely looking forward to Jeff Cup next weekend, with a 4-only field and hoping for some more ladies to race with at Harwood.

Mother Nature is NOT a cyclist

2011-02-14T03:03:00.000-08:00

But maybe she's a comedian, or a cynic or likes playing just really mean jokes.

Or maybe she's a Jillian Michaels-type trainer who's favorite phrase is, "Hey, it didn't kill you, did it? HTFU."

Whatever she is, I hope she appreciated the confusion she caused this weekend. The weather forecast had predicted temps in the 40s, but I woke up to overcast, chilly and slightly windy weather Saturday morning. This caused at least 10 extra minutes of standing in front of the gear closet, trying to decide between long or short sleeve base layers, knee or leg warmers, vest or wind jacket, booties or no booties. I'm pretty sure I put on every combination option before I decided I'd rather be too hot than too cold, and then threw everything in a bag to bring to the ride anyway.

Driving to the ride, it was overcast and 32 degrees. Um....this was NOT the warmer temps that had been predicted. This was the same old cold stuff we'd been bundling up for the last few weekends. Guess I'll go with booties, but hope for some warm stuff and wear knee warmers.

40 cyclists rolled from the Davidsonville Park 'n' Ride dressed in everything from shorts to thermal tights to ski face masks. I was happy with my choice of clothing, but rode away unaware of the wind that was about to kick up, about 20 minutes into the ride.

Not only did Mother Nature figure out how to trick us all into riding into what we thought was going to be a warm day, but she also managed to figure out how to create a headwind, the whole way, out AND back. Riding most of the 51 miles with no more than 2 other people, the headwind made the entire ride feel like a big-ring drill. Even short climbs that can normally be powered over felt like trudging up 10% grade with a flat and rubbing brakes.

And on top of all that, there were these crazy gusts that, at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, nearly knocked me off my bike. Seriously, if I wasn't paying attention or had good control over my front end during a few of these gusts, I was definitely going over. Felt bad for the guys that brought their deep-dish wheels out for the ride. I guess being light has its advantages, unless it's windy. Then you're as strong as a rag doll. On a bike. In the wind.

So, you know, THAT was fun.

But I'll just tuck that ride away in the training bank to use as good mental toughness....and a reason to eat another bowl of ice cream :)

Snotcycle 2011

2011-01-31T02:41:00.000-08:00

"I have never seen such fortitude or insanity exhibited by a group of mountain bikers that I saw Saturday on Rockland Farm. The only thing that confounded me even more was that through all of this people kept their spirits up and seemed to have a good time." - Plum Grove Cyclery

So.

I signed up for SnotCycle in the fall, excited to have a January race on the calendar to kick off the season, and riding for ABRT. Even more excited that it was an MTB race, making the variable winter conditions less of a factor for the day. Or so I thought.

I knew the weekend was going to be cold, and I was ok with that. (Losing heat in the house 3 days before did not help mentally, but I guess in some ways, it was like acclimation training). There was snow on the ground, but we were assured that it was would packed down by Saturday morning. So I headed to VA Friday night to stay with Pete and Igda, get a good pre-race meal and a warm night's sleep before venturing to Leesburg in the morning.

Pulling into the farm was definitely a scene....the parking attendants did a great job assessing the All-Wheel/Front-Wheel/Rear-Wheel drive status of our cars and showing us where to park accordingly. I lucked out with a "space" closest to the exit, and made by simply pulling off to the side and putting the car in park. On my way to registration, I ran into old OD/Pedal Shop teammates Lee & Brandon and so started the event that was SnotCycle. Just like old times...

Sixteen Cat 2 women toed the line Saturday morning, none of us quite sure how the day would play out. Pretty sure I jinxed myself by joking with Rich at the start saying, "I'm not even carrying CO2. If I flat, I'm just gonna run my bike in." HA! At that point, I was more concerned with the ice that was covering the parking lot and driveway, never thinking ice would be the least of my concerns. Race director gave us a "ready, set, GO", and we were off. I get clipped in, find my way to about mid-pack just before the single track and I'm feeling good. (Note: that took all of about 60-90 seconds). About 50 yards into the single track, still within shouting distance of the start line, we hit some soft, 4-5 inch powder that is unrideable and we're all off our bikes, pushing, running, trying to find the next section of rideable snow. As we ran, most of us were laughing, joking about this being a 'cross race, how we should have just worn sneakers, in generally good spirits until we look up and can see the tail of the Cat 2 men's field that started in front of us, still walking their bikes around the course. Things got a little quieter as I think people started to consider the situation and whether it was worth it to be off the bike this much. The conversation then turned to scenarios: Do we need to have our bike physically on our person when we finish? Can we dump the bikes here in the woods and pick them up on the second lap? If we have to finish with our bikes, HOW MUCH of the bike? Can I leave a wheel here and save weight? None of the questions were being asked in jest. Fortunately, teaching all those cycle classes this winter kept my cardio in good shape so I was able to jog at a reasonably good pace. My legs starting screaming, I could feel the inevitable bruises on my right calf from continuously hitting the pedal, but there was no way I was quitting. Unless I broke something or started puking, I vowed to keep running/walking/pushing, hoping I'd hit some rideable section anytime soon.

So the good news. I never got cold. My hands, feet, core were all nice and toasty. In sub 30 degree weather, that was a nice surprise.

The "other" news: Even when I hit rideable sections, the snow was so packed into my cleats that I could never clip my right foot in. I rode where I could, but felt like I was losing valuable time just trying to get that second foot clipped in. The last 2 miles in the trees definitely had rideable sections and I was able to get in the saddle for sections at a time. But between the frustration of not riding and the fatigue from running (in bike shoes, in the snow) for that long, I struggled with my balance (still unable to clip in the second foot). All in all, I probably ran 7.5 miles and rode 1.5. If that much. I crossed the finish line in 6th, with only 9 of us actually completing the course. Lee handed me a beer and I called it a day, happy to be done. It took me just over 2 hours to complete a lap that, under normal conditions, should have taken me about 45 minutes.

Overall, I actually had a good time. I'm always pleasantly surprised and reminded how chill the MTB community is. These conditions were less than ideal, and was hardly the "race" we'd all signed up for. But everyone stayed positive, made the best of it, kept smiling and did what we could. At least it gave us something to talk about for the weekend. What doesn't kill you only makes you tougher. Or in this case, more damn stubborn.

Looking forward to NiteRyder in March and HotCycle this summer. Hoping to snag a spot on a Baker's Dozen team, too.

Back in/on the saddle...

2008-11-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time.

Too long...and yet, long enough.

2008 was my year to re-group, re-think, rest and understand why I train/race in the first place. And now, with a stronger focus, less distractions, more support and a new bike :), I'm ready to get back into it!

The season started with the ever-stressful registration for Ironman Florida 2009. I'm in! Redemption in Florida, next November. I'm looking forward to finding new motivation and new purpose with this event.

All I need not is a jump start. Training in a new city for the first time is hard. I hope to make some new friends in the process, and some new training partners. It's amazing how easy it is to get out of a routine...and how much harder it is to get back into one. I guess it's part of that "hard" that makes it great.

Roll REALLY fast

2007-11-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

A bit of a hiatus from posting here, so for anyone checking (Hi Tyler), here are some photos from last weekend's event at Virginia International Raceway in Danville, VA. Brian drove his Audi S4 (with seriously supped up engine, seats, and tires) in the Black (advanced) group, so I was allowed to ride a few runs with him. Crazy fast stuff.

All I drove while I was there were the go-kharts, but hoping to drive, for real, on the big track in April! VRRRROOOOOOMMMM!

"Am I all set? Yeah, that's funny."

2007-10-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

For those who have called, written, texted, etc. looking for my results at XTERRA Nationals, I apologize for not returning your efforts to get in touch. Bottom line, I came, I swam, I froze, and I DNF'ed.

To start from the beginning, I spent the month leading up to the race immersed in work. A combination of incredible growth of the program (a good thing) with an online malfunction during our registration week (a BAD thing) made for a lot of stress and time spent in the office during the weeks before my trip. Ergo, not a lot of time spent on the bike, run or in the pool. But I spent the weekend before leaving for Vegas with my Pedal Shop team at Wintergreen, and thanks to Dharma, Chris and Sellers, ended up getting in about 48 quality, challenging miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Was climbing well and legs felt good...apparently this "less training" thing was paying off in dividends at the end of the season! Some PRBs at the Claman's afterwards, and then it was home and off to Vegas the next morning.

Interbike rocked. Rode both Monday and Tuesday at Dirt Days, trying out every bike I could get my hands on. Got back to the hotel on Tuesday night only to find out that my mtn bike, which I had shipped the Friday before with GUARANTEED delivery for the following Friday, was lost somewhere in Idaho and was now scheduled to arrive the Monday AFTER the race. Hmm. That's not going to help me at all, especially since the bike is a critical part of my RACE! I then spent Wed-Fri cruising the trade show floor looking at more bikes, components, nutrition and apparel than one could possibly want to (seriously...try it). Made the rounds to a few of my favorite companies from Dirt Days trying to score a a sweet ride to take with me to Tahoe. Finally ended up sweet talking the Specialized folks who hooked me up with Garth, their roving demo guy, who was conveniently driving the truck of demo bikes to Tahoe! AWESOME! Back to enjoying Vegas...met some really cool people, made it to some sweet parties (including Sinclair, also attended by Mario Cipollini) and all in all enjoyed myself tremendously, despite the impending race-on-a-bike-I've-never-ridden.

On Friday, I hopped a puddle-jumper from Vegas to Reno with friend Scud and Bob Russel of XTERRA gear. Frank, Stacey and Vergil kindly picked me up from the airport and we made our way up, up, up the mountain to Incline Village. I watched the temperature gage continue to drop to a frigid 32 degrees. I started to get nervous...last weather.com report I had checked before I left VA had predicted temps in the 70s on race day. Yikes. Saturday morning I picked up my sweet new ride (Specialized Safire (http://www.cyclesurgery.com/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/1026579/groupID/1/categoryID/75/v/76c0ddc1-2a56-4dde-b55e-fb73da4eda9d 1-2a56-4dde-b55e-fb73da4eda9d) and got in a 20 minute ride with the ODC (Old Dirty Core group). Climbing was a challenge as the 1600 ft change of altitude made it difficult to breath. But as Vergil mentioned, being out of breath here was just like being out of breath at home...except it happened sooner and was harder to recover from. Saturday night was the Dinner of Champions and I was humbled when I looked around the room and realized the group that I had come here to race against. Will Kelsay (pro) who had won Rocky Gap was crowned Mr. XTERRA, which was exciting. I give Scott Scudamore 2 years before he wins the title.

Race morning was, in a word, frigid. Now, yes....I'm a New England girl, skier...and should be used to cold weather. I don't know if it is the 10 years spent below the Mason-Dixon line, or the change in body type, but I get cold REALLY easily. Combined with Reynauds Disease (poor circulation to the extremeties), and I'm much happier in the Caribbean than the North Pole. Riding to the transition area in the morning, it was a brisk 30-32 degrees. As I set up my transition area, I had to laugh at myself. My transition clinics preach minimalism, bringing only what you NEED to your T1/T2. Looking down at my towel, I had two pairs of sneakers, socks, two hats, gloves, a camelback, two jerseys, arm warmers, long sleeve jersey and sunglasses. It looked like I had packed for two or three racers. But I had NO idea how warm or cold I'd be when I came out of the water, not to mention the temperature drop at the summit of the climb on the bike was probably 10 degrees.

I felt really good on my warm-up run and enjoyed the warmth...for the time being. 15 minutes were spent wriggling into my new Zoot Zenith, and since I didn't have a neoprene cap, I put on two swim caps, hoping to retain a little more heat. The sun finally came up and indeed, in the direct sunlight, it was warm. But in the shade or in the wind, it was COLD. The walk down to the water was all shaded...and I was freezing again by the time I dipped my toes in Lake Tahoe. I went for a quick warm-up swim, and honestly, the water did not feel THAT cold. Race day temp was probably 57, but no more than 58. Stood on the beach for the mass start with local stud Sarah Hanson and friend/client Stacey Torjak, nervous....but ready. The 90 second count down took forever, but when the cannon fired, I was gone. Dove in and found some open water almost immediately, only to realize that it was because I was behind everyone else. Hands and feet went numb (Reynaud's) almost immediately, but it wasn't painful. I felt like I was swimming fine for about the first 2-3 minutes...and then my lungs shut down. My face was freezing and I couldn't breath. I treaded water and tried to breast stroke (to at least move forward) and catch my breath, but it wasn't coming back. I looked in front of me and the pack just seemed to be inching away. Still, I couldn't catch my breath and suddenly, I felt my body chilled to the bone. It was really frightening and I actually started to cry (the first time of many that day). Note to future racers: crying only worsens your inability to breath.

Almost immediately I heard a familiar voice next to me...it was my good friend and training partner Vergil. I was shocked to see him, as Vergil has become a really fast swimmer and I expected him to be in the pack that was still inching further and further away. Vergil seemed to be having about as much fun in the water as I was, and also seemed to be having trouble breathing. Knowing how tough he's become, I wanted to see him rock this race...and that meant finishing the swim. We worked our way to the first of two turn buoys, talking each other through it and keeping each other from waving over the kayaks. Once to the buoy I actually felt better, but knew I needed to start putting my face in and truly swimming if I was going to make it through this leg. I returned to swimming freestyle and felt ok (but cold), and a swimmer in a red cap passed me. Convinced it was Vergil (and psyched that he was feeling better), I just kept putting one arm in front of the other...making my way slowly to the second turn buoy and then in towards shore. About halfway between the last buoy and the shore, I entered what had to be the COLDEST spot in the entire lake. So cold, it physically took my breath away...again. My inner core felt even colder at this point and looking back, it was probably the beginning of the end of my day. When I finally made it to shore (21 minutes to swim 1 loop - 750yds), Kahuna Dave asked me if I was ok. My feet felt like I was walking on glass shards, and I couldn't feel my fingers, but I really wanted to fight through it and finish. I had definitely had panic attacks in that water before, and had always been able to psychologically work through it. I figured it was probably just something that I needed to keep pushing though and then, just like with the panic attacks, I would hit my stride and the swim would be over before I knew it. So back into the water I went (this time it actually felt warm compared to the air...if that tells you how little my body had warmed up during the swim) and I again attempted to swim freestyle. My muscles still felt fresh...I wasn't panicking and desperately trying to swim strong. This time, though, it felt like I was constantly doing the fist drill (swimming with your hands balled in a fist), but at least I was moving forward, however slowly. At some point during the next 200 yards, I saw a swimmer pass me and realized I was now the LAST swimmer in the water. Now I know I'm not fast, but I've certainly never been the LAST swimmer. Normally, this would mess up my head, but I was so against quitting that I tried not to let it get to me. I actually heard myself say, "you've got to catch that group, or else the sharks are going to pick you off as the slow, sick one." Um....yeah. Guess my brain was getting a little chilly, too. About 200 yards out from the shore on my second lap, I felt my body shut even further down. I could no longer put my face in the water because I couldn't catch my breath fast enough. I tried to swim on my side (to keep my face out of the water), but became completely disoriented and couldn't figure out which direction the buoy was in. Flipped onto my back, and only made things worse. I tried swimming freestyle with my head out of the water, but couldn't feel my arms enough to know if I was even pulling any water. (I can only imagine what kind of entertainment I was for the guys in kayaks!). I started shivering, and then crying again, and then truly had to face the fact that I was done for the day. I thought about the effort and energy my body was putting into trying to stay warm, and knew that even if I did make it out of the swim, I was going to be in NO shape to climb up that mountain on my bike for 3 miles. I started looking around for a kayak or jet skier. Since I was the last swimmer in the water, they were already pretty close. The jet skier found me first, hauling aboard a sobbing, cold, pathetic version of myself that I hope never to see again. I got a ride back to shore and was met by Janet, President of XTERRA, who treated me like her own daughter; hugged me, calmed me down and stood with me for about 10 minutes saying nothing but encouraging words and making sure I was getting warm and not getting too down on myself. Considering I was not the only one to leave the water that day with a DNF, I was shocked at how much time she spent with me. THAT is something that would NEVER happen at a road tri. A few minutes later I saw Vergil, who had also suffered the effects of the cold water/altitude. While I was really sad to see him (knowing he, too, had had to DNF), I did feel a sense of relief that I wasn't in this alone...and that at the end of the day, someone else would know EXACTLY how I felt. Verg and I made the lonely march back to transition, gathered up our stuff and bundled up in as many layers as we could find. Spent the rest of the day cheering the rest of our friends across the finish line. Congrats to Eric, Frank, Frasketi, Rich and Scud for rising to the challenge and racing THEIR races. Special congrats to Stacey...in her first Nationals race, during her first year of true XTERRA racing, and crossing the finish line after the longest, toughest, most grueling athletic event of her life. I am so proud of her!

We partied like rock stars on Sunday night with the rest of the racers and XTERRA staff and at least wrapped up the day on a high note. I won't lie....the disappointment and frustration hurts like nothing else. It is difficult NOT to focus on the time, effort and money spent on training and traveling to Miami, Richmond and Rocky Gap to qualify for this race, or to race as many mountain bike races as I could all summer...or the sacrifices made along the way to ensure I was ready to join the other athletes in Incline Village. It is a situation I hope that I am never in again, but I know that if not for the support of the friends I had with me in Tahoe, I would not have had the strength to keep my chin up and move on in a positive direction. There is too much else good in my life to focus on ONE race on ONE day, even if it is a National Championship that I worked all year for. There IS always next year and if not...there is always another race. I have had to take solace in the fact that I EARNED a spot toeing that line in Tahoe...regardless of how I finished. Things happen and we all have bad days. To quote my favorite mountain biker, Sue Haywood, "I'm sure that in some way this makes me a better person. But, God, there's got to be another way I could have become a better person..."

The last day in Tahoe was spent with friends, hiking around Emerald Bay, discussing training trips and plans for the winter and next year and just enjoying each other's company and the beautiful views. After discussing it with my coach, I decided to not waste the fitness I had saved up, and tapered for Tahoe...and wrap up the season with one, final tri. So at the end of the month, I'll be packing up my gear and my tri bike and flying it to Tempe, AZ in hopes of ending the season on a high note. And no, I will NOT be using UPS :)

See all photos from the weekend: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96569096@N00/

Annapolis Triathlon

2007-09-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

So first things first...in response to a phew comments from readers (Ahem, Frank), I've decided to change the title of my blog, since I clearly do not swim as much as I used to. Originally it was more of a saying than a tribute to my triathlon training, but regardless....time to switch it up.

This past weekend was the Inaugural running of the Annapolis Triathlon. I had originally signed up for this race with grand expectations to train specifically to do really well here. But as the summer progressed, a few obstacles began to pop up in the way of my motivation: chronic shoulder injury, sprained ankle, and the love of my mountain bike. So basically, since July, my training consisted of a lot of rest and a lot of cycling. Not ideal when getting ready to race a TRIATHLON. My attitude going into the weekend was poor...I was pretty well convinced that I was getting ready to put up my slowest Olympic distance numbers of my tri career. That is, if I didn't DNF on the run.

Pre-Race:

I spent all day Saturday training coaches for GOTR, so I was on the road up to Annapolis by 5pm. Thanks to Vergil and Eric, who picked up my packet, switched out my wheels, passed inspection and racked my bike by 7pm. And thanks to Vergil's boss, Bill, who let Laura B and I camp out on his boat (aka yacht). That's a pre-race first!

Race Day:

Woke up at 4:00am (ouch) and was on the road by 4:30. With only one road leading into the Naval Academy Stadium (parking and T2), we were sure there would be traffic. All was clear when we arrived, but not 15 minutes later, there was a LONG line of traffic waiting to get in. Good thing for anal planning.

Set up T2 and was on the shuttle down to the waterfront by 5:45am. Set up T1, got into my wetsuit (always a fun thing) and then settled down to wait for my 7:35 wave. Was still incredibly nervous, but calmed down a bit when I heard from a number of sources that the jellyfish had finally left the area we were swimming in. YAY! One less thing to freak out about (still left the sharks though....hmmm). Before I knew it, my wave of ladies, 14-29 was making its way down to the launch dock. As I was getting my watch ready, I heard one of the most familiar voices I've come to recognize from my races this summer....Dharma! She and Chris Scott were in a double kayak just to the right of the swim start. Girl, you're a rock star! My nerves immediately vanished and I was excited for the race...finally. My friends had come out to support me. SO cool.

Swim:

After a quick analysis of the swim course, I lined up all the way to the right of the pack, so I'd have a clean shot at the first buoy, and hopefully avoid the fray of arms, legs and neoprene...at least for the first 30 seconds. The gun sounded and we were off....and I was SHOCKED at how my start positioning allowed me to get out in front of the pack, FAST. It wasn't long though, before the rest of the group caught up to me and I began the full-body-contact that is a triathlon swim start. Did my best to hold my own and keep a strong stroke, while being kick, punched, and swum over. The rest of the swim was rather uneventful. I honestly expected to loose all steam about 1/4 of the way through (convinced I'd lost all swim endurance since I hadn't been to masters' practice in what,.....2 months?), but was pleasantly surprised that I felt pretty strong the entire swim. I came out of the water almost exactly in the middle of my Age Group....and faster than I'd planned for! Sweet!

Transition #1:

I really wish they gave out premiums for transitions. Clearly an athletic sport...getting out of the wetsuit and putting on your helmet are big parts of the event and require lots of training! :) I've been teased about being proud of being fast in transition, but if you look at how close finish times are at the end of the race, it's obvious that saving those few extra seconds, or even minutes, in transition is a big deal. The clock is still running! Get in and get out! I was out on my bike in just over 1 min 30 sec, which was good for 8th fastest T1 of all the women.

Bike:

Clearly, this was where the last month-and-a-half of training paid off. Felt great on the bike and LOVED the course. Just enough rollers to make it interesting and one pretty tough, short climb about half way through the separated the men from the boys. MTB training coming through in the clutch! I started the bike in 44th place, and was back to the stadium in 13th place....so I was psyched. Having zero confidence that my ankle was going to allow me to have a good run, I figured I'd just bike as hard as I could and see what happened (rather than the typical hold-back-a-bit-for-the-run technique). My legs were hurting, but I felt fast and strong...and was still having fun. Bonus!

Transition #2:

Again quick in, and quick out...this time in just over a minute (and good enough for 6th fastest overall woman. See? I wasn't joking about being competitive about my T-times!)

Run:

I have no idea where my run came from. I have not been running. I don't really enjoy running, and I was fully aware that there is NO substitute for run training. You don't get faster unless you get out there and train. And when you don't, you're slow AND it hurts. I knew I had no one to blame but myself for the pain, so I just gritted my teeth and put one foot in front of the other. The first 1.5 miles of the run consisted of a bunch of loops in around the parking lot of the Navy Stadium, which allowed for a number of connections with Dharma and Chris. If not for them, my attitude would have definitely plummeted at this point...since the run is where I tend to hurt the most. But every time I turned a corner and heard Dharma, I couldn't help but smile!

Once we were outside the stadium and away from the crowds, it got tougher. The pavement was more cement-like (harder on your knees) and there were no mile markers, so I really had no idea how far I'd gone. I came up on an Annapolis Triathlon Club member that I'd met a few times at the lectures I'd done for them, and ended up running nearly the rest of the run with him. Tor was setting a great pace (thanks to his marathon training), and having someone to chat with made the time go by a lot quicker. He also was keeping tabs of the predicted mileage on his watch, so it was great to have a sense of distance traveled. The course took us to the Severn River bridge....where we went up (ouch) and then turned around to just come right back down. Now that was just cruel. :)

On our way back to the stadium I lost Tor, (who had to stop and stretch his calf) and as the walls of the stadium got closer, I looked at my watch, for the first time processing what the numbers meant. I was going to finish in under 2:45. My predicted time had been 3:00-3:15. "Must have been a fast course", I figured. The finish was VERY cool....we entered the stadium through the Midshipmen entrance and ran straight to the finish, which was on the 50 yard line. Huge video of the finish was being broadcast on both jumbo-trons on either side of the stadium.

I was happy to be finished, and immediately went to my car to change into clean (and dry) clothes. Stuck around to watch all our Principle Fitness studs and Studettes claim their places on the podium, and then had a great lunch and beer with Dharma and Chris. It wasn't until I got home and checked the results did any sense of success really sink in. I was pretty sure that finishing around 50% of the field was going to be a good time. I'm totally psyched about this race....and was really happy I did it. Now just imagine if I had trained! :)

Final Results:

Swim: 33:22

T1: 1:37

Bike: 1:10:32 (20.1 mph)

T2: 1:07

Run: 55:03

Final: 2:41:37.75

14th of 80 in my Age Group (25-29)

All a bunch of monkeys...

2007-08-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend finished up the 4-race Cranky Monkey Series. The last two races, at Fountain Head and Quantico Marine Base, were far from my best, but days in the saddle nonetheless. I have to admit, sometimes it IS beneficial to practice feeling totally crappy out there, and having to dig through that to finish. And NOT DNF'ing the last two races was enough to place me 4th overall in the series points which, considering the depth of the Women's Sport class this summer, was a success in and of itself. I'll definitely stick around in Sport for a few more seasons, while I look forward to watching some of my teammates move up to Expert.

I have to say that being a part of the Pedal Shop/ODBC women's team has been one of the best experiences of the racing season. About 5 miles into the 18 miles course at Quantico, I was ready to give up the ghost. I was committed to finishing the first 9 mile lap and nothing more...content with calling it a day and quitting my first race, ever. I came up on my friend and teammate, Amy, who was also having a rough go at it, and we commiserated the rest of the first lap, both agreeing to quit after 9 miles and not judge the other for dropping out. For whatever reason, we both sailed through the start/finish area without pulling off to the side, and before we knew it, we were already another 5 miles into the second lap. We rode the rest of the course together, pulling each other up the climbs and cruising the descents, keeping each other motivated and our minds off of the frustration over not having a great day on the trails (note: Amy usually wins these races...she's extremely talented, but also been training her butt off for next weekend's SM100 mtb race). I am convinced that I would not have finished without Amy's support, and coming into the start/finish for the last time, we both agreed that this race, while performance-wise our most disappointing, was definitely the most fun and a great way to end the season. Because if you can't rely on your teammates...who can you rely on?

We are now 4 weeks 'till Tahoe, and I'm doing my best to stay focused on my training. I have the Annapolis Triathlon in two weeks, still have not been able to run since Rocky Gap, and can't seem to get myself out of bed for swim practice more than once a month. Not a great start! On the flip side, I have been spending mucho time-o on the bike, so I hope that will pay off on the relentlessly hilly Tahoe course.

Feeling Cranky...but otherwise, FANTASTIC!

2007-08-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

I can not believe we are already halfway through August. Where the heck did the summer go?

Work has been a tad bit crazy with the unexpected departure of friend and Program Manager, Tiffany. The majority of the work drops onto my lap, so I'm trying to figure out a way to juggle, basically, two positions without going completely insane.

The ankle is doing better, but I still am not 100% to run on it yet. Certainly a detriment to triathlon training, but the flip side is that I've been spending a lot more time in the saddle...and I really think that will help in Tahoe. From what I hear, the bike course is not nearly as technical as the stuff here in the East, but has some INSANELY long climbs. Time to keep building the engine!

On the racing front, the Cranky Monkey Series is back in full swing! The first two races, both at Wakefield, were a nice change up to the tri-specific races or the short Wednesday at Wakefield series.

Cranky #1
July 29, 2007

Wakefield

18 miles XC

2:01:59

All I can say about this race is thank goodness it was not as hot as last year! Still a bit steamy at 85 degrees...it was a far cry from the 90+ heat we had in '06 for this series. Overall a good race and an extremely strong field of women sport riders. Placed in the top half with a 7th spot finish, but felt as though I should have been able to go harder and faster. My biggest struggle right now is finding the balance between my road strength and becoming more confident with the technical sections. Practice, practice, practice....or so the saying goes. But no crashes and the berms successfully completed on all three laps!

Cranky #2

August 2, 2007

Wakefield

Dirt Crit - 45 minutes

5 laps

Another warm day for this, my favorite EX2 mountain bike race...the Dirt Crit. The format of this race is simple: you have 45 minutes to complete as many laps on the 1.5 mile course that you can. Sounds easy, right? It's a full 45 minutes of red-lining, hard effort, and fighting for your place in the pack. Even if that means the rider isn't even in your class!

I was able to get off to a great start at this race and sit behind my friend, Liza, in 5th for 3 laps. Halfway through the 4th lap, Liza let me pass her and I felt the best I'd ever felt in a MTB race so far this season. I was climbing the powerlines strong and holding my own coming down the berms. The other women in my class were riding strong, too, though....so it was all I could do to stay steady and hold my place. Coming into the 5th and final lap, I started up the powerline climbs for the last time. By this time in the day, the hills were very sandy, dry and gutted...and the line was really only clean enough for one rider, unless both riders were actively trying to keep the pass safe. Still in 4th and stoked for my first Ex2 podium of the season, I feel a rider coming up on my left. Without warning, he tries to pass me just before the crest of the second powerline hill and, for whatever reason (bad positioning, bad line, fear of biffing or just plan aggressiveness), he leans to his right and sticks his shoulder into me. (see photo!) Caught off guard and still trying to hold my line, my back wheel slips in the sand and I go down. The rider keeps going, along with Liza (then in 5th), and I lose 20 seconds regrouping and getting back on my bike. I finish just behind Liza, still make the podium, and feel lucky that I didn't re-injure my ankle in the fall. I just hope that Sport rider felt satisfied with his 13th place finish!

It was great to share the podium with my friends and teammates, and overall, was pleased with the day. A perfect end to the day was helping out at the water aid station for the expert race, and making sure the guys racing at 12pm were properly hydrated, in an out! :)

On the non-racing front, I've been doing my best to stay busy, hang out with friends, and make new ones! Lots of group rides at Fountain Head to get ready for the next Cranky Monkey, a perfect night watching Casablanca under the stars on the Mall, and an emotional rendition of the 1812 Overture (complete with cannons!) next to the Washington Monument. In a word, things are.....fantastic :)

Pedal Shop Chicks Sweep Wakefield!

2007-07-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

The final Wednesday as Wakefield was an exciting way to end the series!

I only got to race twice this summer in the 4 race series, due to other commitments. The previous race (1st in the series) was a disappointment when I broke my chain on the first lap. I went into this one still nursing my sprained ankle, but just looking to finish and get in a good workout. Famous last words coming from an uber-competitive type-A, right?

The two other Pedal Shop/Old Dominion girls in my class (Kat and Amy) are wicked fast, so I knew I would never be able to ride with them. After climbing the cruel hill at the start of the race I stayed on their wheels as long as I could, but lost them before the end of the river trail. Was able to hold onto 3rd through the first lap, which was cool because then I thought we could sweep the class (there were two more riders behind me). Coming out of the river trail on the second loop, I get passed by the then 4th place rider, so now I'M in 4th and I basically give in, figuring I'll hold my pace and I've probably already put a pretty good distance between me and 5th...I'll just sit in and try not to come in last. It wasn't even 10 minutes later before I start hearing gears switching and chains banging behind me; I look over my shoulder to see the next girl RIGHT there. Oh crap! No more being lazy! I spend the 2nd half of the 2nd lap working harder than I planned to ride to stay in front of her, and by the end of the 2nd lap, I can't see her anymore and figure I again must have a pretty good lead. As soon I come around into the start of the third lap (right as you duck into the single track), my teammate Lewis, who wasn't racing, tells me I've only got 21 seconds to 3rd place and to ride my ass off. Of course, that's really all I need to light the fire, and off I go. So now it's getting dark and I'm having trouble seeing in the woods, which made it all a little scary (those roots will come up out of nowhere!). The 5th place girl is on me the entire lap and it's all I can do to stay ahead of her. We yo-yo'ed the entire 3rd lap; I felt like I was riding for my life...after all that effort, I did NOT want to come in last! She's RIGHT there when we come into the woods by 495 for the last 2-3 minutes of single track, and I know if I biff or miss anything, she's going to have an opportunity to shoot around me. Of course, we have that lovely creek crossing there at the end (and what I consider the hardest technical section on the course)...right before we get to it, we pass the 3rd place girl with a mechanical. Not exactly the way I wanted to pass her, but hey, that's mountain bike racing. So now I'm in third, and going for the sweep....4th is still right on my butt going into the creek. I get up and around the tight switch-back pretty clean...but man, she's still right there, so I have to throw it in the dog and just crank as hard as I can through the last hundred feet and to the road to sprint to the finish line. It was crazy. Didn't intend to ride that hard, and certainly went faster than I ever have on that course. Ankle is a little swollen and sore, but otherwise, holding up fine!

Nothing like Tahoe in September

2007-07-19T10:04:00.001-07:00

It's official! I've been invited to XTERRA Nationals in Tahoe!

Rocky Gap.....Footnote

2007-07-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

What a weekend.

For those faithful few who remember last year's report of my crash (and DNF) at the Rocky Gap XTERRA triathlon, you will appreciate this race report. If not, feel free to read that report first...

Prologue:
As mentioned in my previous post, I was racing here to score point in order to qualify for Nationals. Top 15 score points. 18 women in my AG. Top 10 at the end of the season get an invite to Tahoe (Nats). Currently ranked 2nd in region. NOT finishing here or finishing out of the top 15 would force me to possibly have to race again in August to solidify a slot to Nationals. I did not finish this race last year.

Pre-race:
Camping has become my race lodging of choice lately, as it is MUCH cheaper as well as much more fun when done with friends. I headed out to Rocky Gap State Park on Saturday, arriving with enough time to check in, set up camp and get in a ride on the course with friends Stacey and Vergil. The race course is split into four basic sections: ~2 miles of road, technical rock gardens, ~2 miles of technical climbing and a sweet, fast, smooth single track. To save our legs, we rode everything except the climbs, and I felt great. The second time through the river trail, I took it up to race pace and felt the best I'd ever felt between speed and balance around the tight corners. Last year's pre-ride had left me gasping for air on the climbs and feeling severely nervous about the race...finally having some confidence was a bonus.
Dinner back at the campsite was pot-luck and consisted of my Cape Cod salad and the famous Febbraro Baked Ziti (Italians know how to do it up right!). Was pretty tired from the drive, ride, and a busy week, so I was in the tent, asleep around 10.

Race Day:
An already emotional day being the 5-year anniversary of my mom's unexpected death, I did my best to get my game face on early. Best pre-race music? Rob Zombie's "Dragula" and Fort Minor's "Remember the Name". At 8:45, we were lined up in the coral ready for the gun.

Swim:
Having been to the pool at most 4 times in the last 2 months (and still healing from a chronic shoulder tear), I had intended to go out easy in the swim. I hit the water in the middle of the wave, and felt good, so I pushed hard enough to hold my place. The swim was smooth, with the most contact fighting our way around the buoys. Only got kicked in the face once when some guy in front of me decided to switch to the breast stroke, but goggles stayed in place and it wasn't too bad. Two loops of 600m made the swim, and I believe I actually had the exact same time as last year. Oh well. Shoulder felt good, didn't feel tired...time to hit the trail.

Bike:
This course is two - seven mile loops and is rocky and technical as all get-out. We do get a bit of a reprieve with some road sections, except that we still climb a fair amount. The road being my strength, I used the first section to pass some women in my AG that I'd lost time on the swim to, and managed to pull ahead of 2 before heading onto the trail. Hit the first rocky section with a lot of confidence, maybe too much, and felt like I was picking great lines and keeping a good pace. Things change quickly in mountain biking. I was behind a few guys that I wanted to pass and thought there was a clean line on the low side of the trail, through two trees, that I could ride to get around them. As I rode the line, my rear wheel slipped in the loose dirt and my bike leaned slightly off-balance. To try to stop myself from going over, I unclipped my right (downhill) foot, and tried tobrace myself. Because I was on a slope, my foot buckled underneath me, and I crumpled to the right, jacking my ankle underneath my frame. With the line of racers behind me, all I could do was stay on the ground and try to pull my bike off the course. My first thought was that I was done...my ankle was in excruciating pain and I wanted to cry. Immediate flashback to last year, and I found myself talking to myself, primarily repeating: "You've GOT to be kidding me. Not again." I hadn't been on my bike for 10 minutes yet! Racer after racer passed me, and concentrating on the pain kept me from looking for, or caring about, the ages on the calves of the women that went by. I stood up on my good foot, braced myself against two trees, and decided to wait out the initial shock of pain. I desperately wanted to finish the race, and in that moment, pleaded with my mom for the strength. After what seemed like 30 minutes, I felt myself coming around and could at least put some weight down on the other leg. With a break in the pack of riders, I decided to try clipping back onto my bike and see what I could do in the saddle. Surprisingly, there was absolutely no pain when I pedaled, and even with speed, I felt good. I was off again, and by the end of the first lap was able to pass back a good number of riders who'd passed me while I lay on the side of the trail. Second loop felt even better and reeled in even more women in my age group on the climbs. Was only off my bike on the nastiest climb (Evitt's Revenge), and during the second lap, finally started to feel soreness in my ankle as I picked my way over the rough terrain. Was NOT looking forward to the run, and at that point was not even sure whether or not I would be able to finish. 5 miles on technical trail is a long way to run, but an even longer way to walk. I finished the bike to see most of my teammates already done with the race (Congrats to Eric for the win, Damian for an amazing 3rd place finish (and 2nd Xterra!), and Frank and Pierre for equally impressive results!), and rolled into T2 in a foul mood. I did not want to be the type of racer who needed the world to know how injured I was, so I just kept to myself as I switched gears from the bike - t0 - run. Poor Frank tried to offer me encouragement to stay positive, and I grumbled something back NOT very positive about my ankle. Sorry Frank!

Run:
I wasn't even a half-mile into the run and I felt myself already down to energy fumes. Having an already sensitive stomach makes it very difficult to fuel myself properly for shorter distance triathlons. I have to be very careful to only ingest water in the last 10-15 minutes of the bike, and I can't take any gatorade or gels on the run. The most challenging part about this is finding a way to get calories in, and most of the time, I try to run on whatever I've got left over from the bike. I did a poor job of eating on the bike, and paid for it on the run. My ankle was definitely sore, but my biggest inhibitor at the moment was my energy level. I came up on my friend Keri, who told me when we were about 1.7 miles into the run. Hey, might as well put one foot in front of the other...and finish. The first 3 miles of the run are on the bike course, traveling through the rock gardens and then climbing up Evitt's revenge. After 3 miles, the tank was empty. The 4th mile was a super steep downhill into a ravine; barely runable because of the steep, rocky downhill. This section is, of course, followed up an uphill, which is a hand-over-hand climb out of the ravine. Given the incredibly uneven terrain, my ankle felt the worst here. After the climb out, there was 1/4 mile of flat trail and 1 mile of road to the finish. Adrenaline kept me going to the finish line, but i had nothing left for any final burst towards the tape. Almost immediately after crossing the line, my ankle was searing with pain and I saw my friend and race volunteer, Tyler, who was amazing and made sure I found the medic to look at my ankle. Michael came to see how I was doing, but I was in a pretty bad way by that point.

Hobbled my way back to the Principle Fitness tent to have Dr. Kathy look at the ankle. After a little ART (active release technique) - very painful -, she determined it was either broken or a very bad sprain. (Saw Dr. K again this morning - not a break, but a Grade 2 sprain. Not MTBing for a week, and hopefully things will heal quickly).

No idea what my finish place was, but finishing definitely scored me points and most likely, solidified my ticket to Tahoe. I know that it's not always a good idea to push through pain, especially if could cause more damage, but when properly motivated, I guess a lot can be overcome. Fortunately, this wasn't too serious an injury and I'm proud of myself for putting my head down and getting the job done. Props to Vergil and Stacey, my training partners, who also "did work" out there yesterday. And to Stacey for her sprint-to-the-finish to hold off the next Age Grouper. Nice work!

I'm off to North Carolina for work tomorrow, and resting the ankle this week.

Out from underneath that darn rock....

2007-07-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

OK, OK....I know. I have been a total slacker about keeping up with this, and you've all let me know. It hasn't been an entire year yet, but close.

News:

Work: GOTR is still going strong. Got invited to the White House! I watched my latest group of Taylor-ettes "graduate" from elementary school in June. Moving up and out was Catherine, who I've now been coaching for 6 season/3 years. I am so proud of the young lady she is becomming, and will absolutely miss her and the other rising 6th graders next year when they head to middle school!

Coaching: Slowly expanding my clientelle, but also trying to be picky. Since coaching is not my full-time job, I need to make sure that I match well with my athletes. Received my USA Cycling coaching certification this week, so I know that will help in working with pure cyclists as well as the biking component of triathlon.

Racing: Picked up a new tri bike in the off-season. Love my K-Factor! My first full carbon fiber frame. Working at a bike shop is a bonus...used the money I saved on the bike to hook myself up with some fancy race wheels (Zipp 606). Funny thing is, I'll probably race more on my mountain bike this year than on the tri, but it's a great bike for training on the road.

My big goal this year is to qualify for and compete at XTERRA Nationals at Lake Tahoe in September. It is definitely a two-pronged goal, as qualifying is not as difficult as it is for USAT Nationals. Instead of only taking athletes who place within a certain percentage of their races, it's a points-based system. Top 15 are awarded points at each official XTERRA, and top three races are scored. To qualify for Nationals, ONE of those three has to be in the region where you live. The most points per race is 75 except at the 5 Regional Championships, where the points start at 100. Athletes are ranked based on points and at the end of the season, the top 10 women in my Age Group (25-29) in my region (Mid Atlantic) are invited to XTERRA Nationals. Right now I am ranked 2nd with two races scored. My third race is this weekend up at Rocky Gap State Park. Scoring points here will solidify my slot to Nationals.

The second part of the goal is to compete. As mentioned, chasing points is a game, and those athletes with the most point aren't always the best in class. (I am certainly not the 2nd best XTERRA female, 25-29 in my region.) So while I can get the slot to Nationals, I want to be able to go there and have a good showing. Thus, my training has been kicked up and I'm hoping to really hit it hard for the next two months to get ready.

Life: Just spent a relaxing week in West Virginia. It rained a ton, so didn't get in much training (photo is misleading). It was definitely nice to spend some quality time, recharging the batteries and getting ready to hit the ground running for the rest of the summer.

On the Road....

2006-08-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

All this Mountain Biking doesn't mean that I've left my tri bike for dead.
The Core Group got together again on Saturday for a ride out to Maryland and back. Good times! Vive la Core!

The Monkey gets Cranky again!

2006-08-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

The second race in the Cranky Monkey MTB series was at Wakefield (again) this past Sunday. Fortunately, the crazy heat we've been having had broken and it was quite pleasant racing weather. This race was in the style of a crit (short for criterium), which for non-cycling fans, is a fancy way of saying "going around in circles over and over again". The course is a 1.5 mile loop, and my class had 30 minutes to complete as many laps as we could, plus one lap after. Positioning is SO important in a race like this, and I blew it from the start. But I settled in and sat back on the wheel of a girl I race against a lot. With one lap left to go, I knew that if I wanted to get in front of her, I would have to do it before the two big climbs. She was getting me on the downhills, but climbing is my strength, and I knew the only place I could try to lose her was on the climb. There was a long section of jeep trail in the middle of the loop, and that was only chance I was going to get to pass her. I red-lined it for about 3 minutes (red-line: go as hard as you can), got passed her, and tried to put as much space in between us as possible. MTBing is as much about the mental game as it is about positioning. If you can get far enough in front of your competitor so that you're actually out of sight, you have a better chance at staying out in front of them. Being able to see the person you're trying to chase down is a HUGE motivator. I was able to hold my position to complete the lap, and finish in 4th. I was very happy with this result.

More MTB madness

2006-08-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

I finished last Wednesday's MTB race looking as though I'd just gone swimming in all of my biking clothes. Come to think of it, I think I began the race looking the same way. It was HOT. I finally felt as though I was able to put some of my skills learned to use....and finished 3rd in the race (bigger field than last week). The points earned that night secured a 2nd place finish in the series...and my first ever trip to a real podium! Many thanks for friends Stacey, Frank and Michael for being great cheerleaders!

Fiona!

2006-08-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Went to Wolftrap on Monday night with new friends Laura and Geoff to see Fiona Apple (www.fiona-apple.com). Very cool music, but very angry girl! The best part of the night was getting there early with a picnic dinner and just hanging out. It's been a lot of fun getting to know and be friends with people through triathlon, but then finding things in common to do outside the sport.

Two Visits to Wakefield

2006-08-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

The heat....what else is there to say? It's HOT!! You step outside and start to sweat. It's so attractive.

This past week has been exciting. My second race at Wakefield was actually the 3rd race in the series (I missed the 2nd when I was in San Diego). The heat must have driven the women's field away, because only 3 of us showed up. The surprised us by announcing, while we were sitting at the start line, that the course would be run backwards. Which was great for me, because it meant I didn't have to go up that gnarly hill at the beginning. No, instead there was an equally gnarly hill to go up on the other side of the course. Great. I put my head down and got ready to climb. Scud sounded the siren and we were off...and I lead the group of three up the first hill and onto the course. It was exciting to lead, but I let the pressure get to me and biffed on a tight turn, allowing Lynn to pass me. I held up second and finished there, only 2 minutes behind Lynn and 5 minutes in front of 3rd. I'm pleased with this finish, as it also scored me some series points that puts me in second place going into tonight's race.

Over the weekend, I joined up with the Principle Fitness Core Group and rode 56 miles out from DC into Maryland. What an awesome group! I don't think I've covered 56 miles that quickly, even in a race! It was great getting in some hill work on the road, as that fitness certainly transfers to the trail as well.

Sunday it was back to Wakefield for the long-awaited, many times post-poned, Cranky Monkey Mountain Bike Series Race #1! 12 miles of Wakefield trails....in 85 degree weather....sweet. This time the female field was a bit deeper, with 14 starters. And guess what? We got to climb my favorite hill at the start! Woo hoo! Ugh. Head down, gun goes off, and we ride. To my surprise, I am the first one up the hill and out onto the road, heading towards the trail head 1/4 mile away. However, in order to get onto the trail, you must first jump the curb (with your bike). I'd practiced this maybe 5 times the day before, so I'm thinking, I've got this. Then I look up and see my friend Frank and beloved Michael standing right next to the curb. I get nervous, take the corner too tight and miss the curb, falling over and losing the lead. Eh, it happens. Back on my bike, I battled to get back up to the front, but biffed again and let a few more women pass me. The rest of the first lap became a complete mental game. I was frustrated with myself for losing my position, and I hate playing catch up. So I fought through the lap and came out of the woods (literally), ready to hit it hard for the next 6 miles. I saw Michael again and threw my sunglasses at him (thanks, Twitch!) figuring that I was better off without them, given the sun wasn't too high yet. I made it over the curb the second time without incident and picked up speed through the "Bowl" area of the course. I saw my Coach, E, who shouted some encouraging words. As he always seems to be able to do, he knew exactly what to say to turn my mental stuggle around, letting me know that I was making up time on the women in front of me. This gave me some more confidence, and as I exited the Bowl, I saw Michael, who encouraged me in a similar way. By the end of the second loop, I'd managed to pick off one of the girls, finishing 6th overall. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to MTB racing, but I'm loving the process!

Photo Essay

2006-07-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

18 hours following my crash in Flintstone, I was on a plane headed for the West Coast. Michael's family was allowing us to stay at their house in San Diego for a much needed vacation.
Unfortunately, my road bike had been shipped before Rocky Gap, and never saw the light outside the bike box (arm muscles were too jacked-up to ride). I made it to the beach (although was unable to surf or swim), and we fit more activities into a one-week trip than I would have imagined. Instead of bore you with the details, enjoy the photo essay below....

DNF....Did Not Finish

2006-07-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

Rocky Gap was named as such for a reason.
If you don't like rocks, I don't recommend riding there.
My second XTERRA had some unexpected surprises...and in the words of Sue Haywood, "I'm sure it makes me a better person, but I'm sure there are easier ways to become a better person".
I arrived in Flintstone, MD (I kid you not) on Saturday afternoon with my coach, E. We set up camp, literally, with our friends Pierre, Dr. Kathy and Roger. And Valerie, who may just be the cutest 18 month old out there.

We pre-rode the bike course around 4pm, and it was obvious from the start that I had not fueled myself properly during the week. Never wanting to be full of excuses, I know that I had eaten poorly for a few reasons, the main one being that Saturday was the 4 year anniversary of my Mom's death, and that anniversary is always accompanied by stress and a non-appetite. So there I was, not 18 hours from the start of a race, with very little nutriution on which to build, and a tough course ahead of me. The pre-ride was tough...the trails were very rocky and the climbing took a lot out of me. But we managed one loop, and headed back to the campsite for dinner.
Many thanks to Roger and Eric for their amazing foods...camp pizza and zitti! Mmmm. The s'mores afterwards weren't too shabby either ;)

Race morning was beautiful...and then it got HOT. My swim (or shall I call it run-swim-run-swim-run) was not too bad. The format was a mass start, with all 300+ athletes charging into the water at the same time. Only here, they gave us about a 400m sprint to the water to thin out the field. Once you completed the first loop in the lake, you got out and ran another 400m back into the water for a second loop. I came out of my first loop just ahead of Dr. Kathy, so we got to swim the second loop together. It's amazing how much fun two women can have, and never say a word!

Then there was the bike. You had to complete two 7-mile loops to total 14 miles. I started out feeling ok, managed to make it through the two major rock gardens unscathed, and pushed my way through the first half without too much drama. But I could feel the energy in me draining quickly. I reached the bottom of the infamous "Emmitt's Revenge" and started grinding my way up this awful climb. (note: I don't know what Emmitt was angry about, but someone needs to get that man some therapy!) I wasn't even a 1/4 of the way up when my body just said "nope, no more". I did something I've never done in a race before...I got ready to quit. I tossed my bike to the side of the trail, and sat up on the ledge, watching all the bikers as they passed. I sat there for about 10 minutes, trying to figure out what to do. I had about 3.5 miles to go in either direction, so I had to ride. If I rode the rest of the course, I could make the decision of whether to continue once I completed the first loop. If I rode the course backwards, or at least towards the nearest Aid Station, then I'd have to quit, as it would be too late for me to change my mind. The battle ended with a very selfish reason: I didn't want to have to say "I quit". If it was going to ever DNF, it wasn't going to be because of a decision I made. Now how forebodding is that....
Back on my bike, I finished the lap and headed out on the second loop without much thought. Just get it done, was the monologue in my head. Then, all of a sudden, I started to feel great. The second time through the two rock gardens was even cleaner than the first, and I got excited. I could turn this thing around. Emmitt's Revenge forced me off my bike (as it did many riders) and I pushed my hunk of aluminum up the hill for what seemed like eternity. But with every uphill comes and equally, if not more, satisfying downhill.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. On the final descent, no more than 200 yards from the paved road that would take me back to the end of the bike course, my front wheel met an unyeilding rock that stopped her in her tracks. My bike stayed put...I, on the other hand, went sprawling over the handlebars (called an "endo") and landed not-so-delicately on my left elbow. I thought for sure I'd broken something, and it took all I had just to drag myself and my bike off the trail. The next rider to come by went for help, and I escorted myself (and my dang bike) down the rest of the hill to the road. My friend, "Scud", loaded me and my bike into his car and took me back to the finish line.

My arm was not broken, but when the swelling peaked, it did look as though I had a bone sticking out of my elbow. Bruised, cut, and sore, I got to watch some of my friends cross the finish line after putting forth brave efforts all around on what was a tough course and even hotter day. Crashes and DNFs happen to the best of us, so while I'm disappointed I didn't finish, I know there will be a next time. The silver lining? My first bike loop (which was timed) was the 4th fastest in my AG, including the 10-minute pouting session at Emmitt's Revenge! So you're saying there's potential.....

To Rocky Gap!

Getting back to my roots...

2006-07-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th!

I was lucky enough to get some time to travel home to Cape Cod for the long weekend and show Michael the East Coast. The entire trip was great, but here are some favorite memories...

Some Great Moments from Cape trip:

10. Joey Hartung's Wedding. What a party. If anyone knows how to celebrate, it's certainly these guys. Beautiful ceremony, gorgeous bride, awesome food, and the best live band ever! Plus, I think the last time I danced with my Dad, I was little enough to stand on his feet while dancing.

9. Watching "Cars" at the drive-in. One of the last remaining drive-in theaters in the country...what better movie to watch than "Cars"? Think Guido might rival me in transition speed. I need to take notes.

8. Hometown 4th of July Parade. As Michael noticed, I believe every business in town is given the opportunity to be in the parade. Including the gas company.

7. Wellfleet Road Race. Actually got to run the race with one of the girls I coach at Taylor Elementary (who's family summers on the Cape). She did awesome! 56 minutes for a 5-miler at 10 years old is pretty impressive. Congrats, Catherine!

6. Open-water swim practice. Nothing like battling the currents in the inlet to build endurance.

5. Flying tour of the Outer Cape. Many thanks to Dave Skiba for taking us up in his plane! I've never seen the Cape from the sky....what a view!

4. Mini-Golf with Danielle and Justin. I love that my high school friends are still just as cool as they were 10 years ago.

3. Bacci Ball on the beach with D & J. Not that we are competitive or anything, but after tying in mini-golf, we needed a rematch of some sort. Better than the game, though, was the run-in with the crazy women who is claiming to own a section of beach on the Cape. Good luck with that one....

2. NOT losing Michael's bike on the ride home. Broken Thule rack = bad for carbon-fiber bike.

1. Seeing family and friends. There is nothing like growing up in a small town. This trip home was just a reminder of how lucky I am to have such a great support system nestled in the dunes of the Cape. Thank you to everyone who made time for us, and to everyone for including Michael and I in so many things. I am already looking forward to my next visit.

The need for speed...

2006-06-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

One thing is for sure. I could never live in Seattle. If the past week's weather is any indication of what it's like out there...no-sir-ee-bob. Three words: This weather sucks. I was considering posting a blog with just those three words, but thought better of it.

The rain came down for DAYS. And not just your normal sprinkle here and there. I'd look out the window at work and there'd be a light mist...two minutes later the heavens would have opened up and it was a downpour unlike any other. I think there was a constant 2 inches of standing water in the parking lot, all day long.

Unfortunately, this weather meant that my bike stayed in the garage. It is truly bad trail ettiquete to ride in this type of weather, or to ride immediately after it, as knobby tires will do nothing but tear up the trail. Cranky Monkey was post-poned on Sunday, and the next WAW series today was post-poned for two weeks.

I've got wicked cabin fever, so it kills me to stay inside. The sun is actually out today, but tonight's race has already been called. I hope we continue to see sun for the next few weeks and things dry up. The weather has put me in a training funk...no desire to do much of anything, and the only thing I want to do (MTB), I can't.

Photos from the WAW madness

2006-06-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Angel on my bike...

2006-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

I call it the "Immersion Method of MTBing"....racing 4 mountain bike races in 2 weeks. I figure that by the end of the two weeks, I'll either love it and be better, or hate it and have hurt myself. I'm really pulling for the former, and so far, things are looking good. When I started triathlon in 2004 I considered myself a runner. And certainly not because I was any good at running, but in comparison to the other two sports, I was most familiar with putting one foot in front of the other. During the last few years, I've changed my view and believe that my cycling skills are starting to emerge as strongest. That is in large part due to the fact that I choose to train on my bike far more than I run. Not a training strategy I suggest by any means.

Pre-Ironman last year, I asked my coach, E, to take me mountain biking. Briefly stated, I came, I saw, I crashed. A few times. Enough to make me put the bike back in the garage until after IM and see if I felt any differently after the 140.6 mile trek. People told me a race like IM would change me. They were right. And I'm psyched to see where it's going....

This spring I have managed to keep the rubber side down more and more often, which is both exciting to me and my legs. After previewing the Richmond XTERRA course over Memorial Day weekend, my legs came away looking as though a hammer had been taken to every inch of the back of my left leg, and the inner calf of my right. It was not a pretty site. Thank you to the person who invented the capri pant.

And here's the scary part. I love every minute of it. I rode in my very first pure MTB race on Wednesday, called Wednesdays @ Wakefield. I raced in the beginner class, made a few beginner mistakes....and learned many valuable lessons for next time. There is a climb about 25 yards from the start line that E had warned me about. My plan was to use my climbing skills to get out in front of the rest of the women, and then spend the two loops holding them off. As I charged the hill in my middle chain ring, I passed all but one woman before I even got to the hill. But I wasn't even 1/3 of the way up the hill before I tried to shift down into my little chain ring, and the gears stuck. Not even being able to turn over my pedals, I was forced off my bike and had to run it up this steep climb. How embarrassing. All women passed me and I was stuck in last place from the start...the exact opposite of where I wanted to be. Luckily, I was able to make my way up to 6th place, and even clocked the 3rd fastest 2nd loop time overall, but was definitely humbled by the fact that I hadn't better planned that initial climb sequence. Next time.....

As I was riding the course Wednesday night, I felt emotions that I hadn't felt before in triathlon, even while riding my bike. I kept hearing myself saying "I LOVE this. This is so much fun! This is what I'm supposed to be doing." Now don't get me wrong, this was no leisurely ride. I was pushing the pedals hard, charging the hills and hammering the flats. The technical parts were not nearly as bad as Richmond, but enough to keep you on your toes 100% and eyes focused forwards at all times. For the first time ever, I rode over all of the logs (yay!) and even managed to conquer what's been for me, the toughest ascent on the course (the quick, steep climb and switchback after the creek crossing just before the finish line). So despite a less-than-stellar finish place, I was stoked.

Sometimes life takes you down all sorts of paths before dumping you right where you're supposed to be. I do not plan on giving up my triathlon training, but I'm certainly excited about pursuing the "Esprite de Fat Tire"!

2006 Racing World Tour

2006-06-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

April 30 - St. Anthony's Triathlon, St. Petersburg, FL
(57/116 in AG)

May 21 - Columbia Triathlon, Columbia, MD
(24/61 in AG)

June 4 - Manassas Mini-Triathlon, Manassas, VA
(2nd Woman overall)

June 18 - XTERRA East-Sport, Richmond, VA
(6/16 in AG)

June 21 - Wednesdays @ Wakefield (MTB) #1, Annandale, VA
(6/8 in class)

June 25 - PRR Twilight 4-miler, Ashburn, VA
(Canceled)

July 2 - Wellfleet Road Race, Wellfleet, MA
(Ran with 10-year old Catherine Dempsey, GOTR Girl)

July 8 - Diamond in the Rough Triathlon, Perryville, MD
(9/20 in AG)

July 16 - EX2 Off-Road Triathlon, Rocky Gap, MD
(DNF)

July 26- Wednesdays @ Wakefield (MTB) #3, Annandale, VA
(2nd in class)

July 30 - Cranky Monkey (MTB) #1, Annandale, VA
(6/14 in class)

August 2 - Wednesdays @ Wakefield (MTB) #4, Annandale, VA - Series Finale
(3rd in Class)
(2nd in Series)

August 6 - Cranky Monky Dirt Crit (MTB), Annandale, VA
(4/11)

August 25-26 - Hood To Coast Relay, Portland, OR

September 10 - Reston Triathlon, Reston, VA

Technology at its best

2006-06-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

You know, I actually thought this was going to be a lot harder than it was to set up a blog. I have so many friends with these things, and assumed it took lots of html wizard know-how. Nope. Just click here for background colors, pick a name and voila! I've got a blog! Now the true test will be keeping up with it. I've kept a journal since I was in elementary school, so this can't be much different right?