Oct 30, 2011

Got to the venue in plenty of time, had all my stuff, pre-rode, registered, warmed up, felt great, lungs were good the whole time, mechanical about midway through, everyone passed me, I picked a few people off. Not my best day, but I felt like I was riding strong. Was third at the hole shot. This is CX. Someday I'd like to put together good lungs, good legs and no mechanicals. We'll see.

Lots of good racing today. The women are all getting stronger and faster. I love lining up with them. Good camaraderie out there for sure. Amazed at Niki, racing the Elite women's race as a warm-up for the Elite men's race. Something to aspire to.  in.my.dreams. 


Lots of good pics and vids out there from today. Hope I can check them all out tomorrow night.

Mom isn't happy "being shuffled". I don't blame her, but it's so obvious that she does not need to be alone day after day. I feel like we ended up on a good note tonight, hope she does too. 

Have a great week ahead! Next weekend is 3 days of racing then back here for  2 days of USGP Derby City cup.

peace

Storm the Greens tomorrow

I'd like to think there could be a home court advantage. But there are plenty of local ladies in my race. 

What I hope for: good lungs, best warm up yet, strength on the straightaways, guts on the hills and drops, and lots of painful fun.

It's been a full day. Course setup was great with many many people there to help out. It went well and by 3:00 people were able to get on the course. I got to see a few out of towners pre-riding as well, from Dayton and Cincy. It's a tough course to be sure. Hat's off to Bobrow for designing it.

Mom has gone to bed. Think it's time for me to shut down and crack the book for a while.

I don't have a costume for tomorrow, my only regret. Just not feeling creative.

Race well everyone! All the best to all of my CX and MTN bike buddies where ever you race/ ride tomorrow. Looks like Mother Nature is being kind once again and providing plenty of opportunity for some Vitamin D absorption.


peace

differing perspectives

I brought Mom to my place today for the week. We made a few stops; bank, grocery, Subway, drug store for her cigarettes. Carry in her things and grocerys, put grocerys away and begin to change into my kit. I sit down and eat half of my sandwich while she eats hers. She asks where I'm going to ride and I explain where the course/park is located (I've explained it many times). I told her that tonight is just an easy ride with the kids and I'll be home in no time. Tomorrow I will help setup the course with stakes and such and pre-ride again. Then race on Sunday. The whole time she is talking about how cold it is outside and do I have enough on.  Yes, Mom once I start pedaling I warm up quickly. Then she asks "what if it snows?" To which I respond; "this is cyclocross, we ride no matter the weather unless there's lightning. Mom I rode in the snow and ice last December in Bend." She gasps, shakes her head and goes to watch TV.

I have a late start leaving the house. I get to Eva Bandman and start looking for the group. Here they come so I jump on the end of their train. They've tweaked the course. I follow and notice only two kids are there but about 10 adults. They drop me, but I don't mind today is active recovery for an hour. Then I notice some of the course is different. They have changed it from Wednesday. So I try really hard to stay on for the next lap so I can see what's what. The changes seem to be for the better. Took out one place of possible trouble with two-way traffic, so it is safer. Changed one of the sand (more of a mound than a pit) to a longer and curved ride. I had a terrible time with it. We all rode it and rode it and rode it. Finally I change my gearing and I could make it all the way through. I made it through twice. But I was ready to cool down a bit and ride home by then. I'm sure when there's a lot of traffic most of us will be slugging our way through that sand, walking/running whatever it takes.

Farmer's market tomorrow, tweak my bike, setup course, pre-ride, fix a nice hot supper to be determined and get a good night's rest are all on tomorrow's agenda. I'd love to have Mom come watch me race, but she freezes sitting in the living room with her jacket on. Just not meant to be I think.

The weather forecast looks pretty good for the weekend. Race time will be cold, but I'm good with that. 

Side note, picked up my Cervelo today. I've borrowed a compact drive train so I can start training on some hills when I'm not training for CX. I have some mountains to climb in February. The goal is to improve climbing hills this winter so I can do a much better job on the mountain bike next spring and summer.

Have a wonderful weekend!

peace

STG = WOW

So Sunday is going to kick my butt BIG TIME. I still want to do the mtn bike race, but practicality is taking a front seat right now.

I went to CX practice tonight and got there early. Pre-rode a bit, especially the dowhill that makes me gasp a little, then there's the immediate run-up that I have no decent cardio for any kind of good performance. It's full of ups and downs plus two straightaways and LOTS of bumpiness. 

Kudos to Bobrow. The course is compact yet challenging. Two sand pits! Two sets of steps to run. 

I rode the "warm-up" lap with the RZ kids. They dropped me solid and my HR was at 172 for most of it, my max is 175 for goodness sake.  Then I get this flat tire. But it's not totally flat so I pump it up and wait for them to come around and catch on but the tire kept rolling so I went back and changed the tube. I missed a good workout tonight. I finally grabbed back on for the last two laps, flubbed the start of the first one and truly only got a good lap and a half total before I had to leave.

I ride to and fro practice. Doesn't make sense to drive as I live too close. It's about a fifteen minute ride home for me. Unless I'm totally whooped then it's twenty.  :-)

So I read this quote today and need to keep it handy when I get all in a funk about where I am with racing, etc. I hope it helps others keep a good perspective on life as well:

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." Beverly Sills 

Personally, I don't think I'll ever be doomed. I love to try new things. Sometimes I'm a scaredy cat like riding that downhill. But if I don't try I'll never know. I don't want doom. I'd rather fail. It's all about getting up anyway.

Love and peace

STG or MTB decisions decisions

No decision before Thursday, to be sure. Storm the Greens has some big challenges. The course is different than what we've been riding at Eva Bandman. It is CHALLENGING. with  a lot of sweeping turns and ups and downs. UPS and DOWNS. It is a lot of fun to ride. It will kick my big fat arse to make no mistake! 

I'm torn though. There is still a lot of CX to race between now and Jan 15 or so. Maybe I should continue this mini hiatus and do this mtn bike race on Sunday. It will rain Wednesday and Thursday here. Maybe more. The weekend will be very cool at my race time. No decisions only contemplation.

I rode the course for the first time tonight. I did 4 or 5 laps. It was supposed to be a recovery ride. I like the course a lot. I wish I had better running legs. But I can ride the climbs, the stairs might be another story. 

I have time to decide. 

Tonight has been such wonderful weather. Warm temps for sitting out doors. Sipping on a beer or two.

peace to you

Gratitude

daughters and sister and brother and mother and barking dog and black cat and pissed off friend and long time friends and new friends and cycling buddies and colleagues and faraway friends and cousins and son in law past and daughters friends and also their boyfriends and nieces and nephews and babies and blogging friends and health and song and laughter and love in many forms and so much more

so far so good

Mom had another eye injection today. All seems fine. Dr said she did well. Mom says she is an old pro as this is like 16 or more that she has had. Just trying to keep from having scarring on her good eye

its been interesting. I never knew I would have a curfew at age 53! ha ha. She turns in very early, but if I go out she will stay up waiting for me to get home. it is nice to have someone say "be careful" and ask how my ride was when I get home.

staying in tonight. cold winds are blowing and I'm just not up to a ride so will read and work and be a slug tonight.

peace

rode easy recovery, cough returned, nothing like I expected though

BloomingCX

Great course, beautiful weather, though a little warm quite windy and LOW humidity.

It's a fast course, very little technical, lots of off camber, gravel, a true roadie course. Should've fit me well. Eh, dry air made for plenty of friction which leads to wheezing and constricted airways. Oh, how I would love to suffer in mud and be able to breath! At least then when I'm almost last there's not a "sick excuse". 

Good people won/podiumed today. So happy to see all of these women do well. 

have a good week ahead! no CX racing next weekend, time to spend some quality time on the mtn bike maybe

peace

struggle

parents age, some fair better than others. some have health and mental capacity well beyond 80, others begin to suffer from physical ailments much sooner maybe as early as 30s or 40s and the there is the mental frailty that sets in

watching your parent(s) go through this is painful and no fun and so difficult. fear sets in then anger and so many other emotions and that's just mine. I can only imagine what my Mom is going through with losing her eyesight, not able to remember some things, dealing with halucinations.

then I watch friends stuggle with relationships. so many variations on a theme. and then I find myself being envious even when the relationship is less than desirable and most likely won't survive. 

I watch my children struggle and wish I could do more. but know they need to do most of this themselves for it to be meaningful and everlasting

struggle is what life is

smile when you can and then it doesn't seem quite so difficult


peace

wish too much

like knowing what's wrong with me so I can fix it

oh well

c'est la vie
 

Gun Club and sundries

A friend joined me for the ride to Miamisville (I think that's right). Up at 5 am on a Sunday morning and in the car by 6:30 to drive 2+hours for a 30 minute race. Yes people this is cyclocross madness! And I love it!

Gun Club is a gun club. There are shot gun shells and broken clay pigeons everywhere. Each race starts with a gun shot. It's unique and great fun! The course is always challenging. It mixes mtn bike hill climbing, bike handling skills and fast roadie straightaways. There is single track, double track, double sand pit, off camber, gravel, and this year just enough wet, greasy mud and grass to make things interesting. The Cat 4 women had a huge field of 34 women. Unheard of even last year. I had a decent (not wonderful) call up and when the gun went off I passed several women and was in 9th place as we passed the start/finish for the first time. I was riding well, breathing was good and legs felt great. Even the barriers were ok on the first lap. I had pre-ridden before the Men's Cat 4 master's and knew what to expect. The straight aways were big ring all out mashing, but going from gravel onto wet, slick grass was tricky. Had to slow down before the turns. I was feeling great, got to the 2 option creek and opted for the 1st turn. This was a sharp right so I dismounted and took my bike straight across the creek and kept running (ha ha) up the hill. This is a fairly massive runup. It was all chewed up and I wished I'd had my long toe spikes. I reached the apex and took my bike another 15 to 20 feet before mounting. Yeah. I didnt get clipped in, my butt didn't get on the saddle and I was moving downhill faster than I could control. Finally I got the bike stopped long enough to get on the saddle and go. By that time 12 women had passed me. So disappointing! I worked to get back in the game and I passed a couple of women. I worked extra hard on the straightaways but after the barriers et al I got to the wet and muddy back side and somehow slid out in a place that I wasn't too concerned about. More women passed me. By the time I got to the start/finish for the 3rd time to start my 3rd and final lap 2 single speeders passed me and I was pulled from the race. bummer

But it was a good day. I got to cheer on some friends in the Cat 4 master's and a lot of the kids in the Jr race.

We headed back early. I wanted to see my youngest, if at all possible. I was persistent and so happy to have a solid ten minutes or so to talk and get/give some good kisses and hugs.

I rode an easy recovery tonight. Ran into a few people at EB. One woman came over and talked for a few. She asked what happened on Sunday. Said her goal is to pass me. Wow, that was something i never expected to hear. Well she did pass me when I slid out and she got to do that 3rd and final lap.  good times  :)

special event tomorrow. My sis and i visited some assisted living places for my mom on Saturday. put a bark collar on Mom's dog. She doesn't bark much now. thank goodness. Not easy decisions to make. Lots of change. Some stress too. Thank goodness I ride a bike!

Some friends went down on a club ride yesterday. Two went to the hospital. Sending Hi-vibrations and much love their way

Enjoy these warm days Mother Nature has given us! 


peace

Focus

or be present, stay in the moment. I tend to drift more that I like to admit. When I do, things don't work out so well. I miss what someone is saying or maybe even that someone is interested. Saturday, I didn't use my fast acting inhaler (Proventil) 30 minutes before race time. BIG oops. I always take two puffs before a hard workout. Saturday morning KT says the announcer told the audience it was 37F at my start time. BRRRRR

So, being the mouth breather I am, suck in cold air like mad. By 3/4 into the first lap at GearFest one huge asthma attack hits me in the chest like a prize fighter. I could not get enough oxygen. I felt like a fish out of water, mouth gaping open trying to push out air so more would come in. I stopped, twice to just relax. I didn't quit, but I almost did. Then the old self motivation power talk kicked in. You can do this, you will not DNF. So what if you are DFL, this is CX. Your lunds are going to burn no matter what. I was completely shocked that I was not DFL. I hope I learn this lesson. It seems to repeat too often for me. I carry at least 2 or 3 at all times. They don't work if you don't use them!

The course at GearFest was new. Flat, with some off camber, but just mostly a flat, roadie course. 

I learned my lesson for Sunday. When Sunday arrived I was glad that I carry all those spares.Two friends did not have theirs. There was a light frost and the temp was 36F at start time. They were welcome to use mine.

John Bryan was my first CX race ever in November 2009. A memory that will stay with me for a very long time. This year they changed the start to a grass, false flat, that slowly rose uphill for maybe 600 yards (my distance estimate is probably WAY off) Previous years saw a start on the road, still uphill but pavement is more forgiving than spongy grass. I had a nice effort on the hole shot, maybe 2nd? My riding was good, not lightning fast, but good handling. My running/barriers stinks. That needs bigtime work. One competitor said "on your left" at one point, just as I was accelerating out of a turn. I kept going and went into the next turn. Eventually, she passed me on an uphill straightaway behind registration, but I wasn't going to give it to her. I finished 6 of 11 or 12. I coughed a bit and my quads were screaming from riding that false flat 3 times. I was hungry so changed and went to find waffles. I missed most of the kids races but got some podium pics. They are so much fun to watch ad cheer for. 

I missed most of the rest of the races, because I decided I might as well jump in the Elite Master's women's race. I was there, I wasn't totally spent. It would be a good workout. HAH and it was. I started at the very back. Didn't feel too bad about the hole shot, wound up some where between halfway and 2/3s. But man, that took most of my matches and my quads were going to scream for the duration. This was fine. I just kept getting further and further behind, but coached myself along. "You can suffer through this, its only 40 minutes". The men started lapping me on my third lap. I did not want to be a factor in anyone elses race result. I got to the sand pit and rode it, until then end when my front wheel hit the end of the pit with a thud and I fell to the left into the tape. My left calf muscle seized and I couldn't get up for what seemed like minutes. Men were passing me like crazy. At long last I get up, get on my bike and take off. I rode as hard as I could to the finish and signaled I was done. It was only seconds when Niki passed through after that.

A lot of people screamed and cheered for me in the Elite race. And it helped. I've had several people say some very nice things about me jumping in that race. It's an extra $10, I was there and needed more than 30 minute race for my legs. I got it. My legs were still unhappy tonight during the recovery ride with RZ kids. Those kids drop me even on recovery rides!!!  but they and their parents are great. I'm so glad I can ride with them. I learn plenty from them. Yesterday one of them asked me about the Elite race. Before I could say the first word, she says "I don't want to hear you say anything negative about yourself". So I said, I am crazy for racing that one, but I like crazy. and I do like crazy. I don't want to be all conservative and safe all of the time. I'm riding and racing bikes and loving life.

I need to figure out how to keep focus and be present on a more regular basis. I don't want to miss out on meeting that special person because I'm ditsy.  :)  

I wonder how Sunday will go, and if I am brave enough to do another double race day.  Have to see how it unfolds I reckon.

Enjoy your week!

peace


p.s. A big shout out to all of my women friends that race each weekend. You ROCK!!! I love cheering them on, even when I'm in the same race. It's exciting to see the numbers grow at the startline. good times