Fighting

That seems like the theme for my past few races. They have been a fight with different entities.
First there was Sundance. This is somewhat my home course as I do have an opportunity to ride it frequently. Although when this race took place I had not taken many of those opportunities. I felt strong that day. My start was weak, but I was able to make my way through the pack. I spent a lap or so in second place. I was so stoked, but the lost it to Nicki as she put in an attack to which I could not respond on the last lap.

Then there was Snowbird. I have a thing for Snowbird. I am not sure what it is, but I am enamored by this course. I had a horrific start. It was sad. I was way back in the pack--behind most of the semi-pro women. It was tough to make my way through and I wish I would have been more aggressive. I sat in a bunch behind people when I should have made my way around. None the less, I made up several places to take fourth. This was off the podium which was disappointing as the field was deeper than normal, but I felt like this was my best performance this year.

Last week was the Brianhead Endurance cross country race. I am not sure I did so well here. I spent most of the race being angry. The problem was me. I think I had romanticized this course. I have found memories of the old days racing the Brianhead Epic and my memories my not be reality. Thus, I was disappointed in what this course consisted. As my first lap was concluding, I had to convince myself that I was going to go out for the second lap. The second lap was better mentally and I probably would have had fun on it had I not been bitter about the first lap.

I got knocked down, but I got up again.

The Thunderbolt and I got off to a rocky start. I don't hold the bike accountable though. I am quite sure it was  result of user error. I had tweaked/twisted my knee previously. I was not sure about racing the Draper ICUP. I went back and forth and decided I had better. I think I did not prepare well and felt it on the climb, so I tried to make up time on the descent. I ended up, in what I perceived to be somewhat spectacularly, flying off the course. This just added to my discontent so I decided to just ride my bike as opposed to race it. I finished the "race", but I was passed by just about everybody...and I mean everybody. This was the third incident/crash, so I assumed I was good. So far, so good.
I then spent some time recovering and just taking it easy. My knee feels better although it was never that bad on the bike. I raced Deer Valley and felt good. I had a blast. I love, love that course. I wasn't sure I would get to race it, but Chris' step dad came up to help out. So grateful. I needed this day.
The next week was the Wasatch Back 50. I was incredibly nervous. It was warm and I was not sure how it was going to go for me. I started okay, but slowly made my way into contention on the climb. I lost a couple of places as I bobbled a pass. I just rode steady. On the descent I caught back up and was in 2nd after the first lap. I was stoked. Then lap two hit HARD. I tried to keep my wits about me and just ride steady. I lost a couple of places again and I hoped I could get them back as we descended.
The descent was LONG. I was in no mans land by myself. I had no idea if I was going fast or not as there was NOBODY around. And then just before I got to the road I saw it...my carrot. I chased. I pushed so hard on the double track and entered the last little bit of single track on third places wheel. She slowed and I got into her rear wheel and I thought that was it. But just then she bobbled and I was able to get around. Third place by seconds for me. Ahh....
And Chris had good races at each of these event too. That makes it even sweeter.

It is here.

 On Saturday I got this box. I have been waiting a long time for it and was super excited. It was a long day of putting it together (Chris did most to all of it).

The long awaited box

 The result was this. We will be making some slight changes on the accessories, but this was just so I could ride it in Moab that Monday. It handled the dirt and rocks like a pro. I felt super smooth and in control. I did go through the FIVE inches of plush travel on occasion. Chris asked about how it felt on the small bumps...I didn't even feel them.

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt

It has been hard to find the right window to ride these days. I did get out for a glorious ride  from home. This was a view on one of the peaks.

And I was able to sell my Element. This was with mixed emotions. I really liked it. I was grateful for the money, but it left a bit of emptiness in my heart. I am thinking that will be filled with my Thunderbolt though. 

Mesa Verde (SURPRISE) Mudder

Okay, I will be honest, I really don't know what a tough mudder is. I have not done any research on this, but none the less I whole heartedly believe I that I was thrown into a twisted version of one.
The 12 Hours of Mesa Verde weekend started like we expected. We arrived and rode the course. It was wet and tacky. It sprinkled on us a little bit but the course really handled the moisture well. We had checked the weather the night before we went to bed. It looked like the worse of the weather was over and the next day was going to be pure delight on a fast, fast course.
The pre-race meeting confirmed our expectations. The directors said the course should be great. Weather looked promising. Everything was a go.
Chris headed out. I did my thing getting ready, but it started to snow and get cold. I made some last minute attire changes dressing more warmly than I previously planned. Chris came in second place just behind the leader. He is so fast at these things. I went out hopeful.
I took some time to get a feel for the course as it was really wet. Chris and I discussed riding smart, so I did not want to blow it my messing up myself or my bike due to a slick trail. I knew I was riding slow. I finally took off my glasses and could see again. I sped up a bit. Things were going ok. I was wet, but not really cold. I got through Tuffy Rim which should be the end of the hard stuff. Now it was time for the fun.
Fun did NOT happen. The fun sections turned to muddy, clay messes. I spent the last three to four miles on and off my now 35-40 pound bike. I had to stop and clean it multiple times; the mud just stuck and nothing was moving. I pushed my bike up hills. I pushed it down hills. The mud would accumulate around my bottom bracket and push my chain off the chain ring. It was an absolute mess. I was a mess. The mud made everything cold.
My longest lap ever at MV had no redeeming value until it was over. They essentially called the race during my lap. They reassessed a couple of hours later but decided the trail could not take the moisture they had unexpectedly received. I guess we were lucky as our 12 hours of MV turned into 3 hours, but other teams only made it a little over an hour. And many individuals never even raced their bikes.
So if a Tough Mudder is slugging around in the mud going through obstacles (i.e. carrying a bike up and down slick trails), yes I have done one. I think I would like it better if I was prepared.
Of note, I have nothing but respect for the directors of the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde. They made logical and wise decisions in the heat of the battle. Kudos for sure.

6 Hours of Frog Hollow

I was so excited that Chris felt that he could race. I was really nervous/apprehensive for him though. I hoped that he and his shoulder would feel good and that he wouldn't be frustrated with either. After his first lap (coming in first) my worries were lessened. He was so fast all day.

I on the other hand did not perform so well. It is time to lighten up.

Moab Thaw

 The Moab Thaw was the inaugural ICUP EXC race. Thus it was longer, around 40 miles or so. The other really, really cool thing about it was the location--Moab. Moab is known for mountain biking but not so much for mountain bike racing. I believe this event can change that. The course was great, relentless, but great.
I still have quite a bit of work to do, but felt good about my performance. 

Redemption Finally.

I finally, finally finished True Grit. What a relief. I was so nervous as this finish has escaped me both times I have attempted. This year everything was better though...and the times show it. The weather was ideal. The trails were awesome--let's just say Stucki Springs was not an absolute chore. And my bike stayed together, tires and all.
The start was a bit sketchy as we took off with the guys. And I get anxious in a peleton so the first couple of miles on the road were not my favorite. Once we got on the dirt it was better, but it got really dusty until we hit the Green Valley race course. Then things seemed to calm down. By that time though I had no idea where I was in the group. I knew there were three maybe more girls ahead of me. So I just rode.
I did have to warn a few guys that I was going to be riding sections and they were pretty good about getting out of my way which was nice. Chris prepped me beforehand though reminding me that if I did not have a clear line on sections it is better to walk than ride them. I lucked out and got to ride everything I wanted.
I do feel as though I blasphemed Zen. I just felt like I cheated when the course took us around the waterfall section. I understand why it done, but it just did not seem right to me on a personal level.

As I stated Stucki Springs was not so bad this year. There was hardly any wind and nor dust. It was pavement-esque. This made it (seem) much faster. I always love climbing Rim Runner and was elated to climb back over the gate with air still in my tires. All I had to do then was Barrel Roll and back. I was so nervous at this point. All I could think about was keeping it together and ride smooth. Barrel Roll is scary to race. You can just see so many people and it is nearly impossible to tell if they are coming or going as the trail wraps around and around.
Finally, I was on the road back to the start/finish. Again, I was sure there were riders behind me about to pick me off. So I pushed and pushed. Excited to be all but done, but riding scared at the same time. And then I saw the final corner, family cheering, and I was done. Completely done.

Let it begin

My race season has started; the first ICUP MTB race was this weekend. Honestly, I did not have very high expectations. I spent the week prior traveling abroad so my schedule, diet, training and the like were all different. I had tried to put in a big block of riding so I could go into my travels tired. I also tried very hard to "train" while I traveled. This can sometimes be difficult as I am a bike snob.

The "bikes" to which I had access were uncomfortable at best. The seat was enormous so standing up was difficult. In fact, I had to drop the seat down in order to comfortably be out of the saddle. Staying in the saddle was equally uncomfortable as the adjustments made the seat height either a bit too high or a bit too low. Luckily, I had trouble sleeping. The early waking allowed time (and motivation) to hit the gym. 

Almost a bike

I got home on Friday after 5 pm. I had to unpack, pack again, pack for another, clean up from the travel funk, and get to bed so we could get up early and head down to St. George. I did not expect to do well. This weekend was more about next weekend than anything else. I figured getting hard effort in would help prepare for the long race I have scheduled. I lined up on the second row and as Chris said after the race, I did not have a good start. After a little bit though I started to reel in some individuals. There was a lot of back and forth for third, fourth and fifth place. I ended up in fourth quite pleased with my effort and outcome.

I was also very lucky to avoid getting taken out by a rider at the very end. A competitor had just gotten around him. I realized that he had a completely flat front tire. I alerted him I was approaching and started to go around him. Just as I did his front washed out and he went down. I felt badly and wondered for a moment if I should stop. I didn't though and was able to pass the competitor just before the end capitalizing on the fact that she made a mistake. I was completely spent by the end.

Photo Cred: Zep Tittensor

Photo Cred: Zep Tittensor

Travel photos

Shanghai in the morning

The Shanghai Innovation Park

Shanghai at night

No trumpeting?

This whole blogging thing is much more difficult these days. I can remember when it was easy to get out for rides and the issue was being over trained as opposed to under trained. As Chris says I should be getting 12 hours in the saddle per week, I am pretty shy of that.
I try to make my rides count though. The weather has been cooperative for the most part. It may be the best February ever. I have had a bit of bad luck here and there though. The trip to St. George where I did not ride. It started raining mid ride or it would snow--on both these occasions though I waited through it and the weather turned delightful.

Rain coming down at Slate Canyon

Every once in a while I go out for an easy ride to just spin the legs. These used to be hard to do because I would always end up pushing too hard. Now they are easier. I just bring a lil' friend with me and cruise.

 I did have the opportunity to ride Camp Lynda. It was 90 plus miles in two days as day three was a rain out for me. It was kinda like the old days but Chris wasn't there so not quite as good.

Trip Success

It can sometimes be difficult to know if a trip was worth it. Does traveling some 250 plus miles to ride bikes make sense? Sometimes it seems much more worthwhile than others.
We did it this weekend. Chris and I each rode about six hours or so in the Green Valley and Santa Clara areas. Chris seems to believe that having someone to ride with is part of making it worthwhile, so when he heard he could have a riding partner he was game to make the trip. Personally, I do  prefer to ride with someone--I just think it is safer--but I don't find it a necessity.
I was lucky and a friend joined me for a bit and then I rode on my own. I was able to hit Zen, the race course, Barrel Cacti, all the Rim trails, Barrel Roll, Sidewinder and Suicidal.
It would have been nice to hit some of the Hurricane stuff. I was thinking Church Rocks, Prospector, etc, but it did not work. None the less, I thought is was a good trip.
Then I saw a token polygamous. Trip success.

New Year's Resolution

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to start keeping this blog updated again. The past year was tough trying to juggle everything. Hopefully, this year will be better. So this is my comeback.

Last year I was disappointed in my performances. I think it is because I had unrealistic expectations. None the less, it made training and competing hard. I felt better towards the end of the year, but still feel as like there is lots of room for improvement. I also hope to train enough to feel confident going into some endurance events. I have always enjoyed (relatively speaking) longer races. Last year I did not feel like I could train or was fit enough to enjoy these events and be competitive. That is what I am aiming to do this year.

The plan...yes, I know I need a plan. I am still working on this. I know that I need to shed some poundage in order to be competitive. So to start of the year I have a diet plan--cutting out sugar and focusing on whole, real foods--to hopefully attain this portion of the goal.

Last year I failed to focus on strength. In the past I would yoga as my strength/core training. I hope to return to this and need to also work some additional core training into my schedule. (Note to self: Do this.)

The rest is just ride and recover as much as possible.

Draper ICUP

I raced Sundance again and this time it was fun. I think I am getting faster. I am definitely not fast per se, but getting to the point that I am having more fun. (Everyone knows fast=fun, right?)
Then I tried to take it easy over the weekend and raced on Monday (Memorial Day). There were nine pro women, NINE! That is a lot for our little series. Several moved on up from Expert. I hope they liked it as they deserved to be there in my opinion...mostly because they are faster than I am.
It was warm and the course was long. Most of it was pretty fun and I had a good time racing/riding my bike.
 I started thinking about Memorial Day though. Maybe it is because I don't do any real memorializing on this day and I feel guilty, but could we (and I don't necessarily know who "we" is) do more. I know it is the Stan Crane Memorial Race, but I don't know who Stan Crane is/was. I have been racing the series for years and I have never heard a thing about him. We don't really memorialize him during the race. There is no moment of silence for him or anything. So what if during this race, we actually made it a Memorial. Racers could select riders for whom they are riding. Racers or friends who have passed--most of knew or remember Patrick McKinght. Or service people. Anyone really. Those names could be put on stickers and placed on number plates, helmets, or someplace. Then conversations could start about those we have lost.
I don't know it is just an idea that came to me as I was suffering during this race. I thought I would put it "out there".
Here are some photos from the race thanks to the Powers.

The Difference a Few Days Makes

I had an epic breakdown. It was bad. I kept thinking about Willow and totally understood why she decided what she did. It is just so hard balancing everything and then there is work on top of training. I struggle balancing caloric and macronutrient needs while trying to get my shape and fitness back.
I raced Wednesday and it was a mess. I know I did not eat well that day of the race. I may still have needed some recovery also from our Moab trip. None the less, Sundance wasn't fun. Sundance is always fun...always. I came home and told Chris I quit.
I tried to find him a partner for Mesa Verde but he finally came back and said he did not wanted to race it without me. If I wasn't going to race neither would he. Ugh! I said I would race then.
I decided that I would not focus on pushing hard on my laps. I instead try to focus on riding smooth. Smooth riding would equal quick laps and spare my energy to ensure I could make it through the event. I was apprehensive about putting in my half of the 12 hours.
I had lots to do in between laps. Chris was throwing down fast times around 75 minutes. That did not leave me with much time to do the normal bike maintenance, fuel, relax, and the needed "personal time". After my third lap, I was exhausted. I just wanted to sit in a chair surrounded by food and eat. I knew we would be cutting it really, really close to get nine laps.
On my fourth lap, I still try to focus on smoothness but I knew I needed to push some too. It was getting super close to the cut off and I thought I might make it back in time for Chris to go out. I didn't though. I was a few minutes late. We only got eight laps.
My lap times were not impressive by any means, but they were fairly consistent and quick-ish considering. I did feel much better about myself and riding. It really was what I needed. And being surrounded by great friends also helped soothe my soul for sure.

We Win

Chris and I took a quick day trip to Moab this week. We hit up the Amasa Back and Moab Brand areas. There is apparently more new stuff out by Sovereign called "Klonzo". We did not have time to do it, but Chris had heard of it previously. I was a bit surprised and delighted that there is more to explore. It dawned on me, Moab and St. George seem to be in a race or competition to have the best mountain biking. I am not sure who is winning besides us as mountain bikers.
The weekly mountain bike races started this week and I am way stoked to be able to do these this year. The first one was on some new trails cut at Euclid with lots of switch backs up and down. It was a bit loose, typical of new trails, but lots of fun. The lap was short so I had to count to five which was hard when self starving for oxygen. They shook up the categories so I was pretty far out of the points. I am hoping to get faster and start accumulating points more quickly.
The trails were super tacky early this week too. It was so, so nice. I am always surprised how quickly they dry out. They were pretty loose again this weekend. But I am riding my bike so I can't complain too much.

Six Hours of Frog Hollow

We visited "Frog Town" on Friday night. We both Chris and I wanted to get in a ride. I mostly wanted to see the new stuff. So I just did a quick half lap cutting out almost all the dirt road climb and the fun fast descent ending up at the Virgin River Trailhead. I did the new stuff and headed back. Chris did an entire lap and was gone for-ev-er. He got back not much before dark. I did get to hang out and say hi to some friends though which was fun.

Photo Cred Jamie Rees see http://jamesreesart.com

Day of was a bit more choatic than normal. Chris was getting ready to start per the usual. I was trying to help him as I could. He went out for a blazing fast first lap coming in first in a mere 47 minutes. I then went out. My first lap did not go so well. I slid out and went down on the road. My handle bars flipped around pulling my lock out cable from my fork. I thought my front end would be unlocked and super squishy the whole time, but instead the front end felt crazy stiff. Ryan helped me fix it (or more like I helped Ryan fix it) and my second lap felt much better than my first.

Because the course was different it was hard to know what constituted a fast time. I thought I was pretty quick, but after seeing times...not so much. But then I compared them to my 25 hour times six months earlier and they seemed better.

I still have alot to do. Given the situation I thought the day went pretty well. I look forward to the time when our "support" can actually support as opposed to being a simple baton. But she was really pretty good all day.

Photo cred MTB Race News

Missed A Race For This

I usually love the early spring races as they are in St. George. It is fun to get out of Northern UT and soak up the sun while stretching the legs. Even though I am not as fast I had hoped I have still looked forward to these events. 

I missed the second ICUP race for a little Australia instead. It seemed like a fair trade off. I left on Monday afternoon, lost Tuesday completely and arrived on Wednesday morning. The office set me up on an afternoon tour of Sydney. Here is what I saw.

When I was in elementary school a picture of the Sydney Opera House was featured in one of my text books. I was enchanted and always wanted to visit. I still didn't get to actually visit it, but I did see it in person. It was beautiful.

Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge

AU version of Alcatraz

Harbor Bridge

My shadow

Infamous Bondi Beach

Don Riche Grove

Suicide Point

Navy Base

Most ships were looking for MY flight 370

I also visited Brisbane. I don't have so many pictures as I was there for a short 24 hours or so. I learned that Australia has lots of sandstone...which made me a bit homesick for Southern UT. It beautiful. The people are super friendly, but European-esque at the same time. The air felt muggy to me, but not too bad. I would definitely go back.