Kickapoo & 1st day of school

Christopher getting ready to ride on the tag-a-long to the first day of preschool.

We traveled down to Danville so I could race at Kickapoo on Sunday. We had actually raced here in 1999 but I could barely remember it. I was able to preride as it was getting dark on Saturday. The course was technical and fun but I was a little stressed that there were a couple of steep short climbs I couldn't get up in my 1x9. But, at the start line it ended up being me, Betsy, Bev, Rachael and a girl I believe was named Melinda. It was Melinda's second race and she would have did novice if she could have made it there early enough. Betsy, Bev and Rachael are three very speedy chicks who I will likely never beat. So, I had fun. I probably could have gone a little harder but I was confident it would not change my placing. So, I had fun. I passed a few sport men, I didn't get lapped by the expert men. Tom had hoped to ride but lost the spring from his brake while he was checking his brake pads. Not as much fun for him.

There will likely be one more mountainbike race for me and then it will be cross, cross, cross baby! I'll be volunteering at the races for the ChiCrossCup series so I'll be able to do both the Women's 123 and the Men's 4A races and hopefully scrape up enough $ to do some of the WCA races, the USGP in SunPrairie and Jingle CX. I would love to do Nats as well but I'm growing doubtful our financial situation will improve enough to make it happen.

Today was Christopher's first day of preschool for the year. He's going full days for four of the five days. He should enjoy it and I'll be able to get more work done, which will mean more $ for CX. = )

Meltdown & Thomas

(Photo from 2Bici)

Yesterday was the Palos Meltdown. It is the closest race to me but I do not tend to have a home court advantage as it seems to get a little less technical each year and a little faster. Approximately, 3.6 miles of the 8.3-mile course was singletrack and it was all together. I have been going back and forth with Liz in the IL series and was doubtful I could beat her today.

So, my expectations were not incredibly high and I am happy to say I definitely exceeded them. I actually was close to Rachael much longer than I would have dreamed, went back and forth with Regina and managed to barely hold off Liz. I finished in 2:20, my longest race of the year and, man, could I tell. The last lap my back/hips were killing me and my hamstrings kept feeling like they were going to cramp up. Regina, having done more longer races this year, definitely had the advantage. It was still awesome to go back and forth with her. The last lap I was starting to get a little sloppy but still rode well. I got compliments on my strong riding and technical riding, which was cool. = ) It was awesome to have so many people cheering for me out on the course, particularly John S., Anne and Roger and the Half Acre gang.

Christopher got to do the kids race and he got both a red smiley face key chain and a medal so he was excited. Tom didn't do as well as he would have liked but he hadn't raced since Iola in early May and scored a free race entry from Anne (Thanks!).

The weekend before that was "Christopher's weekend." We took the RV, he got to ride Thomas at the railway museum on Saturday morning and we checked out the museum for several hours -- including him getting to play in an inflatable dragon and another bouncy thing, on a sand hill, miniature golf, with Thomas the Tank Engine toys, color, get temporary tatoos, check out a few trains and go on a ride in an old Metra car. Then, we went to a KOA where he got to play at a park, play more minature golf and swim in a pool. They had a hayride on Saturday and showed Madagascar Saturday evening. Sunday, we played at the park, miniature golf and swimming again before heading home. Oh, and on Friday a girl I went to grammar school and high school with gave Christopher her Smart Cycle that her kids weren't using and he got to play with her two little kids. And, on Sunday evening, Christopher got to ride the trails at Palos for the first time on a tag-a-long hooked up to my bike. I practially needed a weekend to recover from it but Christopher had a great time.

Where to begin?

(photo of Christopher racing at Jubilee)

Christopher's birthday was on Friday. He had an awesome weekend--getting to celebrate at summer camp and going to Chuck E. Cheese with Tom & I and his grandma on Friday. And, of course, opening quite a few presents. On Saturday, we had his birthday party at a local park. Several of his friends from preschool, summer camp and the neighborhood came and he had an awesome time. We went to the race in Lake Shelbyville and he got to do the kids race with Zoe Gatto, earning blue ribbons and then he, Zoe and Casey chilled out and played in the air conditioned RV. On the way home, we stopped at a rest area after he woke up from a nap and he got to play on the playground there.

I did not have a good race. It was a great course for fast girls and didn't really have any technical sections for me to try to make up time on. I was fifth out of five. Yuck. I did get in a hard effort and, as Rachael pointed out, the trails here likely would have been too wet anyway. Tom was able to get two laps in after the race so at least he got to ride too.

I had also did the Jubilee and SoCaPa races. Jubilee was great. I took 4th out of 6. The trails are great although it was toasty. SoCoPa was not great. The trails were not as technical. The race officials and organizers annoyed the heck out of me. I spent a week of emails going back and forth with the race director trying to explain that they should not be encouraging expert girls to race sport for series points. Had the same discussion at the race. After being told that sport and open were two totally different races, they were scored as one. They had 10 or 11 girls signed up for "open" with one of those also signing up as the sole women's expert entry. I was 6th and have a medal for being third in my ag group that says "Sport" on it. I was a little unhappy with the result but it definitely didn't help that arguing with officials was my "warm up."

Mainly, I've been working or riding. I have been able to spend a lot of time on the trails lately, which has been great. I've been trying to improve my turning -- not having to brake as much. And, the riding has been great for trying to keep stress levels down. It's been a crazy couple of months. Tom finally got paid again so I was able to pay a bunch of bills and breathe a little easier for the time being. I was finally off anti-biotics for a recurring sinus infection -- but ended up back at the doctor and back on meds within a week. Those are starting to kick in again so I'm hoping to be able to do some more hard rides.