Apologies for being grumpy

I want to apologize for being so cranky after yesterday's race. I probably rode decent for me but really felt like I should have rode better. I have not been able to get in a good warm up (as in 30 minutes or more) the whole season except for a few races and, unfortunately, had some issues with the food I ate that morning and night before. Oh, well.

Christopher, however, had a total ball. I helped him get his little bike up the grassy hill and got him down without him killing himself. He got to ride around with Tom as well, pretended to drive our car, got told how cute he was, got to see horses and got to see lots of bikes. So, for him, it was a great day. Tom did well in the overall for sport although most of the really speedy guys appeared to be in his age group.

It was really nice having a race so close. When we got home, I discovered that I could fit both my new cross bike and my old cross bike into my tiny Hyundai Accent. We got my seat at the right height on my new bike, I practiced a few mounts and dismounts and was quite the happy girl again. For all Chicago cross races, I'll get to race first and Tom will probably come up separately with Christopher. So, I'll definitely get to warm up without changing diapers, keeping Christopher from riding out in front of a car on his bike, etc. = )

This afternoon I got an email that I got a part-time job with the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation helping people commute by bike more in addition to walking more and using public transportation. Yea!!!!! I seriously get way too excited planning my commuting routes so the job seems to be so perfectly suited for me

belated race report

(Image courtesy of mountaingoat)

Tom & I decided to trek up to the Border Battle this weekend. I was concerned with how Christopher would handle that long in the RV but it didn't go as bad as I thought it might. I had stocked up on books, DVD's and a puzzle at the library and brought a bunch of toys and other puzzles.

The course was awesome. Logs, bridges -- I was really glad to ride it but was not so sure how it would be racing with comp guys behind me. As it turned out, the WORS guys were fine for the most part. It was the Minn. guys who were a pain in the butt -- passing without letting me know, bumping me, etc. as they passed and actually wanting me to come to a stop so they could get around me. What ticks me off even more is I had told this group that one could pass me now and I'd find a spot quickly for the rest to pass. No one passed me and then they tell me to stop. I got over as far as I could to the left (so as not to fall off the trail to the right) and was annoyed I ended up having to put a foot down as they went by.

My start blew and I couldn't make up for it. I was able to line up in the front, even without a call up. But, by the top of the hill there was a gap between me and the girl ahead of me. Normally, my heart rate shoots up for the start but I couldn't get it up high and didn't feel like I was going as hard as I should be able to. Weird. I'm guessing it's because I got less than a half-hour warm up but am not sure. I will be so happy for cross season when I race first and will actually get to warm up.

What sucked even more than my start was that I guess there was some type of wind burst right after the start of the race that ripped our awning off the RV and destroyed our EZ up. We had put up the EZ up with the screen so I could warm up on the trainer and try to keep Christopher contained but it turned out that Tom hadn't brought the trainer. So, it sucked even more since I'd still have the EZ up if it just hadn't been put up in the first place.

For Tom it was even worse since he had crashed good enough during his race that he actually cracked his helmet. His shoulder is still a little sore today.

My last lap of the race ended up being my fastest lap. I may have to try some more endurance races but I'm probably not heading up to Green Bay this weekend. I've had a cold most of the week and will finally be getting back on my bike this evening to ride to a school board meeting. I'm probably going to stay home and ride the Palos trails. We'll see.

On the job front, I had interviewed with a bike group last week for a position where I would actually help people commute by bike and walk. A job that I would seem to be made for since I get so excited planning my bike commutes. I actually thought the interview didn't go that well and that they seemed to think I actually biked too much. But, they contacted me for professional references and I know they've called at least one of them so hope, hope. It would be a part-time position that I could do from home but would only last probably until July.

Kewaskum

I made the mistake of driving up Saturday to preride the course. Ick. Barely any single track and lots of high grass and weeds that I appear to be allergic to. I hadn't been there since 2005 and I swear there is even less single track since then. Tom didn't want to race so I decided to drive up by myself -- (relatively) close race, series points and, perhaps most importantly, I could actually warm up! Normally, I'm watching Christopher while Tom races.

I did well for me. My times were pretty consistent with my last lap time actually being a smidge faster than the other laps. Fastest speed was during the first, slightly longer, lap. I was farther behind April than I normally am but this is about the worst type of course for me there could be: no singletrack and lots of climbing. It was obviously a good workout as my butt muscles were sore for the ride home. I'm not sure if there's any way I convince myself to ever race there again though.

Bleah

24/9 blew. The bike worked beautifully. It truly seems to make me a better rider. Whether it is the geometry, slightly more suspension or just because I'm riding a cool teal bike, I'm not sure and it doesn't matter.

Although the bike worked great, my body did not. To not make this a long and boring post -- let's just suffice it to say that I did basically everything wrong you could possibly do from lack of training and lack of sleep to an incredibly stupid decision of finding out my camelback bladder of Heed and Endurolytes had more than half leaked out into the cooler and just adding more water before my race. It kind of just spiraled down after that.

The first two laps did go good and I had a lot of fun riding, passing people in the single track (and then, of course, getting passed in the open and hilly sections), talking briefly to people I knew on the trail and even getting some compliments on my handling skills. Oh well. I did ride 70 miles -- about the only good thing about it. I think all endurance races will probably be out until Christopher is like 10. At this rate, I'll be stuck to cross and road racing -- since there's local races. And, I do love cross but really consider road as the last resort when considering biking options.

Alterra race report

(Image stolen from Mountaingoat)

I was hoping for a good race. And, it wasn't great but it wasn't horrible, so I guess it was good. Except for the one long climb in the sun up the ski hill, this is a great course for me. Not only is it technical, I've ridden these trails enough -- including several 12 hour races -- that I should know them by heart and know the places to let the expert and comp guys to squeak by. It would have been a "great" race except I had my chain come off three times, including once in the "Small Intestine" (I think that's the name of the trail) that just took me freakin' forever to get back on. Brittany passed me after I had worked so dang hard to get in front of her and the other girls I had been somewhat near were, of course, way gone. I also went, apparently, a little too hard my first lap. Avg. HR: 186, Max HR: 200. I took a Gu my second lap and thought I was going to puke. I started bonking, a little cramping. But, I made up the hill every time and I did start catching up to April at the end. Without the heat (and playing with Christopher in the heat for an hour or so before the race), I think I could have at least come close to catching her. But, it was still a good race and I still love those trails.

With only a two-hour drive each way, a box full of toys, several books and a Sesame Street DVD, you would think I could have kept Christopher entertained. Nope. By the time we were almost home, I had told Tom we should have named him Damian after the character in "The Omen." It does not bode well for the trek to 24/9.

EDIT: I almost forgot to mention that I picked up my cross bike yesterday. I'm in love. It is so light and so cool looking. I also found out that I can get my mountain bike repainted at the end of the season. Yea! As long as I can get it the same beautiful color. = )

Woo hoo!

The stars aligned and I decided to make the trek up north and do the Metro Wednesday race tonight. I have been really tired lately and considered blowing it off but I'm so glad I went. I have not been on my mountain bike nearly enough this year. I was kind of skittish starting out but soon got into a groove. I did the back section of singletrack when I first got there (O'Malley's Woods, I think) and then climbed up to the top of the ski hill. There were five girls that started, four that actually finished. I did two laps and then realized there was still at least one guy that still had to do another lap so I went out and did a third lap (women & juniors have to do two) and then went up to the top of the hill one more time.

The two hour drive home and the fact that I still have two articles to write blows but I'm still really happy that I went. I forgot how much I love that course. I'm actually excited to race Sunday and I get to pick up my new cross bike this weekend! Woo hoo! = )