Mud, 2nd trashed derailleur of season & rides

(Photo credit: Melissa Kelly)

Saturday was the Afterglow CX race. It was odd to go to a Chicago CX race & not be doing registration. I had the luxury of sleeping in until after 7:30, when I was woken up by Christopher. = )

I did not get to do this race last year. I had gotten the doc's okay to be on the bike but not race CX yet; so, I rode at Palos. The course was great. Some climbs but sand, cornering, mud and fun.

I lined up and started like crap, which has been a trend this year. I was then starting to do quite good for me and was going back and forth with some ladies but kept making stupid falls in front of Kristina Young. After the second dumb crash/fall in the sand, Kristina ran into the back of me. Soon after, I realized that my rear derailleur was screwed up. If I tried going into easier gears, it started acting not happy and I knew I was in danger of a major mechanical. I kept contemplating switching to my pit bike but opted to mash the harder gears. A.) I figured the disc brakes had an advantage on the course. B.) My pit bike has bad toe overlap which would definitely be a disadvantage on that course. And, C.) Last time I rode the Trek, the brakes were barely working. Tom had adjusted them but I had not had a chance to ride it since then -- meaning, the brakes could be working perfectly OR the brakes could not be working at all.

I soon lost a few spots and finished 16th out of 20. Could I have beat a few other ladies? Possibly but not swapping was a good decision. After the race, I noticed that my bike had a lot less mud build up than ones without disc brakes. I also rode the Trek after the race -- the brakes still definitely needed tweaking so that would not have been good.

It was depressing to get the mechanical but great to start to feel like I was racing well again -- even if it was only for part of the race.

On a good note, Tom found a shop on the way home -- Kozy's -- that had the derailleur hanger. I was able to buy 2 so I have a spare. On a bad note, this is the second race this year that has killed a derailleur hanger on my bikes, with the other being the USGP when I had to run my bike for more than half a lap to come in at 40th place.

I didn't stick around to cheer so I could get to Kozy's. On Sunday, I had the prospect of not having to get up early to go to a CX race. I thought briefly about sleeping in but the chance to ride my mountain bike won out. I set the alarm for 7 a.m. (which was not terribly early, at least) so I could get in a ride at Palos before the trails thawed. It had been way too long since I was on my 29er. It was a mellow ride but a lot of fun. I also had perfect timing. On my last bit of single track, some mud was just beginning to stick to my tires.



The decision of the day is whether to sign up for Worlds. I found out this morning that the registration fees go up tonight.

Cold, CX & my Crux

This weekend were the Badger CX races in Verona. Saturday was brutally cold. When I got there it felt like 12 degrees. It felt like 8 degrees at the time of my race. The course was bumpy, bumpy, bumpy. My hand was not happy and the bumps made some of the turns very difficult.

The course has been described elsewhere, such as The Bonebell, in greater detail so I won't give a big description here. There were quite a few aspects that did not make it particularly suited for me -- namely there were two climbs, a run-up and a couple paved power sections. However, there was also some tight turns, dirt and/or rutted downhills & a sand pit. I prerode and warmed up with multiple layers including gloves with mittens over them. My fingers were numb for a bit of the race but, otherwise, I was okay temperature-wise. There were 10 of us at the line. It wasn't a great race for me. I managed to get ahead of some girls and then they would power past me or run past me on the climb. I was 9th, with Melissa unfortunately dropping out after a crash in the sand drew blood.

Sunday, I was hoping for a better performance from myself. The course was mostly the same. A few of the corners had been tweaked. The big change was a longer sand pit with a turn. I was psyched about the longer sand pit. My start was not horrible but definitely not good either. Again, I would get past a girl, only to be passed on a climb, run-up or power section. I ended up 8th out of 9. I had been hoping to reel in the 7th place girl and then almost ate it on the run-up. I avoided going face-first into the stairs but lost time. Still, I felt faster/stronger out there and managed to beat a woman who I have never beaten before, which was a personal victory.

I still don't feel like I'm at my A game and can hopefully still gain some more fitness by nationals. I keep going back and forth on Louisville from "definitely not doing it" to "possibly."

While I may not be at my A game, the bike is. The disc brakes were not essential but great to have. And, with the new PSIMET tubulars, it was not that noticeable of a weight penalty. I know I have said this before, but the geometry of the bike is great for me. In particular, I noticed it during the run-up this weekend. I can actually shoulder the bike and run. With the Trek, I could not grab the handlebars while shouldering and the seat would usually smack me in the head. The bike fit is in good form; now, I just need the motor to get there. I still have to experiment a bit with the tire pressure as well. I think I had it a little too soft on Saturday & I may have had it a twinge too high on Sunday.

Saturday is the Afterglow. I'm psyched. Last year, I had just gotten the okay to ride outside but not the okay to race CX yet. So, instead of going to the Afterglow, I rode at Palos -- still a great way to spend a day on the bike. = )

Montrose

(Photo courtesy of Amy Dykema.)

Sunday was the last CX race in the Chicago series. It is always awesome. I was bummed to not be able to race last year and so excited that I could do the last race in the series. So excited that I decided to race four times. I preregistered for the 30+, Women's 123 and 4B races. When I started volunteering at registration, I started a 4A wait list with my name on it and snagged the first DNS spot.

It was actually above 50 degrees in the morning, which was incredible and wonderful for a December race. I squeezed in one lap but was, otherwise, at registration until lining up for the 30+ race. The course had a gazillion sand pits, tight turns, a short muddy hike-up and climbing up the sled hill. It was mainly a good course for me -- except the sled hill climb and short run up. My hand was not happy with the bumpiness of the course but is very close to 100%.

The 30+ was really just a warm-up for the women's race. I definitely warmed up and wasn't last. I ended up 16th out of 21 (with 1 DNF) in the women's race. I think I could have snagged 15th if we had another lap. It wasn't an awesome performance but definitely good considering my time away with my broken hand.

After the first two races, I was back at registration until I lined up for the 4A race. The temperature had dropped 15-20 degrees. I decided to race with my heavy jersey underneath my PSIMET jersey and definitely was too warm. It's easy to forget how much body heat you generate doing a CX race.

I had decided beforehand to use the 30+ as a warm-up/pre-ride, race my butt off in the women's race & then have fun for the 4A & 4B. So, I did race. But, I also did stop several times for $ hand-ups. With my gloves I quickly found out that it is really hard to grab money while riding. So, I stopped and, at times, backed up to collect $. I ended up with $4 from the 4A & $8 from the 4B. Since I volunteered, I only had to pay $5 to race which meant I ended up $7 ahead. For the 4B race, I actually ended up in 52nd place.

(Photo courtesy of Amy Dykema.)

I felt fine afterwards but was exhausted by the time I got home. My body is definitely sore today.

The new bike & the new tires/wheels are totally awesome. I had several people tell me how hot my bike is. = )

Next on tap is Badger CX, which I had preregistered for before I broke my hand. I'll likely do the Afterglow as well. Nationals reg rates go up at the end of the week so I'll have to try to figure out what I plan to do. I'll likely reg for the age group race, which is Friday afternoon. The B race is early Wednesday morning and I'd likely have to drive up that day so I'm still going back and forth. I'm at 27 CX races for the year. I love, love, love CX.

(Thanks to Ronit Bezalel for making me appear fast.)

Jingle CX

On Wednesday morning I drove to my doctor's appointment as nervous as I am before a race. I was so happy when I found out I could ride outside again and race. I know the trainer and running are good for me and was really hoping it would help even out the six weeks of not racing.

We took the RV to my cousins on Thanksgiving and were on our way that evening with lots of leftovers, which was awesome. We got there between 12-1 p.m. on Friday. It was so great to be back on my bike and the new frame is awesome. The hand was sore and it was still difficult to brake with my right hand. Early in the race, I was able to pass a girl on the downhill, which rocked. As the race went on, the hand hurt more and I found that, if I didn't brake early on the downhill, I couldn't get my right hand to squeeze the brake at all. I didn't place well, which was disappointing, but was overall happy with how it went. I got some ice and iced my hand for the rest of the evening.

Saturday, it was raining. I rode the course, including Mt, Crumpit, and then found out that we wouldn't be going down the hill. I was ambivalent about it, knowing how much I suck at going up hills. The hand felt a little better. My start sucked almost as bad as it had on Friday night and I definitely could have raced better. I was okay with how it went but was hoping I would miraculously be back at my A game.

After my race, Christopher did the kids' race. This was a highlight of the weekend. He opted to ride his balance bike instead of his bike with pedals, which was a good race move. = ) It was much easier for him to get over the logs. He won a stuffed reindeer -- Clarice from the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer cartoon. He loves it and put the teddy bear he got at Jingle CX two years ago in the box with Clarice.

Then, things went totally downhill. The awning had blown off the RV before Christopher's race. Water started leaking in the RV and got into the electrical system, shorting out everything. No power to the fridge, no lights and we couldn't bring the slide out in. Tom was able to manually get the slide-out in but, he had been miserable the whole trip. We left to go get some caulk to fill the hole and ended up just driving home instead. We got home around 8 p.m., I think.

I decided to go back and race on Sunday. It was probably not my best decision but I have always loved this race. I was so bummed that I couldn't go last year and so excited that I had gotten the okay to race. Plus, I knew we'd probably get to do the technical downhill on Sunday. While my speed sucks, I am usually good at the technical aspects.

After loading up the car and getting Christopher to bed, I went to bed late and 3:30 a.m. came way too early. I got there earlier than I expected and, as a total bonus, found that my rain jacket and water bottle were still at the start, after forgetting them there the day before.

I prerode and found my hand was feeling better and that my brakes needed tweaking. The SRAM guys tweaked them three or four times for me. My start was a little better but then I just kept sliding backwards. I have the hardest time getting up Mt. Crumpit. Even walking, I have to really concentrate to keep from sliding back down. I braked way too much on the downhill but I was still concerned with the braking power of my right hand. I figured going too slow was better than taking it too fast and then not being able to use my right hand to brake. I wasn't dead last but I was only one off. I was pretty disappointed but knew that my exhaustion definitely didn't help.

Tom had decided last week that he didn't want to race since he's been sick and he didn't want to take parts off of his road bike to fix his CX bike. He couldn't get a refund so he transferred Sunday's entry to me. I sat in the car shivering with the heat on until everyone was lining up. We started and it was so obvious that my body was not up for another race. I figured I'd do a lap or two, get lapped and get pulled. On lap 2, I got lapped and happily thought that would be my last lap. I didn't get pulled. That last lap was so painful. I was DFL which I was totally fine with and was happy I came back and raced.

The Specialized Crux frame is awesome. I have no toe overlap and the frame seems to fit me so much better. I had no issues braking or shifting during the races -- well, except for hand-related issues. My old Crosswolf tires, however, sucked in the mud and I can't wait to get my PSIMET wheels. = )

I got home exhausted and then decided to check CrossResults.com. Even with the six weeks off the bike, I've done more than 20 races this year. I knew I had raced well that Friday night at the Golf Barn and CrossResults.com confirmed it. I actually have an upgrade point! Then, I got hyper which made sleeping difficult and Monday even worse. = )

I'm psyched to do Montrose. I'm going to do the 30+ as a warmup/preride, since it's hard to sometimes get those in when I'm volunteering at registration. I also plan to do at least one of the 4A & 4B; and, hopefully, both.

I'm registered for both days of Badger CX and the New Years races. I'll likely do the Afterglow. I'll probably do the age group race at Nationals but am unsure about the B race. If I did it, I would likely have to leave really frigging early that morning and I'd have to figure out how to get Christopher to school.

For biking, I think my hand is quite close to being 100% back. Now, if the rest of me could hurry up and get there. I still am having issues typing but realize that it will take a little time since I couldn't move two fingers for six weeks.

No CX

I feel bad that I did not go to the CX race yesterday to help out with registration, heckle people & ring a cowbell. But, I had a feeling it would just depress me so Tom volunteered at registration & I stayed home.

It was a beautiful day & I was dying to go ride. I asked Christopher if he wanted to go ride some trails. Nope (which was probably good since I'm not supposed to be riding outside). So, instead, we looked through a booklet I have with all of the village parks in it & I let him pick one to go to. The park had a boat, a castle, a compass on the ground, a net thing to climb up with alligators in the sand, swings & this type of log/tight-rope type thing. I'm pretty sure they did not have parks like this when I was a kid.

Afterwards, we came home & watched "Megamind," which we had borrowed from the library and was pretty good. Tom came home, we ate & then I did a short interval work out on the trainer.

Today is mine & Tom's 11-year anniversary. Nothing exciting planned. The toilet downstairs sprung some type of leak, which Tom will have to look at when he gets home & I'm hoping to go do running hill intervals at Palos.

Unplanned training block

(The photos from Amy Dykema are post-break at Saturday's race.)

The week sucked. Tom's grandmother passed away, which was hard on all of us; but especially Tom obviously. He decided he wanted to come with on Friday evening, make a mini trip out of it, race Saturday, come home, and then he & Christopher would go to a birthday party on Sunday & I would race.

We got to the race on Friday night about 15 minutes before my race. I warmed up on the course & actually had a really good race. It was basically turn,turn, turn, flyover, turn, turn, turn in dark spot & try not to fall in the pond & repeat. I was third. I won $. Woo hoo!

Saturday was the opposite. I had a hard time sleeping, the girls that normally babysit weren't there, etc. Scott Sanda agreed to keep an eye on Christopher while he course marshalled but I was a little afraid Christopher might be in demon mode & run out on the course. I pulled myself out of the 30+ race.

For the W123 race, my legs felt like lead going over the barrier and I was struggling. But, it looked like Becky was struggling too. I went through the area they tried to make berms and was trying to catch Becky when BAM. My front wheel must have hit the berm wrong. I got up, finally got my chain back on & started again. My right hand started hurting, which lead to the interesting stairs technique above and soon lead to my riding most of the course with only one hand.

The best guess of an EMT was that it wasn't broken but get an x-ray. Tom had to help with tear down so we stuck around. We got home kind of late. Tom didn't think the primary care center did x-rays & I figured I'd rather not spend the entire Saturday night in the ER, so I just went to bed. It didn't hurt too bad so I figured it was probably not broke & I'd try to race on Sunday.

Not my best move. It didn't help when I hit a plastic pole and then one of the guys in the 50+ or 60+ decided to ride over me. He kind of got stuck on top of me, but instead of getting off, pushed his way over me leaving some nice chain ring marks on my back. Totally not cool.

Rob Curtis helped me get my bikes to and in the car, which was not easy after his crash on Saturday, and Leah was nice enough to fetch my bottle from the start line.

I showered and then Tom dropped me off at the primary care center on the way to the party. When they told me it was broke, I wanted to cry and then go on a drinking binge. Instead, I walked over to the bowling alley, getting there as the part was winding up.

However, I saw the ortho yesterday afternoon & NO CAST! I have a splint and can't race for six weeks. I can run and he told me I could ride on the trainer. Man, I hate the trainer. But, I guess I have a good six-week training block to be back in shape for the end of CX season. = )

I'll have my bling, light & awesome PSIMET wheels by then. I'm hoping to finally have my new Crux frame by then as well.

Jingle CX is pretty much exactly six weeks from when I broke it. I wrote an article years ago about a woman's research that cats' purring could help mend broken bones (along with quotes from some experts saying nicely that she was off her rocker). I think I'll have to go cuddle with Freedy a lot more in the upcoming weeks, just in case. = )

CX & Life

Saturday I went to the CX race in Grafton. Tom's grandmother had been in the hospital but seemed to be doing better on Friday so we decided kind of last minute that I would go. Christopher got us up before my alarm could; so, I got there early enough to get a couple of laps in before my race. I had forgotten the hill until I started preriding. It is a monster that makes you wonder whether you will make it up or not, rideable sand, lots of turns and one small muddy section that made my bike covered with mud. I wasn't sure how I would do but felt pretty good.

There was a slightly smaller group than last week, with about a dozen starters. I ended up 8th. A few girls got past me that I couldn't reel back in but I did manage to keep Heather Curnutt behind me -- who beats me somewhat frequently so was a small victory. I also ended ahead of Melissa Putzer, who I tend to go back and forth with and who was having an off day.

While cooling down, I called Tom and heard that his grandmother was doing much worse. I got home as soon as I could so he could get to the hospital and hurried up and got cleaned up and changed so Christopher & I could go to a family wedding -- which is where the above photo was taken.

Sunday's course was awesome but my head wasn't in it. Tom came and volunteered and opted not to race.

(Photo credit Louis Fernandez)

I started horribly. I didn't necessarily race horribly but felt horrible.

Michael Angus posted a video from my race, which is great in that it shows the technical aspects that I am good at and doesn't showcase my lack of speed or fitness: http://youtu.be/nVDTqzO7zsM

We left very soon after my race so Tom could get back to the hospital. Christopher wanted to visit her too. We were really unsure about it but decided we didn't want to deny him his request. That didn't go great but didn't go horrible either. Tom's grandmother is now home with hospice. She is more comfortable at home but it is obviously a very hard time for us and Tom's family.

CX Celebration

I decided to handle the one-year anniversary of breaking my ankle in my sixth CX race by racing six CX races in the weekend. = )

Last year, I had my first major broken bone at CX the Domes. This year's race was almost exactly one year later. I decided that I definitely had to race it this year. I'm still trying to get rid of all the emotional crap from breaking my leg, such as being too timid. Finishing the race seemed like a good way to exorcise some demons.

I decided to do the Men's Cat. 4 race, which was immediately before mine, so I could get any nervous jitters out of the way before the women's race.

(Photo courtesy of John Senkerik)

I probably went a little too hard as I was going back and forth with a guy who sprinted past me at the finish and who I almost caught back up to. I started in the last row and ended up 56th out of 63 finishers, with 1 DNF.

For the women's race, I ended up 10th out of 15. It is such an accomplishment, for me, to finish this race. It is also disappointing as I was doing really well at the beginning of last season so placing so much lower is still depressing. I got passed by some girls but did manage to pick a few girls off. I did occasionally start to freak out about a turn or two but should give myself a gold star for the effort as opposed to beating myself up about it.

And, I arrived at DeKalb bright and early on Sunday morning with a small scab on my knee as opposed to a cast. I would finally get to do the flyover. I was so, so excited when I learned there would be one last year. It is definitely fun. But, man, oh man, is it so hard to climb up those stairs with a bike when you are shorter than 5'2".

In previous years, I had rode the course before the first race and then warmed up. Since I now do registration, I did the 30+ race to warm up on the course. But, Tom also is in the 30+.

I had a better start than him but then got stuck behind a minor crash at the first set of turns around the trees and he got by me. I was catching up with him and then I dropped my chain. Got it back on but was in too hard of a gear to pedal. And, away Tom went. I reminded myself this was supposed to be a warm up for the women's race. And, then, is Tom getting closer? Yep, I was gaining on him. I thought he dropped his chain but afterwards he replied that he had dropped/crashed. I went harder and ended up passing him. = )

I, then, changed out of my skin suit because it had really warmed up since we got there at 6:30 a.m. I snagged the last spot in the front row. My start wasn't great but didn't suck. And, then, we got to the first set of trees. I should have been more aggressive. I ended up behind Bev, who is a very fast mountainbiker but somewhat of a CX newb. I was on the brakes for the turns and saw the rest of the group get further and further away.

I actually was able to pass Bev and kept her behind me for probably 1 1/2 to 2 laps. I was pretty sure I would not be able to hold her off, as she is incredibly fast and strong. She got past me and started getting further and further away as she was powering off and my quads were screaming at me and complaining for doing a fourth race in a 24-hour period. My lap times dropped a bit, due to probably both my body as well as knowing I wasn't catching Bev and that there was not any ladies immediately on my tail. And, that's how I finished. 20th. A little better than Jackson Park, much worse than Jackson Park 2010. Of course, I have to keep reminding myself that I finally got to race the flyover!

So, I changed and went back to registration. I was second on the wait list for the 4A race and first on the list for the 4B. So, I decided I would do both. I need more time on the bike and I need more CX practice. I knew two more races would hurt like hell but I also decided that I would then have six races in the weekend. Last year, I didn't get to finish my sixth race so I decided it would be a perfect way for me to "celebrate" the one-year mark.

The course was more firm by the 4A race which allowed me to get both my fastest and slowest laps of the day. Slowest, being the first parade-like lap and my fastest being the second lap. By the 4B race, I wanted to die. I'm pretty sure I ended up 57th but there were glitches with the registration computer and I am not on the results.

I got to cheer on the singlespeeders and then, sadly, had to give Leah back her son's bike. My Trek was not back up and running until Saturday night so Leah kindly let me use the Cannondale again on Sunday since I was used to the geometry. It is a 44cm and fits me almost perfectly. I also got to ride a 46cm Specialized Crux again. I cannot wait to get my new disc frame! And, I cannot wait for Leah's son to outgrow his bike. = )

It is a long season and I plan to get myself back in shape by the end of it. Am I still being too tentative in some of the corners? Yeah, I'm sure I am. But, that's improving as well. I love CX and am so excited that I am back racing. = )

Edit: I have to post a photo Amy Dykema got of me sticking my tongue out on the flyover during the 4B race.

CX

(Photo courtesy of Nikki Cyp.)

I've now done seven races for this year: Women's 123 and Men's 4 in Rantoul, Women's 123, Mens 3 and Mens 123 at Jackson Park and Womens 3/4 both days of the USGP. Last year, I broke my ankle at the beginning of my sixth race. So, things are definitely better this year.

But, Nikki's photo seems to illustrate how this season is starting out frustratingly -- and, yes, I just made that word up. If you look close at the photo, you'll see my rear derailleur in my wheel.

I would see people running with their bike around a CX course, laugh, cheer them on & think "wow, that sucks." I can now officially say that yes, indeed, that sucks. I ran -- okay, very slowly jogged -- around the bulk of the course on Saturday.

I prerode and thought the course was very similar to the previous year. I was getting over a cold but had hopes of bettering my results from last year: 12th on day 1 and 11th on day 2.

I started very poorly in the race and was beginning to pick ladies off. On the third lap, I was coming to a downhill, 180, up and downshifted in the back in preparation when BAM. The derailleur went into my wheel. Rob is yelling at me to kick it, I'm trying to pull it out and then start running. I think to myself that I definitely need to do more running as cross-training. At the start/finish, I got pulled. The guy said my bike was done. I said I was trying to get to my pit bike and he replied I wouldn't make it there without getting lapped. Bummer. So, I was 40th out of 40. But, of course, running a course to finish dead last is still better than being carried off the course for a visit to the ER.

No one had a derailleur hanger so the bike was unrideable for Day 2. Then, Katie mentions that Leah is not racing on Sunday. I asked and she graciously allowed me to take her son's bike. I was originally going to use it as a pit bike but realized it is better than my pit bike. = )

Tom & Christopher took naps (well, at least Christopher. I think Tom did too but am not sure) and then Christopher & I played with blocks while Tom spectated.

I did get to watch the end of the men's race which was awesome. It was also rather amazing to see people go from mostly sober, chill out in the RV and then come back to find people mostly completely drunk. = ) It was like the alcohol fairy had waved her magic wand or something.

Saturday evening, we left the RV in the lot and went with Rob, Julie and their son Andrew to Red Robin. Who knew they were actually vegan friendly? I ate way too much.

Sunday morning, I prerode on my borrowed bike and felt really good on the bike. I was taking turns with barely any braking and was psyched. It started raining. We stood at the start for what seemed like forever. I had my old Fox jacket over me and could watch some of the girls in front of me visibly shivering.

We were off and I was completely excited to see I was in the top five. I was in the top 10 for most of the race. I rode a little too conservatively though and kept losing spots, ending 14th out of 31. I'm a little bummed I didn't hold on to the top 10 but did good. I'm sure I'm still being too tentative -- particularly as I come to the one year anniversary of my break. I hope to do some more racing with the guys -- maybe 4A or 4B, perhaps. But, obviously, 14th is a lot better than jogging with my bike to take dead last. = )

Saturday is CX the Domes. I'll be going and doing the Men's 4 and Women's 3 races. Sunday, I'll be doing at least the 30+ and Women's 123 races. I'm hoping to get another one in as well.

Mud

(Me trying to keep up with the speedy girls at the Meltdown start. Photo courtesy of the ever awesome Amy Dykema)

The past two races have shown me I need new tires. When it is slick, my Racing Ralphs have no traction.

The Imagination Glen race was a mud fest:

(Photo courtesy of the also ever awesome Betsy Silzer)

Imagination Glen would have been an awesome course for me but it poured during the first lap and I ended up sliding around. I rode very conservatively and was fine with my race.

I was able to do most of the Palos race course lap on Thursday evening, Friday morning and Friday evening. I went easy to not over do it but wanted to feel like I could rock the course, so to speak, since I don't ride out there as much as I could. I was psyched and excited. I felt really good on the bike and was riding the roots, rocks and ravines well. I was very nervous, however, that it would rain. As I was helping out on Saturday, it did rain and then rained again and then rained a little on race day. I was bummed knowing my tires would suck. For my warm up, I rode over to the first parking lot and did bad ass hill and most of the prologue part of the lap. I felt good but knew I would have issues on Turf. I lined up and was going good until I slid out on Turf. I got up and hopped back on the bike but, obviously, lost time. I had issues on parts of Turf each lap and on a root on, what I believe is, One Day but otherwise it was good. I knew Regina and Kristina Young, who had missed the start, were both behind me which definitely caused me to go harder. I ended up fourth out of sixth. I would have loved a dry course but I'm still, overall, pleased with my race. I was not that far behind the speedy girls.

So, tires with better traction in slippery condition will definitely be on my wish list but will have to wait for now as finances are still tight.

Christopher came with for the race as Tom ended up having to work. He had a great time playing with some kids and they spent a lot of time climbing a tree. My dad picked him up around noon, allowing me to change and warm-up. Christopher is always spoiled at my parents' house so he was in a great mood. I chilled for a bit and then got all of his stuff in the car. I came back in for him and saw him bugging my mom's dog, Jake. It was one of those things that I was thinking I had to intervene before he really pissed Jake off and then...oh crap. Jake was barking and then Christopher was crying and holding the back of his head. I take him with me and sit on a chair, holding him and bouncing him and trying to check out how bad it is. My mom started getting ice and I'm asking my dad to get Christopher's blanket out of the backpack which I had, of course, just put in the car. Then, blood is dripping down his head and neck. Crap.

I wiped off the blood with a Kleenex, get some ice on there, get the blanket from my mom, bring him to the couch and turn on cartoons. I'm able to see that it's more a scratch from Jake's tooth and start to breathe normally again. My mom went and picked up some chewable kids' meds for me and Christopher and I each ate a vegan frozen fudge bar thing. He's totally fine but, man, what a crappy end to the day.

I'm excited for Kickapoo and riding my mountain bike as well as for the start of CX season. I'm signed up already for the Half Acre CX clinic and the USGP Sun Prairie. I can't wait for my Specialized Crux to come in. And, thanks to Kim buying my Trek XO frame and some race winnings from last fall and this year, I can cover the cost of the frame. = )

Birthday Parties & Racing/Training

Saturday was Christopher's fifth birthday. He ended up having almost a birthday week. He saw his first movie at a movie theater (Cars 2) on Wednesday. Friday was his birthday party for his friends at the Jump Zone. He had an awesome time, as you can imagine. Saturday he opened his gifts from us, then had his family birthday party at a park and then he got to see the Wiggles, as I had won free tickets. His birthday ended with our neighbors having movie night. On Sunday, we went to the CIMBA race -- Christopher got to do the kids race and play with the other kids so he had a ball.

I went looking at it as a training race. It was four laps of less than five miles of multi-track. As training, it went well. I had my fastest speed on the first lap, as you would expect. But, my fourth/last lap actually had the second fastest speed and I was starting to pick off sport guys. So, the race was a definite success. As a bonus, I won $30 which is going into my new CX frame fund. = )

Macomb & other races

(photos courtesy of Kalib Jackson)

This past weekend I did the Illinois series race in Macomb. It was brutally hot, even in the morning. I pre-rode most of the course before the beginner race, missing one of the turn-offs to the sport/expert loop. It was a fun course. There were log piles, some bridges, etc. However, there was also quite a bit of double-track, which sucked in that I'm usually much better at technical aspects than speed and the double-track was getting a lot more sun.

Christopher did the kids' race on his bike, with newly added brakes. It was almost all grass, which is of course harder to pedal on, but he beat some kids and got a cool water bottle with a chocolate chip granola bar and other items inside.

I finished my warm-up and got to the line with only minutes to spare, which seems to be a trend for me lately. We started and I felt okay and was right on Betsy's wheel. Then, I forgot to downshift for one of the ravine-like sections and had to briefly hop off the bike and run up. At the end of the first lap, I was about six minutes back, which is pretty respectable for me.

Then, I ran out of water. I started with less than I should have and then had some leak out in the fridge. There was an unmanned water station which I really should have been utilizing. I figured I could finish the lap and then totally dabbed on a log pile and realized I was not doing well. I came across a water bottle with a sports top on the trail. I was pretty sure it was one that spectators/volunteers were using to squirt racers in the first lap. Regardless, I stopped and grabbed it. I drank some, poured some on my head, drank some, poured some on my neck & back, etc. I wasted a lot of time but I was able to finish; and, I was able to finish without walking up any of the hills. I should have been smarter (regarding water) and more competitive (not stopping so long) but there were only three of us and I knew that, unless I encountered Bev or Betsy unconscious on the side of the trail, that I'd be third.

I've heard a lot of grumbling about lack of women road racers this year and it is definitely an issue with the Illinois mountain bike races as well. There were only three of us in the expert race and no sport women.

Without a post in more than two months, I've obviously been slacking in the blogging department. I've been really busy with working and trying to watch Christopher so Tom could study for an exam he needed to take for work. That has not left a lot of time for blogging and it has also meant not having a lot of time for training. I've been getting out a couple of times a week, on average, to ride but that's it. I should be doing intervals, etc. for those rides. But, when I know it is likely going to be the only time I can get a ride in all week, I just want to ride singletrack. It's good for my sanity but not good for racing.

Black Partridge Open should have been a great race for me, considering the awesome trails, but it sucked -- I felt off almost the whole race. Jubilee went a little better than that but I still didn't feel like I had my "A" game, like at Mathiessen. Now that Tom has passed the first exam (he needs to take three or four more), I'm hoping things will get a little less hectic for us and I can ride more and start training again. The Meltdown is right around the corner as well as CX.

Woo hoo!

(Thanks to Eric Eiseman for the great photo!)

I decided to race Matthiessen on Sunday. I was a little apprehensive as life has still been pretty hectic and I have not really been training -- riding, yes; but, not really training. There ended up being only three expert girls. Myself, Betsy, who is incredibly fast, and Liz, who I went back and forth with quite a bit last year. The course was technical enough that I thought I could keep ahead of Liz and figured there was no way I'd keep any where near Betsy. We started and I actually was ahead of both of them into the trail. It was a short grass route around trees before the trail but, Liz a good starter and Besty is fast, so I was kind of proud of myself to be the first girl into the singletrack. I gunned it as much as I could and figured Besty would soon pass me. But, holy crap! We were at the end of the second (of four) laps before she passed me on the horrible climb. I actually led the race -- in front of Besty -- for almost half the race. And, I finished less than two minutes behind her. Less than two minutes!!! Full disclosure -- she is on antibiotics after finding out she has had Lyme disease for several years but I'll still take it as a victory. = )

The course was super fun and I really felt like I was riding well for most of it. (I still have a tendancy to dab when someone is right behind me.) My quads are not used to hills like the one at the end of the lap and I'm sure preriding that morning did not help. Several times my quads started cramping up and I did have to walk parts of the hill every time but the first lap. But, I walked only the small muddy section on the last lap and rode the rest.

The course, like I said before, was extremely fun to ride and had rocks, roots, small logs, swoopy turns, etc. They gave everyone socks and I won a cool glass and $60 for taking second place. Very cool.

We made a little trip out of it and camped the RV at Starved Rock on Saturday. Christopher liked playing at the campground's park and at the race with the other kids. He loves trips and thought the worst part about this one was that the trip was too short, since we left home on Saturday afternoon and were home by early Sunday evening. Tom, on the other hand, was miserable the entire time and just in a foul mood -- even though he had just gotten his first pay check from the new job shortly before we left. It's entirely possible Christopher & I may take the next trip with just the two of us. That will be for the Black Partridge race, which we will likely leave for after Christopher's graduation from preschool on that Saturday morning. I can't believe my little guy is turning into such a big boy.

Wilderness Wake Up Mountain Bike race/trip

(Christopher riding his bike Saturday evening)

We decided to take the first RV trip of the year and do the Wilderness Wake Up Mountain Bike race near Peoria this past weekend. The race is a fundraiser for Wildlife Prairie State Park, which has cool critters that have been rescued and could not be re-released into the wild and we got to visit the park for free -- big draw since money's been tight. We drove part of the way on Friday and got there by 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Christopher loved seeing the critters in the afternoon and loved the huge slide the most. After checking out the park, I prerode the course. There are only about four miles of trail but they are great. Turns, rocks, logs -- I was so happy to be on singletrack. It was the first real ride on the rigid fork and I have to say that I really liked it. My arms/shoulders were sore but I felt like I had better control, particularly with cornering.

After I rode, Tom went out and I got Christopher on his bike. He decided he wanted to ride the same trails I did and Tom were on but then I convinced him we should go find Betsy and say hi -- which lead to his first downhill ride. = ) I asked him if he remembered how to brake, which he did, and he made it down the hill pretty much all by himself. I did grab him at one point when he took his feet off the pedals.

Sunday was race day for Christopher and I. His course was all grass. Much harder to ride in and he was not particularly pleased. But, he absolutely loved the little swag bag he got. My race ended up being just me and Bev. I probably should have gone harder but wasn't sure how my body would handle that long on the rigid and, really, there is no way I'm ever beating Bev. So, I enjoyed being on my bike and being on single track -- albeit less since the freeze/thaw made them have to take out part of the course on Sunday.

We got more swag from a raffle and my taking second place and then Christopher and I headed back to the park. There are a total of three playgrounds that we played at and we saw more critters. As we were heading back to the huge slide, we even got to see the bear who wasn't out the day before. Christopher was excited. We still have another portion of the park that we didn't check out yet and plan to the weekend of the Jubilee race.

Overall, it was a great little trip.

First race back

(Speedy fast bike goddess Bev & me after the Tour de Groundhog CX race, photo taken by Amy who took 3rd)

So, as many of you probably already know, breaking a bone sucks. I had broken a finger in grammar school but had never had a serious injury before breaking my leg in October. I was totally unprepared for how long it took to get better. Then, I started freaking out about racing CX again. I had wanted to do the Tour de Groundhog but our finances suck so I thought it was out. Then, I found out Amy was thinking of going. She's now my hero. She ended up paying for the bulk of the gas and I did the bulk of the driving letting her rest just a little of what was a really long day.

Yes, it is insane to drive that far for a cross race. But, I am so glad I got that first race out of the way. It was a very short course -- only about 0.7 miles, I think. A set up double barriers, a slick downhill to a left turn, a slight downhill into some slushy snow (for my race anyway -- it later turned to mud), to a barrier, run-up to another barrier, energy-sucking mud to a short on-street portion, then through a ditch and some turns around trees to finish up the lap.

I started out actually in front of Bev, who is insanely fast but relatively new to CX. I actually kept her behind me for half the first lap and stayed on her heels for a bit and ended the race feeling pretty good about my speed. By the last lap, my going over the set of two barriers was darn near perfect.

I ended up second in our 3-person women's field. But, I felt I raced well and I did finish before all three junior boys.

Once the race was over, I realized that my ankle was pretty sore so I opted to not do another race. But, I also realized that I hadn't been freaking out the whole time about possibly crashing and breaking something. So, it was really a win. I had already spent too much time freaking about that first CX race and am so happy I got it out of the way now instead of stressing for six more months.

As a bonus, it ended up getting in to the 60's so I had awesome weather to be a super fan. = )

What a year

2010 was a hard year for us which was a main reason for the very small amount of blog posts during the year. Who really wants to hear me complain on this blog all the time?

But, the year was not all bad. I was able to buy Rachael's 29er and it definitely made me a better rider. I could ride things that I could not before and the 1x9 made me a stronger rider. I did nine mountainbike races and did well in most of them and also participated in the WORS women's spring fling as well as helped lead beginner women's rides. I rode over Rachael's Log and finally made it up the hill on Garden Grove on the 1x9 in the fall. Christopher loved the trips to the races and keeps asking when we can go to another race. Yes, I have a wonderfully odd little boy. = )

I did do a couple of ABD's indoor time trial series but not all of them and skipped the outdoor time trial to do the Sylvan Stampede. The only other road events I did was the Gapers Block crit series Half Acre put on in March. How could I turn down doing five races for less than $20?

Cyclocross season started great. I did five cross races at the beginning of the season. I was riding well, won a pair of gloves and a little $ and actually earned my first upgrade point. = ) I had offered to volunteer for the Chicago cross series so I could race for $5 a day but only got Jackson Park in before I broke my ankle at the start of the second lap of my sixth race. That obviously sucked.

For 2010, I had a total of 3,235 miles on the bike and nearly 125 miles of running -- not bad since I was off the bike awhile with the broken ankle and, obviously, have not run since it happened Oct. 2.

Work went well to as I now get to do more writing/communications for the League of Illinois Bicyclists -- as well as still being able to work from home and pick my hours, which is an awesome perk.

Otherwise, holy crap was it a difficult year. My Grandpa Welch died at the beginning of the year, after my Grandpa Oudsteyn had died almost exactly a year earlier. Our pet rabbit, Buttercup, also died. Christopher did not know his grandfathers that well so the death of our rabbit is the first death he has really had to deal with. He still tells people -- including random strangers -- that she died and occasionally asks us when she is coming back.

Tom lost his job. Part of his group went with a new firm but things have not been going well at all. His pay was sporadic and his last paycheck was on Sept. 1. The stress has been huge, obviously. I have not been healthy for the entire year -- first, Christopher and I had some type of infection, then I had recurring sinus infections and I broke my ankle on Oct. 1, which I'm still recovering from.

I would love to think this year will be better but it has not been off to a good start. So, I likely will not be blogging much this year either but do hope to ride a lot, even if I don't get any racing in.