Tuesday, August 16, 2011

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. = )

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

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. = )