The first weekend in June is one of my favorite weekends of the year. Not only is it one of my FAVORITE races, it also has the coolest race name: BUMP and Grind. It is my kind of trail and I usually either do very well or go down in a flaming ball of greatness (flat tires, broken wheels, broken body, etc). Last year I won BUMP for the first time ever (after many years of being close and having "issues") and it felt great!!! I was really hoping to repeat again this year but my miserable cold had turned into a full blown sinus infection. I didn't feel horrible I just had no high end or pep. Not ideal for a race weekend...
I decided to do the entire omnium (XC, STXC and Super D) because it is part of a bigger three race series that includes other events I will be doing. As long as I'm there, why not?? (Okay, I know: sinus infection. But besides that..) We arrived Friday and I rode part of the course; I wasn't going to ride the whole thing before the race regardless - it was a 32 mile loop. I'm not a fan of the 3+ hour pre-ride.
Saturday I was the only pro woman doing the short track so I lined up with the pro men. I held on to them for about 20 seconds and then I settled in to a moderate pace and got some good pre-ride jumps. I did pass one of the men at the end who was also saving his leg for Sunday's big show. Later that afternoon I lined up for the Super D and I was the FIRST rider off. Yikes. Nothing like racing down the mountain knowing that the pro men are right behind you. I got to the Blood Rock section of the trail and dropped my chain!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I tried to shift it back on but it was jammed up. Apparently really jammed. I got it fixed but it wouldn't stay on the bike after that so I coasted to the finish slightly bummed about my run. I then found out that my chain got bent and twisted and I needed a new chain. Great. Fortunately my awesome hubby ran to the local Trek dealer and got me rolling again.
Sunday it was time for the big day. Paula and I lined up and after a short pavement start we went into the woods with her on my wheel. I felt strong but not fast so I tried to just stay steady and strong. We rode 3/4 of the race together and then the heat got to Paula. She came off my wheel on the last climb up Oak Mountain and I was solo for the last 6 miles. I rode in alone to take the win. Paula came in a few minutes later for second. Star was also out there racing in the pro field in order to get the distance in preparation for BC. She held her own and had a blast. Oh, and she got the hole shot at the start!!
We even had Bruce from ProGold Lube fly back for the weekend to call the race and be the ultimate lube fairy (he loves it when I call him that...). The only thing the weekend was missing was one of the fabulous grills US Stove makes out there grilling burgers after the race. Maybe next year.
I won the omnium and went home feeling like I got run over by a truck. But I won. So it was worth it. And Monday I went to the doc. Time for some antibiotics to knock this thing out. I am obviously not capable of healing on my own. Call it a personality flaw.
Thanks for reading...
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Summer time fun and another 1,2 finish for the team!!!
Well, summer is here. It's hot, I'm done with school, and that means lots of riding and racing. Or at least that is what I thought it meant. Being a marginally employed graduate student in between finishing my Master's and Starting my PhD means that when work finds me, even if it is 60 hours a week for a week here or there, you take it. I really like the work I have been doing, but between that and a sinus infection (more on that later), I have not gotten in much training these past two and a half weeks. Fortunately, recovering from the sinus infection means time off the bike anyway, so the lack of pedaling due to work (although bad for my mental state) has actually not been too bad of a curse.
Two weeks ago we loaded up and headed to the Dauset Trails in Jackson, Ga for SERC #6. I had been fighting a slight cold that I thought was gone and I was hoping for the best. Dauset is a super fun trail but one of my least favorite places to race. It is ALWAYS hot and the course does not play to my strengths. Last year I took a serious beating from my teammate Catherine, who always seems to rock this course. Saturday afternoon was a time trial (not part of the SERC series but part of Georgia State Championship Series). In year's past I didn't do the GSC series because it meant too much travel and racing and not enough recovery, but this year SERC and GSC overlap for half of the races so I am going to try for both of them. This meant doing the TT.
Well it was HOT. Just like I remembered. And in order to pre-ride the TT course, I didn't get to see the whole XC course for Sunday. Hmmm... things are not off to a stellar start. I felt like absolute poo during the TT and although I was going hard, it felt like I was riding in quicksand. Catherine also felt like she was in quicksand and so we spent the evening arguing over who raced slower. Results in Sunday morning showed me besting her by 8 seconds; we still went 1,2 in the TT.
After exerting myself Saturday I slept about 2 hours Saturday night and felt like total crap by Sunday morning. I guess my cold wasn't gone. Okay, this is going to be a long, hard day. UGH. I felt so poorly that I didn't even want to race. Of course I did, but you know things are bad when all I want to do is go back to bed. I was pretty sure that today was Catherine's day and not mine.
They said "go" and I quickly assumed second wheel behind Catherine with Heather and Tiff in tow. The four of us rapidly distanced ourselves from the rest of the field. After taking a quick turn on the front I let Heather pass me. She obviously was still flying after her return the week before from the Xterra World Championships and I was suddenly starting to struggle. I needed to sit in and just survive this one. Well, that worked for almost a full lap. And then it didn't. All of a sudden I was coming apart. I think the whole park heard my explosion as I blew up. I let Catherine and Heather ride away, Tiff was a short ways behind me. Now on my own I settled into a more reasonable pace for my ailing body and decided that quitting wasn't an option so I needed to suck it up and continue on. Shortly after that I got to the feed zone at the end of lap 1 and yelled to Mark that I needed water. He knows it is not a good sign when 1) Kym is not at the front of the race and, 2) she comes through asking for water instead of her energy drink. He scrambled and got a me a water and yelled something encouraging that I don't remember. The water did something good for me and I slowly started feeling like myself again. and suddenly I could see Heather in the distance. I was gaining on her!!! I kept telling myself to stay steady and be smooth. Before I knew it I had passed her. I was back in second place. I figured Catherine was long gone but as bad as I was suffering I was ecstatic that I was where I was. And then I saw her. Catherine was right up the trail from me. I focused and tried to ride as strong as I could. I passed her near the end of the race and she hung on to my wheel. This was going to be an exciting sprint finish between teammates. Well we did not disappoint. We sprinted to the line and I got her. And then I collapsed. Whew. What a race.
It is amazing at how far you can push your body when you try. I managed to win a race where I was afraid at one point I was too spent to even finish. Of course the other side of that is I spent the following week recovering from being ill. And working...
Two weeks ago we loaded up and headed to the Dauset Trails in Jackson, Ga for SERC #6. I had been fighting a slight cold that I thought was gone and I was hoping for the best. Dauset is a super fun trail but one of my least favorite places to race. It is ALWAYS hot and the course does not play to my strengths. Last year I took a serious beating from my teammate Catherine, who always seems to rock this course. Saturday afternoon was a time trial (not part of the SERC series but part of Georgia State Championship Series). In year's past I didn't do the GSC series because it meant too much travel and racing and not enough recovery, but this year SERC and GSC overlap for half of the races so I am going to try for both of them. This meant doing the TT.
Well it was HOT. Just like I remembered. And in order to pre-ride the TT course, I didn't get to see the whole XC course for Sunday. Hmmm... things are not off to a stellar start. I felt like absolute poo during the TT and although I was going hard, it felt like I was riding in quicksand. Catherine also felt like she was in quicksand and so we spent the evening arguing over who raced slower. Results in Sunday morning showed me besting her by 8 seconds; we still went 1,2 in the TT.
After exerting myself Saturday I slept about 2 hours Saturday night and felt like total crap by Sunday morning. I guess my cold wasn't gone. Okay, this is going to be a long, hard day. UGH. I felt so poorly that I didn't even want to race. Of course I did, but you know things are bad when all I want to do is go back to bed. I was pretty sure that today was Catherine's day and not mine.
They said "go" and I quickly assumed second wheel behind Catherine with Heather and Tiff in tow. The four of us rapidly distanced ourselves from the rest of the field. After taking a quick turn on the front I let Heather pass me. She obviously was still flying after her return the week before from the Xterra World Championships and I was suddenly starting to struggle. I needed to sit in and just survive this one. Well, that worked for almost a full lap. And then it didn't. All of a sudden I was coming apart. I think the whole park heard my explosion as I blew up. I let Catherine and Heather ride away, Tiff was a short ways behind me. Now on my own I settled into a more reasonable pace for my ailing body and decided that quitting wasn't an option so I needed to suck it up and continue on. Shortly after that I got to the feed zone at the end of lap 1 and yelled to Mark that I needed water. He knows it is not a good sign when 1) Kym is not at the front of the race and, 2) she comes through asking for water instead of her energy drink. He scrambled and got a me a water and yelled something encouraging that I don't remember. The water did something good for me and I slowly started feeling like myself again. and suddenly I could see Heather in the distance. I was gaining on her!!! I kept telling myself to stay steady and be smooth. Before I knew it I had passed her. I was back in second place. I figured Catherine was long gone but as bad as I was suffering I was ecstatic that I was where I was. And then I saw her. Catherine was right up the trail from me. I focused and tried to ride as strong as I could. I passed her near the end of the race and she hung on to my wheel. This was going to be an exciting sprint finish between teammates. Well we did not disappoint. We sprinted to the line and I got her. And then I collapsed. Whew. What a race.
It is amazing at how far you can push your body when you try. I managed to win a race where I was afraid at one point I was too spent to even finish. Of course the other side of that is I spent the following week recovering from being ill. And working...
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Cycling etiquette
I have been riding and racing bikes for a long time. In that time I have developed some personal "rules" to live by in order to best promote cycling to the general public, set a good example for other cyclists, give my sponsors positive exposure, and ensure my safe return back home at the end of the day.
Kym's Cycling Rules to Live by:
1. Be courteous to other cyclists, no matter what equipment they ride, how fast they are, or if they race or not. We all love bikes for our own reasons and who's to say my racing passions are any better than someone else's commuter,Sunday ride, hipster, or cruiser bike enjoyment?? Remember we ALL ride bikes because we love bikes.
2. Remember that not everyone "gets" it. Kill them with kindness. Smile and wave at every car, kid, dog, and grandma on your rides. Make the world think that cyclists are some weird, friendly, smiling cult. You never know when you might need help in the middle of nowhere.
3. Obey all traffic laws ALWAYS. Don't roll through lights, blow stop signs, cut through parking lots, jump curbs, or do any of the other urban assault craziness that makes cyclists look bad. You may think you are riding safely but; A.) You aren't. Being unpredictable to cars is never safe, and B.) You are making the rest of us look bad. Every time I get on a bike I am representing not only the incredible companies that sponsor me but also every cyclists out there. We expect cars to treat us with respect and share the road. That comes with a responsibility on our end also. We must ride in a responsible manner and obey the laws. All the laws. All the time. Is your ride really going to be ruined if you have to wait on that lights?? Come on.
4. Do trail work. If you are a mountain bike rider, you use the trails. Help build them and support your sport. I love riding the sections of the many trails in this area I have helped with over the years. It makes me sad that in the past two or three years I haven't had the time I used to have to dedicate to trail building and maintenance. I will be back and I hope my past participation has a lasting impact on my sport for years to come.
5. Don't quit. Quitting races makes you, your sponsors, and the sport in general look bad. Everyone has bad days... turn them into learning experiences and good training, not an excuse to run away with your tail between your legs. Set a good example for tomorrow's riders, stand up to adversity and suffer like a dog!!!
I know I have more than this but this is a good start.
Thanks for reading...
Kym's Cycling Rules to Live by:
1. Be courteous to other cyclists, no matter what equipment they ride, how fast they are, or if they race or not. We all love bikes for our own reasons and who's to say my racing passions are any better than someone else's commuter,Sunday ride, hipster, or cruiser bike enjoyment?? Remember we ALL ride bikes because we love bikes.
2. Remember that not everyone "gets" it. Kill them with kindness. Smile and wave at every car, kid, dog, and grandma on your rides. Make the world think that cyclists are some weird, friendly, smiling cult. You never know when you might need help in the middle of nowhere.
3. Obey all traffic laws ALWAYS. Don't roll through lights, blow stop signs, cut through parking lots, jump curbs, or do any of the other urban assault craziness that makes cyclists look bad. You may think you are riding safely but; A.) You aren't. Being unpredictable to cars is never safe, and B.) You are making the rest of us look bad. Every time I get on a bike I am representing not only the incredible companies that sponsor me but also every cyclists out there. We expect cars to treat us with respect and share the road. That comes with a responsibility on our end also. We must ride in a responsible manner and obey the laws. All the laws. All the time. Is your ride really going to be ruined if you have to wait on that lights?? Come on.
4. Do trail work. If you are a mountain bike rider, you use the trails. Help build them and support your sport. I love riding the sections of the many trails in this area I have helped with over the years. It makes me sad that in the past two or three years I haven't had the time I used to have to dedicate to trail building and maintenance. I will be back and I hope my past participation has a lasting impact on my sport for years to come.
5. Don't quit. Quitting races makes you, your sponsors, and the sport in general look bad. Everyone has bad days... turn them into learning experiences and good training, not an excuse to run away with your tail between your legs. Set a good example for tomorrow's riders, stand up to adversity and suffer like a dog!!!
I know I have more than this but this is a good start.
Thanks for reading...
Monday, May 21, 2012
Me, the bike, and a little more mojo...
Well, this past spring has not been good to my bike mojo. I know that it was necessary for me to pursue other priorities (like completing my MS with a 4.0) but on race day it has been a challenge. I don't mind getting beat (yes, I race to win, but "winning" can be defined lots of different ways for me) but I hate racing like crap because I know I haven't put in the work that I needed to in order to ride how I want to. Now that I have a 3 month break from school, employment, any real responsibility I am on a mission to RIDE. I am loving it. My new Madone 6.9 Project One bike is a dream. I love every day with her. It amazes me how fast and stable she is. I LOVE THIS BIKE!!!!!
The past two weeks/weekends were all about riding for the love of my bike and finding my mojo again. After Tanasi and my awesome race there I was especially motivated to take my mojo and spinning the legs over until I collapsed. I accomplished my goal. I did 24 hours on the bike last week and felt great the whole time. I think the legs are coming back. Whew.
My teammates carried the team colors while I have been training like a mad fool and they have done well. Paula, in search of a longer race in her preparation for elite road nationals, lined up with the men a week ago at the Dayton road race and held her own. It's funny how men are extra motivated to drop a girl on those days. Sorry guys.
This past weekend Emily raced the 6 hours of Tsali. She rocked it. FIRST PLACE solo women!!!! Emily, we are super proud of you!!! While she was doing that, Stephanie was out killing it at a little race in Arkansas, Syllamo's Revenge. I jest, it was 100 miles of rocks, roots, technical nightmares. She also rocked it, finishing well inside the top 10 in an extremely strong open women's category.
Basically, summer is here, I'm pedaling my bike a ton, and racing is about to start up again. Life is good. Now all I need to do is get out the Primo Grill from US Stove and life will be complete.
Thanks for reading...
The past two weeks/weekends were all about riding for the love of my bike and finding my mojo again. After Tanasi and my awesome race there I was especially motivated to take my mojo and spinning the legs over until I collapsed. I accomplished my goal. I did 24 hours on the bike last week and felt great the whole time. I think the legs are coming back. Whew.
My teammates carried the team colors while I have been training like a mad fool and they have done well. Paula, in search of a longer race in her preparation for elite road nationals, lined up with the men a week ago at the Dayton road race and held her own. It's funny how men are extra motivated to drop a girl on those days. Sorry guys.
This past weekend Emily raced the 6 hours of Tsali. She rocked it. FIRST PLACE solo women!!!! Emily, we are super proud of you!!! While she was doing that, Stephanie was out killing it at a little race in Arkansas, Syllamo's Revenge. I jest, it was 100 miles of rocks, roots, technical nightmares. She also rocked it, finishing well inside the top 10 in an extremely strong open women's category.
Basically, summer is here, I'm pedaling my bike a ton, and racing is about to start up again. Life is good. Now all I need to do is get out the Primo Grill from US Stove and life will be complete.
Thanks for reading...
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Finding my mojo
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| US Stove - Trek leading the start of the pro women's race |
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| Dang that podium looks good!!! Kym, Paula, and Catherine 1,3,4. |
Paula, Catherine, Emily, Kristi, and Stephanie also made the journey so we had a great team presence. No matter what happened it was going to be fun. I have been doing more training the past few weeks and I keep hoping that it is going to pay off in my racing... It finally did! During my warm up I felt good. I rode the first part of the starting climb and my legs were ready. Whew. Tanasi is unforgiving as a race course. It is 6.5 miles up and 4.5 miles down. Okay, not quite that dramatic but close. If you don't have your climbing legs you might as well go home. My warm up felt good and it seemed I had indeed brought my climbing legs. I knew that I wanted to lead up the climb and make everyone else ride at my pace so as the lead moto took us out I pushed and took the lead. I jumped when he pulled off and I got the hole shot onto the single track. Okay now time to settle into some type of pace that I could maintain. Paula was on my wheel and Catherine was on hers... Good start for the team. By the top of the first climb it was just Paula and I. Sweet. She was on my wheel and we settled into a pace that we could sustain for the next 1.5 hours. I love racing at the front with a teammate. It motivates me and makes both of us ride better. About half way through the first lap Paula came off my wheel on one of the climbing sections... I kept hoping I'd see her again. I was now alone at the front of the race, just where I like being. The rest of the race was a blur. I felt like I was flying and would never slow down. I felt AWESOME! I won with a smile. It was the perfect way to end two long years of school. My bike mojo appears to be back.
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| All smiles post-race. Emily, Paula, Stephanie, and Kym |
Thanks for reading,
Kimberly S Fasczewski, M.S.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
New Bikes ROCK!!!
I just had to take a minute to show off my new ride. She is fast and smooth and the best bike I've ever had. And I am spending lots of time with her lately. Huge thanks to Trek Bikes and the Trek Bicycle Store of Chattanooga for getting me rolling. And Taylor, you are as always, my hero...
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| Sexy.... |
SERC #4 Winder, GA
This weekend was BIG for the team. We spent time at the National Cornbread Festival helping our AWESOME sponsor US Stove show people how great their products are (I can't wait to get my grill!!), raced at the Cohutta 100/Big Frog 65, and dominated the SERC #4 in Winder GA. Have I mentioned how much I love my team?!
My weekend started at the Cornbread Festival with Kristi and Mark. It was a super fun time and hopefully we helped sell some stoves and grills. Shannon was our representative Sunday while we raced since she is currently on the injured reserve. After seeing the incredible products US Stove makes I don't know how anyone could buy anything else. You get what you pay for and quality is worth every penny.
While we were doing that, Paula was winning Big Frog 65 and Stephanie was beginning her quest for the overall National Ultra Endurance series buy putting up a solid performance in the 100 mile version, the Cohutta 100. Woohoo!!!
Sunday saw total domination with me winning (finally! I'm back....almost) and Catherine in second. We rode the whole race together. She motivated me to push harder and I pushed her to let go of the brakes. It must have been her new Trek Superfly Elite that gave her wings... she was FLYING!!!Paula took an impressive 4th after her stellar race the day before. Prego mamas Kristi and Amy were our cheering section and handed out bottles like pros.
What an awesome weekend. I can't wait for next week.
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| All smiles after the podium. |
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| Dang that podium looks GOOD!!!! |
While we were doing that, Paula was winning Big Frog 65 and Stephanie was beginning her quest for the overall National Ultra Endurance series buy putting up a solid performance in the 100 mile version, the Cohutta 100. Woohoo!!!
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| All hugs for the teammates |
... Welcome to 2012!!!!
2012 Team - Kym, Emily, Kristi, Stephanie, Catherine, Star, Paula (not pictured: Amy, Anina, Shannon)
A team with a view...
At the front at Tsali
Paula has also spent some time road racing in both GA and TN and has been on the podium both times. She's got her eye on a TBRA state championship this season so look for us to be out on the road helping her attain that.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Cyclocross season
Whew. After the end of the mountain bike season in August we all needed a bit of a break. We didn't get to rest too long before it was time for my favorite part of the year: CYCLOCROSS.
I LOVE cross. It's my favorite bike to race. I love the thrill and excitement of racing all out for 40 minutes in crazy conditions at a time of year when most people are not even thinking about their bikes. The past two year have been a bit more challenging because I have been balancing my love of cross with my studies (6 weeks and counting until the MS is complete!!!) but the only thing that has truly suffered is timely blog posts... sorry.
My cross focus this season was Nationals and a week later the Masters World Championships so I stayed a bit closer to home, had a blast in GA, and won every regional race I entered. Paula, Star, Kristi, and Catherine also joined me for some cross racing in GA and we often had a sweet looking podium with lots of US Stove representation.
Nationals was ALMOST perfect. I raced a killer age group race, taking second in a hard fought battle that saw myself and second place change the lead 4-5 times. I also raced the collegiate race where an untimely dropped chain at the start left me off the BACK chasing the entire race. I came all the way back to third and was told that I rode stronger than anyone else in the race. So, two podiums in tow days at National, not bad.
World's was the craziest mud I had seen in a while. I like the mud and even though I was exhausted from travel, starting the spring semester and being sick, I was so excited to race I could hardly stand it. It was one of the most exciting races I have ever raced, I was off the front with one other girl and we traded the lead, in slow motion through the mud, about 4-5 times a lap. I crashed on the last lap and ended up with a well earned second place. Not the result I was hoping for but a silver at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS is nothing to be bummed about.
The silver UCI medal was one of the coolest accomplishments of my cycling career. I couldn't have done it without my kick butt Trek Cronus CX, the support of the guys at the Trek Store of Chattanooga, our awesome sponsors like US Stove, and most importantly, my husband. 
I LOVE cross. It's my favorite bike to race. I love the thrill and excitement of racing all out for 40 minutes in crazy conditions at a time of year when most people are not even thinking about their bikes. The past two year have been a bit more challenging because I have been balancing my love of cross with my studies (6 weeks and counting until the MS is complete!!!) but the only thing that has truly suffered is timely blog posts... sorry.
Kym and Paula go 1,2 at the GA CX series race in Fort Yargo, GA
Nationals was ALMOST perfect. I raced a killer age group race, taking second in a hard fought battle that saw myself and second place change the lead 4-5 times. I also raced the collegiate race where an untimely dropped chain at the start left me off the BACK chasing the entire race. I came all the way back to third and was told that I rode stronger than anyone else in the race. So, two podiums in tow days at National, not bad.
World's was the craziest mud I had seen in a while. I like the mud and even though I was exhausted from travel, starting the spring semester and being sick, I was so excited to race I could hardly stand it. It was one of the most exciting races I have ever raced, I was off the front with one other girl and we traded the lead, in slow motion through the mud, about 4-5 times a lap. I crashed on the last lap and ended up with a well earned second place. Not the result I was hoping for but a silver at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS is nothing to be bummed about.
The silver UCI medal was one of the coolest accomplishments of my cycling career. I couldn't have done it without my kick butt Trek Cronus CX, the support of the guys at the Trek Store of Chattanooga, our awesome sponsors like US Stove, and most importantly, my husband. 
A silver from the CX National Championships
The Silver at Nationals wasn't all bad either, and I have a bronze to match it!!! Next year we need to add a couple of gold medals to this collection. 
Just a little bit of mud on the pit bike. This was a training race before Nationals; I sure am glad I brought the old bike!!!
...and the coolest trophy of the season!!!! Gotta love a trophy that keeps on giving.
We are FAMOUS!!!
Check it out, the team has a great article in the February issue of "Get Out" magazine.
Here is the link to the digital copy of the article: http://media.timesfreepress.com/epaper/GetOut/February2012/index.html
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Some more pictures from the weekend
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| Kristi takes 3rd! |
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| Short Track podium. Total domination. |
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| Pro XC podium. Dang, that looks GOOD. |
Monday, August 8, 2011
SERC Finals with a little bit of Georgia thrown in...
Well, it has been a slow couple of weeks, just lots of training, training and more training in anticipation of cyclocross season which is just around the corner (YAY!!!!). The mountain bike season is winding down and so is the road bike season. We have a few more weekends of fun left but for the most part, we have kicked butt, taken names and are ready to move on to the fall season. We could not have done it without our awesome sponsors, especially US Stove and Trek/Trek Store Chattanooga. For anyone who needs killer awesome stoves, grills, etc., we have coupons for the hook up on the most kick butt stuff you can buy. remember, you don't buy cheap bikes, why would you buy a cheap grill?? Also, we have team friends deals at the Trek Store in Chattanooga so when you are ready to get the best bike out there... we have your ride.
Two weeks ago Kristi, Star, Emily and I met Catherine in Helen, GA for the GA series finals. This race was also the makeup race for the SERC series so we decided to go and pad the results a bit more. I hadn't been to Helen in years and all I remembered was that it was a Bavarian theme little town in the mountains and the race course was ALL uphill. Well, I got it half right. It was all up hill and a really REALLY fun trail. Helen the town was over priced and a "Bavarian meets Gatlinburg red-neck hell". We did see the craziest tourist attraction ever: a store called "Goats on the Roof". yep, you guessed it, there were goats on the roof. We had a really fun girl weekend and topped it off with some killer race results. I won the race and had an amazing ride. I was 12 minutes over second place (MY TEAMMATE!!!) and rode most of the way through then men's field. I guess the climbing was a good thing for me. All of my teammates rode well. Catherine was second, Emily was 5th, Star 6th. And Kristi, still crazy as always, raced her race on her single speed against geared bikes and took 3rd. A good time was had by all. And yes, the only picture I have is of goats on the roof.... ha!!!
This past weekend we were everywhere. We kicked butt and took names. It was the SERC series finals and the whole team came out to race. Paula decided to start out the weekend with a road race in Oak Ridge, TN. She started us off right with a WIN. Next Anina, Catherine and Shannon decided to race the Saturday night short track race, a SERC series finals weekend tradition. They finished 1,2,3... The domination was continuing.
Sunday was the big event. Fontana is NOT an easy race. It hurts even if you are feeling good. It is steep and slippery and sometimes technical. I LOVE it, but it has a way of taking no prisoners. I was nervous, which is rare for me. I had a good lead in the series and I wanted to win to cement my place in my head as the strongest cross country racer in the series. Carey has been such a great competitor to race against this season, I have the utmost respect for her and her talents. She is an ultra endurance racer and one of the best out there. These races are a sprint for her. It is not her forte and she still kicks butt and makes me work at my own discipline. The series has been a better place this year and I have become a better racer because she has been there. Hopefully we can talk her into another season of it next year!!!
I was a bit of a wreck Sunday morning. My biggest fear was an untimely mechanical. I have not flatted in a LONG time. My tires are almost a season old and in need of replacement. A bit of ill planning on my part, I know better, but I was just caught up in life and didn't put new tires on the bike before leaving town. I raced the entire race with a bit higher air pressure than normal to avoid a pinch flat and I was a slow and tentative on all the descents but I kept air in the tires...
The start of the race was straight uphill. I HATE uphill starts. I have never been good at them. This start scared the crap out of me. What if someone attacks?? I am a slow starter. I like to work into my pace and slowly ramp things up. The whistle blew and we were three wide at the front for a minute. Then I was alone. I rode my pace up the hill and I gapped the field. I rode off the front and never looked back. I need to remind myself once in a while that I am not the same girl that used to struggle so badly at the back of races. That was a LOT of miles ago and these days I am going along pretty well. I rode the race a bit on the conservative side to avoid any crashes or flat tires and I finished the race and the series in first place. It felt really good to win this one.... there were some really strong girls (mostly my teammates) and it was a really hard race. To top it off, we went 1,3,4,5. The podium looked GOOD. Kristi also made a podium appearance with a 3rd place, again on her single speed.
The SERC series overall podium was as follows:
Pro women: Kym 1st
Cat 1 women: Catherine 1st, Emily 3rd.
Cat 2 women: Kristi 3rd
Of the top 8 women overall in the series, we were 4 of those places.
Whew, what a great season!!! Next up, some local racing (both road and mountain) and then a rest before the cross madness begins.
Thanks for reading...
Goats on the roof... only in the mountains of north Georgia!!!
Team time trial during the Short Track. Ouch, looks like it hurts!!!
This past weekend we were everywhere. We kicked butt and took names. It was the SERC series finals and the whole team came out to race. Paula decided to start out the weekend with a road race in Oak Ridge, TN. She started us off right with a WIN. Next Anina, Catherine and Shannon decided to race the Saturday night short track race, a SERC series finals weekend tradition. They finished 1,2,3... The domination was continuing.
Central Command for the day... you can almost feel the pre-race nerves.
Sunday was the big event. Fontana is NOT an easy race. It hurts even if you are feeling good. It is steep and slippery and sometimes technical. I LOVE it, but it has a way of taking no prisoners. I was nervous, which is rare for me. I had a good lead in the series and I wanted to win to cement my place in my head as the strongest cross country racer in the series. Carey has been such a great competitor to race against this season, I have the utmost respect for her and her talents. She is an ultra endurance racer and one of the best out there. These races are a sprint for her. It is not her forte and she still kicks butt and makes me work at my own discipline. The series has been a better place this year and I have become a better racer because she has been there. Hopefully we can talk her into another season of it next year!!!
Catherine shows off her stellar face-plant.
Shannon, Anina and Catherine are all smiles before the start of the Short Track.
Kym and Carey on the final SERC podium; Pro Women's category.
The SERC series overall podium was as follows:
Pro women: Kym 1st
Cat 1 women: Catherine 1st, Emily 3rd.
Cat 2 women: Kristi 3rd
Of the top 8 women overall in the series, we were 4 of those places.
Whew, what a great season!!! Next up, some local racing (both road and mountain) and then a rest before the cross madness begins.
Thanks for reading...
Monday, July 11, 2011
State Champion, SERC #9 and the "Bad Idea Jeans" weekend.
Kym and Paula celebrating the State Road Race WIN.
Last week it was brought to my attention that the TN State Road Race Championships were this Saturday in Johnson City, TN. Sunday was race #9 in the SERC series in Huntsville, AL. Both races were withing day-trip driving distance of home and I have ridden the SERC course before; never mind that it is one of the most technical courses we races all season. I started thinking (which often leads to me putting on those infamous pants) that with some careful logistical planning we could do both races. Now that Paula has returned and is not only a fantastic mountain bike racer but also a kick butt road racer who has her goal set on Master Road Nationals next month, I figured I could sucker, I mean convince, her to join me.
It took no effort at all to convince Paula to join in the fun; I suspect she also owns a pair of bad idea jeans. Mark, being the incredibly supportive husband, volunteered to work the feed zone on Saturday for us and drive us all over the Southeast to our races. We decided to take Paula's new truck (which makes all other truck in the universe look small) and travel in style. The photo is the "before" shot. She looks even better with the US Stove car magnets on the doors and Trek bikes on the rack!!!We departed Chattanooga at 7:30am on Saturday for Johnson City and a 12:20pm race. Travel was uneventful and we arrived with a plan and time to relax and prepare for the race. The goal of the day was to get Paula the win. There were some decent hills on the course and we hoped that we had the legs to get her away. Well, to quote my friend Steve "Even the best laid battle plan rarely survives contact with the enemy". We had a strong field of 15 ladies, including two teams with 4 riders each. Okay, so we were a bit out numbered but we hoped we had fitness and experience on our side. Paula and I have been racing as teammates for a LONG time and it showed. We set the pace, controlled the hills and created the eventual winning group of 6 rider. About halfway into the race Paula rolled up next to me and told me that she thought I had better legs today, she was going to work and lead me out at the finish. Okay, change of plans but we can adapt. And adapt we did. She killed it the second half of the race, wore out the field and was the PERFECT lead out. I took the win by over a bike length and am now the TN State Road Race Champion. I can't remember the last time I raced with such an incredible teammate. We were perfect together. And the first half of the weekend was complete. US Stove-Trek has a state title to add to the resume.
Now to get home. Of course the race and after effects took longer than planned and we had to eat so by the time we got moving we were behind schedule. Then we hit construction traffic. Mark drove like a rock star and I navigated and detoured us around the mess and we arrived back in Chattanooga about 7:45pm. Hmmm.... we still have to shower, pack and drive two hours to Huntsville tonight. We frantically got ready for the turn around (while watching the Tour de France... it is July) and were ready to roll by 8:45pm. And then it began to rain, just as we were going to load everything into the back of the truck. We decided that we should get to bed NOW and leave early in the morning for Huntsville instead. Again, the best laid plans....
Sunday morning came WAY too early (5am) and it was the first time all weekend that I thought MAYBE this whole thing was a bad idea. Oh well, too late to change the plans now. We made it to Huntsville without incident and although it was HOT, the sun was shining and we were ready to race. We met most of the rest of the team there (they all pre-rode and were well rested) and we were ready to get it done. My warm-up consisted of riding the first part of the course (I am glad I did, there were a couple of tricky turns I needed to see). My legs actually felt pretty good. Hmmm, maybe I was going to be able to pull this off. We lined up and I took the lead in the first pavement stretch before we hit the trail. I never looked back. One rider stayed with me for a short while but before I knew it I was off the front alone. I was feeling pretty good but I had no idea how long that was going to last and if the weekend's "fun" was going to catch up to me mid race.
About half of the course in Huntsville is fast and the other half is technical. Really, really technical for a race course. Nothing that is unrideable but enough that one wants to pre-ride (hint) and know the best lines and the kind of speed that one can carry into any given section. Well, I had raced there last year but a year is a long time ago. I mostly remembered the big obstacles and was doing well... and then it happened. Just as I was thinking "There is a tricky downhill coming up here soon" I was on top of it and out of control. It was one of those moments when all I could think was "Uh oh, this is not going to end well". Sure enough, it didn't. I ate it HARD and spent a frantic bit of time collecting bike, glasses and other gear, putting my chain back on the bike and checking to see where the other rides were. Damn Kym, SLOW DOWN. I rode a bit more apprehensively the rest of the race and crossed the finish line tired, bruised, bloody and in FIRST place. Whew. I did it. Two for two. The bad idea jeans fit well all weekend.
Kym and Paula on the SERC podium on Sunday.
My teammates also rocked the day. Paula took third, just behind Carey. Catherine was 4th, Emily 7th and Shannon 8th. Kristi had her best finish of the year in her category with 2nd on her single speed (against geared riders).
Mark drove us home and I collapsed on the couch for the rest of the night and watched other riders race (the Tour again...)
Whew. What a weekend. I guess Monday is what happens when you need a break from all the fun. I might need a couple of Mondays this week.
The bad idea jeans are back in the closet for now. I may have a date with them on Thursday. We are headed to the Cherohala Skyway...
Thanks for reading.
Paula's back!!!!
For those who have known us for a while, you already know Paula. For those who don't, you have missed out all these year. Our good friend and former teammate Paula is back racing with us and we are a better group of ladies for having her return. She's super fun and a KICK BUTT bike racer. She took a couple of years off to explore other things and now she's ready to rip everyone's legs off again. WELCOME BACK.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Racing local and Rockin' it with US Stove
The girls with the US Stove goods.
The Raccoon Mountain SERC is always one of my favorites. I love racing at home. I get to sleep in my own bed, cook my meals in my own kitchen (instead of a hotel microwave) and I know the trail like the back of my hand. I was excited. And a bit nervous. I always get a little worked up about the local races but I was mostly just excited.
Race day came and we all did great. I took the lead from the start and after about 5 minutes I had the trail to myself. Catherine spent the race in a heated battle with Carey for second, ultimately taking a strong third place. Carey is one tough competitor. It has been great having her race the series this year. Paula, our new old teammate (welcome back after a two year break!!!) took 4th and Emily rolled in for 5th. Kristi had a unfortunate flat tire but was all smiles cheering for us for the rest of the race. Shannon and Amy both finished in the top 10. A great team weekend for all of us!!!
Paula, Kym and Catherine on the podium.
The BEST part of the weekend was US Stove, our super awesome sponsor, came out and cooked hot dogs and cheered for everyone. There were a LOT of happy racers after the race. Hopefully it will translate into stove and grill sales. After seeing all of the awesome products, how could you not buy one. I can't even look at a grill at Home Depot anymore. I guess it's just like bikes, once you get something nice, there is just no comparison.Thanks for reading...
BUMP and Grind
This year marks a significant accomplishment for me. It is the year I finally won BUMP and Grind in Birmingham. This race has been my nemesis for many seasons. I LOVE the course. It is perfect for me. Fast, twisty, one good climb and a lot of sweet single track. It is also unforgiving. Over the years I have flatted, double flatted, TRIPLE flatted, blown up wheels, blown up myself, broken a free hub body, etc. You get the picture. It is the one race in the Southeast that I have never won. And it is a big one. This year was my year. I was really hoping for some decent legs, in spite of all the school work and heat, and I was mentally prepared.
The course is a LONG lap, 24 miles for the first one and another 8 for a second lap. We decided to pre-ride only a short section of it in order to save our legs. Even our "short" section ended up being a 2 hour pre-ride. Oops. I might have mis-calculated a little on the time it was going to take us. Fortunately we had a pool at the hotel to recover in. Mark, Catherine and I enjoyed a relaxing evening at the hotel and we went to sleep early, dreaming of the next day's race.
We awoke on race day to hot temperatures and sunny skies. It was going to be a long, hot day. I decided early that pacing myself was the best strategy and when they said "go" I went hard but not crazy. I took the lead early and never looked back. It was hot but I felt good. Actually, I felt GREAT. I just kept getting stronger the whole race and I had a blast. I was all smiles at the finish.
Catherine was a rock star and even after a flat tire raced back to take second place. Mark broke his frame. Enough said.
Whew. After that, how could we top things off???
How about a win the following weekend on my home trails??
The course is a LONG lap, 24 miles for the first one and another 8 for a second lap. We decided to pre-ride only a short section of it in order to save our legs. Even our "short" section ended up being a 2 hour pre-ride. Oops. I might have mis-calculated a little on the time it was going to take us. Fortunately we had a pool at the hotel to recover in. Mark, Catherine and I enjoyed a relaxing evening at the hotel and we went to sleep early, dreaming of the next day's race.
We awoke on race day to hot temperatures and sunny skies. It was going to be a long, hot day. I decided early that pacing myself was the best strategy and when they said "go" I went hard but not crazy. I took the lead early and never looked back. It was hot but I felt good. Actually, I felt GREAT. I just kept getting stronger the whole race and I had a blast. I was all smiles at the finish.
Catherine was a rock star and even after a flat tire raced back to take second place. Mark broke his frame. Enough said.
Whew. After that, how could we top things off???
How about a win the following weekend on my home trails??
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Continuing our winning ways
The season is flying by and we are rocking it as usual. Catherine has stepped it up this season and is nipping at my heels during the races. In fact, she took the win at Dauset a couple of weeks ago. I am always so proud to see my teammates do well. When I have a bad day, I want them to be the ones kicking my butt for sure!!! But let me start where I left off...
First, pictures from the Tanasi race. We are bike racers, not photographers... oh well. It still looks GOOD with all those US Stove kits everywhere!
Around the time of women's weekend I was also finishing up a huge project for school. I was asked to author a textbook chapter. This was a huge compliment and will be a great addition to my resume BUT the timing was tight. I had a very short period of time to work with and I spent most of the month of May at my desk, not sleeping and not training. I got the chapter finished and I am very proud of it, but my riding suffered. The culmination of this was felt at the Dauset race. I had just finished the final re-write and I was exhausted. Spent. Done. I had no idea how I was going to race my bike, but I was looking forward to actually getting to ride it. Not to mention that we also had a heat wave and I was not ready for it. All of this added up to one of the worse races I have had in a long time. I started okay but faded fast. I was just not riding like myself. In fact, a think a little girl on a tricycle could have ridden better. I felt awful. Just about the time I thought I was done for Catherine caught me. I was so happy to see MY TEAMMATE instead of another racer. I could have kissed her. She very sweetly rode behind me for a bit before passing me to take the win. Meanwhile I was now concerned that Carey was going to catch me. Carey is an endurance racer and one strong competitor. I love racing with her because I know it is always going to be a good race. I also know I can not let my guard down or she'll catch me in the last lap of the race. She never seems to slow down, after all, for an endurance racer, cross country races are a sprint. About 10 minutes from the finish it happened. I heard someone behind me and it was Carey, about 10 seconds back. No. I was not going to let her catch me. I dug as hard as I could and felt like puking and passing out the entire time, but I did it. I hung on for second place. I was totally dehydrated and wrecked at the finish and I almost passed out but we went 1,2. Whew. I do not want to repeat that any time soon.
And that brings us to BUMP and Raccoon. I will write those reports separately, they are going to take a bit of time.
First, pictures from the Tanasi race. We are bike racers, not photographers... oh well. It still looks GOOD with all those US Stove kits everywhere!
Anina, Catherine and Kym on the podium at Tanasi.
After Tanasi we had the Trek Women's Weekend where we had a bunch of awesome ladies come out and learn to mountain bike. A grand time was had by all. We had perfect weather and killer bikes to ride, thanks to the Trek Ladies demo trailer.
And then we were back to our winning ways. We are dominating the SERC series again this year, with Catherine and I on the podium at every race and our other teammates sneaking in there occasionally as well. We are all focused and riding so well. Around the time of women's weekend I was also finishing up a huge project for school. I was asked to author a textbook chapter. This was a huge compliment and will be a great addition to my resume BUT the timing was tight. I had a very short period of time to work with and I spent most of the month of May at my desk, not sleeping and not training. I got the chapter finished and I am very proud of it, but my riding suffered. The culmination of this was felt at the Dauset race. I had just finished the final re-write and I was exhausted. Spent. Done. I had no idea how I was going to race my bike, but I was looking forward to actually getting to ride it. Not to mention that we also had a heat wave and I was not ready for it. All of this added up to one of the worse races I have had in a long time. I started okay but faded fast. I was just not riding like myself. In fact, a think a little girl on a tricycle could have ridden better. I felt awful. Just about the time I thought I was done for Catherine caught me. I was so happy to see MY TEAMMATE instead of another racer. I could have kissed her. She very sweetly rode behind me for a bit before passing me to take the win. Meanwhile I was now concerned that Carey was going to catch me. Carey is an endurance racer and one strong competitor. I love racing with her because I know it is always going to be a good race. I also know I can not let my guard down or she'll catch me in the last lap of the race. She never seems to slow down, after all, for an endurance racer, cross country races are a sprint. About 10 minutes from the finish it happened. I heard someone behind me and it was Carey, about 10 seconds back. No. I was not going to let her catch me. I dug as hard as I could and felt like puking and passing out the entire time, but I did it. I hung on for second place. I was totally dehydrated and wrecked at the finish and I almost passed out but we went 1,2. Whew. I do not want to repeat that any time soon.
And that brings us to BUMP and Raccoon. I will write those reports separately, they are going to take a bit of time.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The 2011 Team
So we have actually had the new team gear all spring but getting us all together long enough to take a picture has been a challenge; too much racing I guess. It is BY FAR the best looking stuff yet. Thanks to US Stove, Trek, Vantaggio Fitness and Nutrition and all of our other sponsors for making it such a great year!!!
Kristi, Catherine, Star, Amy, Anina, Emily, Kym, Shannon
Of course we were having so much fun it was hard for the camera man (Mark) to get us to stop laughing long enough for a picture...
Friday, May 20, 2011
Details for the women's weekend
For those who are signed up and have not yet gotten the information, here it is:
Girl’s Getting Dirty: Women’s Mountain Bike Weekend
Chilhowee Campground, Cherokee National Forest
May 21st to 22nd, 2011
Weekend Agenda:
Friday: Check in 6-8pm at group camping area. See directions for details.
Saturday: Check in 8-10am, Lunch 12pm, Dinner 6pm
Sunday: Breakfast 8am, Lunch 12pm
Event schedule:
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 10am Saturday | Beginner skills clinic-Kym | Lower picnic area |
| 11am Saturday | Your bike 101- Mike | Main camping field/Trek mechanic tent |
| 10am Saturday | Mountain bike rides: beginner and intermediate- USSC-Trek team members | Registration area- main field |
| 1pm Saturday | Intermediate skills clinic- Catherine | Lower Picnic area |
| 2pm Saturday | The mystery of tubless tires unveiled- Mike | Main camping field/ Trek Mechanic tent |
| 1pm Saturday | Mountain bike rides: beginner/intermediate and advanced- USSC-Trek team members | Registration area-main field |
| 7pm Saturday | Campfire girl time-talk bikes, riding and racing with members of the USSC-Trek team and cycling coaches Kym& Mark | Main field |
| 10am Sunday | Beginner skills clinic- Kym | Lower Picnic area |
| 11 am Sunday | Intermediate skills clinic-TBA | Lower Picnic area |
| 9am Sunday | Trailside repairs- Mike | Main camping field/ Trek mechanic tent |
| 10am Sunday | Mountain bike rides: beginner, intermediate and advanced- USSC-Trek team members | Registration area- main field |
| 1pm Sunday | Mountain bike rides: beginner, intermediate and advanced- USSC-Trek team members | Registration area- main field |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Other information:
Cost: $50 for the weekend. This includes 4 meals and camping fees. Friday dinner is not included and neither are snacks and any other food. Please feel free to come for a portion of the weekend however we cannot pro-rate the costs. It is $50 whether you are there for 1 meal or all five. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Pre-registration: Pre-registration is required so we can plan for meals. Registration can be done at the Trek Store of Chattanooga in person or by phone at 423-648-2100. Registration closes May 18th. After that time registration will be done on a first come, first serve basis until we reach capacity.
Facilities: Chilhowee Campground is located in the scenic Cherokee National Forest about an hour from downtown Chattanooga. The camping area we are using is tent only, although there are campsites with RV hook-ups on the other side of the facility. There is running water, hot showers and a small lake with a beach. We will be staying in the group camping area. It is an area with room for multiple tents and cars.
Riding: We will have demo bikes if you want to try the latest Treks or are shopping around for a new steed. There will be rides for all ability levels so whether you are completely new to riding or a seasoned racer we promise you’ll have a great time.
What to bring: Bring your camping gear, cycling gear and the desire to pedal. The group camping area is a tent campsite area. Please plan accordingly.
Directions: From I 75 North: take exit 20, US 64/74 bypass. Follow the bypass around Cleveland (there are signs to Cherokee National Forest and the Ocoee) take US 64E toward the Ocoee. From the Ocoee Ranger Station on US 64 turn left onto paved Forest road 77. Travel approximately 7.3 miles to the campground signs, turn right. The group camp area is past the day use picnic area and overflow camping field. We will have signs. GPS Directions use: 3171 Highway 64, Benton, TN 37307-5823 (US Forestry Department). This Address will take you to the Ocoee Ranger Station Turn onto FS 77. If you get lost: 423-400-3009.
The Boys: We have had a lot of questions about what to do with those pesky boys. They are welcome to camp with you however; they are not invited on any of the weekend girl rides, activities or meals.
See you there!!!!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Collegaite Nationals and SERC updates
As part of my "giving back to the sport" philosophy I am racing for UTC in hopes of helping the school realize that:
1. we have a cycling team,
2. we are pretty good at cycling,
3. more money and resources should be put into the cycling program.
So far I think it is working. We got more money this semester than last and they even did an article about my win at cross nationals. With all this being said I made the decision to suck it up and race my road bike this spring. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my road bike, I just am not a huge fan of racing it. It is enjoyable once in a while and for those who know me, I have done my share of road racing over the years. I just prefer the dirt. Well the short version: collegiate season went well. I surprised myself (and everyone else) by kicking butt regionally, qualifying for nationals and getting on the podium in the CRIT!!!! The road race was the race I was hoping for a great performance in but team tactics (not mine) made that an impossibility. I was angry I had made the trip and missed the podium in the event I was aiming for. The finish for the crit was redemption time and I sprinted as well as a recovering roadie ever has. I managed a 4th place. Woohoo!!! And my parents got to see the whole thing. What a sweet day.
While I was racing the road bike I was longing for my mountain bike. I have managed to race it a couple of times with great success in the past month. Have I motioned how much I LOVE the big wheels??!! My Superfly Elite is the rockin'est bike ever. Winder GA SERC was right before Nationals and I rode to a convincing win. This past weekend I did it again at the Tanasi SERC race. Tanasi was almost perfect. We had the whole team out there (except Doctor Kristi who had a baby to deliver...) and we went 1,2,4,5 in the Pro/1 women's field. I won with the fastest lap times I have ever turned on that course. It has to be the bike because I know my fitness is not where I want it yet this year. I am doing a slow build for cross season in the fall. I'll be really fast when it counts!!!
Well, that is the update of the past month... I'll post some pictures soon.
Thanks for reading...
1. we have a cycling team,
2. we are pretty good at cycling,
3. more money and resources should be put into the cycling program.
So far I think it is working. We got more money this semester than last and they even did an article about my win at cross nationals. With all this being said I made the decision to suck it up and race my road bike this spring. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my road bike, I just am not a huge fan of racing it. It is enjoyable once in a while and for those who know me, I have done my share of road racing over the years. I just prefer the dirt. Well the short version: collegiate season went well. I surprised myself (and everyone else) by kicking butt regionally, qualifying for nationals and getting on the podium in the CRIT!!!! The road race was the race I was hoping for a great performance in but team tactics (not mine) made that an impossibility. I was angry I had made the trip and missed the podium in the event I was aiming for. The finish for the crit was redemption time and I sprinted as well as a recovering roadie ever has. I managed a 4th place. Woohoo!!! And my parents got to see the whole thing. What a sweet day.
While I was racing the road bike I was longing for my mountain bike. I have managed to race it a couple of times with great success in the past month. Have I motioned how much I LOVE the big wheels??!! My Superfly Elite is the rockin'est bike ever. Winder GA SERC was right before Nationals and I rode to a convincing win. This past weekend I did it again at the Tanasi SERC race. Tanasi was almost perfect. We had the whole team out there (except Doctor Kristi who had a baby to deliver...) and we went 1,2,4,5 in the Pro/1 women's field. I won with the fastest lap times I have ever turned on that course. It has to be the bike because I know my fitness is not where I want it yet this year. I am doing a slow build for cross season in the fall. I'll be really fast when it counts!!!
Well, that is the update of the past month... I'll post some pictures soon.
Thanks for reading...
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