We started racing for 2009 January 3rd. The Snake TT series is the first Saturday of January, February and March, with the winner being determined after the final event. You can race any or all three weekends and your fastest time is scored. Emily, Shannon and Catherine headed down to Dalton, Ga to check out the event. I had to work, I was bummed until race morning when I woke up to fog, drizzle and 40 degree temperatures. It was going to be a cold muddy day.
Despite the trying conditions, the girls did great. Emily turned the fastest time in the Women's 30 and under; we'll see if it holds up for two more weekends but she's off to a great 2009!!! Shannon rode to second in the Women's 30 and up category. Great job Shannon, there were some really tough girls there. Catherine opted for the 17 mile event and managed to get lost but had a great time and cheered for everyone else as they finished the longer event. Hopefully next month will go better... Way to stay positive!!!
It sounds like we are off to an awesome 2009. Way to go ladies!!! I'll be at the next one with you....
Monday, January 5, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Winter travels....
I was reminded over Christmas once again just how fortunate we are to live where we do.
As has become the tradition, Mark and I did the "tour of the upper Mid-West" for the holidays. This "tour" involves a stop in Wisconsin at my family's and then a quick jaunt (can you detect the sarcasm?) to Michigan. The weather was HORRIBLE this year. It was so bad that we decided at the last minute to take the gas guzzling truck instead of the car. Three times the control in in the snow for twice the price!!! It ended up being the luckiest decision that we've made in a long time.... more on that later.
The journey started about half a day late. Between working and packing and squeezing in that last ride before the self imposed week off, it took a while to get going. We beat the ice storms but not the wind. Illinois had some of the strongest winds we have ever experienced. Gusts were easily 50+mph and steady from the north at 35mph. Let me tell you, gas mileage was downright dismal but we made it.
Day 1: -9 degrees, I think I'll go run. Bad idea. Lasted 15 minutes and I am sore and FROZEN.
Day 2-4: Around 20 degrees. Running is better but still a bad idea. I am a cyclist. This fact was made painfully evident by my running abilities.
Day 5-7: I have given up on running. Mostly due to my inability to walk because of sore muscles.
We had a wonderful time both in Michigan and Wisconsin with out families. I miss them a ton but do NOT miss winter. Not even a little. I did like the white Christmas (we got 12 inches in WI).
The Drive Home:
Now for the part about the good luck in spending a small fortune in gas. We got hit in Ohio on the drive home. It was in a construction zone with heavy stop and go traffic. We were car #3 of 6 in the pile up. The car behind us and the car in front of us were both totalled. We have dented bumpers. It is good to be the biggest car. We will definitely buy another Xterra some day. I love my truck. We would not have been so unscathed in the car. And we would probably be car shopping right now....
As has become the tradition, Mark and I did the "tour of the upper Mid-West" for the holidays. This "tour" involves a stop in Wisconsin at my family's and then a quick jaunt (can you detect the sarcasm?) to Michigan. The weather was HORRIBLE this year. It was so bad that we decided at the last minute to take the gas guzzling truck instead of the car. Three times the control in in the snow for twice the price!!! It ended up being the luckiest decision that we've made in a long time.... more on that later.
The journey started about half a day late. Between working and packing and squeezing in that last ride before the self imposed week off, it took a while to get going. We beat the ice storms but not the wind. Illinois had some of the strongest winds we have ever experienced. Gusts were easily 50+mph and steady from the north at 35mph. Let me tell you, gas mileage was downright dismal but we made it.
Day 1: -9 degrees, I think I'll go run. Bad idea. Lasted 15 minutes and I am sore and FROZEN.
Day 2-4: Around 20 degrees. Running is better but still a bad idea. I am a cyclist. This fact was made painfully evident by my running abilities.
Day 5-7: I have given up on running. Mostly due to my inability to walk because of sore muscles.
We had a wonderful time both in Michigan and Wisconsin with out families. I miss them a ton but do NOT miss winter. Not even a little. I did like the white Christmas (we got 12 inches in WI).
The Drive Home:
Now for the part about the good luck in spending a small fortune in gas. We got hit in Ohio on the drive home. It was in a construction zone with heavy stop and go traffic. We were car #3 of 6 in the pile up. The car behind us and the car in front of us were both totalled. We have dented bumpers. It is good to be the biggest car. We will definitely buy another Xterra some day. I love my truck. We would not have been so unscathed in the car. And we would probably be car shopping right now....
Friday, December 26, 2008
As promised, pictures from Nationals....
Cornering Hard.
Land Sharks!!
Cara, Kym and Deb in the heat of battle...
Running the hill.
I even look cold....
Friday, December 19, 2008
Elite Cross Nationals
Wow, what an experience!!! I haven't had as much fun as I did at Cross Nationals in a LONG time. Cross racing is just so much fun. I am hooked. And yes, I am a cross racer. No more denials.
Sunday was the Elite race and we had 85 women registered, plus a few late registrations that weekend. It was going to be fast and hard. My call up position was 42 so it was going to be interesting.
We woke up to 62 degrees and clouds, with a little wind. Hmmmm... that sounds like perfect race conditions for me. After loading up, it was off to the races. 25 minutes later we got out of the car to 35 degrees and 20+ mph winds. UGLY!! The temperature kept plummeting and by race time it was in the 20's. I was FREEZING. I was prepared for 62 degrees and improvised for about 42 degrees.
I got a good warm-up and the course conditions were awesome. If only I could thaw out long enough to enjoy it.... They said "go" and it was total mayhem. I got boxed out of three turns in a row and was suddenly way too far back. Okay, time to get moving. I spend the entire race moving up and was cross eyed but I did it. I was DONE by the end of the race; I gave it everything I had, finishing 36th. I was also the top rider from the Southeast all weekend.
I never got warm.
The crowds were incredible. I haven't experienced cheering that intense since racing San Francisco a number of years ago.
I will post some pictures soon.... I am still sorting out the travel mess.
Thanks for reading.
Sunday was the Elite race and we had 85 women registered, plus a few late registrations that weekend. It was going to be fast and hard. My call up position was 42 so it was going to be interesting.
We woke up to 62 degrees and clouds, with a little wind. Hmmmm... that sounds like perfect race conditions for me. After loading up, it was off to the races. 25 minutes later we got out of the car to 35 degrees and 20+ mph winds. UGLY!! The temperature kept plummeting and by race time it was in the 20's. I was FREEZING. I was prepared for 62 degrees and improvised for about 42 degrees.
I got a good warm-up and the course conditions were awesome. If only I could thaw out long enough to enjoy it.... They said "go" and it was total mayhem. I got boxed out of three turns in a row and was suddenly way too far back. Okay, time to get moving. I spend the entire race moving up and was cross eyed but I did it. I was DONE by the end of the race; I gave it everything I had, finishing 36th. I was also the top rider from the Southeast all weekend.
I never got warm.
The crowds were incredible. I haven't experienced cheering that intense since racing San Francisco a number of years ago.
I will post some pictures soon.... I am still sorting out the travel mess.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Check one off the list!!!
Looking really focused (or just trying to not slide out in the mud...)
Okay, goal one accomplished. I WON A MEDAL AT NATIONALS TODAY!!!!! Okay, I'll calm down a little bit now.
I took 4th in the Masters 35-39 race today. I had the ride of my season. We had an incredibly strong field, most of the girls will be in the Elite race on Sunday with me, and I had no clue what to expect. All I knew is that I came a long ways and I was not going home empty handed. I got a front row call-up and when they said "go" I decided to really make it count. I got the hole shot. I really wish Mark had been there to see it because he is FOREVER giving me grief about my inability to start races hard. Well today I proved that I could do it. After the start I don't really know what happened. There were girls out there from the 30-34 race at the same time so I really had no idea exactly where I was. By the time I finished I knew that I was somewhere between 3rd and 5th bu I wasn't sure where.
Running the hill...
Tomorrow we chill out and watch the races all day and Sunday is the Elite race. I am beat.... it is time for bed.
Thanks to Mark for all his love and support... I couldn't have done it without you!!!!
Photos taken by Andrea Wilson (thanks!!)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The journey to Nationals begins.
We are in Kansas. Finally. It took a little bit longer than planned to get here; yesterday was a long day. I met Kim Bishop and Dave Hutton in Nashville Tuesday night and the plan was to hit the road early and do the 8ish hour drive to Kansas City, arriving by dinner time. So after driving on the wrong interstate in Kentucky (not completely my fault....) and stopping every 15 minutes for a really well hydrated Dave, we got here at about 9:30pm. We were beat. It was a short night, racing started today at 9am.
My first impression of Kansas is that it is COLD. Today was REALLY, REALLY cold. We had to be at the course by 7:30am to get numbers, pre-ride, and race (Kim was the first race of the weekend). It was 15 degrees when we got there and the course was frozen. It was fun to slide around on the SNOW and check out the course.
Kim had a great race and I was everywhere.... I found a good little loop in the middle of the course that allowed me to cheer for her every lap about 5 times (which apparently was her worst nightmare.... no slacking when the coach is yelling). She was a little nervous about the ice and snow at first but after I yelled at her to take off her "sissy pants" she really turned it up and rode to an impressive 14th place in the B women's race. Dave crashed 6 times during his race (only twice were his fault) ended up really muddy (by 10am the ground was thawing out and it was WET), and took 20th in the B men's race. It was very inspiring for me to watch them race.
Tomorrow is my master's race. I am really excited. I felt good on my pre-ride and although I don't like racing in the mud, I tend to be pretty good at it.
Wish me luck.
Thanks for reading....
My first impression of Kansas is that it is COLD. Today was REALLY, REALLY cold. We had to be at the course by 7:30am to get numbers, pre-ride, and race (Kim was the first race of the weekend). It was 15 degrees when we got there and the course was frozen. It was fun to slide around on the SNOW and check out the course.
Kim had a great race and I was everywhere.... I found a good little loop in the middle of the course that allowed me to cheer for her every lap about 5 times (which apparently was her worst nightmare.... no slacking when the coach is yelling). She was a little nervous about the ice and snow at first but after I yelled at her to take off her "sissy pants" she really turned it up and rode to an impressive 14th place in the B women's race. Dave crashed 6 times during his race (only twice were his fault) ended up really muddy (by 10am the ground was thawing out and it was WET), and took 20th in the B men's race. It was very inspiring for me to watch them race.
Tomorrow is my master's race. I am really excited. I felt good on my pre-ride and although I don't like racing in the mud, I tend to be pretty good at it.
Wish me luck.
Thanks for reading....
Monday, December 8, 2008
GA Cross... one week to Nationals.
It is one week from Nationals (actually less now) and I am psyched!! We raced in Georgia at the GA cross series final yesterday and I had an AWESOME day. If I can ride like I did yesterday at Nats. I will have a chance at the podium in the Master's race and hopefully sneak into the top 20 in the Elite race. Okay, I've said it. Those are the goals. YIKES!!!
So, as you might have surmised, I won yesterday. We lined up 10 girls in the A race, including some really tough competition. There were a couple of the girls that I have never raced before so I really did not know what to expect. We started fast and I battled for the front. I attacked on the fast power section right before a tight twisty area, in hopes of getting a gap and using my bike handling skills to my advantage. It worked. I got a gap and just kept building on it. I felt great and rode well.... now let's just hope that trend continues.
As a side note, Georgia has an incredible series. They have awesome courses, good prizes and HUGE fields (Mark had 68 in his race). I will definitely go back.
I leave tomorrow for Nationals... I'll keep you posted.
So, as you might have surmised, I won yesterday. We lined up 10 girls in the A race, including some really tough competition. There were a couple of the girls that I have never raced before so I really did not know what to expect. We started fast and I battled for the front. I attacked on the fast power section right before a tight twisty area, in hopes of getting a gap and using my bike handling skills to my advantage. It worked. I got a gap and just kept building on it. I felt great and rode well.... now let's just hope that trend continues.
As a side note, Georgia has an incredible series. They have awesome courses, good prizes and HUGE fields (Mark had 68 in his race). I will definitely go back.
I leave tomorrow for Nationals... I'll keep you posted.
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