Grab Bag

Put your hand in, stir the contents around, and pull one out...

Kind of a random mix this past week.

Palomar Double last Saturday with Allison, Justin, Luke & Dan. Felt like a$$, but did okay considering I was a week out of the 12 hr. Nice 55 miler from home to Coronado and back on Sunday with Dan & Darryl. Legs felt less lead-like...sweet. I left my camera at home both days. Imagine.

Week 3 of summer vacation but I worked the first two weeks (CyberBridge training), so this is the first real week of vacation. I am B-O-R-E-D. Funny how I wish and wish and wish for vacation and then...got to learn to relax a bit.

Been working on the courtyard a bit...pulling out the old plants, amending the soil, re-planting with drought-tolerants: aloe, aeonium, kangaroo paw, etc.

Courtyard bed before

and After...

Found a black widow yesterday...she's a juvenile who hasn't lost her stripes yet. Cool (ok, but a little icky). FWIW, ground cover sucks when you have to pull it up.

Downieville depart in one week...I am beyond stoked for many reasons...first road trip in a while, camping with our awesome friends, epic trails, racing...!!

Road ride today and tomorrow and then...getting ready for the big day!

Stay tuned.........

Soul-o: 12 Hrs of Rim Nordic

It's funny...I'm usually a verbose person, not one to be short on words, and the experience of solo 12 hour racing has left me able to explain it only by rambling. Maybe things are still processing, percolating...

So, in that spirit, this blog post is going to be long on words (and long on pictures).

Every year for the past few, Dan & I have picked an athletic event to challenge ourselves...1/2 marathon, marathon, Vision Quest. What would '09 hold? The answer eluded me until last November. I bid on a silent auction item at a benefit for the SoCal League: solo entry + perks to all 3 races of the SoCal 12 Hr Race Series, put on by Jason Ranoa. I put the races on the calendar and started training, logging base miles on the trainer over the winter. January showed up and, lo and behold, the 12 Hrs at Vail was the same day of our home inspection. I didn't race and was kind of bummed.

Training resumed in ernest by March and the 12 Hrs at Rim Nordic started to loom, though not ominously. I'd ridden 9 consecutive hours before, so what's 3 more (sarcasm)?

We started riding a lot more, training during the week, and resuming our outings with the Manns. Their advice, support, and cameraderie have been invaluable. I put in the hours and the miles and would have to trust that my training would get me through. We even rode the course 3 weekends prior. On the last of 3 laps, I almost cracked. I knew this was going to be hard.

The course: 8.6 miles of singletrack/doubletrack. Some really insane steep parts (over 20% grade...though not long, they sucked). Over 1250' of gain per lap. Fun, super fast descending (my inner downhiller was rejoicing)! Oh, and the venue stages at ~6600' and tops out over 7200'. Gulp.

Since day 1 of this venture, Dan was determined to be the best pit manager EVER! His loyalty, support, and selflessness are a testament to his character. He would be helping me, all day, and doing what needed to be done to get me out and back on each lap with success. From filling bottles to fixing my bike, to wiping down my legs and giving me hugs, he was on it!

So...fast forward to June 19 (T minus 1 day)...

We arrived on Friday, mid-day, after spending a stress-free morning finalizing our packing and going to the store for ice, etc. The drive up the hill was busy with motorhomes/Jeeps. Turns out Snow Valley was hosting an off-road Jeep festival.

Lots o' Jeeps

The venue was relatively quiet, but there were some pits already set up. Traci, Maddie, and some of the STR crew were around. We found Jason in no time and got our VIP pit spot. Great location! We also got a great campsite on the Rim Nordic side (instead of having to tent it in the parking lot) and VIP (=close) parking. In no time, we unloaded our gear and met up with Jordan and Chris. We all decided to share a pit space (since we had no easy-up or table), and while cozy, it was fine.

Dan figuring out his domain

Not long after, we set up camp, and I went out on an easy 2 mile spin. Returned to make dinner (organic mac n' cheese with grilled chicken) on our kick-ass new camp stove!

Dan liking the new camp stove
Looks sketchy but so tasty

We listened to live music with Weyland and Doris and just chilled for the rest of the night.

Off to bed by 9! Dan brought earplugs and gave me the better of the two sleeping pads. I slept great! (and smooshed him against the side of the tent...oops). Woke up by 6 to make oatmeal and yerba mate...yum! Racers were already arriving and the whole place started to bustle. Jason said there were well over 450 individual racers signed up...100+ of those were soloists.

Solo pit row

Jordan & I strategizing

Jordan and Chris rolled in after spending the night not camping :) Met up with Heidi V. (love that girl!). We all started to get ready. I made bottles and finalized my nutrition plan with Dan. Last minute adjustments to the bike, and before we knew it, the rider's meeting was taking place. Jason emphasized the basics...safety and courtesy while informing us of the charities and special sponsors.

Dan's reminder sheet

The spread

Michael's anti-cramping elixir

With about 20 min. left I got into my riding clothes...it was already warming up, so no arm warmers or base layer. I saw Shalyn, local endurance pro, walking by and knew my chance to win was gone. I'll admit, I was a little bummed, but at the same time, my mantra was "8". My goal was to do 8 laps. Not only that, but I put myself in the expert class, which for the women, is combined with pro. So, I really tried to keep the focus on me, not anybody else.

The ridiculously-fast and ever-sweet Heidi waiting for her turn

Here is Mario tagging off to Heidi

Jason teamed up with Shoebacca to have these awesome seat tags made for the solo riders. Awesome because people could: #1 Give you encouragement, and #2 Not give you a bunch of crap for going really slow. The guys/girls on relays generally go all out! The (mortal) solos are in the plod away mode.

Awesome seat tags
Still smiling...oh wait, we haven't started yet

We lined up for the parade laps, and I put myself about 4-5 rows back. Not wanting to get stuck behind too many riders once we hit singletrack but not wanting to slow down anybody faster was my rationale.

The start line
And, we're off!

It worked out well...the group thinned out a little on the parade, and then we were off! I could feel my heart rate already climbing too quickly...it was 175+ in no time. By the time we hit the first bridge, there was already a traffic jam! (Sorry, but I have to say it...lots of not-technically proficient riders out there...if you can't ride it, step aside).

In any case...first mile went by fast! Fun descent back to the hairpin turn. Shalyn was already by me, so I watched her disappear! She is super strong and a gracious competitor. Pushed hard on the climb...some of those pitches would just not relent. Steep, loose, some with rocks...one after another after another. Couldn't catch a break. I was already getting close to granny gear.

Not many riders went by as another rider and I pulled a gap on those behind us. I knew the pace was high (sub-1 hr not counting the parade lap), and that I couldn't sustain for the day, but I didn't want to get mired in the group behind.

After what seemed like forever of climbing, we reached the top fireroad...relief! This was my designated take-a-swig-from-the-bottle spot. The road did climb but much less steeply (only up to ~8% and 5% or less in most spots). Some riders passed. Hit the rollers, and then before I knew it, the switchback descents. They were already a mess...loose and rutted. Seriously, though...just brake before the switchback and coast through...not that hard to figure out.

Anyway, got hung up there, too and waited it out. The descent was incredibly fun/fast. At times I was going 24+ mph on the singletrack. Suh-weet!

Then, the worst part...another 300+ feet of climbing (and mini-descent) back to the start. Here's where folks were ripping my legs off as I struggled with my easiest gears. But, I know my strengths and weaknesses...I'm not the best climber, but I can spin with the best of 'em.

Jordan comes in from his first lap

Anyway, got back into the start/finish, handed off bottles, and got some fuel. I was using 1 bottle of water/Elete, 1 bottle of weakly mixed Strawberry HEED, 1 endurolyte, and some combo of solids (fruit leather, mini Builder Bars, animal crackers, dried mango, etc) on each lap. I tested out the protocol prior to the race, and it seemed to not upset my tummy. The other HUGE help was that I took Hammer's Race Day Supreme capsules. They buffer lactic acid and help with ATP production. I honestly had NO burning in my legs the entire day. It didn't hit me until after, but it was true. No lactic acid burn for 12 hrs. Amazing.

End of Lap 1

So, the rest of the day was a rinse/repeat with a few variations. Lap 2 was nearly identical in time to Lap 1.

Photo at the end of Lap 2, taken by Chris

Dan keeping me fueled up

By Lap 4, I had mentally broken. I felt awful. I was alone on course nearly the entire hour. I rolled into pit and spewed some obscenities. I was hating life. Then, I remembered I still had my iPod! I wanted to save it until lap 6, but something told me the situation was urgent. I was already starting to get things confused, too...endurance brain setting in. A new playlist awaited! I was renewed.

The pits were alive with friends and spectators...lots of awesome folks who cheered me on with every lap. You are all simply amazing!

The many emotions of this endurance racer

So, lap 5...I was rocking out to all sorts of songs, and then it hit me. Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours". On the bottom of Hate Climb. It clicked on, and I started to tear up. I couldn't explain it but just let the emotion come and go. I don't think I actually cried but it was the biggest upwelling of emotion I felt all day besides exasperation.

Lap 5 was indeed faster as I let the music carry me. "Crimson and Clover" by Jimmy Eat World rocked MY world. Love that song. I also finally caved and walked the steep section up by the fireroad. Oh well...4 outta 9 ain't bad.

Jordan gets support from his friends...Chris, Jen and Julie

Lap 6 is a blur. I remember finally feeling tired. I changed gloves at some point, and Dan wiped down my legs and arms. Honestly, I seriously had mush-brain. I almost double-dosed on acetominophen (only took 4 all day) at one point.

Likely the end of Lap 6

One thought clearly came to my mind, though, as I rolled in from Lap 6. I really, really hoped Allison & Justin were there waiting for me.

And there they were!

Me, displaying which place I'd like to be in

Knowing they would be out to do a lap with me was truly motivating. Our friends...riding with me if for no reason than to cheer me up, encourage me, and take my mind off the pain if for a brief time. They were there! I sat and got freshened up. Snacked on the "crack bites" from Costco that they brought and relaxed for a minute.

We went out on a lap and all went my pace. It was so awesome and really special. Maybe nobody but me will get it, but that's ok. (Of course, in my mush-brained state I totally forgot to thank them before I went out for the big lap...#8).

Returning from my pep-rally lap

So, the time was at hand...the last lap. I was far ahead of schedule, meaning I had time to do a 9th. Chris had planted the seed early on, and it turns out, Dan was quietly scheming/hoping for me to pull numero nueve. Still, I put on my arm warmers and slipped out for the goal lap. I caught up to Weyland, but after we got separated again, I felt pretty much alone. The light had changed...shadows wandered from their morning angles. The air was cooler. The clouds rolling into the next valley over. It was pretty surreal. Up on the fireroad, when it was very quiet, a flash of movement to the left caught my eye. An animal! Upon second glance, it was a bobcat, probably figuring (s)he would trot along, not expecting a mountain biker to be coming along. Cool...I'd never seen one and was glad it wasn't a bigger cat!

By the time I was up there, I had made up my mind to do a 9th lap. I had come pretty far, yes, but knew I could do it. Hate Climb was only a small (though painful) part of the lap. I rolled into the pit and said, "Put my light on!"

The final rally

It was, predictably, my slowest lap. I walked the most, and went the slowest overall, but it was okay. I knew I had 2 hrs to complete it :) After a minor snafu (forgetting how to turn my light on...really, your brain gets mushy), I kept moving and crawled back up to the last descent. I let out a big "whoop" and savored the last downhill.

Crossing that line for the 9th (and last) time
Finally!

It was over...12 hrs of racing in the bag. Here are the stats (per GTC):

78.5 miles
11,261' of ascent
5200 calories

The boys had already started packing up. Turns out Jordan manned up and went out for one more lap with Neil. Seriously, I give him credit...for his first 12 hr solo race, he got podium (3rd) with 6 laps! His first-ever race podium! Rad, huh? Despite an aching back, despite his mind telling him to give up, he gave it another go. Proud of him.

Jen & Julie offered for us to stay at their house in Big Bear (think: hot shower and a bed!) for the night insteading of tenting. It got seriously cold really fast...below 38 degrees, I think. I knew I got 3rd place, and with us standing around shivering, we decided to pack it up and head to BB.

3rd place finish

I would've paid a million bucks for that shower...it felt so good! We ate a CPK cheese pizza and sat around shooting the breeze, already reminiscing about the day. I slept great...for 2 hours, and then I tossed and turned all night. Up every hour on the hour.

My favorite sign on the way home

So, all in all, I guess the "take home message" from the race is this: I came prepared and performed as (or a little better than) expected. There were no real surprises. Nothing that "threw" me. No enormous epiphanies. And, I kind of like that :) I'll admit, I'm still a bit in awe that I did do 9 laps. My longest ride ever on a mountain bike. I don't know how I dulled the monotony of the Hate Climb. I just rode. Turned the cranks. One revolution at a time. And I hope to do the same in November. I know I have a long way to go to hang with the big girls in pro (ok, to clarify, I do not want to race pro, but I have to at this series). But, can I continue to push myself and nudge the bar ever higher? You bet.

Celebratory beverages (just to clarify, we had about 1/4 of the Lost Abbey and still have the Chimay)

I must thank some very important people, because it took a village to raise this racer:

Dan-My support, my love, my partner and the other half of my brain-you were the best pit chief that money couldn't buy!

Jason-You put on a great event, as usual. Thanks for doing SoCal racing proud!

Justin-What can I say? You made a Mannimal out of me.

Allison-Always there when I need you. Thanks so much :)

Jordan-Great job out there. Thanks for pit set-up, the friends, and the support.

Chris-You were an awesome pit bitch in training! Thanks for the photos (i.e. memories).

Jen and Julie-Your house kicks ass! Thanks for taking in our poor, tired, sorry asses ;)

Michael, Weyland, StevieB, Traci, Neil, Craig, the whole STR crew...you were the best out there. Thanks for all the kind words, cheers, and support. Your energy helped me go the distance.

Eric-You got me through a winter/spring full of base training. It helped so much!

Till next time...onward, uphill, and downhill!

Photo Entry

Today's ride at Noble was simple...Dan & me...Tour de Noble. 2 flats (me). Some new dirt (eh, was ok). 4.5 hours of pedal time. Good weather. Great landscapes. Eyes on next Saturday.

Let's let the photos talk this time.

My new hardware ;)


Top of Alp


Pretty but the leaves hurt


New trail today (I'd give it a 7/10)


Yum!


Yes, we descended that section (Pinball) after our out-n-back.


Gorgeous view


The meadow


Tread lightly, please :)


More meadow


My partner-in-crime (strictly figurative, of course)


Interesting clouds today


Widowmaker


Dan cleans Stairway

"I gotta see this..."

was what guy #1 said to guy #2 as I grunted my way past them on one mean climb on the north side of Mission Trails. It was an interesting weekend, to say the least.

After riding with our training partners in crime--Allison, Justin, and sometimes Luke--for the past several weekends, Dan-o & I decided to play it closer to home. With Rim Nordic now less than 2 weeks away, it was time to hole up and get some of the life-needs-to-happen things back in order. Laundry, setting up our bookshelves 5 months after we've moved in, shopping, errands...you know, the stuff of legends.

Friday afternoon, last of the regen days, was spent visiting our friend Joe who just had surgery for a deviated septum (ouch!) and then kicking it in La Jolla with dinner at The Cottage and a spin by the Shores. Pipe dreams stirred up by the warm spring/summer day left me a touch melancholy (right...some day when I'm a millionaire I'll own a house there), but we had a great time walking and eating. Gelato on Prospect St. was a-ma-zing!

Saturday saw us up at the ass-crack of dawn to make it out to Noble for a dual-purpose ride. Hitting the alarm at 5 a.m. on a Saturday was painful. Our buddy Patrick, who we've known for a few years now through the mtb scene, is moving back to his home state of Floria (which means "mountainous" in the native Seminole tongue...haha), and he wanted to ride Noble one last time. Knowing that I needed more than a shuttle run to keep up with training, I suggested climbing up from the bottom of Noble and doing a mini-Tour. Dan was game, so we set out as the sun was rising. Temps were chilly...49 degrees at the parking pull-out. We opted to skip Extra Credit due to time constraints :( so up the paved road with nary a warm-up it was!

New rubber for Dan...Captains

Rocking the Ergon GP1 grips for the first time. Love them!

Goodness

900' of climbing later, we arrived at the oak tree. Not surprisingly, my legs felt pretty good (coming off 5 days of regen), and my HR seemed lower than normal...though I'm sure the cool temps were partially responsible. We rolled right through and on to Indian Creek. It was nice being the only two out on the trail. On our last outing about 4 weeks prior, I had a really rough time of it...no traction, not on my technical game, etc. Today was the polar opposite...traction galore (thanks to new Fast Track LKs), I was hitting everything (ok, except the waterfall). Climbing with my suspension fully engaged was the key. That, and low tire pressure. According to the Garmin, I was 10+ minutes faster on the climb than last time.

Dan makes a run for the Waterfall

Random...new favorite Builder Bar flavor: Chocolate Mint. Tastes like a Thin Mint. Hell yes!

Down Pinball...oh so fun! Lots of big rocks in the trail...seems somebody has been up to some "rearranging" of the trail. Cloud cover and wind had me digging in my pack for my shell. Turned left and up to Penny Pines. We kept a good pace and made it to the trailhead 15 min ahead of schedule. Here, we picked up Patrick and his friend Kelly. Here we were, a motley mix of lycra, pads, XC helmets, full-faces, big bikes and smaller bikes. But you know what, it was all good. We all had our strengths and weaknesses but had a blast riding together.

Dan on the Yeti

Kelly on the Demo 8

Lots of hikers out on trail (National Trails Day). Patrick flatted 3x once we started down middle Noble.

Flat numero dos...how many riders does it take...uh, nevermind

I spent a while checking out the scenery that's usually whipping by me at 15-20 mph. A bubbling stream, an enormous oak tree, the hum of insects. It was nice to stop and listen. Of course, we made fun of Patrick for his flats, but it was all in jest. We'll miss riding with him!

One of the biggest oaks I have seen in the area

Railing the turn...this was between flats #2 and #3 for Patrick

I did have a new personal accomplishment...cleaning Organ Donor. The rocky bench before it almost hung me up, but I did a trackstand recover and kept going.

On up to Organ Donor...I don't know what I had in mind, but I went for it and found a V in the rocks. I cranked down hard and before I knew it, was over the hard part. I had made the crux move and was so surprised that I had to think quickly about what to do next. Turn circles...up to the top. I think I was beaming!

Stairway was pretty easy this time...lots of sanitizing and a new p-line way to the right.

Chunky goodness

The boys split off to go back to the car (shuttle up to get Kelly's truck at PP) whilst I decided to do Whore/Extra Credit solo. I've never ridden any trail at Noble alone. I have to admit I was a tad nervous, but what the heck. It was over in about 17 minutes anyway...the climb up not as tiring because I hadn't ridden as far. I never get tired of wiping the grin off my face after that trail. 2o miles for the day.

Solo on Extra Credit

Saturday night was low key, spent at home with some good homemade dinner.

Sunday...I finally slept in...until 6:30! But, I felt like it was all I needed, so I was okay with that. Did some research on Mission Trails, breakkie, then off to ride. The plan was to get our climb on, and anybody who has ever ridden there knows there are some doozies.

The River

2:40:00 ride time...15.75 miles and 3600' of vert. Several 20%+grades. A couple pitches above 30%. Ridiculous. Visitors Center Loop for a warm up, then climbed the big hill up to Quarry. Loop around Quarry, back down toward the pond, Suycott, North Fortuna. I was feeling alright until the approach climb to NF. I went into the first steep pitch and said something like, "I doubt I'll make this". Well, I did make it (first time ever) but then proceeded to inch my way along, stop, turn around, re-try, and curse my way up. I was so frustrated. THAT is my Hate Climb. Surprisingly, I had only a few dabs up to the top of NF and was the freak show to a few hikers who could not fathom somebody strong (i.e. dumb) enough to ride up.

Not a bad view for only ~800' of elevation

Down the back of NF...so techy! Then, there was the Hell Trail...a series of 3 or 4 bitches that were so steep we walked down a few parts, and on the uphills were barely ride-able (but we did).

Dig!

The bridge by Oak Canyon

We were passing by the bridge and made the turn toward the last bitch. Two bikers were pushing up the loose, chunky fireroad climb. It was pretty steep...about 18-20%. I decided to go for it and put my head down. They paused as I approached. Here is what I heard:

Guy #1: "I gotta see this..."

pause...as I go by...

Guy #2: "Goddammit!"

And there I went.

They told Dan as he went by that they had never seen anyone even attempt it, nevermind ride it. I admit that a wry smile was on my face :)

Steepness

We both took a healthy run at Cardiac but got hung up on the last pitch. Damn.

Dan descending from North Fortuna...chunky!

Lunch and errands, and we were back home for another nice evening.

The countdown continues...less than 2 weeks until 12 solo! Jason Ranoa, who runs the event, posted up the kick-ass plates that the solos will be rocking...awesome!

Home-made Flower Hair Pin

After searching for a floral hair pin for a special event and coming up with highly overpriced options ($20+ and up), I decided to figure it out myself and make my own. Here is a little tutorial for all the ladies out there (and, um, any guy who wants to get crafty).

I got all my supplies from Michael's. (I already had the glue gun). To complete this project you will need:

• Silk/artificial flower(s) (they make some very realistic flowers now)
• Alligator clips (found in the jewelry section)
• Craft ribbon
  
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Something to protect your work surface (such as scrap paper or newspaper)

1. Remove the head of the flower from the stem. Most of them pop off easily and leave a little plastic nub.

2. Lay paper down on your work surface to protect it from any dripping hot glue. Turn on the glue gun to let it warm up while you complete the rest of the steps.

3. Cut a piece of ribbon that is slightly wider than your alligator clip*. I used purple scrap ribbon, but you could get dark green or a color that would blend into the flower color. You need the ribbon as a binding surface between the flower and the clip. Hot glue applied directly onto the clip will not work well.

*note: I used small clips (it was the only size Michael's had at the time...but it was big enough to hold a flower that was 3.5" in diameter. You may need to experiment with different sizes of clips.)

4. Apply a thin strip of hot glue to the clip. Immediately affix the ribbon to the clip and let dry for a few minutes.

5. To prepare the flower, trim the plastic nub down slightly using scissors. Don't cut too close or the bottom petals may fall off. They can be repaired but it's a pain.

6. Apply a healthy-sized dollop of hot glue to the bottom of the flower. For a 3-4" flower, I used a nickel-quarter sized dollop. Smaller flowers required less. If it spreads out, it's okay because you are putting it on the ribbon.

7. Immediately affix the clip/ribbon to the flower. I put the flower upsidedown on the table and put the clip/ribbon on top. Gently press down and let dry for at least an hour before using.

I have used large and small flowers in my hair so far, and with gentle pressure have not yet managed to make the flower detach from the clip. The clip will tug a bit on your hair when you remove it, but it's not too bad.

All in all, each clip costs less than $5 to make!! The websites I checked had them listed for $20-40!

Here is the cost breakdown:

• Alligator clips, pack of 12...$3
• Large silk rose...$4
• Scrap ribbon...I already had a ton
• Glue gun...I already had one but they are not too pricey

Memorial Day Mania

I apologize in advance for the lack of photos...I didn't take a single one all weekend!

My training has continued to ramp up as I inch ever toward the 12 solo. Allison suggested a pretty killer weekend...ride Daley on Saturday (including a women's ride with the Dust Bunnies), laps at Hurkey on Sunday, and chillin' by the pool on Monday. Sounded great to me (and Dan) so we headed out early Saturday morning to meet up with Allison & Justin.

My plan was to do one 14 mile loop around Daley at 'race pace' and then join in on the beginner women's ride. Right from the start, I tried to warm up slowly, but I found myself pushing the pace nevertheless. We hadn't even gotten to Sage yet, and Allison put in an effort on one of the short hills. Before I knew it, she was gone (only to be seen again as a tiny speck moving quickly up the climb). Justin was out front, and so Dan & I soldiered on. We made our way via a file I had uploaded into my Garmin. A few wrong turns and "Off Courses" later, we had things figured out and continued to plug away. I hit the climb up Cardiac and was feeling pretty good, but I still had to dab (twice) before I made it to the top. There were a lot of riders out on this part of the ranch...cool to see! I know I'm getting stronger/faster because I was nowhere near as winded/tired as the last time we rode Daley. Justin continues to push me in my training, Dan is always there to see to it that I follow through, and Allison has been so helpful in offering me all sorts of tips and advice. Team 12 Solo is what I'm calling them :)

It's been tough because as I continue to improve, so does the usual cast of characters that I've been riding with. It all seems relative until I really think about how I felt the last time I did a particular ride or go back and look at the stats on my Garmin.

After about 3/4 of the ride, right before the big climb up Boulder Loop, I discovered my gps had locked up, and I was not happy about it. For what we paid, the damn thing should work fine considering it's so new. Turns out I only had 30 min of time that got recorded. Oh well...after a reset, it was fine.

Dan and I met up with Justin as he apparently came up for some bonus goater, and we all headed back to the parking lot. Shalyn Gates, a local endurance rider, was hosting a beginner women's ride, so we hooked up her crew. I was out at the front of the pack, and broke off with a group of 3 ladies. We took a spin down to the Ranch House and then back up Boulder Loop so that we could descend Crest. Justin noticed that I was resting (low cadence) going up Boulder, and it didn't take long for him to get on my case. He pushed me up the climb, and my HR maxed out at 190!

After a recovery noshing session in the parking lot, we caravaned up to A & J's house. I fell asleep big time in the car...still recovering from our all nighter at Disneyland grad night.

We loaded up and drove out to Palm Desert for part 2 of our weekend. Big thanks to Susan & Tom for hosting us all weekend! We had a killer dinner of salmon, veggies, quinoa, wine, and beer. So good! I didn't get to sleep until late and was sure that with the small indulgence of alcohol I had that Sunday's ride would be tough...

We woke up pretty early Sunday, ate some light brekkie, and then drove up to Hurkey Creek...goal for today was endurance pace and nutrition troubleshooting.

The four of us suited up and took off on a warm-up lap. My legs felt alright, but mostly, I was dreading the mental challenge of 4-5 consecutive laps, including Keen Camp...my favorite climb (rolling my eyes). I managed to finish in ~56 minutes and felt so sketchy on the descents. I was riding the Yeti, and compared to the ISC race (when I was on the hardtail), the bike was tall, awkward-feeling, and not doing well in the loose corners. Allison reminded me to try to descend at race pace, and the rest of the laps, I nailed the downhills.

As we rolled in at the end of lap 1, Dan, Allison & Justin went back to the truck. I headed out again, with full-ish bottles and a snack in my pocket. I had mixed my HEED pretty light, and it worked out well...no sticky-sweet mouth. Only problem is that my bottle cage was back on the underneath of the downtube...I couldn't reach it very easily, so I ended up not drinking enough water.

Lap 2 was very consistent with the first, and I was only off on time by less than a minute. Allison & Justin were race-pacing it (and hitting sub-44 min laps...whoa!!!). They caught me on Rage just past the rocky technical uphill. No sign on Dan, and I figured he was somewhere back there. I was missing him, since he's been good about riding with me lately, but in the back of my mind I knew it was good for me since I won't have him behind me in the race (he'll be pitting for me).

By Lap 3, I was climbing Keen Camp in a good gear and hitting a rhythm. This time, Justin whizzed by me in the middle of KC, and Allison caught up to me as I fooled with my bottle at the top of the climb. No sign on Dan. Rinse and repeat.

At the end of Lap 3, I stopped to lube my crunchy-sounding chain, eat some snacks, and refill bottles. I found out I can tolerate solid food pretty well, as long as it's half a bar here or a fruit leather there.

So...Lap 4. I knew it was coming sooner or later. It was a pretty dark lap...mentally, I started to wander. Physically, I slowed down. I was alone the entire lap and didn't see a soul (not even any of the other riders or hikers out on the trails). It was a pretty low point and my slowest lap. I seriously considered making it my last, but once I hit Exfoliator, invigorated by the descent, I started to change my mind. The exchange in my head went like this:

"4 laps...it's been a while."

"4 laps...that's nothing. You've been riding for less than 4 hours. HE-L-L-O...12! 12?!"

(Grunt). "M'kay. I can do this."

I rolled back into the parking lot feeling like I still had some fight left in my legs. Allison was done, and Justin was taking off his heart rate monitor. Dan was still not back (turns out he had fork issues and spent some time trying to get it fixed up...we were 1/2 lap apart all day). Determined to go out anyway, I got a snack. Justin kindly decided to ride with me...he pushed me up the climbs just by being there. Amazingly, I turned in my fastest lap of the day, finishing with 5 laps in under 4:45:00. Turns out that my fastest and slowest laps were only off from one another by less than 3 minutes. I guess that's what I'd call consistency.

Back to the casa in Palm Desert...another awesome dinner of turkey burgers and all the fixins plus ice cream for dessert. Slept in and spent the mid-morning by the pool. It doesn't get much better than that!

We're now 3 weeks from 12 solo, and I registered today for expert/pro. I have no idea which local pro will be there to kick my ass (hopefully not), but I'm going to try my best and race my own race. I learned that I'm able to keep things pretty consistent and steady, as long as I pay attention to my nutrition and hydration. The elevation is going to add in another level of difficulty, but we'll all be feeling it. The countdown is on!

trail of tears...

here I come!

XC madness in Downieville...I can't wait!!

sometimes you just need a little push

Getting back to build after a week of regen was something I was looking forward to, in a weird sort of way. I mean, the rest/regen is necessary, but sometimes, when you want to go fast on your bike, it can be tough.

Not sure if I've mentioned it, but my goal for the near future is to successfully race the 12 Hrs of SoCal in the solo division. Yes, that's right....just me and my bike, together, for 12 hours. It will be the longest single continuous sporting event that I have taken part in. Granted, I have done two 24 hr races (most laps I completed was 5 or about 55 miles), a 12 hr group race, and even VQ (just shy of 9 hours), so I know what long days can be like. I even ran a marathon in 2007 (5 hours). But this time, the tables are turning. The only person that can hold me back and keep me from performing at my best level is myself.

Luckily, I've had the support of many people thus far and plenty of advice and guidance have already helped me to improve my riding. I have more endurance, I'm climbing stronger, and able to put in some solid efforts.

This weekend, the plan was to focus on steady state riding at SART on Saturday. I decided to stop less and focus on my nutrition. Intervals while riding Cuyamaca rounded out the weekend today.

Dan & I headed up to Allison & Justin's on Friday evening for our pre-SART rendevous. After watching some Giro and getting things ready, we all tried to get some rest. Last time we did SART together, I felt like absolute hell. We rode it in late June, a couple months after VQ. Admittedly, I was not in great shape at that point, having lapsed in my riding. I bonked less than halfway through the ride and barely finished the 50 miles. This year, I knew things would be different.

We arrived at Loch Leven, and I had some business to take care of. I said goodbye to a good friend...my DH bike. Yes, I sold it. I'm sad in a way, but also excited for what the future has to offer...my long-term goal (next year) is a mtb stage race (BC Bike Race? BreckEpic? who knows!)

Allison & I took off up the trail from Loch Leven, and it was already getting warm. We kept a good pace going up the hill...my focus was to keep my cadence high. I used to mash on my pedals. Not very efficient. I've been breaking the habit, slowly but surely. Not too long after, the boys caught us...they were motoring.

Allison & I start up from Loch Leven

I really focused on drinking water and HEED on a regular basis. I had switched away from HEED a while ago in favor of Hammer Gel...I guess I liked the gel better. But, it's easier for me to drink from the bottle than to rip open and fuss with a gel packet. I might try the flask again on the next long ride, so we'll see...jury's out on that one.

The trusty Yeti

We rode right past the store and up to SART. Weather was pretty clear and warm. Down, down, down we went...what a tease! The trail was in good shape. It was apparent that folks have been out there clearing the trail...thank you! I was descending terribly...my tires (over a year old) were pretty worn down and made the normally loose descent even sketchier in some spots.

Allison making the switchback


Justin (complete with bug net)

Over to Glass Road we went. At this point, I was still feeling good. No sign of the headache that plagued me last year. I was struggling, though, between locking out my rear suspension and keeping it full-on. The minute the trail got chunky, I was struggling to keep my wheels straight. I wasted a lot of energy but tried to rally. Sometimes, it ain't easy training on a 30 lb bike.

At Glass Road, I stopped, pulled a fruit leather out, hopped back on the bike, and kept riding. Luke was up ahead, Dan, A & J behind. I thought for sure they'd be on me in no time. 6 miles later, I was still alone. The pull from Glass to South Fork is climb-y...I mentally came undone here last year. This year, I felt strong and focused on a consistent pace.

Still snow up on the ridge, ~10,000 feet

Regroup at South Fork, refill the bottles and packs, and I was off again...trying to keep stopping to a minimum. It didn't take very long for everyone to catch up, though :) The section of trail from Glass to South Fork has several downed trees and lots of overgrowth. Most of us got pretty scratched up. By the time we hit Glass again on the way back, the group was leaning toward by-passing lower SART. It was in rough shape in the middle of the season last year. Did we risk getting chewed up and swallowed by the overgrowth? Not this time.

Dan-o

Up Middle Control...my other mental undoing from last year. L, A & J were already far up ahead. Dan stuck with me, and I put my head down and tried to keep a steady pace up the 5% grade. I felt pretty strong at the top (even took a picture of the waterfall) and was so surprised when we already reached the top.

Tired bodies

[Aside: Dan has been so selfless this year in helping me train. He seems to instinctively know when I start to struggle, and will stay back with me. Though I am getting better, I used to fall apart when the group would pull away, leaving me to try to bridge the gap. He has pushed me, gently but with sway, in more ways than one.]

Pals :)

We wrapped up with a fun descent to Loch Leven. 45 miles today...longest non-road ride in probably a year. Dinner at Cuca's and some Giro love rounded out the evening, along with a visit from Ann and Andy :)

Today, Sunday, was our Tour de Cuyamaca. After a couple pit stops, we made it up to the park headquarters, greeted by sunshine and more warm temps. I burned my shoulders yesterday (the pack straps rubbed my sunscreen off) and my legs were definitely feeling it from SART. I did a couple intervals up Green Valley and was hitting LTHR pretty easily. I got another little push from Justin. He & Allison have taken me under their training wing...today, Justin rode an interval with me, yelling lots of encouragement. It helped tremendously, though at one point, I think I told him he was evil.

New rubber...Fastrack LK's...woot!

We did go up the fireroad to Middle Peak...another good climb. My nutrition was not as good today, and I felt dehydrated and 'off'. At one point, we hit 16%+ grade on the climb. I despearately wanted to drop a gear and make up some time trying to catch up with Dan, but I didn't have the push within myself. Consistent cadence was my fallback.

Super-fun turns

Dan-o rails it

The scenery was gorgeous, though. After the 2003 Cedar Fire, the land has begun to bounce back. I'm sure it is nothing compared to its former beauty, but I enjoyed the backdrop today. Lunch at Manana's ended our weekend with our good friends.

I ended the weekend with almost exactly 8 hrs of ride time. 12 hrs of SoCal is going to be the toughest race I have ever done, but I've never felt more ready to tackle a goal than I do now. Can't wait! 4 weeks to go...

Noble/Palomar Double Double Weekend

I have now erased the opening line of this blog post 3 times, so I'll just be plain...last weekend was so much fun!

We started out with a full Tour de Noble ride. Dan and I drove up to the Noble trailhead early on Saturday morning (leaving enough time to get a new Adventure Pass and a brownie at the market), and ran into Jefe in the store. Good times were already upon us. Over to the trailhead...it was already warming up and the temps, forecast to be 73 in Pine Valley, were already climbing steadily. The parking lot was full of riders going out to test their mettle on Noble. We even ran into Tom (mousejockey).

Allison & Justin arrived soon after and we all got ready for the long day ahead. Seems like whenever we do this ride, it takes forever, even though it's only 35 miles of riding. Lots of rest and food breaks, usually and a fairly casual pace.

I was at the end of 2 big weeks of training, including Idyllwild and the tail end of some build. Would the legs hold up? Last time we did this ride, I pretty much sucked. Slow on the climbs and tired after every effort.

Allison climbing up Extra Credit

Started up Extra Credit and I was already sweating. Out to Alp de Wheez...the Garmin is a blessing and sometimes a curse: it brutally reminded me that, at times, the road reaches a 19% grade. Damn. I felt like I was climbing pretty well, keeping my cadence higher (though I watched A, J, and D pull away from me pretty quickly). Jefe was nursing a bum knee, so he wasn't pushing it.

Dan & Allison crossing the creek

Off to Indian Creek...usually I nail this climb and can settle into a good rhythm. Not today...my tires were slipping on what seemed to be every rock (hmmm...I'm sure my bald rear tire isn't helping). Had a hard time but before I knew it, I was flying down Pinball...so fun!

Allison & I tested out the Simbree at Champagne Pass

I'd recently gotten a jar of Hammer Perpetuem in the new Caffe Latte flavor. Mixed some up for the ride. It tasted good, even when warm, but upon much advice from the crew, I probably need a more carb-dominated drink, too. I wanted to see how well I could tolerate the Perp in the heat and for a longer ride. Turns out that I think it's okay, but that I wasn't drinking enough of it to be a proper food replacement.

Dan's shot of the meadow...fantastic day

I tried to pace with Allison up to Penny Pines and managed to hold onto her wheel for a good while (though I know she was cruising). We chatted about girl stuff...you know, heart rates, racing, etc (lol). She pulled away from me on one descent...girl is getting fast on the downhills on the Epic...can't wait to see her results at Downieville this summer.

Rested and re-fueled at Penny Pines, through BLT, up Middle Earth and back down to the meadow. By this time, I was not fueling properly and by the time we reached the top of the Noble trailhead, I felt like utter crap. Thankfully Allison had some Tylenol, because I was rocking a major headache. I didn't even feel hungry...another warning sign. A rest and a half of a PB&J later and I rolled out ahead of the group to cruise down the hill. They caught me quickly and we all rallied down Noble.

Top of Middle Earth

I was not at all loving the poison oak everywhere (some slight itchy spots on my arms today). BUT...the trail was in dialed condition. I made the rock ledge before Organ Donor and finally (finally) made Stairway on the Yeti. I was stoked! The big test was Whore. I put it in a decent gear and made good time up the hill. I remember doing that last year and absolutely bonking. I guess the big test is that, while some things (like Alp de Wheeze and Hate Climb) aren't getting any "easier", I feel stronger and less tired after I ride them. Woot!

Allison gets down to business on Barney Rubble

Dan earns his Extra Credit (he's the teacher's pet)

We had an awesome dinner here at the casa and rolled into bed to get rested up for the Palomar double. Dan, Jill and I had done the Palomar south grade a few weeks prior but decided not to descend and re-climb east grade. I'll spare the details and just say this: hot temps and lots of climbing. 50 miles and 7K+. Awesome scenery and good company. Steady state climbing...we made it. Damn, my ass hurt (but oddly, only on the left side).

Shadows tell the tale...leaving Harrah's for a long day in the saddle

Down the East Grade we go

Re-group at the bottom of East Grade (under what seemed like the only shade around for miles)


Pretty flowers


Longest ride to date on the Roubaix

Most importantly, we got to spend the weekend with some great friends who have been integral in our training and help us keep the fun-meter pegged. Thanks to A & J for the food on the trail (I swear, I'll be prepared this weekend), to Jefe for introducing us all to Pistachio Crisps, and to Dan, who always lets me talk him into these crazy weekends and for taking stellar photos.

The Outer Links

I wore my spoke/chain link bracelet during the Idyllwild race this past weekend...no real reason, I just felt like it. After the race, I was chatting with Brendan from Siren bikes. He noticed the bracelet and then gave me a card for a gal in Arizona who also makes jewelry out of recycled bike stuff. The company is called The Outer Links.

I just ordered an Outer Link bracelet...it looks so awesome!

Kim from The Outer Links was really cool and got back to me right away. In any case, I thought I'd let you know so you can show her some support.