Wintering in SoCal

Nothing but clear skies, 80+ degree weather bringing in the month of November. I am a bit cross about this, I must admit. Being that I spend up to 10 hours, a day, Outside, I am burnt out on the sun. And straight up burnt. I just know when I turn 50 I will be the stereotypical PE teacher with leathery skin who looks closer to 70.

In the spirit of Skin Preservation, however, Shelli and I ventured where I promised to never delve. The SPA......Glen Ivy Hot Springs and Spa offers a variety of blah blah blah!!! Sat by pool, ate salad, sat in sulpher hot pool, mud bath, eucolyptus steam room which nearly exfixiated me!! and finished off with some Roman baths. This experience proved again that most of my "ideas" about doing certain things out of my routine or comfort zones are super lame and I need to buck up and get on with it! Good fun and half off after 2pm!!
Hiatus: That bike break i took really panned out for me! I have been loving being back on the bike and catching up with everyone! I completed my FIRST full week on my NEW and IMPROVED training program and I am loving it. I get to fully access and utilize the Training Peaks site which is awesome! Powertap and Garmin files being uploaded daily and looked at by my coach is really cool. It's fun and refreshing to start from scratch and learn new tricks. This off season is going to be Great!!!

And it doesn't hurt that I have some pretty rad people to do it with!! over 20 riders out on the team ride sunday, 5 heavy-hitting chicks, and a lot of roads to be covered and climbed!

Well, ok...

I am not one to go big on the holidays, which would include gifting; dressing up; cooking piles of food etc. But last weeked Brian and I decided to go hit up Des and Bart's super sick Halloween party!

I have a hard time posting these pictures without laughing, out loud, in my stable office. Seriously, this was ridiculous! Brian went for a LONG bike ride and left me with the task of creating his costume. With SPECIFIC instructions and some cash, off I went!

I think I matched it pretty well!! Nothing a chaotic trip to Marshalls and Joanne's won't fix!

If you look closely, you can see the grotesque back sweat he had! It was HOT, especially since he stuffed his shirt with a whole bag of stuffing!

The Yard Gnome was a hit! Although he was fat, sweaty, and smelled like chicken wings!

Ah, man, the weekend....thank goodness.

So, things are crazy. I have been instructed to take two weeks off the bike and it is actually been really rejuvinating. I have picked up the art of "slow jogging" and have been able to meet up with buddies like Shelli and Des and Tine to crank out some miles and chat about everyone. I mean everything. Seriously, 4 girls over 5'9" out on runs. Trouble. We talk so much, we forget to run sometimes!!

Sister, sister... oh man, where to start. You can check out her blog if you like...but here is the short of it. A few months ago, after their trip to the US, my sister Julene was diagnosed with MS. this is a COMPLICATED and overwhelming disease that is very hard to diagnose and to understand. She has been in the hospital/rehab center ever since. Thankfully, my super cool Mom was able to go over to New Zealand for over a month to help out. Mom being an RN with like 80 years experience, is a vital asset in times like these (plus who wouldn't want Mom there in a time of need?!) so a big blessing that she was able to go.

Gwen, Me (we like to wear pink!), Julene and Griffyn!

As of today, my sister is still in the rehab center, looking forward to possibly going home next week. Her husband and kids are more than eager for her to come home!! yesterday she had her first roung of Chemo IV in an attempt to attack and regress the progression of the disease.

I'm looking forward to a relaxed weekend with friends and garnishing a little bit more of that Vitamin D!

Getting Chicked...

After spending the evening Tuesday with Dorothy Wong, learning how to "Cross it Up" CycloCross style, I just may get that 30th race in yet...

In other news, some pretty rad chicks got in print about about bike racing and our silly little antics.

Check out these links, and a huge thanks to Heidi Volpe from Team Sho-Air who is a TRUE rad chick on and off the bike! She does duo endurance races, XC, road training, nutrition stuff, and pretty much the biggest Cougar around!

Check out stories from true killers like Katie Compton, Kelli Emmit, Alison, Powers, Krista Park, Allison Mann, and well me...

Outside-Blog

Bike Rumor

This is actually a really funny topic. Us gals chat about it OFTEN especially when we have mulitple age groups on a course at one time. We LOVE the older men. They are so kind and gracious. Sometimes there is a bit of "conflict" with the middle aged Sport (cat2) rider. Not sure what thats all about, but it usually goes something like this.

We beat them. They are miffed and "upset" that a GIRL beat them. How COULD she. Well dear, I train three times as much as you, OBSESSE about food, sleep, hill climbs, chamoi cream, hydration, and did I say I ride my bike a ton. Somehow I got a pro upgrade. I better act like. Train with any of us for a month, and you will soon be dropping us. I just don't like when guys are mad that a girl beat them. Period. Train more. Stop eating wacky things like burgers. Put the beer down. OR, just have a great time competing.

Heidi brought to my attention that a reader commented on the Outside-Blog that he had raced with me! I need to do some research but for the life of me, I don't know where or when I crossed his path! Thankfully, i wasn't a biscuit that day and he had good things to say about me, like my passion for the sport. But it really makes you think. A brief momentary encounter in the woods can leave a life-long impression on someone. Don't be too quick to order directions. Who knows if that rider is coming off a crash, illness, "life" issues etc, and your tone could potentially set them off of the sport we all love.

It never hurts to encourage, and show gratitude to another rider, we all know we appreciate it when it comes our directions. Heck, sometimes that has been the only positive thing in a race for me. My encounters with other people, of the same thoughts and beliefs and motives, that take that last remaining ounce of energy and encourage me to excell at what I set out to do.

Boy or girl, rock on! Because you are riding a bike, and we do it for fun!!

30, minus 1.

I was all excited to race the season finale up in Big Bear this weekend, where Allison and I could be Unified again and pay money to race/ride against each other. But alas, I have been attacked by the illness that has gotten half the school over the last 3 weeks. If I just chopped my head off I would be fine! So I opted for sleep and more sleep over the weekend, officially starting my off season.

But before then, I did some Calculations regarding this past season.

Here are my race stats:

Mountain Bike Races: 12

Short Track Race: 1

Road Race: 5

Crit: 11

Total those up, you get 29...Sunday was supposed to be 30...I also did the math on how much I spent on entry fees....hehe....

A few more interesting things, I finished each race I started. I only had ONE mechanical and that was at Rim Nordic where my rear shifter broke 2 miles into 24. Riding a 3-speed out there was quite the workout!!

I also only had ONE flat tire! That was in a crit at Ontario, where I was able to ride/run to the pits, grab Joey's rear wheel, Brian set me up, and jumped back in on the last lap.

I was fortunate enough to NEVER race sick...in the past I have raced at least 3 MTB events sick and unable to breath out my nose!

I also realized I did one Mountain Bike stage race, and one Road stage race, and four of the crit days, I did multiple races.

On the road, I have been able to race the 4's, 3's, 1/2/3 and Men's Cat 3! That by FAR was the most fun on a road bike! Riding with 4 teammates, in a mens crit with at least 60 guys, I finally realized what crits were all about! And it was my last crit.

So basically I can look back at this stoked about getting a lot of racing experience, excited about what next year brings, and I totally understand why I am now sick. It was quite the cornacopia of racing and experiences, and I haven't yet quite decided how it will pan out for next season.

That about sums it up...

Bonelli Unification Race...or something to that effect.



(Please note I am stealing pictures from Allison and random people on facebook ; )

So Allison, Krista and I became unified on Sunday. We led the race as a unified force, then, not so much. With many of our comrades hanging the jerseys for the year, oh, two months ago, the three of us keep paying our $$$ to go for rides together.

It was hot. I remember one point where I said outloud on the full exposed hot and dusty fireroad that looks down on the freeway interchange, "I'm so hot..." with the Napolean Dynamite exhale. I can't remember being that hot in a race since maybe Santa Ynez two years ago. I only wadded it up once, on a hair pin uphill turn going to the feed zone. Narrowly missed re-opening Staple and got some blood on my shoes. Cool.

High light was having BMc at the race! He flogged the Cat 2 boys, poor chaps, and finished the race with a win and a helmet full of twigs due to a crash in the last half mile that had him recounting seeing "dirt, sky, dirt, sky, dirt, sky....ground." while intergecting motorcycle sounds. "Brrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaap brrrrap...."

Brian is the best. Once my race started, which consisted of 3 laps at 12:30 start...he was at multiple points on the course giving me time gaps but more importantly, moral support. Between calling lines, to telling me to ride my pace and not to worry about the gap, he really helped me out!

The main reasons I went to the race, though, was to see my friends and support Team Big Bear and Shoair for the amazing job they have done with the series this year. Although I havent made it out of the state to race, I am very grateful to even have a series to go to! These guys have done an amazing job keeping mountain biking alive in the whole country! It's important to me to do my part to help promote, show up and have a blast at these events to do what I can to spread the MTB love!

As for the friends, got to hook up with so many cool people that I haven't seen since mid-summer! Great to see the friendly faces
Allison, Lisa, Dot, Tonya, Heidi, me!

So there was an overall to be won. I guess I didn't get the memo or have just been tied up coaching jr. high volleyball and not doing my research! This race landed the three of us, well, in the top three! Next to the Idyllwild Pavers, this award is awesome! Solid iron or something, welded together, and HEAVY!!! Pretty cool momento....although not sure what to do with it. Could maybe do Kettlebell training, or sit on it to milk a cow, or something of that nature...

The week is flooded with volleyball games and practices, some teaching and grading, tack on some baby visiting and cuddling, then perhaps a bike ride or five topped off with a touch of pilates. All in 100 degree heat.

Tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox. What gives? Where is fall?!....

Is it nap time yet?

Here we are, day three of that race in Costa Rica, completely wiped out, but ready to rock. Somehow (ie the couple from Mexico had their clocks set to Mexico time, where there was a time change) we got up at 4 am for the race. Never have I gotten ready to race so quickly!! Once we realized the issue, back to bed I went in full kit, spooning my gear bag.

Most people say its time to rest, relax, gain some weight, or pick up bowling. I just can't do it. So here I am, ready to go full-force into a weekend of solid riding and fun with friends! Although I may FEEL like the Joy above...I put on a good Poker Face.

Season ain't over yet folks....come to think of it, when will it be over?!?!