Monday, September 22

Derailed...

6 weeks of Clean Eating nutrition due to the TWO brownies (with chocolate chips) that i just consumed. When i got the "all staff" email that they were in the office i should have known. I convinced myself that there may be something important in my box (there of course was NOT) so to make it look like i wasnt wasting time and just walking around campus, i ate the brownies. I am so upset.

In other news:
Yup, $100. i haven't spent it yet, but i have a few ideas on how to waste it pretty quickly.
  • Sunday was the Cal State Championships (a very odd name for an event if you ask me). At this race, it is usually all the same local chicks that show up at Rim Nordics or Fontana races. Nothing too resemblant of the cyclists that this vast state actually holds.
  • But, yesterday, we had a few wild cards. Now i am not sure if there is any rule that you actually have to LIVE in California or even be an American citizen to do this race, but if there is, i will be the champion. Although i got worked. Maybe we should show a current electrical bill or something? wait, no. because i don't have one of those either. but you see what i am saying here...could i go to Kansas and race in their state Championship? Not that i would win, but i don't know any MTB racer chicks from Kansas, so i could have a shot.
  • Top Block: Adventure racer chick who has done La Ruta (5th overall) - Angela Parra Sierra, from the Country of COLUMBIA
"Angela Parra Sierra of Bogota, Colombia has committed to the California Multisport finals taking place September 28 in the local hills of San Luis Obispo. She is podium finisher of La Ruta de los Conquistadors, and one of the most talented expedition female athletes of south America...and that says a lot. They are tough as nails down there." Excellent!
  • Second Block: Xterra racer from one of the Scottland - Lesley Paterson, she went running post XC.
"Lesley was a professional triathlete who competed for Great Britain and Scotland in many world championships. Having trained her body for 6 hours a day, she has become best friends with pain,hard work, and commitment." I'm just saying...
  • These chicks started FASTER than any cal state i have raced. I wasn't sure who they were and if it was logical idea to stick on their wheels. well, it probably wasn't. But i did for around 15 miles where i got attacked repeatedly. I have never been attacked this much in an XC race and had to play the cat and mouse game. But eventually, the descents would take their toll and the high efforts would take even a greater toll on my body, and i would settle, way....back....into third. I even started getting leg cramps. that is sooooo 2006!! what's the deal!

These girls were a ton of fun! We had a long chat post awards and it seems like one, if not both, will be around this area for even more racing!!

Friday, September 19

What I am Missing Out On...

My Southern Hemisphere Family is reporting cold rains, winter sniffles and pulled backs. Those things i don't miss, but, i do miss getting to play with these little monsters!!! I wish FedEx would transport little people!!

Griffyn, my 3 year old nephew has more hair than me!!! They are not going to cut it until he is 5!!!

Gwen is completely my sisters daughter!!

Julene with the offspring. I want Griffyn's socks!!

They seem to be getting along. Now....
I think he is looking for Aunty Joy-Joy...

Tuesday, September 16

Well thank you for asking!!

Recently i have been asked how i came out so good, so "wholesome" to be exact.

Here is your answer.
That's right. I went to home school. Brenda, my mom, was also my first teacher. I went to traditional school in 5th grade, but before then i spent three years doing the following:
(This is Mom with Mary Whipple - that's right, mom kicks it with Olympian Gold Medalists!)
  • Planting gardens (one year 30 tomato plants, 18 hills of zucchini)

  • baking bread from scratch

  • Raising kittens and puppies

  • Cleaning

  • Making dinner

  • Building forts

  • Building play houses

  • Working in the yard

  • Not watching TV

  • Not playing video games

  • Helping out on a fellow homeschoolers ranch

  • Hiking through the woods

  • And doing an occasional math worksheet
  • Riding my bike to the community swimming pool

Now, most of you probably almost deleted me from your blogroll. These facts do not make me weird, at all. Promise.

I just wanted you to know that not everyone who goes to homeschool turns out odd. My brother and sister both went, and from what i know they seem pretty normal. We are all quite socially adempt too (i have almost 300 friends on Facebook...its way better than myspace...).

So, give a homeschooler a chance!

Monday, September 15

Sundays Just Don't Seem To Be Our Day...




That's a Goat Head Thorn.


Joey: "Dude, i have like a hundred thorns in my front tire. Sweet!"


Joy: "um, so do i"


Matt: yelling back at us, "do one of you have a flat?"


Joy/Joey: "yes, we both do"


As we had a pit contest to see who would fix it first, Matt's back tire went flat. Since i finished first...I soon realized my front was flat as well. When i went up to Joey's bike, i saw his front was flat too. Then it was all quiet and what not, and we could hear the air coming out of Matt's front tire too.


6 flats total. No tubeless. 3 tubes.


As we were walking our bikes up a really rude asphalt climb, i asked Matt how his day was. He said "way better than last weekend." Yes, this is true. Every ride will be better than last weekend!

Monday, September 8

A lot has happened since we last talked...

Jamie Black-Listed me. Even after I bought him a burrito.

Joey Crashed.

and Matt wrote all about it.

I did however get myself a new bike for my birthday. Well tra-la-la. Don't hate because I am queen of Matchy-matchy.


Wednesday, September 3

PROOF

Finishing last is lonely.
The climb was not lonely, but the clouds were very threatening!
The air was pretty thin up there.
That's why the book is called "Under the Banner of Heaven" this place was beautiful!

Monday, September 1

I feel like...

  1. Racing my bike at 9,000-11,000 ft isn't that bad. Until you try to walk up three flights of strairs to the condo.

  2. Warming up for a race wearing base layer, jersey, vest, arm-warmers, and a zip up pink sweat shirt is over-kill. If i had been in the IE.
  3. 80 with a chance of a snow storm is just your average day in Southern Utah.

  4. 4 girls, 4 bikes, 4 loads of junk can in fact fit in my car

  5. 9 people in one condo makes a pretty cheap "vacation": $44 each for three nights
  6. 9 people in one condo makes for no hot water.

WEEKEND HIGHS and LOWS

  • UP wearing arm warmers - i can't remember the last time i was cold

  • UP watching Matt, Maureen and Joey race Super D. (although Shelli and Jason and i sat on a cold picnic table for 45 minutes staring at the mountain side waiting for the "show"). Too bad Jamie wasn't there (down..)

  • UP working my mad Tuesday-night skills on the 28 minute road and dirt climb. At 13% with Krista and Amanda.

  • DOWN coming across Chloe Forsman, U23 National Champion , who had gotten caught in a rut and had a nasty crash. She is super cool, and super fast. I stopped and got her bike off the trail and went into first-aid mode to asses the situation. She had a NASTY gash under her right knee and would end up getting 25 stitches!! I stayed with her for probably 20 minutes or so. I tied one of her super-fancy Luna arm warmers around her knee, put her chain back on as we started to walk/ride down the trail in search of help. A fisherman was walking up the trail calling for us, since Maureen had given him the heads up. I hope Chloe is ok!

  • UP/DOWN from then on, i was in ride, not race mode. I stopped and talked to a guy suffering severely from the altitude, you know, the talk it out. I talked to another pro female who was "done" and had a flat and in no way wanted to fix it, just wanted OUT. i stopped to talk to the water station people to tell them what i had found on my reconnaissance mission. I was completely last, but i had an awesome ride, on fantastic trails in beautiful weather. That's all i need.

  • Things I Tried to Give away: 1 ) Pink polka-dot PJ tank. I tried to get Chloe to let me wrap it around her knee. i was wearing it because i was FREEZING and had no base layer! 2 ) My tube 3 ) my arm warmers 4) my bike - a guy had a bad mechanical and said he was SO tired of walking out. We were about 1.5 miles from the finish, but he wouldn't take mine. hmph.

AWKWARD!

I was cooked by the time i got out. I had missed my feeds and had no food on me. it was cold and extremely windy. i re-layered and went into the lodge where they were having awards. Larry Longo caught my eye and what ensued was the WORST, but the BEST 20 minutes of my year.

I became the PODIUM GIRL. Picture this. Helmet head. Check. Sweaty. Check. All chamied-out with layers and miss-matched sweatshirt. Check. I had leg warmers on, so they were battling with my shorts for territory, creating that "lump" that encircles even the sveltest of thighs. It was horrible. and i was in front of everyone.

It gets worse. I a giving awards to RACE WINNERS for pro men and women. OLYMPIANS!!! National champions, World-cup podium finishers. I was flabbergasted. Women i race against, or at least line up behind. There was paparazzi, cheering, and yelling. And each athlete was headed straight for me.

I didn't know if i should smile, look them in the eye, give them some coy word of congratulations. I began to sweat. It was horrible.

My defining moment came when it was time for the men's top 5 for the race. They all wear hats and sunglasses and about 5 feet out from me, began to bend their heads ever so slightly, assume i would smoothly lasso them as they slowed only slightly on their way to the blocks.

I got caught up on Ross Schnell. Now some people know i have an "affinity" towards him, and they were laughing in the crowd. I think i turned beet red as he approached, i fumbled, and caught the bill of his hat. Which then caught his hand, and we were momentarily intertwined. I stuttered, and all he said to me was "ROOKIE MOVE." i will remember it forever.

    I also got to put a medal around over-all series winner and Canadian Olympian Geoff Kabush. I saw him race the Redlands Classic one year. I cheered very loudly during the crit. He wears fancy skinsuits, that look real nice.