Back into the Fire

This weekend I jumped back into racing with both feet... We had a great weekend racing at the Chile Challenge in Angel Fire, NM.

COMotion is currently leading the team competition in the MSC, and we definitely loaded up to conquer the competition this weekend. Saturday began the fury with a fast and demanding short track race. The course was short, but intense, with a steep, leg-sucking hill to climb during each lap. COMotion lined up the black and teal train in the Cat 2/3 men's race, executing a perfect paceline of attacks throughout the 20 minute race. We swept the race clean with 3, 1st place finishes, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th! Chris again sacrificed his individual chances by leading out the race, and then hung on for a hard-fought 5th place finish.In my short track race, I went out conservatively, gradually moving up and passing people as I went along. It was a tough first race of the season, and my top-end speed is definitely not yet developed. My heart rate was pinged at 190 bpm for 20 minutes, and I nearly collapsed coming across the line. A fine 3rd place finish welcomed me back to the race season!Early the next morning, the cross country races began, with Chris going off at 8:00am. Chris had a strong race and finished with a 16-minute improvement over his time from last year!
I began my warm-up under blue, sunny skies, but by the time my race neared, the dark clouds moved in and temps started dropping. Just like the previous day, I started moderately and just worked on climbing the 2,000ft per lap at a reasonably consistent pace. It was pouring rain near the top of each lap, and the race quickly turned into a shivering, sketchy, muddy affair. I never felt "good," during the entire race, but just kept my eyes ahead and focused on pushing through the pain. I was rewarded with a great 1st place finish! I couldn't believe it! My first race this year, I felt like death, yet I triumphed!!
The COMotion contingent had an excellent showing during the weekend, and we increased our hold on the team competition by an additional 500 points! Great job to everyone!!!

First Encounter... Yikes!

Yesterday, while riding the Centennial Cone trail, I encountered a rattlesnake for the first time in the wild.

With the seasonal elk birthing closure in effect on the trail, I was doing a simple out-and-back ride instead of the entire loop. Just as I was nearing my turn around point, and while pedaling about 5 mph uphill, I happened to look down and there it was. Just a little thing, only about 12 inches long, but there was no mistaking the prominent rattle on the tail. It was sitting just 6 inches from my wheel, on the side of the trail... That's when I just about sh*t my pants!! I was 6.5 miles away from the nearest trailhead, riding by myself, and I started dreading the worst if that snake decided to strike!
After turning around and heading back down the trail a few minutes later, the snake was gone, but I was still shaking like a leaf! The rest of the ride was quite uncomfortable, and I rode cautiously, imagining the possibility of snakes at every turn. I'm not the only one to happen upon a rattler lately, Chris nearly rode over a big 5-foot one on the Sand Creek Trail a week ago. Good thing yesterday was my last ride for the week before we head to Angel Fire... I am still freaked out!

30

It's here, there's no denying it anymore... I've entered 'middle-age.' I am 30!!! Yikes, it stings a little to say that, and to think that I'm actually getting OLDER!

Well, it's really not that bad, I'm actually more than happy to leave 29 in the rear-view mirror, it was definitely the worst year.

So to celebrate this big milestone, Chris and I hosted a fabulous make-your-own sushi party!!

I got all the supplies ready, and the fish shipped the day before the party. Jameson unpacked the fish, and Guinness guarded the beer.

After some appetizers and drinks we got down to business. I had never made sushi before, so trying to teach the rest of our guests was quite funny!

Nice sushi rolls Strouse and Teresa!
Shaun looks like a pro spreading the sticky rice. Nice Yeti shirt!
Mmm... cake! Chris got 2 Coldstone cookie dough ice cream cakes... the best part!

Evie is clearly enjoying her cake!
Everyone had a great time, lots of fun and laughter!
The kitties were partied-out! Guinness made her nest in one of the sushi ingredient boxes.

Goodnight everyone!

Christopher Rising

Chris has been off to a great start this season, after battling injuries all last year. While he is always wary about saying he's 'out of the woods' completely, he has been consistently improving his fitness and getting more time on the bike. In fact, I am the one huffing and puffing next to him now!Chris just returned from the 2nd MSC race of the season, The Chalk Creek Stampede in Nathrop, where he had 2 tough days of racing among the cacti and cow patties in cross country and short track. He paced himself conservatively in the cross country on Saturday, to a solid 10th place finish. Then in the short track on Sunday he sacrificed his personal chances, acting as the 'domestique', and lead out 2 fellow teammates that placed 1st and 2nd.I can't wait for Angel Fire, and to watch Chris race! He is my inspiration!

Riding for PAIN

Yesterday, I woke up and told myself that I was going to ride my bike farther than I ever have. I had a route in mind, yet I really didn't know how far it was, or how long it would take me. But in a way, it didn't matter, I just needed to get on the road bike, start peddling and not look back until my legs brought me home. So far this year, I've only been able to ride outdoors a handful of times, and even the hours I've spent on the trainer indoors haven't been for training. And that's the way I intend to keep it. Because if I am going to get better, to heal my inner wounds and smooth away the scars of trauma and grief, I have to know that when I ride it is for me, and not for the training plan.

When I was into the 4th hour of my ride yesterday, and the pain was dragging me down - tired legs, sore back, woozy head - I embraced it. I reminded myself as I peddled on into the lactate numbing fury, there is no physical pain that compares to the emotional heartbreak I've endured.

In the end, it was 75 miles, in 4:35.

Hit the RESET button

Without going into depressing detail, I hit a breaking point recently, and elected to take some time off from school. For the next 8 weeks, it is my time to relax, recharge, and most of all, grieve for my the loss of my dad. Over the past year I thought that if I just kept myself distracted enough, with enough activities - school, racing, traveling, etc. - that I would be able to cope and move on as everyone expects. Well that has not been the case, especially when I've been trying to just plow through it all. I realized that even while my accolades were growing, my life has been a struggle, draining the very motivation that normally fuels me. It became a matter of choice - making the hard choices in order to re-sow the seeds of success. It became a matter of priority, and a matter of healing from the inside out. I now believe in the cliche, as difficult as it is, 'it just takes time.'

Sweet Surprise!

Alas, I've conquered the last of the finals, and can finally breathe a sigh of relief. While I aced none, I didn't blow up either... just kept the smooth and steady pace to win the race. After all, "A's" don't count in the real world, but passing does.

While the rest of my classmates were celebrating by getting hammered starting at noon, I did the thing that made me the most happy, ride my bike. A nice bike ride is the ultimate soul cleanser and spirit uplifter. I've only ridden my bike outside on 3 rare occasions since January, so a 2-hour road ride was just what I needed.

After coming home, Chris surprised me with an "early" birthday present, but more appropriately, a "good-job-this-toughest-semester" present. I was so surprised and overjoyed by his creativity and what is such a unique present... He gave me personalized headset caps for my mountain bike and cyclocross bike, and matching four-leaf clover bar plugs!! Now I only have to glance down at the headtube for some awesome inspiration and motivation!