Full-on Domination!

With my final academic semester at school heating up, I decided to make this weekend my final mountain bike competition of the season. It was a fitting decision, as the Copper Cup played host to the Short Track CO State Championships.

Since Saturday's short track race kicked off in the early evening, it was a nice relaxing day sleeping in and then driving up to Copper Mountain. My race went off first, and it was a lung-buster! I wanted the state title so bad, that I nearly killed myself to get it - I was coughing up blood at the finish line! I hung in patiently before making my decisive attack with 2 laps to go, and secured the win! I am stoked to be the double State champ! XC and STXC! Chris' race went off next, and even with tired legs (after his week of riding in the UK), he rode a strong race.
For the next day's XC race, we both awoke to tired legs and lungs after the intense anaerobic effort from the previous night, but with a super-fun singletrack descent on tap, the XC course was calling our names! Chris again raced a strong race, albeit without a rear brake, and a severely impaired drivetrain! I guess the season is taking its toll on our bodies and our bikes.
I was tired at the start, and after my victory in the short track, was just aiming to "ride for fun." But when have I ever ridden a race just for fun? My competitive nature wouldn't let me settle for an easy ride when there's a race on the line! I gradually worked my way through the field, and before I knew it, I was in 1st place in my category, and 2nd overall, just behind my teammate Holly. Amidst the pain, it was a fun race, and I was railing the descent with a smile on my face!
2 races, 2 victories... and lots of celebratory beers post-race!!! What a fantastic 2009 season!

Motivation for Next Year!

It was nearly a week ago now, (and I'm finally getting around to this post), but the Leadville 100 mtb race last weekend, proved to be just what I needed at this point in the season! Chris and I headed up to Leadville Friday night, attending the giant pasta feed, and subsequent traffic control meeting, for which we were volunteering. Never has the Leadville Trail 100 mtb race experienced such a media onslaught and mass participation, as this year, all because Lance Armstrong was aiming to not only break the LVT 100 record set last year by Colorado's own 6-time winner Dave Weins, but also win outright and draw more publicity in the process!

After spending just a brief 4-hour hotel stay night in Silverthorne, we arrived at the start early, for the 6:30am kick-off. The sun was just peaking over the hills to the east, which revealed newly snow-capped peaks to the west - just the direction the race was headed. We cheered on the masses, then headed for our traffic control post out at the highway crossing at Twin Lakes.The weather was certainly chilly for the first few hours, with multiple episodes of driving rain and wind, until the sun finally came out. Our volunteer work involved 9+ hours of stopping traffic along with the state patrol, and directing riders across the road.
We volunteered because of course we wanted to see the race firsthand, but also it is favorable acceptance into the race next year through the lottery system. After watching so many bikers come through, I was more than convinced that with just a little more training, I can definitely do this race next year!! Not that I will be a born endurance specialist, but it is one more item to check off my list of awesome Colorado biking races!After our long day, we caught up with CoMotion's own Ryan Hamilton at the finish, where he was a bit delirious, but more than happy to be done after the extreme hypothermia suffered during more than half the race. Chris and I are stoked to do this race next year... and hopefully finish under 12 hours!!!

It's all about Performance!!!

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Colorado State XC Mtb Champion!!

I did it! I came, I conquered! My first state title, and the much coveted champion jersey!Snowmass was a great weekend... Chris and I battled hot weather on a tough-climbing course, Chris' parents drove out from California to see us race, the fans were not only treated to great Colorado racers but also all the celebrity and hoop-la as Lance Armstrong raced and beat all the local pros!
While all the hype was on Lance at the start, COMotion's own Rob Sousa was ahead of Lance for the first couple minutes! My start, tailing the pro women off the line.Up the huge 2,500 ft climb the second lap was pure torture!Chris fought hard to a solid 10th place finish despite running out of water and suffering a bit of heat exhaustion.
Lance made the race look like a cakewalk.The Man...
Some interesting characters on stilts cruising through Snowmass Village... Fairy princess and wolfman.The wolfman looking to take a bite of that crime!
Chris' mom, Kathy was very excited she got Lance Armstrong's autograph on her hat!We took the scenic route home... Heading up to Independence Pass on the way out of Aspen, we passed the ghost town of Independence. The gold only flowed for 2 years in the 1880's before people pulled up and left.
Looking down at the beginning of the Roaring Fork Valley.
Top of Independence Pass... definitely a worthy drive!
What a beautiful drive to close out a fantastic weekend!

Over the Hump

My short summer semester just finished, and it seems that when I have any length of time on my hands, I am more busy than ever! Such has been the case in the past week... getting everything done that I've put off for months.

On the school front, this semester went much better than the previous few, after taking my 8-week "sabbatical." That was definitely one of the better decisions I've made in my life, and I am finally looking through clear eyes and with an invigorated spirit again. I now have the next 2 weeks off to play, and then back to class for only 6 short weeks in the fall! Woo hoo!

Chris and I managed to fill last weekend with all kinds of activity... a little mountain biking and some overdue hiking. (We usually set aside at least one day a year to go on a hike, and wake-up those other muscles that have been asleep during our biking escapades).

We were all set to ride the Jenny Creek trail to Rollins Pass, and on to Winter Park. Although we started super early, the weather in the distance was already getting nasty, and it was darn cold!!
Halfway down Jenny Creek we abandoned ship, and decided to try another day. Not all was lost though, as we cruised the tacky singletrack at Eldora for a couple hours instead. Seems that my trail skills have been asleep while I've been in school!!To close out the weekend, we set out on our epic hike for the summer... Gray's and Torrey's Peaks. We had yet to hike a 14er since we moved to CO, so we decided to tackle two in the same day!It was a beautiful day, and while there were tons of people, the views were still unobstructed.
Upon surmounting the snow fields and reaching the summit of Torrey's Peak, 14,267 ft, it was definitely cause for celebration with a cold one!
Next stop was Gray's Peak, 14,270 ft, before beginning the long trek back down.Coming down, we spotted a mountain goat right next to the trail! Lots of marmots and pikas filled our wildlife tally for a fantastic day!