Ryan's Weekend

Ryan headed out to Index, WA this weekend to complete his new bolt project on Zeek's Wall. He said it's probably a 5.13 or so and one of the most beautiful lines in Washington. Here's a photo of it.



From my understanding, it goes through the roof and then up a lay-back crack. Bolting a line is not easy and requires hours upon hours of manual labor. The first person to successfully climb the route gets the honor of naming it as well as subjectively grading it. And trust me, Ryan's already working all the moves and should have before summer's end.

Blueberries

53 pounds. Yep, I said 53.

24 cans of blueberry jam, 8 freezer bags full of 6 cups of berries each (the perfect amount for either pie or cobbler) and a lot of them already in my belly!

My neighbor and I drove out to North Bend today at the crack of dawn and picked until we both filled two five gallon buckets worth. Crazy, eh? Then we came back and started the canning process. Oh I can't wait for fresh blueberry pie tomorrow night!

Tomorrow's a track morning, followed by a baby shower and then a board meeting. Phew, what a weekend!

Nutsack Omnium

Yay! Nothing says August more than doing my first stage race of the year. Yep, you heard me right. I had to bypass every weekend of down-right torture in the nice soggy months of spring and wait until the summer to do some stage racing. Darn!

Not only am I excited - but the race is being held in Bellingham, the coolest city in Washington. And we're going to our Triplett family reunion that same weekend - meaning I should have a cheering section out there. Yippee!

Seriously though - it's only as good as the people who show up. So dust off your tt bike, pump up those race tires and head up North for some kick ass racing.

http://www.norkarecreation.com/omniumindex.htm

Glue. Ew.

Some how I managed to get glue not only all over my hands, but also on the top of my feet.

I decided to glue my new Vittoria tires myself - which is no small task. Ryan helped me remove my old tires but unfortunately we managed to rip one of the tires into shreds, meaning I had to remove a lot of residue and build up from my rim before re-gluing it. I used my oyster tool to remove most of the build up - and had several near misses in jabbing myself. And then, when I was almost finished, I put a huge gauge in my left hand. Ouch. Talk about a puncture wound. I'm surprised I didn't seriously injury myself.

The tire itself went on fairly easy - but while I was gluing the rim I had to rest the wheel on my feet so it wouldn't stick to the floor. And now I have tons of glue all over me. Oh well.

Other than that - the tires went on fairly easy. Yay! That means I get to try them out on Friday.

My mom's off in Hawaii visiting my grandmother. I need to get over there and see her - she's 91!

Details, details

On Thursday before the FSA GP, a teammate posted his sweet cruiser bike for sale. I've been looking for one for a while - for the right price, and finally here it was! I contacted him and told him to hold it for me - and if I scored enough cash from the weekend, then I'd buy it.

And although I scored some cash this weekend from the race, I unfortunately had to pass the bike up. 1 - I don't really need another bike and 2 - since I did do well, but not well enough, it's time to reinvest in some expensive track gear to make sure I'm getting the most from my equipment.

I've managed to spend about $600 in the past three days on various gear - it certainly adds up quickly. Sure I didn't need top of the line stuff - but I want to know I used the best I could at the time and have absolutely zero doubts in my gear.

So what could possibly be that expensive? Tires - Vittoria Pista CV (made exclusively for track riding with a supple dimpled black surface = low rolling resistance = FAST) $110/tire. Glue for gluing onto the wheels $3.95/tube x 2 tubes. New saddles (remember my 40k incident?) $99/each x 3 (and I need another for my pursuit bike!). Chain - the Wipperman I bought for my new Naked frame sucks balls. Yep, you heard me right. You can hear that thing across the track on a super windy day! So I coughed up the big bucks (thank goodness Ryan has a full time paycheck!) at $60 for the Izumi Model V. It rides like butta. I highly, highly recommend them. Oh, and then there's the new pedals I had to pick up for the new track bike $130. Ouch. Talk about an expensive week.

Oh, and don't forget about the plane tickets for track races and housing costs. I'm tempted to take David up on teaching some motorcycle classes to help pay for my out of control racing habit.

Check it:

Hot from the meeting - informtion about the 2007 USAC National Championships!

USCF Board of Trustees authorized a Women's Team Pursuit event for the 2007 USAC Elite Track Nationals as emergency legislation (7/30/07). The USA Cycling Coaching staff has been informed by the UCI that a Women's Team Pursuit is being added to the 2007 UCI Track World Championship. Our USA Cycling event will be run under the new UCI rules.

Yay!

I woke up Friday thinking fast thoughts and laid in bed rehearsing a smooth start and even tempo for the pursuit.

The night before, Ryan and I were headed out for a short easy spin to Magnolia and as we were going up the first hill toward Discovery Park, my rear wheel blew a spoke. It immediately threw it out of true - luckily Ryan was game to rush back to the house and pick me up in Ballard. So I walked my bike, slung over my shoulder since the rear wheel was out of commission, and walked barefoot through the locks since I had just replaced my cleats an hour earlier. I definitely got quite a few odd looks from all the tourists. I decided right then and there to take that situation and apply it toward the pursuit the following afternoon.

Anne-brit and Conan arrived at the airport just as I got picked up by Ryan so it was a mad dash to Seatac. We immediately started laughing - and didn't stop the entire time they were here! What great company.

Conan helped me with my splits. I'm such a rookie. I had no idea what real time I could do or should aim for - so when he asked me what time I wanted to do - I hesitantly replied, a 4:10. He did the calculations and told me I should do around a 33 second lap. The gun went off, I had a slower than normal start (21 seconds to the 200m) but then was able to hold 32 second laps - and start having negative splits! The bike felt good - the seat a gem - the gear perfect and the cranks were just right. I was able to wind up the last lap and held it at 30 seconds. Total time - 4:08.44. Not bad! And enough to win gold and qualify for nationals!!!!

I was so elated. Still am, actually.

Later that night we had a points race - 8x5. With two Aussies in the bunch, and several national caliber racers, the pace was high and the sprints an all out slug fest. Miraculously I managed two 1st place sprints, and one second. If only I had contested each sprint - I would have placed higher on the podium. But 3rd? I'll take that no problem! Liz, Annette and Karen all had great races too.

The next day my legs felt like garbage. We didn't get home and in bed until 2am Friday night and luckily I decided not to do the sprints. But instead of being able to sleep in, I was completely amped up. I was able to repay Rick for his incredible host housing duties in San Jose and showed him Pikes market and the Olympic Sculpture park. If you're ever in town - I'm more than happy to be a tour guide! We walked around quite a bit - and then I came home and crashed for two hours.

I rode the moto out to the track since Ab and C took all the gear earlier. The ladies had a miss n' out and scratch race to complete. Ab did awesome - bronze medalist. My legs felt trashed in the miss n' out and to save them, I just motored at the front of the group and held it steady. The surges can kill the legs sometimes! I nearly made the final - but was too tired to give it any more effort and dropped out in 4th place.

The scratch race was fast and fun - a great way to conclude the weekend. I got boxed in at the final lap - and was able to come out enough for a 5th place finish. Annette rocked it into 3rd - not a bad showing for Avanti this weekend!

Now I'm pooped and taking a serious rest week. It feels amazing to relax.

Hope you had a good weekend too!

Time to go Fast

I sat awake in bed this morning thinking about the pursuit and feeling the pain and pushing through it. It's time to go fast today - and no holding back.

More on that later....

Getting Ready

What a whirl wind the past couple days have been. My bro and family are in town to complete a painting project - and brought Coleman and Laurel with them. Coleman is difficult if he's not 100% occupied and has a lot of energy to burn. My mom claims he's worse than my brother was - although I don't know if I believe that. George was a holy terror and cut off my hair when we were kids.

This weekend is the FSA GP - hopefully the weather holds out. We've had the wettest July on record so far - thankfully we missed last weekend's drizzle while down in San Jose.

What's up with the Tour this year? Crazy, yo.

The sun's back

I think I watched that shoe video 5 times yesterday and every time I laughed harder and harder. Ryan and I were talking about it and we both think women understand the humor a little bit more then men, unless you're talking about a metro sexual.

So the 40k TT did some permanent damage to my soft tissue. I won't go into detail but let's just say I can barely ride right now.

We went to another awesome restaurant last night in celebration of my mom's birthday. I'd tell you which one it is but then I'd have to kill you. :) The resturant is small - but they recently expanded. We tried to go there for Ryan's birthday but they were remodeling. The meal started off with some market fresh beets, goat cheese and candied walnut salad drizzled in olive oil over a bed of mixed bitter greens. They accompanied the salad with slices of walnut bread and olive oil with infused carrots, onions and fennel. Each of us ordered a different main course - Mom had ribeye, Ryan had Duck Confit and I had scallops and shrimp. The ribeye was super tasty - with a wine reduction sauce cooked into the steak over a bed of fingerling potatoes and a side of green beans. Ryan's duck came with a cherry reduction on the side and the duck was moist and lip smacking good. My "surf and surf" came with perfectly cooked scallops (cooked on the outside but tender goodness on the inside) with a tomatilla avocado dip and fresh red salsa with huge golf prawns and a side of green beans. Yum. For desert we had a light creme delight - I forget the name. It was marshmallow in texture but light and sweet like creme brulee. They served it with a raspberry, black berry and a raspberry/orange sauce. The perfect way to finish off the meal and stuff us to the gills.

Anyone have a birthday coming up and want to go out to dinner somewhere new and exciting? I'm always game to try new food....

Shoes

http://www.spymac.com/details/?1807065

Good times.

Weekend Warrior

Another kick ass summer weekend in the bag.

It started Thursday - when my flight was delayed by 1/2 hour down to San Jose. Luckily Alaska Airlines only charges $50 for the bike box, and is by far the cheapest way to travel. Rick Adams, the treasurer for the Hellyer track hosted Kenny, Annette, Christie and I in their amazing Palo Alto home. Upon arrival at their house, Rick whipped up a gluten free pasta dish that was super tasty! He's the man of the household - and stayed home with their two teenage girls while his wife worked. He was definitely the host with the most. Thanks Rick and Anne!

Friday morning we woke up and assembled our bikes. We didn't have to be at the track until the later that evening so we relaxed, took naps, did the lazy biker thing in preparation.

Have I mentioned how kick ass it is to have a teammate out on the track? Especially one so experienced and competitive as Annette? She rocked the Keirin. We had some awesome national competition out there - Jennie Reed, Becky Quinn, Cari Higgins, Shelley Olds, etc.



So I worked on being aggressive all weekend - and not thinking about making a move but just doing it. It really didn't come into play until the last race - but we'll get to that.

The points race was good - 15 women signed up. I went for a point in the first sprint and then Annette, Becky and Jennie countered. They were off the front and running from the gun. Unfortunately our race was only 24 laps, with 4 sprints every 6 laps. Shelley Olds bridged the gap immediately to the lead group and contested every sprint, and winning the overall title. She's dynamite! Meanwhile, 4 of us chased and chased to try and bridge together but due to lacking horse power, they stayed away till the very end. In retrospect, I should've attempted a bridge and exerted a lot more energy quickly, versus long term effort. Oh well. Becky was 2nd, Jennie 3rd, Annette 4th, Anna Lang 5th, Mary Maroon 6th, and moi in 7th. We dropped the rest of the field after the first sprint, which made it difficult to navigate around them. Talk about a shattered field.

The following afternoon was the Miss N' Out - and I stupidly boxed myself in. I knew better too - but had bad luck. Oh well. Annette managed 5th or 6th - she was on the podium all weekend with the exception of the scratch race. Which brings me to my break through. I followed the right wheels - Jennie is always a good bet. So is Becky, but Quinny is crafty so you have to watch it and make sure you don't get your wheel taken out by inattention. Jennie on the other hand is sure and steady - and won't waver at all. Proman was drilling the pace at the beginning - shelling some of the field and setting Shelley up for a solo attack. She hammered it off the front to stay away for the win. The field really didn't chase much - and we were somewhat hovering around 3 to 2 laps to go - and which point I put in a solid attack. The timing was good - I put 5 bike lengths on the group quickly. And then I just had to hold it, but my high end got the best of me and I was nipped at the line by jennie, Anna Lang and Becky. I almost had it though! It was a huge breakthrough for me - not thinking about going - just going. I'm grinning from ear to ear.

Somebody, uh hum, Kenny, thought it would be a good idea to take the 6:30am flight the following morning in order to make our 40k state individual TT. We barely made it in time - but with 15 minutes to go, we rolled in and I was off. Not my best effort - especially considering how tracked out I've been lately - but still not bad. I managed 6th - but Michele ROCKED it with a gold medal ride of 1:01:31. What a studette! I'm so proud of her!!!

Ok- time for work.

Muffin Top

I woke up dreaming of muffins.


Then I thought second of it.

Rain Rain go away

It's back - and my plants are surely thankful. No worries though - it's been a while since I did an indoor roller workout and instead of having to watch the Tour on DVD I can now watch it live. Perfect!

Had an awesome track workout last night. Tamara, Christie and I worked on 2x100, 2x200 and 2x400. The last effort, the one that really counts, I poured my heart and soul into and as I approached the finish line, I could barely see straight. I had to chill out afterward and recover - nausea and thin saliva filling my mouth, heading pounding, body ready to pass out in protest. I remember just leaning over my bike and taking a few moments to recollect and convince myself I was going to live. Oh it hurts so good! I am stoked to finally workout hard again without thinking twice about my hamstring. Now it's time to get down to business in prep for nationals. Yay!

I got my new bike yesterday - STOKED!!! It's super simple and classy - one that you could hang on your wall and never lose it's charm. A few tweaks though - like getting rid of the Hairybone Fizik saddle (not so friendly on the lady parts) and some ergo roadie bars and I should be golden. I love the longer crank arms - I feel like I can get some serious leverage out of them. A few minor tweaks at the track with thanks to Woody and John and Kenny and I was up and running. Thanks guys.

I'd be curious to compare the power and speed outputs from a 165 to a 170 crank arm. Too bad my ibike crapped out on me. I didn't even use it more than a month. Apparently Alpenrose is just too bumpy for something that finicky. Actually, come to think of it, it died in Colorado Springs. Altitude? Who knows. I'm selling it. Anyone want to buy a slightly used iBike that works really really well? Ha!

Tomorrow we're off to San Jose for some more bike racing. Gotta love it! On Sunday we fly back at the butt crack of dawn for a state TT - 40k. Ouch. Should be wicked.

The Colemantor

My nephew Coleman is turning 4 in October. That's my bro, George.

sprinter vs. enduro

for some reason I just can't let this one go yet.


would you rather have this?



OR....

This



(I wouldn't mess with a vinyl clad chicken either.)

Ever now and then you come across a gem of a blog. http://wynterparks.blogspot.com/

She blogged about this You Tube with Mario Cipollini - hopefully you speak Italian. If not, here's wynterparks synopsis:

"check out this video of Mario Cipollini being punked (the Italian version)
His mechanic is the show's accomplice and basically tells him as he is out on a training ride that his house had been broken into and his bikes stolen...including his World Champ ride. As he and his training partner continue to ride a camper van (the show's actors posing as the thieving gypsies) casually drives by and he spots his bikes.....a chase ensues and the showdown begins as Mario tries to beat down the garagey-type building they eventually escape and lock themselves and his bikes into. The show comes out and lets him know he is being punked before he kills the gypsies."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHUpmWPCMes

Good Morning!

It rained this morning at 4 am - and the whole city seems to be stoked about it. John in the Morning at KEXP was going on and on about how good it smelled. It cracks me up how people can't take the heat. One day of a little warmer temps and people start doing the rain dance. I can't blame them though - my plants are definitely happier. And my poor little mini aussie is much happier with the cooler temps. We had her belly shaved for some relief.



Anyways - completely different topic - lately I've been craving protein. This past weekend put my body into over drive and suddenly I found myself wanting rib eyes. Then I went to the gym on Monday and felt incredible - tempted to up my weights. The morning weigh ins fluctuate but lately they've been showing a few pounds heavier. Maybe my butt's getting bigger and my chicken leg status will disolve. Sweet. No climbing for me!

Tired today

Maybe it was the 100 degree heat from yesterday and then the late night down in Tacoma celebrating Andrew's 30th - but I am pooped today! Nap time for sure.

Rode the moto in today - I forgot for a split second how fun it is.

I'm so tired I can't think of anything good to blog about. :)

Focus

I ran into Jill on the trail today and she said she was looking through Amara's photos and saw this one I posted above. She thought it was cool to see how intense it was before the race. To which I responded, the only thing going through my head "Get behind the motor. Get behind the motor. Get behind the motor."

Then once I did, I thought, now what???

Can you say, Lead out?

Reflection...

Since the weekend seemed to pass by in a blur - I am just now remembering bits and pieces of experience that I will improve me as a rider.

For instance, in the sprints, you should be checking your left shoulder more often and if you do look right, look underneath your armpit. The attacks are always going to come from someone diving down left, to utilize the banking and gain momentum. If you are caught looking right, and that person dives, then you could be wondering how you missed the move and the race. I bet there are some mind tricks you could play to keep your brain sharp - anyone have any suggestions?

Also - if you are in front, make sure you keep the follow person's front wheel pinned, especially if they are close to you, preventing them from diving down track and getting a jump on you. Sprints are interesting - I enjoy the cat and mouse game. Having the ability to make your body instantly react is a gift - and the power that comes behind it to push through the pain and pedal stroke is completely different than endurance races. I like them, I like them a lot.

I have to say I conquered a MAJOR hurdle this past week too - the Keirin. Granted I didn't win a Keirin, but I did figure out positioning much better and my confidence is improving. Miller had a great suggestion for being in the first position - by faking an attack and getting everyone excited, and then really turning on the sprint with a few hundred meters to go. I like that one - sounds like a good bluff to me. :)

I think I hear the neglected dishes calling my name.... and the mounds of laundry pilled up to the ceiling.

Oh - one more thing. I just want to say how inspirational Jimmy was this weekend. His racing is amazing - and you can tell he's digging deep and in the hurt locker, yet amazingly can recover from it and get back in the game and score points. He lapped the field, with a couple other guys, and then continued to get points for 3rd place in the points race. What a stud. And he and Super Steve-o placed 3rd in the Madison. Way to go guys!

What did you call me?

Had a fan-tabulous weekend hanging with Jimmy and Alynda and crew down in Portland. Collected some dough and definitely paid for the trip. But now it's back to the grind stone.

Check out this sweet picture Amara took in Colorado Springs:


Then I had a random compliment today that made me laugh. This guy came into the office to check out the cable in a new tenants space and needed me to let him in. I unlocked the door and he said, "I love your hair by the way. You've got this Meg Ryan look. And Meg Ryan in my standards is a super hottie. I can't believe I just said that. I hope I didn't offend you."

Nope buddy, but you did make me blush. :)

AVC - Day one

Day one, in the bag. Jimmy and Alynda are hosting me at their awesome house in the JOhn's landing area and it's really nice and quiet here. I got in around 8 last night and they had dinner ready to go when I touched down, which was awesome. Then this morning I woke up early and had a pursuit. I went out really hot - and ended up dying in the end. Now I just need to get a better feel for what I'm doing - but my fitness is starting to come back. Yay!

I ended up third in the pursuit - not bad. But that means only $10. Oh well - we still have a nice long weekend of racing ahead of us. Tomorrow brings the Keirin, Miss n Out and Points race. Fun fun and fun!

The 500m went well - 40.86 - which put me in 7th. Good points toward the omnium. :)

It's early -

But I can't sleep anymore. My tummy and burning inferno is working double time - and come to think of it, I didn't eat enough yesterday. Luckily the resort has a kick ass buffet that we're taking full advantage of later this morning.

But right now, it's 6 am and I can't sleep another wink. My head wouldn't stop whirling with thoughts of my racing last night and I thought I'd be productive and jot some of them down.

Position is everything. I keep imagining myself finding the right spot going into a sprint, fighting for it if need be, or coming the long hard way around over the top. But I'd prefer the right position off the bat. I'm working on it -but still need to fine tune and become consistent. Good thing I have another chance this weekend at Alpenrose.

I'm starving! Time to rummage something to eat...

Between thundershowers, hail storms, Tornado warnings...

Somewhere in between all of the mayhem, I actually got to do some racing today! Yesterday we were completely rained out and told to evacuate the track for fear of a severe thunderstorm ripping through the Springs. In a way I was thankful - but that meant putting all of the racing stacked into today.

The keirin went much better for me today - I didn't get DQ'd. Yay! And I pulled the number one position, again, of course, and managed to get on the motor in the first 1/4 lap! Success! I was so concentrated on that I kind of paniced - now what? I lead the entire race out - and Carrie Higgins made a sweet move over the top and advanced to the final. Monique Sullivan, a bad ass Canadian young girl, placed second with the rest of us falling in behind. I like to say I gave the sweetest leadout ever! Thank you very much.:)

We then had a rep round - and I pulled lucky number 2 this time. Kele Murdin was obligated to take the motor but Sarah Uhl jumped on instead. As soon as the motor pulled, Sarah went to the back and then came over the top. Her speed was impressive. She easily won our round. AnaBrit lead it out - and we had some serious wind going. I remember thinking I should have jumped but didn't went I thought it - resulting in lame placement. I should never think about it - I should just do it. Otherwise, I have found out, it happens too fast and your left analyzing what went wrong.

Last we had a 60 lap points race. I got 4 points total - in the beginning. Then I had a couple of grasshopper position placements, which nearly cost me the race. But thankfully the entire group was content with just hanging out and not racing between sprints. So I climbed back on and got nipped at the line a couple times. Oh well. It was incredible to get some amazing competition and have a coach there to help me out. Thanks Kenny.


Time for bed....

Check it out - nice pics from Marcy!

http://www.marcysutton.com/gallery/albums/cycling-062307/062307_0554.jpg

Indy GP, State Crit and Beaver Creek

Finally! Internet connection. We would have connected yesterday but the airport card got ejected from Coleman. I'm now relaxing back in our room at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. We woke up early this morning to make registration at the CVA from 8 to 9 and then roamed around to find a Mac store. The past few days have been filled with lots of travel and now it's nice to have some down time.

Friday night racing was cancelled due to some crazy thunderheads filing the sky. I was actually thankful because it gave me an extra day of down time before this week's traveling and racing. Saturday was the State Crit down in Olympia on this kick ass course that you didn't have to touch your brakes once to corner. Unfortunately my high end fitness still has a little ways to go and I got lapped. :( Out of 30+ ladies that started though I ended up 15. Not my best performance - but considering track is my focus as of now - that's quite alright. It's been one full month of training and racing - and I'm no where near my peak.

I managed to hit the hay early Saturday night - before 10 - because our flight out to Denver left at 6am. That means I woke up at the ungodly hour of 3:30. Ouch. Our cabby was playing some techno middle eastern music - blarring it actually, right into our ears. We laughed.

The bonus part about getting up that early was we avoided the crazy airport TSA insane long lines and were headed up I-70 to Beaver Creek by 11. The lines for security in the Denver Airport were wrapped all the way down into baggage claim - with over an hour wait. Ouch.

It was nice visiting the Creek - although our stay was super short. When we checked in at the gate the gatekeeper mentioned the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies were playing at the bottom of the main chair lift at 6. We took a quick nap (we, btw is referring to my mom and I) and headed up to catch some awesome swing music. A great way to end the day.

In the morning we beat feet and drove back down to the airport, picked up Kenny and then headed straight to the Springs to get some track time. Luckily the juniors were between sessions so we had ample opportunity to do some rounds. It was hot out though - 90 - and doing efforts in the heat and altitude definitely take their toll. I did a couple jumps - glancing down to catch 37 on my iBike - not too shabby. Let's just hope the legs have some speed later tonight! My favorite - the Keirin - is in store. Remember last year? Let's not go there. :)

Any hoot - back to relaxing.

Elemental

My head hurts.

As it should after pairing about 20 different foods with wines.

Last night we went to Elemental in Wallingford to celebrate Dave's birthday. Dave and Kristin are foodies and love wines as well - perfect company for a night of eating and drinking.

Let's see - highlights I remember.... we started with a scallop/watermelon appy coupled with some white wine. (All I can tell you is the color of wine - not only because I'm a moron when it comes to wine, but also because the owner, Fred, refuses to let you in on any of his secrets.) Down the hatch it went - yum. But let me back up a little, when you first arrive you're served a shot glass of sherry and some cucumber water. Then after you've warmed up your palate Fred will mix up a little cocktail surprise that'll knock your socks off. Since I'm a light weight I was seriously buzzed before they even gave us some food. They also give you a little helping of popcorn sprinkled with black pepper and truffle oil. A teaser, if you ask me.

Since we all enjoy food so much we decided to try everything. "Bring on the food," Fred said.

At one point we had five spice duck and a five star red wine - that was a show stopper. We also enjoyed pigeon, but I'm sure there's a more sophisticated name and things started to get really fuzzy from that point on.

Dave and Kris kept referring to "French Laundry" down in San Fran - a place I had never heard of. A meal for two will cost around $750 or so. Elemental is not nearly as pricey or stuffy for that matter. We walked out of there (thankfully we live 4 blocks away - driving was not an option) in under $280.

But you do pay for it the next day - especially if you drink all of the wine that he serves with dinner. Often we would have two wines with every dish - to compare and contrast the different tastes. I personally preferred the whites - but learned that I only needed a sip to wash it down. Dave and Ryan on the other hand were drinking the rest of what I left in my cup and were wasted! I bet both of them are hurtin' units this morning. :)

If you are ever in Seattle, or live here and are looking for a special treat, I highly highly recommend Elemental. The place is super small - and if you're not there by 5 pm to claim a table then you might as well find somewhere else to eat. They only have 5 tables, can accommodate two parties of 4, the rest two tops. But it is so worth every anxious minute you have when approaching, will we get a table tonight? Then you are wined and dined until 10pm or so - so make sure to bring good dinner conversation. And make sure you don't have to make any important decisions the next day. ;)

Unexpected Bliss

Yesterday I had one of those amazing summer days that make you feel awesome to be alive - and have no regrets on how you spent the day.

Ryan climbs at Lil' Si and has been working on numerous hard routes. He headed out to North Bend after work and I decided to ride out there and meet him. I've done this ride before - but decided to do some exploration this time and try to avoid any congested roads at the height of traffic. Boy was I in for a treat.

Usually I head out and follow I-90 till Issaquah and then follow Lake Samamish till the Home Depot and head up this 11% grade monster hill to intersect Issaquah/Fall City Road. Then I meander on some back country roads and eventually end up in Fall City, then follow 203 into Snoqualmie. But I wanted to avoid the 11% grade because there's no shoulder and often cars zoom next to you, nearly bumping the handle bars on their daily commute home. They're usually not too happy that a cyclist is sharing the road - and they let you know.

I stopped in downtown Issaquah at the Fire Station and asked the fellas for the safest way up to the plateau and it turns out all I had to do was follow Sunset. They did mention the road was super narrow in the this one section and slightly dangerous - but that's nothing new. Luckily when I approached the area they were talking about there was a nice barricaded shoulder and trial system. I was stoked. Then it turns out I found the Cedar River Trail - a nice railroad grade packed gravel road that parallels 90 through a thickly forested area. It was beautiful and totally unexpected. Had I not been worried about getting a pinch flat with my skinny little road tires, I would have stopped longer and smelled the roses.

Once you exit the trail it kicks you onto this amazing meandering country road into Preston. From Preston I followed the Preston/Fall City Road and it had a nice shoulder. Cars were traveling a little fast but I wasn't buzzed - as it seems most of the people on this road aren't uptight Seattlites. :)

203 from Fall City into Snoqualmie was a little sketchy - only because they just paved the area and have yet to mark the lanes. There's a great climb from the valley floor to Snoqualmie Falls and then it's pancake flat from there into North Bend. The weather rocked yesterday - 72 degrees and not too hot.

Once I got to the trail head I popped my bike on the racks and then made the 25 minute trek up to the climbing area. What an incredible day of hanging out in the forest - away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We stopped in North Bend for some food and beer around 10pm - a nice way to wrap up an unexpected kick ass day.

On a side note - the other night I was doing my core exercises and got stung by a bee! In my own house! Son of a biscuit!

Pushing Limits

Today I got close to my limit and tried pushing it higher. Budog brought his moto out to the track and we did a nice steady warm up in a 50x16. Then I upped my gear to 51x15 and did some points race simulation. I'm getting better at the sling shot and coming around the motor but still have a ways to go. We also did a burnout and averaged 31 for the final few laps. I was pretty cooked for our final effort - and managed only half of what we could do. I'm working on relaxing my upper body completely and letting all of the energy flow down into my legs. Somedays it's easy, some days it isn't. Today was border line between the two. Like I said, I got to my limit and tried pushing it higher. Maybe next time my limit will be even higher.

I am a position master.

KW also noticed my tiny crank arms. Funny, I run a 165 on my track bike. It's what came with the bike and no one told me I should bother with changing it. Maybe that's why when I hit a high RPM my heart feels like it's going to explode. With 5mm on each side of the crank, I might be able to really lever myself a little better. We'll see how that goes.

I'm on the hunt for a single speed for the road. If you have an old frame in a 54-56 let me know.

Peace.

Spain here we come!

Ryan and I have been toying with taking a big trip over Christmas for months now. First it was Thailand - but with the coup and expensive plane tickets, we decided to start looking elsewhere. Then it was Greece - on an island called Kos. But tickets there were around $2,000 each so we opted out. And then yesterday Ryan called me to tell me he just bought us round trip tickets into Barcelona. Yes! 17 days of foreign travel - I love it!

Position Master

I will become a position master.

I look forward to each opportunity I get to show my skill and ability to position myself in each and every race I do - from road to track.

So here's the thing. This past weekend I raced like butt because I wasn't in proper position. Both Friday night with the fellas and today's road race in Olympia. Sure my legs felt like bricks but had I positioned myself smarter in both races I would have been in the finish. Instead I shot out the back like a rocket, and discouraged as can be. But whenever I'm faced with a challenge and something screams at me that I can't do - I respond well and face those fears.

Maybe my ability to overcome needles took it's toll on me mentally. Ha!

Seriously though - I owe it to myself to be in better position and stay in the top half. No more in the back bull shit. I end up wasting more energy physically and mentally after the race wondering what went wrong.

So, as I said before, and I'll keep repeating to myself and posting it on my fridge - I am a position master.

I am a position master. I am a position master. I am a position master. I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.I am a position master.

I think you see what I mean.

Resting

Last night I went the hardest I have gone in a really long time. I actually felt like puking and even laying down didn't appeal to me. My saliva was super thin and I tasted blood in the back of my mouth from my bleeding lungs. We're starting to get somewhere. :)

I forgot my track sack at home on accident and was unable to gear up for the races. I couldn't tell why I wasn't able to hang on but in retrospect it's because my gear was too small. Time to up it.

Grant man is doing awesome. He's a week shy of heading out to Colorado Springs for junior nats, held the weekend before the Independence GP. He's often giving Kenny a run for the money. It's really fun to watch and I look forward to seeing how far he can push himself in cycling. Mark, Grant's dad said that upgrading him to a 1/2 on the road made a huge difference because he's still in junior gearing and able to keep up with the big guns. The future is certainly looking bright for that young man. Go Grant go!

Helped Bilko teach a track class today, which was fun. I woke up with sore legs so it was nice to be able to spin them out in warm up. My replacement powertap showed up today too... I'm off to install it. Later.

“When I get on the track, especially pursuiting,” Hammer says, “I want people to look at each other when I get off the track like, ‘Damn, wow!’ Not, ‘Okay, she won.’ When I was the only girl racing junior boys, I wanted all the young boys’ father to be like, ‘Wow.’ I’ve always been like that.’”

Funny - that's what always made my fire burn brighter too. Especially when I was in elementry grade school playing dodge ball. I loved hitting those boys and being the last person standing. :) It was only after competition that I realized I was the only girl still playing with the boys.

Thanks Sarah for giving me something to think about when I'm on the verge of puking. I know I can dig that much deeper.

(Read the entire article about Sarah at http://www.competitor.com/article/?Guid=5785fe51-e55b-4b31-b0c8-6daac4ff5a33 )

GRD

Git R' Done.

Or at least trying to. You know how sometimes you have all those little lose ends you've been meaning to wrap up for days/weeks/months now? Well I finally ticked some of those off my list. Yippee.

I'm trying to get the MVA website updated with some new content and it's slowly coming together. I'm also trying to get my talented photographic sister involved to take some new photos for the website. It would be awesome to get her involved. She has a great eye for design and taking photos.

Ryan's been working on the back end of the site and frantically trying to get the results page up and running. Hopefully we'll post something today.

I'm nailing down a delinquent tenant who owes some back rent. The sneaky little bugger. He's going to have quite a little wake up call when he sees his new lease.

Oh - and I almost forgot! There's this guy who walks his Jack Russell in front of our buildings every day. He's missing a few bolts in the old tool box, if you know what I'm saying. The dog is always super hyped up and the owner always yells loudly, "LEO! LEO!" Yip yip yip! And Leo does a back flip or two. Well yesterday Leo and his owner were out walking along the trail and this poor female roller bladder was just riding down the trail, minding her own business, when suddenly you hear LEO LEO LEO! Bad dog! The little monster attacked the woman biting at her ankles, sending her down hard on the concrete. Apparently Leo was off leash and the owner was on his cell phone. My mom and I both caught the action - and were glad to see the woman roll away. I saw Leo again this morning on my way into work - thankfully strapped to his owner. Bad Leo, bad.

Whoa

If my calculations are correct and I set my iBike up correctly, then I hit a 1317 watt max today during our points practice. Not bad - my form is starting to come around. What I really want to do is be part of the 1500 watt club. :)

Sigh

It's only 4pm and I feel like it's midnight. The past two days have been action packed in comparison to the weekend and I'm feeling the effect.

First and foremost - Ryan redpointed a 5.13a this weekend in 4 goes! What a stud. He said his body is sore in ways that he hasn't felt since he first started climbing. Which I think means he crossed a serious hurdle and is now ready to attack his ultimate goal - 5.14. I'm so happy we both have our individual sports and have passion for them in common - it is such a valuable and important support network to have.

Monday morning I headed to the gym for my first weight lifting session. I went through the moves but didn't add any weight or rep to it because I was curious how my body would react. So far so good. Later in the day I headed to Ballard for another acupuncture session and Ed hit my sore hammy on the head. He stuck a needle right into the tender area - where I've been trying to rub out for four months and with one needle movement released the junk built up in there. I'm headed back for one more session and should be good after that.

We also went over to Dave and Kristin's for dinner last night and had a great time. Kristin is seriously the world's best cook and loves to experiment with different foods. Dave is a lucky lucky man. :) Two bottles of wine later, we headed home from the plateau to jump in bed a little before midnight. That made for an early morning - Ryan left the house via moto at 6 am this morning so he could get off early for another good climbing session at Lil' Si. I woke up at 6:45am (super duper early for me!) and headed to Kenmore to meet up with Kenny and head to the track for some motorpacing. It took us an hour to get from his house to the track. Ridiculous!

The moto session went good though - although we had to cut it short because I was headed to a 11am PT appointment. We did a nice warm up and then some points race simulations. Ideally I want to be able to come around going 35-37mph and hold it to the line from 200m. Today I was able to hit 32.7 in my final effort - but without really taking a run at the motor and sling shot in front of it. Now I know for next time. I made my appointment just in time and then headed back to Kenmore to drop of Kenny's track bike. Talk about spending the morning in the car! Makiah came along for the ride though and I think it made her day.

Now I'm relaxing, listening to some dub music and the constant spin of the washing machine as I down another tall glass of water and rest my tired legs. Oh yeah - I also picked up some new tires from 2nd bounce for my sorry ass track bike during my afternoon ride. I got a rear flat this morning just as we were about to start and think it's time I updated those wheels. They served me well - it's been 3 track seasons and I'm just now replacing them. Blah blah blah. Thanks for listening.

Restin' up

The drive over to the Methow Valley took us 7 hours on Friday. For some reason traffic was insane - and even the usually deserted back roads were flooded with weekenders all trying to escape the city at the same time. Makiah and Yatzee were nestled together in the back seat - and even they started getting testy with one another at the fifth hour. Luckily the cabin we were staying at allowed dogs and there was as many dogs as people hanging out this weekend. We're all pretty funny with our pets. And every single one of our friends are dog lovers. Even Pee Pee made it (sorry PePe but you peed in my house one too many times to have that nickname wear off).

Thankfully the drive was awash in lush early spring greens - making for striking and jaw dropping contrasts between the mountain peaks and meadows along highway 20. I recommend driving highway 20 to anyone that ever visits this planet - it is seriously one of the most beautiful roads in the world, if not the prettiest. Even better if you can bike it.

We rolled into the Mazama Country Store around 10 pm and immediately inhaled the clean pine fresh air. I wish I could bottle it. It smells so amazing. That in itself is worth the long ass drive. (It normally should take 3.5 hours.) My only regret - our weekend was too short.

We spent the weekend in a nice cabin with 15 friends and one incredible baby who never cries, Sophie. They're mostly Ryan's climbing buddies who were a little disappointed to hear I wasn't racing so they couldn't get drunk and heckle me in the crit. :) Instead, Melinda, Josh and I hiked to the Goat Mountain Overlook on Saturday and had an amazing panorama view from 7,000 feet. The view was breath taking - literally. Having this short break from the bike made me super antsy to get back to it. We got home early because Melinda's dog, Yatzee is 12 and her health and agility is starting to fail her. She wouldn't have made it the 30 minutes up to the crag without an airlift so Melinda and I headed back early.

I spent quite a bit of time tonight booking flights and getting my logistics down for the busy track month of July. I'm packing in more traveling in that one month than the entire season so far. I'm super excited and really stoked about resting and healing up this past weekend in anticipation of hitting things hard and steady from here on out.

4 different velodromes in July, with only one being a new track to me. That makes me grin from ear to ear.

I'm really looking forward to what's in store for the next few months race wise. It seems all of my patience and waiting out this hamstring issue is going to pay off. It makes me want it that much more and I can't wait to express my eagerness.

The Rain's back....

Woke up this morning to a constant drizzle. Ryan said it was pouring earlier this morning. The forecast is for it to let up - but so far there's no end in site. No worries though - we're headed East of the mountains to the fantastic Methow Valley. I love it there. We looked into buying property there last fall - and then had our emergency flooding in the basement that made us lose all momentum of finding anything in the valley.

Should be fun - do a little climbing and hiking and of course hanging out with friends. There's 12 of us going. Yahoo!

This is my last weekend of relaxation before I start hitting it hard back in the gym and putting some serious quality time in on the saddle. Hope your weekend is nice!

Wednesday Night

Day 2 of 3 out at the track in a row. I secretly hope it rains tonight so I don't have to venture East. But at least I get a break this Friday as we're headed to Mazama for a rock climbing trip. Should be fun. There's a lot of moderate climbing in the area and some amazing hikes. It sure would be fun to mountain bike over there - but as directed, I'm not taking anything to do with bikes. :)

Rode with the ladies last night. It was fun hanging with Rachel and working with her within the group. I was in a 50x16 (84") gear - which felt good to get some leg speed. I love going fast and feeling the G forces in the turns. It's a lot of fun. Now if we could just get more Ti ladies out at the track...

Rolling on the track

Did my first Tuesday night Fast Track session last night and felt great. It's really awesome to have a teammate and workout buddy there to help you through some difficult training sessions. Annette and I both started warming up in a 81-82" gear with Woody's group. They start the session with a paceline - 10 at 20, 10 at 23, 5 at 25 and 5 at 28. The follow that paceline with a quicker one - 10 at 23, 10 at 25, 5 at 28 and lastly 5 at 30. I opted out of the second one to do another slower warmup with ladies - especially since I joined the second one late.

My hammy is feeling better - and I was able to do the entire workout without flinching or thinking about it. We started with 3 6 lap full out efforts. Annette was the rabbit for the first one, which was easier because you saw how to pace yourself. We switched positions for the second - it's such a mental challenge being in front and maintaining 26mph solo. Then the last effort we switched off lead positions - and increased our speed to 27. The last couple laps were leg breaking - I'm stoked with both finished them.

Next on the agenda - 3x 1 lap rolling all out efforts. We started them at 14mph and then stood up to sprint and get on top of the gear. Those kind of efforts make you realize just how long Marymoor is. I toped out around 31mph. Annette was the rabbit again for the first and last effort - I was her rabbit for the second one. I put so much effort into the last one I swear I felt fuzzy - a little lightheaded and talk about an endorphine high (apparently the dictionary doesn't like my version of that word - and I swear it's a word. You know, the runner high you get?)!

Now I'm slowly waking up and sipping my green tea. It's been 10 days since I gave up coffee and my body is starting to feel better.

Getting closer to Zen

I walked into Ed's practice today and immediately felt a sense of calmness wash over my body. He was very mellow and easy going and after filing out a little bit of paperwork we went over my medical history. I told him about my 3 ACL knee surgeries and 1 Meniscus - and he asked what they used for the tendon. Suddenly a light went off - back when I was 18 I tore my ACL and had Joesph Engman from Ballard Sports Med preform my surgery. He used a portion of my right hamstring to do the ACL repair. It's been over 10 years - and now I'm having issues with the very area where they tore a chunk of meat out of. Interesting.

Let me be clear - I made the appointment this morning despite my years of needle paranoia. Ever since I was an infant, I've had a severe phobia to needles. I suppose it was rooted in being poked a million times to help me breathe. I had serious asthma as a child - and still do - and when I started to turn blue in the face at 2 years old, my panicked mother would rush me into the doctors office to get shots of adrenaline. To this day I have a hard time with needles - and have bolted out of many doctor offices before. But not today - I was a brave little girl. :)

Ed started with me laying on my tummy and did some core rubs. He noticed my liver was feeling a little interesting - but didn't put me in any discomfort. He worked down to my legs - cracking each toe just like my dad did when I was a kid - and to his delight he heard me giggle. Then he worked my arms - cracking each finger and triple cracking my thumbs. "That was a good one!" He giggled.

Flipped over on my stomach he felt an immediate difference between my two legs. My left glute was super tight - and my right flexible and supple. Then he started sticking the needles in. The first set addressed the general pressure points. The first one he inserted gave me a zing down the leg and then a constant dull ache in the knee. He then continued to insert them - on both legs, with varying degrees of zings and aches. Then he focused on my hamstring. When he inserted it into the muscle it felt like it was severely cramping and then released. An odd sensation I've never ever felt before. I almost bolted, but told myself to relax and enjoy the ride. Then he moved to my butt and zowie! That felt strange. After the initial tinge my muscle relaxed and he was done. Next he put some Masa (sp?) on it and lit it on fire causing a warming and then hot feeling. It stunk pretty bad - Ryan asked me if I was smoking when I came home.
Ed suggested I come back in a week and do another session to fully release the hambone. And much to my surprise, I signed up again. At least the next time I'll be prepared for the zingers.

Time to watch some Fletch. Gotta love that Chevy Chase. It's out of print now and the video store keeps it behind the counter. Sweet.

Hambony

I'm exhausted.

Let me work backward from today. Woke up, slightly hung over from our kegger last night, to join the ladies on a 10am ride. We left from the shop and headed north - 70 miles round trip. Just got back 2 hours ago and have been laying low ever since - and just finished the last little cleaning from our party last night.

Last night we had a keg. Lots of yummy food - beef and chicken skewers, salmon and tons of finger foods and salsas. It was awesome. Didn't get to bed until about 1 am though.

Before the party I did the Ballard crit. Well, more like 15 minutes of the crit before my hambone started sending messages to my brain and letting me know it was on the edge. So I happily pulled off, got warm and called it a night. There was a constant mist and the roads were super wet yesterday. Not to mention it was about 55 degrees. Karen Clayes did amazing with a 2nd place finish. She was part of a three lady breakaway. Jadine from TGH won, with Leah from Byrne in third. Nice work ladies! And Annette won the bunch sprint. Well done!

Friday night we had some track racing. It was awesome. I'm starting to get my game face back on and it feels good. Rocked a bigger gear than usual - 51x15 and it felt good. Although it did me in for the following race. It's really fun racing with Annette - she's amazing tactically and very encouraging.

Friday morning I spent in prep for the BBQ and did a bunch of errands and gathering for the party. Not as many teammates showed up as they said they would - but the rest of us made the most of it! It was a lot of fun.

Now I'm tired and looking forward to sushi. Mmmmmm sushi.

In tune

Yesterday I saw Betsy, Izette's stand in while she's gone to Europe. She gave me a lot of new strengthening exercises that will not only increase my hammy strength, but also increase my inner core strength. It felt good to do the moves - and now my glutes are sore. Apparently I need to build up my booty strength.

I also had to go to Sound Mind and Body and beg for my membership back. I had just canceled it when I realized I'm going to actually be doing weights this summer (on Kenny's new training program) and need access to an Olympic platform. SM&B is a really nice gym - I only canceled it because I was using it only in the winter. And as it turns out I'm going to be using it all summer as well in preparation for Nationals.

We had a great ladies track session last night. There were about 9 of us in total - but we were really able to work on pacelining and then ran a simulated 4x4 points race. It went really well - and our discussion was one of the best ones I've had out there. One woman is hesitant in taking the right wheel when she knows there's an opening. I could see her thinking she needed to get on that wheel but delayed herself. Afterward she commented that she knew she should've gone but didn't have the guts to do it. Practice grasshopper, practice.

I think the best part about teaching the ladies classes is watching them all grow into better track racers. It's really exciting watching someone grasp a concept and overcome a hurdle as they progress. I love working with people who are working to improve their game and enjoy what they're doing. That makes all the difference in the world.

I read it may rain tomorrow- bummer! Let's just hope if it's raining we start in the rain. Otherwise those Ballard Cobbles get mighty slick!

Cornering

Last night 11 Ti Ladies and Kenny headed out to Woodinville to an empty parking lot Annette scouted out earlier in the week for some cornering practice. It was a on a slight hill, requiring you to get some speed to stimulate cornering quickly. Around and around we went - and continued to go when the rain started. It's safe to say we are completely prepared for a wet and wild crit on Saturday. Hopefully the weather forecast is wrong. :)

So the doctor told me I'm fine - and show no signs of nerve damage. Basically my muscles over -reacted to try and protect my spin when we were impacted. That's a relief.

I'm super excited for the upcoming track season and road racing. Should be amazing.

This HUGE barge just rolled by my office window pushed by Lake Union's largest tug. And it was dangerously close to the side of the canal....

Kidney pain?

It's been a week since my mom and I were in a car accident. My back still hurts from it - this time on the left side, and has a constant dull ache. It seems to have gotten better over the past few days, but still flares up whenever I stand up from sitting for a period of time. Strange. I'm getting it checked out later today.

I've never been more in tune with my body the I have been since my hamstring injury. I frequent the PT and doctor's office so much that they definitely recognize me.

The tingling that I was experience on the other hand on my right side has completely gone away.

Hmmm... I hope it's nothing serious from the accident. Scary.

Ravensdale

I had serious doubts on Saturday if I should race Sunday. My legs felt like lead bricks, as they usually do after racing at the track. And mentally, I've been hesitant on racing on my leg in fear of re-injuring it.

On Sunday, Ti had 5 ladies show - Vicki, Annette, Michelle, Heidi and myself. Our field wasn't big - only 14 showed. But it was big enough to have our own field, for which I am very thankful. The course is a big loop with rolling hills and one short steep climb called the wall. It's 21% grade for about 300m. Talk about a grinder. You have to have strong core strength or else you might fall over.

The first lap started off pretty mellow - with Beth throwing the lone attack on the later part of the loop and gaining some time on us. Fortunately it was windy and our group was willing to work and catch her. In retrospect we should've attacked her as soon as we were close to catching her. It probably would've tired out the field even more.

Everytime I saw red on the front, I moved up. Unless she was near another red jersey. There's strength in numbers. We communicated throughout the race and it paid off.

I remember thinking at one point, after the second time up the hill that I could win this race. Holy shit - I survived 50 some odd miles and was actually going to be there in the end. Saweet!

Our plan was to have a lead out train with either Vicki or I in contention for the sprint. Unfortunately we didn't have it together to perfectly execute it - but we still managed to nearly fill up the podium. The finishing section is pancake flat with a left hand turn before you see the 200m to go sign. For some reason everyone in front stayed left, opening a huge hole on the right. I powered down the pedals and found myself pulling away. Next thing I know, I'm raising my hands and then catch Amy on my left about to pip me at the line. Hands back on the bars, a few more strokes and we were done. I had no idea where the finish line was nor who won. I was just stoked that my hammy survived! And that was my first race that I've been able to stick with the pack. And we worked well together as a team! Bonus!

My back is a little funky due to the car accident - it was sore today. I went and saw a PT that is filing in for Izette and she gave me some new inner core exercises to work on. Apparently I've been flexing my obliques too much. Ha! I'm such a dork.

Friday Night Action

I almost called off racing last night - but with a little peer pressure and determination, I made my first track appearance of the season and it felt really really good. No hammy issues. No back issues - just pure track bliss. Yay!

There's a new crop of Cat 3 men - so it was interesting to see who's going strong so far. That plays a huge part on where to hang during moves. Pick the wrong wheel, as I did on several occasions and get your ass dropped from the fast guys. I learned though - next week will be a whole new scene. Bring it fellas. :)

Spent some time in the yard - as usual. I discovered a hummingbird nest in our curly willow. I thought it was a bees nest at first until I shook it and a bird flew out.

The weather was amazing today. It makes dealing with the rain a small consulation compared to the beauty of the PNW. Time to hit the BBQ up...

1st Pursuit of the season

All I can say is thank goodness that one's in the bag. For some strange reason I had forgotten how hard those are - especially when you don't have any top end fitness. I ran a 50x15 - and at times felt a little spun out. My time was slow - 4:26:40 - but I'm giving myself a break for being injured for so long and unable to properly train.

I got the butterflies tonight thinking about Nationals in October. It felt like I was able to do some good work tonight and have a starting block to go from. I love track. There's something about being outdoors - pedaling in perfect circles and turning left. It feels amazing.

Great news - the hammy survived my first standing start of the season. YAY! And that was a lot of force jammed onto the pedals. I look forward to doing more. Tomorrow night - first night of the Friday night race season. Fun times. :)

Car Accident

My mom and I headed down to Milton yesterday to do a property inspection. We were just past where the West Seattle bridge connects into I-5 Southbound, when a Red Ford Ranger started spinning uncontrollably in front of us. My mom saw him first and already started to slow down, while he spun into our carpool lane and slammed into the wall. We stopped within 2 feet from hitting him when the cabby behind us slammed into us and rammed us into the truck. The (pardon my french) mother f-cker was tailgating us and talking on his cell phone with a passenger in the backseat. Had he given us enough room we all would have avoided colliding. To make matters even scarier - a fuel tanker clipped the truck when he lost control of his vehicle.

Luckily everyone walked away from the scene and I have a little whip lash and seat belt strap bruising. How freaky is that? So far no lingering injuries have come to surface - but sometimes it takes a few days for things to settle.

On a side note - I went to the doc yesterday to get some XRays done and should know soon why I'm having this tingling sensation.

S2S

Check out this pic of Ryan and Andrew posted on the front of the Bellingham Herald. Way to go guys!

Ski to Sea

Wow - what a weekend.

Saturday morning Ryan and I woke up and headed out to Lil' Si on our motos so he could get some climbing in. I got a call from Izette right before we left telling me to chill out during Ski to Sea and not injure myself for that race.

We got to the Ham that night and met up with our team at Brian's house. Here's a run down of our team and all the legs:

XCountry Skiing - Cam and Roanne flew in from SLC for this leg. Cam skated all winter and did some races - he completed the course in 33 minutes (unofficially).

Downhill - Brian. Consists of a monster hike and then short downhill ski. Brian rocked it in 29 minutes.

Running - Steve. 8 miles of down hill concrete running from the ski resort to the DOT station. He rocked it in 49 minutes. And lost a toe nail too!

Road riding - me. 38 miles of downhill, flat and rolling section. Not sure how I finished but when I rolled in we were 47th overall. (432 teams started.)

Canoe - Ryan and Andrew. 18 miles on the river from Everson to Ferndale. Despite not having a racing canoe - they did fantastic. In fact the only people who passed them were racing kevlar canoes. Apparently we're looking into renting a canoe for next year today. :)

Mountain Biker - Evan. 9 miles of flat but difficult sandy pit at the end. Our mtb admitted to not doing a complete safety check on his bike before his voyage - and had to adjust his seat mid way through the ride.

Kayak - Sam. 5 miles in windy conditions. Badass because he not only did well at the last portion he also raced the road bike section for another team. He was originally going to ride from Everson down to Bellingham Bay to kayak but when we heard that we made sure he had a ride. He showed up later to our post race BBQ and road up the steep hill. Animal. Cam and Ryan both think Sam will have the mother of all birthday challenges.

So some added factors - we woke up to some wet conditions and the rain continued to pour down on us up until I handed off to Ryan and Andrew. Then the skies parted and sun came out - it was awesome! All in all a fabulous weekend - and the hammy feels great! My neck is sore from being tucked in an aero position. Cam and I both laughed yesterday - in that if you didn't think what you were doing was nuts at least once yesterday then you probably weren't going hard enough. :)

We're all signing up for next year.

Ogre

I'm re-living my boxing days.

Yesterday I woke up with a super sore puffy eye. You know the type that blurs your vision and makes you feel like you had an injection of Botox gone bad? Some sick part of me wants to be able to say I got into a fight - or that I'm suing my plastic surgeon for the horrible condition he put me in.

Here I thought I'd look super cool wearing my movie star sunglasses down the bumpy burke. Karma! Just past Mathews beach a bee flew into my enormous glasses and stung me on my left check bone. I'm mildly allergic - and carry any epi pen. But the risk of dying did not outweigh turning around and going home. Not to mention jabbing myself in the quad with an epi pen. (That leaves your quad sore for a week!) I did a body check - breathing, fine. Limbs, fine. Check bone? Sore. Ah - brush it off. That's nothing like Angel Bolee's right cross. Your not bleeding or have a concussion. You and your sunglasses just took one for the team. I'll save the jabbing for next time one flies in my mouth. I continued my ride.

Speaking of which - paranoid I'd have another bee fly in my mouth I spun home breathing solely through my nose. That'll make sure you stay in Zone 2.

I woke up Thursday with a HUGE swollen eye. And the funny thing? The swelling didn't go down all day. I took antihistamines like they were candy. Still - nothing. Oh well. Day two and I still slightly resemble Shrek. Sweet. Now why can't a bee sting me where it matters? Like my booty or something.

Oh and check this out - hilarious!!!

http://sjl.funnyordie.com/v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925

Sophie

This is Sophie. She's turning one next week. She's running just like her momma. Go GIRL!

1st time out

Ahhh the Bumpy Burke. Everyone loves it. It's the gateway to Seattle recreation. Chances are if you live in the Puget Sound then you've used this trail. I only need to ride 2 blocks before I enter the Spandex Highway. I often take the trail for granted - or complain about it's bumpiness. But in reality - if it weren't for this trail who knows how much inner city riding I would do. And who knows how many near car incidents I have avoided by simply riding the Burke.

Yesterday I was reunited with the trail for the first time in a week. A week you say? Well for a neurotic cyclist a week without the bike is worse than watching paint peel. But now I'm on the slow path to recovery. And I get to ride slow - smelling the spring unfold into summer. Feel the cool breeze of the shady parts of the trail envelope my skin and send goosebumps down my arms.

It felt amazing to be outside yesterday. And I get to repeat the experience again today.

Fired up

I'm getting antsy to start riding again. I know I need to take it slow but taking this past week off the bike is really starting to bug me.

I can't wait to start kicking some booty. Even if it's in cyclocross. :)

Enumscratch

It's miserable outside - 45 degrees and pouring rain. Where did this cold snap come from? And those poor poor racers who battled it out by doing laps in Enumclaw up and down Mud Mountain Road.

TiCycles hosts the race so I had my volunteer duties. Yesterday I helped set up the crit course and then got to watch some action packed racing. I rode the moto down there - with the severe chance of getting caught in a thundershower on the way home. In the same token though I need more freeway driving practice so it was fun to freeze my ass off on the way down there.

Izette rocked the house in her last Cat 4 women's crit. She won every single prime and then held the field off for the win. She also placed second in the time trial and the road race - giving her the lead in the omnium. Good for her! It was super inspiring to watch.

Then the 1/2/3 ladies field went - with a stacked Canadian contingent from Symmetrics, Giant and Colavita (Stacey Spencer). They ruled the crit and Jeremy Story helped the ladies pull off the win. Jenny Trew had an attack right off the bat - but you could hear her wheezing after awhile. And when Kele Murdin decided to reel her back in with the pack in tow, things mellowed out. Then a crash took out a couple riders (not sure what happened) things slowed down. It was good to watch - Karen did AMAZING. The Ti Ladies are starting to gel and I have high hopes for us in the coming races.

Being a spectator sure gives you a new perspective on racing. You see immediate who has a good bike fit (usually the lower categories still need some serious tweaks), who has biomechanical issues they should address before they address them, etc. I like observing what was going on - and learned a lot. I am super interested in learning more tactics.

So my mandatory 2 weeks off the bike is going to be shortened. We signed up for Ski to Sea and I'm doing the biking portion. I'm definitely taking a full week off the bike - but need to start introducing my leg to circles soon. 40 miles off the couch does not sound pleasant.

I just spoke to Ryan - he's flying back from SLC tonight. Apparently Cam, Roanne and he hopped on Cam's scooter and road to breakfast this morning. He said they got quite a few double takes this morning. I wish I had photos!

Mellow Yellow

The foreign yellow bike woman is back at it on the trail in front of my office building.

Thank God I'm not riding.

Remember last year?

I knew she was out doing laps back and forth on the trail. She wears a bright yellow jacket to match her bright yellow bike. Well as I was going up the on ramp by Ponti's Seafood, she comes screaming down and runs smack into my front fork of my brand new Carbon Fiber bike. Then she starts swearing at me in a foreign language. She tries to keep going and her chain fell off. I check my bike, make sure it's ok and yell back at her, "I HOPE IT'S BROKEN!"

Good times, good times.

Perspective is everything.

Thank you Danielle for your words of encouragement - it means a lot to me. And thank you to everyone who asks, "how's the hammy?" Often I feel like I'm on a broken record - but it's helpful to talk about it - so thanks.

LeMond dropped a bombshell today at the Landis trial. All I can say is holy shit hit the fan. Some worlds just came crashing down. It's funny how LeMond stays involved with pro cycling after this many years and has such a connection to current events. Interesting, very interesting.

I started working in the yard yesterday to blow off some steam. I pulled up all of our stepping stones, weeded the entire backyard and got it ready for some tilling. The plan is to rent a tiller and then go to town in prep for some new grass. I also hired an arbor.

Then today I got a little antsy while waiting for track class to start (don't worry - I'm teaching it from the infield) and went to town on the south facing wall. I pulled up these crazy purple plants with an extensive root system. Tomorrow morning I'm going to keep going and get all of the roots up. It's hard work - but very rewarding. My garden should be stellar this year.

Ryan heads to SLC to climb with Cam this weekend. We're hosting our annual MOE race - hope you all can make it. The new road course should be fun. I'm also looking into motoref while I'm taking some time off.

I've probably started writing this post 4 different times. I'm having a hard time just coming out and saying it - which I guess is a sign that I'm having a hard time accepting it.

I'm taking time off the bike completely.

It's been 3.5 months since my slight tear and I only took a week off the bike completely. And guess what? My hammy is still tender and feels like it may pull when I strain it. Racing strains it. And riding hard puts pressure on it. More than anything I'm frustrated with it and want to be back to where I know I can ride. I've done the PT - I've tried relaxing and not overdoing it -yet it's not responding well to that. Time for more drastic measures.

Thank you Ryan for talking me through this one and helping me realize sometimes you have to ignore your passion and let time heal your wounds. I really have the best husband in the world.

Gurgling

Our nightmare basement flood keeps resurfacing. This time it's in the form of insurance and Superior Restoration battles. I can't wait to close this chapter in my life - only a few more days and it should be resolved. Now it's nit-picking between Superior and what they claim was non-cleanable verses what they could have cleaned. Well what if the items (climbing ropes) were still coiled as they were when they were hauled out of our dripping wet basement? Argh. It's enough to drive me batty.

But if that's all the drama I have to deal with in my life - I'll take it.

80 degrees and gorgeous outside. Yay!

Getting the hammy ultrasound tonight. Hopefully that will clear it up for the weekend.

Wenatchee

My hammy was acting up after Thursday night's track session. Apparently my leg isn't ready for the full blown intensity I'd like it to be at - so it zinged at me mid session when I was doing some jumps. Moron! I knew better - so why did I continue to test the waters with tired legs?

I signed up for Wenatchee last minute - actually I didn't sign up at all until I got there Friday night. At which point I only registered for the time trial just to make sure I wasn't locked into spending additional money on my picky hammy. I warmed up for the TT with the Starbucks ladies who were mentioned there was a serious headwind coming back on the course and it was hard to maintain 12 mph. I told myself if I felt any tightness at all - I would back it off.

Lining up at the start line I felt good - and flew out to the turn around point. I passed my 30 second person in mile 2. There were times when I thought I should probably slow down - for fear of losing control of my bike. As soon as I hit the turn around point I hit the wall. A solid wall of wind that is. My hammy was still feeling alright - up until about mile 6. And then I started backing it off. By the time I rolled through the finish line I was at 80% and completely frustrated. Oh well.

I'm looking forward to the day when I can throttle it and not think about my hammy at all. I know it's coming - but it seemed like a set back this weekend. In reality though I've come a far way and my fitness is starting to improve. I ended up 9th in the TT - out of 30 ladies. Not too shabby but I can't wait to display my engine running at full speed to see where I stand.

Back to mental training I suppose.

Nice work to the Ti Ladies this weekend! Allison won the TT and the RR. She rules!

Keeping busy

And then some. Monday I rested, Tuesday I had a double day with intervals on Magnolia in the morning and the SIR racing in the evening. I actually sprinted for the first time in awhile and felt some speed returning to my legs. But talk about being tired afterward. I came home and barely had any energy to get into bed and take my clothes off. Wednesday I spun the legs out with a Z3 25 minute interval at the end and was tired. And then yesterday, with very tired legs, I went to track practice and did some jumps. Idiot! Now my hammy is tired and cranky. Oh well.

Headed to Wenatchee for the weekend - opting out of the road race though to give my hammy some relief.

Check out this amazing photo my sis took of Makiah. She's such a sweet fury little thing.

Bringing up the rear

Trying to suck the draft off Amara's passing vehicle...

Detonated

Have you ever had lactic acid build up so much in your legs that they feel like they're going to explode? They felt like they weighed 200 pounds a piece. Have you ever climbing something out of the saddle where if the pitch increased anymore than you would have to more than likely walk your bike? Well that was today's race for me today. But the good news - my cardio is okay and now it's just getting my racing legs back. The hammy survived without incident a super hilly road course today and I'm extremely happy with that.

I probably should start working on the mental aspect again - now that I'm getting closer to being where I was before my injury. Amara took some photos today - hopefully she got some of my pain face somewhere in the mix.

Wines won again - they sure are dominating the field this year. But crit season is almost upon us. Yay.

Ladies night

Last night, about 12 brave souls braved the looming thunderclouds and chilly-it-feels-like-October weather for this season's first ladies night training out at the track. I was happy we had such a big turnout - and hope we are able to get more ladies out there to grow the fields and skill levels. Only a couple ladies were brand spankin' new to the sport - which is good. And in one instance, I could tell a woman was overwhelmed by the training session. The ladies night is meant to be the least intimidating of all - and we had a good mix of people who can go fast and others who are learning to go fast. All that's required is a positive attitude and the willingness to jump outside of your comfort zone for 1.5 hours.

After a nice warm up we did some team pursuit work, which I think I might avoid next time. Although fun, it's best to do it when you're going fast to really feel the transitions. Maybe in the future we can incorporate a moto. Then we did some jumps. Jane and I demo'd - 2 laps and then a flying effort out of corner 4. We both ran baby gears 48x16 - which is super easy to spin out. Jane let out this rebel yell when we launched - that girl cracks me up! Then the ladies had a go - one group at a time and I think it would be good to spend a little time breaking down the sprint.

Intervals yesterday morning went well. By the 9th one I was pretty pooped. This weekend is our State Road Race. I hear the course is hilly - and we do a loop several times. We'll see how my fitness is progressing!

Ryan's First World Championship

I totally bailed on mountain bike racing for the first time last night - my legs are pooped from racing and intervals and the weather was wacky!

Ryan, Orion, and Sonya all braved the weather though and had fun doing it. I got to play around on Orion's new camera and took some sweet videos and photos. It was fun. I met some guy who was visiting his friend Jo Jo and on his way up to Alaska to do some glacier guiding for the summer. It was nice to have someone to hang out with and watch the races.

This morning I woke up to beautiful blue skies and intervals. Fun times. Tonight's our first ladies only session out at the track - I hope it goes well!

SIR

In to each life a little drama must fall.

Remember four months ago over Christmas our basement flooded? We had to deal with the moving company, the construction company, the water damage people, etc etc.

Well Monday night after we had a yummy dinner for George, Jaimie, Coleman, Ellie, Mom and Marcy, I came downstairs to check on the laundry and discovered some sewage backup in our utility sink. LAME!

We thought maybe it was because our sump pump wasn't plugged in, so we plugged it in and then all this shit brown water started spewing out of the sink. Nnnnnaaaassssttttyyyyy! (Several years ago we had sewage back up in our apartment on State Street in Bellingham - the owners had to spend quite a pretty penny dredging out the sewer line and drying out our place. So at least we knew not to panic and who to call - Roto Rooter.)

The plumbers showed up in the morning and around 1:30 had the problem fixed. Apparently some roots had grown into our sewer line and partially blocked the line causing the backup. $650.00 later - we can poo all the bean burritos we want now!

My bro was in town and brought his enormous-shouldn't-be-street-legal-monster-truck diesel engine that sounds like a tractor. Not the best thing to use in the city. He fell in love with my moto and has been eager to just look at it. (Ryan and I give him a month until he gets one.) He and Coleman helped me do a dump run and we finally got rid of the dryer that's been in our garage for 6 years and the rusted out water heater. Yay!

But the real reason I blog - and what you've all been waiting for ... my training. Yesterday I was able to do a double day despite the poo. Morning intervals that felt solid (2x3x6 min, Z4, 1:0.8) and then SIR last night. The leg felt great! I'm attempting to jump start my fitness back into some sort of form to be able to hang with the ladies the entire race. I give it about a month - and should hopefully be back to where I was.

I LOVE cycling

Cycling is so dynamic. It's never the same - it is always changing. I love the challenge of not being able to predict outcomes - only taking what you think is an educated guess at best at something. Seeing if that works, trying it again in another scenario, failing and then trying again.

I love that there are so many ways to give back to the sport. From waving to the daily commuter, smiling and making someone's day, to pushing my competition to be the best they can be. From getting involved with grassroots projects to being one less car on the road.

Today's race was a nicely baked and brought to room temp humble pie. Luckily I didn't set any expectations on myself for todays race - other than just finishing it. And guess what, finish it I did! DFL. But for those fleeting moments when I was in the pack spinning my crank and putting power to the rear wheel - it felt amazing. It inspired me to get back in shape, as quickly as my hamstring will allow, and get back to the level I want to play at. My inner voice, for the most part, was positive. The sun was shining - Elma is one of my favorite courses - and I am on my way back. So what DFL? I am so very proud I was able to finish my first 2007 road race without injuring myself. That in itself makes me smile.

Plus it was very encouraging to have a million hellos and nice to see you backs. Thanks friends - I appreciate it. You're another reason why I love this sport.

I cannot believe track season is just around the corner. I spent a good 6 hours out at Marymoor today helping Hyun with a class and got to do some efforts. I did one flying lap effort that sent my lungs into serious shock. I had forgotten how painful it is those first few times rolling on the track - talk about track hack!

I ran into my neighbor this afternoon. He was eating a Mango and soaking up the sun. We've only just waved in passing and never really said much more than that. Jo, my other neighbor, mentioned Charlie was a serious gardener. We have this greenhouse in our backyard that we barely use and it has collected a bunch of random things - weed killers, cat shit, turf, branches from the last wind storm, etc. My little bit of use really doesn't do it justice. The previous owner had it all rigged up with lights, growing tables, etc. I would much rather see it being put to use rather than collect spider webs - so today I spent some time cleaning it out and then offered it to Charlie to use as well. You should've seen his eyes light up - he couldn't believe that we had a green house. Well have at it my friend - just teach me a trick or two while you're at it!

Resting up for tomorrow's big adventure....

First race of the season

Well, that's not entirely true. There were those two races in March that were pretty much pathetic displays of my hamstring injury. Both resulted in me pulling myself out of the race and the last of which making me realize the best medicine for an ailing hamstring is just to take time off the bike. I sought out a new PT for another opinion, got a motorcycle endorsement and worked on our basement. It took some time to get over the initial shock of not being able to do what you've been training for and investing your time in for the past three years - I'd say about a month of mourning. But then the skies parted, I realized only I could help myself heal better with positive thinking and viola! My hammy started feeling better and I started seeing some serious improvement. A new bike fit for my entire fleet, several trips to the dump (basement stuff), several 4+ hour mountain bike rides at Gallbreth, and about 200 miles on my rally machine - and I think I'm ready. This weekend, I'm headed to Elma despite rain or shine for one of my favorite bike race courses. In my head, as always, I have thoughts of winning the race with a breakaway move. But in reality, I'll be thankful if I can finish the race without any hamstring discomfort. Notice I said hamstring discomfort, not just discomfort. It's been way too long since I put in that sort of intensity so I know it's going to be a mind, leg and lung expander. But I welcome it with open arms!

This Weather!

So last night I had to make a call as to whether our track class would be held or not. Seeing the dark omnious clouds cover the East side made me panic and then cancel. About an hour later the sun started breaking through the clouds and then it didn't rain until this morning. Bummer!

The forecast made it sound like today would be better - with only a slight chance of showers. Well at noon there was a full on downpour. Stinking rain. Oh well - I'm headed out there regardless.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Rumor has it...

I've stopped racing and my hamstring is no where near recovered. So what that I've gained 30 pounds and my bikes are collecting dust? Ha! Chocolate just takes better when you're a couch potato.

Just teasing. The hammie's coming along - able to do 4 hours of mtb riding Saturday, followed by some TT threshold training Sunday. It felt super good to ride my speedy reedy cervelo. Looking forward to some racing this weekend.... YAY!!!!

UP to the ham

Camille's having a birfday party this weekend. So we get to head up North and do some more single track! Yeah!!!

Actually the weekend should be filled with two wheel pedaling adventures. I'm riding out to meet Ryan in Mill Creek and then a tour around Index on Sunday. Sweet. I just hope I can walk come Monday. :0