Vail Pre-Ride

Got to Vail, CO safe and sound after a lot of construction. Pre-road the Teva Mountain Games course and it's a ski resort race........straight up, straight down. And when I say straight down I mean you better be able to recover at altitude in under 6 minutes and get ready to climb back up the 1300 feet again. 3 laps, 4pm start (what is one to do all day long!), mix of singletrack and fire road and perhaps a mass start that would put me up against Floyd Landis and the rest of CO.


We are staying with our buddy who designs shoes for Teva (yep, even the ones you are wearing right now) which is sweet but have you ever seen a door that does this:

Try opening it for the first time without freaking out too. I thought I saw my life flash before my eyes.

Also, forgot to give you the link to Slys interview of me on May 29th. He has got a great idea of interviewing any and all cyclists with some crazy questions. Different answers for the different cyclists which is pretty interesting. Link to his blog here and you will find the interview under "ya i know these 2 fast girls".

Here Today - Gone Tomorrow

And yes, the title of this blog IS the essence of the "circus" lifestyle that cyclists lead with competitions virtually every weekend. Tomorrow we head to Vail, CO for the Teva Mountain Games but it was fun being home for an entire day!! Even got out for a super long ride on the Park City trails for the first time this year today. They are super kind right now with very few snow patches. Got to pace a foot high, foot long fox straight down one of the super fast trails. He was running for his life! Wildlife is cool as long as they are scared of YOU.

Back to Utah

I had a great time in WA visiting the family and friends but its time to get back to my circus lifestyle that most cyclists have the privilege (or not so much sometimes) of living.

Blue Birds and Boards

It was a sunny blue bird day here in the good ole Northwest. I got to hit it hard today training and it was so cool hammering up this hill and then turning around each time and seeing the ferry docs, Puget Sound, and all the boats going by.

Afterwards I couldn't resist a ride along the waterfront but you know how you get really used to the element that you train in the most and you get used to the normal sounds? Like for me in Heber City its the cows mooing or the sound of the hay in the wind or dogs barking at me. Well I was just about blown off my dang bike by this massive train that snuck up and decided to whistle its loud horn. I think my bones rattled on the bike and I most definitely swerved from just being shocked. OH MY GOSH it was SOOOOOOO loud and the train was a stone throw away. Scared the bah-Jesus out of me.

Oh ya and I saw a pretty cool thing sitting in a wide open creek bed called Chambers Creek on the other side of the road I was on. There was this 5 foot wooden "M" shaped structure that had probably metal or plastic bars that made it look like railroad track on wood. I saw it the other day and was like what the heck? Well today as I road by there were tons of high school kids kicking back down there doing this:

I think I need to get out more because I had no idea that this was a thing to do in the Northwest or anywhere for that matter.

Birthdays

I got up this morning and didn't feel right off the bat. May be getting sick. But that didn't stop the birthday girl and boy from heading out with mom to the local anciently old soda fountain in Steilacoom, WA for breakfast. Check it out-I believe its an old post office. They actually make chocolate sodas, Green Rivers, malts and the whole deal at this place. The only thing was that we didn't find out that they had Lattes and such until we heard the espresso machine running. It was tucked away behind the counter to adhere to the historical society's rules of not wanting people seeing that oh so nuevo item in the old school facility.

You Say It's Your Birthday?

Like I said, it has been a big month and now its time for the grand finally. My and my dad's birthdays!! I got to hang with the family today to include my brother and my niece who all live in WA. Dad was pretty happy with his beer stein that I got him that was made in West Germany. Some things never change:

After squeezing every last second I could in with the family, I finally went for a sunset ride on the waterfront where there is actually a bike line!! I got to look out across the Puget Sound at the Cascade Mountains while riding which is something I haven't ever done while up here in the past.

And oh ya........for the 3rd day in a row, no rain!!

Bone Head of the Year Award

And the award goes toooooooooooo "Kathy!!!!!"

Do you know why? Well, maybe it's because I registered for a race that I planned on doing tomorrow in WA .................but the race actually took place already LAST WEEKEND. Oops. I guess I appear as a DNS on those results.

Ya, so I am fueling up and drinking lots of liquid today and was getting ready to go pick up my race number tonight and decide to give the race headquarters # a call to see if the # pick up/sign in times changed at all. Well, luckily I did because they were like "um....well....yah....there was bike race LAST weekend and we kind of ......don't really know about a race tomorrow.....are you sure??" So yep, low and behold....I look down at my notes while still on the phone and boom it appears like it was highlighted in front of me "May 19-20". You are freaking kidding me right? Nope.

Try telling your coach, your family who was going to attend and switched up their whole weekend based on me racing that ......uh ......yah.....that race kind of already took place. I am STILL shaking my head on this one. Did I mention that I was busy as heck before when I signed up for this race? Wow-that is bad.

Went Clubbing Today

Yeah, at the COUNTRY CLUB with my parents 80 year old funny as a crutch friends. Did you guys really think that I went clubbing clubbing? Nope. Not me. We sat outside overlooking the glassy lake with the blue sky and evergreens as a back drop. Good stuff.


Afterwards it was time to get my bike out of the cardboard box that I sent it up to WA in and get it assembled. I don't really like using cardboard but it was the best option at the time in UT when I was packing it. And I think I figured out why I don't use card board........the rear wheel got bent in transit. Thought I had it working then it would go weird again on me. And of course just when I am ready to fling my leg over the bike and head out on my ride because I think its all set, the wheel is stuck and won't move again. Guess I can throw my bike knowledge out the window because I managed to fix nothing.


So I headed to the local bike shop called Bike Tech where they took care of me immediately. How cool is that? While waiting for the wheel to get true among others things I did my part for them and convinced a little girl that she needed bike shoes and a water bottle after she had asked me in an appalled manner what kind of outfit I was wearing?? Talked another guy into racing and convinced him that he wouldn't know how he was going to do unless he tried. You apparently become the go to person and get lots of questions in these parts when you show up to a bike shop in your team kit.

Intermountain Cup #4 - Soldier Hollow, UT

Ahhhhh. A home race at last. It was only a ten minute drive from our house to Soldier Hollow in Midway, UT where the local MTB race was. Got to love it.

After putting in hard VO2 efforts on both Wed and Friday of this week I really didn’t know what to expect of the ole legs. As for the lungs, I didn’t know what to expect there either because I had only been home for about a week at elevation again after being gone a month at sea level. But things went better than expected I guess. I just did what I could and pulled out of it with a win…….although I didn’t win by much. Monique (Pua) Sawicki showed up to give me a run for my money. She is an elite level endurance racer who specializes in 24 Hours solo races, 12 hour events among others. She even has a 24 Hour National Championship under her belt!! God bless her on all that because after about 4 hours on my bike I am ready for something different!! J

So I had the strangest thing happen during the race as I came up and over this rock. I hit the bottom of my down tube on it and it rattled my water bottle cage TOTALLY loose. What the…..? That was weird.

After the race we had a BBQ and I just have to say…….we have the best friends ever. How many friends do you have that will sit around on your deck and WILLINGLY eat those Harry Potter Jelly Beans that taste like grass, vomit, salt, dirt, pepper, etc? That was great. Thanks for entertaining me everybody!! I was practically crying with laughter watching everyones faces as they chewed.

Where Have You Been Kathy?

Why haven't you been blogging? Has something happened? What is going on?

These are just some of the comments I have been getting lately and yes, something has happened.........it's called life. After being gone a month from home racing I was sent into a spiraling mess of stuff to take care of, do, catch up on, finish or start. It has been downright nuts these last few weeks. From booking the June Quebec World Cups hotels, airlines, registration, etc to booking, figuring out, coordinating, etc. the July East Coast NMBS race trips, to deciding at the last minute that I want to go home to WA to see my parents (and therefore needed to pick a bike, put parts on it that I wouldn't miss and ship it home where it will stay forever to make traveling to my parents home easier in the future)......... life has been out of control busy.

Oh ya, and then there was Mothers Day, our 9th Wedding Anniversary (nice!!), Chris's Birthday, my birthday, my dads birthday (same day as my b-day), a wedding that we attended, a baby shower, a graduation, BBQ, meeting with my Nutritionist and working with her, switching up my race schedule with my coach, getting my new training figured out, filling out USADA's lovely quarterly Athlete Location Form that is mandatory and due soon, going to doctor appts among other appts.

YES---- ALL THESE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. And NO---I am not making any of it up!!!!

Don't forget that I still had to squeeze sleeping, training, eating, going to the gym, and actually taking a shower in there too. It has been downright nuts around here and I am NOT complaining and am just telling it like it is. Notice I didn't complain about having to pack for my parents house???? Well that is because I was still packed from the CA trip!! That works for me....except that its the same junk that I have been staring at for the last month. Oh well, it was a blessing to be pre-packed for certain.

And that my friends is where I have been. I am going to post date this one because I need to catch you all up on some real doozies from this past week.

Welcome to My World

of commonly starting my mornings these last few months like this:














Awaking to the sound of USADA pounding on the door is actually a good thing because I have been sleeping in way too late since we got back to UT. Still on CA time somehow which isn't a big deal unless you are sleeping until 10 am every day.

NMBS #3 - STXC

Ahhhh. I was able to redeem myself today to come in 10th in the Short Track race. I gave it my all and told myself nothing but a Top 10 today lady. It is amazing what a bad result does to your head. You suddenly think that it's the end of the world, the end of your career and that you have no fitness anymore. NOT TRUE. Get on with it and just go out there and do it!

Today wasn't without a few heart rate fluctuations right before the race though. As I was warming up on the course (because our trainer broke yesterday) I discovered that my seat post was pivoting a good 30 degrees. Lovely. So I had to make a quick decision to either forgo a good warm up and replace the seat post or just cross my fingers and hope that nothing bad happens during the race (like having it fall off.....). I decided I would be way too stressed out not doing the rest of my warm up and instead watching someone take my bike apart only minutes before the race. It was a toss up decision for sure......warm up well, have the seat break=race over....forgo warm up, have working saddle and then you aren't ready to race. I chose the risky one of warm up well and HOPE the seat stays on and it did.

Today the field was once again stacked with former Olympians, National Champions, World Champions and then good ole me from good ole Heber City, UT. I had my work cut out for me right off the bat. In the short 30 minute race of a max all out effort I ended up working with a group of 4 ladies vying for positions 7th-10th. I had an evil plan to just sit on the back of my group (which I did) because there was a super strong headwind. From there I was planning on attacking on the last lap on the most painful uphill section of the 3 minute loop. Once there and in position on the last lap I unfortunately was already maxed out as the pace was extremely high. Oh well, at least I HAD a plan.

So right now we are driving to a place called Cottonwood Cove which sits on Lake Mohave where some of my family owns a place and are kindly letting us stay. And, after some training tomorrow we will be headed home!! I haven't been home in a month now and I am excited to get back and see everyone again. I promise to bring some sun with me because it sounds like you guys need it!!!

NMBS #3 - XC

Bad day is about all I can say. It pretty much sucked and don't know why. It's hard to get over and move on and think about the race tomorrow but I have to.

Here is the run down on the race with one of my favorite little tunes from the movie Parenthood:

When you are sliding into first and you hear a big "crack".......check your knee, check your knee.

When you are flying off your bike and your saddle totally turns...better fix it, better fix it.

When you seem to be on fire and then the situation turns dire......keep on pedaling, keep on pedaling.

When your trainer decides to be broken it can be a sign you may be choken....not so good, not so good.

When there is someone on your wheel and there is no love that you feel.....end up 20th, end up 20th

Ya......20th. Sweet.

NMBS #3 - Super D

Chris (blue shirt) came in 3rd tonight!!!! After what he says was "...bobbling around like an idiot, dropping my chain and crashing I still managed to SOMEHOW come in 3rd."

But I can answer the question on how he SOMEHOW managed to come in 3rd. It's because he has the talent and is a great downhiller.

After racing the Mountain Cross qualifiers, Brad Newby out of St. George, Utah came in 5th in the Super D! Nice work guys!!

BTW- what's in that guys duffle anyway?

Leaving SB

After 3 weeks in Santa Barbara at our friends, Kristin and Eric's house, we are off to Fontana, CA which is only supposed to be 2.5 hours away according to good ole mapquest. Yeah right. If there is NO stinking traffic maybe. This is the sight we saw almost the entire way down 101:

Sweet hugh? We got so stuck in traffic that Chris and I had the fullest and most painful bladders that we have ever had in our life. The one place we stopped at and went running up to.....locked doors. All I will say is that that some of their trees may live and others might not.

We will certainly miss everybody in Santa Barbara. Kristin and Eric have some great friends who opened their arms to us and treated us to many fun evenings, dinners, tons of laughs, bbqs, etc. We had such a great time there thanks to all of them and of course thanks to Kristin and Eric who had to move into their first home together............with us. I bet they never dreamt of that when envisioning buying a new house. Never the less , they were nothing but hospitable and bent over backwards for us in every way.

Poor Chris

This:

is related to this:

And it's not getting any better.

Seriously???

So while our buddy Chris who is a designer at Teva in Santa Barbara was finishing his running race......

This dude was jamming on his stairmaster right above the finish line in his apt. Say what??

My Stomach

I found this video that resembled my stomach on Sunday. Think of the water as all the GU2O energy drink that was sloshing around in there.

For those of you that need help with figuring out how to play the video (ie MOM-love you!) just click the play button on the lower left hand portion of the video screen.