Andalucia MTB Stage Race - Stage 1

Getting ready

The next morning we got up around 6:30am for what turned out to be an excellent buffet breakfast by the hotel.  Pretty much everything you could ask for to include the thickest black coffee ever along with salty meats and cheeses galore. Olive oil was abundant as we were in the olive oil production capital of the world. And, In case you are wondering what the current MTB World Champion, Jose Hermida, chose as his pre race food it was a fresh baked baguette with olive oil drizzled all over it.

Now it was time for the real test for me…..to figure out what to eat on the bike.  What was I going to want to eat?  I don’t know!!!  I rarely eat on the bike and usually only fuel with sports drink but now that we were going to be on the bike for 60 + miles I HAD to eat.  I just packed it all (gels, blocks, bars, etc) so that I had a choice.  Better off with some food that you will actually eat because what sounds good now may not sound good at race pace. I was ALREADY thinking about Stage 6 and how I could make it that far without depleting my body or getting dehydrated so I really wanted to be careful.  I also settled for carrying 2 sports bottles and no camelbak because there were going to be plenty of feed stations along the way.

Neutral Start:  CRASH

Before the race started I was on my head.  There was a neutral roll out from the hotel to downtown Cordoba before Stage 1 began.  I knew jitters were in the air and I told myself to stay out of trouble.  I purposely put myself ALONE in the extremely large pack when from out of nowhere a guy swooped in, crossing bars with mine!!  We fought it for a while and I ended up going down hard on the pavement.  Everything flew out of my pockets and no one hit me thank heavens. Jenny was luckily right there to gather everything that had launched and get us back up to the group before the stage start.

Downtown Cordoba

The bike was fine and I was fine- more just annoyed. Got the first war wound on my bike from that one.  Can’t believe everything was ok aside from what turned into a sore left arm for the rest of the week.  To think that my (our) race could have been over before it even began!!!

STAGE 1:  Córdoba–Cerro Muriano

Jenny and I rolled up to the start of the race only having a few minutes to shake off the shock of the crash.  The gun goes off and I send my body into more shock racing from downtown Cordoba towards the hills for 6400 feet of climbing.  That kind of intensity trying to get a good position in the pack made me feel like I wanted to barf for the first 2 hours of the race. Awesome feeling. 

But my mind was easily diverted as all the Andalucía Bike Racers had been started WITH a separate Marathon race that had 1000 starters.  It was flat out mayhem as Jenny and I rode with groups for the first 2.5 hours of the race. Still at that point there was only about a 10 second gap to the next person.  I even gave some poor guy begging for food as I rode by my sports bar. When you are out in the middle of nowhere like that, you are all in it together.  

We headed up paved roads, through tight singletrack, into tiny towns, and down some of the sketchiest descents that I found myself riding thanks to my Nobby Nic Schwalbe Tires!   We passed some amazing ruins during the stage too.  It was truly breathtaking out there.  But it wasn’t completely dry.  There were MANY stream crossings that were ridable but left you with a cold, wet, and frozen foot for the rest of the race.

At about the point we thought the race should be ending it just kept going and going and going.  Oops, they forgot about that last hellish 7k.  And it’s not that the last 7k was that bad but when you expect it to end and it’s not, that’s when the troubles with the head begin.  But Jenny and I kept trucking along even pushing ourselves up one hideous climb only because people were lining it screaming.  It just about cracked me.  That is what you call peer pressure and we succumbed and both decided after maybe that wasn’t the best idea in the world. 

When we finally crossed the line we were told we had come in 2nd and I really thought that they had made a mistake.  But after a few interviews for Spanish TV and a bunch of pictures, it was reality that we had indeed really come in 2nd!!  Wow, in my first stage race ever. I think I could like this stuff!  : )

There was more media coverage than can be imagined

Notes:  I am loving the international feel of this race!!  14 countries are represented and it’s a hit or miss if the person speaks English or not.  Even have some heavy hitters from the pro road arena (Heras and Beltran) mixing it up in the dirt and dust!

Cars are encouraged to park on the sidewalks to make room

Riding home from the grocery store

Many home have a sturdy door that leads to the courtyard

Andalucia MTB Stage Race - Stage 5

Downtown Jaen, Spain

STAGE  5:  Eastern Jaén

After the race yesterday we all got settled in our new abodes in the middle of downtown Jaen.  It was culture shock at its finest coming from a hotel that was more removed to a BIG beautiful city where there is NO parking anywhere and concrete everywhere.  The dinners and breakfasts on china plates continued as we ate like kings and queens never getting exactly full for an entire week.  Strange concept as you completely stuff your face. 

Today the race started with another longer 1hr climb this time through olive trees and Jenny and I were able to hang with the leaders again.  The Spanish Ladies team was also there and they were now officially starting to put time into our time gap for the Overall after coming in ahead of us the last couple days.  Our goal was to stay 2nd or better Overall and to try to win a stage.  The terrain was either up or down but the beauty of the scenery and the ripping singletrack that meandered along the cliff was downright breathtaking. 

On one of the fast loose descents I witnessed (right where I jumped off) 2 out of 3 men lose control and eat it hard.  One flipped over his bike in front of me and luckily ONLY broke his saddle.  Our team motto this whole time has been “Bike and Bodies” for good reason….one crash like that and you are out.  Not worth it.  But it’s hard because you are racing but you need to know when to hold back too.  That is part of it.  That said, our “Bikes and Bodies” have been great up to this point.  My Stans Crest Rims are bomb proof and my body is letting me hammer it into the ground over and over again, all for which I am grateful!

The Spanish team was clearly finding their form and was gone pretty quickly towards the top of the climb.  Jenny and I did the best we could, enjoyed the experience and the singletrack, even took a wrong turn (only a few minutes lost) and made sure to keep looking up to check out the views.  Then we were stopped at a time checkpoint….STAGE OVER.  Say what?  The race ended 10k early because of problems with the police.  I can certainly see how that might have been an issue in such a hugely populated city.  Jenny and I were 3rd again holding on to 2nd overall by the skin of our teeth now.

Note:  I cannot believe HOW LITTLE I am looking at my watch, and am just simply enjoying EVERYTHING about being on the bike for more hours than I have ever spent on a bike at one time.  I didn’t know what to expect from my body because I have never expected this much from it, even in training but I am pleasantly surprised at my attitude toward hopping on the bike every morning for another 4hours + of racing.  It’s so fun! 

View from hotel room window (note the castle on the hill)!

US Mountain Bike National Championships - Sun Valley, ID

US National Championships Short Track Women's Podium

Sitting in your respective room, hermit-like in a massive house at Sun Valley trying to harness any energy you have in your body is NOT what you want to be doing the day before the US Nationals.  Yet, I was.

After racing 10 years + now I know my body and I can tell when it’s not happy or when it’s about to get real unhappy.  I am fortunate in that sense because it allows me to pull the plug, take a step back and try to salvage anything left that my body has to give for an upcoming race.  Sometimes this approach works and sometimes you still end up sick as a dog. 

Although way fun, the lead up to US MTB Nationals was maybe not the best for me travel wise.  I knew I was cooking myself a bit with lots of travel to races prior but that is part of it and its DANG fun too.  When opportunities arise you must partake!!  Part of being a pro athlete is recognizing these things and putting the pieces together in a manner that will work for you, whether it’s when you are planning your schedule for the year or just planning on what you do in the hours leading up to your big races.  Oh and just so you know, the second you get it dialed in….it changes!  That is part of like I said and it’s actually what makes this sport so intriguing and keeps you grasping for more.  There is a reason I have been racing for as long as I have!!!

A view of Sun Valley from the Gondola

I had everything going for me as I sat there in my own private room with bathroom attached and now I just needed to make it work for me.  Our well supported team had 2 team mechanics in Sun Valley, Alex and Jimmy, our never ending working team manager Shannon, my wonderful teammates Kaila, Zeph and Nina and we even had someone to cook and clean for us.  Things really couldn’t be better. 

Jimmy Deaton in the feed zone.  Note the bottle still in mid air.

That said, it is tough when you have wonderful support at the race but your body is not in the right place!!  There is nothing more that you want than to make it all work out.  That is all I had to do this week once I made the short drive up from the Salt Lake City area – RACE and STAY HEALTHY.  Sometimes that is the toughest job of all. 

Cross Country

The body is such a crazy thing. Everything I did worked which means doing nothing worked!!!  I was lucky to be allowed to do NOTHING and just show up for dinner and excuse myself to return to my room each night.  Thank you to EVERYONE!!!

On race day I felt good in my warm up from the first pedal stroke and everything was GREAT from there.  Who would have thought!!!?!

 

At the line with teammate Zephanie

Well aside from that horrid hill that went straight up a mountain on fire road that we had to climb up 5 times.  500 + feet of climbing all at once in just over ½ a mile.  Ouchy momma!!!!   NOTHING can really prepare you for something like that except for some good ole fashion mtb stage racing I don't think.  Or your Garmin Edge 500!!!  If you knew what the course was going to be ahead of time you could train appropriately using the data from your Garmin since it will record every last detail of a course. Especially for a key race such as US Nationals this is an extremely useful tool to have on your side.  Map it out and train for it!  And since the Garmin Edge 500 weighs only a scant 57g you really have nothing to lose.  That is less weight than my former heart rate monitor and I have the option for 3 data screens that each contain 8 features vs. the whopping 2  features total I had been using on my old set up!!  I would say that is a fair trade indeed!

Garmin Edge 500 tells all:  The main climb was topping out around 20% grade (oh, wait....I didn't want to know that!!)  Haha.

When I first pre-rode the course it dawned on me that no one really trains like this anymore because courses are in the process of really changing.  But in stage racing you are always presented with something of this magnitude at least one time each stage.  My legs were more prepared than I gave them credit for after mtb stage racing in Spain earlier this year.  And here I was looking for a pair of legs to swap out with for the race!!  Well, as it turned out, that wasn’t needed and I really just needed to believe in myself a bit more.  I owe myself a big apology. 

Rock Drop for the fearless.  There was a B line option too for those with brains.  Ok, it wasn't that bad.

Of course, up the hill the first time I was pegged, gassed, and almost literally crossed eyed and I did think “Can I really do this 4 more times??”.  But that dang downhill that was literally ALL downhill  allowed your heart rate to drop to near resting heart rate levels (ok, well, not really) but it seemed that way.  So by the time you got to the bottom, hit the rock drop (totally fun!!!)) and made your way through the rock gardens you had already recovered and was able to convince yourself that going back up for another lap was doable and not going be THAT BAD.  What a sick way to live eh?  What is wrong with racers?!!  : )

Shannon on the dusty powdery singletrack.

The downhill was pretty fun but there was no passing unless a wonderful soul ahead of you was kind enough to let you by slowing down and moving over (you know who you are – thank you; good karma headed your way).  The corners were moon dusty and rutted (I LOVE ruts) and the lead up was fast and packed.  It was a balance of not letting your speed get away from you as you approached each corner because blowing one of those things meant you and your bike were tumbling down the mountain for a while – game over.  By the 3^rd lap I had really figured out how to slide around the loose 180 degree corners effectively – a new tool for me!!  Pretty exciting to learn something new that I could do but never tried.

Spectator friendly Rock Garden

As the race went on I only found myself getting faster and faster and was gaining on the group ahead.  That was a nice feeling and set me up well mentally for the next day.  Although I never attached to the group ahead of me I did take 11th place!!  

I have to thank Stan’s NoTubes and Schwalbe for the best set up out there. We were hitting rock gardens and the rock drop without a second thought at unthinkable speeds.  And did any of our team have any issue??  Ah heck no!!  That is one reliable set up!!!!

 

Short Track

What a great way to end the weekend….on a Short Track course that was extremely similar to a Cyclocross course minus barriers and run ups.

After a busy and bustling morning of gathering all our stuff that we had scattered around in the 5000 square foot house we were staying in (read: we had to text each other to find one another!) we made our way over to the venue for a late afternoon race start under blue skies. 

I don’t know what it is with me but everyone deems me as “Calm Kathy” in most situations and today on the start line was no different.  I have never been one to get all riled up and anxious on the start line.  It’s just another day on the bike I guess…. 

I had a descent call up for the race and plopped myself on the 2nd row behind some fast legs.  I had the opportunity for a first row start (one spot was left open up front) but thought the better of it based on the layout of the course making 2 turns immediately upon start.  That seemed like a recipe for a nice ball up. 

Trying to get away.

The gun went off and 5-10 seconds into the race I heard metal and crashing behind me and even got slightly shoved around  unintendedly.  Oh geez….need to pedal faster now to get away from the mayhem!!   I found myself immediately in the top 10 but what I didn’t tell anyone was that I was NOT going away from this weekend without a podium and that a top 10 today was not going to cut it.  I was bound and determined to make it happen. 

With my legs on boards with this scenario, I made my way up towards the front while sitting on the fast turning pedals ahead of me and looking for opportunities to pass.  About halfway through the race I found myself in a group of 4th place to 6th.  That was a huge reminder of last year’s US Cyclocross Nationals.  I had the same mind set too of that I WILL be 4th and I NEED to make it happen.  When confidence comes like that it’s overwhelming and has so much passion behind it that you can’t ignore it. 

Making my way up to towards the front

After drilling it on the front and then sitting in and recovering I was able to split the group up with 2-3 laps to go.  Now I was alone in 4th and noticed that 2nd and 3rd place was coming back to me a bit at about 10 seconds ahead!!  I then really put my head down to close that gap knowing that time was ticking.  I was taking even faster and sketchier lines and in doing so felt my rim bottom out on the final lap.  It was at that moment that I decided to take my carbon Orbea Alma 29r gingerly around the rest of the corners and chuck the idea of trying to close the gap.  I came across the line in 4th place! 

Having 2 US National podiums in 7 months time I could not be happier!!!    I must thank my sponsors for EVERYTHING that they have done to get me here.  It means the world to me!  THANK YOU!!!!!

That is no road.  That is part of the mecca of bike paths Sun Valley has!

Andalucia MTB Stage Race - Stage 6

STAGE 6:  Southern Jaen

Why didn’t we catch the weather report?  Oh yeah that’s right, because every racer and their mother was clogging up the internet all week long and we gave up ages ago.  MISTAKE.  To add to the insanity of the weather to come, we were in the lead for 2nd overall BY ONLY 6 seconds (after 24 hours plus of racing) to the Spanish Esteve Team!!

Let’s get this out on the table now:  Spain does not necessarily mean sunshine and warm temps.  We can attest!!   Jenny and I lead the race today for 4 hours and 20 minutes up and over several mountain tops (where it was snowing!) and we were overall having a GREAT day on the bike.  As the rain and snow moved in the descents became brutally cold and almost excruciating.  Unfortunately Jenny and I only had our jerseys and shorts with a few other pieces like arm warmers and knee warmers.  I have never wanted to climb so badly in my life (just to stay warm)!  It was so cold as we made our way around the gorgeous dam below but yet I still found time to enjoy the view.  We endured about 30k of extreme cold and wet.  The shaking, shivering, teeth chattering was abundant as we descended through the mist.  Jenny and I didn’t speak a peep for about 2 hours as we kept moving forward toward the finish line still in first place. 

The weather and chill got so bad that I was taking mental note of where I saw a person with a car so that if we had to go back we’d know how far.  It was becoming a survival…..of the stupidest really. In my lightweight summer gloves I could not feel my hands.  They felt like stumps and I was worried.  Several things went around in my head like wondering if finishing was worth getting frostbite over?  Apparently it was because I kept going….but really, what are you supposed to do?  I was seeing the finish line as a place I would be safe and I just wanted to get there.  I forced myself to drink my sports drink to stay hydrated and to just move my hands. 

It was highly uncomfortable at this point on the bike which is what inspired me to pick up the nastiest oldest, dirtiest garbage bag and put it under my jersey for wind protection.  Moments after I did that it made a big difference.  But it was too late.  With 10k to go, getting splashed and sprayed with water from the roads we were passed by the race leaders who were clothed from head to toe.  Our fault for not being prepared.  We crossed the line in 2nd place only 2.5 minutes back and extremely close to being hypothermic. 

The good news was that we had secured 2nd Overall in the Stage Race!!

I was so hungry after 6 days of racing that I could have eaten anything!

 Notes:  Stage 6 was by far the best stage yet for us and it’s the one I was most worried about!!  We both climbed the 8000 feet like a charm and put up with some extreme conditions.  Although disappointing to take 2nd for the day, it’s good to know what are limits are.  

Award ceremony at the Discoteca

Tour of the Gila - Day One and ONLY

Guess I am going back to Santa Barbara, CA tomorrow..........


Riding in a pack is brutal. Broken thumb. 15 miles into the 74 mile race a girl ate serious pavement in front of me leaving me with one line.....the one right over her AND her bike. At least I wasn't the poor gal that was air flighted out with a broken pelvis. I saw her lying there in misery and could hear the moaning. Not fun to see. Lots of carnage today. Almost 3.5 hours later I finished 23rd outta about 70 starters.

If I don't look happy.

It's probably cuz I am not.

Guess I am starting a new chapter of my race career.

Ok, I promised on lots more later so here it goes..........

Got up nice and early on race day, got in the car headed for the start line. Oops, forgot every last water bottle of mine so we had to turn around and get them all. Did you really think I was going to be that awake at the crack of dawn? Yeah right. Got to the venue and everything kind of seemed chaotic. Had to:

Go bathroom super bad but the line for the 3 port-a-jons was LONG for the 500+ racers; this was problem.
Swap bottles and figure out who is doing what as far as what team mates were picking up the feeds.
Go to the bathroom again.
Figure out what feeds our feeders were going to.
Get tires pumped and ready; chain lubed.
Go to the bathroom.
Get extra wheels to the wheel car.
Figure out who could take all our clothing at the line because the feeders had to leave before the race start.
Go to the bathroom
Sign in!
Warm up for a hand full of minutes- yeah....that didn't happen.

The race began and so did the up to 15 miles an hour wind. We stayed as a group mostly and I fought continuously to be in the front because if someone goes, that is a nice place to be to follow. We went at a solid pace for a while once we hit the first climbs just out of town. At some point a potty break was even discussed as a group and agreed upon. That would make for an interesting picture with 70 women in the middle of no where doing their thing on the side of the road. Hmmm?

It always amazes me how much the pack "swirls" within itself and if you aren't up for the fight you find yourself sitting at the back unexpectedly and suddenly asking yourself how that just happened. So I constantly was near the front because it is generally a pretty safe place to be to keep yourself upright. Not the case today unfortunately. Girls kept going over the white line on the right into the gutter which was ok when the transition from the road to the gutter was gradual but at times it would radically change creating a mini 3 inch high wall that you would have to get up and over to get back in the pack. And a girl in front of me didn't see or notice or whatever that 3 inch wall that appeared from no where and I found myself watching her swerve one way, then the other, back the other way before her front tire turned 90 degrees and launched her onto the pavement RIGHT in front of me. I had time enough to look ahead, see that this was about to happen, look right (boxed in-oh no!), look left (boxed in there too!) and then ride right over her leg and bike. I just remember looking at that tan leg and thinking "I am sorry!!!!"

I don't remember what happen next except that I did land in the road facing backwards on my right side and when I opened my eyes all I saw were tires and more girls headed for ME now!!! I slightly remember curling up and then only recall myself actually running over to my bike that was about 10 feet away in a ditch facing forward on its side. I didn't think twice about grabbing it and remounting it like I was in a cyclocross race. Looking back on it I should have done a quick check of the skewers, saddle, drive train and all because if any of that was broken I could have gone down again on my OWN accord. But everything was functioning normally and perfectly if you can believe it. And I did do a visual skewer check almost immediately after being prompted by my teammate Jenn who was asking how I was and how the bike was. She helped me get back up to the pack to get back in the race. Thank god for teamies!

The pain from my thumb was almost immediate but I couldn't see through my glove nor did I have time to check it. It was just go go go!!! Get back in it! My right elbow, and side were hurting pretty bad too but I couldn't see what was going on there either because it was all covered. Those mysteries would have to remain until after the race when I got to (what I like to call) "open my presents" by revealing what nasty thing lie underneath my clothing. It makes it very exciting (kidding) as you never know what you are going to get (bruise, scratch, hemotoma, deep wound). Lovely times I tell you.

The other lovely time was when I went to grab my water bottles that had been (apparently!!) launched into outer space in the crash. Thank god for team mates yet again because we swapped water bottles left and right slurping off of each others. If someone had extra to give, they'd send it my way across the line of women racing. Crazy. Welcome to road racing! In a mtb race if your bottle launches you are so hosed but that wasn't the case today!

Throughout the next 60 miles my thumb got worse (more and more painful) and on the descents and cattle guards I thought I was going to scream bloody murder. Excruciating pain. Excruciating!! But then we would settle back into a rhythm on the hills and people would attack and I would forget any pain that was happening which is probably what got me through.

More girls went down for whatever reason here and there throughout the rest of the race and on one of the steep 19% climbs some gal actually fell over to the side. Like.....tipped! Weird. It was steep in places for sure on that last 7 miles. Hearing "oh no, wait, ahhhhh!!!!" then crack and the sound of metal wrapping itself around more metal is a nasty nasty sound and it just repeated itself over and over again it seemed like as more girls would fall victim to the pavement.

I am happy I hung in there to finish the race and would do it just the same again vs. DNFing. It wasn't that bad really. Once at the top, I got some Tylenol and headed back down to where all the team cars were (about 20 minutes down hill by bike) so we could pack up and drive 74 miles back to Silver City (stage 1 is a point to point vs an out and back or loop). Here we are at the team car area.

Jose "the engine" hanging after the race with two of our three feeders for the day.

Jenn, Nina and Sonya

Ice Ice baby!!


Shannon and feeder numero three (Chris!!)


Nina and those dang ham sandwiches!


And once back to the race start line after sitting in the car for what seemed like hours poor Jen discovered missing keys to her rig.

She could have fit in the window for sure. You see the size of that climber?

Just where you want to be following a race.

After getting released from the hospital hours and hours and hours later, Nina and Sonya made us dinner at their host housing.....thank god....that apple wasn't doing the trick after riding 4.5 hours today.

Who got burned worse? Nice.

And as for those presents that were beneath my jersey and shorts. They weren't bad although people in stores are looking at me weird it seems.....probably because they are bad but we cyclists are used to that! They were mere flesh wounds as all I found was a huge hematoma on my right elbow, bruised with surface scratches. And other scratches that look like a cats doing on my side and probably a chainring scratch or two on my inner leg. I was a lucky ducky.

CX Gran Prix of Gloucester #2-Gloucester, MA

Stage Fort Park is on the water


Yo - yo.

No, I am not saying "hi" or trying to get your attention I am simply stating the only fact from the race today: I was a yo - yo the entire race.

The race started off like a shot except for this time I didn't hear blowing tires behind me along with the clanging of metal from wrecks occurring. A much cleaner start today I must say for us all. Amy D my teammate was off like a shot and never to be seen again. Oh yeah and on that note, the UCI lady said to us on the line not to go crazy up the pavement of the start because the race isn't won there. Are you kidding? Yeah it is. What's up with these strange lectures on the line anyway? Shouldn't they be taking the time instead to calculate THIS YEARS points so that we can line up accordingly .....instead of using last years UCI points to do this? For some reason (and maybe there is a darn good one) they wait until the first World Cup Cyclocross race (October 19th) to calculate this years points that you have been getting. So we are lining up this year on last years points. Sweet guys - yeah I will be sure to go slow on the pavement. I guess there intentions of being safe are all good though.

So yeah, Amy is off like a shot and takes the lead and I am sitting around 5th or 6th I suppose going into the first grassy corner.

Today we had the same obstacles as yesterday (sandpit and barriers) IN ADDITION to a run up. This run up was like the one in Lakewood, WA that I did a few weeks ago in steepness but thankfully not in length. This one today seemed like a hop-skip- and a jump compared to the other!

The very top of today's run up


Looking down the run up. The path to it down below is right on the water.


But the problem for me today was that I felt flat running the sandpit and running the run up. I was no gazelle....lets put it that way. And that left me getting gapped after EACH obstacle on EACH lap EACH time. It sucked!! Then in between those I would have time to chase down 2nd -4th and by the time I got to them I was tired and had to sit. Then the next obstacle would come and ....you got it .....they gap me a few bike lengths. It was a constant yo yo where I was attached to the group and then would fall off after the obstacle. It was so bad that it became predicable in my head as to exactly where on course I was going to catch back on. Ridiculous. I guess I need to look at it like: at least I had the oomph and gumption to get my tail back onto the group each time. It would be really easy to give up but I didn't and it did pay off because I could have come in 2nd if I had known what I was doing in the sprint finish at the end. Of course firing off all those matches to get back on the group each time didn't help anything........

At the tippy end of the last lap I successfully positioned myself into 4th place, one gal right behind me and 2 pulling. The 3 of us got a bit of a gap on the gal behind and I decide to attack Mo (in 3rd) on a pitchy uphill section that immediately u turns back down an off camber hill and then goes up again. Successful attack? - yes but she was able to counter that and we were back at square one sitting in (her) 3rd and (me) 4th. Hmmmm? Now I gotta think quick since that didn't work and the finish line is .....oh....you know....around the corner and up paved hill and its anyones game at this point. Not much time to get it done now!

And before I can begin formalizing a plan - BAM - 5th comes around like a shot on the pavement taking both of us. I was able to follow and pass Mo but it was over. 2nd - 5th place all came across the line within a few seconds from each other. I came in 4th. Meanwhile Amy D. was already napping after reveling in her 2nd win of the weekend. You go girl!

Meanwhile Sara got the same start position on the last row, passed on any fights with hay bales and let it fly coming in 14th!! Well done considering she isn't training with any intensity at all right now since her focus is La Ruta MTB Race coming up in November. Oh yeah, and after the race today she decided to ride her bike home 35 miles back to Boston. Yeah, I think I will drive thank you. :)

The venue


Some spectators sat on that rock to watch the races


Part of the mostly grass course.


Nice views of the Gloucester Harbor from the park




And while I was out East racing, Chris just went down the block from our house and raced the B Men 35+ in the Utah Cyclocross Series. It was cold and snowy out in Heber City but he still came away with his 2nd victory of the season! Check out a picture of him here. (in blue). Yey Chris!

Oh yeah...and this thing on my arm???? It is from doing something really weird when I go to set my bike back on the ground after shouldering it. I need to stop that.... and quick!

....now if they would just make "pedal pads" for the end of your pedal that DIGS into your lower back when you are shouldering. But since they don't make pedal pads I got something that looks like that thing on my arm on my back too!

Yeah!!! Pedal pads!! :) That'd look sweet! Or maybe just encase myself in bubble wrap. That'd do the trick!

Andalucia MTB Stage Race - Final Days/Thoughts

After Jenny and I parted ways Chris and I headed to Malaga, Spain which is like the “South Beach , FL of Spain.  Malaga sits on the Mediterranean and there were beaches, restaurants and plenty of shopping although they were in the off season. This cute neighborhood was right by our hotel along with tons a wild green parrots!

Grilled Sardines seem to be all rave here and there were several places such as this grilling them whole.

Chis and I found a  Paella restaurant and became repeat offenders there getting different Paella each night!

It was so fresh that I thought it was going to crawl off the pan!

 

Fresh olives (I've only had canned!) were served prior to our meal. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Thank you to the race organizers:  This was by far the best experience I have ever had on a bike.  I didn’t know what to expect as I was a first time Stage racer and I was extremely pleased with everything from the organization, the stages and the way everything was run.  The organizers were some of the nicest people you will ever meet and were EXTREMELY invested in the international athletes making sure that everything and everyone was going to be ok.  In addition, the media coverage was AMAZING.  The amount of interviews we had, footage taken and pictures snapped was unbelievable.  I could go as far as saying not a moment was missed. 

As for Jenny:  Thanks for choosing ME!!  She was there for me through thick and thin and is one of the strongest athletes both physically and mentally I have ever met.  Did I mention she climbs like a mountain goat?  The laughs we shared each night after the lights went out recounting a ridiculous situation will not be forgotten.

And my husband who somehow found his way to the various feed zones in the middle of Spain when he could.  It was so wonderful to see your smiling face while helping us out as we hammered towards the finish line.  There is nothing like a pick me up such as that just when you need it the most!!  Thanks for your endless support while you help me pursue my passion. 

And to all the people that became part of my world while I was there, through the thick and thin, THANK YOU.  The passion we share for the love of mtb racing is such an amazing thing!!!

And last but not least to my Sponsors:  ‎6 days, 313 miles, 39,000 + feet of climbing and I had NO MECHANICALS.  A HUGE thanks to Stans NoTubes for supplying me with the super sturdy 29r Crest Rims, Orbea (Alma 29r) for a smooth ride, Sixty-Five.12 out of Durango, Schwalbe Tires for getting me down the hills in one piece, Ergon for happy hands, Rotor, Genuine Innovations for PINK air, Sram for flawless shifting, Crankbrothers, and Verge for all the must needed clothing!! 

 Needless to say, you don’t even have to ask me - OF COURSE I would do this again!!

Idyllwild Spring Challenge - Idyllwild, CA

Idyllwild Singletrack

Just outside Palm Desert up in the mountains at 5300 feet sits the town of Idyllwild which offers up some of the best riding and racing I have yet to come across.

The views in Idyllwild

The cross country course was a 27 mile loop course of some sweet buffed out singletrack.  And that’s no exaggeration….it’s awesome and I highly recommend checking this place out!  This weekend’s stage race would begin with the long cross country on Saturday and then end with the shorter Time Trial and Super D events on Sunday. 

This Road Runner at the house kept us entertained!

My hubby Chris and I were staying in Palm Desert with family and the weather differences were huge between there and Idyllwild.  It would be 70 degrees in the early morning when we left for the race but then it would only be in the 40’s once we got up into the mountains!  It was quite the climate change in a 1 hour drive!  Rest assured though it was a beautiful weekend with highs in the 60’s.  Perfect race temps!

Need I say more?  Ok..."Ahhhhhhhh"

Cross Country

In addition to the cross country course being fabulous it also offered some superior climbing.  There were three hills, all of which had Queen and King of the Mountain awards and primes for the first lady and man to the top of each one. 

Race Start

I punched it as hard as I could up each climb because I was seeing $$$ signs instead of stars like I normally do.  It worked, as I grabbed all 3 Queen of the Mountain primes!!!  Once at the top of the course I had to find my way down to the bottom safely while still punching it up and over power climbs to get there.  I hadn’t pre-ridden this part of the course so each fast approaching corner was a new experience!  There was a lot of DH to be had and after all that climbing I would have to say that we earned our turns!!

As I made my way down the wooded trail the boys pushed me as they always do and they were a pleasure to ride with.  Coming in safely and smiling across the line after a 3hr race was the perfect way to end the day while nabbing some nice cash for the win too!

Time Trial

Sunday was a busy day with two races, the Time Trial and the Super D back to back starting almost right in the town of Idyllwild itself.  I hadn’t pre-ridden either course so getting on these trails early was imperative.  I was able to get a lap in on the Time Trial and get warmed up just in time to hammer out my race lap. 

We were all being shot off the line 1 minute apart with the Pro Men in front and Expert Men behind.  Yikes!  Don’t want to get caught – pressure was on!!

I had a goal of doing the TT in less than 20 minutes but a chain issue requiring me to get off the bike and hang out in the middle of the singletrack to fix it for what seemed like an eternity put me 9 seconds over that goal.  Bah hum bug!   Least I finished!

A good weekend!

Super D

Immediately upon completion of the Time Trial I jumped in the car and Chris drove me over to the Super D to check it out.  I didn’t want to do a Super D without seeing it first and there was little time in between races – we had to rush!!

After taking a good solid look at the course and enjoying every last minute of all the downhill (a Super D is 80% downhill and 20% uphill), Chris picked me up at the bottom in the car and we headed back up to the top for the race start.  They were again sending people off in 1 minute intervals with me being sandwiched in between the pro and expert men.

The goal again for myself was 20 minutes or less for the Super D.  I not only met that goal, I was also was able to catch up to the Pro man ahead of me! 

My Super D wasn’t without incident unfortunately.  Even after pre-riding everything I still managed to blow a corner losing all my momentum.  That was really annoying but I was able to get back on track fast enough to start bombing down the hill again!

A beautiful solid granite award!

A weekend of family, sun, wins, primes, trophies, plaques, medals, money and some of the best singletrack out there was the perfect weekend!  And if it weren't for my sponsors I wouldn't be doing what I love. Thanks to all of them for every last speck of support!

More at home entertainment!