Car Incident

What is wrong with this picture?

You were right if you said, "you aren't on the highway"

I feel pretty lucky right now to be sitting here writing this. On my way up to Park City today for my Hand Therapy Appt. I hit ice at 70 mph. After doing several 360's I went careening off of the not so snowy highway into the middle of the highways where I ended up in a ditch. I was stuck right side up thankfully (others were not so lucky).

The snow had just started to stick after I had just taken the car out of 4 wheel drive to save gas.....last time I do that although even if it had been in 4 wheel, nothing is great on ICE .

I was so dizzy when I stopped spinning and felt like I was going to throw up. Thankfully no one else was involved, my car is ok and so am I - our family doesn't need any more incidents or drama!!

Right before it happened I had just passed someone else getting pulled from the ditch and thought to myself "ooh that sucks, better let off the gas" and before I did I was out of control.

I was out of control long enough while still on the road that I thought I got the car under control 3 separate times before I started pinwheeling into the ditch between the 2 highways.

Then once I stopped, the cop who was already there getting others out let me try and get out on my own. So I put er in 4 wheel low and got some momentum going which was working pretty well with some good driving techniques but every time I almost got out I had to let off the gas because of the down hill traffic blasting past me. I certainly couldn't pull out on a highway in 4 low going 20mph!! So I had to give up and wave the cop back down to call a tow truck for me. I think its kind of funny actually that the cop initially let me try and get out because here I was bombing down the middle of the highway 4 x 4 ing the snow hoping I could just continue on up to PC.

Oh and the kind of lame part of this was that the cop stuck his face in my passenger window and asked me if I had been drinking (it was noon). I had no idea where he was going with that at first and responded yes, water. He probably thought I was being sassy but I really wasn't! So after that response he stuck his nose obnoxiously into the car and made all these completely ridiculous high pitched whiffing sounds as he was sniffing my car for alcohol. Too bad I hadn't had that beer, bbq, coleslaw and beans last night!

But I would have to say that the worst part of it really was waiting for the tow truck because I was sitting target watching all the other cars sliding everywhere. I even watched a semi jackknife on the highway and go into the same ditch I was in only a couple hundred feet down from me. It is the blob in front of the left stake.


That part of it was so stressful. I just wanted out of there before someone hit me from either side of the highway!!!!!! People were hauling ass like I was because the road was fine with little snow on it but little did they know or I know that there was ice silently lurking. Here were my exact thoughts as I sat there.


Ahhh, rescue is here!


Life isn't without crazy things happening to me, that is for sure. But I have at least learned now that if you see people off the side of the road, there is a reason and ice is likely the case.

BE CAREFUL out there everyone. Leave early!!

Worked Over

I got home safe and sound and once I did I didn't come out of the house until today and even then it was brief. I am completely worked over. I am not sick but my body has completely and totally hit a massive wall.

I think I knew in my head that I just had to suck things up until the final cross race on Sunday. Then once I got home my body had had it.

I even started getting sick on Saturday while in Kansas and I just told myself that it wasn't an option, I was there, I had to compete, I made it that far and I woke up race day that next day completely fine. But now my body is DONE with a capital D. On Tuesday, I was on the couch for 8 hours and even venturing upstairs was a huge effort.

Like I said, I am not sick just worked over and I am listening to my body every step of the way because this has been one crazy a$# year for it breaking my thumb first, then my hand and wrist then having all this stuff with the family go down these past 3 weeks. I need rest and I am taking it and it feels marvelous!

I wouldn't want to build on this wobbly platform for the mtb season right now so rest is the main ingredient for the moment.

Gotta love this - a simple set of batteries


Turn them over.



Really, I shouldn't swallow them? Is that a bad idea? Shouldn't people and kids who can read and comprehend that already know that?

But maybe that is the ticket for me and it would make my body feel better though?

KS to UT

This was my last chance to beat my record of around 45 minutes to disassemble my two fully built cross bikes and pack them up snugly in my double bike case for my trip home today.

Plus it was a good reason to get myself to hurry the heck up since I was doing this in a 5 degree garage!

Basically everything is a race to me.



And......drum roll please....................35 minutes start to finish (bag zipped closed). And yes, I am giving myself a pat on the back for that one because when I first got that bag it took me 3 hours to configure everything.

Kansas City is not small.


But there does seem to be a lot of this which makes me feel at home.

Ahhhhh. The great sound of the word HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

US Cyclocross Nationals - Kansas City, MO

On the start line: The calm before the storm.


As many reports have read, today started out balmy and turned into a freezing wind by the time the women's race started. The temp went from 60 to 30 in only an hour and a half. That is why I always pack everything and anything that I own cycling wise. Yeah its annoying to schlep that stuff around everywhere but it always pays off at least once, especially in cross season.

Despite the freezing wind at everyones faces, the crowds still remained for the race. I think they all about blew out my ear drums too. I couldn't hear myself think it was so loud in spots. But that is assuming I was actually thinking at that very moment in time during the race too.



At least I wasn't gonna miss my pit guy, Ross, in the crowds. Easily found. Easily. It is always good to have a "no brainer" because sometimes you role into the pits (which I did NOT have to today at all) and you can't even mutter what your name let alone find someone. In fact I could have spotted him from the moon I bet.



Heading out for a lap to check out the course conditions prior to the race:



And this is what I found. Tacky and dry. Fun!!! Ok, I also found some run ups and one barrier section too.



The race started and I had a great position right off the bat. That'd be a position near the front. But the front position didn't last spectacularly long as we made our way up the mini NORBA course. The wind forced many of us into small groups right away. I luckily found myself with plenty of energy despite what I have been going through with my family these last few weeks and I was pleased that I was able to attack and counter attack too throughout the race. Today was really nuts in that way. Almost like a World Cup race in that if you slowed for a second, the girls were on you like flys on....well you know what. So you HAD to attack and you had to maintain or increase your speed with each lap.

And "That Emmett!!!" I love saying that. Well, I could see That Emmett (that'd be Kelli) creeping up on me each lap. Slowly getting bike lengths closer and closer to me. I tried to ward her off and once she made contact with me I tried to wear her down by attacking. No such luck with that though. She was able to sneak past me just enough to round out the Top 10. That Emmett!! : )



At one point during the race, think it was the second lap I remember thinking that I couldn't feel my lips. That is a weird thought in a middle of a race but it goes to show how cold it was too because my lips for whatever reason are always fine even in the most severe weather. I also couldn't feel my hands at that point but I guess all that changed later in the race because nothing has fallen off yet.

In addition, my left hand did AWESOME with the cold. I was pretty happy with that because I was told that it may be an issue with all the hardware in there now. Guess it wasn't an issue although I still do have circulation problems, but to be expected for a while until it fully heals I guess.



And I have to give a big shout out to all the spectators who yelled for me out there. I swear I was hearing my name on every corner of that race which is so nice because you forget about your pain for just that eensee teensey bit of time and instead find yourself asking "who in the sam hell do I know in Kansas!!!" Or Missouri or whatever.

Overall, given what I have been through emotionally with my parents since the day I got off the plane from the Southampton's race I am pleased with my result (not ecstatic). And maybe I am even more pleased with how I felt out there because I didn't feel like junk. I felt good and I gave it a solid effort every step of the way during that race and that is all you can do when life wears on you as it has done to me. You don't know what you are going to be able to bring to the table in a situation like that. And, while I am very capable of placing higher I have to give myself some credit and realize that for me just to make it to this race was a victory in and of itself.



Some well dressed sharks showed up to watch the races today.


And so did the couch potatoes


"Go "guys with no clothes on in 20 degree weather. Can you say RED bellies.


Cool!


And my own personal cheering squad, Andrea, Elise and Mike


Easy now....


Ali giving it all he has in the Elite men's race after a solid 2nd place finish yesterday!


More of Ali duking it out today


And Bart throwing down. No, not throwing up.


And after the race I did something that I meant to do last year. My mom grew up in Kansas City and I really really wanted to go see the house she grew up in. Last year with all the snow on the road it just wasn't a smart idea to go do that so I regretfully didn't. I was hoping this whole time that I would be given another chance to make up for not going and I was given that chance. So after the race I made darn sure to go by where my mom, grandma and aunt(s) lived.

What a cute little house and I will emphasize little. Four people in that home is beyond me and quite impressive I might add. Maybe that is where I get my affinity towards smaller homes (I live in one) and don't really have a desire for otherwise. Or maybe that is because I probably don't even make enough money for the government to know I exist.


After getting back safe and sound from seeing my moms house Mike and Beth, my INCREDIBLE hosts, were kind enough to treat me again this year to some good ole fine Kansas City BBQ from Jack Stack Barbeque. Beer, BBQ, Onion Rings (yes, I had ONE), Cole Slaw and Beans. Luckily I was sleeping alone tonight!





Afterwards I was convinced to start my off season workouts with some Dance Dance Revolution. You heard of this thing? Yeah, me neither.


Ok, so I don't do too much dancing but after a few yummy dark beers I will!

Step 1: Learning is fun. I am all smiles and so is Elise as she does everything she can to teach me well.


Step 2: Getting serious because I suck and I don't like that ONE bit


Step 3: Yell at the TV because I am sure it made a mistake, not me!


Step 4: Take pulse and realize that you are really only good for cycling as you are completely worked over.


We were in there so long that the windows fogged.


Oh and I forgot to mention that Mike got to chum up with Katie C (winner of today's race) while she was warming down. She told us that her grandma got to watch her race for the first time ever. Luckily gram had ring side seats in a car that was parked right on the edge of the course! That is truly special!

And I will sign off with a very huge THANK YOU to Mike, Beth, Elise and James for being so great to host me again this year in their wonderful home. Thank you thank you thank you!

I just barely looked up the Kansas City weather. It is 59 degrees right now.

But what are ice pellets? Hmmmm.

KS Pre-Ride

As promised, the KS course is right next to the airport.


Wow, I saw a large amount of people from Utah today. That is pretty cool. And I might add that they have all been extremely successful!! Ali came in 2nd today, Kris W won, Jon G came in 17th after having an icky crash in Portland, Art O 22nd. Pretty cool to see everyone kicking some serious A. And of course Dr. X and Dirk were there to hand over the loving numbers that I get to go home and pin on for 25 minutes. I am 211.....mucho better than last years last row call up # of 274 or something like that. This is exactly WHY I have been doing all the UCI races around the country since September.

Today was warm and windy and the course was tacky. A pretty straight forward course really. Not too technical at all. Call it a dirt crit. It has some elevation gain and is kind of mountain bikey in that sense since you zig zag your way to the top and then you zig zag your way back down. There are 2 sets of spaced out steps. Nothing horrendous and one set of ripping fast approach barriers. Again pretty straight forward.

Some course pix

Looking from the bottom of the course to the top way there in the back ground.

Even though you can't read this sign because I am lame at taking pictures sometimes, it reads Wyandotte County Park.

It only reminded me of my own personal hell that I went through last year at this very time. I was making my way on snowy highways over to the course to pre-ride last year and the dang Mapquest sent me to the wrong flipping park (there were TWO Wyandotte County Parks) and it was this one it sent me to!!!

I found myself driving on the craziest snowiest roads ever in my 2 wheel drive car feeling like something was way wrong. And it was. I was at the wrong park!!! I wasn't the only one that did that either after talking to a bunch of others about it. That day set me up for a crazy pre race day because I missed my window of time to pre ride the course, then missed picking my bikes up from Sly after the poor guy hung around and waited for me forever. I ended up having to go back to my host families home that night and do a workout on the trainer instead! So sucky.

That whole entire day leading up to the Nats last year was a complete bust. Got lost, got stressed, driving around in the snow, cell phone died on me, bike transfer was less than smooth because of me, running around the venue in 20 degree temps for a LONG time - everything just went wrong that day.

But it all worked out in the end. I remember telling my host family last year that "if you have it, you have it and none of my chaotic day will matter much" And I had it the next day! God, that was the best feeling ever, and then to get my balloon busted on the last lap.....what a pity.

So today I was determined to get to the correct park WAY before the only window of time to pre-ride was. My cell phone was all juiced up and I had 2 fully built bikes in the back of my rig. Ahhhhhh. Life was good and I did have a successful pre-ride today compared to last year.

Now, lets hope that I can kill it tomorrow using all the stuff that has happened in my life in the last 2 weeks as ammo vs it getting the better of me! I am 2 for 2 getting through rough times this year (thumb break comeback and hand surgery comeback) and I hope I have enough left in the tank to make it 3 for 3! It is up to me.

UT to KS

After a long week of dad first being put in one nursing home, then sent off to the ER again on Monday, and then back to another nursing home Tuesday....and mom having a successful removal of her tumor/cyst on Wed. I have actually decided to make the trip to KS for Nationals.

Everyone at this point is stable although that certainly didn't happen magically. A LOT of things had to fall into place including my sanity which I am still waiting for. So I say everyone is stable but really its everyone except me it seems. And because of that, this weekend in KS is either going to be a complete success or a complete bust. Not sure which.

So I got to KS today and the roads are bare and dry....a bit different from last years snow storm weather. Bart and Matt O were on my flight out. Always nice to see familiar faces around!

It is pretty warm here (50's) right now but I am getting the drift that things can change here at the drop of a hat. Some saying that goes like "Don't like the weather in Kansas? Then wait 20 minutes."

Hmmm...maybe I should put the camera down eh?

My awesome host family (Mike, Beth, Elise and James) were ready for me and totally welcoming yet again this year. They are simply the best and are such a great family. Mike and Elise (13) are tandem extraordinaries and are planning on a 40 mile ride tomorrow together. The wind is supposed to be howling and so they are getting shuttled way far away from here to enjoy the wind at their backs all the way home.

Hey coach, will you let me do that on my next ride? Please pleeeeeeeeease??

What the?

Ok, so I looked it up here.

You Know U Travel a Lot When

Your brother calls and you tell him you are in Costco and he replies, I am sorry, I don't know where that is.

I didn't get it at first but apparently neither did he!

Utah Cyclocross Series #11 - Draper, UT

What can I say about today except that I woke up feeling like I wanted to go back to bed. PERFECT feeling for race day. Ugh. Yeah, gotta love those days...or not. It is clear to me why I felt like that since I have been through the ringer with my mom and dads health these last few weeks.

Plus today is also the day that dad is going to a nursing home for good. That is a hard pill to swallow for all of us, mom included, but its out of needing to keep mom healthy and give dad the proper care that he requires now. Decisions like that command a lot of attention and I know where my focus has been for that very reason.

But I dragged my arse out the door anyway, after packing all my crapp-ola up the in the car for my two races today. I was to do the A Women's race and then the A Men's race. "Ugh" again at that thought.

Anyway, the one thing I forgot today for the race was my sunscreen. Who the heck knew I was going to need sunscreen on December 6th in Utah to protect my wicked Irish skin from getting blasted with rays? Not me....so I got burnt. Nice.

The course was really mountain bikey with lots of singletrack. There was even a nice run up that had barriers at the bottom as well as at the top so the spectators could see us ready to blow a lung as we jumped over that last barrier before remounting.

I was pleased with my performance today but I knew I wasn't all there. I won which is great but what really matters to me is how I FELT on the bike and I felt like shizzle. I felt flat, and not fast or quick or really with it even. I don't like that feeling and it better change by next Sunday for Nationals in Kansas!

And, because I was feeling so bad I decided to listen to my body and skip the A Men's race because something wasn't right inside. Normally I can handle having my arse handed to me too but today I don't think I could have handled that mentally. My mental energies have been focused elsewhere and therefore it was time to "give a girl a rest" and go home and chill.

Oh yeah, and I won some money today from Sly who was there handing out the cash. I am rich!


I would have won a preem also but I was busy with self talk trying to motivate myself to ride harder off the front because I was so sluggish. But because of that I didn't realize that $20 was up for grabs until it was too late. Whoops.

Here is Sly again, trying to do the same thing by giving Lance some cash at Cross Vegas. That pic showed up in Pro Cycling magazine.

Fight or Flight?

I am emotionally drained at this point. Dad has had 2 TIA strokes in the last 10 days and is currently in the hospital. And in addition last week mom discovered a tumor in her neck that has doubled in size already. She needs surgery and soon.

This has all been a part of my "recovery" week and it has made things super tough in every way. My mind is constantly going all night long:

Do I fly home to see my parents? Do I stay here in UT? Will it help to go WA? Will it help ME to go there? Can I accomplish what I need to over the phone? What about training? What about recovery? What about seeing my husband for the first time in 2 weeks before leaving him again? Can I train in WA effectively? Does it matter? Should I forgot all this that I have worked for all season and just go home? What about my home? Get on a plane again to accomplish what? Will dad make it? Will mom be OK? Do they need my help physically? How about emotionally? I am happy with my last conversation with my dad? Will that sit well with me the rest of my life? Is he ok not seeing me? Does he wonder where I am? Would it make him stronger to see me? Will it make me stronger to see him? Does mom need support with her own doctor appts? Would I be a complete wreck if I went home? What about moms surgery? Does she need help with dad? Can mom ask the proper questions about dad? Can mom ask the proper questions about her own ailments? Can mom handle all this? ...... Can I handle all this?

I am a basket case as you can see. I feel like I have been beat down, chewed up and spit out. I am trying to make it through this tough time but its so difficult. It is tough to get on the bike and beat the living hell out of yourself when life is doing it for you already on a daily basis.

I have been down this road before with dad and mom. And oddly enough it was over the Portland USGPCX weekend last year too. Dad had a stroke then that put him in the hospital the morning of my race. But somehow I pulled it together and had my best race of the cross season that day. So I have done it before but can I do it again?

All these questions and things going on just make me want to throw in the towel. To lay down, curl up and forget it all. I have had enough challenging circumstances this year with all my broken body parts and I will tell you what, that is emotionally draining to go through that. It is a fight every day that you are broken and trying to make a comeback and its soooo tiring. I did that twice this year successfully but I am not sure I am up for another fight, as this is clearly going to be to get through it.

Life is anything but normal for me right now yet again.

After much ado and turmoil I have come to the conclusion that it is not like me to run from problems or things. It is more like me to take those problems and things and use them as fuel. Running is not how I got to where I am, nor will it be a good way to get where I want to be in the future. It is not a good lesson to myself to run. It would be like a DNF to just lay down, give up and give in. And I can't have any DNF's that are in my own control. Yes it would be the easy way out to hang the bike up for a few weeks right now but I can't, I won't.

I am going to fight. I am going to fight for my dads sake, my mom sake, and for my sake. Mom and dad have been fighting for years whether it was in their business, building their home and now with their health. I know where I get my fight from and there is no reason to run right now.

I need to finish out my season as strong as possible and just go for it! The US National Championships are next weekend in Kansas and I want redemption dang it!!!! I have been chomping at the bit to get my redemption ever since the moment that I flatted on the last lap in 6th place! I just need to remember that feeling after the race and use it for the fuel that I need desperately right now!

KS here I come!

Hey, those are my initials.....and no I am not talking to myself although my state of mind is clearly on the edge for sure. : )

Wind - Dee

We enjoyed an incredible sunset last night in Heber.

And we are continuing to have some sweet training weather...although I think that may be changing. At the beginning of my ride things were looking a bit like this:

And by the end of my ride things were looking more like this:

The wind was out of control today as I was dodging flying twigs and massive amounts of leaves whirling around in the middle of the street. I was like vertigo sometimes with the leaves in the air swirling around and I had to remind myself to keep going straight. But the crazy thing was that it was still like 52 or something. Wow. December?

Oh and I wore that stupid jacket that sounds like a freakin helicopter when the wind hits it. What was I thinking!? I was consistently freaking the horses out every time I road by them today. That is how loud that jacket is. Ridiculous. I am going to lose my hearing if I keep wearing that thing!

Stick a Fork in Me

I am done. Wow. Can you say beyond tired and fried right now? Thank the good lord that this is a recovery week because I need it more than ever. Seems like the only things I have been doing are sleeping and riding.....that is if you can call what I am doing riding. It is more like pushing the pedals barely enough to get around the Heber Valley every day. It is pathetic!

What is more pathetic is the lack of snow and the lack of snow that is to come according to the weather people. Now....mind you...I don't mind this in the bike sense of the things but in the "I would like my husband and all my friends to have a job" sense of things this is not so good right now.

I know it will get here in time and in the meantime we are enjoying some luxury unheard of 45-50 degree temps here at the end of the November.

To give you a sense of what the sich-ee-ation looks like, this is a picture with the ski mountains in the distance. And just to really confuse you, that is only a white cloud on top of the mountain, not snow.


There is touch of snow on the left but normally THE BASE of those mountains look like this after a good year:


I know it will get here and at least Deer Valley is able to blow snow in order to open next Saturday, December 6th.

In the meantime, here is to some nice "warm" weather riding!!