Back to Training

Now that I am not sick anymore, aside from training, I have been doing fun things like catching up with buddies, spoke at the Park City Rotary Club about cycling, signed my 2010 mtb sponsorship contract (TBA real soon!!!) and even saw the movie Avatar. First movie seen in a theater in a LONG time.



Chris and I are even looking for a new house. We are ready to move and our house will be going on the market this week. We are very excited for the next step in our lives. That said, there has been ALOT of cleaning, packing and preparing going on around this house in order to sell but it is fun to think of what lies ahead.

As for training, I picked a great time to get back into things! It has been so nice around here! Well.....34-41 degrees as a high is nice this time of year because it's just enough to melt the snow off the roads and allow for a ride outside.



On a couple of my longer rides this week I went to the natural hot pots in Midway to warm my feet up.



Just stand on the ground for a bit, take in the views for a few minutes and viola, the heat from the ground warms em' up and off you go to finish your ride all toasty as if you had just walked out of the house. I love this place!!



Did my fair share too of poking around to see what is ridable in the area. And lots is, from snow packed roads and trails to the regular road! Amazing!



Also have taken my fair share of falls on the ice. Fishtailing a ton too when slush finds itself in my way of getting from point A to point B. It becomes a good balance and core workout trying to keep the rubber down.....which I don't always do. Gonna make riding dirt a lot easier when the time comes!

And believe me, falling and fishtailing is nothing when I compare it to what I was going through last year at this exact time (dad into a nursing home and mom getting super sick). It is all perspective and life right now.........is good.

You Can Run But U Can't Hide

Holy heck have I been so so so so so sick. I can't believe it. Never ever have I EVER felt as horrible as I had in the last month. Yes, month. I came down with what just seemed like a head cold 2 days after getting back from Cyclocross Nationals (in December!!!!). I tried to train through it a little and it actually seemed to be getting better by Christmas, 10 days later!!! But that is when my body said "enough already, why don't you seem to take the freakin' hint" and overnight it threw me into a tailspin of hot and cold sweats, a fever of 102 and I was in so much pain that I couldn't even roll over without cringing.

I literally drug myself into the doctor the next morning. It took me an hour to get ready because I would put on my socks and have to take a 15 minute rest, brush my teeth, 15 minute rest, etc. It was awful. I still DO NOT know how I drove myself up to Park City in that kind of pain and misery. It was terrible.

They figure it was strep even though that test came back negative. But I had rec'd both a flu shot and an H1N1 shot months earlier so that was ruled out but still could have been a different strain of the flu of course. Got some antibiotics and off I went to fight it. Thanks heavens I am better now because there were certainly times there that I thought I was never ever going to get rid of it.

And now looking back on it, being sick is likely what got me through my first Christmas without my parents. I was home alone the entire day and I didn't care. I was so sick. Even if I had wanted to cry I don't think I would have let myself because it would have added to my misery!

Being sick did allow me to get my life back in order some. I kind of forgot that I have one to maintain too after dealing with the parents estate and all the rest (which we are still dealing with big time). I did manage to see my moms best friend who could not make her Celebration of Life but was in Utah for Christmas. That was a nice but sad affair. It was hard to not start balling the moment I saw her. That said, I did manage to squeeze in some time with friends here and there for the holidays despite missing a fair share of fun as well.

Being sick this whole time I am pretty sure was my bodies way of politely telling me that I can run but I can't hide from all that I have been through. I think this was more than just being sick since I was able to get through the death of 2 parents, training, racing, and traveling all without getting sick AT ALL. I had been going going going since September physically and emotionally and my body was DONE with a capital D.

It had to happen some time I guess. Prior to my parents deaths I was told that people always have to go through a down period to renew, refresh and regenerate after losing loved ones. And even if they try hard to NOT do that the body always comes back to get you to do it. I wasn't trying to get around it, I was just going going going because those were the plans but my body definitely got the last say in that!!

So I am happy to say that I took my last antibiotic this last weekend after being on them for 3 whole weeks and now I need to get my body back in action. I am sure the rest did me some good as trying to add to my fitness while my body was down like that, was not a good idea anyway.

I am now VERY RESTED in all aspects which I apparently needed and can start adding to that. It is nice to be at it again!

Racing Here I Come!

Today I woke up with more motivation than ever to race and continue racing but have nothing solid worked out as far as teams go for the mtb season. Oh boy. Not good.

I can officially say that I have a renewed sense for who I am as a bike racer and for what I need to be doing with my life (racing bikes!!!). It is what makes me happy and Chris is in full support of me going for it again on the mountain bike circuit next year.

And based on my race in Bend, OR I think I can say that I still have it in me on the national level physically and mentally. And when I saw my lap times for that race too, I became SUPER psyched and motivated for next year!!! My best lap times would have put me duking it out in the Top 10 had I started on the 1st or 2nd row (and not the 6th)!! Hello motivation!!!!

I am excited but will need to start looking for sponsors ASAP since that is a process that should be done and over with by early fall. Yeah, I am a little behind you could say, but what's a girl to do...I had bigger fish to fry at the time.

That said, prior to racing US Cyclocross Nationals, I really didn't know what I wanted to do (quit racing or not). Everything with the parents had put me in a really difficult position mentally and physically. I didn't know who I was, what I was doing or what I was feeling. I was going through the motions of torment and trying to push through the best I could hoping that something inside me would twinkle and give a sign on what direction I should go.

In the meantime I just did what I always do which is train and race.....well.... in between planning funerals and saying good bye to my parents for the last time. Riding, racing and training was what kept me "grounded" even though I was far from it.

I lost my sponsorship right after my parents Celebration of Life with my 2009 mtb team. Was that a sign that it all needs to end and that I need to move on? I have never lost a sponsorship before in my life. What kind of sign was this? What was my mind telling me? What was my body telling me? I honestly didn't know. So I did nothing about it. I didn't make a call, nor did I send out any resumes to find teams. I had no idea what I wanted to do so how could I?!!! I was still anxiously waiting for that sign.

What I did know at the time was that I shouldn't make any rash decisions about leaving the sport that I have loved forever. You are in such a weird emotional state when you have lost not one, but both parents in 8 weeks time. And they had been sick the entire year, which for me was emotionally draining. A drain that I took into every race with me in 2009. Ok, yeah you are supposed to be a professional and suck it up (which I did to race) but my performance suffered. And while going through all of this was NOT the time to make big crazy decisions about your own life. Potentially throwing everything away! Waiting for the dust to settle was truly in my best interest and I knew it but I wished it would have just settled faster!!!!

On one particular day I remember vividly deciding THAT WAS IT and it was over, I wasn't going to race at Nationals in Bend or at anything ever again. I was done and that was ok.

ANNNNND......4 hours later I called my coach back and said it's on like donkey kong, I am going to Florida to train (not just enjoy a vacation) and I am heading to nationals too. I was going to do this thang!

Can you say flip - flop?

Yeah, that is what you call a roller coaster ride and it went on for months like that in my head. I was just waiting for a sign the entire time. You know, that something inside of you that says YES this is the direction you want to go and it is ok if you do?

Well I finally got that!! And at least that part is over now and I know exactly what I want to be doing with my life. I am ready, able, willing and I can't wait!!! I fought all year long and I am not about to give in now!

I was waiting for that light bulb moment and I finally got it in December!!! I will be back next year to race mtb and cyclocross!!!

What a good feeling to know what I want again! Now it is time to find someone that can support that cause..........so late in the game. Ugh.

Heading Home

After going to Trader Joes in Bend (YES!!!) I decided to do the full circle car tour and go on US 26 to Portland this time. What a gorgeous drive!

Everything on the drive at first started out sunny and dry.

But it all changed at about one particular mile marker as you started to ascend into the depths of winter.



It was no different than going the other way other than it was a tad faster.

I passed another resort that my family checked out way back when, called Kah-nee-tah. Good memories there too. And again, I had no idea where it actually was in Oregon, I just knew we went there for a family vacation a few times when I was a kid. It was fun to think about as I drove by the turn off for it.

I also passed the road to Timberline Lodge. That is where my parents spent their honeymoon after getting married in WA. I was tempted to go have a peak at it but I didn't know how good or bad the roads would be going to it so I left that journey for another day.

My uncle actually recounted a funny story to everyone at my mom and dads Memorial Service in November about their honeymoon. Apparently my parents headed off in the car from the church they were married in and my dad forgot his wallet!!! He had left it with my Uncle and had forgotten to retrieve it as planned before leaving on his honeymoon. And back in the 50's there were no credit cards! Knowing that it was imperative my dad got his wallet before heading to Timberline Lodge my Uncle went to great lengths to get the wallet back to him, which he somehow and someway did. A cute little story I thought I would share here, one in which made me smile big upon remembering it as I drove by headed for the airport.

I am glad I went 2 different ways getting to Bend and then leaving Bend - it has served as some WONDERFUL vivid memories of how lucky I was to have my parents as my parents! God bless them both.

US Cyclocross Nationals - Bend, OR

When you expect nothing, sometimes you get SOMETHING. This was a good race for me. I didn't know what to expect, got to the venue, horsed around long enough to not get a full warm up in - nice and then raced my pants off.

What truly was I expecting from today?? I was starting on the 6th row, hadn't raced with any of these women since mountain bike season and here I was having missed about a month of training in the last 3 months and had no idea what my fitness was like or where my head stood against racing with the nations best. I wanted to race and do my best but who was to know how that was really going to turn out!

The course hadn't changed much from the day before except that a lot of the snow and slush had melted leaving some nice tacky track.

We lined up with me feeling so far back from the front row that I felt like a sardine (there were girls lined up behind me believe it or not!). It was great to see everyone again I must say too! I missed everyone this whole season while dealing with my life tragedies. Oh and a big thanks to Darrell Davis who was kind enough to take and carry all my nasty warm up clothes while I raced. Details, details. Ok, they weren't that nasty cuz remember...I kind of botched up my warm up.

So my whole goal today was to just move up in the pack and get as far up there as I could.....if I was fit enough against these girls to do that. So much was running through my head but overall I was pretty calm considering today was a total crap shoot.

The gun went off and I got a mini nap in before our row was ready to hit it hard for 40 minutes. And at that moment I started with a vengeance and let-er-rip!

I felt surprisingly really good out there and was so happy to be working my way through the group of 87 women with each lap. I honestly couldn't believe it. As I passed people it gave me even more fuel to gun it harder. On the stairs I felt like I was gliding up them effortlessly and I was able to ride the "ride up" with more ease than normal.

I had worked my way around about 5 girls during that particular lap and was ready to pass the next one on the ride up and she fell over into me, knocking me down and off my bike! They got a picture of it here. I didn't get all bent out of shape about it as we untangled the bikes. But as the others passed us it was going around in my head that I was going to have to re pass all of them the next lap again. Rats!!!! But that is racing for you.

When the last lap was called as "one to go" I was extremely disappointed because I still had lots of work to do, I was having A BLAST and I was getting places in the pack!! I have never felt like that on the last lap either....usually you are wanting that last lap to come sooner rather than later and not delay it!

I finally crossed the line in 21st. No, not a top 10 but a great way to start and end the season all in one day.

That night it was all about drinking wine and packing up for my flight out of Portland the next day. This cute little deer even stopped by our house to say hi.

Bend, OR

Holy cow it was bit stressful getting to Bend, OR. I flew in Friday night and started driving to the venue at the crack on Saturday in order to pre-ride the course at 12 noon. Race is Sunday.

Luckily I saw that there was weather coming in so I timed it all accordingly getting a super early start. But I missed the memo about the black ice on I-5.

Hmm, why is everyone driving so slow as I wizzed by each car going 70mph. Didn't find out the answer until I went to get onto OR-22 which would take me up and over the mountain pass on into Bend. Yeah - NO BRAKES. I slid and it was scary as I almost hit the cars ahead of me. Awesome......only 10 minutes into my 4 hours journey across the pass to Bend. I'd better take a deep breath now and settle in for quite the drive all by myself!

The first hour was hair raising and it was an exercise of how calm I could keep myself and how I could keep my heart rate from spiking. I seemed to be almost the only toolbag on the road in this inclement weather and the roads were covered with ice. Apparently I should have studied the news a bit more than I did.



And my car even got some freshies at the top of the pass. By then time I hit Sisters, the weather was in a better place and so was I - a lot calmer.

I passed Black Butte Ranch on the way over and it brought nothing back but memories of me and my parents having a family vacation there almost every year when I was a kid. I never really knew where it was in OR until that moment. It was nice to think about all that. I definitely carry my parents very close to me in my heart and I am sure they knew they were being thought of at that very moment. They were so great and wonderful and I really do miss them.

Actually a lot of the drive reminded me of Scotland. It was so lush and wet outside. And you were driving along a road that had water on the right and nothing but a steep mountain on the left. It was beautiful!

So I got to the venue safe and sound with time to spare and jumped right on course. It was fairly warm out at around 30-35 degrees.

There had been a lot of talk about how much snow and ice there was but there wasn't a lot by the time I got there on Saturday. It had melted over that last few days and left some snow packed stuff, some slush and even some dry areas.

The course was great and very mountain bikey. Lots of fun with one pretty good off camber steeper descent with a sharp turn at the bottom. Nice!! There was what was likely going to be a run up if it rained but for now it was a "ride up." A great set of barriers sat right outside the beer tent and a lovely set of stairs made for a good jaunt in the park with your bike on your back. Other than that, you had your standard course....lots of turns, some muddy some dry, some slushy, little steep uphills with quick and fast down hill sections too, etc.

Afterwards I went and picked up my number at registration and was given the number 60. Yep, 60th call up. And what did I do??? I immediately got the to condo I was staying at with my teammates and put it on as #09 (a # that I saw a lot of in 08).

Oops - just wishful thinking I guess and also just a good reminder to myself that I was going to have my work cut out for me tomorrow!

Utah Cyclocross Race #11 - Ogden, UT

I was thinking WAY too much for my own good during this race. You can see it on my face!!


So I go from beautiful Florida to snow in Utah. It was expected but it is always a bit of a shock to the system when you go from 70 to 20 degrees.

Once I got to the race venue today I don't know what bee got in my bonnet or....er...um...helmet.... today, but I was a mental wreck when I saw the snow on the course. I totally freaked out. Seriously, I don't know why I was being so weird about it because it is plain and simple:
there was a race
it was snowing
there was ice on the course and
I had to race it



Pretty simple concept really so why was I FREAKING? Maybe I like my limbs and body very intact. Having an unscathed body is nice. Perhaps that was it.

Racing on ice is a bit unnerving hopefully for anyone so maybe I should give myself some credit here but good lord girl.....GET on your bike, ride it, race it and go home. Again a simple concept that I couldn't quite grasp.

Was it that I was still in the middle of wrapping up a 1000 things from my parents death now that I was back from our trip? Was it that I was inundated with things that aren't a normal part of ones life and I am learning how to cope with that? Was that it? Why was I not mentally ready for this race?!

I still don't know. All I know is that I had to accept the way I was feeling and deal with it the best way a so called pro knows how to.......hmmmm, yeah. I felt like I reverted back to when I first started racing and everything was scary to me because it was all so new. What the??

I wanted to leave. That is how I was feeling. I almost did but every last bit of me fought off that urge. My concern at this point was if I am not mentally in a good spot to be here and racing, then should I be? Am I putting myself even more in harms way by starting a race that I was skeptical of starting? Oh good lord! But if I left, what would that teach me? For me on that day, no good could come from leaving.

What a freaking struggle!! Well, struggle = my life this year so why stop fighting with my life now??? It is December after all which means that I have been dealing with crap happening with my parents for a full year now.

I am staying and I am starting dang it!!!!!!!!!!

I don't run away from things and I am not about to start now!! Plus, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger right?

So I started the race.

I conveniently (NOT!) started on the 2nd or 3rd row back. I think that was my subconscious ringing in on my hesitation of racing on the snowy and icy course.

And once the gun went off, I took forever and a day to get to the front of the group. Again, all hesitation. I was fighting with everything I had mentally (because you can't go that hard on snow and ice) to get to the front. Why was this so difficult I would ask myself. Just trust the bike - trust yourself!

Bam!! I eat crap on a icy corner. Land on my head facing backwards on course as everyone that I had just danced around to pass closes the gap again. I get back up completely fine and continue to daintily jockey my bike around the course, tip toeing through the corners and punching it on the straight aways. I needed to get to the front!!

But some of those straightaways has consequences. You hit the deck and slide and you are sliding off the path and down a ravine in some spots. Yeah, doesn't sound fun to me either but you had to punch it where you could otherwise you never would!

Still thinking far too much here in this pic. Just be, just DO!


I started taking more chances and gained confidence on the snowy course. I start to remind myself that I am not a complete tool and I do know what I am doing (how quickly we forget!).

Then swoosh I go WAY off the course and into the trees. So much for taking THAT chance. Whoops! I was ok, just had to go chase everyone down again.

I finally get to the front where Sara Kaufmann is having the race of her life leading the thing.

What it came down to in the end? Who made the least mistakes. And I guess that was me although I felt like a walking mistake from the moment I got to the venue.

What a weird day mentally. And physically too because you can't actually race at your race pace on this stuff- maybe in certain sections yes, but otherwise you had to be careful!

I am going to try and take away a positive thing from today which was that I did not give into my fear and it worked out.

What did I learn? That I can do it and that pushing through your fears can be a good thing!

And I got in some GREAT practice today too. Having to pass a lot of girls today will definitely be good for next weekend in Bend, OR at cross nationals. There I will start in 60th position (about 6 rows back) out of 90 plus women since I have no points and will need as many mad passing skills as I can get.



I heard it is snowy up there too. Am I scared?

Not now!

Going to Miami

Today was one of those days where we were just hammered. Our plans were to head back to Port St. Lucie today but we just couldn't resist relaxing on the couch and checking out Miracle Mile which we were right on at our friends condo.

So, it ended up being another local touristy day in Miami where we only traveled down the elevator to the Starbucks across the street in the morning and then back down that same elevator for some sushi on the corner that night. Oh, and the only time I get eating alive on this trip by mosquito's???? At the sushi place on the patio in the middle of the city. Weird.

So not a big day but we needed A BREAK. We were whomped from our "vacation".

I thought these Pelicans at the beach were cool. They may have to be my new favorite bird. They are pretty sweet.

And the good ole Seagull.

So we will leave tomorrow for Port St. Lucie, FL pack our stuff up and head to the airport on Tuesday. This was a nice relaxing way to end a much needed trip.

A Real Vacation Day!

Today was awesome. We woke up in the Keys pretty beat down from a great evening with our new Florida buddies... who all rock by the way. Very serious athletes who are serious about having fun. They live and love life. So cool!! Wish they were closer because we'd be hanging with them all the time!

First today it was off to a brunch at this place that looked like a dive but on the inside was awesome. Still not sure how Chris got me to even walk in the place! Our table was over the Atlantic ocean. Unbelievable.

Then it was off to check on the wind of which there was none but Chris still suited up just in case it picked up. I headed off for my training ride in the sunny 75 degree weather and I had to do sprints. 1000M sprints to be exact. And, seriously how to do you gage that?

Weeeeelllllll......believe it or not I found a road that had a bike line which was painted with meter marks!! No stinkin way. How convenient! That made training super nice.

Afterwards Chris and I went to the Marina to chow on some fresh Mahi Mahi for a late lunch and then hit the road to head back to Miami for the night.

That was until we a passed a little sign for a Bird Refuge still on the Keys. I am IN!!! We pulled in and these guys were sitting on the main building which was a house actually.

There were small sidewalks that meandered through dense thicket of trees and there were birds just hanging out. Some were obviously very hurt and they were also VERY used to humans as most of them didn't move an inch.

Check out this free range vulture just hanging out

This bird was as big as my head and just sat there all stoic looking. I was kind of scared he might peck at my head when I walked by but he didn't!

This video was taken while walking through one of the sidewalks checking out all the birds. They had everything at this refuge from owls to pelicans. And being a bit of scardy cat, I swear that these pelicans were going to bite at my little toes sticking out of my flip flops! They have HUGE bills that almost reach the ground as they walk right in front of you.

After all this we started heading back to Miami for the second time and I decided that if I didn't see a stinking alligator while I was in Florida, that was going to be stupid!! So we found one to hold.

Then we decided to finally do an airboat ride. I love being a tour-on!

Our driver was awesome. Here we are doing 360's on the air boat in the Everglades. And, it is kinda loud so watch your volume level.

What a fantastic day!

From Funk to Fun

Today started out super messed up. We got to Miami last night and I woke up exhausted and crying. I didn't want to move or go anywhere. I was tired, beat down and I had enough. But Chris was off to Kiteboard off of Islamarada (one of the Keys) and I either sat in the condo alone for the rest of the day or figure a way out of this mess. So I went with him not wanting to put a wrench in the plans.

Once I dropped him off to catch a boat that would take him off shore to Kiteboard I didn't know what to do or where to go. Plus all I could do was cry and cry! So I stayed in the car for a long time and just cried - probably something I just needed to get out.

That is when I remembered seeing a Starbucks on the first Key so I "bucked up" as my mom used to call it and drove myself there, got on the computer and figured out a plan of attack because what I was doing was dreadful and not fun!

I really had no idea where I was, I needed to train, I was pretty miserable considering I was in the Keys and I was flat out sad and missing my parents. Having one of those days I guess. Oddly enough, I talked to my brother on the opposite side of the country and he was having THE SAME kind of day. Weird....or maybe not so much.

Once I figured out where to park and train and once I finally got on the bike, all was better. The bike always helps!! By then Chris was done Kiteboarding as the wind died and he had met 5 of the people he went Kiteboarding with off the shore of the Keys for drinks.

So I met up with all them and that is when I truly got out of my funk.

We had the best time with these guys and gals - what a great group from FL! We did drinks, went to their house on a canal in the Keys and had fresh lobster they caught that day, then went across the street to a bar/restaurant for dinner.

Yep, I was out of the funk but a bit whooped from an emotional day. Well, at least my head isn't on fire.

But Chris DID almost manage to lose his wedding ring in the ocean (green) while at the bar/restaurant. He took it off to show and the next thing you know you could hear it bouncing from the table to the deck and there were slats in the deck that would have ker-plunked that thing right in the Atlantic.

He lucked out BIG and it landed safely on a wooden slat.

That night we decided to hang it up in the Keys at our new buddies house. It was SO NICE of them too offer that up to us cuz driving back to our place in Miami wasn't a good option.

How your day can turn around if you just give it a whirl (that I almost didn't give).

Turkey Day - Port St. Lucie, FL

This whole week in Florida has been great. It is pretty crazy training too. Kind of like you are in a jungle or something with all the squeaky and squawky birds and whatever else is out there making noise. Quite different than riding through cow pies like in Utah and I like it! Only thing that I don't like is the amount of geckos that I have squashed with my tires so far. Poor little guys.

When not riding I have been hanging out a lot in this area of the house. Every house has a screened in porch like this to keep the mosquito's at bay. When not riding I have been deep in decompression mode, that is for sure. Life has been so crazy for me lately and to just not be dealing with that all right now has been so nice. I think removing myself completely from the situation I had going on at home has been good for me in a lot of ways.

These two HUGE (at least 4' tall Blue Heron) hung out in the yard by our place. Pretty neat.

Also been getting a chance to train right on the ocean. On A1A to be exact. They have a sweet bike lane that just goes and goes and goes endlessly for miles and miles. And yes, you guessed it, it is straight and flat as a pancake. Made for some good but super painful intervals. Painful for 2 reasons: one can go way harder at sea level and the scenery and road is pretty much the same the whole way not giving you much to think about, do or navigate while in the pain cave.

On that note, there were actually these 3 houses to check out as I went by. So colorful and cool! Right on the ocean too, wow.

"Rubbish" hugh? Not everyday you see a sign that has that on it.

Chris has been getting his fair share of kiteboarding in although he has turned into what I call the "windwatcher". All he does is study the wind on the computer and then goes to chase it. But that is what he wants to do so I let him do it but it equals LOTS of driving.

After training in the pain cave then having Thanksgiving dinner with some of Utah's famous GREEN JELLO....

..... it was off to Miami and then the Keys because...yep you guessed it...that is where the wind is supposed to be for the weekend.

Florida Cyclocross - Clermont, FL

We found hills in Florida!! Today's race was completely different than yesterdays because it was all hill. We started were I took this picture and went up to the top towards that tower on the left every lap.

Today the women started on the line again with the Junior Men but this time the Junior boys were after it and gave me a run for my $$. What a blast!

We were going back and forth the entire race with each other. It was perfect training! I won the Womens A but got beaten by one of the juniors. That kid was fast!

Hills and off camber turns!

And, just like yesterday, afterwards, Chris and I headed to Cocoa Beach so he could Kiteboard. We took a wrong turn and then another and kept having to pay tolls just to turn around.

But once at the beach finally I dropped him off up wind and picked him up a few hours later a few miles down the beach.

While waiting for him I started chewing on an apple. At first I was all alone hanging out, then one seagull arrived....

Then another... and another...and soon after that I was surrounded! Did they really want my apple of all things? They can forget about it!

Ok, racing is done so Chris and I can officially start the vacation!

Florida Cyclocross Race - Orlando, FL

Instead of going to bed at 3am like we did last night, we got up not too long after that! The cross race was early and we had to drive a few hours north from the beach to get there and I wanted to get there with plenty of time. We forgot about all the tolls around these parts too. Ugh.

We got to the race with plenty of time and it was great! The Florida Cyclocross Series is still pretty new getting about 100 people total to the races.


That didn't stop them from putting together a great course! Wow it was fun. VERY flat, UCI regulation height barriers, tons of low cut grass, lots of turns, a bit of an mtb section that had singletrack with some drop offs in it, a log to jump over and even a tiny run up. The weather was beaming with sun and the humidity wasn't too bad.



Sign for the pit zone:


They even went as far as putting in a mud section. And how do you get mud in Florida? You break out the hose of course! This guy was in charge of the mud bog.



As I lined up I had no idea what to expect of myself or of anything really. It's been one heck of ride with my life being turned upside down on me and there has been nothing pleasant about it. Training has been a joke, emotions have been on a roller coaster, I just got done burying my parents last weekend, I was extremely tired and here I was ready to race. Why, because I wanted to. But could I handle the stress of racing again? Will my body implode? It could have been good or it could have been bad very easily.

But off the line I jumped right into the lead and never looked back. How in the world did that happen? Cool! I certainly wasn't expecting things to go well, let alone THAT well. Ok, I will take it.

So with that I guess now you can say I am officially on the other side of this hell I have been through. My thoughts during the race were good, I seemed quick, I had the fire again to race and win .....all of which I didn't know was still there. But it is! What a HUGE relief. I am still in there somewhere beneath the layers of loss and pain.

Because the race started so early we got a chance to head to Cocoa Beach afterwards so Chris could Kitesurf. On the way there we went across Cape Canaveral and saw this big ole cruise ship. Not something you see everyday in Utah!

One of the biggest surf shops there is Ron Jons with a Starbucks inside. A Green Tea Latte and a beach is the perfect recovery food and venue - I will take it!

Ron Jons sells it all!

Chris got his wind while I hung on the beach.

Never seen this kind of kite before!

Chris kited until super late and then we had to drive back home about 2 hours. Repeat it all again tomorrow.