Beer, Bikes, and Snow

Since I am friends with the guys at Pure Energy, I decided to add Hippo CX to my small list of races for 2018. I signed up to help support the ladies Pro/Cat 1/2 field even though I knew I'd be DFL. I also offered to help with set up and registration. Nothing like a full plate. And everything I've ever done to prep for a race in the past? Didn't happen. After helping set up the course Friday and not getting home until 11:30 only to get up at 5 am Saturday to return for registration...I wasn't in the mood to race (as probably expressed by my Medium face at registration). That morning I said "I'm not racing". As a matter of fact, I gave my pit bike away for the rest of the season. But a friend registered in our race because she said she saw my name. How can you not race? I worked registration until 30 minutes before my race. Quick changed and pinned my number. I rolled up to the start realizing I still had the car keys in my pocket. I rolled up already ...

Hippo CX.  Did ya see the hippo? Or any of Lance's videos?  This one is my favorite because, well, the pig is awesome. Lance and the Pure Energy/Bridge Velo crew put in a ton of work prepping for their first Hippo CX race.  Even I didn't have an inside edge to what the course was going to be like, other than it was on a farm outside of Lambertville. I was trying to get revved up the week leading into Hippo CX but had a lot on my mind that week.  The day before the race I was able to get on the course and give it a go but my mind was elsewhere.  That evening our team received news that we were all dreading. The morning of the race I was unsure if I even wanted to race, with all of the emotions I was struggling to deal with.  I figured I would try to race and if I found I couldn't, I would ride over to the beer tent.  Somehow I was able to race despite my heart not being 100% there. We had a great showing of ladies for the 1/2/3 race, of w...