Beer, Bikes, and Snow

Three years ago I signed up for Granogue as my first CX race - the first one I was racing on a CX bike.  It was the first race of the 2011 season for me.  It was a shock to the system but I loved every minute of it.  Such fond memories of Granogue.  Then the venue disappeared from the CX circuit. I saw that Granogue would happen this year and was excited about racing there.  So much I was the first female to register in my class.  I talked up the venue still knowing that it would be different promoters and the course would not be the same.  The race is held on the DuPont private estate in Wilmington, Delaware.  The tower is an icon. We arrived early as Lance's race was at 11 and we wanted to get in a few laps prior to his race.  The sun was still low and the course was wet with dew, making the off-camber sections challenging.  There were a few climbs, one which was a slick run-up.  The course definitely required some handlin...

CX is here.  The first races of the season are done and in the books.  It's taken me a week to digest what happened at Nittany last weekend. Over the summer I was on the fence about getting my UCI license.  If I wanted to race any of the big races the only option at my level/category was to race UCI.  I reached out to a few people regarding the rules and what I needed to do to get my license.  I also looked for encouragement and guidance from others.  Some told me it was a "right of passage", that I "earned this right" and it will be a "learning process". I had come off a pretty successful mountain bike season and spent August preparing for the upcoming CX season.  I knew Nittany would be here soon and I had to dust the cobwebs off my CX bike and practice all the skills required for CX.  I had the start of the school year to distract me in the upcoming days of Nittany.  The night before our races I got my stuff together and the excitemen...

Last year, racing Nationals was the last thing on my mind.  In fact, racing mountain bikes in general wasn't a priority for me. The last two seasons of mountain bike racing wasn't what I had hoped, so I was putting my energy in to CX. The location of Nationals travels throughout the United States - and next year's Nationals will be in Bend, OR.  While it would be incredible to get out to Bend next year, Lance and I would need to qualify, take off from work, and get on the other side of the country.   Nationals would be at Bear Creek in PA again this year.  So I thought I s hould really try to go for it as I may never have the opportunity to race Nationals again.     I raced Bear Creek in June as part of the MASS series.  The course would be similar if not the same for Nationals.  I had a blast and registered both of us for Nationals as soon as we got home.   Lance and I took a clinic with Harlan Price the weekend before Nationals, whic...

Two years ago I signed up for the MASS Summer Sizzler even though I told myself I wouldn't race once camp started.  The name of the race ended up being appropriate for the day.  It was an incredibly hot day - so hot that the promoter shortened the course that followed my race. It was an awful race for me.  A fast course that required constant pedaling and little recovery.  I remember looking at my HR in the first lap and knew I wouldn't finish if I continued at that pace.  And I didn't.  On the 2nd lap, I started to feel nauseous and had chills.  I remember the men catching me on my 2nd lap - and Lance coming behind me.  He asked how I was, I replied "I don't feel good" and coasted through the remainder of the lap.  I never went out for my 3rd lap.  While it was the best thing to do, I was disappointed that I quit. I wasn't going to let that happen this year.  I had a goal of not blowing myself up and finishing. It was lonely ...

I've raced the Bulldog Rump twice.  And I only finished once.  The last time I raced there was in 2011, and I crashed in the first lap and DNF'd.  Usually the race is later in July, and for the past two years I've passed on racing as I'm in the middle of mountain bike camp .  This year they moved the date a bit earlier - so I said "why not". We ride KVSP weekly during camp.  I know the park quite well, so when I saw the course map posted, I had a pretty good idea what trails would be included.  I didn't sweat it.  I was able to get to the park the day before for a Cognition skills clinic and we rode the course after.  A few additions, including riding in the cedars along the lake. I arrived early Sunday morning and found a lot of familiar faces to chat with.  I geared up and headed over to the Needle side to warm up, clearing my head.  I was late getting to staging - I was in the wrong area and didn't see the access through the field...

"Oh, you're a teacher? Must be nice to have summers off".  Yeah, I hear it all the time.  And yes, while it is nice to have summers off, I choose to work.  Although some might not call it work.  I get paid to ride my bike. Five years ago, I was posting on MTBNJ about riding during the summer and how my schedule was flexible.  I just happened to post in the right place at the right time.  Someone (thanks Steve!) saw my post and knew of an opening at the Morristown Beard Schools Mountain Bike Camp and asked if I would be interested.  I told them I wasn't an expert rider.  But they needed a female who could ride a bike and is good with kids.  I said "sign me up". Our camp runs Monday through Friday, on a week-to-week basis.  It is part of the Mo-Beard Day Camp program, but we are considered a "specialty camp".  I work with another guy, Brad (who is also on MTBNJ), and one or two counselors.  Our camp has run anywhere from fou...

I was first introduced to track racing two years ago.  We heard that there was a world-class velodrome nearby, so Lance and I went to see what it was all about.  It was something completely new and I didn't really know what was going on, other than people were going really fast in circles. Last year we went to a few more races and learned what goes on and what each race is.  I was obsessed with the Madison  and curious as to what it's like to be on a track.  The Valley Preferred Cycling Center offers " Try the Track " clinics three times a year and I signed up for a Try the Track session last May.  It was the only date that did not conflict with other life events. I was so excited to go but Mother Nature had other plans for us that day.  Due to the rain, the event was cancelled after an hour. It was enough time for me to see what it was like to ride a track bike - which is a fixed gear.  No brakes (for safety reasons) and no coasting (when t...