Beer, Bikes, and Snow

A dirt crit.  That is how some have described the Fair Hill XC course.  Fast and flowy.  A favorite among a lot of racers,  including myself. I was watching the weather leading up to the race as Fair Hill is a "shine only" event.  When I saw that the weather was going to be great for a race, I registered.  Unlike the H2H series, the MASS series only offers a Pro/Cat 1 or Cat 1 40+ for women.  I had to register in the combined Pro/Cat 1 category. Gulp.  I would be lining up with some of the fastest women in the area, including Vicki Barclay  and Kathleen Harding as well as  some heavy hitters from CX like Arley Kemmerer and Nikki Thiemann .  Yes, this was a big deal for me. My race was the first of the day so I arrived early to get myself situated and warm up.  Unlike last year, I wasn't feeling the pressure I put on myself to be on the podium.   But I was nervous about the length of the race and how fast it woul...

The H2H Series was supposed to kick off the 2015 season on April 19th with the Chain Stretcher at Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill, NY.  However, due to the long winter and thaw conditions, the race was cancelled.   MTBNJ stepped up to the challenge to hold our first H2H race, Mooch Madness at the Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation  (BSA). Photo by Soundz Photo by E. Oishi A lot of planning and work went on behind the scenes.  Fortunately, we have a great relationship with the BSA and Keith Dlugosz (reservation director), which allowed us to make it our best and put together a course that included some of the best of Mooch. MattyBFat - mastermind behind our course Photo by E. Oishi When we first signed on to the series, Norm asked what we as team members wanted to do in preparation for the race and what time we could commit.  Since I have different goals for my racing season, I offered to spend the day working and not race.  But afte...

Singlespeed-a-Palooza (SSaP) hosted by Darkhorse Cycles is one of my favorite races and I look forward to it every year.  This would be my 5th year competing in the race but would be my first year racing in the Women's Open category. It would be my first race of the season after what seemed to be a never-ending winter.  I have a rigid singlespeed (SS) that I normally ride for camp and every once in a while will dust it off for a ride.  Due a busy fall of CX and what seemed to be a never-ending winter, I hadn't touched this since last summer.  I had every intention of riding over my spring break but between the rain and a stomach virus that wiped me out, I got out once.  The wheels turned and things seemed ok for the short ride I did. This year the SSaP course was announced to be 30 or so miles.  Other than a 4-hour endurance race I did a few years ago, this would be the longest I had ever raced.   Up until now, most of my mountain bike races are i...

Last year I heard about  Michaux Mountain Bike School  from a friend who raved about it.  The camp included two days of clinics and riding in Michaux State Forest . I registered back in December and convinced another teammate to sign up. Headed to MTB camp for the weekend! Friday I arrived early and did a fundamentals clinic with Sue Haywood .  I needed brushing up on skills since I really haven't touched my mountain bike since September.  It was a great refresher and reminder of what things I need to work on. The clinic finished as others started arriving for the camp. We did some ice-breaker games, chatted with others, met the other coaches ( Harlan Price ,  Cheryl Sornson ,  Amy Alton , and Jay de Jesus ) and got settled for the night in our "cozy" cabin.  While we did have electricity in our cabin, there was no heat.  And yes, I knew this when I signed up in December.  However, I wasn't expecting winter to last this long. ...

Two weeks ago I had my first follow-up appointment with my sleep doctor.  I needed to bring the SD card that is in my CPAP for my doctor to analyze - and provide the insurance company with data proving I was actually using the machine. The nurse called me in for my usual weight and blood pressure check while the doctor looked over the data.  I wondered if and what he would find. The first month of using the CPAP wasn't exactly what I thought it would be.  I had a cold for the first part, making it difficult to breathe in general.  I needed to get a chin strap to keep my mouth shut and I found the mask to be irritating my nose. There some "meh" nights and some nights I ripped the mask off my face. So what did the doctor say? Well, the machine is doing it's job.  I have no signs of sleep apnea and all of the "mechanical" issues I'm having with my throat and jaw seem to be under control.  And based on my data, I am using the machine enough to get insura...

This year rather than making "resolutions" I promised myself to try new things and work on making a better me.  I've already touched upon getting my sleep apnea under control, which has been the biggest adjustment.   But January was about exploring and trying new things... I've dealt with stomach issues and IBS for a while.  Two years ago I went gluten free and never looked back.  After a few visits with a gastrointestinal doctor and several tests, I was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity.  The doctor told me that I could do an elimination diet if I wanted to see what other things I may be sensitive too.  Last December a friend posted about the Whole 30  and the book " It Starts with Food ".  Brief summary - you eliminate everything but lean meat, vegetables, and fruit for 30 days.  Then reintroduce items back in to see your reaction.  Seemed like a good deal to me.  Well I lasted 14 days.  Not because of a lack of will power ...

Some have asked "how's the CPAP working out??" It's been almost a month .  And, it's been an adjustment to say the least.  When I first got the machine, I was coming down with a cold.  On top of trying to breathe with tubes in my nose, I was congested.  So the first week I barely wore it - I couldn't breathe through my nose and the mask I chose doesn't allow me to breathe through my mouth.  Once I was able to breathe through my nose, I then developed one of those annoying tickle coughs that would wake me up.  Going into the second week with the CPAP, I was ready to give it back to the doctor. new bedroom decor Going into the third week, I was still having issues with my mouth opening during the night (even with a chin strap) and the head gear shifting during the night.  Getting the mask and tubing to fit just right was a challenge.  I would wake up to the sound of air whistling in my nose or my nostrils hurting.  There were a few n...