A different path

The week following the Test of Endurance 100k race, July 8th to be exact, I fell and hurt my knee. It was not a spectacular fall, nor was I doing anything dangerous or traveling at high speed.  Nope, I was climbing a steep pitch on my mtb bike at roughly 2 mph.  What happened next was a clumsy, slow motion chain of events where I landed on my back with my feet up the hill and my bike still clipped to my left foot.  Yes, there was a pop, a warm sensation and the glaring internal alarm inside of me that said "sh--, this is bad". 

Many days full of pain, worry and appointments with specialists later, it was determined that I had sprained my MCL, the medial cruicial ligament on my left knee. This was about the best scenario I could ask for really.  Surgery was not recommended, and both my ACL and Meniscus seemed to be in tact and strong.  Really, I lucked out.  I was given 6 months to full recovery with Physical Therapy and rest.

I was forced to slow it down, and I stopped running all together.  While I stopped mountain biking,  I continued to commute by bike at slow speeds. I noticed that movement to my knee actually helped loosed things up.   Swimming felt great, and so I used this opportunity to work on my swim, the weak link in my triathlon.

 My friend Blair Bronson, a fantastic swimmer and coach worked with me 2x/week for 2 months and literally broke down my swim to the bare bones.  While my progress was at first so slow, I questioned whether it was even possible, and a few times left the pool in tears.  Blair stuck with me, and encouraged me to stick with it too.  I do not think I got my heart rate up in that pool for at least 4 weeks.  Each day was full of slow and focused drills of 25 meters that taxed my body and my mind.  I was rewiring my muscle memory, and teaching my body to swim differently.
One day, it clicked, and I can say that I now am swimming stronger, faster and with much less energy. 



Trevor always takes great race photos!
 

So racing the High Cascades 100 mile mtn bike race in Bend was out of the question, however Trevor was feeling strong and ready to do his best.  The boys and I volunteered at both the Swampy lakes and Eddison Aid stations.  I enjoyed the experience of this event while getting a much different perspective.  I see now, just how much effort goes into a production like this.  Mike Ripley and his crew at Mudslinger Events truly do an amazing job. 



Trevor was in and out and looking very strong!

Our post for the day.  It was HOT!

This course is difficult, and it was HOT.  80% of the starters finished the grueling 100 mile trek over the best single track in Bend.  I was blown away at the number of riders that dropped out at Eddison, with only 25 miles to go.  We had racers sprawled out under our tents, with bags of ice on their bodies in hopes of cooling  them.  It was an intense scene, and we worked hard to care for those who had dropped, while fueling those who chose to ride on.  The boys had a great time offering cold soda and Endurolytes, and with these offerings made quite a few friends.

Trevor had a great day on the bike.  The heat did not effect him the way we saw it wrecking with other people.  He fueled with Hammer Nutrition Fizz, for most of the day believes that the extra electrolytes helped him.  This guy also works outside, slinging rocks and pavers for a living.  I say he did a little bit of heat training leading up to this race!  He finished in 9hrs 24 minutes,  nearly 15 minutes fastersmoking fast and feeling good.



Alleck kept the Nutella and Peanut Butter Sandwiches stocked

 

We splurged by staying at the Mt. Bachelor Village Resort for the rest of the weekend, where we lounged at the pool and indulged in long and slow family bike rides.
We ended our weekend with a shuttle ride to Swampy lakes Snow Park by Cog Wild Shuttles, where we rode the 17miles back into Bend.  This is an incredible ride, and perfect for beginner mountain bikers.  Its pretty much all downhill!

The very next weekend, Keller joined a team of juniors in the High Cascades 24hr race staged at Wanoga Snow Park.  Trevor came back to report that this event, again put on by Mudslinger events, is one of the best he has been to.  Trevor, still recovering from the week before, was there as support for Keller.  Keller rode 43 miles in 24hrs and had a blast!  He is proud to say that his fastest lap occurred at the wee hours of the morning when it was freezing cold. 

We spent the rest of the summer camping and riding, riding and camping.  We invested in a really nice bike for Alleck, and immediately could see that we all would benefit.  The fun factor instantly went up, as Alleck now can climb just as fast, if not faster than the rest of us!  And now, with a working front shock, he is much more confident on the descents. 

We rode a lot.  The boys both learned to ride with clipless pedals, and we had a blast. 

Each year, we vacation for a week at Waldo Lake, our most favorite camping and riding destination.  The goal for this year became that we would ride together, the 26 miles around the lake by the end our of weeks stay.  The boys were so motivated and excited, that we met this goal the very first day we were there.  And then proved it the day after with another go around.  Trevor and I were giddy to say the least.  Riding with our kids has become so much fun!

I would say that our summer ended almost perfectly at the Best in the West Triathlon festival in Sweet Home, Oregon.  Keller completed the sprint distance triathlon on Saturday, and was the youngest competitor by far.  Inspired, Alleck convinced Keller to do the Tri-A-Tri short course as a relay with  him on Sunday.  They both had a blast and are already plotting next years attack. 

Keller's race went like this:

Keller back stroked the entire 400 meter swim, as he did not want to put his face in the water.
The buzz in the morning about possible blue green algae got him a bit worried.
He dealt with it though and got it done!

One huckleberry Hammer Gel  down the hatch and ready to ride!

He ran as fast as he could

And he was proud to have completed his first sprint distance Triathlon!



And Alleck's race went like this:

Keller was ready for the swim, and this time he did free-style!

Trevor rode along side while Alleck crushed the bike segment



He almost got this one!

Yep, I'm hard-core and love to race!



Looking at all these photos makes me really excited for next season!  Until then, the Norland's will be cross training at the mountain!  We are praying for snow and hoping to start this next weekend.

 

Test of Endurance 100k

With the High Cascades 100 mile race in Bend just around the corner on July 20th,  it may be wise  to spend some time on the bike. Trevor and I were excited to participate in the Test of Endurance 100k,  a local race put on by Mike Ripley of Mudslinger events.  Since both of us raced pretty hard the week before in the Mt. Hood 6hr race, we thought we would use this race as more of a training ride, to gauge how our bodies handle being on the bike for 62 miles.  And of course, a race on the Mary's Peak trails was pretty hard to turn down!

Keller had been looking forward to this day too.  He was excited to challenge his endurance by completing 25miles of the course, his longest race to date.

The weather was perfect, the trails were fun and the aid stations totally rocked. 

There was no need for me to carry anything other than a water bottle for this 62 mile race.  The aid stations were perfectly set up around the course and they had EVERYTHING I needed.  Hammer Products Rock!!

Both Trevor and I had really good days on the bike, and Keller too. We had hoped to catch Keller on our way to the finish, but there was no way.  He spent 4 hours on his bike and made it back to the finish long before either of us.  Smiles wide, Keller reached 2nd place, another podium finish!

Trevor loved climbing the Northridge Trail up Mary's Peak and was 4th to the top!

The Wildflowers were amazing!  And how cool is it that Oregon Velo takes such amazing photos? 

The best part of the day for all of us was meeting a fellow Japanese competitor named Sho Ming.  Having been in Corvallis all but 3 days, Sho sought out advice from the internet on local outdoor activities to participate in.  He settled on the TOE as his weekend adventure, and boy is that how it turned out.

Sho rented a bike from Peak Sports never having mountain biked before, let alone raced.  He rode the 16 plus miles out to the race site with a small water bottle and chocolate, and barely got to registration on time.  Feeling optimistic, Sho registered for the 50 mile race.

Without going into great detail here,

Sho is a happy and adventurous guy, and has inspired us to strive for openness in adventure too.

Sho inspired all who met him and witnessed his perseverance and bravery.  Knowing only basic English, Sho threw himself into an unfamiliar and very challenging situation, in the middle of the forest somewhere in the coast range with a bunch of Americans in which communication was difficult.  It became clear that he was in over his head, but with the help of the amazing race sweep team, he completed 25miles of the course and made it to the finish line in one piece.  This still is an incredible feat.  The Ripley's presented him with a medal for this great effort.

My family had the honor of driving Sho back to his hotel in Corvallis where we learned more of this adventurous and brave life.   We pieced together a lovely conversation and my children were in awe.  In 3 days, Sho had gone fishing, climbed a mountain and entered a mountain bike race.  All following a very long airplane ride from Japan where I would imagine some amount of Jet lag still lingering.

Tired and inspired, we look forward to the next adventure.  Trevor and I will do the HC100 mile in two weeks and Keller is excited to join a junior team for the High Cascades 24hr race the following weekend.  Never having been on a night ride, he is volunteering to do a midnight lap!

Stay tuned!

Keller with his new racing buddy Nathanial Hart.  Together they, along with 3 other juniors will take on the High Cascades 24hr race!

My nine year old loves to race his bike!

Golly.  Its been way too long since I have sat down to write this blog, and I really have missed it.  My head is bursting with memories and stories from the past 4 months, as we have had some really incredible times together while riding  bikes.

Each ride, a lesson is learned, a connection is made and more often than not a plan ensues for when we will be at it again.  My kids are getting hooked!

 Keller's first race in Echo that early day in March, was the spark that lit this burning fire.  He went from riding 5, to 10 to 15 miles, and now is totally self-motivated to embark on a 25mile ride this Saturday, one lap of the Test of Endurance Race in Blodgett.

Here is how that once crazy idea just a few months later, now seems like the natural progression.

The Mudslinger, In Blodgett, Oregon

Was wet and cold. Pure NW spring riding conditions at its finest.  We were bundled, but Keller's gloves (my old, thin riding gloves with holes in the fingers)  did not work to keep his hands warm.  He at one point told me that it was difficult for him to hold onto his bars, and impossible to shift.  As we stopped to exchange with dry ones I had in my pack, Barry Wicks came flying by, offering words of encouragement and reminding Keller that he was almost at the finish.  That interaction fueled Keller to get right back on his bike and not mention the cold hands again.

Keller rode on, dug deep and finished the race in very uncomfortable conditions.  1 hr and 49 minutes.

It was during this ride, that it became clear that he did not need me anymore to accompany him.  I felt confident that the next race, he could ride alone.  He is cautious, strong, smart and motivated.  If anything, my presence was holding him back.

The Cascade Chainbreaker in Bend, Oregon

 

Was HOT!  We are talking, dry dusty and warm, Central Oregon style!  Keller was on his own for this one, and Alleck and I hung out at the finish and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  And waited.  I truly thought that this would be a fairly fast course, and did not even send him out with any food, or gels, although he did have water and heed! 

 

 2 hours and 44 minutes later, he came pedaling through the finish, red faced and wet with sweat. Alleck and I greeted him with high fives and kind words, and Keller took it all in.  In all honesty, I thought he would be angry.  I thought he would hate it, hate me.  Being out in the heat, the dust, the elements for nearly 3 hours with NO food, and alone!  Nope.  The kid loved it.  Although he said to me that he could not call it "fun", he was pleased with himself for doing it.  

 

In discussing his race with us on the ride back home he mentions his highlights:

 

Getting a fist bump from women's leader Evelyn Dong as she passed. (good for you girl!  This made his day!)

Riding with the Mexican man and his young daughter who was behind on a tag-a-long, and who Keller says was barely holding on but having a blast!

Having the other junior riders who finished ahead of him, waiting to greet him at the finished.  I almost cried as I watched one of them pick Keller up and say, "Dude!  You finished!!"   A great group of boys who are excited and encouraging of each other.

 

The Sisters Stampede in Sisters, Oregon

These boys have become fast friends while riding bikes.  Bikes bring people together.

 

Alleck is ready to rock.

The Kid's race was nearly as big
as the main event!

Family photo! 

The Sister's race is one of our favorites.  The course is great, and the venue so much fun.  Posting the largest rider turnout in the series, the weekend has the energy of a big party, and the weather was PERFECT!  We all raced this weekend.  Trevor, Keller and I raced the main event, and Alleck rocked the kids race.  Spirits soared well through the weekend, as we continued to shred the amazing trails in Bend until the very bitter end of the weekend.  We rode for nearly 4 hours Sunday, visiting hot spots like the Whoops trail and The Lair.  We had a BLAST!

 

Alsea Falls Switchback.  Alsea, Oregon

 

Another race in our own backyard!  Again, all three of us were able to ride and enjoy this race, the beautiful scenery, and our many friends who were out there with us.  Alleck and I hung out with friends on the course and cheered loudly every time we passed.  Seeing him along the course is always a feel good, and especially today as this course was tough!

Keller met his goal today!  He reached the podium for a 3rd place finish!  And now, he is really hooked!

Mt. Hood 6hr Race at Ski Bowl, Mt Hood

Trevor and I intended for the High Cascades 100 miler to be our "key" race of the year, which is quickly approaching on the 20th of July.

 

Unfortunately, life is busy, and our training log is pretty low.  This 6 hour race would hopefully help prepare our legs for what lies ahead a mere 3 weeks from now.

 

Keller was invited to do the race as a team with his buddy Colin, so once again, a Norland family affair ensued on the amazingly fast and fun course at Ski Bowl.

 

I was able to see Keller out on the course twice throughout the day, and Trevor was able to ride with him for about a mile where he says the trail was flowing and Keller was riding at a pace that made Trevor super stoked.  He was racing WITH his 9 year old son and apparently going just as fast as he needed to go.  It was a good day!

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any race pics from this event, although I know there must be some out there, because photographers were all over the place.  I was able to grab a couple of photos from someone elses blog ( thank you Beth Ann), and as you can see, it was a beautiful day.

 



 Along with all this racing, we have been riding a ton as a family.  Most recently on a road trip to Coeur D' Alene, Idaho to watch our friend compete in the Ironman.  We rode in 3 states on that 4 day journey and the kids had a blast!

Navigating the bridges on the McKenzie River Trail

Oh the learning curve of riding clip-less

So many cool things to explore on the side of the trail

We volunteered for a kids bike event and  had fun building some skills course obstacles

Oakridge kids mtn bike day.  We enjoyed the shuttle to the top of Alpine, and bombed all the way down.  This group of kids were sick fast!  So much fun!

Its moments like these, while taking in the view that keeps us coming back for more

just one of my favorite sites.  My 3 boys

Alleck is so proud of his clip-less pedals

Keller is a joyful rider.  When most others would quit because of poor conditions, he relishes in them

Just too cute.... I had too!

We spent our 10th anniversary night on a mtn bike ride in the MacDonald forest

The Lair in Bend is just one of our favorite places to ride



The Centennial Trail outside of Spokane is a very kid friendly ride. Unfortunately we had push the envelope and check out some really fun looking trails and ended up on a 25 plus mile ride.  Yes, with a 9 y/o and a 6 y/o.  A note was made:  Stop while it is still fun :)