A weekend in Ashland for the Spring Thaw XC

We left Corvallis a bit later than we had intended because the boys did not want to miss any school!  We picked them up, van loaded and hit the road.

With a couple of bathroom stops along the way, we pulled into Ashland about 6pm, just in time to catch registration.  Ashland is a happening place.  Music, art and good food everywhere with plenty of people walking around to enjoy it.

Such a fun play structure.  Emigrant Lake campground.  I worked on my fear of heights!

We arrived at Emigrant Lake Campground at about 7:00, and immediately fixed dinner.  Happy bellies, full of Ravioli with Pesto and Spinach, we sat around camp and enjoyed some good conversation with friends and Team Dirters.

A nest of Woodpeckers in our campsite kept us entertained as we witnessed chick feedings!

6am, and after a fabulous nights sleep, we woke up to eat breakfast.  I was shocked that the kids stayed asleep until the moment we pulled out of the campground.  Thank goodness for this.  Well rested kids make for a happy day!

We arrived at the race site at about 7:30, fed the kids and got dressed.  Trevor got the bikes ready and I filled bottles and flasks with our fuel for the race.  We have this system down and make quite an efficient duo I must say!  The babysitter met us at the van at 8, and whisked the kids away for a morning of fun at the Lithia Park playground. We rode up the road to the race site and were able to get a bit of a warm up in before the riders meeting.  I was excited to see if Fernanda Mejia, the Mexican woman who sprinted me to the finish last year would be there.  Indeed she was, and it was fun to chat with her a bit before the start.  This girl knows these trails and is a sick fast descender.  It was on the final descent into town last year that she caught me and beat me to the line by a wheel.  This year the course would be different though. Instead of 2 smaller laps, it would be one big loop, the original course.

Taylor Bushnell and Ninkasi Spring Reign.  Yum!

They started all the Pro/ Cat 1/ single speed men and women together, so there was quite a crowd at the start line.  I did not see too many women though, so I just positioned myself in the top 1/3 of the men.  It was here that I ran into Taylor Bushnell from team Tensegrity and we were able to laugh and talk a bit about last weekends race at the Chainbreaker.  Taylor and I rode pretty much the whole 2nd lap of the Chainbreaker together and so it was fun to see each other again.

The race began up a semi steep gravel road, and started pretty fast.  I tried to pick my way through the pack to get a good place, but quickly fatigued at traversing back and forth over the thick gravel.  I decided that rather than wasting my energy this way, I should just stay steady and close to the riders in front of me and hope that as they tired they would fall off.  This road felt like it went on forever,  but the course map tells me 7-8 miles and 4000ft of climbing.  As we made the turn onto the single track climb, I knew that I had to keep the riders in front of me close.  My legs were tired today.

The one tip that I got from those that had done this course before was that you want to be with a group heading onto the contour road.  As I turned onto the road, I picked up the pace to try and catch the guys ahead of me.  A rider that I had tried to stick with on the road climb pulled up along side of me.  Surprised to see him there, since I thought he was ahead of me, I quickly encouraged him to work with me to catch that group up ahead.

This guy had great form, and offered me a really good draft.   A compliment or two later got this guy really flying, and before I knew it, we  caught up to the group of 3, who were quick to hop on a wheel.  We all rode in a line for a while until we got organized and put together some resemblance of a peleton. My organization skills worked well here, or one might say manipulation, while I barked orders at the guys to take turns pulling.  When it became obvious that I should pull some of the weight, I sprinted ahead to take my pull.  We picked up one other rider, and now our group was 6.  This was so much fun to be in such a fast moving train passing single riders like they were standing still. I have been that solo person out there,  many times before and have wondered what was going on. I think I just figured it out!  Drafting is amazing!

A big mistake came next though.  As we approached a corner, I saw flagging on the right.  Not knowing the course, I mistakenly thought that this was a course marking alerting us of a turn.  I slowed into the corner and the entire group whizzed by me.  UGH!!!  My legs felt good so I tried to pick it up and catch them.  They disappeared so fast, it was crazy.  Again, the same guy in red, white and yellow comes along side me and I was so happy to see him there. He fell off the back with me and I apologized for my mistake.  He was silent, probably irritated with me for my error but responded by riding fast away from me. " Lets go get them" I said, and made sure to stay right on his wheel.  I was not going anywhere, and this guy was just going to have to deal with me.

We hammered this double track road.  I would love to know how fast we were going because it felt smoking fast.... and so much fun!  Unfortunately, we were unable to reconnect with that group, but I think we gave it a pretty good effort.

We arrived at the four corners and I recognized this as the beginning of the descent into town.  I say to this guy, " This is where the fun begins, have a great time!"  I expect to not see him again until the finish, but was surprised to see him stopped at the aid station half way down the trail.  I encouraged him to come along as I continued on.  I knew that I was in first place, but I had expected Fernanda to be catching up to me on this descent. 

The trail was really dry, and loose with some tight switchbacks.  Unable to pre-ride the course ahead of time, I really felt uneasy and insecure.  A couple guys came upon me really quickly and without warning tried to pass me.  I nearly crashed into a tree, but managed to pull out of it.  This rattled me for sure and I told myself to just ride safe and steady.  There were a lot of people on the trail right there cheering me on as I felt myself just crawling down.  Ashland is a hot spot for downhill biking, so there were lots of jumps and rocks to navigate.  I absolutely loved my bike for the climb and the contour road, but now I was dreaming of full suspension.  My fanny took some big hits as I rolled down the rock garden, and over the rutted out parts of the trail, however this section was short and before I knew it  was upon the finish line.  Honestly, I was shocked to be finished so soon and even questioned the marshals if this was truly the finish.  It seemed like the trails had just begun and I wanted more!  I quickly got over it though, and rode down to the park to relieve the babysitter. 

Corvallis Girls!  Vonda Dirkson, Molly McGraw and Lizzy Gruber

We all headed back up the road to the finish area where they would have the kids race.  They changed the venue this year which was kind of a bummer.  The kids race was cut short and the awards were on the dusty ground instead of the lush green grass of the amphitheatre.  Nothing comes in between the fun of a great group of mountain bikers and an incredible race promoter.  We all hung around, chatted in the sun and filled our bellies with food.  A highlight of my day happened here when Jonathan Pierce from Team Sappo Hill approached me and asked if I was the one who writes the TriFitFamily blog!  Blown away, that someone other than my family and friends are reading my blog, and he says that he really enjoys it!  I just checked out his blog and it is pretty darn cool too.  Very similar in the sense that our lives are sweetened by the joy of family, friends and BIKES!!!  Check out his blog@ www. residualsugar.blogspot.com

The day ended so well.  Trevor placed 1st in his Cat 1 45+, and I managed to come in 1st overall woman!  Pretty exciting, although there were only 6 Cat 1 women that showed up for this race. 
Even more exciting than coming in first was the fact that I was only 8 minutes behind Trevor!  He was the first to point this out, and gave me big props. I must be getting faster if I am only 8 minutes behind my stud of a husband!

Really though, I owe this win to that guy in red, white and yellow who allowed me to force myself upon him and not let go.  Seriously, thank you.

We went back to Emigrant lake and enjoyed an amazing sunset upon our hilltop campsite.  We ate a yummy beef taco dinner, then strolled down to the lake.  The boys enjoyed flying their foam model airplanes for what seemed like hours.  Other than Lego's, these simple model airplanes have been the best toys for my boys.  Hours and hours of entertainment.  When mom and dad need a break from kicking the soccer ball, throwing the football or running around playing chase, the airplane steps in and we get to SIT!

Sunday, Trevor met up with some friends to ride the trails near Talent and the boys and I spent the day on the trails watching the downhill race.  I cringed as we witnessed riders flinging themselves off of jumps, and into trees.  Keller on the other hand, is totally inspired and is now wanting to be a downhill racer.  Yikes!

We met Trevor back in town in the afternoon and had lunch by the river in Lithia Park.  Homemade Sushi and hummus with fruit, and we were set to make the drive back to the Valley.

We can justify eating out once a week, and usually treat ourselves at the end of our weekend.  We stopped in Eugene at our favorite Thai restaurant The Ring of Fire and had an amazing meal.  We all had fun sharing stories from our weekend, and talked about the many fun adventures that still await us this summer.  My belly was full, and the food tasted amazing, but as I looked around at my dirty sun kissed family, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and contentment. 

Better than an after dinner candy was the toothpick!

We are so fortunate to have found this love of riding our bikes, of travel and of adventure and we all  enjoy doing these things together.  This coming week will be 5 weekends in a row of travel, and I don't think any of us are tired of it yet.  Rather than being an energy drain, this is actually filling us up.  I look at my two sons and at my husband and I can see on their faces that they feel exactly the way I do.  This is our connection.

Keller intently listens to the end of The Wizard of Oz

This weekend we head to Sisters, Oregon for the Sister's Stampede XC.


residual sugar

Mother's Day and the Cascade Chainbreaker

Our packing is becoming more efficient each week.  I actually had the boys and my own clothes packed by Wednesday as I washed the ones from last weekend and then just re-packed them into our duffel's.   Having the clothing and bedding taken care of, I had more time to prepare our food for the weekend.

 I marinated and cooked chicken drumsticks the day before so we could stop half-way to Bend and picnic on cold teriyaki chicken and homemade potato salad.  I washed and chopped veggies for Saturdays breakfast scramble, and made a large spelt-berry salad for lunch.  We eat good.  And I don't think I forgot anything this time!!!  We even had maple syrup and fresh strawberries for our Sunday oatmeal breakfast!

Our pit stop.  Picnic dinner in the snow park.

Two boys and a balloon.  What more do you need?

We arrived at Tumalo State Park at about 8pm on Friday night and were surprised at how full the campground was already.  We found a great site with plenty of large boulders for the kids to play hide-and seek, but boy was it dusty.  Alleck had fun playing Star Wars in the boulders and Keller kept himself busy chopping firewood.

Our campsite at Tumalo State Park

We woke after a good nights sleep, and enjoyed lounging around the camp.  We walked around the campground and scoped out the "best" sites for when we return later in the summer.

We made our way to the race site at about 1, and I pre-rode the course with a couple guys from Team Dirt while Trevor pre-rode the kids course with the boys.  My high school friend Shawn Blount and her two girls came to meet us at the course and rode a bit with us too.  Super fun to see the kids excited to get dirty!

Trevor has been dealing with a pinched nerve in his back/ shoulder area and realized in riding with the kids that racing would not be a good idea.  He struggled with  this decision though, as he loves to race his bike and the Chainbreaker course is one of his favorites.  After a restless night of sleep, and with the sharp electric pain running down his arm, he concluded that he should rest on Sunday and enjoy the race as a spectator.  This worked out well for me, because he and the kids were cheering loudly "go mama!!!"  every time I came into the spectator zone and he was even able to take some good photos and video. 

Kisses from the kids before the race.  I love how we are all in Orange and Black!

This race was awesome.  I come away from it with a huge smile on my face and a boost of confidence.  From the start, I felt strong. At the gun, I jumped out of my seat, and once I found the proper gear, I worked to grab the wheel of Meagan Chinburg who was on the wheel of Alice Pennington, who was on the wheel of Beth Ann Orton, who was on the wheel of Sue Butler.  I was in the LEAD train, heading up a gravel road and I was drafting!!!  This is what I have been trying to figure out since my first Cat 1 race two years ago when I was left in the dust as all the fast girls disappeared.  I must admit that this was a VERY exciting place to be and I did my best to hang on.

A few yards from the trail head Alice attacked to get behind Sue heading onto the double track.  As we made the left turn, Meagan looked over her shoulder at me, and pulled off to the side to let me by.  This took me by surprise, as Meagan is pretty damn fast so I was not quite expecting that.  Now the pack was down to four with Sue leading Alice, then Beth Anne, and then Me. Yes I was there!  I think I will forever remember that feeling of utter joy and excitement at being able to ride with and watch Sue Butler and Alice Pennington as we all bombed the first descent of the day.  Two of Oregon's most accomplished mountain bikers that I have until now only seen before and after a race, NEVER during!

 We all came into the spectator zone together following the 3.5 mile start loop and began the section of the course that I think of as a "carnival." Its so fun, with lots of winding up and down and all around and is flagged off with colorful ribbons.  Riders everywhere and spectators too, ringing cowbells and cheering loudly.  I was excited to come into this zone, knowing Trevor and the boys were there waiting for me.  I felt so proud, like a kid really, as I was tempted to yell to Trevor "Look at me honey!  I'm riding with the fast girls!!"  He tells me later that he felt just as excited as I was, to see me ride like that.  That feels good :)

Well, that moment of glory was short lived, but I tell you it still feels good.  I love mountain biking and triathlon for this.  There are SO MANY things to work on all the time.  So many areas to improve upon.  For me, the confident "endurance" athlete, speed and sprint work has been a new venture.  My body is very comfortable finding a pace and sticking with it for a very long time, never reaching the lactic state.  XC mountain bike racing is about being able to stay lactic for a while, then recover a bit, get lactic again, recover a bit..... and on and on.  When I first began racing this was completely untouched territory for me, and quite honestly pretty scary.    Thanks to Karen DeWolfe and the HOTV runners track workouts, I am now learning how to feel the pain!  Interval and speed workouts have really helped me to get comfortable with pain.  Sometimes pain= pleasure and in this sense I would have to agree. 

As I fell off the back of that lead group, I just settled into my own pace.  I spent the bulk of the race just trying to maintain my place, knowing there were plenty of fast girls out there trying to chase me down.

I came across the finish line, and was so happy.  I was the 4th overall woman, and 1st Cat 1.  I was quick to share the excitement with Alice and Beth Ann at the finish and had Trevor snap a photo.  I love the XC race scene.  We are all, of course laying it all down out there on the course, but as soon as we cross that line, its all about laughter and conversation.  I love sharing these race experiences with my teammates and fellow competitors.  Its such a great community.

Three KONA girls.  Alice Pennington, Me and Beth Ann Orton

Alleck and Keller on the start line

The best way to spend Mother's Day was watching my boys navigate the "carnival" during their race.  This is really the only kids race of the series that actually takes place on the adult course.  My kids have been looking forward to this all year!  It is a joyful time, watching these kids with huge smiles on their faces challenging themselves by riding up hills and down rocks and over logs.  What a treat!  Again, the boys were beaming, and Alleck just could not stop recounting his race experience to anyone who would listen.  It felt so good to see so many of our teammates out there offering cheers and words of encouragement to my kids.  Really, I had tears in my eyes from the beginning.  Just incredibly happy.

So that about sums it up.  Another fabulous weekend full of fun, family and friends.

We head out Friday for the Spring Thaw race in Ashland!

Coast Hills Classic XC Race

We arrived Newport on Saturday afternoon in time to get a look at the course and to spend some time on the beach.  The weather was perfect with clear and calm skies.  We set up our camp at South beach Campground and I pre-rode the course with Mike Ripley.  With tired legs, I rode slowly and enjoyed the views of the Bay and the Ocean and took in the fresh ocean air.

The Coast Hill's classic was revived this weekend after taking a 10 year or so break from the Oregon Mtn Bike series.  Trevor raced this course back in the 90's,  and was excited to see it come back.  He hung on the beach with the boys while I rode the course.  We met back at camp for dinner and a nice game of soccer in the field by our camp.  We ran down to the beach just in time to catch the sunset and enjoyed hanging out watching the rise of the super moon!

We hung out in this very well made bunker and enjoyed the sunset

There is something about the ocean that makes little boys incredibly happy

We welcomed the morning at 7, and packed up and drove to the race site which was only a half mile away. We prepared our breakfast and coffee on the sidewalk alongside other car loads of eager racers.  I love this kind of scene!   The sun was bright, but there was a definite chill in the air.  The energy was awesome, as the Newport locals were so welcoming and excited to host this event.

The race started at 10, which seemed a bit early.  It was a rush to eat breakfast and clean up in time to prepare to race.  Of course, we were late again and probably got maybe a 10 minute warm up, on a full belly.  Not good.

Mat Signoretty lined up in the middle of the pro's who all took note of the new blood in town!
It was fun to have him come all the way down from Samamish, Washington to participate in this race!

The start of the race went up a gravel climb to the first trail, and was very short.  We all knew that we needed to start fast to get a good position on the trail.  I settled in behind Karen and Jill who I know are great technical riders and followed them down the first trail.  I was hurting from the beginning.  My legs were tired and my breathing erratic.  I learned here that I MUST eat at least 3 hours before a race.  I felt my breakfast climb out of my stomach and into my throat, and wanted badly to let go of it.  Not until I began the 2nd lap did I start to feel somewhat normal.  My breakfast seemed to have digested a bit and I no longer had that throw-uppy feeling.  BUT, I was tired.  This course was only 20 miles, so it was fast and there really was not time to relax.  I ran scared the entire time feeling like the other girls were right behind me. 

It was a fast and furious race.  I finished 3rd overall, and could not have been happier to be done.  My legs were toast, but I was happy that I was able to push through.

Such a fancy trophy!

Thanks to some incredible donors, I left with a little bit of money, some new riding glasses and a very cool trophy.

Trevor finished a strong 10th overall, although he is dealing with shoulder pain that gave him grief the whole race.  He's one tough cookie though, slinging rocks all week at work, then still has the energy to ride his bike.

Trevor flashing his toothy grin

The best part of the day of course was the kids race.  Both the boys were all smiles, as they looped around the course to the ring of cowbells and the encouragement of family and friends.

Alleck is on a mission, bearing his race face

Keller was so cute in his Team Dirt kit.  All smiles the whole race.  He's joyful

We left Newport feeling good. We were able to spend time with old friends, made some new ones and acquired quite a bit of swag.  Thanks to the organizers who put on a great event.  We'll be quick to come back next year!

Bellies full of pizza, we soaked in the sun and won some pretty cool raffle prizes!

The end of a very good day!

Next week, we are off to Bend for the Cascade Chainbreaker!

Bear Springs Trap CX mtn bike race

This past weekend the family and I ventured up to Mt. Hood for the 3rd Obra mtn bike series race, The Bear Springs trap.  The kids had been looking forward to this first family camping trip for weeks and were eager to help pack.  We absolutely love our Volkswagon Eurovan for these adventures.  The kids snuggled in to the back with their pile of Garfield books and we were off.

Berry Milkshakes from Dairy Queen was a fun treat!

We arrived just as friends Jesse Coombs and Jeremy Andreson were returning from a pre-ride of the course.  Jesse filled us in on what to expect on race day and the kids worked at collecting kindling for our fire.

Spaghetti Dinner in the Van

We sat by the fire, laughing and telling stories until after 10, then we all turned in.  I slept so well, even though temperatures got down to the low 30's that night.  The van is a BIG step up from our days spent tent camping.  It is so nice to wake up rested after a night of camping.

Of course the morning is filled with all sorts of preparations before the race start. Trevor and I often don't get much of a warm up before races as we are tending to the kids, and making sure they have everything they need while we are gone.  Alleck was so cute, as we walked back from the bathroom he grabbed my hand and said, "I just can't wait to see you race"  " I love watching you race".  That just made me feel so good inside, and I made sure to let him know how much I love having him there with us.

 I was able to ride up the road, and down one section of trail for a total of about a 15 minute warm up tops.  By the time I made it down to the start, the race director was well into his pre-race briefing.  There was a lot of chatter going on, as this event has a long history of not being very well marked.  Last year a group that I was with took a wrong turn and ended up at least 2 miles off course.   We all hoped that this year would be different.

I was so happy to see that so many women showed up for this event.  The start line had quite a nice group of Pro/ Cat 1 women, 19 of us!

The start was fun.  Up a paved road which turned right up the first trail and climb.  This was right where the boys were set up, so I made sure to give them a thumbs up and a loud holler.

I made it up the first climb, mostly because I went to the far right avoiding a pile up along the main line. I was happy to keep my momentum and let my big wheels do their job.

I was quickly reminded of how technical this course was.  Lots of roots and rocks and a fair amount of climbing.  I was so happy that I was racing with the Shower's Pass Veleau system, as this made fueling so much easier.  I was able to get down 42ounces of Hammer Heed and an entire flask of Hammer Gel. 

I found myself riding stuff that I remember only a year ago that I would not have.  I think this is due to the 29 inch wheels, but also I am becoming a better bike handler!  It feels so good to be confident while riding a trail like this.  My ease and comfort allowed me the opportunity to really take in my surroundings.  This place is beautiful, and the smells were amazing. I just love being in the forest!

Happy to finish!  Keller plays photographer

I made sure to keep my wits about me in case I got off course.  This did happen 3 times, but luckily I was pretty quick to realize my mistake and get back on track.  Although I did not lose my place, I'm sure I lost a few minutes with these little detours.  Each time I got off course, it was a bit harder to get back into a rhythm.  Its a bit frustrating to be riding so well, and then get confused about where to go.  I enjoyed the company I picked up along the way though, and ended up riding the last 10 miles or so with Jim Thorton, the guy responsible for these amazing trails. It was fun to hear the history of the trails in that area, and to have Jim to navigate us back to the finish line. At the last aid station, he made sure I was aware that we had a bit of a climb to get back to the finish, so to grab some water if I needed.  I had already drained my Veleau, so I stopped and downed 2 cups of whatever they had available. 

I was welcomed to the finish line by my family and with Trevor congratulating me on my 3rd place finish.  I think he is always so happy to see me cross that finish line in one piece.  This course was so technical, that its hard not to worry a little bit about each other.  But we both made it with huge smiles on our faces.  Trevor had a great race. Not exactly the nice and relaxing last 10 miles that I had.  He ended his race with a full on sprint with two other guys in his category to end up 5th.

Keller, likes to play team manager and prepared a recovery water bottle for both Trevor and I to drink as we crossed the line.  Our favorite concoction of 2 scoops of Hammer Recoverite, Nancy's Yogurt and water.  Yum!

The day was not complete without taking the boys out on the trails.  They had been riding the same trail over and over while we raced and were excited to see what else was out there. By the time we returned from our ride, the camp had cleared and we were the last ones to leave.  Dirty and happy were were off to find some burgers!

I just love my smart phone!  We found the neatest place to stop for burgers.  The Stone Cliff Inn Restaurant and bar.  We enjoyed yummy burgers on the deck overlooking the Clackamas River then explored the climbing park behind the restaurant.  Huge rock faces and boulders that is a hot spot for Portland rock climbers.  This place was so cool!  Oh, and another tidbit.  Apparently the movie Twilight was filmed here!

The Stone Cliff Inn

Walking off our dinner at the bouldering walls

stonecliffinn.com

I got there one step at a time. Xterra West Championship 2012

I was hoping to get a race photo to add to this post, but just found out today that Xterra didn't have a camera crew on hand that day after all.  So, this post comes with quite a few pre-race photos as well as a few after the fact.  I snapped this photo of my sweet tri-kit though, and thanks to Kona, I was racing in style.

Heading into the Xterra West Coast Championship race I had two goals in mind: To swim consistently, without stopping to breaststroke.......and to place in the top 2 of my age group, which would secure a spot at the Xterra World Championship in Maui.

What a pleasure to spend the weekend in the company of such great people. 
I laughed so many tears!

Luckily the patio had room for 5 bikes!

My body felt off on Friday, the day before the race.  My mind was a bit cloudy and my stomach felt nauseous.  It was raining and cold with a water temperature of 57 degrees, and during the pre-swim I actually felt like I wanted to vomit.  I had not ever experienced a "pre-swim" that felt this bad, but really tried to remain calm about what was to come on race day.  Tomorrow is a new day and I am ready for this race.

Remember what I said when I left?  I left my fenders and rain gear HOME!  I went to Vegas anticipating heat and sunshine.  Oops, mistake #1. 

We woke on race day to light rain and 44 degrees.  I knew the water was cold, but was surprised to hear that it actually dropped a couple of degrees overnight.  Luckily Mat had brought some extra gear with him, so I borrowed a pair of full finger gloves and a wind breaker, both 2 sizes too big.

The cold kept me from warming up too much and actually cut my pre-race preparations quite close as I almost missed body marking.  My body felt good though, and my mind was calm.  I made my way over to the swim just as the Pros were starting.  I had 6 minutes until it would be my turn.  I hopped in the water, careful not to get my head wet yet.  I slowly paddled around, giving my body a chance to acclimate to the temperature.  When the second heat had sent off, I slowly put my face in the water and took some slow strokes.  100% better than yesterday.  I was feeling good, and I knew I had prepared well to make this 1 mile swim.

I turned in time to make eye contact with Karen and exchange a thumbs up.  It was our turn, we were off.  I took probably no more than 15 strokes when my mind started to race and the fear and anxiety took over.  I had swimmers on my feet and at both sides, worry about not going fast enough and fear of being swum over.  Mistake #2:  I allowed my negative thoughts to take over and I spiraled down, and fast.  I was having a hard time putting my face in the water at all, thought I was going to throw up, and seriously contemplated climbing out.  I have no idea how long I remained in this state of panic and doom, but at the time it felt like FOREVER.  I sat there and watched what seemed like the entire amateur field swim away from me, and felt completely helpless.  I COULD NOT DO THIS.  As I looked over at the dock, I watched someone else climb out and call it quits.  I remember thinking to myself that this was just not my day and that there was no way that I could make this swim happen.  If I could not do 15 strokes, how could I possibly swim a mile? Just as soon as that final decision came into my mind, the fighter  inside took over, very gently.

Forget that I blew my goal of swimming the whole time.  I was sitting in the middle of this freezing cold lake not swimming at all!   I gave myself mini challenges.  "OK Mel. Swim for 10 strokes"  Done.  "20 strokes"  Done.  "30"  OK.  "Now to that buoy",  and so on.  I had to let go of the negative thoughts that took over and focus on giving myself manageable steps to work towards.  31minutes 28 seconds later, I reached for the railing.   I came out of the water last in my category but with a huge sigh of relief.

I ran to transition on two numb feet and fumbled while putting on my shoes and helmet.  I decided against wearing the jacket though, not wanting to waste time I did not have.   I was fired up to get on my bike and left transition on a mission.

My legs felt incredibly strong and did exactly what I needed them to despite the numb blocks that now were my feet.  I enjoyed the ease and familiarity on the bike, knowing that now was my time to catch up.  I began counting calves marked with a 35 as I passed, the women in my age group.  I was seeing other racers that I knew and began to feel that maybe I was not as far back as I thought I was.  A few miles into the bike, friend Mike Stepanek came upon me and we ended up riding pretty much the entire rest of the bike leg together.  This was super fun, as we motivated each other to push the pace.  I was able to fuel well, as I raced with my VelEau hydration system.  This allowed me to drink all 42 ounces of Hammer Heed.  I also carried a Hammer Gel flask in my jersey and consumed probably 4 servings.  I was so happy that I decided to race with the VelEau.  The added weight of the system is so worth the ease of fueling. 

The Course was beautiful.  About as anti- Willamette Valley as it gets. 
This is Dan Hugo, photo from the Xterra site

About half way through the bike leg, my quads began to fatigue. Realizing during the pre-ride that my seat was too low, I forgot to make the adjustment before race day.  Mistake #3. I would not let this slow me down but worried that I may be killing my chances of a good run. I needed my quads for the run.  Other than my seat being a bit low, my bike, the Kona King Kahuna performed beautifully and I rode with confidence.

I came into transition feeling good.  I had no idea how many women were in front of me, but I was heading out to find them if they were.  The first few miles of this course are tough, with climbing ranging from gradual, to steep, to really steep.  At about mile 2 a woman in my age category passed me with beautiful form. I'm pretty sure that this was the first time that this has ever happened to me. Right away it was obvious that this woman was going to slay the run. And she did.  I enjoyed watching her stability and comfort as she navigated the climbs in front of me.  By mile 5, she had pulled away and made her way to the finish a minute and a half before me.

Since I have no race pic's of myself,  I thought I would put this one in.  As I was beginning my run, I was able to give a shout out to Leslie Paterson, 2nd place Pro women who was in hot pursuit of Renata Bucher who was in the lead.  The run course was in the shape of a lollipop, so the pros that were finishing crossed paths with those who were just getting started.  I have never before been so close to these lead girls before during the race!

Lesley Paterson chasing down Renata Bucher

I was surprised to find Mat still on the run course, the result of riding 15 miles with a flat tire.  Karen also flatted, but luckily had a few PSI remain allowing her to stay in contention for the podium.  Mistake #4  NONE OF US CARRIED FLAT GEAR. 


 I placed 2nd, thus earning my spot to World's.  Yippee!!! 

35-39 podium

Although this was not the perfect race, I take from it as much joy as I would if it had been.
By overcoming the mini obstacles that pop up throughout each race, that finish line always looks good.  And I say quietly to myself, "You did it".

Friends Taylor Seavey, Mathieu Signoretty, Rachel Beckman and Karen DeWolfe

Big Thank you to Topricin for Sponsoring me in the West Championship race.

John Klish and his girlfriend Sarah (whom I LOVE!!),
and Hannah Rae Finchamp, who will surely be at the top some day.

So much fun getting to know Icebreaker rep, Mike Stepanek and his family.
Xterra after party

Vegas Baby!!

The Corvallis girls are off to Las Vegas this morning to compete in the West Coast Championship Xterra race in Henderson. 

I have Karen DeWolfe to thank for introducing me to Xterra. After many miles on the trails and laps in the pool, we will venture off together for a race we dreamed of doing together 3 years ago.  Also joining us will be friend and Team Dirt teammate Rachel Beckman who is always up for adventure.

We leave the family, the mud and the cold behind and look forward to bringing some sunshine and dust back with us.

Details to come...............

Here we go!

The Beaver Freezer 2012

PMS induced insomnia two days leading up to the race.  I know this state oh to well.  My body is overcome by a rush of hormones that forces my mind to obsess on the otherwise smallest of worries.  I was experiencing some tightness in my right upper calf, and was "convinced", that it may be a ___. I won't even mention what I thought was possible because its just that ridiculous.

All day Friday I obsessed.  I regularly applied my favorite injury cream Topricin, self-massage and on and off icings throughout the day.  I also wore compression socks all day.  Still, the nagging sensation and the ball of tense muscle I felt on my calf was not anything I have ever felt before.  Worry set in, as I feared that I'd do more harm then good if I went ahead and participated in the Beaver Freezer.  This sprint triathlon was supposed to be a fun race simulation/ practice for my Xterra triathlon in Vegas the following week.  This is NOT supposed to be reason for me to be anxious and stressed.  UGH!!!  I WAS!!

SO, I wake up at 6am Saturday morning after a sleepless night and my calf feels great.  I apply the Topricin and feel the muscle as soft and pliable.  No golf ball sized knot that I felt the day before.  Phew. 

Trevor left at 6:45 to volunteer at the transition zone. ( what a guy, eh?)  The kids were quietly reading in their beds, and I finally drug them out at about 7:15.  Luckily for me, my start time was not until 9:30, and the race begins about a mile from my house! If I was there by 8:30, I should be fine.


It was fun knowing so many of the volunteers.  I joined the OSU triathlon club this past summer and regularly swim with the team.  One of my swimming pals marked my arms and legs and wished me well.  I went to my spot in transition and quickly arranged my things.  It was cold, and I was really chilled.  As I shivered, my hands didn't work as quickly as I would have liked them to.  I hung my wind jacket on the bar and set my gloves on top of my helmet just in case I needed them for the run.  I had planned to have a Hammer gel on the bike but could not find it.  Oh well, I was cold and wanted to get inside.  I overheard someone say that it was 9:00.  Time to head to the pool.

I made my way to Langton Hall where the women would be swimming.  The energy was high in the locker room and I had fun seeing some friends who would be swimming at the same time. I was still chilled, and found  it difficult to warm up.  I jumped into the warm up pool along with the 20 other women that were starting at 9:30 and swam a few laps.  It probably was only about 10 meters across, with swimmers everywhere, but as I dodged,  I was able to get a few strokes in. It felt good.  My body felt long and at ease in the water.  I was excited!

I made my way to lane 4 and assumed my 3rd position.  My teeth were chattering as it was really chilly.  I focused on my breath, and tried to calm.  It was my turn to go.  I pushed off and felt pretty good until I flipped at the wall and missed.  I missed the second flip and shit, I was out of breath.  A bit freaked out, my rhythm fell apart for the next 50 meters or so and then I feel the tap on my foot.  The women behind me needed to pass.  A bit deflated, I stopped at the next wall and let her pass.  I should have jumped on her draft, but I stalled for a moment to regain my composure. A deep breath, head down and I self-talked my way until the end.  I tried to find a rhythm, focus on high elbows and a long reach.

 After missing the first two flips, I decided not to try any more since it really taxed my energy.  I also had no idea how many laps I had swum.  All of my mental energy was going to staying calm and thinking about my stroke.  As I came to the wall,  I heard a "last lap" called but didn't  know if that was directed at me. It was my understanding that there would be a kick board dropped in the water as a visual.  Believe me, I wanted that to be my last lap!  I came back around and turned again since I still had not seen the kick board.  I notice the women behind me gets out though and no one else is in front of me.  I turn around a few strokes out and the counter says I am done.  A bit frustrated, I pull myself out.  Not the swim I had hoped for, but it was DONE!

It felt good to run barefoot on the cold cement sidewalks back to transition.  I passed quite a few people here and was excited to get on my bike.  As I approached the transition zone I reminded myself to look for the pink bandanna I had tied next to my bike.  I headed in the right direction, then passed it!  I realized I had gone too far pretty quickly and turned around to see my stuff right where I left it.  I was warm now and did not want to mess with a jacket, so I put on my helmet, glasses, shoes and gloves and grabbed my bike.  It was fun having Trevor at the transition zone and he yelled words of encouragement as I left.  The boys were there with him and I gave them a holler and a thumbs up.

I felt good.  This was a course I know well and I was on a sick fast bike. Ok, lets back up a bit and tell you about the bike.

Alleck demonstrates just how light this bike is!

Keller tries to convince me that I should trade my mtn bike in for this one!

 My friend Karl Haunold with Felt Bicycles happened to be in town with the demo fleet and said he had the perfect bike for me to use for the freezer.  The  specs: FETL B-16 Triathlon  women's specific carbon 52 inch.  This is an early generation FELT tri- bike, but it looked as current as I could have imagined.

I had planned to ride my Specialized carbon  Crux cyclocross bike, as I don't own a rode bike or a triathlon bike.  I did the freezer last year on the Crux with a good result and I figured I would just to it again. Riding a tri-specific bike sounded like fun, so I met Karl down at Peak about 5:00 the night before the race. I sat on the bike while he made a few adjustments, and then peddled around a bit to check the fit.  I have only ridden a road bike once, and never a triathlon bike or with aero bars.  As I rode off, I felt as comfortable as I do wearing high heals, which is not at all!  I didn't have a helmet on at the time and was wearing flip-flops.  I was thinking that there was no way in Hell I would ride this bike in the race tomorrow, I felt out of control and quite honestly like it would be dangerous.  The front end felt  twitchy and that tiny little tire staring back at me made me nervous.  I'm used to riding a mountain bike with huge burly tires!!  The shifting at the end of the aero bar was nothing I had ever seen before, let alone used and the brakes were left down on the drops.  It seemed like a lot to manage, but I smiled back at Karl's generosity and brought the bike home.

The boys and I ran through a couple "mock" transitions and I was able to get the feel for the bike.  A few minutes with the shifters and in the areo position and it all felt familiar.  It was a bike, and I know how to ride a bike!  So back to the race I go...........

I felt awesome, and having the sun on my back was incredible.  The road was pretty congested with other racers but I tried to give ample friendly warnings when I was ready to pass.  It felt good to ride at my comfortable pace and continue to catch people.  I came upon Trey Jackson, a friend and Local Team Dirt team-mate.  I passed him, but he stuck with me and we were able to chat a bit.  At the Walnut turn around I reached for my water bottle, fumbled and dropped it.  I don't think I have ever heard the thud of a full water bottle hit the cement before, but that sound stuck with me for a while.  Luckily, Trey dodged my blue bullet and kept with me.  I was thirsty, but told myself that it was a short race and I did not really NEED the drink.  Trey and I rode together until the Oak Creek turn where he was hung up by a car.  I was fortunate not to have any traffic stalls on the bike course. I loved that bike!  I felt so comfortable AND speedy fast!  I kept it in the big ring and stood on the climbs, relaxing into the aero position on the flats.  I felt great and was excited to turn onto campus way, the home stretch!  The energy was good and I loved hearing friends cheering me on.

I hopped off the bike right in front of Trevor and the kids and awkwardly ran to my place in transition.  Running in bike shoes on the pavement while pushing a bike feels pretty strange, and I was thirsty.  I hammered on the bike and was feeling the adrenaline as I changed out of my bike shoes and into my run.  Aha!  The hammer gel that I could not find before the race was now found as I stuffed my left foot into my shoe and felt something odd.  I ripped my shoe off, turned it upside down and there was the gel.  Left shoe back on, then fumbled with the right one.  I was feeling very clumsy and did I mention thirsty?  I failed to have a water bottle in transition, but I took the hammer gel with me on the run.

Lovin the Hammer support!

My legs felt great right away, and I found a good pace.  Spectators were everywhere offering great words of encouragement. I was a bit frantic as I needed a drink and had no idea where the aid station would be. Finally I was told that it was on the other side of the Memorial Union, 1 mile.  I decided I would take half of the Hammer gel before I reached the aid station.  I was happy to see my friend Lizzy, with a wide smile and 2 cups of liquid!  I grabbed one, stopped my run and drank the whole thing.  Ah, this felt better.  Now I was off, feeling strong.  It was then that I realized that my calf felt great!  All that worry for nothing!  3 laps around the MU went pretty quickly, then I turned onto the home stretch.  I made it!

Its always fun to finish an event, and the energy between the volunteers and the fellow competitors is always great.  I indulged in a calf massage by a local chiropractor William O'Donnell with Vertibrata Chiropractic, and relaxed with my family and friends while re-capping the day.

Although I was not happy with my swim, I still managed to improve my 500meter swim time by 7 seconds to post a 8:40.  I posted the fastest  12 mile bike split thanks to Karl and Felt bicycles with a 34:52, one minute 15 seconds faster than last year!  And the 3.1 mile run was 21:18, twelve seconds faster than last year!    I placed 3rd overall with a time of 1:09:18.

What a great day, in the company of good friends and the SUN!!!  Vegas, here I come!!

Battle wounds on both knees from the aero bar ends! A small price to pay for such a fun ride :) They looked way worse than they felt!

It was a mudslinger no doubt!

We woke at 6am,  slipped into our Team Dirt sweatshirts and excitedly gathered around the breakfast table. The boys were thrilled that their 1st kiddy race of the season was finally here! Trevor and I indulged ourselves in their excitement, although the heavy rainfall throughout the night was not exactly the motivation we were looking for.  The night before each of them carefully gathered every item of their race "kit" and placed them in the duffel.  We ate our breakfast as we discussed our days plan of attack. 

Snuggle time with Alleck

Of course, we also had to laugh at the weather, as it had been raining now for about 2 weeks straight with no signs of letting up.  Mike Ripley, the race director had sent out an email to all the participants earlier in the week stating that there was more water on the course this year than ever in the history of the race.  Since this was the 25th year of the race and there are stacks of muddy testimonials to describe its past, it looks like we are in for a Mudslinger to remember.

We worked our volunteer shift at the registration table, and listened to the rain pound the gymnasium roof. I stalled getting changed into my race clothes until the last minute and squeezed in a 7 minute warm up AT THE MOST.  I decided to wear my Icebreaker wool jersey, and my  Showers Pass rain shell over the top to ensure that I stayed warm.  Although I heated up quick on the climbs, I was happy to have the layers for the descents.  What I could have done without though was my lobster claw winter gloves.  Although I enjoyed the toasty hands and fingers, they made my fueling attempts pretty difficult.  I fumbled with my jacket zippers, and even crashed when the outside layer caught on my brake lever as I reached for my water bottle. 

Just getting started.  Mud where?

The race was everything that I expected it to be, with plenty of gravel roads to climb and muddy trails to challenge my stability while descending.  This is where I was so happy with my bike, the Kona King Kahuna.  That bike climbs like a champ and the 29inch wheels add superb traction in the mud.  I really felt solid and in control on most of the trails as long as I kept my momentum up.  It was when I would slow down and hesitate that I felt the most squirrelly.  Collar Bone Alley gave me grief as I have yet to muster the courage to bunny hop the water bars, but Panama Canal was a blast.  As muddy as it was, I was surprised at how fast I was able to go.  I would bet to say that I was one of the loudest riders down that trail as I hooted and hollered with a wide smile and mud in my teeth, TWICE!

Trevor rips down Super Tree

I came across the finish line and went straight to the van, where Trevor was already cleaned up.  The boys were dressed in their race kits and ready to start their race.  I made sure to drink some recoverite immediately, and began to wash away the layers of dirt.  We brought a huge garbage bag for all the muddy clothes.  Smart move Trevor!  We were a mess.  Seriously, we probably took 3 pounds of mud off the course EACH!

Happy to have finished!

Now it was the boys turn. The race was on.  Seriously, this is the best part of the day.  I just love seeing my boys riding their bikes and having a blast doing it.  All of us parents, tired and cold from our day on the course, get a surge of energy as we cheer the kids on and sometimes even run along side.  Keller rides his blissful race with a wide smile, where Alleck is the serious one who huffs and puffs his way through. 

Alleck tries to make his move early!

Keller is all smiles!

It was a good day for us all.  Trevor placed 2nd, I 3rd and the boys both managed to stay upright throughout their race!

A great day spend with our Team Dirt friends :)

I was utterly impressed by the efficiency of our clean-up.  As we arrived home, the rain continued to fall.  The boys jumped in the bath, and Trevor and I began our attack. 4 mud covered bikes and a huge bag of muddy clothes to deal with, and we have our system down.  Not an hour had passed, and we were all snuggled on the couch awaiting the delivery of our pizza dinner.