It's just a day in the life of, a m(*&%#(*% f*&^%@ bike racer

Have you ever watched this video?  It's so funny.  This blog post is just a day in the life of...me.

It's been awhile since we last spoke.  In the past three weeks I have: been in a wedding, cooked an entire Thanksgiving feast, raced my bike, went to a wedding, attempted to race my bike again, worked, drove to Bend, OR and raced some more, then drove back to Bellingham.

My very good friend went and got hitched on Nov. 20th and it was an awesome beautiful wedding and I was so pleased to be a part of the bridal party.  The weekend was quite an extravagent 2 days, for me at least.  On Saturday we had the rehearsal, and then we were treated to a yummy brunch (thanks Beth and Brian).  Later that day the girls went to get their nails done.  I think I have had my nails done...twice in my life, and a pedicure?  One time, and now two.  It was, needless to say, an experience.  The lady had a heck of a time shaving and scrubbing off my calus filled feet.  I even told her she was getting a work out (I don't think she found it as funny as I did).  Instead of me explaining to you my experience with the language barriers how about I let you watch this video and look at the pictures. 

After my feet and hands were rubbed, scrubbed, and painted we had a girls night and watched Bridesmaids.  The next day the real fun "pampering" began.  As you know me...I had to go for a run, so I woke up a little early and went for a nice crisp morning jog before the mayhem began.  Our first trip was to the hair salon to get our hair done.  I searched high and low for a picture of what I wanted for my hair, and found something I wanted.  So when it was my time I told the girl:

1)  I didn't want to look bald with my hair up
2) I wanted something curly

The first thing she did to me was pull my hair directly back and slicked it up with some hair spray, and curls?  What curls?  The end result?  Sarah Palin.  $52 later I looked like Sarah Palin.  I had no time to tell the lady I didn't like my hair, we had to get to the make up place, so I...let it be, I was ready for a day at the office.  Next was my face's turn to be pampered.  I thought the lady would take her time when doing my make up, she didn't.  2 of the bridesmaids had their make up start at least 20 minutes before me, and the girl finished my make up at least 10 minutes before theirs was done.  One look in the mirror, and I looked like a China Doll.  No time to tell her I don't like it. 

So we raced to the venue looking like a Sarah Palin China Doll.  I just told myself, it wasn't my day and who cares what I look like, as long as the Bride was happy and looked beautiful then I don't care about me. 

Isn't she beautiful?!!!!!

AND, I caught the bouqet!

Thanksgiving was fantastic!  I cooked for 20 and had 9 guests.  We had so much left over it was awesome.  Chris and I ate well for quite a few days. 

Sunday Nov. 27th we raced at Monroe for the Seattle Series Finale race.  The weather was....cross weather.  Pouring rain all morning, all day, with big gusts of wind and cold temperatures.  I don't want to bore you with any details of how my awful race went, but it did go something like this...

There was mud, and a lot of it, there was also a lot of moisture, some barriers, a run up, a decent, and some turns.  Oh, and a falling leg warmer.  If you where at the race and you saw my awesome look going on...I wasn't going for a new gansta' trend, my leg warmer wouldn't stop falling off my leg...so I eventually stopped racing, pulled over, and took my mudd covered leg warmer off and handed it over to a spectator...as I did this....3rd place passed me...putting me in, well, 3rd place.  I pouted for awhile and then decided I should try to chase her.  Time ran out and I finished 3rd.  I wasn't too stoked on a 3rd place finish.  That's my worst finish this year, but I was able to hold onto the series...so I WON THE SEATTLE SERIES!  It was my goal going into the season, and to know I achieved my goal makes me feel DAMN good!

This last weekend Chris and I made the annual trip to Bend to race bikes!  Ever since the first year Nationals was at Bend, we have gone every year (third year now).  I have a large crush on Bend and have nothing but good things to say about that city!  This year the USGP was moved from Portland to Bend, it would be my grand finale of my cyclocross season.  There was only one thing missing from the course this year.

MUD!

The course was BONE dry, dusty, gravel, bumpy, FAST.  There was NO slogging around this course this year.  Apparently Bend has been sunny for a long time now, and they have not seen any precipitation recently!  There was a race on Saturday and Sunday and I was racing with the Elite women.  My goal going into the races was to NOT get lapped by the leaders. 

Watch the race day videos on cycling dirt

Saturday I had the best call up a non-ranked rider could get!  Number 25!  I drew a lucky number I guess, so I knew luck had to have been on my side.  I tried to remain as calm as I could at the start of the race and to not worry about anything just race my bike in a smooth fashion.  Before I knew it, I was catching and passing ladies.  On lap 4 I was talking to myself through a corner about being smooth and in control, then the next thing I knew I was on my ass!  I washed out on some gravel I suppose.  I jumped up, laughed it off tried to get back onto my bike, but my break had wedged onto the wheel!  I yanked my brake out of my wheel and finally got it moving again, but I had lost 3 spots. 

By the end of the race I was able to gain back 2 of the 3 spots I lost from the crash and I finished 19th/41 riders.  I was stoked!  That's not too bad for my first big UCI race.  Katerina Nash won the race and was approx 3 minutes and 40 something seconds ahead of me.  She's such a stud!  At the end of the race I felt better once I heard how many women crashed...there where quite a few that went down. 

Sunday was a whole new day!  This time I pulled the LAST number!  So I was the last call up.  Oh well!  Sunday didn't go quite as well as SAturday and I finished 21st, but I still had a great time, loved racing my bike, and I am very proud of my accomplishments!  There is an awesome video someone took of me on my facebook page, but I couldn't figure out how to get it on here, so you if you want to watch it go to my page! 

This year has been such a great year for me, that I can only hope next year goes just as well, or even better!  I am SO motivated to train this next year, train hard on the road so I can become stronger and faster for next cross season!

Sorry for the lack of interesting photos.  I really was trying to find some!

if you want it bad enough, you can get it...part 2

Remember last week how I said if you really want it, you can have it.  It still remains true.  I didn't really know I was going to have a part 2 from last weeks blog post.  Oh well.  As I lined up for the final MFG race in 9th place for the series, it didn't matter how the race went because I had no expectations for the series.  Just another fun cross race.  The series finale took place at Woodland Park in Seattle, close to Greenlake.  This course was my 3rd cross race ever 3 years ago as a Cat 4 AND it was my first cross win ever!  So I kind of have an attatchment to the course. 

Having no expectations for the race I decided I wanted to do as well as I could to win some cash.  So that meant I wanted 1st or 2nd.  I wanted cash, and MFG pays well.  As soon as we started Mel got the hole shot again with Kristy right on her wheel.  To be honest, I don't ever want the hole shot because...who can hold that pace for the rest of the race?  How many times does the hole shot winner actually win?  I sat third wheel behind Kristy through the first few turns of the course and thats when I saw Mel was pulling away from Kristy, I needed to make my move...so I did.  I jumped past Kristy and hopped right onto Mel's wheel and stayed there until we hit the barriers.



I completely hyjaked this photo from Mel's blog.  Her significant other takes fabulous photos.  Here is where I made my move... 

I was able to get through the barries just a tiny bit faster than Mel, hopped on my bike, and then I heard her scream, and apparently from there she had some technical difficulties.  Kristy was hot on my wheel after that and stuck there until the run up when I was able to form a gap.  As I mounted back onto my bike I thought about what I wanted to do, I had a small gap between the group of 3 behind me and I wasn't sure if I wanted to hold back or go hard.  So I thought about it going up the 2 climbs and decided once I went through the start/finish I was going to make my attack.  That's what I did.  I gained a larger gap and kept my eyes on the competition, making sure my gap was getting larger or maintaining with each lap, which it was, AND I didn't have to go full gas like last weekend!  YAY!  I don't like being THAT uncomfortable during a race.  I just thought to myself, once I have a gap all I need to do is go as fast as the competition and they wont catch me!  I wanted that cash and I wanted it bad!  Oh yea the course is an absolute blast as well!!!  One of my favorites. 

I finished with a solid win and felt great at the end of the race.  I had an awesome cheer crew there with my parents and my dads friends out cheering for me, Chris, Katie, and my team!  It was just wonderful. 

My friend Joey, from CX Magazine (or internet famous Joey's Ok), was reporting on the race that day and had a great write up!  Thanks Joey for all the cheering and recording my gap each lap! 

My friend and teammate Aaron informed me that I was ranked #37 in the country for women riders this week.  I didn't know what he was talking about, so I did a little research and discovered this.

Not to bad if I do say so myself.

Watch yo' back....umm...I mean your front side

One of my most favorite things about riding my bike by myself is the alone time.  How it's just me, myself, and I alone with everything that is going on around me.  I don't have to worry about trying to keep up with anyone, or waiting on anyone.  I can just pedal my bike at my speed for how ever long I want.  I can stop to smell the roses, I can stop at a bakery and eat cookies galore.  I can do anything I want when I ride my bike alone.  It gives me a lot of time to think about my life, what I am doing, what can I change, how I can make it better?  I can clear my head of anything that is bothering me, I can push myself to get stronger, faster.  But it also means that if I'm not smart (ie. bringing a tube and pump with me) I could get stranded. 

This week was...weird, to put it bluntly.  I received the phone call on Monday that my job at the hospital is no longer.  Peacehealth decided to close the LifeQuest department and I was officially "layed off" I suppose.  Not too big of a deal for me because it wasn't my main job and I didn't work too many hours.  Just here and there contract type hours.  At the gym I had a lot of clients cancel or reschedule and at my new job, 2 clients where scheduled on Wednesday!  So I was given the afternoon off and decided it was the perfect opportunity to ride my bike in the daylight and not go to cross practice that night. 

Being the lazy person I am, I contemplated bringing a tube and pump with me on my cross ride out the Interurban.  I decided not to, my pockets where full, and there isn't much you can flat on out there.  As I am bombing down the hill into Arroyo park from Old Samish I hit a rock and hear the rock hit the rim of my front wheel and I knew instantly I had a flat.  CRAP!  15 minutes into my ride and I flat.  I did the best thing I could possibly do and turned around to walk home.  How disappointing!  Then I began to realize how long it was going to take for me to walk home, crap this sucks!  What a waste of my day!  30 minutes into my walk home an angel drove past me (think awesome), picked me up and took me home!!  YAY!

The following day I found it pertinent to complete my ride out the interurban (Thursday).  After working in the morning I arrive home, got dressed and hopped back onto my cyclocross bike, this time with a pump and tube!  I was not going to be unprepared.  I made way towards the Interurban and down into Arroyo park and out towards Larabee singing in my head and smiling at the people.  On the way back I see two men off to the side of trail looking helpless staring at their bikes, so I offer my help.  They needed a pump, and I just happen to have one!  To make a brief stop even more brief, I help these two men fix the flat, get the tire on the wheel and pump it up.  I introduce myself, they say thank yous, I say you are welcome, and I hop back onto my bike feeling really good about myself.  I couldn't help but smile thinking about my selfless act for these two men.  I'm heading back towards Arroyo park singing to the tunes in my head, feeling confident in my bike handling skills down the trail, having a grand ole' time thinking "there is a switch back coming up soon, I should be prepared to stop".  Well, I wasn't too prepared to stop, when all of the sudden I pick my head up and I see a flash of color, next thing I know I'm on the ground with my feet above my head.  In my head I was thinking "oh please dear, oh  please let this be someone I know.  OH please, oh dear" and then I heard it "that was your fault!!!!"  and I just busted out laughing.  Thank goodness to the whole entire world I knew who it was.  Yes people, I bull dozed into this innocent guy riding his bike up the trail and it was just my luck that I have met him...twice. 

It was entirely my fault, I sent him off the trail into the abyss, tumbling.  I couldn't stop laughing because I couldn't believe it happened.  I was in total shock and I was absolutely humiliated, probably because I was feeling so confident on the way down...that shows me.  So I learned my lesson..slow down in the park, don't sing songs in your head, and keep your head up when on the trails. 

Just another trail lesson for Courtenay. 

If you want it bad enough, you can get it

I'm sorry, I wish I had pictures to show my defeat...nah I don't really.  I also have a lot to say about this race, so this is quite a length post.  An inside look to my racing mind that never stops.

Cross is my all time favorite discipline of bike racing.  I race road to excel at cross and gain strength, I race mountain to improve my technical skills and  I put it together to race cross.  This season has been an incridble breakthrough CX season for me, I have won not 1 race, but 2 and as of now I am leading the Seattle Cyclocross Series.  But when I finish a race and I am upset and I didn't have as much fun as I would have hoped, I get dissapointed.  I don't want to race at the same venue 2x in one series (okay maybe if it was Enumclaw twice I would), but this venue is BORING.  Where is the technical?  Where is the mud?  Where is the discipline that I fell in love with?  The sunny weather we have been having doesn't help. 

Another weekend of a double header, Saturday was up north in Ferndale for the Cascade Cross Series and what an amazing course.  It was awesome, thank you Ryan and the guys at Traitor Cycles for creating a very memorable cyclocross course I was able to hold off on going all out and took home the W for the USA (Cross Border Clash...bringing the Canadians down to America)!

Sunday was another ball game.  We raced at Steilacoom for the 2nd time this season, and I wasn't feeling it.  When I pre-rode the course I just had this feeling I wasn't going to have fun.  The course (although mostly uphill for the first half) felt fast.  Here we go again another fast painful cross course with no mud and a lot of sunshine.  I wasn't feeling it, and with my track record I was going to get 2nd place (so far this season it has been a 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 1st, and now....***gasp*** 2nd!).  I just had an inkling, I think that's where I went wrong, I didn't visualize myself crossing the finish line first.  Actually, I went wrong in many places throughout the 49  minutes of racing.

It started well, I was third going into the first turn, by the 3rd turn I was 2nd, and by the run up I was first.  Then I realized my bike wasn't functioning well (um what's new?) I couldn't get out of my big chain ring and my bike was making horrible rubbing noises, and my rear shifting, well that never works.  I basically fumbled around with my bike all race long, getting frustrated, trying to shift, just the usual when racing my crappy Felt CX bike.  I even was fumbling on my mounts (which where awesome the weekend before), my head wasn't in the race, it wasn't in the game of holding off second place.  When it came down to passing men, I just didn't have the urge I usually do, I wasn't my normal bossy self yelling "get out of the way" (Okay usually I am a lot nicer than that).  So when I needed to pass the men, I didn't have the motivation to do it and I let myself sit behind them for far too long.  I didn't have the mental capacity to push it when I needed to.  My head wasn't in the right place. 

I was able to hold off 2nd place for most of the race, until the last lap when she caught me and almost pulled away.  Chris was yelling at me to get her and I almost gave him the finger, I was THAT unmotivated.  But I found a little bit of extra drive in my legs and dug in to catch her on the 2nd climb.  On the decent my bike decided it didn't want to cooperate (How the heck do you spell that anyways?) anymore and my chain fell off to the outside of my cranks, I was only pedaling for goodness sakes.  So naturally I shift down to get the chain back on and it pops back onto my small chain ring.  Great now I am in a gear I do not want to be in and I can't get out of it.  After racing all race in my big chain ring I was used to what gear I needed to be in through each turn and now it was going to be a whole new agenda.  2 turns before the barriers I was able to take a better line and accelerate out of the turn faster than the girl who caught me, so I got back into first place, hit the barrier, mounted faster, and it came down to a sprint to the finish.  I put all the gears on in my rear cassette and when it came to shift into my big chain ring..well it wouldn't budge, so I ended up spinning my legs out like a crazy person to the finish line, only to get passed at the line (wait, there was no line so who knows where the finish was). 

Awesome.  She wanted it more than I did, and she deserved it for the work she put in.  I didn't have that internal drive I needed to pull off a win. 

This race really upset me and it reminded me what I like about cyclocross and why I fell in love with the sport.  I fell in love with the sport because it challenged me, not just physically, but mentally.  It challenged me to figure out the best line through tricky turns, to try to catch the person in front of me, I was challenged to learn how to ride through mud and how to dismount my bike quickly and scoop it up before a run up.  I was challenged to escape the person behind me and work on my own to push myself to my capacity, but these courses haven't done that.  Is it the course?  Is it the weather?  Is it a combo?  After Enumclaw I had a sh*t (excuse the language) eating grin on my face for days because I had such a good time, I could have rode that course all day long.  Steilacoom...not so much. 

This weekend is at Woodland Park and is the  MFG series final.  My mom and dad, and my dads friend are coming out to watch so I think I might actually try to perform well for them!  This is one of the best courses we have so I can't wait for the race!

The following weekend is my friend Beth's wedding and I will have to miss Sprinker Park for the 6th SCX race.  This REALLY bums me out because it means a possible loss of the series title.  I really wanted to win the series, but I am setting myself up for a 2nd place finish so I do not get disappointed.  I can only be happy that this season has shown me how strong I can be and how much I can accomplish when I set my mind to it.  I came in wanting to win races, and I have accomplished just that.  It's amazing how when you find something that suits you, how well you can excel at it.  I never thought in another lifetime that I would be where I am with my abilities today, so all I can do is smile because the work I have done has payed off.  And that work has been pleasurable, I enjoy it, and it's my hobby.

....And then it was November....

I haven't been super amazing at keeping up with my blogging this Fall, but I sort of do that on purpose.  In my experience, if you blog too much, no one wants to read your blog.  You must keep your readers on their toes, eager and ready for the next blog post.

And honestly, I don't want to bore you too much with my random mumblings and rants. 

Two weekends ago was my good friend Beth's Bachlorette party, and boy did we have a good time!  We attended a drag show (hillarious btw) and then we went dancing all over Seattle.  We rented a "luxary van" that drove us all over, it was the best thing we could have done!  8 girls dressed to impress piling out of this white 15 passenger van, it was too funny!  Thank you to our driver who took great care of us the entire night, you couldn't have made the night any better.



Bridesmaids!

The following day I went and cheered on my fellow racers at the MFG race at Marymoor.  It was a different view being a spectator that day, but I had a ton of fun. 



Chris running up the stairs at the MFG race at Marymoor

This weekend was a double header.  MFG hosted a race at Magnuson Park in Seattle on Saturday and SCX hosted a race in Enumclaw on Sunday.  So far this season I have finished 1 MFG race so that puts me...in the back of the pack!  Have  I mentioned I am leading the SCX series? 

I was stuck between a rock and a hard place on Saturday, deciding if I wanted to race hard or not.  Do I save it for Sunday or do I go all out.  Which series is more important for me?  What am I focusing on?  What do I want?  Crap!  One of the riders told me "check your ego out the door today" and she was right.  Thank you so much!  That's just what I needed to do.  I worked hard for the first 1.5 laps and then I just didn't know if I should keep that pace up, my rear wheel felt flat and I was honestly stuck on how hard to work, my mind wasn't in the race.  So I basically toodled around in the back, riding in circles. 

Sunday we finally had a REAL cyclocross race!  Rain, mud, a run up, barriers, turns, crowds, and beer gardens!  I had been hearing about this course for 2 weeks and I was SO excited to finally race at the new venue in Enumclaw.  I kept reading about some "grim reaper" run up, we haven't had a run up yet this year, I train for those damn run ups!  So needless to say, I was excited, I can excell at the run up and I know I can put some time into people on them. 

After pre-riding the course I knew I was going to have fun so it didn't matter where I placed because I would have a smile on my face the entire time.  At the start line I wasn't even nervous, I let it all go and couldn't wait to get some mud in my face. 

For the first time ever, I got the hole shot!  Then I was quickly passed by  Kristi and Natasha and I let myself sit third wheel...not blowing it up, and waiting for the run up.  My plan was to try and be the first person to the top of the run up so I wouldn't get stuck behind anyone going into the single track at the top.  My plan worked, and by the top of the run up I had a couple second lead on the next women.  Then the lead got bigger and bigger and bigger with every single lap and I finished 1 minute 15 seconds up from 2nd place.  I was smiling the entire time because I can't remember the last time I had that much fun in a CX race.  The course required a lot of fitness, strength, and skills.  It was such a great combo of everything cross related, AND it was nice to finally have a race that required some technical skills!  Lots of muddy off camber, an awesome muddy decent (no brakes needed), and an awesome leg cramping run up!  I'm still smiling from the weekend. 

After this race I have a pretty good lead in the series, but that doesn't mean things can't change!!!

Jess and I at the finish.  She finished 2nd! 

I finally made a headline in CX Magazine !!!

Thanks to Jess for finding this picture of me.  Also thanks to Ian's dad for capturing that precise moment in time