tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55621142915184336682024-03-13T00:32:22.141-07:00Life as I know itMy life of racing, training, and living in the shadows of the Cascade Mountain RangeCourtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-25489418276003216422013-01-22T22:14:00.002-08:002013-01-22T22:14:36.197-08:00A New Future For Me!Hey everyone!
I'm moving my blog. Currently I am in the process of setting up/designing/figuring out how to work a new blog site. I'm tired of this one and ready to move forth and eventually try to get my own domain name. Lets see how tech savvy I can be.
The new blog website is:
www.courtenaymcfadden.wordpress.com
If I managed to work it correctly, everything from this blogCourtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-54764797054058240722013-01-15T17:17:00.000-08:002013-01-15T17:17:27.171-08:00DesireWell, I can't lie and say I'm not completely satisfied, but I also can't not be satisfied after Nationals (note to reader...this might be stupidly long).
Saturday race in Bend.
I know I never wrote about Bend. Actually I was trying to forget about Bend because I felt SO tired! I didn't have the best races of my life when I was there. Saturday my legs where so freakinCourtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-328425089685745262013-01-08T14:59:00.000-08:002013-01-08T14:59:17.910-08:00All about our NuggetToday is one of those days where I don't think it's going to stop raining (a solid 40 degrees with continuous rain), so why not blog?
Back when Nugget and I first met, she couldn't have been older than 4 weeks here
I realized that as my reader (which I know there has to be at least 2...yep that's you Dad and John) you must get bored reading about my racing. So why not tell you a little Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-57062614900814518452013-01-06T18:53:00.000-08:002013-01-06T18:53:28.818-08:0019733 miles down and only 1629 miles to go
19,733 Miles
Since my first flight to Vegas this season I have traveled 17297 miles by air and 2436 miles by car. I don't even want to count how many miles I have traveled by bike. :-)
As the season wraps up I have so much to be thankful for and so many thoughts running through my head regarding the past 4 months. I never imagined myself to be in the place I am Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-63652863101778087562012-12-14T10:11:00.002-08:002012-12-14T10:11:32.489-08:00Muddy Monroe to Muddy...LA?If you have been keeping up with me on my blog you must know how much I love my local scene. My local team, my local competitors, everything about them I love and miss. I love walking around saying hello to everyone, knowing my competitors and knowing how much love everyone shares for each other, so I had to race the final race of the Seattle Series, as a bonus the weather promised Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-35663574418540528732012-12-08T09:53:00.000-08:002012-12-08T09:53:11.020-08:00My Tour of the Midwest Part 2: Iowa City Jingle Cross RockNo matter what happens between now and 1 year from now, this race will be on my calendar.
It all started Friday morning. I packed up my bags and was picked up in the great big van and we drove to Iowa City where I continued on my Gypsy Rein. I was a little worried about driving for 5 hours in the car before my race, so I made sure to ride around a lot and get a good warm up in (it Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-46610476862652178262012-11-27T16:08:00.001-08:002012-11-27T16:10:28.903-08:00My Tour of the Midwest Part 1: I felt like a train wreckLet me tell you what it feels like to be a train wreck.
It all started in Louisville, KY. I don't know what happened, but somewhere between Seattle and Louisville I lost my confidence. Maybe I should have gone home to pick it up. My time in Louisville was great, I had great company, stayed in this incredible mansion, and ate amazing home cooked food.
Enough of that.
I don't Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-57492452711280626782012-11-12T21:19:00.002-08:002012-11-12T21:19:20.172-08:00CrackedCracked.
That's all I have to say about the USGP in Louisville.
I cracked. Better luck next time.Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-47954648160701723002012-11-11T06:56:00.000-08:002012-11-11T06:56:31.434-08:00Success - Courtenay's Dictionary
Success.
Everyone defines success differently (in terms of racing). Success to one person might be winning a race, achieving a PR, finishing a head of a nemesis, making the podium, or not finishing last. I have reached the point in my racing endeavor that success to me is no longer winning.
Enumclaw. SCX #5.
Dennis Crane Photography
One of my top favorite local Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-59924046267361494802012-10-31T16:27:00.001-07:002012-10-31T16:36:48.498-07:00Can you ride a bike in heels?
Wedding Day
I just had to post this picture to honor my husband. I think this picture says a lot about the two of us. First off, it's been just over 1 month since we tied the knot, that's about 4 weeks (4 weekends too). I have been home for 2 of those weekends. That means, we have hardly seen each other. Look how supportive he is. When I can't pedal the bikeCourtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-21591538391535782772012-10-22T10:02:00.002-07:002012-10-22T10:12:30.934-07:00USGP Ft. CollinsNot a fancy title... I know, but today, I'm not creative. Instead, I'm tired. I had the privilage of waking up at 3am (mountain time, 2am PST) to catch a bus out of Boulder at 3:30am to get to the airport in time for my 6:30am flight back to Seattle. I know 3:30am sounds early, but the next bus was just a smidgen too late for my comfort. Who cares about what bus I took to Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-2764316972414981382012-10-14T21:06:00.000-07:002012-10-14T21:06:05.368-07:00Lets Chase the DreamIt's here...my reality has struck and it's time I admit to myself and everyone else...I guess you could say "I'm chasing the dream" along with 2947305936202 other riders. How I'm supposed to stand out from those riders, I don't know, but I'm sure as hell going to try. Maybe I will just smile a lot and wink at the attractive men (do they exist in the bike world?). Okay, maybe I Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-48495984598466190962012-09-30T21:24:00.000-07:002012-09-30T21:24:18.869-07:00Cyclocross thus farIt's taken me a bit to write this post because I don't quite know how to fit everything I want to say into one blog post. I have a lot to say, a lot to process. Lets put it this way:
3 years ago when I first started racing cross if someone told me I would be where I am right now, I would have dropped my jaw. Let me tell you about my first cross race...ever. It was at Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-52464959505181336972012-09-23T22:33:00.000-07:002012-09-23T22:33:32.385-07:00And they lived happily ever after...Wow, I just had the best week of my life...thus far.
Two Saturday's ago, September 15th, Chris and I shared our vows in front of all of our friends and family (almost 180 people)! The day was such a blur I don't even know if I remember it! It was seriously one of the best days of my life. Yes, timing ran a little...over, with..everything, but I had a ball. I spent some Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-2406920596915174282012-09-12T12:22:00.000-07:002012-09-12T12:22:00.847-07:00What The?Don't worry, I'm still alive.
I know it may seem as if I have passed, but I'm still here running in circles. Let me bring you up to date.
June was crazy busy with a race every weekend. I had fun, rode my bike really hard, lost one of my jobs, and tried to not curse at the weather. The last weekend of June my friend Tina threw me a bridal shower! It included my closest Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-13428559203133529082012-06-14T19:48:00.001-07:002012-06-14T19:49:09.756-07:00Sun, Beer, elevation, and 60 miles of mountain bikingMountain biking update #1: Bavarian Bike and Brews 2012.
One of the 4 stream crossings in the race
This was my 3rd year at the Bavarian Bike and Brews. For some reason I keep going back, even though the course is sorta torture! My first year at this course I raced in the Sport (Cat2) category. I rode for 2 laps and finished with a time of 1 hour and 42 minutes (Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-24196734723799043972012-06-04T09:31:00.002-07:002012-06-04T09:31:26.140-07:00Life in the fast laneHoly smokes, life is going by REALLY fast! Can you believe I only have 100+a handful of days until the wedding! People have asked me if I'm stressed yet, I say no, what is there to be stressed about? I just hope everything falls into place!
Recently things/life/riding/racing have been going pretty well. We had a couple weeks of nothing but sunshine and I was able toCourtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-16244293718262764572012-06-04T09:05:00.001-07:002012-06-04T09:05:36.426-07:0024 hours of mountain biking...oh my!This memorial day weekend I decided to take a break from Ski to Sea and instead drive to the other side of the state (Spokane) and race in the 24 hours around the clock mountain bike race. I was given the opportunity to race with the Cycle-U/PopCap off road team in the mt bike race and decided it was time to change up my life and opt out of Ski to Sea. The team consisted of myself, Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-91036172651153391342012-05-09T13:46:00.000-07:002012-05-09T13:46:14.479-07:00When you have nothing, you have nothing to loseOkay, I had to let this soak in for a few weeks before I felt I could actually post this.
I can now check off the first stage race of the year from my list. I love stages races, I don't know why, because I'm not very good at them, but I love them. I think I love the challenge of racing 2-3 days in a row. I love being pushed to go above and beyond what I believe my body Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-73004581048911818422012-04-29T20:28:00.000-07:002012-04-29T20:28:02.655-07:00Burn Baby Burn!2nd year at the Beezley Burn over in Ephrata, WA. Do you remember last years post? It can be found somewhere in the 2011 archives. Here is all you need to know...I got my @$$ handed to me, and no amount of Hoo Ha Ride Glide was going to help the amount of pain I felt from riding my hardtail. Fast forward to 2012.
I had a pretty good race, although I had a really Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-19447610183801874442012-04-17T22:02:00.000-07:002012-04-17T22:02:43.359-07:00Holy Mother of...I won a RaceYea, you read that right, I won a race and it wasn't in the dirt. First bits first....
How sweet are these?
I had a fantastic weekend. Saturday was Chris's birthday, he's old, and I'm awesome. I bought him these sweet sun glasses by a company named Maui Jim. One of my clients recommended them to me, and let me tell you...I have never spent so much money on a pair Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-48619709525593470542012-04-17T21:02:00.001-07:002012-04-17T21:02:29.584-07:00I've been busy!From here on out I am going to try for a post once a week, whether it's about biking, training, racing, or weddings, we will find out! I'm not sure if it will happen, but we shall see.
I am so behind on my blogging since the last post!!! I have been BUSY with life and playing around on my new Garmin500. I love it. I haven't had a computer on my bike for Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-22391581452690944072012-03-27T19:36:00.000-07:002012-03-28T09:41:46.415-07:00UHHH Has it really been four months since we last spoke?
Yes it has! It has really been that long and I have seriously put off blogging. It's easy to forget about blogging when I am not racing. So for the time being how about I inform my readers of a few life updates:
I'm engaged these days (what's new? It's been four months!)
I'm planning a wedding, that will hopefully all fall into place on September 15th, and I am Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-59514623228380118152011-11-28T13:51:00.001-08:002011-12-21T08:39:26.930-08:00It's just a day in the life of, a m(*&%#(*% f*&^%@ bike racerHave 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 Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562114291518433668.post-39503888469260344762011-11-13T19:43:00.001-08:002011-11-16T21:05:15.186-08:00if you want it bad enough, you can get it...part 2Remember 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 Courtenayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13835342783607307100noreply@blogger.com0