First Adv Race at WR

My good friend, Kim Chance, was in a bike accident and broke her neck a couple months ago and asked me to sub in for her for some adv races that she was committed to. She and Chris Carlson are teammates and i really wanted to try these races out. It's usually a run, bike, paddle and mystery event. I told her i would try it out if Chris wanted me as his partner. I haven't run at all in two years (except for maybe 100 yards at the beginning of DORBA 4hr mtb races). My first and only run was in a turkey trot that i did a 5K on so needless to say i was skeered to be partnered up with CC! So Chris and i talk and i told him i wasn't a runner, ahem or a paddler but i guess he was ok with it since Kim was out for the race.

Oh yeah.. i forgot to mention one lil detail. He's 6'5" or so... i may be off. Anyway.. in my book he's almost giant material and he's fast as anything on a bike. I heard stories from men and women alike. Men who couldnt hang on to his wheel and women (Kim specifically) who said how scary it was to be tied to his bike. You see, in adv. races- you can attach yourself to someone else by a chord on the riding and on the running-- and altho a bit scary-perfectly legit. SO this was our plan. We decided to go for it in the beginning of the week leading to our weekend and he advised me to go run outside before our race that saturday.

I was at Rich's on Wed and i get ready to go run. Rich laid out a 1.2 mile run that i could do and since he was coping with pneumonia- he couldnt join me on it. My goal was to run the whole time, not stop to walk and have minimal pain after. That would be success for me. I headed out and felt very awkward as soon as i started running. Things were going well up until the last stretch when my left thigh started to charlie horse. I ended up having to stop and walk 3x at the end of my run. NOT GOOD! I rode for a while after i got back from the run to hopefully make my legs feel better but it didn't help. By the end of the night i was limping.

I told Chris the news and he laughed a lil and said we would just make that time up on the bike. I told Kim my running story and she laughed alot.

So Sat came and the race was on. It started with probably a 1.5 mile run, then a paddle, then another 1.5 mile run and then bike and then the mystery event. Kim and Rich were there to cheer me on and volunteer!! thanks guys!!! I was nervous bout the run but it wasn't that bad. It hurt but atleast i didn't have to stop and walk. I'm sure Chris appreciated that. :) We were prolly a funny sight to see. The pic above i promise is not doctored. He looks like a giant and i a dwarf. He probably had to bend half his body to go under that bridge and i prolly didn't move my head. I had a great time. Thanks to Kim for letting me sub for you and Chris for taking a chance and then pulling me the whole time! :) We ended up getting first in Coed and second group overall. Ric Tinney and his friend won adv overall.

Kathy and Scott put on a great race!

The first pic is of the Kim, Chris and i before the start of race. What fun! Can't wait to do it again! Rich and i may team up for a race or two.. or more :)

Memorial Day Crit Races

MIRAGE CRIT (on Sat)

I was super excited all week coming into that weekend. I wanted to do well in all the races to cat up to a 3. On Friday, i started to get really sick to my stomach. This continued onto Saturday. I knew i was dehydrated so i drank some pickle juice and ended up throwing that up right before the start of the race while i was warming up. I wasn't feeling all that strong and since my teammates couldn't make the race, my goal was to just stay in the group (not attack at all) and see what i had at the finish. I love that race with the 180 degree turn and uphill finish. I kept in a good place the whole time and stayed near the front. The final lap, i went down that hill and stayed tucked in with the group until the turn. I knew the group was gonna go wide so i ended up going on the inside and cutting the turn tightly. That put me in a great spot for the climb. I got behind Brandi until someone attacked and i followed the attack. I sprinted up the finish but only had the legs to take 3rd place. Best finish i've had there in 3 years but wish i would've won it for the team.


GS TENZING CRIT (on Sun)



Stomach was still messed up but i was fired up. I hung some with Tobin, Becky and Cap and worked a bit and then got ready to warm up. I was excited that Kelly and Nancy were gonna be there and we were all gonna race together. It was a fun race and Kelly really worked and made some attacks. Nancy and Kelly did awesome! They helped to tire out the group while i just hung in. Kelly made a great move and attacked on less than five laps to go. We were closing in on the last few turns on the last lap and i made sure to get in a good position to not get boxed in. Angela from sugars made the attack and i followed. We sprinted to the line and she got me by half a wheel. The pic is from that race. So that race we got a 2nd, a 4th and a 7th in women 4s.

The P123 girls were able to get Tracie for the win! Great job ladies.


STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CRIT (on monday)

The P12 girls lined up with Christina, Cassandra, Kim and Michelle. 6 Metro girls with team radios lined up at the start and pretty much played the offensive role in that race. They got a girl to attack from the beginning and she stayed in the front the whole time. Christina went to chase her but eventually got picked up from the group. Metro won that race in the P12 and Rachel B from Metro won the State Championship for the 3s. The girls helped Christina get a second place finish for the team.

In the 4s race, Kelly and i raced that day. It was such a hot day!! The hottest day of all three days. It felt like my skin was boiling. Becky was out there cheering us on (as she was on Sat at the Mirage crit **thanks becky**) and trying to throw water on us. Except for the heat, the race was going well. Kelly and i were responding to the attacks. The course is set up with many turns. It was a great course and i really enjoyed it. The last lap, i decided to make a move at the start of all the turns. I knew i could take them pretty fast and since i kept getting swallowed up at the final sprints, i thought it would be best to attack a lil earlier and have a small gap for the final sprint. Well plan was going great. I attacked after one of the turns before the small downhill. I was ahead of the group on the left turn and gaining a gap. I took the right turn and still a gap. I took the next right turn too fast and too tight. Not wide enough!! I ended up going straight toward the hay bales and had to put on my brakes to not hit them. There was a headwind there and the group caught up to me midway to the last turn. I stayed with the group after the turn but was swallowed at the sprint. Our team finished 6th and 7th. Very disappointed about that but you race and you learn.

Great weekend of racing and it was nice to race with the girls.. but still not enough points to cat up. :(