Wednesday, May 26, 2010

PERSEVERANCE










That one word alone describes how Sundays MFXC 2010 non-race, non-event, whatever you wanna call it, was. I had been waiting for this like some girls get excited about their wedding. Jim and I had headed to CB early Fri. to get set up and resume some trail work we were not able to get to last weekend. There were still a handful of trees to remove and we wanted to check on the OTA guys and see exactly where the mowing was completed. After about 4 hours of trail work we headed to our home for the weekend at 17D.

I was thrilled when Bob Jenkins drove up and then shortly after that Storm arrived. It was going to be a great night!! And from what I remember it was. It was great to catch up with Bob, since we had not seen each other since the 24hr race. Storm was the "bringer of gifts", and promptly made sure we all had the new Schlafly IPA, one day old, in our hands. That beer is almost as good as Pabst..

Waking up on Sat. morn was a little slow, but with lots to do we packed up quickly and headed out. Bob and I were going to ride with Storm while he marked the course. It was seriously HOT. Jim would have loved to have come with us, however, his bike had other plans and decided to snap its own wrist. Its the second bikeicide I have seen. ( Good news, It was warrantied and a new frame is on the way ) After all the singletrack was marked we headed to CB for much needed showers. Showers are $2 for 8 mins. Dont forget your quarters.

What happened Sat. evening was a little weird. There was some strange music,bright lights aswirling and a potpourri of peeps having a dance party. When I saw there were cameras I left. A picture there would definitely be worth at least a thousand words. Unfortunately, I had already seen too much and that made going to sleep somewhat difficult. I did not party that evening because I had decided that I wanted to earn that piece of wood the next day. I had set my sights rather high, since I knew Steph and Karen would be up for the challenge. I am a dreamer.

On nonrace day I woke up ready to take on the world. I felt great and had already made peace with the heat. Having a superior attitude really helped. I was unable to find my glasses,( shit #1 ) and could not locate the Garmin ( shit #2 ). I was not off to a great start. I rode to the boat launch, later than I intended, and was just in time to get my spoke card and talk to a small group of people. I was delighted to see so many nonracers and even the race poachers. The more the merrier.

After one of the shortest racer meetings ever we ran to our bikes. My plan was to stay on whichever girl was first. It was Steph. And my plan worked great , until I got my first flat. I have not had a flat in 2 years and have never had one in a race. I was due. I also found out I was not prepared either. Then, as if it was magic, three handsome,able bodied, young men came to my rescue. Bob, Luke, and John Farinella.. My heroes. They took total control of the situation and before I knew it I was back in the game. I had to change goals at this point. I still had a slim chance, now I just wanted to catch up. Then at a small, but deep creek Connor threw me and flat #2 arrived. I was outta tubes. Keith W. came along and offered me one of his. Thanks Keith, I owe you. Then the magic happened. Those same 3 fellas I spoke of earlier appeared and took over. AGAIN. I now know what Lance Armstrong feels like. Apparently he doesnt change his flats either. One of them offered me his wheel and then his bike so I could get going quickly. Farinella changed this flat so fast I did not have time to respond to Bobs generous offer.

I now changed my game plan entirely. I was going to finish. There would be no wood coming home with me. As I was riding my front wheel kept slipping and wobbling. It was frightening to look down and see it moving from side to side. Every downhill I had to stop and tighten it. Having a superior state of mind helped at these times. I was fortunate to roll up on T'tocs, Punchor, and our newest member Todd at mile 17. Punchor looked like death and Todd was taking him back. T'tocs was wanting to finish so he soldiered on with me. I have a son his age so we got along well. I know it was difficult at times,especially when we continued on the trail instead of making a left onto gravel. After riding thru that overgrown section, that cut you to shreds, there is roughly 2 more miles of it, and parts of it are much worse. We took the trail less traveled and suffered greatly for it. I swear the horse shit/mud pit was calf high. And it smelled awful. I am very lucky to have had this experience with him. I learned what being a teammate really means. All in all the day unfolded exactly the way it was meant to. Next year it will be on though. It was great to see Ben G. finish also. The guy was smiling so much my face hurt.


This weekend we are headed back to CB. I will ride the loop this time. Hopefully I will have Connor in tip top shape and ready for our next journey. Next Sat. is the Berryman Duathlon. The goal is to do 5 laps, stay hydrated, and move forward for 12 hours. With some elite racers in the mix now I am really looking forward to it. Every time I see Jeff and Carrie Sona I learn something. They race for the Alpine Shop and are amazing. Sign up for this ends on Fri. So, Dont be a puss!! Sign up and we will see you there.


Ps. Bob, I have your harmonica.

Monday, May 17, 2010

LIFE IS GOOD !!







After completing another grueling week with Shaun T., We all decided we deserved some family time and camping. The forecast of rain did not change our minds, since we knew that we would not melt. After packing everything we could possibly need we headed to Council Bluff. We had not been there since October. Boy, did that bring back some memories. We brought our newly acquired canoe for its maiden voyage and our bikes.

The plan was to take care of some trees on the trail and also shred some. TRAIL KARMA is something I believe in. As you can see by the video, Sydney had a great time. Running behind her I got to see how well she handles her strider and watch her pick some excellent lines. At 4 years old she is truly amazing. I already see us lying about her age so she can start racing. Jim thinks she may be ready for pedals. I think that will only make her faster. It was unfortunate that our bikes never made it off the trailer. Sometimes things just dont go how you plan them.

The canoe ride at CB on Sunday was fun and relaxing for everyone BUT me. I have a wierd fear of the water. My neighbor said " I didnt think you were afraid of anything" Well, I am, water. Whats odd is that while doing adventure races I dont even think about it. Go figure! I hope to squash this fear soon so I can do a triathlon.

This weekend I am riding " with some friends ". I have been looking forward to this for months. The forecast is going to be 90 degrees. WTF? I was hoping for dry and about 80. Hopefully, we will have time to do a loop of the Berryman since the Bonkhard Duathlon is there in 2 weeks. I want to plan my 5 lap strategy and see what shape the trail is in. Which can change drastically in the next 2 weeks, but I want to do it anyway.

CB trail needs some work. A few bikers told me that there were many trees down on the loop. Hopefully, we can organize a weekend of trail work and some riding after. I cant wait to ride CB trail again. Already thinking of October. Team Seagal has titles to defend!!!!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

My Week With Shaun T.

Lucky for me that I dont mind working out in a pool of my own sweat. Week #2 of Insanity is now complete. With Jim out of town this week I learned two things.


1. I really missed him
2. Its way more fun to do the dvds with him.


I like Shaun T. I like his personality and I enjoy(?) his workouts. Shaun is a huge believer in the power of stretching, especially your hip flexors. And now I understand why. I am more flexible and could really see a difference while biking and running this week. I felt like I had a better stride and a more efficient pedal stroke. There was more power behind it and I was faster. I am getting stronger and am able to do more reps of each excercise. The real proof will be tomorrow ( Mon ) when we measure and take another fit test.

Thank you Shaun T. for making my jiggly parts less jiggly and helping me to DIG DEEP .

I also have to admit there is "something" to calorie counting. I have not been hungry and had plenty of calories left over every day. However,I have experienced anxiety having these calories left over. When I see that I have 500 calories left over(around 9pm) I struggle with deciding if I am really hungry or just want to eat because I have calories left. It has taken me years to listen to my body and to learn to feed it what it needs. I dont want to screw it up now.


**** A big thanks to whomever has done all the trial work out at LV. I am very glad to see the pile of logs before the creek removed .. On Thurs. I did my fastest loop EVER. I'd like to tell you what it was, but, there is a race there in June and I might be there. Keep the competition on their toes..


The next race on my calendar is the Berryman Offroad Duathlon on June 5. This day is also my 11th wedding anniversary and I cant think of anything else I would rather be doing. The race is 6 or 12 hours of trail running and mountain biking. The course is roughly 4.5 mile run and 12.5 mile bike. You alternate between the two and complete as many laps as you can. Love to bike and not run? Or vice versa ? Just grab yourself a partner and compete in the team division.


Jason and Laura, BONKHARD RACING, put on challenging adventure races all year. Jim and I have competed in several. But I like this one because the course is marked. No maps. No compasses. The prizes and schwag are always fantastic. Leave your excuses at home and come enjoy the Berryman Trail.
Bonkhard Races NEVER disappoints.

Last year I completed 4 laps. Not bad for a girl. This year I am going for 5. And those of you that know me, know that I will give it hell. Thats just over 60 miles of biking and trail running almost a marathon. So, go ahead and tell me I cant do it. I love a challenge.

Lastly, a final note to my husband...
"Baby, I am gonna wear you out".

Saturday, May 8, 2010

SHAPE UP THE NATION

How many steps do you take in a day? Is it 5,000? Maybe 10,000? or more? I am not sure either. So, I am going to take the Shape Up the Nation challenge and find out. I have been fortunate to enlist 2 fellas and 2 chicas so far. The only equipment you will need is a pedometer. I have seen them at Walmart and Target for about $5.00.

All you will need to do is wear it every day and keep a record of your steps. If you do any additional excercise, like running or biking, keep track of those minutes also. You will need to report your #'s to me once a week. I will not be giving out anyones personal information unless I have your permission to do so.

Four years ago, after having my daughter, I started walking. I tipped the scales at 200 lbs. Yes, I did, and I have the pics to prove it. Its hard for me to believe now, since I have evolved(?) from just walking. We all have a starting point. Thats just what it is. My journey started with one step, and now I am doing things I had only dreamed of. Stop dreaming and start stepping to your goal.


The challenge starts on May 24 and goes for 12 weeks. I know my team is going to put up some serious numbers. I almost feel sorry for the other teams. If you or someone you know is interested just shoot me an email at sydsmomma@gmail.com and I will take care of the rest. I am very excited about this opportunity to get YOU moving.

Now, get outside its a beautiful day..

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Me and Connor at LV

I love Lost Valley and dont get any ideas, Connor is my bike. We headed out about 10 am for about 1.5 hours of riding. The trail was in great shape. Nearly 85% of it was marvelous. However, Muddy exactly where it always is : some of the newer trail, in the pines section, and across the creek. I did get dirty so bring a towel to sit on for the ride home. If you want to get some trail riding in I suggest you go before mother nature spews on us again. I was surprised there were so many bird watchers out. I dont think they like mountain bikers very much.


In other news,I got an email informing me that I needed to recruit some teammates, about 10, to be on Team TrailMonster for Shape Up The Nation. Ideally, I would like 5 men and 5 women, but , I will take what I can get. The challenge starts May 24. Basically you will be required to report all of your workouts to your captain, me, and I will record them for the team. I am waiting on UPS to deliver more info but wanted to get this out there to see if anyone is interested. If this is not for you, maybe you would like to pass this on and challenge your spouse to get off the couch or a teenager to leave technology inside and go outside for once. I am open to anyone who is interested. You dont have to have any experience or even have a fitness routine in place . I think this program will get people moving and thats what its all about. If you are interested just send me an email at sydsmomma@gmail.com and let me know what your goals are or why you want to be on the team. As soon as I have more info I will pass it on. Meanwhile, Get Moving!!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

INSANITY Week One

Four years ago Jim handed me a book entitled "The Body For Life". That book changed my life. The idea was to eat a perfect diet 6 days a week. One day a week you could consume anything your heart desired. Nice idea. Problem was that I always felt miserable after the cheat day. I gave up the cheat day. I eat well 90% of the time and rarely eat out. I will not eat fast food. And have been told,at times, I am difficult to deal with, meaning what I will let my family eat and the groceries that I buy tend to be a source of friction around my house. I refuse to purchase/bring home chips,chocolate,processed crap,enriched noodles and bread, you get the idea. Its pure hell here. I will provide a buffet of fruit,veges,chicken,and turkey breast. Its not so bad. I like to cook and am not afraid to try new things,besides, who turns down a home cooked meal theses days?
The next idea in the book was to workout 6 days a week. No problem here. Except, I only wanted to ride my bike,run or attend bootcamp. I was not excited to do the strength training {lifting weights}. So, I didnt. I did get excellent results, and still follow this plan. That was until...

After some research, Jim and I decided that "INSANITY" was a better fit than "P90X". We took our fit test on Monday. Reality sets in. There were 8 exercises to perform and count for one minute. Even with the minute in between it kicked our asses. We were sweating and literally gasping for air. I realized at that moment that just because I can ride forever I can not hop like a frog for a minute and put up a good number. We each recorded our starting point and made a commitment to follow through with this TOGETHER. Its great to have a partner.

The plan gave us scientific equation so we could find out how many calories we should be ingesting. I do not count calories, I burn them. Well, that has changed. All week I measured,weighed, and micro managed every bite that went in my mouth. It takes more time and causes more dishes, but, I am glad I did it. I really dont know how many calories I ate before. After this week I realize I was taking in too many.I was never hungry and had calories left at the end of each day. I have weighed the same amount for 3 years. Except this week. I lost 2 pounds. There may be something to this calorie counting thing after all.

The workout videos were tough. I am already pleased with what I see in the mirror. I am not doing this to lose weight, fit into a bikini, or a size 2 dress. I am doing this to help me be a better athlete, a better mountain biker. There is a difference in just being an athlete and being an amazing athlete. Why , at 41, do I want to be amazing?? Good question.. For another blog though...

Its unfortunate that Jim will be OOT for this next week. We will be doing separate dvds and counting calories alone. Whats awesome is that he gets to ride in MOAB over the weekend. Yeah, its not fair. Well, I did get to go to Ark. last month. Jim knows that the only way he could have more fun is if I was going. Maybe next time.