I Think I can, I Think I can , I Think I can

As the days get closer to the DK 200, I wonder what I what the heck was I thinking back in Jan. when I signed up for this. Why would anyone want to do over 200 miles in Kansas on gravel in June? Because it's there? Because it sounds like fun? Maybe, to see what you are made of?

Everyone has their reasons. I just want to finish in one piece and be able to say I DID IT!! I want to learn some more about myself and what it will be like to rely on just me. This is going to be an epic journey and most of it will be experienced alone. Not by choice.. There will be about 300 others out there trying to do the same thing, but from what I understand I need to be ready to GO BIG alone. I am not thrilled about being alone, especially in the dark.I have read stories about the wind, the heat, and the cows that want to play. Seriously.*** Last night Jim picked up some super bright Light and Motion lights from Mr. Boz. I am no longer worried about not being able to see. He even let us borrow his Kuat rack. Thanks Boz.***

Like everyone else, I will be on the start line wondering if I got enough miles in. I did not get to do any LONG rides, my schedule did not permit any. I did stay consistent in my plan though. I rode in every change of weather and on lots of windy days. I think the wind will take a lot of people out early. It sucks to pedal hard and essentially go nowhere. But, I have learned it is a mindset. And , not to waste too much energy trying to go fast, not worth it. Stay consistent. You can't fight the wind so make friends with it. I did not experience any injuries or sickness during training, so I feel good about that.

I plan on using my usual fuel, Sustained Energy, Perpeteum, and Nuun tablets for my primary fuel/electrolyte sources. They worked well for me at my 24 hr race. I will also be packing along some Chicken Noodle soup and some snacky type stuff. Lifesavers and Jolly ranchers, trail mix, a couple apples, and a few Gels I hope I don't need. Don't really care for them on long rides.

I will be carrying 3 bottles and a small pack with a 70 oz. bladder, not full. I am a freak about water so I need to make sure I have enough. Especially early on. The key to finishing this will be to " eat before I am hungry and drink before I am thirsty." I can always drop the pack later on in the race with the wonderful support crew Team Red Wheel graciously provided us with. Thanks fellas.

I really believe I can do this. I am in better shape than I was last year, both mentally and physically. I have worked very hard to take care of myself and put in countless hours in the saddle. My bike is in perfect shape to rock the gravel , thanks to Gino at The Hub. I have all the necessary gear and a very positive attitude. What more do I need?

Thanks for letting me ramble and get my race day jitters out. I am sure there will be more nerves to deal with over the next few days. I have put a lot of time and energy into this ride and hope my performance shows just that, even if I don't see the finish line. I have prepared myself for failure, since it is a possibility. However, those of you who really know me, know that I am a fighter . It will take a LOT to get me to quit. I have never Quit a race and don't plan on this being my first.

I am really looking forward to seeing the Beautiful gravels of Emporia Kansas. As you can see by all the pictures I 'borrowed' for this post it will be breath taking. Thanks Adventure Monkey!

Got any ideas on what I can think about out there? Any songs I should add to the IPOD? Any advice you think I need?

Week 11 of 12

This week was busy with my surgery consult for my eyes and with Sydney's Pre-school Graduation. Thank goodness it was a taper week. I have been working on getting my head right and getting my gear together. My bike got the royal treatment at The Hub and is in perfect shape to ride some 204 miles of Kansas gravel.

Mon- Road 10 miles

Tues- OFF

Wed- OFF

Thur- Road 25 miles

Fri- Road 15 miles

Sat- Hiking at Taum Sauk - sleeping in the trees

Sun- Hiking out of Taum Sauk

Only 50 miles of biking this week and about 8-10 hiking.

Looks more like a recovery week than a taper week.

I was not going to cram in any more miles this weekend. It's just not necessary at this stage of the game. I spent the weekend with Sydney and Jim and do not regret it. DK200 is this coming Sat., June 4th. It is also Jim's birthday. What a way to spend it huh?

A Family Races at ICCP

This past Sunday was a very successful race day for the Davis family, also known as Team Trail Monster. Sydney had her first taste of mountain bike racing. Jim and I are so proud to watch Sydney enjoy and participate in something we both love. It was great to be surrounded by so many people who have watched Sydney grow into an amazing 5yr old and hear them cheer her on.

the line-up, she is in the pink

Crushin' it

Sydney had a rough time through the field, which beat her up a bit, but once she hit the single track she was fine. It was very hot so she did melt a little, but recovered quickly just before the finish line.

Yea! I did it!

Special thanks to my mom and sister who took care of Syd after her race so Jim and I were able to do our 6 hr solo races . This race had a single speed class for the women, of course I wouldn't have missed it. I know Karen had to have something to do with that. Nice work Karen.

Karen "the machine"

Over 170 racers showed up to ride the 8 mile laps in the almost 90 degree heat. Very impressive for a new race in a new place that hasn't been raced yet. I kept Connor set up 32x20. I could have easily pushed a bigger gear on this course since there are no climbs to speak of, however, I have learned that pushing a larger gear in heat is just suicidal. My goal was to not let Chris Ploch catch me until Lap 4, and stay upright. No reason to get hurt 2 weeks before DK.

The first lap was the hardest. I had to find a 6 hr pace in heat I am not used to. Several went out too fast and suffered for it. I passed many trying to get themselves together and dig out of the hole they put themselves in to. Some took a DNF and became spectators with beers.

I kept my pit stops to a minute or less. I only have one bottle cage so I had to stop every lap to refill. The course became more familiar with each lap. I do not ride ICCP because I don't like the horse poop. A huge thank you to the volunteers that cleared the course. I did not see any out there. Since my accident at Berryman and a 5 day hospital stay , because of a poo infection, I stay away from it.

Jim looking strong.

About 2 miles before finishing Lap 3 Ploch got me. I know I am getting faster. Last year he would have had me on Lap 2!

The amazing Ploch

I caught Jim as I headed into the woods for Lap 5. He was rocking it and looked great. Yea, we are competitive like that. He rode behind me the entire lap, code for used me, and dropped me as Lap 6 started. During this lap I also caught Karen, she let me pass. I kept my pace and knew I did not see the last of her. I had 2 more laps to go.

Lap 6 was a game changer. The wind, rain, thunder and lightning rolled in. The trail conditions went from awesome and dry to miserable and muddy. About 3 miles from the finish I slid out in the mud and went down still clipped in. I looked over my shoulder to see Karen closing in on me. I would not be able to hold her off in these conditions. When she caught up to me I asked her if she wanted to pass. She said no and she had an idea.

The race was called about 5 hours in so I didn't have to do the 7th lap. Karen and I finished hand in hand. I would not have wanted it any other way. We had both worked very hard and deserved to win.

We even finished 1 lap ahead of the 6hr women on gears. It was a great result for such a hot day.

Jim did beat me by 2 minutes. All I can say is "Great Job Baby and see ya at the DK200 next weekend. I will be seeking my redemption there".

**** Thanks to Suzanne and Adam for the pics and all the volunteers who helped make this race a huge success. ****

Week 10 of 12

This was not the week I had planned. Life got in the way and I had a 6 hr race on Sunday that I wanted to do well in. This is how it all worked out

Mon- Road 10 miles , easy spin to recover from Syllamo

Tues- Off- took bike to The Hub

Wed- 24 miles Mountain biking- Last 4 miles with Sydney

Thur- Off

Fri- Off- picked up bike

Sat- Road 20 miles

Sun- 50 miles- Mountain biking-

None of those OFF days were planned. But I think it was good that it worked out the way it did. I needed every bit of legs for the 6hr , especially since that was my last hard effort.

Roughly 105 miles = 10 hours saddle time

Next up: Building a Goblin and the ICCP race report

Getting Spanked at Syllamo

I hadn't planned on doing this race this year. I wasn't sure how it would fit into my DK200 training schedule. My wonderful husband, Jim, signed me up for Syllamo's Revenge as a surprise. He accidentally signed me up to race with the SS men, not that it mattered. He said, "It will be good for you". I think that was a code for"this is going to be....."

Mr. Holtman. Sorry I couldn't resist temptation

Earlier this week, my bike was invited to a sleepover at Mitch the Masher's house. Connor was due for some necessary spa treatments - and he came back tight and right, ready to tackle the Arkansas trail! It's amazing how a bike rides so much better with a tight headset and a newly manicured fork and brakes. Thanks Mitch!

Yes, I trust this man with my bike

After a 4.5 hour drive, we were greeted by The Three Musketeers - Mr. Pryor, Busken, and Weinkein. Within an hour we were on our bikes climbing the first mile up to the trail. I was happy to see how much easier that climb was this year. I had done it 10 times last year at the 24hrs of Syllamo, so you could say I was quite familiar with it. The four of us pedaled out about 3 miles and turned around. Holy cow! where are the lines through those rocks? Maybe I'm not a very good technical rider after all. There would be several dismounts in this stretch. Little did I know how many dismounts there would really be in those first 15 miles to CP1.

Jim and I headed to Team Seagal HQ at Sarah's Cabins. What a beautiful cabin to spend 2 days with 10 teammates in. Yes, Team Seagal had a superior showing of 7 in the 50 miler and 2 in the 125K. It was shaping up to be an excellent weekend. The weather was on our side too. Also, I was informed that the trail was in better shape than last year. Really?

Someone ate this Fri. eve, was not me

The night before I get my gear and fuel organized. I am so used to doing lap races and making pit stops, I felt anxious and rushed. I made a huge mistake in setting a 7.5 hour goal and a second mistake comparing this race to the BT Epic. Not the actual trail, rather the distance of the race - in order to make my fuel bottles.

This is when a case of the nerves sets in. Not being familiar with the trail and having only a handful of rides on my mountain bike didn't make me feel very confident. This race would either make me or break me. Make me, please.

At 7AM the 125K began. Nico and Orin represented Team Seagal and were the only 2 from MO in the singlespeed class. They would be riding the same course with the addition of riding the red loop twice, which was awesome, and some of the yellow loop.

COURSE

125K start

TRAIL DESCRIPTION

The 50 miler started at 8AM. The start is a 11%, 9/10th of a mile climb to sweet single track - sort of. Somewhere about three miles in I fell, HARD. Landed on my left side and found a sharp rock with my knee - Blood. Great. Only 47 miles to go. The mud helped clot it so I kept moving.

These first 15 miles took a huge mental toll on me. I fell several times and each time I reminded myself that the DK200 is just 3 weeks away. I don't want to be on the start line broken. I walked so much my feet hurt. Cycling shoes are made for riding, not for walking over slippery rocks. I had no idea that the 1st CP would take me so long. I looked at my Garmin and felt like a slug. My mind was screwing with me . Thoughts like "WTF are you doing out here", "You are not really a mountain biker", "Hang it up, the road riding has made you a wuss", "You should quit" were running through my mind. I never have those thoughts. EVER. At one point I yelled "STOP" really loud to force the negative thoughts out. It worked. Seeing Jim at CP1 helped until he said "Where have you been?" I know he didn't mean it the way I took it. He took my bike from me and cleaned my chain while I used the facilities. The next five miles went much better. I rode a lot more, which built my confidence. My knee still hurt and my legs felt like lead, but mentally I knew I was going to be okay now. Only 30 miles left.

Karen crushing it!! SS style

I ended up riding with the same 6 guys for awhile. They were pretty cool but I could tell they weren't at all thrilled to be riding with me. At several points, they would not let me pass. Even when I asked. Frustration. There was quite a bit of climbing in this section so they had no choice but to let me "billy goat" past them. I was also thankful for the gravel climbs. I was able to pass 4 fellas, walking their bikes, and did not see them until the finish. ** Ladies , any tips on how to pass the fellas?**

Punchor

I performed a "superman" move around mile 35 that I heard was "impressive" I got up a little shakey from that.I did not hit my head. However, the visor on my helmet saved my face. Apparently, I am quite entertaining to ride behind. I said "How do I look?" after I got up. He said "More importantly, how do you feel?" I said "I need to keep moving. Ask me again later."

Gino

The wet roots and rocks were very difficult to navigate. Hundreds of muddy tires had crossed them by this point. If I lost momentum I had no choice but to stop and hop off. I wondered if running 32x21, instead of the 32x20 I chose, would have made any difference.

Stormy's finish

Coach thinking Spaghetti!!!

I met a guy named Noah - we fed off each other for awhile. He put things in perspective when he said "My kids would be so proud of me right now" We shared CliffsNotes versions of our lives and came to the conclusion that we were both awesome people and there was no way we would let them pull us if we didn't make the cut off. I wasn't looking at my Garmin any more until the finish. It hurt too much to see what kind of snail pace I was keeping. I wanted to enjoy the rest of the ride and try to salvage some self-esteem.

My teammates kept themselves busy while waiting for me

Noah and I made the cut-off, with 45 minutes to spare. My transition took about 1 minute. Noah was going to stay and catch his breath. I had to leave him. There was a great climb to the next 9 miles of single track, with more elevation and switchbacks.I had heard this was like 6 miles of climbing. There was also a stairway you had to climb while carrying your bike. Insulting and slick. After this section was 12 miles of sweet stuff with little elevation. It's too bad to reach that point and most riders legs are fried. I was amazed at how many people I passed on that loop. Finally I was starting to feel some dirt mojo. I would have done that section again. The last 3 miles they say "is all downhill" - they lie. I knew it wasn't. I had been riding solo for about 1.5 hours before I popped out at the gravel road. The same hill we had climbed at the start. Bittersweet moment. The race was almost over. I screamed the entire way down. I bet the three volunteers at the bottom couldn't wait to put a face with that screaming.

I did it!! I crossed the finish line at 7:52 and change. { the clock was set an hour ahead for the 125K}

Finishers Hug.. Who is it?

I forced myself to be positive and accept such a disappointing time. It was hard to look around and see everyone already cleaned up and spaghetti fed . I had just finished and was covered in bruises, mud and blood. Pieces of my soul were left scattered on the trail. Pieces I would never get back.Everyone I talked to had killed their times from last year. They were so proud and satisfied with their efforts. Me? Not so much. I slipped off to get cleaned up and work on my superior state of mind.

No words

This is what I came up with.

My bike was perfect. No mechanicals. I passed many with flats. Three attempting to convert to single speed. Two with broken chains. And others were just broken period.

I have no excuses for my performance. Actually, I have several, but I refuse to make them. I guess I was due a rough day in the saddle.And now that I've had it I have realized I learned some valuable skills at Syllamo. Also, what happens when you're at the back of the pack. You get home to look through 1500 pictures to see that the photog got only one picture of you, on the climb in and I was behind someone.

Mary ALL smiles afterwards

My teammates all finished extremely well and all beat their times from 2010.

125K

Orin - 8:09, SS 6/11

Nico - 8: 52 7/11

50 mile

Gino 5:37 SS

Coach 6:49 SS

Ponchor 6:16

Storm 6:51 SS

Taggort 7:10

T'Tocs 6:51SS

I am proud that I finished but will be seeking Revenge since I am not satisfied

My Perspective

313 people signed up

201 finished

156th place

RESULTS