Estrella

This weekend was Estrella race #3 of the MBAA series.

We got down early for Sara race and set up camp.



















Sara's race was exciting and disappointing at the same time. At the end of the 1st lap nearly an hour into the race Sara was way out in front of the women's Pro field. Unfortunately, around halfway through the second lap she tore a tire and was unable to finish. Estrella is super hard on tires, bikes, and bodies.


Start of Sara's race. Sara on far right













My race went just like I expected. Tired legs and tired body. I was not disappointed cause I knew how it would be with doing a 24 hour race solo the week before. I just tried to ride steady and keep myself going. All in all the race went good. I ended with an 8th place finish.

My results the last two MBAA races are definitely no surprise with a 12 hour solo race before Mcdowell and a 24 hour race solo before this one. Don't have any endurance races planned for a while and can now get back to some normal training with a weekend off of racing.





Tom Riding Like the Devil to another 1st in Advanced SS















Some good lookers!!!














The real excitement! Layla and Koko playing

Making up for lost time

Out of the 9 years I have been racing, I can remember 1 mechanical and 2 flats that I've had during those years. The mechanical was at the 2002 Hixton Holeshot. I had a bad shift and twisted a link in my chain. The first flat was at the 2004 Big Ring Classic. The second was at the 2006 Big Ring Classic. I took a spill at the 90 degree gravel turn they warned us about and then I later pinch flatted. Other than that, I have not had many issues during my races.

UNTIL THIS YEAR !!!! Ugh...the broken chain at White Tanks and now a flat that would not seal at Estrella on Saturday. I think the gash in my tread happened somewhere in the middle of my first lap. I tried to fill it at just into my second lap, but it was too big. I had lost too much stans out the hole and along the entire rim. By the time I figured it wasn't going to happen I had wasted all of my air.

So it sucks to DNF for the SECOND TIME IN ONE SEASON, It sucks cause I had a pretty decent lead, but it also really sucks for another reason.....(you'll have to check a later post to find out why).

But I am super excited for Christina who just got her upgrade to pro this past week and won her first race. Congrats to Christina, Spring and Jen who took the top 3 spots!! We have an awesome group of cool, talented women in our class!!!

24 Hours of Old Pueblo...

I got ot Oracle around 1:00pm on Friday. Tom (BGT) was disgruntled that I was running so late cause he wanted to get out and ride the course. He had gotten there super early so he had been waiting a while. The reason I know he got there super early is cause he started texting me at 5:00am.

Once I got there Tom guided me on his bike back to our area which would become Vassago corner. The drive back to our spot was a little crazy. I really needed about a 6inch lift on the Element. After some big rocks and running over about a hundered cactus, I got parked. Tom got us a great spot. We were 2 feet off the course.















Once the camp was set up we did our preride followed by a lot of relaxing, eating, and socializing around the venue expo area.



























We went to bed pretty early Chad in his tent and Tom and I in our matching Elements. The night's sleep wasn't to bad despite the low temps.

After some breakfast and some of Tom's chunky coffee it was time to start getting ready. I love these races cause I don't get the nerves before the starts like I do in a xc race. In endurance races some of the starts may be bigger but they are usually not as intense and crazed at the start. So a little after 11:00 am Tom, Chad, and I were suited up and ready to roll.
















The start was awesome!!! There were so many people lined up ready to run and so many spectators lining the road. The start went off with out a hitch and the course was so much fun. At the start of the race I did my best to slow myself down and not to pace too fast with people doing relays. It is really hard to let people ride away from you sometimes even when you you know they are on a 4 man team.


The first 9 laps went pretty well. It was somewhere around the 170 mile mark where I started experiencing some problems. We were doing this race solo unsupported so eating between laps was sometimes a pain when you were trying minimize minutes off the bike. There were some stops between laps where the bike maintenance took priority over eating or riding across the venue to charge batteries took priority. The unsupported thing was a challenge but actually added a different element of fun to the race. So anyway my issues stemmed from me trying to rely to much on Hammer Gel and Heed for my calorie intake. I basically wasn't eating enough real food and my body let me know that. These stomach issues stopped me for a while during lap 10 out on the course and for a while after lap 10. Once all of the fake food had violently exited my body and I got back to my burgers everything was good and it was back out on to the course.

My last three laps went pretty good. I love it when the sun comes up. My 13th and last lap actually went really good. I started out with Sean of Moutain Hardwear and finding out that him and I were on the same lap helped me start pushing on that last lap. Sean and I have met before at one of the Temecula races. Anyway, I went as fast on that last lap as I did on my 4th or 5th lap. I kept seeing solo racers on my last so I kept pushing. I didn't even know if they on the same lap as me but sometimes not knowing makes you go even harder. Trying to push hard when your entire body is fatigued especially your arms does have some consequences. I got a little sloppy towards the end and crashed into some cactus. Luckily no flats.
















I ended the race with 13 laps and somewhere between 215 and 224 miles. I am not sure what the exact milage of a lap was. People out on the course with Garmins and other GPSs were saying different things. I heard that a lap was anywhere from 16.3 to 17.2 miles per lap. This got me a 9th place finish. I was pretty happy with 9th based on the fact that the top 5 five finishers are some of the top endurance racers in the world.


Tom had an awesome race finishing 3rd in the SS category! He had some super tough competition also.

Congrats Tom!!!

24 Hours of Old Pueblo

Race write-up coming soon! Been writing a little each day as I'm inspired. My mind just ain't working right this week. I think Tom poisoned my burgers at the race.

Weekend

Zach left this morning for 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. It's put on by the same guy who organizes The Whiskey Off Road. I was supposed to go support, but my sister Lori and her kids are coming in tomorrow night for a week in Sedona. I can't miss that! It works out well anyway b/c I have an anatomy and physiology exam next week. I don't think staying awake straight for over 24 hours would jive well with my study plans.

Looks like they are going to luck out with the weather. There was rain forecasted for all day Saturday, but it is still supposed to get down to 34 tomorrow night!!!

If you want to check on Zach this weekend, they have real time updates here.

White Out

Well, I started writing this post last night, but did not finish because we lost power!!

We have a winter wonderland outside. Zach's school is closed for today and I am on a 2 hour delay, which based on my schedule means I don't have class until 3pm now.

The bacon dog loves the snow.

A Win!

What a beautiful day it was yesterday. It was probably in the upper 50s when I started my race at 8:45am and as it warmed up the cloud coverage hung in the air. I lined up next to Christina, and Spring rolled up next to us right before the start. The gun went off and, man, Christina just flew out of the gates. I settled in behind her in second with one or two people trailing. We rode in that order for a good while, and I passed after finding a good spot. Halfway through the first lap it was Jen, myself and one other person. By the end of the first lap I was out in front by myself.

At the start of the second lap though I took the wrong line down into the start of the tech loop. I chickened out at the top and got off for a few steps. After that I could hear Jen on my tail for the rest of the race. I'd get away for a little and it seemed she would catch me on the climbs. Then I'd get away from her on the rocky sections. Not sure what the exact finish times were...I finished at 1 hour 49min+ and Jen finished at 1 hour 50min+. It was one of those days that I felt great. No fatigue in my legs at all.

Jen, me, Spring

No major errors other than that drop into the tech loop, and I finally made that stairstep climb at the end of one of the switchbacks. That was fun. I am really starting to like that course. There's nothing super scary and the sport loop has so many fun bermmed turns. It was a great loop to end the race on.

BGT posing for the camera

McDowell Meltdown

- Great start

- Early on was riding in lead group w/most of the guys I finished around in the last race

- Went for a pass in a bad spot with a deep rut

- Did some poop eating with some minor bike maintenance

- Spent the rest of the race trying to get back up

On a better note congrats to Sara for winning the Women's Pro race and Tom winning the Advanced SS!

More to come from Little Buddy.

How do I dress for this?

Commute in the mornings in the upper 20s and start of ride after work near 70. I hate wearing a backpack so have been starting to accumulate some riding clothes at work. I guess I shouldn't complain about warm temps.