Breck part 2

Monday I did an impromptu trip up to Breck so that I could do a little more riding up high. I still feel slightly out of breath in Colorado Springs, but I wanted to get that really dizzy feeling again in Breck...cuz it feels so great!

My friend Jill drove over from Fort Collins to pick me up and we made the rest of the drive in a thunderstorm. Luckily it cleared up shortly after we arrived. My initial goal was to ride the first climb of the Breck 100 course, but our directions were pretty vague. I think it would have been better if we had a local with us, because they would have recognized the points of interest on the directions. But oh well. We managed to find a random climb to do anyways...which is not hard to do in Breck:-)

Jill climbing...
and climbing some more...

I only had to ride for 1.5 hours easy, so we went at a pace where we could talk for the most part. I didn't have my power tap on and I felt like I was riding naked-though it was kind of nice not having to look at the low numbers. Finally we reached snow.

Snow in July!!!! The only time I like it!!!

Jill showing off her brand-spanking-new-to-her bike. When I say new, I mean new. It was like 5 days old.

The next day I had to do another really easy 1.5 hours with a few intervals thrown in, so we hit the rail trail. Ok, at this point I would like to point out how kick butt my friends are out here. First of all, Juli rode day after day with me last week, so that we could follow my training plan. Second of all, Jill drove all the way to Breck with me, just to do intervals on a rail trail. I'm really lucky to have such great friends-who just so happen to live in a really great state :-)

Anyways, back to the intervals. They were level 3, but I had to do them by perceived exertion. My first 2 intervals went well, but my last one was kind of "iffy." A female roadie passed by us just as I was starting, and turned into my rabbit. Half-way through my interval I realized that I had one eye closed, the other was watering, and I was breathing like an elephant. Definitely time to slow down!

Jill breaking away on the rail trail
So freaking pretty....and it was cool to see so many people out riding!
We had to stop and ride this little pump track...

On our way back to Colorado Springs, we stopped at an ice cream shop in Idaho Springs. I have to admit that I don't eat ice cream that often (I have other vices in the form of grande vanilla double-shot lattes), but this was no ordinary ice cream. It's all made from scratch with no preservatives, and I think they might also sneak a little crack in it as well. Because it was amazing. Amazing!!! While I was eating a little voice in the back of my head kept asking, "should you really be eating this when you have to climb up a freaking mountain?" and another voice was like, "absolutely...this will make you faster going down!" ha ha! Seriously though, if you are ever in Idaho Springs-you must stop!

Now I'm back in Colorado Springs. Tomorrow is going to be a really easy day of spinning and resting and then Juli and I are heading back to Breck Thursday afternoon.

Did I mention that I love it here? :-)

It's already been a week?

I guess today is my one week anniversary in the land of no oxygen. I can't believe how fast time is flying!!! Yesterday I had to drive Scott back to Denver, and I couldn't believe that it was time for him to go home :-( It seems like just yesterday that we were taking the train out here.

On Friday we all went to Rampart Reservoir and got about 4 hours of riding in. So much fun. Initially I wanted to bring my HT out here, because it would completely rock on the long, dirt road climbs. However, I am so, so happy that I brought my full-sus. That bike makes the downhills so freaking fun, and is really rocking on some of the more technical climbs.

I find myself trying to ride everything out here, and I think it's because I seem to get more out of breath when I have to get off of my bike and walk. So far Juli has witnessed 2 completely asinine crashes on my part. The first crash was when we were riding on a rail trail of all things. We came across some construction workers who were putting down fresh cement. They told us that we could ride along the side the trail if we stayed off of the fresh cement. I probably don't need to mention what happened next. Lets just say that I'm lucky the cement was hard enough that I didn't leave a full body imprint!!!

And then the second crash happened at the reservoir when we happened upon a fallen tree. Remember how I said I hate getting off of my bike here? Instead of getting off it and hopping over the tree I tried to ride my bike over the tree trunk. It did not go as planned!!!

Oh well, I barely have any bruises and it's been good for a few laughs. For some reason everything seems funnier when you are up high.

Now it's time to taper down, a hard thing to do since all I want to do is ride my bike out here. Tomorrow I am heading back up to Breck with my friend Jill for a little more riding, a little more coffee drinking and a little more exploring...

stay tuned!

I could get used to this!

I'm not quite sure where we went riding today (somewhere near Colorado Springs) but it was a lot of fun. Juli and Chuck were telling me the names of the trails as we rode them, but I was too busy breathing to pay much attention. We didn't go as high as I would have liked to have gone, but we did top out at about 8,000 plus feet. Plenty high enough for me to completely crack on one the climbs half-way through our ride.

Juli going through a tunnel...

Once again we had awesome views...

Scott waiting for me to catch up...
I think we got about 2.5 hours of trail riding in, and then Juli and I rode back to her house. Our total ride time was about 4 hours-just what the coach ordered. Since we were riding lower the temps were a lot hotter. By the time we got back I was completely cooked. Not to mention starving!

We headed downtown for one of my favorite foods of all time...

And yes, I ate this entire pizza myself...oink, oink!
After stuffing our faces we headed over to the Velodrome to watch racers suffer. It was my first time watching track racing live, and it was super cool.

I think my favorite race to watch was the one where racers had to start from a standing position and only had one lap to sprint it out. Talk about a puke-fest.

Katie Compton was there hammering away...so fast that it was hard to get a picture

This was one time where I did not mind being a spectator!
Tomorrow we ride again!!!! Not sure where, but I am sure of two things...

1. There will be a lot of climbing

and

2. I will be out of breath!

Riding in Breck...can someone send me a great-granny gear???

Scott and Juli climbing and climbing and climbing....

I've been trying to recap the 2 days of training that I did in Breckenridge with Juli and Scott but it almost seems like it didn't happen. When you combine phenomenal views and trails with thin air, the riding takes on a dream-like feeling. 

We did an insane amount of climbing, and some of the dirt road climbs are the kind that I love to do. The only problem is that they are at 11,000-plus feet. That makes it a little harder :-) I visited Colorado for 2 days last year, but this was my first time really riding high up. I NEVER use my granny gear in Michigan, but it's definitely getting some major use out here, that's for sure!!! 

Juli crossing a creek on day 2

I have to admit that the thought of racing 100 miles in Breck seemed insurmountable after our first day of training. I have never worked so hard in my life to go so slow. But deep down I'm really excited for the race too. It's going to be a challenge, make no mistake about it!

Thin air aside, my biggest concern is actually about the course markings. I've had SO many people warn me about the trail not being marked well, and about lots of people getting lost, that I've become Uber-Uber-Paranoid. So paranoid in fact, that Scott found me in the rescue aisle of REI looking at different tools and rescue items. You know, just in case I need to build a shelter out there and live off the land :-) What can I say, sometimes my imagination gets the best of me. 

I just really, really, really hope the promoter does not skimp on the course markings!!! And when I make the font bold with lots of exclamation points you know that I am being very, very serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow we are all heading out for another day of riding. I'm not sure where we are going yet, because Juli's husband is going to pick the trail since it's his birthday. After a day of rest I'm ready to get back out and explore some more! Today was a rest day, and definitely needed. I was a little surprised by my legs though. I thought they would be a lot more tired from all of that climbing, but they actually feel pretty good. I'm guess that's from losing power due to riding higher up. I couldn't push as hard! 

Here's one last picture from our ride. Sometimes I had to get off of my bike just to look around. I could very easily fall in love with this State!

High as a kite

I'm back in Colorado Springs after 2 days of riding in Breck! I think we got about 9 hours in and I am completely exhausted. I'll post a training recap tomorrow. In the meantime, here's some pictures. My camera does not do justice to how absolutely beautiful the views were. It was completely unreal. Also unreal? How hard I was breathing. I think I left a lung somewhere on the Colorado trail. Maybe I will find it when I return to race up there. 

The last couple of pictures are from a French bakery that we stopped at on our way home. The views in the dessert case were also beautiful :-)

Here!

Hello from Colorado....

Our train arrived this morning and today flew by. Right now we are staying with our friends Juli and Chuck. They actually live on the Air Force Academy, which means that we have to pass through a check point any time we leave and come back. It also means that if anyone tried to mess with our bikes it would be a federal offense. I think this is the safest that they will ever be:-)

After unpacking and getting some food we headed out for a spin. There is a 13 mile mountain bike trail right out the door and it was pretty fun. I think it topped off at 7,000 ft. and I could totally feel it. 

Oooohhh....so pretty!
Juli leaving me in the dust....
Tomorrow we are leaving for a 2 day training trip in Breck. I plan on doing lots of riding and lots of gasping for air. Be back soon!!!

Counting down the days....

Well, this week was a complete bust. I basically worked, and when I wasn't working I was sleeping. Scott caught a little cold from work, and it turned into a horrible cold/flu for me. Bah! My coach has been on vacation this week, and I'm sure she's going to see my empty training logs and ask if I decided to go on vacation as well :-)

Anyways, I'm finally starting to feel a little bit better. Not great, but good enough to start training again. Yesterday I kicked it off with some VO2 max intervals, which my lungs probably didn't appreciate. Cough, cough. 

These next couple days are going to be downright frantic for me. I have a few hours to put in on the bike, a wedding to attend, and a ton of packing to do. Scott and I are taking a train out to Colorado bright and early Saturday morning and I am SO EXCITED I can barely stand it. I haven't been on a train since I was really little, and I think it's a genius way to travel. Yes, it's a lot longer then flying, but I absolutely abhor going up in the air. Plus, the train is cheaper, and we get to take our bikes on for free! And I know that Scott is going to like the train simply because he won't have to deal with me waking him up every minute or so asking him if the plane sounds ok!

We'll be arriving in Colorado Springs early Sunday, and that's when the real fun begins!!!! But first I have to find something to wear to the wedding. I'm also going to have to bandage up my knee again. I'm sure whatever I wear will be above the knees, and I don't want to gross out the other guests with an oozing wound :-)

Stonycreek Marathon

When I first told my coach that I wanted to race the Stonycreek Marathon a week after Lumberjack, she asked me if I was sure, and said that racing tired isn't that much fun. At the time I was sitting on the couch, with a fan blowing directly on me, and assured her that I would be fine. 

Fast forward 5 days to race day. 

I stood at the start line seriously questioning my sanity. I felt WAY more tired then I was expecting to, and we weren't even moving yet. Not to mention that I was cold for some reason. That was odd for two reasons. 1. It was in the mid-70's already and 2. I always feel super hot before a race starts...even if it's only 50 degrees. 

There were a few women that I recognized on the start line and a few women that I didn't. And then Susan Stephens rolled up. She's from Canada but does so many races in Michigan that she's an honorary Michigander :-) I was faster then Susan at the Yankee Springs TT this year, but Susan has been cleaning up in most of the XC races here. 

We took off and Susan took the hole shot. I hopped on her wheel and after a few rollers there were no other women in site. The pace was fast, but it was a pace I felt like I could hold. At this point a group of guy's rode by and Susan wedged herself in between their bikes right before we hit singletrack, causing me to lose contact with her wheel. Arggghh!

And then things started going backwards quickly. Mainly my legs. I'm not sure what happened, but I felt like I was at hour 23 in a 24 hour race. I started to get this overwhelming feeling that I wouldn't be able to complete the first lap (which was 10.4 miles). 

After lap 1 I headed out again and fell back to 4th place, but only for like a minute. I was riding with my power tap and the numbers wouldn't pretty. I told myself that I was obviously tired, but that I had to keep it in  level 3 at the very least (with a fast cadence), otherwise it would take me the whole day to finish. Any numbers above L3 would just be a bonus :-)

At the end of lap 2 I caught up with the 2nd place girl. She was riding boomerang style. Every time I would catch her she would attack really hard and then slowly come back to me. By lap 3 I could tell that she was getting really tired so I passed her for good. 

I had no idea how far ahead Susan was, but eventually I saw her standing on the side of the trail. She had crashed out. Ouch! I ended up winning the race by 7 minutes, and was super happy to see the finish line. I think the race was 54-ish miles and I was out there for about 4:17:00. Naturally I was happy to finish in first place, but I'm even more happy that I got through the race without stopping. I can honestly say that it was the harder then Lumberjack for me!

Oh, and by that night I figured out why I felt so crappy during the race. I was in the process of coming down with a cold sent straight from hell. That would explain why I had the chills at the start line. I'm currently absolutely-freaking-miserable, but better for me to get it this week then this coming weekend when we leave for Colorado!!!!

 Podium shot....

On Sunday I managed to crawl out of bed with Scott to go to a neighborhood restaurant for Crepes. I'm sure they would have been much more enjoyable if I could actually taste them, but next time! Then I spent the rest of the day in bed with kleenexes stuck in both nostrils!