New Trail Love

Most of my rides start right out my door. The road possibilities are endless and I can get to awesome trails quite quickly with very little pavement. It is good for me to ride some pavement as there are some paved sections at Leadville. Lately though, about every two weeks my friend and I have been going on adventures. We pack up the bikes and hit the road in search of new (well, new to us) trails to ride and explore. Our most recent escapade took us to 20 miles of super sweet single track.

That brown zigzag on the hill side was the start of our trail

The guidebooks and website that we referenced raved about this trail and we weren't disappointed. The descriptions also mentioned that on the aerobic scale this trail was rated strenuous. That sounded perfect for someone (me) training for an endurance mountain bike event. Lucky for me, my friend the downhill diva needed no encouraging, she loves a good workout. This trail had a technical rating of 4+ ( the scale only goes to 5).  Whoops, missed that little detail!

Absolutely stunning scenery

It was a great day for riding. There was only one other car at the trail head so we basically had the trail to ourselves from the start. The beauty of being able to go mid week. We were cruising along and passed a few trail markers that had mileage marked on them. Neither of us had a computer so we really had no idea how far we were at any given point. It was 10.5 miles to the top and then turn around and come back.

The trail ahead

At one point on our ride the trail markers started going the wrong direction. We saw one that said 7 and the next one said 5. We hadn't taken any turns and hadn't passed other trails. Good thing we both like to explore the unknown, because at this point it was pretty much unknown. The directions we had with us made no sense. When you take one trail in one direction you always know the way back so we weren't at risk of getting lost.

My new tires were super fast on the hard pack and climbing. They didn't quite grip the same on banked corners as my old tires did and took some adjustment. Of course, as always, I learned the hard way.

My bike and I went down a ravine, head first!

We eventually reached the top end of the trail in 2.5 hours turned around and headed home. It took 4, yes 4, hours to ride just over 20 miles. (of course the guidebook also said it was a four hour ride, but I must have thought that meant if you were fat and slow). I did some math and I am going to have to pick it up if I want to ride 100 miles (104, actually) in under 12 hours. Just more proof that I am in over my head. I did fall in love with this new trail. You could even say, I fell head over wheels!!

Gift Horse

Last week Me Heartie (yup, the name is here to stay!) brought me home a gift. A gift so exciting and big it would make any girls heart swoon. Not new jewelry, not a new purse, not a new car and whatever else normal girls think of when I say an exciting gift. Being that it is already established that I am off to the side of normal on the continuum (that was established by my being exciting about getting into the Leadville trail 100), you have to think outside the box. It wasn't a new bike, or a new puppy either. Nope, I got a new tool for my workshop. He bought me a fancy, super duper air compressor.

My New Toy

Now, I know some of you are thinking, what was the occasion for such an elaborate gift. We did just celebrate our anniversary so maybe that was what it was for. When you get a wonderful gift, it doesn't serve to question why or what for. Ever heard the saying 'don't kick a gift horse in the mouth' ? Rather, than sit around questioning the motives and whether I deserve such a gift, I just celebrated it and got to work! I have already had lots of fun with my new toy. Let me just say that I am no longer sporting 3 year old tires and sealant on my trusty stead. I do need to point out that I went three years without a flat, so something on that system was working. Too bad I wore the rear flat. Just in case my gift horse is reading, while I am not opposed to jewelery, new bikes or puppies as presents, this gift was very thoughtful and much more personal and less cliche! Thank you!!

The Bible

I have not failed to notice that the one standard requirement for a well stocked nightstand is a bible. This book is the one constant between hotel and motel rooms. It takes many different shapes, some are big and thick and hardcover, other smaller and paper back. They don't always have the same name or chapters but they are all called the bible. People read the contents of this book, recite parts of it back and try to abide their lives by it. It is with great pleasure that I can now say, my nightstand at home is no longer lacking. I now have my own bible to read last thing before I close my eyes and first thing when I open them. I can already recite many lines from it, and have random numbers memorized. I believe it is already getting dog eared from so much handling. My bible arrived in the mail last week.

The Leadville Trail 100 2010 Mountain Bike Race Bible

Now I am pretty sure that we won't see this particular bible version popping up in motel nightstands worldwide. I am also pretty sure that I am not the only person who is having bible study sessions with this book. Instead of the 10 commandments we follow the four 'H's'. 1- thou shall huff and puff because hypoxia is real at 10,000ft. 2- thou shall hydrate, relative humidity can be as low as 5% and you are going to lose fluid breathing (and since I will be breathing rapidly, I take that to mean I will lose fluid rapidly) 3- thou shalt be aware of hyponatremia (sure, that will be the only reason I am confused, blundering and experiencing severe muscle cramps) 4- thou shalt respect the mountain climate and the chance of  hypothermia (is this the part where we strip off our clothes and climb into a sleeping bag with another naked person -hhmm, not sure that should be in the bible;)) Hypoxia, Hydration, Hyponatremia, Hypothermia - wow sounds like a super duper good time!

Sir Edmund Hillary said "I believe that if you set out on an adventure and you're absolutely convinced you are going to be successful, why bother starting". I must be on the right path, I read this in the good book. 

King of the Mountain

Last week was the Tour of California professional bike race. It is always fun to go and watch these guys ride, and this year I had extra incentive. You see, I have heard that not only is a certain Lance guy planning on doing Leadville again, so is his team mate Levi. This was a perfect opportunity to go and check out the competitions training (because you know that they are only using these little bike races to prepare for Leadville;)). We got a prime location on the highest point of the days stage and set up camp.

View we woke up to

My rock solid reasoning was that I would ride the climb up Dawson Saddle and thus I would be doing basically the same training as the boys. Okay, not rock solid, but in my defense I don't have a clue what I am doing! I was doing altitude training as we had slept at 7900 ft and I was riding at elevation. It was a spectacular morning to ride and I managed to be the first female over the top (okay, I had a REALLY early start!) There was a steady flow of riders all day including my friends the Sullivans, so random that we were all at the same point of the days route and we hadn't even discussed it.

KOM (maybe just Queen)

You take my breath away!

We had great neighbours for viewing and Supercrew and Jason showed up to watch with us. It was their first stage of a major road race and Jason was swept up in the excitement of the passing peloton. He took off up the road running and cheering. Next time he will be more prepared and have his speedo on!

Lead group of 7

The Crew set up next to us, they were FUN!

 I was huffing and puffing up this climb but the real deal guys sure made it look effortless. In all fairness though, I was ahead of them cresting the climb. Wonder if I can get a 6 hour headstart at Leadville??

Nature Lessons

Many of the local areas that I mountain bike were ravaged by fires in the recent years. I never fails to astonish me, how a place that was absolutely desolate and charred can become one of the most beautiful trails that I ride on. As I am preparing my body for the massive undertaking of the Leadville trail 100 there are times that it feels ravaged and broken down. I know from watching mother nature at work that the vegetation regrowth that occurs is spectacular in strength and beauty. I am trusting that as a part of nature my body will also experience this phenomenon and will rebuild stronger.

Burnt tree surrounded by wildflowers.

This hill burns my legs!

The rocks don't present obstacles to the stream, just a new path

The plants and creatures that thrive in a devastated fire region are all resilient and extremely adaptable. Those are the qualities that I am striving for in training and development. On my journey I will heed the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson 'Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience'. Patience has a time limit though, only 12 more weeks!

Chasing the Black Line

It has only been two and a half weeks since my triathlon season ended and my biking season began. I have been doing triathlon a long time and people always ask me what is my favorite of the three disciplines. The answer to this question is interchangeable. You could ask me that question seven days in a row and get a different answer. Heck, you could ask me in the same day and get a different answer. If I just finished a run, even if it was only mediocre that would probably be the sport I would pick. The same goes for the other two. Right now, with my focus being on biking the thing I am missing the most is the swimming. Here is my list of reasons, in no particular order, that I miss chasing a black line back and forth in a pool.

St Croix, our secret swim and snorkel beach

1) As unique as speedo tan lines look in a strapless dress, they look better than biker tan lines, I have been asked many times at events if I was a swimmer, and I am pretty sure that my shoulders didn't tip them off;) Are they now going to think I am a - gasp - golfer?

2) When I swim three to four days a week, I know when to wash my hair. I know this should be easy to figure out, but I am struggling and am only 2.5 weeks in. If you see me with dreads you'll know what happened.

3) Masters swimming is pretty social, and I already miss seeing my friends. Even if most of our conversations are about who gets to be the caboose on the masters train.

4) There is a hot tub and sauna at the pool. Sure I could still go and use those facilities, but it is so easy once you are wet and in your bathing suit to enjoy a quick post swim luxury. (I also don't want to turn into one of those ladies that spend hours naked and stretching in the sauna)

5) The smell of chlorine coming out of my pores when I get a good sweat going is my barometer for how good my post swim bike or run is going. Now, I won't have the smell of chlorine to mask the stink and will just have to guess on how hard I am working.

6) Being in water and having it move over my body as I swim along is great active recovery, aqua massage.

7) I love the way the sunlight looks coming through the water.

8) Swimming keeps my math skills fresh. Okay, it is simple math but the way many of those guys struggle with the clock you would think we were doing quantum physics problems!

9) Mindlessly staring at a black line for an hour is meditative and calming. There is nothing mindless for me about riding rocks and ruts (or curbs!).

10) Being forced to wear a bathing suit several times a week makes sure I keep up my personal hygiene  (you know what I mean) - okay that may be Me Hearties number one reason that he misses me swimming!

Tana Swimming

For now, I will still go and stare at the black line once a week but there won't be much chasing going on. I am mostly going to the pool so that my hair at least gets wet, if not washed once a week;)

Snakes and Ladders

I have always found mountain biking to be more like child's play than working out. When I hear children outside playing I am always struck by the sheer joy of the sounds they are making, well except when someone gets hurt and then there is crying and screaming. Mountain biking with my friends brings out the inner child. I love it when I look over and my friend has a grin plastered to her face as she rides along. Even better is hearing the squeal of delight when someone rides down, or even up something that they weren't sure they could make. Like child's play we sometimes scream, but we NEVER cry! We are far too tough for crying. Instead, we curse like sailors! Recently, one of my rides was like playing the game snakes and ladders.

I was riding trails that I am not familiar with and every new turn I took felt like a roll of the dice. Sometimes, I would just end up following a nice flowing section of trail. This was like taking the board square by square. Other times, I would turn a corner to see a ladder. Maybe I am exaggerating a little bit, but some of those steep short hills sure felt like I was riding up a ladder. I know in the real board game you celebrate landing on a ladder, but in my version of the game, the ladder didn't always bring joy! What it brought was the granny gear, lots of grunting, huffing and puffing. Not sounds that resembled children playing in a garden! There weren't just ladders in my game. I did come across a few snakes throughout the day, literally and figuratively!

Saw several of these fellas out enjoying the sun!

Just like with live snakes, the trail snakes were of many varieties. There were harmless and dare I say fun little descents. Ones that made all the pain and suffering of going up worth it. Others were just mean and venomous. I believe in the work and reward program when I am out riding. What I mean by this is, if I work hard to go up I should get to have fun going down. This is not always the case and some of the single track downhills were as much work to ride and not even as fun as the uphills! Next time I ride those trails I hope to avoid the nasty snakes and ladders and just land on the fun ones. Of course, that requires me remembering which trail is which. That is about as likely as avoiding them with the dice throw in the real board game. One thing I do know, in my variation of Snakes and Ladders the winner is determined by the giggle factor.