Loving Racing...

CX is not exactly my sport. I was tripping, crashing, derailing today...you name it. But it was soooo much fun out there. I had spectated at this race a couple of years ago (near the Taj in Golden), little did I know that this is where today's race would be. Fortunately, when I had seen it before, it was very muddy. Today it was dry and dusty. Definitely preferred.

It doesn't matter what the details are, it is great being pushed hard and having to overcome fears and having small victories...all part of every race I've ever been part of.

Dreaming of next year's road season, but having fun in the meantime remembering the adrenaline rush of racing...good combo! Still no CX pics. I've been leaving my camera at home for fear someone might get a not-so-smooth picture of one of my amateur moves.

"A pleasant surprise is in store for you"

...so read my fortune cookie tonight. After dinner, I went to visit a very sweet dog who needs a home. I don't think I can possibly take care of this adorable pooch, but maybe you can! (He's a small rottweiler, contact me for more info.)

The pleasant surprise was not the dog (as that wasn't a surprise since I knew I was going to see a dog), but was the place where the dog lives. It's an industrial space (probably meant to be a warehouse) that two guys (brothers of a co-worker) have fixed up into a living space and music studio. It was pretty cool seeing such a different space turned into a home. I really appreciate inspired spaces.

First Race of the Season...FINALLY

I did it...after years of talking about trying cyclocross, I actually went out there and participated in a race. Yeah, I kind of raced it, too. If there hadn't been barriers (that I so gracefully fell before a couple of times), I would have not looked like a total newbie. That was also the very first real interval of the season for me. Ouch, a 45-minute long interval. Barf. No, but almost barf. I added to the collection of bruises on my right leg (must be from hitting the bike against my body when picking it up).

For the record, I'm pretty close to the most non-technical person EVER on a bike. I learned so much about trusting my bike, not being scared and just going for it without over thinking everything that looked scary (which was much of the course). After further review and actually surviving the race, I've come to the conclusion that cross racing IS fun. Yup, and if a total chicken such as myself can say this, it must be true.

The crowd was chill and Colorado Springs put its best foot forward. It was a beautiful (almost too warm) day, absolutely the best way to usher in the cross season (and yes, there was mud in the course).

"It's Going to Be A Great Day"

Quote from my boss moments ago. Then he followed up by saying:

"I'm a little bi-polar, it's all good, until it's all bad."

He works in Boston, must not be raining there like it is here.

Cyclocross Racing Might Be Fun

Everyone says it's so much fun, but the very few times I've tried some CX moves with my cross bike, I can't say I've enjoyed it. However, today a cross clinic turned mini-practice race might have changed my mind. There wasn't time to think about being freaked out about jumping off the bike or care about how silly it must have looked when I was running through a sand pit...but falling just prior to getting to the sand pit.

So maybe it'll happen yet...next weekend are the first two cross races so it's time for me to no longer consider it and just do it. Seriously, today I almost skipped it as I was getting so scared just prior to going! Why is it that grass and dirt are scarier than pavement? We all know which hurts worse.

After cross practice, it was necessary to get some road miles in and after the waaaay-over LT efforts of cross, the 3 hr ride seemed easy. Went up Golden Gate Canyon for some quality climbing. Last weekend's climbing at altitude helped tremendously.

Just finished the first week (er, the first four days) of the new job. So far, I'm liking it a lot. And the flexibility can't be beat (I'm working from home the next couple of days, how cool is that?)

Breckenridge Weekend

I just got back from an absolutely marvelous, awesome, wonderful, cool weekend. Yes, it deserves all of these adjectives. Since I haven't vacationed all summer, it was a much needed break to get to the mountains with a friend (we're in ToastMasters together) and her family. I got to know her so much better. It was a treat to be in the peace and beauty of the mountains, to stay in a log cabin with a good family (read: yummy food, camp-like activities like story telling and singing songs with guitar accompaniment, completely unstructured time and no t.v. or internet) and to be able to play outside a lot, too.

Saturday I took a road ride from Breckenride to Vail Pass. It was a beautiful ride and I threw some intervals in for good measure. Met some fun people on road bikes from NYC and rode a few miles with them. Afterwards, we (my friend and her family) attended church in Breck. The place was full so it felt like a warm Christmas Eve mass.

Sunday found us on a retro tandem cruiser. This thing can move! The picture was taken during a break in Dillon for lunch (we rode from Frisco to Keystone and back).

And today we hiked right out from the cabin, it was quite a distance with her guide dog showing her every step to take. He is even able to tell her when she might run into a tree limb that's face-height. He's such a sweet dog, and he's smarter than most people.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Labor Day weekend!