Twelve Hours of WAU-Some!

Sitting here sore, bruised and exhausted, it's hard not to think about what an awesome time we had this weekend at our first Wausau 24 mountain bike race.  As enduro-virgins, Jay and I both opted to do the 2 person-12 hour races.  Thank heavens we did... the couple night laps I did were enough to show me I didn't want to go all night... on the bike, that is.

My friend and fellow Girl Fiend, Amanda "H&K", asked me to join her as a women's 2-person 12 hour team and Jay jumped in with 29nSngl dynamo Pete "Peaches" to tackle the men's 2 person 12 hr challenge on single speeds.  We were regaled with stories of camping and partyin' and ridin' for hours and just couldn't say No.

We arrived early on Friday to inspect the course and set up base camp at the park.  With the whole 29nSngl crew en route, we worked with Lindsay to find the biggest and best spot in the lot.  We circled all the wagons, parked the cars, set up our pop-up tents, tables, chairs, and fire pit and settled in for the fun and schenanigans.

With the race starting early on Saturday, we kept the party low-key on Friday night, enjoying some tasty vittles by the fire, tossing back a few beers, and spending a few minutes planning for the race in between great stories and belly laughs.  

Jay and I were both on board to kick off the first lap of each of our races, prepping for a 300 yd sprint at the start to where our bikes laid in the field in a LeMond start.  As the race began, we were immediately enveloped in a sea of racers and swinging arms.  Within the first 100 yds, my quads were screaming at me "what are you doing?!  we don't run!"  Ha!  But, I had strategically placed my new LaMere 29'er hardtail (aka the "Sparkle Pony") at the farthest point I could so, once I mounted the Sparkle Pony, I was already clear of the bikes littering the field.  

 My first lap was tough, getting caught early in a massive bottle neck as we entered the single track.  Although the slow pace early helped me recover from the run, it hindered my balance and momentum and the first 4 miles got the best of me... throwing me from my bike and onto the rocks 3 times and badly bruising my confidence and body alike.  When I returned to the transition area to switch with H&K an hour later, I was seriously questioning my ability to continue for 11 more hours.  H&K headed out and Jay and fellow Girl Fiend Janna got me to calm down and led me off to the camper to recover.  I ate, discovered zero broken bones, and tried to psych myself up for the next round.

Back in the transition area, H&K came in a few minutes faster than me and high-5'd me for good luck.  My lap was much smoother with reduced congestion on the trail and I took 3 min. off my time.  H&K went out again, throwing down awesome laps on her single speed, and returned to send me off for a 2 lap / 2 hour stint so she could eat, sleep and recover.  My laps stayed consistent, although my brain and body wondered on me occassionally.  Feeling clumsy in the challenging rock gardens, I had to remind myself that I was doing something I couldn't have remotely done a year ago.  And when my back screamed profanities at me, I used the single track to relax and focus on my technical skills, and then attacked the jeep trail as if it were a time trial.

When my 2 hour break came, I took time to get some more protein in my system and enjoyed a quick siesta in the Scamp.  As I headed back to the transition area I found out that we were sitting in a solid 2nd place, now with 8 laps done in 8 hours, and only 2 laps each left to complete.  It was all that I needed to gather up a second win and forget all the second-guessing just hours before.  It was 6:00pm and getting dark in the thick tree cover, so I had my headlamp on for the whole lap.  I played it smart in the rock gardens and was happy when I had gotten to my favorite flow section unscathed.

The trail was tight and rooted and winded around young trees and saplings.  With only a split-second's realization of what was about to happen, the right side of my bars nailed a tree and stopped me cold, throwing me hard onto the ground on the opposite side of the trail.  Pinned beneath my bike with my left foot still stuck in my pedal, I struggled to release myself and catch my breath.  It must've looked gnarly, cuz the man riding behind me gasped and stopped to ensure I was okay..  I was...  my leg warmer was torn at the knee and slowly darkening with blood and mud... it didn't want to bend when I got back on my bike, but luckily I had some time before the next climb.

I fought through the pain and the darkness for the rest of the lap and limped in a few minutes slower than my previous laps.  I must have looked rough because H&K just looked at me and said "Hard lap?" as she ventured off into the twilight.  On time as usual, she arrived to send me off for my last lap as darkness settled in for the night.  I went WAY easy in the rock gardens this time, even choosing to walk through the darkest one as my light illuminated the white painted boulders.

The silence then overwhelmed me as I realized I was all alone... in the dark woods... far from home.   As the fear of being mauled by a bear overtook me, I started singing Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" in a breathy, slightly panicked voice as loud as I could muster as I rode solo for the next 20 minutes.  For the last 2 miles, I began seeing headlights on the trail behind me and began to relax.  Two miles to go... leave it out on the course!  I clicked it into a harder gear and forced myself to ride faster and get H&K out on the course for her last lap.

Fatigue was settling in, by H&K was in high spirits as she headed out, demanding I be "half in the bag" when she crossed the line.  I headed back to camp and got out of my chamois for the first time in 12 hours and bundled up against the cold air that surrounded us.  Just after 10pm, H&K crossed the line grinning ear to ear, sealing up our second place finish with 12 laps under our belts!

Jay crossed the finish line with lights off and his single speed held high above his head as they won the 12 hour OVERALL with 15 laps!  He was exhausted and quickly retreated to the camper to hide under the covers and rest before joining us by the fire.  With all the work over and glory to bask in, we sat by the fire and had a blast as guitars, stories, and farts filled the air and beer, moonshine, and Rumchata-cha filled our bellies.  By 3:00am I was toast, so I headed off to bed to catch some zzz's before returning to the course to cheer on the 24-hour challengers and wait for the awards ceremony.

H&K and Me taking home the glory

Looking back on it, I am more and more proud of our accomplishment.  We didn't 'train' for it, we didn't obsess over each detail, we just did it... and we ROCKED IT!  Add in camping and great friends and you have a perfect weekend!

H&K, Me, and Janna showing off our bling and banged up knees

Huge thanks to 29nSngl for inviting us along for the party - it was awesome!  Thanks to Podiumwear for making some durable cycling apparel that can withstand my multiple impacts with the earth, rocks, and trees.  Thanks to Wausau for putting on an awesome event!  Thanks to Buzzy at LaMere Cycles for letting me rip it up on the 29'er!  And more than anything and always, a huge thank you to my hubby Jay and Hollywood Cycles for getting me geared up and ready for the ride, and being there to support me as a person as I took on a big challenge.

Bruised and feeling Bad A$$, 

Kristy Kreme

Third Time's the Dirtiest! ...Adventures in Gravel Racing

This past weekend, I tackled the Westside Dirty Benjamin for my third time after missing last year when I threw out my lower back.  I hadn't done a century in 2 years... not since I won it for the second time back in 2011... and somehow Jay had faith in me for a strong finish.  Me and my fistful of ibuprofren weren't so sure, but you know I had to saddle up anyways... 107.5 miles of gravel roads... what's the problem?

At the start of the race, the nerves were firing on all circuits as my stomach couldn't decide how to act.  Jay was trying to pump me full of encouragement and the drive to win and some barrier within myself was trying not to buckle under the pressure.  But, as tactically-minded as I am, I still strolled to the front of the pack to prep for the start of the race.

It was an awesome roll-out with Stukel driving the pack on his bike on a route I'd not yet seen.  I was sitting top 5 through the bulk of the rollout, but quickly found me in the midst of chaos as we entered a squishy single-track, saturated with the frequent spring rainfall we've had.  We popped back out onto the road and I moved quickly back into the top 20 to try to keep with the lead pack as we were released from the lead-out.  The pace maintained a strong but steady speed, and I settled into the pack and allowed my heart rate to come back down.

We hit the gravel roads with pure drive and loads of passion, ignoring our bikes as the rear wheels swayed this way and that, spit gravel from our lips as we gasped for air, and made split-decision bee lines when the gravel got soft and control dwindled.  Rocks pinged of our faces, chest, wheels, and frames and made a meal out of my shins... I felt them tear into my flesh and watched as the dust melded with the blood to make a fun paste out of my flesh.

But the dust and blood were the farthest thing from my mind as various teams and riders kept upping the pace.  I was able to see the "Tell" of the Revolution team and kept myself out of harms way pretty well.... all of a sudden, there we were, 40 miles into the race and I was still with the breakaway group of some 30-40+ riders.. WTF?!  As the pace kept increasing, I found myself shelled off the back twice - once I was able to bridge myself back on solo, and the second time I was able to jump back on with Megan B. & a teammate from BB's.

I road out of my mind and my comfort zone for longer than I'd ever done before, hanging on to the breakaway group til mile 60.  Unfortunately, just before the check-point, we took a turn into the cross-wind and I found myself as the caboose.. but as they came out of the turn, the attack happened and I was sling-shotted off the back.  I tried to bridge my way back on w/ my teammate Ron Ron, but I couldn't even hold his wheel as I watched the field (which now cradled the 1st place woman) ride away from me.

Panic set in - I'd ridden 60 miles with no cue sheets, having them safely tucked in my jersey.  I was quick to take them out, but found the heat and sweat had stuck them together and the ink was starting to run.  I tried desperately to pry them apart with one hand and my mouth to try to find the next turn before I got to it.  I found Ron Ron at the next intersection just as I'd found the right page and we took the left turn to the check point where we refueled, fed the mosquitos, and remounted our bikes as soon as we could.

We spent the next few miles getting ourselves back into the action, fighting off increasing back pain on my side, and Ron Ron's leg cramp that stopped us for 5 min. until the mosquitos got too unbearable.  We pedaled easy for a few miles and set into a steady pace until mile 80 or so when a group of 7 came up on us and let us jump on.  Megan B. was in the pack and looking strong, forcing me to spend the next 15 miles in my head, fighting the urge to throw in the towel as my right side continued to cramp and the pedal strokes got more uneven.  I tried pedaling only with my left leg to relieve the pain, but little relief was found.  At mile 100, we ascended our final and brutal gravel climb.  At the top, rather than throwing in the towel, the adrenaline kicked in and I was suddenly unaware of the pain and focused only on strategy to get myself a second place finish.

Megan pulled to the front with 7 miles to go to "help take a pull" and I jumped on her wheel as the Angel and the Devil on my shoulders battled it out as to whether or not to inform her of her tactical error.   The Devil won... I sat on as we flew across the paved road at 22 mph, never letting more than a few inches separate our wheels, watching as the miles ticked off.  With less than a mile to the final turn, she called over her shoulder "Where do we turn?"... "Danger, Will Robins" is what I replied... first mistake about cue-sheet races:  not having your cue sheets.  Lucky for her, one of the men in our pack came to the front with a 1/2 mile to go, calling "I'll do some work - you ladies just yell at me when you want me to get the hell outta your way!"

We took the final turn into the descent to the finish.  Though the day had been warm and cloud-covered, the rain finally decided to make an appearance for our final 2 miles.  The pace was fast and I was quickly running out of gears w/ my 1x10, noticing that Megan had 3 more to go.  A couple men attacked and I went with, trying to get a gap, but Megan and the rest closed the gap instantly.  Another attack went, but I marked her instead, making sure I knew where she was at all times, knowing she wasn't sure where the finish was.

Once the bridge was in my sights, I grabbed my shifters and gave it hell, ramping it up and taking the finish line by storm.  We came into the parking lot as they registered our finish, wet, grimmy, and covered in dust, dirt, and gravel... we were tired, but yet so energized by such an awesome race!  Although it was my slowest times of the 3 (at 6hrs 14min), I still finished in 2nd place and more proud of myself than ever!  Typically, I have Jay by my side, pushing me to go hard and helping me through emotional bouts of doubt... but this year he was at the front, battling it out all the way to the finish and took 2nd himself in a seriously tough battle!  So proud of my hubby, and so happy for all that he has taught me!

Better yet, when we threw our FILTHY kits into the wash, seeing as how all the white areas had turned an ishy brown... we honestly didn't know if they'd ever come clean.  But, our super kits by Podiumwear look brand new after a lil soap and water!  Not to mention the comfort - I've never done a century ride w/o some "monkey butt" (aka skin issues)... but NOTHING!   Even my teammate Janna, who's hubby/wife team won the Tandem race said it was the best chamios yet!  Thank you Podiumwear!

Wasted tired, sore, and completely elated, we enjoyed some great food and brews post-race and watched as the riders came in as well as a pretty tough thunderstorm.  Turns out we'd finished just in time, as the storm that welcomed us to the finished turned all the gravel roads behind us into peanut butter, freezing up chains and drive trains for many riders.

All in all, it was an amazing day!  We happily followed it up with some well-needed time with the puppy, horizontal, on the couch. :)  Now, if only my appetite would subside.... ever since my 5200 calorie burn, I can't seem to stop eating!

Happy & Hungry,
Kristy Kreme

Another day in Print-adise

The last couple weeks have lead me and Teri back to the workshop to prep for 2 big Girl Fiend Designs orders.  The greatest part about it was spending some quality time with our homemade screenprinting press... getting to know her a little better and figuring out what SHE wants to do.

Yep, the press is a She.  And, when we figured out that she helps us make cooler shirts when we're blasting zef beats by Die Antwoord, it was a no-brainer to name her after front woman and our fave badass chic, Yo-landi.

With many hours in the shop, doing full order runs of our Girl Fiend, Hell on Wheels, and our latest and greatest design, we started to see the subtle quirks and shifts that Yo-landi's wooden frame had.  Best of all, we figured out how to crank up the music louder and use them to our advantage.

 The result:  two awesome days of printing and a wicked awesome new design that neither of us has stopped wearing!

The Lioness of Flanders!  Girl Fiend-style.

The official Lion of Flanders is a Belgian flag with red toenails.  The more popular version has black toenails, representing the outcasts or separatists who want to emancipate the Flanders region from Belgium to preserve the Dutch language and Flemish culture in history.

As Girl Fiends, we took our love for cycling, Belgium, and the iconic Lion of Flanders and gave it a purple nurple...   Hot pink toenails stand up for bad ass chicks, the flowing mane sharpened into points to emphasize the dark and dangerous.... and the mischievous horns have replaced the softer ears.  It has quickly become both of our new favorite shirts!

And, once we showed them off to Hollywood, he placed an order on the spot to fill up his shelves with The Lioness of Flanders, Girl Fiend, and Hell on Wheels!  Now available at Hollywood Cycles!

With three more designs yet to complete for summer, we still have a lot of hours yet to put in, but I'm so excited to watch each one come to life.  As a kid, I used to cut stencils out of thin plastic, tape them down on a blank shirt, and slowly paint between the lines.  It's so cool to have now grown into bigger and better methods & designs.

Printing in Print-adise!
Kristy Kreme