Addict Alert!!!

I can't help myself....mountain biking is just too fun.

We spent Sunday up at Spirit Mtn. for the Powder Monkey Mtn Bike Race. It was my 3 Sport appearance, but one I was ready for. No post-wedding-reception-hangover, no swine flu...just proper sleep and diet and ready to ride.

Jay and I loaded up with the Chucker, Lady Death Rider, and MSH and headed north early to get me to the dirt church on time. It was a hot one, but I was amped to ride. Though my technical skills are still pretty elementary, my roady-fitness is still a strong ally, helping me close gaps with more experienced riders on all the climbs, flowing trail sections, and dirt roads.

I kept a constant stream of advice from Jay, Kyia, and the Crue playing in my mind on repeat throughout the 3 lap sweat fest. Sure, I took more spills into the brush and trees than ever before, but I was taking on elements I've never dared ride before. I know I'm new. I know I need more time and experience. So I used that awareness to push the limits and see what I could learn in the short time I had that day.

Riding down stacked boulders and over the rock and log gardens was a ton easier than my more fearful self once though. And the falls didn't hurt nearly as much as I anticipated. It was so amazing. And to top it all off, I still clinched a 5th place finish, 2nd in my age group!!!! Everyone with me now...B1+CH PLEASE!

With this new 'habit' in my system, I may have to take my bike off road next season. Moving up to a Cat 3 on the raod next year will probably find me at back at the cabooze again, so why not mix it up and focus on the dirt? I dunno..... we'll see. But it sounds pretty nice right now!

Maybe I'm just missing Cyclocross so much right now that this is my intermediate fix. My nicotine patch of sorts. Ether way, I'm lovin' it.

The new dirty girl on the block
Kristy Kreme

Fabulous Finale to the '09 Time Trialing

This passed Saturday was the Henderson Time Trial, my favorite one. Two weeks after I bought my first bike, I went out and tried my first bike race - the Henderson TT. And I was immediately hooked. This year marked my 4th appearance, my 3rd doing the mixed gender team time trial w/ Hwood.
As the first time riding w/ anyone else on the road since my crash at State, I was oddly nervous and hesitant to get in Jay's draft. I knew it was crazy to feel that way - there is no other wheel out there I could trust more to ride than his - but I still had to fight my way through the fear.

Since Jay can TT way faster than I can, I sat in his draft for the entirety. My max speed in the draft equals the max effort he can pull me at, making us even that much more a perfect pair. The first couple of miles, I struggled to relax in his draft and let it pull me in. I knew the wind would tire me and I tried to force myself closer, focusing my site on his rear derailleur.

As the adrenaline pulsed through my veins and flooded my muscles, the fear dissipated and I closed the gap. In a daze, I watched the rear wheel and rode at my limit. When he shifted, so did I. Jay rode the perfect pace, never faltering, never wavering...consistent and steady. We flowed steady through the turn-around and regained our pace quickly as we tackled the immediate hill.

Settling in again, Jay raised it to an 11, and my legs were happy to oblige. With 2 miles to go, Jay turned it up again, blowing out all the carbon and stealing every second from the clock that we could. Into the final turn, my hubby stayed wide and allowed me to come through for the final finishing push. Head down, I dropped another gear and drove my heals into the pedals. Silence filled my ears and my vision tunneled in on the line.

We screamed over it at 28 mph, in our new best course time ever!!! Shaving more than 3 minutes off our time from 2008, we finished in 34:25 on the 15 mile course, winnig the Mixed Gender category for the very first time!!!! It was awesome. And for the first time, we also won the ice-cream bet with Silver Steve & C-Ray. B1+ch please! (thanks for the breakfast substitute, Steve!)

Time-trialing in love,
Kristy Kreme

could it be???

This MN heat wave isn't gonna slow things down...Cyclocross is just around the corner & I'm chompin at the bit, ready to ride. By far, this is my favorite style of bike racing, tied in the #1 position with time trialing.

And so, to get myself in the right frame of mind, I couldn't help but look back at some of my fave times..... this one's an oldie, but goodie.