Last night’s mountain biking was crazy!
We pulled in and there were the most mt bikers ever! We asked a fellow female biker about the crowd and she mentioned there’s a time trial this weekend on the course we practice on. All the serious racers came that night to practice the course...AND there was a Wednesday night bike group meeting at 6pm to ride OUR course! We’ve never seen it this jammed.
Regardless, we had to practice. The first loop we were cautious like usual and made pretty great time, just under 19 minutes. The second loop we decided to start even though we knew the Wed night pack was just behind us. We were moving! Kristen kept a great pace and I would give her the updates on how close the pack was getting to me. It felt like we were being chased, which actually was great practice because we pushed hard and didn’t let up. We made it through the whole loop without anyone passing us and got our fastest time yet: 17 mins and some odd seconds!
The third loop…oh the fatal third loop. We were feeling so great after the second one, that we went into the third with confidence! It was 1.89 miles into ride when we approached the huge log we usually jump with momentum. The momentum is key and Kristen had lost her momentum moments before when a rogue biker came at us going the wrong way on the trail. Being the polite bikers, we pull to the side, but we lost all the speed. Kristen wasn’t at top speed approaching the log…she jumps it… she and the bike are in the air… then the bike comes down on the log… and Kristen falls down on the log … then the bike falls on her. Oh. Man. Not. Good. I saw everything in slow motion. Also, with our luck, it’s at the exact moment she falls, that three professional mt bikers are coming down the trail. They stop to see if she’s OK, which was really nice of them… but then proceeded to stay and watch the show…
I think I’ll let Kristen take over the story from here!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Serious Pre-Race Anxiety!!
The Green Governor BEASTS are nervous. Very nervous. Actually more close to terrified and panicky, then nervous. Probably more nervous for this weekend’s race, then any race before…even the half marathon. Do you get the idea that we’re nervous yet?
We race this Sunday in PA. It’s the season finale for our Adventure Racing series and boy oh boy is it the season finale. Frank is ready to end the season with a bang.
Race starts at 6am Sunday morning. We know there’s going to be 1 mile + of water travel, i.e. swimming in a cold lake infested with large fish and water snakes. There is also 18+ miles of mountain biking through very technical terrain. One online review of the mt biking trail stated: great course, wicked hill down the backside, my tire got caught between a couple rocks and I went over the handle bars, fun! Ummmmm… yeah, we’re thinking it’s going to be a ton of fun. Lastly, 10+ miles of running/trekking. Deep breath.
The anxiety is mainly focused on the swim portion. Also running 10 miles is pretty intense after you’ve biked and swam for 5 hours leading up to it. Kristen said we should think of the 10 miles as really a 6 mile run, then a 4 mile run. When you think of it like that, it honestly doesn’t seem so bad!
Right now we are brainstorming about race day food and clothes. What should we swim in? Should we bring fins, goggles, our own PFD’s, beach towels AND kick boards? Hahah maybe just the fins and kick boards. Where are we going to find 4 glow sticks that can be used in the water? What will we put in the big, orange, waterproof bag Corey got me for my bday? Will we have to carry the maps while we are swimming? If yes, then we might need some new zip lock bags… So much to think about!!
Two GGB training days this week. Mountain biking one day and a bike/run another day. This is the last adventure race of 2009 so we want to end strong!!! Maybe, just maybe we will beat Twisted Sister! Our navigation is improving with every race and I know with our fins and kick boards, we will be able to kick right past them on the swim! Wish us luck!
We race this Sunday in PA. It’s the season finale for our Adventure Racing series and boy oh boy is it the season finale. Frank is ready to end the season with a bang.
Race starts at 6am Sunday morning. We know there’s going to be 1 mile + of water travel, i.e. swimming in a cold lake infested with large fish and water snakes. There is also 18+ miles of mountain biking through very technical terrain. One online review of the mt biking trail stated: great course, wicked hill down the backside, my tire got caught between a couple rocks and I went over the handle bars, fun! Ummmmm… yeah, we’re thinking it’s going to be a ton of fun. Lastly, 10+ miles of running/trekking. Deep breath.
The anxiety is mainly focused on the swim portion. Also running 10 miles is pretty intense after you’ve biked and swam for 5 hours leading up to it. Kristen said we should think of the 10 miles as really a 6 mile run, then a 4 mile run. When you think of it like that, it honestly doesn’t seem so bad!
Right now we are brainstorming about race day food and clothes. What should we swim in? Should we bring fins, goggles, our own PFD’s, beach towels AND kick boards? Hahah maybe just the fins and kick boards. Where are we going to find 4 glow sticks that can be used in the water? What will we put in the big, orange, waterproof bag Corey got me for my bday? Will we have to carry the maps while we are swimming? If yes, then we might need some new zip lock bags… So much to think about!!
Two GGB training days this week. Mountain biking one day and a bike/run another day. This is the last adventure race of 2009 so we want to end strong!!! Maybe, just maybe we will beat Twisted Sister! Our navigation is improving with every race and I know with our fins and kick boards, we will be able to kick right past them on the swim! Wish us luck!
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