Time to get down to business....

Alrighty ya'll I'm finished going to Knoxville for Lady Vols games.  Still gotta cheer them on through the SEC Tourney and NCAA's.  Wouldn't it be awesome if they win the whole kit and kaboodle!?! 

I have plenty of other stuff going on too, but I am hoping to soon get organized on a regular riding & gym schedule!  Last MTX race is next Sunday which is one day after my first ever 5k trail race.  Debating whether to go to Danville to race on the 13th. I just want to ride!!!  Racing is fun too though!

Will hopefully get to do the rest of Kenny's races in Bedford (downhill, time trial, Fat Tire Frenzy and Montvale).  Might as well.  They are good races on familiar trails and easy to get to! 

Hopefully I'll have more fun stuff to blog about soon!

The 2nd Bedford MTX Race

Finally caught a break so I could write this post for you!  I had two assignments due this week that turned out to be very time consuming.  Sorry for the teaser posts!  As you know the 2nd MTX race was last Sunday, and as it turned out it was probably the most fun I've had in the 3 years that I have participated in this series.  While the snow/mud races were fun last year, this particular race just seemed to suit me for some reason.  I took Punkin' - the orange 29er for this race.  

The course started off in the reverse direction as the previous race, so of course that meant we got to go down the hill that I had previously walked.  This meant I could actually get off to a faster start - of all the things related to mountainbiking, I've never been terribly afraid of going down hill fast.  Well the catch with this was the little steep uphill at the bottom of the big hill.  During my pre-ride, I noticed that this little booger was slick.  I MEAN SLICK - like black ice slick.  I managed to get up and over it on my pre-ride somehow.  After this we went through a soggy section of grass and over a barrier then crossed a small bridge.  After the bridge, it was time to roll.  Fairly flat grass section to another bridge to some single track followed by more grass (thanks Kenny!).  This race included the Deer Trail.  Kenny not only puts in sections of grass, but he loves to include this trail.  I think I've finally conquered it now!  In previous years the thing was so wet and slick with mud that I usually wound up walking up it.  Somewhere along the way, I discovered I could ride up it which I did on all 5 of my laps this past week.

The first grassy section was a blast on the first few laps - I even used my big chain ring on the first lap.  The uphill, slick was my nemesis this time.  I might have successfully ridden up it twice during the race.  At least twice I had troubles and the one lap was horrendous as I spun out at the top, ended up falling over about the time to see this guy from Lynchburg closing fast.  I thought I was going to be the first ever MTX casualty.  Fortunately this guy is super nice and stopped quickly!  Thanks Barry!  

A friend of mine managed to capture this incident in pictures, but hasn't had time to post them yet.  I promise if he does, I'll post them.  =)  I can tell that I'm gaining confidence about being on the mountainbike again.  I'm really pysched about it too.  My first lap (1.3 miles) was 9:52 which was fast for me made me so proud.   Of course, my subsequent laps were slower and that one lap was a disaster after I slopped around in the mud.  HAHAHA.  


I think I'm 8th or 9th in the standings right now with 9 laps completed for the series, but I will miss the night race on the 26th so that I can go to the regular season finale for the Lady Vols.  The MTX series concludes March 6th and I will be there.  Hopefully with fresh enough legs to get in some good laps - I'm running the Explore Your Limits 5k on the 5th.  YIKES!

It's coming, I promise...

Hint, look at my right knee and elbow... I'm not naturally Bedford Red.

Bedford MTX Race #2 report coming soon...

Makes you wonder what this race report will be doesn't it?  Love this picture from Tim Dahl, race photographer extraordinaire! 

Something different

I've discovered as long as I'm outside on sunny days, I'm happy.  I must be part plant as I'm much happier in the sunlight.  =)  Today I was going to ride my bike, but decided it was really a bit windy for me and I didn't want to really ride my road bike.  Instead, I decided to go for a trail run.  I enjoy running sometimes, but the pounding of the pavement hurts my legs and feet.  Hence, my love of bikes!

Today I took my running to the Chestnut Ridge Loop on the Parkway.  I LOVED IT.  It was difficult and I did have to walk some; but what a terrific way to enjoy being outside.  I only ran about 2.5 miles before I found myself back at my car.  I'm not familiar with this trail despite it's proximity to home and work.  I guess since you can't ride a bike on it, I figured why bother with it.  I've taken my dog there a few times, but we must have always walked on the other side of the loop from where I was today as I honestly don't ever remember seeing some of the scenery from today.  

Part of the trail meanders to near Welcome Valley Road then back to the woods.  I saw a foundation to an old house along the way.  I honestly stopped at looked at the trail signs twice to make sure I was going the right way (and I had the map too).  At one point I looked to my left and there was a mobile home park.  I had no idea where it even was until I got home and looked at a map.  I also realized that I could see Pheasant Ridge from the trail.  I really was confused that I had come that close to Rt 220.  Weird.  

Anyway, I will definitely go back and run this half of the trail again.  I'd like to be able to work up to the entire 5.4 mile loop, but I'm going to have to explore it a bit more first as I get confused in the campground on which direction to go.  I think the signs are fairly accurate so I may go back next weekend and do the other loop.  

Good times, now to rest up before the next Mountaincross race tomorrow.  I think I'm going to wind up taking Punkin' and Ritchey to this one then decide once I get there which one to ride.  Options are nice huh?

Bedford MTX Race #1

Just a quick blog since I took yesterday off from school to play, I need to get schoolwork done.  Went to Falling Creek for the first MTX race yesterday.  It was an absolutely perfect day for riding.  I went out for a preview of the course after talking to a friend.  I was really dreading a couple of trailbits that were included.  The first time around my legs felt stiff and heavy, and I felt terribly unprepared.  Oh well it is February!

Once the race got started I felt much better.  I started with one other girl and a beginner male (the race is handicapped ala golf in attempts to make it more fair.)  I let them go off the start because I've not been on the MTB all that much.  I quickly caught the girl as we got to the singletrack.  I passed her a short while later, then I caught the guy before we ended the first lap.  I was happy with that.  

I gained a bit of confidence each lap, but could tell the lack of seat time was preventing me from doing any better.  Of course the faster men caught up to me and passed me.  Out of 22 racers, I finished 14th which is fine with me.  11 people in front of me rode 5 laps and 2 rode 4.  I'm happy with that.  I can't wait until next Sunday to do it all over again.  It's great to be back on the MTB and great to see my friends again.
 
A few pictures borrowed from my friend's follow.  See you next week!

Last weekend

So let me tell you what I did last weekend.

Saturday - 24 mile road ride - good times!

Sunday - 51 mile road ride - good times, but suffered a bit in the end - need to remember to refuel!!!  

All is well though.  Recovered well, so I think that's a good sign of things to come.  Imagine this was only the 4th or 5th time (I think that I've ridden greater than 50 miles) during a ride!!!  And I know for sure that it's the longest ride I've done this early in the year.  I'm so happy!!!

MTX Race in Bedford is Sunday - this is the third fourth year of the series.  Last year I finished 9th overall, but this year I have to miss one of the races so I don't have a goal other than having fun getting muddy on a moutainbike and spending some time with friends.  I hope the weather is decent!