Packing!!! Who knew it was a full time job?

... at least for a day IF you are packing for a 24hr race and have to fly on a plane! Yeeps! So many things to figure out and line up!!!  Flying to a 24hr Solo is always interesting ... and at this event, they don't offer tents/chairs for rent .. so you are totally on your own.

Lucky for me I have a great pit crew :) Jonathan and his folks will be crewing for me!  They have no idea what they are getting into ;-) I think it's better that way, don't you? I still remember my first 24hr solo when I had no idea what I was getting into ... everything ws new, everything was interesting, everything was a challenge!

I'm hopeing for nice weather ... rain always makes things miserable. So if you are bored this weekend, do a little SUN dance for Colorado Springs. :)

A friend of mine gave me some good advice that i'm going to carry with me this race: You must first finish, if you want to finish first.  So true, so true!!!! And esp true for 24hr Solo's where, for me, my stomach is the first to go. Darn stomach. Anyone care for a trade? ;-)

Well, the packing is pretty much done, and tomorrow will be a busy day!

3 - 2 - 1 GO!!!

Yikes, it is that time already. it's kinda surreal ... you train all season for a race and then BOOM! It is there ... the big race.  And as you see it getting closer you have to be confident in your training ... that you have done all you can do ... and now it's just about packing, logistics, and actually racing your bike.

Well, it's that time for me! Not exactly the race i traned for all year since Worlds got cancelled. But fighting for a US National title isn't so bad either. On top of that I get to see a new place - the race is in Colorado Springs - a place i haven't been before. It's 6500ft in the air (yikes) and in the mountains ... it's gonna be good. and yes, it's gonna be hard :)

Well, this week is all about prepping, trying to sleep as much as possible, eating, and prepping some more. Off we go ..........

Capital Forest 100 miler: Race Report!

here it is!!! By the numbers:

Feet climbed: 11,555
Miles riden: 97 (see below)
Miles ran: 5
Flat tires: 3
Finishing place: 2nd
Broken pumps: 1
Minutes I beat my old self by: 0

Yup! that sums itup. I had 3 flats, had to run 5 miles due to a busted pump, and tied myself from last year! I estimate that I lost about 45 min due to the flats.  Oh yeah, and the race was on my birthday!

I rode my Phaser - this was the longest ride my Norco Phaser has seen and, well, it treated me well. Really well! I even had my fancy new powertap that i got for my Bday installed on it to see my stats. Fun, and motivating. For someone like me, i get lazy and relaxed, so having the numbers to push me when i am off in the woods on my own, is key!!

The race was amazing, as always! The support was great, the organizers were stellar, and the course was phenomenal with 90 miles of single track!! The support/volunteers even started walking back to me on the trail when they heard about my busted pump. AMAZING!!!

So that is it, the last big event before Nationals!!!