New Accomplishments

Saturday was a busy day -- our dear friend Lynnette was getting married, and our Fuji Oval race team was having the annual party. We were diligent in ensuring we could attend both, as both events were important to us.

Lynette was a beautiful bride, Rick was a stylish groom, and the ceremony was sweet and moving.  We were honored to witness it. In fact, we were reminded of when we exchanged vows, way back in August '81. That we're still holding those promises true knocks my socks off. I love my man, and I know he loves me. We keep our vows alive, and expand on them.  We're a blessed couple, and we give thanks daily.

Then we moved to the race team party. Mary cooked and defied her injury to  make multiple dishes over a period of days, and pretend it was no big deal. It was a big deal! We all brought side dishes to complement the pulled pork and Italian sausage. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gained weight at that party.

We didn't get recognition as a tandem team, which made me mad.  We're the only tandem team and we scored big-time at Rio Vista (as in the only tandem team and we hauled ass anyway), and Chris wrangled the bike and me and we still scored. That, and we manage to exceed expectations on every ride. So I was miffed that we weren't given our props.

OTOH, I won the Most Enthusiastic Member award -- and rightly so. Last year I cobbled together a TTT at the last minute, and we scored!  And it was fun, despite the frustration of finding a 3rd team member. It was a collaborative exercise, and a great effort, and I'm pleased to have been a part of it.

This year I cheer-leaded our team, repped at the Putah Creek Smack Down (and scored some PBs as well), and had fewer raced than I'd intended. Nonetheless, I tirelessly cheerlead our team, acknowledge results, invite teammates to try new things -- I'm not always successful, but I give it a go. One for all and all for one -- and help the team every chance you get.

That's why I won that award, and why Saturday was so fun for me. A team got me here, and I'm on the team to get the next person to their PB.

Sunday, October 21, 2012, was my 58th birthday. What does one who behaves as though she's half that age do?

She rides her age, on the tandem with her BFF/hubby, with a retired professional cyclist. The Fuji Team Pro fit him just right. We have not ridden the tandem since August, as my memory serves.

Bombing down Steiger Hill Rd. I knew Chris would be balls-out, and I started the Lamaze breathing early. Good idea; bombing down Cardiac and setting a new Strava score required me just tucking in and breathing. Holy crap, I had serious fear!  I kept squeezing imaginary brakes, Lamaze breathing, reminding myself that we've done this multiple times and it's been all good.

We rode 128 to Winters and shared a sandwich and a cup of really good soup. The sun played hide-and-seek, and wouldn't just shine. So soup helped to warm me up.  Stokers should be warm.

We had 18 miles to get my age, so off we went along Putah Creek Rd., my usual TT route.  Fun on the tandem + friend, and on we went, with a final result of 64.3 miles, beer at home, and off went our friend. We'd planned dinner around his presence, so when he bailed, we reconnoitered, and went to the Buck Horn for dinner.  We ate ourselves almost stupid and came home with leftovers.

Bottom line: Birthday ride-your-age-in-miles:http://app.strava.com/rides/25728331

Bone miles: Done

Recovery meal: Consumed.

It was a great day! 

PCSD

I had some issues with that carbon clincher wheel so I road it Mercks-style. 27:13,  a new Merckx PR.

Really, I wanted to bail: nothing on the TT bike was working out, and I could have so easily stayed home...and I'm so glad I didn't.  I needed to figure out how to make this happen. And I needed the way to make this work for me and my buyers.

Done. Very happy.

Winters RR and Vacaville GP

Saturday, 8/25, was the Winters Road Race, a fun event on roads I ride all the time. Chris & I reluctantly attended the Earthquake festival the night before, and I was skeptical as to the town's clean up crew.

When we showed up on Saturday morning the streets were spotless. You'd never know that crowds had blocked the streets just 12 hrs. before. Props to Winters for making that happen -- that's huge!

The Juniors started in front of us, and my teammate Kathy and I went to the front, right behind them.  The rest of the group thought they were leading but they came up behind us giving us the edge.

We had a neutral lead-out for about 1/2 mile and then we were set loose. Those Juniors, fueled by testosterone, went off fast. The women all lined up behind me (I was feeling strong and didn't mind leading) and I pulled for 7+ mi. before Kathy came up, apologizing, tried to split the group on the rollers.Nothing doing -- we all stuck together.

We hit Cantelow and the group was all together. I faded towards the back with a couple women behind me; Kathy was up front. As we were descending/ascending an off-camber part of the road a moto ref neutralized us. A sketchy, maybe new rider jerked left, leaned into Kathy who leaned back. The rider let up, then took out 2 girls to her right, and Kathy and another girl to the left. I didn't see her but saw the carnage & heard the squeal of brakes; I stopped, laid down the Diva off the road, and after the huge P/1/2 group passed, ran to aid Kathy. She was hurt and required some sensitive hands-on help. The SAG driver gathered her bottles, I helped her get out of her shoes as her back was hurt, into the truck, and off she went.

I had an easy 2 mi. ride to the neutral feed zone, where I pulled out of the race -- my group was >30 min. ahead of me, so what was the point?  I felt as though my job was done. Chris & I handed bottles to other teammates, then we drove home.

That night we had dinner with our CAT3 teammie...the Vacaville GP was combining 3/4 women, and a CAT4 'mate was already signed up. Kameo threw down the gauntlet so I showed up...a very technical race I've marshaled for several years but have always feared riding, With no expectations and a wee bit of a hangover I showed up and rode my guts out, ignoring the scary turns and just racing. Eventually I was dropped by the main field and picked up 7 women, and we alternated who rode with whom.  I had many opportunities to play with cornering, hill climbing, etc., and had a blast -- esp. picking off women half my age on the hill -- I'd tell them "Once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed" but they weren't getting it. One day they will.

So this group I worked with/dropped/worked with, we were lapped at the bell lap. I pulled out but Leon said if I wasn't pulled by an official I could still race. So my last lap was a time trial -- I passed my group of 5 and a lady said "Good for you" as I passed her on the hill. She and another racer passed me on the downhill, and on the straightaway I found some sprint in my legs and beat the pair of them for a top 20 finish.

And the Friday before we closed an escrow. Sweet! Win win win!

Searching for the No Limits Mindset

I've been a bad blogger. 

Many days the thought "update blog now" in a Siri voice went through my brain.

I ignored it.

My new postition and duties as President-elect of my local Assoc. of REALTORs (R) sometimes sucks the life out of me, as well as my training and riding

For instance, 8/15 was the local time trial practice extended 40 km ride. I was in Chicago; I ran 4-ish miles along the lakefront, which was amazing, took a pic, ran back to the hotel. Later, stuck in an airport, I saw the reminder about the race and silently chafed.

Showed up tonight; reinforced the common knowledge that I'm old and slow.

My signature race on Sunday will be painful and perhaps without payoff.  I'm trying to remain positive.  From now until I cross the finish line, it's all a mind game.

Overdue

Oh, I'm so far behind!

I feel bad about it. On a weekly basis, I beat myself up.

Then I remind myself that this isn't that kind of blog.

It's for sharing major life-changing events, and hoping to inspire y'all to new successes.

Fail. Fail. Fail.

So much learning in the fail. I see that I should make "update blog" a weekly or more frequent reminder.

We have a long weekend ahead. I don't have a full showing schedule. I'll catch up on my rides and take-aways then. 

I predict an unprecedented weekend. 

I have been remiss in updating. In my head I'm updating all the time. I just can't get it out of my head. Sorry.

Google has made some changes as well, and I need to examine them before I make a decision as to how I proceed.

The riding's been great, the training is 3 mos. ahead of schedule, thanks to 30 Days of Biking in April, and my adherence to attending all the PCSD TT practices I can handle.

Sadly, my road races will suffer, since the women on my team are incredibly faster than I am. So I figure I'll be off the back, working with a group who also can't keep up with the leaders. I'll be their erstwhile mentor and they'll pedal their guts out. Much easier to do when someone is cheering you on. (Ask me how I know.)

Had a very satisfactory result in last week's Dunlop Time Trial in Davis; 7th overall and 3rd in my category. New PR -- first time doing in on the Diva; in previous years this was a tandem race.

New PR in the PCSD on Wed. too.  Nice to be 3 mos. ahead of last year's fitness.

Another TT practice on Wed. Not sure of the distance but I'll be there and ready to race.

Happy for the gains this spring...both on and off the bike.