If you want to come out to Oakridge, Oregon next weekend, we are going to have fun! Oakridge is one of my favorite places to ride!

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After the TSE, I was on some very strict R&R.  I was glad I got to go to the races on the East coast, but also very frustrated that every single time I tried to pedal, I felt good.  The joy of riding my bike was being sapped and replaced with constant frustration and anxiety of waiting for myself to come back around.

I spent some time the week after TSE with my boyfriend, Matt and was also really busy trying to get caught up with work after being on the constant for several weeks.  I still tried to get in a little bit of pedaling.  My rides were short and pretty, but it also allowed time for other things since I didn’t have to allocate 2-3hrs a day for training.

I taught a little skills clinic for a software company in Boulder called Quickleft at Valmont Bike Park.

I got my BRAND NEW 29inch Carbon Hardtail – Canyon Grand Canyon CF  SLX.  It’s 21lbs….5 lbs lighter than the FS bike I had been riding all of May and 2 lbs lighter than the Aluminum hardtail I had been racing since last July.  I was so excited about my new bike and I really wanted to ride it!  It also has SRAM XX1(yessssss!!!!) and I wanted to get a feel for it before my upcoming race.

I was still so tired and my legs would burn from only a couple easy pedal strokes.  I had the Bailey Hundo coming up in just days.  I decided to take complete rest for the next 3 days.  I got back on the bike Friday for a short ride and felt a little bit better. I hoped that the XX1 would be okay for my race since I didn’t have any time on it.  It’s 1×11 and I’ve been on 2×10 for a couple years so I was interested to see how it would feel.  I crossed my fingers, loaded up the car, and drove to Bailey to pick up registration, set up camp, and prepare for my 6 AM start the next morning.

I didn’t know what to expect given how my racing in May went for me, and how I had been feeling all week.  100 miles is a long time to feel bad on a bike, so I just hoped that my rest paid off.  There was only one way to find out – line up in the morning!

Everyone was excited for Stage 7.  It was a shorter day with fun trails around the scout camp.  Some of the fields decided to “parade ride” it for fun meaning they accepted final results as of Stage 6.  We had some stiff competition in our field, so the race for stage 7 was on!

I was well into 6th place and 7th was far back, so I decided to stop for a sip of ice cold beer from Dracula.  After all, he had been out there every day offering up cups of beer and I passed him by day after day.  I had to stop once and show him my appreciation.

My legs came around after awhile – maybe it was the sip of beer….but I started making up time.  Story of my life!

This was my favorite shot of the whole race.  I took 5th for the day and felt great to cross the final finish line of the 2013 TSE.

Next, the Morris Tribe loaded up and headed to the local winery. We had to get lubed up for Stage 8!

Instead of doing the riding part of Stage 8, I took the reins on the microphone and announced the hour long stage.  It was really fun to announce!

Stage 8 Video

Watch more video of 2013 Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race on cyclingdirt.org

That’s a wrap for the Trans-syvlania posts!  Thanks to all who were involved, it was another great year and great course!

Stage 6 was touted as the queen stage with Tussey Ridge being part of it.  When I raced TSE 2 years ago and got lost for over 30 minutes and I wanted to make sure I didn’t take a wrong turn again!

I can’t really remember how it went down and the details are probably pretty boring! I do remember getting really angry in the beginning at the endless rock gardens. I kept trying to get through them and they kept making my tires come to a halt… or I’d bounce off the rocks running too much tire pressure. It was a tricky trade-off because the rocks are sharp. Too much pressure and you bounce off, too little and you slit a sidewall as I had discovered for Stage 1. I was glad to put that behind me. I normally keep my cool, but I was actually yelling in frustration out loud at them.

Things got better later in the race. Tussey Ridge although hot, was really fun. I was able to flow on the trail ok and was happy that I rode it smoothly after my poor technical riding in the beginning! Things came around for me and I was making ground! I came 5th for the day, but I was not ready for the stage to end!

Watch more video of 2013 Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race on cyclingdirt.org

Queen stage did not disappoint. My legs were feeling better at the end of the race than they did in the beginning, so that was a plus.

I was looking forward to the last day- Stage 7…and of course, the infamous Stage 8 (party!!!)

Here’s a few thoughts on my Bicycling blog.

RB Winter Park. I heard words like “old school mountain biking, rocky, not designed for riding, rocky…rocky…”

The start went up a dirt road.  I settled into my own pace, not super good but not bad either.  My goal was to enjoy the day.  Andrea ended up catching me about 1/3 of the way through and we kept going back and forth.  Since I was well into 6th and she at the time was well into 5th, we decided to ride together for the day.  We weren’t hammering our brains out, but the pace wasn’t easy either.  As we got closer to the finish, I felt a little conflicted as to what I was going to do.  I felt lame attacking after the enjoyable ride we had.  There were times she waited up for me and times I had waited up for her.  I’m not sure what would have happened if we tried to crush each other.  It probably would have been a sprint, so we weren’t going to spring for 5th and 6th place when our GC positions seemed to be locked in barring any crazy circumstance.

x

So we crossed the line together, side by side.  We had a super fun day.  I enjoyed the RB Winter trails the best out of any day.  It was probably 5-10 minutes later we realized something.  We didn’t see any women. I thought they must have schooled us.  We also got interviews which I thought was strange for our placing.  Apparently, the lead group took a wrong term (SUCKS) and we had come in 1st and 2nd and had no clue.  I have to say that I didn’t want to “win” a stage that way. The media also put Andrea first in the reports although we crossed together – she was bummed they didn’t report it properly as was I but oh well!

It was kind of funny to realize what had happened.  People wereprobably wondering why we weren’t riding and racing more aggressively as we were winning the stage! haha!

And then there was the lake.  It was freezing, and there were lots of white boys.

and lots of pizza too.  That’s my buddy Brian demonstrating his enjoyment.  In fact, both guys in this picture rode back and forth with me all week!

Later, to survive the heat, we enjoyed our ice pop recovery lounge on our porch of Upper Eagle Lodge, courtesy of Craig hobbit feet Lebair.  The pink ones were the best.  We had at least 5 each…almost every day!  Yes!

We only had 2 more stages of racing left!

The Enduro stage was intriguing. We were given cares to swipe in and swipe out for each enduro section, and the rest of the course could be ridden at our own leisure.

I rode some stuff that I was proud of, I survived some stuff that wasn’t pretty, and some stuff I walked. It was really inspiring to see what some people were riding and how fast they were doing it… especially Sue Haywood! It made me want to spend time working on riding crazy steep shoots at a faster speed and maybe taking more risks. It’s been hard for me to get back on it after breaking my wrist last year!

The video really says it all.

Watch more video of 2013 Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race on cyclingdirt.org

I woke up to a familiar sound. A sound I heard in Brevard, NC in the Pisgah Forest just a week ago. The pitter patter of rain. This time, I didn’t let it eclipse my enthusiasm. I tried to get everyone else in Eagle Lodge fired up about the weather – that it was going to be fun and we’d get some great muddy photos. It had been raining all night. Fortunately for us, Stage 3 features more dirt roads than slippery, treacherous singletrack.

Race video:

Watch more video of 2013 Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race on cyclingdirt.org

Love the finish line shots at 3min

I had a pretty good start and entered the singletrack in 4th place after chasing hard on the road. I made the rookie mistake of wearing my mountain waterproof jacket. It’s perfect for high alpine riding in the rain because it saves your life. In warmer climates, it’s WAY too hot. I need to invest in a lighter rain jacket. I had the thing unzipped and it was flapping behind me in the wind, and the hood was catching air too! I was roasting as we entered the singletrack descent and my clear lenses fogged up so badly I could hardly see the trail. I was riding too slow and pulled over to get my glasses off my head. A couple NoTubes ladies went by just as I pulled over. By the time I dumped out on the next road section, the women had grouped together about 100yds up the road with about 5 guys. I rode into the headwind alone with my jacket flapping behind me. I decided to get the thing off. I’m not very good at removing clothes while riding my bike, but I managed to get out of my rain coat and shove it in my already full jersey pockets. I chased as hard as I could to close the gap for about 4 miles. The group was charging forward. I was mad at myself that I was just off the back and working so hard in the wind by myself but I did not give up. It paid off and I caught back onto the group. After that, it was easy to stay there, even in the singletrack sections. My lack of roadie experience kicked in. I felt strong, but I didn’t know what to do. It looked like people were working a bit harder than me, but given how I rode the day before, I did not want to risk attacking and cracking like I did in Stage 2. I chose the conservative route and rode with the group taking some sizeable pulls at the front.

As we got closer to the finish, someone finally attacked. I had just taken a pull and could not counter. Half of us got dropped and 3 ladies charged away up the climb. Sarah Kaufman was struggling a bit. I decided I was going to pull her back up to the group. Andrea and Sarah jumped on my wheel and I turned myself inside out to catch back on. Just as we caught back on, the course took a more difficult turn for a steep, soggy doubletrack climb. I was absolutely blown and tried to pedal circles. It dumped back out on the road and I saw Andrea and Sarah had been dropped again. We rode together. The last enduro section was coming up. Sarah and Andrea are both better descenders on east coast trails compared to me, so I got out of the way so they could ride the DH. They didn’t beat me by much. I saw them just ahead as I exited the singletrack. Andrea took off. I chased after and gapped Sarah at the end. She was having a tough day. I took 5th for the day. It was exciting because we all finished within minutes of each other. In hindsight, I wished I had tried to attack the group to see what would have happened, but I still don’t know if that would have been the right choice given how I felt the day before! Roadie tactics – it would have helped to have some experience. I haven’t done a road race since 2006!

I had hopes for coming around in Stage 2. The course was one of the longer days and I would have some time to find my groove. I let some air out of my tires, but was still afraid to run my normal tire pressure. I usually run around 20-22 PSI but was running around 25 for the race. It irritated me all week and I bounced off rocks, but I could not risk slitting another sidewall. I was excited to ride my bike.

Photo: Devon Balet

The stage started well for me. I hung in the lead group and we entered the first singletrack climb together. There was a bit of traffic on the technical trail with people bobbling and getting off to walk. I was happy I felt strong and was cleaning all the climbing sections with the competition in very close proximity. I was pushing hard, but I felt it was sustainable. I hung in for about an hour and a half until things started falling apart.

Photo: Mike Bush

I started getting passed. I also felt something on my leg…something that felt like Stan’s. I stopped to check my tire. It was fine. There was more stuff spraying on my leg and I couldn’t figure out what it was. I stood next to my bike and noticed that the lid came off the bottle in my seatpost mounted cage and water was sloshing everywhere. Andrea came by and inserted the perfect “that’s what she said” when I told her what I was doing standing there. I chased after to ride with her but I couldn’t hold the pace. My legs shut down. I suddenly had no power. My heart rate dropped over 40 bpm at the same perceived exertion. It was my darkest stage of the race. I felt so terrible on my bike that I actually wondered if I could finish the stage. I was slowed to a walk on the climbs. I was angry and upset with myself. I wondered why this was happening. I cursed myself for the aggressive travel, work, and race schedule I’ve been trying to maintain. I wondered if I was done for the year. I made every excuse in the book in my head. Where did my wicked fitness go? I was faster than I’d ever been just a month before and now I was way off the back. I overdramatically thought about quitting the race and flying home. There was only one thing I could – keep riding forward and be glad I had full suspension on the large rocks.

I came in 6th place for the day with my tail tucked between my legs. I had lost about 25 minutes from cracking. I was embarrassed to see my name in the results. A friend of mine (The Guardian) emailed me telling me not to worry about it, and to eat more. I kind of laughed at him, but I took his advice. I ate a lot for dinner that night. It was easy – the TSE food catering is amazing.

The Morris Tribe kept my spirits up too.

The announcer pulled me aside and asked me what was going on with my results. Another concerned friend asked if I was okay or if I was sick. I thought, “Well, at least I don’t normally ride this poorly or people wouldn’t be asking!” I went to bed early and tried not to think about the 80% chance of rain forecasted for the morning.

We(The Morris Tribe) rolled into the Scout Camp around 7 PM last Saturday.

We rolled in rock star style… Madonna brought a disco ball.

There was a dance party in the back. Sprinter full of girls and 2 guys rolling their eyes? Yup.

Saturday night was a blur of finding my spot in the bunkhouse at the Eagle Lodge.  I ended up in Upper Eagle sharing the private room(2 bunkbeds) with Laura, Jana, and Cathie.  I was glad to get a little bit of private space so we could at least change clothes without worrying about anything!  The lodge was full.  The sleeping arrangements outside our small, private room were a large open room with about 20 bunks; 10 bunks on one side and 2 bunks pushed together making 5 bunk columns per side.  People had to choose wisely who they wanted to share their bunk with.  The upper bunk was for your suitcase.  The lower bunk was for sleeping.  People used sheets for limited privacy.

The bathroom situation was 2 toilets, 1 urinal, and 2 private showers.  The kitchen was large and roomy with a stove, microwave, oven, and fridge that was jam packed with food and beer.  I met the rest of my flatmates for the week – some familiar faces and some new friends.  We had a great contigent from Philly on our floor as well and a tiny little Doberman named Froto.

Stage 1

We got up in the morning and went out to breakfast in State College.  I picked up my registration when I got back and hopped on my bike.  I wanted to ride at least a couple miles of the TT course.  I knew I wasn’t handling the start in a very “professional” way but I really didn’t have any other option.  I had to work all week and couldn’t get to PA till Saturday.  I knew 10 hours in the car the day before a TT was a bad idea, but it’s what had to happen.  A full pre-ride would have been nice as well, but that also was not an option for me.  A good thing about some of the international stage races I’ve done is that I’ve learned to just go with the flow when things can’t be exactly the way I want them to be.  The bad thing is maybe I’ve become a little too nonchalant about my preparation.   I went with a couple of my buddies from the Morris Tribe (our Charlotte contingent) and we putzed about 5 miles of the course.  My legs felt tight and soggy.  Sometimes they feel that way during warm ups, so I tried not to let it bother me.  I hit the enduro section of the TT at full speed and cleared the rocks.  I was immediately glad I had full suspension. There was also a monster truck tire with a dirt ramp, and some motobike whoops.  Soon after, I thought my rear tire felt low.  It was… I had slit a sidewall on my new tire on the first DH section of the race, and I was only preriding.  In a panic, I gingerly rode back to camp nursing my tire with my handpump.  My TT start was in 30 minutes and my tire would not hold air.  Dicky told me to stick the wheel in the lake to see where the air was coming out (bubbles).

My option was to stick a tube in which I was really against, or putting a brand new tire on before the start.  My precious warm up time for the 14 mile stage were spent with cortisol raging through my veins. I had to track down some Stan’s.  I thought I had brought some, but forgot it. Dejay had a bottle I snagged.  Brian Conroy (also part of the Morris Tribe) selflessly went back to the Eagle Lodge with me.  Fortunately, Chris Merriam had an air compressor to make the situation easier. Brian and I got the tire changed out, new Stans in the tire, and struggled a bit with the compressor to get the tire going.  Brian had to take off because his start time was rapidly approaching.  Derek helped me tinker with the tire until it was seeded and ready.  I was terrified of flatting again, and of riding a freshly booted tire in the race.  They normally loose air the first couple rides.  I glanced at my watch and saw my start was only 8 minutes away.  “There goes my time to warm-up” I thought.  I tried not to care.  What a way to start a race!  I was overcautious and put about 35 PSI in my tire in case it started to loose air.

I was clumsy at the start of the TT making mistakes and bobbling on technical sections I rode with ease at the start.  Local pro and badass NoTubes Rider – Vicki Barclay started 30 seconds back and caught me as the singletrack dumped us out onto a short gravel climb.  I resigned myself to sticking with her through the next section of trail since she knew the lines.  I was getting pinballed off all the rocks.  I even messed up the monster truck tire ramp and almost crashed.  My legs were screaming in protest with no real warm up.  Sarah Kaufmann who started 2 minutes behind me came screaming by. “Wow, I am sucking really bad!!” I thought to myself.  She was also riding smooth and strong.

I knew my time was not great when I came in.  I tried to shake it off and get my head in it for stage 2.  10 hour car ride, flat tire right before the start, no warm up, no pre-ride—it can’t get too much worse, can it?  The only positive I saw was that I could get my heart rate up for the first time in a week.  I immediately regretted my decision to race the 6 hour slogfest in Pisgah 6 days before the TSE.  What the hell was I thinking?

Stage 1 Video Highlights

Watch more video of 2013 Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race on cyclingdirt.org