Snake Alley Crit

Growing up, Memorial Day weekends were always filled with rainy camping trips and soggy sleeping bags. It was a given that, no matter the forecast, it *would* rain. It was such a sure-thing, that we used to have a rain pool betting on when the rain would arrive! Though the camping trip tradition is long-gone, the rain has always fallen on this first weekend of summer. This year started what may become another Memorial Day weekend tradition: a trip to Burlington for the Snake Alley Criterium.

As a tri geek, I always thought that cycling was proceeded by a swim and followed by a run. The thought of just racing a bike was foreign at best and scary as heck. Since making a foray into mountain bike racing, the single sport of bike racing isn't as frightening, but yet the idea of a crit, especially on Snake Alley, wasn't even on my radar. But knowing that my choices for the day were to sit/stand around all day with no chance for a workout of my own, or to throw my hat in the ring and give the Snake whatever I could muster, I coughed up the dough for registration and went for it!

We pulled into town about an hour before the start of the Cat 4 women's race. As Cam and I signed up for our races, we saw some of the Punk Rock Cycling team, including Keri, who just 12 weeks ago had a beautiful baby boy, registering for the race as well. After a good warm-up, including a few trips up some of the steep side streets, I headed to the start/finish area. Besides the 4 PRC girls, I also recognized a couple ladies in pink from the All 9 Yards team. I borrowed a few words of advice and strategy from the more experienced riders. I set myself a goal of not puking before the race started.

Soon the starter sent us off, and we all hit the gas. The first trip up was rough, but not because of the grade or the cobblestones; the problem was the density of bikes and bodies all vying for space on a narrow, brick, steep roadway. Balancing a bike under these circumstances is challenging enough, but with others swerving around you, the intensity increases dramatically. The Cat 4 race totaled 6 laps. Each lap up the Alley was more painful than the last, but as the crowds thinned, the chances of eating a brick diminished. I went back and forth for much of the race with Dee Mable; I could catch her on the climb, but she'd fly right past me on the downhill parts of the lap. I ended up 17th, not near the front, but not DFL. I'll take it.

While it was fun to try something new, I don't think I'm gonna make road racing a regular part of my annual schedule. However, I just may keep Snake Alley on the list. It is probably as close to mountain bike racing as you can get in a crit. There isn't as great a chance of getting caught up in a big mess since the Snake opens up the pack racing that usually characterizes crits. And the skills needed to climb the Alley are similar to what is needed to conquer some of the big climbs in MTBing: control, balance, correct weighting over the bike, slow cycling skills.

After my race, I rode a little to cool down, then made quick time back to Snake Alley to watch Cam take it to the competition in the 40+ race. It was a good race, but on the last lap Cam turned the screws on the guy stuck to his wheel and pulled out good lead and win.

The PRC girls and I watched the Cobble Climb, grabbed some food and beverages, then went back to the hill in time to watch Cam try for another win in the 30+ race. Though he did very well; he finished second - no small feat considering the winner hadn't already raced earlier in the day!

The weather remained beautiful for our races, but soon after the 30+ race, the skies clouded over and the tradition of rain on the Memorial Day weekend continued!

Erik's Spring Cup - Inver Grove Heights, MN

With no mountain bike race on the Iowa or Nebraska schedules, I opted to skip the Jordan Creek Duathlon to go to Minnesota with Cam for the first race of the Minnesota State Championship Series. Since the race was in the Twin Cities, it allowed us to visit Cam's aunt and uncle who graciously put us up for the night before the race.

Saturday, we left Ames driving north into a fierce headwind, but the skies stayed clear the whole way. Since neither Cam or I had ever ridden this course, we headed straight for Inver Grove Heights to check things out before Sunday's race. I was thrilled to get on the bike and head into the singletrack feeling good but without the usual hyper-elevated HR that usually accompanies my mountain biking excursions. And, it didn't seem to take more than a few pedal strokes for me to feel the love of the singletrack. I remember thinking to myself that maybe I had turned a proverbial corner with this mountain bike racing thing and hoped that some of that BS was behind me.

My other thought was that Cam would probably do really well on this course; it was tight, twisty singletrack, but with lots of places to make a clean pass and some wide-open sections that would allow for some serious hauling of the mail. And, although it was relatively flat (and Cam can climb with the best of them), one of his other strengths is his fitness - if he could get in a position that allowed him to drop the hammer, he'd leave everyone else behind. With no idea what to expect for competition in a Cat 2 race, the only thing I was sure of was that I was going to have fun and (probably) not finish last. I really like the flow of the singletrack, and the open sections are usually where I like to hit the gas and gain some ground. I've noticed that a lot of the gals in other races I've done tend to do just the opposite and use the open fields to un-cross their eyes.

Volunteers were out working diligently to mark the course and get it ready for race day but were not yet done when we rode. Consequently, it wasn't until I was done riding, had changed my clothes, and had a snack that Cam rode back to the Jeep and said that our practice laps had all been run backwards to the race direction! Cam went out for a couple more recon laps (this time done in the correct direction), then came back and told me that he wasn't sure this would be a great race for him, as it didn't suit his strengths well. I just kept my mouth shut and decided to see what happened on race day...

Following a good dinner and my pre-race ritual of ice cream (Haagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut - tastes just like the fantastic pina coladas that Mike made in Maui), I had a great night's sleep and awoke to incredibly gorgeous conditions: 50's and sunshine. We ate breakfast with Jeff and Heidi, then headed east to IGH. We scored a sweet parking place (Cam has a special gift in his ability to sniff these out...), got registered, and got me dressed and ready to ride.

I checked out a bit of the course (this time in the correct direction) for a quick warm-up, then headed towards the start/finish line and noticed that my heart rate was through the roof! So much for getting my pre-race jitters under control... I found my place in the mass of people and waited with the other Cat 2 females while wave after wave of Cat 2 guys began their races. I took some deep breaths in a unsuccessful attempt to calm things down in my gut. When I am this amped, even the thought of turning the pedals makes me feel like my heart might explode. Finally it was time for the 14 Cat 2 women to start. The starter said, "GO!" and everyone took off in a mad sprint for the first corner. I took a second to get clipped in, then acted as the tail-end escort (hey, somebody has to be last!) for the field. I pedaled my rubber-filled legs as best I could, and even passed one girl just before we dropped into the singletrack.

Soon I felt like I was back in my own skin, and, although my HR was still sky-high, feeling better and ready to race. It took me nearly a third of the first lap before I got up the nerve to attempt some passes, so I just hung back and followed some significantly slower gals until things opened up and I could make a move. With every pass, my confidence increased, I got more under control, and I got hungrier for more spots!

By the end of lap one, I had passed a hand-full of girls and kept the pedal down through the start/finish area to pick up another place. Lap two had heavier traffic as we ladies were now in the thick of the traffic of some of the slower Cat 2 men, so I spent more time passing men than women. But, by the time I neared the end of lap 2, Cam told me that I was in sixth place, just behind a girl riding her cyclocross bike. Shortly after seeing Cam, I passed cyclocross-girl and tried (unsuccessfully) to leave her behind. She and I had been going back and forth throughout much of lap 2, where I got by her on a sandy corner, she by me a little later, and I repassed her when she wrapped herself up in a pine tree (lot of sap in here...). She yo-yoed off my wheel throughout the third lap, but I never could shake her.

I tried to keep my eyes looking ahead for 4th place, as my goal had now become a solid top five finish, and I wasn't 100% sure what was going to shake out with cyclocross-girl once we hit the final open stretch to the finish line - I needed to get past 4th place to insure that goal. Heading into the final third of the final lap, I spotted 4th place and made steady progress in her direction. I passed her on sandy uphill switchback and hoped in vain that cyclocross-girl would get caught behind her. Coming out of the singletrack in 4th place with cyclocross-girl not far behind, I pushed the pace. As I topped the short rise, I spotted 3rd place! She was making quick progress to the finish line, but I was pretty sure that I was gonna make her work for that spot! I dropped the hammer, but cyclocross-girl followed suit and sneaked past me. A few very short seconds later, we were both steam-rolling past 3rd place who probably peed her chamois with surprise! She tried to respond, but was too surprised to make any real run for it. I finished 1.1 seconds behind cyclocross-girl and 2.3 seconds ahead of the girl who needed to change her shorts.

I think we all crossed the finish line with huge smiles on our faces (well, maybe not the girl who dropped two places in the last 100 feet of the race, but whatever... it ain't over til it's over!). It's so much fun to have a race like that for the finish! I so enjoyed racing in Minnesota, mainly because there are some people to race with! I told Cam after the race that I will go race any day in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Now I totally understand why he used to spend every weekend driving out of state to race. I might have been bit by the racing bug a while ago, but I am fully infected with the disease now!

Cam had missed my finish as he was out warming up for his race. I know he was disappointed that he missed seeing that final sprint, but I did my best to fill him in on all the details. I tossed down one of Cam's signature post-race smoothies (he made me one after a long training ride on day, and now I fear for him that he might have to make me one for after each race!) and changed clothes. The day had turned out even better than we could have hoped for - now it was in the 60's, empty blue skies, and just breezy enough that you didn't cook yourself standing in the sun.

I watched Cam's start, but had to hang around for the Cat 2 awards during his first two laps. As soon as they were over, I bolted for the course to try to snap a few photos. Though he had predicted that he wouldn't do well on this course, I wasn't surprised to see him in the top 6 or so after three laps. He continued to pick people off through the next two laps and ended up in third at the end! He was also pleasantly surprised with his success and, like me, wished that his race had been another lap or two, as he probably could have gained some more ground.

Platte River Battle Royale

After a disappointing race at Sylvan Island to open my 2009 mountain bike racing season, I was really looking forward to getting back on the Mongoose and doing some racing (as opposed to just riding around in the mud and rain, blah!). The next opportunity came in the form of a trip to Nebraska for the Psycowpath Series' Platte River Battle Royale at Platte River State Park.

It was a chilly morning with nothing but sunshine forecast for the rest of the day. The rain we had experienced in Iowa had basically missed Platte River State Park, so the trails were good to go! Cam and I arrived with enough time to allow me to take a lap at my own pace to get a feel for the course. Per my usual nerves, it took me a while to get a feel for riding off-road again. My heart rate spikes as soon as I start pedaling, even a slow ride in the grass. I think my reaction is akin to Pavlov's dog's reaction to the ringing bell and his upcoming meal. Something deep within my brain knows how much fun I am about to have, so it starts pumping out the adrenaline long before it is necessary. This premature excitation is becoming somewhat troublesome, but I'll have to explain that in a later post.

On the drive over, Cam had warned me of a couple of sections of the course: the rock garden and the gully. My brain automatically balks at the term "rock garden," and immediately translates that to "section Julie should just hike-a-bike." When I rode up to in on my recon lap, I didn't think it looked that horrible, but I didn't see a line I was 100% comfortable with either, so hike-a-bike it was. And the gully was sandy (my nemesis, grrr!), but very rideable. By the time I had finished my recon, the temperature had increased enough that I could shed some clothing, have a little snack, and just chill before the start.

I had hoped to see a bunch of ladies toe the line for this Nebraska race, but at the staging area I only saw two others - one for the the Cat 1 race and another (Nicole) to join me in the Cat 2 race. While our Cat 2 race was shorter than the Cat 1, everyone - men and women - started together and raced on the course at the same time. This meant I would most likely be lapped by Cam and the other experts somewhere on lap 2. It's not usually a big deal, as I can either hear them coming or they will announce their arrival behind me so I can pull over to let them by.

My M.O. at the start of these cycling races is simply to keep myself upright and out of trouble. When starting in a mass (or mess, as the case may be), I simply don't have the confidence (or ability to sprint) to charge right up the middle and go for it as soon as we get the "GO!" from the starter. So, I always seem to find myself bringing up the rear and heading very close to dead-last into the singletrack. So far, that has worked out okay, as it gives me some people to chase!

This race was no exception to that. I followed the Cat 2 men and Nicole into the first climb. About halfway up the climb, many were slowing more rapidly than I, so I passed Nicole and a bunch of guys. After calming my heart rate a little following the first climb, I settled in and started chasing down the guys. I ran into an issue in the open field that divided the two halves of the race, and while I dealt with that frustration, I saw Nicole slide past me. Back on my bike, I was 50% annoyed with having been put back in 2nd place and 50% thrilled to have a rabbit to chase down for the rest of the race.

I walked the rock garden and rode the rest and got updates from the spectators on the gap between me and Nicole. By the end of Lap 1, I had closed the gap to less than 30 seconds, and about 5 minutes into Lap 2 I passed her again for good. With no issues to speak of for the rest of the race, I had a blast on this fun course. There were lots of tight twisty parts and some of the most fun rollercoaster sections I've been on. Cam and the rest of the expert guys let me know when they were coming and all got by without any altercations. It's actually kind of fun to have some of these guys come by, as the ones I know will shout out some encouragement to me as they rocket past! There are some good peeps in this sport!

I cruised to the finish, rode a cool-down, threw down some post-race nutrition and made it back to the start/finish area to see Cam come through to start his final lap. By now the sun was shining brightly, the temps were near perfect at 65-70, and just a little wind! Awesome. Cam brought home the W with about a one minute gap on second.

No pics of me, but a couple of Cam and three of one guy who chose to "ride" the rock garden:





All in all, it was a good day for the Vardaman-Kirkpatrick Team. A Cat 2 win for me and a Cat 1/Overall win for Cam!

New Challenges

It seems like every single day someone asks me what I am training for this season:

"Are you doing Hy-Vee?" (no)
"Are you training for Dam to Dam?" (yes, kind of...)
"What triathlons are you doing this year?" (maybe one or two)
"Are you going to do another Ironman this year?" (not a chance)
"When is your next big race?" (big race??)

And, while I am thankful for the awesome support and encouragement I get from my family, friends, and training partners, it is admittedly hard to answer a lot of these questions. After spending the past five years training for triathlons/Ironmans and running races (with marginal amounts of success), I found myself at a bit of a crossroad. I always knew I loved training for the longer distance stuff (halfs and Ironmans), but it wasn't until last year that I fully realized why.

Swimming has always been a challenge for me, and I made great strides last year - I even looked forward to some of swim workouts! And I've enjoyed running for as long as I can remember. My run fitness improved - I threw down all PRs in my races last year - and I was learning to embrace the pain that comes with speed. Pushing myself beyond what I really thought was possible for me in swimming and running was very satisfying for me.

However, it was the cycling that really put a smile on my face. Cycling fitness doesn't come through running or swimming. One must place her butt on the saddle and turn the pedals to improve. And as the miles and hours tick away, the smile on my face grows and grows! Still as a triathlete, I was not finding the satisfaction in racing that I found last fall in my brief introduction to mountain bike racing. I have found myself in love with a new challenge.