2013 Tour de King

Sunday Sept 22nd was the 3rd annual Tour de King point to point race from Cold Creek Conservation area (on 11th Concession in King just north of King Road) to Seneca College King Campus on Dufferin Street.
It's a really cool fall event on a 50k course through road (paved, dirt, gravel), double track trail road allowances through the Happy Valley forest, some private singletrack, Centennial park (a.k.a. the King trails), and the fun singletrack trails at Seneca, finishing up with a great BBQ with all your friends at the end.

The weather for this year was calling for a great day - no rain & warm fall temps for the race.  However, the day before it rained a LOT.  And it even rained some more during the start and for probably the first few kms it was still raining.  Which meant mud.  Which for me was a good thing since I had not bothered to change my tires.  I have great tires on my bike (big knobbies) that are terrible for the road.

I don't have a biking computer thingy on my bike so I am guessing how far the sections are by counting concessions and figured the first approx 8-10 km is a mix of dirt and paved road.   I was really feeling slow along this part.  My tires were noisy, it was raining, the wind was blowing in my face, the wet gravel was splattering up from my front tire all over my glasses and I felt like I had to pedal a lot harder than I wanted to to just keep up with the people around me. Ugh. And it was only the beginning!

Smiling on the road - happy & warm in all my rain gear! Thinking maybe some fenders would be nice...

We turned up on to the 8th Concession and a couple hills later...the entrance to the first singletrack section. Sooooo happy.  Didn't even mind that the way in is straight up a big hill.  Bye bye people from the road.  My bike is perfectly setup for the forest.  No more wind, no splattering gravel, no slipping & sliding either - just happy times in someone's private forest full of trails.  Very cool.

Then back on to the road.  Another 6 -8 kms (guessing) until the next trail section which starts at the road allowance the end of the 7th Concession.  It goes up (first hill is steep but rideable), then crazy up (2nd hill is rediculous steepness up a giant trench with a deep rain rut down the middle...hike a bike city) and then up once more (steep loose gravel but also rideable).  Then fast down to the next double track trail road allowance at the 16th Sideroad heading East.  I was feeling awesome through here!

Then we pop out of the woods to cross Weston Rd, then over to Jane St. and up to the King trails.  Also great and the connecting trails out the 'back door' (and through someone's back yard - so cool of them to allow us to race through!).  We were routed through some neat little trails eventually popping out on to Keele.

Then down along Keele St.  Fully paved regular road. Windy & sunny...and LOUD!  Holy smokes my tires made my bike sound like a monster truck!!  By now I'm starting to feel my legs getting tired.  No idea how far I am in kms at this point but I was trying to tuck in and roll as fast down the hills as I could to avoid having to pedal on the up sides.  Still had to pedal up.  And thinking maybe I should have changed my tires!

Oh well - soon enough back on to trails again at Seneca so must be almost done!  Except that I think the course was set up to go through every single trail in the Seneca forest.  I kept seeing people winding through the trails in the trees everywhere and felt like I was turning around and around in a crazy maze and it would never end!

Nice mellow double track climb in the woods.  Still smiling!

 The trails in Seneca are pretty cool.  One day I will go there to just ride for fun with non-tired legs.  Riding in there near the end of 50k was slow going for me again this year.  My legs were getting crampy but still good to pedal...and granny gear was my best friend!  I never had to fully stop - just kept on going...until getting stuck behind 'sneaker guy'.

A little steeper...more serious face...c'mon legs...

Sneaker guy is my new reason to do the Tour de King next year with better fitness so I don't get stuck like this.  He was just fast enough and I was just not powerful enough.  Anything twisty/roots/or log over and he was off his bike. And blocking the whole trail. Which happens. But usually the 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) time you mess up a climb and have to get off and have a rider still on their bike riding up behind you - it is polite to let them ride by. Yes I know it's a race but really - it's not like we are fighting for the big money or anything.  But with crampy baby legs spinning granny through the woods I had no such bursts of power available and each time I had to clip out, hike behind him, and clip back in, my legs were screaming.

Until the last twisty climb out.  I didn't know it was the last one - but there we were - sneaker guy in front, he encounters a root, puts his sneaker feet down, gets off and starts pushing his bike...totally blocking the trail again...and I'm riding behind... I slow up to see if he would hop back on (nope) and then look up and noticed the trail twisting up.  Oh no!! He's totally going to push his bike the whole way up. I just can't unclip again.  So much easier to just keep spinning along in granny and I am seriously terrified the way my legs are feeling if I unclip I will cramp up and not be able to move (this happened in year 1 - I was locked up totally on the very last steep hill for 10 mins)!  So... I yelled at him.   Move over pleeeeease!  Still riding! (insert seriously irritated Mom voice) And he moved...and I pedalled up...and at the top was a long straight flat.

And now my head is all busy...I can't believe I just yelled at someone, my legs are yelling to me to stop, I'm yelling (now in my head - I think) to my legs to calm down just keep spinning...and wondering if this is going to ever end...(and why didn't I ask 'sneaker guy' to move over 100 hills ago when I was still able to speak calmly?).....
then I see my family and friends cheering at the end of the long straight!  It was the end!  Oh sooooo happy!

Done!  Good for 6th place in my category - 50k women age 40-49!

Right after finishing a race is pretty much the best part.  Relief, happiness, excitement all bubble to the top - groups of riders & friends & family at the finish area - all hyper to share what just happened with each other.  It is so cool and makes lining up at the start (even in the rain) totally worth it.  If you haven't tried it (and I mean any bike race at all) you really have to do it at least once.  Beware...it can be addictive!

And yes, for the record, I found 'Sneaker Guy' at the finish area and went over and apologized!  :-)

2013 Canadian National MTB Championships - Sunday Master Sport Women Edition

I hadn't had a big crash in awhile.  Just lots of little ones - nothing too bad or scary to even considering not getting right back on and continuing riding.  Until pre-riding Nationals on Friday.

I went up with the plan to pre-ride 2 easy laps just to scope out the course.  At my age I find if possible to not ride the day before a race is best and taking it easy a few days before is also a good idea.

So easy lap 1 was fine.  Just a minor tumble - I skidded across a slippery sand covered root while braking in a section full of people practicing riding a rocky section.  No biggie.
After rolling off the course on my way to head back to re-fill my water, I was given a little VIP treatment from the Trek World Racing crew - I stopped to say hi to Emily & Adam and while chatting with them, Emily's mechanic came over and wiped the dust off of me so I was ready for easy lap 2!  How cool was that!

Easy pre-ride lap 2 was all good and I was feeling happy with the course and ready to race it on Sunday!   ....Until I reached almost the end.  I could see the chalet and just had one little section left to go...then BOOM.  Down I went.  Hard.  Hard enough I cried a little!  I was going full speed, something grabbed my front wheel and I flew off.  I remember the feeling of my head clunking the ground & my glasses smooshing off my face. I had to sit on the ground a few minutes to collect myself, then slowly got up, arms & legs still working, and check my bike.  Brakes ok, levers all twisted, grips shredded, chain back on, gears working...ride back slooowly to the car.

Back to the car where I made a new friend.  The girl parked next to me was helping her kids load up their bikes and saw me... "oh my gosh are you racing on Sunday?".  Apparently she was planning to race Sunday also (in my category too!) and my messy situation freaked her out a bit!  I assured her the course was totally fine - just a 'moment' for me in an easy section.  I still had no idea what the big deal was so she took this picture of me with my phone so I could see myself. 

Didn't look too bad.  Hurt like heck!

So I put my bike in the car & headed back to the chalet to clean up & see first aid to get a bandaid.

While in the chalet changeroom where there are mirrors I really saw my mess!  Gross. Scrapes all the way up to my shoulder.  I cleaned my arm in the tiny sink as best I could.  A friend of mine who works at Hardwood saw me in there & came back with the first aid kit and helped clean out the little stones from my arm. Ouch!  Then she bandaged me up. Aaaaah.
Then I got changed and got to see the other scrapes and locations of bruises to come...oh boy...my hip is going to look nasty.  No wonder I hurt so much.  And the actual race hadn't even happened yet!

Next stop Trek Aurora - for Zach to do a quick emergency bike check - make sure my bike is safe and good to go again.

So by the end of day Saturday - bike was perfect & after a whole day of resting & icing & Advilling...I was getting more & more nervous!

It wasn't that I was nervous about racing- those kinds of butterflies are normal...I was nervous about just riding!  I kept re-playing my fall in my head & it wasn't helping that my husband was also worried and was asking me a zillion questions to figure out what happened so it wouldn't happen again.   I consider myself a cautious rider - I won't ride over my head, won't be tempted to try something I'm not comfortable with...but this fall was in an easy section that I had ridden through hundreds of times.  If I had crashed trying something tricky that would make sense - but crashing while just riding normal???  Freaking me out!!

Woke up Sunday...race day...nervous.  Feeling physically not too bad as long as nothing touches my right arm or hip. Made the nervous decision to go race.  Packed up & drove to Hardwood.  Not quite fast enough.

I was doing everything more slowly than usual. Going through the motions - nervously changing into my riding clothes, putting on my number plate, saying hello to friends parked next to me...I didn't have time for a warm up ride around so went straight to the start line.

Lining up with my category is really cool. It kind of feels like home in a way.  We are all ready to shut off the world and just give 'er!  I rolled up and got a big hug hello from 'switch back girl' & talk about how nervous I was!  I wore a sleeve (arm warmer) on my right arm to possibly protect it from additional scratches so of course got lots of questions about why the one sleeve, etc., etc., etc....ugh so nervous....hoping once we start pedalling I'll feel better.  My insides were in knots.

Go time!  Pedalling up. Long double track hill under the shady trees.  Big ring. Hmmm. Feeling calm. Remembering just a few years ago riding here for the first time not being able to ride up this hill without stopping for a rest.  Then making it up in my easiest gear.  Now feeling comfortable in big ring.  Breathing calmly. Pass some people.  Hearing a girl ride up & past me. She is breathing really hard. Ride my own race.  Don't ride hers.  Get to the top, zoom down some rocks & up & pass another rider on the up...not nervous anymore...feeling the flow!  Yaaaa hoo!

The rain that fell on Friday evening turned the trails into a singletrack paradise of traction!  I don't think I've ever ridden Hardwood in such perfect conditions.  It was amazing and I was so happy to be riding!

When riding alone or with friends my mind is constantly busy.  Talking, thinking, dreaming, etc. In a race I feel like I am disappearing into another world.  Completely focused on riding without thinking about anything else but flowing smoothly and catching up to the girl 20 secs ahead.  And catch her I almost did in my fierce battle for 7th!  I kept getting closer to her on the climbs - feeling like I might barf a couple times trying to close the gap.  In the last km her back wheel even almost fell off (skewer flipped open) and I got ahead - for a second...then let some fast guys by...and she was able to get her wheel back tight fast enough to be quickly back on her bike & right behind them...totally suprised to see her there - gave her a 'nice'...& hopped in right behind to chase her to the end.

So much fun.

Summer Solstice 24hr MTB race at Albion

So...after years of talking about it, thanks to one of my friends for getting us organized way early in the year, we finally formed a 5 person all women team for Solstice 2013.

And what a fun, hot, crazy, exhausting weekend it was!

I have raced in the 24hr races before for a few years now.  They are crazy fun and I can't resist.  It is so cool to basically step out of normal life into a completely different world for a weekend.   And to regular non-biking people it's a really crazy world!

It's a big relay race.  You have 24 hours as a team to take turns and complete as many laps as possible.  (unless you want more crazy fun and do it solo - which is really incredible!)

The race starts at 12 noon on Saturday and goes right through the night until noon Sunday for the finish.

And...I got to be the start rider this year!  For sure that was the craziest first race lap I've ever ridden.  I don't know exactly how many riders start all at the same time but it's a LOT!  And there is no staggered release ethier for age or skill level - at 12 noon they just say GO and everyone tries to GO.  Which is like when an accident is cleared on the 401 and cars are realeased to go around....unless you are first in line...you don't get to GO for a while!

I arrived at the start area 15 mins ahead thinking that would be early enough to get a good spot in the line...but the best I could get was a spot next to the transfer tent.  Probably 500 meters back from the actual start arch!

While I waited I noticed I was surrounded by solo riders so I started asking them questions.  The solo guy beside me (who, by the way, was riding a very nice Trek Top Fuel 9.9) was planning to ride 14 laps.  Holy smokes.  Thats approx 250 kms!  And he also gave me some excellent tips for riding this first lap since it was my first time riding it.  Probably the best thing he warned me about was because of the huge volume of bikes to be prepared to have to stop from time to time because of bottlenecks caused by people getting stuck on a hill, messing up a corner, etc etc...all things that are normally not really a big deal but with so many bikes all on the trail at once...it's inevitable.  So I really made sure to look way ahead to see where it was slowing down to be prepared to slow up...and not have to actually fully stop and clip out.  This worked really well.  Though I did have to climb every hill in slow motion right from the bottom (ugh).  Keeping on the bike pedalling even super slow enabled me to pass lots of people who got stuck in too big of a gear.  No chance to use any of the momentum which is a 29er's best friend.

Check it out - I found this video today.  I had no idea what I was in for...and it was awesome!
(around 57 secs in, white helmet, light blue & white Trek Women jersey...someone yells 'go Holly')

An awesome start to a great time sharing the 24hr race experience with some great friends.  We had some good fast laps, some injuries, some twisted bike parts, some first night riding & 24hr racing experiences, yummy snacks & beverages, attempted but bad sleep, rain that stopped in time for the race, heat & humidity, polar bear showers, sore muscles....and big smiles!

O Cup #2 - Mansfield - the race story

Waking up on Sunday morning...with mixed feelings about this love it/hate it race.  I race for fun.  I wasn't sure this was going to be much fun.  For sure going to be the hardest Mansfield race ever.

I totally know for sure I can ride this race and get it done.  When I first started racing just finishing in general was a huge accomplishment for me. Even just last season that was my main goal for 2 of the O Cup races.

At Buckwallow - 1st time - pre-rode & didn't race. Too scared.  2nd time - pre-rode & raced but hiked most of the big rock sections. Still scared.  3rd time - last summer - raced and cleaned ALL the big rocks. Not scared anymore but still careful. (especially because it was wet!) Did not care how I placed. Got it done as fast as I could and was totally proud.  

At Duntroon - 1st time - did not pre-ride (very dumb).  Just showed up to race & DNF'd - the course was tough!  2nd time - last season - no way I was going to not finish.  Pre-rode lots & totally finished!

But now I don't want to just 'get it done'.   I don't want to just 'go for a ride'...I want to race as hard as I can and leave everything I have out there which is what I've always done.... except now part of the fun for me involves racing the race instead of just riding the course.  Which is all totally new to me.

Fun and exciting. And mental.  So very mental.

My awesomely supportive husband was taking care of the kids breakfast, etc. while I got myself sorted out & out the door. Brekkie, coffee, bike, stuff, bye to the fam...drive up.  Don't think so much just do it.  Arrived. Parked.

In the 45 mins or so before the start I became calm because just arriving and being with my fellow mountain bikers I already started having fun. I love the people I ride and race with.  I chatted with lots of the other girls racing with me and we all felt the same way about the course.  Already I felt better.  One girl in particular has been recovering from a serious injury and just getting back to racing again.  Both of us were discussing how we were not in a hurry to race up the yucky start hill so we relaxed at the back.  I shared my downhill switchback fear...she rocks technical so would have no problem on these...so our deal was if I could catch her I could follow her down.  Awesome.  If I'm up with her at that point I will be stoked because she is an amazing and fast rider.  If not, I'll just carry on...

So funny thing the race started...and I started at the back of the pack.  Spinning up - not killing it - but going strong - and passing people...cool...more people...cool...weird this awful start hill wasn't totally kicking my butt...staying calm pedalling strong & fast & thinking smooth thoughts (90 rpm thank you Zach!)...and ready to execute my little plan from pre-riding...PIN IT at the top!

Right there my whole race was awesome.  I actually had gas in the tank to pop into big ring and pin it at the top of the big start climb!  WAHOO!  Such an awesome feeling!!  Passed a couple more people, in & out of singletrack & double track, getting passed back too...and passing again (all this passing stuff is new to me too...so exciting I have to be calm...).  Coolest part...all I'm thinking now is where is my switchback friend.

Aha!  I caught up to her!  Yes!  And we are together on the snowmobile track wall hill...so I will be able to follow her down the switchbacks.  Sweet.  Next plan falling into place!
Down we go - turn, turn, turn,  cool I'm riding them!  Until someone a few bikes ahead (we are in a train of bikes going down) messes up and tips/stops so up the chain the stoppage goes...including me...oh well I made way more turns than I thought so totally happy.  Hiking down...a bit to get back on.  Can't clip in. A bunch of people pass me while I'm fooling with my pedals. Fooey.  Missing my eggbeaters again.  Riding the last couple and the bottom with free feet is freaky but I do it anyway to not get left too far behind!

Get down to the road still trying to clip in.  Banging my shoes on my pedals...not very speedy...but got to get clipped in for all the climbing coming up - at least as far up as I can go!

Start in to the hiking hills.  Up we go.  Why did I bother worrying about being clipped in...I'm out pretty soon after...on the bike off the bike a couple times getting the hills done.  All the time close with 4 other girls.
People are on the sides cheering & encouraging us and telling us the guys ahead were hiking these parts too. I wanted to thank them for this info but could not speak!  Working too hard in the middle of a hike-a-bike race!

The 4 of us girls were totally close in speed. So new for me in the past I was mostly on course alone. The next lap felt like a blur.  The same nasty hills, switchbacks, but with passing eachother back and forth, encourgaing eachother for a nice climb or whatever section (nice!).  So much fun.  The whole rest of the race we were together.  Right up to the end. And I learned I need more gas for a stronger finish!  They all got in just ahead of me - very cool to be in a close race. I was in front of our little group quite a few times but of course the only time that counts is at the finish.  Nice job girls!

So the tally of Love it vs Hate it post race:
Hard and Fun = Love it wins!

O Cup #2 - Mansfield - the pre-ride story

Race report for Ontario Cup #2...Mansfield...

having fun and kicking butt (mostly mine) in Master Sport Women +40 category!

Usually (at least in my experience which isn't that long), Mansfield is our first race.  The start climb is pretty big and is usually the worst part of the course since all the fun swoopy trails are on the top of the escarpment.  So we go up, ride around, go down, repeat. 

Not this year.

This year Mansfield is our 2nd race.  And maybe since we have had extra time to prepare, this year they made a love it/hate it course.  Like golf.  One minute you hate it and are wondering why you are doing such a stupid annoying activity and just as suddenly it's all forgotten when you fall in love with a few swoopy fast fun turns heading down.

It all started at pre-ride.  Saturday morning, the day before the race.

I headed up the start climb.  The usual big wide slog of a hill with some sandy areas and rain ruts to watch for to not waste energy pedalling through, but generally the same deal as in the past. 

At the top, the course headed into a super fast 29er speed dream world. I know people complain about too much double track but this was pretty fun being able to ride as fast as you can without worrying about someone coming the other way, or walking their dog, etc. I felt like I was getting air cresting the hills and totally flying up with momentum.  Soooo fun. So my plan was to have a little gas in the tank at the top of the start climb so I could just pin it immediately and hopefully pass all the tired riders at the top.   The rest of this section following was pretty easy, really fast too...and went on for long enough I was starting to get suspicious...

Until I arrived at the wall.  When you look waaaay up and all the way is so steep they put snowmobile tracks along the center and tons of footprints on the sides that is never a good sign.  OK.  Plan to ride up as far as I can without killing my legs, hop off and hike the top.

Then some new trail.  Exit Wound it's called.  Well I don't want one of those...so I carefully carefully squeaked down...on foot...hmmm  Didn't want to crash with no one around to pluck me out of the trees so my plan was if I was riding behind someone who's skills I trusted...I'd follow them down...otherwise I'd just walk the too steep for Mommy parts.  Need to work on my downhill switchback skills.  Getting better but still not totally confident and because I am a control freak I need to be totally confident of my ability to ride something especially in a race.  I know what I'm supposed to do...just actually being perched on the side of a hill freaks me out! And probably since I've fallen off the edge down into a zillion hurtful trees before, the memory of that does not help!  If there are no trees I can totally do them.  No prob.  Duntroon has a couple on the front hill, and there were lots in Moab...all with no trees...
Anyway no prob, the new trail section is cool - need some bravery - should be ok.

Then down to the bottom, along the driveway....and....
Up up up up up up.  More up.  Too steep can't pedal anymore have to hike.  Seriously?  Gross.  As I'm hike-a-biking I'm getting more upset with myself.  What am I thinking?  I thought my fitness wasn't too bad but this is terrible!  I am even thinking I'm sorry I'm already signed up to race because I can't even ride this.  I suck!  And I am completely exhausted already and this is supposed to be an easy pre-ride lap...I might not go tomorrow...
Then...
I turn a corner on the totally evil hike-a-bike section...and see some people ahead.

Also hike-a-biking.
Immediately I feel better!   As I catch up to them, they are suffering like me!  I feel better again!  I don't suck!  I joined in their little group for a bit.  Chatting, complaining, laughing, and hiking on...getting the nasty climbing done.

And then immediately the course goes back to fun fun fun... flowy trail...happy times again...back in love with mountain biking!

While in the middle of the last fun section a group of guys caught up to me.  All decked out in matching race kits.  Lookin very speedy.  Asking to pass...basically wanting to get ahead before the next singletrack section to not get slowed down. Which is totally cool - they were completely friendly and nice too - all thanked me, etc.

They were a pretty big group - maybe 7 guys.  Not all of them managed to get ahead of me in time for the trail to start.  Now normally that would freak me out and I'd pull off immediately and let them all go by.  I used to be much slower.  I really didn't want to stop - or even worse - have to clip out fully...to let them by. After all that hiking I just didn't want be off my bike again.  So I just joined in the middle of their line and rode on until the next double track section to let them by then.  And I was glad I did!  I had no problem to keep up with their social pre-riding (non racing) speed. Another boost of confidence!  I don't suck again!

The pre-ride tally:
'Love it' wins.  Though the 'hate it' section is large.. I won't be the only hike-a-biker out there so at least I won't be totally embarrassed!

Still wasn't totally excited to race on Sunday. Which is unusual for me.  Yup - those hills are that hard!

Mmmmm buttertarts

Ya hoo the first summer long weekend!
On Saturday my hubby and I were able to get up to Buckwallow for our first ride together for 2013!  (Thanks Mom for watching the kids!) Probably our most favourite place to ride and so so fun as always.  Met up with some friends in the forest, visited a bit with Mike, rode lots while chatting all the way enjoying a mellow cottage country vibe...a great 'date' ride for us!

On Sunday - back to family and yard work...plus perfect weather for some early pool time!

Then holiday Monday...and a plan for a little morning ride - a mini 'Tour de King' through the woods across to Jane St. and the King Trails.  A little gravel road, dirt road, road allowance and a couple loops of singletrack trail...

Beautiful 'short cut' through the thick Oak Ridges Moraine forest

Birds sounded like Hunger Games...made me go fast!

A couple fun laps in here

Then back again home  - about 35km return and just in time for lunch and one of these...mmmmmm

April...waiting...

April waiting time...snow melting...frost leaving the ground...mud & mush to drying up...so while waiting to ride...

Zach held a party at the Trek Aurora store to get us all revved up and signed up for the King Weekly race series which runs Wednesday nights at the King trails (Centennial Park) from May until end of August.  It's a really fun series - friendly people, fun riding & this series is the one that got me hooked back into riding!      (visit www.racekingcity.ca for details)

Then there was another party...this time the Trek Women wine & cheese held at the Barrie store!  Meeting lot of new people plus barely recognizing others well known (helmets would have helped!)...this party made me even more excited about the Trek Women events!  I figure if we can have fun just standing around imagine how much fun we will have on our bikes!  Ya hoo!

Then off to Hardwood for 2 days at the NCCP instructors course.  Very cool learning how to teach riders all the important cycling skills. Also really interesting to learn different ways of teaching the same skill.  I think my own riding improved just taking this course!  Especially wheel lifts...I think we must have done 500 million of them!

And then to finish off the month...finally some FANTASTIC weather for the first O-Cup!  (and a respectable 6th place finish...with a bonus goal accomplished...I did not get lapped by Barry Near & he's pretty fast!)

I don't care...I love it!

It is snowing outside my window...and I should totally be working on something else...instead I found a cool highlight clip from the women's pro XC race at Bonelli Park in California (March 16/17 2013).  

So wicked!

Plus I always have a song in my head while riding & racing --- this tune is perfect!  

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/video/701425

Chocolate Bunnies & Ride Ride Ride!

I think I have recovered from the March Break crazy times with the family.   We packed up the kids and toys and drove down again to visit my parents in Florida.   The loooooong drive is not too bad actually and our kids are very good travelers ..and I admit now that they are old enough to love electronic games is totally the reason for peace in the car - not our excellent parenting.  There was lots of singing in the car too...but very thankfully no more 'wheels on the bus'...just revised versions of various top 20 tunes like the new Pink song "Try" instead..."gotta get up and drive drive drive".

I like to think of it as practicing for a 24 hr race.  Tag team with my hubby. We've gone all soft too - no nights.  No tent either-just a fast hotel sleep 1/2 way.  Just gotta suck it up and get it done. We pack a cooler with healthy snacks & water (to offset the chips & Twizzlers purchased along the way) & I call it the 'feed zone'.   Waking up at 5 or 6am to drive is almost like someone tapping your tent to do a lap.  Kinda sort of....  

Meanwhile, when we were away lots of planning has been going on to get everyone ready and psyched for riding season!

The Trek Women have set up a wine & cheese up at the Barrie store April 23 at 6pm.  I'll be there!

A social for the King Weekly MTB series is planned at Trek Aurora for April 17 - and if you sign up you can get a 1/2 price bike tune up which is a very sweet deal...fun friendly racing on a smooth running bike!  woohoo! I'll be there too!

And racing will be starting soon!   Durham's Thursday series starts April 11 - which was kind of a wake up call to get my race license - not that I'm planning to go to Durham (well...maybe) but I definitely will need it for April 28 - The first Ontario Cup of the season!  Yikes!

Just ordered my race license...I better get up and ride ride ride!!!!!

Fun times and a happy bum!

So I've been having fun times on a bike (on a trainer) at the Trek Aurora store.  Really!  Zach's spin classes are actually pretty fun - and hard!   And the 'bliss test' was successful!  The stuff actually works...and I now have a happy bum!

But even more fun times on a bike were happening at Joyride this past weekend.  It was my first time attending the Joyride Women's Weekend and wow it was very impressive!   There was instruction available for every section of the park plus a few other side areas covering stuff like mechanics & bike fit.   They had everyone covered from beginner on up.  And there were a TON of girls!  I never expected the turnout to be so big!  I heard there were probably 150 riders attending which is so amazing!

I was inspired to try out some new stuff.   I had on my crazy purple Joyride jeans and my new perfect Joyride bike (a Trek Ticket Stub dirt jump bike - thank you Santa!).  I was good to go!

First the foam pit.  Last winter I kept renting bikes and rentals aren't allowed in the foam pit so that was my excuse.  My kids keep telling me it's easy...well it is!  The hardest part is getting out of the foam without sinking!

Next - the Vert Room.  If you've ever been to Joyride it's the room tucked in the back corner but visible from the XC trail as it crosses the top of the building.  It's full of big stuff.  High walls, big jumps, a big bowl like a swimming pool, etc....kind of like a skateboard park but bike sized. Crazy. A place I never thought I'd be able to go in. So I went to just have a closer look. And then the nice kids in red shirts (all the instructors had the same red shirts) sucked me in. And before I knew it I was dropping in to the big scary bowl!  And it was really really really fun!!  

The vert room - everything is so BIG in here!!

Committed!

Wahooooo!

Then off to the street room where they were teaching wheelies, wheelie drops, banked turns, bunny hops, etc..  Cool skills to practice to make zipping through the forest easier and more fun!  

And to finish off with a few laps of the pump track...super fun & a great workout...and then I saw this girl there with the same cool bike...

Nice to meet you Charlotte!  

Ouch!

Wow!  It's January 2013!

I'm really excited about this year because last year I started the season a bit fitter than ever before thanks to a really cool MTB trip that one of my biking girls had for her 40th b-day in early March of 2012. Knowing I was going on this trip kept me from slipping into winter hibernation mode.  In preparation I did a couple spin classes at the gym (exactly 2) and did a little running & used the stairmaster a few times a week, and rode at Joyride at least once a week (I did the women's advanced course on Mondays through the winter).
I even tried XC skiing at Hardwood which was hilarious.  Apparently I need a lesson badly!  It was pretty embarrassing!  I think I wiped out at least 4 times maybe more!

But thanks to all these pre-Moab activities, when racing season started I wasn't dying quite as much as in previous years - which was awesome!

For 2013...something totally new...biking on a road bike on a trainer!  Check out my pretty bike...

It's a Lexa SLX and so far it's pretty comfy.  There is just one issue.  Kind of embarrassing too... my BUTT hurts!!  I thought there was no way that was possible since I ride quite a lot and haven't really had an issue in that department in a long time.  But here is my theory - I must ride standing on my pedals more than I realized.  Which makes sense on a mountain bike.  But not on a road bike!  Ouch!

So for tonight's spin class I'll be using some of this...

Hopefully I will feel the "bliss" instead of "Ouch!"    Stay tuned!