Capital 'Cross Classic

   I added this race onto my racing calendar a few weeks ago, when I realized that the end of the season was coming much quicker than I anticipated.  I've done a few local races, and a few UCI races, but no regional races, so I wanted to get one end before the end of the season, and to give me another opportunity with a larger field.

    I went into the weekend feeling that I could do well and was really looking forward to racing at the venue.  I haven't raced there in several years, and I have always thought that course was designed with a great mix of elements (both technical and power oriented).  This year it was changed a bit due to some work being done to the waterways in the park, and although I thought there were a bit more fast, straight, power spots than I was expecting, it was still a fun race, and one I'm going to try to keep on the schedule again for next season.

Thanks to the folks from Capital Cross for the barrier prime!
I think Chris deserves it though for working so hard for me
in the pit!

    The race started on a slight uphill paved section with some grassy 180s into a fast, paved downhill.  I took the holeshot, and bombed the downhill into the first off-camber section to take the "barrier prime" (the first rider to cleanly clear the barriers on the first lap).
Across the dam we went into the Capital 'Cross Stairs and the band kicked it into high gear.  The crowd was great, the music was loud, and I was realizing that I felt pretty good.  We went through the Mini-Chute, up the Zombie Killer climb which was short, steep, and soft, and into the campground climb.  The course took us into The Chute the was twice the length of the aforementioned Mini-Chute, with very fast, flowy corners that took you back to the bottom of the course and across the dam again.  Going down The Chute, my rear wheel skipped up and I drifted through one of the corners.  I knew I was taking those corners faster than I had planned to and ended up with a really wide line coming out of it, feeling like I was going to slide out in the one semi-slick section of the course.  Across the dam and past the second pit entrance there was one more off-camber section before we dropped into the pavement and up the start/finish hill.

    I knew I had only a few seconds on Allyson behind me in 2nd place so I was really trying to focus on being as smooth as possible and to push myself more than usual on the power sections.  I was heading under the finishing truss, stood to push the pace, and I started to notice the rim was hitting the pavement.  I couldn't believe it.  I got to the grass section and just started to go backwards while trying to ride it out to the pit.  Allyson came around me and I almost rolled my tubular through one of the corners.  I didn't have much further to go and I really didn't want to run downhill on pavement so I kept trying to ride it out.  But halfway down, for fear of ruining Chris' carbon rim, I got off and shouldered the bike.  I ran as hard as I could with my bike on my shoulder.  Ten more people passed me before I made it to the pit and as I grabbed my pit bike, I realized that I was going to have to dig to get anywhere near the podium, and I was quite certain that there was no way I'd be seeing Allyson again until the race was over.

    I can honestly say I don't remember every single detail of the race after that.  Chris yelled time gaps and places to me every time I passed the pit.  The band seemed to be deafening at the top of the stairs, and there were bubbles...so many bubbles.  There was so much traffic with the shorter laps and big fields in a couple different racing categories that it was hard to tell who I was catching and who was being lapped.  I know I made some passes on some of the technical spots that were a little more risky than I usually do, especially when I was getting close to the two that Chris was telling me were sitting 3rd and 4th.  I know I caught Alex Campbell-Forte and Lyndsay Bayer at the Mini Chute and the Zombie Killer climb, and Lyndsay rode away from both of us on the campground climb.  I caught her again going down The Chute, she rode away from me again across the dam, I got close to her after the pit, she rode away from me through the finish truss, I caught her at the barriers.... we all see where this is going.  We did this accordion thing for the last two laps.  I caught Lyndsay where I excelled at all the technical features, but her road fitness is just unbelievable and she rode away from me as soon as the course opened up.  There is a reason that she is at a pro level on the road, and it showed Sunday.  Even if she hasn't been riding as consistent as usual, she is still amazingly strong.  (If you don't know who she is then you should probably check out her blog...)

Congrats to Allyson Tufano (Sportif Coaching Group/Patapsco Bicycles) on the win, Gabriella Stern (Vanderkitten CX) on 2nd, Lyndsay Bayer (Hagens Berman) on 3rd in one of her few cross races, and Alex Campbell-Forte (Vanderkitten CX) on rounding out the podium!

    I finished the fourth on the day, and although it was not the place I was hoping for, it was certainly a very beneficial race.  This turned out to be another weekend that I learned a lot about racing my bicycle.  Just goes to show that eighteen years of racing bicycles doesn't mean that you still can't discover something about yourself.  I took risks that I don't think I would've taken otherwise.  I know now that I can take those risks.  I also managed to not panic and get to the pit as fast as possible when I discovered my flat.  Something else that you don't know (or forget) you can do until you need to.  And staying focused after a mechanical is, I've discovered, much more important if you're digging to make time back up.  Always things that are great to know you're capable of, the unfortunate thing is there's only one way to figure out if you're capable of those things!

    All in all it was a fantastic day to race my bicycle and what a great event that was!  Thank you to everybody that put so much effort making it a great event and I look forward to doing it again!

    The NCGP UCI race weekend is coming up in Hendersonville, NC...stay tuned!

#mermaidwinery #tradewindsracing #super8cx #capitalcross #crossishere #cyclocross

#toomuchsuper

     Actually, as difficult as this weekend was, I had a blast and there wasn't enough "Super."  I went into the weekend really expecting a top 15 for both days.  I did not get it.  Neither day.

Bib # 15 represented my goal for the weekend.

     Saturday was an exceptionally beautiful day for the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Mid-60's with crystal clear skies.  The field was 45 deep, and everyone was fast off the line into the first corner and onto an off camber followed by a few more off camber 180's.  Every corner was followed by a climb that was longer than I wanted it to be and the downhills were shorter than I had hoped.  The technical features were few and far between.  Even the stairs that were in the middle of a long climb, did little to help separate those that rode them from those that dismounted and ran them.  At least that's how I looked at it.  Everyone around me seemed to be riding up these climbs without great effort and I was struggling with every pedal stroke.  I finished 16th on the day and was trying to find reasons for me not to be too disappointed.  I decided, though, that Sunday was a new day.  And if the weather forecast was correct, I would be getting a chance to play in the mud (which I love to do)!

Snow-capped mountains while driving to the course.

     I was pretty excited when I woke up Sunday and the ground was saturated from the rain (and snow) from early that morning.  However my dad (travel buddy and pit crew for the weekend) and I got to the course and the sub-freezing temps and howling wind made it a little less exciting than I had initially thought.

I kept reminding myself that Nationals are in Connecticut in January! #crossishere

I actually had the best start on Sunday that I've had all season.  On the same off camber as Saturday's start (except extra slick) everybody in the first 10 spots took the high line one after the other after the other.  I was the first person to take the low line, and found myself 6th wheel after a crash on the high line held a few people up.  The first few turns I felt great.  I was certain I could maintain the effort and get myself another top 10.  The next few turns I found myself spinning tires and going backwards.  It didn't matter who's wheel I followed, I couldn't stay on it.  I handled my bike in the corners well, but through the straights I was losing time.  There were people sliding out all over the place, but I still wasn't making up ground.  I changed bikes every lap and kept Dad busy with the pressure washer.  Two laps to go I had him drop the pressure in my tires and when I changed bikes half a lap later, it was night and day.  I finally felt like I could get somewhere.  Maybe it was mental, I don't know, but I managed to make up two spots after that.  Had I still had another half lap I could have maybe gotten another one or two; there just wasn't enough real estate at that point.  I finished Sunday at 19th place...barely squeaking into the top 20.

Post-race pic with my pit crew.

     Dad did a great job as my pit crew keeping my bikes as clean as possible for me every bike change.  And considering we never practiced bike changes, actually pulled it off fairly seamlessly.  Supercross was not my A race for the season (actually not any of my B races either).  I was not training for this race specifically, and I can't expect to have a great race every time I toe the line.  Yes, I'm a little disappointed in my results, but for me not to take anything away from the weekend would be a wasted trip.

  So a few things I learned on the weekend:
-13 psi is not too low for some conditions.  Its really important to experiment with different pressures more during my pre-ride.  Especially when the conditions are the way they were.
-I raced with leg warmers for the first time in a UCI race and they didn't get in the way at all...extra clothing is not necessarily a bad thing when its warranted.
-Having your pit crew make changes to the bike in the middle of the race is something that should be done without hesitation.  If it will help then do what needs to be done.
-The race is not over until the line.  Keep making adjustments until something works and keep pushing.
-Longer toe spikes are a must for conditions like Sunday.
-Being able to feel your toes and the bottom of your feet is crucial, even more so when there is a lot of off the bike involved.  I should really keep that in mind when putting my kit on before a race.

I know I've learned more just by being there and getting the experience, so to come out of the weekend completely disappointed is not logical.  I'm going into a rest week and then I start looking towards Nationals.  Capital Cross, NCGP, and the final, Rustbucket Race, will be leading me into it.  Here's to looking forward!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

#ucicx #supercrosscx #toomuchsuper #mermaidwinery #mermaidwinecx #tradewindsracing #procx

2016 Cross Season - 2 Months In, 2 Months to Go

     I'm two months into my 2016 cross season and I can't believe that there's just under two more months until Nationals.  The sad part is there are much fewer races that I'll be able to get to in the last two months than the first two.  This season has definitely been one for me to remember.  And as bad as my memory is, I'm kicking myself a bit for not doing a post more often.  If no other reason than to help me remember!  So without further adieu, here's a brief recap of my cross season to date.

Kicking off the season at Nittany CX.
#cxishere
Photo: Marci Fulton

Nittany Cross

There was a stair run-up, some barriers,and a couple
off-cambers that made things just a little more interesting.
#ucicx #nittanycx
Photo: Marci Fulton

Race weekend number one for me.  This was a full weekend of racing, and also UCI level racing.  Of course the first race of the season you never know where you'll end up.  I've been much more focused with my training this year, but you still don't know.  The race predictor shows what "should" happen (which for me was a 21st and 23rd finish for the two days), but you always want to beat your race predictor.  I went in with a goal I truly felt I could accomplish, top 15 for both days.  The course was pretty much flat with a few VERY small, punchy climbs, with a great mix of technical and power sections.  I ended up achieving my goal for the weekend, with a 14th place both days.  Something I was really excited about.

Roanoke GoCross

Those who didn't make the drive missed out on a very well balanced course.
#vacx #gocross
Photo: Marci Fulton

     This was my first time heading out to Roanoke for the GoCross race and I really enjoyed the course.  Those guys from the Deschutes Brewery team did a fantastic job with that race.  I wish more people would make the trip out there.  We had some power sections, some technical sections, a small sand pit, a flyover, and plenty of beer to go around!  It was a fun race and my first win of the season!

Richmond Festival of Cross

Alex kept me chasing her wheel on the
pavement at Bryan Park. #vacx
Photo: Oscar Ruiz

     Chimborazo Park and Bryan Park are two local races of the season that I have a hard time missing.  They are two completely different courses that make for a great weekend of racing put on by Altius Cycling.  Chimborazo this year was a muddy mess, but since I don't race in the mud very often, sometimes I have to welcome it with open arms!  I decided to race back to back in the Women's 1/2/3 and the Men's 3/4 putting me into a deficit going into Sunday.  Bryan Park, unlike the much more technical Chimbo, is more power oriented and over half of it this year was on the pavement.  Alex Campbell-Forte came down from DC for the weekend and kept me in the red during the power sections.  We ended up going into the barriers and last few corners side-by-side, I managed to squeak out the W after a sprint finish (I still think Alex felt bad when I kicked the barriers and almost fell face first!)

Charm City CX

     I was really excited about my results at Nittany, but Charm City left me on an even bigger high after coming out of the weekend.  I went in thinking that the power course that Charm City usually is was completely opposite of what I'm comfortable with.  I was hoping for a top 20, but was expecting a top 25 against a stacked field.  One that included the US, French, and British National Champions (Katie Compton, Caroline Mani, and Helen Wyman).  The weekend started with rain, causing the course to be slick and much more technical than usual.  

Unlike past years, the sand pit was one of my favorite elements of the race.
#ucicx #charmcitycx #playinthesand
Photo: Jason Calderon

I finished with a 13th place Saturday and couldn't have been more pleased.  Sunday was much drier, and definitely more power oriented.  Because of the C1 status, more UCI points were on the line, and the field was stacked a little deeper than Saturday.  I finished with a 20th place, but still not disappointed one bit.

DCCX

     Coming off of Charm City I was feeling pretty good about where I would finish.  I knew top 15 was achievable, but I thought that top 10 was definitely possible.  DCCX is one of my favorite courses and is definitely more appealing to anyone that has a mountain bike background.  Barriers, stair run-ups, log crossing, off cambers all appeal to me as a rider.  Both days I felt great, focused, and after mixing it up with some ladies I never though I could, left with an 8th place on both days.  My best UCI results to date!

The 180 off camber turn helped get me my best uci result to date!
#ucicx #shebelievedshecouldsoshedid
Photo: Marci Fulton

Tidewater MTB Challenge

     I took the weekend off of cross for my favorite mountain bike race (although I may be biased because I've been doing this race off and on for 18 years, and Chris proposed to me there 3 years ago).  Saturday evening I raced the Women's Short Track race while Sunday I raced the Women's Pro/Expert race.  I ended up 2nd both days, behind an extremely strong rider named Andrea Dvorak.  Haven't heard of her?  Check her out!  Thank you Steve for putting on an exceptional race every year!  Looking forward to next year's 30th anniversary!

VCU/Sweet Spot Cross

     The race at Richmond's City Stadium was tight and twisty with some different features including a short, but steep, climb with a railroad tie across the course. Sam Park did a great job as always putting the race together at a very unique venue.  The Women's 1/2/3 race resulted with me on the top step of the podium and afterwards I beat up on some guys and got 4th in the Men's 3/4.

Plenty of technical sections to keep everybody focused.
#vacx #vcucx
Photo: Marci Fulton

RVR Weekend of CX

     Rogue Velo Racing put on a set of races at Bennett's Creek Park and Mt. Trashmore this weekend.  I wish the overall turnout were better for this race because the courses were laid out quite well and the weather was just perfect.  I got the case of the can't-help-its because I again signed up for the Women's 1/2/3 and the Men's 3/4 on Saturday, making sure I wasn't going to have anything left by the end of the weekend.  

Women's 1/2/3 start at Bennett's Creek.
#vacx #rogueveloracing
Photo: Erica Cline

I left Bennett's Creek Park with a 1st and 2nd place in the women's and men's races!  Sunday, Alex came down again from DC for the State Championships.  She came into the race at a disadvantage after racing earlier and winning the Women's 35+ state championships.  That gave me enough of an edge to pull away from her in lap 3 to bring home the state championship for the Women's 1/2/3!

     Thank you everyone for the great support and encouragement this year.  It's awesome when you realize that your hard work is paying off and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the season.  In case you're curious, I've been training with Mike Stoop since June of this year and I feel more fit on and off the bike than I have in a very long time.  I've had a coach in the past, but I'm far more disciplined than I was, getting my workouts uploaded and of course getting my workouts done.  Imagine that!  Having a specific plan and getting workouts in makes you feel fit and strong!  I realize though, that I could still tighten things up a bit, and since the season is over halfway done, now is a good time to start.

#cxishere #tradewindsracing #mermaidwinery #mermaidwinecx #cutawayusa #ucicx #vacx

Spring Racing and My Fellow Mermaids

  So this past spring for me has pretty much been a wash as far as cycling is concerned.  After cyclocross nationals I planned to take a couple of weeks off, and found myself running with my sister while she trained for the One City Marathon.  I myself was training for the One City Marathon Relay with three of my closest friends on a marathon relay team.  I got hooked running and enjoyed the change, and took more than a couple weeks off!
  I did my first off-road duathlon as a part of the Virginia Off-Road Series in Fredricksburg, which was extremely difficult but actually quite a bit of fun.  I probably would've enjoyed it more had I been riding a little bit more consistently!
  My sister and I then both signed up for our first half marathons (yes the same sister that just did her first full marathon).  We ran the Race 13.1 Richmond in May during a torrential downpour, and both beat our goal time, and both won our age groups!  I was worried that I would be miserable the whole time, but once I settled into a rhythm with the pacers I was with, I began to realize that I was more prepared than I gave myself credit for!  I definitely plan to do another one...and am looking to sign up for the full One City Marathon next March.  But I can't think about that now...cross is coming!

The Glittering Wives...we don't sweat, we glitter!

3rd Place Overall Women for the Fredricksburg Off-Road Duathlon

Race 13.1 30-34 and 40-44 age group winners!

  The Virginia cycling scene has been very small this spring, with several races I was looking forward to getting canceled or postponed.  That didn't help get me back onto the bike any quicker with any consistency.  The spotty road season for me started the day before the One City Marathon relay with the Shamrock Crit that happens every year because of the hard work of my fellow mermaids.  A couple weeks later the Conquer the Canal TT came around, a month after that the Richmond International Raceway crit was put on the calendar again after an earlier postponement, and yet another month later, in June, the Chesapeake Crit happened.

  The time trial I didn't expect much out of myself since I haven't been putting miles in, and I'm not a big fan of TTs anyway.  That was one I did mostly because I was off of work (which is how I treat most TTs)!  All of the crits I surprised myself because I felt so good during the race, and I have to wonder how much better I would've felt had I been running less and riding more.  Although I did enjoy running with my sister this spring!

Amanda and I at Shamrock

Crossing the line (and stopping the Garmin!) at Conquer the Canal

Gisela and I at Chesapeake

  I really started focusing at the beginning of June.  I found a coach to work with, and I feel more motivated and focused than I have in a long while.  I've come to realize that standing on the podium next to the stars and stripes is not where I want to be!  And making up that two minute gap to the 1st place gal won't happen with me pretending that I know what I'm doing with my training.  I feel more comfortable on my bike and more fit after this first month than I have in a few seasons.  This is it...cross is coming and this season is going to be fantastic.

  I have to attribute part of my motivation to the mermaids of Tradewinds Racing.  Even though we are a road specific team, I want to ride and race better because it helps the team.  Everything all of us do individually affects the team, and I want my actions to have as positive an impact as possible.  We have a much deeper roster this year than we have had in the past few years.  When I heard that we were getting more gals this season, I was nervous, not knowing any of them really well, and not knowing how everybody would get along.  I'm not a big fan of drama and I didn't want to have to think about leaving because the good thing we had going got muddled.

  But here we are now, over halfway into the season, and I am proud to be a part of it.  I think the girls are great.  They are talented, motivated, and truly wanting to learn.  I wish the calendar was thicker with races and more conducive to my schedule that I could make it to more.  I really want these ladies to see how much fun racing is when you have the support of a team behind you.  I was on Tradewinds the first year it started and I've enjoyed it all.  There was so much for me to learn that I wouldn't have been able to start and continue racing at the national level without being a part of it.  I learned so much about racing in the past few years because I've been on this team, and I want the new mermaids to feel that benefit as well.  I want them to be able to give back to the sport in a few years and pass on what they've learned to the next generation of mermaids.

Conquer the Canal TT 2016

Dinner at Mermaid Winery

Chesapeake Criterium 2016

Mini-Team Ride 2014

Richmond Crit 2014 

Celebrations at Mermaid Winery 2015

A whole neighborhood named just for us!

  So to the ladies of Tradewinds Racing (p/b Mermaid Winery), past and present, thank you.  I would not be where I am in my racing career today without you all.  I spend my road seasons (although shorter than I'd like this year) dedicating my race efforts to helping my teammates because that's the best way I can think of to repay the team.

#mermaidwinery #tradewindsracing #cxiscoming

Vivication Venture

I want to, this year, see if I can revive this thing.  I keep thinking how I need to post just a small something on here occasionally, but I've had so many things happen since two years ago that I'm never quite sure where to start.  The only thing I can think to do is with my most recent news.

#MermaidWinery #MermaidWineCX

I went down to Asheville, NC for the 2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships.  After much debate about which race to do (Elite or "Baby" Masters), I decided to go for the more motivating goal of a podium for the Masters Race.  After a mechanical 50 yards into the race put me through the first corner in dead last, that goal quickly faded.  However I managed to stay focused, switch bikes in the pit (thanks to my awesome pit crew Christopher and Michael), and ride my way back up to the 3rd step of the podium.  That was the hardest thing I've ever done on a bicycle.  The course was an awesome, epic, technical, course with so many fun, demanding elements.  I hope this can become a race that makes it onto a regular calendar sometime in the future.  #cxnats #ashevillecx16 #babymasters

USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championship
Women's Masters 30-34 Podium

This past cross season I had more UCI races on the calendar than I ever have: twelve.  I traveled to Pennsylvania, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee.  I raced against some of the best women crossers in the country, and came away with twelve- top twenty (including two- top fifteen and one- top ten) finishes.  #ucicx

I only did a few local races.  The Road World Championships were here in Virginia and that skewed the schedule just a bit.  A lot of the early local races were cancelled or rescheduled to weekends where there was a conflict with a larger race that I had planned to do.  I know the #VACX series and race promoters work hard at putting on good events...I wish I could make it to more.  The VCU guys did a great job with their Richmond race, I had a blast at the State Championships in Charlottesville (finally got my first top step at a State Championship race), and the Rogue Velo Racing guys/gals always do a good job with Mt. Trashmore.

The one regional race I made it to was Tacchino CX in Upper Marlboro, MD.  That was the first time in a while that I went into a bigger race with the mindset of winning.  I went in thinking it, and came out living it.  Being able to visualize and then achieve that goal was a big deal for me...something I haven't been able to do for a while.  And something that I did, and will continue to, build on in the future.

My first W in a long time at a regional level race!

The past couple of road seasons I'v tried to focus my efforts to work for my teammates.  Every year my #TradewindsRacing gals become closer, and I want to work as hard as I can for them.  They're a great group of gals and I love having them next to me.  I can't wait for this season to get started.  Keep an eye out for us, we'll be at many of the local and regional races!

Most of the ladies at #MermaidWinery celebrating
Emily and Sally's babies!

So that's the 2015-2016 racing season.  Fun and very memorable.  I don't typically like to brag about my accomplishments (thanks for bearing with me), but I finished on a high note, and took away a lot from this past year.  I look forward to what the future is going to bring.  I'm also looking forward to making these posts a more regular thing again...

In case anybody didn't know, and because it's been that long since I've posted anything on here, 2014 had some big news for Chris and I!