Why I Race

I've been realizing more and more why it is that I like (love?) to race my bike. Yes, I love to ride. Yes, I love to push myself as hard as possible on the bike. Yes, I like the sense of accomplishment. Yes, I like the rewards that hopefully result (though the disappointment is often bitter, it is still a learning experience for the next time!).

But there is another aspect to racing that is equally important - the people and the camaraderie, the social interaction, the encouragement.

This past weekend was the first race in the Root 66 Race Series - Hop Brook Dam. The last time Mike and I did this race, it was 38 degrees, pouring rain and I was worried about getting some sort of infection from all of the dirt and grime in my bike shorts. Sunday was sunny though, the trails were dry, and the temps were reasonably mild. The conditions were going to be great.

The night prior to the race, Liz A posted something on Facebook about drinking wine the night before a race. Before we even got to the venue, a few of us from the Women's Cat 1 and Pro fields were bantering back and forth about drinking and racing - having some great laughs. This carried over to race day as we met, laughed and caught up. Other racers we hadn't seen since last season gave hugs, handshakes and we spent a lot of time before the race socializing. This really set the tone for the remainder of the day.

The Cat 2 Women - the Cat 1 Women's
field was equally as large

I have been racing MTBs since the late 90s, with a brief break from it in the early 2000's. I have raced in large fields and small (so small that I just had to finish the race to win). I was SO EXCITED to see that the Cat 1 women's fields at Hop Brook had 16 racers! SIXTEEN! And with the Pro women, we all stood before the race chatting with old friends, and making new friends (who are, now, just like old friends). And this wasn't the first time this has happened - it happens at every race. We are competitors, but before and after the race, we are all equals and friends, sharing a passion for the bike and competition.

Being the shy person I am known to be, I promptly introduced myself to Stacey B, whom I knew of from CX racing. We immediately hit it off, and proceeded to chat, quickly becoming "old" friends (sorry for the pun, Stacey) before the race even started. Kate L joined in, as did others. We joked about the hole shot when Kate commented that it was likely a Rowell given and I said there was no way I was doing that... Smiles, jokes and wishes of good luck to all right up until the whistle.

Yeah - and that not going for the hole shot? Um, yeah. Apparently race brain promptly kicked in, I made it to the front, and I led into the woods. Good for me, not so good for the people caught behind me going over the first technical log crossing (sorry everyone!). Onto the pavement and through the field I kept expecting to get passed. I continued to lead, however, through the off-camber single-track, messed everyone up on another log/rock crossing (oops), and started into the first big climb still in the lead. That's when Kate and Stacey came by me, but I managed to stick close enough to come out of that section still with Stacey, and on her heels as I cleaned the steep/technical climb (I managed it twice, but was too tired in the remaining laps to clean it). She pulled away after that, I made a mistake, and now Liz B was ahead of me too. And someone from Corning. I continued to race my own race (I think I went out a bit too hard, as evidenced by the feeling that I was surely going to poop my pants from the hard effort!). At the end of the first lap I passed the Corning racer who was having a technical issue, but was passed by Tina S.

At the end of the second lap, Mike lapped me in the feed zone where I was reluctantly downing a gel, shouting encouragement as he went by. I knew I was having a good race, and as the laps ticked by, I started to feel even better. Coming into the end of the third lap, I passed Liz B and encouraged her, saying "Let's go", but unknown to me, she was bonking from the hard effort and long distance (Liz just upgraded to Cat 1, and the increase in race distance is significant). I finished my final lap to cheers and happy to realize that I was 3rd in the 35+ race and 4th overall. It was a good day on the bike.

After the race, we once again all reached out to each other - to offer congrats, to share war stories, to offer encouragement where it was needed. THIS is why I love to race, and why, in two weeks, I'll be back in the woods with a number on my bike. Thanks to my fellow racers for making this such a big, important part of my life.

Racing Again

Here in MA, the snow hasn't quite cleared out, and temps have been cold, with this week's 50 degrees during the day feeling like a heatwave. Despite Mother Nature (or perhaps, TO spite her), this past weekend was the first MTB race of the season already! Yikes!

Photo: Glenn Anderson

The format was a short TT - approximately 8 miles, with all competitors going off in 30 second intervals. I had never raced at the venue before, and given that it was a 2 hour drive, and our race started at 9 am, I didn't get a chance to pre-ride the whole course. What I did get to see was reasonably technical - lots of rock gardens that required some skill (or, in my case, running), and I had heard that there were bridges - lots of them. Given how early in the season it was, and how little MTB riding we have been able to do here due to the weather, I was determined to just go out and have fun. Yeah - right...

This promoter doesn't differentiate between Elite and Expert women, and at least 3 local pros showed up to race in our field. I knew this going in, and was resigned to it. There were also some women who had upgraded from last season that I didn't know, but as we shivered waiting for our start, we all socialized, lamented and laughed as we waited for it to be our turn to blast down the SNOW FREE trails. This is one of the things that I LOVE about racing in New England - at least in the women's fields, we all know one another and can be social, laughing, catching up on winter activities, and sharing stories before we get to the business of beating the cr*p out of each other.

My turn came and having fun went out the window to be replaced with must not be last . Crystal A had gone out 30 seconds ahead of me, and I knew I would never see her again. About halfway through the lap, however, I managed to catch and finally pass my one minute target. We shouted encouragement to each other, and I worked as hard as I could to put even more of a gap between us. I thought I had a good gap, too, but it turns out that Tracy finished not that far behind me!

In the last two miles of the race, the trails became technical once again (there was a reprieve of some fairly fast double-track in the middle of the lap, although you did have to watch for fallen trees in the middle of the trail) - this time with the bridges. I hate bridges. So, I was pretty excited when I had ridden most all of them, and only had a mile left to go! Of course, then the most technical bridges reared their heads, and I was forced to run... So much for that! 

Seeing the finish, I buried my head and went as hard as I could, crossing the finish line "not last" and having had a BLAST riding in the dirt again (of note - I was also the oldest woman in our category!). It's only been two months since my final CX race, but now I'm looking forward to another fun season of racing in the dirt, with the next race coming up after Easter.

Mike and I changed after the race, looked at results (he finished a very strong 2nd OVERALL and won his age category), and then went out to do some more riding since we were able to ride with no snow, and had driven quite a way to the race. We were tired, and happy, when we pulled back into the parking lot.

Yup - racing season may have just ended, but it has begun again anew!

Maple + Bacon = Doughnuts

The first doughnut!

Many of you know that MKR (OK, we) loves doughnuts. And I love bacon. So recently, as I was browsing the recipes on the King Arthur Flour website, I stumbled upon a recipe for these beauties, and KNEW I had to try them.

Mine didn't look like this...

Alas, I had no doughnut pan, so instead, I consoled myself by reading about the luscious Maple Bacon doughnuts at Union Square Donuts (which I have yet to try).

Photo: Bob R - who ate it all despite the fact he was supposed to save a bite for his wife :)

Last week, however, Mike and I found ourselves at Bed Bath and Beyond (yup - shopping, in an actual store!). We went looking for specific items and came home without them. We did come home with a new doughnut pan though! Yippee! Time to make the doughnuts!

So, today I had some time and decided to try my hand at the baked bliss. I got out all of the ingredients, and set about cooking the bacon, and mixing all of the ingredients as laid out in the recipe (though I only made half the amount). The prep was relatively easy, and didn't take too much time before everything went into the oven. 

The process went as follows:

Assemble ingredients

Mix batter

Prep pan (bacon and maple syrup)

Fill with batter and into the oven

While baking, mix glaze

Remove tasty treats from oven

Turn onto parchment paper

Glaze and enjoy!

I let Mike take the first bite, given that he is the aficionado at our house :). The verdict was that the doughnuts had awesome flavor, but that they tasted a bit more (OK, a lot more!) like a waffle than a doughnut. I agreed.

They will be delicious for breakfast tomorrow! And next up - trying to fry some doughnuts...

Past the Terrible Twos

Yup - yesterday was Opie and Ellie's 3rd birthday! And of course, we had a party, and there was cake :)

More Pics from Louisville

Our trip took us through eight states

Louisville

There were a lot of NECX friends and teammates who made the trip down to worlds.

           

Oh - there may have been some Belgians, too!

Tuesday may have been the driest day on the course, but there was still sticky, Louisville mud.

Sightseeing - from our room :)

Wet Wednesday mud vs. frozen Friday mud

These crews worked for two straight days hauling and spreading wood chips to help mitigate the over-the-ankle mud in the main spectator areas (and in front of the portos!)

On Thursday, the blurry us celebrated MKR turning his actual racing age. The banana bread pudding was no Concord Teacakes, but it sufficed in a pinch.

And on Friday, it was for all the marbles. Dave and Mike needed to clear cleats before starting the race.

After celebrating, it was time for the LONG drive home. Over the river, through the tunnels, and in 7.5 hours we were halfway home.

So, here ends the season! Congrats to MKR, and to EVERYONE who made the trek to Louisville to race.