Will I have a crew?

With my plans growing more and more advantageous each year, the art of planning and logistics has been the hardest hurdle to overcome. I started planning for the 2013 season back during the holidays of 2012. Many questions come up during the planning stage. Which races will I do? Who will be available to crew these races? These were two biggest questions I had to answer.

Unfortunately, I knew that one of the races I wanted to do would mean I would need to find a few new members to crew for me as my parents would not be able to travel with me to Minnesota in August. Jenn's father and mother in-law volunteered to go in their place.

Planning early has many advantages, one of which is the great sense of relief you feel once a plan has been laid into place. That is until life gets in the way and plans are forced to adapt. With my fitness at an all time high, I was starting to worry whether I would make it to Minnesota with a full crew when unforseen work obligations would keep Ken and Elizabeth from being able to travel. That was until, one day while at work I was granted one of the most selfless gifts ever. Dane (aka Thin Mint) came into the shop and told me that he and Lindsey (aka L to the B soon to be K) were going to defer their race enteries for the same weekend in order to come help me out.

A few weeks ago during the prerace press conference for this year's Race Across America, Marko Baloh stated "It's kinda strange to think of 9 people working hard for me to have fun." More perfect words couldn't have been choosen in describing a racers gratitude towards their crews.

With that being said, I'm excited to introduce everyone to the newest edition of my support crew.

My best friend and wife, Jenn will be returning to the crew vehicle after declaring it was easier in the car than being back at home.

My sister Becky will be back after making her debut in Texas.

Thin Mint and L to the B Soon to be K (Dane and Lindsey)

Walk of Shame

After a wonderful morning group ride on Saturday morning and a day of making dreams come true in the shop I decided to grab one more very quick short ride for the evening. What was supposed to be a quick and easy ride over to a surprise wedding celebration party for Kyle and Gail, turned into a rather interesting trip.

One mile into the 3.3 miles from the shop to the party, I startled a couple of motorcycle riders who where sitting outside someone's house chatting it up when my rear tire hit a piece of gravel from said someone's driveway. With the sound of a fully pressurized tire releasing all of it's contents back into the atmosphere instantly, I began to fishtail for a split second before bringing the bike to stop for a quick tube change.

The World's Shortest Ride Left Me Using the World's Longest Valve

During the install of the new tube, I did a VERY quick visual check of the tire. Knowing that I hit that rock and the simultaneous BOOM!, I knew it was a pinch rather than a puncture. The check was a bit too quick however because I missed the fact that the rock placed a small cut in the sidewall of the tire. The new tube went it "fine" and allowed me to ride another 50 feet before going down once again. My ride had now turned into a walkabout.

Walking with my heels in my hands like a sorority girl on Sunday morning

The remainder of the weekend was spent searching for a lost iPhone which was inadvertently left at the scene of the walkabout rescue, socializing with friends, attending my first ever baby shower, gardening and a trip to Williamsburg for Memorial Day with Mr and soon to be Ms Thin Mint.

I hope everyone was able to enjoy their long weekend while remembering the day off from work is one more of the freedoms our soldiers have and continue to fight for us to keep. Thank you to all of those who have served in our military!

Half the Battle

Yesterday, Mother Nature decided to throw another curveball at us with a frost warning for the morning hours. It's amazing how quickly I became a big sissy when it comes to cold weather. Just a month ago, I would have been rejoicing for a morning ride if the temperatures were 40 or above. But not now that all my winter gear has been rotated to the bottom of the cycling clothes drawer. Not when my good friend Kurt has been sitting in the corner feeling like I forgot his name. Not when pulling Kurt from the corner would allow me to pick my clothes off the top of the drawer. After all, who knows what kind of injury I could sustain digging to the bottom of that 8" drawer. Pinched nerve, pulled muscle or torn bicep?

I met up with Kurt and one of my training partners who will forever be known going forward as Quinoa. Having different agendas for our workouts he was chatty while I tried to fit sentences in between gasps of breath. While he was there I hadn't realized what a benefit it was to have him there talking. I never thought it was bad but didn't really put a lot of weight on it either. The conversation kept my mind from racing from one thing to another. "Gotta do this. Don't forget to do that. Are you going to have enough time to get this done for (insert 10 different names)?" All of those thoughts and more came rushing into my head after Quinoa's workout was done and he escaped to the gym.

Having a terrible time focusing during my last twenty minute effort, I started talking to myself "Focus. Fo-c-us. FO-cus. FOCUS!" Then from somewhere I heard the voice from the original GI Joe cartoons, "Knowing is half the battle" As I battled to save my last interval from falling into the Cobra Clutch, my mind slipped away and I starting thinking to myself that I know mental toughness is more than half of endurance racing. That sticking through these workouts despite wanting to bag the last fifteen, twelve then ten minutes is what will pay the bills come race day.

That internal conversation kept my mind from racing from topic to topic and saved this particular workout for me. It also reminded me how blessed I am to be training alongside and under a coach who preaches by practicing mental toughness on a regular basis. Which proposes the question, "Do you have the ability to push through the mental blocks?"

Tonight at Endorphin Fitness, Coach Michael Harlow will be presenting on Mental Toughness and it's role in not just endurance sports but how it can be translated into your everyday life as well. The presentation starts at 7pm and you can register for it by emailing register@endorphinfitness.com.

Coach Michael Speaks about Race Day Nutrition

Another first in 2013

The Capitol to Capitol century better known as the Cap2Cap has been a staple for many riders in the Central Va region for years. Starting in Williamsburg or Richmond, the terrain is the same gorgeous scenery and flat roads. Whether it be in the 15, 25, 50 or 100 mile option, it's a great opportunity for riders to test their Spring legs with what sometimes is a personal "record" for distance. This year I would ride with my father-in-law who wanted to take his first attempt at doing just that for the 100 mile ride.

Dane, Ken and I before the start

There was some worry in the days leading up to the ride about the weather which included a high chance of rain. The exact opposite of that occurred and Mother Nature blessed us with a cool to warm partly cloudy day for us to enjoy.
After the first few feedzones, the groups thinned out which allowed us to go about our business of enjoying the ride for both the scenery and company of the friends you are riding with. We would make it down to the turn around a few minutes shy of 2.5 hours. There Ken and Dane refilled bottles while I waited for a port-a-potty to open up. Based on the amount of time I had to wait, I was extremely nervous to enter not knowing what kind of biohazard would smack me in the face as I opened the door. Somehow I survived without the use of a mask and we were back on the road again.

The return trip home was very similar to the trip down to Williamsburg, with the exception of a slight headwind and cramps developing in Ken's legs. At the next feedzone, I stuffed my pocket full of bananas as the volunteers looked at me as if I was part orangutan. We got back on the road where I would launch an offensive in the Battle of Ken's Cramps. First I gave him a Green Apple flavored powergel. The look on his face was priceless as he tried to choke down the gel. There I learned where Jenn got her dislike for food based on texture from and it wasn't from her momma.

I clearly need to clean my camera lens

Close to twenty minutes later, I reached into my pocket full of bananas and handed him one. The second time I handed him one he argued that he didn't like bananas. He ate it anyway. The cramps retreated for awhile before making their last stand about 20 miles from the finish. Like a good son-in-law, I reached into my other pocket which was full of powergels and grabbed a raspberry gel and handed it to him. Because, I know and appreciate that my crew lies to me to keep me motivated to eat and moving forward during the longer races, I did just that for him. "This one is good, I promise", I stated. Like a trooper, he sucked it down with the same look on his face. There the Battle of Ken's Cramps was won as we would soon arrive back to Rockett's Landing with his first century under his belt.

Five years ago, I had the opportunity and pleasure to ride with Jenn in her first century. Congratulations Ken and thank you for letting me have the privilege of riding with you for yours!