Highs and Lows

What a crazy two weeks I've had! I continued my yearly tradition of getting sick around the time of my birthday by acquiring a nasty sinus infection last week. I had a great time with teammates at the races in Long Island, but just didn't feel terrific. I had two respectable 5th places, though, despite that my nose was a fountain and I couldn't sleep at night. I have to say, the ferry to Long Island is definitely the only way to get there. The weather was spectacular, and we just relaxed on the top deck in the sun and enjoyed the ride. Very expensive, but to combat costs, we fit 5 bikes and three people (and gear) in to a Nissan Xterra. It was quite a feat accomplished easily with the spacial intelligence of our team's resident artist.

While I was away, Rock Star attempted to race his very first cross race... unfortunately, he bit the dirt hard on a rough descent and snapped his right collarbone. :(

I felt sicker through the week, actually taking a day off on Wednesday! I even went to the doctor and got some antibiotics (even though sources have informed me that almost all sinus infections are viral and antibiotics are basically just a placebo to make me happy). Anyways, I raced on the Cape on Saturday. Luckily, the rain avoided the Cape, even though the rest of the stae seems to be stuck in monsoon season. It was muggy and warm. Loved the course! Tough and technical, totally non-legal, great stuff. The kids races, cheering crowd in the beer pavillion, and swooping setion through the picturesque pumpkin patch gave me the warm fuzzies. The virus took a lot out of me, though, and I had nada. Had a good start, but couldn't chase when I got passed. No motor. So, I took third. I had fun, though, except for the coughing fits after the race when I couldn't breathe.

I questioned whether or not I should race Canton on Sunday, but decided to for several reasons: I was pre-reg'd, Rock Star's team was helping promote the race, and it was less than 30 minutes away. There was also a strong field pre-reg'd, and I wanted to come out and play. I actually thought I'd get trampled in the race, but I guess I was feeling better. I enjoyed the changes they made to the course from last year, too. I was able to practice a little race strategy at a couple of moments in the race. Off the front with just one other rider, I felt nervous about leaving it to the finl sprint, since she is a damn good sprinter. But I think her tank was empty by the end, and I beat her by a bike length. I still had plenty in my tank and felt that I could have ridden faster much of the race.

It really rocked to hear everyone cheering for me on the course, especially at the run-up. I like being the underdog. Oh, and my dad was there. I didn't even know he was coming, but surprise! I saw him just as we were staging. My biggest fan, he comes to many of my races, but for some reason, never the ones I win! Yesterday, he finally saw me win a race. :)

More good news! CyclingPT, won his race, too! It was his fourth cross race ever, and he won the C race decisively! Yay!!
We all went to Redbones and gorged ourselves on ribs (and good beer) to celebrate. :)

Sucker Brook Fruition

It's definitely groovy to start the season with a win. Before the start, I really had no idea what to expect in terms of my performance potential at last Sunday's Sucker Brook cross race. I thought the field was reasonably big for the first one of the fall - and because it wasn't a Verge series race. I surprised myself by being first into the first turn out of the start! I have never led at the beginning of a cx race before. It was a strange feeling, and one much too reminicent of my recent crit performances, when I've spent too much time on the front. Three of us got an early gap on the group which stuck through to the finish. The big drama in this race was that I made my life pretty hard for myself by making a costly mistake just a couple of laps in. I actually crashed REMOUNTING! I'm not exactly sure how I managed it, but my foot slipped or something and I bit the grass after the barriers. I popped up immediately, but noticed that my chain had jumped on the inside and managed to lodge itself perfectly under the 3rd eye chain watcher... so that left me off my bike, wrestling the damn thing out. I figured that was it. The girls I I was riding with would attack and I'd be unable to catch them if they worked together. Luckily, I felt pretty comfortable with my lead on the rest of the field. A friend gave me splits for the rest of the race. First I was 30 seconds behind, then 20, then 10, and I punched it, knowing I could bridge that. The whole chase I managed to stay calm (I never even cursed while I yanked my chain out) and kept my riding steady and clean. It worked. After several laps, I caught on. At the end, I was able to dive the last corner inside She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named :) and then, being in a bit lower gear, worked my fast leg speed to accelerate up the short finish straight. It was a very close match sprint, but the victory - she was sweet! The moment I played in my mind so many times over was finally realized.

Time for the Season to Change

It's time. I already felt it, but this weekend confirmed it. Disappointment in my crit performances for the past two weekends have highlighted my waning motivation and scattering concentration for on-the-road racing.

I am ready for cross.

Besides the sore, aching muscles from the transition running and sprinting, I have felt strong. Perhaps stronger than ever yet. I know that I am far beyond where my fitness was last year at this time, and I'm looking forward to giving my best in the cross scene.

I have to backtrack a bit.... I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this weekend's race venues were great! The course in York was fun and that race has tons of potential. Portsmouth rocked. Race there next year! Thank you, Susanne, for working so hard to promote these races secure such great prize lists for the women.

See everyone at Suckerbrook on Sunday!

Rant - Nothing to Do With Cycling!

Okay, this entry has absolutely nothing to do with cycling. I’m compelled to break my silence in this blog because I am extremely PISSED OFF, so excuse me while I rant. Maybe some of you share my angst. This fury has been building up over months, years even!!

Whose brilliant f’n idea was it to turn simple errand running into some sort of bizarre club hopping where everyone gets ripped off except for those spineless souls willing to litter their wallets and keychains with little plastic access cards?? Little plastic RIP OFF PREVENTION CARDS. Those cards are a complete pain in the ass. Don’t you hate standing there searching through your wallet with a line of people waiting behind you looking for the right colored card to prevent being ripped off? I threw the damn things out long ago. If everyone can have one, why require them? Oh, that’s right, I remember – because they track your purchases!

One instance of buildup to the fury:

During the summer, I went into a new Bob’s store holding a grand opening sale, hoping to find a swimsuit on sale. I was immediately bombarded by overly friendly sales clerks pushing their version of the rip off prevention card. They told me the sales prices were only good for Bob’s Club cardholders. I immediately walked OUT. All I want is a store where I can approach the counter with needed goods and know I’ll be charged good prices. Whose damn marketing ploy is this?? It’s not encouraging consumer loyalty with me, it’s making me MAD! Don’t you all feel like you’re being preyed on?

The event that spawned this fury tonight:

I walked over to CVS to pick up a prescription. I also needed a toothbrush. After flirting with the 99-cent generic, I decided to go with my favorite standby and grabbed the Oral-B that was more expensive, but also on sale. I stood in line at the pharmacy pick-up, and when it was finally my turn, awaited the dreaded question with which I seem eternally confronted. “Do you have a [CVS] card?” {Sigh.} I said I lost it long ago. (This is true, except for the missing part about losing it intentionally.) Unbelievably, the pharmacy clerk persisted, telling me that I needed it because the toothbrush was on sale only for those with the CVS card. Feeling discriminated against, like my equal rights were being assaulted, I asked, “You’re not giving it to me for the sale price because I don’t carry your little plastic card anymore??” As the tension rose, some nice, smiling and sympathetic man interjected from behind me and offered the use of his special rip off prevention card, but again unbelievably, the cashier man informed both of us that it would not work with my transaction! “Do you still want the toothbrush?” the cashier asked. “Absolutely not!” I replied, and “I will have to find a new pharmacy!”

Well, I’m sick of the damn rip off Gestapo cards! Tonight was the last straw! And I’m going to do something about it! I’m going to…. going to….

{sigh}

Open a good bottle of wine!

Sorry if this offends anyone who fills their wallet with these rip off cards and doesn’t mind corporations tracking your purchases. I suppose resistance is futile.

Ok, I’m calming down.

Damn I like wine.