New photos

Here are a few photos from Halloween time.

Reading with Grandpa

 

Talking with Grandma

Wiggleworms and Gigglebugs

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ride free )|(

Karmen 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone has his/her own race

I did my first race with my cyclocross bike yesterday.  I liked it.  I liked it ahhhlot.  I could go faster with less effort.  Handling was a little sketchy for me at times since I’m not used to the road bike bars and position.  By the end of the race though I was much more comfortable.  Was able to really rail some corners.  At least in my mind I was railing them.  Being in second to last postion at the time makes me think that I just maaaaybe I wasn’t railing them quite like the others.  But, yet, maaaaaybe I was and just didn’t have the power and conditioning on the straight parts to keep up.

Being second to last brings me to my post heading “Everyone has his/her own race.”    I had a huge race going on with one lady for who was going to be last and who not last.  I wasn’t able to keep up with her on the first lap.  The cool thing about that though was I didn’t let it get me down.  I hung in there riding strong thinking she would start to tire b/c she was on a mountain bike and went out quite hard.   Into the second lap I was able to stay closer to her and then was able to get right on her wheel on a gradual climb.  She slowed way down struggling with her water bottle I think.  I decided to just settle in behind her instead of going around b/c  the other riders were so far ahead of us that I wouldn’t gain anything going around her.  I thought I try hanging out on her wheel, catch a little draft maybe,  and wait for her to make a mistake.  (Plus, I didn’t want the pressure of her on my wheel waiting for me to make the mistake.)  We made it up the hill and then along a fairly flat piece and into a long gradual downhill stretch, crossed a street, back onto the grass and to a 180 degree turn.  She took the turn too wide/maybe too fast/but definitely too wide and I cruised on by on the inside line.  “Sweet , my plan worked!  Now capitalize on it.” is what flew through my mind.  Then I just did my best to keep pushing myself at a strong steady pace that I thought I could maintain without blowing up.  I gradually increased my lead and was feeling really good about that.    She struggled big time on some of the barriers and that helped me alot.  I was hoping I could keep that slight cushion of space between us to the end of the race, but that wasn’t the case.  On the last lap she  started closing in on me.  Mentally I had to hold myself back from getting scared and over working it.  I tried to be smart and increase my effort just a bit and make sure that I didn’t give her any opportunity to get around me on the corners.  Going into the finish there was a short climb, right hand turn around a tree at the top, then a downhill with a sweeping right  curve into a downhill straight but slightly off-camber section into a sharper left hand corner onto the asphalt for a briefly flat section into an easy curve to right and then a steep uphill climb to the finish line.  I tucked it in and did all I knew to be aerodynamic on that downhill section.  I didn’t want to wipe out and lose by being too aggressive on the last corner so I went into it strong and solid, but appropriately cautious.  Then it was pretty much all left to who could make it up the hill first.  Shortly after we began the climb to the finish line she was pulling up beside me.  I was pouring it on giving it all I had just hoping I had a couple more drops left in my tank than she did.  I saw her front wheel come about even with my handlebars and thought “crap” but just kept powering up the hill and that wheel faded out of sight behind me again!  YES!!  I may have finished second to last, but in my mind I got first place.  After the finish line we were both all smiles and gave each other a high five we were both so excited about the fun we had with our race and competition.  Then we did a little cool down ride together, went our separate ways to change clothes, and met back at the food table and spent the next half hour or more re-hashing the race and talking about how much fun we had.  That’s what it’s all about! 

Ride free!

Karmen

Hello again!

Been giving Cyclocross a try this Fall and have found it quite enjoyable.  Mountain biking still trumps it, but the fun of having spectators and friends around the course cheering and the clanging cowbells is pretty cool.  I like it enough that I decided to buy a used cyclocross bike this past week so at least oddball equipment won’t be what’s keeping me at the tail end.  I really like my mountain bike, but it feels like a real beast trying to use it for cyclocross. 

Some of my readers aren’t familiar with cyclocross I’m sure, so here’s a brief description:  It was created by road racers as a fun off-season race event.  The course is set up in a city park or similar type venue with varied terrain (grass, gravel, concrete, hills).  Stakes with yellow tape are often used to weave a course through the area.  Obstacles such as ~12″ high barriers and sand are scattered throughout the course to force riders to dismount and run with bike over the barrier, through the sand, or up a STEEP hill.  From what I’ve seen so far if it looks like riders might try to ride the hill, a barrier will be placed right at the start to force a dismount.  Riders do laps for ~45-60 minutes depending on the length of race – some of the beginner races are 30 minutes.    The good racers are able to approach the barrier, dismount, run over the barriers and dive/jump back onto the bike in a smooth fluid motion with what appears to be no loss of speed and no difficulty.  If you watch me the difficulty of managing the barriers is still very evident     

I encourage you to view both of the video links I have here.   This one talks and shows a bit of what it is about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_W8AsilPMM&feature=related

This one though has really good stuff from the Jingle Cross Race in Iowa City last Fall/Thanksgiving time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmpRM69TjNo

Now I’m sure you can see why it is such fun!

Ride free )|(

Karmen

Johanna is growing!

I am amazed at how she has grown and how she looks so much like a little girl now. 

I know - I'm ADORABLE!

Karmen

Persevering

I have been thinking about some words and am just going to put my thoughts down.

I have decided that I am going to “persevere” on my bike instead of “suffer” on my bike.  Persevering sounds more positive to me.  Persevering involves suffering.  No doubt it involves suffering!  However, to me, persevering is about going on despite the suffering.  Persevering is looking beyond the suffering.  I have found that if I start thinking about how tough it is at the time it seems to become even tougher – I think b/c then I’m focusing on the suffering.  But if I acknowledge the suffering is there and then look beyond it I do better.  Just like trying to ride a skinny bridge.  It is important to acknowledge it and get lined up correctly, but as soon as I get my line set it is vital to get my eyes up and look ahead.  Continuing to look at where I am  causes me to ride off the edge.  The focus needs to be on where I am going (end of skinny), not where I am (in middle of skinny). 

So…. when the going gets tough, I am going to look at where I am going (stronger and faster rider), not where I am (suffering). 

I am going to PERSEVERE!      I am a perseverer – it’s a word b/c I just said it

Ride free )|(

Karmen

Chequamegon 2009

Big Breath.  Cheq 2009 is in the books. 

The Short & Fat Racers: Kat, John, Karmen

Once again it was an exciting time for me.  It was fun to hang out with the Bike Tech group and get to talk and talk about bike stuff and racing stuff.  I got to hang out with Kathleen, John, Jenny, Bill, and Paul in a lakeside house for a few days of sunshine.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day for racing Saturday.  Sunny and not too hot.  I rode the Short & Fat 16 mile race of constant ups and downs or varying amounts.  I got a better starting spot by arriving at the start line about 1 hour ahead.  I think I was in the front 1/3 of the group.  There were 866 riders.  Such a cool atmosphere!  Lots of bikes and people and hub-bub.  It’s neat to see all the wheels in the air of the bikes placed upside down to hold a spot.

It only took 30 seconds for me to cross the actual starting line this year.  I was hoping to head out at a medium strong pace, but decided it was safer to settle in a little slower b/c of all the people around me.  About the time I was thinking I wanted to push it a little and start dodging some people more aggressively to move ahead I heard people shouting “biker down, go to the outside!”  As I moved to the side the gap opening ahead of me revealed a bike lying in the middle of the road and off to the right I saw someone helping a lady to sit down on the side of the rode.  She looked quite shaken up and her sunglasses were askew.  I chose to hold up a bit b/c the pavement was looking awfully hard to me at that time.  Shortly it turned into gravel and people started spreading out a little more.  I started to cautiously move my way up a bit.  There were more people passing me than I was passing I think.  It amazed me how so many people could pass me and there would still be gobs of people behind me.  Turns out I finished about 550 of 866 so based on estimate of number of people ahead of me at the start line I was probably passed by 200 people – maybe? – just guessing.  I didn’t pass a bunch of people, but was able to pass several and that is an ego booster for me.  I tried to let it roll on the gravel downhills, but used some cautious judgement if a curve approached b/c there was some sand lurking out there.  I was thankful to be cautious on one in particular as I rolled into some thick sand and saw someone off the side who had wrecked not too long ago was re-grouping.  I used a couple opportunities to take a stab at drafting.  I think I actually settled into the sweet spot a few times.  I didn’t end up staying there though b/c the person I caught was going too slow so I moved on.   After some time on a rough fire road the course turned back onto gravel for a long curvy downhill strethch. In retrospect I wish I had opened it up more on the long gravel downhill.  I had the energy to go faster but didn’t b/c of the people around me and I didn’t trust my ability enough to respond to an oops on my part or another rider’s part and didn’t want to chance a crash.  I was telling myself that it’s better to finish a tad slower than not finish at all.

Once the course turned onto the Birkebiner Cross Country Ski Trail I developed a markedly different downhill attitude.  The grass of the Birky was much less threatening to me and I raced down the hills like a madwoman.  I knew I could manage the curves and whatever the grass threw at me and just let it all go.  Some of the uphills I could then roll over pretty easily.  Some uphills though I was passed by those I had just blown past.  Gotta do some work there yet.  I was able to make it halfway up Big Bertha this year.  My goal next year is to make it all the way.  It will be in me by then I think.  After the Birky the course includes a section that resembles wide singletrack.  I started to have some more trouble in this section b/c of fatigue.  I also got caught behind a few slower people and didn’t do well at taking the opportunities to pass them when I should have.   About 1/3 the way up a long climb in this area my chain came off so I had to stop and slip it back on.  I must admit the little standing break was alright, but what really aggravated me was looking up at the long hill I had to get going on again from 0 mph AFTER I let about 10 people pass me that I had passed earlier on.  I remember now that there was comotion preceeding that climb due to another down’d rider.  I looked over at him sitting there somewhat dazed with a scuff on his forehead and lost concentration a bit.  There were times during this portion of the race that I was totally putzing along and I said to myself “you gotta be going faster here to make your goal time” but there was nothing in the physical or mental tank to speed up so I just recovered and kept on keeping on. 

Shortly before heading back out onto the gravel road for the last mile I passed a lady strapped to a backboard to be taken for help.  That was pretty unsettling.  I don’t know what happened there b/c it seemed like an ordinary section.  I soon turned out onto the road for the final gravel climb and 3rd to last climb of the race.  After the gravel climb there is a fun downhill roller area in the grass, but then it immediately becomes one of the most challenging climbs of the race.  To look at the hill it doesn’t seem like it should be so tough, but it is!  I kept chugging up it saying “I will not get off my bike!” and “once I get to the top it is a greaat downhill.”  I was grateful to get to the top but disappointed too b/c I was so tired that I had to be careful on the downhill so I wouldn’t crash b/c of fatigue induced technical error.  Plus, just a touch after I started the downhill they started hollering “rider down” again.  Then there at the start of the “s” curve before the fininsh was a guy wiped out by the fence.  I handled that curve well and then had recovered well enough to be able to race down toward the final left hand sweeping curve.  I took it wide and passed somone and kept in mind to keep centered and load the pedals and I took that curve better than ever!  Then I pulled out my kick-butt attitude  again, stood up and dug out the final hill before the finish line.  I was hugging the fence to avoid the sandy spots and probably nearly blew spit into the spectators faces as I huffed by them.  At one place along there someone was leaning forward with their head over the fence to see.  I remember thinking something along the line of “I hope you see me and pull your head back b/c I don’t have the energy to change my line and it’s going to be an owie for you if my shoulder hits your head.”  Glad to report there was no shoulder into head incident. 

I crossed the finish line at 1:32:??   Then I heard John holler my name and I was really happy to have a cheering section.  I managed to stay put for them to take the timing chip off my ankle.  It seems like it shouldn’t be hard to stand still for a couple seconds for them to do that, but I think it is really hard.  Maybe it is the quick change from working really hard to having to be still.  I feel like I need to be able to move around some to catch my breath or something I guess.  Then I rolled out of the finish chute and got cheers and hugs from my biking pals Kat and John.

I was disappointed I didn’t make my goal time of 1:25.  In time and after bouncing things off Kathleen I was able to gain a positive perspective and be able to embrace the fun of the event.  After changing clothes and  having some food and a bit of rest on the hillside, it was time to start looking for Bill to finish the 40 mile event.  I stood along the fence at the curve along the uphill and offered encouragement to nearly everyone who pedaled past and cheered especially hard as Bill came on by.

During the awards ceremony I clapped and cheered for John and Kat as they received their prizes and medals.  I also started thinking about what I was going to do to improve for next year.

It was a great time!

Ride free!  )|(

Karmen

Suffering on the Bike

Does every pedal stroke I suffer through now mean there is one I won’t suffer on in the future?           

  What are your thoughts?   Here are some of mine:

I have heard people talking about learning to suffer on the bike and how being able to suffer and keep the pedals turning helps one to do well.  Sounds like a yucky concept for doing something one enjoys.  Earlier I didn’t understand how “suffering” could make anything be more fun.  I think I am beginning to understand somewhat.  I look back on my Colesburg experience this weekend.  Definitely some suffering occurring with that!  Yet, I kept at it.  I asked myself why I stuck with it.  My answer was “b/c I want to be better at this.  Next time and in other events I don’t want to be experiencing this at this point.”  Doing my MTB Workout last night I thought about it all again.  I suffer/struggle/challenge myself with those weights and intervals b/c I want to be better.  Yet, each time I get better/stronger I increase the weight or the intervals bump up so still doing the same suffering.  As I type now I realize that next time I do Colesburg I’ll probably still be hurtin’ on the same hill I was hurting on this year.  I guess the change in the suffering, though, is that next year when I’m hurting on that same hill I will be going faster and that maybe a few of the prior hills will have seemed to have gotten shaved down over the winter.  

What are your thoughts?

Ride free )|(

Karmen

Colesburg – whoa

Wow!  Colesburg gravel is  TOUGH !!  I finished the short one – 26 miles I guess.  I think that is the hardest ride I’ve done.  Jeepers and whew. 

Had one mechanical issue at the top of the first long climb.  A pebble popped up and dropped into an open area of my front derailer and when I went to shift out of my granny ring it wouldn’t go.  I stopped to check it out and spent 5-10 minutes poking at it, flipping my bike and shaking it, poking at it with a weed stem, then poking and wiggling it with a tiny allen wrench both right side up and upside down and it just wouldn’t wiggle right to come out.  Being only 6 miles in a wasn’t too keen on finishing the course with only my granny gear in front, but whatever, so I took off again.  As I picked up some speed on the level and was in my toughest gear available and was just flapping my legs around I thought, “this is really going to stink for 20 miles” and I just gave it a shot shifting up front and it moved!  Something with riding and changing chain position must have been the ticket to get that rock out.  I am HUGE thankful for that.

At mile 16 I was still feeling alright.  At 19, pedaling up yet another interminable hill there was a definite attitude shift from this is alright and fun to be part of, to I just want to be DONE.  The last mile or so was less mentally challenging b/c it was basically flat and I had a tailwind, plus I saw the watertower – the end was in sight.  Finished in basically 2.5 hours. 

I am reminding myself of my accomplishment, b/c I tend to get down thinking I should have done better.  So here are my accomplishments:  I finished – I don’t know if the guy behind me ever did;  I didn’t walk any part of any of the hills – I saw some that did;  I had a minor mechanical issue and kept a level head and was willing to go on and do the best I could despite it;  I practiced encouraging self-talk , perseverance/don’t quit thinking, and distraction techniques to keep the pedals turning.   (At one point, I even created my own cheer squad and sang myself a cheer – it was rather puny and feeble, but it worked for a while   ); oh, and b/c I hung in there, I got a ticket in the raffle and won $20.

Well, after all that — I wonder how I’ll do next year

It’s coming along and the best is yet to come.

Ride free )|(

Karmen

Stronger

I am so much stronger than I was earlier this summer and so huge much stronger than last year!!!  I’m excited about that if you didn’t notice.  My thinking might change tomorrow though.  I’m giving the Colesburg Gravel Race a try – the short one (22 miles) not the killer 40.  Has lots and lots of hills and then some more hills.  I might not feel so strong after that ride.  It will be a good prep for Chequamegon which is only a few weeks away.  The 16 miles of the Cheq Short & Fat might not seem like so far after tomorrow.  Feels good to be seeing results of my hard work.

Ride free )|(

Karmen

Results – 7 Oaks

Link to the race results:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IORCA/files/2009%20Race%20Results/IMBCS%208%20Seven%20Oaks.pdf

Ride Free )|(

Karmen