Kristin's Rapha Ride report

Read Kristin's entertaining account of the drama that was the '10 Rapha Ride here for part one, here for part two and here for the final chapter.

OBRA Road Race Championships - Mindy's report

I second Amanda’s comments (below). Tough race! And I didn't even have the pleasure of Amanda "coming on me" (HV patented this race language earlier this season, BTW).

Yes, that hill hit us like a brick wall about 5 miles into the race...I was seriously in the pain cave trying to keep up as all 100 lb of Anona attacked. A group of 5 pulled away near the top, and I had to chase hard with a few other ladies to catch them. There were a couple other short, steep hills right after the long one, then a descent. I knew we'd be much better off in a larger group with the wind coming up. I remember at one point looking at my computer and thinking "oh crap- we've only gone 8 miles and feel like I'm ready to be DONE!!". Anyway, we caught them, became a group of 10, and pacelined at a pretty good pace the rest of the way. There were a couple sections of really strong wind...and a lovely, rolling, sunny section where the sun was heating up the pine needles and it smelled wonderful.

Then a FUN descent. Brubaker decided to attack at this point. I've never chased downhill at 40+ mph, but darn that was fun!

The long, gradual ascent to the finish wasn't too steep, but folks were attacking, jockeying for position, and generally being kind of annoying. A few sketchy moments, a near crash, bad cross/head wind, more attacks. I was trying to stay on the wheels of the strongest sprinters (there were several in that bunch). I had hoped to feel better at this point in the race, but just plain didn't. They jumped with about 1/4 mi to go and there was a little mess as one rider didn't go too hard and we had to swerve to get around her. I lost my wheel at that point, was cursing, but I stayed upright, grabbed another wheel, and passed that gal before the line to finish 6th. Not bad, but I had hoped for a better sprint..still working on that :)


Sprint for the finish (courtesy of Oregon Cycling Action).

Awesome to have Lindsay at the finish, and we cheered on the A's (Amanda, Anna, and Alice), as they came through. Alice and I rolled around for a while to cool down, then Alice's Bill (and Lucy), and Sara Fletcher joined us for fun times in White Salmon drinking, eating, and making snide remarks about our bitchy and rather
unpleasant waitress.

All in all, a great day!

OBRA Road Race Championships - Amanda's Report

Whoa, that was a really tough race. Women’s racing normally has some reprieves where your HR drops down to a casual number. I was pinned the entire time. My average was 186 just so you have an idea. We started out and already people were attacking as we left the parking lot. 5-6 miles in there was a really steep hill that I thought was going to be just a mile but it was for sure longer. Mindy stuck with the lead group and Anna charged up it strongly too. I did about all I could and had a thought that I would just get off my bike and quit. Crested the hill and caught up with 6 other women and we started a paceline that was insanely fast. I saw Anna in front of me and let her know by yelling “Anna, I’m coming on you” so she would know. The pace was really, really fast and Anna hung on for a while before she blew…I was crying I was in so much pain!! We rolled that way for the majority of the race with some women attacking our paceline a couple of times. The final 10 miles are a gradual 2, 3, 4 % uphill into a headwind and I cracked probably 5 miles to the finish. Just had nothing left. A Sorella woman caught up to me with a mile to go and I sat on her wheel and then outsprinted her at the end (I felt badly about that…should I?).


Sprinting past the Sorella racer (courtesy of Oregon Cycling Action).

Overall, it was the hardest race I’ve ever done, not really the course, but the pace was really fast. It left me an emotional, snotty wreck. But I was so thankful for Lindsay and Alice and Anna and Mindy to all be there afterwards for hugs and beers.

Rough to say the least, especially at the end of the season.

New Year: Time to Train!

November & December '09 saw witness to the longest break I have taken off the bike since... well, I started racing and riding back in 2006. While the rest was primarily due to old injuries popping up to remind me of their ever-present existence, I finally got time to mentally recoup from a particularly strange year and start out in 2010 with a fresh head and fresh legs.

My first real year of racing I was on the top page of the Iron Man Competition; I probably raced at least once if not twice a week for months. It was insane (and insanely expensive!). Last year didn't go that way, mostly for other reasons, but I look forward to a year where I can focus on racing with team mates and having fun.

I have been slow to return to group riding, due to some insane idea I harbor that not riding much for two months will cause me to revert to having absolutely no bike fitness whatsoever.

I think my saving grace has been the morning Solid Core Training classes with Jeff; I have been taking them since August, and the difference they make in over all strength is just amazing. I finally went on a whopping two long rides last weekend, both about 2.5 hours, and nothing was sore. Not my back, not my shoulders, none of those places that usually scream at you when you haven't been doing those longer rides (or any rides for that matter). I actually did a lot of climbing in the West Hills and felt great the whole time. Guess I don't have any more excuses.

Right now my focus is simply on getting fit enough for our team's Santa Barbara training camp that is coming up way too soon!

Hillsboro Cross Crusade race report.. The Rematch, or 'I beat 'em...but I didn't WIN..'

Get yer Creed on! If Hillsboro was an sixth grade drop out, muscle head for a South Philly loan shark, and I was this guy, in a red, white and blue satin tuxedo jacket with matching top hat, we'd be in Rocky Eye-Eye...Only THIS time, the BROTHER wins! (Read up, sippy)

Washington County Fairgrounds

I'm still not sure exactly sure where I placed, but in the meantime, here's my race report.

I Never Did Like Horses

My Sherwood Horse-poop-fest report can be enjoyed here.

Glad we got all warmed up for the cow poop fest at Hillsboro. Ugh.