Down Time

I haven't posted in weeks - not much to say. Lou's been doing a super job as the blog's eye-candy, hasn't he (refer to previous post)? December has been an odd month. I haven't touched the bike except to teach spin class on the rollers at work. All I've been doing is eating pizza and watching my new TV. Oh, and occasionally I get up from the La-Z-Boy to check email. I vowed earlier in the fall to not ride the rollers for any training sessions forced indoors due to inclement weather and I'm happy to say that I've stuck to that. Rather than ride the rollers, I just don't ride at all! I'm liking this whole "down time" thing. I seem to have gotten used to it and it's working quite well for me.

Yeah. And if you believe a word of that you know absolutely nothing about me - and that's all I am saying.

20 days to SanDiego.....

Montrose - Brrrrrrrr....

Yeah so it was stupid cold and I decided to be a nancy and assume the role of start line jacket and gatorade wench for the day. It was an easy decision for me. My racing brain was tired and really had no desire to freeze, slip, slide, fall or otherwise have any part of racing for the remainder of the year. I was happy to stay in the heated team tent and cheer for everyone who decided to race the Illinois State Cyclocross Championship at Montrose Harbor in Chicago. We'd had snow, sleet, freezing rain and cold temperatures in the days leading up to the race so course conditions were interesting - snowy, slippery, icy, muddy - a little of everything.

I had the occasion to be there for the 30+ and 40+ men's races and the first half of the women's races before I could no longer feel my toes and decided to head home. Congrats to Lou Kuhn who won the 30+ title (that's Lou at the top of this post) and to my teammate Imelda who scored the silver medal in the Cat 4 women's race. Mike Trulson from the Pony Shop took the junior title. Kristin finished a strong 2nd in the 1/2/3 field and is on the way to Nationals - good luck!

My previous post has a bunch of great photos from the day so check it out.

37 days to San Diego....

Montrose - Photography

Chris Strout

'Cross - Chi-town style

Franco, Imelda's BikeHusband - look at the legs....

Lou - Taking the final sprint in front of Kevin for the state title
Mark maneuvering through the dicey slick stuff

MetrLifeGuy powers through

Imelda remounting on her way to a silver medal (on my old bike....)

Brian - on the way to a strong finish


I snagged a bunch of these photos from Luke Seemann (with his permission, of course).

Nine Above

That's the current temp (not the windchill) as I sit here and contemplate what remains of a long season of training and racing the bike after yet another night of epic insomnia. The Illinois cross championship is coming up this weekend and things are looking downright dicey at Montrose Harbor as of last evening - ice, snow, wind, frozen mud, etc. At left is me from 2 years ago doing what proved to be one of the most ridiculous races I've ever done at Montrose. The conditions were far better that day than they are currently so I'm hoping things improve. Below me is a shot of Kristin winning last week's Wisconsin state championships in Hales Corners - doesn't it look like she's having the time of her life?

I fully understand that part of the whole cyclocross experience is racing in bad conditions yet having fun doing it but I have to admit that my strong voices of reason are speaking to me... It may seem to some that I am notoriously fickle when it comes to racing cross in poor weather. To some extent I suppose that's true but after being over to the harbor I have to question the sanity of those who think racing in those conditions can possibly be considered fun (in the traditional sense) for the "prestigous honor" of state champion. Honestly, is it really "racing" to have to ride at 5mph just to avoid falling?

Maybe I just need to HTFU. 44 days 'til San Diego.....