Gettin ready for fireworks in my legs!

Life has been pretty hectic around here. Maybe that's why I'm about a week overdue for posting some action. But it's been chock full of crashing, downhilling, Super-D, cross country racing, and riding some incredible singletrack.

The weekend after the Winter Park Hill Climb Nick and I took off to Crested Butte for Mountain States Cup No. 4 The Wildflower Rush. And oh what a rush it was. I raced my first Super-D race in addition to the cross country race, and was just about to enter into the downhill race after having some fun practice runs, but registration was closed by the time I got down the hill. I had a blast riding the lifts. That will keep me going until its ski (oh tele-ski) season!

The cross country cross was two incredible 10-mile laps with tons of singletrack and lots of wildflowers like they promised! I took head over heels crash on the first lap down the rutted-out descent. It wasn't anything that dramatic, but it sure took the wind out of my sails for the rest of the race. Or maybe it was the 1800 feet of climbing per lap. Regardless I still finished 5th place. I keep holding onto that 5th place. Not quite good enough for the MSC podium, but not too shabby. I think for the next race, it's time to get out of that rut. Literally.

I had an awesome weeking though with the Yeti Beti gals. We all stayed in this gigantic house in downtown Crested Butte. The hottub was practically in the river. Okay, if you stepped out of the hottub the wrong way, you'd fall into the river. I got the official invite to be a Yeti Beti next year. Seems fitting! At least I have the bike!

Nick kicked ass in his races. The cross country he ended up getting a flat within the last mile and lost about 10 places. But in the Super D, he crushed his division winning it and then got third in the DH. Maybe it's time for gravity . . . . . (Keystone this weekend!)

I fell totally head over heels for Crested Butte. It reminds me of what Switzerland looks like. We also went fishing on Saturday and jumped into the lake by Gunnison. I loved it. We didn't catch any fish, but I sure worked on some reeling technique. I better stick to just riding bikes.

Crested Butte beat the crap out of me, but I was rearing and ready to go race the next weekend. Nick and I pre-rode the Firecracker 50 course last Saturday with a group of guys part from Breckenridge, part from the Front Range. They all were of the Pro men class, and apparently their "slow pace" is a little fast for this oxygen deprived female expert. They took off like rabbits up the hill. Keeping in mind that I had a race the following day, I made sure not to blow all my matches, just a few.

The course for the Firecracker 50 will start the Fourth of July Parade in downtown Breckenridge. There are two 25-mile laps with 5,400 feet of climbing. That means, there will be 10,800' of climbing. That's practically riding your bike from sea level to the the top of Mount Hood! The pre-ride was fine, took a while and I started to get nervous about riding this at race pace, and twice! But I'll have to remember that race pace for five hours is a lot different than race pace for two.

Riding on Saturday didn't seem that hard, but I'm almost positive no one else rode over four hours the day before the Winter Park Superloop Race. This 16.1 mile race climbed over 2600' feet. To be honest, I felt like I raced 29 miles and climbed over 4100' feet. The race hurt, the competition was good (they send all pro, expert and singlespeed women together, so I always end up chasing the pros), and I was so glad when it was over. The racing took a lot longer than I thought it would so at 1 hour 48 minutes, I was toast. I managed to make it back to car where I cried, I coughed, I choked and wheezed for a bit. I think all I needed was a hug. Then I felt a lot better.

Regardless of the pain, I managed to make it on the podium again for third place! And make it into Velonews in a picture! Finally Team Vanderkitten is making it to the top. http://www.velonews.com/photo/79060

This week is full of rest and stretching before the big race on Friday. I pulled my hamstring on Sunday, and it's still recovering. I've been to yoga already three times this week and am going again this afternoon. Lots of arnica, lots of rest, lots of good fruits and veggies and I'll be as good as gold! And the base miles, I now see their purpose. Friday, I'll feel them.