Cheryl Parish rides Solvang - 104 mile Road Ride March 10 -

Cheryl Parish rides Solvang - 104 mile Road Ride March 10 - 

Saturday - Lessons of disappointment and happiness

Well, I am simply not a "roadie"  All there is to it.  I dislike road biking so much that I have not been on that bike since around 2008, the last time I road Solvang! I had a really long week at work last week, including expedited, technical depositions and trips to San Diego.  I felt mentally whipped, sleep, water and food deprived by Friday.

Left in the afternoon on Friday for the Krongburg Inn in Solvang.  Once getting there, I had work via laptop and phone until nearly 11:00 p.m. Friday night.  Had a very quick dinner at some busy place who gave me a cream sauce dinner by mistake - I don't tolerate dairy.  I ate it anyway. Bad!! - I was up most of the six hours I had for sleep being sick and in bathroom.

Up at 4:30 a.m. - Had a great room, five blocks from starting line and my car parked right outside my door. Nice! - 32 degrees in the morning, headed for the starting place.   I started the ride feeling very fast and strong and having a blast.  Never felt that strong on a road bike, certainly not at Solvang! The first 50 miles was really fun.  Coach Lou told me (remember this is a training ride for Counting Coup) The goal was to be consistent and very little resting or stopping.  The first aid station came up around mile 22, keeping with my goal, I road right by it.

Mile 44, refill water, strip cold gear. Mile 70, 7 minute-stop for water and some cliff blocks. Other than that, no stops except for traffic lights, fooling with my HR strap, which recording Doug and not me! ARGGGG - Need to figure out why Garmin's just grab whatever heart rate is nearby?

Mile 72, I hit a wall, I mean a wall!  People were passing me and I was very unhappy with myself.  I am not sure if I was dehydrated, I am used to wearing a camelbak and not drinking from water bottles?  - Sick the night before?  Rough work week and no training; not sitting my butt on a road bike for years and it's a totally different geometry than my mt bike?   Maybe I started too fast and hard?  Well, my excuses could go on and on. I was so disappointed my myself that it was tough to keep going the more angry I was becoming.

Quitting was not an option. I finally started talking to myself, reminding myself that this ride is a training ride for April 7th.  This pain will pay off for Counting Coup - Dig Deep and pedal damn it!

Then I saw a climb coming.  I think Couch Lou has created a monster in me. I like to climb now! That climb brought back my mojo! -- I recovered and got a second wind!  I was flying again and felt strong and finished strong for the end of 100 miles.  My time was way off from my goal.  But I am happy I kept going. It was was big lesson.

I really have to nail down what I can eat and not eat, before a ride, during a ride, etc.  No switching hammer gel to gu gel - I need my camel bak ! - no bars, too heavy for me!  Cliff blocks, margarita, yes!

SO disappointed in myself, I got a grip and said, "Cheryl, remember when the fact you even could finish a Century was a success?" Now I am not happy because I did not do it in six hours? Whoa, remember happiness is a choice!  I am HAPPY  I did my best, and doing your best is always good enough, folks! That is from my lesson from yesterday's ride and I hope I don't forget it again! Oh, and Taco Bell!! yes, I only had time for Taco Bell after riding 105 miles.  Two bites of a combo burrito and one taco, no cheese!  What happened to Steak and Lobster?

Okay, people. It's time for you all to be sending me prayers and endurance for April 7th! It's coming up!!

AND EASTCOAST STEP IS COMING TO CA! Yippie

Latest Upgrades to Sarah’s 2011 S-Works Stumpjumper

Incoming: SRAM X0 front derailleur, KMC X10SL chain, Woodman Carbon seatpost with Ti hardware, 140mm KCNC Razor brake rotor, XTR M970 11-32 cassette, Ti bolts for brake caliper.

Outgoing: XTR M971 Front derailleur, KMC X9SL chain, S-Works carbon seatpost, XX 160mm brake rotor, XTR Yumeya 11-34 cassette, brake adaptor and bolting/washers.

Reasons for replacement: shifting on the Frankenstein 9/10 speed drivetrain was inconsistent, less rear braking power required, lower weight needed.

Weight savings:

Cassette: 7g

Post: 85g

Front Derailleur: 11g

Chain: 18g

Brake rotor: 7g

Rear brake adaptor + bolting: 26g

Total: 154g

New weight 19.8lbs (9kg)

New KCNC 140mm rear rotor

Outgoing bracket and steel bolting for 160mm rear rotor

Ryan's US Cup Bonelli Race 2012!

Karls's mint condition 1987 VW Golf GTI

First day of Daylight Savings confusion. Now what do I do with this device?

Need energy. Can't...make...thumb...go...up

 Heading for the start line

Ryan with his new bff!

 Cat 2 Men's start. Ryan as the red caboose.

 Ryan takes a shortcut through the golf course (lap 2). Noticed front hub seemed loose. Break line was rubbing front tire.

 Up on the hill, letting one out around a turn. Just after the front skewer went down.

Coming down the last descent on lap 3

The competition coming around the corner. Hot on Ryan's tail, he can smell the cheese coming off his pedals.

Laying the hammer down in a spring to the finish. If you look close, you can see him foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the Cheezits that await.

Ryan and Karl (bff#2) post race

Ryan looking Palm Spring 80s and Kt looking like she has been trekking through the snow. Ryan didn't win the trophy, but he won the trophy girl. Yiggity-yeah!

Stay tuned...next week featuring Ryan in white spandex.

Sarah's US CUP Vail Lake Race Report:

Having done only a handful of short XC races (none of which were USAC events), Vail Lake was definitely a learning experience for me. I was happy to win my race, despite having major shifting issues (darn x7 rings!) and a cold and despite going off the course. Nevertheless, I was expecting 40 minute lap times and so wasn't pleased with my 42.5 minute lap times. I didn't even get any Strava PR's, despite having ridden the course twice before - once when I was seriously out of shape. Granted, the weather was horrible - nearly 100 degrees. I felt on the brink of heat stroke, as I was shivering throughout the race. 

So, that's my sob story. Not surprisingly, I'm the only one sobbing over my win. The trophy is cool: 

In addition, all females who podium-ed were offered free Oakley clothing! I was enormously thankful for this, as bike clothes have been eating a hole in my wallet. I nabbed some really nice stuff. 

Anyway, back to the race. Even before the race start, things started going wrong. Tom Spiegel, race organizer, informed all Cat 1 women that they would only be allowed to race 2 laps, due to the 100 degree heat. I (among others) protested rather loudly, exclaiming that I had paid 50 bucks for three laps. Tom would not budge, citing the fact that he did not want to have to "peel us off of the course." To me, this felt like blatant sexism. I fumed. My face quivered. I watched my HR skyrocket. Heidi Volpe tried and tried (bless her soul!) to calm me down. 

A few minutes later we were off. Heidi Volpe led the pack, sprinting out of the saddle. I made my first error of the day: I followed her. After the first uphill, she fell back, and I was leading. But my legs started to give out under the intense effort, and Allison Jones (2nd place last weekend at the Harding TT) and Larissa Fitchett passed me after the steep switchback section. 

I realized that the competition in Cat 1 would be far fiercer than I had expected. Any one of these ladies could compete in Pro. The race was essentially between me, Heidi Volpe, Allison Jones and Larissa Fitchett. Only Larissa and I were in the same age group - 20-29. 

After getting passed, I had to slow down and recovery my legs. I felt defeated already, early into the race. I lost some of my motivation but just kept chugging away. It didn't help that I was having serious trouble shifting into my big ring. Keith and I had tried to sort out the shifting issues earlier in the week, but it appears that the problem is more serious than we had thought. I also started shivering in the heat - a sure sign of impending heat stroke. It was not my day. To make matters worse, after I had finally put a gap between myself and Heidi, I took a wrong turn up a climb. The climb had been on the previously posted course (which I had practiced with the Mann's) AND there were race organizers at the top AND the red arrows in the sand were hardly discernable. Anyway, the race organizers kindly pointed me back down, and Heidi almost passed me right there. I had lost 1-2 minutes. 

Even more demoralized, I continued on in hopes of maybe reeling Larissa and Allison Jones back in. After all, endurance is my strength, and I am usually good in the heat, being originally from Tucson, AZ. 

Sure enough, I passed Larissa toward the end of the first lap. She had slowed down quite a bit, feeling the heat. As I rode through the start/finish area, I saw Allison Jones. I was right on her tail! Unfortunately, she saw me and promptly sped up. As I went out for my second lap I saw Larissa and Heidi. Boy was this a close race! At the time I wasn't pleased that the competition was so stiff, but looking back I am so happy that so many strong women came out in force. It was an exciting race for sure. 

So, naturally, I upped the intensity. My HR started inching into the 180's. The second lap was uneventful for the most part. I passed a lot of men, which was not ideal. Every single time I had to slow down to pass them, but they were ALL good about letting me by! I really wish I had paid attention to Allison Jones' outfit and bike, b/c I couldn't spot her. I knew she wasn't far ahead. 

About halfway through I passed a woman who looked like Allison and mistakenly assumed that I had passed her. I am pretty sure I must have passed a Pro girl (or it may have been a small man), despite their leaving 14 minutes before we Cat 1 girls. I didn't let off the gas, though. Toward the end of the second lap I passed another Pro girl, whom I believe got 3rd place! Not too shabby, considering I want to upgrade to Pro. 

The real surprise came when I crossed the finish line and was greeted by Allison Jones, who is the paragon of good sportsmanship. She congratulated me, just as she had when I beat her last weekend at the Harding TT race. I started making excuses for myself, which I am ashamed about. She did an amazing job, and I should have earnestly congratulated her. (She was also nice enough to peel the white strip off my race plate at the race start. Doh!) Anyway, it turns out that Allison is from Canada and is new to CA racing; I expect to see a lot of good racing from her in the future. Anyway, Allison beat me by a little over a minute, but she was in the Cat 1 30-39 category. 

About three minutes later Heidi Volpe and Larissa Fitchett crossed the finish line. We all had major endorphin highs and were - I suspect - a little looney from all that sun. We talked excitedly for a good half an hour or so and cheered for Allison Man (1st place Pro Woman) when she crossed the finish line in 1:57 (3 laps). Her time put her mid-pack with the Pro men! Amazing! Way to REPRESENT! 

Allison Mann, Larissa and I went for a quick spin. I and Larissa - only a year younger than I - found that we have a lot in common, including a liking for 50-60 mile mountain bike rides. So, it is pretty ironic that we were only permitted to race 17 miles. We plan to do some OC epics in the near future. I felt so lucky to have met so many cool (and fast!) women; honestly, that was the best part about the race. I was on cloud 9 for a good hour after the race. I think the sun, my cold and the endorphins baked my brain. 

At the awards ceremony I watched on as a bunch of my friends podium-ed in Cat 1 and Pro. I know a lot of fast people. :-) Heidi Volpe, Mario Correa, Ted Willard, Justin and Allison Mann, Pete Smith and others all finished strong with podiums. Unfortunately, the Cat 2 podiums occurred during my race, so I didn't get to see my teammate David Graf podium. 

So that I can look back on it, I've compiled a list of lessons I have learned from my first USAC XC race: 

(1) Do not go too hard at the start - i.e., don't try and be the leader. 

(2) Get all mechanical issues fully sorted out BEFORE the race. 

(3) Be a better sportsman and try - just try - to not blow up at race organizers. (Tom Spiegel was very apologetic after the race, explaining that he had had to rescue a Cat 1 female racer off of a hot course a few years ago.) 

(4) Follow the RED ARROWS, not the people. 

(5) Be more aggressive about passing. (I realized that I was waiting too long to shout "on your left" when Heidi started yelling it for me, lol!)

(6) Register DAY-OF, so that if you feel sick, you can opt out. 

(7) Do not run a camel bak on hot days, b/c it can overheat you.

(8) Never underestimate your competition.

(9) Take mental notes of the clothing and bikes of your competitors so that you can easily spot them on the course. 

I think that about sums it up. Excellent learning experience! Hopefully, Bonelli will go more smoothly. 

Team Margarita nabs two wins at US CUP #1 (Vail Lake)!

Team Margarita rider David Graf wins Cat 2 men 20-20:

A formidable David Graf grits his teeth at the start. Watch out boys!

Action shot:

Crossing the finish first:

Team Margarita rider Ryan Hill crosses the finish, even after breaking his peal in the first lap! Now that is determination! (And where is his jersey?!)

Action shot w/ a sense of humor: 

Team Margarita rider Sarah Jansen at the start of her Cat 1 20-29 race:

Action shot:

Despite the near 100 degree weather, it wasn't too bad of a day for Team Margarita! Team Margarita will be at Bonelli this weekend. Race reports to come!