Every 3 to 5 years
You’re supposed to have an EZ year.
2017 was apparently my ” scheduled” EZ year.
I haven’t had an EZ year since 2010.
Yeah I broke my foot in 2013. I didn’t make it EZ year, I bit off Leadville Race Across the Sky 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race, for the 4th time.
I’m not going to get my panties in a wad, or get upset that this has been my worst year in my racing history. There are only a few things in life we can control. It’s important to be accepting, and learn, which takes practice; how to handle changes without disappointment. Plus, I have also, had some very good races.
This past Saturday was Zia Rides 12 Hours of Albuquerque. I usually do pretty well at their events on SS, without training, or should I say, with my regular training. There was a big list of geared riders. Having never raced gears in New Mexico, at an Endurance Event, I thought, it would be an excellent opportunity to see how I would place. Single Speed would have guaranteed me a podium. I didn’t want to be guaranteed a podium, I wanted to work hard for it.
Usually I do the Zia Rides stuff for fun. I place well, I place, where I want to place, whether, I want to win, or just a podium. So this was going to be fun. Racing gears, on my not so strong suit, technical rock.
I did do a lot more technical riding in preparation for Breck 68. So I had definitely been riding better, with more skill.
I spent a lot of time on the bike training for this one. Long rides, pre-riding the course, V02 intervals; well, I pretty much always do those before a race. Was even going to do a XC race as part of my taper, in Socorro. Tim and I had gone to pre-ride the course. It was cool. It was a lot of road, with interspersed sketchy loose single track. The unfortunate part is I had a previously scheduled work event written on my calendar. I had committed to the USMS fundraiser for the Lobo Swim Team. A Swimming Skills Clinic with Jeff Commings. Amazing, and learned a few things, to bring in to my Zoefitness Triathlon Focused Swimming Group. As well, as with my Triathlon clients.
The other part of the XC race, is it got cancelled because of lack of registration. That was sad, it was beautiful out there, work, is work. 🙂
We got rain. We had been getting a lot of rain. One of my 2 lap pre-rides was in the mud. It was awful. I wouldn’t know it was mud, I would hit it, and my rear tire would slide out, it would get caked, then, I would hit another section, and it would clean my wheel. Back and forth for the whole lap. 2nd lap was better. The rain we had been getting was 3 times more than the rain, we had going into that particular pre-ride. So on Wednesday I had already decided I would race SS in the gear category, and see if they would then, rank me both gears, and SS.
Race was cancelled. I was expecting it. 1st it was a, we are not sure. Then, it was a 10 am start, with an 8 am decision. Then, it was me out to the race venue at 7, to hear of the cancellation. While I was there, I finally decided to introduce myself to Gary Johnson. I have had plenty of times to over the years. Usually, I am one to just let alone. With Tim doing Tour, and Gary doing Tour, I just had to. And, then, proceeded to ask if I may get a selfie:
It was cool, I got to talk to him about Tour Divide, and see his bike for next year, yup, he’s doing it next year.
With the race being cancelled, Thelma and I met at Bear Canyon, and got lotsa trophies in the South Foothills. It was fun. It would have been a good day of racing for both of us!! I was out of shape on the SS. I was at BT(Barf Threshold) 4 times during that ride, because I was so lacking SS climbing. Never to be SS out of shape ever again. EVER!
We had a pretty good time, until the North Foothills. Thelma, does not have the good Mojo with the North Footies. She hates that place. She was in front, and got lost. Or I lost her, regardless, it was awful. The worst part, I didn’t have my phone, so no documentation of the adorable monkey sock I saw on the trail, or the pack of 50 mountain bike dudes, who surrounded me when I was sitting on the gravel road waiting for Thelma. I mean, a girls dream come true, right?!? I big train of Dudes, in Spandex, on Mountain Bikes, Louise is surrounded…a memory, that will forever be etched upon my mind. They had not seen Thelma. And Thelma, I am so sorry, you were not there to be part of that beautiful sight. Hehe.
Thelma, had taken my favorite track, it sounded like, and unfortunately wrapped her bike around her knee. We did manage to re-unite, in the back of her white chariot Mercedes for some minor 1st aid, some cookies, and a sammich.
I think, she may still be my friend….
She said, I could use the picture for this blog. She also signed up for Old Pueblo, SS, proly to try and kick my ass. (Insert Evil Laugh) She also shook on: if she gets to an intersection, she would wait for me. And promised she would do an official tour of the North Footies with me, so she too, can one day, love the North Footies.
I do usually keep my SS training up, this particular block, I did not, mostly because of weather and making sure, I could get home fast, as many rides, were shut down fast, because of storms rolling in.
Fortunately, I was not sore the following day.
The best part of not racing a 12 hour race, and killing myself…
Not having to recover!!
“Ran” just over 5 miles today. It was really nice. (even though I saw two 5 to 6 foot pit vipers. Yes, it is snake on the trail warming themselves season) My running had gone to the way side, the 2 to 3 weeks, since my Big Ride Zoefitness Around the Mountain: Template I.
It’s Very Important to Always Have More than One Goal:
The biggest part of this blog entry is Breck 68. This is the 1st time I have not been able to participate in my “A” race because of illness. Sure I have missed a couple of local, or even regional races, but a full on “A” race, a full on, “been planning for a year race”; actually 3 years, race.
The conversation was very interesting going into the final decision whether or not I was going to be able to race. I’m sure those who support me were just nodding their head, and rolling their eyes, waiting for me, to decide. Part of the overall decision not to race was dependent, on the weather that day. I am pretty sure, I heard, that they had the highest attrition rate of any past races. With less than a third of those who started, finishing. Conditions were that tough. I had raced other races, in similar situations, a little under the weather, and those have been some of my best performances. So pulling the plug, was VERY difficult.
In my coaching practice I have this thing: It’s called the Freight Train. I talk a lot about how we usually get a slap on the wrist, and then, another slap on the wrist; then, we need to decide if we are going to hang out and wait for the Freight Train. Or if we are going to listen to what the Universe is telling us. I’m not going to lie, I had more than one slap on the wrist. So many moons have passed, and thankfully, the writer’s block too; I don’t remember what each one was. I do remember, specifically one of them, was coming down La Luz, and having my tibia, and fibula of my right leg subluxate. The other one, was indeed, being sick going into my “A” race.
So yes, I pulled the plug. It was very, very difficult decision to make. It was the right decision. I didn’t know that at the time.
Having more than one goal, allowed me to go up to Phil’s World and ride the whole trail! I was so happy. 2.5 hours into, with 3 days of recovery between pulling the plug, I knew, I was in trouble, and could potentially have a set back.
2 weeks after that I finally gave into the power of the anti-biotic; sinus infection, ear infection, and yes, even went into my eyes.
I made a promise to myself, I would get to the MD a little quicker than I did that time. All in all, I was affected, about 4 weeks. It was sad.
I wasn’t sad, because I crossed some things off the Goal list in between:
27.2 miles of Phil’s World
14’er.
Some other stuff. If I had not had those other goals, I would have been devastated, and maybe even depressed. Not doing Breck, also enabled me to get out and do more Recon on the Zoefitness ATM. All of these things, would not have transpired if I had been able to race my “A” race.
Breckenridge 68
The 12 Hours of Albuquerque
Cerrillos de Coyote, XC race, were not the only races that were a no go this year.
Thelma and I took a trip down memory lane in the back of her White Carriage, to a time so long ago, in April.
505 Cycling.
I did a TT in the hail, and snow, and sub-freezing temperatures.
To head over to the crit for some of this magic:
Um yeah, Crit cancelled.
To Thelma and I the morning of the RR, bantering back and forth if we wanted to do a long’ish road race, in sub freezing temps, with snow, water, and likely snow clearing debris on the road. The road race went on. Thelma and I, did not.
That takes me back to February 11th. A Ninja Trip to Dallas, 92 degree temps, heat exhaustion, a bum hip, from recently hurting it stopping ABQ car thieves….
Who knew this would be the race that would change my life forever.
…I wasn’t the only one with heat exhaustion that day…
As I was writing February… I remembered… January.
My January race El Paso Puzzler, I had injured my hip the week before. Northshore, I can fake. Franklin Mountains, you can not fake…
To The Puzzler being cancelled because of the weather.
Usually, in November, I do the Texas Marathon Mountain Bike Race in Palo Duro. This will be the 2nd time in 10 years I have missed it. The 1st time I missed it because of an ice storm. This time, it’s not illness, or injury, or even ice. It’s Level I USA Cycling Clinic in Colorado Springs. I am so excited to finally be a Level I coach, Top Tier in the Country!! Yahoo.
So yup. That’s 2017 in a nutshell.
Thank you Universe for giving me an EZ year. I am feeling strong. And ready for 2018.
I’m not saying I’m not racing the rest of 2017. Because there are some things I have on my radar for fun. And for training for 2018.
We are starting 2018 with a Bang!
24 Hours of Old Pueblo, SS, head to head with Thelma on February 17th for my Birfday.
And yes… I have Franklin Mountains in January.
And yes, if the Universe is on my side, a Ninja trip to Arizona in December.
Happy Trails, Keep the Rubber Side Down!
And thank you so much for checking in!
Coach Zoe