Fun Ride at the Air Force Academy

My coach had me scheduled for an easy 2 to 3 hour shake-down ride for the beginning of my taper week.   So, we went down and rode the Falcon Trail that circles the Air Force Academy.

Two hours of not too technical swoopy single track - good call by Joanne!

Well worth the drive!

Sunday was an easy spin up Lookout Mtn on our mountain bikes. Even though we took it easy, it was already getting hot, which makes the ride a bit tougher.

Much to our surprise and delight, our friend Peter from the gym was rolling down from the top.  He turned around and rode back to the top with us, which for him was an incredible easy pace since he can ride to the top of Mt Evans in about 2 HOURS!   It was great he took the time to ride with us, and we got to catch up on how his race season was going this year.

In five days 9+ months of training will be done and we will see how I do at Leadville.

Looks like I will make my first goal of getting to the start line healthy this year!  :)

Beti Bike Bash

Joanne might be toning down on the long rides due to knee pain, but she certainly hasn't quit riding her bike.

On Sunday morning she participated in the Beti Bike Bash, an all women's mountain bike race sponsored by one of Colorado's women's mountain bike teams, the Yeti Betis.

Of course, I like sporty chicks, so I had a blast being a spectator and ringing my cow bell!

The race had all the normal racing classifications, but the real inspiration for the race was to introduce new people to women's racing.  So there was a big beginner race, divided up into different age brackets, which was the event Joanne entered.

They might have been beginners, but that doesn't mean they didn't want to win or do good. They were giving their all for the two 5 mile laps, and there were some pretty spectacular crashes.

Joanne finished 7th out of 78 overall (and 4th in the 40 - 49 age group), and she was all smiles starting, during, and at the finish.

Laramie Enduro With No Broken Ribs :)

The last several years Joanne and I have used the Laramie Enduro 72 mile mountain bike race as a prep/training race for the Leadville 100 [which is held 2 weeks later].    

The Laramie Enduro is a lot different than Leadville.  Not as high - 8,000' elevation vs all over 10,000'; not as chaotic - 400 riders vs. 1,600 riders; and a whole lot more single track than Leadville, which makes it more technical.

Some of the trail is weed-whacked through pasture right before the race, and some of the trail is on cow path which can be twisty and turny.  All in all, it is a lot of fun to ride.

Until it's not.

2009

Last year I broke some ribs on the Laramie Enduro at mile 14.  It was on a gravel road going down hill about 25 miles an hour, nothing technical.  The road was soft from a huge rain the night before and I think my front wheel hit a rut filled with soft sediment from the rain.  Whatever it was that caused it, the impact was fast and violent.  I didn't know my ribs were broke and I tried to shake it off, but the technical, rooty, twisty, turny section called the Enchanted Forest, at around mile 22 to 25, about made me pass out.   So, I quit and waited for Joanne to finish.

2010

This year there was no Joanne to chase or keep of ahead of.   Totaly degrades the whole feel of the event for me, so I don't know how motivated I will be to do these long events after this year.

Weather was excellent this year, not too hot and didn't rain.

I was more used to my new bike and have gone to slower tires with a more aggressive tread [Specialized The Captain], which have saved my butt several times now.   I am never going to win one of these races, but I found out the hard way it is easy to not finish one if you have a nasty crash.

I felt strong all day and the only issue was my tush getting sore from all of the roots and rocks that you are forced to bounce over.

The last time I finished the race was in 2007 at age 47 and my time was 9 hours 21 minutes.

2010 At 50 years old, I did it in 7 hours and 58 minutes.   Joanne's training plan is certainly working, she has put a ton of time into being our coach this year.

Well, 10 months of training is almost over. 

This years Leadville goals are the same as last year - and what I failed to do last year.

Start Healthy, Finish Healthy, and Accept What Life Brings You With Joy. (Well maybe not broken ribs; nothing joyful about broken ribs.)

The race itself is not fun, I guess that is why they call it HARD.  :)