199

We were walking from Camden Yards to the parking garage last weekend when I saw a dime laying on the ground. After taking a few steps past it, I explained to my girlfriend that I really wanted to pick it up, but there were too many people around to stop. “Wouldn’t it have been better if it were a twenty dollar bill?” she said. “Well, if I found 200 dimes I’d have twenty dollars. You gotta start somewhere."  

Today I was walking the dog and I found a dime. I picked it up. Only 199 more to go. 

One day at a time...little goals...the big picture.

Non-Race Report: Town Hall CX

At the first race of the year, I parked my car next to a couple from Boston. The guy asked me if I liked the disc brakes on my CAADX. I said they took some time to get used to. “Oh, are you a roadie or a mountain biker?” he asked. “Neither” I said, “I am a runner.”

I woke up before my alarm went off this morning. There was a pibble who needed walking before I drove to Bethlehem for Town Hall Cross. A beautiful morning was unfolding. I thought about the three plus hours I’d be spending in the car today, just to race my bike for forty minutes.

When I got home I put on my sneaks and went for a run. I kept running. I ran right past the time I was supposed to leave for the race. At the end of last season I promised myself I wouldn’t miss these magnificent Fall days because I was trapped in a car traveling to a race. Fresh air is good for the soul.

Charm City CX Day 2

For the two years I’ve raced, Charm City CX has been on my birthday weekend. Last year I had a poor result on day two and spent the remainder of my birthday in a shitty mood...but this season isn’t like last season and I’m not racing for results. 

I woke up at 6am and made a cup of French Press coffee. Hotel coffee is nasty. If packing a French Press makes me “high maintenance” I’m perfectly ok with it. I accidentally discovered that walking is a good way for me to get moving on the morning of a race, so I made my way to the fitness center of the Holiday Inn. The music I was subjected to for the next thirty minutes was awful...terrible...a mix of everything from Paula Cole to Oldies to Country. I wanted it to stop, but it didn’t and it stayed with me for days to come. 

The ride to from Cantonsville, MD to Druid Hill Park was short and foggy. Thankfully, visibility improved as I made my way to the course for a pre-ride. There were a few changes. The most notable was the “fly over” which was deemed too hazardous for us to ride on day one. 

I didn’t get the best start and was forced to dismount at the first technical section (a short, off camber) because other riders decided they needed to walk it. The leaders slipped away and gained more separation as I fought my way through the traffic. It wasn’t looking good. The climbs felt steeper and the sand was unforgiving. With two to go I had myself in a decent spot to make a push for 6th, but I ran out of gas and crossed the line 8th. 

I got changed and chatted with some friends (one of whom presented me with an awesome six pack of Left Hand Milk Stout). It was a tough two days of racing and I was glad that it was over...mainly because I was about to head to Camden Yards for a baseball game and dinner at Du Claw Brewing Company. 

Thanks to everyone who made my 40th birthday weekend at Charm City a good one!

Charm City CX Day 1

Most of the car had been packed the night before, so when the alarm sounded at 5am there wasn’t much to do. I grabbed some coffee, donned my headlamp and walked the pibble before taking off for Druid Hill Park. After a couple of miscues, I arrived in the correct location, pre-rode the course and picked up my number. 

The course was different this year...there was more climbing, more sand (four sand pits total), and a “fly over.” My primary concern was the sand, so I went back to that section to watch. Some of the guys in the first race were running it, some were riding it and I couldn’t tell which was faster. Last year I didn’t attempt to ride it because my technical skills sucked. Not much has changed since then, but I figured I would give it a shot and see what happens.

We were informed that the “fly over” would be removed from our race because it was too dangerous. The announcement was met with mixed reactions. While I had no problem riding it, I certainly didn’t want someone who couldn’t to come crashing back down into me. 

Every time the whistle blows it’s a blur. I’m starting to piece together these fragments, realizing that I need to be more aggressive at the start. The sand pits came at the end of each lap, after we had already passed through two sets of stairs and some brutal climbs. I stuck with my game plan and (to my surprise) successfully rode the sand pits. I knew there were four people in front of me, but only one was in sight. Eventually, I was able to pass her and shortly thereafter, another rider (who was removing course tap from her rear derailleur). There were still two laps to go. Both of the riders I passed were strong and could easily come back to pass me, but they didn’t. I crossed the line third. It was my first podium in a MAC race! 

The encouragement and cheers coming from the CAWES ladies as well as the elite women racers were definitely heard and VERY much appreciated. 

After the race, I did a quick yoga podcast, ate a peanut butter sandwich and headed south to Washington DC to visit my brother in the hospital. We talked and took a walk downstairs to sit in the atrium. It was the first time he had been outside since his surgery on September 4th and mom said it was his best day so far. Later that night, I had BFD (breakfast for dinner) and banana cream pie...and thought to myself “Yeah, it was a pretty good day."

My 40th Year

Star Rock, West Chester, Crossasaurus Awesome, Swashbuckler, Kutztown, UPGRADE! PACX Series Champion...Stoudts, Fair Hill, CRXC, WhirlyBird, Town Hall, Nittany, Charm City...out of habit, sweet potatoes and chicken, superstitious, Taylor Swift, Honey Bagder...Batsto, Batsto, Batsto...cupid, hashtagnofun, New Brunswick, Princeton, cupcakes, cookies, french press, breakfast for dinner, D & R Canal, words with friends...greetings from the arsenal, the stars aligned, like clockwork, too much of a good thing...road rides, retired, running, HIIT, burpees...SVT, EKG, echocardiogram...decaf coffee...American Authors, One Republic, Phillip Phillips, Imagine Dragons, The Lumineers...Iron Wood, on belay, zip away...Catskills, Giant Ledge, Panther, Balsam, Eagle...Atlanta, Apollo, Atlantic City...Riley, Tap Shoes, Mary, Bridget...saying good bye on her own terms...MedStar, Washington DC, Sugarbaker, waiting...cancer sucks...sometimes I ride mountain bikes, but not very well...Fair Hill, Ramsey’s Revenge, it’s not like CX...slow pitch, soreness, groove, dairy fields...Cape May Brewing Company, Triumph, Victory, Stoudts, Iron Hill, Appalachian Brewing Company, DuClaw...flights of beer, growlers to go...EFT, agility ladder, flip Bob, no talk Thursday...commuting, life in the slow lane, sweaty kits...L&M, eat all the donuts...compex, compression socks, epsom salt, recovery...structure is for suckers...Street Tails...The Hazel Diet...Hammer, Whole Foods, sprouted grain bread, primal yolk coffee, popcorn, wild caught...minimalism, selling everything I own on eBay...Focus, CAADX, disc brakes, can’t stop won’t stop...peanut butter sandwiches...staycation, Federal Donuts, Phillies (suck), Little Baby’s, beer, pizza...eat fresh, eat local...pumpkin...smoothies, donuts, beer, cookies, everything...congratulations.

fall

Fall is the season in which I am most aware of change. The colors go from green to yellow, red, orange and brown, the air becomes cooler and we lose day light. Many people adhere to the notion of “spring cleaning” but I prefer to do mine in the Fall. 

I came across this post a couple of weeks ago and it stuck with me...“You can’t change the people around you, but you can change the people around you."

I like this play on words. It reminds me that I am responsible for my own actions, emotions and (ultimately) happiness.

i love you

I grew up in a house where we never said “I love you.” 

I remember sitting in a chair at the therapist’s office, sometime in my late twenties, telling her that my father has never told me that he loves me. I know that both of my parents love me, it’s just not something that they’ve ever said...and a lot of people find that odd.

Recently, interaction with my mom has been limited to the phone. Once a day I will call her and she gives me the update on my brother. Before she goes, she says” I love you” and I say “I love you too.”

I like the way that sounds.

Nittany CX: DAY 2

Sunday morning was a carbon copy of Saturday morning, except for the fact that when my alarm went off I felt forty years old. 

Last season I raced back to back days on two occasions. Both times, I felt sluggish and sore on the second day, yielding poor results...and because I haven’t been training, I figured that today would be no different than what I experienced last year on day two. 

It had rained over night and the temperature was cool. I previewed the course in all of its muddy glory, then picked up my number. This isn’t a particularly profound thought but...what goes on behind you and what goes on in front of you can impact your race significantly...sometimes you come out on the winning end of things, sometimes you don’t. 

There was a lot going on during the first three minutes of this race, especially when we hit the mud. By the time I broke free from the congestion, the lead group had gotten a gap. I worked hard to close in on them and managed to reel in two riders, resulting in a fifth place finish. What pleased me the most was my consistency. Placing fourth and fifth on back to back days is definitely an improvement from last season.

Nittany CX: DAY 1

The forecast was for heat and humidity. My efforts to stay properly hydrated were rewarded with several trips to the bathroom throughout the night. The alarm went off at 5AM. I donned my headlamp and took the dog for an hour long walk.

One of my friends said that racing this weekend would be good for me because it would allow my mind to focus on something else...obviously, she doesn’t race CX.

Aside from attending one skills clinic, I’ve done absolutely nothing to prepare myself for this season. Lack of preparation seems to lend itself well to lack of expectations and so I rolled up to the line fairly relaxed. And when the whistle blew, my heart raced, my legs ached and I was thankful that the race was only four laps.

I stayed with the lead group for a good portion of the race, then started to wear down on the third lap...but I held my position and kept them in sight, crossing the line fourth. It was my best result in the MAC Race (by a lot!).

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay to socialize after the race...but it was nice to see so many friendly faces. I appreciate the kindness of each and every one of you who reached out to me today.