8.28.2010

005 Star

Last year was my star birthday, 28 years old on the 28th of August. This year I'm 29. I'm starting to think that 29 may be worse than 30. It's the year leading up to the year where reflections on your adult life take place. I'm already reflecting. 
 
A couple of years ago I surpass the age that my mom was when she gave birth to me. It was kind of strange. Even now thinking that she would have had two toddlers running around with her at age 29 seems extraordinary. Some days I find it hard enough to take care of myself. I know when my motherly instincts kick in, but it's hard to imagine taking that next step. You'll know when the time is right is currently on repeat in my head.
 
This is by far the fittest I've been in my life. Just finding time to ride can be difficult with a full time job. Change is always good. I think I'm finally starting to find a good balance, and believe in the prospect that having children doesn't mean an end to fitness.
 
We headed down to B-more to met up with Team Director Auer and check out fellow C3- Athletes Serving Athletes teammate Sweet Johnny's Smith's tribute band Spineless Swine. I knew the years where creeping up on me when thinking about going to a Smith's Tribute Show made me wonder, what are the kids wearing these days? I haven't been out on the town in awhile. I can pack for a bike race in 15 minutes flat without thinking twice, any condition I'll be ready, but what do you wear to a Smith's Tribute Concert.
 
I hope I looked BAD enough. 



My berfday was spent riding some nice trails with BA. I cleared a sweet rock garden. That might have been the best present yet.

8.27.2010

004 5 a.m.

I've been getting up and running at 5 a.m. Not crazy early for a person like me who has be at work by 7 a.m., but still, pretty early. I've never really incorporated a morning workout into my training plan, you know 7 a.m. is early to start work. I can't complain though, 3:30 p.m. is a pretty sweet quitting time.

I started a little running in July when the bike was feeling like an old friend that out stayed their welcome (this is just an expression, friends have never out stayed). Summer evening running always started and ended with a side stitch and a sloshy belly. No good. I toughed it out a couple of times, but mostly these runs would just turn into long walks.

I can only dream of looking this fast.
Then I had an epiphany. If I run in the morning before eating maybe I won't have a sloshy belly and eventual side stitch. I drug my ass out of bed at 5 a.m. and threw on a headlamp. Off I went around the neighborhood. I ran for a solid mile and a half. Success.

I'm hooked. I went into work feeling awake, but with a general feeling of calm. Ready to take on the day.

I've worked up to running three days this week, but will probably just stick with two, Tuesday and Thursday morning runs. I'm still doing my evening bike workouts. The thing I'm most proud of is I'm able to run for a solid 30 minutes and around 3 miles. Yeah!

I'm drawn to the peaceful darkness of 5 a.m. and the quiet medatative suffering that running yields. But don't worry folks, the bikes not going anywhere.

8.26.2010

003 August 19, 2006

Last week we celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary with a lunch date. Waffle Fries and Veggie Subs. I'm a simple girl. When I came home from work and riding, BA had a fever of 101 and was creating some amazing belches. Some sort of sudden bug. Apparently I may have poisoned him with some bad eggs. No good. A nice bowl of veggie pho from the vietnamese place was in order.

Before I left to pick up our anniversary dinner we sat in bed and reminisced about our wedding day. It was a perfect day.

When I was growing up I was not the type of girl who dreamed of her wedding day, instead I thought I would be a modern women with a permanent live-in boyfriend. As I walked down the aisle with the string quartet playing Pachelbel's "Cannon in D" and saw my husband for the first time, I knew marriage was what I had truly always wanted.

We both say nothing really changed after we got married. This is true, there weren't any drastic changes, but something did change, we both felt a deeper love and connection to the other. We are in this adventure of life together.

While we both have nothing against planning elaborate anniversary celebrations, it just always seems like this day creeps up on us. It's the things we do for each other everyday throughout the year that mean the most; a daytime phone call at work, a coffee refill on the weekend, a load of laundry done at a much needed time, a bike wash after a muddy cross race, saving the last waffle for the other.

We usually split the waffle.

8.17.2010

002 Tour De Millersburg

Background. I've dabbled in road racing for a couple years. This year I decided to step it up a notch. A small notch, but a notch non the less. This is was my first stage race. It was close to home with a category 4 women's field. I've heard nothing but good things about this race from my husband Bad Andy, which means all signs are a go. Millersburg is a small Pennsylvania town located at the foothills of the Appalachian Trail along the Susquehanna River just north of Harrisburg. 
 
The race is well organized with one of the best goodie bags I've received. Check out this rad Knife. 


TT started on Main Street and traveled north 5 miles that was downhill and flat to a u-turn and back uphill and false flat, for a total of 10 miles. Looking back at my time I was way to conservative. I really didn't know how hard to push myself at the start. I didn't blow, but maybe had a little to much left at the finish. I did it in the drops with the only aero thing on me being some badass booties BA gave me. 17th outta 24 riders I'll take it for my first TT ever.
 
The Criterium took racers around the high school in the eastern portion of town where large shade trees lined the streets. The course had a large hill for a crit that according to one of the volunteers was called Heartbreak Hill because "it just keeps going". The hill did just keep going with first a left turn and then a right turn until finally you turned right again for the screaming decent. The Cat 4 women's field was shattered from the second lap. My mistake came at the first corner after the start / finish. I couldn't get that thing dialed, So second time through I found myself near the back at the start of the hill when things got crazy. I tried with all my might passing a few riders to get back to a small group and the draft, but the legs just didn't have it. So what's a racer to do when in this position, what any good crosser would do. Ride as hard a possible and work on those turns. By the end I had that first turn dialed. 18th outta 24 riders. I got some speed work and realized I corner like a crosser and not a roadie. I need to work on that.
 
Bad Andy had an awesome crit in a stacked 123 Men's field, that boy knows how to ride. He stuck it out even when legit dudes where getting blown. Props to fellow C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes teammate Jameson for the solo win in the 3/4 Men's field. 
 
The Road Race was rolling hills in the rain. I was expecting scattered thundershowers, but instead there were steady showers combined with decent downpours during the 8am race. I didn't even bring a rain coat. Feeding during the Men's 123 Race was scary to say the least. A flat fast section directly after a turn is not an ideal feed zone, but I got BA a bottle with no problems on lap 3 and breathed a sigh of relief. A couple of broken spokes on the rear wheel pulled Bad Andy out of the race a lap early. The potholes weren't huge but one section of road was pretty bumpy. 
 
When the Cat 4 Women started at noon the rain was still coming down. I was in survival mode. This was my first rainy road race. I followed wheels the entire race finding myself at the back for a good portion of the race. Since I wasn't confident into the final turns I decided not to mix it up in the sprint just happy to finish covered in grime and satisfaction. Somehow I lost my bike computer off my fork and an earring out of my right ear along the course, probably the same section of road that claimed BA's wheel. 18th outta 24 again. 
 
I was determined to finish this stage race. I would have liked a little better placing than 20th overall, but I rode hard and hopefully will learn from my mistakes. Now if I could just find that aggression I bring to the cross course on the road. I'll be back next year Millersburg.

8.16.2010

001 Blargh, oh excuse me.

Blargh. Firsts are always difficult; first step, first word, first kiss, first race, first blog. There's tons of nervous anxiety and when it's over you say, "hey that wasn't so bad".

I might have mumble, "Blogs are silly." well here it is. No reason. I've become a bit addicted to the blog-o-sphere. Actually I'll concur my first confession. I'm an artist who is struggling with the daily 9 ta 5 grind in a not so creative job. That's life right, and that life is good. Can't complain, but here's my outlet.

Art is life. Art is everywhere. Art is connection. Art is therapy.

It's not all about art, probably not about art at all. It's about adventures, biking, racing, cooking and good times. With a smattering of randomness.

Welcome to the Bad Kat Confessions.