The Call of the Road

Ever since last January when the dark days of winter enveloped New England in more ice and snow and clouds than I care to remember I struggled with the decision of what to do with myself, bike racing-wise.

"Do I want to race road bikes?" Hells yes, but it either meant lots of trainer time (not a chance) or a late start to the season. Coming from the NCNCA and lots of fabulous early spring racing that was a hard concept for me to grasp. Additionally, I was a little spoiled coming from the NCNCA. I wanted a Copperopolis, a Wente road race, not some silly circuit race. Ignorant to the ins and outs of racing in New England, I didn't know what I wanted to commit to, to peak for, and how to train for it. Plus, I didn't have a team - I didn't even know who the teams around here were (still don't, I guess). So that inevitably lead to the question,

"Do I want to race mountain bikes?" This seemed like a fun option, given my lack of team and my obsession with east coast mountain biking. The biggest detractor here was cost. I'd have to buy my UCI license (which I'll have to get before CX anyway, but that's beside the point) and the entry fees are more than most road events I've done. My bike, as much as I love it, also needed some help - I'm currently running a 3 year old chain and cassette, and really, really need new tires. Like, really. It adds up.

Of course, one thing was not in question - Cyclocross. I knew whatever else I did I wanted to race 'cross. We have something like 15 UCI races in New England this year, and it's about $200 bucks to fly to Wisconsin in January (brrrrrr!).

Tonight I'll go race my first criterium if 2011. It also happens to be my second road race of the year, 3rd bike race, and probably my 5th competitive event of 2011. Whoa. I did more racing in my 1st year of racing, when I wasn't even sure I was a racer.

So what do I want to do next year??? The same questions/excuses/problems present themselves in answer.

Instead of doing 5 hour rides and spending more than I can afford racing my bike this year, I did lots of fun rides in the woods, went snowboarding, learned to go off a 4 foot drop, went downhilling, read a lot, ran a lot, raced a 5k and a duathlon, hung out with friends and family, worked on my core and upper body strength, watched a World Cup MTB race, watched a slopestyle competition (wow, spectating!!! When's the last time that happened?), played capture the flag, didn't stress about standing on my feet for prologned periods, didn't stress out about what I was eating (I still eat super duper healthy, but don't worry so much about what goes in the day before a race), established myself as a personal trainer through a highly regarded organization, went swimming as much as I could and went sailing. Probably some other things, too. It was rad. I've had a great summer and spring (pretty much everything since the snow melted). I've had time to do the things I never get to do in the summers, and spend time with people who are important to me.

But . . . every time I log onto Cyclingnews, or NorCal Cycling News (yes, I still check out, somewhat obsessively, what's going on in the NCNCA), and any number of blogs I read on a regular basis, I get this pang of longing. It's the same way I feel when I think about the mountains to the west of Reno, or my friends and family who aren't on the east coast, or Cody when one of us is away for a few days. I miss road racing the way I'd miss a person, or a significant and dear geological feature (haha).

So I'm not making any promises or commitments. I'm not saying I'm going to race a full season of road. (I AM going to race a full season of cyclocross, which may or may not include nationals.) I'm not positive I'm ready to give up having another summer of frivolity. I just want to put this out there as a reminder to myself, come January, what it will feel like to spend another season off the road. Maybe the commitments will come then, or maybe sooner, but it's good to get it down, sort through the pros and cons and how I feel about it.

Almost Time!

Ah yes, the nights are getting cooler, the days shorter (which sucks, but whatever), summer seems to be winding down. I love summertime - the heat, the long days, swimming in some body of water every day I can. But as summer ends it's time for cyclocross, and that makes up for losing those long days and all the fun stuff that comes with it. Plus, fall in New England is pretty rad. Last year was my first fall here and between the colors on the trees and the lovely (bug-free) cool-but-not-cold weather it makes for a really nice season. I guess it was the same way out in Reno - fall Tahoe riding is pretty much the best. It's also football season, which I'm mildly ashamed to say makes me pretty happy. (My 16 year old self would be mortified by this admission, but she's too busy putting on more black eyeliner and dying her hair so I don't think she'll notice.)

Well, I registered for a crit next Wednesday - the Witch's Cup, in Salem. It'll be the first crit I've done in over a year. Ouch. But it's a women's cat 1-4 field, so I'm sure I won't be either the sketchiest or the slowest person out there. Goals for this event include not riding like a ninny and keeping the rubber side down. But it's good speed work for CX. Other than the fact that Salem is 20 minutes from home, I decided to do it because some business stepped up to sponsor the women's race, which was notable absent from last night's Grand Prix of Beverly. The other crit I'll be participating in this year is the TD Bank Mayor's Cup because last year they offered equal prize money for men and women and hardly anyone showed up and I want to support an event that does that even though I'll probably get shelled on the first lap when Laura Van Gilder attacks. Damnit. But it'll be sweet to race in downtown Boston, and it's part of this big Boston Cycling festival thing, so it sounds like fun. Even skipping a UCI2 CX race to be there and support it. Rubber side down, don't ride like a ninny, rubber side down, don't ride like a ninny (my crit racing mantra). I know, it has some logistical flaws, but whatever.

In other exciting news I seem to be generating some good power on the bike, which is nice. I say "seem to be" because I haven't been riding with my powertap, because, uh, I just haven't. With nationals in January this year I'm trying not to stress about numbers in August, or I'll probably be wicked burned out by the time it counts.

Oh yes, have you met my lovely new bike? I usually refrain from naming inanimate objects, because I have a hard enough time coming up with names for furry ones with eyes, but this one is Cap'n America, since it's red white and blue. It's kind of supposed to be ironic. At any rate, it's a hella sick bike and I can't freaking wait to go race it.

Wednesday, Blogday - and FOOD!

I've been waiting to update the ol' blog. Waiting for what, I dunno. Inspiration? Some rad photos? Perhaps to grow up enough to no longer say "rad" every other sentence? (Pshaw, right, like that's going to happen.)

Anyway, devoid of inspiration and the ability to take rad photos, uninteresting and random updates will have to do.


I'm finally getting in some solid training. It feels so good to have tired legs. First race is in a week and a half! I was very sweetly assured by a local former Jittery Joe's pro and Seaside Cycle fit guru that I won't get dropped in the men's 1/2/3 race and if I stick with he and his teammate I'll be safe. I'm not sure where he gets that level of confidence in my fitness, but I'd hate to disappoint.


I'm working too much, but there's no help for that. This is the first day I've had off since last Wednesday, and the next day I have off is NEXT wednesday. But some of them are short days and there is always time for a good ride.

I keep meaning to write a blog post about food. A cyclist talking about food? Erm, not original. We all love to eat, and many of us love to cook. I just made some yummy baked cinnamon oatmeal cakes to have with my coffee. I keep thinking about taking pictures of the food I cook because I tend to make up recipes as I go along and 9 times out of 10 they turn out fantastic. Really, they do. Ask Cody. And if he tells you otherwise let me know and I'll straighten him out.


The problem is, I'm beginning to realize, that I am an abysmal photographer. I cook some great meal and take a picture of it and it's, uh, kind of gross looking. Now, before anyone starts giving me tips on how to take artfully constructed culinary photos, just stop. I appreciate the thought, but I don't think we all have to be good at everything, and if I'm a lousy photographer then whatever. I'll leave the picture taking up to someone else. Or I'll just post pictures of really unappetizing looking food and insist time and time again that it was actually really good. And you'll believe me, right? Because why would I lie?

Here is a superb example. Spaghetti and meat-less balls, with shredded parmesan cheese. They were way yummy, and the meatballs I made for Cody reportedly turned out great too, despite the fact that I didn't taste them at any point during the cooking process. But they just look . . . well, use your imagination. I think the lighting must just really suck in my house, because it looks equally bad whether I use the flash or not. Whatever, moving on.


On the subject of food and meat-less balls, I'm a mostly-vegetarian. I've been eating some fish (I live in a fishing town, it's too good to say no) and think that dining with friends is too valuable to turn down food that was cooked for me even if it contains the odd furry friend. But honestly I think I've only had non-fish meat twice in the last 8 months. But I won't eat lobster because boiling any animal alive is just abhorrent.


Moving on.


I had thoughts to share on the subject of cycling and living the dream, but they'll have to wait for next time, because the longer I wait to ride the more likely I'm going to get poured on. I've heard reports of a "hill" worthy of "repeating" over in Georgetown, so I'm on reconnaissance today. Fingers crossed for a steep grade!