Thru Endurance We Conquer!

This was a crazy, busy, fun weekend. Nick and I got to Copper late Friday night and drove around trying to find the check-in location for the condo. After getting the keys, we found the condo building, but the unit number wasn't on the map. Luckily, we bumped into the building manager and he was able to guide us in the right direction – a loft style condo over the two sections of parking garages! I think it was an add-on after the buildings were completed, just to get some additional space. But the unit was nice – nicer then our condo in Colorado Springs. Saturday, I got up early and when for a moderate run on the Copper-Frisco bike path. It was really cool out, with the sun barely peaking over the Ten Mile range. There weren't too many people out on the path in the morning and I had a good run. I ran a few miles shorter then I wanted – but there was a lot going on. Nick wanted to pre-ride the cross country course and then chill out for a while before the short track. I rode th...

I'm sitting outside a resturant in Dillon, waiting for Nick so we can eat and head up to Copper. I thought that he would beat me here, but I got out of class early. It's amazing what half an hour can mean for traffic. I was able to scoot across Denver from AMC to Golden and get my swim in there. I was planning on going to one of the 24 Hour fitnesses near campus and killing time with a long swim to let traffic die down. On top of me being early, Nick's meeting ran long. Had I known, I would have fussed in Golden and just waited for him there. This is really a crazy few days. Yesterday and today, I was sitting in class, taking radiology. Saturday and Sunday, the Copper Cup MSC races. Monday and Tuesday, health care promotion classes. Then back to work for three days. I have both the Era and the Tomac with me. I will race the Tomac in the short track tomorrow and the Era for the cross country. I don't want to ride the Tomac for the longer race because we don't quite h...

I am having issues with the mobile blogger lately. My posts are not getting through to the website, even after many tries. I wish I knew what was going on - it's a little annoying.

What a busy weekend. Fun, good training but really busy. Saturday, the group organizing the Xterra trail marathon held a course preview. The race will be at Cheyenne Mountain State Park in the beginning of October. The course will be challenging, for sure. The marathon is a two loop race, with a half running at the same time. It starts out easy, on Sundance, then heads up. And continues up, all the way to the top of the Talon loops. The only issue that I see might be the out and back on Talon. After Talon, things start really getting fun, with Medicine Wheel and Cougar's Shadow added to the menu. The last half of the course will be the most challenging. Anyone who goes out too fast will really suffer. I ran a few more miles after to get my full long run in. But I had a good time and ran with some funny guys. Thats what you miss training alone - people acting silly and telling good stories. On Sunday, I met up with Tracy for a long ride. I rode to her house and then we headed west a...

Nick and I did intervals last night. Actually, I did intervals and Nick did the timing. He had me do four 30s efforts at just submax. It was amazing how much those four efforts took out of me. I need to do more of that on the bike. After the intervals, we cruised around Stratton. We haven't gone for a night ride since summer started. It was the perfect night for a ride - cool and clear. The Ameoba lights are great for the dusk to dark rides. Throw the light and battery on the helmet and it's there when you need it. Riding at night is also a good way of testing the fit of the Tomac. I don't have the light to think about where my hands were going with shifting and braking. I think that everything feels good right now. I hope that I can ride that bike for the Copper Cup.

The Tomac is finished! Nick worked on it over the weekend to get the cables done and everything adjusted. It shifts so smoothly and crisply. He did an awesome job getting everything dialed. The maiden ride was Monday afternoon. We went to Stratton Open Space and cruised around. The bike felt really nice. The fit seems perfect, but we have some fussing to do with the cockpit. The brake and shifter levers need to be adjusted a little. The handling is snappy, much sharped then the Era. That will take some getting used to, for sure. The bike is also lighter and stiffer then the Era, also something I will need to get used to. But after one ride, I like the bike. Hopefully I'll get everything dialed before the Copper Cup. I might get some pictures up of the finished bike. The blue fork does not look as bad as I thought it might.

Dan got his report from the CTR finished. There are lots of really cool photos from the ride. He took the weight penalty to bring a camera along. It looks like a really fun ride, at times. Other parts, a little too much Hike-a-bike to make any thing fun. http://www.dogboydan.com/dogboydan/bike.htm

(This was supposed to be posted on Saturday - had some technical issues. Sun Spots I think) Nick is back, tired but happy. He and Dan did not finish the CT Race, but they made it all the way to Durango. At Lake City, they decided to take the race route from 2008. It was not the "official" route for 2009, so they were not listed as finishers. But that was not the point of the ride. The point was go from Denver to Durango along the Colorado trail. And mission was accomplished. I was lucky. I did not have to take time off work to get Nick. Leslie, Dan's wife was waiting at the Durango end of the trail. They finished Wendesday night and spent the night in Durango. Nick said that he took four showers that night! Thursday morning, they headed home. When I got back from my ride after work, Nick was home. It is a long drive from Durango - but not as long as the ride! I will post a report from the ride when I get it from the boys.

I just realized that there are only three three months left until Silverman. This is the fifth anniversery of this great independent iron distance race. I'm looking forward to the race this year. I have had a lot more time on the bike this year. Since there is so much climbing on the Silverman course, the time on the bike is very important. Since this is also my fundraiser for Challenged Athletes, I'm hoping to wear the Operation Rebound jersey well. We'll see what happens.

Not a bad day. It was not my fastest time at 5430 Long Course, but I think it was my best race. I stayed focused the whole race and pushed through the mental low spots. Got to the Res early to avoid traffic and set up my transition area set up. There was so much more stuff compared to an Xterra in my bagwhen I packed, but it seemed like so little was at my rack. The rest of the pros slowly began to arrive and get ready to race. It was interesting, the pros were much more relaxed the most of the age groupers. Everyone was nice, despite the amount of money on the line. That would be the last time I would see some of the other women all day. This was the most competitive womens field the race had every seen. This was a non-wetsuit swim, so I didn't have to struggle with the wetsuit. My skinsuit is really easy manage. I started closer to the back of the pro field and stayed there. This was not my best swim ever, but appropriate for the time I've spent on the water. Cloud cover mean...

Okay, I knew that I really did not need to be worried. Nick's dot on the CTR map is moving again. I knew that he had to be fine since Dan was rolling. I also know that they are trying to conserve the batteries on the SPOT trackers. But that little beep telling me he's checking in is very comforting.

I am a little worried. Dan's little dot on the CTR board has been moving merrily along all morning. Nick has not checked in at all and his dot has not budged. He usually checks in when they get up and start rolling. I know that everything is okay - Dan would not be riding if Nick was not okay. But I don't like not knowing what is going on. I asked him to check in more frequently, and he's not listening. It does not help that they are entering a section of the trail that does not allow bailouts easily if something was wrong. I almost wish I was not doing long course. If something does happen, I will not be able to go help him. Hard as it is, I need to focus on my race. The field is stacked this year.

Day four has started. Just got the latest check in from around Turquise Lake. They are making slow but steady progress towards Durango. It should be another seven or eight days. Trying not to worry and focus on Long Course. I took the Cervelo out yesterday and rode to Hanover. Managed to miss the thunderstorm, but did see plenty of lightening over the mountains. Now I have to do a careful cleaning and make sure everything is working.

Indian Peaks Xterra was a great race. It was a fun event in a really pretty area of the state. The course was a blast - technical climbs, fast descents and plenty of mud all around. And that was just on the bike! The run was just as much fun, making for a great day of racing all around. The day started out cold and misty, with clouds hanging over the continental divide. We stayed at a friend's house, about 30 minutes from the race site. We drove in early so I could get my race packet and get numbers on my bike. Lucky number seven this time. Nick was awesome with helping get my stuff ready. Normally, I have to do that all on my own. The transition area was a free for all, so I just claimed a patch of land that wasn't too muddy and got set up. This was a time trial start, with about five seconds seperating each athlete. The water was cold!! The race director said that the water was 63. I think it was colder. I was the first woman in the water, with Sara and Jenny right behind me....

The first night of the Colorado trail race is over. I watched Nick leaving from Waterton Canyon yesterday at 6:00 am. After the race was rolling, I drove back down to Colorado Springs to unpack from my Xterra. Nick has his Spot Tracker and he has been checking in regularly. I wish he would check in more frequently. I do worry about thing happening. He is riding with one of his best friends, so hopefully, the safety in numbers rule will apply. I got the camping check in just before ten last night, but it took a while for them to get up. He didn't check in until after 8:00 this morning. But they are rolling now. One night done, ten more to go. This will be a long week. I will get a report on Xterra Indian Peaks written soon. Its been a long day.

This is not a promising start to a race morning. It's about 44 degrees and misting. Everything is soaked, the trail, the trees, the grass, my bike. And it is a cold mist. I have my heavy coat in the car and I think I'm gonna put it on soon. No need to freeze before the race even starts! The water will be cold enough. This is my first time at Indian Peaks. It is time trial start for the swim, based on swim time and biking skills. I have never done a tri with a time trial start before. It should be interesting. Tracy H did this race last year and said it was a lot of fun. But last year it was warm and sunnh, not cold and wet. There is still plenty of time for the sun to come out. I will hold onto that thought until I jump into the water.