Weekend adventures

-
A nice, semi-mellow weekend is sometime just what is needed. While I was gunning for the podium at the Original Meowler, the weekend was also a mother-daughter trip we haven't done in a while. With a Subaru loaded full of bike and run gear, we headed out to Gunnsion for some fun. Something different for both of us.


View from the Four way out in Hartman Rocks
Friday afternoon found us at the Four-Way for a very easy ride. Mom hasn't ever ridden at Hartmans and I knew just the loop to take her on. A little tech to get a taste of the rocks on Skyline, then onto Evans loop - Broken Shovel, Lost Dog and Sea of Sage. Nothing huge, nothing scary - just flowy trails in open fields of sage. I took some time to dial the line on the rock garden and then we headed down Skyline. Slowly. Very slowly. Her brakes were getting a workout! We turned up Broken Shovel and Lost Dog - fun and easy. And then came Sea of Sage - I anticipated that it would be a good little descent for her. We stopped to wait for two groups - a mom and her little girl and dad with an even littler girl. I pulled over both times but no high five. They were concentrating too hard to take hands off bars! It's the perfect loop for learning to ride, which meant it was also the perfect loop for Mom... I did have to laugh at the similarities but differences between me riding with Mom and the moms riding with their kids. One of the little girls was super excited that she'd ridden over one of the little rocks on Broken Shovel - super excited. Her mom had told her the exact same things I'm always telling Mom!

Full moon over the KOA - it was a quiet weekend in our little Kamping Kabin
Saturday was Mom's race. She was doing the Sage Burner 25k, opting for the shorter distance instead of trying to conquer the 50k. Given that the 50k is pretty much the second lap of the Growler course, I think she was pretty smart. I'm sure I'd be begging for my wheels about halfway through that race.... I drove up to the base area to drop her off, then headed up. My plan was to watch the runners go through, then ride Rattlesnake, Tailpipe and Ridge. I'd get a good techy ride in that way, be out of the way of the runners and be able to stay out of the heat. Watching the serpentine line of runners winding up Jacks was pretty cool. So many bright colors and funny outfits - they had better not ever say anything about our spandex and enduro colors... Mom was near DFL when she reached the top of Jacks, so I knew it would be long day for her. Time to go ride. Up Main Street and down Rattlesnake - once again, picking my own lines and finding my own way so I'd know the track come Sunday. I was pretty happy with myself when I was able to ride everything that trail offers without having to think or panic once. Such a difference from a few years ago. Then came Tailpipe and Ridge. I could see the line of runners off in the distance on Top of the World - yep, it would be a long long day for some of them! I only missed two things on Ridge trail - because I was too chicken too try without a spot. After my ride, it was time to head back to the KOA and get organized while Mom was running. I knew I had plenty of time. Turns out someone can win her age group and be DFL in the entire 25k at the same time! Perks of getting older....
Runners winding their way up Jacks

Heading out onto Tailpipe.
The full race story from Meowler will be coming soon, but that was an interesting day! Mom spent all day out on course - volunteering as traffic and course marshal at two different spots. She had great time, out in the sage, watching us crazy cyclists come through. Yes, both times we saw her, we were on our bikes... So I'd say it was a successful trip!
Choices, Choices - Meowler, Half Growler and Growler 1st Lap go left - Runners and Grower 2nd Lap go right. That was pretty confusing to some people..
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A long way on foot - Sheep Mountain Endurance Run

-
Image
Fifty miles is a long way - regardless of how you travel. As I was training and preparing for Sheep Mountain Endurance Run, I knew that it would be a long day - I knew that there would be ups and downs, that the plan would have to be fluid and goals adjusted mid-race. That is the nature of endurance sports and the people who achieve are the ones who can go with the flow and find the ability to turn things around if they do go south. Obviously, for my first 50, I was hoping for nothing but smooth sailing - with no dark spots, no demons and smiling the whole way. A girl can always hope, right? Runners assembled for the start Photo - Human Potential Running The sun was just starting to brighten the clouds as we walked to the starting line with nearly 100 other runners. The race director went through a few things, noting that there had already been some DNS's due to the elevation and to be smart. Smart... Most people would say smart would mean not doing something like a 50 mile ...
the full story...

Mortality

-
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'” - Hunter S. Thompson It seems such a trite quote, but true at the same time. Life is about the journey - the adventures along the way, the failures and successes. A life well lived is a person with stories to tell, taking the chances along the way that will provide fulfillment. You don't realize how close we are teatering to the edge until something happens that affirms our mortality.  In eleven years of practicing physical therapy in a nursing home setting, I've had my share of experiences with death. Never close though - far enough removed to be touched by the passing but not affected. Sometimes it's expected and everyone says "it's for the best. They are happier now." Other times, it's not and we are all shocked...
the full story...

Regaining my mojo

-
Image
I'll be honest. The two months between the middle of July and middle of September just about crushed me. Tired all the time, unable to muster more then a slug pace for most rides, and shuffling my way through my runs. It was the worst two month I've had - made worse by my continuing to try to push through the fatigue. So after Vapor I made sure that I would listen to my body and not pressure myself into training until I felt ready. No matter how long it would take, I would take the recovery I needed. Two weeks of minimal activity - short swims that were mostly just paddling around, very short runs where I didn't look at my watch at all and the easiest of rides imaginable. After those two weeks, I was still tired, but feeling better. Getting more like myself again, with a little more energy. That meant I needed at least another week of easy recovery! It was not the time to succumb to FOMO and start up with the big rides and hard runs again. So I behaved even more, knowing ev...
the full story...

Friends with the Monsters..

-
And the voices inside of my head.  As Saturday approaches, the voices - the demons - have begun talking to me. Sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream. 54 miles. It's the distance from Colorado Springs to Lake Pueblo State Park. Or the top of Wilkerson Pass... A long bloody way to cover on two wheels, let along two feet! Yet that is my goal. Traverse the trails and roads west and east of Fairplay, covering more then the distance of two marathons. Theoretically, it should be nothing. After all, I've run back to back marathons many times - once getting both under 3:10. Fifty two miles, in just shy of 24 hours at a pace much faster then I'm planning. But in this ventures, I had time to recover between races and took the recovery seriously. Here, nothing but continuous forward movement. One step in front of the other, no breaks between efforts and the the clock doesn't stop ticking.  As Saturday approaches, those voices are getting louder. Ever doubting, ever questioning - ...
the full story...