Bad Bad Day

Ok, I may go on a little rant here. Yesterday was Hagerstown. I already wasn't excited for this race. I didn't like it last year, so couldn't amped up for it this year. I will say the course was much better, besides being bumpier than hell. But the part that irritates me is my 40min race was practically cut in half as I was pulled at about 25min and I had only done 3 laps! I didn't even the extent of it until I got back to the car and checked my watch and saw that I should still have another 5min of racing left and I had already stopped had 2 conversation and was now changing. The reasoning behind it was we "the women" we towards the back end of the men's field and they were pulling the men because there were too many people on the course, so they pulled us too. Well let's just think about this reasoning for a moment. They're comparing pulling the back end of the men's field with pulling the entire women's field, mmm. Did they forget the fact that we're always towards the back end of the men's field? Or that we start 2min behind the men's field? And I've been pulled a lap short before because the leaders have come through and I've finished on their lap, 1 lap down. It's all good it happens. But this was beyond that. Who knows if those last couple laps would have changed my standing. The point is, I'll never know because I didn't get the chance to actually finish my race.

Rotten Rob blowing kisses.

Lisa and Betsy. Lisa raced her ass off. After a short detour she got back on course and made it back up to 2nd, Awesome!

This is Marc. Also known as Fat Marc or Faticus. He's around 5'10", longish brown hair, big sideburns, usually styling some sort of baggy shorts/pants, t-shirt and probably a hat. Oh and also he's my husband.



This is Soupie. He's around Marc's height, longish brown hair, big wolfing sideburns, also styling baggy shorts, t-shirt and a hat. He is not my husband.

Problem is, when I'm not paying attention these two look awful alike.

Let me explain. Yesterday was Lilly Ponds. After my race, I hung out in the pits all afternoon watching the races, cheering people, helping out when needed, while snapping some pictures here and there. By the last race of the day, I was very tired and very hot, I had shot as many pictures as I wanted to and didn't feel like carrying the camera anymore. So I figured I'd hand the camera off to Marc to put in his pocket. Meanwhile everyone was still very intently watching a close race between Wes and Jeremiah. So I wander over to where Marc had been standing, and look at his pocket thinking I'll just slip it in and not bother him. I notice however that he has something metal hooked on his pocket. I didn't recognize what it was and just stared at it for a moment. Then I grabbed it and pulled it out because I didn't want it to scratch the screen on the camera. As I'm pulling it out, I ask "hey, what is this"? I did get a response, however not from Marc. I looked up and realized it was Soupie. Yeah, I was in Soupie's pocket. Nice huh. I about died. I apologized all over the place, then took the camera to Marc, the real Marc, and looking him in the face, handed off the camera for him to hold. I told Marc what happened, he just laughed at me. Soupie was a good sport as well.
Sorry Soupie!

Do You Need Directions To The Pain Cave?

If so I have them. I spent a lot of time there yesterday.
I've been a little apprehensive about this first race. I wasn't sure where I was in ways of fitness and where everyone else would be. I've been riding, but I can't gauge myself by those I ride with. They're all so fast and I'm always at the back. They always give me positive feedback and are very considerate, saying "you're doing great monkey, and we can't go until monkeys ready". Don't get me wrong, I love riding with them, but that doesn't tell me where I am with my own peers.
So yesterday was the season opener in Charm City. The women's field was huge. We had 27 starters. That's awesome to see so many women come out. But also more pressure. There don't seem to be any slackers in cross. I suppose it hurts too much to just do it on a whim.
We lined up and I got a good spot. Christina bumped me on the line and says smiling, " you just make sure you go fast". As she was lined up behind me. We take off and I tapered my start a little. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going as I didn't hear the instructions on the prologue loop. We're on the course and the dust is flying and my mouth is gritty and dry. It's hot and there's no water feeds. Ugh! I keep going. Me and Laura (her 1st cross race ever) are battling back and forth for several laps. I'm having to race the entire time. More Ugh! I start to get close to a couple of girls up ahead. Marc is cheering me on giving me updates on where people are. I catch one, but me and Laura are still going back and forth. Marc tells me I have one lap to go, I need to take off. I question him, the lap cards say 2, he assures me no, it's only 1, the lead C guy came around. I put it all out there. We're still battling. I start too see Doran. I chased her all last year. I can't quite catch her though. As I'm coming around, thinking I'm about to finish Marc tells me I have 1 more, he was wrong before. I about died inside. I hurt so bad and now I had to do another one. I kept going. Marc rode next to me outside the tape trying to encourage me and keep me moving. I was in such pain. I put so much out the lap previously and here I was still racing. I kept going though. Right towards the end I managed to catch Doran. I was about to die, but I had to keep going. I knew she wasn't going to let me go easily. Marc is again beside me trying to get me to stand up and sprint. All I wanted to do was hurl. But I kept on. I ended up keeping my place as I crossed the line. Doran stopped after she finished and says "so me and you again this year huh". We both just smiled.

Yesterday was so fun. We all now have the first race behind us. It was an awesome day. There was a great turn out and everyone did awesome. Marc and Ethan won their races. They were both ecstatic. Wes got 2nd behind one of the Italians, awesome job! Dan got 4th, behind the other Italian. Morgan and Lisa got 4th in their races. I ended up with 9th, yeah, top 10! I'm happy. I know I'm missing all kinds of people. Everyone did really well. Great job to everyone!

I Think I'm a Hypocrondriac. I Hope.

Let me explain. I sit in a closed office building all day long as most people do. I don't know why they can't make them with windows that open. Probably something about a controlled environment or something. Anyway, we're now heading into that time of year when people start getting sick and as it happens the woman that sits in the desk next to me is sick. She's been caughing and sneezing and blowing her nose for 2 days now. I keep urging her to call her doctor, or better yet, go home. But yet she stays.
I've been doing my best to steer clear of her. But there's not much to do when there's only a thin partitian between us. I've washed my hands a million times. I'm careful not to touch my eyes or mouth. Yet as I sit there and listen to her, I start feeling worse. My nose starts running. I've blown it a couple times and wonder, "is it allergies or am I catching her cold?". Then I think my throat is getting sore. I go in search of Airborne. I take my vitamins. I start feeling my head for a fever. I feel closterphobic with all the contained germs flying around with no excape. I find myself holding my breathe when I hear her sneeze or cough. Like that's going to save me from catching it. I call Marc and tell him I'm not feeling well. I start to panic. Finally she goes home. But I'm left trapped with the contamination.
Now I'm home. I'm breathing more freely. I'm going to go for a run and see how it works out.

Only Me

Ok, this happened last weekend. But I still it's still worth telling. Last weekend we attended a wedding in Philly. After the ceremony we headed to the reception where there were cocktails, dinner and dancing. The dancing area was in a foyer. It was a large space with some small tables around the sides to sit or drop some stuff on. We (me and Marc, his 3 brothers, their wives and his parents) had taken over one table. We piled all our stuff on it as we moved about.
All was good until I leaned on the table. I was a little tired and watching something so I leaned back on the table and felt the table move, just slightly. So I stood back upright. A few minutes later I leaned again, only to feel the table move again. At this point I felt the table needed further investigation as I didn't remember it being on wheels. I turned around and put 1 finger on the table and pushed it, expecting it to roll. Yeah, that's not what happened. As soon as I pushed on the table the one side went crashing to the floor. This caused all of its contents, including a couple candles in which had been burning for hours, several purses, wraps, and about a dozen or so of filled or empty glasses, to go flying. The table completely collapsed. It made a loud noise, not to mention all the screams as people were covered in drinks and hot wax. Yeah, I caused a scene.
Shortly after Marc walks back over to see the chaos and asks what happened. I tell him the table collapsed. He asks who did it. I say me. He just looks at me and shakes his head.

I love cross. I love cross. I love cross.

Usually I can't wait for Spring. Everything comes back to life, the sun shines a litter longer and it slowly starts to warm back up. Also, it's because it brings on Summer. My favorite season. I love Summer and usually never want it to end. It goes by so fast and before you know it, it's gone.
This year was no exception. Except, I kept finding my mind wandering to Fall and cross season. As June approached it got stronger. By July it was unbearable so I went out for a run. Yeah, that only happened once. So hot, and way to far off to put myself through that kind of torture. Yet, my mind still lingered.
Last week Marc took my wheels in to get glued. It's getting close! Went out and tooled around on my cross bike. Not quite the same as a mountain bike. I found this out quickly as I sped down the the normally very smooth mtb trail, only to touch the brakes, then grab them, then to white knuckle them while screaming and swerving just in time to avoid a tree. Yeah, that's when I remembered cross brakes are to scrub speed, not to actually stop. Ugh! That was a close one. It'll take me a bit to get myself back to used to it. But it'll come.
One more month!

Frisbee Love

Brought home this giant Frisbee from OR. Marc laughed at me, but I knew Riley and Layla would love it.Riley usually let's Layla have her way, but not today.
Layla's so excited she's practically flying back to me to have it thrown again. (notice not one foot is touching the ground)