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Sometimes you’re Jens - and sometimes you’re Cadel.

Which is not to say that finishing the TdF with a broken arm is for wimps. It’s just not the same as crashing so hard that you destroy your bike, then borrowing a child’s bike to chase back into the race with broken ribs, and later suggesting that broken ribs are “over-rated“.

And after Jens did that? He likened the TdF to that one time when Conan the Barbarian and a lone friend are surrounded by an entire army and Conan says: “Dang - it’s going to take days to kill all these people!“

I was more anxious than a broke-armed Cadel at the Firecracker pre-ride. I worried about everything from catching the men when they bottle-necked at the first drop, to dust on the trail.

But - on Sunday - I had an really, really great race. I finally had that race that I’ve been looking for since the day I started racing - when the singletrack is not the whole world because the ride is - and the wind is at your back. I had a great time.

I think some of the credit goes to a fun course, our great team mechanic Wilhelm, and switching my XR2 rear tire from “action” to “traction” mode.

I was sorry to miss the Border Battle but Jared hooked me up with some great interviews for the race report.  I wonder if I would have battled the heat more than MN?

Been mostly off the bike the last few weeks - then did a sweet surprise century day this weekend with first Jen and then Matt.  It was Jen’s first road ride more than 50 miles, and she killed it!  I felt so lucky to be able to give her a tour of our gorgeous biking west of town.  Then we went out for another 50+.  Matt is nice enough to ride his Top Fuel with big tires when we attack the hills west of Blue Mounds together.  Total lack of the ‘proper’ - or any? - training should mean that the Ramble will be interesting.

Meanwhile, I’ve come to admit that I just don’t like August.  The fall-like weather we’ve been having this week is my idea of ideal and I’m back to loving life.  I’m eagerly looking forward to cold fall rides, XC skiing and riding my bike in so many layers of coats that I hit Narnia before I can get in the shower after a ride.  Maybe Wisconsin is getting to me.

Once again, I’m overdue for an update here.

Sunburst: 5th place. Patti K really made me work for it, and so did my asthma. I had to take the inhaler after a moderate pre-lap on Saturday, and was out of breath from the asthma and jumpy from the inhaler for the entire Learn to Race Clinic. I did a great job of demonstrating exactly what happens when you panic in a tight, grassy switchback and touch your front brake - right after I had explained that this is exactly what you should not do! My front wheel swept underneath me and I ended up sprawled on my stomach lookin’ pretty silly, and bumped my knee so good that I still have a bruise.

During the race I felt pretty rough on the climbs, and my breathing was an issue from GO. I thought often of dropping out, but decided to stick with it. A big reason to stay in was that I was able to race with another lady. Patti was with me every inch of that race, and really made it hurt on the climbs and in the open. I tried to take the lead each lap on the big climb, thinking I could get away, but it hurt alot and she kept closing the gap after the top. On the last lap, she led up the singletrack and I tried to rest, knowing by then that my lungs would give me maybe a few hard minutes - and no more. I just barely got ahead of her on the last lap and stretched out the gap. Although I hated (and loved) every minute of it, it was great to be pushed so hard, and I hope she comes out again!

Subaru Cup: I don’t know what place. Honestly - and I don’t think I’ll look. A lot of philosophical moments in this one, and here’s my tip for you: the number of philosophical moments in a race is positively correlated with sucking.

After dropping out last year with my first-ever asthma attack, I was keeping a positive attitude about the heat and the humidity. I really enjoy the course, and I really wanted to finish. The start was a little odd for me, and I was waxing philosophical about asthma and how “this must be what it’s like for the boys if you have a bad start” - i.e., a lot of waiting and passing in the first lap.

Then Andrea M and I crashed in the little rock garden by Fern Gully. It was such an ugly crash that the women behind us paused in concern. I was certain at first that I’d broken the same rib I cracked two years ago. I was beneath her and I remember turning from the rock that was impaling my ribs to see her rising up off the end of my handlebar with a terrible look of pain and surprise on her face. We both felt like total crap, and I think we were both scared by the crash - but I think that look made me more scared for Andrea than I was for myself.

We got back on our bikes. My ribs were killing me and so was me knee, although as Bruce pointed out - it did look badass with all the blood. Thanks Bruce! Way to SuperFan!

And then the race sucked a lot for a little while. I couldn’t pedal. I had no power, I couldn’t breath, and it hurt. I got passed again and again, but mostly it just hurt.

This just shows how little I actually “race”; I decided that there was no chance in such a short contest - like less than and hour and 20 - that I was going to earn back many of the spots I had lost, especially with no pedaling-power. So, I settled in and decided that I was going to enjoy myself while I tried to finish.

And I did! I totally had a wonderful, fun last lap. It was like riding at the Kettles, only way more fun, and once I finished - I was so happy that I had. And that it was over! I hope that is my worst race - ever. I may never look at that finish, but I think - as sappy as this truly is - that it was kind of a win.

After the crash, my ribs were bruised and weird but the knee was the real problem. It’s hurt for two weeks, and I still feel like my power is low. I considered not racing the Short Track, but I was on Cloud-9 for Don and WORS after the Pro race seemed to go so well, and I figured “What the hell.”

I’m glad I raced. With no significant climbing, I don’t think the course suited me super-great, and my knee hurt like a mother - but it was over pretty quickly and man was it cool to be cheered on by my peeps at WORS and Georgia Gould too. I can’t remember if I got 5th or 6th, but I was surprised by that, especially given that damned knee.

And to continue harping on about the knee, it is still hurting me. Like, keeping me up at night hurting. You look at the picture and it’s a whimpy little scrape, but I’ve been riding a little and I feel slooow and powerless. So, I’m not sure about Eau Claire, but I’m really looking forward to the fun trails and who knows - that’s racing.

Lastly, and because no one is still reading this run-on post - I’m not exactly saying that I think Adam Craig is super rad for actually having a smart-ass conversation with us while he was riding through some technical singletrack during the Pro XCT - but I did notice this quote:

“Nice work, Sam, and in front of the best crowd we’ve seen at a National Series race in years. The last Switch Back climb and Yee Haw descent of each lap was packed with cheering fans from all walks of life. There were the families, the drunk singlespeeders and the stoked junior racers. I told the most stoked junior to come find me for a reward of some type. All I could think of were the size medium Giro test gloves I raced in.” Adam Craig, Robo Bank Giant

I did not know that you could SuperFan for items of clothing - but ladies - if we work together next year - think of the possibilities. Just sayin.

Thanks to WORS Photographer Danny Marchewka for the photo!

Really liking the new job + lots of work for the upcoming Subaru Cup + beautiful weather = zero updates since April. In fact, I should be writing a WORS race report right now. So, here’s a quick one by the numbers:

Iola. 6th. 11 seconds behind 5th.
Crystal Lake. 6th. 23 seconds behind 5th.
Big Ring Classic. 4th. 48 second behind 3rd.

Bottom line? I need to chase that lady ahead of me, because she’s getting away.

The new team has been great this year.

Abby’s undefeated, and Matt just stepped on to the podium for the first time with a 5th place finish. It was a little weird to have to interview him about his race for the race reports.

Last Saturday we set out early to mark the course for the WORS Women Spring Fling. It all started in Waukesha; the ‘Fling’ was as a silly idea at Sonia’s birthday party this winter. Somehow, it became an event with almost 40 women planning to attend from as far away as Rhinelander and Chicago. That was largely due to the efforts of several WORS Women - including Sonia, Kate Heil, Regina, Kelli and myself - and the support of WORS Don and Wheel & Sprocket Delafield. I think what ended up happening was much bigger than any of that.

This event really amazed me. Ladies who had never raced their bike came out. Ladies who had never ridden on dirt came out. Ladies who had never heard of WORS came out. Daughters and mothers and grandmothers came out together. The entire running field cut the course together and we all got DQ’d. Russell yelled “COMP leader” at me on every lap. Carlitos learned to honk the car horn. I got smoked in the tricycle beat down races. It really cheered me up.

WORS Women Spring Fling at Lapham Peak from Team WORS on Vimeo.