Ok so it has been some time since I wrote so here we go again. I will start with Noah, he is 11months now. I can't even believe it, he is the joy of Kris and I's life. We both love spending time with him and watching him grow. He is crawling all over the place and like Mom and Dad climbing everything. He is such a happy baby. Life is good.

As far as racing goes I was down in California at the NORBA #1 in Fontana this past weekend.
Never in my life did I think I would race a bike for 5 1/2 hours. I didn't exactly start the morning out how I would have liked to, preparing for a marathon is a little different than a cross country race, more nutrition and water... in the fluster of it all I forgot a jersey and had the joy of riding in my new Hincape Windtex vest. You could say it works very well, I felt like I was was wrappped in seran wrap. Needless to say prepare the night before. Not knowing what pace to set or how much water and nutrition to take I was hesitant to test my abilities in the first half. I think the hardest thing about marathoning is keeping your head in it. There aren't many competitors so you are out by yourself for awhile. The 2nd and 3rd lap I hooked on with a couple of guys, it was nice to have some company but I noticed their pace was slowing so I needed to get a move on. I never saw them again. Somewhere after 3 hours your body starts to really get tired and your mind starts to drift. I remember at one point imagining my husband in front of me, hollering at me to ride his wheel we were going to have fun and get going. No I wasn't hallucinting just trying to buy some time. On my 6th lap my legs were really starting to cry, they were tired.... I just kept thinking to hold my pace up the hills and I would make it. So I just did that and moved into my last lap. Lets just say the finish line couldn't have come fast enough. I was wasted. Mind you this was my first ever race over 3 1/2 hours and onlymy 2nd ride over 5 hours. I remember looking down at my Cat eye Computer and thinking it was broken, I never did see my heart rate drop below 168 bpm, a scary thought. So I learned a lot about marathoning and am looking to do much better next time in my JERSEY......
That night I was exhausted. I had called my husband to tell him about my 6th place finish and he asked if I was doing the XC the next day. I really didn't think I would be getting out of bed on Saturday so of course I told him probably not. I fought with myself about this doing the XC all night and into the next morning. Having only done a few pro races it is a little scary to enter a pro XC race having raced 5 1/2 hours the day before. Saturday morning came way before it should have and I headed out to the site early thinking I maybe I would do the Super D. With a little push from Jed, a shove from Alex, and coaching from my husband I was suiting up, in my jersey this time, for the Pro XC. I had great race. Mentally I was having a great race, riding wheels when I needed to, passing when I could, and downhilling with whatever strength I had left. I was getting frustrated climbing behind some women on the second hill, so I tore into the shrubery and pass about line of 8 women. It was reassuring to me that I still had legs left enough to pass these women. This race was much more entertaining than the day before, there were many women to work with, chase after, and try to drop. I rode about a lap with Kim and it was awsome to have someone to work with. The second lap came, I found myself passing a few more women on the hill climb, unfortunately for me I think they passed me back after I crashed a couple of times. With only one lap to go I was so excited, this seemed short after the marathon. Once again I attacked all that I could on the hills and tried to ride a clean downhill. I finished and wasn't last ...I was happy.

Kris was a good Dad and stayed home with Noah.

Well Kris is leaving next weekend for Temecula for the XTERRA West Championship race and the weekend after I am racing 24 hour solo. Till then.