Team Inland Construction/ Vanderkitten = Team Total Deconstruction of Competition

This weekend I participated in the 8th Burn 24 hour challenge. We managed to snag the title for the fastest day lap, night lap, coed division and came darn close to sweeping the entire event (2nd overall!!).

The team consisted of:
Charles "Charlie" Pendry
Matthew "Matt" Rotroff
Michael "Mike" Lockheart
Lucas "Lucas" Livermon

and myself
Caitlin T-Bomber (name has been changed to not interfere with my job applications)

We kicked it hardcore underneath a tent....yup, lots of sitting going on. In between periods of sitting someone would kick it on the trail. The trail, in my opinion, was quite stellar. Not really technical but lots of burms and switch backs that you could hit with speed. I felt like superman/woman, whatev. Either way it was fun.

My legs felt pretty great on the trail. I had some fast times both day and night which I was really proud of. To top it off Mr. Pendry, a friend and hero, was pretty stoked for my success as well. It's quite the confidence booster when someone who is getting consistent top 20's in the national series compliments you on your speed.

I was passed once on the trail and that's only by the team that won. All other periods consisted of me flying by others similar to any scene with me on the highway but the other way around (I drive like I'm already grandma T-Bomber).

Thanks to all the sponsors who rule so hard! You rule!

and the important one here:

It’s kinda about the bike

Well, last minute decisions are usually not thought out. They do make for exciting times though. I had a weekend full of them. After the 3 people I planned to travel with bailed on me to go to the Greenbrier race in MD, I was pretty sure I was staying in Raleigh for the weekend. Saturday at about 1 pm, I decided that if I skipped the race I would seriously regret it. I packed my things and by about 1:30 I was off to race.

About 5 hours later I made it to the park and had enough time to see the first ¼ mile of the course. I came back out, threw my bike in the car and sat while it started to rain an unbelievable amount. I was sure I was going to crash if I drove so I waited it out and fell asleep. When the policeman woke me up shining a light in my face I opened the door. I saw the police lights on and he was questioning what I was doing there. I agreed to leave peacefully and continued my sedan slumber in a camping site of a racer I met earlier that evening. At this point, I was sure this was the wrong decision. An amazing 10 hours of sleep later (well, I had a total of 4 hours sleep on Thursday and maybe 3 on Friday) I awoke and drove to the course. I got all dressed and started preriding. The coach of JMU asked to join in on my preride and I helped her through her first mtn ride in 15 years. She deemed me her angel of the day. I then felt like I was actually meant to come.

After a few hours of loitering Aaron showed up carrying a cup of coffee with my name on it. We loitered together for a bit. A little while later it was time to race. I lined up and didn’t recognize any of the girls. The race began it was off to a ball busting start. I was hurting from the beginning. I rode pretty descent the first lap but was having a bit of trouble with my brakes. I couldn’t do well on the turns when I couldn’t slow up for them. I usually like to grab my rear piece and slide the back wheel around but when the levers are to the bars I kind of just freak out instead. All and all I did ok. I remembered how to push by repeating “balls to the wall” for the entire last lap. I remembered how to descend (just do it like a pro). Now all I gots to do is keep working on my fitness. The bike might be holding me back a bit, but it’s no excuse. I remember when Mark McCormick showed up on the line for the root 66 race with a bike straight from the 80s and he kicked some serious ass. I can do it too, but I can kick ass better with a few material improvements.

Lessons learned:

V-brakes are inferior to discs

A solid support group is necessary for racing

Tan lines are totally hot and I don’t care what you say

A Little R&R is Pretty Good Sometimes

This weekend I participated in what will hopefully be my last collegiate race. Yes, the conference championships at Wake Forest had the pleasure of my attendance. As much as I love road racing, I decided to focus my efforts on training. I had a big week on the bike and this Saturday was certainly not going to be premiere showing of my strength. The road race went well except of course for the most important part which I blame on the course set up as well as myself. There was no indication of the point at which we were allowed to take up the entire road and I had put myself in a poor position – dead last of the field. I tried to go around the group however it turned out that gravel was not as fast as pavement. I passed a few girls but my efforts would have been greatly accentuated had I chose the proper terrain to sprint on.

After the road race I took another spin around the course. I was supposed to ride 4 hours and I really didn't want to get any of it in on a trainer. I then took about 4 trips back and fourth to the start finish area not actually for my own good but to inform riders of the computer glitch (which actually turned out to be the race coordinators failure to turn on the finish line camera) so they could return and “recreate the finish”.

It was now an hour until the team time trial which was to consist of myself and one other. We worked pretty hard beating a few men and womens teams in the 25 mile course. I clocked in about 3 hours and change and called it a day.

Saturday night was pretty amazing. We had the end of the year banquet at Wake Forest. My new BFF forever, Chris Carraway, spent the night cracking jokes which he most likely wrote before the event to cater to my taste. NCSU stole the spotlight by being the awesomest and / or loudest but in good fashion. Many of the NCSU members made it up to the podium including our team time trial team. Whilst receiving my trophy, I forced yet another fine male specimen into being my podium boy. Thank you, John Shilt, or maybe – sorry, John Shilt.







Pictures: Team x 2; Podium girl; On podium; Post podium shenanigans

Sunday morning was the crit. Early, Sunday morning. 7:15 was the first race and mine was immediately to follow. I didn't warm up well and my knee has been aching me. Most of the girls did not participate in the time trial nor extra lap around the course and well probably didn't ride as much as I did during the week but still, the race went pretty well. Besides the fact that none of the girls could flipping turn or it was an attempt to kill me, my race legs took me pretty far. Again the ending came down to race strategy which I seriously lack but the NCSU boys and myself noted that in the field sprint I was dominating. It was like all the girls were standing still and I was killing it. I didn't make it far enough to win the sprint because my timing was off but the fact that I was going fast was awesome. I'm considering participating in some road races when I'm not mountain biking 1) because I love the shaved legs and 2) Racing is almost always better than training.

A New Begining

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday. It was a whirl wind weekend, slightly disappointing, definitely a training lesson. I got on the line with a few other girls for my first non-collegiate short track. My least favorite mountain event. Arriving later than I liked with little time to warm up I attempted to take a look at the course. I started off and took my first right into the woods. It was surprisingly difficult and looked mighty long considering I had to make it all the way back to that spot I had begun at. It was pretty slippery and I lost my wheel on a root. Bummer. This was not going to be fun. I ventured back to the start without finishing the “course” only to find out I had gone XC style. After a poor warm up and no expectations for the course I got on the line. To no avail the race went poorly. It's hard mentally to get on a line with so few girls and know that one has been to a world championship, at least one other is pro, one has time to train 25 hours per week (her words, not mine) and there are only one or two more with fantastic legs. I then went on to the super D which had a LeMond's start. LeMond's start? Really? Yeah. Obviously I fell picking up my bike so I was last in the woods but when I got in I was unable to pass the girl in front of me. The course didn't allow. I was pretty pumped that I easily caught up but wasn't pumped that I couldn't pull through. Anyway, at that point I felt ready to race the short track. I realize what I need to do better.(super D course pre-rain above)

(some guys bike post super D race - stolen picture)

Sunday.....Sunday, Sunday. Since the boys I went with didn't want to preride on Saturday and, well, they were my means of transportation, I was stuck getting to the race late, again, and unbenounced of what was to be. My warm up was poor and new girls approached the line. One - the D2 national champ. Crap. I got on the line thinking “crap”. Doesn't do much for my confidence. It never came. I rode hard but not race hard. I didn't do well.

At first I was severely disappointed but reflecting on the races I realized that all of my bikehood hasn't been a failure, instead I've established a solid building block. I've been riding bikes for 5 years. Five years since my first mountain bike ride and I'm already an “expert”. That's pretty flippin' stellar considering I was a fat kid previous to this. Heck it's my first race of the year. These girls have been traveling the country getting their racing on. I can't be intimidated by them. They didn't come out of the womb winning races, nobody but Barry has. Just close the gap. That's a step. I've got to take this as a quiz, a pop quiz actually (heck, I didn't decide to race until after my 3 hr hard ride on Thursday anyway). I got a C this time. It's OK if I don't get an A next race. It will come.

For next time:

Find a good warm up schedule

Focus on my mental game

Ride for me

No Berry Burst Cheerios before racing. No!

Find race finish boys...if I don't make it to the podium for podium boys, obviously.