First a Centerfold, Now a Cover Girl.

Need I Say More?!?!

Tagged.

My friend Renee, who out blogs me most every month of the year, has tagged me. I think that's her subtle way of getting my blogging-butt back in gear. So I write to humor her and inform all (3) of you who read this:

Now is my chance to tell you 5 whole things you don't already know about me:

1) I gave my first boy(yes boy)friend a football for Valentine's day. This was 5th grade. He gave me a pink stuffed teddy bear. He told me the football went flat the first time he kicked it. Except he said "punted" (like he knew so much about football. Whatever fatty!) I told him the bear lost a leg the first time I drug it behind my mtn bike. (we broke up shortly after that and I was off to a bad boyfriend start).

2) Green is my absolute favorite color. Its alive, like me. (though I'm not green- that you're aware of...)

3) I can throw a 100lb bale of hay over my head and into the barn loft (they don't call me "Muscles" for nothing).

4) I'm a pastor's daughter and first soprano in the church choir (no I'm not in the Italian mafia)

5) On top!!

What?!?! You didn't know that, right?

So I think this is the part where I tag people. But I don't read other peoples' blogs except for Renee and she's just so damn entertaining. I'll have to think on the 5 to tag. I'm lame. I know.

Weekend Away.

Erika and I headed out of the Springs this weekend for a bit of R&R...I almost called it TLC...*that too*. We hid away in a friend's mansion (I consider any house with more than 8 bathrooms a mansion) in the mountains just past Vail. It was an amazing place with a specacular view.

Semi-picture of the Crib we Crashed. No really we crashed it...spelt a glass of red wine on yellow walls. Oops.

View from the deck!

Most of the weekend was spent here!

Saturday we descended and climbed some stately Colorado roads in Edwards, CO. Whoo Hoo.

Smiling in our Brain Buckets

Port wanted to sleep in front of the fire all weekend. Man's best friend, right!!




Dancin' like a gangsta in the kitchen!

It's beanie weather. Lovely.

Colorado I love thee!




(the rest of our pics can't be viewed by the public... :)

Come My Lady.

From E's blog:

circles-circles-circles


So, I'm attempting to become S's training partner. Can you hear the fear in my voice? Now, I need to get this straight, we are not in competition w/ one another. This is Sarah's thing and I'm benefiting by spending time w/ her and getting exercise. We ventured out Saturday on road bikes, this is my first time riding a road bike. I have always teased her by calling them "ten speeds", she gets kindof gets annoyed...teehee! Riding a road bike for the first time was freakin scary...tell you, it wasn't a mtn bike!(not that i'm a mtn biking expert or anything) We went down this hill at mock 3, no exaggeration, I promise. ;) All I could think about was "I'm too pretty to have road rash", (I'm terrible-iiii knnnnow!) But I made it home safe and sound. Honestly, I really did enjoy myself-I couldn't wait to try it again! So, we decided to go on a ride on Sunday. A quarter of the way into the ride, I really felt much more comfortable...I even told S that I hope to get better to challange her a bit more, which translates too...I'll do this w/ you again. Thank you for believing in me Sarah! You're a SUPER STAR! I hope my next blog won't be about "road rash"...please, please everyone knock on wood for me...whatever type of wood you prefer. Sarah and I prefer cedar. wink, wink

I thought this was great. Had to post it. :)

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Climatic Keystone Climax: MSC Last

This....this was a fantastic weekend of racing for a young racer. After realizing how very close the points for the overall were I negotiated with myself on a big goal of finishing in front of a particular rider:


Athlete Profile: Stephanie Ward
Description: The nicest racer you'll ever meet.

I knew that I couldn't let the series slip. I had put too many long weeks into this goal to corrupt it with these final two races. So I grabbed up some good sideline advice and went for it. With a team shouting my name and a course that was fast and fun I gave it my all, I gave it my heart.

I had a terrific Short Track finish as the 2nd Expert and 5th Pro/Expert. I wanted to throw my hands up when I went through the line because it felt THAT good. A racer knows when a job is well done. This race was one!

With the solid STXC finish, I put myself in a position to enjoy the XC (as much as one can enjoy a XC, right). I went out strong but not to the point of self-explosion. I made smart moves going into the first single track and I kept my head together. I reeled in riders ahead of me and was setting neatly in 4th place going into the gnarly Keystone descent.

I got passed on the fire road section midway down. That lit the beast inside of me and I hammered my way up to her wheel. I pushed her to the point that she pulled to the side of the trail and let me around. Dirty racing, you say? Well maybe (a little) but racing for sure. I had a rush of excitement coming across the line.

The girl I passed found me when she came over the line and threw me a huge high-five...

"Good racin'" she said. "You had me so nervous. I couldn't find a good line. I had to let you around."

"Yeah, good racin. Sorry 'bout that. Way to be." I replied.

And on that exhilarating note I finished a long eventful season.

Awards and LOTS of beer to follow.

errbody want a COMPTON ASS! Wow.

Katie once told me this goooood story:

That maximal effort comes from being fat my whole life…when you have to carry a lot of extra weight along for 20years and then slowly lose it, you have tons of power and less to move, so it all works out. I’m almost glad I was fat as a kid and young racer. I wish I could show you a podium photo of me when I was 12 and had my FUPA showing, I’m really proud of that one…the only good thing was I was on the top step and a boy was second, so being fat seemed ok at the time. I think I went out to McDonalds afterwards and ordered a 20-piece chicken McNugget, fries and an apple pie and washed it down with orange drink…I wonder why I was fat! That was also my last fast food meal since I got to see the FUPA on film and realized I was chunky and getting to that awkward phase and needed to start eating better.

Isn’t that a great story? Am I still your hero?

She IS still my hero...actually MORE now.

Short Track Eldora

MASStiff: SnowMASS NORBA number last

Snowmass Round II: this time I was racing against the BIG DAWGS. And they didn't appreciate playful puppy ways. So it's interesting....my coach is at most of my National races leading clinics. And I've yet to have a stellar National finish. I did have a great Time Trial in Phoenix. Finished 3rd, and could have improved that had I not made one silly mistake of being geared too high for a steep embankment. (as I digress).

Well, this weekend was an exception in some ways and not at all in others. We strategized and I did as I was told. I just didn't have the girl power to maintain my early BOLD MOVE. 21 Expert Women 19-29 on the line- the biggest field of the season. We were a mix of groups: those who did all of the National Series, those who hit up BIG Colorado races, and those who had a week off from MSC and wanted a little more fun-hater racin'. We went off the line like pro-wanna-bes and were off to a nice fast start. We climbed single track for a bit, nose to tail, as horses do. Then we hit the paved section leading into the next long section of single track.

That is where I made my move, my bold, risky, potentially deadly move. I went from 18th position to 3rd. The 2 lead riders were already pulling away from the pack. So I lead the pack into the trail. I pushed, and pushed, and my heart rate sky-rocketed. My body was begging for some sort of recovery....anything- Spin an easy gear, coast, anything. But I had 18 women nipping my heels. So I kept it in the middle ring and cranked. I got out of the saddle every chance I could. And I held onto this burst of the next 6 miles or so. But by the time we came out of single track way up the side of the mtn I was toast- blackened and crispy. 3 riders came around me on the fire road. I attacked but it was like a moth trying to get out of the car window. I batted my wings and only left a little dust to show for it. Sad- really.


By the time I came through the feed zone I was sitting in 6th position. Rather than impress the coach I think I gave her a little more reason to scheme what my off season punishment will be. Another lap around the top of the mountain and I dropped back 3 or 4 more places. By that point I felt like someone had injected me with sedatives and told me to race my bike. I was totally fatigued. My red blood cell weren't up to their usual potential.


With a hard slap on the ass as I came through the feed zone the second time, Al told me to finish it off for the sake of pride. And I did, for the sake of pride, I gave it all I had (all, being very little) right up to the line. My body was trembling when all was said and done.


I was reminded of how far I've come and how incredibly far I have to go. And it was all yellow, no, RED. Hat's off to redlining.

I'm Awake, watch yourself.

Alright let's do this thing...**yaaawwwnnn** Wake up from a Rest Week and get ready to stampede through the last NORBA of the season. **stretch**

It's one of THOSE Mondays...

I opted out of the State Games and had a "normal" person's weekend: consisting of sleeping in, reading a good novel, eating a late breakfast with lots of syrup on it, cleaning house (which included moving all the furniture and mopping the floors), giving Porter (my doggie) a bath, washing the race machine (my Yeti delight), going out to coffee with friends, and then to a birthday party for the coach. Being normal on a weekend, what a concept. Surprisingly, Monday is still just as abrupt as usual. **sigh**

Top Step View

I cannot begin to express how fantastic it felt to win my first Expert XC race. I've been close on several occasions but there is something about bagging a win that just doesn't compare to the other spots on the podium. I'm ready to turn the page in my racing and start to bring consistency to this Expert level and ready myself for the upgrade of my life.

Telluride was a muddy mess after two days of rain. Thankfully the skies were clear when we started our Expert race at 10:30am. I went out hard and took the lead going into the first climb. I made it my goal to clear every section of trail possible, regardless to the conditions. I think this one move made all the difference in my performance. My riding originated on the east coast so wet roots and mud are no stranger to me. I wrestled my way through the messy sections and gained valuable seconds with every piece of trail I cleared. I pushed my limits in every way and my legs didn't fail nor did my lungs explode. But man I felt pain like I've never felt. Before this race I too easily settle into my 'just-below-discomfort-zone'. However, this weekend I kicked it up and over that line of comfort and I hurt for 2:46:00. Every bit of the way I dug deep and it made for a dominating day.

Once I was clearly in front of my age group, my new goal became taking the overall Expert woman finish. Every race Megan and others from her age group have come through our 19-29 pack. I rode furiously to prevent this. Around every turn I imagined Megan lurking and riding in her dominating way and I rode harder. It was actually a great technique because I finished 7 mins in front of my group and in front of the other Expert women of the day. Thanks for being my motivation Megan. I respect you more than you know.

Now is my time to start showing some consistency. I have the State Games this weekend here in Colorado Springs. Then Snowmass NORBA the following week and Eldora after that, with another long awaited short track. I'm excited that this win came while there were still a few opportunities left to repeat it. I'm trying to relax and focus on the process rather than the outcome. But once you've tasted victory you begin to crave it in a way you didn't before. I'm hungry!

Ask Chambers, he might be able to explain that Victory Feast better than me. Here's to up and coming racers. CoMotion Sports supports us well!

Remind me what "Victory Arms" mean?? I'm so confused.

Stuck in the Loo

Ummmm. What can I say......I made the dumbest mistake of my cycling career- I missed my start. I came out of the bathroom and heard the announcer sending my group. I hot-coffeed my way through all the senior men and started a nice 3 mins back. I sprinted the bottom valley and started passing several women on the climb. They would later pass me above 13,000 feet. O' the joy of cracking above treeline. Please don't check my time- it's that bad. I think my preride may have been faster. Sponsors line-up cause I'm terribly good...yeeeeaaaahhhhh! What do you mean I should have gone earlier...this was my 4th time of the morning. I think I may have a problem. Suggestions are welcome.

So I'm already nervous about Mt. Evans

Mass Appeal

Snowmass, CO
MSC #4
July 14, 2007
Expert Women 19-29

This race took me back to my roots and showed me how tall the tree has grown. I left the heart rate strap in the jeep and used my heart instead. It was a grueling race of climbing in the heat. But with words of motivation plastered to my handlebars I kept cranking when my mind tried to sabotage it all. I saw set backs and I overcame them. I lead the pack up the first climb and then in two laps would be from 1st to 6th place respectively. I rolled across the line in a delightful 3rd, a hard-earned 3rd (unofficially).

A few lessons learned:
-when I push really hard I forget my left from my right (I need to add R and L to my bars)
-ASR suspension rocks, from the tricky top section to the crazy descents
-when the going gets tough Spike riders pass from all sides
-camelbacks are only effective if you throw them off at the feed zone and feel surprisingly lighter and faster
-don’t let the rider in front of you get out of sight- because you may never see her again…until she shakes your hand from the top of the podium (assuming they got results right and had awards).
-you know you went hard when you finish and everything goes really bright as TC helps you to the ground.
-I followed Meeegan for a while and realized that when she races it feels like a really fun, fast afternoon group ride. She’s efficient and nearly flawless. I need to stick her line more often.
-Of all the race courses to repeat, why Snowmass. I’ll be back there in a few weeks for the NORBA. Ahhh, the anticipation to do this race again.

Endorphine BUZZ!

A.D., Kelli Emmett, and I got in our climbing miles yesterday on Mt. Evans, the highest paved road in the world. Kelli represented the competitive Pro arena. She climbed strong and pulled away (way away). She was in good form following a broken arm at a recent World Cup.

Alison represented the champion retirees who can show everyone up. She was kind enough to ride with me and then sprint up to Kelli and back. I'd say she did an extra 4 miles this way. Said she needed her Endorphin Buzz. She's a real addict, insanely so. At one point she sprinted away from me and said, "I ride so I can eat." I thought to myself...I'd just stop eating. (I was hurting at that point.)

I represented the population who takes time off the bike and then realizes how asleep their legs have become. I didn't shoot one Endorphin Buzz all day...I made a slow grind to the top. It was a good pre-ride for me before racing Mt. Evans in two weeks though.

All in all we matched up evenly enough. Apart from the fact that Kelli had to spend an extra 15 mins at 14,000 ft waiting for my sorry ass. She got over it on the decent (I think). And that Al had to swerve from shoulder to shoulder to stay at my straight-line pace. Still it was a great day on the free rollers.

I did get a little "frisky" as the coach put it, on the decent. I caught some screaming fast speeds and got by both Kelli and Al near the end. "Why can't you be frisky in the climb?" Al asked. I gave her a crooked smile and kept stomping the pedals. She knows I have it in me...which gives me no excuse to not let is shine.

Poets and Philosophers

I discovered a little more about myself this morning (which is always scary....those who know me understand) while reading Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt. I determined why I don't always solve my problems immediately. Problems meaning, anything that develops in my life that feels out of my control and is creating an internal struggle, namely my bike racing and job as of late. What I realized is that unlike the scientists out there I don't make it a problem and solve it. I make it a "mystery to be revealed". So I'm not really stuck...I'm just revealing mysteries. Hummph. I enlighten myself.

The Saga.

So it took eight days and nights without her, but now I'm back. After quite a bout with my bi-cycle the coach took her away from me and said "Find any other way but on your bike to have fun....if you need your fitness-fix hike or something." Well it's true that you don't know what you have until you lose it and that was the case for me. Just a simple commute to work was gone... So I waited and longed and pondered my deep love for that leather saddle atop that carbon rear triangle, those fresh knobby tires sealed against those stealth black rims, those hubs that purrrrrr when I coast, those tacky grips that ask me to hold them tighter, that limber fork that gives under my strong arms....it was all taken away from me.


But TODAY, today, I returned to my love and I held her passionately and firmly as we made up for lost time. Sweating, thrashing, grinding, pumping, swerving, pushing we reconnected and let it all fade behind us. She was a good fit this time. She responded to me this time. We were one this time. Needless to say I even practiced my victory arms on the ride down....she was breathless and happy. I was too. I conquered by listening and letting her show me how. If you think its sick and wrong you just haven't had THIS sort of ride on your bike. I'm sorry for you- you're missing out.

Careful not to light matches around me...Burnout may occur.

Crested Butte, MSC #3

One of my toughest races yet. With traffic like I-25 from Colorado Springs to Denver and dust like Kansas, I didn't kick my little (too little) ASR around the way I wanted. I never found my rhythm climbing, and I was on the brakes too much on the descents. I finished 7th out of 12....but thought I was racing for 3rd the whole time. HOW does that happen, you ask. Yeah, I'm not even sure. They started all Expert Women together and unlike, teammate, Megan I didn't nut-up and drive it to the front. She came by me like a race horse and I was the work horse they hired to plow the course for her to run.

I will say that once I got a little beer in me and some camp food Saturday night I enjoyed a 6hr. group ride with some 15 other fat tire abusers on Sunday. Crested Butte has some of the most stellar single track in the country (in my opinion). We worked our way over 403 and into 401. Good times. Tenderized legs. Aching muscles from head to toe. Even my fingers hurt. Ahhhh....

If its any consolation, I'm still top of my age group with points. Finishing counts for something. Geeez, come Snowmass I'm going to resume 'under dawg' status and just race my bike. wtf.

PARK your wideload in the CITY.

Another one bites the dust.

To the point: we win some, we loose some....except I haven't been able to 'win some' (yet). So I was sitting on the balcony of our condo at Park City this weekend, sipping a delightful pink energy drink and nibbling on oatmeal, wishing myself to the top of a podium. That's all well and good. But then when the gun fired hours later, I didn't jump like I was springing to the top of that podium.

The coach and I talked strategy and I knew I couldn't win this race in the first lap. What I failed to realize was that I could loose it in lap one. I went into the first climb second to last. I passed one rider. That put me at 16th. The next climb I moved up 3 places. And then before the long descent I moved up 3 more. Still only setting at 10th place. By not getting a good “up front seat” early on I made it nearly impossible to be a podium contender. I see the folly in my thinking. Conservative is smart, but only to a point. This is a race. I must jump off the line like a hive of bees are chasing me and I have honey on my ass. I firmly believe that for me the intensity I start with is the intensity I maintain. When I have hard, fast starts I typically maintain a higher overall intensity vs. when I go out easier I have a hard time getting to those high numbers. I think my start was my biggest error this weekend. In a field that size and on a course with so much single track position is key.

Granted field size is relative. Iles was up against 80. Chambers was out there with 60 other guys. My 18 women doesn't seem so daunting now does it! **don't be hard on yourself, Musick, positive, positive, repeat, positive**

So I really think you “learn how to win races”. There is so much that goes into race finishes alone. I’m glad that I am becoming a consistent finisher. I’m doing a lot of things right, but I’ve yet to take all those rights and push them up to the top of my category. I don’t want to be a struggling Expert. But, I know that these experiences prepare me for the massive Pro level. I really want to learn what it feels like to win. I was really close in Angle Fire in both the XC and the STXC. I was clutching the XC win for a good part of that race.

"Head in the game, Sarah, head in the game. Crested Butte is days away!"

Over and out. Both.

Updated 2007 Schedule.

My Season Stops:

March 17-18: TT, Crit, RR- Boulder, CO
Mar 31-Apr 1: NORBA#1 – Phoenix, AZ
April 7: Yeti Spring Series#1- Nathrop, CO
April 15: AFA Road Race- CoSpr, CO
April 26: Meridian Training Race
April 28: YSS #2-Nathrop, CO
May 1: Meridian Training Race
May 5: LookoutMtn. HC- Golden, CO
May 12-13: MSC#1 – Nathrop, CO
May 26-28: MSC#2 – Angel Fire, NM
June 16-17: NORBA#3 – Park City, Utah
June 23-24: MSC#3 – Crested Butte, CO

Quit Training for 3 Weeks!
July 14-15: MSC#4 – Snowmass Village, CO
July 21: Mt. Evans Hillclimb
July 28-29: MSC#5 – Telluride, Colo.
Aug. 11-12: NORBA#6 – Snowmass Village, Colo.
Aug. 18-19: MSC#6 – Nederland, CO
Sept. 1-3: MSC#7- Keystone, CO

Wings and Flames, MSC #2- Angle Fire, NM

Of all my racing experience so far, I believe Angle Fire '07 was my best weekend yet. I had a riotous XC and a power surge in the STXC.

I'll give a quick play by play:

XC:

My Expert class of women went out fairly slow, unusual for a MSC race. I was setting mid pack going into the climb. As the other ladies started to blow up I ramped my effort. I moved up to second and set on the leader's wheel up the climb. She was my focus, having beat me by 13 mins in Nathrop. I knew I could not let her get away from me. At the top she and I were both off of our bikes through the end of the rock garden. I jogged my bike by her and went into the decent first. Then one mistake on a root took me from first to third by the end of the first lap.

Four of us were together at the lap line. I settled back in and moved from third back into first as we climbed again. This time I started to pull away. I had good legs and felt like I could. Then teammate, Megan came by me. Her presence boasted my moral and I took the opportunity to get farther ahead of my age group. I had gaped them by a couple of minutes. That is when I started to get a cramp in my stomach. It felt a little like a runners side cramp. As I pushed it worsened to the pain of an appendix about to rupture. I dropped my endurance drink at the water station and started getting pure H20 in me. Pretty soon I was off the bike, doubled over in pain. I told myself to keep moving. I was leading the race, how could I possibly stop. Through excruciating pain I keep moving forward. Every glance over my shoulder I expected to see my competition gaining on me. By the top of the climb two women had passed me. I made it my goal to top the climb. I knew I could tolerate the pain descending and finish the race. I did just that and rolled across the line in third place. Thankfully I didn't drop out, because it still equaled a podium finish.






STXC:

This was the race where I learned what it felt like to actually RACE. I was really lacking motivation at the start line. A friend of mine (who is a coach himself) told me to hold back more at this Short Track start then in others. He said it would be easier to attack them when they got tired than when they were fresh. I think altitude played a hand in that as well. So I went out hard enough to be in the first half of the pack but not to be in any kind of decent position. I sat in this place for 4 laps or so. Then I recognized that I either needed to race or get out of the way. I chose to race. I started working my way up from 9th place to 8th, 7th,6th. Pretty soon I was setting in 3rd place behind teammate Megan. I trailed her for a lap and then said "what the hey..." and gunned it. I passed her and took off after the woman in first. There was quiet a gap up to her. Each lap I narrowed it by seconds, but it still felt daunting. I was completely maxed out. I put everything out there. It came down to the final lap. I was still several seconds behind her. The announcer said there was little chance of "Musick" catching the leader. At the bottom of the uphill finish a friend of mine screamed "Sprrrrrinnnnttt". I bolted out of the saddle long before I had planned to and put the hammer down. It was one of those moments were everything almost goes black. I crossed the finish line some 6 inches behind first. She dropped her bike and collapsed to the ground. My lungs felt like they would explode with every exhale. It felt simply incredible. This was a break through race for me. I'm sure of it. I found that place of suffering and I didn't hide from it. I faced it. I suffered. And it made for a stellar race. The only thing better would have been to take her at the line. Next time...

Short Track VeloNews

Chili Challenge XIX
Angel Fire, New Mexico
May 27

Short track
Women

1. Katie Compton, Spike Shooter
2. Gretchen Reeves, Tokyo Joe's
3. Kelley Mattingly
4. Caitlyn Tuel, Trek-Volkswagen
5. Kristina Andrus, BMC-Sports Garage
6. Heather Baumgartner, Colorado Singletrack
7. Becca Blay, Bear Naked-Cannondale
8. Sonya Looney, Tough Girl-Contessa
9. Stephanie Ward, Spike Shooter
10. Sarah Musick, CoMotion

4 inches happier. (This is not SPAM).

So I bit the bait. I turned in my purist ARC plans and am now building up a stellar ASRsl race machine. There will be baby pictures posted as soon as she's done (yes, 'she'). And let me say now, that I realize I may well have back pain for the rest of my life for racing a hardtail at Angle Fire, but the new gal just won't be ready to go by then. I'll keep my bitching and moaning to myself when I finish my XC race. Deal?