Does She Look Smarter???
To our surprise, Madison failed her school eye exam.  Apparently, she's farsighted and her right eye is in pretty bad shape (kind of scary when I think about the trails she has been riding).  Anyway, she's really happy with her new glasses.  And now it's time to find some cool prescription cycling glasses (that don't cost a fortune).


Science Project
It's that time again.  Madison has decided to do her project on bike gears. So for the next several weekends, she will be tied up working on her project.  As stated in her research plan, she wants to determine which similar gear ratios will result in the highest speed.  Now that she's racing with the women, (that are at least twice her age and 3x stronger) she's hoping to eliminate un- necessary gear changes while at the same time maximizing her strengths .   Here she is at Morris Bridge working on a couple trials. 

Luna Rocks
A special "Thank You" to Luna for the little Christmas package.  Madison said the bar was awesome and tasted like candy. 

Just playing around with the video camera over the weekend.  It's short and a little rough, but hopefully as time goes by my video skills will improve.  Hope you like it!!

Unfortunately, the "BIKE GODS" were against Madison today.  Back it up to Saturday.  She had an awesome practice and about 90% of the course was the same as our family loop (we do at least twice a month).  She has never done a XC race at Carter, but has competed in (2) 6 hour endurance races there and did very well.  So today going into the race, she felt extremely confident and relaxed. 

Madison's great mood quickly made a turn for the worse. Kind of like for Christmas, you were expecting a new set of wheels and you got some ugly sweater. Well, Madison was expecting to do very well and it went to crap in a matter of minutes.  She crashed on Horseshoe (a trail she has been on a thousand times without difficulty). Flipped over the handle bars landing on her face and shoulder.  When I came across her shortly after the crash, she was riding with one hand and looked to be in a lot of pain.  She had planned on continuing with a the race, but I pulled her out.  As a father, it was a difficult decision to make, but I felt that in her condition it would be way too dangerous to go on (especially with the second finger being in the race course).

It was a quiet drive home. Madison was disappointed in herself and felt like she let everyone down.  After some time passing by and a little pep talk, she started to feel better.  All and all, I think she had a pretty good race season and some cool changes are under way for next year.

Good Bye For Now

I'm done.  Not with riding and racing, of course, but with writing.  I no longer want to share my personal thoughts, feelings, and life stories.  If you are still interested in reading about  how I'm progressing as a racer, my Dad will be posting a short report after each race (and maybe some pictures too).  So, thank you friends and family for following my crazy stories and leaving positive comments.  And who knows, when I  grow up and finally become that Pro Mountain Biker that I have always wanted to be, I will start writing again (or maybe sooner).  Good Bye.

I should just let it go, but I'm not.  I got a couple of negative comments (which I already deleted, couldn't stand looking at them) on my last post.  Some lady in my class (which I'm pretty sure I know who it was) said some mean things.  According to her, I have no business racing with the women because I'm not a woman. She says I'm holding up racers and causing crashes.  This is not true!!!   I could go on and on, but I don't feel the need to explain myself.  This is to Miss Anonymous:  Please stop reading my blog and if you have a problem with me, let me know right away instead of leaving anonymous comments.  I'm not going anywhere, so you might as well get used to me.

OK...I feel better.  I said what I wanted to say.  Time to move on.   .   

FSC #5 San Felasco

Well...I thought I was ready for the race.  I had a really good practice yesterday and the course was awesome, but today, I don't know what was wrong with me.  Things just weren't right!!  Thinking back, I had a good nights sleep, woke up in good mood, and ate a decent breakfast at the hotel.  I think, actually I know, when my stinky mood kicked in... as soon as I walked outside.  It was in the forties and I HATE the cold!! I would rather it be a gazillion degrees out than anything below 70!!  The only good thing about the cold weather was that I got to wear my METAL arm warmers.

...But they were even giving me problems.  They were so big I could have worn them as leg warmers.  No problem, Dad to the rescue with the electrical tape.

Then, it was time to warm up and get the chills out of my bones or I wouldn't make it off the starting line.

OK...that didn't work out, it only made me grumpier.

 I was extremely nervous on the starting line. And looking around at some of the other racers, I had a bad feeling I was not going to make podium this time.  And I ended up being right.  Long story short.  I was in the 5th position finishing the first 7 mile lap and almost through the entire second lap. I was giving it everything, I mean absolutely everything, I had.  Then, 6th got me.  I don't know how I made it through the finish line. I had no air left in my lungs and I was crying.  Was I crying because I lost my podium spot?  Maybe... or maybe it was because I have never pushed myself that hard before.  This may sound wierd, but I think this was my best race yet.

**Thanks to the Mace Family for the pictures.

 

FSC #4 ALAFIA

Although I hate to admit it, I haven't been on the bike in 2 weeks.  With the weather and not being able to tear myself away from the mini ramp (my skateboard skills are improving), the training stuff just didn't happen.  But I gotta tell you, no amount of training could have prepared me for the race course at Alafia!!!

After pre-riding the course on Saturday, I almost told my Mom and Dad that I wanted to bail out on the race.  I found the course to be extremely difficult.  With it's non stop steep rooty climbs and drops, I had a hard time trying to get the feel of it.  I practiced different lines to take on the technical sections and nothing really seemed to work (couldn't get the flow going).  Definitely a "power course"... and I only have so much power!! So, after getting home and really thinking about whether or not I should do the race.  I kept asking myself questions like:  Can I really do this race without killing myself?, Am I really up for this huge challenge? Should I take the easy way out and just skip it?  And my answer to the last question was, heck no!!! 

On race day for some reason I felt very relaxed.  I didn't even get all stressed out seeing the other 9 women in my class.  I felt like I was doing this race for me and as long as I did my best...I would be happy.

Here's my short race report because I'm really tired and I have school tomorrow.  I was 5th going into the woods.  Went back and forth with the 4th place lady. I think I got passed by all of the 11-14 year boys (they are sooooo fast!!) Ending up, you guessed it, in 4th place.   In a couple days, check out MTB Mike's blog, I'm sure he will have a cool video of the race.

Weekend Work

 Well...at the beginning of the week I was seriously thinking about doing the Gainesville race. Then, I got the flu and missed a couple days of school.   So, instead of racing, my weekend  was spent doing make up work and recycling the wedge into an awesome half pipe. I'm pretty lucky to have an "old skater Dad".  All I had to do was mention that I thought it would be cool to have a half pipe in the backyard... and then POOF...Dad was out of the house getting the needed supplies with my Papa. And after 2 days of hard work (and the help of my friends), this beautiful thing was created.

My Dad can still bust out some cool tricks.

FSC #2 FORT CLINCH

OK..here I was,  Little 66 lb/10 year old me about ready to race these women.  And I'm thinking...what the heck did I get myself into??  Then, the nerves started to settle in, my stomach was a mess, and I just wanted the whole thing to be over with already.

 

There was a total of 8 beginner women.  I was 6th going into the woods (not good, but better than last).  During the first 7 mile lap, racers #1 and #2 crashed, so I was able to past them and move up to the 4th position.  Feeling awesome and moving along at a good pace, I came across a difficult a climb.  I got off the bike and ran up the hill and ended up passing #3 racer. Then, I came across #2 racer and was able to pass her as she was pushing her bike up a hill. This was too good to be true. I was in second place and kept my position for the rest of the lap and throughout the entire 2nd lap.

Training Stinks

Does anyone hate training as much as I do?? or do you racers actually enjoy it.  I don't even like to hear the word (train) let alone actually doing it.  (Don't get me wrong...I love being on the bike and the rush I get from competing.  I just want to ride- to- ride without having to keep track of my speed .)  But with the upcoming race at FT Clinch , I figured I guess I should get a little practice in.   So I attached the Garmin to my bike, left Mom, Kiki, and Kai in the parking lot... and hit the trails with my Dad.

Oh...by the way.  Cool video of the Tallahassee race (11-14 juniors) on MTBMike's blog.  Too bad that race wasn't in my plan, it looked like alot of fun.

Totally T6

OK Twin Six...I don't think it's necessary to do a review on your awesome alternative cycling apparel.  I think our closets and drawers speak for themselves.  Just for fun I did inventory...and here's the results.

Total T6:  23 Jerseys
                60 T-shirts
                 6  Hats
                 3 Bib shorts
                 1 set Arm warmers
                3 Posters
                2 Thermals
                1 Sweatshirt
               Socks ??  Too many to count
             

 
Yes...we are T6 freaks and proud of it!!!

Tire Talk

Let's talk about MTB tires.  I know what you are probably thinking.  What does a 10 year old girl know about tires???  Believe it or not, I kind of know alot about tires. (Well, at least the tires that work for me, anyway)  So, if your interested in my not-so-professional opinion, keep reading.  For me, the WTB Wolverines 2.2 are my favorite tires.  And now with the new TCS system, my Dad was able to make them tubeless with little effort.  These tires are awesome for Florida.  From the rooty trails at Alafia to the rocky trails at Santos or even the technical climbs at Carter these tires are absolutely the best.  And because they are tubeless, I'm able to lower the air pressure without getting flats.  Lower air pressure + more traction = a ginormous help in climbing hills (I need all the help I can get).

Rolling on...while the Wolverines are my favorite, I was super happy to receive another set of WTB tires from Mr. Chris, the NANO 2.1. Not knowing what the trail conditions were like at Carter, I had my Dad throw the new set of tires on before heading over. And man... can those tires roll.  I was flying on the road and on the parts of the trail when it was nicely packed but, when it came to the sandy parts and the loose gravel, I was wishing I had my Wolverines.  It's so weird how quickly you can lose your confidence if you don't feel 100% comfortable on the bike.  Because I did not have my other tires on, I was a little nervous about going down some of the hills (thinking I was going to crash on the loose gravel).

And finally, sometimes it doesn't matter what kind of tires you have on your bike. It's just quicker to get off and run. (Rollercoaster)     

So thanks for reading my not-so-professional opinion on MTB tires. 

Changed My Mind

A couple weeks ago...I would have thought that I would be doing my write up on the Trail To Trail race.  But it's kind of hard to write about something you didn't compete in. Yep...I changed my mind.  At first, I thought I wanted to do it.  Having never done a 50 mile race before (20 off road/30 road), I was thinking it would be an awesome way to really push myself.  But then, I started looking back at the results from last year and there weren't many riders who did the entire race on a MTB (most racers switched to road bikes).  So, I said to myself...Self?? Do you really want to do this race knowing that you will most likely be at the back of the bus (especially when it came time for the road part)???  I can just see it now...my Dad and I finally finish up with the race and everyone has already packed up and left. So anyway,  after thinking about it for a couple days, I decided to skip the race this year.  So sorry, I don't have anything exciting to report.  Still riding everday and getting excited about the upcoming race season.

Today's Tip

Don't think you can bust out and do some crazy tricks on your skateboard if you haven't been on one in 20 years. Yep...you guessed it, my Dad got hurt AGAIN!!

Welcome to my training ground.  I decided to ditch the intervals for some wedgie climbs and ramp jumping.

I know as I get older I will have to take training a little more serious, but right now I'm just having fun.  I don't know if this will help me get any faster, but I do feel like my legs are getting stronger.  

Short Ride at Santos

Most people wouldn't drive 3 hours for a 2 hour ride, but hey, we did!!  Normally, it takes about 2 hours to get to Santos, but not today.  We got stuck in a monster traffic jam.  I think we moved about an inch every 5minutes for 15 miles... not fun, especially if you have to hold it (if you know what I mean).  Anyway, we finally made it to Santos...and guess what??  It started to rain.  But what ever, we weren't going to let a little rain bother us, so we continued on. With the trees acting like gigantic umbrellas, we only felt light sprinkles  for the first 6 miles.  The ride ended up being pretty awesome. Too bad we had to be home by 7:00, I wasn't ready to leave.

Now that our puppy Kai has had all of his shots, it was time to take him out exploring.  Saturday, we started out by first bringing him on a short hike at Starkey Park.  Then, we headed over to Pet Beach at Honeymoon Island for a swim.  He did awesome at both places!!

Sunday, we left Kai at home and headed over to Morris Bridge. Got a quick 15 mile ride in before it started to rain.  And that's about it... Bye for now. 

 

Project Wedgie

Had fun building this for our backyard...had even more fun riding it!!! 

After watching the tour all morning long, I was ready to do a little riding myself.  So, we loaded up and headed over to Lakeland.  It was only about a gazillion degrees out, but no worries, I was going to be riding at my favorite place and I couldn't let a little heat bother me. The trails were perfectly packed today and our ride was going very smoothly.  We came upon Sneaky Snake and for some reason I'm unable to make the last climb out.  I'm terrible about using my gears. I figure, if I can't power up the climb without switching gears, well then... I just can't make it.  But, that's kind of stupid, huh??   So, after my first attempt today, my Dad told me to go 2 gears lower.  And what do you know, I made the climb.  Then, I had to do it  2 more times to make sure it just wasn't a fluke.

1st attempt



Second attempt, I made the climb.

 Now, The Moe was a different story.  I tried this trail for the first time today.  And gee, I counted 13.  13 times I had to put my feet down, not good!!  Lots of rooty climbs followed by tight trees, then more rooty climbs and tight trees.  It was very hard to get going, especially since I kept putting my feet down. But I'm not going to let it discourage me, so maybe next time I will try for 10 (10x feet down).  Pretty descent goal to shoot for, huh???

GO EVANS!!!!

URBAN MTB CRIT

 Now that was fun!!! I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into having never done these types of races before.  But I ended up having an awesome time.  I took Sebastian's advice and lined up toward the front.  Of course all of the super fast racers passed me when they got  a chance, but I think I had a pretty good pace going on.  There was a total of 7 women racing yesterday and my goal was only to beat one.  The first 2 women took off like a rockets and I never saw them again until they lapped me toward the end on the last lap.  And the third woman wasn't too far ahead me, but she was just too fast to keep up with.  So, I just held my position knowing that there were still 3 women behind me. I paced myself and ended up doing 6 laps in the 35 minute time limit. I had such a good time and definitely want to do it again next year.  Oh... and thanks to Cody's Mom and Brian for the awesome pictures.   

My Next Race

So...I  guess I'm going to be doing the next race by myself.  Normally, my Dad would race with me, but not this time. He has one of those rigid singlespeed bikes, not the best kind of bike for this type of race.  And plus his fingers are all messed up.  I'm pretty sure he has broken at least 3 of them and never got them fixed, so the whole riding down the stairs part with no suspension would be pure torture for him. Anyway, it'll be just me this time and my first race on the road. And to be honest, I'm a little nervous. I've been watching the tour...I've seen what happens to those poor racers when they crash.  Not that I will riding 30/40 mph or anything, but still that road can really tear you up!!  I'll just have to be careful and go at a nice safe pace and hope nobody knocks me over.  Looking forward to the challenge.

Can I Ride Down Stairs??

 That's a question I have been asking myself.  Just for fun... I would like to compete in the URBAN MTB CRIT next weekend.  I just wasn't sure about riding down the stairs though.  I've ridden down curbs and a couple stairs in a parking lot before, but never a bunch of them.  I mean come on, how often do you come across a set of stairs in the woods??  But how bad can it be, just like riding down a rooty downhill, right?? So, it was time to find a place where I could practice.  After riding around, we came across only one place, my Mom's old high school.

OK, that was easy!!  Now I feel better about the race next weekend.