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.