The Best - Winning my 4th Xterra National Championship with my hubby Alan there to celebrate with me. And knowing my friend Shonny is coming ever closer to that top spot. 2nd is outstanding…and you are not, and never will be a “mini-me” to Mel.
The Better – climbing, climbing, climbing to over 7800 ft on the mountain bike. (And little bits of plunging downhill) to end at 6350 feet (1935mtrs). It was a cool ride early on in the shadows of Wheeler Creek Canyon. The ever increasing altitude finally exposed the trail to the sun, and we flashed in and out of the brilliant fall colors for the rest of the ride. The trail was bone dry and fast, not too technical, but rocky – so I did my best to cha-cha on top of a bike that was break-dancing. They don’t call it a Fisher ‘Sugar’ for nuthin’!
The Good – swim Pineview Reservoir- 4892 feet (1491 meters). I started near the outside left next to boat slips, of a clockwise 2 lap swim, and was hoping to avoid the mash. But it always seems like the two big guys – one on each side of me, decide to squeeze me out the back like somebody squishing the guts out of a grape. So I hesitated and headed even closer to the docks and finally bullseye the buoy. I had clear water to swim most of the way- to my dismay- I wanted to find some feet to follow. Altitude wasn’t a factor, nor the moderate water temperature and lack of wind :-D All systems good. I climbed out the water and through TA in 30:39. Just behind the inspirational challenged athlete Megan Fisher.
The Bad – but not so bad. The headache I get the first afternoon at altitude. Plenty of water, my compression tights and keeping up on my Hammer nutrition - all made short work of my adaption.
The Worse – Falling apart on the run- Altitude took its toll here. I ran better at Lake Tahoe- even though at altitude there, the course was flatter. Snowbasin run started at 6350 ft and climbed straight up a ski run to over 7500ft. I was so wupped by then, I didn’t really enjoy the rolly, flowy ‘horizontal’ trails that we ran before the plunge, and I mean plunge, straight back down the ski run to the finish on the lawn of Snowbasin Ski Resort. Thank goodness I came into this race aligned (thanks Dr Rob) and massaged (Thanks Steve) - and well, I’m gonna need some more of that TLC again!
The Worst - 5 pounds of luggage costing $145 to fly. My 55 pound bicycle box (47 lb at home) - weighed on a questionably zeroed analog scale from circa 1960 in the Peoria airport cost an additional $125 and the agent not knowing that a special item does not get the $20 baggage fee, added to the obscene charge of $175 for a bicycle -Total $320- Equal to the plane ticket that I purchased for my 170 pound husband…Me AND my bike weighting less than my husband. My soap box, but I won’t rant on.
Random Thoughts-
Nationals is always a good for re-acquainting myself with friends scattered across the country. What neat bunches of people.
Odgen 25th Street, Union Station, the ambiance all good. The artful horses throughout the metro area. Good eats: Jasoh’s, Karens Café, the Oaks. Oh, and the bakery that handed out huge warm slices of fresh bread for samples.
Perfect weather- warm, absolutely clear blue sky, low wind. Brilliant fall colors on the mountains.
Hill Aerospace Museum- the ghostly relics and not so old relics of man and flight.
Cool bike shop skylinecyclery.com Catering to all types of riders, Complete with dogs, a loft, and bunches of stuff to browse and buy. Of course, it’s a great place to pick up those CO2 canisters for those of us that fly.
http://www.brightroom.com/go.asp?60510853Has a great bikeshot Shots at Snapfish-available once I figure out the link.
