Jonesin to get up high on top of a mountain….

Today was a little endurance, a little Zone 4 hill intervals up Four Mile Canyon.  It was good. :)  I dusted off my Cannondale SuperSix road bike and we took off for about 3 hours this morning.  I still could not stay away from the dirt though!!

High Five!! VERY NICE!

I also am going to start teaching one or two spin classes a week atApex Recreation Center. I figure it’s an AWESOME way to teach people about cycling, the right products to use, nutrition, and training. Heck, I got into cycling from spin classes! I went and sat in a class for an hour today. I love talking to people who are new to the sport. In fact, some of my really good girlfriends just got bikes and I’ve been having a great time answering all their questions!!!

I’m doing a little bit of riding the rest of the week, but mostly working my tail off and resting up for the race this weekend. I’m getting really excited. Next week I’m going to Outdoor Retailer where I will be carrying a large beach towel around to sop up my constant stream of drool. And Bonus!!!! I’ll be working for Ergon there. MY DREAM!!!!

Yes. Love.

This past weekend was really awesome. Jeff and I camped outside Twin Lakes (between Leadville and Aspen) and got in 2 3.5-4 hour quality days at 10,000 ft +. The views were spectacular, the trails were flowy and amazing, and the weather was nice and cool. I really can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.

Black goodness in the french press. Boulder Blend: Sumatra and French Roast.  That is Jeff’s french press. I bought a super cool orange one today!

Breakfast…. gotta do ‘er up right.  Here is a hint from chef Looney- put a little Bear Naked trail mix on top or even IN your pancakes.  Delicious…

Dinner time!!  People think it’s hard to cook while camping.  It’s not!!!  Just go for it.

“I will dominate your ass!!!!” (and he did too!)

Saturday was some Colorado Trail love up by Copper for about 4 hours. Coach came too to show off his MAD skills. He’s amazing on the bike. I am still in shock and awe.  Check out Jeff’s site for a video of Coach killing it over a log.

Whoa guns!!! This is Coach!!

Where the singletrack takes you.

My videos are getting better….

We had to do this a lot on the ride….

a hee hee hee.  Maybe just a little more than a high altitude high.  shhhhh!

That is called Janet’s Cabin. It’s one of those huts people hike, ski, or snowshoe to in the winter.

CO Trail. I really need to ride from Denver to Durango on this thing. Must conquer!!!!!

Super awesome. I feel so cool riding in the FJ.

Imperial fingers everywhere!  look! Views everywhere!

move along, move along! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

Mr Kerkove giving the trail hell.

Sometimes when you’re camping, a baby wipe showdown is the only way to get clean. And yes, the bag says biohazard. I needed a souvenir from the doc’s office at one point to be put to good use.

Perfection.  Wow.

Jeff is so tough that he drinks and bleeds chain lube.

Sunday was awesome because I got to ride the large and in charge climb that is in the Leadville 100. It’s a mountain road up to Columbine Mine at about 12,500′. It actually felt easier than the singletrack ride from Saturday even though it was roughly the same elevation… must be all that fireroad climbing in the snow to Gold Hill all winter long that helped.

On top of the world.

That would be a large herd of elk on the right slope.

So many cool pics from this road…what to post….

Go here and here for more pics.

The bane of my existence. Every Sunday back to Denver on I-70 from the mountains is like this. Rush hour, and then it magically fixes itself after about 15-20 miles. I don’t understand the physics of traffic.

Next race…Sol Vista MSC this weekend.

Until then… Mr. Kerkove has summed up the weekend pretty well. I will be filling in the gaps. Click here for Jeff’s site.

I am back to civilization and will update you guys tomorrow, but here is a little tidbit to sink your teeth into in the meantime…

Leadville is the highest city in the US at 10,152 ft. I’m off! Time for some fun and some bikey ridin’!

Don’t you worry, I”ll have lots of fun pictures. Camera is charged and ready. Coffee time!

I was allowed to do a really fun ride today- fun meaning I got to do a lot of intensity! I headed to Golden and rode Chimney Gulch/Apex/Grubstake. I really would like to get up to Nederland, but the drive is twice as long and I actually have to work during the day, despite what you may think!! I do ride a lot, but I actually do work 30 hours a week. I got to ride the Chimney Gulch climb not once, not twice, but THREE times!! They were 30 min efforts at just below XC pace. Today was one of the first times (last weekend included) that I felt like I didn’t need a GREAT granny gear on my bike. Granny yes, but I sadly felt the need for a great granny. Stupid anemia. I can definitely feel a difference and each week is better. My ace (tailbone) is STILL not all better as I sit here trying to stay on one buttcheek. At least it’s not really affecting my riding…it’ll heal someday.

It rained here today, but it was still hot in the morning. I drank about 140 oz of water… thank goodness for my Hydrapak, single bottle cage on my Scalpel (I have named him Heeman) and Ergon BD2 pack. Phew! That is 8.5 lbs of water!!!!

I accidentally left my lights on the Tough Bastard because I was so excited to go ride, and was very very lucky that a nice mountain biker guy name Gino gave me a jump. thank you thank you thank you thank you.

Enchanted Forest Trail… simply enchanting!

Oh so happy…and sweaty…and beastly. roooaaaar!!!

Chimney Gulch… trying to take different photos of the trail since this has appeared on here once or twice.

View from up high.

I’m trying to get better, I swear. I need a helmet cam sponsor or something.

Another milestone I hit this week is that i have been trying to get to 3 pull-ups in a row by August. I did yesterday, and I was able to do 3 sets. I’m not a T-rex after all.

I’m really looking forward to the weekend. Me and my favorite studly mountain biker and I are heading up to Leadville for some cool, thin air (I intend to wear my down jacket camping at about 10,000 ft) and some excellent high altitude training. My favorite. I actually have not been to Leadville before, strange I know. I am also really looking forward to Sol Vista MSC next weekend. I feel like I may actually and finally have something in the tank after everything I have been through this year. I have never been there either. Rumor has it that it’ll be a national next year and possibly even a World Cup. Weeee!!!!

Listen!

made of riding on the Colorado Trail the day after a SICK race. I ventured out on my own and did a SWEET loop that Coach told me about. I thought I was in Heaven, or at least hoped that is what it is like. I felt actually decent the day after… definitely a bit tired, but still able-bodied and wanting to ride longer than the 3 hours prescribed. I think I felt alright because I was very careful with nutrition for the race. I consumed 6 bottles and 5 Gus during the race, and also drank 3.5 L of water in the morning. Yes, I am a sweat beast. Need hydration.

I finally got to do a long enough ride where I used my Ergon BD2 pack for mountain biking. I was even more impressed. I have always hated mountain biking with stuff hanging on my back because it’s heavy, it moves around, it makes my shoulders hurt. So much that I usually stuff my pockets with bottles. There were moments that I actually FORGOT I was wearing anything on my back and it was not cumbersome AT ALL on the ripping fast descents. In fact, it stayed in one place.

My best friends for the day. Woodland friends. My Hydrapak 70 oz. bladder fit nicely.

Mmm Hmm

Game on!

Some people don’t believe in global climate change and look the other way. Believe it. These trees are dead b/c of the pine beetles. Why? Because it isn’t getting cold enough in the winter to kill them off…so instead, they are killing my glorious pine trees. Pretty soon, all that will be left is pine tree air fresheners for my car. ugh.

I’ll have my singletrack EXTRA single please!

I was able to put my direction in the top of my fork. A bike of many uses…

Video attempt number 2. Need to learn to ride one-handed a little smoother. I need a helmet cam…..

I forgot to include this in my last post. Ummm…. someone has a riding addiction, or just likes to go sit in the tanning booth for hours on end, ripe in the chamois!

Awwww, finally. It’s 10 PM and it’s the first multi-minute break I have had to sit down and write to you since 6:30 AM when the minister of death (alarm clock) awoke me from my sweet slumber. It’s tough being a bike racer because you’re gone a lot. When you are home, you are prepping to leave again, doing laundry, trying to train, WORKING, trying to keep up with your friends so they still love you…. recovery time is hard to come by. I.E. laying down with legs elevated sipping on crys (sorry, couldn’t help the snoop reference) I’m feeling better and better every weekend which is VERY encouraging.

Anyways!! The race!!!! I love riding in Breckenridge. I want to move there. Anyone want to give me a job? And then give me a job somewhere nice and sunny and warm in the winter so I can have cool tan lines all year? This was the first time that I felt GOOD in months…and I think it’ll just keep getting better. We’ll find out at Sol Vista MSC in two weeks. I rode up a long road for the warm-up and did some out of body hard efforts and was actually slightly concerned that I blew myself up.

There was a neutral start and I found myself riding with the fast boys for awhile…mostly trying to suck fat tire (no, not the beer…but I wish) until I could not hang on any longer. I made it up most of the paved road. The group had split in two and I was with the slower of the fast boys. We jumped on the singletrack and my legs were happy and telling me, “GO LOONEY!!!” so I did. Maybe a little too hard… I pegged my heartrate at 198 for about an hour. I did the 32 mile loop- the one that uses a large portion of the Firecracker course. The DH was very disappointing- all fire road and I actually blew myself up riding parts of the flat road and the DH. We filed back onto the CO Trail- I was going back and forth with a couple of guys. There were no ladies anywhere in sight, so I was duking it out with the boys. I had some tough moments at about an hour 45 into the race. It was climbing singletrack, I was blown, and getting to the length of a “normal” XC. I tried to sit back and spin the legs out, and backed it off to bring my HR into mid Zone 4. I usually race in Zone 5… I managed to recover and get a second wind. I destroyed the singletrack DH with my Scalpel- my bike is my true love. It is amazing and every time I look at it, I think, “I love my bike.” I really do. I know it’s sick. There was a really long fire road climb at the end and I managed to actually ride it with a lot of power and surprised myself. I crossed the line and was excited, but also wished I was doing the 68 mile race b/c I wanted to keep going. Sick?? Yes.

Following the race, I got to do an interview with the announcer guy and probably sounded like a toolbox…but it was fun anyway.

Results: What’s up boys? Good thing I didn’t pre-ride the course or every single one of ya woulda been chicked. Seriously…at the start, they were like, “yeah..some people took some of the arrows down, so don’t go too fast on the road or you might get lost. Hopefully you brought the course map with you. We even provided a zip lock bag.” Yikes?

My trophy. hahahaha

Garth (my teammate) got 6th in the 100.

Rocky Mountain High….

It was cool to attend and “enduro” event even though I was a wuss and did the shortened version. The feed zones are full of food and drinks, and you get more than a plastic number when you register. I got a whole goody bag of treats. It felt like looking in an Xmas stocking and Santa knew I was a good girl this year. I might have to try my hand at some 50 milers next year, just one or two. I used to do that my second year racing bikes. If anything, for the food.

Also, big congrats to Mr. Kerkove. He won the B-68 and stomped the competition. Maybe there was something in that coffee I made that morning….something that beckoned the top of the box…

And yes, there were many in his race…

Yes. Those are huge earrings. They are my podium flare. I did not wear the minimum number of pieces. I wanted to express myself

Full recap coming tomorrow. Need schlafen.

Umm… 32 is sort of endurance?

Getting my caffeine on

Aide station…too bad my race was too short to eat that stuff. Motivation to do the 100?

Sweet ride… beats my tough bastard.

So cute and tiny! That is NOT what she said.