Another exciting weekend of racing #XCRacingBro has come and gone with the local CCCX Series hosting their 3rd round on a track that has probably not been run in over five years! With access to some of the “old school trails” that this series hasn’t used in a number of years, the last two events have featured courses that offer a great change of pace from what we have been racing over the last few seasons. This course in particular was HIGH SPEED! The moment Rod blew the start whistle, the pack rocketed up the familiar pavement start stretch and the race was on….the pace seemed to be #FullGaaazzz for the next hour and half! The high speed configuration combined with fun, flowing, single track, made for a ton of excitement…and in my case a bit of dehydration as I was so focused on, “pedal, turn, pedal, don’t crash, pedal, turn, pedal, pedal”, that I barely had time to drink from my bottle! This is what racing is all about – big time FUN!

Before the start Bri can always be seen wearing her pre-race smile and repping her awesome sponsors! With her trusty Marin CXR #Raawr and a course that suited her well, it was sure to be a good day! Unfortunately, a tire malfunction meant that she spent too much time in the pits instead of at race pace on the course. Seems like her mechanic needs to go back to MMI…

Nicky D is usually only this enthusiastic about the start of an Enduro! But, in anticipation of the California Enduro Series getting under way in a few short months, it means strapping on the lycra and busting out a different kind of “laps” than the gravity guys normally like to pound out!

The coolest thing about bike races are the friends and camaraderie that you experience! Our moto buddy Joe didn’t have his KTM250 today, but instead rolled over on his sweet looking IBIS Mojo to check things out and say hello. He knows a thing or two about racing too, as his motorcycle club, the Salinas Ramblers just hosted a hugely popular cross country motorcycle race last weekend – The Picacho Creek Challenge was my absolute favorite event back in the twist-grip racing days!

Dillon and Nicky D discuss the pro’s and con’s of going #FullLycraBro…

Warming up with Bri and Dillon on our top secret test loop! Not really, the trails around the race venue are easily found, super fun and offer many great options to warm the legs up with.

Your winner on the day! Jett Chandler may be young, but his prowess aboard a bicycle is known far and wide…and often feared! Switching from his trusty Felt hardtail, to a full suspension set up this year doesn’t seem to have done anything except continue to produce excellent race results! Congrats on a great day Jett!

Post race story time makes the racing seem TWICE as exciting! On the left, Peninsula Bike Works, Micah Mozal and on the right Dustin and his son listen in to what “really” happened from a key eye-witness.

“Mrs. Fitzy” not only came out and raced, but she sprinted to the finish line for a well earned post race beverage! #Motivation. It’s what keeps the pedals turning!

It’s hard to picture much better representation at the race than the Fitzy Family…no wonder they ride for Family Cycling Center! We love racing with them!

Bri coming to the line after a somewhat frustrating day. #NeverGiveUp is a requirement of any successful racer and I am proud of how she persevered through the adversity of the day to still put in a strong ride!

My finish line face isn’t nearly as pleasing as Bri’s…This is the look of #IsItOverYet ?

Did we mention how rad it is racing with your friends? Seriously, we go to these big social events where there are a bunch of people dressed in lycra, hanging out and having fun. The race is just an ancillary benefit!

Bri’s podium with Rock Lobster’s Campbell Steers taking the win over IBIS supported Lili Heim. I definitely like the new blue and orange Marin/Rabobank jerseys – looking good!

Racing with Micah is always a treat! But, as good as his bike skills are, his photoshop talent is equally impressive…

Maybe the best podium shot EVER? What do they say – Boys who race together stay together? I’m not sure exactly, but I almost pee’d my pants laughing when he sent this pic over…Too funny!

With another great day of racing in the books, none of this would be possible without all of the support of the companies that help us all out. For me, Cupertino Bike Shop has been there for a loooong time…and while my IBIS Tranny 29er is new to me, I sure love the feeling this hardtail offers on the race course or just cruising around the trails – so comfortable and fun!

And sheeesh…one more thing
WILL YOU PLEASE CUT THAT FORK DOWN TUBE DOWN ALREADY…? I don’t know which is better… the “extended Garmin mount fork tube” or the incredible hand holding podium picture! Be sure to be at the next race this Saturday, where there will likely be more new race trails and more good times that you will definitely want to be a part of! Thanks for a great race Keith!

For tough-souls, the popular Central Coast Cross Country Series (CCCX) started under ominous conditions last weekend during one of our much needed El Nino winter storms! With the onslaught of “real winter” forcing many riders to adapt to the unfamiliar conditions, Bri and I decided to delay our race debut until this weekend for a variety of reasons – and no punches pulled, the weather was definitely a factor! However this weekend, racers were welcomed by a true blue-bird day with conditions that make this area one of the best places to live anywhere!

I was especially excited about the event and rolling out some hot new wheels in the form of an IBIS Tranny 29er hard-tail. It’s been a while since I raced a hard tail and I was a bit nervous with the move, but this bike has sparked a solid start to our relationship with it’s nimble – actually FUN geometry and responsiveness. I am looking forward to logging many more miles on this sucker!

In contrast to last weekend where I picture dark skies, rain clouds and heaps of mud, today offered racers an incredible day of racing to prepare for! We parked by the Scotts Valley Cycle Sport tribe and talked about dirt bike racing. It was RAD!

Bri was doing work! She absolutely loves her 650b Marin Team CXR! The smaller wheels make for a quick and responsive machine that is very capable of roosting XC courses to bits and pieces!

Is this a great day to race bikes or what!?!?!?!?!?

Dillon is ALWAYS SUPER PUMPED TO BE ON HIS BIKE!!! Especially, after racing a brutal XC race. I wonder what the IBIS Team Rider is thinking… “Just wait until Enduro season starts! I love my Tranny, but I can’t wait to get on my Ripley LS!”

Stephanie was ripping up the course on her way to a solid 2nd place finish! I followed her through the “flat berms trails” and she was slicing the corners like a real pro! Not only can she ride, but she is an amazing baker and I *might* have overly indulged in the delicious cake she brought to the race! YUM!

Micah and Kimberly are such a cute couple! The man stomping out podium power on his way to a strong first place finish today is also a long-time cycling fixture on the central coast and has something special in Peninsula Bike Works – check them out! Yes, that bike is as FAST as it looks – well with Micah at the helm that is 🙂

Wow, did we ever have an incredible cheering section today! The Spoke Crew was in full force, with one racer and the rest taking spectating duties to an all new level! I was compelled to make sure I wasn’t dragging butt too much when approaching their cheer zone each lap. Thanks for the yells guys!

There is A LOT of speed in this picture! DC10’s Jett Chandler and some very speedy Salinas HS Cowboys represented by Noah and Ryland – all of these guys were flying along the trails in a train of speed that landed them all on their respective podiums, Wow great work guys!!!

The camaraderie of bike racing is second to none! Good friends and good times!

Your race winner for the 2nd week in a row – Alex Wild riding for Specialized and Trail Head Cyclery. Last week an Epic, this week a hard tail Stumpjumper, we will call him Mr. Versatility!

Michelin is making a strong push in cycling and these XC tires are seriously good! The Wild Race’R Advanced Ultimate is designed for super fast XC racing. I ran a 2.1 in the rear and a 2.25 in the front for an incredibly light and speed seeking set up.

This is a shot of the Michelin Wild Race’R Advanced Ultimate 2.25 mounted up front in 2.25.

And that’s a wrap for this week! I love this podium shot of Bri and her 2nd place Pro finish! Marin Bikes – Raawr!

Another race in the books! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for sure and I wasn’t sure if I was going to race the Kamikaze games or not with Brian in the ICU two weeks before. But….I made the trip, not alone thank goodness, and was stoked to have the final race under my belt.

Before I left, I made sure Brian had his cooler packed by the couch and had people checking in on him over the weekend. I picked up Dillon bright and early and we made the trek through Yosemite to the beautiful Mammoth Mountains. (Our drive wasn’t without some silliness with my little Bae!)

We showed up to the condo and met friends, Jordan Hartman, Tylor Giger and Teamie Evan Geankoplis and got ready to pre-ride. I was a little nervous for the weekend as Brian had almost died from his injuries due to a crash and Dillon broke his thumb on the same trip two weeks prior… So my goal was to have fun and, as my mom says, STAY ON THE BIKE!!

The first run went awesome, it was my favorite run of the day from the top of the mountain all the way to the bottom! It was Tylor, Jordan and I riding together and we headed up for the second run which was Bullet. It was Jordan first, then me and then Tylor…the top section went well so we headed to the lower section. Unfortunately, Jordan went super fast through this one techy section and hit a tree going about 25mph and…. I saw the WHOLE THING! I thought he was dead at first, he hit the tree straight on super fast! I waited for the next guy to come up behind me so we didn’t cause a massive pile up and I ran towards Jordan to check on him. He was definitely a little shaken up and I had him sit aside so we could do a body inventory. Luckily for us a medic was headed up the hill to check on someone else with a broken collar bone but he stopped to help Jordan out. He was super nice and got Jordan down to the condo so he could get to the hospital. Jordan had to make it a little exciting for the nurses so he decided to pass out while going in for the xray!!! Crazy boy!! He ended up breaking his collar bone and was beat up from the feet up, but for the most part was a VERY LUCKY GUY!!!

Tylor and I headed up to do the rest of our runs which went well so we headed to the condo for some dinner. I don’t think I could have had a more fun group of friends to stay with, we were all laughing and having fun the whole time!! Plus Brian joined us for the trip too. 😉

The next day all of us tried to stay calm and not get too nervous as we didn’t race until Sunday. Tylor, Jordan and I packed a picnic and headed to Lake Mary where we sat on the beach and swapped stories with a nice scuba diver we met.

The next morning we were up bright and early as our practice was from 7:00-7:45. Tylor and I were able to get two runs in and we were ready to race. I lined up first as the Pro Men and Women were the first to go. The first run was on Bullet and I felt pretty good (I heard Dillon cheering in the rock garden), I nailed all my lines and most important I stayed on the bike. The nice part about this race was that we ended up at the Canyon Lodge each time, so I didn’t need to carry extra water or my enduro hip pack!

I pedaled up to the next transfer where we got on a short lift to start the next segment, which was probably one of the more pedally segments. I felt ok pedaling through the stage, then I got to the infamous “Elevator Shaft” (Where I heard Dillon cheering again!) a super steep hill that has very deep pumice and you are pretty much out of control the whole time. My foot came unclipped about halfway through, but I was able to get my foot back on and sketch out the rest of the hill. HAHA!!

Watch Jordan’s video of me here!

I then headed up to the 3rd stage, the one from the top of the mountain all the way down to the lodge. We got to ride the gondola up and I got to chat with my new friends Amber and Kristen. We got to the top and took off for the long descent! Again, I had a good run and didn’t have any get offs and I heard Dillon cheering for me again!

I then took the last lift up for the last run of the day, I was so ready to be done!! The elevation kills me up there! I had a good last run and only had one little half tip over but made it all the way to the bottom pretty much unscathed!! I ran into Tylor who wasn’t able to finish the race due to some mechanicals, so we headed to the condo to get everything packed for the drive home.

As soon as I got to the condo I had a breakdown, I think I was just so physically and mentally exhausted from the last few weeks. I didn’t realize how much energy that all really took out of me. I saw the times and was definitely bummed I didn’t do better. I felt good and didn’t have any crashes, but my body just wasn’t where it should have been for the last race. I ended up 5th for the day and 3rd overall for the series. Lauren Gregg ended up in 2nd for the series as I only had a 3 point lead on her coming into the last race. The Rabobank Team ended up 2nd overall on the podium too!

Overall it was a great season!! I couldn’t have done it without all of my amazing sponsors especially Marin Bikes and Rabobank!! The season had it’s ups and downs, but we are so lucky to get to do what we love every day and I wouldn’t change it for the world!!

Have you ever heard of Cryotherapy, Advanced Ice Therapy? Neither had I! But when I was at the Ferrari Event, there was a silent auction and one of the auction items was a Starter Package from GLACÉ CRYOTHERAPY.  As a cyclist I am familiar with the concept of ice baths which constrict blood vessels, flush waste products and reduce swelling and tissue breakdown, it helps with recovery and I think my legs feel refreshed after. So I thought I would get it as a gift for Brian!

I was a little jealous that Brian was going to use the package as I secretly wanted it for myself. Well….it turned out that after my crash up at Northstar, Brian thought I should use it. I checked with my Doctor to see if he thought it was a good idea and he thought it was a great idea! He said it would help with the inflammation and might even help with the pain in my leg.

So I called to set up an appointment and Brittney, one of the owners, said no appointment necessary and to come on by. She explained that the process would take less than 15 minutes from the time I walk in until the time I leave, so I went on by after work. I had to fill out an information sheet asking about some health questions to make sure I was ok to go on in. She then walked me into the dressing room and told me to put on a pair of socks, boots (they are scuba diving boots), a pair of gloves and a robe. I got dressed and walked into the back where they have their cryosauna. I got in and she shut the door and asked for the robe!! She said you can go up to 3 minutes in the cryosauna, but you still get the benefits from less time so if at any time I was uncomfortable I could stop. I told her I’m a tough girl and that I was going to go the full 3 min!! 🙂

My fashionable outfit                              My papa trying it out for the first time!

It definitely gets cold but it’s not unbearable, just don’t let the -270 degrees fool you! I am usually a hot person, so the cold is really refreshing for me! It helped to talk to Brittney to help the time go by so I wasn’t just thinking about how cold it was. I made it the whole 3 minutes and Brittney said I did really good, and that most people don’t go for the full time for the first visit.

When the time was up I got the robe back and hopped out to get changed. The first time they checked my skin temperature, it was 34 degrees (my lowest skin temp to date was 20*!)!! I felt so good after, my skin was cold and my leg felt better! Brittney told me that the more consistently I could come the better it would be for my recovery.

So I went 3 times the first week and every time I went I could tell it was really helping my leg recover. I went to the doctor the next week for a follow up and he said the bruising looked way better and I told him it was feeling better too. He said he was excited to try it out for himself!

I have now gone 8 times and my bruising is almost completely gone and I have been feeling better every day. I’m pretty sure Brittney and her brother Skyler are getting tired of seeing me so much!! They are really great and Skyler is the “Science Guy” so he really explains what is going on.

Here is what happens during and after the session: During vasoconstriction, toxins continue to be flushed from muscle and skin surface tissue. Red blood cells are enriched with oxygen, nutrients and enzymes. Upon exiting the Cryosauna when the Cryotherapy session is over, the body vasodilates and the enriched blood is released back to the skin surface tissues, muscle tissues, and joint spaces that have been flushed of toxins. After the session you may experience what is known as the “Cryo Rush”, a warm tingling sensation throughout the body, elevated alertness and overall sense of well being, similar to a runners high.

You can find out more about Brittney and Skyler, brother and sister and owners of GLACÉ CRYOTHERAPY by clicking here.

For my local friends there is a GLACÉ  CRYOTHERAPY location in Carmel at The Barnyard. There is also a location in San Jose and San Francisco, for my Oregon friends, there is a location in Medford. For all of my other friends you will have to find your local Cryotherapy location. 🙂

Happy Freezing!