Where did I leave off?... Vacation riding, I trashed my legs, drove home from Carmel on Sat and then down to San Diego on Sunday to race a 20k TT at Fiesta Island. Intentionally started at a 10k pace, which went pretty well, considering. But then the wheels came off the bus and my overall time was mediocre. I came in 4th of 4, but my field consisted of one pro and two other women who’s cumulative age was less than mine. It was “ok” but by no means inspiring. I got to see @
Hermes and the Mrs, which is always nice. Turns out I also won the women’s open category for the SoCal TT Series. In the nick of time it seems, as this series won’t be a thing anymore. I have yet to learn if I actually won anything literally.
Then my legs were trashed. My workouts didn’t go so well all week. Then the cherry on the top was going to Big Bear last weekend and riding mtb in Fri and Sun at altitude. And doing a “gravel” ride on the mtb on Sat, from Yucca Valley in the desert climbing up towards Big Bear. Advertised that you could’ve done it on a gravel bike but no way. Very steep, rocky fire road with extensive sand. Like 1.5 miles of 3” deep sand going in and coming out. Fools errand on a gravel bike and in reality it was all mountain bikes.
Wound up riding it with a female friend who is a cat 1 mtb racer, her thing is adventure mtb racing. But she used to race cyclocross, downhill, enduro, you name it. “Sand is my jam,” she said to me and the day turned into Heathpack School of Sand. Lots of practice. It was a beastly miserable ride but a great day on the bike. We were planning on the 35 mile version but downgraded to the 25 mile. We had the same time for the ride, 2nd fastest women’s time of the day but there weren’t many women out there. Riding in the Joshua Tree forest was pretty cool.
Then I was really wrecked all of last week. Essentially took all week off. Today was the first day I felt normal on the TT bike. TT workout tomorrow and enjoyable ride on Sunday.
Also I’ve come to a decision that after National Senior Games, I’m going to transition to being a mountain biker who races TTs, There’s a pretty big world of women’s mountain biking out there and I’d like to avail myself of it.
Thinking about Rebecca’s Private Idaho as the goal event for 2020.