Bad Blogger

Hi, my name is Alison Powers and I am a bad blogger. I do not update my blog enough. I get in trouble from The Mom and from Sean Weide.

I have not posted an update in more than a week. I have been in Bend for the past 7 days and have had stuff to blog about (good stuff!). But, alas, nothing has been posted. I am sorry for my delinquency however, I can not promise to get better.

If you would like up to the minute detail as to what's going on please check out-
http://teamtype12007.blogspot.com/

The other morning, I had a great ride with pretty views. We are staying outside of Bend in Sun River.

Mountain Bike Nationals-race day

Wow, what an interesting experience! Just because someone has good road riding fitness doesn't mean they have good mtn bike fitness. I have not suffered in a road race like I did yesterday in the mtn bike race ever. That's right, I said (or wrote rather), EVER. I wanted to quit several times.

However, due to many amazing people cheering for me and wishing me on, I was pushed and challenged outside my comfort zone. I surprised myself several times and I suffered to the finish. I did not get a good result, but I had a great training day both mentally and physically, and got a new appreciation for mountain bikers. It's a dang tough sport and it almost killed me yesterday.

THE decent

With less than 5 minutes to go of the race, I face planted. I'm still cleaning dirt out of my pores.

Mountain Bike Nationals

Getting ready for a one day, 2 hour race, will end up being a three day affair.
Day 1 was the drive to Sol Vista to pre ride the course and to register for the race (I am #90).

The base of Sol Vista has turned from a quiet summer ski resort, into a full on mountain bike show/expo. It's pretty neat.

The course pre ride lead to some needed bike work from the nice Titus Guy. Heidi G and little Amy D (who, by the way, won the U23 race today!) watch.

Day 2, today, was a mellow day. I avoided the "dirt scene" at Sol Vista and stayed home. I got my "roadie" on and rode my time trial bike (heaven forbid I get my mtn bike dirty after cleaning it yesterday).

Then, after inspiration from newly crowned U23 champ, Amy D, I sat in the stream and iced my legs.
Day 3 is race day. TBD as to what it will bring, but I'm sure it will be filled with nerves, exercise, eating, drinking, and a FUN TIME!

Mixin' it up

As a bike racer, you've got to mix it up. Keep it interesting. It's easy to get board riding your road bike day in and day out.

Six months ago, the challenge had been set. July 2009, Mountain Bike Nationals in Sol Vista Colorado. 10 minutes from Fraser, where I grew up. Same place where in 1996 I had a small problem and ended up in the hospital while racing a NORBA Cross Country. It was time for revenge.

There were a few hurdles to overcome.
1- Find and start riding a decent mtn bike.
2- get good at riding said mtn bike.
3- find a way to race a mountain bike race to get my upgrade to the Pro racing category.
4-hope and pray I don't have to race Altoona. That's a nice race, but it would conflict with Nationals.
5-survive mountain bike nationals (hopefully with a decent result) and continue on to Cascade.

Thanks to MANY people's help and support, hurdles 1-4 have been overcome. Hurdle 5 is Saturday. Cross your fingers...

Russell Tower

Dorm life; such is the case here at Fitchburg. We brought our own pillows and blankets and have tried to make it seem less and less like a prison cell.

Jackie and I have pretty much just made a big mess to make it less cell like (actually it is mostly my mess).
Vero and Sam have done a nice job of making their cell feel feminine. They have a cleaning lady that comes twice a day to pick up after them and clean their cell. Maybe she can come next door to help out Jackie and me (well, me mostly).Our bikes like the hallway.
Aww, no matter where you are, the pre race drink is always coffee. In this case, Moka Pot by Jen.
With coffee and fun people, prison isn't that bad.

The Commute...part 3

In November, I attempted "The Commute". To ride from home to Winter Park where I was ski coaching. Not only did I not make it, I had to get a ride with my Dad over Berthoud Pass. Now, 7 months later, it was redemption time.

A few things I learned from the first try:
1-Take your time. It's a long way and the entire ride is above 7500ft.
2- A coffee stop is a must!

The way there had a few entertaining moments-
Stop #1- bike shop in Idaho Springs. I had attached a 436 lb. "saddle bag pannier" to my seat post and the extra weight plus the swinging motion every time I stood up out of the saddle was causing my seat post to slip down.

Interesting comment #1- Shop owner as he is checking out my bike- "Oh wow! You even have a SRM to measure your power. You spend the big bucks...oh but you have Ultegra. What's with that?"

Nice bike shop owner

Stop #2- Empire. Espresso time.

Nice surprise- Seeing friend Martin as I was starting up Berthoud Pass. Thanks for the hello!
Not nice surprise- Major thunder storm right after seeing friend Martin.


Interesting comment #2- As I continued to climb to over 11,000ft in the rain, the temperature was dropping. I pulled over to the side of the road, leaned my bike on a car that was parked there, and proceeded to dig through my bag for more clothes.
Man- "HEY! blah blah blah..."
Me- am I hearing things? "Um hold on. I am jamming to Beyonce, I can't hear you." Fumble with cold hands to turn off my ipod. "What say?"
Man- "Your bike is leaning on my car!"
Me- is he for real? "Oh! Yes it is. My bad. Sorry."

I did not get struck by lightning, I did not need a ride, and I did not freeze to death. I made it to Fraser in one piece.

Dog Bite

Once upon a time, a dog lover and a not-so-much dog lover went on a mountain bike ride together. Dog lover told the n-s-m dog lover to get ready to "run from dogs". N-s-m dog lover put her game face on. To her, "running from dogs" meant get ready to kick, yell and curse at said dogs. Mostly to get ready to kick dogs in the face.

Out run 3 barking, growling dogs with the owner nowhere in sight. N-s-m dog lover's heart started pounding. She unclipped her left foot (ready for kicking) and got ready to yell. Dog lover, on the other hand, took the complete opposite approach. In a reassuring, talking to babies type of voice, he says, "hey guys! Hi! What's up? OOOWWWWW! You got me. Ya, you just got me". Dog lover got bitten.

N-s-m dog lover was pissed! She was ready to yell, at the owner this time, who by now has come out of the house and is telling her dogs to "get the hell over here". She was ready to take a picture of the wound, get the name and address of the owner and call the cops. Game on.

Again, Dog lover took the opposite approach. He kindly asked if the dog has had its rabies shots and he is ready to continue riding.

A few minutes of riding later, Dog lover and n-s-m dog lover come across nice people who give the Dog lover some first aid on the leg/bite and he is good to go.

The two continue riding and have a great time.

The End