Round the Mountain...twice!

Sunday marked the first annual Round the Mountain event in beautiful Kimberley BC. The organizer's of this event should be extremely proud of themselves! The events went off as scheduled, trails were marked clearly, the finish area was perfect to attract spectators and competitors to hang around, and awards were presented in a very timely fashion!
I had been looking forward to this event, as I enjoy doing races close to home, and I was excited to ride this Round the Mountain route in it's entirety! I was not disappointed, although it was a tough, grueling run, it was beautiful! For some reason I always forget how hard these races are going to be....but I soon remembered after just minutes in to the run, as you start running up and up and up!! You get a reprieve after about 5 km and get to cruise down a bit, after which the singletrack running is always good for taking your mind off the hurt, as you have to be so focused on the trail, to not trip over all the rocks and roots...I still found myself hitting the dirt a few times! The steep ups on Coral were....steep....but after this, was the home stretch...kinda, there was one more evil twist, as you hit the Xcountry ski trails and think (well I thought) was just going to cruise you back to the start/finish, and it did, except, they managed to cram in some switchback climbs.....and some were steep...it hurt at this point!!
Alas they are some smart people, and right after this, it cuts on to some super hard pack, fun singletrack, and that is what takes you to the finish! It was fabulous!
I say fabulous, but I actually still can't walk, as I feel as though someone took a hammer to my quads!
I was sure looking forward to the bike after the run, and it was super fun! I enjoy the climbing more on the bike, and again that last bit of singletrack to finish the race was superb!!
There are some fast riders around here, and I found myself riding alone for a bit after the initial climb...before being pushed a bit with riders closing in on the steeps in Coral and then being passed on Rock Slide trail......sure wish I could still stick a bit closer to those fast guys!!
This was a great event!! I recommend registering early next year, as I think it will sell out FAST!!
Thanks Kimberley Orienteering for an amazing day!

Things to get excited about!

I made a unicorn pinata!!
Early morning swim at Jim Smith
Avery's new dolphin floaty
Jackson on his new Sharky floaty!

With Wasa over, I still find myself with many things to look forward to!
I Enjoyed a great local bike race last Sunday, hosted by Favorit bike shop. It was held up in Eager Hills, it is a super fun 8km loop with a good climb and some fast, fun singletrack.
There was an amazing turn-out with close to 40 riders! We did 3 laps of this course, and let me tell you, it doesn't matter if it is a local weekend race or a Nationals XTERRA, it is still just as hard! There are some fast riders around here, and trying to keep up to them is good training! I was hoping to keep up to a few more....but just couldn't do it! I felt like I was riding strong, and had a great race! I also learned my lesson for not carrying an extra tube on this day :o(

Being lucky enough to have kids and still train and race, my life is full of things to get excited about! I certainly get very excited about the races I do, but with everything being so busy, I look forward to my scheduled workouts (even if it is on my treadmill or trainer!) I look forward to our beautiful early morning swims at Jim Smith, and I definitely get excited about getting out for a mountain bike ride!
This is where life gets really good though! I love Monday gymnastics day, I get excited about taking my kids to gymnastics! I get excited about Sam Steele Days, about a day at the park, Fort Steele or just a day exploring downtown. The Library!! I love it when I know we are going to spend a few hours at the library, and I look forward to the days that I know we are just going to chill at home, or visit with friends! :o)
I find I have something to look forward to every day!! Life is good :o)
With that being said, I am really excited about the kids birthday party today! I am super proud of the unicorn pinata I made!
Tomorrow is the first annual Round the Mountain race in Kimberley!! This is going to be so much fun! This event consists of a 20km trail run in the morning, followed by a 20km mountain race (same trail) Racers can choose the run, bike or both!
Shawn and I had a chance to pre-ride the course this past week, and it is so much fun! The run will be tough, the ride will be amazing!
I am very excited!

My Friend Kerri.

Waiting for the rain to stop.....it didn't. I am glad that we didn't wimp out, the riding was super awesomeness!!!
Trying to stay dry----it's hard riding with an umbrella----yes I am a wimp!
Kerri- Coming down Shannon Trail above Dipper Lake----an old fave!
Myrtle Junction- trying to decide which trails to ride---too many to chose from!
Kerri- Coming down Shannon Trail
Coming through Rock Slide Trail
Rocky Rock Slide Trail!

My Friend Kerri......
Years and years ago now, I started mountain biking....I wouldn't say Kerri was the one that got me into the sport, it may have been a boy that convinced me to purchase my first mountain bike, and taken me on my first ride.....but after my first ride with Kerri, I knew I had to get better!

I knew Kerri a little from school----we definitely were not friends though :o)
I knew Kerri from working together at Max's Place, where at times we hated each other, we fought and screamed at each while we worked, Max had to tell us to take it to the back!
We were not friends :o)
But somehow we ended up going for a ride together, she took me from town, up to South Star trails....she took me the hard way, through extra bits of single track, up extra hills.....(apparently she still hated me) so that by the time we actually got to the South Star trails, I was DONE! I just went home! I am serious, I couldn't ride anymore, I was embarrassed and humiliated, but there was no way I could keep riding with her that day! We were still not friends.
This just increased my desire to get better! Kerri made me realize how much better I could get at this sport, how fast a girl could be!! She was awesome!
I spent most days biking alone, getting stronger and improving my technical skills. If I came to a hill I couldn't get up, I would attempt it over and over, sometimes until I got it, sometimes until
I was too exhausted and would have come back the next day! Some of these hills took years to conquer!
I don't remember when my next ride with Kerri was, but at some point we were riding together regularly, and the next year we did our first mountain bike race together, (despite being told that we were too slow to race).
Kerri won that race, even with going off course a bit.
I don't remember how I did in that race.
What I remember is that somehow Kerri and I became friends, and I became a Mountain Biker!

Kerri was here visiting for a few days, and we went back to our old romping grounds, we love riding in the Kimberley rooty, rockiness! It is so different from riding in Cranbrook!
Kerri lives WAY up North, where she doesn't even have her mountain bike....but she still rocks!
xoxox

Wasa week!

In the money this year at Wasa!! Yeah!

Start-finish area at the Wasa Triathlon!
Wasa Lake----getting ready....it really is a beautiful spot out there!

Avery waiting in the wings for her Year-end Gymnastics show to start!
The kids playing on the beach while I raced. Avery really wanted me to win this race, I told her that I wasn't going to win, and she said "Mommy, how about if we just speak to all the other racers before the race, and ask them to let you stay in the lead...then you will win!!"
Swim start
Shawn was the lead kayak for this race
Coming out of the water
with a disappointing swim time.
Yeah! Top 5!!
By far my best finish in this race!
It was a busy week preparing for the Wasa Lake Triathlon. I did a little more volunteering this year, some grocery shopping, bag stuffing and setting up the start-finish area with Sherri. And of course helping out with Tri-kids on Saturday, as the 4-5 year old Pod leader!! I love this job!! These kids are so excited, and just so darn cute!!
I rushed home right after this event, just in time to go to Avery and Jackson's year-end Gymnastics show. This is Avery's favorite thing in the entire year!! As you can tell she was very excited! I decided to not put her in the kids triathlon this year, but there looks to be a fun one in Fernie in September that she might do.
So...finally I get to start actually thinking about my Sunday race....by now it is late, and should actually be in bed....but that is not the case :o)
Sunday---5:30am came early :o) I was tired!!
Pretty smooth morning though, the Wasa triathlon runs smoothly and easily for check-in, body marking and chip-pick up! Very happy to see the velcro strap back this year!!
We had 90 mins after setting up our transition before our race time, but I love this time, gives me enough time to wake-up, calm my nerves, and at the same time get the excited nerves going, the nerves that give you some energy!! This is also the time when I get to chat with everybody I know doing the race, and everyone is so excited, that it pumps me up a bit!!
9:10am -----GO TIME!!
I felt like my swim was going well.....thinking back maybe I was veering off course and having to correct my line a few times, as I was frustrated to see my time coming out of the water. I was really hoping (expecting) it to be 2 minutes faster!!! :o(
I was on a borrowed bike for this race---I was on Rob's BMC tri (and his super space tri helmet)
I felt fast out there, passing other fast looking girls---but looking at the results, my bike split was still a little behind where I thought it would be.
My legs were sore going on to the run (I think from bike positioning that I am not used to) but I was still able to catch a few girls, and the run felt better as it progressed. I had one girl pass me, with only a few km to go, but this girl was flying, so OK!
Looks like I had the third fastest run split!!
This is where it gets good!! With only 1 km to go, I was pretty confident I could get by one more runner, I was quickly reeling her in at this point, and as we rounded the corner to the finish line (and not knowing what position I was in...but thinking I might be around the top 5, and after missing the podium in Utah by only 7 seconds, was damn sure it would not happen again!!)
I sprinted past her!! I am not a sprinter, and I probably wasn't really sprinting at this point, but whatever, it felt so good, and as I crossed the finish line and heard it announced that I was the 5th woman to cross the line, I was so happy I almost cried!
I have to keep this initial reaction alive, because the more I look at the results, and analyze my race, I get less and less happy with my result!!
It was an awesome day! Awesome people! Awesome event!!
Now to start mountain biking!!
Cheers :o)