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I'm totally digging the being-at-home groove. I'm getting a lot done, doing some great training rides and enjoying summer in the Tetons.

Although summer is typically about 6-8 weeks long, when it finally arrives it's worth it. Summer in the Tetons is pretty darn magical.

Some single track is finally drying out on both sides of the Tetons. I've definitely been getting my fill.

I went to Park City for a XC race this past weekend. MTB Race Productions put on a great event and it was great to see the Utah gals again.

Out of it, I got a great workout, a reminder of how much XC racing hurts at altitude (especially when you've been at sea level most of the year and you're one week out of a 100-miler). I also got a great, big check. Literally:


I've also done a little...okay, a lot...of lawn mowing.


Lots of sunset walks with Maddy, too. Out the back door, up Game Creek and Moose Creek.



The only thing missing is Nate. He left 2 weeks ago and won't be home for 2 more. It's bittersweet that a job he enjoys so much has to take him away from home (and me!) when it's at its best. He's on his way to the World Cups right now....I hope these photos of what he is missing doesn't rub it in too much.

Lumberjack 100

When I was unpacking to repack for the Lumberjack 100 last week it was honestly the last thing in the world I wanted to be doing, Packing, that is....I was really looking forward to racing, just not the traveling to get there. Although most pros get travel weary, I think my lackadaisical attitude was mostly resulting what my coach and I call the "Finals Effect."

Remember back in college when you burned the candle down to a useless pile of wax, studying, cramming, pumping coffee and (if you were like me) when exams were over, you still found some secret reserve of energy to party like a rock star for a day or two in celebration? Then, when it was finally all over and you returned home to the comfort of mom's cooking and your own bed, you finally relax...and then get sick as a dog?

I was suffering from the Finals Effect from the Trans-Sylvania Epic, big time. I had great energy for the 36 hour drive home during which we spent 2 nights with friends and family in Colorado and rode every day. But, when I finally got home on Thursday, I crashed. Spectacularly hard. I could barely pull myself off the couch for easy spins for 4 days straight. I managed to get out and do a day of volunteer trail work with TVTAP (strained a back muscle, too. Uff.) The really crappy, rainy, windy and cold weather we returned to certainly didn't help the mood. I was in a big ol' recovery-from-a-stage-race hole.

I did my first (and only) hard ride since TSE on Wed. morning and felt decent, so that gave me some confidence that I could somehow pull a 100 miler out of my you-know-where that weekend. I managed enough energy to pack my bike and get on a plane on Wednesday afternoon and was graced with an easy, uneventful travel day.

Thankfully, I had a travel buddy this time around. I picked up Cary Smith, the fastest dentist on the planet, at the airport Thursday afternoon. We wandered through a Meijer (that I swear was bigger than any Walmart I had ever seen) for some groceries and made the 2-hr drive up to our humble accommodations up near Manistee. I'll just call the Northwest Cabins "rustic" and leave it at that.

Cary and I pre-rode some of the course on Friday and ended up riding a lot longer than we wanted to ride. We thought we were being crafty by cutting out on some of the lap...seems the course map we got at registration and the garmin track they posted on line were both wrong, so let's just say that our near 3-hr ride assured that I was good and open from my general slugging around the week prior to the race.

This was also the day my stupid back strain got worse. Must have been sitting on the airplane. It had become uncomfortable to breathe deeply, twist, put on socks and lie on my side. Riding was no good either. I did what I could, Cary re-taped my back with KT tape and I spent most of Friday either on the foam roll, icing, taking handfuls of ibuprofen and praying that I would miraculously wake up pain free.

4:30 am always sucks, but it sucked more when my first breath was painful. I choked down another handful of Vitamin I, drank some coffee and figured if I hadn't gotten an ulcer already this breakfast combination would only help me make it through they day.

The thing is, 100-milers always hurt. Racing in general hurts. I've done enough of these things to know that. But, this one was going to be particularly rough, knowing that, A) I was not quite recovered from TSE B) I was having searing back pain, and C) the only way to ride this course well was to be on the gas 100% of the time.

I used each hike-a-bike to stretch my back. I've never been so grateful for the opportunity to push my bike.

From the start, everything hurt. I simply accepted that was the way the day was going to go and in a weird way, it sort of made everything easier.

The definition of insanity, I think, is making the same mistake over and over and expecting different outcomes. What I'm getting at here is that I have been in the position many times where I was in pain during a race, but never accepted it. And the result (and mistake) was that I thought about the pain the entire race and spent valuable energy thinking about how much everything hurt. The thing about fighting it is that it keeps your mind focused on what hurts, not what you should actually be doing to race faster. I have learned to accept when I am feeling bad and to move on. Don't get me wrong, I don't ignore it. I simply acknowledge it, accept it and think about something else....like figuring out a way to go fast, regardless.

The Lumberjack course consists of 3, 33-mile laps on a course that is super-buff, tight twisty singletrack with very little dirt road and lots of short, steep and punchy climbs. I went out hard, wanting to be towards the front as passing would be difficult for a while. I had Cheryl Sorensen on my wheel immediately and from there we traded blows for the entire full lap. A few times I had started to get a small gap, but would always run into the same (singlespeed) traffic, allowing her to catch back on. We went into the first feed together and exited at pretty much the same time, but that's when she popped and I kept going, holding my pace. It was at about this time that I discovered my fork was slowly breaking.....by mile 40 it had ceased working completely. I realized this when I was reaching down to lock it out and suddenly there was no difference between locked and open. Although the course was pretty smooth, suspension always helps, especially in a 100-miler. Just another thing to not think about...

My first lap was 2:28, my second 2:36:08 and my third 2:28:11. Yup, my 3rd was only 3 sec. slower than my 2nd.

I ended up first, ahead of Karen Potter by 17 min. and also set a new course record. I won a really sweet ax trophy and a very generous (and equally paid out) check. But for me, the true victory of the day was that my head, not my body, won. I knew I was tired, hurting and probably not ready to have my best 100, yet I went out there wanting to throw down a sub 8-hr finish, determined to ride well no matter what. The power of the mind is more powerful than we think. As a sports psychology student, learning to harness that power and put it into practice is a fantastic feeling.

Next up? Home. Rest. Sleeping in my own bed. Training. No packing. Cold stream soaks. Grilling on the deck and enjoying sunsets behind the Big Holes. Summer finally decided to hit the Tetons yesterday and thankfully, I am finally home to enjoy its arrival!

Looking back at TSE

After 35 hours on the road, it sure feels good to be home...although it is currently 34 deg. and dumping snow. Good thing it's a rest week!

Stage 3: first day in the leaders jersey and the first day I put significant time into the field.

After having a week to think about my recent adventure and overall win at the Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race, it's hard to know where to begin. Do I give a blow-by blow account of each stage? Do I talk about all the amazing/inspirational people I met while racing there? Do I approach it from a more philosophical standpoint, rambling on about how I dealt with 7 days of racing on new-to-me terrain in 1-million percent humidity with all my east coast allergies setting my system afire?

Hmmmmmm. Hard to know.

Thankfully, Mike and Ray (the TSE Promoters) did an incredible job of getting their race high quality and on time race reports to all the major cycling outlets. It's making this write up a tad bit easier. Plus, Colt from Cyclingdirt was on scene from documenting all the drama. It's a miracle he survived the week unscathed, riding on the back of a moto in shorts and sneakers, wearing only a bicycle helmet. That's dedication.

So, I've posted video and links to the Cyclingnews.com reports here, along with my short description of each stage.

TT Start

Stage 1: 1hr TT. Rode hard but smart and mostly tried to not blow my head up riding in the east coast heat and humidity for the first time. Happily landed in 3rd and realized how tough the week was going to be.

Stage 2. Long, rocky stage meant the Edict was the bike of the day.

Stage 2: 1st long, hard, steamy stage. Relentless 93 deg. temps and 100% humidity made it even harder. I struggled in the technical bits all day alongside Karen Potter and Vicki Barclay who seemed to just dance through the endless rock gardens. After the stage we realized that my fork was only getting 20-30 mm of 100 available mm of travel. Oops-that couldn't have helped. Anyway, my legs felt great but felt limited by my body temp. and my general frustration with my riding. I put in an effort on the final road section to see if I could sneak out a stage win with out too much added stress. Got me the win and the leaders jersey.

Richie Rich pulling the ladies along day 2.

Stage 3: Gravel grinder day. This was the stage I knew I could do some major damage if I was on. Again, 95 deg. temps made it impossible to go as hard as I wanted, but I did my best to ride strong/ smart in the conditions. Selene and I pulled into the first aid together, where she was contemplating skipping a much needed water refill. After hesitating, I told her to stop and get water and that I would soft pedal up the next climb so she could catch back on. After chillin' until the top of the climb, she couldn't catch back on. I eventually realized I couldn't be nice any longer. I settled into a strong pace for the remainder of the race, wary of the heat so my brain wouldn't meltdown. I won the stage by 7 min.

Leaders jersey presentation. Jeremiah better keep winning because

Conrad really likes being on the podium.

Stage 4: WOO-HOO! Raystown Lake, my favorite stage. 100% machine cut, buff, punchy singletrack, sort of like a 20-mile pump track, on which I got to rail 2 laps on my beloved Nine. I went for the holeshot, got out in front and never looked back. Sue Haywood caught my wheel at about mile 10. We rode together until the start of lap 2 where I was able to shake her, but not by much. I won the stage by a 2 min margin over Sue, but more importantly, 6:30 ahead of Selene and 6:15 ahead of Rebecca.

Stage 5: Mini XC Day. I won't hide it, I wasn't a fan of the format, mostly because we were out there for 5 hours and only raced for 53 min total time. (I suspect that they''ll address that issue next year.) I knew Selene was going to dig deep for the wins, so my task was to keep it upright, stay safe, keep air in my tires and do my best to ride strong while not taxing my body with unfamiliar effort, all while protecting my 14:30 min. lead. When's the last time I've done 10-12 all out min. efforts? Right. The highlight of the day was getting to get to know some very nice people in the neutral ride alongs. That part was awesome. I was bonking so hard by the last race I was bumming hammer gel shots off Vicki. It was the longest, shortest race day of my life!

Stage 6: Tussey Mountain, the Queen Stage. The weather was perfect and turned out to be just a lovely day in the mountains. My plan was simple: ride hard enough to protect my lead, keep the tires inflated, ride well. As we all know, a 15 min. lead in a stage race is nothing as anything can happen (JB lost 8 min. alone at Raystown due to a double flat). Selene went out really hard, so I just sat on until I attacked for the holeshot into the first technical singletrack. I got a gap when I rode up some stuff she missed. From there I executed a simple plan. Ride hard enough on the climbs and roads to get a comfy gap so that I could chill and not ride like a panicked lunatic in the really technical, rocky stuff (of which there was a TON) where I knew Selene could catch back on. It worked. I had about a min. lead going into the ridge trail. As I predicted, Selene caught me towards the end of the ridge and passed me when I blew an up and over move on a tall, fallen log. I caught back on her wheel immediately and we rode together for the remainder of the singletrack. When we dumped onto the final dirt road together, she mentally threw in the towel, telling me she knew her weaknesses and she knew my strengths. I took that as a suggestion to go. And I did, making up an additional 2:30 in the final 4 miles.

Stage 6: Another gnarly stage. Another day for the Edict.

Stage 7: The ladies decided together that they wanted to parade, not race, Saturday's stage. When I got to the podium presentation on Friday night, Selene told me that they had all decided to parade and that I could race if I wanted....nope, no thank you! So, Saturday turned into the best group ride I had been on in a while. We stopped for pictures, relaxed at aid stations, chatted about silly and sometimes deep things. What a great group of women. Strong, smart, inspirational and fun. The dork in me still cannot get over even riding in the vicinity of Sue Haywood. If she only knew how much I have idolized and respected her since I started riding, I'm sure she would consider a restraining order.

Final GC Podium.

I offically won the TSE by 15:08. Selene Yeager 2nd, Vicki Barclay 3rd, Sue Haywood 4th and Rebecca Rusch 5th. The tough girl award of the week goes to Vicki. Don't let her delightful smile and cute Scottish accent fool you. This gal is a terror on the bike, sweet as honey and as humble as they come. Oh, yeah, she also broke some ribs on day one and still rode to a podium spot. I've ridden with broken ribs before and simply cannot imagine having to complete the TSE like that. She not only finished, she never complained and landed on the 3rd step. Holy moly, bad ass!

Final Thoughts:

Gosh, if you've made it this far, thank you!

I know this may not mean much to non-professionals, but as a pro trying to make a go of this thing full-time, I am endlessly appreciative of the excellent media coverage of the TSE. It provided great exposure for my wonderful sponsors, something they most certainly deserve for supporting me so well. It's just yet another reason why this race is so worthy!

What matters to everyone, however, is quality. Whether you are a pro or just want to finish, no one wants to spend a week of their lives and shell out a huge amount of $ for a junk show. The Trans-Sylvania Epic was one of the best run events I have ever had the pleasure of racing. Top to bottom everything was dialed. Everything from the schwagg bag and prizes for finishing, the timing, the course markings, the support at aid stations and at the finish, it was all fantastic. I would go back again in a heartbeat.

The only thing I would change if I went back is I would try to stay closer to the venue. Nate and I decided to get a cheap motel (through a racer discount, which was very nice) because, well, who wants to sleep in a bunk bed above your husband for a week? But mostly, it was the only pet friendly lodging in the area. Maddy is a part of the family and no, she cannot sleep on the porch like the woman at the nearby cabins or at the campground across the way suggested. Although it meant driving 25 min. each way to the venue and then to the podium everyday, it meant I also got to enjoy air conditioning and ice baths. More importantly, I got to escape the east coast allergens for a little bit each day and get good quality rest.

It also meant I got to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, although it did mean cooking on a hot plate and a George Foreman grill all week. I don't regret our travel arrangements for a second, especially because Nate had 2 important perks at his disposal: a bottle shop in the hotel lobby and a hose out front of our door.

Speaking of (as I mention in the final interview) this was a win for Team Carey. Nate was as much a part of this victory as I was. He is a professional mechanic for Giant, so taking his vacation time to work for me for free all week was not only very generous, it was invaluable to my success. However, I think the greatest thing about Nate is about how great Nate is to EVERYONE...I lost count of how many times people told me how wonderful my husband is for helping them out during the week (yes, he helped my competitors, too). He fixed a lot of bikes for free, brought stuff to aid stations for people, helped injured racers and saved many from impending heat stroke. Unbelievable heart on this guy, I tell ya. I thank my luck stars for him every day.

Stage 1 Interview:

Stage 2: My introduction to PA Rock Gardens:

Stage 4 Raystown Lake: By far my favorite day of the week.

Stage 7: Parade Day where I give mad props to my hubby/super mechanic:

My own personal video of the 3 Beer Derby. Colt invited me to participate. My excuse was that it didn't fit into my "gluten-free lifestyle." Truth be told, it was nice (and probably safer) to be a spectator for once!