Sledding through a barrage of snowballs

Another fun day of sledding at the cabin with family, both young and old'ish.  This year's course included a snowball obstacle, which sometimes included a shovel full of snow over our heads. We enjoyed the entire day with snow falling in a winter wonderland!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collegiate Racquetball National Champions

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RACQUETBALL TEAM

Twelve years ago, while finishing my nursing prerequisites, I started playing racquetball at the University of Utah's courts.  I ran into the coach of the U’s racquetball team and he asked if I wanted to play on the team.  I had no idea there was even a racquetball team at the U.  I found out it is a club sport, but one that many Universities put effort towards, specifically BYU.  

I met a couple of the women athletes who convinced me I was good enough to play with the team.  I decided to try to make it work with my busy schedule, just for the experience.  I played in a couple of the local tournaments against BYU, Utah State and Utah Valley and really had fun.  I was happy I gave it a shot, since it was kind of miraculous that I was eligible and a still a decent player.  We ended up getting enough players to put together a team and qualified for the National Collegiate tournament in Southern California.

This was quite an unexpected surprise, directly related to my decision to go back to school and pursue my desire to become a nurse.  It turned out to be only the beginning of unexpected opportunities to challenge myself and explore what my limits really were. 

Wednesday

It was time to head to California for Nationals, Brenda and our friend decided to drive with our dogs, while my mom, another friend, and I flew there the next day. 

My first match was on Wednesday at 11:00 against Karina Krajec from Baldwin Wallace College.  My fan club was there to cheer me on.  The court was so HOT and I was sweating bullets without really playing hard.  I was surprised  and thrilled to easily win in two games (15-1, 15-1).  I won my first match at Nationals.  My next singles match would be against Marci Mangelson from BYU on Thursday.  I was anxious because I knew Marci won our division last year and was an experienced competitor in racquetball, having coaches and trainers to help her.

We all watched Kristen Walsh (our #1 seed) and her mom, Marianne (our #2 seed), play their matches.  They won easily and gracefully.  It was fun for all of us to win our first matches.

Thursday

Anna (our #4 seed) and I (#3 seed) had our first doubles match.  We played Bryant College.  Again my fan club was cheering us on and, by the end of our match, we had every available Utah team member cheering for us.  We won the first game 15-7.  Anna and I were both surprised we won by that margin.  This was our first doubles match every played together.

Our second game didn’t go so well.  The other team figured out they could pick on Anna and she had a hard time returning their serves.  We called timeout and I started to return all the serves, but the change was made too late.  We lost that game 4-15, which meant we would play a third game. 

We started playing alright, but things started to go bad.  We were losing points we shouldn't be losing.  I noticed Kristen, our #1 seeded woman, banging on the glass telling us to call a timeout.  She suggested making a couple of adjustments in how we were receiving their serve and told me to use a Z-drive serve.  She reminded us to move them out of the middle by using ceiling shots.  We tried to convert her advice into points, but it still wasn’t happening.  We found ourselves facing match point against us at 3-10.  Somehow we managed to get the serve back, but still couldn’t score a point.  They were serving for the match once again. 

Anna and I held strong and got two sideouts so we were serving again.  Anna had two great drive serves which brought the score to 5-10, then it was my turn.  I was well aware that I was capable of winning this match for us, but it is different when you have a partner on the court contributing to the rallies.  I had a couple of great unreturnable serves that brought the score to 7-10.  The other team called a timeout and Kristen came in the court to encourage us.  She knew exactly what to say and I felt a calming confidence.  I knew we had a chance to come back and win the match.  I continued to hold my serve and eventually found myself serving for the match at 10-10.  I served and remember Anna just getting to a shot that looked like a sure sideout for them.  It was a great shot, so we each watched the ball closely hoping it would bounce twice, meaning we would win the match.  The instant it hit the ground for the second time we both jumped in the air, found each other and gave each other a huge “jumping” hug.  It was a great match and EVERYONE was cheering for us!  We gave our fans and teammates hugs and enjoyed our moment, full of excitement; everyone wanted to celebrate.  The team we beat were very good sports, even when we saw each other through the remainder of the tournament.

Anna and I after our exciting first win as double partners!

Kristen and Marianne's doubles match had been scheduled to play before our match was over.  Since Kristen was helping us at our doubles match, Marianne stalled and they warmed up longer than usual.  The Walsh’s easily won their match, hardly breaking a sweat.  They made a great team who was fun to watch.  It was Kristen's last collegiate year, so what fun for them to play together.

Next would be my match against BYU.  My biggest concern about my match was whether Kristen would be able to be there to coach me.  She had given me a couple of pointers during the day, but I was pretty sure I would need more help than that.

The time for my match finally arrived and I was excited to see what would happen.  I felt I had a chance to beat Marci if I could play very smart; BYU has well-coached players and a history of winning the Women's National Championship.  We warmed up in the court and Marci was very serious, she definitely had her game-face on.  The match started out well for me.  I remember I scored 6 points and felt I was playing smart and in control.  She was able to return my serves, but really couldn’t do anything offensive with them.  This was good, until things started to change. 

I was aware that Kristen was not there and I felt my intensity of wanting to win lessen, while Marci's seemed to increase.  I was playing, but not being as aggressive and couldn’t seem to do anything about it.  I remember hearing my fans cheering and trying to motivate me to get going, but it just wasn’t happening.  I felt I was missing the mental control/desire required to be able to turn things around and win that game.  I lost it, 6-15.  I knew I had to regroup and get my competitive juices flowing.  It felt like I was giving her the match because of the assumed “BYU racquetball strength”.  I had confidence that I could beat BYU, not beat Marci, but beat a well-coached BYU athlete.  That had to change!!!

I started our second game strong, scoring three straight, very smart points.  I was thankful to look up and see Kristen there.  I had felt inadequate in that competitive, collegiate team atmosphere, but now I had my own "coach" to help me.  Thankfully she showed up before I lost control again.  That second game was close throughout.  Kristen would signal to me which serve I should serve and she inspired my competitive edge because I could rely on her to be strategic about how I served.  I used my timeouts so Kristen could give me specific pointers of what to change in a motivating way.  I concentrated on specific parts of my game and the others seemed to fall into place. 

A key piece of advice was to quit hitting the ball to the middle of the court; either hit a ceiling shot to keep her back or hit a winning pass down the line.  The ceiling shot advice really helped because it took Marci’s hard-hitting style away from her and I could feel the momentum shift my way.  A key play came when Marci got hit with the ball; it seemed to mess her up mentally and then she seemed to use it as an excuse when her shots didn't go exactly as planned.  I felt her stress level rise, especially when I was up 13-9.  She is a great athlete and was able to pull herself together and tie the score at 13-13, but shortly thereafter I won the game, 15-13.  I turned to shake Marci’s hand and she was already headed out the door.  At that moment I knew the door was open for me to win this match, if I could keep up the competitive edge and keep her mentally off balance.

During the third game I noticed there were lots of people watching the match and heard loud cheering for both of us.  I noticed something strange within the cheering for Marci, it contained an element of expectation rather than excitement.  It was like she was expected to win the match at all cost – like she SHOULD be winning.  Within me, the only expectation was that I give this match all I had and accept the outcome, knowing I had given it my all. 

The third game went much more smoothly for me.  Kristen had helped instill a confidence within myself that was strengthened with each frustration that Marci showed.  I played smart with my ceiling shots and did a little better of taking advantage of the opportunities to hit winning shots.  There were a couple of points where I had to dive to keep the ball alive and I ended up winning each of those points; winning points after diving always feels good.  I served for the match at 10-7 and closed it out, winning 11-7.  The shot that ended the game wasn’t a winner by me, it was a missed opportunity by Marci which exemplified how the third game had been played.  I shook her hand and told her she was a great opponent.  I wished I would have taken a minute to thank my fans from center court, but the excitement of the moment made me want to get out with them and celebrate my accomplishment.
 

High five with Kristen after beating BYU.

I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face!  I beat BYU at Nationals as a University of Utah athlete.  Life couldn’t get any better than this.  It seems like time stood still and we all stood around in amazement of what had happened.  I kept saying “I beat BYU!” to those around me.  Marianne was thrilled that I was so excited for this win.  It was fun to be excited around everyone and my high seemed to last all night long.  I have always felt the intensity of the BYU/Utah rivalry and I was experiencing the winning side of one of those rivalry matches.  I was thrilled to have my friends and mom to share that moment with, and it didn’t even cross my mind that Jen and Natalie were BYU alumni.  At that moment we were all Ute fans through and through.

As our evening of celebration started, I felt some muscles letting me know they had worked excessively hard, especially my shoulder, wrist and pinkie, where I land when I dive.  It felt great to shower and get all cleaned up after a day of rewarding victories.

I was exhausted when we got to the hotel.  We all changed into our comfy clothes and enjoyed some resting and relaxing.  I had a doubles match in the morning and a semi-final match in the evening, so I went to bed early.  I remember throughout the night thinking about beating BYU and wondering if it was just a dream.  The minute mom woke up she leaned over to me and said, “Go Andi, Go Andi, Go Andi”.  This had been the chant for the entire evening after my BYU victory.  It was a fun morning to wake up to.

Friday

Our doubles match was against BYU, Marci, who I had beaten the day before, and Audrey.  I figured they would have their opportunity for revenge during our doubles match.  BYU played great and beat us quite quickly (5-15, 3-15).  I reminded Anna to have fun, as that was important for me.

I was relieved my match was in the evening.  I went to lunch with Kristen, Marianne and Anna, which was the only time we spent time together as a women’s team.  It was nice.  I asked Marianne and Kristen if they thought we really had a chance to win the overall women’s title.  Marianne said that since Anna and I were still in the Gold bracket that we had a chance to get lots of points for the team.  It was fun to hear there was a possibility, but I didn’t think about it again until much later in the tournament.

Kristen and Marianne played their doubles match against Sacrament State, which was a bit more competitive, but they were victorious again.  We watched Kristen win her singles match easily.  It seemed that everyone expected Kristen to make it to the final match to play a familiar athlete from Alabama, Adrienne.  Both Kristen and Adrienne play on the pro tour for the same team, ranked #5 and #7 respectively.  They would make an awesome final match of #1 seeded women.

Our next quest was to find out if I, an unknown from Utah, could make it into my finals match in the #3 seeded women.  I watched my opponent, Mariange Russell from Sacrament State, warm up and recognized instantly that she didn’t hit really hard.  I needed to figure out a way to use this to my advantage.  I warmed up carefully, knowing that I had to loosen up my shoulder if I wanted to have a chance to move it after my match.  I felt good, was relaxed and knew I had nothing to lose.  I had already surpassed my expectations and anything beyond that was extra chocolate on the top of an already yummy chocolate dessert.

Sacrament State vs University of Utah - Semifinals 

Mariange won the serve and started off with a bang, two backhand drive aces that I couldn’t even get my racquet on.  I probably should have been concerned, but amazingly I wasn’t.  I was there to enjoy the experience and getting all stressed out would work against my goal.  We played some rallies and I found myself down 6-2.  Kristen was there again and suggested I call a timeout.  She shared with me that all my hits were going to the middle of the court, that Mariange wasn’t having to move at all.  I needed to use my ceiling shot to move her back and use some tricky serves. 

I served a jam serve that worked perfectly.  She didn’t have a clue how to play it.  I looked up to Kristen and smiled, my jam serve that Kristen had been teaching me finally worked!  We played for a while and the score evened at 7, then at 8.  I could feel myself getting tired and my muscles were sore, but I knew I had to overlook their cries for attention.  I could see my opponent was  also tired; her serve that initially was not returnable, had slowed.  She called a timeout and Kristen again came rushing to my side to coach me.  She told me to keep serving her hard and use my line shots instead of hitting the side wall.  I got back in and served a forehand drive serve perfectly.  I closed out the game with 5 perfect forehand drive serves; the final score was 15-9.

The second game started with me scoring some quick, smart points.  I could taste the victory and my competitive instincts went into overdrive.  During the first timeout, Kristen told me to hit the ball hard, to play like I was playing against her, not to play at the level of my opponent.  I took this information to heart and put it to use.  I dominated the rest of that game and felt proud I could do it.  I was tired, but overcame it and ended up winning 15-0.  I was in control of every aspect of that game and my opponent's mental frustration fed my confidence and made the match even easier.  I won and would be playing in the finals of my division for the gold medal.  Who wudda thunk that?

Congratulations were there, but it was different this time.  It was all business and there was no reason to celebrate yet.  I needed prepare to give it my all in the final the next day.

Saturday

I woke up very aware I would be playing in the finals later that day.  I was calm, excited and overall ready to give it my all.  My shoulder and wrist were very sore.  I didn’t know how that would affect my play, but I knew I would play as hard as I could every second I was on the court.

Anna and I played against Penn State for the doubles 3^rd/4^th place.  We started out playing very good, probably because we were both relaxed and just there to have fun.  I was aware of some wrist/forearm pain when I hit hard with my forehand, so I had to make some adjustments which wasn't good.  We had a lead, but Penn State played smart and started hitting to Anna.  We lost the first game, 11-15.  The second game was just as close and had almost the identical outcome, we lost 12-15.  They were a  respectful team and fun to play against.  I had played as hard as I could, given the situation with my wrist and my upcoming final in singles.

The fact that we lost our doubles match in two straight games wasn’t all that bad because Kristen and Marianne were playing in their doubles fina.  We hurried over to watch their match.  We knew it would be a tight match because they were playing against Alabama.  All four athletes played very well and were evenly matched.  It was fun to watch Kristen play while giving 100% effort.  The match took three games and we won.  It felt great to win our first gold medal!!

My match time arrived.  I watched my opponent Kaylee, from Oregon State, warm up and could tell we would provide a tough match for each other if I could find my A game.  I wasn’t really nervous, instead I was excited to be playing in my division finals.  As our game began, I could see she had good control of her shots so it would be important for me to keep my out of the middle of the court.  She served me mostly lob serves which I was able to return consistently.  Kristen, my personal coach, was having me serve Z-drives and Z-lobs to her backhand side.  She was able to return them but the returns were not winners.  We went back and forth during the first part of the first game, but then she had a good strong run and took the first game, 15-6.  I didn’t have the confidence or control of my game that I needed.  Kristen talked with me and tried to help, but on the inside I felt that Kaylee was probably going to come out on top.

The second game started with her serving me a hard drive serve to my backhand.  This was a smart strategy on her part because I was tired and not moving my feet too much.  She had a few aces, but then for some reason she started lobbing to me again.  I actually started playing a bit smarter and closed the gap to 6-7, she was up.  I was trying so hard to serve good z-drives, but my shoulder just didn’t have the snap that is used to.  I had to resort to my lobs.  We had some good rallies in that game and I closed some of them out, but that wasn’t enough.  Kaylee went on another run and won the second game, 15-7. 

I was disappointed, but still proud of what I had accomplished.  I took silver in my division.  I stepped out of the court and instantly felt my shoulder give way to the weight of my arm and just hang there.  It was sore and I was finally able to pay some attention to it.  Someone got me some ice for my hand, but I really wanted it for my shoulder. 

My fan club and I made our way to watch Marianne and found her down in the first game, 0-6.  She needed some serious cheering and we took care of that.  Her opponent was from Sacramento State and was the sister of my semifinal opponent.  The cheering really got to the other girl and Marianne went on a tear.  She ended up winning the first game and continuing her momentum into the second one.  It was never a challenge and Marianne won the gold in Division 2. 

I made my way to the awards desk where they presented me with the silver medal for Division 3 women’s intercollegiate nationals.  I didn’t have any expectations entering the tournament, so to get a medal was wonderful.  I put it around my neck and walked out to find my fan club.  It was fun to see them all smile when they saw me.  This was kind of a dream for all of us.

My proud mom and me!

We went to the hotel to get cleaned up.  It felt so good to shower and contemplate what I had accomplished.  Parts of my body were sore, but for the most part I held up pretty good; especially given the fact that I am at least ten years older than most of the participants at the tournament.

The next match in championship court would be Kristen (University of Utah) vs. Adrienne (University of Alabama).  Marianne told us this would be a tough match and I was excited to watch some good racquetball.

We sat at the top so our voices would carry into the court through the opening in the top of the glass.  The match started and Kristen really struggled.  She was having a hard time putting anything away, while Adrienne was playing very well.  Adrienne ended up winning the first game by a bigger margin than expected.  I was nervous for Kristen.

The second game started the same way, but then Kristen found bits of momentum and eventually put them together to win the second game 15-13.  The championship match would be decided by a third game to 11.  Kristen played really tough and ended up winning 11-4.  She was incredible to watch.  I admired her ability to motivate and coach herself during the match.  Everything she needed to win was within her and she knew what she needed to do.  Then, the impressive part, was when things weren't working as she wanted, she was able to pull herself through it and motivate herself to do something about it.  She focused on the positive things and used them to gain momentum until she was literally uncatchable. 

With that last match finished, the only remaining question was, did we, as the University of Utah women’s team, gather enough points to win the overall championship.  My family, friends and the men on our team thought we did, but I couldn’t allow myself to believe it.  We would have to wait for the banquet when they would announce the winning teams.

They finally opened the doors and we spilt up strategically, some of us scrambled through the food line while the rest looked for a table and then found some extra chairs.  We all gathered around our small round table, including the guys.  It was fun to talk about the chance of our women’s team winning the overall team trophy.  It seemed so unreal to me, but Marianne thought it was very possible.  The guys confidently said we had it nailed down, but I wasn’t quite so sure.

They first announced the overall winners and asked them to say a few words.  Then they announced that all first and second place division finishers would be awarded All-American awards.  It took a moment for me to realize this included me.  How cool was that!!  They announced our names and I walked down and got my certificate from the BYU coach, who happened be the one handing them out.  I wondered if he realized I took that award away from one of his players.  I was in shock and so happy at the same time. 

Now it was time to announce the team winners.  They started with the women’s category tenth place and moved up through the top ten.  We listened intently to hear if we had accomplished the impossible.  Fourth place went to BYU, just off the trophy podium.  I am sure this was a shock to them.  Third place went to Alabama; second place to Oregon State; first place to University of Utah.  We won the women’s team competition at Intercollegiate Nationals.  I am a member of a national championship team.  We got a large trophy that will be displayed in the University of Utah Fieldhouse along with our team photo.



University of Utah Racquetball Team 2004

This was an incredible experience that I never thought I would be a part of.  I have felt all my life that I am a decent athlete, but it never seemed to materialize until this unexpected experience.  Who would have thought I would be an All-American, national racquetball champion at the University of Utah?  Not me, but I am etched in a piece of University sport history that will never be taken away. 

My take home message was that I am an athlete who never had the opportunity of being coached, in any sport.  I have played many sports and they are a core part of who I am, but my athletic achievements have only reached the level that I alone have been capable of carrying them to. I haven’t had anyone there to help me improve upon my natural skills.  That all changed when Kristen was willing to share her racquetball expertise with me.

The specific coaching experience happened during my match against BYU.  I lost my first game and was occasionally aware that Kristen wasn’t there, but it was no big deal.  I wanted her to be there because I thought she could help if I got stuck, but I didn’t really expect her to be there.  After all, I wasn’t supposed to win that match.  I was a nobody in that court to almost everyone watching that match.  Remember that in my mind BYU was the powerhouse of racquetball.  It is what they portray.  I knew they had won many championships, that they practiced regularly and they had a coaching staff.  They were built to win.

Our second game started and noticed that Kristen was there, I felt a twinge of confidence that hadn’t been there earlier.  Little did I know that I was about to witness the internal power that a capable coach can instill in a person who is willing to 1) put aside their “athletic pride”, 2) trust in the coach’s knowledge of the sport, 3) mentally believe that winning is possible, and 4) physically give it everything they have on the court.  My mental and physical skills benefited from Kristen’s help to organize my physical play and to allow me to have 100% confidence in the decisions being made.  I didn’t have to question my decisions because I trusted her entirely and she was willing to tell me what I needed to do to win the game.  All I had to do was put what she told me into action.  Could it get any easier than that?  In all my athletic endeavors, I have never experienced this teamwork between a good coach and an athlete.  That is kind of sad, but late is better than never.  I thanked Kristen for helping me be the best player I could be during that tournament. 

My Farewell Tour to the 2016 Cycling Season

As I reminisce about this season of cycling, it feels like I spent more hours riding in the Wasatch Back than I did along the Wasatch Front, which directed me to enjoy my farewell ride in the Wasatch Back.  Today seemed to be a perfect day because cooler temperatures are headed this way and they should usher in rain and/or snow over the next few days.  I hopped on my bike and enjoyed a three hour, 54 mile casual meander through the Oakley, Kamas, Francis and Woodland countryside.  It was a perfect autumn day!


Yes, I actually took a selfie.

The one plus mile section of dirt road, just so I can enjoy the countryside.

I love the weathered barns in this area

The river meandering down Wolf Creek Pass



Another old structure headed towards Wolf Creek Ranch

This large herd of buffalo always entertained me during my rides.  You don't see this in Salt Lake City!

The Weber River running along Weber Canyon Road, our "driveway".

One shot of the continuous views along Weber Canyon Road

My home away from home - our actual driveway at Moose Haven Lodge

Ironman in Hawaii - My Dream Come True

It is hard to believe that seven years ago I was wrapping up my training for the World Championship Ironman in Kona, Hawaii, and getting ready to live my dream.  It is even harder to believe that I was one of the lucky lottery winners that got in before the lottery was dissolved a few years ago.  I still shake my head that this even happened.

I am so happy I made the time and struggled through the effort to write about my "dream coming true" experience.  Not many of us get to test the theory that dreams can come true.  My story will live forever because I wrote it and published it ("Lottery Winner to Kona Finisher" available through Amazon).  

I look forward to watching the Ironman World Championships in two weeks and hearing the stories of regular people once again testing their limits.  I will never get tired of hearing those experiences.

Me crossing the finish at the Ironman World Championships!!

Lotoja 2016 - My Sixth Finish

Logan, Utah to Preston, Idaho – 31 miles

We drove to the start area and I stayed in the car for as long as possible.  The car showed temperatures in the mid 30’s.  I eventually made my way around to the start and Brenda walked to meet me there.  She showed me a text that Ryan sent me and we both got a bit emotional about it.  The five minutes before I start any event that I’ve been really training for is an emotional time for me.  I believe it is just as much an accomplishment to make it to the starting line as it is to cross the finish.  I knew I had struggled with my training and had to fight through mental tiredness, so it felt good to recognize what I had already done and feel the power at the start.  I never know if each start will be my last, which gives it a different perspective for me on race morning. 

 

Brenda knew I needed a minute alone so she made her way to the other side of the start banner and waited to send me on my way.  It truly is amazing that hundreds of us start pedaling in Logan, Utah, and don’t stop until over two hundred miles later, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Even though I’ve now finished six times, that idea is something I cannot wrap my mind around, and I’m one of the athletes.  It must seem amazing for those there to send us on our way, with only our bikes and some nutrition.

This year I registered with the racers in the Women’s Masters 45+ group, so my route into Preston was different.  There were probably 70-80 women in our start group and I stayed mostly in the middle, so there was some yo-yo effect, but not bad enough to break off.  I rode next to Brianne (Bray-ann) who was riding it for her fifth time, all with the racing group.  We talked off and on (she was from Idaho Falls) which was good.

Temperatures were in the low 30’s for the first two hours – COLD on my fingers, face and toes; but once it warmed up, it was a beautiful day to be out on my bike.  I was surprised to see Jolynn and JaLene along the road in Cove cheering for us.  I recognized them soon enough to wave and get their attention.  I hoped they would text Brenda and tell her they saw me, sure enough that’s what they did.  It never gets old to have family/friends cheering at any point of the course.  Thanks for making the effort to be out in the early morning cold temps! 

Brenda and I had driven the course into Preston the night before so I knew what to expect, rolling hills with quite a few stop lights.  Thankfully there was an officer at each intersection, waving us through.  It is such a pain to stop and start when riding in a paceline; those in the middle to back risk losing contact because of the yo-yo effect.  Thankfully that never happened, as I was towards the middle-back until we turned off the main road.  I decided to move more towards the front as we got on the backroads, which was a smart move for me.

We connected with the cyclosportive cyclists (non-racers) at about 28 miles and the merge went smoothly.  We easily turned onto the main road which signified we had finished the first section.  I lapped my bike computer and reminded myself that the actual strategic racing would probably be starting soon.  I wondered how long I would be able to stay with the main pack. 

Preston to Strawberry Summit – 26 miles

The first part of this section is full of rolling hills.  There is one steady climb, followed by a tremendously steep, fast downhill.  I wondered if this climb would be able to break some of the group; I think it did, but I managed to hold on.  We continued as a group, but we spread across the entire lane, riding four abreast sometimes.  This was new to me during any race.  I kept towards the yellow line, knowing that we were not to cross it.  This road was closed to eastbound traffic, but local westbound traffic would appear from time to time, so caution was required.

Shortly after we turned, one of the cyclists crashed right in front of me.  I carefully maneuvered my bike around her and she appeared to be alright.  We cyclists talked and wondered what had happened.  I had been watching her and noticed that she did not touch another bike or run over anything.  She seemed to shift her weight and her front tire turned and down she went.  We all slowed down, but kept riding; I did notice her get into a support vehicle about 8-10 miles later, which probably meant the end of her day.  This reminded me of the year I crashed at mile 42 and some way made it across the finish, over 160 miles later.  All we can do is make it to the start and then take each mile as it comes on race day.

The weather had warmed when we were in the sun, but the shade was again quite cool as we climbed Strawberry Pass.  There was one point in the shade when I considered putting my arm warmers back on, but I knew the sun would be around a few bends and, sure enough, that’s what happened. 

This was the time of the ride when I learned just how strong others in my group were.  I pushed and pushed to stay with a group of about 10 as we climbed some short rollers.  I was in my easiest gear and struggling to keep up my pace as I watched the wheel of the girl in front of me slowly ride away.  I desperately wanted to stay with them, but my legs did not have any more push to give, so I had no choice but to hang my head and be alright with what I was able to give right then.  I honestly don’t know if having easier gears would have allowed me to shift and stay with them.  I was seeing what it took to race Lotoja with the top women cyclists and I didn’t have what it took to stay with them on those rollers.  At least I was not the only one who had to let them go, as I noticed others slowing down with me.  Within the next five miles or so, I watched the motorcycle official assigned to our start group go ahead of me, designating that I was officially dropped from the group and was now “on my own”, with other, single riders.  I figured this meant that I could join other pacelines as they passed, as I was not going to be in contention for any podium spot this year.  There were some strong women cyclists and I was happy to have been able to ride with them for that relatively short time.

I saw what I knew was the false summit, which meant three more miles to the feed zone, followed by one mile to the actual summit.  I again was surprised, yet happy, that this landmark of the ride came quicker than I expected.  I had hoped to see volunteers filling up water bottles for us at the feed zone, but no luck at this one.  I had to lay my bike down and top off my own bottle, then head off for that last mile to the summit.

I was happy to zip up my vest and check off another checkpoint of my ride, making it to Strawberry Summit.  I lapped my bike computer and focused on my new mph goal and I gained speed descending the backside of the summit I had just climbed. 

Strawberry Summit to Montpelier, Idaho ~18 miles

I don’t remember feeling cold at all while descending.  It is a quick downhill for about eight miles and then the remaining ten miles are rolling hills into Montpelier.  It is so important to catch a good paceline during those last ten miles.  This year I was able to stay with a paceline the entire way in, but I wish is was going just a bit faster.  I averaged 24 mph during this section, which was my goal, but I remember thinking I could have been moving just a bit faster.  I believe there were two other girls from my start group in our paceline, which apparently makes it “legal” for us to work together within the paceline.  I don’t really understand the details of racing rules within pacelines, but until I am a contender within a racing category I don’t think I need to worry about it.

There are two stoplights in Montpelier that I always pray I don’t have to stop for.  I made it through the first one, which is a smaller intersection and crossed my fingers for the second one.  I approached it and knew I would be cutting it close if it stayed green.  I have had to wait there before and it can be a long light, during which lots of cyclists can gather which makes the left turn more challenging.  Luckily I pushed myself and made it through the light, but had to avoid another almost crash between two cyclists in front of me.  The relay riders join the course right after that light and can be going much slower than those of us rushing to make the light.  Thankfully the riders avoided a fall, although one had to skid for a couple of feet.  He obviously had great bike handling skills.

I made my way to the feed zone and saw Brenda right where we had planned.  I had a quick transition, shedding one full layer plus my vest, arm warmers and gloves.  I replaced my drinks with cold ones and knew I would eat a rice bar as I started the next section.  Everything went perfectly smooth.

Montpelier, Idaho to Salt River Summit ~30 miles

I had one of the three summits under my belt and headed off to conquer the other two.  There is a gradual wander for less than ten miles before Geneva summit comes into view.  The climb is just under three miles and climbs around 500 feet, which reminds me of the last couple of miles of Emigration Canyon, a manageable “bump” in the ride; a warm-up for the harder climb up Salt River Pass (the third summit). 

I seem to always pass riders as I climb Geneva and I don’t know why.  It has never been a hard climb for me, but one that I am always happy to have behind me.  I made it to the summit, ate a Stinger wafer as I watched for someone to pass who I could draft behind for the moderate descent.  I caught the wheels of a couple of bigger guys, which always provides for a fast, restful way for me to get down a mountain.  I stayed with them and we caught a bigger paceline and moved over to ride with them. 

As the terrain flattened, our paceline seemed to break up and my desired speed was somewhere in the middle.  I didn’t have a wheel to follow and, as I glanced behind me there was a stream of riders drafting off me.  I was in a section when this has happened to me before and I learned to not use too much energy pulling riders for longer than my turn.  I remembered this and slowed and moved over so someone else could take the lead; thankfully this worked.  I was able to draft for quite a few miles, until we approached the start of the King/Queen of the Mountain climb up Salt River Pass. 

The temperatures were nice as I started my last summit of the ride.  There was a slight tail-breeze, but not enough to create a feeling of no air movement.  I was happy about that.  I was already in my easiest gear and knew there would be no relief for my muscles until I made it over the summit and could descend.  I got into my grinding mode and just kept spinning.  The climb seemed longer this year, like every time I looked up I had not made any progress.  I hate climbing steep sections when I can see the road for a while.  I’d rather have lots of turns and switchbacks with short views of what lay ahead.  I persisted with my grind and eventually made it to the summit.  Yeah!  I had ridden 106 miles and had the significant climbs out of the way!  Only 96 miles remained!

Salt River Summit to Afton, Wyoming ~16 miles

I was happy to take a big breath and enjoy the descent into Smoot, knowing it would take me to Afton and my next supported stop.  I seem to usually find a decent paceline for the eight mile push into Afton and it happened again for me this year.  I never had to think about being on front because the group was full of guys who wanted to set the pace.  I hung on for the ride and happily turned off the main road and followed the signs to the next feed zone.  I met my goal for that section and found Brenda waiting for me at our designated spot.  Nice job again!

I was happy to drink my Dr. Pepper, switch out my water bottles, replenish a gel and take a snickers bar for the “road”.  I was stopped for less than two minutes and then on my way to the next stop in Alpine.  I had been riding for seven hours and hoped to be finished in another four.

Afton to Alpine, Wyoming ~33 miles

This section is notoriously windy, usually a side/head wind, and this year was true to tradition.  I rode alone, eating my snickers bar while hoping to catch a passing paceline.  I occasion ally looked behind so I could be prepared with a burst of speed to catch a wheel.  I rode alone for only a couple of miles until a group of three passed and told me to catch their wheel.  It is always good to acquire more riders in a line, so there are more people to take a turn pulling.  This was a good line, riding a speed I could maintain.  Unfortunately two of the riders slowed, which left me and one other cyclist to fight the wind together.  I took my turn at the front and then motioned for my buddy wearing a University of Utah jersey to take his turn at the front.  I dropped back and he sped up to a point that I could not stay on his wheel.  He rode off, leaving me alone and he didn’t have a clue I had dropped off.  I watched him ride away for some time and saw him move to the side, expecting me to pull ahead of him for my turn, only to look back and see nobody.  I held my arms out and shook my head, in a gesture that I had tried but his pace was too fast.  He saw me, but was too far ahead to give up his pace, so we continued along as two separate riders working hard, instead of a team able to give each other an occasional break. 

The breakup of our paceline is something that happens quite often with riders who are unfamiliar with each other, trying to pace together.  The rider who has been drafting is using at least 10% less energy, regardless of weather conditions (wind, temperatures, precipitation, etc.).  When it is their turn to pull ahead, they are more rested and the rider who had been at the front has usually worked just a minute or two too long and will not be able to speed up with any increase of speed.  Successful pacelines always know the speed they have been maintaining and the lead rider should maintain that speed, especially when they first take the front, regardless of how good they may feel.  My experience has been that riders break the paceline, as they feel a need to show their individual strength, rather be aware of the group’s strength and importance to keep it together.  It would be nice to ride Lotoja with a team of riders who have been able to train together and are willing to work together over the entire 200 mile course.  Maybe one year…

I heard the ding of a bike bell behind me and I looked to see the two riders who had pulled off our paceline quickly approaching me.  They were riding with another group and told me to catch on as they passed.  I let about five or six riders pass and then made my way onto a wheel.  Whew, I would do all I could to stay with this group. 

Before long we caught my buddy and he joined our group.  We stayed together, a group of maybe five, and fought through the winds as a team.  It was the perfect time to be in that paceline and we stayed together for quite some time.  As would be expected, a faster paceline passed us and our group broke up with some able to catch the faster group and others, including me, knowing they were moving just a bit faster than we could maintain.  I had to let them go and found myself again alone with my Utah jersey buddy. 

We worked together for a few miles and started to gain on a group ahead of us.  We agreed that is was worth it to work in small bursts to try to catch this group.  We took turns pulling and made sure the other was able to maintain the speed.  My heart rate was high and becoming uncomfortable, but I knew if we caught the group ahead it meant a lessened effort to move forward at the same speed.  We pushed hard and caught the group and then congratulated each other for our effort.  We rode with this group until the Alpine feed zone, another section in the books.

Brenda was again easy to find and ready to help me.  I had arrived faster than my estimate, which surprised her, but we made the needed exchanges and I drank another Dr. Pepper and then went on my way; another quick exchange, which was part of my plan.  The next time I would see Brenda would be at the finish, another 45 miles away.

Alpine to Hoback Junction ~22 miles

It was time for me to make the ride up Snake River Canyon.  I had hoped to make this one of my training rides earlier this year, but the weekend we planned to do it was horribly rainy and cold, so it didn’t happen.  This canyon has been my nemesis for all but one Lotoja ride; and that one more enjoyable ride happened the year I crashed, which required me to change my approach and take things one feed zone at a time.

I felt alright and started pedaling up that canyon one more time.  There wasn’t another rider in sight, but I knew that would change.  I finished drinking my small Dr. Pepper, hoping the caffeine and sugar would give me a boost and tossed the can at the end of the “drop zone”.  I had my salted potatoes to eat, along with a couple of gels and a grape fizz in one of my water bottles.  I was as ready as I could be for my last three sections (Alpine to Hoback, Hoback to Wilson and then Wilson to Teton Village-the finish) and so off I went.

I rode alone for quite some time, pushing my pace while remembering to enjoy my beautiful view of the river below.  I was able to power through the frequent messages from my muscles to slow down and give them a break.  My goal was to give this section all I had, so I redirected those messages towards working on my goal and made sure I was eating and drinking like I should.  This routine of redirecting negative thoughts and checking in on my nutrition happened frequently along this section, but I expected it because of my last five years of riding Lotoja.  The last 45 miles are challenging in their own, special way. 

 

I glanced back and saw a group of riders approaching from behind so I prepared to catch on as they passed.  I was thrilled to see a group of four women pass me and they were from my starting group, probably Category 4 women.  They were riding a nice pace, faster than I had been able to maintain alone and I remembered from experience that it was to my benefit to stay with them for as long as I could.  I had no problem staying with them on the flat or downhill sections, but it was hard to maintain their pace going up any incline.  I pushed it harder than I would have if I had been riding alone, which helped me stay with them for a while, but I eventually had to let them go and watch them ride out of my view.  I did not drop off drastically, but I was alright with my decision to let them go because I had stayed with them for longer than I may have in years earlier.  At that moment I wished I was strong enough to stay with them.  They ended up finishing about 10 minutes faster than I did, which shows the difference of working with other cyclists.

I rode the majority of the 22 miles into Hoback alone, but I did it at a pace that I felt was pushing my limits.  I had signed up to race this year and I was still giving it the best I could.  I was happy to see the sign for the Hoback feed zone one kilometer ahead and even happier to reach it.  There was a volunteer handing off water bottles, which meant I could toss my empty one and get one from him while still riding.  My Ironman races taught me how to get handoffs and I use that to my advantage during Lotoja. 

This is a photo of me about halfway up the canyon.  It really is a beautiful ride that I am thankful to be able to enjoy on my bike.  The two cyclists ahead of me in the photo are women out on a ride, not Lotoja participants; this is the first year I have encountered non-Lotoja cyclists riding up the canyon.  They were out enjoying a nice ride on a beautiful day.

Hoback to Wilson ~18 miles

The eighteen miles from Hoback Junction to the turnoff in Wilson always seem longer than I think they should.  These were miles 178 through 195 for me this year and my legs, neck and seat felt like they had that many miles on them. I was happy to ride safely through the round-about and over the bridge that haunts those of us who rode Lotoja in 2012.  A cyclist was killed at that bridge in a tragic accident that year; the first time someone was killed in the race’s 30+ year history.  I paused pedaling for a moment as I crossed that bridge and felt a solemn feeling about what happened.

As I reached the top of a hill that peaks into what I consider the Jackson valley, I was met with a moderate headwind and there was nobody near who I could tuck behind.  I again needed to muscle through the messages from my tired legs, neck and seat.  It was not time to slow down, as I wanted to achieve my goal of pushing my limit every time parts of me wanted to give in and rest.  There would be plenty of time for rest, just a few miles down the road and around a few corners.

I took in the beautiful sight of the Teton peaks I could see.  They would become less visible as I got closer to the finish.  Many riders would finish in their shadow from the setting sun.  I am always happy to make it to the finish before the sun dips below the Tetons, four of my five finishes were in the waning sunlight and it appeared this year would be the same.

I was happy to turn off the main road and onto the less traveled back roads. I could feel the cooling temperatures as I pedaled into the shade of trees lining both sides of the road.  The five miles before getting on the bike path are probably so easy to ride when they are part of a shorter ride, but they always kick my butt on Lotoja.  It seems that riders do pass me, but I can seldom hold on to their wheel.  This year was the same with riders passing while I struggle to keep pushing forward on the pedals.  I approached the intersection near the high school where an officer was controlling traffic, motioning me through.  I thanked her and rode close to her, holding out my hand to give her five.  She slapped my hand and I was happy to have a moment of distraction, but then it was back to the same pedaling.  At least I could see where I would turn onto the bike path.

There was a water station as we entered the bike path and I slowed to exchange for a new bottle of water.  The cold, fresh water felt good in my mouth.  I knew there was a new bike path we would follow and I looked forward to the different route for a couple of miles.  Entering the bike path meant I was nearing the last ten miles of my ride.

The new path took us along the main road for longer and then crossed under it and led us to our own bike/walking bridge to cross the river.  The bridge we rode across the previous years was always in such poor condition and the fast moving cars passed so closely sometime.  I never felt safe crossing that bridge on my bike after having been on my bike for so many miles.  I am thrilled there is a separate crossing point for both pedestrians and cyclists.  We had to ride on an unfinished gravel section towards the end of the bike path, but I would ride on that any day if it helped me avoid the traffic and road condition of that bridge.

Wilson to Teton Village Finish ~7 miles

I made that last right turn onto the road leading to Teton Village.  A relay team passed me soon thereafter and I pushed myself to stay on their wheel.  It worked for a couple of miles and we were maintaining a really nice speed, faster than 20 miles per hour.  A new rider went to the front and picked up the pace which dropped me.  Damn!  I had high hopes to be able to ride with them longer, oh well…

I focused on my goal of wanting to give all I had and reminded myself that I was at the edge of achieving that goal.  I saw the 4 km to go sign and wished I was closer.  I kept pushing my pedals and ignoring the screams of pain coming from my body.  I had been fighting a headwind for more than ten miles and I was happy to notice it was lessening.  I could see the turnoff for the cars in the distance, which meant the finish line was just around the corner after that.  There are always lots of cars along that road, so I am happy to get beyond where they turn off into Teton Village and can ride on a closed road for the approach to the finish chute. 

I must have missed the 3 km to go sign because the next one I saw was 2 km to go, which made me very happy.  I glanced behind me and was pleased there were no riders close by.  There were a couple of guys ahead of me, but I could control my distance behind them.  I crossed into the oncoming traffic side, to be lined up to enter the finishers chute.  I could feel my body’s relief to know the end was literally in sight.  I was about to finish my sixth Lotoja and my first one riding with the women racer group.  I moved into the narrowing chute and slowed my pace to a safe distance behind those in front of me.  I made it to where some spectators were lining the left side along the approach to the finish and sat up tall on my bike, let go of my handlebars and prepared to cross Lotoja’s finish line once again.  I heard my name announced as a finisher just before I finished Lotoja for the fifth consecutive year, my sixth finish overall.  I did it and I could not wait to stop and let the volunteer take my timing chip.  My finish photos say it all… another challenging day in the books.  Yeah!

 

Brenda was there to give me a big hug and help me with whatever I needed.  We worked great as a team and she was there for me every place we planned.  It was an awesome day for a challenging ride.