TGIF AND SPRING BREAK!

The day has finally come for another spring break! This school year has really flown by this year. I have no idea why, but I am glad. Last night Smap rode his greenway bike down to market square from the house and I met him to eat sushi at Nama (one of our top sushi places). Unfortunately, we had to wait quite a while for everything including a beer, but we didn't mind. It is just really nice getting downtown.

Wednesday night proved to be a spectacular first Wednesday Haw Ridge ride for the new year. Unfortunately I flatted and had to call Smap to change my flat (my wheel doesn't have quick release and I couldn't loosen up the bolt to get off my rear wheel). After he fixed my flat, we rode together for the rest of the night. It was good except I crashed and got the first taste of blood for the season. I have a good photo, but I forgot to upload my shots. I will do that soon....maybe. It was good getting to the ridge and seeing all of our friends who we see out at the ridge. I love it out there.

This weekend looks wet for Saturday. Maybe we'll get some paddling in soon? Hopefully!
Chaio!

Race shot!

Cool.  This race was hard and I think you can see it on my face.  The gal behind me, Mary Mayhew, was doing her first crit Sunday.  She did AWESOME too.  Her brother took this shot of us coming up the hill in front of the Blount County Court House.  There were a few corners in this race that were VERY sketchy.  I thought I was going down more than a few times due to me taking a wrong line, or someone else taking my same line.  It was an interesting race for me because I really did not know how good of race shape I would be in.  I definitely wasn't in the same shape as the Aaron's pro out there, or Kim Flynn (another pro from Chattanooga).  

I skipped out on the first Tuesday night ride tonight due to lack of energy.  I went out after school yesterday for an "easy" ride and ended up doing a moderate 30 miles on my own.  My students exhausted me as well today, so all I could do was to make it home and take a nap.  Smap and Ippon came home laughing at me for being on the couch.  The weather forecast for the next three days appears to be perfect for riding.  Tomorrow will be the first Wednesday night Haw Ridge ride!  I can't wait.  I have not been there in 3 months!  I haven't been on my single speed either for quite some time.  I do still have my new Fisher full-suspension waiting for me, but I HAVE GOT TO get on my favorite bike, the Rig.  

That is about it for today.  Three more days of school and I am off for a whole week.  After that, it is all down hill at school.  Nine weeks left till summer fun!  

A cold race weekend

Saturday was the coldest day of the year I think with snow and wind. Needless to say, I did not get out to do the time trial. It would have been really stupid of me. I am SO glad I blew it off and swam inside in a warm pool instead. I worked at the bike shop Saturday so I was able to hear about the conditions from Robbie Kidd first hand. He spoke of the time trial miserably and I am SO glad I listened to Smap, and did not race.

Sunday, it was beautiful. Smap was there with his CBC tents and Tim came to assist racers with any mechanical needs. It was a very nice day for racing. I was so nervous going up to the starting line. I haven't raced a crit in four years. There were a few pro's there as well as women who have been racing consistently for the past few years. I held my own though and stayed up with the leaders. I was not disappointed with my 5th place finish at all. I was just glad to see where my fitness level is at compared to other's. Also, I know what I need to work on....several things. It was a good time though. My lungs are killing me today having worked so hard in the cold to put out so much effort. Smap took a lot of shots, so I will try to get them up later this week.

FOUR DAYS TILL SPRING BREAK!!!! Yippeeeeeee!!!!

TGIF

I can't describe how happy I am that it is FRIDAY! Unfortunately though, it is raining and getting colder by the hour outside. I am suppose to race a time trial tomorrow. It is suppose to snow. Do they call off bike racing for snow? Seems like they should. I'm not complaining....well, yeah I am. Lucky me, I volunteered to chaparone a school dance today after school. I am really looking forward to that....I'm being facetious of course. These kids are driving me nuts. I just can't believe how lazy my group of kids are this year. Last year all my students seemed to work really hard, but they were on the snobby side. This year most of them are really sweet, but I have a lot of slackers. I just don't understand. It isn't like I give hard assignments.

Anyway, enough complaining about school and weather. Spring break is only 8 days away!!!! I hope it is WARM!!!!

I got to ride my road bike last night. Ran into a few friends. I usually can do 2-3 laps on the boulevard before I want to pound nails into my skull due to the boredom, but last night wasn't so bad. I think I got 7 laps in. It is nice when there are a lot of people out on the boulevard because I can people watch and try to lap/catch/or pass people. Also, it is always fun to see all the different dogs enjoying their walks.

That is about it. We'll see how the weekend goes. Maybe I will remember my camera!

My sis's bike...

Here is a shot of my sis and her best bud, Kat racing a friendly Wednesday night crit in Nashville last summer. Smap has since put some time trail bars on this bike (it is a Trek Madone, the bike Discovery raced in 06') for her and she and I will be using it for some time trials and triathlons this year. I am hoping to be fit on it today and race it Saturday. I don't know though, riding those TT bars after years of riding with drops is sketchy to me. I keep wanting to grab my drops. We'll see. If I don't feel comfortable riding that bike, then I will put the old school TT bars on my race bike. Anyway, I've renewed my racing license so there is NO going back now!

Another ride day! 3 in a row!

I'm smiling because I got another ride in today to make it 3 days in a row.  Yippee.  Unfortunately it will start raining tonight and be cold and dreary for the next 2-3 days. Big bummer.  But, we do need the rain.  I wish it would rain A LOT so the Little River would come up.  It is my FAVORITE river to paddle.  It isn't very technical like the Ocoee.  It is a lot smaller, but the rapids are one after another.  Pretty exciting.  I would like to do the Tellico at some point, but we need rain for that river as well.  

I drove down to Cherokee Blvd today and did 25 miles worth of laps. It wasn't too bad.  I saw several folks out there running and riding and got to catch up with an old friend for my last 10 miles, so it was pretty fun.  

Nine days left until Spring Break!!!  I can't wait.  After Spring Break, I think I have 9 weeks of school left!!! AWESOME!!!!!  

LATER!

Lots of ride time this weekend

I'm exhausted after my ride today.  Smap and I went down to one of our favorite places....the Ocoee.  We rode some of the Tanasi trails behind the whitewater center.  We were both on our single speeds.  I was not up to par on mine today.  I think maybe the 64 I did yesterday zapped my legs some.  I am looking forward to being able to do back-to-back hard rides this spring and summer.  Fun times coming up!!!  

We had a good time last hanging with our friends Tim and Lindsay.  We ate La Costa and Nama.  We also got to hang with our friend Danny Davis.  Downtown is becoming one of our favorite places to hang out nowadays.  We dislike eating at chain restaurants, so we have plenty of non-chain places to choose from there.  La Costa is a "green" restaurant which makes it all the more better.  They recycle everything and compost all their scraps.  One more reason to support that place.  They have some killer Margarita's too.  Yummy...

That is about it for this weekend.  We are totally exhausted.

Next weekend I try racing again after a 4 year lull...

Hasta la manana!