GNCC Banquet, Backyard Practice and Awesome Monday WOD

So this weekend was ahhhmazing!! It was the award's banquet in Morgantown West Virginia for the GNCC 2017 season.  Can I just say how incredible it was to go up on stage and to be 2nd place out of 5 racers?  That is such an accomplishment.  I am so elated about the way I finished this year and how my confidence has grown so much this season.  It has definitely motivated me to do even better for the 2018 season.  I have already set my goals, practice schedule, gym schedule and put all the races on my calendar IN PEN.  Anyone who knows me at all knows that if I actually write something in pen on my beloved calendars, then it is going to take place because there is no white out happening on my beautiful creations.  

Here are some pictures from this weekend to enjoy!  It was such a fun and exciting night.  I was so proud of KS for his 2nd place finish as well.  We definitely have two different outlooks on this season.  He is disappointed in his 2nd place and I am over the moon excited about mine!! It is one of the highlights of my life!!




Look at us -- aren't we the cutest?

    One of the main things that hurt me most in this last season is the fact that I never get to practice.  We do not live close to a track, so I normally can only practice on the weekends or if I am off work for holidays.  My schedule is such that I am normally at school until 5 or 6 every night, work at the gym until 7:30 on Tuesdays and teach college until 7:00 on Thursdays and then we are gone to the races Friday - Sunday.  Does not leave much time to do any skill work on the bike.  
    On the way home from WV yesterday I have an epiphany!  (I love when I have those -- my husband on the other hand does not LOL)  Even though we do not have a track -- we do have a little bit of yard around our pool, buildings and garage.  I could set up a skills track and work on all the things that are low speed, don't require a lot of room, but will make a huge difference in a race to help myself improve.  There are so many things I could work on, I just had it in my mind that I needed to work on speed and getting faster and that I could not really work on that in the space we had available.  Then I realized that if I could nail down all the skills at which I am weak and work on those at least 3 times a week -- the speed would come.  I am someone who overthinks everything -- I am a better rider now because I don't have to think about how to ride -- I just ride.  If I could commit to muscle memory a lot of the skills I am still weak at like cornering, maneuvering the bike, weighting my bike, pivot turns, wheelies, log jumps, etc. I would have no choice to get faster in the race.  So that is exactly what I did.  I rushed home as fast as I could -- after finishing work at 3:00, going to the grocery store, picking up HS at 4:00, doing an errand for her; and got out my bike, gear and my sand buckets. (I have about 20)  I set out a turn track -- didn't work like I wanted, but it was a great starting point.  I worked for about an hour until it got so dark I couldn't see anymore.  I worked on turns, riding with one hand, bike balance and even WHEELIES!! I have never been able to successfully do a wheelie ON PURPOSE.  I can do them if I am trying to unweight my front tire or something to get over a log or obstacle, but tonight -- this girl actually did about 10 or 12 wheelies ON PURPOSE with my wheel off the ground -- even if it was just a few inches -- IT COUNTS!!!
     Then I went to the gym for the 6:30 class.  I am motivated and serious about this training ya'll. This is the workout from tonight.  I was feeling great and completed the entire workout RX.  I still struggle with Toes to Bars so the fact that I was able to get so far without scaling was pretty great.  I completed a total of 6 rounds and 35 DU, however 4 rounds and 25 DU were RX. Rounds 5 and 6 I just could not get both feet to touch the bar -- so can't really count that as RX.  Still I am pleased with the results.  Then I came home, cooked supper, cleaned the kitchen, ate, washed a load of dishes, washed a load of clothes and brushed the dogs for a bit.  Now I am catching up on my blog and I am exhausted, but so excited for all the things that are in store for me this season.  

Till next time -- Crystal

Day 1 -- Off Season Starts TODAY!!!

Today is the day!  DAY ! of the off season.  I am motivated, committed and determined to make the 2018 season even better than the 2017 -- which is going to be a pretty big feat.  I went into the 2017 in fantastic shape -- probably the best I have been in my life-- but I have been lackadaisical with my weight, food choices and fitness program since school has started.  It has been crazy.  It is like a snowball effect and everything is a choice.  It is a choice to make yourself better or to take the easy way out.   Today is the line in the sand -- the time that I will decide to make a change for the better.  Will it be easy?  Probably not.  Will it be worth it?  Most definitely yes. 

This is the face of the girl who has packed on about 15 extra pounds, but is determined to take that off and more, be more intentional in my food choices and be more accountable to myself.  I went to gym today and was determined to do the workout to the best of my ability.  I was feeling defeated after the workout, but in reality I didn't do terrible.  Let's face it, 5 rounds of that is really no joke!  I was determined to do as much of it RX as possible.  I did all the DU and all the pushups RX -- I did have to scale the toes to bar, but I did T2B half of the first two rounds.  For me, that is a big accomplishment.   I know that I am too hard on myself sometime, but that is how I push myself to be better.  Yesterday, Kenneth and I went on a Dual Sport ride.  It was awesome -- we rode almost 100 miles -- it was fun, but super cold.  Till next time -- be safe, be you and if you go riding make sure you wear your gear!

 

Hello out there!! Finally Back!!

Hello my friends -- I know it has been a HOT MINUTE since I have blogged, but I am going to start back and finally catch up on this blog -- it is not for anyone's benefit but mine.  I am going to blog about my off-season training, dealing with lupus, workouts, training rides and the adventures our family takes in the off season.  This past year has been one of growth and excitement.  I have developed my riding skills so much this year and found different ways to deal with the adversity that lupus has caused in my riding.  I have learned how to change my riding style to fit the pains that come with lupus.  Despite all the troubles that I have had this year, I actually finished the best I have every finished in both the National and the Local Series.  In the GNCC, I finished 2nd place.  I am super proud of this and fought the hardest for this spot.  I had to push hard at every race and fight for my place, but I had fun doing it and really boosted my confidence and ability.  I finished 3rd in my local series and even though I didn't finish as high -- the competition level was not the same.  The first and 2nd place were faster than me in the local races, so most of the time I finished around 4th or 5th place.  Overall, I did well, but I really rode the struggle bus some races due to my lupus.  The biggest problem that I have is my hands going numb and not being able to hold onto the bike.  You would not believe how that affects your riding ability when you are not sure if you can control the bike.  I didn't set out this season to be competitive.  My only goal was to finish the races and not have to drop out early due to lack of control.  So, basically I was only racing against myself, but ending up doing well at most of the races.  In GNCC, most of the races there were at least 6 to 9 girls in my class and I continually finished 3rd or 4th.  I was impressed with myself.  However, with the busyness of racing two competitive harescramble series, being a full time first grade teacher (beginning of the school year craziness), being an adjunct teacher at the Community College, a trainer at the gym and trying to keep a semi-functioning household, my own physical fitness, managing my weight, and meal prepping have definitely went to the back burner.  I have packed on about 15 pounds since the beginning of this school year and have been in a constant cycle of Lupus Flare UPs for the last month as a result of the craziness of my life.  Hopefully I will be able to get back on track in the off season and get myself back into better shape for the 2018 season.  I plan to Blog about this journey and hopefully this will keep my on track and hold me accountable.  

Mideast Lost Valley aka Rock House

Sorry folks, there will be nothing fancy about this post.  I am sick, sick, sick!!!! In fact, I didn't even go to work today -- Monday - which is a super big deal for me!! I can't remember the last time I missed work because I was sick!! I hope it is not the FLU!!! YUCK!!!

Anyway, this weekend was ahhhmazing for both my kiddos!!!!  Hannah got the holeshot, but then dropped back to second when she came through scoring...only behind by 8 seconds.  When she came through the next lap she was ahead by about 20 seconds and then she continued to widen the lead each lap.  When she made her pit stop she was ahead by over a minute.  She had a wreck on the way into scoring on the last lap, but still was able to hold a respectable lead at 1:38!!! So proud of my baby girl and her first win of the season.  She has been getting faster and building more confidence every race. 

Noah also got the holeshot in a most eventful start...they were all bumping bars and making contact and he shot across the first turn completely sideways.  I actually thought he wrecked, but he held onto it.  After the motocross section he came across the first field in third place, but by the time he came into scoring he was second.  The guy that was in first is a super fast A rider, but he hasn't raced in 4 years, so he signed up in B class.  He is not running for points, but Noah was still hungry for another "W" so he pushed hard through the whole race.  Every lap he was shaving off the distance between him and first place and by the last lap he came through in first.  I love love love that boys determination and tenacity.  He has such a confidence about him that I am so proud of.  

Obviously, I didn't race-- I just did a lot of coughing and hacking, but I did get the chance to take pictures of both races-- something I don't normally get to do.  When I feel a little better I will edit the pictures and put together a movie for you guys.  
Until then, have fun and be safe -- Crystal

Steele Creek GNCC -- Hannah and Noah's races on Sunday

Steele Creek GNCC 2016 Sunday Bike Races

Ice Cream Addict and Fresh Scabs

Noah and his Ice Cream

Hannah and her Fresh Scab

Steele Creek GNCC 2016 PeeWee Race

GNCC Steele Creek 2016 Peewee Race