SCX #7 Monroe Finals

 I had to make a pretty big decision on Sunday, if I would try to race with my brace because I was in the lead for the series overall and didn't want to loose it. I knew that I would have a hard time shifting and braking with the cast but I decided to give it a go. I couldn't just let the title go without fighting for it. 


So I did some math, thinking that Mel Lewis would win on the day. And she was sitting in 2nd overall so I had to finish at least one place behind her to keep the title based on the points. So I_ knew it would be very tough as Mel is racing really strong right now, but I had to try.


Unfortunately my race sucked, I was able to ride and my hand did ok but my legs weren't there. Combo of maybe to much training on the windtrainer that week and the fact that my body is still trying to heal the bone after only 1 and a half weeks from surgery!. I think I finished 7th or 8th, I managed to hang with Mel and Kristi Kelsey for the first couple laps but then my legs just gave out. 


But Kristi Kelsey won witch, I didn't take into factor, which took some points away from Mel who finished 2nd so that made it so I was still able to keep the overall title by a few points!! I couldn't believe it. I thought Mel would get it since she finished so far ahead of me, but I had enough points from the races I won to keep the title. 


So I am the MFG and the SCX overall Cat 1/2 winner!! Can't believe it, what a season. Now time to focus on getting this hand healed up and get ready for Nats!!


And a HUGE Congrats to Corrie Middleton, who races on my husbands team, Collision One, who won her race to earn the overall title for the Cat 3 women. That is Corrie and myself above enjoying some Champagne that my husband bought for us. So awesome, what a weekend!


And a huge Shout out to my son Holden, who is only 9 years old, placed 17th in the overall Junior Boys 10-12 series. That is just about mid pack with fields sizes of over 30 for most races. Nice work Holdenator, you rock!!


And a huge thank you to my husband Chad, who without all his help on a daily basis I wouldn't be able to do what I do. Thank you Chadly, I love and appreciate you so much!!


Kristi

Broken Hand update

A lot has happened since my last post. I went in for surgery about a week and a half ago and had to have a plate and lots of screws in the bone to hold it together.

I wanted to give a huge THANK YOU to Dr. Wayne Weil, M.D. at Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle in Wallingford and Ballard.

Dr. Weil did an awesome job on my surgery, so good that I was back on the bike the day after my surgery on the trainer and back on my bike outside 1 week and 3 days later!

Kelly my hand therapist custom molded a plastic cast to my handle bar so I could hold on and ride and Dr. Weil was very supportive an encouraging for me to get back out racing soon.

I saw Dr. Weil one day after I broke my hand on a Monday and he had me in surgery, cramming me in between surgeries, on Tuesday by 10am! Amazing, they bent over backwards to get me in as fast as they could.
Dr. Weil said "ever day counts" and boy was he right!

Thank You again Dr. Weil and your awesome staff, I had the best service ever and a great surgery!

If you need a good surgeon check out one of the many specialists at:

Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle
2409 North  45th St
Seattle WA 98103
206 633 8100

Kristi

UW Emergency Room

Here are some pics from my 6 hour ER visit.

MFG #6 Woodland Park Finals

Woodland Park was the finals for the MFG series and going into the race I was in the lead for the overall series but only by 2 points over Jenni Geartner. So I had to beat her in order to win the overall. I was a bit stressed out when I woke up that morning knowing that I wanted to win the overall so bad.

We arrived at the park to a great course that was laid out well and it had rained all night so the grass was wet and with each race it was getting muddier and vert slippery. I was super excited as this would really suit my technical skills and give me a bit of an advantage over Jenni.
I took off hard and fast at the start because it was muddy and very slippery and I knew Jenni was nervous and riding more timid. So I got a small gap right after the first corner and then tried to kill myself for one full lap. My gap was growing. On lap 3 I unfortunately got to close to a wood stake that was holding the course tape up and it grabbed my 4th finger and bent it sideways as I kept riding. I knew right away that it was broken but I wasn't willing to quit and give up my win and overall title. So I forged on. The first lap of the 3 to go wasn't to bad because I had adrenaline rushing and it helped hide the pain. But the next 2 laps killed me! It was my right hand so it hurt to shift and brake and I couldn't pick up my bike with my hand over the barriers. So I held back the tears and fought through it and held on to my lead. My husband said not only did I hold onto my lead I increased to win by over a min!

So overall a crazy day! I was in the UW Emergency Room for 6 hours! Great service but boy did it take a long time. There is a good chance I may be done for the season. Kinda sucks but I will see what they will let me do.

SCX #5 Maris Farms

The morning of this race was very exciting. We pulled into the parking lot and got stuck in all the mud in the parking lot with old Chevy and the trailer. Chad's excellent driving got us out and we found a dry place on the pavement to park. That was a sign of what was to come for the course conditions. This race was held at Maris Farms in Buckley. This is a pumpkin farm and corn maze type of farm and we were racing through the pumpkin patch. Very cool, but very muddy!! We are talking mud over your ankles and one puddle was half way up my shine. Very deep think mud.

I wasn't 100% back to normal from the flu shot but I was much better then last weekend. There was a girl that showed up from Bend OR and she got around me on the run up with the barriers. I stayed with her into the deep mud sections and tried to stay with her. She was riding all the mud but the long run section that nobody could ride. So I decided I was going to try to ride everything. I got caught in one section and had to get off and run and she pulled away a bit from me there. So I felt that is was better to try to ride since she was doing that. So the rest of the laps I rode most everything in the mud and then tried to run as hard as I could in the mud section that wasn't rideable to keep her in sight. But we got caught into the guys pretty fast in that race and it really played a factor. She got around some guys and got better lines and that got her a gap while I got stuck behind some guys and then messed me up. But that is part of racing so what do you do. I tried hard to get her back but just couldn't close the gap. She had just a bit more power then I did. If I would have been 100% I think I could have won. But again what do you do. And on the 3 runs/rides in the grass, I was able to ride the first one, then run the 2nd and ride the 3rd and then run the barrier run. So that seemed to flow pretty well for me.
I just didn't have the snap that I usually have after the run ups where I try to attack for 20-30secs. That I think was because I wasn't totally healthy yet. That is where I was struggling the most in the race.

Overall a great race though and it is good to know that I am almost back to normal, last weekend really messed me up. That was hard to get through.

Holden raced and had to do one lap on the same course that we did. The mud for him was over his ankles the whole time and up to his knees in one section. He raced awesome, he attacked the last run up and told Chad at the top that he thought he was going to puke!! And then he attack the last hill to the finish with everything he had. He did awesome, so darn cute to watch.

Chad didn't race today as he injured his foot at work the week prior so he had to take a week off to let it heal. He rode yesterday and it was hurting again so he is on his way back to the Doc to see why it didn't heal up. Hopefully it will get better so he can race this weekend.

On to the MFG series finals this weekend at Woodland park in Seattle. Very cool race venue, I am excited. I am praying for rain so that it gets crazy muddy. I am in 1st place for the overall but only 2 point over Jenni so I have to beat her no matter what this weekend or I loose the overall. So this race will be very intense for both of us. No mistakes!! I will let you know how it turns out.

MFG #5 and SCX #4

Not to many good things to say for my weekend of racing this last weekend!

It all started with getting my flu shot on Thursday. I got my shot and it was no big deal. But Friday I went out for a ramp up pre-race ride with Chad and I couldn't keep up with his easy warm up pace. I was tired and my muscles hurt. I should have taken this as a sign!

Saturday we went to Evergreen High School for the MFG #5 King CO cross race. I was tired again and once the race started I knew I was in for a world of hurt. Right away my legs were on fire and I couldn't hold my normal race pace. My heart rate was lower then normal too. I tried to hang with Jenni but couldn't and eneded up in 3rd behind Jessica and over 2min behind Jenni. I was so upset, knowing I lost some of my ground in the overall for the MFG series with Jenni winning and myself finishing in 3rd.

So I got changed and helped Chad out in the pits. At least Chad had a better race and finished in 10th in his age group! So that made the day better.

We went home and got everything all cleaned up and off to bed early. I didn't sleep well and woke up very tired again.We headed to Tacoma to race the SCX #4 race at Fort Steilacoom.

I warmed up and knew that Sunday wasn't going to be any better. My muscles hurt again. So we started and I got into 2nd place off of Jenni's wheel and held on there for 1.5 laps but on the long hill climb my muscles gave out and I had to quit. I don't quit races! This was really hard for me, I knew I had to quit because my body just couldn't continue but it was so hard on me. I went back to the trailer and laid down and tried not to get to down.

So overall a really bad weekend for me. I really think it is all a reaction to the flu shot. I had a low grade fever on Mon and am getting better today. But no other symptoms then fatigue and low grade fever. So hopefully I am getting over this and I will be able to come back this weekend at Maris Farms.

Kristi