The Lumberjack

This race has been on my bucket list for several years. I attempted it in 2006 but had 3 time-consuming mechanicals and didn't make the cutoff. It was my first attempt at an endurance mountain bike race (other than team 24 hour events). It was an experience and I'm very glad for it. Sure I was disappointed that I didn't finish the race but knew that I did what I could. And, I rode 60+ miles which was by far the most I've ever ridden on single-track. It was this race that fueled my interest in endurance races and since then that's been my focus. And, for the record, I finally hit the magic 100 mile target during a 12-hour race two years later.

Last summer, before I found out I had cancer, I had thought about trying the Lumberjack again in 2010. It's something I kept thinking about but in the end decided not to because I was so unsure of how I would recover from chemotherapy and radiation. I instead decided to focus on getting healthy while still doing some endurance races.

Having said all that, I am now doing the Lumberjack. It's a complete last minute decision but I'm really excited about it. Registration has been closed for some time but a friend, who was registered, is injured and can't do the race. I'm bummed for him, but excited for me.

I think it's totally insane that I'm doing the race with only a month out but what the heck, it will be fun and I will be doing something I love. Will it be hard? YES but cancer was harder.

Off to the races!

Today I completed my first race of the season and was it ever fun. For my mountain biking friends who haven't done the WORS Iola Bump and Jump, I highly recommend it. It's a great early season race - short, fast, flowy singletrack with some good climbs and just a fun atmosphere/vibe. People are happy to be racing their bikes again and seeing each other after a winter hiatus. It was like old home week for many. And, it was a bluebird day, perfect for a ride in the woods.

I was unsure about how I would do and set some pretty simple goals for myself - have fun, finish, and no "could haves, should haves." I'm feeling stronger but didn't know what to expect with the first race of the year, especially the first race after cancer treatment last summer/fall. I exceeded my expectations and am very happy how it all went. First and foremost - I had a FUN!

I always hate the start but as I lined up I tried to focus on the good things I've learned from yoga - breath, focus, pay attention to what you need to be doing and not the other stuff around you. Also good lessons for life. I was nervous at first but then I kept reminding myself that I've done much harder/scarier things and not to worry.

The first lap was fun and fast. I even got into a pack on the single track and it was awesome to be actually chasing some ladies. The second lap was slower, no wagon train but I did trade places with several women. The third lap was slower yet but I rode all the long climbs (had to walk 2 short ones) and worked hard to keep my pace going and finishing strong. In the end - I gave it all I could, finished and had fun!

As I get stronger my thoughts of cancer push deeper into my memory (yeah!). However, this Tuesday, I have my second 3-month checkup with my oncologist (which I will have every 3 months for the next 2 years) so it's at the forefront of my mind these days. And, she said that I most likely will have to have another CT scan after this appointment. That should be confirmed on Tuesday. I'm nervous and anxious for Tuesday to be over and hope I hear the words "everything looks great." Please send good karma my way Tuesday!

Spring has sprung!

Today is an amazingly beautiful spring day. Birds are chirping, woodpeckers are pecking and I'm able to sit on my patio typing this blog. And to make things even better, work has been amazingly cooperative. Usually this time of year, I'm stuck in the stuffy halls of the MN State Capitol but for various reasons, things are at a major lull. I just hope when it does get busy, things happen quickly and legislators go home, sooner rather than later.

Over the Easter holiday, Kevin and I went out to Fruita, CO for a few days of mountain biking. The first day was a complete bust because of rain but we were able to ride Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The best day was Friday by far - we did a 5 hour ride on CO singletrack without covering the same trail twice. It was fun, rocky singletrack with great views of the Colorado River.

The best part of the last two weeks is that I'm finally feeling like my fitness is back. I was able to do the 5 hour ride with no problem and I'm feeling stronger and faster. Today, I went for a mtb ride at Lebanon Hills and did by normal sequence of loops in the same time before cancer.

So, I'm really excited about training and focusing on racing this year. It seems that I have some good karma -- work is cooperating, my fitness level is greatly improved since finishing cancer treatment and my motivation level is very high. I can't wait!

What health care reform means to me

Late summer and early fall was a complete blur to me because I was in the midst of a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. As a result, I was not at all engaged in the health care fight in Congress. I should have been but to be honest, I was recovering from a radical hysterectomy, in a fog of depression, and exhausted and nauseous from chemotherapy and radiation.

However, it's been four and a half months since my last treatment. I had my first 3 month checkup and the doctors have given me a good prognosis. I finally feel like I'm back to myself and living a happy and full life. And now, I've been paying attention to the debate and am very happy the Democrats in Congress fought for this. It affects me personally but I also have a different lens to view the world with and passage of this bill, as Joe Biden so aptly stated, is a big F@!? deal! To see how it impacts me directly, read this article.

To me this video expresses a lot of what I've seen lately from the other side - a lot of anger and opposition without any real solutions. And, I don't consider allowing people to shop for health insurance from other states a real solution.

Feeling the love

Yesterday I was able to do my training ride outside. It was the best ride I've had since I was diagnosed with cancer and completed treatment. I finally feel like I'm getting back to my former fitness level.

The best part of yesterday's training is that it helped me feel rejuvenated and focused on my efforts. Winter was getting me down, I was starting to wonder if I was going to get back to where I was before, and I was getting bored with the grind of training in the basement. Yesterday helped give me a new perspective and a little more patience to get through winter.


I've also started doing yoga which has been really good for me. I was having a lot of muscle and joint issues (as a result of the radiation) and was feeling like I was walking around like an old woman. Along with numerous visits to the chiropractor and massage therapist, I'm feeling stronger and more flexible. My favorite aspect of yoga is the mental strength and concentration it gives me -- I feel like I'm in a better place after an hour of yoga.

Spring is around the corner and I can't wait!

Ready, Set, Go

My coach and I finalized my race schedule this week and I'm really looking forward to a fun race season (I've updated it on the sidebar). I have a lot of races on the calendar and am going to be able to race on some fun trails. I only got to do 1 endurance race last summer, because of the cancer diagnosis and treatment, so I'm hoping 2010 will afford me a lot more time on my bike. And, the last two race seasons I haven't performed as I would have liked and I wonder if the cancer was taking it's toll without me even knowing it. So, I'm also hoping for some good placing at these races.

I've been back with my coach and on the bike since December but all of my focus has been on recovering from cancer treatment and getting used to physical activity again. So, I've been riding but it has been without much focus. However, I feel good and rested so my coach will start focusing the training and I can focus again on what I love - the bike and endurance riding. Yeah!

That old familiar feeling....

The last time I rode outside was the weekend after my last chemotherapy appointment. After three months of surgery recovery and cancer treatment I had no idea what to expect on that ride and got a real eye-opener....I was REALLY out of shape! Since then I've only exercised indoors on the bike trainer and have spent the last several weeks just getting used to exercising again.

Today I ventured outdoors instead of sitting on the bike trainer. It was warm (for this time of year) and sunny so I couldn't handle the thought of sitting on the trainer in Kevin's basement. I wanted sun and fresh air!

The ride was great and I felt good. I'm still really out of shape but felt better than on the last outdoor ride. I can tell I'm getting my strength back. What I liked most was the tired, spent feeling my body felt afterwards. I ached to feel this during cancer treatment and it was good to have it back.