The Dells and Dairies of Wisconsin: Subaru Cup Race Report

Last summer's trip out west competing in high level events still continues to motivate us to race at national level events this year. The Subaru Cup, one of the ProXCT races on the national calendar and part of the Wisconsin Off-Road Series, led the Jeffina to travel to Wisconsin. For myself and Jeff, Wisconsin is a state neither of us had traveled to since the early 90's and we looked forward to the road trip. Even though the trip was long -- about 15 hours by car -- that did not dampen our spirits. We enjoy our alone time together and pass the time reading the AAA Guidebook for every little town we pass through and making small talk.

Prior to hitting the road for Wisconsin, our first stop was at the Park Ave. Bike mid-week mountain bike training series in Rochester. We are at the point of the season where we are building in more speed work and these races provide an excellent venue for just that. I realize that most of our readers are well into (or maybe even past) this portion of their season, but like I said in one of our earlier postings, we have purposely 'slowed down' our season with hopes that this will sustain us for later in the year. The training race proved to be fast, tight, and slightly elongated from previous years. The men had a good turnout in all categories and three expert ladies showed up (including myself). Jeff 'burped' his tire on the 4th of 7 laps and was forced to retire from the race early.

For me, the previous week's female winner went out hard and I stayed on her wheel. Towards the beginning of the 2nd lap, there was a mandatory dismount and remount and I got the edge on her and kept the pace high. I would go on to win the training race.

Afterwards, we stayed the night at EJ's. We love EJ's family and especially enjoyed our short visit with his wife and daughter. We awoke at 4:30 a.m. the next morning. EJ made us a quick cup of coffee and we hit the road. We traveled through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and into Wisconsin. By the time we made our way into Chicago-land, it was about 2 pm (CST) and we took the long beltway around the city. Traffic was heavy, tolls were high, and Jeff's patience was wearing thin. Jeff lovingly calls me "The Map Lady" as I love maps and navigation. I love to 'read' maps and memorize road patterns. Sounds a bit dorky, but Jeff can attest that there have been few times in our travels where "The Map Lady" has made mistakes.














The Wisconsin welcome center was a sight for sore eyes. It had been a long day at this point and we still had another 2 1/2-3 hours remaining. As we traveled north to wards Milwaukee, it was a relief to see rolling hills and some open space. Chicago is a cement jungle, so the open farmland in Wisconsin eases the system after a tense drive. We pulled into our hotel in small town, Wautoma, located about 30 miles west of Oshkosh, at 7:30 pm and immediately headed in town for dinner. You may wonder, "Well, gee, how did they know where to go?" The Map Lady had read and studied the AAA Guidebook and was prepared to make these types of executive decisions, especially since it was at the time of day where both of us were tired and Jeff needs to eat and get a drink in him. I am prepared for these types of situations and understand the necessity to get food into him as soon as possible to prevent any type of mental breakdown.































After a great dinner and a good night's sleep, we headed out to the race venue, Nordic Mountain, situated in Mt. Morris, about 7 miles from our hotel. We wondered as we were driving to the race site, could Wisconsin have a ski area? This area reminded us of the Lake Ontario shoreline, so what could we expect? The Nordic Mountain Ski Area was perhaps the only elevated piece of land in the area. While I do not have exact numbers to share, I can say with certainty that it was the highest point in the area, but no where near the types of ski areas here in the northeast. The race volunteers were setting up the course and we ended up walking a portion of course. Amateurs were not allowed on the course until Friday, so we spent the rest of the day sight seeing and got out for a short spin on our bikes.

































On Friday, we headed back out to Nordic Mountain for a pre-ride. The course was approximately 4 miles in length, no extended climbs, not highly technical, but had quite a few tricky areas. We did 2 laps of the course and then retired for the rest of the evening. Saturday morning came and we were both nervous. Jeff was nervous about his tire holding and as for me, coming into an unknown area with unknown riders causes a lot of uncertainty, but I just went with our normal routine. The cat. 1 men were scheduled for 4 laps and the women, 3. I will be completely honest in saying that the start of the men's category 1 race was unfair. All the racers -- regardless of age -- were started together. In total, this meant that 100 riders took off at the same time. In retrospect, this seemed odd since the cat. 2 men were started by age groups and given time gaps, but this did not hold true for the cat. 1 men. Jeff started about 3/4 of the way back in the field and as the men entered the single track, it bottle necked, so much so that when the women made it to this spot, the men were still filing in. Everyone was off their bikes until the trail opened up. All cat. 1 racers had a 12:15 time cut-off to begin their last lap. Jeff estimates that he lost a good bit of time with the bottle necking and because of this, came across the line to start his final lap at 12:16. He was unable to officially finish the race and given a prorated time and place.

For myself, I had a good start. I lined up with 22 women and was sitting about half way in the pack when my front tire started to go soft within the first mile. In total disbelief (or maybe more disappointment), I stopped to fix the flat. I had no choice. I had traveled this far and wanted to finish. Anyone who knows me well, knows that it takes me a LONG time to fix a flat. I was out of contention for a top 10 finish. As I was pulling off the front wheel, another rider was coming down the course and offered to help. He pulled out a canister of some type of "fix a flat fast." He shot the stuff into my valve stem and had to shake it out until he found the hole and then shot another spray and told me to start riding. All told, I probably lost about 4 minutes. I was extremely grateful to the efforts of this man and glad to be on my way. I had open trail at this point as no one was in front of me. Being in this sport for as long as I have, I kept my cool and just continued to ride steady. I eventually started picking up people at the beginning of my 3rd (and final lap) and would end up 18th and 2nd in my age group, a dismal placing. In racing, there are many things which we cannot control for and flats are one of them.

Sunday's short track race would be time for redemption. Jeff chose not to compete in this event since he was so disgusted with the start line procedures and just enjoyed walking around the race venue and helping me get ready. Jeff gave me some advice for my warm up and I was ready when the gun went off.



Having done my last short track race about 3 years ago, the speed and intensity was a rude awakening. I stood up coming out of corners, I navigated gravely corners, and pedaled as hard as I could into between for a total of 20 minutes. I am reminded of my early days as a crit rider when I talk about the short track and in some odd way, found this intense event to be especially fun. I came off the main pack but continued to work hard. At times, the main pack was within reach but I couldn't carry their speed nor bridge the gap. I would finish in 9th place overall and 1st in my age group. I was very pleased.







































As we loaded up the car after the race for our trip home, we reminisced about our trip. We enjoyed meeting the Mexican national team staying at our hotel, we spoke with Georgia Gould over breakfast, we were amazed by the speed of the Pro men, we found the locals to be especially nice and pleasant, and loved the food at Christianos.



We will not return to El Popo's nor will we drive straight through the city of Chicago, but we will return to this event. The WORS series is the longest running series in the nation and one of the largest. The organization and volunteers make this a spectacular event. It does not hold the star power presence of a Mt. Snow or Windham event, but if you're looking for some fast racing with quality riders, this is the place to go. We found out that Wisconsin is whey more than dairy. It is a lovely state that in some ways holds similar qualities to West Virginia and even Lake Ontario lake shore. We traveled through the day and night and pulled into our driveway at 5:45 the following morning. After sleeping for a few hours, we unpacked and slowly made our way into the normal routine of home life again. We are looking forward to Windham.















Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

For Father's Day: A Tribute to the Men in My Life

While most of these blog postings are related to cycling or healthy living, this post strays away from the cycling and pays tribute to the men in my life. There are several men who deserve recognition: first and foremost, Jeff, my husband; my Dad, John; my brother, Chris; my father-in-law, Dick, and my uncle Glenn. These five men are all fathers and beyond that, these men have had great influence on my life. As a teacher, I understand that we all learn through formal and informal means. This philosophy leads me to discuss what these individuals have taught me about love, life, and family. In the following paragraphs, key words have been bolded as these are the valuable lessons I have learned through my relationship with the individual.

Jeff, my husband














Jeff is undoubtedly the greatest love of my life. Through our relationship, I have learned that love is the strongest force in the Universe. Love transcends time, space, and even death. I often tell my students on Valentine's Day that it is always better to love than hate, and to go home and spread love in the world. The love I feel in our relationship allows me to love others and to walk in this world feeling loved and to give love. Jeff has also taught me the value of hard work and the importance of letting go as a necessary means of healing.

My father, John














My father and I have had an interesting relationship during my adult years and it has only been in the past 5-6 years where I have finally come to a point where I love him as he is. It took me a while to learn forgiveness. In my 20's and 30's, I had little time to focus on my own insecurities and it wouldn't be until I met Jeff and learned about how destructive the process of divorce can be for father's since our legal system does little to protect their rights in courts. Father's will often suffer more pain than others in the process and for this reason, I now see that my father did the best he could given the conditions in which he was forced to exist.

My brother, Chris















Chris never ceases to remind me that I am still his little sister. To him, I am not Dr. Katina, I am not a professor, and I am not a scholar. I am still his little sister and for this, I love him dearly. He is my best friend. Growing up, I am sure that our parents thought that Chris and I would not survive living in the same household, but by the time we got to high school, we were best friends. Chris has taught me, "Love what you do and do what you love...." Like most of us, Chris deals with his own daily challenges, especially right now, but his cycling/racing have provided him with a quiet spot in these difficult times.

My father-in-law, Dick


















By marrying Jeff, I automatically gained a wonderful set of in-laws. Jeff's father, Dick, at 75 years old, is one of our greatest supporters. He and Nancy regularly attend our cycling events and for anyone who knows us well, they know that they attend events in all weather conditions, all temperatures, and at all hours. A few years ago, Dick and Nancy attended one of the national races held at Mt. Snow, VT. Most of the national level races start at an early time. Dick and Nancy left their home at 3 a.m. to drive to VT and watch our 8 a.m. race. Through Dick, I have learned the value of family and most importantly, the value of a good hug. The value of a good hug should not be underestimated when the effects can change a bad day into a good one and can calm one's spirit.

My uncle Glenn














My side of the family is fairly small which is in some ways, a good thing. We are a relatively tight knit family despite living in different parts of the country. My uncle Glenn has been the cornerstone in my family. He has routinely worked in large cities and in large firms in places such as Philadelphia, NYC, and Providence, but when we came to visit, he always took time for family. He and his wife have always provided us with support and shared with us some of the finer things in life -- lobster dinners, museum visits, classical music, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, and ocean side vacations. My uncle has taught me the lessons of consistency and perseverance, as well as enjoying life in moderation. Nightly, he enjoys a small bowl of ice cream, topped in hot fudge sauce. I hope to do the same thing at this age.

In honorarium, I would also like to recognize our good friend, EJ, the fearless leader of Cranskins.com. Having EJ in our lives has in many ways renewed our love of riding at a time when many are ready to hang up the bike. EJ's passion and love for the sport is contagious and leads us to want to continue riding our very best. For this, I also celebrate EJ's contribution in my life.



















All told, these men are a positive influence in my life. I encourage readers to take time on Father's Day to recognize the men in their life and to let them know how much they mean to you. Even if they are not "fathers," let them know you care and remember, it is always better to love than to hate. Hate will only serve to divide people where love will unify.

Today, I am "..ina" of Jeffina and I am crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskin. com.

Race Report: NYS Race #2, Hurley Mountain

Hello race fans! Here we are in the middle of June and well into the mountain bike season. Jeff and I have purposefully slowed down the start of our season and the limited the number of races to help us keep motivation later in the season. In a prior post, I mentioned that we both had mental burn out last year by mid-to-late August. This year, we have cut back on the number of mid-week training races and picked out a handful of races to target, while staying closer to home in between those times.

This past weekend, we traveled to Hurley, NY, located on the outskirts of Kingston, NY for race #2 in the NYS series. This race venue was 10 minutes past the Williams Lake course (from two weeks ago), so it was nice to have familiar surroundings as we drove in on rt. 209. Good friends, Christina and Tommy, had done course reconnaissance for us the prior week and gave the newly cut Tim Quilty course glowing reviews -- about 4 miles in length, 600+ feet of climbing, many log jams/crossings, and lots of fun single track. Jeff and I were looking forward to finally having a fun, fast race. When I found out that the category 1 women were doing 4 laps, I thought, "This is great....not too long....." I provide this introductory commentary because as one might expect, mother nature has the ability to completely change the race course. The day before the race, it rained most of the day and into the night, leaving the freshly cut course as slick and slimey as a typical Mt. Snow course. The exposed roots were as slick as ice, most of the off-camber log crossings were treacherous, and the lower section had soupy run-through mud.

We did a pre-race warm up with good friend, Paul, and about a mile into the course, I said, "I'm headed back to the start..." My bike was becoming engulfed in mud, I had already slid out once, and just didn't want to beat myself up anymore until the start of the race. Paul and Jeff continued to pre-ride thinking that 4 miles would be a decent warm up. As our starting time neared, there was no sight of Jeff or Paul. Luckily, due to the cat. 2 racers taking longer to complete the race than expected, the start of our race was delayed 1 hour. Some of the cat. 1/pro racers decided not to race while the rest of us, tried to figure out how to cool down, eat, and then prepare again. Paul and Jeff completed one warm-up lap and said, "It's very difficult...just be careful."

At the risk of prolonging the race report, here's how our races played out -- it was a race of attrition by all accounts. For me, it was the longest 16 miles I've ever done as my elapsed time was just shy of 3 hours. I had a good start and once we hit the single track, I became a bit sloppy in the woods and lost a few places. As the race continued, I slowly worked my way from 4th into 3rd, and overcame the next rider only with a mile to go to finish 2nd overall on the day. At one point, I caught the eventual winner, Shasta, and due to nerves and lack of technical skills, I started running into trees, rocks, etc. and started loosing time on her and she flawlessly navigated through the terrain. I found myself riding more and more of the technical sections as the race progressed and found some satisfaction in that, but knowing how close I was to winning, I was disappointed. But, the most important aspect of this experience was that I raced without low back pain. It was the first race since fall '09 where I was not limited in how I moved and negotiated the course. This is significant as I can see clear progress in my rehab progress and can begin to move forward with my training.































At the Williams Lake race, Jeff was unable to finish due to a bent rim, so in some ways, he needed redemption. In the car, I was concerned that he was not feeling well. He's been working a lot of overtime and dealing with some sleep issues, both of which, can affect one's performance on the bike. Jeff's plan for the race was to start towards the back and let the guys take it through the opening single track and then make time on the climbs. Jeff's strategy worked well as he finished in 2nd place. Single speed phenom Brian K. took the overall win about 10 minutes in front of Jeff and Jeff rode his own race. He was waiting for me at the end and seemed very content with his finish.














I was exhausted at the end of my race and just sat in the back of my car eating watermelon. My endurance is good at this time of year, but it was one of those days where I was either constantly being chased or I was the chaser. So, there was no let up in those 3 hours.

Paul, Jeff, and I always share food after races. We are usually limited by what we can eat since most of the race venues are in out-of-the-way spots, so this week, our fare consisted homemade muffins, watermelon, cherries, strawberries, grapes, lemonade, and sandwiches. We have also been enjoying potato chips after races as we both seemingly crave the salt.

We got home late Sunday night due to the later than expected start time, but feel good about how our season is progressing.

Thanks for the great photos again, Christina! Christina got 3rd in the cat. 2 women and our friend, Paul, got 2nd in his age group. Good job!

Next up for the Jeffina -- ProXCT national series race in Wisconsin. Wish us luck.

Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com.

The Food that Fuels our Body

After a 10-day detox in April, I developed some new eating habits which continue to influence what we eat. I was skeptical of doing a detox, but due to some on-going health issues, my herbalist suggested a detox as a plan of action to rid my body of toxins. The particular detox plan I followed was caffeine, alcohol, gluten, meat, and dairy-free. Prior to engaging in such a plan, I did research and made plenty of notes. For me, the trick of getting through 10-days was to become not mentally attached to food -- I considered food as fuel and I knew that the plan would provide me with the nutrients to fuel my body. I ate 4-6 times a day and only lost 2 lbs. Weight loss was not a goal of mine, so this number was ideal. I did make a few changes to my workout schedule. I reduced intensity and was unable to ride any long distances, i.e., more than 1.5 hours.

Since April, a few things have changed around here. We eat more greens -- kale, spinach, field greens, etc. -- and once (or maybe twice) a week, go meatless. Even though we are not vegetarians, the body does not need meat every day. There are plenty of other sources to get protein. In general, there is a lot more variety in our diet.

One of our favorite breakfast meals these days is a large bowl of homemade muesli. The whole grains mixed with fresh or dried fruit and sunflower seeds is a great way to start your day. I mix up the ingredients prior to heading to bed, cover, and leave on the kitchen counter for the next morning. Jeff claims that this breakfast holds him well past his break time at work; whereas, a typical bowl of cereal leaves him hungry after two hours.

Here is the recipe with a few suggestions:

Serves 1 (I will usually triple this for the Jeffina. We are big eaters around here!)

1 C regular oatmeal (for gluten free, use quinoa flakes)
2 Tbsp unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp dried unsulphured dried fruit pieces (e.g., raisins, goji berries, black currents, cherries, etc.)
1 C water

Combine all ingredients, cover, and let stand overnight on the counter. In the morning, serve with fresh seasonal fruit and nut milk.

** Variations: replace oatmeal with "crimped" rye, spelt, or barley. Stir in 1 Tbsp of chia seeds or flaxseeds. Stir in a scoop of protein powder and/or a pinch of cinnamon.

** If you had a weekend race and were traveling, this would be ideal to mix up in a large baggie before you left home. Just add water and it's ready to eat in the morning.

Source: Miller-Cohen, A. (2005) Organic Annie's Green Gourmet Cookbook: Fresh Tastes for Breakfast (vol. 1). Earth Angel Publishing: Manlius, NY.

Enjoy!

Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Pre-Black Fly Ride Report

A small, but dedicated, group of mountain bikers assembled at the Jeffina residence for the pre-Black Fly ride on Sunday. In attendance were Phil M., Greg D. and the Jeffina. We initially thought that the turn out would be greater due to the number of requests we had to revive this ride from two years ago, but nonetheless, it was a great group of people to ride with. Mother nature provided us with a few light sprinkles prior to 11 a.m. start time, but eventually the sprinkles gave way to a great riding weather -- mid 70's and sunshine. Earlier in the morning over breakfast, Jeff thought we should slightly change up the route and I was fine with this. We would tackle the power line climb!

Pre-ride photos:
















































As we headed south on route 11 out of Tully before making the turn onto the first extended climb on Vormwald which leads into Heiberg Forest, we chatted and got caught up on family and work-related news. I have been feeling somewhat fatigued since I'm working with a trainer for my back, as well as receiving structural work, all the while trying to maintain with my riding. I didn't want to hold the up the rest of the group, but on all the climbs, they were quite accommodating. From Heiberg Forest, we made our way over to the "blueberry" hill climb, and then down into Truxton. Once into Truxton, we turned left onto Morgan Hill Road. It would be from here that Jeff would take us on the power line climb. This is a new section for me and it was mainly double track, but held many rocky sections, a couple of stream crossings, and a few hike-a-bike sections. Based on the existing lines, it was apparent this this was a well-used ATV trail. At the top, we re-grouped and headed into the Morgan Hill area. We picked up a a great single track trail that was in good condition. The trail would wind it's way to Spruce Pond. At Spruce Pond, I told the guys, "This won't be pretty for me..just go on and save yourselves if you need to...." Spruce Pond marks the beginning of the final ascent up to Hang Glider Hill. It is a tough climb, especially at the end of a long ride. To my surprise, we were all about equal distance apart and made the ascent to Hang Glider Hill together. From here, we stopped, took in the great views, and headed down the hill towards home.

Distance = 36 miles
Time = 4 hours
Climbing = 4100+'

For me, it was the longest ride of the year and I was satisfied (or maybe surprised) that I survived.

Afterwards, the post-ride beverage of choice was Ommegang beer (what else would you expect from this group?). We sat and chatted on our front lawn while enjoying camaraderie and sharing highlights from our ride. For me, my riding has always been more than a physical aspect of my being. I enjoy the social and emotional support I receive from friends and family at times like these.

Post-ride photos:









































Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Next stop for us -- NYS mountain bike race #2 in Hurley, NY.

Pre-Black Fly Ride Reminder & Updates

Just a friendly reminder that the pre-Black Fly ride is scheduled for Sunday, June 5th. Ride leaves at 11 a.m., so plan to get to our home a few minutes early so we can depart on time.

Due to the extra single track we are including this year, only mountain bikes should be considered.

The ride will consist of road, dirt road, double-track, single-track, and a short hike-a-bike section. Not even Jeff can ride this section, so you will definitely be off your bike. The route will travel through Heiberg Forest and the Morgan Hill area and will make a loop back through Hang Glider Hill.

When I ride this loop, it takes me approximately 4 hours; for Jeff, 3 1/2 hours, so expect to be out there between 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Bring plenty of water and food.

Afterwards, we can order pizza and/or cookout. Please bring camp chairs and a snackie to share.

Weather forecast for Sunday looks great.

Please park on Onondaga St. in areas designated for parking.

Yesterday, I rode part of the course and the bugs in the heavily wooded areas were vicious, so please remember to bring some bug spray. I got bit by a delta wing on the hand and my hand is still swollen this morning.

Questions and inquiries made be sent directly to me on my personal e-mail account or posted under the "Comments" section of the blog.

Hope to see you then!

Jeffina















(Jeff at Morgan Hill)