Ed Sanders Memorial CX

Let me just first say that on Saturday, I ran 20.8 miles in nasty, muggy, tropical weather. Well, I ran 20 and walked/limped .8. I then proceeded to lie on my couch for most of the remainder of the day second-guessing whether or not I'll actually finish this marathon. UGH. I hate running.

But I love biking! And I love Cyclo-cross! This is my second year doing CX races, and my first year that I've actually 'trained' for it, thanks to the cyclo-cross clinics put on by DCMTB and City Bikes. I was able to make 3 out of 4 clinics at Ft. Reno Park, only 1 mile from my house. The clinics were a big boost to my techincal abilities, and that definitely showed at Sunday's race.

With the exception of the mercury level, the weather was ripe for a cross race; it had rained steadily for the past 3 days, was overcast, a bit of a breeze, and the leaves were falling all around.

Fellow Bella Marisa and I headed out at a leisurely 10:30 am for Buckeystown, MD for a 1:30 race. It was so luxurious to do the afternoon race! When we arrived, the Lilyponds were alive with excitement. The men's race was in full force, the "back 9" section of the course had the beer garden atmosphere, and I saw alot of muddy bikes!

We headed out on the course for a warm-up lap, and as I thought I was riding over a big stick, I suddenly realized I'd just ran over a snake! I felt so bad when he slithered away, I really hope I didn't break his back. But then I was a bit freaked out about running into snakes on the course.....luckily that didn't happen.

I took my practice loop at an easy pace, and we came around the back side to the mud pit, two gals ahead of me slowed way down, I lost my momentum, and PLOP! I fell into the mud. It was gross, smelly, peanut-butter-consistency mud. UGH. I stopped and got the muck out of my gearing, and continued around the loop. The backside has 1 run-up and three or four great hills. There were 2 steep downhills, also covered in mud. This was going to be a scary course at full speed. I finished the loop, went and rinsed myself and my now-broken-in-Kona off, and headed to the start line.

As the 1/2/3 Women were lined up ahead of us 3/4 Women, the skies opened up and it started to pour. The juniors behind us started to cheer, but all I could think was that the course is already wet enough! It was a pretty big field, about 10 elite, and 20 of the W3/4.

I was at the back of the line-up, and had to fight past everyone to get to the front before the first turn onto grass; I was about 5 or 6 gals off the front. I raced my heart out on the first lap, and got all sorts of cheers on the back hills because I rode them every time--except one, where I got stuck behind a 12 year old junior girl and lost my momentum--which happened to be the exact place where Superstar Bella Dee-Dee Wingfield lapped me. Oh well!

I ended up racing alone for laps 2-4; I was about 2 minutes off the leaders and about 3 minutes ahead of the back of the pack. I just couldn't get my legs or my lungs to go any faster.

In the end, I was passed by 3 other elite, but I did slow down to let fellow teammate Melanie Swartz pass me at the finish.

I finished 6th in my race, which I think is an all-time high, and considering I highly doubt anyone else out there had ran 20.8 miles on Saturday, I'm quite pleased with my improvements over last season!

Unfortunately, I just found out that work is going to make me go to TN for some extra duty, so I'm going to miss a few more races, and this season I'll probably only be able to do 3 or 4 CX races total. Next year, though, I'm going to really focus on CX.


Results

Velo News article

Awesome Pic

September 11, 2008

I don't yet have photos, but wanted to get this post up today.

Today, I was honored to be a guest at the Pentgon Memorial Dedication Ceremony for the 184 Americans who lost their lives 7 years ago.

I truly cannot describe in words how awesome (the orginial meaning of the word, not the California-slang) it was to be sitting in the audience today.

For those who don't know, the Pentagon's first day of construction was on September 11th, 1941. I don't know if that is ironic, appro-po, or just plain eerie.

But today, 7 years after the tragic, malicious, events of that day, I found myself at the dedication ceremony at the Pentagon.

Thousands of people were in attendence, and I was struck by the performances of the Armed Service Bands, (of course the Navy Mids were my favorite!), and the level of attendees. From the President and First Lady, the VP, the Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi), Condi Rice, Supreme Court Justices, to former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and current SECDEF Gates and Chairman Admiral Mullen (both of which I was sitting less than an arm's length away yesterday....today I needed a telephoto lens to see them), and most importantly, the family of the 184 people killed 7 years ago today.

I learned today alot about the 184 Americans who were killed. The youngest was just 3 years old. She died on the plane with her sister, Mother and Father. An entire family wiped out in a flash of hatred. The eldest was a retired Navy pilot, a man who had survived 5 aircraft crashes during his distingushed career. He did not survive that 6th, and final, crash landing. I learned about the 11 year old boy who so inspired his teacher, that she hand-picked him to participate in a National Geographic trip to California as reward for his curiosity and enthusiasm in science and our world. This 11 year old boy set off on the adventure of his life, which ended less than 2 miles from where it began. I can't help but feel sympathy for the teacher who must be tortured with thoughts that she hand-picked him for death.

Today I saw the President of the United States in person for the very first time. I saw my Commander In Chief. And I don't care about the politics, it is an awesome thing to be in the presence of the most powerful person on this planet. And he was humble. And as he spoke, a plane flew overhead. A plane flew overhead the Pentagon. Every 10 seconds a plane flew overhead, seemingly into, the Pentagon. And I was taken back to the hours and days after the terrorist attacks when no planes flew. When the skies were silent. And when they did fly again, the fear and panic I felt, all the way in San Diego, of whether that plane was "ours" or "theirs". And I heard the President say "when buildings fell, heroes rose." And since I've been stationed at the Pentagon, I've heard many testimonies of my friends and colleagues who did just that, rose through the smoke and flame and terror and helped saved their fellow American.

The haunting, soothing, aching tune of Amazing Grace was played by a lone bag-piper, Steve Cochran. Yesterday at rehearsal he couldn't finish the song; today he played it with passion and perfection. A Coastie, and retired firefighter; he felt the gravity of the day.

Before 9/11/01 I had every plan to leave the Navy. On September 12th, I remember calling out to Bahrain and every ship I knew asking, begging to go to sea and lend my expertise in strategic weapons to assist. My sea/shore rotation timing has always been out of synch of the events post-9/11, but I am still proud to serve, and proud to be a part of this day in history. My thoughts are with the families of the nearly 3000 victims of this day, and the over 4000 servicemembers lost in our great War on Terror. I will never forget singing "God Bless America" this morning and waving my flag with President George W. Bush, Robert Gates, Admiral Mullen, Condolezza Rice, and nearly 16,000 other Americans.

I will never forget. I just hope that We will never forget.