With Leadville fast approaching, I took a week for some high altitude acclimation including a backpacking trip above 10,000ft and competing in the Laramie Enduro 111K. I attended the University of Wyomin in Laramie and have family and friends that live there so my week was very productive for both family time and training!

This is my mom.  It was beautiful camping next to some glaciers at the base of North Gap Lake. — This is my mom. It was beautiful camping next to some glaciers at the base of North Gap Lake.

When I arrived in Laramie a week from Friday, I immediately packed a backpack and took off for the Snowies with my parents, sister Marie and 2 brothers Mark and Matt. We hiked about 3 or so miles the first night and spent the night above 10,000ft. The next couple of days were filled fishing in beautiful glacier lakes and more hiking up to 11,000ft!

North Gap Lake where we ate fish for breakfast lunch and dinner! — North Gap Lake where we ate fish for breakfast lunch and dinner!

After the hike, we returned back to town. It was so refreshing to have several days of no phone so you could just enjoy nature and not have the constant facebook and email distractions.

On Tuesday I took my siblings Matt (who I had twisted his arm into doing the Laramie Enduro), Marie 16, and Morgan 13 (with his brand new bike from the Pedal House) to the Laramie Mountain Bike Series. This is a weekly Tuesday race that even pro Georgia Gould of team Luna Chix made an appearance at! She of course raced the guys because she is freaking awesome! My race went well as I didn't feel the effects of altitude too much and started working my way up the field. I was coming down 'Death Crotch' when a guy behind me started acting like a total dick as he was saying how much faster he was (funny, he had 2 chics ahead of him!). I started getting totally annoyed by his rudeness so I didn't let him by as we were on an unsafe area for passing. He decided to pass anyhow by cutting a corner on a switch back and took himself out! As he lay their I yelled, 'Dude, watch out!'.

Laramie Mtn bike series was a great way to get my family on bikes! Though I had the misfortune of my bike breaking, it was awesome to see how much fun they had. My brother Morgan took 2nd in juniors and sis Marie took 6th in beginner women!

Race was super fun but as I sped through the aspens with literally 50 ft from the finish, my bar caught a tree and I was thrown from my bike. I landed on my side, taking the wind out of me. I got up and pedaled to the finish, taking 3rd. After a look at my bike I noticed a crack in the top tube. My eyes started to well up with tears. I was pissed at myself. My bike was trash. I had the enduro that weekend and Leadville in 2 weeks and now had to find plan b. My body seemed ok yet I think I may have either thrown out or bruised or cracked a rib. Not sure but my mind was more concerned about the bike.

Lucky me for having friends in Laramie! Evan O'toole offered his wife's bike but I ended up borrowing my friend Carrie's bike. She had a Titus Motolite 26in. With some decent wheels and components! Plus her husband Carl did a tuneup before I took it so it was looking great for the enduro. I pretty much put my saddle on and adjusted the seat height and was ready! I wasn't going to be anal about my fit or let the different bike affect my mental state for this race. I had to pick myself up, stop the pouting and be focused!!

My friend Carrie lent me her bike that I called 'Sonny'.

So, the Enduro went quite well. I felt great on my new borrowed bike I called 'Sonny' after my favorite black stallion I have been riding to the Salt River. No flats, no mechanicals or crashes. I seemed to pace myself better than the previous year and also was eating alot better and keeping my aid stops quick. My family was there at the aid stations so I would come in, ask for a bottle, chug a little coke and quickly keep going. I was sitting in 2nd for most of the race and trying to catch 1st.

At about mile 55 or so the cramping started to kick in. I think I probably needed more electrolytes than planned due to the heat and all of the technical riding was probably just fatiguing the legs. I kept telling myself to relax and breathe deep so the cramping would subside. I'd also take a honey gel to help. At mile 62 it was the home stretch but all up technical trail. I would hop off and push the bike on some sections so my legs wouldn't seize up. Finally it was down to the finish. It was great to be done! My friend Carrie was keeping score so I did a wheelie for her as I crossed the line! I had finished 2nd overall in the women!

My brother Matt who had just gotten into mountain biking and this being his first race was still out there. I knew it would be very challenging but had no doubt he could push through! I had given my brother an 8 week training plan to get ready as part of the deal for him racing. He came through and was totally thrashed. I don't think he wanted to see his bike for weeks!! He probably thought I was pretty evil too! But you know, the mind is funny and somehow makes us forget all the suffering so we end up craving another big challenge!

Now that I am home, I have received the incredible kindness from people including Laurel Darren Simmons who is letting me borrow her bike for Leadville. Joey from Shade Tree Bikes also helped me get it set up and race ready! THANK YOU!! Aaron is also dialing in my fit. I will have some time to get used to it so I'm not worried. And of course my amazing massage therapist, Don Wong and chiro, Eric Marcotte have helped my body recover! Thank you all!!

Plan B isn't always ideal but the bright side is it's teaching me to be a little more resilient and giving me the opportunity to enjoy testing different bikes in serious race conditions! I am still figuring out a horse name for this bike (it's white) but I'll let you know what I come up with in my next blog! Here we come Leadville!!