This whole issue is pretty rad.  Lots of fast and amazing girls!  Thanks for reading.

Hell yeah!  Winning is waaayyyy better than getting second, and harder too!  Before I headed into this stretch of east coast racing, a special friend of mine told me that I should go ahead and win at least one race.  I was allowed to win, everyone would still love me!  I have had some stellar races over the last month, but the win eluded me.  Race morning, I downed my Brain Toniq, adjusted my Power/Balance bracelet and took a deep breath.

I lined up on the start line WANTING it, like I have not wanted it in years.  I paced myself up the first climb and got right behind Cathrine for the descent.  Georgia and Katarina got on the train and we all rolled through lap 1 together.  I noticed no one really wanted to drill it up the climb, so I set the pace.  I went into the descent first and quickly got a gap.  Love those 29″ wheels!  I hit the climb for the 3rd time and kept adding seconds to my lead.  At the top of the descent I had a :40 second lead.  Then I flatted the front tire.  It completely exploded in my face and I was left riding a rim down some pretty technical singletrack.  I wiped out huge in the grass field trying to make a right hand turn.  Cathrine caught and passed me as I was doing the loop through the trailers, and Georgia and Katarina passed me while Shep and Matt changed my wheel and gave me a Stinger and coconut water .

Gaining precious seconds

Cathrine was at the top of the first climb and Georgia and Katarina in the middle of it by the time I got back on my bike.  I didn’t think twice, I just stood up and hammered.  I passed them pretty quickly and set my sights on Cathrine. I caught her close to the top of the last climb and attacked her on the last steep pitch.  I wanted that downhill first!  I quickly got another gap and rolled through with one lap to go with a :15 second lead.  I did not settle in. I attacked every climb like there was a pot of gold at the top of it.  I collected the goodness and kept filling up my pockets.  I was gaining seconds with every pedal stroke.  Good thing too, because half way through the descent I flatted again, this time in the rear.  I had just enough air to not ride on the rim and tried to stay cool.  There was still some pavement and gravel sections and a climb to the finish.  It seemed like an eternity and I couldn’t believe no one was breathing down my neck.I rode as fast as I could and it was enough to win by :40 seconds over Georgia and :47 over Cathrine.  Wow, I could finally do the snow (dirt) angel!  The champagne tasted pretty sweet too!

Dirt angel

The short track just wrapped up and I drilled it at the front for :15 minutes to shake up the field and keep Heather in the leaders jersey.  It worked!  We are such a team.  I am so excited to go back to Durango and check out my new place.  10 days of  riding, rivers and loving life should recharge me for Australia.  Something clicked in me yesterday.  I realized that I do not have to feel amazing or have a race free from difficulties to capture the win. I just have to want it!  And keep wanting it with every pedal stroke.  Finally, I just need to allow what I want to flow into my experience!

One happy girl

Okay, I have seriously come down from my post STXC buzz.  I wish I could just go to sleep and wake up Friday in NY, but alas, it is only 3:27pm on Sunday.  I really need to stay AWAY from the cute little “shopping carts” online.  It seems so harmless to just fill up the cart, but somehow I always click the “checkout” button too.  Good thing I am racing fast and getting bonuses. . .

Vermont was a really good weekend.  I finished 2nd in the XC and 3rd in the STXC.  I raced for the first time on my 29er, and loved it!

Rolling in 2nd

I can’t believe there is one more US cup and then it’s off to Australia!  This 2009.5 season has been super.  Our whole team is kicking butt and we have some seriously good vibes going on.  It is nice when everyone is on a roll and having fun!

XC podium people

I felt really good as soon as the gun went off.  My legs felt like nothing was going on, which is quite fun actually.  I found myself making a pretty sweet pass on Fullana in the first descent, and then I was in the lead.  I have never been leading a world cup race before and it felt pretty amazing!  I was smoother than I ever was in practice on that first lap, and had almost a 20 second lead by the time I came around through the start/finish.  My lap time was the fastest of the day which was worth celebrating later!

The chasers caught back up to me on the climb, but I managed to keep them within :15 seconds.  At the end of the second lap I was riding in 4th feeling good, when I hit my rear rim hard and got a flat tire.  I lost a good minute getting into and out of,  the tech zone.  Mary passed me and got a decent gap.  I left the tech zone in 5th and chased WAY too hard.  I blew myself up by the top of the climb.  The rest of the race I was just hoping to stay in 5th, but on the last lap I slipped to 7th. Congrats to Lene who took her fist win in style!

Now I am in NC, packing some boxes to ship to Durango.  I signed a year lease which is a huge deal for non-committal me. Tomorrow I fly up to Vermont for the US cup.  The next weekend is a US cup in NY, then 10 days in Durango before flying to Australia.  I am feeling better and better every day, so I am looking forward to all the exciting things coming up!

Leading lap 1

Sweet shot from the Nationals by Devon Balet

View from the top by Devon Balet