Weather information: Weather Underground / Ray's Weather Center
Latest and Greatest Stories & Race Reports
Fabulous 4th - July 4th, 2009 - Laurie
Fabulous 4th Road bike Metric
Another beautiful day in the mountains…!!! Two years ago this ride took me over 5 ½ hours to finish…maybe I was lolly-gaggin’ a bit, maybe I was just still a newbie? This year, aside from a horrible case of poison ivy creeping around my waist, I felt awesome! This year it was just Chris, myself & our friend/riding buddy Garrett…we convoyed to Tryon, me feeling very relaxed I should say!
I got myself ready to go, said my good wishes to the boys (knowing I would not see them again till the finish) and tootled around looking for any familiar faces…none! Oh well, this is a beautiful, scenic ride…I will just spin and enjoy!!! As usual I started out with the big group for about…uh..oh…let’s say 10 seconds!!! And watched as they all pulled away…but I felt good so I kept it in a good hard gear and tried to keep them in my sites! About mile 10 I am engulfed in a nice size paceline…and woah…it’s the crowd from ProBikes! I say hi to Kylie, chat a bit but she is still in recovery so on the next hill I stay with the crowd as she and her other half fall off the back. I chat with Marty (ProBike owner) a bit while we spin on. I come to the second aid stop knowing I am low on water decide to pull over and top off…never seeing any familiar faces again. I continue on to the next stop on my own thinking this is the end of my chance to break any personal records!!! Ah well…
I approach the 3rd aid stop with plenty of water I grab a banana and hope to just finish without hubby having to wait too long! There were some good rollers for a bit then it flattens out…this is where I spot a good group of guys that look like they may be helpful! I push hard to grab onto their wheels…now I sit in their draft wondering what kind of time I am pulling now? 4th aid stop is at the bottom of a long slow climb so I pull over, top off, and empty out (hehe) and mosey on my way! This is where I run into what I am calling my “Spanish Domestic”…we chat a bit…I tell him I am trying to beat my last years time of 4 ½ hours…maybe even break 4 hours…he says “you got it!! With this pace you can make it!” That is all I needed to hear…I am now motivated again!!! I climb on while SD and I keep playing cat and mouse…he keeps pointing out the hill tops and I keep pushing beyond what I thought I had left in me! He points out the final top and my legs burn!!! Now, this last downhill is scary!!! If any of you know me, you know I hate to descend on a road bike…I hang on and be my cautious self even though this may have been the fasted I have descended on a road like this I never left my comfort zone! (which is just fine with me!!!) There is a long straight-away to the finish…I flick it my big ring (really hard gear) and push as hard as I can…SD is in site…M*U*S*T beat 4 hours!!!!! I catch up to SD as well as all the other fast descenders…pass them…SD points out one more turn and you are there….every little ounce I have left I “am leaving it out there” and the clock reads: 3:57:35 !!!!!!!!!!
My fastest metric EVER!!!! You could not wipe that smile off my face that day!!!!
Enka Lake - June 13 2009 - Laurie
Enka Lake Triathlon
750 meter swim, 17.5 mile road-bike, 5k run
Finished mid-pack (upper mid-pack…I should say…hehe)
A perfect day for a race…
I was supposed to be dragging hubby & the pups on a 6 hour drive to yet another X-Terra, one I have been dreaming of doing for years. But due to flood level rivers, unknown requirements, chances it would not be the race I anticipated I opted for a popular local race that benefits a local fire dept! Did I mention it was local…no loooooong drives!!!
I tend to finish strong (meaning I have a little oomph left) at these tris so today I decided I need to not reserve so much, “leave it out there” was my motto for the day! Chris came along to record it all in pictures…thanks sweetie!
The swim starts in waves, spreading out the field, this made for less of a flop-fest…fewer kicking legs for me to swim right into!!! My arms were starting to hurt after the first buoy…this is good…I am making them work!!! I am leaving it here!!! Rounding the second, final buoy I noticed way too many white swim caps (these were the swimmers in the wave behind me {masters women})WHAT??? I gotta go faster!!! So I floppin’ my arms faster, loosing what little technique I have….this is getting me know where fast…just deeper in white caps!!! I revert back to swimming efficiently but with more power and forcing my arms to hurt more…heck, I don’t need their strength to pedal, just enough to keep my handlebars pointing in the right direction!!!
1st transition seemed good (we will see when the official times are posted) I was shoved in a corner so I had quite a ways to run with wet feet in super-stiff cycling shoes but no snafoos and I was off on my strongest leg! It was a beautiful route (much better than when I did this race on a relay team…2 laps of an out&back) I pedaled down hills, left it there on the up hills…forced my legs to turn little circles! “on your left!” I LOVE belting that out…I love it, just love it!!! Hehe Things were starting to look familiar and I knew I was almost back to transition…I had a little more to leave…soooo, I left it!!! (you must dismount your bike before entering transition) With my last “leave it” effort I caught up to 2 women…I only had one choice…leave a bit more...RUN!!!
Xterra Smith Lake May 31, 2009 - Laurie
X-Terra Smith Lake, Ft Bragg, NC
Off-Road Triathlon - 1000 meter swim, 18 mile mtb, 4 mile run
3rd Place in Age Group
Since I had such an awesome time at my first X-Terra, and Kassi was going to Smith Lake alone…I had no other choice but to keep Kassi company and experience this once again!
I knew nothing of the Ft Bragg area…little did I know NC actually had such flat, dry, dusty terrain! We arrived the day before, scouted for a campsite, hopped on our bikes and did one lap of the course, flopped around in the water, found (what seems to be a habit) a Ruby Tuesday’s, and called it a night!
The swim at this race could really freak people out without warning of its Lake Weed…prickly little vines that attach to you while flopping around trying to avoid 140 other participants who are being attacked by the same weed. It wrapped necks, arms, feet…everywhere!!! I felt like I was swimming in a flapper dress! I also seemed to have a hole in my goggles…arg! I seemed to have the speed and back-stroke dude…and could not get around his very wide kick!!! Finally, found a hole and passed BSD right into NotGonnaLetAGirlPassMe dude…I was faster than him while he breast-stroked but every time he caught a glimpse of me he kicked up his freestyle and put me right behind him again…this went on for at least ½ the swim…yes, I finally shook off enough weed to get around him and leave him behind…whew!!!
Out of the water, run across the beach, pull on some shoes, run across the parking lot paved with sharp, sharp pebbles and into transition. Arg…helmet not ready!!!! OK, helmet on and off to riding my bike!!! Weeeeeeee!!! The trail was extremely sandy, speed was easy to achieve but the sand in the corners was waiting to push you down!!! In my pre-ride I wiped out a couple of times…thankful I had those turns implanted in my memory I was cautious when need be and big-ringed it when I knew I could!!! The trail was also very flat (lots & lots of pedaling!!!) and very little technical features. As I passed the water station the gal said “5th female!” Took a few minutes for that to sink in, when it did I let out a “WOOO!!!” scaring the poor fellow in front of me right off the trail (not sure he was lovin’ the mtbiking!) Second lap I shook my heavy legs and started hollering my 3 favorite words “on your left!!!” Towards the end I did have one guy holler them at me…but as he passed he also said “you are hard to catch!” I knew I had to make this leg mine because the 4 mile run coming up was not going to be easy!!!
The run starts with a WALL…ok, so it was not literally a wall but I sure would have liked a rope to heave myself over! The entire run I remained in a zone…a “one leg in front of the other” zone! It kept me going at a pretty descent pace I believe! It was starting to get hot, the sun was starting to burn but I was in my zone…hmmmmm!!!! The last mile is on a horse trail, thankfully no horses had been on it that morning! The poo was at a minimum…hehe!!! But the sand was fine and DEEP!!! I felt like my legs were starting to fill up with the sand! As soon as I felt I could not shuffle any slower I was told “one more turn and you are done!” wooohoooo…I turned on the gravel road and pushed my legs over and over to finish strong, happy, tired, and going home with a trophy, a very unique trophy I might add!!!
Dupont Fat Tire Festival 2009
We had a wonderful day in the woods...got lost, I went over the bars ONE too many times!!! (all good!), found treasures, and 
basically enjoyed life!
The course has little detour trails with hidden numbers that entitle you to a prize at the finish! A fun way to end the day...we each found a number. I love surprises!!!
Click on pictre to see a couple more.
Completed Tour De Cashiers (Epic ride indeed) 05/02/09
Tour De Cashiers turned out to be a great epic ride. I am only sorry Laurie didn't go. There was lots of light drizzle on and off all day. However it was worth every rain drop to enjoy the ride (Thanks Garret for getting me out there). The start of the ride was dry with a little bit of confusion. The entire group of riders started on the Century course, my Garmin was telling me to turn around and sure enough we were on the wrong course along with many others. After getting point in the right directions we immediately start to climb 10-12% grade yikes. It did flatten out but not much.
Starting the first hill climb there still was no rain till the very end. Legs felt good all the way up and I didn't push to hard so I would save some for the next climb. As Garret and I crested the top of the mountain it was already raining and we began our decent. The hills were fast and fun causing me to use my breaks a lot in the hairpin turns. Rain felt like pins and needles as it slammed into my face. By the time I got to the bottom of the 6 mile downhill my hands and feet were cold and my legs had to warm up again. The views were amazing as there were mountains on both sides of the road with streams and waterfalls everywhere. Thanks to the rain it was actually perfect temperatures and I was never hot at any time.
After 9 miles of rolling hills you could sense the valley getting tighter and the next big climb was coming. Starting the second climb my legs were just starting to get warmed up again but still tight. Garret had a gap on me off the bat. I keep him in my sites the best I could as my legs began to tire. Most of this first part of the climb was 9-12% grade and the pedals started to feel very heavy. Finally there was a flat area (2-4%) grade. I gave it my all to try and catch Garret still keeping him in my sites. The grade then went back to 12% all the way to the top. What a great climb and I was glad to be at the top.
Just when you think you are almost done climbing there is more to the finish. All in all I would do Tour De Cashiers rain or shine next yearClick here to see my ride profile information.
Fort Yargo Xterra 04/26/09 - Laruie
It all started in the beauty isle (hey, we may be dirt-lovin’ athletes, but we are still girls!) of Earth Fare when I ran into team-mate Allison…”you doing X-Terra Ft Yargo?” she asked. Me? I have been eyeing the X-Terra races for years…never thinking in a million I could actually make it through one…Well, my friends: I finished and LOVED it!!!
Kassi and I drove to Ft Yargo Friday morning to scope out the lay of the land…so glad we did! We checked in, tippy-toed the water (not bad!), picked out some grassy area right near the start/finish/transition for camping, went for a quick mtbike loop, chowed down some scrumptious steak, went back to set up camp and wait for Allison and her friends to arrive.
After a well rested night on the cushy queen size air mattress in the confinement of a rather sound-proof van (Allison mentioned geese but I was oblivious…hehe) I awoke to the bustling…or was that a LOUD knock on my window? People were gathering for the day’s excitement!!! Kassi & I took our bikes to the transition area…I think we got the best spots you could! I love waking up AT the race start…makes for a much less stressful beginning! As we puttered about getting ourselves fed & clothed properly…wet suit? Or not to wet suit??? That was the question! I had only one answer being that I did not have a wet suit…my theory? The air was cool so your body is already on the cooler side, so the 63 degree water will not feel so cold…I was correct!!! YAY!!!
The swim was refreshing! I swam right up some guys legs, others swam into, onto, on top of and around me…I had been told of the inadvertent groping that occurs…all in a day’s competition I suppose!!! I did find myself passing others which indeed was a great ego boost!!! Not to mention this was the second swim in a year I figure I was doing awesome!!!
My first transition was smooth…threw on my jersey (still waiting for my supposedly awesome tri-suit in the mail), shoes, helmet, glasses, downed some Hammer Perpetuem, grabbed my bike and took off! Now I knew if I was going to finish with any respectable time this was my leg it was going to happen…the bike is my strongest of the 3 sports. I was passing people left and right…feeling great! I think by having to swim first it warmed me up nicely to start the mtbike leg in full attack mode! In the end I was a minute faster than a fierce competitor that always seems to whip my butt…she congratulated me and we had a good chuckle!!! I think that was a definite highlight…hehe!!!
Now the run…the dreaded run! I don’t necessarily hate running…I just can’t quite figure out how to go fast?!?! I blame it on having short legs but I am starting to think that is just a cop-out and I really just need to concentrate on lengthening my stride! I felt great on my run even though I was losing a great amount of time…I kept reminding myself to pick up my feet, long steps, no walking…etc!!! I made it to the 3 mile mark, downed a Gu & some water and decided to pick it up as much as I could! OK…maybe too much, I started to lose too much of my breath just as I was being passed…draft!!! They do it on bikes why not run…so I did for as long as I could…then!!! What is that??? The END??? OH MY…I can see the end…I put every ounce I had left and pushed through the transition area (yeah, you had to run through the transition ONE MORE time to get to the finish)….WOW!!! What a fun day!!!
All in all, obviously, I had a blast! I came in a very respectable 4th in my age group and middle of the women’s overall field… there were a significant amount finishing behind me! I will take that score for my first X-Terra! I must work on my running speed and try to get in the water a few more times than once a year -ya’think???…transitions are a live & learn lesson (it will be so much better when I don’t have to pull on a jersey or whatever tho!) Can't wait for the next one...
Misfits visit Asheville 04/26/09
Click on the Picture to view photos.
Early Feb. Ride in Pisgah
What a Beatyful day it was. I will let the pictures speak for them self this time.
Disclaimer: Cycling is a dangerous sport. Chris and Lauie Neubert are not responsible if you get lost or hurt while riding your bike. You ride at your own risk and assume all responsibility for yourself and your equipment. The views expressed in the articles and GPS maps are for entertainment purposes only to share our experences.
LATEST PHOTOS 2009 AND BLOG
I have been diligently working on Laurie’s new Race team web site and it is finally completed.
If you find something that is missing let me know nad I will add it. E-mail me at Laurie@logover.com
Description
Description