With the Dirty Kanza 200 looming 2 weeks into the horizon, I knew that participating in Syllamo’s Revenge would be somewhat risky, recovery-wise. It’s not that I couldn’t be fully recovered in 2 weeks time as much as it’s very likely not enough time to both recover and bounce back to feeling awesome for a couple of rides in the week leading up to Kanza. So, Coach and I decided it’s in my best interest to stay home. While I’ll still train pretty hard this weekend, it won’t be the same brutal effort required to race my face off at Syllamo.

Speaking of Kanza, I’ve got my Cysco all built and ready to rock.

Ryan, a local videographer, shot a time lapse of the build. Should turn out pretty cool:

Seen here with a more braaaap/trailworthy front tire rather than the skinnier one I’ll use for gravel:

I’ve been a little busy for a full-on high quality photo shoot of my own, but it’ll happen soon. The bike is (surprise!) exactly what I was hoping for- it handles/pedals exactly like my O.G. Air 9 carbon CYA bike and includes some improvements, like a tad more reach, a press-in headset, three bottle cage mounts, 142×12 rear end, and a skinny seatpost (I have a Thompson post on there now- waiting for the Niner “unstiff” RDO post to come back in stock). I’m really stoked on it, to say the least.

As everyone should know by now, I’ve had a little bit of a side-project going on since around December last year…

This is relevant to the post I made last week about something exciting happening in July, though I still can’t give out details because the details themselves are still being worked out. I’m having a great time with mixed martial arts- despite the occasional bumps and bruises…

I have to ‘fess up now since my parents read this, too- I did tell my mom a little white lie yesterday. She had a minor surgery, and, when I went to visit her, I told her I sustained such and injury during a crowded yoga class. Sorry, mom. I’ll make it up to you with a batch of home-made ice cream very soon.

Oh yeah, and today’s my birthday!
I have to say, that when I was anywhere in my 20’s, I wasn’t expecting that, at the age of 33, I’d be at my fittest, strongest, and toughest. That’s one of he greatest things about being female- we only get stronger with time. It makes me excited to see what’ll happen in the future.