Who is Jenn?

Glad that there is not a “right or wrong” way to post a web page about myself and my background ! (all English teachers must stop reading at this point:)

The Cycling Story

As an athlete, my background and interest in “sporty” stuff was a direct result of growing up in Pennsylvania on a farm. It’s hard to not climb trees, play Tarzan, and ride the goat without being impaled on its horns without becoming slightly outdoorsy and sporty. Running was my “thing” in early times—we had a half mile lane and it just called out to me to run it. Of course, that was YEARS ago. Ancient history and my present running is still a “work in progress'' for this season—you may catch me doing intervals in the local dog park with my dogs. But don't tell anyone. It looks pretty stupid to be running laps in a dog park…lol!

Cycling interest started when I was a kid, when I would do “long” rides to a town about twenty miles away. However, despite my interest in college and some riding with some of the guys on the PSU race team, it was only after college that cycling became part of my daily world.

Not having much clue about what I was doing, I just started reading Bicycling (and any other cycling publication), trying to get a sense of training/ nutrition/gear...trying to answer questions that made no sense to me at the time. “You want me to dab my toe on off-camber and scrub speed on what??” I had tons to learn. Tons. As a beginner, I often took on more than I was ready for. “Sure, Dad, let's go do that bike-a-thon!” and then literally dying trying to even finish the thing. Dad got to see some pretty temper tantrums too. I still have the hardtail mountain bike that was my first “good” bike—poor thing got thrown off a couple of hills in frustration. I had lots to learn about practicing and being patient. Lots.

For the first year or so of riding, I was using that hardtail Cannondale mountain bike on the road...just doing long rides on my own. I was slow, but persistent. I kept trying to push myself to do more so I could get better, but not always so smart about it. Dad got to pick me up about 70 miles from home when I had wisely decided that I had nothing to do so I was going to ride to Allentown, PA, and back. Except I was a beginner (change a flat…um....what?) and the Allentown round trip was about 140 miles. Not so bright. Of course I get a flat...and can't change it. Dad gets to drive 70 miles to pick my sorry butt up. We still laugh over that (You do think that was funny, right, dad?).

In my second year of riding, I got a road bike. It was a size too big, but what did I know? It was sure a lot faster than my mountain bike with knobbies. My first century ride was a solo deal on the road with my knobby tires on my mountain bike. It took me all day. It was dark when I was about sixteen miles from finishing it. Determined to finish it (I had to get that computer thing on my bike to read 100 miles that day even if it killed me), I spent the last sixteen miles riding two square blocks of a lighted street because I didn't own any lights for night riding. I don't even think I knew that there WERE lights for night riding!

That summer I did some group riding with a local bike club—figured I could learn a thing or two. And somebody could change my flats if I got one! One week in early July, a gal mentioned that there was a “MS” ride that weekend. Sounded like fun and I thought I could do the back-to-back days of riding 100 and then 75 miles. That weekend changed my world forever. On the first day, a couple of guys passed me with some words of encouragement—it was a long ride for me. At the next rest stop, I saw them again and we chatted and ended up riding the last 25 or so miles of the century as a small group. As it turned out, those guys were part of large gang of friends who were regulars riders of that MS ride so after the first day of riding was over, I had now met a great group of people. The next four or so years were spent primarily doing crazy things with those folks. Very athletic and adventurous group—started doing 24- hour team mountain bike races, kayaking, full moon mountain bike riding...you name it and I think we were doing it.

Interest in racing started in those years, too. We were doing 5-person open teams for 24-hour mountain bike races and since I now had a road bike, I thought I would try doing some road racing. Oh my. THAT was a very lofty goal almost to the point of being ridiculous. I had NO idea what I was doing. I joined a local team. I still had no idea what I was doing. Only girl on the team. Still no idea what I was doing, but I started racing nearly every weekend, mostly in criteriums, but a couple of stage races, too. Got lucky, I think, and ended up second for that season in the BAR series of races for Cat 4 women (Best All-around Rider). But I still had no idea what I was doing. I moved up to Cat 3 for the next season—now I REALLY had no idea what I was doing and was getting my butt kicked every road race I was doing.

Despite spending so much time racing on the road, it was in my random mountain bike races that I had my best results. I realized though, that I just didn't have the technical riding ability. I just spent too much time on my road bike. But I could use all my road hours to do the long mountain bike races that were not as technical, just really long. So I started to do the 24-hour mountain bike races solo and then did a handful of 100-mile mountain bike races. Main goal of those marathon days (and nights) is to NOT get injured and to keep physically, but more importantly, mentally, going forward.

All in all, however, I was having a good time. Cycling had become part of my world and part of who I was...though at one point it nearly became a negative thing and it was only years later that I recognized that I got a bit TOO into cycling. I had started to define my days as “good” or “bad” based upon how much I rode. During that time, I had a mountain bike crash that put me in the hospital for five or so days (If you KNOW that you are bad at mountain biking, do NOT practice wheelies on descents. Note to self. I don't think I have done a wheelie since then!). Post-hospital recovery included home IV and injections. Sure, it sounds like that would have been a crappy experience, but in retrospect, it was the best thing ever for me. I couldn't do any riding/working out for a full month which forced me to deal with days as just days...not “good” or “bad” based upon riding. I don't ever recommend that you get seriously injured, but if you start to find yourself getting a bit obsessive with anything, I can teach you how to NOT do wheelies . . . :)

In 2002, I moved from my great friends in Pennsylvania and relocated to the Northern VA/DC area. I didn't do too much serious riding for two years since I started (and finished) my master's degree while working full time. This break in riding was an important one for me—it was only after I wrapped up the master's degree that I had the chance to really evaluate if I wanted to ride because I “had” to ride or because I truly enjoyed it.

Since I had taken a break from riding and had moved away from my riding friends in PA, I didn't know too many folks to ride with or routes to ride. I also found myself having tons of free time that had previously been consumed with preparing papers, power points and presentations for my master's degree.

I had seen on the big local riding club's web page a link to “ultra cycling” and the “randonneurs”. I had no idea what that meant so I decided to go to a one of their rides. I was in for a big shock. Thinking that I was pretty fit and not the slowest gal on a bike, I could not believe when we rolled out of the parking lot. The ride leaders were a couple on a tandem (and if you ride, you know that tandems just don't climb…usually.) The route we were on was mountain after mountain after roller after roller for 100 miles. It was really challenging and these folks (especially the ride leaders) didn't even seem like they noticed we were climbing every hill in the tri state area. Reaching the parking lot and my car, I was completely beat. Couldn't believe it when they yelled over to me and asked “hey, you going to come out tomorrow and do another 100 miles with us?” These people were freaks.

The next weekend, I thought I would try riding with these ultra cyclists again. I made it through another 100 miles of mountains and rollers on with them that Saturday. And again, shook my head in disbelief that they were going out again on Sunday for the same...these people were really just nuts.

But, that summer, I kept going back...and started trying the back to back days of long riding. It was pretty hard, but in a fun, sick way. I was hooked. It was such a different challenge than a 20-mile crit or 50-mile road race...this was really mental.

The next spring, I was doing my New Year's resolutions. Yes, it was May...better late than never, right? I wanted something big to do for riding, but had already done the 24-hour solo stuff. Didn't exactly have the ability to tell work that I was going to ride across Asia or something...somehow, I ended up finding information on some “Ultra races” that were going to be held in different regions of the United States. I had found my challenge. I was going to do one of these things—or at least try. So, I chose one that wasn't too far away (that Alaska one looked pretty cool, but I was in DC!), the Adirondack 544 race in September. Announcing to my friends that I was going to do this made it official. Now I had to ride. A lot. That spring and summer was my official induction into ultra cycling. I rode centuries every weekend—twenty-three of them. Mostly solo. Some were double centuries. One was a triple century. I was living on my bike. Felt sort of silly when I would get the usual friendly Friday question from coworkers of, “So, what fun do you have planned this weekend?” My idea of fun wasn't exactly the same as theirs—now I was the freak...lol.

To be continued (actually, still being written)...

If you want more information about the "other story" -- the story of my hidden struggle with anorexia/etc, please feel free to contact me directly. I am very willing to help others better understand eating disorders if you have interest, know someone suffering, or are suffering yourself.