Philly has been treating me pretty well...no room to complain. We don't have internet where we are living which explains why i haven't been posting, along with a lack of time of course. And I still have no new pictures because I am waiting on the screen of my camera to be repaired...i wish they would hurry up already, i'm missing all sorts of kodak moments! Anyhow the racing is quick and there are a lot of girls in good form right now...and i'm working on getting into good form. Hopefully my legs will come back to me in the next few weeks...that is what i'm aiming for anyhow!
Big race week coming up: CSC in Virginia Saturday, and then the triple crown series consisting of Lancaster Sunday, Reading Thursday, and Liberty Sunday! Should result in some good racing...lots of pain, lots of suffering, lots of speed and tons of fun!!!
I'll try to get some pictures on here soon and maybe do a better job of posting. Please stay in touch and let me know what is going on everywhere else, it is amazing to be off racing bikes and living this life, but keeping in touch and hearing from all of you helps me to stay grounded and helps to keep me going! Thanks for all your support! I love you all!!!
5.31.2007
5.21.2007
CATCH UP...
Good Morning,
One more year of college complete = check
Collegiate nationlas and racing obligations over for the summer = check
Time to rock it with Verducci = it's go time!!!
So, I was able to spend one more week at home with my parents and sister after returning from Kansas before leaving with the team for a summer of adventure! This last weekend my team mates Theresa and Jessie along with Theresa's husband and our manager Gary came over from Grand Rapids and spent a few nights at my parents and we raced a local MI race. After the races yesterday we headed out of town and I'm currently in Seven Springs, PA. This morning after the rest of the crew rolls out of bed we will do a workout here before driving the rest of the way to Philly and settling down for a little bit. I've been enjoying the team and i'm confident it will be a great summer with many expereinces and lots of learning!
My new Aussie team mate Jessie is going to be crazy fun!
Ready to race the crit...
MY NEW BABE!!!!! She's not only beautiful but rides great as well!
Everyone have a great week and depending on internet access I'll do my best to keep you posted! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
One more year of college complete = check
Collegiate nationlas and racing obligations over for the summer = check
Time to rock it with Verducci = it's go time!!!
So, I was able to spend one more week at home with my parents and sister after returning from Kansas before leaving with the team for a summer of adventure! This last weekend my team mates Theresa and Jessie along with Theresa's husband and our manager Gary came over from Grand Rapids and spent a few nights at my parents and we raced a local MI race. After the races yesterday we headed out of town and I'm currently in Seven Springs, PA. This morning after the rest of the crew rolls out of bed we will do a workout here before driving the rest of the way to Philly and settling down for a little bit. I've been enjoying the team and i'm confident it will be a great summer with many expereinces and lots of learning!
My new Aussie team mate Jessie is going to be crazy fun!
Ready to race the crit...
MY NEW BABE!!!!! She's not only beautiful but rides great as well!
Everyone have a great week and depending on internet access I'll do my best to keep you posted! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
5.15.2007
Collegiate Crit
Not much time today but thought i should report real quick.
I didn't get any flats, but i didn't exactly excel either. The crit was on a super fun course and it was a blast to ride! I did alright overall, kept myself in pertty good position most of the time, but i didn't feel strong enough to launch any big attacks or anything. In the last part of the race one girl got off the front and was able to hold the pack off to the finish. I didn't postiion myself far enough up in the line when it came down to the last 2 corners and i ended up getting gabbed a bit and was unable to catch the girls infront of me. The last few laps were especially fast and the cornering was the way i like it! I ended up coming in with a finish of 7th and Mo got 14th i believe. Ally also did well but i'm not sure of her exact finish and Kristi did well but had a hard time fighting all the other for a good position to move up into.
Overall we had some back luck for the weekend but we are all safe and healthy so we should be happy with that!
I'm back in MI for the week and this weekend the Verducci girls are going to come down state and we are going to race Kensington together before we head to Philly for the rest of the season!
Have a wonderful week!!!
I didn't get any flats, but i didn't exactly excel either. The crit was on a super fun course and it was a blast to ride! I did alright overall, kept myself in pertty good position most of the time, but i didn't feel strong enough to launch any big attacks or anything. In the last part of the race one girl got off the front and was able to hold the pack off to the finish. I didn't postiion myself far enough up in the line when it came down to the last 2 corners and i ended up getting gabbed a bit and was unable to catch the girls infront of me. The last few laps were especially fast and the cornering was the way i like it! I ended up coming in with a finish of 7th and Mo got 14th i believe. Ally also did well but i'm not sure of her exact finish and Kristi did well but had a hard time fighting all the other for a good position to move up into.
Overall we had some back luck for the weekend but we are all safe and healthy so we should be happy with that!
I'm back in MI for the week and this weekend the Verducci girls are going to come down state and we are going to race Kensington together before we head to Philly for the rest of the season!
Have a wonderful week!!!
5.12.2007
Collegiate Road Race Nats
"That's bike racing", as Ray Dybowski always tells me, would be a good quote to define the day!
We arrived early and set up base...so the boys played whiffle ball
I guess Robert(left) is trying to figure out the most effective way to carry water to the feed zone...this interesting gentleman is my new room mate next year and then there is Dane(right) just being as cool as can be
The Road Race had to be re-routed from the original course due to flooding, which ment they were going take us over about 1.5 miles of dirt/gravel road...alright i thought this is my kinda style! The first time over it was neutral and we all had to wait for anyone with a flat to catch back on. Of course that lap i was sitting comfortably at the front with no problems at all. The second lap i wasn't so lucky. A group of 20 to 30 girls had gotten off the front a bit on a climb threw a feed zone(that is where riders pick up more water and nutrition items) and just before the decent that would lead onto the dirt. We cruised the dirt and bounced around a bit and I stayed in the top 5 riders to assure i wouldn't get caught behind any problems. Good thing i was wearing glasses because i got pegged in the right lense and it left a nice little chip in my lens, but better that than my eye! So we made it over the dirt and were back on the pavement when i start to feel the pulse...i check the front tire and it looks fine, i ask a team mate how my rear tire looks and she delivers the news "a little low"....bounce, bounce, bounce, thump, thump...darnet i've got a flat! Now comes the frustrating part-there is no wheel vehicle until after all the girls go through. I'm going to suggest that in the future they have 2 wheel cars for each race and they place one behind the lead group, but i know it is hard to put on a race and i would say they were doing their best with what they had set up and with mother nature throwing in the curve ball and forcing a course change. I was a bit frustrated with myself as well and wishing i had brought a tube and CO2 because i could have banged that babe back together in under a minute and maybe still have had a shot at getting back to the pack, but enough of that. I met up with a few other girls who had similar situations, including my team mate Jo, and we worked our way past many riders who had lost their mojo as we headed for the finish wondering if we had a shot at still scoring points for our teams(they give pionts to the top 50). While I was working my way up I had 2 team mates up the road in the lead pack working their tails off to bring in some good results! Mo ended up coming in 11th and Ally 31st i believe...Great job girls, you rock!!!
ATTENTION TO ALL WHO KNOW MY MOM: you should have seen her today. She had to drive my car around, dropping off spare wheels, navagating road marshalls, riders and the race course. So when she was pulling out with us girls in the car she had gotten pretty good at it and was just flying around, even making me nervous a few times! It was pretty funny and i was wishing you were there with us daddy to witness the rare happenings!!!
On another positive note we had a fun filled ride back to the hotel in my ever so wonderful station wagon, which hopefully has many more miles of life and fun times to come!!!...keep praying!!!
Mo has been taking lessons from Benson(her dog)...
Here is the favorite sign of the trip so far
Just loving life!
We arrived early and set up base...so the boys played whiffle ball
I guess Robert(left) is trying to figure out the most effective way to carry water to the feed zone...this interesting gentleman is my new room mate next year and then there is Dane(right) just being as cool as can be
The Road Race had to be re-routed from the original course due to flooding, which ment they were going take us over about 1.5 miles of dirt/gravel road...alright i thought this is my kinda style! The first time over it was neutral and we all had to wait for anyone with a flat to catch back on. Of course that lap i was sitting comfortably at the front with no problems at all. The second lap i wasn't so lucky. A group of 20 to 30 girls had gotten off the front a bit on a climb threw a feed zone(that is where riders pick up more water and nutrition items) and just before the decent that would lead onto the dirt. We cruised the dirt and bounced around a bit and I stayed in the top 5 riders to assure i wouldn't get caught behind any problems. Good thing i was wearing glasses because i got pegged in the right lense and it left a nice little chip in my lens, but better that than my eye! So we made it over the dirt and were back on the pavement when i start to feel the pulse...i check the front tire and it looks fine, i ask a team mate how my rear tire looks and she delivers the news "a little low"....bounce, bounce, bounce, thump, thump...darnet i've got a flat! Now comes the frustrating part-there is no wheel vehicle until after all the girls go through. I'm going to suggest that in the future they have 2 wheel cars for each race and they place one behind the lead group, but i know it is hard to put on a race and i would say they were doing their best with what they had set up and with mother nature throwing in the curve ball and forcing a course change. I was a bit frustrated with myself as well and wishing i had brought a tube and CO2 because i could have banged that babe back together in under a minute and maybe still have had a shot at getting back to the pack, but enough of that. I met up with a few other girls who had similar situations, including my team mate Jo, and we worked our way past many riders who had lost their mojo as we headed for the finish wondering if we had a shot at still scoring points for our teams(they give pionts to the top 50). While I was working my way up I had 2 team mates up the road in the lead pack working their tails off to bring in some good results! Mo ended up coming in 11th and Ally 31st i believe...Great job girls, you rock!!!
ATTENTION TO ALL WHO KNOW MY MOM: you should have seen her today. She had to drive my car around, dropping off spare wheels, navagating road marshalls, riders and the race course. So when she was pulling out with us girls in the car she had gotten pretty good at it and was just flying around, even making me nervous a few times! It was pretty funny and i was wishing you were there with us daddy to witness the rare happenings!!!
On another positive note we had a fun filled ride back to the hotel in my ever so wonderful station wagon, which hopefully has many more miles of life and fun times to come!!!...keep praying!!!
Mo has been taking lessons from Benson(her dog)...
Here is the favorite sign of the trip so far
Just loving life!
5.11.2007
Collegiate TTT
It's going to be short because energy is low and rest needed is high on my priority list.
We did the Team time trail today and did pretty well. Overall we ended up 7th, which was good considering we lost one of our strongest TTT girls in the first quarter of the race due to a flat tire...bummer...but that's bike racing. Great job to the other girls on the team and we are looking forward to the next few days of events...
Take Care All!!!
We did the Team time trail today and did pretty well. Overall we ended up 7th, which was good considering we lost one of our strongest TTT girls in the first quarter of the race due to a flat tire...bummer...but that's bike racing. Great job to the other girls on the team and we are looking forward to the next few days of events...
Take Care All!!!
5.10.2007
Where is Toto?...
Hello to all! I have made it to Kansas safely and things are rolling along! My wonderful mom made the trip with me all the way from MI and will also return with me...as long as she behaves...otherwise i'm going to give her a bike and a map and maybe a little water and nutrition! We have been enjoying ourselves and having a grand time really. I've been riding and training with the team in preperation for this weekend. Mom brought all sorts of goodies and as most of you know everyone is ranting and raving about everything she created in the kitchen...and i'm trying not to eat all of it and gain 10lbs. in the next 3 days! As i write this she is at a cooking class being put on at a really cool natural foods store near our hotel...she was very excited about it so i'm sure i'll get the whole run down when she returns!
Anyhow, tomorrow is the team time trail, saturday morning is a 50some mile road race and sunday is a 1 hour criterium...wish me luck and i'll try to keep you updated on the happenings here in KS!
ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE POSITIVES IN ANY SITUATION!
Anyhow, tomorrow is the team time trail, saturday morning is a 50some mile road race and sunday is a 1 hour criterium...wish me luck and i'll try to keep you updated on the happenings here in KS!
ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE POSITIVES IN ANY SITUATION!
5.06.2007
Scramble
I've got a lot to say...what's new...but for now i'm going to give a run down and save my saga stories for another post or two!
So i've been back in MI sense Sunday night now and just running around trying to accomplish many things and get a lot done becuase i won't be here long. I am proud to say my entire fleet of bicycles is cleaned and in great operating condition...at least i got that done...
One great thing about being back in the room i grew up in is waking up in the morning and looking out the windowseat to the beautiful budding tree...it's such a great start to the day! The picure dosn't really do it justice but it's the best i've got for now
Unfortunatly my sister isn't done with school yet and she is still in NY, but will be getting back when i return from Kansas and we will have a few days to spend together before i head off to Philly for a fun filled summer of racing my bikes!!! Anyhow my sister Jessica is amazing and i miss her TONS! I can still beat her up despite the fact that she is a half foot taller than i am...but i'm pretty sure she can hit a baseball a lot farther than i could!!!....
I've had the pleasure of catching up with a lot of the MI crowd while i've been in town. Caught a few good group rides and even got to race with my Wolverine team mates! O and i almost forgot to mention that Ray Dybowski gave me a great push in the Thursday night group ride, which he was insistant I put in the blog...thanks Ray!!! Also a big thanks to Cullen Watkins and all the boys at American Cycle and Fitness for putting up with me this week as that is where i spent a lot of time working on bikes, cleaning, asking for help, and taking up bench and stand space. Additionally Jamie Smith has been exceptionally kind to me this week by providing not just one but two massages to get my legs back on track!!! THANK YOU...for those who aren't aware massage is one of my favorite things to recieve and actually also to give in return! I'm sure i'm forgetting many to be mentioned but my energy is running low and i need to move on...
Today i raced Springbank in London Ontario and got to race with the Wolverine girls, which was great!
Here we are warming up
In the race (by butt, Renee and Kelly)
And after the finish...
There was a crash early on and I got trapped behind that, went over the bars and turned my saddle sideways, but i took a pretty easy roll crash and was able to get back up and after riding my bike to the pit I got my saddle straightened out a bit and got in after a free lap. So as you can see in the picture above i ended up bringing in second place and Renee got third right on my wheel! It was a beautiful day and a great race. Best luck and wishes to Kelly and Amiee who both finished the race but will be recovering from a harder crash than myself.
So i've been back in MI sense Sunday night now and just running around trying to accomplish many things and get a lot done becuase i won't be here long. I am proud to say my entire fleet of bicycles is cleaned and in great operating condition...at least i got that done...
One great thing about being back in the room i grew up in is waking up in the morning and looking out the windowseat to the beautiful budding tree...it's such a great start to the day! The picure dosn't really do it justice but it's the best i've got for now
Unfortunatly my sister isn't done with school yet and she is still in NY, but will be getting back when i return from Kansas and we will have a few days to spend together before i head off to Philly for a fun filled summer of racing my bikes!!! Anyhow my sister Jessica is amazing and i miss her TONS! I can still beat her up despite the fact that she is a half foot taller than i am...but i'm pretty sure she can hit a baseball a lot farther than i could!!!....
I've had the pleasure of catching up with a lot of the MI crowd while i've been in town. Caught a few good group rides and even got to race with my Wolverine team mates! O and i almost forgot to mention that Ray Dybowski gave me a great push in the Thursday night group ride, which he was insistant I put in the blog...thanks Ray!!! Also a big thanks to Cullen Watkins and all the boys at American Cycle and Fitness for putting up with me this week as that is where i spent a lot of time working on bikes, cleaning, asking for help, and taking up bench and stand space. Additionally Jamie Smith has been exceptionally kind to me this week by providing not just one but two massages to get my legs back on track!!! THANK YOU...for those who aren't aware massage is one of my favorite things to recieve and actually also to give in return! I'm sure i'm forgetting many to be mentioned but my energy is running low and i need to move on...
Today i raced Springbank in London Ontario and got to race with the Wolverine girls, which was great!
Here we are warming up
In the race (by butt, Renee and Kelly)
And after the finish...
There was a crash early on and I got trapped behind that, went over the bars and turned my saddle sideways, but i took a pretty easy roll crash and was able to get back up and after riding my bike to the pit I got my saddle straightened out a bit and got in after a free lap. So as you can see in the picture above i ended up bringing in second place and Renee got third right on my wheel! It was a beautiful day and a great race. Best luck and wishes to Kelly and Amiee who both finished the race but will be recovering from a harder crash than myself.
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