A day in the life...

Since this is my blog, I 'spose it should be about me.
So, here is a day in the life of....ME.

Wake up
Espresso
Poo
Nordic Ski
Ski Coach
Espresso
Trainer
Stretch
Shower
Dinner
Sleep

This schedule, although incredibly busy has some amazing high points.
-Nordic Skiing before and while the sun comes up is a great experience.
-Nordic Skiing before the sun comes up can lad to Moose spottings.
-I get to drink a lot of espresso.
-I never get board.
-I am VERY ready for bed time at 8pm.

Birthday

Once upon a time, there was a girl.


Who had a bike.
It was the girl's 30th birthday and she wanted to take her bike somewhere new, somewhere special, somewhere she had always wanted to go on her bike.Up and up into the hills she went. The road twisted and turned.
She hoped to find gold in the mine tailing's, but instead, she found a reindeer and saved it from "middle of the road death".
After the bike ride, the girl was lucky enough to meet her Mom for lunch. Gluten Free pizza and espresso finished the day.

It's not so bad to be 30, thought the girl.

What's up?

For the few people who read this blog; sorry for not updating. After I called a halt to the Cross season, I stopped riding and stopped thinking about bikes.

So, the short answer as to what I've been up to the past few weeks is....nothing. It feels good to do nothing. But the short answer does not tell the entire story.

I have been busy. I have been working on my Coaching Business- ALP Cycles coaching- recruiting new athletes and working with current athletes. I have been ski coaching 13-14 year olds for the Eldora Mtn Ski Club, and, for the third time, I had gum surgery.

It has been a much needed break and, now, I am ready to work hard to make 2010 great!

For Sale

Do you need a good winter training bike?
Are you 5'6"-5'10" tall?

If you answered YES to both questions, I have the perfect bike for you-
The Fuji Cross RC-
http://www.fujibikes.com/Specialty/Cyclo-Cross/Cross-RC.aspx

Retails for $2400. I have a very slightly used 56cm (55cm top tube) for sale. $1250!
WOW!

Interested? Comment on this blog entry and I'll get back to you ASAP!

Pulling the plug

Once upon a time there was a girl who liked to ride her bike. She rode and she rode her bike and in between riding her bike she raced her bike. After 8.5 months of riding and racing her bike, the girl was slowly starting to drown. Thinking she was a good swimmer, the girl kept riding and racing her bike.

The water was getting deeper and deeper. The girl, who doesn't like water to begin with, was not swimming well and starting to drown at a rapid rate. Her breathing became labored and heavy. Her body got water logged and slow. She was slowly dying. Before full darkness took her over, the girl realized she could "pull the plug" and all the water would drain out.

So, yesterday, the girl pulled the plug and today she feels much better. She can now look forward to the 2010 bike ride and race season with excitement and not feel stuck in the water of 2009.

Ouch, the pain!

Why is it that when you are doing it you think it sucks and hurts but when you are finished, you thought it was fun?
Such is the case with Cyclocross racing. While racing, I often wonder, "why am I doing this instead of taking a break from the bike like I usually do? This hurts so badly and I'm not even close to winning the race". Well, the short answer is, I like it and it's fun.

I like the people who come out to watch the race and cheer the racers on. I like the challenges Cross provides me and, most of all, I like the people I have met and gotten to know better because of Cross racing.
After my body stops hurting from this weekend's races, I will be excited for next weekend's race!

Guilt free

The good thing about racing cross only somewhat seriously, is not being ridden with guilt when I don't ride due to the weather. Today it's snowing, cold and I don't feel like riding in it. It's as easy as that.
Though I still need to practice, as I continue to lift the bike MUCH too high when going through the barriers.

Beating me up

Ouch. I'm hurting today. This cross training/racing thing is beating me up.

My legs hurt, my feet hurt, my back hurts and I'm freaking tired (dang barriers and run up)! But, the cool thing is-I can't wait to recover and DO IT AGAIN!

That's the great thing about cycling. There are so many different types of riding your bike that it's impossible to get board. There is always something a little different to do to challenge you mentally and physically.

Check this out!

I like sharing my knowledge. Sometimes people want to hear what I have to say and sometimes people wish I would keep my mouth closed.

So, for anyone wanting to learn from my experiences as an athlete, coach and person check out
http://alpcyclescoaching.blogspot.com/.

I have set up this blog to share my knowledge about bicycling. In it you will find anything and everything bicycle related. I also set it up with the hopes of attracting people who are looking for a coach. Earlier this summer, I started to coach a few cyclists and I love it! I love to share my knowledge and to help others achieve their goals.

Chair Lift?

I grew up skiing. Take the chair lift up, ski down. Chair lift up, ski down. For more than 20 years, I participated in this act of taking the chair lift up and skiing down.

When I first starting hearing of people taking the ski lift up and riding their BIKES down, I thought that was the stupidest thing ever. You ride your bike to ride your bike. Not to coast downhill. You ride your bike for exercise and the ability to eat cake and not feel guilty. The best part of going down is knowing you just rode your bike up in the first place. You don't take the chair lift up. I characterized downhill mtn bikers as lazy and out of shape.

Then I tried it.
And it was FUN!
Hanging out with friends on the lift and flying (or at least trying to fly) downhill-

Then, I got tired. Yep, I was tired after a day of riding my bike downhill.

Roadie Trip

What do you get when you take two anal "roadies" and send them to Vegas to race Cross Vegas?

Answer- A mini van filled with questions, extra equipment, two of everything, and a whole bunch of uncertainties.

The roadie trip started on Monday in snow and 29 degrees.
It continued into Utah where after 24.5 bathroom stops we found pretty scenery.
Into a coffee shop in Cedar City for a stop to say hello to awesome roadie friends, Nikky and Jenna.
Finally, into Vegas where upon arrival it was 92 degrees and extremely overwhelming for us two "country bumpkins".
The trip is about to hit it's climax as Kori and I are somewhat ready to exhibit our Cross skills tonight at 8pm.

Change of season

As the leaves change, so does the bike riding. As a "roadie" if you don't go to Europe to race in September, your season is over. The saying goes, "the race season ends and the drinking season starts" (does the drinking season ever end?). For me, the race season ends and the time to try and do new things starts. This is where stress free mountain biking and cross racing come in.

I have a sweet new Fuji cross bike that I have been riding and will attempt to race on. So far, I have been successful at crash testing it (it has held up well).

The first test was in Breckenridge on Sunday.
-One race
-One crash
-One win!

The next test is in Vegas.
Tomorrow.

Last Race Series

The 2009 race season is coming to a close. TT1 came to St. Louis to have a fun time, celebrate the season and do a little crit racing.
The first two days have been just that. It's been fun!
Day 1 brought a morning team ride

that took us to a pretty view where we needed our picture taken.

After leaving the pretty view spot, Vero had so much power she broke her chain and needed team assistance to get to the coffee shop.





Someone (Jack) needed assistance up the hill. :)






The next day, Jack was motivated and rode the trainer the morning of the second race.






Last night was a fun team dinner that included laughing, story telling and more laughing.

This team rules!!

Official Training

Some people often ask what my training is like. How many watts can I push or how miles do I ride a week. Well, here it is-for everyone (all 3 people who read this) to see.

First, I go mountain biking with crazy people.
4 hours, one endo, 3,000 ft of descending and one BIG GIANT smile on my face. Monarch crest is THE best mtn bike ride I have ever been on.Second, to work on my skills, I do some extreme bridge riding.
This bridge is HUGE! A whole 1.5ft off the ground!

Then, after an entire season of training, racing and traveling, I get the H1TT1 virus and pass it on to everyone in contact with me. This virus has taken me away from training for 2 weeks. I am hoping antibiotics will kill it dead soon.

There you go. Training of a NRC champion.

Update...3 weeks in pictures.

Some people, The Mom mostly, have been wondering what I have been up to. Well, mostly I am still 5'10".
Week #1- Cascade and Nationals

For race day, TT1 had pig tail braids.










Week #2- Rest and recovery










Week #3- Back to "the real world". Work at Sports Garage and Crit Racing with the girls and Jack.

Bad Blogger

Hi, my name is Alison Powers and I am a bad blogger. I do not update my blog enough. I get in trouble from The Mom and from Sean Weide.

I have not posted an update in more than a week. I have been in Bend for the past 7 days and have had stuff to blog about (good stuff!). But, alas, nothing has been posted. I am sorry for my delinquency however, I can not promise to get better.

If you would like up to the minute detail as to what's going on please check out-
http://teamtype12007.blogspot.com/

The other morning, I had a great ride with pretty views. We are staying outside of Bend in Sun River.

Mountain Bike Nationals-race day

Wow, what an interesting experience! Just because someone has good road riding fitness doesn't mean they have good mtn bike fitness. I have not suffered in a road race like I did yesterday in the mtn bike race ever. That's right, I said (or wrote rather), EVER. I wanted to quit several times.

However, due to many amazing people cheering for me and wishing me on, I was pushed and challenged outside my comfort zone. I surprised myself several times and I suffered to the finish. I did not get a good result, but I had a great training day both mentally and physically, and got a new appreciation for mountain bikers. It's a dang tough sport and it almost killed me yesterday.

THE decent

With less than 5 minutes to go of the race, I face planted. I'm still cleaning dirt out of my pores.

Mountain Bike Nationals

Getting ready for a one day, 2 hour race, will end up being a three day affair.
Day 1 was the drive to Sol Vista to pre ride the course and to register for the race (I am #90).

The base of Sol Vista has turned from a quiet summer ski resort, into a full on mountain bike show/expo. It's pretty neat.

The course pre ride lead to some needed bike work from the nice Titus Guy. Heidi G and little Amy D (who, by the way, won the U23 race today!) watch.

Day 2, today, was a mellow day. I avoided the "dirt scene" at Sol Vista and stayed home. I got my "roadie" on and rode my time trial bike (heaven forbid I get my mtn bike dirty after cleaning it yesterday).

Then, after inspiration from newly crowned U23 champ, Amy D, I sat in the stream and iced my legs.
Day 3 is race day. TBD as to what it will bring, but I'm sure it will be filled with nerves, exercise, eating, drinking, and a FUN TIME!

Mixin' it up

As a bike racer, you've got to mix it up. Keep it interesting. It's easy to get board riding your road bike day in and day out.

Six months ago, the challenge had been set. July 2009, Mountain Bike Nationals in Sol Vista Colorado. 10 minutes from Fraser, where I grew up. Same place where in 1996 I had a small problem and ended up in the hospital while racing a NORBA Cross Country. It was time for revenge.

There were a few hurdles to overcome.
1- Find and start riding a decent mtn bike.
2- get good at riding said mtn bike.
3- find a way to race a mountain bike race to get my upgrade to the Pro racing category.
4-hope and pray I don't have to race Altoona. That's a nice race, but it would conflict with Nationals.
5-survive mountain bike nationals (hopefully with a decent result) and continue on to Cascade.

Thanks to MANY people's help and support, hurdles 1-4 have been overcome. Hurdle 5 is Saturday. Cross your fingers...

Russell Tower

Dorm life; such is the case here at Fitchburg. We brought our own pillows and blankets and have tried to make it seem less and less like a prison cell.

Jackie and I have pretty much just made a big mess to make it less cell like (actually it is mostly my mess).
Vero and Sam have done a nice job of making their cell feel feminine. They have a cleaning lady that comes twice a day to pick up after them and clean their cell. Maybe she can come next door to help out Jackie and me (well, me mostly).Our bikes like the hallway.
Aww, no matter where you are, the pre race drink is always coffee. In this case, Moka Pot by Jen.
With coffee and fun people, prison isn't that bad.