Moving On

Nationals are over. We're done with Chattanooga and racing for jerseys.
On our last day, we woke up early, breakfast (mine was chicken noodle soup and a little coffee as my stomach still wasn't feeling good), Camp House Coffee stop (I skipped it--that's how I know I was sick), warm up, race Nationals Road Race. Somehow, maybe it was the chicken noodle soup, I rode and raced really well. Finished 3rd place.

Then we got in the car, drove to Knoxville, and the next day drove to Bear Creek Mountain Resort in PA. It was a long ass drive.

We've had two relaxing days. Mine have been spent laying around, coaching, time in the spa, and a bike ride. I'm trying to win the laziness competition we are having amongst the team. Need to heal the body and get back to good health.

Tomorrow we are off to Philly. Super cool Philly race on Sunday with equal prize money for men and women!!

It's Over

Let down. Relief. Burden off my shoulders. Motivational. Done. All are feelings I am feeling right now post Nationals TT.

After months of build up, training, racing, sacrifice, planning, etc. It's over. Win or lose, I can now move on and plan the rest of the season and year.

I didn't win. I didn't exactly lose either. I was 3rd. Same as last year. But, the result doesn't tell the entire story. It doesn't tell the work I put in over the winter and early spring to revamp and better my TT-ing. It doesn't reflect the hard work everyone around me has done for me or had put up with at home. It doesn't tell the story of waking up Tuesday night barfing with food poisoning--4 days before Nationals.

3rd place it is-- Great rides by Carmen and Kristen. Now I can move on. The anticipation of wondering about TT World's is over. I won't be going. I can now focus on different things.

Such as finding the best coffee shop in every town we visit.

For real, the season is long and there is a lot of racing left. I have plenty to be excited about and motivated for. Such as a certain road race tomorrow...

We've had a good time in Chattanooga and like all things NOW, we've have fun together.

ToC TT

Last Friday was the tour of California time trial. It's a pretty cool event to be part of. I was lucky enough to get to be number one for race day. I've never had number one before so it was very exciting.

Here are some highlights from race day.

Wake up, coffee, early-morning trainer ride in the hotel room.

Every single racer, staff and official stayed at the same hotel. Look at all the motorcycles involved in the race.

Our new Champion skinsuits finally arrived!! They look pretty good. Here's Robin modeling before her race start.

Sway sway, a.k.a. Maura, was the best cheerleader there. She even brought a costume and was good entertainment.

The time trial went well. I got second and was pleased with my effort. The course was great and the bike change that we had practice that morning went off flawlessly.

Postrace was podium, change, and fly home.  A short, but successful, 2 1/2 day trip. 

Phone Post

I'm trying something new today. I'm doing a blog post from my phone. I traveled to California for just two days, so left my computer at home. 

Usually, trying something new can be pretty fun. Maybe a little challenging and frustrating as you figure the new thing out, but you end up learning and that's what makes it fun. 

My pictures are a little out of order.

Yesterday, I traveled to San Jose. The women's tour of California time trial is tomorrow, Friday. I have to say, I'm pretty dang excited for the race.  It's a real TT withbturns and ups and downs and technical sections: not a boring out and back. 

Before traveling yesterday, I had a very nice little ride.  The warm weather, lack of wind, and spring make it very enjoyable to ride up high. 

Then I traveled. Upon arrival, I took myself out to dinner. Thai food with peanut sauce on everything.

It is weird to be in a hotel room all by myself. The rest of my team and staff are showing up today. Only Robin and I are racing so it's a small team. We still get three staff so that's a pretty dang good ratio. 

Back to the hotel room, there are certain things you need to always have with you when staying in a hotel. These important things vary for each person. For me, my important things are coffee and breakfast supplies (picture above). The rest of the stuff I can live without.

Now, finally, after weeks of anticipation I get to go see the time trial course. 

Spring

Spring has finally sprung and it's awesome.

I came home from Gila to snow and cold. 6 days later, it's 75 degrees, the pasque are blooming, and the humming birds are buzzing. I love late spring. The bunnies are out and about, birds are chirping, and I ate lunch outside.

The furries and I hung out on the porch while I tried to hit the dang woodpecker who drinks out of the humming bird feeder with pine cones (I'm never very close).

It's almost time to plant flowers, and turn on the outside water.

It's not that I hate winter, I just like the other 3 seasons better.

This week has been an amazing break from racing and traveling.  I needed this time out to refresh and to reset. Friday is the ToC TT and Nationls a week later. It's May and some of the biggest races of the year are here. I'm excited.

11 days, 9 races

It all started in Fayettville, Are-Kansas. Joe Martin. A fun, somewhat hard, 4 day stage race.

Everybody's bike, except for mine, was too light. HaHa small, short, sucka-s. :)

My teammates had to put "weights" on their bikes to make them legal. Mechanic Erik was pretty creative and had no tools left in his tool box at the end of the day.

Post TT, it was safety first, followed by nose cleaning, for Lex. She's from Canada...

 Then it rained. It didn't really stop for 2 days.

 I was lucky enough to get 2nd overall (beyond a pesky German that refused to lose). While waiting for Podium, I met a friend.

  Then we drove. And drove.

 And stopped for Burgers-- I had a black bean burger (yes, I am still meat free and still loving it).

And...drove some more. Somewhere, just west of Amarillo, I cracked. Badly. Thankfully, a good night sleep in 2-cum-cari, cured me and I was ready to drive some more.
Our destination was Silver City, NM for a stage race that started in 2 days.

 In Albuquerque, I got new boobies. Thanks Whole Foods...

 Finally, after 19 hours of driving, we arrived. Hello Silver City, hello Gary's house. Not a bad view to wake up to each morning.

Now, it was time to race.
I get to wear the NRC leader's yellow jersey. This is a new thing this year and I have to say I have a love hate relationship with it. It's cool that I'm leading the NRC standings and get the honor of wearing it, but 1) it's ugly, 2) I stick out like a sore thumb, 3) it has no logos on it to support my team or our sponsors.

 5 days later, we were done racing (second again) and drove to Tuscan. This is the biggest cactus I have ever seen.

 Maura, Lex, and I celebrate Cinco de Mayo with popcorn and a margarita. In the morning, we flew home.

 I'm super happy to be home!! I love home and my furry family that lives there.

What the heck month is it?

 Yes, snow again. I may be grumpy about it, but we (the earth and our well) need the water.