Fun in Salt Lake City

After the sun, warmth, palm trees, beach, and track of LA we flew to the snow, cold, sitting around, waiting, and testing of Salt Lake City. Here are some of the more interesting things:

Driving to TOSH(the testing facility) always proved to be interesting (Sardine like).

The "Spread" (the best snack table I have ever seen). It was better than the Hotel breakfast that claimed to be an "amazing" breakfast buffet with a "wide variety" of foods.
The room with "the Spread" was also were the training took place (it was snowy and cold the entire week so we got to trainer it).
Other interesting things you can see in and around Salt Lake City

Thanks for supporting Women's Cycling!

Tomorrow we get to fly home for the last month of training before the racing begins. Bring it on.

Memories

After the breathing hard, blurry vision, lactic acid and track hack have subsided, track camp brings a lot of memories.

For many of us, it was the last time we would all be together as a team for the rest of the season.

What number are we on?

Today is track camp day number...(um, let's see)...1, 2, 3, 4 (oh that day), 5, 6. Yes, 6. Today is track camp day #6. And, I am pretty sure day #6 will prove to be harder than that day a few days ago (bring on the lactic acid!!).
Although this track stuff is pretty dang hard and, yes, a little boring, it is GREAT training and a good excuse to get out of the cold, snow and wind of the front range.

After viewing these pictures of the track, I am reminded why I NEVER look down when riding. Slippage factor... It is STEEP.

Yesterday, we did 4 "little sprints" (ie. start practice). Here is one of mine (do not take notes. It is not an example of a fast little sprint).

Better Preparation

Thanks to Christmas (mostly Josh; are you trying to send me away?), I am now MUCH better prepared for track camp. It's a good thing too because this camp is longer.

The necessary items include:

-Hot water heater (tea, coffee, oatmeal, coffee).

-BIGGER press pot (more caffeine; less work).

-Mug-mos, foamer (coffee, tea; to go).

-Chain whip (changing track gears).

-Gun (shooting people; entertainment during rest periods on the track).

-Smaller camera (fits in jersey pocket; pictures during riding).

Watch out, C-men is dangerous...

Day one on the track brought lactic acid, coughing, blurry vision and the rollers. That's right, we came to LA (sun, beaches, palm trees) and got to ride the rollers. I've gone the entire winter (so far) in Colorado without having to ride inside once and due to the rain day one brought the rollers. FAN-tastic...

This is Pro...

Track Camp

These are the necessary items to get through track camp.

However, by day 6, everything needs to be bigger. I want more coffee and that requires a bigger press pot. Though if I had a bigger press pot, the coffee and the foamed milk would not fit in the mug-mos. Thus, a dilemma is created. I have, however, learned this problem can be somewhat resolved by drinking an entire press pot AT breakfast, and making another to go in the mug-mos for drinking at the track. This technique also makes sure you know where the bathroom is.

Day 6 is also when the excitement happens.

Tomorrow is our last day here in LA. It has been a good camp and has been quite successful in wearing me out. I'm pooped. It's time to go home and get "our Christmas on".

28

Today is my birthday and I got a sweet new present.


Then I used it to go round and round and round and round the track here in LA. The next present was the taste of blood in my mouth due to the lactic acid over flow from my legs.

It was Fantastic!

Biker X

Usually it's called Cycle Cross, however due to the snow, I am calling it Biker X and that is what we participated in last weekend.

Thanks to B. Fisk, you can see how good my barrier jumping form is. She was there cheering us all on (why not racing B Fisk?).Thanks to Josh, I had an official "heckling section", and I got to race on a single speed cross bike (his). It was dang fun.