Memorial Day Weekend Wrap Up

Snake Alley: Technical difficulties resulted in me climbing two laps in my big ring. I was pissed. We'll leave it at that.

Melon City Crit: I was feeling a lot better. I was in the main group kinda tucked in, and trying to slow things up for A.Miles' attacks until there was a massive crash right in front of me. One girl slid out and there was a pile up from there. I ended up going over a curb, sliding sideways (but still upright!) down a grassy area, somehow re-aligned my bike and was able to grab onto a tree before tumbling down a ravine on the side of the course. I was pretty shaken, but I unclipped, turned my bike around and rode back onto the course. I rode a lap or two by myself, not sure of where I was race-wise. I got caught by what I guess was the chase group and we worked it a bit. At the last lap I attacked up the hill right after the speed bump and put in some room on the group. I was dying by the top of the hill and thought for sure I was a goner. But I put in one last hard effort and was able to maintain my gap for 8th. I wasn't happy with my placement, but I was really glad my off-road experience didn't end with me lying at the bottom of that ravine. Apparently I am ready for CROSS season.

Quad City Crit: So let's face it-- I'm neither a climber, nor a masochist (although I think the former is really just a subgroup of the later) so I wasn't exactly looking forward to the first two races of the weekend. But Quad Cities is pancake flat and pretty technical so I was PUMPED for Monday's race. Anona went hard from the gun, but then slowed up on the back stretch when a certain small rider who is known for not working got on her wheel. Luckily, I was on said certain small person's wheel and attacked right when Anona eased up. I think between A.Miles' move and mine we managed to string the pack out most effectively. I can't remember the order of events after this, but I spent some time out by myself, then I was in a group of about 6 or so with Anona, and several other STRONG girls from Chicago. About half way through the race when Anona was at the front pulling into a corner she had to swerve to avoid a lollygaging racer that we were lapping. This broke the pack up and I attacked again, followed by Anona. We were together for a while, but I was gased at this point and A.Miles soloed off to try to catch Mesa. I spent about two laps by myself and then was caught by one rider from Cuttin Crew, L'Equipe Bouldogue Tout Noir, and Flatlandia respectively, with two laps to go. From my extensive blog and race result stalking I knew that the battle for third was going to be NUTS, but I really wanted to win the sprint. I got a good spot going into the second to last corner, took the outside line on the last corner and sprinted to the line. 3rd Place. Whooooo!

Bike racing is so much fun :)

SNAKE ALLEY !

I won !

Race report:  I went as hard as I could from the start and did not slow down.  No braking on the downhill.  There was a girl on my wheel for two laps, but I dropped her on the downhills.  After that...who knows?  I just rode as hard as I could.  I felt horrible at the top of the hill, but good on the downhill.  On the last lap, at the top of the snake, I shifted up and rode crazy fast on the downhill and thought to myself "I'm going to win Snake Alley!"  It was the best feeling ever.  On the flat part before the finish I was sure I had it...and then I crossed the finish line and wow...  my first win!

This was the race I've been training for and I wanted it so bad...  so it worked out perfectly.  :-)  I won a remote control snake too!  And a brick!  And some $$$  wooot

Last night Dan and I zoomed to a wedding in Bloomington, leaving us a bit tired this morning.  Melon City Crit did not go as well as I had hoped.  I finished 7th and B.Chan finished 8th.  The race is hard.  There is no time for recovery and attacks just didn't work.  The race was lively and I was in a pretty good place most of the time.B.Chan was on the front for a bit, and i tried to attack and get away, but there was no way around.  Jannette Rho and I got away toward the end of the race, but we just couldn't stay away.  I tried attacking on the first corner three times, and got a little gap, but was always caught on the uphill.  At one lap to go I was going to try to attack toward the end, and I felt good and optimistic but then....something DUMB happened.  An official pointed for everyone to move left (there was a crash and an ambulance, but I didn't see this at the time) and the girls in front of me all TURNED LEFT OFF THE COURSE.  I turned with them to avoid crash.  It was a so confusing, and I was pretty pissed at the official and at the girls in front..but that stuff happens, and its confusing.  Ugh.  So I was the last in my group of 7 to turn, so they got a few seconds on me and then I raced to catch them on the uphill, caught them, spent all my energy, and was useless in the sprint for finish.  Bummer.  Better luck tomorrow.  The girls who got 2nd and 3rd yesterday crashed and I really hope they are ok.  They were so fun !  

B.Chan will tell about her races too.

Monsters of the Midway !

I attacked at Monsters and it worked!  Woot!

Saturday morning Alex & I drove up to Chicago to race Monsters.  As we got into the city, it was drizzling and gray outside and I was worried about rainy slick conditions.  Right after we parked the car the sun started peeking out and it dried up.  I registered for the 3/4 race and felt a little regret as I watched the girls I normally would race with go off in the 4/5 race.  I thought that I was going to get my ass kicked....   There was a crash at the end of the 4/5 race though, and I was thankful to have avoided that.  Hope no one was hurt.  

I lined up with the rest of the women to race and felt pretty good.  My nerves have gotten so much better!  The course was flat and rectangular; four wide corners and a slight head wind on the far straight away.  We went around about five times, and each time someone would throw and attack and I'd chase her down with a couple of other girls at the front.  After going around a few times like this I realized that I must have been as strong as the women throwing the attacks if I caught them every time, so I HAD to attack.  I waited until a few seconds after someone attacked on the head wind section and ZING jumped around the pack on the right side.  This was about halfway through the race I think.  

I went as hard as I could and fought the urge to look behind me.  Nearing the third corner, I heard a girl shout "get on my wheel!" and I leapt on.  Only one person had caught me!  Now we were going as hard as we could, trying not to let the pack catch us.  I recovered for a minute and then took a hard pull.  We hammered around a couple more laps and realized that we had gotten away.  Now I was tired.  

Whewwww so happy to see the one lap to go sign.  Or maybe it was 2 laps.  Well...few laps anyhow.  I was feeling good and recovered...and thus made a stupid mistake that cost me the race.  With one lap to go I decided that I was strong enough to drop the other rider, Jessica, on the head wind section.  I was scared of the sprint and thought it would be better to lose her early.  She took a pull and I went for it.  I was definitely not sure of myself, and when I looked around she had caught me.  I pulled for a second longer, laid off, tried to get on her wheel, and after we rounded the last corner she sprinted toward the finish.  

Second place.   (!!!!!!!)  I am thrilled at how the race went.  Save the stupid mistake toward the end, I raced smart.  It was a BIG mistake though!  I learned, and I'll be less hasty next time.  Everyone I talked to after the race thought it was an exciting race :-)  Good job to Jessica of..I forgot the team because I can't read kits.. !

Today is a Good Day

Good news from Miz Miles, but I'll let her tell...

I graduated today. It was fun. Bittersweet, I suppose, but I'm ready to start the next big adventure.

Now I'm back in Skokie until Monday. I'm going on the Laurel Park cycling club ride tomorrow morning which is usually good for a hoot and a holler. Then it's back to CU to prep crazy style for SNAKE and the other Memorial Day weekend races. Then I have to move out of my house, then it's my birthday, then it's party time and then it's time to find an apartment in Philly. And of course there will be lots and lots of bike riding and racing. Oh man, oh man, this summer is going to FLY.

Likes & Gripes !

Likes:

1) Hills at Kickapoo at 7:30!

2) Dipping into public artwork dreams

3) Okara burgers

4) Foldable camping wok

5) CSA starts tomorrow!  Fresh greens!

Gripes:

1) Um m m  m mmm m   m     m     m      (weirdo anonymous posters)

2) The missing elastic in my cycling cap that makes it not fit as snugly as it should.

3) Tony Almeida in 24. So mean, so cruel..

AAAAND I'm digging at the bottom of the barrel for GRIPES because it's so sunny outside!

B.CHan & I did Hill repeats this morning at Kickapoo:  Hissssssss...........

Now I'm off to study for my exam.  Easy Peasy Lemon Squeazzzy ^_^

Eagle Creek Park Crit.

Grumble grumble 3:30 early moon still out dark.. ahhh

At 8:00 the women (about 20 of us?) lined up at the start behind the Citizens category, and the official asked us if we preferred to go off at the same time or 20 seconds after or if we wanted to race with them at all. I wasn't shy about saying that I thought the women should get their own race, but some other girl butted in and said "but then we can work with them!" I shut up because I thought that other girls actually wanted to race with the Citizens... whatever...I wasn't going to be the bitchy one.  

B.Chan and I took the lead and soft pedaled around for a lap (2?).  I thought I felt great despite the short warm-up...but it was hard to tell that early on.  I was a lot more in tune with what was going on than I was at Hillsboro.  I was listening for the sound of a wheel or for someone to shift; I was trying to anticipate an attack.  The first girl went and I got on her wheel and caught her and the field followed.  I think there were a couple other attacks--nothing amazing--and I followed those every time and no one got away.

Seriously I am horrible at race reports because I can't actually remember what happened..

So somewhere early on, when a couple other girls and I were at the front a girl attacked and got away.  I started to chase, and hesitated, and then stayed with the pack.  Maybe if I hadn't hesitated I would have caught her, but I doubt it because she was really strong.  I decided to let her go rather than waste all of my energy.  As we were coming around the end of the lap I found myself with two girls at the front and I said "hey--let's catch her!" and they laughed at me and said "Um, she's our teammate!"   ^_^  Ohh.... "I'm in a bad place right now" I said... 

(Tip:  Know who is working together.  Look at the kits and remember how many girls are on one team, etc..)

Soon we caught the Citizens category.  It wasn't so bad at first, and I got on one guy's wheel and recovered for a few minutes.  When the whole pack of dudes were going up the hill I attacked around them.  I thought this would be confusing and break up the women, and I really just wanted to get away from those guys.  It worked, but the women followed and then the men caught on them and soon we were all together again.  

The next few laps were sketchy as hell.  I felt like I was playing defense, trying to stay out of the way of other racers.  I'm not super confident about cornering yet or about riding in big packs.  When I can trust other riders it's not bad at all, but how am I supposed to confidently keep my line when I see that you CAN'T keep yours?  At this point I had plenty of energy and was just waiting for the last lap.  I thought that attacking and getting away from this group would be to my advantage, but every time I thought about doing it something sketchy happened.  As we were crossing the finish with 3 laps to go a girl next to me crashed and some guy flipped over her.. ayyyyyy  I wanted this to be over!

At the last hill on the last lap, I sprinted as much as I could to the finish and got fourth.  I had a lot of energy left, but the whole thing was such a clusterf*ck that I felt that an inevitable crash was not worth 2nd place.  

Overall I felt super strong and I felt that I could have gone harder.  I didn't make stupid mistakes:  i stayed off the front, sucked a lot of wheel, chased down attacks, and was alert and ready.  I also didn't get that nervous or frustrated!  I need some work on my handling, but that comes with experience, and I think I did well not to crash in this race.  The 1,2,3 place women were Cat. 2 so that's a big confidence booster.  However, I have no idea what kind of Cat. 4 girls didn't show up at this race!  ABR is really shitty though... more later....must go to work..

Eagle Creek

A.Miles and I raced the Eagle Creek crit in Indianapolis this morning. We woke up at 3:30am to get there in time for our 8:00am race and STILL were only able to get in a 10 minute warm up.

I'll spare y'all the details because A.Miles' account will likely be more entertaining. In short, I felt flat today. Not good, but not bad either. And this was reflected in my performance. I got dropped and then somehow scrambled back up to the field. We're not just talking about dangling off the back. Nope, it was probably about half a lap dropped. I always wonder what possesses me to do these things-- if I just sat on to begin with I wouldn't have to expend the energy required to chase and catch back on. Idiot.

We got back to Champaign by noon. I convinced Axel to go for a ride with me and I worked on my sprinting form. I'm getting the body positioning and coordination part more, but now I have to practice practice practice to make sure its instinct when it comes time to sprint.

I'm a little worried now for the Memorial Day Weekend races. I was pretty pleased with the first few races I did this season, but between today's race and the Wisconsin weekend a while back I'm beginning to loose confidence. I guess the only thing to do is to train smart, eat well and sleep lots. The good thing is that I am done with school now, so I can focus on riding and taking good care of myself.

Speaking of which, I'm graduating next weekend. Haha!

centurempt:

Yesterday after my Nervous System practical, Dan and I went out on a ride. As we were leaving Champaign, he said "let's so a century!" Of course I agreed...long rides are my guilty pleasure.  So we set out trying to do a 5 hour century.  Speaking Spanish only.  There was no wind.  

At mile 23 I had to slow Mr. Penner down because he was going over 23 mph and it hurt to keep up.   Keep it between 20 and 22... He didn't have a computer so he thought he was keeping it at 20.. oh oh oh

Dan started bonking at mile 46.  I felt alright, but we were almost out of water.  We rode North toward C-U and went for 10 miles without water until we got to Villa Grove and filled up.  The water tasted like a pool on a mid-summer evening...

After Villa Grove we met with Joseph and rode back to Champaign.  I'm feeling goood..

...

And now the Wednesday night fights..  Not as big a group as last week.  B.Chan rolled up just after we left.  After we turned back toward Champaign, Karl attacked and it broke the group up a bit.  This time I made sure to get in a good position--on Greg's wheel, on the non-windy side of the echelon so I wouldn't get guttered.  I kept up, following Thomas and staying on Ponder's wheel for a while.  After a bit I was struggling to keep up with them, so I dropped back and waited for everyone else who got dropped.  We formed a pretty good chase group and caught up to the lead when they stopped for what we thought was a flat.  A few of us kept going back to town.  I felt strong up until the end.  When we got back to Burwash, we learned that there had been a crash in the lead group.  ?? What happened?  Hope no one was hurt..

MMmm quinoa.

Sunday morning Dan & I were going to race at the Fat & SKinny Tire Festival buuuuuut we accidently slept in. My race was to go off at 10 something and the race was 4 hours away AND there is a time change, so we were scheduled to leave by 4:00 am. Dan's cousin was in town so we went out for a drink and ended up going to bed at 1:30...only a couple of hours before we were supposed to wake up. Uhhh... so first I was pissed but then I calmed down... We went out to Kickapoo and rode around the park a bit and then did hill repeats. 10 X up the longer steep-ish hill. Set a new 1 minute max. I started climbing in a bigger gear after Dan said I should try it, and the first time my watts were worse, and then they improved a lot, so I guess I'll start doing that more often.

Yesterday felt great in the morning and went harder than usual on my "recovery" ride. I feel recovered now though, so it wasn't a bad thing. Today we are going on a long ride and I plan on taking it easier and just getting some miles in.

Good job Mike and everyone else who went to Calvin's Challenge! It was Mike's first race (besides Alley Cat races) and he did really well, beating his goal of 200 miles in 12 hours and placing 4th in his category. All on an old skool Nishiki TT bike--the kind with the small (24" ?) front wheel and the slanted top tube, and a fixie at that. I knew Mike would make it 12 hours, but I'm pleased that he did so well and survived with enough zeal to want to do more races and even ride the Nishiki around town (it's his commuter now also!). Cool guy Mr. Pennington :-) Last night at the shop he showed me how to cut my chain off and install a new chain for my fixie. It's simple, and now I know how to do it! I had to get rid of my half-link chain booooo but now I guess I'm riding safer and my cog's saved. Thanks Mr. P.

ALSO Congrats B.Chan on finishing school! (!!!!!!!!!!!) And with honors of every sort...! Good job! And you look remarkably unscathed at the end of it... Undergrad.....check.

Last night I had a dream that I found a new bamboo bike for $90.

I am posting a picture of my sister on her Gary Fisher Simple City 3 because it's so cute !

FAST GRRRLZ Put Out More Watts.

So A.Miles beat me to the post, but yesterday's ride was really great. And I even learned a couple things:

1. Lifting before the Wednesday ride = not a good idea
2. Being sickly for the week before the Wednesday ride (Swine flu?Not) and still going = less than optimal performance
3. I need to learn how/when/what to eat on rides, because I forget
4. Anyone who shows up to the ride on a Surly Cross Check with down tube shifting (cough, Frenchy, cough) is a bad ass
5. I feel squirrely on group rides. And when I feel squirrely I act squirrely, even though I know better. So I have to stop feeling squirrely and grow some confidence!
6. SchmowerSchnap is awesome.

I promise not to be nerdy about wattage and all that jazz in the future, but to echo A.Miles, it really is fun to look at the numbers. I wouldn't call it improving at this point, seeing as I've had less than 5 rides to measure what I can do, but it is fun to keep improving the baselines for my training for the rest of this summer.

I forget a lot how much I enjoy group rides, but yesterday was really, really great. It feels like a family reunion.

the pains of only getting ONE fajita when all the boys get TWO...

Last night's ride was so fun! I rolled up to Burwash Park with Axel & Nick and there were about 30 other people there, including Jess, B.Chan, E.Mart and all of the usual guys. SO MANY PEOPLE WOOOOOOT

We left town going east toward Homer and rode through the hills and turns...super fun route. The weather was perfect and there wasn't a lot of wind. I was riding with Jess, which was good because she's über strong :-) and I pushed myself to take good pulls and stay with her..

after we stopped at homer Lake alex attacked as we were heading back toward town. He tapped me so i followed him and Frenchie. Soon the rest of the group caught up. I thought Jess was just pulling around me because I didn't know the whole group was there too, and the whole group came around and kind of guttered me and i was flustered & didn't know what to do.. and..got...dropped. ........

i struggled to keep my watts at about my 5 minute max and soon caught up to some other people who got dropped, finally catching up to B.Chan, and then rolling back to town with her and Karl and ending up at the Park (where Nick, Axel, Chan & I began quoting our favorite Sesame Street skit).

It was a fun fun ride. I took along some Hammer gel this time and it helped. Again I set record wattage for everything except my 120 minute max. This week I've been setting records in every hard ride and it's confidence boosting. Even when I get dropped, at least I'm making improvements. I really just have no idea what to do in any race situation, but that comes with practice. In any case, I'll never really be able to keep up with the likes of Dave Stone if his wattage at the front of the lead group is almost the same as my 5 second max... oh oh oh ^_^

After the ride we came home to the Shire and all tried to cook dinner in the kitchen at the same time. We all had about two pots going on 4 burners, which doesn't really equal out... Nick's baby bok choy looked fresh & delicious though, as did Chan & Axels fajitas (B only got one...) and although my garbanzo beans were undercooked, the spices were perfect and anything is good with mango pickle. Asparagus with tandoori sauce is amazing btw.

Now I am going to take a long ride if the weather holds out. I'll be making some gel to take along, using sorghum molasses instead of brown rice syrup because it is half the price and I've never tried it...

With the arrival of B.Chan's Schmowerschnap our training has gone to a whole new level. Watch out Cat.4 women, the Tammy Thomas Twins have been spawned...

..and now we have another excuse to use DZ-Nuts.

SO it's been windy.  WINDY!  

Yesterday Nick & I went to Kickapoo and rode mtn bikes.  My second time on my 29er and first time mountain biking in SHORTS and a SS jersey and not wearing booties, tights, 5 hats, 15 base layers....   it was SO FUN !  I love mountain biking.  It's easier for me to put out a max effort mountain biking than road I think.  The obstacles are so tangible...you do whatever it takes to get over them.  The 29r rolls over everything, but it's fairly difficult to maneuver around hairpin turns and some corners.  Still I love the bike & the riding.. Ahhh

After Kick, I came home and Dan & I rode the tandem into 67 mile per hour wind to Friar Tuck to pick up the maltodextrin and some DogfishHead 120 Minute IPA (!!YUM!!) and then we went grocery shopping.  We made Chinese style dumplings and noodles for dinner.  It took us forever to prepare, and the result was a fairly doughy dumpling.. but delicious.  

Last night I went to bed early and this morning woke up and did an hour recovery ride.  It was hella windy.  Hella.

I'm deciding my plans for the weekend.  Got a couple of races to choose from.  The Fat and Skinny Tire Fest in Indiana looks like a great time (thanks Jess!)  

ok g2g kthxbai <3>

It's so windy!!!!

point taken

Use high quality locks !

wednesday nite ride

Ah ...  tonight I skipped out of work early (thank's John Henry Birkenstock!) and went to the wednesday night ride.  Good turnout.  Hella windy.  We rode west toward Centerville and then cut north and back east to town.  It was a gorgeous day and nice ride.  A few miles out of town, the guys in front just started cranking and I stayed with them for a couple minutes and then my legs just quit.  I tried to get on a wheel...another wheel....a wheel.... and then got dropped.  I made it back to my house totally spent...  Ahhhh     I feel good because I made more of an effort to stay with them, and I tried to anticipate an attack rather than space out while riding.  I gave more of an all-out effort than last Wednesday and feel much better (or worse) because of it!

D.Penn & I made pizza with okara "meatballs", asparagus, spinach, onions and garlic.  Deliiiicious.  We have pizza every day now.

Tomorrow we are having a picnic!  

schmower schnap ?

Woot!  B.Chan is playing with the buttons on her PT head right now.  Soon we will be posting our numbers ...NOT  -that is TOP SECRET!

In this morning's 20 minute intervals I improved my wattage from last time's 20 minute intervals by about 10% !  It gets me motivated anyways.  Hope it doesn't rain tomorrow so I can get a ride in outside.

We survived the Spring Sale at the shop last weekend..sigh. Friday night Dan put together Roz's Simple City; its soooo beautiful and has a super annoying DingDong bell.  Saturday I went out with the three handsome Penner brothers.  Fun weekend, but didn't get to ride much...

Good job to B.Chan last weekend!  We know who we need to watch out for ^_^   & please get better Ms. Moon !!!

PPPPPower Tap is Here.

More later....



RAR!

Collegiate Season Wrap-Up

This weekend was my last race for the U of I. Long story short, it went okay, not great, but I still had a lot of fun.

The adventure started at about 4:35pm on Friday afternoon when I received a phone call from Miz Cole informing me that Mat Brown's car had died. Fear not: As any team of industrious engineers and LAS majors would, we packed 4 people, 4 bikes and all their stuff into Nick's 2-door Ford Focus. That's right, kids. Me, Nick, Mat Brown, and Logan in a 2-door Ford Focus. It shall forever be known as le Clown Car.

The next morning I lined up for a 30 mile road race. At the past few races, I've been chompin at the bit right up to the starting line, but Saturday morning was I definitely still feeling Thursday night's "festivities" (some time I'll have to blog about my Harry Potter challaces). I moved up the pack fairly quickly, and felt like crap the first lap. Then there was a three girl break on the last mega hill that I couldn't follow and it got away. I'm so lame. The beginning of lap 2 saw 2 girls from DePaul, me and Morgan. Morgan's knee was hurting her, so she dropped (feel better, Miz Moon!!!!). I tried to get DePaul together to work to catch the break, but they weren't working so I discarded them and chased for a lap and half by myself. I could see the break waaay up the road, but just didn't have the legs to drag my butt up there. I ended up 4th. Meh.

Today was a 45 minute crit around the WI state capital building. I really wanted to throw down a V today, but that didn't happen. The same beastly WI girl who won yesterday broke away today and I was left to working with UCVC and DePaul to try to catch her. It didn't work. We lapped the rest of the field, which was fun, but still no luck. I felt like I had no gas in the tank. I waited about 3 seconds too long into the final corner to throw down a sprint and Liz from UCVC beat me by about (half?) a bike length. (Props to her-- she's looking mighty strong!). 3rd place. Meh.


Major, major thanks to CErbach, Ameena, and Karl Erbach for treating us to an awesome pasta dinner and then showing us a good time at Essenhaus. And thanks to Nick for driving. And for having a Clown Car. And thanks to Logan and Mat for racing and having a good time, and taking some rad pictures. Riding bikes is so much fun :)

Maine Coon.

Time to do some catch up on some homework. And then it's off to a conference in Atlanta this week.

hot wheels hot wheels

hi !  Sorry I've been slacking lately.  Our blog is losing it's luster... 

Since last week I've done some intervals: pyramid intervals and 2 X 20s.  On dreary disgusting Tuesday I took a ride; it was one of those days where the sky looked like it was about to crack any moment...and I didn't want to ride.  I forced myself to ride, and only began to enjoy it after I turned the corner of Lincolnshire and was home (and locked out with Nick).  Wednesday I went on the Wildcard group ride and had a great time.  Unfortunately I got dropped...I just FREAK out when we start going really fast!  I wasn't tired the whole ride--the pace was easy--and then we started picking it up.... and up.... and then everyone sprinted and I just felt like I didn't want to go faster.  See...this is so frustrating, because I think I can totally hang on, but something besides my legs is stopping me.  The guys are strong and fast, and I'm not saying that I can always keep up... but I know I'm holding back, and I think I can stay with them.  No more of that.  No more holding back.  

Today I finally rode my new wheels !  I was about to leave on a ride when Nick asked if I was going to ride my wheels.  I was like Hum..ho hum  YES !  Dan helped me glue the tires a couple of days ago and they were all set..  SO I rode out to Kickapoo and did a lap through the park up the two steep hills and then rode home.  The wheels are delightful.  DELIGHTFUL.  Amazing.  They accelerate so fast!  I noticed that they cut the wind well, and they climb fast.  The whole way back from the park I would sprint and then cruise, sprint cruise, sprint cruise...  unusual for me because I've never had much fun sprinting.  Now I get why people love it!  Ah these wheels are such a luxury...  love love love them :-)  

Sometimes when I sprint the bike lurches forward and I feel like its going away without me, like it's too fast for me to keep up...   oh oh oh I must get faster.

Tomorrow Roz comes to pick up her new Simple City 8 speed!  yay !

IT'S BACK: LIKES AND GRIPES TUESDAYS!!!

Greetings, readers. We at Fastgrrrlz admit that there's been some slackin' over the past few weeks. What can we say? Gettin swol can be quite time consuming. But now that the first real race of the season is under our belts, le Gran Tour de Universidad has been completed, and spring is in the air, it's time to get our priorities straight. That's right, ladies and gents. Likes and Gripes Tuesday is back.

(A.Miles, chime in here when you get a chance)

LIKES
1. PENNDESIGN - Despite the results of our latest poll, after many pro/con lists, cross country flights, and loaded emails, the decision has been made. I'm going to the University of Pennsylvania to get me a masters in Historic Preservation. What now, betches?

2. Aldi - Yeah, it gets a bad rap for its lack of flashy food displays and plastic bags. But Aldi stocks awesome organic soy milk, the densest bread in the world, a fine frozen fish selection, and quite the array of dried fruit, all at low low prices. Background research (completed by my mother) revealed that Aldi is in fact owned by the same company that owns Trader Joes. Interesting. And, really, who needs a plastic when you've got a messenger bag? Good job Aldi. Galdi. YESSSS!!!!!!! Love & Matchin' SoymilK!

3. The State of Oregon- it's truly lovely. I'm so jealous of A.Miles!

4. Chocolate bunnies...

GRIPES
1. Paying for PennDesign- let's just say I won't be buying a new road rig any time soon....

2. Easter Candy Hangover- I ate too many chocolate rabbits last weekend and I have a feeling I'm going to pay for it when it comes time to climb some hills this weekend at Wisconsin.

3. Tuesday's gross weather. It's April!!!!!!

AMBIVALENCES new category!
1. Pyramid Intervals- eye-bulging-makes-you-want-to-puke-hell. But they are quick and you feel relieved when they are over and you are swol-er.

B.Chan is on the Grand Tour d'Universidad and will be back Sunday.

I am sore! All weekend I turned Hillsboro over & over & around in my head...then I cooled off..

D.Penn and I made an epic trip to AmKo (asian grocery store) to pick up all kinds of good food. We're on this pizza and somen (noodle) kick. Not together. One night we make pizza, the next calzones, the next noodles, the next noodles... like that. Our most recent pizza variation was a calzone stuffed with kale, sweet potato, black bean, cilantro, red peppers, yellow peppers, poblano peppers and pineapple. I'm often doubtful of Dan's combos (like black beans on pizza), but they always seem to taste delicious. Tonight we made noodles topped with oyster mushroom, snow pea, burdock root, red and yellow pepper, with salmon and kimchee and vegetable dumplings. We've eaten a whole jar of kimchee since Saturday night.

Monday I woke up early and discovered that M.I.A. makes the best beats for intervals!  Tuesday I mistook many reps of the one-leg leg press and lunge matrix for a great idea...and to top it off, I rode through the 25 mph wind to the Centerville loop for some little hills.  Yesterday I rested because I could barely walk.  Today I took advantage of the windless air and rode to Centerville again then back through Mahomet, trying to keep my cadence super high because I'm a natural born masher.  Also practiced cornering for a few minutes, but I should return to that for a longer session at higher speeds.  Tomorrow I hope my legs feel more spritely so I can get in some more intervals.  

My sister's bike was stolen (she left it unlocked in her front yard...) so she is hoping to get a Gary Fisher Simple City!  It's the ideal bicycle for a fashionista who rides to school & work every day in four inch heels and a zany outfit.  She can fit groceries and Hello Kitty paraphernalia in the front basket and the internal 8 speed hub is virtually maintenance free! Wicked!  <3>

Re: Attack or Get Off the Front

I raced stupidly.  (Stupid at bikes..)  But Hillsboro is nice; the course was fun & I was totally fit for it...

Beginning of the race:  Chat chat chit-chat chit chit chat chit-chat.  Behind a girl who can't clip in.  Grr..  I couldn't move up.  Girls were squirrelly & talkative.  No drafting, no pace lines, 11 mph, braking on hills, braking down hills, braking on turns, braking...

B.Chan launches an attack.  I think it wasn't easy.  I stayed behind, int he main pack, we caught up...I tried to launch an attack.  It wasn't a good attack really.  I stayed on the front.  Oops.   I got tired, I got on the back for a bit, I fell off.  Road the rest of the race alone, came in 3 seconds behind the main pack.  Tired.  End of race.  Got 15th.  (Field of 35).

Pros:  I am definitely stronger than half the field.  Actually, I am confident that B.Chan are in the top 10 strongest girls if we race smart.   Probably the top 8.  ACTUALLY I know we can win if we race smart.  And if we get our sprints down.  

 This was a huge field of women; this means women's cycling is getting bigger and more popular.  = more fun!

On the starting line, I felt confident and was able to calm my nerves.  I was focused on the race.  

Cons:  I HAVE TO GET OFF THE FRONT!  I have to put all my energy into staying in the pack if I am about to fall off!   

Do not get frustrated if things are annoying and slow at the beginning.  Move up--just ease people out of the way.  Claim a position and defend it.  Get in a place where I don't have to brake on corners and hills.  If I move up carefully, people will get out of my way unless they want to crash.  

Do not waste energy.  Think and REACT.  

It was just the first race.  I learned a lot.  The way I raced yesterday is like a profile of my personality...it's a pattern typical of any of my first endeavors... it's something that's always disgusted me a little.  It's a combination of over-zealousness and frustration out of bounds: it just needs to be tamed with some smart pleats, some nips and tucks.  It's always helpful to think in tailoring analogies..   

Ill figure it out; I'm more confident now than yesterday after the race, and much less disappointed.  In fact, I am really excited!!!

P.S.     To the Unmentionable Cat.3 woman who told Becky and I, after Chan mentioned that she just raced in the 4's, that she would be pleased at the development of a new Cat. 3-4 category because she "could take out any of the 4's":       Bring it!!!!!!  Do you remember 'cross season?  Do you remember how I took you out every single weekend?  I read your blog....I've seen your numbers... I consider your catty remarks to be unexceptional.  

Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front. Attack or get off the front.

mua ha ha..

Got ya Mr. French !  (but thanks for the kind encouragement)

I love bikes!  

Yesterday after work B.Chan, Axel & I took an hour recovery ride.  This is Becky's and my rest week.  I hope to be in good form on Saturday, and will begin interval training thereafter.

I'm reading Joe Friel's newest edition of The Cyclist's Training Bible.  The 4th edition differs from previous versions in that it talks about POWER !  Endurance is my strength.  Broadly speaking, Force and speed skills are my weaknesses.  I'm pretty excited to begin doing intervals and I hope to see some changes soon. 

I really need to learn how to better analyze the data from my powertap..  the program Training Peaks WKO+ would help.  Does anyone know if it's possible to share this program?  B.Chan and I were thinking about that....but we don't know if it would work.  

We got a Surly Long Haul Trucker in at the shop.  I blogged about this bike on the shop's blog (it's new..and weak...but we're gonna try) and I'm just generally excited about it.  Yay Touring !!

  

A note to my friends:

Hi everyone who reads this blog--B.Chan, Karl, Wildcard, Mike the bike carrier specialist, Ms. Moon, Axel, George...

I'm new to racing, as this will be my first real road season, and relatively new to your whole bicycle riding cult.  Now I own five bikes and have more cycling clothes than street clothes.  When I'm not riding I blog about riding, I work at the bike shop, delivered for JJ all winter on bikes, and I spent my spring break riding bikes in sunny So. Ill. ..

But guys, I've had enough.  

I'm sick of being punchy 4 nights out of 7.  I'm sick of hanging my delicate clothing to dry.  I'm sick of the tan lines.  ...Not being able to fit into my old pants, spending the money I make at the shop AT the shop, measuring my self worth in watts, waking up early to ride, getting greasy newb marks on my leg, crying in American Flyers, those bike-obsessed boys at the Shire.. the list goes on and on...

SO I am selling my bikes and bike stuff and buying an SUV.  I'll follow this email with a list so you all can place your bids.  Poprad, X-Caliber, I'll throw the fixie and the touring bike together as a "hipster special", and B.Chan, I'll cut you a deal on the Mad One...  again, a more complete list later.  Frankly, I just wanna get rid of this shit.

I didn't know I was this weak at heart, but hey...what's a girl to do.  At least the "old" men we met on the road on that first day of training camp stand a chance at Hillsboro, if they can keep B.Chan at bay. 

Forthcoming: Our account of the Wild Card Cycling Training Camp

We need time to work on our detailed and formal account of the training camp.  For now, let me provide an unorganized and informal write-up:

Saturday the 21st of March I took the train to Carbondale and visited my parents in Marion for the weekend.  I did one short more intense ride and a couple of longer rides.  Monday, I picked B.Chan up from the train station and we departed the next morning in the Eurovan.  This is what I wrote while sitting in the van at Ferne Cliff State Park after our first ride together:

B.Chan and I are living the pro life. We parked the Eurovan at Ferne Cliff State Park and took off on a 56 mile loop through the rolling hills of Little Egypt. We passed through Vienna and Dixon Springs, riding by The Chocolate Factory and Hogg's Head Winery, then through Glendale and Tunnel Hill and back to our sweet van. We took cold sunshowers in the woods and scrambled into the van to cook dinner just as it started raining. Tonight we had my mom's tofu/veggie burgers with tortillas & red peppers that we bought at Aldi (the cheapest and best store everrrr!) and some tart cherry juice because, apparently, it is better than aspirin at relieving muscle pain. It poured all night and we got soaked brushing our teeth in the rain. Now it's almost 10 and we decided that it's late enough to sleep.

The riding today was awesome. Hills were rolling and you could usually get enough momentum to barrel into the next one--no cold starts for the most part. There were some long hills though, which I am pretty good at. However, during the first mile of the ride I realized that B.Chan is fast as hell on the shorter hills, and I made it my personal goal to at least stay with her. She's definitely looking strong. By the end of the week I hope to have improved on the shorter hills. I'm tired tonight and we are going to be careful not to burn out too bad before the Wildcard weekend.

B.Chan's and my riding styles compliment each other pretty well; she's got the fast twitch muscles and I've got the slowwww ones. I can climb forever but she can sprint up the hills fast. We're going to be a good team...once we learn some tactics.

The Eurovan is an amazing vehicle. It has everything except a hot tub and, surprisingly, a tarp.  We can't wait to meet up with the rest of the club at Lick Creek all dirty and road loopy in our VW van on Friday... 

It rained all that night.  The next day was a bit cooler (arm warmer weather) and we set out for a ride at about 1:00 with Vesselin Velev, who was down in Carbondale.  We intended on taking it a little easier.  I was concentrating on keeping my cadence high, and of course keeping up with B.CHan as she bolted up steep climbs.  We rode toward Moscow, through Dongola, up route 51, turned off to go toward Rocky Comfort road, which we rode for what seemed like forever, and then down a gravel road for about five miles to get back to Goreville and then our camp.  Rocky Comfort is anything BUT comfortable.  It is hill after hill after hill.. and we didn't know we would be riding it again with Wildcard on Sunday.  We were punchy as hell when we got back from our 4.5 hour ride that night.  Spaghetti and falafel tasted amazing.  Our abilities to make contractions were at their prime.  It is sickeningly contagious.  Sicagious.

Thursday we rested.  B.Chan wrote a paper and we hung out at my sister & Lonnie's house.  That night we stayed at my parent's house.  I must be missing a day... ?  Well, that day we rode.  Hills.  Lots of hills.

Friday we met with the Wildcard group.  There was much Van-envy.  (Venvy).  We set off at noon for a ride.  It was fast, and I got dropped in the first few miles.  I wasn't feeling great, and unconfident in my riding ability.  The climb up Bald Knob was great though.  I was completely warmed up by then, and I concentrated and took the climb at my own pace but pushed it... I ended up doing well I thought.  When we got back to the van I was ready to sleep....completely spent.  That day I put out my best power!

Saturday was the cold and rainy century.  We left with the "slow" group.  I love riding in bad weather, as long as I am moderately warm while moving and if I have enough food.  There is something so raw, grim and dangerous about it that gets me really pumped up.  It's twisted, but when everyone is miserable I sometimes get a rush of adrenaline.  At Eddyville some people turned back, to finish an 80 mile ride.  Larry, Q, Nick H and I went on to Golconda to complete the century.  I felt fine, though I knew I was slower than the guys.  Right before we reached Eddyville I flatted, and discovered a hole in my tire.  The tire was a piece of crap that I should have thrown away a year ago...  it didn't help that I packed an extra tube that had a hole in it.  I fixed the flat (thanks Q!!!) and put a dollar bill in the tire.  When I got going it kept making this thumping noise, and I didn't know if it would be a problem because I don't have much flat experience.  Karl came along in his car right then and picked me up...  I could have ridden, but with the flat and tornado warnings I thought that getting a ride wasn't too big of a deal.  Q finished his first century that day though, with bad weather and a headwind both ways--awesome job !

Sunday we rode out at 9 down Rocky Comfort Road toward Giant City and Makanda.  I felt great!  I only climbed the steep ass Makanda hill once, but on the way back to the camp I went as hard as I could.  I kept attacking on the hills until my legs just couldn't take it anymore.  My legs kept filling with lactic acid and then it would drain away and I stopped feeling them at all, and then they would fill again... it felt brutal.  I guess I never really go all out.  Now I want to ride until I completely pass out, just to see ...   When we got back to the van we got our stuff together and left, back to my parents house to eat, shower, and get a ride to the train.  We were spent.

Such a great week/end !

FAST GRRRLZ FINISH 1st

This weekend the Illini Cycling team journeyed to South Bend Indiana for a road race on Saturday and a crit on Sunday. We had a pretty good turn out with nine of us racing on Saturday and 7 on Sunday. We only got mildly lost and rolled in to the Quality Innat about 2am local time on Friday.

So after breakfast (including a magic muffin, despite Tony Vo's advice!) we rolled out the race which was just over the border in Michigan. The women's B race was 30 miles that was pretty much flat and windy on the first half and had some sweet rollers on the back half. The pavement was pretty torn up and pot-holey so we had a 3 mile "neutral" roll out.

I really had no idea what to expect from this race. I had put in a decent week of training last week but hadn't been sleeping a lot/eating well thanks to thesis writing. I figured at the very least I'd use the weekend as good training. I led pretty much the first 10 mile lap, and took it pretty easy. I felt strong but wasn't ready to try anything. We came through the second lap without much action. All the regulars were up at the front (although Indiana was off at training camp): Purdont looked strong, as did Ohio, and St. Louis. We got to the ripped up pavement section, and just as I was leaning over to tell Morgan that it would be a good place to attack the next lap, Purdont attacked. I followed, as did pretty much the rest of the field. No one seemed to want to pull that long, but Morgan put in a hard pull as did Purdont and then I was up at the front again.

I don't really know what happened at that point, but after a descent and then one of the longer "climbs" I looked around and was all alone. I literally looked back, realized no one was there, and said out loud to myself, well now what the f*** do I do?! The whole solo-break thing really isn't my style. At all. But I was feeling pretty strong, so I figured I'd at least make everyone hurt a little to catch up to me. Before I knew it I was through the second lap, into the third and still by myself. I won the race and ended up putting about five minutes between myself and the second place girl and a lot more time on the rest of the field.

I was happy about this for a couple reasons: For one thing, winning a race is always a good confidence booster and I felt pretty strong through it. Secondly, one of my goals for the season is to work on my mental game. I tend to ease up when I get uncomfortable in a race or hesitate, which has cost me in the past. But yesterday I just kept telling myself that I had climbed much bigger hills before (I guess a summer in the Jemez and riding with WILD CARD will do that!) and that everyone else was probably hurting just as much, if not more than myself at the time.

Today was the "safety" crit-- 3o minutes in a circle with a hill on one side. I felt pretty good considering yesterday's effort, but spent way too much time jacking around at the front of the pack, instead of staying neatly tucked in, like Miss Morgan Moon (M3????) who ended up winning! I knew I was being stupid, but I kinda didn't care. Which is weird because usually I'm really competitive and would have tried to pull off the double V. But I had a lot more fun pushing the pace at the front. I won at least one of the primes (big whoop in a 30 minute race, eh? hahha. not.) and placed in the others. I revved up for the last lap, knowing that Morgan was tucked in some where. I was really hoping to lead her out, but alas no luck and she went off on her own while I sat up. I think I probably ended up 7th or 8th or something like that. Schwhatever-- I raced well up to that point, and there are bigger fish to fry....bwahahaha!

Ummmm, so I'm really really really excited about SoIll and Wild Card training camp and hills and GETTIN STRONG!!!!!!!! this week. I'm taking a train down tomorrow night and then Miz Miles and I are going to roll out. RAR!!!!

FASTGRRRLZ!!!

Good news from B.Chan today (!!!) but I'll let her tell it ..

Marion, IL; parent's house.  Went out for 24 miles today with Dale and got in more hills than I would in Champaign (not saying much), but it's just a sneak preview of what is to come!  I am itching now to ride harder...I have a good base I think and now need to work on intensity.  I'm not going nearly as hard as I can.  Today I wore the heart rate strap for the first time--found it in a pile of Dan's stuff that I cleaned up while he was gone--and it was really cool to see.  My heart rate was almost up to what my max was during the VO2 test, and I know I could have worked harder.  This week I anticipate some epic rides and upon returning to Champaign some more intense rides with intervals and such.  Yippeeeee  ("That's what SHE said" is an appropriate response to this post.)

Tomorrow I'll ride with my parents.  80% chance of rain...

hi it's a good day

*Please listen to TLC's "waterfalls" while reading this blog.  Feel free to grab a beer and a taco.

Last day delivering!  Good day.. I delivered to the kid who lives in the room I used to live in last year--loved that apartment--and saw a bike shop regular who "reminded me to do my homework".  obviously been reading the Champaign Cycle website...Suckaaaa !  One lady who I talked to while going into a building promised to come into the shop to check out the bikes and reminisce about riding as a kid.  Made lots of cash which helped pay a chunk of my layaway at the shop.. yippeeee!  Now I have to pack up my stuff because I'm heading to SO.ILL tomorrow.  My family is having a joint birthday party for my dad and my sister's boyfriend's son (baby Lonnie) so it should be fun.  Then bikes bikes biking cycling bikes riding ride ride bikes hills!

Today I brought home:  fizik bar tape in bluuuue *hot* *hot* *hot*

Bontrager RXL gloves with no padding that are made with bamboo fibers among other stuff

Bontrager race lite pro tubulars  *hand made* for the wheels that will never come

Pedro's Go! chain lube - biodegradable & green !

..and a patch kit 

stuff stuff stuff.  i keep getting rid of stuff and then i just get more of it.  tonight I'm packing and wrapping bars.  D.Penn is off riding in Asheville with is Bro (i'm so jelly....) & I already miss the baby troll..  

WHHEEEE!

Thesis is done. For now at least.

I'm off to the races. Wish me luck, kidz.

p.s. Who keeps voting for opening a bike shop?!

R'Deeker

Congraxel!

You're theek's R'deek! *

After admiring fastgrrrlz for a few months, Axel launched his very own fastboyyyz blog, which definitely deserves R of the W status.  Go axel!  Gaxel!

*these are contractions.  learn it.  love it.

I apologize for the long and boring entry the other day.  Ugh.

Oh oh, THESIS WEEK !  The senior thesis is a project that undergrads can choose to do in their last year.  During the fall semester you do research and propose a topic, and this tends to shift around a bit... and during the spring semester you write a long paper.  Mine was very short, at just over 50 pages.  You work with an advisor or two, some of whom provide a lot of assistance, and some of whom just say "go have fun!" and leave you to freak out by yourself.  You get a couple of credit hours each semester for this, and in the end the paper is awarded with Honors or High Honors and I think there's even a higher honor  ...can't remember, and things might have changed.  So yeah..  It's awesome because you get to choose what you want to study, you develop relationships with professors, get a tiny taste of grad school.... but it's also a little bit of hell.  

So I sympathize with B.Chan..  last year I wrote a senior thesis that was due in its final form a couple of weeks after spring break.  I had the entire spring semester to write the paper, and besides that only had 3 classes to worry about...  still I procrastinated and ended up starting the paper on spring break.  I sat at my parents dining room table for at least 8 hours a day writing and eating peanuts...  ugh I got a few pages done.  Somehow though, the thing worked itself out a few days before it was due, and I finished it.  (My advisor was happy with it too.)  B.Chan, you'll do it!  We seem to share the same unhealthy and desultory method of getting stuff done.  

BIKES.  Yesterday the fastgrrrls rode into a brutal north wind toward Sadorus (does a north wind blow FROM the north? this is what I am assuming.) B.Chan turned around, and I kept going toward Ivesdale.  It was so gorgeous that I rode to Bement.  I didn't have much food and no $$$ so I turned around and was pretty hungry when I rolled up to the Shire.  Good ride; hot tan lines.  Today I delivered and got off an hour early so now I have plenty of time to study bones.

Tonight D.Penn and I are invited to dinner at the home of a bike shop regular.  She is going to teach us how to make yogurt!  Details forthcoming.  

Looking forward to training camp!  Every hill is going to be Snake Alley...  

Thesis Week

So the first full version of my honors senior thesis is due this Friday. As in, like, less than two days from now. So naturally, I have been doing everything but working on it. I woke up this morning and went on a ride with Axel. Then I went to art class. Now I'm thinking of taking a little nap while my wheat bread rises. Ugh. I need to get sh*t done. I guess a trip to the library is in store...

My big question, though, is where are all those thunderstorms that were predicted for this afternoon?

I'm getting really excited for racing. Notre Dame is this weekend. Wild Card Training Camp in SoIll is next week !!!!! Hillsboro is in two weeks. And way off in the distance are the Memorial Day weekend races. I'm pumped! If only I could channel this energy into writing.

Okay, that's enough complaining for one day. Time to take a nap.



(Kidding! Kidding!)

LIKES AND GRIPES TUESDAYS!!!

Is it really Tuesday already? I'm such a slacker.....

LIKES

1. Recycled soda can earrings from the B.Lime store! My mom got me a pair while she was here over the weekend. They're pretty cool, but watch out or they'll cut you in the jugular!
2. High School Musicals [not to be confused with Disney's Highschool Musical] Especially those that are Barry Manilow themed and have really awkward high school boys who can't sing cast as leading roles.
3. Yellow pedals. The Fuji got a make over!
omg B.Chan...so cute.  Now I really can't wait to make over my tutti-frutti schwinn after delivery season is over.  

4. This morning I was so excited to write my lengthy list of gripes, but now they are mostly gone!  Yay Likes!  Found out what's bugging Powertap and soon he'll be alright.  Pearl Izumi is going to take a look at the bibs that have a color-running problem and probably replace them.  I know more bones than I thought I did.  Let's see... my list of gripes is ever so trivial; they're nothing a friendly customer service representative cannot fix.

5. Cardinals.  They tweet out my window and remind me of my grandpa :-)

6. Aw guys, I pretty much like everything right now!  Chocolate labs hanging their heads out of car windows, spring rolls, tweeting birds, my bike, riding with B.Chan, Ivesdale, the sea history museum of Sadorus, spring rolls, spring rolls, dry flaky salt and dust stuck to my face, new tan lines, the lacrimal bone..

GRIPES

1. STILL WAITING FOR SCHMOWER TAP!  waiting for wheels...waiting for wheels....wait--
2. Corned Beef. We don't get along. In fact I've vomited every time I've eaten it. I wish I didn't like reuben sandwhiches so much....
3. Being stuck inside doing homework while its sunny and beautiful outside. Wasn't 4 months of winter punishment enough?!

4. Foot pain.  The bone (metatarsal?) proximal to the medial phalanx protrudes and becomes inflamed when I ride.  Today is the first day I noticed it to any great extent, and it was pretty painful.  My grandma has bunions, so maybe that's what it is....but I thought only old people got those.  Bummer.  I'm going to get some shoes that fit better.  Anyone looking to buy a used size 41 Sidi road shoe?  They're comfy, I promise--as long as you don't have um bunions..

5. SILLY CAT KEEPS STEALING MY HAT!  Oliver, you stupid kitty... no matter how high I put it, you find a way to get it and drag it around the kitchen floor.  Grr.  And quit climbing in the toilet, too.  (I know you sleep on my pillow when I am gone.)

Thursday is my "Skeleton Practical" so I am slacking on the blog...  The body has a lot of bones.  I like the Sphenoid bone.  It looks like a bat.  Thoracic vertebrae look like bats!  Wicked!

Saturday we went on our first after work ride of spring.  We all got cold at the end.  I had stayed up too late the night before (hanging out with Mat Braun, HEYOOOO!) so I wasn't feeling too hot.  On Sunday, D.Penn and I showed up a minute late for the 10:30 Druber ride but no one was there.  We waited until 11:00 and decided to leave..must have gotten our times wrong.  It's a good thing we missed it though, because B.Chan and Axel were locked out of the house.  I thought they were just taking advantage of the springy day, but they actually had no keys and were in a time crunch.  Just as we let them in, Axel's ma showed up to pick them up to go to the younger siblings' Catholic school production of a Barry Manilow themed musical.  (PLEASE Axel, more about this!!!)  Axel's mom brought him fresh eggs in a cute wire chicken basket that B.Chan much admired.

Penner and I decided to ride out to Kickapoo.  We left around noon and had a gorgeous ride out, fueling ourselves with delicious home-made energy bars!  Next time they need more calories I think...more nuts!  I took a spill at Kickapoo while trying to cross a small waterfall, and got pissed off for the next 15 minutes or so.  Powertap stopped working (still doesn't work = Major Gripe.) and my new-ish white bib shorts got all muddy & bloody.  I cheered up though because we had a nice tailwind on the way home and really cranked it.  yippeee!  Then we shmoothied (shower + smoothie) and rode over to Crane Alley for an IPA and dinner.  Good day and rode about 80 miles.  Yesterday I rested while Axel rode 140 miles.  Mad props to that crazy boyyy.

I feel like I have a lot of prep to do before our Southern Illinois Spring Break '09.  I need to come up with some ride maps & routes.  Any suggestions?  I don't think it will be too difficult, but I do want to prepare.  Also, I need to get together patch kits, tires, tubes, etc.  I guess there is still plenty of time.

Yesterday I ordered some new gloves and a black Giro Atmos.  Pink just isn't stealthy enough.  

Highschool boys are funny.

B.Chan, en route to yoga on a sunny Friday afternoon, clips along on the South Quad bike path. Suddenly, she comes upon a group of high school students leaving the ACES Open House Tent.

Boy in backpack: Justin, you're walking on the bike path.
"Justin"(loudly, obviously disgruntled): Who gives a shit?!
B.Chan (winks at boy in backpack as she whizzes by on [Awesome-ed.] Fuji): Heads up.
Justin (scowls): Oh.

Scene

READER OF THE WEEK!!!!!

This week's Reader of the Week Award goes out to
Erik Martin
for his great taste in bikes, beer and blogs.

Thanks, Emart.
Themart!!!

B.Chan and I had a fun ride yesterday.  We rode south toward the town that is southeast of campus, and then turned west toward Pesotum.  We were going to turn around and go back toward campus on first street but I said "the weather is perfect!" and we kept riding west.  Of course, it started pouring right after I said that.  It was in the 60s and the rain was pretty warm, so it was actually really refreshing.  Usually I don't try to push Miz Chan to stay out later than she is planning, because she's actually got school and a million other things to do besides ride all the time, but I was happy she wanted to keep going.  The storm was in the southwest skies and the sun was beginning to set.  You couldn't really see the campus power plant smoke/steam stack in the distance because of the mist.  We had rear lights and B. had a front light and our cell phones were safe in baggies so we were set.  I love riding in the rain if it is warm enough!  Even the wet chamois isn't too big a deal, but I guess I'm just gross like that.  We rode back through Savoy and got home just as it  was getting a little too dusky to be seen.  We got 40 miles in and we pumped ourselves up by talking about racing!  When I got home D.Penn was making a delicious stir fry and we shared the last piece of chocolate peanut butter cake :-)  Oh, and I had a mad craving for PBR.  

Now it is back to 40 degrees and I'm going to go deliver!  

tuesday's LIKES & GRIPES

likes:

1.  Deep Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.  Eating this cake is like dying by choking on gooey fluffy Reeses cups and going to the luxurious land of chocolate & peanut butter.  Possibly the easiest, most delicious cake ever AND approved by Ma & Pa Penner.

2.  60 degree weather & sleeping with the window open!

3.  American Apparel's boy's undies in purple.  If I were a boy I would wear them.  Purple underwear is cute.   

4.  Axel's hot new BMC frame !!!  

5.  The ride that B.Chan & I went on today in the rain     wheeeeeeee

gripes: 

1.  60 degree weather... AND STORMING WITH WINDS AT 100 MPH SO I CAN'T RIDE MY BIKE OUTSIDE ANYWAY UHHHHHHH

2. Waiting for *******.  (!!!)  And waiting for B.Chan to wait for powertap.  The recurring waiting theme in general.  

back on the bike & VO2 max finaaaaally

Awesome job b.Chan, at bikes and at grad.school !  i think you should go to oregon.  we can race 'cross together :-)

So I've finally recovered fully from being sick and I kind of wasted the weekend in terms of riding... Saturday I worked at the shop.  It was super busy and I had a great time--I love when people are excited about bikes, or when they buy their first bike..ahh it really can be a fun job sometimes.  However, I didn't get to ride Saturday, and that sucks...  D.Penn and I went to bed so late Saturday night, and then woke up early to help Scot move.  He has so much stuff.  A million bikes.  About 20 boxes full of spokes.  Insane.  I will never own that much stuff.  At the same time, Scot's material life has a cool museum-like mystique that I really like!  Sunday was hella windy--we saw a tree fall on a house--and we were tired, so we didn't ride.  I hate not riding on Sunday, so next week it's on!

Today I went for my third test with Lindy and finally got my VO2 results.  I am pretty thrilled with my max score!  It was a great mood booster after being off the bike last week and wasting the weekend.  No excuses now...  My Wingate intervals (whatever they're called) kinda suck.  I'm not used to doing sprint intervals and it's not my strong point, so my fairly low max power didn't really surprise me.  It's ok though because intervals are the next thing I'm going to concentrate on in my training.  I feel as though I don't even know HOW to go all out so it's just a matter of learning and pushing myself.  Lots of room for improvement, but at least I don't feel doomed to failure due to shitty genes.  Thanks Mom & Dad :-)

Oki tomorrow = big test = must study.  Yuck.  Tonight Sir Penner and I are making vegan enchiladas and a vegan chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for his parents.  Trying to convert them...

Season Opener!!!!

So today was my first collegiate race of the season. It was hosted by DePauw University in Green Castle, IN. This is one of my favorite courses because its really well organized, not too technical or difficult and its usually great weather.

My race was at 9:30am Indiana time which means I had to leave with Morgan at 5:00 this morning. Not fun. I stayed over at her house last night so we could have the car pre packed and just hit the road in the morning. We stopped at the cupcake place shop in Monticello on the way to Bement where she lives. Morgan is quite the hostess: she made a kick ass stir fry for dinner (Delish!) and she's got some really sweet cats.

We rolled out of bed at 4:30am this morning and were on the road by 5:01am. We listened to "What White People Like" on the way. I, apparently, am very white.

So the race: I got in a good warm up and I was feeling pretty good. Sat at the line and got cold. And then we were off. There was a crash about a third of the way through the first lap of the race and I was on the lucky side of it and got into a break with three Indiana girls and Liz from Tati/UCVC. I held on to that through the first lap and barely into the second, but I wasn't feeling too hot at that point. Well, actually, I was feeling too hot- by that time it was probably almost 70 degrees and I had my pearl thermal arm and leg warmers on. Not good. What was even dumber on my part was that I chased by myself through the majority of the second lap in between the actual chase group and break. Needlessly expending energy. The chase group, which had 6+ girls in it caught me and we worked through the third lap.

My favorite part of the race was when the Purdont girl rode up to me and asked if I was being lapped. Betch, please. (I made sure to beat her.)

The last 1k of the race wasn't all that exciting. We just sort of sped up to the finish line. I'm definitely not in any sprinting form so I don't think I even got out of my saddle at the line. Thinking I was leading Morgan out, I unintenionally won the group sprint. No epic bike throw, just sorta motored in.

We sorta rolled around for part of another lap and a couple miles down the road I got a really strange flat on my front tire. When I got back to camp finally I checked my back tire and saw that I had 60psi and hadn't inflated it that morning. So I had raced on low tire pressure. Great.

All in all I was pleased: I ended up 6th out of 30(+?) girls and I obeyed Rule No. 1. BUT! note to self for the next race:

1. Eat more breakfast
2. In the words of Dr. K (or is it leTSK?): Attack or get off the front.
3. Always always always check tire pressure prior to racing.
4. Don't dress for the arctic.

I guess the most frustrating thing about all this is that all of my stupid mistakes are things that I know, I just didn't do. I'm just really glad I have collegiate season to get this crap out of my system.

So now I'm back, a day early. Lame, know. But in my own defense, there is a 80% chance of thunderstorms predicted for Green Castle starting at 7am and 22mph+ winds. Great for a crit, if it were to even happen. Plus I have to get some work done on this thesis that apparently is due in TWO WEEKS (eek!). Annnd to top it all off, judging by how progressively shitty I have been feeling over the past couple hours, I think I am getting the flu. Again. Great.

Oh, and I got into UPenn and Texas yesterday, in addition to UOregon, UVirginia and Cornell U. Keep you eye out for a forthcoming poll and vote in the current one. Now if only that power tap would come in....

i'm still sick.  yesterday i felt better but i guess it was a false alarm.  today i slept most of the day.  tomorrow is the big delivery day and i'm not sure if i'll be able to do it...   bummer.  major bummer.  it's a little depressing because i feel really weak.  what the hell am i going to do if i get cancer or something?  i can barely handle the stomach flu.  mad props to lance.  

good luck this weekend B.Chan !!!!!  

Please vote! (above and to the right)

Wednesday!

I thought it was implicit that my "gripe" for Tuesday was the FLU.  I'm pretty much over it now, thanks to lots of sleep and D.Penn being extra sweet and wrapping up my burrito for me to save just after we spent an hour cooking and me deciding I wasn't hungry... yea.. 

Today I got another bike kid to deliver for me at JJ and I worked at the shop instead.  I thought it best to take it easy, so long as the environmental degradation caused by motorized delivery drivers was not on my conscience.  Now I am at home and procrastinating until I get on the trainer for a quick spin.  It was so gorgeous out today, but I gotta work if I am going to ever own these and still expect to live in the luxury that is the Shire and eat fresh veggies during the off-season.  Oh oh oh...   The shop was fun today because I learned how to use the zapper gun and I set up a new blog!  (It's really still under construction so wait a day to click...)

Tomorrow I hope to ride outside.  Friday is what I am saving my energy for though...UNOFFICIAL ST.PATTY's DAY!  That means delivering 9-5 !  If you are a student and drinking yourself silly, please order a sandwich :-)  It should be fun, especially because it is going to be in the 60's !

As we speak, B.Chan is working on updating our look.  Gone are the blasé Becky and Anona: ENTER B.CHAN & MIZ MILES ... in HOT pink & black !  

Last week I was g-chatting with my grrrl Domski and she said something like "I'm going to go hop on my trainer!" and I was like ...hrmm?  This girl doesn't ride bikes..? Well, it turns out that she was INSPIRED by our blog and now she rides an exercise bike!  Props to Ms. Doman and her legs!  

..and one last note: Sprouted soymilk is not good.  Taste can be too green.  I sprouted the beans, and then ground them in my Vitamix like I do with soaked soybeans.  Then, instead of cooking them, I strained the mixture right away.  The result looks like soymilk, but tastes like ... uhh..an unpleasant green.  The taste didn't leave my mouth until lunch (the aforementioned burrito) today after I used the milk in my breakfast muesli.  Tonight I will try cooking it to get rid of the freshly-chopped tree taste and, sadly, kill some of the enzymes.  Some good DID come out of the green soymilk: I saved and dehydrated the sprouted okara to use to make energy bars!  Yum!

Happy Tuesday!

awww... feel better A.Miles!

LIKES AND GRIPES TUESDAYS

Likes:
1. The University of Illinois Library: I think this will be the thing I miss most about Champaign-Urbana once I get out of here. I am a nerd. Deal with it.

2. Brussel Sprouts: I don't know what everyone was complaining about as children. Brussel Sprouts are cheap, filling and delicious.

3. Free Espresso Royale from WPGU: I'm going to let you all in on a secret... WPGU has great giveaways and very few people call in to win them. Call in the mornings at 8:40am for free Espresso Royal travel mugs and a free coffee drink. I bet if you try every day for a week you'll win at least once....

4. Snot Rockets: I've been trying to learn for quite a while now. Last week was my first successful execution.

Gripes:

1. Hair Cuts: The whole process is just so awkward! Everyone has been there-- you have to make conversation about stupid things like the weather or pets or children (bleh). And everything goes immediately down hill when the inevitable question of what type of "product" "color" or "styling regime" I use. I generally respond with a, "Um... none of the above?". This answer is usually followed by a scolding, a lecture on the joys of "product" and a subsequent sales pitch for a bottle of $30 dollar shampoo. And then you have to tip the person cutting your hair, regardless of whether you actually like the hair cut, and they see the amount as they enter your debit card information into the computer register thing. I like to tip well for these sorts of things, but talk about tacky...

2. Unsuccessful Snot Rockets. I think that's pretty self explanatory....

3. Still waiting for that Power Tap.....

eco-friendly clothing.  Hmm..  well, i'm a fan of this sporty romper.  

I look forward to making Kombucha with b.Chan.   

Today I am feeling better.  We'll see how it goes....   I just want to be able to deliver for 9 hours on Friday and have a good ride on Sunday.  

i have the flu.

yes, it is yucky.  i've lost 5 pounds today.  ugh.  now i'm going to sleep and keep sleeping and drinking H2O until it's gone.

But YES good ride on Saturday!  Grape Creek is a lot of fun--hills!!!  There were 4 women--B.Chan, Jess, Mel, & me--so that made for a good ride in itself.  I didn't feel as strong as I have lately, but it was a hard workout and I'm not used to doing hill circuits really.  Good training.  The So.IL training camp is going to be a tough weekend, but a real treat.  I hope to feel much stronger after it also!  B.Chan did well on the hills and I think the Wildcard guys were all impressed.  

Saturday night Dan & I went dancing at C-Street with our friends Michael & Anna.  It was a really fun night, save that annoying PINK song that was in our heads for the next 48 hours (NaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNa..).  Of course after the dancing, we went to Merry Anns and ate hashbrowns, then back to Mike & Anna's place where Dan gave Mike a 4:00 am haircut.  Ravishing..  We didn't make it to the 9:00 am ride.  Or our alternative 11:00 am ride.  Or the 3:00 pm ride that I thought might be our last chance.  We spent the night, and when we woke up in the morning Michael and Anna were making breakfast for us!  We ate potato pancakes, fruit, salad, smoothies, coffee... it was delicious.  Then we basked around all day in their cozy and relaxing home... We finally decided to brave the cold and rode home, stopping at Kamakura on the way to eat sushi for dinner.  I rarely stay up all night anymore, so it was really fun to go out with friends and have a lazy "wasted" Sunday!  

So time to sleep and get better so I can get back on the bike sooner...    grrrr to tummy flu.

Weekend

So I opted out of racing this weekend so as to not do something overly competitive and destroy my knees for another couple weeks. I'm a lame-O, I know. But instead I went on the Wild Card ride with A.Miles, Jess, and all the other Wild Card guys. It was a really, really good ride. I definitely wasn't as fresh as I would have liked, but isn't that purpose of training? Anyways, we drove out to Kickapoo and did a hills circuit. I got really twisted around direction wise and my computer froze, so I have no idea how many miles we did, but there were a couple good hills and it was a really good workout. And the best news is that my knees are still functioning one day and a little ride later, so I'm really happy.

One recovery smoothie later I went and got a haircut (check out next week's Likes and Gripes Tuesdays if you want to hear how it went) and then made pizza with Axel. We stopped on the way home from Schnucks and picked up Courier salads. YUM. The pizza was pretty tasty, too. Axel did a great job on the sauce, but my dough left something to be desired. Next time. We watched I heart Huckabees and I fell asleep.

This morning we missed the Wild Card ride because I was too slow getting out of the house (ugh, sorry!). We did a small loop, but it was really, really cold and windy so that didn't last too long. On the way home we rode through a golf course I didn't know existed and found a not-so-secret portal underneath 57. It was fun. Then me and Axel moved my saddle position around a bit in hopes that it will make my fit better on the bike. We'll see how it goes this week.

Things to Look Forward to This Week:

1. Power Tap?
2. More Grad School *Acceptance* letters?
3. Another quality week of training?
4. Racing at DePauw. (Notice the period at the end of this sentence, indicative of a statement, not a question)

Well that's all I've got for now. It's time to go read for Transportation Planning and other classes before Robin gets here tonight so I can rock out in class tomorrow. Engineers and Planners be ware. Hehehe.