Midweek Madness Moving to a New Time!

Ah, fall! As days get shorter and shorter, we cling to every last opportunity to eek out a few last miles on the road. With shorter days and earlier sunsets, we're changing the time of one of our most popular rides -- Midweek Madness -- so we can still get out there together.

Starting Wednesday, September 2nd, Midweek Madness is moving to 6:00pm.

Midweek Madness, started in 2002, is the longest-running women's-only fast-paced group ride in Northern California. It's fast. It's furious. It's fun! Led by members of Team Velo Girls, the ride focuses on group riding skills and provides a high-intensity work-out. Racers and fast recreational riders all participate side-by-side.

Join Team Velo Girls on this fast-paced ride, focusing on group riding, pacelines, high intensity training and fun! Meet at Woodside Town Hall (at the intersection of Woodside Road and Whiskey Hill Road) in Woodside, ready to ride at 6:00pm. 20 miles, fast pace, this is not a no-drop ride. Email Lorri@VeloGirls.com for more information.

You'll find this and all our rides + events on the Velogirls.com calendar.

iPhone app preview -- mybikeinfo

mybikeinfo iPhone app

I can't wait to delve into this one. I've hesitated to pay too much attention to most "bicycle" apps for the iPhone because they seem to have limited value, but this one looks very interesting (and worth the $1.99 to download).

As a bike fit professional, I know the importance of keeping records of all my bikes. When travelling, you want to make sure you can set up your bike just the way you have it while you're home. If renting or borrowing a bike, you want to try to match your current geometry and fit as closely as possible. This info is super-handy if you're planning to purchase a new bike, too! In the past, that probably meant carrying around a little piece of paper with your measurements on it.

This app allows you to enter all that important information right on your iPhone. At first glance, it's super thorough -- probably more thorough than the average cyclist needs (or can figure out for herself). But as a bike fitter, I'm drooling at the possibilities of how I can incorporate this app in my practice. You can even add really important information like serial numbers and purchasing information -- all necessary if your bike finds its way into the hands of someone else (like a bike thief). There's even a section for you to keep maintenance records so you know when to replace your chain! And (with a little help from a friend) you can record your vital body measurements.

As a bonus, the developers have added an RSS news feed with some of the bigger cycling new sites (and you can add your favorites to customize the feed).

The proceeds from this app benefit the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project.

San Ardo race report from Emily Weinert

After a summer of criteriums and one very painful attempt at a road race at Dunnigan Hills, we all headed south to San Ardo for redemption and something other than hellish winds. Just like last year, San Ardo did not disappoint.

Lorri got to the line early and staked out a place for the Velo Girls, which was super key once we got going. Unfortunately, I managed to put myself at the back in a crappy position, like always, but after doing that repeatedly at Superweek, I stayed calm and hoped to get myself out of it later. And thanks to the fabulous line of Velo Girls keeping the pace in check and controlling the race from the start, it all worked out!

As we headed out into the first lap, I spent most of the my time near the middle of the pack, just sort of hanging in there and trying to move up when I could. With the narrow roads, it wasn't quite as easy as I had hoped, but the fact that Velo Girls were in complete control of the race (thanks ladies!!!) meant that I didn't have to worry too much about bad positioning. It also meant that my lungs got to wake up and decide to start working, which wasn't necessarily a given at the starting line (unfortunately, I'm allergic to fall in California).

The pack pretty much stayed together for the first lap and I just sat in at the middle-back and tried to get all the systems running. As we came through the town again, the pace increased and people started putting the hammer down. The cloud cover meant we didn't have to drink as much, so I avoided the feed zone and the pack continued to string out.

Just as we were about to hit the hills on the second lap, two riders went down, which strung out the field even more. At that point, Beatte (Early Birds) attacked and started pushing the pace. Dana and I held on and tucked in as a smaller group came together and started attempting to work together. Not too long after that Katie came flying up the side after recovering from her bee sting (very bad ass!) and the pace picked up again. With three Velo Girls in the pack of ~15, we did our best to sit on without having to work too much since Katie and Dana had been at the front for huge chunks of the first lap.

After we made the turn back into town (10-12 miles to go), we ended up being neutralized more than I thought possible (though it was super cool to watch the P/1/2 women fly by us) and the pack began shuffling for position. Katie took off with a mile or two to go and did a fantastic job of stringing out the field.

I found myself 2nd wheel as we headed over the bridge and then managed to jump on Beatte's wheel, behind Ann from touchstone. As we made the turn into the final stretch, Beatte went left around Amy and I tried to follow, but Amy also headed left, making things a little more interesting. I tried to get back on Beatte's wheel, but my quads were screaming, so the battle for the win came down to Beatte and another woman, while I happily settled for third.

Although I would have loved to win, pulling out a third with only one half functioning lung was pretty sweet. And I definitely could not have done it without all of my amazing teammates taking care of me! Hopefully now that I've amassed all my points I'll be able to return the favor and pull them around to victory!

Emily

Velo Girls thanks the cycling community!

Thank you to the cycling community for your generous support of the Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix. Three weeks ago we put a call out to our friends to help raise funds from a defaulted sponsor for the 2009 race. We've been overwhelmed by the support of both teams and individuals, and have been able to raise enough to cover the expenses for the 2009 race. The Menlo Park Grand Prix will be back on Sunday, March 7th, 2010.

Bike Skills 103 moving to September

We've had requests over the years to move our Cyclocross Skills clinic earlier in the season so folks can have time to practice skills before the season begins, but it would appear that registration numbers don't support that. We've got low registration for Sunday's clinic, so we're moving it back to September -- Saturday the 26th to be precise.

John Funke sent me this note today: ""You can bill it as "Funke's last clinic ever" - because that's probably what it is...""



For those who don't know John, he's the master-blaster and has raced cyclocross all over the country for the past 10, 20, maybe even 30 years! He taught me to bunny-hop and he's been a staple of the Norcal cross scene for at least the last 10 years. And he's a pretty freaking incredible teacher. Did I mention he makes me laugh, too? And he's got two adorable kids and a very cool wife who composes and sings children's music. Yeah, he's all that.



So, we're moving the clinic to September 26th the day before one of the CCCX races. And if you want to benefit from the legacy that is JOHN FUNKE, you better get your mouse over to SportsBaseOnline and register today:

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3290

Yo! John is cool. You could be cool, too.

what are you doing Friday night?

Girls + Boys, Get your Cyclocross On!

photo by Jon Suzuki

It's August, which means it's time to start thinking about cyclocross.



Dirty Velo Girls Ride @ Arastradero -- every Thursday at 6:00pm at Arastradero Open Space Preserve in Palo Alto. This is an awesome, girls-only dirt ride appropriate for mountain bikes and cyclocross bikes. See http://www.velogirls.com/calendar.php for details.




Bike Skills 103 -- Cyclocross Skills -- CO-ED
Sunday, August 16th 9:00 - 1:00 (San Francisco)

Have you been wondering what's all the buzz about cyclocross? It's a fun but challenging sport that's beginner-friendly and appropriate for the entire family. And best of all, it's happening at a park near you! In this four-hour clinic, you'll learn all the skills needed to get started in this incredible sport, including mounts, dismounts, and how to shoulder and carry your bike. We'll also share information about bikes & equipment, the local cyclocross racing scene, and how to train for a successful season. We'll finish off the day with a simulated race and de-brief. You'll need a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike for this clinic. John Funke is our guest coach for this clinic.

Registration here: https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3290




Bay Area Cyclocross Yahoo Group: For all the latest in Northern CA cyclocross news, gossip, and announcements, join the Yahoo Group here: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/bayareacyclocross




Eating + breathing cyclocross? Check out the locally-produced Cyclocross Magazine here: http://cxmagazine.com




For the low-down on local racing, clinics, and news, check out the Northern California/Nevada Cycling Association cyclocross hub here: http://www.ncnca.org/cyclocross

and now for something completely different......a little dirt!

Yup! It's true. Velo Girls ride on the road but we know how to get dirty, too! And we've got two co-ed August clinics that are perfect for those of you who want to learn to ride in the dirt or just improve your existing skills:



Bike Skills 102 – Mountain Bike Skills -- Sunday, August 9th -- 9:00am - 1:00pm

It's time for a little dirty fun! We'll teach you the basics (and not-so-basics) of balance, weight distribution, and how to use the terrain to your advantage. Learn to rock, roll, hop, and jump. Master the art of steep climbs. Learn to descend with confidence and skill. After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3029




Bike Skills 103 – Cyclocross Skills -- Sunday, August 16th -- 9:00am - 1:00pm

Have you been wondering what's all the buzz about cyclocross? It's a fun but challenging sport that's beginner-friendly and appropriate for the entire family. And best of all, it's happening at a park near you! In this four-hour clinic, you'll learn all the skills needed to get started in this incredible sport, including mounts, dismounts, and how to shoulder and carry your bike. We'll also share information about bikes & equipment, the local cyclocross racing scene, and how to train for a successful season. We'll finish off the day with a simulated race and de-brief. You'll need a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike for this clinic.

Guest instructor for this clinic is the one and only John Funke!

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3290