It Takes Two, Baby!

Our awesome little team of six for the Furnace Creek 508 awoke at dawn, grabbed some Starbuck's for breakfast, and chamoised up for a shake-out ride on the tandems.  In addition to the four of us racing, our two crew members, Max and Andy, saddled up on the spare tandem at our host house to join us for a short spin.  How often do you see three separate tandems out riding together?

I'm pretty impressed with our ability to get up and running smoothly.  My pilot, Jim Ryan, is a very experienced rider, and we were able to start, stop, shift to an optimal gear, and communicate really well together.  We dialed in our bike fit (as much as possible within the constraints of the bike) and I feel confident we've optimized our positions.

The best piece of advice I received this morning was from our other tandem pilot, Paul Kingsbury (owner of Kingsbury's Cyclery in Elmira, NY).  He said the biggest adjustment as a stoker is that I will feel the bike do things that weren't caused by MY input.  I thought about that several times during our 9-mile ride this morning.

We rolled with my Cardo BK-1 bluetooth communication device.  It's a super-cool helmet-mount system that allows two riders to talk to each other.  I've been testing it out in training the past month or so and I'm sold that it's a really great system for two riders.  If our crew is really smart, we're also going to connect to one of their smart phones so we can communicate with the support van.

Communication will be key for this race.

Lorri, Jim, and crew member Max in the background

I've spent a lot of time in the past month thinking about the experience of riding a tandem and also being supported by a crew.  This is very different for me.  I'm an independent girl.  I live alone.  I run my own business.  I have no family.  I'm used to doing my own thing.  So, for the next couple of days I'm integrating into a six-person team and allowing others to advise me and take care of me.  It's a pretty neat experience.

There are so many funny soundbites about riding a tandem.  But here are my thoughts as I embark on a journey from the stoker's seat:

• Trust is key.  I need to trust in the bike.  The bike will do what it's meant to do if we don't screw it up.  I need to trust my pilot.  I couldn't pick a better pilot.  Jim is a super-experienced ultra-endurance rider with experience as a tandem pilot on this event.  He'll take good care of me.

• It's okay to let others lead.  I'm used to being a leader.  I'm not used to being a follower. Following can feel uncomfortable to me.  My role this weekend is not to be a leader.  But I can be the very best follower I can be.  

• I can be a contributor.  And that will be more valuable than being a leader in this situation.  I will pedal.  I'll cheer.  I'll help out whenever I can.  And I'll let others lead.

• Intuition is also very important.  A stoker can't be on auto-pilot.  I can use verbal and non-verbal cues to help guide me.  

We're all packed in the van now and transferring to the host hotel in Valencia.  We've got race check-in and safety checks on both the bikes and the support vehicle.  We've got the race meeting this afternoon, with all 700 riders and support crew.  And then it's off to the grocery store to stock up on 24-hours of food for riders and support staff.  We've been discussing nutrition options, ranging from all liquids to a variety of real food and sports nutrition products, to eccentric snacks like tootsie rolls stuffed with coffee beans.  

I won't likely update the blog until after the race is finished on Sunday, but you can follow our progress here:

If you'd like to follow along, you'll find the official FC508 webcast here:

http://www.the508.com/2013web/

You'll find time splits for our team (Northern Spring Peepers) here:

Northern Spring Peepers Race Page

And you can get live (well, every 20 minutes) updates here:

Northern Spring Peepers SPOT Tracker

Wish me luck!

********************************************************************************


Thank you again to Gary Brustin and Jan Medina for their sponsorship of my race.  I wouldn't be sitting in this 15-passenger van on the 5 in Los Angeles, discussing pickle juice and chamois creme if it wasn't for their support.

The Fastest Five Weeks In The History Of Time

This morning, I'm hopping on a jet plane (probably a prop plane, actually), bound for Los Angeles to meet up with my team for this weekend's Furnace Creek 508.  My journey leading up to this day followed a crazy, twisted road with a few bumps and potholes, but somehow I've arrived intact.

If you recall, five short weeks ago, I agreed to join the record-holding two-tandem 50-plus team, the Northern Spring Peepers, for this 508-mile race.  I knew it would be a challenge to ramp  up my volume to train for the event, but I was ready to take it on.  I had 4 weeks of available training time and then a week to recover and stay fresh for the event (what some folks might call a taper).

The first phase of my training was to increase both my duration and climbing.  I planned a series of three-day blocks with 10,000-15,000 combined feet of climbing with recovery between blocks.  My first two weeks were going as planned.  Well, maybe not quite as planned, as my teammate Pamela and I got a little carried away and rode 136 miles with 8,000' of climbing to start my second week of training.  But we survived, and I knew that I'd be able to complete my stages of FC508.  I totaled 24+ hours that week, with 321 miles and almost 15,000' of climbing.

The following week I planned another 20+ hours with 20,000' and was on track when tragedy struck -- I was hit by another cyclist while riding.  I was very fortunate that my injuries weren't too severe -- no broken bones, but lots of soft tissue damage and my right leg was deeply contused (and is still sore almost 3 weeks after the collision).  This basically destroyed my training plan.  I was conflicted:  I needed to train, but I needed to heal my injury.  I completed a few rides, feeling very slow and suffering with pain.  I cancelled my planned tandem training weekend with my partner, Jim Ryan, in Oregon.  I decided to be conservative, and let myself heal.

So, weeks 2 and 3 I only rode about 12 hours total (150 miles with 7,000' of climbing).  My 4th week, I climbed everything I could, knowing that would be the biggest bang for my training buck.  My leg still hurt, and I still felt slow, but I needed to do some damage control so I didn't completely lose fitness.  I was able to ride 17 hours, for a total of 200 miles and 17,000' of climbing.  My last long ride was a solid 75-miles with 7,000' of climbing.

This week my goal was to recover and then keep my legs fresh.  I'm feeling pretty good, so I guess I met my goal.  We'll see how I feel later today when I go for a spin with my tandem partner.

This year's Furnace Creek 508 has been a challenge for the race promoter, before we even hit the start line.  Apparently, two separate parts of the traditional course were washed out with flash floods, forcing a re-route of one section and a van shuttle of the other section.  Then, the federal government shut down.  Since the route goes through two different national parks (Mojave and Death Valley), the promoter hustled to find alternate routes (and obtain permits for those routes).  At this time, we don't know if we'll be permitted to ride the 508-mile course, or if the race will be shortened to 356 miles (an out + back route to Trona that skips all the really cool desert land).  While I'm certainly disappointed, I think we'll still have a great experience.

The modified route for my tandem team would be 177 miles total (instead of 240 miles).  We would ride stage 1 (107 miles with 6,000' of climbing) and stage 3 (70 miles with 4,000' of climbing).    The other tandem team (Paul Kingsbury and Wanda Tocci) would ride stage 2 (70 miles with 3,000' of climbing) and stage 4 (107 miles with 5,000' of climbing).  Wait a minute!  How did my team get more climbing?  So while the overall race distance has been reduced, the impact for each of our teams is not that significant.  We've still got our work cut out for us.

Of course, the logistics of changing from a 508-mile point-to-point race that begins in Santa Clarita and ends in 29 Palms about 33 hours later to a 356-mile out-and-back race that begins and ends in Santa Clarita less than 24 hours later means changing lodging and such, but our awesome team has handled all this without blinking.

So now, we just wait and find out which course we ride.  We all packed for the long course.  We have flights and lodging based on the long course.  But I'm guessing we'll end up riding the short course.

Later today we build up the tandems (they were shipped out from New York), go grocery shopping, have a test ride, and prepare the support van.  Today's also the day we all get to know each other.  Actually, the other three riders and two crew members all know each other already, so I guess it's the day that I get to know everybody else.  On Friday, the bikes and the vehicle both have to pass safety checks and we have rider meetings and dinner and spend the night in Santa Clarita.  And then on Saturday, we roll out @ 9:30am.

I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't a bit nervous.  Of course I'm nervous.  I'm jumping back in, still injured, riding 177 miles and 10,000' of climbing in less than 24 hours.  On the back of a tandem.  With a man I've never met.  I'm nervous and excited and feeling surprisingly calm.  I guess the reality of what I'm about to undertake hasn't sunk in yet.

If you'd like to follow along, you'll find the official FC508 webcast here:

http://www.the508.com/2013web/

You'll find time splits for our team (Northern Spring Peepers) here:

Northern Spring Peepers Race Page

And you can get live (well, every 20 minutes) updates here:

Northern Spring Peepers SPOT Tracker

Wish me luck!

********************************************************************************

I want to take a minute to thank a bunch of folks who've helped me arrive here:

Gary Brustin and Jan Medina for their sponsorship of my race.

Pamela Levine for being the best training partner ever.

Winnie + Dan Brehmer for loaning me a wheelset when mine was destroyed in the crash.

Annie Gianakos for scraping my broken body off the pavement, taking me to the hospital, and nursing me on the day of my crash.

Jason Pierce who dragged my tired butt around on the bike and shared all his accumulated wisdom about FC508.

And all my friends and teammates who've shared rides with me, listened to my stories, calmed my fears about being injured, and supported me on this crazy, bumpy journey!

tears for fears

I rode my bike yesterday.  Yeah, I know, no big deal, right?  I ride my bike about 250 days a year so why was yesterday special?  Well, I cried on the bike yesterday.  These weren't tears of pain, but tears of fear, and they caught me completely off guard.

I'm not sure why I was so affected by yesterday's ride.  I crashed a week ago (only my 2nd road cycling crash in 14 years, hit by another cyclist).  My only other crash was in 2002 when I was hit by a car.  I was very fortunate and my injuries were very minor (soft tissue damage) but it meant that I have only been on the bike twice now since the crash.  The first time on the bike, I felt fine mentally, except a bit of nervous energy when I returned to the site of the crash.  But yesterday, I was nervous even before rolling out the door.  I think the death, on Wednesday, of a woman about my age, riding on a road I've ridden at least a few hundred times, due to a collision with a motor vehicle, left me feeling a bit uncertain about my own safety.

I'm a super-defensive rider.  I like to believe I see and anticipate every potential risk.  I don't ride on roads that I perceive as dangerous.  I'm extra cautious when riding during twilight hours (because vision is limited).  I learned great tips for "thinking like a car" from Velo Girls sponsor Gary Brustin (BicycleLawyer.com).  I teach participants in our skills clinics that YOU DON'T HAVE TO CRASH YOUR BIKE.  I believe that.  I've had close calls with automobiles pretty much every ride I've ever done, and yet I've kept it upright.  But suddenly, yesterday, I was very nervous.

Not a quarter mile from my house, a woman almost hit me while she was talking on the phone.  Two miles later, a man in a big white truck with jacked up wheels and NRA stickers all over the cab, intentionally tried to spook me by swerving into me.  When I rolled up to the red light, stopped next to him, he turned and laughed at me, then floored it and sped off.  As I started my first climb, I realized that the cars felt faster, closer, and more distracted than usual.  I kept asking myself "why do these cars need to drive so darn fast?"  I almost turned around at that point.  I just had a nervous feeling about being out on the bike yesterday.  And that's when I cried.  

And I don't really know why I cried.  I know plenty of folks who have died while riding a bicycle.  I know plenty of folks who have died while not riding a bicycle.  I know folks who've suffered severe, life-changing mental and physical injuries.  I've had plenty of close calls myself.  I've been the victim of hatred and violence while riding my bike.  Maybe my tears had nothing to do with riding a bike at all.

I decided that the worst thing I could do would be to call my ride short.  I needed to keep pedaling, to regain some confidence, to calm my nerves.  I made route decisions based on my mental state, avoiding certain roads that I knew would be busy on a Sunday afternoon.  I found myself being a bit more conservative than usual, controlling my speed a bit on my descents and being hyper-aware of blind turns.  I noticed a larger-than-usual number of bicycles with both front and back blinky lights (thanks in some part, I'm sure, to a fabulous blog post earlier this week by Mike Jacoubowsky of Chain Reaction Bicycles).  

And then, I chose a small climb I haven't ridden in many years.  It's a bit off the beaten path and I thought that would be good for me.  As I settled into my climbing rhythm, I felt a calm settle over me.  The road was deserted and lovely.  As I peaked, I had the most gorgeous view of the San Francisco Bay, Mt. Diablo (recently ravaged by wildfire) and Mt. Hamilton.  I regret not taking a photo, because the late afternoon light created the perfect contrast and depth on the bay and the east bay hills.

The rest of my ride, drivers seemed to slow down.  They seemed more considerate.  They waited to pass until it was safe to do so.  They gave me more room when passing.  Not a single car buzzed my elbow.  I received a few friendly waves and a smile or two.  And I started to realize that the number of automobile drivers who respect cyclists and want to share the road with us far outweighs the number of automobile drivers who might harm us (whether intentionally or unintentionally).  

And I finished my ride the way I always finish my ride with a victory salute as I rolled down my street, celebrating the fact that I made it home alive.  Yup, I'm always aware of the risk.  We should ALL be aware of the risk of riding a bike.  But I think, too often, we forget.  Or we hide our emotion as a coping mechanism, allowing us to continue participating in an activity that really is dangerous.  We forget, until someone is injured or killed and we can't forget anymore.  

I love riding my bicycle more than just about anything in the world.  And I've ridden a bicycle for 14+ years, longer than anything else I've done in my life: any job, any home I've lived in, any boyfriend, any anything.  Riding a bicycle makes me feel free!  Riding a bicycle clears my mind and helps me manage my life stress.  Riding a bicycle makes me feel that I can succeed at anything and has greatly improved my self esteem.  Riding a bicycle completes me.

Furnace Creek 508 Study Guide

I always love the anticipation associated with participating in a new event.  The interwebs make it easy to while away the hours viewing photos and videos and reading race reports.  Yeah, it's great to read the official data (maps, GPS, rules, etc), but I like the real-life stories of folks who've experienced the event.

Now that the reality has set in that I'll be riding my inaugural Furnace Creek 508, I spent some time today clicking around and sharing other riders' experience.  I thought I'd share with my friends + fans.

2012 FC508 blog from Jim (my tandem captain).  I'm happy to report that Big Bertha has been retired:  http://pancake508.blogspot.com/

2012 FC508 blog from Paul and Wanda the other tandem on our team:  http://www.kingsburyscyclery.com/?p=191


Stunning photos and time-lapse from Scott MacDonald Photography:  http://www.scottmacdonaldphotography.com/2012/12/06/the-furnace-creek-508/


FC508 YouTube Collection, because a video speaks a million words:  http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=03027EAC14FC9819



I can't thank Gary Brustin and Jan Medina enough for supporting me in my Furnace Creek 508 quest.  Without their support this wouldn't be possible.  I'm really looking forward to this event.  I can't wait to add my blog and photos to the interwebs for eternity.

Wondering how this came to be?  Read my original Furnace Creek 508 post here:

http://velogirlscoaching.blogspot.com/2013/08/this-just-got-real.html

This Just Got Real!

I've done some incredibly crazy things in my riding career.  Some really impulsive things.  Some things that, if a coaching client asked my opinion, I'd say "no way, Jose!"  Like what, you ask?  How about riding from San Francisco to Los Angeles in the California AIDS Ride when I hadn't been on a bicycle in decades.  Or the time I agreed to race a 24-hour mountain bike race even though I could barely ride a mountain bike (and had never ridden one at night).  Or building up a touring bike and riding solo self-supported around New York for 3 weeks.  Or attempting the Death Ride when all I'd been doing that season was road racing (and no long endurance).  Yup, these might all be considered crazy.....or stupid.  And sometimes the result is less than magical.  Once in a while it's amazing.  Let's hope the latter is true for my next challenge.

Less than a week ago, one of my cycling friends from my hometown of Elmira, NY, contacted me about an opportunity to join the record-holding two-tandem relay team at this year's Furnace Creek 508 on October 5th - 6th.  My initial reaction was that I would be happy to help him find someone to fill the team.  Both the riding and funding to participate in this event were beyond my grasp right now.  But somehow, over the course of a few hours during our discussions on Facebook, I agreed to do it, assuming I could find personal sponsorship to cover the expense.

So, I contacted my personal angels, folks who have supported me in my crazy dreams for many years, and thanks to the generosity Gary Brustin and Jan Medina, I funded this latest endeavor.   Now I had no excuse not to participate.

So, let me tell you what's crazy about this event.  It's called the Furnace Creek 508 (as in 508 miles).  The route begins in Santa Clarita, CA and ends in Twentynine Palms, CA, via Mojave, Death Valley, Stovepipe Wells, Furnace Creek, Badwater, and a bunch of other similarly significant-sounding desert towns.  It's one of the premier ultra-cycling events in the world.  I've known many folks who've done it in the past and they're all serious endurance bad-asses.  I see the crazy rides they do and think "why would you want to ride a bike for 20 or 30 or 40 hours at a time in the dark and the extreme heat and the rain?"  Luckily, as part of a relay team, I'll only be riding 230 miles with 17,000' of climbing.  Since I completed the Death Ride in July (125 miles with 15,000' of climbing), I could see that the mileage and elevation were within reach......if I'd actually kept my endurance up the past 6 weeks.  And, since it's a relay, there are breaks when the other team is riding.  So really, it's only 4 segments of an average of 65 or so miles, right?  I can ride 4 65-mile rides over the course of a day and a half.  No problem!

But, to add to the fun, I'll be riding this event on the back of a tandem.  With a man I've never met.  Maybe he won't notice if I'm not actually pedaling?  Yup.  A tandem.  Now, I've tandemed exactly twice in my cycling career:  once in 2002 with a man I'd gone on one date with (and decided there would not be another date after that experience) and once in 2006 with a man who was riding a tandem solo from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to the Panama Canal.  The latter filmed his adventure which was later featured at the Banff Film Festival, so I got to see myself on the big screen.  But that's not exactly the resume of someone who's ready to undertake a serious (or seriously crazy) endurance event as stoker of a tandem.

So, all the stars aligned and I just got an email welcoming me to the team.  And it all makes sense now.  I've got my work cut out for me in the next month, but I'm in good hands.  My tandem partner is the legendary Jim Ryan of Seattle.  He's a 9-time Furnace Creek 508 finisher (solo, 4-man, and 2 tandem).  He's a FC508 Hall of Fame member.  He's a FC508 record holder.  He's ridden other crazy endurance events like Race Across the West (RAW).  And he seems like a really nice guy.  In last year's race, he met his tandem partner for the first time the day before the race and they survived.  Heck, they set the record for their division.  Joining us on the other tandem are Paul Kingsbury (owner of Kingsbury's Cyclery in Elmira, NY) and his fiance Wanda Tocci.  They were the other tandem on last year's record-winning team.  I've ridden with Paul once before (not on a tandem) and he assures me we'll have a great time.  Joining us will be our support crew, also veterans of the event.  What could go wrong, right?

So, for the next month, I'll be logging the big miles.  I'll be climbing the long climbs.  I may even meet up with Jim in Oregon for a training weekend.  And I'll make sure to update this blog with training updates as I prepare for what might be the craziest, most impulsive event I've ever ridden!

Yup.  This just got real!  (gulp)

Announcing our 2013 Savvy Bike Camps + Clinics

No one can help you ride or race your bike better than the coaches of Savvy Bike.  Since 2002, we’ve helped 1,000s of women and men achieve their goals of being smarter, safer, more skilled, and more confident on the bike.  We’ve created a learning atmosphere where you’ll feel comfortable and safe, and yet challenged to try something new.

Everyone can benefit from our skills clinics, whether you’ve been riding six months or two decades!  We take the hit or miss out of the learning process to help you flatten the learning curve.  It doesn’t need to be difficult or painful to learn to ride or race a bike. We’ll help you ride “with” your bike instead of “on” your bike.  And we’ll help you have fun!

By popular demand, we introduced our Bike Skills modules in 2008.  We took our most popular two-day bike skills clinics and broke them down into 4-hour modules so you can focus on those skills that are most important to you. Some of these clinics are for women or men only; some are co-ed. 

We highly recommend you participate in Bike Skills 101 (or an equivalent clinic) prior to registering for our more advanced road clinics.

Bike Skills 101, 201, 301, 302, and the Tri-Flow Development Racing Program are eligible for USA Cycling (USAC) upgrade points for categories 3, 4, and 5 racers.

Registration is open for all our January - June programs at http://savvybike.eventbrite.com

The Tri-Flow Development Racing Program

Introduced in 2006, this award-winning program is designed to help you bridge the gap from club rider to team racer. In a six-week series of workshops, clinics, and rides, we'll teach you everything you need to know to begin road racing and then support you at your first race. This program is limited to eight riders each session. A solid level of cycling fitness is required. Program fee includes custom team jersey, USA Cycling License, race registration fee, twice-weekly team training, and a group training program. Contact coaching@savvybike.com to schedule an assessment.

Team #1 – Bariani Road Race (Feb 3^rd  – Mar 17^th, 2012)

Team #2 – San Ardo Road Race (Jul 6^th – Aug 17^th, 2012)

Cinderella Kick-Start Clinic – Jan 19^th

Are you planning to ride the Cinderella Classic on April 6th, 2013?  If so, this is the PERFECT clinic for you.  We combine the best skills from our Bike Skills modules, along with important information about nutrition and bike maintenance, to start you off in the right direction for a successful event.  Then, join us for our progressive training ride series that begins the following week and you'll be crossing the finish line in style!  Meet other women who will be riding Cinderella and have a GREAT day of bike-love learning.

Carmel Valley Women’s Cycling Escape Weekend – Mar 22^nd – 24^th, Oct 11^th – 13^th

Join us for an action-packed weekend in beautiful Carmel Valley.  We'll be based at the historic Los Laureles Lodge, featuring adorable rooms and mouth-watering meals.   We've got plenty of options for both road cycling and mountain biking.  In addition to supported rides + educational seminars, we'll fill your girls' weekend with yoga, spa time, and wine tasting.  Escape with your bike to amazing Carmel Valley!

Alpine Altitude Adventure (aka Death Ride Training Camp) – Jun 22^nd – 24^th, 2012

Join us for a fun, co-ed training weekend in Markleeville, CA, home of the Death Ride.    This 4^th annual co-ed weekend camp is designed to help prepare participants for the rigors of endurance riding at high altitude.  Based in Markleeville, CA, this camp is appropriate for Death Ride participants and others who wish to gain high altitude experience.  Daily mileage options range from 25 - 75 miles.  Registration fee includes camping (Friday + Saturday), a Friday skills clinic, SAG on rides, cycling nutrition, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of fun with cool folks. 

Bike Skills 101 – Fundamental Bike Handling Skills – sponsored by BicycleLawyer.com – Feb 3^rd, Mar 16^th, Apr 28^th, Jun 8^th, Jul 21^st, Aug 31^st, Sep 29^th, Nov 2^nd

This 4-hour co-ed clinic is the foundation of everything else you’ll learn on the bike.  This is the clinic where we teach the old dogs new tricks and the newbies the fundamentals.  You’ll learn about balance and weight distribution and how that affects your ability to ride your bike safely and confidently.  We’ll learn skills like riding with no hands, emergency stops, and how to look behind you while holding your line, how to steer, and counter-steer.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.   This clinic is a pre-requisite for all other Bike Skills road cycling clinics.

Bike Skills 102 – Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills – Apr 7^th, Jul 14^th, Oct 13^th

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.

Bike Skills 103 – Fundamental Cyclocross Skills + Tactics – Aug 24^th

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.

Bike Skills 201 – Climbing + Descending Skills sponsored by Jan Medina Real Estate – Feb 3^rd, Mar 16^th, Apr 28^th, Jun 8^th, Jul 21^st, Aug 31^st, Sep 29^th, Nov 2^nd

Bike Skills 201 is a continuation of what you’ve learned in Bike Skills 101.  What goes up must come down, right?  In this 4-hour co-ed clinic, we’ll teach you how to climb like a pro – seated climbs, standing climbs, short climbs, steep climbs, extended climbs.  And then, we’ll teach you how to come back down again, focusing on a fast straight descent, and then a technical switchbacky descent.  Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 301 – Pacelines + Group Riding Skills – Mar 3^rd, May 5^th, Aug 4^th, Nov 3^rd

Wheelsucking is an art!  Whether you’re a racer or a recreational rider, group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, and farther.  We’ll learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills and introductory racing techniques.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 302 – Racing Skills + Tactics – May 11^th

This six-hour clinic will teach you all the individual bike-handling and group riding skills you'll need to race your first (or your 10th) criterium or road race. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, and an introduction to tactics. We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 303 – Advanced Racing Skills + Tactics – TBA

Take your racing to the next level! In this 4-hour clinic, you'll learn to "make the race" by incorporating individual and team tactics -- and we'll teach you the skills to do that! Bring your teammates for maximum learning.  Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 302 or equivalent racing experience.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 302 or equivalent experience.

Bike Touring 101 – May 25^th – 26^th, Oct 26^th – 27^th

Have you thought about touring on your bike but don’t know where to begin?  We’ll unravel the mysteries of supported, fully-loaded, and semi-loaded touring for you.  This clinic includes a two-hour seminar on the topics of equipment, bicycle choice, what to bring, how to pack, camping, cooking, safety, and choosing your route.  Then, we head out for a weekend of semi-loaded touring with a 50-mile hilly option or a 25-mile rolling option, both ending at Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, where we’ll have dinner, spend the evening, soak in the hot tub, and sleep.  The next day, we pack up and return to the start.  This is a fully-supported event and includes ride nutrition, dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday), SAG, and your accommodations at the hostel.

Registration is open for all our January - June programs at http://savvybike.eventbrite.com

waiting with bated breath

wait no more! without further adieu, I'm thrilled to announce the Velo Girls Coaching Services 2011 clinic and camps schedule. registration has already opened for all events through June and many are close to selling out, so if you're interested in participating, I would encourage you to do so soon. a $20 early bird discount is applied to all registrations processed more than 2 weeks prior to a clinic. All clinics are co-ed with the exception of our two-day Girls Got Skills clinic which is for women + girls only.

Just click on the date and you'll be whisked away to our fancy-dancy registration page for that specific clinic session:

Bike Skills 101 – Fundamental Bike Handling Skills – sponsored by BicycleLawyer.com
Feb 12th, March 20th, May 1st, June 18th, July 24th, Sept 10th

This 4-hour co-ed clinic is the foundation of everything else you’ll learn on the bike. This is the clinic where we teach the old dogs new tricks and the newbies the fundamentals. You’ll learn about balance and weight distribution and how that affects your ability to ride your bike safely and confidently. We’ll learn skills like riding with no hands, emergency stops, and how to look behind you while holding your line, how to steer, and counter-steer. After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.


Bike Skills 102 – Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills – March 26th

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.


Bike Skills 103 – Fundamental Cyclocross Skills + Tactics – TBA summer 2011
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.


Bike Skills 201 – Climbing + Descending Skills sponsored by Teresa Callen of Image Arts Salon
March 20th, May 1st, June 18th, July 24th, Sept 10th
What goes up must come down, right? In this 4-hour co-ed clinic, we’ll teach you how to climb like a pro – seated climbs, standing climbs, short climbs, steep climbs, extended climbs. And then, we’ll teach you how to come back down again, focusing on a fast straight descent, and then a technical switchbacky descent. Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.


Bike Skills 301 – Pacelines + Group Riding Skills – April 10th, June 4th
Wheelsucking is an art! Whether you’re a racer or a recreational rider, group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, and farther. We’ll learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills and introductory racing techniques. Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.


Bike Skills 302 – Racing Skills + Tactics – May 7th
This four-hour clinic will teach you all the individual bike-handling and group riding skills you'll need to race your first (or your 10th) criterium or road race. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, and an introduction to tactics. We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief. Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.


Alpine Altitude Adventure (aka Death Ride Training Camp) – June 24th – 26th
Join us for a fun, co-ed training weekend in Markleeville, CA, home of the Death Ride. This co-ed weekend camp is designed to help prepare participants for the rigors of endurance riding at high altitude. Based in Markleeville, CA, this camp is appropriate for Death Ride participants and others who wish to gain high altitude experience. Daily mileage options range from 25 - 75 miles. Registration fee includes camping (Friday + Saturday), SAG on rides, cycling nutrition, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of fun with cool folks. Thursday and Sunday night camping options available for a small fee. You are responsible for transportation to/from Markleeville, however participants will be encouraged to carpool.


Girls Got Skills sponsored by Jan Medina Real Estate – June 11th + 12th

This is our corner-stone clinic, and includes 16 hours of “you” time in the company of other cycling women. This clinic is a must-do for recreational cyclists and racers alike! We cover individual bike handling skills, group riding skills, climbing and descending, and training principles (including a time trial to determine heart rate training zones). Since 2003, women from all over the US and Canada have participated in this clinic. You’ll walk away from this weekend with a renewed love for the bike and the cycling community!