2011 Begins Now!

2011 will be here before you know it! What are your goals for the next cycling season? Are you planning to race road or mountain? Participate in the Cinderella Classic? How about a century or double or the Death Ride? Whatever your goals, the foundation of next season is built now!

Join Coach Lorri Lee Lown and Team Velo Girls on our new series of 2011 Season Prep Rides, beginning this Saturday, November 20th, and continuing through January. These rides are designed to help you build your base endurance for the 2011 season. We'll start with two-hour rides and increase the duration and intensity each week.

Rain or shine, join us at Woodside Town Hall, ready to roll @ 9:00am. Fenders are highly recommended for wet rides. RSVP to coaching@velogirls.com.

Please note, these coached rides are open to current Velo Girls Club, Team, and Lifetime Members only. If you're not a Velo Girls member, you're welcome to participate in one ride but are encouraged to join -- http://www.velogirls.com/membership.php

You'll find details on this and all our rides + events at:

http://www.velogirls.com/calendar.php

ladies, start your engines - NOW!

happy summer! by this point, you've probably had several solid months on the bike, completed a century or two, and are thinking "what's next?" don't let another year pass you by wishing you'd learned to road race.

Velo Girls has just the program for you if you've tossed around the idea of racing -- the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program. in this award-winning, innovative, learn-to-race program, you'll work with a small team of other women just like you -- women who are ready to challenge themselves to try something new. you'll meet with the team twice a week -- once for high-intensity training and once for endurance and skills training. you'll learn everything you need to know to successfully complete your first road race -- and hopefully continue racing during the summer months. and you'll be supported with expert coaching, a team kit (jersey + shorts), a training plan, and email support.

I'm especially excited about an addition to the program for this summer! Kristin Keim, JFKU Doctorate candidate in Clinical Psychology/Sport Psychology Graduate, will be interning with Velo Girls. the mental part of the sport can be equally as challenging as the physical aspect, and Kristin will help you conquer your demons and perform at your best mentally.

so what are you waiting for? email coaching@velogirls.com for more information. or click on over to https://www.signmeup.com/68201 and register now! consider this your personal invitation to challenge yourself in ways you never thought possible!

the 2010 Bariani Road Race Tri-Flow group

"my life has forever been changed!"

Team Velo Girls member, Kerri, shares her life-changing experience at the BOGGS V 8 hour mountain bike race on April 3rd:

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The quick short summary of Boggs is that we camped, we froze, we got snowed on, we rode some awesome single track, we cheered each other on, we finished strong!



Six of us went up to Boggs Mountain State forest near Cobb, California. I bet you don’t know where Cobb, Ca is now do you? It is about 3 hours from here, north of Calistoga. 2 teams of two, Carolyn and Gnat along with Cristina and Amy conquered the the course in a relay fashion. Lorri and I attempted the 8hr solo event.

There were many racers on the course at all times making it intimidating for me. The race started off as a mass start (600 registrations sold but many of those are teams therefore not all out on the course at once). The race was a circuit of approximately 9 mile laps. Our Velo Girls teams alternated doing one lap at a time. The challenge of this was that in between laps it was easy to get quite cold, the starting temperature of the day was 29 degrees. The saddles on our bikes were frosted over and my camelback tubing was frozen. I enjoyed heating up water to thaw my camelback before the race, I knew at this time it was going to be a fun race.

My goal was to complete 5 laps of the course and I plugged away one lap at a time. The first 3 laps were challenging for me as I felt that I was being pushed off the course for being too slow. On two occasions people tried to pass me during inopportune times therefore bumping us both off our bikes (one a tight switch back, the other in a rocky narrow turn). It really frustrated me. Also during the first lap as I approached a turn on a newly added section to the course (therefore I had not pre-rode it) there was a guy heckling at me yelling “let off the brakes girl, the bike’s meant to go forward, etc.” He had a group of 20 plus people roaring in laughter at me. I was literally humiliated. I was even shaking in the knees despite the fact I knew I shouldn’t let any idiot get under my skin.

I was left feeling frustrated, like I didn’t belong out there and ultimately feeling like “what am I doing, I just love to ride my bike, this isn’t what I signed up for.” As I approached the end of lap 3 I had settled in and decided to forget the race. I am not a quitter and I will finish my goal of 5 laps. I am going to forget about the other people out here and enjoy my “leisurely Saturday ride.” I then approached lap 4 and 5 in a relaxed approach, pulled over to let people pass so I could save my sanity.

During lap 5 I was encouraged by my self talk of “yep, last time I’ll see this on my bike” as I went through each section of the course. At a moment I was deep in on the course, all by myself, snow started to fall on me and I LAUGHED and SMILED to myself. Character building. I really had a blast at this time, my skills improved throughout the day, I was feeling very comfortable on my bike and simply amazed at how my skills were coming along. I really settled into riding the fast swoopy sections of the course, loving the feel of my bike. I rode every section of the course and for the girls who raced, they will attest that there were some tricky sections.

At last I approached the final fire road climb out, the race was over from here... I did it... 5 laps.

As I wheeled into the finish line I was greeted by the cheering of my teammates, Gnat, Carolyn, Cristina and Amy but wait what was Lorri doing, motioning me to keep going and yelling “you’re in 2nd place, you can’t stop now, you gotta do one more lap.” Umm, what??? But... I was done... my whole mental game was to be done now?! But wait, 2nd place... really... I’m not gonna give that up without a fight. So Lorri nicely opened a cadbury easter egg for me, shoved it in my mouth... and away I went... for lap #6... with a smile still on my face.

Once again, just me and my bike, and the official “last lap.” My legs were starting to feel tired but I didn’t care, I was newly energized. During this lap people started talking a lot, the men were asking “are you doing this solo? Wow, 6th lap, this only lap 3 for me.” Another woman, after descending behind me on a fast technical section, complimented me on my bike handling skills. Several encouraging conversations occurred on this lap, what a change from the start. Counting down the miles, for certain this time, I crossed the finish line.

8 1/2 hours on my bike, ~50 miles, 8000ft of climbing and still in 2nd place! I was greeted by my WONDERFUL teammates cheering me on and it felt so amazing! I can’t say enough how much I appreciate our team, what a great group of friends!!

The mental game of this race was absolutely crazy to me, I went from feeling discouraged, humiliated and frustrated to feeling proud and excited and that YES I did belong on that course! I had 8 hours of bonding with me and my bike and I really think I am a better rider because of it.

Mountain biking has been a very empowering thing for me! Since moving to California I must say the find for me has been discovering the dirt, my life has forever been changed!

Kerri

Amy's Goals -- met at Bariani!

Team Velo Girls member, Amy, recently participated in the six-week Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program. Here's her report from her first race:



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First things first: Happy Birthday to my sweet Delaney! 7 years old; I can't believe it!

Bariani Road Race (as in Bariani Olive Oil):

I was nervous the whole 2 hour trip to the race. To be more accurate, I've been nervous for the last 2 weeks, feeling the passing of time acutely. I keep thinking about this crazy bike year: Last year at this time, I was a committed recreational rider (newly picked by Trek to do this blog!), and thinking that anyone who raced was either super-fit or just plain crazy. And there I was a year later, on Saturday, in the car on my way to my first race...nerves and anxiety on full blast. On Friday we had hosted a birthday party for my daughter and ten of her friends, then my two-year-old appeared to have the stomach flu. Not the most relaxing or focused way to spend the day (and night) before my first race, but perhaps it took my mind off of my worries. Saturday morning, I finished prepping my gear, and Declan looked well enough to leave with the grandmas (who had both flown in to celebrate Delaney's birthday) which meant Chris could come with me (hooray!). In the car, despite the deliberate non-cycling conversation, I kept focusing on one aspect of the race: would I be able to clip in to my pedals and at least leave the start line with the pack?

Read the rest of Amy's race report along with her photos here:

Amy's Blog on Trek Women Who Ride

Registration for the next six-week Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program is now open. As an added bonus, we'll be working with Kristin Keim, professional bike racer and Sports Psychology PhD candidate. The program is limited to 10 women and you can register here: https://www.signmeup.com/68201

Sand and Climbs and Sandy Climbs

Here's a race report from Team Velo Girls member, Cristina, from the CCCX race on March 14th. Medals are cool and so is Cristina!



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Hey Y'all, here's my race report from our most recent Mountain Bike race, last Sunday.

How did I spend MY first morning of Daylight Savings? On my bike, of course!

Crystal clear skies, fresh seaside air, frogs croaking in the ponds, and the buzz of neighboring Laguna Seca. That's what racing at Ft. Ord is all about. Oh yeah, and sand... and climbs... and sandy climbs.

We had two racers in the Beginner Women's group of 4 ~ Edith and myself, while Carolyn rocked it in the Sport category. This race was a little longer than the previous race @ 17 miles. The 3 lap course consisted of many mean dirty climbs, swoopy hard rutted downhills, fast ice plant infested meadows and a couple sneaky sections to keep us on our wheels.

After my previous experience racing at Ft. Ord, where I took it easy and just cruised the whole time, finishing with the desire to do another couple laps, I thought I should actually "try racing" this time. So my first lap was fast, but tough. I powered up all the climbs (no cylcocross style run-a-bike for me!), bombed some jarring downhill, and cranked my way along the flat sections. I finished the first lap feeling tired, but pretty good. Lap 2 caused me to question why I didn't fuel better before the race. Pedaling on, I tried to hydrate myself better and slowed my pace a bit... remembering at each death-climb that I had to do this one more time. Lap 3 came with a crash: zero energy and total body ache. I wanted to quit. I stopped, listened to the frogs, gazed at the trees, and made mental notes about proper fuel and hydration for next time... duh.

We all finished our races, Edith and Carolyn both knocked out 3rd places in their categories ~ with some super fit and challenging ladies racing against them. I did finish, took 4th out of 4, and actually got a medal.... my first ever medal for anything athletic. Thank you, CCCX, see you next time... and next time I promise to be more prepared.

-Cristina.

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two doses of dirt this weekend for Team Velo Girls

Hello Velo Girls!

I just want to thank Velo Girls for giving me numerous cycling options on Saturday. I could have joined the girls on the Cinderella training ride (short or long), or perhaps train alongside the Tri-Flow gals, shoot, I even had an invitation from my husband to join him on a ride.

Well, last minute Friday night, I decided to drive 35 minutes south to San Martin and park in a freshly cut pasture to join a few hundred other mountain bikers for the first South Bay XC race. The race was held at Harvey Bear Park, and I just have to say how AWESOME it was to be able to race so close to home! I mean, seriously, left the house at 8am and was back for lunch at noon!

The race was interesting to say the least. The race director informed us at the race start that the race would have probably been fast and furious had it not been for the rain and the cows. Because of these two factors the trail had been turned into swiss cheese. And swiss cheese it was…. Right from the get-go, the trail was festooned with hoof holes and of course, do I even have to say it? cow dung. (Which reminds me… I need to rinse my bike off.)

The 9 mile loop takes you up into the hills with a 1000 ft climb at the start. I really love climbing but after 30 minutes of bouncing over hill and dale, I was really glad when the trail started heading down. But, it was a false break. The loop winded down again, but the challenges didn’t end. At one point the entire trail was covered in thick, knee deep mud. Of course, after Lake Sonoma, this was cake… right? Right?

The fun didn’t end there though. After an extremely bouncy downhill, which I’m sure is the source of my current back ache, I looked up to see a particularly LARGE BLACK COW standing in the middle of the trail. What’s a girl to do? Well, of course, what any Velo Girl would do in this situation… I started yelling, “GET OUT OF MY WAY!” And to my surprise, it actually worked! Wow. Me - cow herding. Who would have thought? You might think it was just luck, but I tell you, a few minutes later, a whole herd of them started galloping (do cows gallop?) across the trail. I used my new skill again, and sure enough they listened. They didn’t look really excited about it, but I don’t think cows get really excited about anything. They just chew whatever they chew and move along.

Well, soon after this episode, my journey came to an end as the loop circled back and the race ended with a fast downhill back to the finish line. Yaaa! First race completed!

Well, maybe I should have used the day to put more miles on my legs or practice group riding skills, but really sometimes a girl can’t ignore that little tickle in her ear whispering….”Let’s go race.”

See you on the trail or on the road!

Mariska : )

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Hello Teammates!

I wanted to share my race report for the South Valley Endurance Dirty Gears race that took place out at Fort Ord today!

SVE's Dirty Gears race series is new this year and there were lots of cool new things (USA Cycling sanctioned race, chip timing, swag bag with GU products plus t-shirt, and hot soup and oreos at the finish line!!) and not so cool things (no great place to warm up and spotty course markings causing many to get lost) about this new series. I'm sure they will dial out the glitches for their next race and I look forward to racing at their events again!

The course was 13 miles deep in Fort Ord on many trails that have been part of the Sea Otter course in the past. The beginners were all sent out onto the course at the same time so I was racing with guys much of the day which was
pretty cool! After an initial hike-a-bike hill there was some killer single track that was a blast to ride. I was able to make a number of passes in that section and was having fun! Then came lots of deep sand, a steep road climb up to more sand and then rolling single track down to the finish.

I came out with a 2nd place medal and a new-found appreciation for being a good trail site-reader. I don't often ride trails for the first time during a race so keeping up a race pace while riding unknown territory is new experience for me and a skill I am glad I pushed myself to work on today.

Happy Sunday from your very dirty (and sandy) teammate!

~Carolyn

a triple-play weekend for Team Velo Girls

never before in Team Velo Girls history have we had team members racing in three disciplines in one weekend! this weekend, we had women racing cyclocross, mountain bike, and road.

congratulations to Gnat Harris on her impressive finish at the CXSR season finale on Saturday! the course was flat and filled with muddy goodness -- and a perfect way for Gnat to end her 2009/10 cyclocross season!

Sunday was the season-opener of the CCCX cross-country mountain bike series in Monterey. three Velo Girls raced -- Kerri Stevenson with the beginner women and Carolyn Thompson and Lorri Lee Lown with the sport women. the course was just about as perfect as it could be, with fast + fun berms, breath-stealing climbs, and lots of fast swoopy single-track.

Monday, Angela DeSapio lined up with the big girls in an open women's field at the Dinuba Criterium (in charming downtown Dinuba). where's Dinuba, you ask? go to Fresno and keep going, that's where. the course is a really cool one, with great pavement, left + right turns, and just enough head-wind to make a difference in the final sprint!

congratulations to all our racers for a great weekend representing the girls in pink!

in non-racing action, Velo Girls was busy as ever! Saturday morning was an on-road training session for the women participating in the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program. We also kicked off week #1 of our Cinderella Training Series with 30 women participating in a sunny spin from Woodside. In the afternoon, we held our first Bike Skills 101 clinic of the 2010 season. And on Sunday, we held our weekly Northern Exposure ride originating in San Francisco and riding up into sunny Marin.

if you're not riding your bike, you've got no excuses. with all this fun on the calendar, we invite you to come out and join us soon!

if Cindy-Lou Who was a Velo Girl

Ode to Lake SoMuddy:


To a race they would go, the Velo Girls in pink,
with their mountain bikes and helmets, and even the kitchen sink.
'Twas Lake Sonoma calling for a little late-season fun.
"A mountain bike race in December should be good for the very first one.
For December is quiet and the race should be low-key,"
at least said the coach, yes, the coach, that is me!

So the girls loaded up with their bikes and their gear,
into cars, trucks, and wagons, and they dreamed of post-race beer.
They drove and they drove,
and they drove, drove, drove, drove,
over hill, over dale,
yes, they drove, drove drove, drove!

They arrived to find fog and muddy mud on the ground.
"Mud?" said the coach, not expecting it around.
"Sand, yes, or dirt, rocks, and roots, but not mud.
Oh how unusual. Oh what a dud.
This should be interesting, please do not flee,"
at least said the coach, yes, the coach, that is me!

At the line, blew the whistle, and the girls started out,
faces smiling and happy, not a single little pout.
They rode way up the hill in the fog and the mud,
then the fun really started when the coach fell with a thud.
How on earth could that be?
Yes, the coach fell with a thud, yes, the coach, that is me!

I was sliding on the ground within minutes of the gun!
I fell when I rode and I fell when I run.
I launched over the bar and I slid like a freak.
I plopped into a tree and I splished through a creek.
I fell over starboard and I fell all a-lee.
I fell, yes that's right, yes, the coach, that is me!

I fell in mud of red and brown,
I fell in mud and slopped around.
I fell in mud of black and green --
the greenest mud I'd ever seen.
I fell in mud of smokey gray,
I fell in mud all night and day!

I watched Edith and Kerri ride away like the wind,
for the podium was calling and there were medals to win.
And then to my ears, a fantabulous sound:
my cool teammate, Carolyn, giggling around.
Then Gnat, then Mariska, then sweet Cristina, too.
I would not be alone. I'll ride with friends, quite a few!

So the Velo Girls, they raced, and they even had fun,
but it's teammates that win, girls in pink, number one!

all quick + dirty-like

Cyclocross season is wrapping up for many of our racers and what a great season it's been! Last weekend was the classic race at Golden Gate Park. New Team Velo Girls member Gnat Harris sends this report on last week's festivities!

This Sunday, you can catch the girls in pink racing at Coyote Point in San Mateo. The C Women race at 8:30am and the A/B/Masters Women race at high noon! I'd like to invite everyone to come out and experience this crazy-fun sport for yourself! You'll find details here: http://www.pilarcitos.com/2009Cross.htm

Gnat, focused on the task at hand!

Golden Gate Park was a great place to race. It was rather nice that it was on much of the same terrain that the Velo Girls Cyclocross clinic was held, so there were not as many surprises as some of the other circuits. Still, a chilly morning gave way to a sun-soaked afternoon when the arm and leg warmers all started to come off.

For the most part the course was flat and not very technical. The few spots that defied that previous statement did so with bravado, as certain turns and slopes would cause pileups in the dozens.

For instance the women's C race got tangled immediately after the first turn. One woman went down, taking a few others with her, and backing up the rest of the field. Getting around that found us into another brake, as someone had gotten caught in the tape. No one was hurt, and I was most amused that one woman came up to me hours after the race, congratulated me, and immediately apologized for causing the crash.

The true test came on a 5-foot pitch of dirt in the later races. I personally had no problems with this section (let go of the brakes and pick a line, baby!) but we were lucky to be the first ones over it. Strangely, this was shorter and less steep than the OMG-I'm-Walking-This section of Cross Palace the week previous, but as the grass flew, the lumpy soft earth directed cyclists either over their handlebars or straight into a large tree. See video evidence:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plattyjo/4146338672/

It was great to watch our own Jenny Feix on the same track as legends Katerina Nash and Barbara Howe. Tough crowd out there, but what a show!

One last race in the Pilarcitos series this coming weekend. Ring a cowbell for the girls in pink!

-- gnat!

the plumber has leaky pipes

those who've been following my life on Twitter or Facebook are aware that I've been really focused on improving my health + fitness for the past few months. 2008 and 2009 were filled with lots of things that got in the way of my training -- managing a rapidly-growing business along with some health issues to name just a couple of them. but now, I'm back and training with a vengeance and ready to race full-time in 2010.

one of my priorities in making this decision was to hire a coach -- a partner with whom I could plan and execute the training necessary to get me back into fighting shape. I haven't had a coach since 2004, and one of my biggest hesitations was the fact that I couldn't find a local coach with whom I really wanted to work. don't get me wrong, there are so many great coaches in Northern California, but I was looking for someone special -- someone I could really connect with. when I inquired with my current coach about her interest in coaching me, her response was "I would be honored to coach you, Lorri." that's all I needed to hear.

you might wonder why a cycling coach needs a cycling coach, but the reason is pretty simple -- I'm not able to make myself or my training a priority without having someone to be accountable to. yeah, I could write my own training program (I have in the past). but what I was really looking for was someone to view me with fresh, unbiased eyes, to hold me accountable for my training, to give me tough love when required, and encouragement when needed, and to inspire me to greatness.

the proverbial plumber had leaky pipes. so I hired another plumber to fix the problem for me.

the road is just beginning. I hit an all-time high body weight in June (thanks in great part of a terrible prescription drug I was taking). I was riding less in a month than I used to ride in a week. and my body just fought me every step of the way. when I did ride, it was pretty miserable and I'd be completely exhausted for days afterward. something had to happen or I was going to have to change careers. not to mention that my true passion -- riding my bikes -- just wasn't fun for me anymore.

so, I quit taking the drug and started focusing on weight loss. I've gone through two other periods of significant weight loss in the past decade, and I knew exactly what I had to do. I started keeping my fitday.com journal again and monitored every calorie in and every calorie out. to date, I've lost almost 30 pounds, and while I've still got about 25 more to lose, I feel better everyday and I know I'll hit my weight loss goal by the start of the 2010 racing season.

in August, I went back on a training program (with my new coach), and the progress has been remarkable. my weight is down, my power is up, and that means just one thing -- free speed! I'm nowhere near race fitness at this point, but I'm able to ride and recover and I look forward to conquering all my favorite climbs before year-end.

so, there it is! I've got big racing goals for next year and I'm very excited to feel that they'll be attainable. four months ago I was ready to give up the bike forever, but instead, I've been able to turn my life around and enjoy the process of getting leaner and stronger and fitter and faster everyday!

The Tribe Has Spoken!

So, after three years of serving the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA) as Treasurer of the Board of Directors, I'm throwing my hat into the ring to run for President. The current President, Casey Kerrigan, has been an integral part of the NCNCA leadership team for decades, so these are some big shoes to fill, but I'm confident that I can continue to make a positive impact on bicycle racing in our district.

Elections take place later this month. I was thrilled to receive this endorsement from the Bay Area Women's Cycling Association.

Bay Area Women's Cycling is pleased to officially endorse Lorri Lee Lown and Michael Hernandez as candidates for President and Vice President of the NCNCA in 2010. Over many years, Lorri and Michael have shown their dedication to improving our local cycling community, in particular by increasing opportunities for women and juniors. Both have also been instrumental in mentoring, & educating beginning cyclists as they become racers.

In addition to their advocacy, Lorri and Michael have significant experience as officers in a cycling-related organization. Lorri has served as Treasurer of the NCNCA for several years, and Michael has served on the Board of Directors for the Northern California Velodrome Association. We believe that Lorri and Michael are the best candidates to be President and Vice-President of the NCNCA.

Voting is scheduled to take place online starting (October 20th and concluding on) November 2, 2009. NCNCA member clubs are allowed one vote per available office (to be provided by a delegate on behalf of each club). Please spread the word about the election, and encourage your club delegates to vote for Lorri and Michael.


Thanks, women of the NCNCA, for your vote of confidence!

Friends, Family, Sponsors....Join us at the Giro di San Francisco

As the 2009 road racing season draws to a close, Team Velo Girls would like to invite all our friends, families, and sponsors to celebrate a fabulous season at the Giro di San Francisco on Monday, September 7th. The team will be out in all their pink fabulousness to contest the Women's 4 race @ 8:00am. The Giro is the last local race for the team in 2009 and, as part of the Bay Area Women's Cycling Association Women's Point Series, promises to bring out the best women racers in Northern California!

Immediately after the race, join friends + fans for a tailgate brunch at the Kenda tent.


RSVP for this event!


Velo Girls love our sponsors! You should, too! Check them out!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# Tri-Flow Superior Lubricants
# Eshutter Creative
# Erik Butler Photography
# Gary Brustin, Cycling Attorney
# Image Arts
# Jan Medina Real Estate
# Discover Chiropractic


With Industry Support From:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# Mike's Bikes
# Kenda Tires
# GU Sports Nutrition
# Simbree Energy Foods
# Voler Team Apparel
# Trashy Cat
# Defeet
# Rack N Road Car & Truck Outfitters
# Action Wipes
# Flex Power
# Protech Skincare
# Beljum Budder

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

It's a Super Week for Velo Girls -- part 5

Three Team Velo Girls members travelled to Wisconsin to participate in the legendary week of bicycle races -- Super Week! They'll be racing everyday for eight days -- 6 criteriums and 2 road races. Here is the report on Day 5 from team member, Jill Eyres:


Racine.org Criterium
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Racine, Wisconsin
Women 3/4


The fifth race in five days (!) was in Racine, about a 40 minute drive from where we're staying near Milwaukee. Our race was 28 laps of a very short course -- about 0.7 miles per lap in downtown Racine -- with eight turns per lap. The online description of the course says it's "flat" but that is, quite frankly, a complete lie. Also missing from the online description is the fact that the pavement in some places is just terrible, which caused a couple of explosive flats during our race as well as one near crash.

It was a warm sunny day, and quite humid. Our warmups over the past five days have been getting less and less enthusiastic, as we've been more tired and sore and as the days have been getting warmer. I think we may have put in scarcely 30 minutes on the trainer before wandering off in search of shade and rest before our race. We were a bit disheartened to see a number of new jerseys in the mix, people who haven't been racing for multiple consecutive days and therefore have fresh legs. (We've been joking that there should be a 20 pound penalty for each Superweek race a person hasn't participated in.)

The race started somewhat fast. I stayed on for a couple of laps, trying to keep a steadier pace rather than sprinting out of every corner which seems to be the general M.O. of this group. When I fell off I started working with a girl named Alma in a plain kit. We caught up to a Project 5 girl named Jeryl, and worked with her until we caught Dana. The four of us worked pretty well for several laps, and were eventually able to catch three others, including Dolce Rachel.

Right after we caught them, though, we were lapped by the pack (did I mention it was a really short course?), which still included Emily (yay!). The pack had slowed down considerably at this point, so most of us stragglers were able to hop back on. It was clear that whoever was in front of the pack was tired of pulling, and no one was willing to go up and take their place. Dana and I stayed with the pack for most of the rest of the race, until the last lap when they all took off again; we weren't going to kill ourselves sprinting for 25th place so we continued our time trialing.

Emily said she wasn't well-positioned at the end for her sprint, and we don't know exactly how she placed. We didn't go check the results after the race. We were parked pretty far from the registration/start/finish area, and by the time we had cleaned up and packed the car, we were more focused on root beer floats than on walking 3/4 mile back to registration. So far they've been pretty good about posting the results quickly so we should know soon.

Sorry this isn't the most exciting report. Also we don't have any photos from the race. Maybe tomorrow....

~jill

It's a Super Week for Velo Girls -- part 4

Three Team Velo Girls members travelled to Wisconsin to participate in the legendary week of bicycle races -- Super Week! They'll be racing everyday for eight days -- 6 criteriums and 2 road races. Here is the report on Day 4 from team member, Emily Weinert:




AltoLab Lake Front Road Race presented by Hincapie Sportswear
Wednesday July 22, 2009
Milwaukee, WI
Women 3/4

The day started out rather gloomy for us - tired legs and cloudy skies, but we headed out the door and rode the ~4-5 miles down to the race start. The course was 5 laps of an approximately 4.2 mile loop with 2 punchy climbs and 2 descents - one curvy descent and one wide open, gradual descent. After warming up on the course, we headed to the starting line, despite talk of running off for waffles.

As we were waiting for the whistle, it started spitting, which seemed rather fitting. Finally, we headed off on Lake Dr. towards our first climb, which left my legs and lungs screaming. Luckily I was able to tuck in for the flat section along the top of the bluffs as the rain got heavier. On the first time down the twisty descent, we had two riders from our field crash and also saw a M4/5 wiped out in the gutter. Luckily everyone was ok, and after a very careful remainder of the descent, we made it back onto Lake Dr. and headed for our next climb.

The next lap also saw 2 crashes, one on the descent, which kept the field fairly polite. However, as the laps went on, the roads started to dry and the winds on Lake Dr. picked up, so everyone started fighting for wheels. People kept throwing attacks out on the second climb of pretty much every lap, but the field would catch them on the narrow park roads before our sweeping descent to the start/finish. I wouldn't say that I was feeling good, but my legs were doing ok and I was able to tag onto the back of all the attacks on the climbs, which I was pretty happy about. Also, I finally got my racing head on straight and was able to be more aggressive about fighting for the wheels I was on, which was good (I was having serious pack anxiety in the first 3 races).

At the end of the 4th lap, Christine Riker (Dolce Vita) launched an attack up the second climb (she led some fantastic attacks throughout the race) and when we got to the top the pack was nice and stretched out. However, just before the right turn to the sweeper descent, our pace car pulled us over and basically stopped us so we could be passed by the men's pack before the turn. Unfortunately that also allowed all of the pure sprinter types to grab on to the pack again, which came back to bite me later on.

When we finally took off again, we headed down the descent at break neck speed and flew back up the first hill. I dropped to the back of the lead pack on the curvy downhill (I just couldn't get the sight of all the skidding crashes out of my head), but sprinted back into the pack in time for the final hill of the race. The wheel I was on got gapped on the downhill, but I was able to get myself (and sadly, most of the pack) up to the group of leaders with about half a mile to go. I wasn't able to tuck in, so I found myself even at the front of the pack as the sprint started. It was all going
pretty well and I was even with the others in the top 3-4 until the last 20m when they all put it into an extra gear and I found myself sitting back on my seat. So, in the end I finished 11th, but I'm definitely the happiest I've been with my race so far. Dana and Jill took 22 and 23 and worked their butts off time trialing it in the horrible headwinds.

But, the day did end on a bright note with the three of us getting to watch the pro men's race and see some amazing racing. And tomorrow, we're off to Racine for a funky almost figure eight of a crit. Wish us luck!

It's a Super Week for Velo Girls -- parts 2 + 3

Three Team Velo Girls members travelled to Wisconsin to participate in the legendary week of bicycle races -- Super Week! They'll be racing everyday for eight days -- 6 criteriums and 2 road races. Here are the reports on days 2 + 3 from team member, Jill Eyres:




Wheel & Sprocket Whitnall Park Road Race
Hales Corners, WI -- July 20, 2009
Cat 3/4 Women

This race was the first of two consecutive races that took place in the Boerner Botanic Gardens in Hales Corners, WI. The course was a 2.3 mile counter-clockwise loop with rollers that weren't anything worse than what you find on Canada Road. Very pretty setting, and the best part was that there were REAL BATHROOMS, inside the Botanic Gardens' education center. No porta potties! First class! Beautiful day, not too hot.

I won't lie: I felt like crap the morning of this race. I was not only tired from the race on Sunday, but also pretty demoralized -- not that I had expected to win in Evanston, but getting dropped off the back after lap one wasn't my idea of a great time. "What am I doing here?" went through my mind countless times as we were setting up, warming up, and getting to the line. At the starting line I tried to give myself a pep talk, somewhere between "it's a training ride" and "suck it up."

Whistle blows, off we go. The first lap was not nearly as bad as I'd feared. As in Evanston there was some jostling and sketchiness at the beginning, but after a minor chicane and small descent we hit the first hill, and everyone concentrated on climbing which quieted the lateral movement somewhat. At the end of the loop there was a rather tight left turn followed immediately by the steepest climb of the loop, back up to the start/finish line. The tight turn is where the California girls (us and Dolce Vitas) started shouting things like "hold your line!" etc. Without official race mentors, we took it upon ourselves to offer advice!

I tried to position myself in the middle of the pack, which worked fairly well. At the end of the first loop I felt pretty good, so decided that I would try to stay with the pack for at least the first five laps (out of 10 total). Mission accomplished -- I did it. However, at the beginining of the first hill on lap six, I dropped off the back. I tried really hard to get back on but couldn't do it. I did catch up to a redheaded girl named Jamie who worked with me to catch Dana, who'd apparently fallen off the back soon after I had. The three of us worked together for two laps, and then I hit empty. I told Dana to go on with Jamie, and I did the last two laps by myself. A few girls passed me and I just didn't have anything left to chase them with. It felt like forever but I finally got to the finish line. Yay! I declined Emily and Dana's invitation to do a cool down ride, and instead lay in the grass under a shady tree....

All in all, still not my best race, but not as bad as I'd set it up to be in my head. Two down!




Schlossman Whitnall Park Criterium presented by Honda & Subaru City
Hales Corners, Wisconsin
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
CAT 3/4 Women

This was the second day in the Boerner Botanic Gardens. The course was a shorter version of our loop from the day before, except clockwise and without the steepest hill and the little chicane. The race was 18 laps of a 1.1 mile loop. The weather wasn't much warmer than the day before, but it was noticeably more humid, which made for a more sluggish warmup. I actually wasn't pre-registered for this race, and had been flirting with the idea of just sitting it out. But Dana made me do it, and I'm glad she did.

Just after the start line was a sharp right turn followed by a climb -- again, nothing you wouldn't find on Canada Road, but the turn made it a bit tricky. Again the California girls were calling out for everyone to watch their lines, please leave room on the inside, etc. Awareness helps, and things were not too bad overall there, at least while I was with the pack.

My goal was to stay with the pack for at least five laps, and I accomplished that goal. I got dropped on the climb just after the start/finish line on the beginning of the sixth lap. Learning from the day before, however, I didn't kill myself trying to get back on. I could see Dana not too far ahead of me, but she was working with someone else so I never did catch her. I decided to just hunker down and practice my time trialing, which I was pretty happy about. I don't know if I was going all that fast, but I was using my energy well, and I felt like I could sustain it through the rest of the laps.

At the beginning of three laps to go, I heard the lead car honking and could see the pack coming up on the start/finish line behind me. I moved over to the left and waited for them to pass me, but apparently they'd lost some steam over the course of the last 12 laps because it took them nearly an entire lap to actually overtake me. Fortunately I was able to hop on at the beginning of two laps to go, and got more or less a free ride in their draft for a whole lap. Unfortunately, at the beginning of their last lap, they took off again. I decided to save my energy because I still had two laps to go... or so I thought. When I got to the start/finish, I tried to tell the officials that I still had a lap to go, but they told me I was done.

So I still finished near the end of the group, but I was happier about my experience than in the two prior races. Maybe the races will just keep getting better and better!

~jill

It's a Super Week for Velo Girls -- part 1

Three Team Velo Girls members travelled to Wisconsin to participate in the legendary week of bicycle races -- Super Week! They'll be racing everyday for eight days -- 6 criteriums and 2 road races. Here's the first report from team member, Jill Eyres:



The NorthShore University HealthSystem Grand Prix
Evanston, IL -- July 19, 2009
Cat 3/4 Women

Our first race at Superweek was in downtown Evanston, not far from where I grew up. Eighteen laps of a flat, mostly counter-clockwise course, with reasonable pavement but a couple of slick and depressed manhole covers interrupting what would otherwise be good corner lines. It was a combined Cat 3/4 race, with about 30 racers starting.

It was a fast race! After the start, there was a lot of movement in the pack and unsteady lines in corners. Between the headwind from the north and getting squeezed out on corners, I got dropped off the back soon after the first lap. I worked with two others -- including a Dolce Vita -- for a couple of laps, and then we picked up a fourth girl as well. I was struggling, though, and at about six laps to go, they dropped me.

When the main pack passed me with two laps to go, I was happy to see Emily still hanging in there. I was desperately hoping that I would get pulled, but no such luck -- I had to finish the rest of the race by myself. But I finished, safely, and so did Dana and Emily, despite a crash that took out a couple of girls in the main pack at some point. Emily and Dana celebrated with a free massage in the vendor tent area; I had to settle for Chicago pizza :-)....

~jill

Group Riding and Racing Clinics in July

Now that the season's in full swing, it's the perfect time for you to refine your skills and take your cycling to the next level. Velo Girls Coaching Services has two upcoming clinics that will help you do just that!

Bike Skills 301 -- Group Riding Skills (co-ed) -- July 19th -- 9:00am -- 1:00pm

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. Pre-registration required. USA Cycling upgrade points available.

Register now at https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3030

Bike Skills 302 -- Racing Skills + Tactics (men + women) -- July 26th

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. USA Cycling upgrade points available.

Register now at https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3033

Is Bicycle Racing in your Future?

If you've been riding your bike a while, you've probably thought "what next?" many a time.

At first, we go longer. We start with 10 miles, then 20, and before you know it you've ridden over the mountain to the coast. Maybe your goal was to ride a century or even a double century or to complete the California Triple Crown.

Then, we go faster. Now your goal might have been to complete a 5-hour century or a sub-8 hour Death Ride or a sub-25 minute Old La Honda.

And then we might explore multi-day riding, like the AIDS LifeCycle, and Undiscovered Country Tours trip down the coast, or even some self-supported touring.

But at some point, you probably hear a little voice whispering in the back of your head: "I wonder if I could race?"

Bike racing isn't the easiest sport to gain entry to. It's confusing. How do you find the local race calendar? What about joining a club? How do you learn the rules of the sport? What type of race should you try? What if you wear the wrong thing? Not to mention the fact that bike racing can be a dangerous sport.

And so most of us forget about that little voice and just keep doing what we've been doing.

But I want to help you fulfill that dream of racing. I want to unravel the mysteries. I want to teach you the secret language. And I want to make sure that you don't crash yourself or anyone else out in the process. There's an easy way and there's a hard way to do anything. I'm going to teach you the easy way to race your bike.


BIKE SKILLS 302: RACING SKILLS & TACTICS
May 23 (separate clinics for women and men)

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.

Register online: https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3033



TRI-FLOW WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT RACING PROGRAM
Dunnigan Hills Road Race -- June 29th to August 15th

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 we'll support you at your first race. This program is limited to eight riders each session. A solid level of fitness is required. Program includes team kit (shorts and jersey), USA Cycling License, race registration, 12 group training sessions, and a group training program. Since 2006, more than 60 women have competed in their first race as part of this program, many still racing in Northern CA as CAT2 - CAT4 racers.

Register online: https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=3026

Racing and Touring -- it's all good!

Whether you want to race your bicycle or tour with your bicycle, Velo Girls Coaching Services has some great programs on the calendar for May.

Bike Skills 302 -- Racing Skills + Tactics
May 23rd (sessions for men and women)

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.

Register for Bike Skills 302 here!



Bike Touring 101 (co-ed)
May 30th + 31st

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 new program 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.

Register for Bike Touring 101 here!


Whether you want to go fast or you want to go long, I hope you'll join us for some cycling fun in May!