Putting My Stamp On 2013

I've often felt that the way in which you start a new year is indicative of how that year will progress.  It's a way to set your intention for the year.  So, while others were waking up this morning hungover from their New Year's Eve festivities, I was racing my bicycle at the San Bruno Mountain Hill Climb.

Since I started racing in 2002, I've never raced San Bruno.  I've been to the race a number of times, supporting the team, bringing baked goods for the officials, coaching my athletes, but for one reason or another, even though I've wanted to race it and even though I've had good fitness some years, I never did.  So this year, with a goal of focusing on road racing, I put San Bruno on my list.  I wanted to put my stamp on the year.  It was my way to say "I'm back!"

The race is a 3.7 mile climb with 1,187' of climbing.  The average grade is 6% with a couple little sections up to 10%.  The first half of the climb is on Guadalupe Canyon Road, a smoothly-paved 4-lane road with a wide shoulder and lots of exposure (so wind can play a factor).  The second half of the climb is up Radio Road, a chopped-up, bumpy service road  through San Bruno Mountain State Park.  I've ridden the course a bunch of times so I was familiar with the unique challenges of a race like this.  The weather today was good -- cold (40s and 50s) and clear with no wind on the bay side and just a slight wind on the ocean side.

Lorri at the crossover through San Bruno Mountain State Park

Now, no one will ever accuse me of being a petite flower.  I'm not a skinny climber girl.  I'm tall and will never weigh 110 pounds.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to climb.  I've ridden the Death Ride five times.  I climb everything I can.  I like long and steep and painful climbs.  But I'm not a fast climber.  Even when I was younger and lighter I wasn't a fast climber.  But I still love it.  I knew from my pre-ride times that I would be nowhere near the race leaders.  But my goal was to get out there.  Actually, that was my secondary goal.  My primary goal was to get some of my new Team Velo Girls racers out there.

You see, we haven't had much going on in the road racing scene for a couple of years.  I've watched women's racing development decline in Northern California the past few years, too.  So, this season, I'm committed to changing that.  I've recruited an awesome team of 12 racers, ranging in age from 27 to 50 (and I'm not the oldest!) who are fun and excited to race together as a team.  It's the first time since our inaugural team in 2002 that I've got an entire team of new (or almost new) racers to coach.  They're all excited about learning a new sport.  We've had a great fall training together and the women are anxious to start racing together.

Unfortunately, I injured my back a month ago (in yin yoga of all places).  I rode through it with a 4-day climbfest at Thanksgiving (Hamilton, Diablo, Tam, and San Bruno) and then a 3-day training camp in San Luis Obispo.  But for most of December, I was off the bike, with the exception of two very short, very easy rides.  My back is now healed but my body has de-trained significantly in the past month.  And while I'm disappointed not to be in good fitness for the race, I put it in perspective -- today was more about participating than winning.  And I rode okay, coming in less than a minute over my time goal.

So today, Tiina, Oralia, and I raced San Bruno and Leslie and Winnie came out to support and cheer.  It was a super-fun day.  Everyone learned a lot and did really well.  Tiina finished just off the podium in her very first race ever (and she is a skinny little climber girl).  Oralia flew up the hill finishing strong, also in her first race.  And I rolled across the line with a great big smile and my hands in the air in my own personal victory salute.

Tiina, Lorri, and Oralia 

And then we toasted to the new year and the new team with some Martinelli's sparkling apple cider.  It's going to be an exciting year.  We're going to have a great team and I predict that we'll win a bunch of races, too.  We're going to have fun.  And we'll keep toasting to races raced, lessons learned, and opportunities for growth.

How did you put your stamp on 2013?  Did you do something today that's related to your goals for the year?

Tri-Flow Continues Sponsorship of Racing Development Program!

In 2006, I started a new racing development program.  My concept was to provide women with a team-oriented program that would teach them skills + tactics to begin road racing.  This would offer women the opportunity to really experience what it's like to race as part of a team without making the full-year commitment that most racing teams (including Velo Girls) required.

For a woman who has never raced, committing to a full season of racing could lead to failure.  If she hasn't raced, how would she know that she liked it?  And if she didn't like it, what's the motivation to fulfill her commitment to a team?  See what I mean?  

We'd been there.  In the first year of the Velo Girls Racing Team (2003), I recruited 40 new women to the sport of road racing.  I was like the Pied Piper and they were the children of Hamlin, following me out of town.  These were fast women.  If they were fast, they must be racers, right?  Of the 40, approximately half of the women realized after a race or two that it just wasn't the sport for them.  They failed.  But really, I failed them.  

This cycle continued for a couple of years until I had the brilliant idea in 2006 to start a six-week learn-to-race program.  At the end of the six weeks, if the women enjoyed racing and wanted to continue, they could potentially join the Velo Girls team (or another team).  Some of the women did just that and have continued to race for many years.  And some of the women who have participated in our development program raced one race, checked it off their bucket list (as a success) and have continued to ride their bikes for pleasure.

When I first thought of the concept, I realized that I needed to underwrite program costs in order to make it affordable to participants.  I wanted to have a team kit that was similar to the Velo Girls team kit but somehow different.  I wanted to provide the women with coaching (in-person and also a training plan).  I wanted to provide a realistic team environment with support on race-day.  

So, I contacted one of my sponsors at the time, Marguerite Loomis at Tri-Flow Superior Lubricants, to see if she was interested in sponsoring the program.  Tri-Flow was our first bike industry sponsor.  They loved Velo Girls and women's cycling.  Marguerite jumped at the idea and the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program was born.  

Now in our 7th year, close to 100 women have participated in the program.  Many of those women have continued to race and compete locally, nationally, and internationally as Elite and Masters category 1, 2, 3, and 4 racers.  And for 2012, Tri-Flow has once again stepped up to sponsor the program.  

So, THANK YOU, Tri-Flow, for your commitment to women's racing.

The next Tri-Flow program runs from March 20th to May 6th, culminating in the Turlock Lake Road Race.  Registration is now open at http://savvybike.eventbrite.com

Team Velo Girls + the Tri-Flow racers @ Henleyville Road Race -- Sept 2011.

psst! hey you! over there! yeah, you.

I know you've been thinking about it. you see everybody else doing it and they're smiling and sweating and glowing with success. and you wonder if maybe you could do it, too.

guess what? you COULD do it!

it?

bike racing.

since 2002, Velo Girls has been developing women bike racers. we teach them skills. we help them improve their fitness. we create a team-oriented environment. and we support them like the rock-stars they are.

in 2006, we introduced the Women's Development Racing Program sponsored by Tri-Flow Lubricants aka the Tri-Flow Program. there had never been a program quite like this in the bike racing world. we won some awards for our innovative program. and since that time almost 80 women have learned to race their bikes and have continued to race their bikes as Elite and Masters-level athletes locally, regionally, and nationally.

so quit thinking about it and start doing it. yeah, you!

our first Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program of 2011 begins in just a couple of weeks. we'll train together twice a week, culminating in participation in the Bariani Road Race in beautiful Yolo, CA. we'll learn lots of skills. we'll do some high-intensity workouts to transform ourselves into road racing warriors. and we'll learn about race preparation and tactics. and we'll have fun. yeah, you!

and if you like racing, you'll have the opportunity to continue with Team Velo Girls. if you find that bike racing isn't your cup of tea, that's okay, too -- you can check this one off your bucket list and move onto swimming the English Channel, climbing Mt. Everest, or competing in an Ironman triathlon.

the first program of the 2011 season starts on February 16th. we've got a great group of women already registered and space for two more team members. yeah, you!

email coaching@velogirls.com for more information. yeah, YOU!

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

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

to chick or to be chicked

I thought this was a great little article about strong women cyclists, especially since it highlights some of my favorite women mountain bikers:

"What does a girl have to do if she wants marriage proposals, arm wrestling contests, shock and awe accolades, and (sadly) trail blocking and really strange behavior? Simple: Pass a guy on the trail or in a race.

If you’re the dude and we pass you, you just got chicked…and I chicked a few guys while racing on a co-ed duo team with my race partner, Mario Correa this summer at the inaugural Breck Epic. I had some pretty colorful comments and antics and figured there had to be something to this. So, I asked a few VERY fast women about what happens when when they take the lead in a ride or a race, and I asked some men what is was like to ride co-ed when their partner passes a guy."

Clickety-click the linkety-link to read the rest of the article: BikeRumor.com

Victory for Masters Women!

We voted on a proposal tonight to re-instate the masters women to the NCNCA BAR/BAT for 2010. Thank you to all the women who sent feedback and responded to our survey. 76 women responded to the survey -- 17% of all masters women. that's a great response in the survey world.

We voted to include W1/2/3 35+ in the 2010 BAR/BAT. We'll start chatting with promoters soon to ask them to include this field in their 2010 races.

We're still thinking about the W4 Masters. The overwhelming response from our survey was to include a W4 40+ category for 2010 (which could easily be combined with an existing W4 field in a criterium or added to a race-day for a road race). The numbers of CAT4 women support this so I'm sure we'd have a great turn-out if promoters are willing to add this field. I'll run a follow-up poll to see what everyone thinks and/or feel free to post your feedback on the NCNCAracing.com forum.

Again, thanks to everyone for rallying for the masters women!