tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388738622024-03-14T03:16:38.360-07:00beth bikes!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger312125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-664758084280298362014-04-23T11:08:00.004-07:002014-04-23T11:08:53.350-07:00i have migrated to a new websiteif you haven't seen it yet, check it out:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bethbikes.net/">bethbikes.net</a><br />
<br />
it is super pretty and hopefully you like it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-86901324385914912412013-12-16T07:25:00.000-08:002013-12-16T07:28:09.487-08:00bikespeak bike vocabulary drives me bonkers. let's just call it bikespeak.<br />
<br />
the more and more i am around cyclists, the more i catch myself staying stupid phrases, that are indiscernible to the normal ear. <br />
<br />
this must stop!<br />
<br />
i made a handy chart below - please read - and do your best to resume to normal speak. i will do my part.<br />
<br />
<table border="1" class="tftable">
<tbody>
<tr><th>What you say</th><th>What you mean</th><th>Example</th></tr>
<tr><td>"Refeuling"</td><td>Stuffing your face</td><td>Sometimes I even hear people use the phrase "refueling" when they aren't even cycling. If you go to the mall and stop for an Auntie Anne's pretzel, you can't really call that re-fueling. If you go on a recovery ride and stop for coffee and a pastry, that also is not refueling. Even if you are "refeuling" during a ride, just say eat.</td></tr>
<tr><td>"Resting"</td><td>Being Lazy</td><td>"Rest day -- need to recover." One of my favorites. A great excuse not to do dishes, laundry, cleaning, take out trash, or take care of anything that really needs to be done. </td></tr>
<tr><td>"Recovering"</td><td>See Above </td><td>See above</td></tr>
<tr><td>"Need a massage"</td><td>I'm indulging</td><td>Does anyone ever really *need* a massage. Somehow when I took health class, I don't really remember seeing "massage" high up on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.</td></tr>
<tr><td>"Can't ____ because of my coach"</td><td>Making a lame excuse </td><td>For real? How old are you? Is this like when you were in high school and your mom would say: "if you need an excuse at the party... you can always use me." No need to make your coach into public enemy #1. I'm sure he/she isn't a huge buzz kill. You're an adult - if you want to do something, do it. Tell your coach your schedule, that is what you are paying them for. If you don't want to go on a ride with your friend, just say it. No need to bring your coach into it.</td></tr>
<tr><td>"Fuel up"</td><td>Eat</td><td>Are you a car? You are just eating. Just talk like a normal person and say eat. </td></tr>
<tr><td>"Hydrate"</td><td>Drink</td><td>This one isn't so bad, but still, drink and thirsty are perfectly acceptable words in the English dictionary. </td></tr>
<tr><td>"Bonked"</td><td>Sucked</td><td>Just cause you were stupid to not eat enough doesn't change anything. You still sucked. Own it.</td></tr>
<tr><td>"Junior"</td><td>Teenager, Teen, Youth</td><td>Don't get me started on this one. Who uses the word "junior" other than an old man saying to his grandson: "hey junior, come over here." I don't know why the national federation decides to call 10-18 year olds "juniors" - but can't we just say what most people in society say... high schooler, middle schooler, youth, teen, etc. Nobody says junior unless you are 80.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I am sure I can think of more, but let's first start by eradicating these from our vocabulary. That will definitely prove to be challenging enough.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-20421578704951770172013-12-13T12:45:00.001-08:002013-12-13T17:15:49.180-08:00i'll always have the F100it's that time of year...cleaning house. <br />
<br />
who needs this bike...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCFW7IlI5zvlA_kYDQQetCV3l2K9j0zVStS4kqAWXaKy8YA0i1tnKzKCkxs9469gB43RAwrxPoOHoVZYHvU0KyRcVVcWsLNx6Qy3YehTkYrEFocF9kQFdZTnB51tBcs7Nyp_I/s1600/2013-12-13+11.52.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yl-A5xiNYp_VJ6UEBw9ZRIi5sGAQ78z0pi7OZBUbu5HVAv7laK7KBlg48M-0_gm_hbHMb4yJ2lsgcTON1rgbEu9l4U8Pz4pXDKLJ3NQ8ySJ9lQOpWbIMx_BGl9253239mnzA/s1600/2013-12-13+11.53.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yl-A5xiNYp_VJ6UEBw9ZRIi5sGAQ78z0pi7OZBUbu5HVAv7laK7KBlg48M-0_gm_hbHMb4yJ2lsgcTON1rgbEu9l4U8Pz4pXDKLJ3NQ8ySJ9lQOpWbIMx_BGl9253239mnzA/s1600/2013-12-13+11.53.42.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
when you have this bike...<br />
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itsnotaboutthebike, itsnotaboutthebike, itsnotaboutthebike</div>
<br />
that's the F100. if you haven't heard of the F100.... what's wrong with you? let me just give you some fun facts about the F100 to make you (er, me) recall how sweet it is:<br />
<ul>
<li>The F100 has the uniformly perfect seat angle for time trialing: 73 degrees. 48cm frame, 61cm frame - same, same! Why mess with a good thing?</li>
<li>I AM BETH. name decals, check.</li>
<li>9-speed. Anything more just requires double digits.</li>
<li>F100 - almost vitage. Now you can only buy the 500 model</li>
<li>I once won a time trial on it.... and mark my word, I'll do it again in 2014. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Speaking of 2014 - I am pretty excited. So what's up with me? I have some really awesome individual sponsors that have agreed to work with me, and I am excited to talk about those a lot once january rolls around. I'm not riding with a team next year, and will be focusing my year a lot more on track, but doing some road stuff too. But for now, back to cleaning.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-86384896518940538312013-07-06T11:27:00.000-07:002013-12-13T12:47:12.951-08:002013 road season (yes, this is a crappy title)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After winning an awesome sombrero, I knew that what awaited
the next few months would be pretty anticlimactic in comparison. I was
pleasantly mistaken, when a couple weeks later I got to race Merco Cycling
Classic in Merced. While this wasn’t an
NRC race, it may as well have been, because all the big teams showed up and it was
totally baller. It was our team’s first
race, and I quickly bonded with all the new members as 5 of us were crammed in
a trailer. If that wasn't enough bonding, we also discovered that we filled the septic tank after the first
morning. Having just come off track, I was totally ready for 4 day stage race with some long road races. (sarcastic font) Well, ready I was, bitches, and I totally won the
last stage after being in two long breaks that day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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BreatheRight, FTW!</div>
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This is a pretty terrible picture. After seeing it, I learned two important
lessons: One, don’t have stage line fright and take your damn hands off the
bars, even if you are in bumblefuck with no spectators, because a hiding photographer might catch you. Two, more importantly, always,
*always* remember to remove your breatheright before the finish line. This photo made for an amazing snapchat,
which I can’t share here because it is inappropriate and probably sponsor
incorrect. . . so instead, I just posted the original.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We left right from Merco for a Kurt Stockton team (boot)camp. The highlight of the camp was definitely the
use of race radios. Prior to camp, I was a race radio
virgin. So of course the first thing I
did was start playing the penis game. This quickly turned into sharing other words,
like STDs or creative obscenities. It
also made me realize I’d be fine chamoising up with any of my new teammates, as
their originality in the dirty word department was pretty much off the charts. I’d definitely do anything for these
gals. I know that there has been a lot
of controversy about eliminating race radios.
All I know is that I would be a way better racer if I had my teammates whispering
things like “pubic lice” to me during steep climbs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This picture has
nothing to do with my previous paragraph, but it was taken at team camp and is
awesome.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From Merco, I think I went home for about a week, then back
down South to San Dimas, then back home for a week only to drop my chain in my
favorite NorCal race Copperopolis that I will hopefully win before a turn 40,
then back down South for Redlands. I got pretty friendly with the I-5 that month. Our
team had a pretty rockstar Redlands, with AP winning GC and three (!!) stages,
and the team getting the overall GC. We
all suffered real good for that weekend, so we had burgers and beer at Eureka
burger – in chamois – post Sunset loop.
This proved for an awesome time biking back to the host house – up Cajon
yet again – where of course Robin Farina got out of hand and crashed in the driveway. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Off to Eureka Burger!<o:p></o:p></div>
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From Redlands, we all flew out East to do a quick recon on
the nationals course, Charlotte crit, then AP and I stayed for track camp. I always like going to Charlotte because
Robin owns a bike shop there, Uptown Cycles, and our team always gets tons of
special treatment. Plus, I get to ride
with the best ride leader ever, Vance. I’d
say more but words wouldn’t do him justice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Alexis Ryan is a
badass even on cruiser with her socks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Giodorna velodrome is
Rock Hill is awesome. This picture is
pretty mediocre, but it does show my bling bike, so I am keeping it in. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Southerns are so
hospitable – the town of Rock Hill gave us this goodie bag for our training
camp!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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AP made me do bike
drills everyday, but she then let me have wine too, so it was cool.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The highlight of my track camp was dropping AP in warmup jumps the first day, to which she
shockingly said: “Beth, you dropped me!” to which I responded, “Can you say
that again” I will probably never drop
Alison Powers again, so I wanted etch it in my mind. (That is why I am sharing it publicly.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I flew home and went straight to Sea Otter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t race, cause I
missed the first day and it was a stage race. Michael was working and I wasn’t going to be home long, so I wanted to see
him. As an added bonus, the riding in Monterey is
pretty sweet, so I had fun exploring. Also,
I snuck into the expo and totally scored some free swag. NOW Energy Bar totally hooked me up filling
my ENTIRE backpack with the new A3 bars. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sponsor shot.</div>
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I had a late change in my race schedule, so instead of doing
Joe Martin and Gila, I headed back to the Southeast for Speedweek. It was cool to see how all the towns in the
South really come out for the races. It
was also cool to see how there is a whole ‘nother group of racers doing the
crit circuits. As for the racing, I will
be honest, I pretty much sucked and had a bad attitude, until the last day I
did where there was a hill in the course.
That was a fun crit. When I
signed into that race, I noticed there was an ice cream shop at the
start/finish line that specialized in hot fudge sundaes. So, I raced with my debit card in my pocket,
and high tailed from the finish line (I *think* I did the cool down lap),
dragging my track compatriot Cari Higgins with me. The good thing about trackies is you always
know they will eat ice cream with you.
I have no photos from Speedweek, probably because I was “PMSing” for two
weeks straight and didn’t take any.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I then was home two weeks, which was awesome, and got to
race my hometown course, Berkeley Hills.
I didn’t win, as had stupidly let a break up, but had a great burst of
speed up the final hill for third. I was
pretty jazzed with my form, as road nationals was hilly. Then I unfortunately did this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTJealPP7h5c_Ms0_fH6KiJzjBkmG0JgiaD7E0PzAecx9RM9KlR52ik7JwtydWN9VBTdFTYODZGLtGHRMDAmFdlM3IoPo40dl46CzeuNF2a2B4ba4nJwdKwiWgzVJcEO0vH22/s1600/fallen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTJealPP7h5c_Ms0_fH6KiJzjBkmG0JgiaD7E0PzAecx9RM9KlR52ik7JwtydWN9VBTdFTYODZGLtGHRMDAmFdlM3IoPo40dl46CzeuNF2a2B4ba4nJwdKwiWgzVJcEO0vH22/s320/fallen.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Falling on a bike definitely sucks, but I will contend that
falling in the bathtub can suck just as bad.
How does one fall in the bathtub?
I believe it starts with over lathering your luffa and ends with trying
to scrub your feet, and landing on your bum.
As I hit deck, I immediately knew I was screwed. I laid there for a minute and then had to
yell for help to get up. You know you
are old when you are lying on the bath tub floor, hollering for someone to help
you get up. Luckily Michael didn’t take
out his hearing aids. The next few days weren’t so good, but I was
hoping I could at least be useful at nationals.
How exactly do you tell your team director: “sorry, I slipped on soap
in the bathtub and hurt myself, so I am probably going to be shit for this
race, and likely shit for the next 6 weeks as well.” AP got third in the road race, by no help
of mine, save perhaps the first 15 miles, then I sucked wheel the rest of the
way in. The race was awesome and course
cool. I am looking forward to it next
year for sure. Month before I will plan
to just take baths, so there is no where to fall.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was home for the month of June and couldn’t really
race. I did my best to rehab and not
lose fitness, but was pretty nervous as I was scheduled to go to France with
the national team for some stage races. I
get nervous pretty easily and I think probably the most frequent thing Michael
hears from me is: “I’m out of shape,” even when that is just a preposterous
comment. Michael was confident that all
I needed to do was heal up, then train really hard for 5 days, then I’d be find. I was skeptical of course like I always am,
but it worked and I felt in good shape going to France. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In addition to my 5 days of training, I also had an
additional 6 days of race prep, which I will refer to as dante’s inferno. It started on Friday and Saturday with the
Hellyer Velodrome Challenge, averaging in the high 90s. Sunday with the Lodi Cycle Fest criterium, I
think it was 105. And then ended with
Davis 4<sup>th</sup> of July criterium on Wednesay, probably 108. It was so hot, you could feel the heat
radiating off the concrete during the crits.
I had some highs and lows during those days, but it was good for
me. Robin won Davis crit and Olivia was
third, so that was really good day for us.
After the race, I dunked my head in cooler at the finish line. If I thought racing a 1 hour criterium was
unbearable in the heat, the real award goes to Michael who announced three days
straight (including a 10ish hour day in Lodi), worked the office for 2 days,
then announced for 10+hours on Wednesday.
Yikes. When I got to France a few
days later, the hot French summers felt pretty cool, so I think the dante
inferno block was a racing success. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
This is Dan Smith
from <a href="http://www.sportvelo.com/">SportVelo</a> coaching. He always sponsors the Women’s Points race at
the HVC, giving us generous and fun prizes.
I got a bike fit and insoles made by Dan a few years ago and it was
awesome – so check them out.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
This is Bess
Hernandez-Jones. She not only promoted
the Hellyer Velodrome Challenge this year, but also kept Hellyer running with
all of her hardwork all summer. She is
awesome and we in NorCal are really lucky to have her volunteer so much!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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We got to do one the
first 4k women’s team pursuit ever in the USA. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Korina, Natlie, Jen
and me – these are the coolest ladies ever!
Best part was we got these awesome Hellyer wrenches that Judd Kincaid
made special for the event!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
My friend Martina won
the Lodi Crit, including that huge bottle of wine. This is her getting interviewed, where I
think she told the reporter that she would school lebron james on a bike.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Amanda Seigle won 4<sup>th</sup>
of July last year. She is not only the
Davis hometown hero, but arguably one of the coolest ladies in NorCal. Alex Chiu took this photo, which is
sweet. Alex’s photos are sweet and you
should all buy some, because they are only $5 and are awesome.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is me in
Davis. It is very, very hot if you can’t
tell from my face. I wish I had a photo
of us after the race, but I can’t find one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Well, that was pretty much my U.S. road season. It was short and fun and rest of year is lots of international racing and track!<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-53350483563986066252013-02-15T14:11:00.001-08:002013-02-18T15:16:10.941-08:00pan ams - uncensoredi am not really sure why i wrote this title, as i really don't have anything to censor in the first place. but, maybe "uncensored" will result in a few extra clicks. just for the hell of it, i'll throw in periodic cuss words, so my title isn't completely false advertising. *#&%$ (be imaginative ... or choose your favorite cuss word)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and, if you are lazy and don't want to read -<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/norcalcyclingnews/2013/02/14/post-race-special-beth-newell-pan-am-champ" target="_blank"> listen to my podcast</a> with angela aldrich of norcalcyclingnews.com - i tried not to be boring on air, but to be honest, i think i am much better on paper.</div>
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<div>
<b>background bull*#*@</b><br />
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<br /></div>
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<div>
it has been awhile since i blogged, so i'll give a bit of background to the pan am trip. i was pretty jazzed to get the nomination. i had done well there the year prior (in 2012), but i sucked pretty bad at track nationals this year. i had crashed at crit nationals and had some nagging hip and leg pain, which i was pretty much in denial about. anyway, i was slow and it sucks losing, especially after you've won before. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the picture pretty much sums up how i felt at nationals.</div>
<br />
blah blah blah i took october off the bike. i started a winter garden because i guess you can do that in the bay area. (note: now the garden is very big, and if i wasn't sick i'd walk outside and take an update picture, but that is like 30 steps away, so i don't want to).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
now i have lots of yummies in the garden....thanks to michael, cause he is the one who waters it. i just take credit for it.</div>
<br />
in off-season, some people are psycho and can't go for one day without exercising. that was not me. i am totally awesome at being a sloth. i credit my ohio genes. michael always calls me a union worker - clocking in and clocking out of my workouts. (i don't see what is wrong with this; you can always count on me to get my *#(@! done!) anyway, in my time off i did absolutely nothing but talk to my plants for a couple of weeks. i gave up stretching and hydrating as well, and ate french onion dip cause it is awesome. i really like french onion dip.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
when i started biking again, it sucked. i was so bitter. my leg still hurt and i almost threw my bike into a ditch, but that would have been a bit dramatic, so instead i threw some temper tantrums. my destiny was clear -- i had to become one of those crazy hippy bay area people... i started yoga. i got <a href="http://www.lolocenter.com/" target="_blank">acupuncture</a> i went to the <a href="http://www.lolocenter.com/" target="_blank">chiropractor</a>. got some <a href="http://mikepapciak.com/" target="_blank">body work</a>. i even tried positive thinking. for real, i was out of control. but, for reals, that &#*%# worked! and in a few weeks my leg was feeling good again. it felt great to feel pain from going hard, not just that persistent nagging pain.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
i was feeling good and we had a USAC track camp in janaury that was going to be selector for the panams. luckily, i rode pretty well there and got the spot. like i said, i was really excited to get the spot, as i was not so great at nationals this year; it felt really good to be back on track and feeling good. anyway, after camp, i stopped roadie training and began trackie training. it was only a couple of weeks before panams, so i knew i had to improve my track mental skills too. michael got mevictoria pendleton's autobiography for christmas, so i practiced my intimidating stares.<br />
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<div>
<b>mexico city</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
after getting into mexico city, the adventure began - where the #*@(! is the track? </div>
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<div>
like a bunch of idiotic gringos, we left the hotel and instead of getting directions, we saw a sign on the road that said "velodromo" and followed it. we walked, went over some train tracks, walked some more, and proceeded into uncharted territory. we arrived at the velodromo... that is, the outdoor velodrome of the 1968 olympics, and also a subway stop, called velodromo. we were at the wrong velodrome in mexico city. walked, walked, walked and finally made it to the correct one. sprinters (especially boy sprinters) hate walking. anytime i complain about walking, michael always tells me how gino bartali would walk for hours after a tour stage.... so i have learned not to complain about walking so i don't hear that story yet again.<br />
<br />
we built up our bikes, and i hopped on the velo for a short spin. i wanted to get on the track (not my rollers) so i could get used to it. mexico city is at 7,600 feet, so that is pretty high. it meant for some fast times. it also meant for some strange sensations in the mass start races when i didn't recover as quick as i normally do. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the velodrome was really hot in the late morning/mid-day. there were these skylights, so natural sunlight could come in. but then it was sometimes high 80s during the morning sessions. that is very hot, especially when there is no wind or circulation inside.</div>
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<div>
<b>math, b*@(%#es</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
trackies LOVE geeking out about gears. "what gear you in?" .. "i need a bigger chainring, so i can use the 15t, cause that is the most efficient cog" ... you can go crazy mad talking gears with trackies. it is kind of awesomely hilarious....especially if you just talk @*#($ and don't really know anything, like me. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
while gear talk is annoying, i have been around long enough, to know i need to pay attention to it. long gone are the days of choosing one gear and staying in it for every race...like i used to. before i got to mexico city, i did some <i>serious</i> dorkage research figuring out my gears. let me explain....</div>
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the first day of racing was the individual pursuit. figuring out my goal pace was a bit hard, because a) last IP i did i was injured and stunk, so i really had no clue how fast i could go, and b) the times were so different at elevation. before the race, i made a big spreadsheet with people's times from the previous world cups editions, compared to that at the last world cup (which was in aguicalientes - which is at 10,000 feet...so somewhat comparable, i thought.) i was trying to figure out the the time differential between pursuits at sea level versus elevation. to my comparison charts (which really was waaaaay too small of a sample size) it was somewhere between 6-10 seconds. then, i guessed my current pace in LA, figured out my average cadence. then i figured out my estimated goal pace at the track in mexico city and applied my optimal average cadence, and thus figured out what gear i should run. DORK ALERT! </div>
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my gear: 98" for the IP -- that is an %*#*ing big gear!</div>
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<b>the racing</b></div>
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anyway - the pursuit went like this. i went out *#@(*#ing fast, and then hit the wall like i never have before. the thin air may make for fast times, but it also leaves you with some serious oxyogen deficit, especially if you don't pace well. the last three laps, i had a serious case of the dizzies. in track, the pole lane is marked by a black line on the bottom and red line on the top... those last couple of laps, i was seeing six different lines, when i knew there should only be two. when i finished, it took me a few cool down laps to stop as my senses were not all there. ben told me i had a 3:36, and i was stoked, as that is pretty fast, even with my elevation calculations.<br />
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this photo is taken definitely before i started to see quadruple!</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">i made it into the final and was going to be racing maria calle for bronze. i raced against her in the qualifier; and she had beat me, just in the last lap... i was leading the whole race. so, maybe if i paced better, i'd be able to win the bronze medal. i warmed up and was ready to go, then got the "cut it" sign from ben. she was sick and scratched from the final.. so i got the bronze uncontested. cool to win bronze, but would have preferred to race for it.</span></div>
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next day was the team pursuit - i was riding with lauren tamayo and ruth winder. it was super awesome to get to ride with both of them. lauren went to the olympics and won a silver medal, so it was a huge deal to ride with her in this event. she was so helpful in giving advice and pointers to ruth and i. ruth, i have known for years from racing in norcal, so it was really special to get to be on a team with her. our qualifier went okay, and we made some adjustments for the final; we were racing venezula for bronze. they won the final, but we had a much better ride than our qualifying. it was a great experience riding with lauren and ruth and we'll all be getting better at this even in the next couple of years.</div>
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third day was the scratch race. spoiler alert - i won! lauren tamayo was awesome and i counterattacked off her, and took a lap. that is the short of it. the exciting part though, was my mechanical! after a few laps solo (as i was taking the lap), i started to hear it - my srm speed censor. (we'd moved it, as it wasn't picking up... but i guess the used electrical tape wasn't a good idea) it started of mild enough....whoop whoop whoop, clanking on that 1 million dollar disc wheel. i just kept going, because what was i supposed to do? as i re-integrated with the pack, it started getting really loud, Whoop Whoop Whoop. there were 20 laps left to go in the race, and i had just taken a lap, and all that needed to happen was me to finish and no one else get away, and i'd have won. and there i am, with this speed sensor rubbing on my wheel! all i could think of was either the wheel exploding or that censor getting stuck in there. the the rumbling really started to get even louder WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP - everyone could hear it. i was never given so much space in a track race. i was white as a ghost for those twenty laps. with about 8 laps to go the WHOOP just stopped. i knew the sensor had fallen off and was just dangling there by a thin wire, and i was just hoping it wasn't going to get caught in the seat stays. when i saw bell lap, it was such a relief. i rolled off the track and think i was so rattled about the sensor scare, that it didn't really sink in that i was pan american champion.</div>
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the podium ceremony was super cool. the rider from colombia had a 5 minute conversation with me (in spanish) about something. i tried to tell her i didn't understand, but she seemed so happy to be conversing with me, that i just faked it. i also got a sombraro which was super awesome.<br />
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here is a video nate koch - thanks nate!</div>
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i came back to the hotel room and was totally jazzed to be pan american champion. i check my email and this is the first thing i see in my inbox:<br />
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for real? &#*@$ you, strava! and #&%*#@ you julie silva! jesus, i only got 3 medals at panams. had i stayed at home to train, i would have had DOZENS of strava medals.<br />
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anyways...<br />
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day 4 and 5 were the omnium. i think i am more fatigued writing this blog post than doing 5 days of track racing, so i am going to speed it up. in short, i got third. like any omnium, there were ups and there were downs. getting bronze is cool, but it is way cooler to win. third place does not get a sombraro. </div>
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flying lap</div>
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some omnium mass start race</div>
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omnium pursuit - i know it was the omnium pursuit, because i always put on more and more rocktape as the week goes on.</div>
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omnium pursuit</div>
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omnium podium</div>
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now i am home from mexico city, and of course i am sick. it isn't super bad, but enough that it is annoying and all i want to do is lie in bed... that slight fever, congestion, and cough. it makes me unhappy to be sick, but at least it gave me a kick in the pants to get this blog post rolling.</div>
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huge thanks to all the usa staff and riders! ben sharp was super awesome and helpful all week. ruth and lauren were so awesome to ride with. missy and maddy were great roommates. travis smith and jamie staff were so helpful, and kevin, nate, and matt were awesome to be around. thanks all!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-78822863533159657822012-12-31T13:29:00.000-08:002012-12-31T13:33:26.985-08:00my last day at work and a guide to finding health insuranceToday is my second to last day at work. In just a few hours, I will be going around singing this song.<br />
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Most of you just know me as a bike racer and blogger. But since I graduated college, I have been dedicated to the non-profit field, working in community health and on policy initiatives aimed at expanding health care access for the uninsured and underserved populations. My last day is January 2nd. It is a bit of bittersweet time for me. And given that it is my second to last day at work and the office is completely empty, and I only have a few more files to sort through, I thought I'd take a little time to reflect on my time and use some of my knowledge to cover a topic that a lot of readers might find helpful: finding health insurance!<br />
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<b>My background</b></h4>
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For the last five years, I have worked at the <a href="http://alamedahealthconsortium.org/" target="_blank">Alameda Health Consortium</a> in the program and policy department. This is a small non-profit that is an association of community clinic in the county. My work has mostly focused on providing support services to clinics that serve the uninsured population. I have worked on some truly great projects over the years....creating a website, <a href="http://achealthcare.org/">achealthcare.org</a> that provides comprehensive health care information for people in the county who don't have insurance, translated fully in Spanish and Chinese....organizing marches, rallies, and other advocacy events with clinic patients and staff.... creating a partnership with the community colleges to offer continuing education classes to clinic employees....working with primary care provider by offering training in specialty care....lots and lots of data analysis....work with eligibility enrollment systems and programs. And I am sure lots of other stuff. <br />
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My health insurance through my work will be ending on January 31st, and I have three options: to enrollment in my employer's COBRA program (which will cost me $380/month), purchase a private health plan, or go without insurance.<br />
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Given that I have spent my entire adult life working on issues of the uninsured, the third isn't really an option. Although given the amount of case work I have done and my knowledge of and ability to maneuver the many bureaucracies... I probably am the most prepared to be uninsured!<br />
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Anyway, as I am going through the process of purchasing insurance, I thought there may be many readers and bike racers reading this, who were interested in some information. So, I thought I'd provide a rare, somewhat useful blog post.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Finding health insurance, a short guide:</b></h2>
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If you are looking to purchase health insurance, I would first direct you to the website: <a href="http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/">www.ehealthinsurance.com</a> <b> </b>I have looked as several, and I think this is the most comprehensive and best site that compares difference insurance plans. You type in your birthdate and zipcode, and can see a variety of health insurance plans. It is easy to use and you can sort and toggle options in a variety of ways. You can compare things like your monthly premium, deductible, coinsurance, and copays. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If those words are greek to you... a premium is what you pay every month, whether or not you use it. A deductible is how much you pay "out of pocket" until your insurance "kicks in." If your deductible is $1,000, then you most spend that much money before your policy begins. Coinsurance of 30... means that, after the deducible, you pay 30%, the plan pays 70%. Up until your out-of-pocket maximum... meaning, that is most you will ever pay in a given year. Lastly, copay is what you pay at the door of a visit; usually, you have either a copay or coinsurance. </span></blockquote>
After looking at my plan options, I decided to go with a high-deductible plan, as I don't use the doctor very often, and preferred a smaller monthly premium, as I don't have a lot of income coming in right now. I went with a plan offered by Kaiser Permanente, as that is where I have had coverage for the last 8 years. I could have decided to go with a plan offered by Blue Shield, Blue Cross, Health Net, etc. - but I have been in the Kaiser system a long time, and didn't feel like change. I went with the 2700/30 plan, which was a $2,700 deductible, and then a 30% coinsurance, for $149/month. The reason I went with this plan, was because I could also purchase an HSA to cover my expenses.<br />
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A Health Savings Account, is a pre-tax account, where you can set aside money to pay for your health expenses. It rolls over from year to year (differing from a Flexible Spending Account that many people are familiar with). In addition to paying my premium, I can also set aside some money to my HSA, that I can use to pay down on my deductible (if needed), and also use for things like dental, optometry and eye glasses, chiropractic, and acupuncture. I wondered if I could use my HSA to pay for my premium...as then I would be able to pay for my health insurance pre-tax. You can only use your HSA to pay for your premium if you are received unemployment benefits. If you are doing COBRA through your employer, you can use an HSA to pay for that as well.<br />
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I did a bit of research on HSAs. They are typically offered through banks, e.g. Wells Fargo, Chase, US Bank. Some have start-up fees, some have small monthly fees for administration, some allow you to invest money, some provide interest to contributions, etc. All of them I found offer a debit card that you can use to pay for your expenses. Here is one list I found of <a href="http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehi/individual/hsa-administrators?referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ehealthinsurance.com%2Fhsa" target="_blank">HSA administrators</a>. I decided to go with the OptumHealth HSA. After the financial meltdown, I closed my bank account, and enrolled in a credit union... so there was no way I was going to open an account with Wells Fargo or Chase. I don't know much about <a href="http://www.optumhealthbank.com/our-products-and-services/health-savings-accounts/" target="_blank">OptumHealth</a>, other than they support a bike team, so I thought they should get my business! Also, I was very impressed with their packets and information on their website. <br />
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If you put $500-$1000 in your HSA, you can that pre-tax, and then can use that for health expenses. (Here is a calculator you can estimate how much savings it would be to you to do this <a href="https://hsamember.com/calculator2.shtml" target="_blank">pre-tax</a>) If you don't use it this year, it rolls over. I will prefer to set aside a little bit of money each month to put in the HSA, so if I ever had an accident, then I will be able to use the HSA to spend-down on my Kaiser deductible. It is also kind of nice, because if I go to the chiropractor, accupuncture, or buy some new contacts of glasses, then I can do that all pre-tax. I don't know how much savings that would really be, but I am counting pennies now, so every bit helps!<br />
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<b>Getting denied</b></h3>
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<b> </b></h3>
I did not get denied due to a per-existing condition, but it does happen! <b> </b>Thankfully, because of the Affordable Care Act (e.g. health reform), no one will need to worry about this after this year! But in the meantime, if you get denied, here are your options. The most obvious option is to make an appeal, or apply to another company. But, there is another option.<br />
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As part of the Affordable Care Act, each state is required to operate a <a href="https://www.pcip.gov/" target="_blank">"Pre-Existing Insurance Plan"</a> where you cannot get denied because of your health status. You have to show proof that you got denied from a carrier. So, keep that letter! The deducibles vary by state, but I believe they can be no more than $2,000. For people age 20 - 35, the premiums are usually in the $150 - $250 range. The above link is the federal government link. For some states, the federal government administers the program, and for others, the states administer it, itself. You might need to dig around a bit. If you are having trouble finding your states info, feel free to email me... bethbikes at gmail.<br />
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<b>Under 25</b></h3>
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If you are under 25 years old, you can stay on your parents insurance -- if they have employer-based insurance -- and that might be the best option for you. <b> </b>You should have your parents talk to their employer about this. The amount of cost-sharing might vary.<br />
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<b>Still uninsured?</b></h3>
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If you didn't heed anything in this guide, and are still uninsured - a few tips. If you need primary care, you should go to a community health center. They typically have a "sliding fee scale" where you can pay less. Here is a <a href="http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx" target="_blank">national database </a>where you can search. This might not be the best source for your information, but it is a start. <b> </b><br />
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If you have to go the ER, go to the public hospital. Prices will be less expensive for you, and they are more likely to have charity care programs that deduct your costs. If you have a bill you can't pay, know your rights and your payment options. <a href="http://www.hospitalbillhelp.org/" target="_blank"> Here is a website </a>to get you started. Be sure to contact your state Ombudsman. Each state has one and you can file disputes and they will help you negotiate the process. These are all free services, so look into these first.<br />
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<b>Health Reform?</b></h3>
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This will ALL be changing next year... the affordable care act will require everyone to purchase insurance and will offer subsidies and a centralized place ("the exchange") for people to research and purchase insurance. These things are all getting established currently, and enrollment for your new policies will occur this fall. Insurance companies will be required to offer a minimum amount of services, and people will be able to get assistance with their policies, based on their income. Of course, if you receive insurance through your work, not much will change... except that certain employers who offered crap policies will now be required to provide more robust options. Anyway, as more information on the roll-out process begins, I will write a new post to help guide people through the process. I, myself, will be enrolling in the exchange - so I can offer some first-hand knowledge.<br />
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<b>That is a wrap</b></h3>
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This was probably the most boring blog post I have ever written, but hopefully someone found it useful. If you have questions - please leave them in the comments, as someone else might have the same question, and then I can answer it.<br />
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Thanks for reading!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-4886665546111391072012-08-23T12:41:00.002-07:002012-08-23T12:51:49.763-07:00scrapers - i am specializedit is no surprise that i grew up a fairly sheltered life in suburbia, ohio. i went to college in a different (but equally) sheltered environment at a small liberal arts school in connecticut. after college i moved out to the bay area to near-berkeley (technically, north oakland, but berkeley pretty much just vomits into this section of town). this too, sheltered. the last eight years i have bounced around different parts of oakland. now, i live in east oakland, which i will say is totally legit. <br />
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the first time i heard the word "scraper" was in the spring of 2007, when i was a juror on a murder trial. the kinda creepy district attorney on the case attempted to give a definition of the term "scraper" to the pretty (square) jury. i somehow knew something was lost in translation, so i consulted <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scraper">urban dictionary</a> that night, probably against court protocol. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scraper" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" height="367" 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54w1DltEeZqMiCygnVYWSNv1dOSKNlpzVDzgeXealeDzlZGTZFX+R1fhN2qyHZUfzui38fUfAyMkrI7LJ70q/rcbtadQ+RYNJKUPbNzyLbWna+V1hsz4AEPUoTuTJVt0MP4wqjzOlrpOx88c6tJlTxhHVcRFag80fcr4mk+dEZkiEqbIRmCLwzKbf/dH47yPh2HOt0W2pNEWgYVjCtrVSSeWEumpR19HKJAhVM1xV5ZpTgd36nIZqYWNiP6g+bzWvWPBBcYUxfogUWUMsGEbz/CstyRXXRn3RkMB5AdeKYsH3sY1F0Nho5hDaLq+M4HpesJaKQjc1Uk+AYnQ/T9igTdWZrFzqD+n5khqXwLfDrN67QFgKwW5/ltoT1JpKU1neI2Ythv4lE2LDKqfiJE2odkTaFX6VI61c+pCEV/ZoKvaLO+tLeng6KEAMmE0gQ3a4boi5JAxmMHkB14pt3Vkx4BsTCrYzg/TvSnVwSanViR8FjY5XGhsqycDMnIt6iI6M0sou8HJCn6sCKW6CdaM3I3EaI5RD+/42dVhKI/L3UVzZ8h6VSH5Cg7nt4xEqLPg+Bo9ETfj5nToi9G18ZMM3AAnQHPVMGAHgrsZ+HzmWGoU87L0qVxVdACFcFVmlARMAvjtzsS/ZwMSedbFK74CAx1ui3Cu6IbkAzR9xtR1c5vTd2js7rkgJpir4Z1/FRFOKc/L6BD4PG78SwQfvcStk//0FZVsnXBQ5wq5HQ4f3rHfEZBDuDawjPVUA14aBUG6wVnzzOcj0o3yp6tIt3n0XhgZEWC4OyMr2eROogcyMgQI9+GiH6DQ51qCzi9YwUkJfpGI/ZWZTLntGYw1vdCpCOTrKnhVXbHx2EPOtBGNH8jon8NNvOwRshNED2abYktyQVF32JLrUjILVCn/iJ3peA52dVC0SeEkIKg6BNCSEFQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgtiK6N/k38dmLrcywshlmMP/i/4R5sk3vIxa6qp5fbiuheWKG+fbLDk/OSzH5Ka7N6JCFP0VoNZq2lBNZ9EvVXOw+pezgFrjXYgOnhyWayMaVRjXItaaW9Pb95qreaUcXkv2TizaCPFaajcnFP0VsNXEmupquJwu2HTLWyrZvdCwVh2OOQviUvR7ChH9WW//62Zzog+WV9XLoHfzBXAh1qPcOfMQreaK+78aMcKVVZVZlRZqGdpeyYSHwbKwdQV3XlUOybJUZNwdTY2htPA0/BQuwqzrlrmbqLXzldGHWsnO2hQFXZg+KLxAWwSkWiSum7WodF77hmmW8CdO5tow4ja6lUtNY+dV0reBtUuXFVVB+AkXQk4UBxK7P2CsxzyhdqvjFkS/6fdOCPZKgKJv7JyJJaiO9tcV9JdE22/Ic/oJ5GA1f7Havp6WELXCWqmr0OetXNE8NKLjEdqNP8XbrQTXyGjH200Y2ziBIqMaClnLF30YMOfeYroxqEW6g7kj/dia9AFZweNNKxPEBX6jexZQXsE0mF47M4etvPVzLCOYILEzR/ojarc6bkT0m/ZebW9QBFRE/h8P8y2xCgcXTmOfP6qr/aHu3x6ldfMREpoNDiYjI0qRo6HYavCprjuKRBh/JTPhh9miL1sCir41y2/dmBLdMEf0UYvEaTB4ekdIsyZ0yBR9ne+xEb/RzVxqjLxC4ZxeO1+vQRXcHEsWhxM7U/RH1G513I7on3JjqOi3H9kCFByW4x7PbM/xsK/qk9AfD/v9oe6mlC8r+qICdmqKT4eLvuo8o0RfDcLCuiaCjKce0gOvUaIP02CK6PtSkSn6phGr0ceIft4NaUjtsgbpsgop0feLm1301y/zmi2KvhxqBc+dwfROfCbol9EjgiB4Eqyiac8M0T8V0M1R75TT3RgcavScon90N0QFn8q6Y/kMSonmrLpP7Xmq8HaE7gL9LdKIMboQHwRYMfZbBKaBNZGUbl/l7BHvbJwcagAjfqMjC3GXga08a+1c0UdVQDmmHE4GM05sW/Sn1m51bE70xcN9u62lnpisK62w8kx7js9uqd6K+HV3jlnlPFTPvlLGAHuJ6R0wL9JYn4qDxnNQ/FSLWmq/hxFWgZcOSIPWZA70vLvQsoauhnaTLYLSwBxRp9tXOQycRRYi32MjfqOj2c6oUrCV562dO9IHVfDUICeYKLHNEfv0tlsbWxH9BfEFm8yAOUi3R+8XYoMP54RMo3jRz5v3JcOR4x9bWPsHs8uTOwNEyC1RvOgTQkhJUPQJIaQgKPqEEFIQFH1CCCkIij4hhBQERZ8QQgqCok8IIQVB0SeEkILYjugfk5uZ+Vz4by+dpTym1GJ2+Cept8HF2jG/oAu45BSx0B/a30J/2YroT2/CNYj+FVd8UCuoiJVMrprE210BI1jbZ/M6kM/Soh9EdnR+UPRNtiL602O9BtFfQ8YEPlD0RxAsGbSGZr0YFxB9vV70yAyh6JtsQ/T7YWq4fqbapQ/sZAaXCASXH839DvEaekOKw7UISswqpY5LBHVJxjIU/XH72yUcE6FQK6D2J7preMYOAINJN8b5acRE+mbFOnR7TCvbTeBkabRiK/Y9GRBjxcjcfuSV1UQL2horNSvRl00ZLSIrDsLIizrBxXVz2yK90uiW2Ibo2+sGo1Wt+8yqs3dT08szWyjLmcVZtbBLNEuBJfrrMMfEoj/CbMqxcAVpsAb9eQHk9OqbdXVWy8hgVnyG+4ljEtUfiF3k9tBWVj4MytL2/DjIkeNuxCwPM/uRUZaql9Ri924fybEt+jDy3crMqY49tV9vjA2KfjQ7HSV7uNeCsoAvdxUT3Oezi7NqEZeYKAW9x3XJjqRTkYTZDMf0gK4TQGXMWczeHMhaxaRGgvl+DrmVtqEC1vDliVZuBWZwlrZG4iDD05z3sYcD+pFVVi+ccpiGKhPUsZNet32tyB/cdVRn69cbY5uij8de2aIPLre7kxyv+MOcKaKfLiWtWXnkiX7C7Dgx7au667Y62bjoqwuTop9uZceU70zcrGPv1oko5eee1R9Ob63rwb4u4DkxS/RPO6sYbs7ZrzfGBkVfN9fxvD8Zai35ZNdfBC93RR+UnF+cZSuSg0QpVtLHdTEKB3Ysl7BZOyjRezlt0r4/4h0ZkaPBrEtVQ4MziH7aLEqMsOMjaw2awMpqZacJ0qIPgmy6nroLdi4M6EdOWeEMuVGTwOuulNrbytGLvNEb5uzXG2OLog+/g8EdtT8xsZuaN6CrwcZ4Q4rDtQhLTJVivEdfR00WffP7PHRV2rHzIWlT9l9YQvwlYWxwuuinzcLECOadxQnO14myvmEro1gPy1Ipf8Cv8DT7PfIwvx8FZRkfe/Ps1pw+9AG3YxT5ut+lGvo3tV9vjK2IPiG3yi3MGAwi8ycHZCEo+oRcl8JEX03FkCtA0SeEkIKg6BNCSEFQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgtiK6A/9q8X881f495ArdGlVLP1n/BeL/1Ua+rrZBUuf3SW/lMtEYL29eCuiP5TLiL5aHGo+HRrrkrlWVfblF/3zeO3uAGdvW/RHlR40vWfgQrUzVmO7ouiPLS6/W6nEpOhfmouJftfIOTv0ZDLKpboK7juDpfEKoq+6SHbhSzt6PFSXicNcClgP2bP3EmIUJKNY9nVroj+oW1H0Z0U9mmVsKJpaXBcu+xov56tOhEvsGo2MTBmL5cZ+oHVuE5LoaiZwJg5jsMQwjFu3G9Fut6sOxn6n2T7DteZhQFS5dbQEdFSMEWjkLW4pcVp2XXA7Dt9wFYmF66StQ/leBREe0ReCYoMq1GAbSBSHqIjQ29qNp1tHpAl+YL1uFXcQqwfhZ544mNnJNpUtir5c5Ls7GGyh4It+nbvnp74a9UVpB26kKTdzgCcIY4EnidINR0IsZ6Iwmrcwnb7qUV2K70Cfk89J/bGgXLS7hVNIIhPA+ukwBrnDNlViKlezRD+5vn+vF94gNPaqdyZu2aF9wa0ByGkUB1BEEEOUtP4ux+B+k9f6xjFUyfZ9cqTvdJNxyTaKLYq+m47e+Si35EGNGHdaTSDv4XoYGZuChYYna58TpWtHnBFJ7AwMY5bo40fdaOCck7TGNyIgIEG53bDULsUYRXYKFw+uolYcVBe3HWUVrDRQhvRB30nsRUZ2qZhET11xifnRyBF9GAdQBMxDy45pHT/9JwM7l+jHrRDXdFCyTYOij7MnsgYbpGtkvUZ4ui/LtPOHn07pgXUjPXG95hH99iM4OE36jLoUDkgs+iO2P+3GWXUVP/F7ZNQl3Y7TRH+gFJyvyMguKFej+oIgZ3rHi4MsYh7R1wdzunzgNvwoT/StbAxrah2Zn5sQ/eART42ra7C1pkzKvklU4xwP+6o+/6sLk4RbssVGO1OqUOMpLxiL4dJrrHVgcruuWpmJnDHDKL2J4oZiUOv9Tof4bIg+CAga6YdP8Ukj7SdVIAhxcMB/E3Vx21EZwLln2Uo7ia5Aooa9quOHH6tEGA2jAZo6+UUuigMqIiX6su/372EdYw1JBTbRrVxhcVshrumgzj6RmxD9Jv5Cpj+t/2TEnp/ySPIbtNPJnUxFT439sf1+LzpB5IlM6LB0Z+yhCxXDBeAMDqMcZqAQGTc+mZcDfE5MT9vlhvfavO1P+w9UN0ItNbwubjtqn3HuIUs4D/HtU16CpsoSW/JGbZHXFxxRMlx2OyYoIiX6+ip5G4kKRxqSCCyKrqshogfV4UG/pkM7+wS2Ivq3xfjG9GYZr0KGQ6vzeQK3VBeycpZKNor+xTC+9R3G+dlyLejvMgxW5vMkbqkuZOUslWwUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgqDoE0JIQVD0CSGkICj6hBBSEBR9QggpiBJEf/gqhVvlYjWdWNB6WgSvPbkOVuhSPnB1sytWJ1n6pqM9jE2JvrWgGDwzsdLxfG6sKFWuLfpg6StrPayVRG12SdLJMdTkbKutmEuwXZwVi/6iKrFitiP6wWqtfgdZsDmDxdJWlStX39w12kgLH7yYn0mWEH2VecPkdk7R10sbX032KfqrYyui76RtvOBqMLbsTsDrqIplWOP9lPJ3UIPrvp7Xb9e2jhn7kYYX1qEReJXyJm+UB2MC3TYWrM2IAFoaN8fP3PZCLtRyL69oUWN339QpDli7kYhr7CAPy1s3AUI3YCO6zW3kQFRosLR2bW1TZSxorNfItqKabJQRGQuinVPfG2Ajou+NgIytFfx7uLGNiV4Huz0SlYeSwJI8mZdi5Wy0wjjenUKerkbQYK126EvuAEYZhyXKHupP70TbDMBek++n017BaX38go0ArTjnjUMzHVBt0V6j1iKtwT6unfH8vA2aAwRiJxEF5XliHnRiCOPpT+7jvVIulLFhtAf2ss1SmOjHd/7j+M0qW2POkFalWp2/H6k5QG7f46sGVwHHJNktzXGxGMr1o+v4YLafOe0V+rA/HJu62h/q/u0xNBXH2RD9MQ70F4CNQFQTRkHOz9vETSredkY/PCQ9sXIAZV0N9t+ytR4auUrGmrfYRH23zkZEX92044/yRF8Ou8MkqEdvVol6jin6sXNG780Q/ey7kncijsmoLgQFBatMnp/D2qt3t6pPQn887PeHur3pJOJs1GiwA2h4MlH0oRvDRL+/GU4VfVjoMdp82Bd90/PLZmyO6N+GzGu2IvqnoUA4idG2TLR7m5poNGS5HWEETR0fUX6EeSDTLnIjLDIaD+mzm96flOjjq8B/+8LUFag62G2hR2rgibpQPHWA5xNcP13fEpecz1Q70EGnozinbmO5DhjHEvu4oiC7eRsGNvTdyLF8T8yDOOvqKt582BB9ZOR6GQt7Wbq+m2Yzot807kTl+cBSm1XaTqCvfKbvR5oWfeMLrfgjcSeCz0ogJrgD4DgbtnT3x14mQ53XXuCiWNesiLmiP8YBYyJSXCV0yBC6XUbeapvwPiPp65brCST4xFQAACAASURBVHbPzLq6iv5vRzg2cqWMhdHOqu+W2ZTob4/1PB/eztdQpAyYsUtB0V+U9Yg+N3cl24IZuxQUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgqDoE0JIQVD0CSGkICj6hBBSEBR9QggpiNsT/cRqKmvkvL5Hzh8gXqZ2Wwndav28ZBLCIuYtd7VxnsJylfJbxC/3EqG+YdEfyNWW+hhU8NxqghfmWjrzblJEJFcfeVxE9IPk2ViTXrhpMouj6I9hc6I/yOFZ1aS2th2m6E+kBNGvV7xZdA7rFP1LbB+9FdHPX144sZSrXNxdHAMLzqrC0Wq0Y3bUjEz1B8IL4KKu+WqSXBPWWrl2QO3UguStRXgwtl+bR1Qd3Y2CzTPzIgBPOGbsYJw0kmqm2GZ2jum81UVYK3mH/ufVEVqTVbDSJ7QWFGdGLK9Dhc5HARGo1an79Za7kU1eicaZQSx6l/wW8ZP2Emxa9OusnXrgStnaXlXbSYy3ARG7K/QiZyzJnTaVGgKAIoaMUwIZth1sya9dql1g0QNEX7rhuAQdTkUAnyBLsmqdNOI3Ux1ub5ufY3He5nYH6X9OHaG1sBpIsKLahcVZEZNK6azpr62BgGj7fSzjPZPzk9zNLjOeSYHyzS7FlkVfpaKt9epm295wj2hrXGvLBj1ujcoWN5K4oGGmovPdYUIiS0aP1IbUrkb7gUHlMAMRHoF19E8wpNmPAD5BxyXZptiI20x+7f0ci/PW7w7Y/4w64s6FaQ1Y6Rylmhex83/2h2OW8yAgoGiwZ/KAJE/e+IODAwXKNLsUZYi+mbF1/5Q4i+j7OjxI9OXQJ5ExVs2gYsozvOmd3Nod4/1ROwvWNRcR/WQE8AmRICbbdGgzTRF9UWooSZboA/8z6jhE9NVJSdFPRMw3FVkTRqH2H609kwckOUX/OtSJjXC9J2uVZUdrT07rCUs+evfvYYOBggaa0jWWXcPJGFWsf3nkjrnt8IDa1RXYje7UC41EhrIXte900fcjgE8A8uq1aX4zdQSTOVWdn2Mgb7vTZAIrT2L/M+qIrRkVl/+Pa+fcY8y2dlJOWUMBifw090zOTPKxom+2CEU/j/77FSEw/cH93ptOjb86kkeCyQA4Wgif7o0Gg99RDTClqL29QPurrBE7utzzx3jWzqhdHeyP2p1sDQ971+SDll1Z632i/yQjgE6Iul+qTTObKQqOzr7MHAN5W4PuYGyla9zYcB2xNeMadX8PaxcWZ0QMRTnpPOrIUfvEN1QjvLjEsaKfyGqK/kQs5bt9Lpou+azULbJSsmaQyCxsWvTlTbnYjFnlVqJqSEVIEor+5di06BNCCBkGRZ8QQgqCok8IIQVB0SeEkIKg6BNCSEFQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARF/8SMfxA40dS4y6/4B43JBRe2+MeW8/o83dqiMUwvsznw2hlZzv56uvyluXHRF8s4wUWaEttEJAiWnOoXQLtIBiixHev/DGslbG2VnSx/s+NpWbtk60xtgYHuTa/aAGa1P2Oqbi3rJbct+mJdmlpulxYvUDlia8ra2COUor9uKPohFP2rmro42xF9MWiXa89mbzLZ3gDC5bjD6/DDQYzZ6l2awjV5kz6rm4d9ZrAUr3FyvISvaeFo7vOZcClcljYqSK0Cbcc2uSx1WHodeoKXYtaFgiWMEbCmsX3L2uyt4zRBXo3QUtxyRX6nsm4A8QLmKLGHdAdjoWVZG12UsQq3cqk2PR+sLfmtA729MhsR/XAh7GjHA2/1dv25L/o6efwxRiQ6sYm4eLlLA1wPWiaQW7twwBWfnFqwOwyFtW+q75Jc6h0GrL08P7bYVFC6X1+70NyRftxMyH7uSH9i67hNkFMjtU3IkN1iEwEctTo87A7qoDvvChLJStdos5rY83HakmydztQQSbkMGxF93fQoH908k63vi/7R33LTNC9GCXgE4e0Fiqs6ThTEB6p0VCsvFOZIP3Kpe0SwgiZ7lxvbxPjOGM1h9+xCh0/v4O47TPQnto7bBFk1Og7bLTY3gKIv+tUJz7GrE8YeDqGCElL3e9/zEdqSbp02bUZJyqLcvuiHS7unpnfaEgY3VOiVvOvbaWEPY+YQfb8Cs4n+aWMgq7TADyO2OFyWnWzRjwsdJfrmcHKK6A9onemi3xwH7RabG0BbYQPS3SFb9GOX1ir62vBatH8joi+Vu3+fFv0aSJF4WotG2ke05SYyEqdU1PBBHmJh8qd3UmmHNQ47fsR79lpF1KlNa/VI345TdxWMLai3aSlH9EOfQaHB03pWWV0Fo5hYk1ozt05K9NM1OsuOuFF3J3minwqgdMytTro7oOoYHRjdKGDTRNM78LY9QlvSrdMP9IEhq40uwkZEv+me6XapZMWXqAv74+4lseh51sEsZP84m9wLtCdb9NXgwThZ+QhKcwbA/aV409pY9BulK3GNUGyBM6pEGBnzPfDZalAxRPR92Wktiz20hnCztk4iKzJqpD8JJ7LtkX4igOLazOqkMwrHuQe5hC8RZ4pvNDzPc7XFbJ0oBEYAM57NlmI7on8jJB+DySXJmxnZErdXow2R2buv3EYU/QtD0V8Vq9xheBK3V6MNkdm7r9xGFH1CCCkIij4hhBQERZ8QQgqCok8IIQVB0SeEkIKg6BNCSEFQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhBbFP38v28q5C+hFq3mEsbH2ZziCV4Saxpzmbp8NMhEYPA30yIU/Rtgc6LvssjfqM8k+sv6Zn0acVoYuYjcjljFMhNu8FfhoQdF/wag6CfZruhbpxWS2xGrkFSK/mWIFrCLF5TVSw5mrPYH1ugTmwodxNKF0XJ96KqT7Sn7pcGFCrHN9HqdoFLjjZvRVnGFmyniQmt8CVjwUNoPly/N3XYxJfrCoh2ZwDdhKuvypG8+QPQHbsEYhLBf0tJKj2Sj5/RBVE1c5byOidNjsidRl/ccg8E/mcpKYLcLLM5WRL9GO6hZQYRrxjbhiU3T9Hut6XW3zxuD1OgauMsEWiS9S0NQYgZ9FiObyWqCSk00HizMC0uU/cpZglwtRRuWbg6U2qvy44lLhEv1yvrG6923B+HWGcnLYbiAbz6x6MOGcxcEVnkKqoR8SzZ6dIIZEFf0cceMquOlxxRPgi6fdMwOfjKB1ftUr1mAjYi+ShIwXFEri2OxbjlGu5eBs3S7RdOq53FefNBKU3TfN2sajreQzWQ1rRvBBONSMYw16NVl9oMXlOCcXi2fuux45paIY4XuLW11oOinLxeXJZrAAYz0QcOBnJQc7U0ToW/JRkcnpAOS3THj6tiTJ9M8ce2GsXRHgYNFH/WaJdm26Le3WRGrpBr2Hwn5Too+FFBg2xlq1fjRMXTKT4sJoj+D8dN7K6roskSho0Rf1AfEc0CJ2LAl+pHiDBf9dBM45Il+ytLR2jQR+9akGh2dME70+4+cjunPmE/xJDkTL/NtQdHPGxtOYiOiLx8tVXY2daV317HP7D4Pmyt4BgTDCWWotWAdBObBfQD5FmaFr4xuNUGl5jB+SnyjcwQFRDIECk2VjuzjeObG0BpjypkBOAkQ+yY6eeZ+e6kmgC2JKmbYxzkZmYGbJmLfuiu8EWh4ghkQ+biT0TFhdcz0mOiJKdWGY67omwkcl4vSbGE2IvryG5xgB7W6CoZ75pnhxyI7wPdFOvrgWy540FKxsESreeu5tpQDlZrDuNflevM7PWi0C8Wl22P4rlNFLZgbQ2MsJWzK251ZnWAgii+3q2Y0wWTRNxI1tBProOVbd5o7AI1PAAGZ2jHl7cms3HhPktM70jFX9G0PUbk4zRZlM6J/WySfJVeK6/dlnk0vxo1VZzzJZF1PNq/Hk2yukGYU/auwzT3t9MAw4sZU8saqM5ZEo2eccDHW48kAKPqEEEKWhKJPCCEFQdEnhJCCoOgTQkhBUPQJIaQgKPqEEFIQFH1CCCkIij4hhBQERZ8QQgqCon9jwD/wG/JXf+f1QS72l435i00u9LeL/MvboVwxYuOKnu7wTSUJRd9mgwt5TM7Oy9c5tf5lvJTxdBYyewNY7X/piKllyMRiZ9lFz+zwTSUJRd+mRNG/fHJT9NfEWkS/w1lb1EU5fDxUEzvyTSXJZkRf3PrBKrJyC5W8jUOPekvMeAnXaElWYAR51Ygy9QrQ8U5SaBne7n3goY5Fv4Zrvxhyt9K3sXunHZ84yN0mG9IBw3NpsLaNG8v+OqIfNEF+41q1gi07OmesQqz8TKac3UAZzjipiILQoKxDyxBPaogoYsnGAn6Hop+x87BVETdKA7uV2cFl1CYpwFJsRPR1TFoFgktayzja21mc0sJfktsc3eA9MSJj9VKbdqrqBhsAiAj0SSeFNY6PFWjtgOm5LC4u2gD7lhzpO1ULz/bcHmnWbhGcn3oTm5yUG53AfirmZ13uSH9cxFKNBYhF380x3HmRMRilwd0q6uBheVMUYCk2IvrHvP0zdbzOEcVnRkkRb2YgT4FGYq8ir8OtenSDtv+zR/q4VxztnU6teyEQVqT6drcc4Hl0trwsCPLI6R1x3wWNa1So+99Is8l9NkCArMqkonH+T24C+6mY33aDp3eGRCzZWEnXrfz0O6+shVfs0G6FOrgRtlEKsBQbEf0zdWL/zKjP2GfG6eh2AK8hhFfYH3HxPKLfHK2dTgeKPno6WUz0YZCni77fQUaLfjJncGFOfmak3OgEjh1IBmF20c/pZYPVLEP0k50X2MQddmC36o47FZuiAEuxDdE/Zu6fGcYunvPpzrTTsTtdPbIBI8irkHqBTTs7u+IRGuaUL/pwdGKLvun5ENEH4UyJPrYJJ/RUi3hujzRrtgjIhOApPrrVpKLRDErgRCrmZ501LzdPxHBjqaMheaKf6Lx5UWqGdqvuisU3EJ6XbYh++1y2U/GTB/s+gx4ewZlho/dXig081ZAgNgK9Ap7rJhRXyTyKSvfHlbWx02lS9P2Ha1v0sedDRB8H2RV9c/AsfAONq0EBH2U2Ob1j5mf8TYIdjVEJnEzF3Kwzh8HzRAw11lTRz+m8mVEa1q2601yNHq8AS7ER0c9l8SejoSRnBC7L6uJDNGygjZHs4CtTgKah6C+LGiysgZXFh4SwgTZFsoOvTgGa5uZEnxBCiAdFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgqDoE0JIQVD0CSGkICj6hBBSEBR9QggpCIo+IYQUxA2Ift56jTPYH3cm/8ZyibAMvZytQMiZGxD9Dor+dRCLhOX/xfnwsExaxMQoTq3/tfTihoSsAop+vtlxZ9686HcbTRirNVtXXV/0A3dvvqUIaZrNiH7fH2u4fWXG9E5d4d01B28D214YDxDhmXW3b4d0CskjvDxeodc2FZ0JKqjLA6fHg3Z40GonvEi5iFAcNmA/DkWwHK2wCVYwxk0TpoRzF4GrIl9re1tCZmUjoq+2aoi3r8wUfdk/xU4Jak3reNQKL9S+icXQozOlV1JbXQ+VTWd9fKvW3Zm6gkFpwkZ7x/PLSgy2jaXFUQQSbqNQhHtXIJtB6TiMyjOktbFNO4y5rd+YjQIagpAF2Yjotx3G3b4yPdKvxX/Avhb6uvZ/8EI4aIVn9gelpCHtRAKhSlEldfqB/OnOTO77oSscWzAcAJhzO1Ygw0crYR+FAoq+eX/3mga6iAsPfMguop5re1tC5mYron/a6szfvnKY6IPulyf6rRT6Y214+em9JUCG6HsDzFrtsgbOTE6E14lth/Mmut1lw1Oi7z0cNINFP6NpLPrG9UU/v/UHNEqN5+AImZvNiL6Y2LG2r8wXfTBQbhpn+8rowuAYKBc+4J97tiGPqYkOvclnXQUbq8EzTdFH+4VCC6YD0u/UMLr1RTYamBWRhSLRj6U2mJELbqm4aUK/kJ/x9I4xOEi3fqJRUEMkQ0rIeLYj+nJUi7evTIp+PEeRuQ0smNzojyY2ONXOeDtqQtG394Ctq3BgOOu2rvCLViBFwa8e8e6q/QRXFDRoH4cCP5VE35QaTROHPXAdbzl7le1tKfpkOTYk+hPJm6dYmBVumElmYhUJRkgSiv4FWeWGmWQmVpBghGRQjugTQgih6BNCSElQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgqDoE0JIQVD0CSGkICj6hBBSEBR9QggpCIo+IYQUBEWfEEIKoljRt7Yz6XdnWnJ99PVsppLwZFQQbnC719tYLH87tZApNEM6bafil2A7ot/tKoc1augGc6c91kEZ4TaH3gaHo1lPEvqejLg5LRKvQaXDDRCnsZ72mgKqRd9cRh2v0J6ySPHe8STh5G0032xsR/SbWdvueKig5svdYpcbi29loD9O869ZNbxn+VTW015TmL2tF2L2brieqq2DLYm+pfny8U+1b3cB3ATcMHM6pRs6qDfRxtfwoD6u3PG8sDbI1keOh/2+qvZ9id0pidJxVdszcNzqaldVoX0vmKG/sf9NXe2qw8lEcHWqarr96wrUTp2ihn/JFnG2N08OdiPPjXBI//pHzbqKKjJDKKJmOh72+8MhaM22amKn9zoyk9OJjLjBsODr+hB1Bw6wS+rSqjp4XMlsPr+7dRNLMlct49HBBuabnfkXZkOi792vlUzVwcHcBwRZQGxQds3uffKgdCI2jmog3ZFSL7L6fPSUV32PjP20SnKqGRzs8ri9KhFMEUPbf+dW5FUtaB9835RjxB2U1dwWwcGBBJ53g4So+p2DfWihJE0OBXBZtCaY03FGVIM6UWAzCosEZ4g10Dd64vmWNbD5cHxis06uZsqCjOC11f7MdkTfG251uQETJjPa8FppRN3GYwU8H9S3/nPJ6oYF716Rk7ovt9dYPUJ8Hpdu1TIRN3iqH0xxSdp/+1rjPe5UygIadQ1okeBUEIdcz93q19Wuqk9DfahX00MRN5PfxFYdMztRMm7I/ugMN3M6v/mi6nhmnTpmK8Ca5pi2I/reUEN86WqlWdsS9nBFFBCPqKBGoIOwbdOaHzmpz2odwrMwTTdZMEif0pqvhDNwBwazdwn777RiqmrdYfvuj0vPapF2jkOc2ZbrjTZMz43qN3W1P9SH/fmU6gDba4ZQdMW2zQRt5mt+bFBgxg3XAtqGGaK7ZErzBzef2d2Azxl19BRg0KPS0mxG9D05Q89aNfoWL3Hj0D0Kv4HPxsFBpZV6ztFwDDgp/Dl2j8FGj9BP1GHpEuwJjBusXeynE0Pff8ec9f7cS3NuG8LlVIuIO6oqNorD8bBHhVsNEVc/mjHDdZkeitiY5WQ8SWF5Yh5Lxs2ef4EZglIoY3Inww0/Pthsbh19BYjcSMrAgmxC9PvnJRgmPafQPlLtwXyHPypynn57u8IKPBgcjx1DbmAn+2vC4Y73HpUuSVSljRv0KRHM4Mbs+58T/+gSr6uExoVEJ1uknzRBcTh/aowZ0w0hLko+gswRCtBMfnpbQ3gxvPbaPRE3u6aTM1w/w6TccOLjmbXrmK8AKDmvNtuzCdH3sUYpM5KeISAXYJmWzn3uXtHz+UWSnqTYqgJsWfTbG/bygbeeTtcjArdPjX6XOBY51strxDV18FlDQUazVQXYsugTQggZCEWfEEIKgqJPCCEFQdEnhJCCoOgTQkhBUPQJIaQgKPqEEFIQFH1CCCkIij4hhBQERZ8QQgqCok8IIQVB0SeEkIKg6BNCSEFQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKQiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgqDoE0JIQVD0CSGkICj6hBBSEBR9QggpCIo+IYQUBEWfEEIKgqJPCCEFQdEnhJCCoOgTQkhBUPSHUVe7ql7G9PFQHY7LmM4rfr/PKD95WqadqYxrCHjVUFML5sDqSyc3wHZE/3jY73a73W53CUmRyF6W3+MG9M3jYb+r6pPoHw/7xSt4Li+gdRh/Kk5LuLecKI1rCAm8IY3QfDcEiQBOhJpPprId0W+ulPBSKPJHsUPHu3V1nTtaR/ZAP/E4stxAf1xDWBb8g0ONXIzrlk5ugi2Jvqn53UOAUE1xrO8l8cHjYb+vqvYoHP/2nx0P+/3hUAUn96d0B9VVgadxcdZIHxhOlAarcArc4VT1/akIZO1UbPdpKjJGmES4+4PnQ6IB+weG88B5hoYwGl3HoQquwtEQV4uqVTU6P27i3AAmG84tHVQWGRzpRtynUC/T1XbcqeomzEPLWxgTXFlpjWSzIdG3BjngXqCewNvPrYNC/xMTvnXVJWLiZOv+5BWnB9HSW2k2PpiIxdntuOpmEf2txI2M66q8eSkZPBwbGcjus+kNAds3isP5aHey63BQtaqGiWP4mR9Aw1+n9KzKTnAjtug/ZSf6YOe8pc9WTnZthHsu1X4U2xF9M2Oj1tejhfOH8GB6ysA6oXsf2O0OwnTMnqFQH7b/gQexA6atDGtxFYa7que9gyLralfVp6F+19knNwRu3+yYQoeBI8fDfn+onS9e8gOYajirdLOyyVTMdyNWVF9jUR+0nE+Uq0b3eT2XDGM7ou8PNdrMaJ/982Zu1VFUgNllzidrrWjnLHI0361PqE/to318EDug0AWN0PxBroIeKQfO+0N92J9rUx260yY3RFoD1KBBqmd8eTffhoRrt9vt96boZwcw2XBG6WZlM1JxoBuiT5lHQvecPqhKz/DWvvMadSGZbEb0c+7svRKr7t09DaKD/u9BrPmUXmr0nAN49o79s4sTlVWTq3ompFHdHzlgFSr+K69UnsfzU9muwgjIeZNggkV9UzGpIYz2NeKgpm8ch53pFeu5MzeAeQ3nTO6ElbVTcZobIyd6HOedcq028nuu6TvBbEL0+wc8NALsn/v0nG/42BwfTE9hGIOX/r0wut+LcSvyNnvGJHAWf0/nOWAUqv+rrAWTLKNdBU0AHjNy36tq+A1hNHpkQLmELxcOC5vhEPt42Mf5OCCAqYbzSweVRQZHuRGHCvcyN7Se85a3OJNSPbd1gbM9uWxC9EvGGvdyWENuDE7TXwiK/gqRQyf5YGsPtgjZPBzKXAiKPiGEFARFnxBCCoKiTwghBUHRJ4SQgqDoE0JIQVD0CSGkICj6hBBSEBR9QggpCIo+IYQUBEWfEEIKgqJPCCEFQdEnhJCCoOgTQkhBUPQJIaQgKPqEEFIQFH1CCCkIij4hhBQERZ8QQgqCok8IIQVB0SeEkIKg6BNCSEFQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKQiKPlmK33z1l0u+rl1dQrYBRZ8sBUWfkBVC0SdLQdEnZIVQ9MlSUPQJWSEUfbIUFH1CVghF//rU1a6qF7J9POz3h+N1nBkt3/fP33/7+mqiv2RzrJRxVe6umhyxwVlKprAd0T8e9rvdbrfbXSM9usJ3u92QBLe6gzw+k8gcD3tgZ6jxORVvrOi//bb58PUrffDVuw/N8/0g0ccBSdb6pjW/j8n0Kmdqfl2le8xNx3x9bEf0m2vlxvGwl2l7POyz7zvWCEYeX3SUM9T4rM6MFP1X7z788O7FJad3LtYc62F6lburnMuPh/1uv09aLyTmq2FLom9qvhyHt9kjjvUJFR88Hvb7qtrbY3iQkNCPuuofBfoRELSrjh8P+/3hUEUnQv+dKstxrfRFdm0nRp0R6Exv8HypCEFdtebqSruqB+9inP76+VM7lr9//v5T8/2n5vtPrdC/ePPh0/Pbbp7nU/P9t6/7gy/efPjw/PzhdIke+4MIVXVGEy/SHLoVqvocs8PpvP3hiBJGP1D6pQfWVHXMpmljklVlFCHtahte3C1PPccWdJilUaYZB4Pqo/jjslDu+6FOSsTm2JDoW+kDNFjJT/u5dVA0btykSOBTDxzJ597g0brNJPXsHbuarHJ8LTzYHsVGImfkk40S0sNRXRGHT4j+m69/6GZsutmbN1//8P2HN2/aE87z+O2E/ttvm+7Tfpb//rm7PfSXQNGXdXebeKnmEK3QCS3WP6vtuhDjvMXWvKaBmQmrbBFbwEkuvTfuI1GWWpkWHwyq73dI08KAULv5szm2I/pmwKP81zdxMBbo7+Opp9wBxyLbgyd32vfYVbfK8lr1YOMYtI3I93r4HhRTV7uqPo0nQccLvps9KXj35jevnz+JaZwXbz58ePPmfHt4/e6Dmtbv7hny5iHfx6IPZx9giyzQHKCc4BBMGBXD8wXpvMXVQU2TjIkVHye30SXqYSP5+Oxmmpt+ojz7qz5sYVyob2Qeajuin76d73b946rXs42jqAA8ueMfah+qB0/onx3IzSxR5aTmmwaREdsZOVDaH+rD/nxKdUBFqDn318+fnt/KqZtW5f+iRvqv3n1ovv/0wwcl+t0sv5ru11NGgehjUUo18UzNkRDCrITphciYrjA7g9k06ftg6qFZumpP7qjZoC67dKhSWXq2a6Sf0Y7JsjoL+aFO5s8G2Yzo5/S9ft6ib5vjKf3Ng4mfMIhnuya0IlzTD8tgUkCbhA+maj4icjVZ5agPKk9cg2C+B804yOdkMSeg3kuin9/oWXgx0n/x5sP5/evn811B/lynO9i9Cd7Hom9NZMDJnSWaQ9iM5tLshGmP6okMN2+RD7hp/BlAbDblanoohgf6OEvjTLMOGoX6dy1oYUCo+/dQBzbDJkS/f+4y7+/6UznWkOltPaM23k1FXmfnWmd5LwZW8BpjSCjfQ/+dKotr1TDLDohvxHBG1CQndNEPMcNf3/ff4qLh/4s3H043ie5g8Kl4UAhFP39yZ4nm0JegxwWUMLjlUnkbk567yaiy76o7uaOvxT0mlaWw+kKmg8E7ChsqTN5phodaB3DD8zybEP1VYA3ciQWc01/ude3qTuRG5ou3QOmhpuhn0w0ptvtcd1nUiH7UT+9LEv0bmS/eAqWHmqJPlmJRib850SfkQlD0yVJQ9AlZIRR9shQUfUJWCEWfEEIKgqJPCCEFQdEnhJCCoOgTQkhBUPQJIaQgzMUvEAAACFhJREFUKPqEEFIQFH1CCCmIbYj+//7653zd5Ou6eUVIgVD0+brm67p5RUiBUPT5uubrunlFSIFQ9Pm65uu6eUVIgWxR9D/7qXn817XVqrwXDPvUtrhuXhFSIBT9Il8vH8+R/fj7H3OvGhL2F7//T57la2YVIUVC0S/w9dlPzft/v/j5//76l//+2Pz0Mv8qij4hm2erov/Td+eP/vPHX0aSdH7/4x/fN9991l34r++6k38uD7acdPDn//vi9/9ppPFf/vvj+3//8bFpmqZ5/Nevf/nvj71jrWJCl2JTP4+sefX6V0Ydg1I6m6Be/euX//7YiX78qRUZP+yyXu//04Xou898ZxINTwiZm42KvlTbXpIiQew+PSljNFB9+djfFV4+/vRSX/Lrz3767rPTcFjePNR4ti/Id0nqrGFNGnnx+/+o910pbh27g6BeoKwG+OlHxnFJ10uO9F1nrptXhBTIRkW/F6l2/I5HwT/+8f1pTAqH+e0YWUieVKhQr8U5PbEct2Wp05rmrJjO4NoYyCt9jw4qh9uDcb1QQT/+8X3z8fc//vqzn+KpGGAB3sP0SP+FuLyz6TqzfO4QQhS3IPrtONRRTH8++jTsbX56mSH6Lx+bhBy3LgFTlxL9uF6yID30bhp0OwQWxoq+68wVkomQstm66Mu5lFZ0lC6fJ5Shrv34x/edBp2fCV78/j9gekeLvlJMKMedS420P8dIP6qjnLZq34N6BaKvjDfxMBxZGCj64mHLceZ6OUVIoWxU9HukoJwPffeoBrxwNr//qCWcjmga+UWukOn+a8m+IOwS+op1iujjOvYHP77/j5re0fXSmq68evkYfsUKLAwR/S5K333mO5PR+ISQOdmi6A97gaHu/K91/Ir05eOQ392v4nXdvCKkQG5d9NV0zXKvK4q+/AnpCm48A19XTCpCyuTWRZ+vdb+um1eEFAhFn69rvq6bV4QUyDZEnxBCyCxQ9AkhpCAo+oQQUhAUfUIIKYhbFv3ffPWX235dO8AX4upxnqWBru7MZapJ1g9Ff8Ovawf4Qlw9zrM00NWduUw1yfqh6G/4de0AX4irx3mWBrq6M5epJlk/FP0Nv64d4Atx9TjP0kBXd+Yy1STrh6K/4de1A3whrh7nWRro6s5cpppk/WxF9P/26n9e/XXgNVfvDOvrbGPCeHXcILz9tnm+XzzUsJR00dm1mKe4a9m/VmKQcVD0g7z//lOf+qf/6tcPHz6Ag+9eRCd/+/ovv/nqzdc/9Ec+vHnTlXX/LE/+8PWrzoc3X/8g//uX37x69wGcFne2j9/86cUX//PiCy9QOIx//fPpwhdf/M/vvvmxPfrjN1+dD7549Y9EqFMWEgfF5frkdDsuJvqv3n344d2LaaWMzcalRX/mSCaSg6wMir54vX7+9Pz2/vmk10M7ITxHKvibr3/oLaNS/vLizQd0D2jPfP38qZchq7P5gYKf/u3Vn745r9T5j1dfnN//7VUnvj9+81Ui+NDCx2/+1N4tEgebv/7Zu68sJFWJF0V/VDXJ+tmS6L9qx4Nfvf3YNM3Ht7/74s9/687465/PxzuChP72uR9x3z/j0fe3r8/SP7wTJkVfCT0U/fgSLT3hQ4AVqL+qN9ZBI8696MeX57XUycKP33zV3Qmaj9/86Xff/GgcHCL64gnpFIqwZdtABY9cbfTePH/qHub6RyiVBqGF57dGKX2LR175og/d+8tvXj+Lh782l+DBpKn29eLNB5nM988n50WuQvswMuLMoKDc1CDrYEOi3+lCNwhNjEa1QLeZ+urdB/VeJPpZXt9+G06kZIo+nN7pTCmzcnpHd6Frir66j8LJmRS9hYGi/4U9ldQHR96PXz9/+zpu2aiZ+oNvvv7he6GAsvmiKbUw8rCU1gLwyhd96J5Mj843eNB4weqrq6RZv9AoMq/efWhwJlP0N8eGRL9Xq25Q//Ht705v4mF+E430o9RX71+8+dANauT7IaLvD8SMHhv21euJvphvaZqP3/ypPVMptYu0MET0e/yb93kEaoVdxAcMYHX01AlomGxO73R22oPAq5Tox+6p50t0O7FEP/Eo0I3uZVa79mFk9ONv8JyakxpkPWxV9MWo/9VfDS0bIvrqMbn9bnYW0T8JxJuvf4jnEKCUX0f0P7793RdS2f/xKpg6S36XG1oYJ/roYBSx80NVO9KP5Pj18yfcxFr0w0m8saIPvHJFH7o3TvRxTaOKNM/3cFCfLhSHi6K/abYo+mJWp50ZiIf5zSDRD78jVV+6zjSnL6YIvnr7bdeF/JH+0C9y+5GyiNI/Xn3hiv5f//xCSnxrpwsyNJWyMOCL3L+9UnNK5kj/xZsPXaO041ZD9MV8Cx7pq+ZQllG7eKKPvEqJfuyeLM4/aGkxPKHT6Gek79g+ioyc3lFTPRT97bEh0Temfe3fluSLPvhaNf1kPXROv50HeH6rHyz6E9pf7+hHjayfbHa/1+yD8/Ht784R+/Mrb6QvfpqpLPzjVRxwOI1mWsj9yWbvPPz+QAtxEB88vdN/ZfL8jEf6gTVjYkR+kZua3okfEM3pHeSeaP3UwaSp8PX6WT+CvE3Yh5ERB/lF7qbZiuibdNP6MSD7b+t14VAbEzKLc/U4z9JAV3fmMtUk62fjoq9mIUKu3hlurrOJ3+NfkKvHeZYGurozl6kmWT8bF32Xq3cGdrZZuHqcZ2mgqztzmWqS9UPR3/Dr2gG+EFeP8ywNdHVnLlNNsn4o+ht+XTvAF+LqcZ6lga7uzGWqSdbPLYs+IYSQAIo+IYQUBEWfEEIKgqJPCCEFQdEnhJCCoOgTQkhBUPQJIaQgKPqEEFIQFH1CCCkIij4hhBTE/wdQ0+ne3+1h0AAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
since then, i started noticing scrapers ALL the time... especially once i moved from lake merritt to allendale, and now to eastmont.<br />
<br />
scrapers.<br />
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I LOVE THEM! i know i am a super white girl from the midwest with about zero street cred - but i think the rims and colorful cars are so damn cool!!<br />
<br />
thus, i am beginning a new photo series... I AM SPECIALIZED<br />
<br />
here are the first two shots from my ride yesterday. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE-uc5HOc-gCdkNuzMYHkK9K4rHC1CVbzd6blCvzd0q7LyJUwJW4y9p11mrmOS7xSMzEchTxEuK36mQuvsqN6VvYKW8Y_T5IQSFRqcB5OFAj-BaAf68X0EnuTr1BW14w2qIoO/s1600/2012-08-22_10-44-08_196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE-uc5HOc-gCdkNuzMYHkK9K4rHC1CVbzd6blCvzd0q7LyJUwJW4y9p11mrmOS7xSMzEchTxEuK36mQuvsqN6VvYKW8Y_T5IQSFRqcB5OFAj-BaAf68X0EnuTr1BW14w2qIoO/s320/2012-08-22_10-44-08_196.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOr8Q_lsv2cVc-sLS6lDEiJ5OlqvPouRyxqKrbKvIBN0LvyZeR-M3JwAUIM4XMLrlZpQIp4swi-rMho7dWBQ_mLhH-hKechsnWYBu8Ku_cP2BCGBNoVsxSVc24WJfkZedyOGR/s1600/2012-08-22_14-23-23_298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOr8Q_lsv2cVc-sLS6lDEiJ5OlqvPouRyxqKrbKvIBN0LvyZeR-M3JwAUIM4XMLrlZpQIp4swi-rMho7dWBQ_mLhH-hKechsnWYBu8Ku_cP2BCGBNoVsxSVc24WJfkZedyOGR/s320/2012-08-22_14-23-23_298.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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unfortunately i missed the picture of my bike with the AWESOME bright blue scraper with huge rims and the candy red scraper -- as we were both rolling, and i couldn't get a picture of my bike with the car.<br />
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note: the photo series is a BIKE with a scraper, not just a scraper on its own. <i>anybody</i> can take a picture of a car. join the fun if you can- get a picture of your bike with some sweet scraper. ....and sorry if you live in the peninsula or marin....or colorado or oregon, etc, etc.... a prius or subaru doesn't count.<br />
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#oakland #scraper @IAMSPECIALIZED <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-12010648478958724522012-08-06T08:27:00.000-07:002012-08-06T14:53:54.093-07:00NY Times - Yep, I made it!my awesome blog - which doesn't even have a unique domain name - has been cited by the<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/sports/olympics/olympic-cyclists-thigh-popping-success-starts-in-quads.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp"> new york times</a> as expert opinion. <br />
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when i got a random email from greg bishop, the journalist who wrote the
article, i was a shocked, to be honest. 'me? a expert opinion on
quads? <i>AWESOME</i>. i hoped he found me by googling "big quads" or
something like that... but i found out the U.S. national coach, Ben
Sharp, referred him to my blog....which gives some street cred to the
coach who also brought home a silver medal. <br />
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don't believe me? it even made the front page of the online nytimes! Here is a screenshot i took at 8:15am.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/07/sports/olympics/olympic-cyclists-thigh-popping-success-starts-in-quads.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioOSoa7vJAN8xHgHD9ZX908aFtRFx06WwCgh-ADwa292raLhyphenhypheniBNs34UKUnCDL84xdtJNmyVNegJhQSg3RxTmxnYNV7mwb253ujckmo2ITrLZICtbGCrDUAce1Vef8uzKrKF9/s320/NYT_quadchops1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and here is a screenshot i took at 9:30am. it looks like QUADS bumped lebron james as trending article. yeah, dog!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lINtrtUySM-smZW8yOin_1l3l7nQkDP2VNy1z1yeg0vq-rFZsK3oLYP62R7dp9vDiDdpFPDbqzjD3Oaouh82QTfCYvFH1OItaV1LwNRc3r8BReh0DdIyF9BAWeW_2XlqtQlq/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-08-06+at+9.15.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lINtrtUySM-smZW8yOin_1l3l7nQkDP2VNy1z1yeg0vq-rFZsK3oLYP62R7dp9vDiDdpFPDbqzjD3Oaouh82QTfCYvFH1OItaV1LwNRc3r8BReh0DdIyF9BAWeW_2XlqtQlq/s320/Screen+shot+2012-08-06+at+9.15.34+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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anyway, mr. bishop emailed
me a bunch of hilarious questions. they were so awesome, i want to
publish the interview in full. enjoy! <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #222222;">Let's start with the genesis of the blog. How did it come about? How did quads become a sub-topic? How did you come to write the legendary quad post?</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I started by blog (<a href="http://bethbikes.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bethbikes.blogspot.<wbr></wbr></a></span></div>
com/) when I first started cycling, back in 2007 (there’s an article about how I got into cycling in our region’s weekly: <a href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/the-road-less-traveled/Content?oid=2967113" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.eastbayexpress.com/<wbr></wbr></a><br />
<br />ebx/the-road-less-traveled/<wbr></wbr><br />
Content?oid=2967113)
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Blogging was kind of "the thing" back then, before Facebook and Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/bethbikes" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/bethbikes</a>) saturated social media. Tons of people in the biking community in Northern California were blogging, and it became a fun way to communicate with people between the weekend races. At that point in time, I was definitely blogging more than training.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I measured my quads the first time back in the summer of 2007. It was kind of a joke, a very skinny friend of mine would kid me that my quads were bigger than her head. I rolled with it and did a measurement and wrote a blog post about it. A few other people tried to measure their quads on their own blogs - but they were measuring in the wrong spots. I mean, cyclists (<i>especially</i> "roadies" ... aka road riders) have an obsession with being skinny - so I had to kick that mindset in the pants, and sort of became a crusader to glorify the big quad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><b>How did you learn about the proper way to measure quads? Or is that your step-by-step guide, ie something you made up?</b><br /><b>Have you ever had to correct someone?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I made it up. I mean, I had very big quads at the time – and yeah, maybe they weren’t <i>all </i>muscle … but I wanted to make the rules so I would win! What’s the saying: "you no playa da game you no maka da rules"?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, the point of measuring quads is to get the biggest number possible. It isn't like measuring waist lines for skinny-minnies … this is about bragging about massive (sometimes) muscular quads! So, naturally, you measure in the biggest spot. I have to correct people all the time as they almost always measure to low, saying "oh that is just fat up there." Sure, that may be true …. but people making those kind of comments obviously didn’t get the point of measuring quads. Go big or go home!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><b>This might be a dumb question, but you say in the blog that you can measure improvement by measuring the quads. What would be indicative of progress? Like how much could someone gain, ie your quad before cycling, afterward?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quad size does not necessarily correlate with cycling speed, but that doesn't mean huge muscular quads aren't awesome. Back when I was writing about quads all the time (and doing my first races), I was measuring in above 60cm in diameter! Now, that’s pretty huge … but nothing in comparison to someone like Jennie Reed (world Keirin Champ and current Olympian for the US Team Pursuit) who’s quads were OFF THE CHARTS! Nowadays, I am a measly 57cm … which is puny. But now I am a national champion, so I guess I can't be too down on myself for losing some of my quad-tasticness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, the measuring is a fun thing to do, like after races - it is a good way to bond with competitors (keep things friendly – after all, it is just a bike race!), and to check out their goods up close when you put a tape measure around their leg and give a little squeeze. But, you probably should get permission before grabbing folks thighs. Otherwise, you could get a knee somewhere you don’t want.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Regardless of measurement size, quads are a major intimidating factor across all cycling disciplines. For real - we bike racers ALWAYS check out our competitors’ legs. Bike racing is totally mental, so the more you can psych out your competitors with intimidating legs, the better. And there are a few things you can do make your quads look better. Rub on some of that warming oil before a race - the shine makes the muscles look way bigger and if you’re lucky (or dehydrated), you might even get a little bit of that freaky ‘cut’ look that bodybuilder types get. Or, you can make sure that your team’s clothing has a design that creates a bulging (not slimming) effect in the quads. Thinning stripes are a serious no-no. Some cycling kit designers<b> totally</b> don’t get it! Oh, and when standing around before a race or at a podium presentation, be sure to flex and stand in a way that makes your quads look their biggest. It’s all about the presentation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><br />Speaking of, is there a range of acceptable quad size in cycling?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am sure that height has something to do with it, but if you are over 60cm you are pretty badass. And we always measure metric. It's international friendly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><br />Who has the biggest quads?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jennie Reed's quads are pretty big. I saw them up close and got to measure them once. It was awesome! What is most impressive about her quads is that the lower quad muscles by her knees are almost as big as the muscles up by her hip bone. Dude - that is why she is a world champion! I know that German guy, Robert Förstemann, could be the Quadzilla of the cycling world … but, Jennie Reed’s are legit. And she doesn’t use a tanning salon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Inline image 1" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=cb4f12b001&view=att&th=138e56f88e41bde7&attid=0.1&disp=emb&realattid=ii_138e56beb19e841b&zw&atsh=1" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jennie Reed’s quads and mine</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Inline image 2" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=cb4f12b001&view=att&th=138e56f88e41bde7&attid=0.2&disp=emb&realattid=ii_138e56c5b68cdf6f&zw&atsh=1" /> </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me measuring Jennie Reed’s quads. World Champ Stripes – FTW!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><br />The skinniest? And do they get made fun of for how small their quads are?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Amber Neben's quads are pretty small, but she can pretty much kick anyone's butt whenever she wants, so I doubt she gets made fun of for it. She’s a world champion in the time trial and rides more miles in a month than most trackies do in a year … I mean, she probably does five hill repeats while a track sprinter is still resting between their first and second 8 second sprint. But if Amber ever came out to the velodrome, I’d totally make fun of her quads and make her leg wrestle me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b><span style="color: #222222;">Any urban legends from the past? (Like this dude had quads the size of oak trees in 1912.)</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Those German track sprinters are pretty much legendary. I don't think any of them have names, even - they just get referred to by their quad size … “Herr Achtzig to the line”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><b>Love this line: Friends and strangers love touching your strong legs. ... How often has that happened? Unprompted? Any strange stories in that regard?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well … I force my fiancé (and coach) to massage my legs all the time … so that’s not really unprompted … but, I can say that he loves touching strong legs. But at this point in our relationship, it’s only my legs he’s going to ever touch again!! I don’t care if some 61cm chick goes waltzing down the street!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>Perhaps another dumb question. But what exercises are best to make quads bigger? How often do you lift? Reps? Most cyclists say they don't do a lot of upper body. I think that plays into this. Do you agree?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Weight lifting can definitely bulk up the quads. The one year I did Olympic lifting at this awesome Tongan gym in Oakland, I got up over 60cm. But I also ate a crap-ton of ice cream that year, too - so, I’m not sure if that’s causation or correlation. Anyway, that was back when I thought I was a track sprinter ... and now that I have conceded to my fate of being an track enduro and (gasp) a roadie - I really don't lift much anymore. Well, my coach does make me do core work and some weights for my arms to keep my biceps from being laughable. Biceps can be intimidating, too …so, I think weight lifting is important if you want to intimidate other racers and aren’t interested in getting a bunch of tattoos or body piercings.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><b>Have you ever participated in a quad-off? </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not really. Most of my competitions were virtual via the internet. And we know how much lying goes on over the webs … but I did do some leg wrestling a few times. That was awesome. But I think I pulled a muscle in my butt … so, haven’t done that in awhile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><br />Is there a legendary one (ie the walk-off in Zoolander)?</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><b>Is there someone no one else would challenge?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Well … I’d love to see a quad-off between someone like Jennie Reed and Robert Forstemann, but every time I see that picture of Forstemann in his underwear I kind of get the heebie-jeebies … so, maybe not. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, I wouldn't challenge someone like Jimmy Watkins because his quads are massive and he’s super intimidating with his scowls and facial hair (note: he’s actually a TOTAL teddy bear). Oh, and Jimmy is a firefighter, so if Forstemann ever needs the jaws-of-life to pry those undies out of Forstemann’s thighs … he’s your man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #222222;">Some US guys told me they had to get specially made jeans. Is that true? If so, where? How do they label the sizes or whatever?</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"><br /><b>I also heard there used to be some Brazilian jeans store in Philadelphia that cyclists liked to flock to for custom fits. Ever heard of this?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am SO happy you brought up jeans! In addition to quad measuring, jeans have been another big campaign on my blog. Finding jeans - <i>especially</i> for a woman - that fit an athletic body type is next to impossible. All the jeans we have access to are way too tight in the quads and just overflowing in the waist. Jean companies are missing a huge market in their designs … athletic women!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2008, I began a campaign on my blog for "keirin cut" jeans. Doesn’t that have an awesome ring to it … keirin cut! The keirin is the coolest track sprinting event and that’s why jeans designed for athletic women should have that name. These jeans would be designed to have room for big quads, but also have a smaller waist. Back then, there was a US domestic professional road racing team, Rock Racing, with Rock & Republic jeans as the title sponsor. Michael Ball was the CEO, and I sent him a number of emails - all chronicled on my blog (<a href="http://bethbikes.blogspot.com/2008/08/r-and-quads.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bethbikes.blogspot.<wbr></wbr></a></span></div>
com/2008/08/r-and-quads.html ) - trying to get him to make a new jean design based on this ‘keirin cut’ technology. He ignored me, because he sucks. But, I am still hopeful that someone will make some keirin cut jeans and give me 10% of all profits for the genius idea and name.
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /><b>Lastly, I guess, on the more serious side.</b><br /><b>Have you met cyclists who were self-conscious about their thighs? Or is it a sport in which everyone can truly embrace that?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I hope that all cyclists - from track to road to BMX to mountain bike - are proud of their quads and bodies on the whole. I mean, we pedal hours and hours every week - it’s a full-time job – so often, our bodies are seen as a measurement of our ability. And that can lead to some crazy concepts of self-worth. So, I’m a big advocate of embracing quad pride. And hell, we are always checking out each other's legs anyways … that’s why we cyclists shave our legs … to make the muscles look ripped! Don't let anyone tell you differently. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /><b>Also, is there a way to quantify quad size relative to performance?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Are there any elite sprinters with small quads? Any folks with huge quads who aren't that great?</b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vicky Pendleton's quads don't look that big - and she is amazingly fast. And she gives the best interviews in the world. Maybe you can get her to measure them for you? That would be awesome. Be sure to send them to me! And I wonder how big Marianne Vos' quads are – she’s the best cyclist in the world, man or woman. So, that would be a huge get. I have always wanted to measure Sarah Hammer’s quads, but I think she might be a germaphobe, so I have never dared to get close enough. She did take a picture with me once, however, and put her hand on my back, so maybe the germaphobe thing is just hearsay. As for folks with huge quads that aren’t that great? … I’m sure there are some sumo wrestlers who could go off the charts – but thinking about those boys on bicycles just makes me giggle.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-38828287678980751412012-01-11T16:18:00.000-08:002012-01-11T16:18:57.239-08:00the bermuda triangle and other waxing endeavorstoday is the eve of my team camp excursion. if you haven't heard yet (which i am sure you have, as the few people who read this blog know me personally...) next year i will be racing with the <a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/farina-leads-now-and-novartis-for-ms-womens-team-in-2012">NOW and Novartis for MS team</a>.<br />
<br />
when they told me team camp was going to be in bermuda my first thought was.... <i>yeah right! </i> but then i got sent a flight itinerary and<i> </i>realized it wasn't a joke: 1) i <i>really</i> was on on this team for next year - it wasn't a practical joke! and 2) team camp was in bermuda. score!<br />
<br />
knowing absolutely nothing about bermuda, i channeled my one reference point: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ChADh1zt5I">the beach boys song, "kokomo</a>" and immediately started humming: <i>"aruba, jamaica ooo i wanna take you to bermuda, bahama come on pretty mama..." </i><br />
<br />
not feeling a need to fact check the beach boys, i began day dreaming about 80 degree weather bike rides, followed by sitting on the beach. (although, the sitting on the beach part made me a bit nervous, as i knew i would have to deal with me being a bit out-of-control <i>down there</i>, if you get my gist....)<br />
<br />
i finally decided to check the weather last week and saw this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDptjkaHSdvbvqtMTZz5lL7j3KaT-4Ry8p2HJ4V6TUEP5MyZ5aDgq86o_aHE_JmOFpgVTfjABEpikZFfzndLzW8zmoBMDBZKBH8vAWT3ux6b2Hq1vgQ03xbhfWVzB6_fCAgVeo/s1600/10+Day+Weather+Forecast+for+Bermuda+International+Airport+-+weather.com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDptjkaHSdvbvqtMTZz5lL7j3KaT-4Ry8p2HJ4V6TUEP5MyZ5aDgq86o_aHE_JmOFpgVTfjABEpikZFfzndLzW8zmoBMDBZKBH8vAWT3ux6b2Hq1vgQ03xbhfWVzB6_fCAgVeo/s320/10+Day+Weather+Forecast+for+Bermuda+International+Airport+-+weather.com.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
which made me realize, the beach boys' sense of geography is probably just about as good as the beach boys' sense of women (as indicated in the great song "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8yph3rb27o">california girls</a>.") so, i decided to look at google maps, and learned some interesting thing about Caribbean geography, the first being that: no, bermuda is not in the Caribbean. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKMA1sBN7bOodErGov_h7Gc-h0QOPdpmIF5sts5wHl_VT81vTqSZwQlyvW3Sbfyd5nNI306pdIS1MhyqybTEFSi2AJ0_rhb2retqTw8m6kLQUxQhXSN7QHDzJadpSMTbwLu5m/s1600/caribbean+islands+-+Google+Maps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKMA1sBN7bOodErGov_h7Gc-h0QOPdpmIF5sts5wHl_VT81vTqSZwQlyvW3Sbfyd5nNI306pdIS1MhyqybTEFSi2AJ0_rhb2retqTw8m6kLQUxQhXSN7QHDzJadpSMTbwLu5m/s320/caribbean+islands+-+Google+Maps.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
i kindly circled or labeled all of the key reference point in the beach boys song. and, as you can see by the map... although 'bermuda' does kind of near-rhyme with 'jamacia'... it is not close to it.<br />
<br />
anyways....<br />
<br />
my other reference point for bermuda is, the bermuda triangle. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1e_Qv0umZJmZNBkMhOcvLtxt26jKGY6ZTD0HIa5TEC2tTmhzXaT1KoXLGrQHSXgnJs0Vjt6Mas4VsmnQns89RqbEv5m6vYj-tctDVoSY5-0xmou3Tl8R-1IwtTdd12lJDEll/s1600/200px-Bermuda_Triangle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1e_Qv0umZJmZNBkMhOcvLtxt26jKGY6ZTD0HIa5TEC2tTmhzXaT1KoXLGrQHSXgnJs0Vjt6Mas4VsmnQns89RqbEv5m6vYj-tctDVoSY5-0xmou3Tl8R-1IwtTdd12lJDEll/s1600/200px-Bermuda_Triangle.png" /></a></div><br />
the bermuda triangle - that place where things get lost and are never found - has recently actualized itself a lot closer to home.<br />
<br />
yes,<i> down there. </i><br />
<br />
while talking about the team camp trip the other week to my old teammate susannah, i lamented about being out-of-control, my eastern european heritage, and how i desperately needed to shave before even being seen in boy-cut swim shorts. hey, some people get fat in winter...other people get hairy.<br />
<br />
susannah breen, being my trusted source on all things female, replies: <i>"Shave? WTF - you should be waxing. Maybe you could even right if off as a "work expense"".</i><br />
<br />
this, of course, got me thinking...<i>she's genius!</i> however, the thought of putting hot wax on a bunch of hair down there, then ripping it off, really just didn't seem like a good idea.<br />
<br />
so i did what i normally do: put it off and tried not to think about it.<br />
<br />
and the same thing happened what normally happens when i ignore things...it got more wild, wild west... i mean seriously. totally out of control. the jungle became pretty laughable. <i>"can it get any worse?" "let's see!" </i> it got to the point where i think my boyfriend needed a road-map to maneuver all the detour signs down there. (hi mom!)<br />
<br />
anyways....you get the seriousness of the situation.<br />
<br />
team camp was getting closer and closer and something had to be done. i decided i was going to make the waxing plunge, but i wanted some more information. what is an appointment like? what kind of wax do i get? where do i go? what do i wear? do i need to trim up? how long does it last? how much further ahead of time should i get it done? i had lots of questions.<br />
<br />
so, being an excellent researcher, i did what i normally do when i wanted information: i sat down at my computer, and began typing into google. as i started to get answers, i had more questions.... i learned there were different types of waxes... bikini wax, brazilian wax, french wax, hollywood wax. (predictably enough i did not see hungarian wax, as that is a bit of an oxymoron) .... i sat there contemplating what i wanted, and decided i needed some pictures, and went to images.google.com and started typing but stopped myself just before i hit enter... <i>what the hell was i thinking?!?! </i>i was totally going to give myself a computer virus and open some porno!<br />
<br />
i stopped myself, but still needed some answers... so i emailed susannah. who, of course, provided me sufficient detail. susannah gave me some good suggestions. some of which i unfortunately forgot about. <i>"First of all, the hair should be at least 1/4" grown....so you can "trim" if you want, but no shaving of course.... hey, if I'm going to have another woman messing around my lady parts - I want them to get it over with asap." </i>that was sound advice. unfortunately, i forgot it...<br />
<br />
so i had to find a place to make my waxing appointment, and instead of basing it off recommendations or yelp reviews, i picked the place closest to my work. this technique typically works well for me, and this one was no different. <a href="http://www.serenityskin.net/">Serenity Skincare by Nicole</a><i> - </i>she looked pretty cool on her website. <br />
<br />
and cool she was. i gave a call and had my appointment yesterday. she is located in the back of a hair salon. i walk in and immediately say: "i have never done this before. and i am kind of out of control." hey, no use beating around the bush. <br />
<br />
so, i am not sure how waxings normally go, but i could have stayed in there for hours. she trimmed, she waxed, we chatted, laughed -- this was a blast! i heard her life story. i left feeling like she was my new bff. as i walked out i gave her a hug. <br />
<br />
what? it seemed normal! <br />
<br />
<br />
anyway, it wasn't until i got back into work and went into the bathroom that i really looked down and was like: <i>holy shit i am bald! i look like i am eleven. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
this of course resulted in a freakout for a few minutes. i composed myself, left the bathroom stall, went back to my desk, looked around with shifty eyes...and no one was giving me creepy looks. i know, why would they? it's not like my co-workers have x-ray vision. but for some reason it felt like they should. <br />
<br />
so there we have it. i am bald and heading off to team camp. looks like rain.... guess it was all for naught.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KC20KWxA3s5XBRZfCRRlumMy57i0BYiW0GqZXZ3EbZkYFwSO0tsfE6PxVEAZHcfw3uKIGZ7ilzCCS-NqffZ2CbWxwqpMM-RxmDq3Uc6ddj8h-f7YDP7cZfFNIrRmBequ6eQT/s1600/poo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KC20KWxA3s5XBRZfCRRlumMy57i0BYiW0GqZXZ3EbZkYFwSO0tsfE6PxVEAZHcfw3uKIGZ7ilzCCS-NqffZ2CbWxwqpMM-RxmDq3Uc6ddj8h-f7YDP7cZfFNIrRmBequ6eQT/s1600/poo.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-24741982121050609052011-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:002011-12-31T18:03:35.641-08:002011 wrap upit is december 31st and i am spending this day how i spent it two years ago: sick and miserable. i went for a ride today and almost tipped over from going too slow. now i am sitting in my bed with just enough energy to stay awake and look at the massive pile of shit on my dresser than i need to go through, but not quite enough energy to actually do anything productive. i tried about 45 minutes ago and my temperature went up by .2 degrees fahrenheit, so i sat down back in bed, perused facebook, looked at forums i haven't looked at in years, read the new velonews magazine, which was quite un-entertaining. i contemplated getting a new book to start, but the bookshelf is on the otherside of the house...and that seems like an effort. so, then i figured i would blog.<br />
<br />
i found a blog post i started in february-- so i figured that would be where i would begin my 2011 season wrap-up. i actually have a lot to wrap-up. i didn't really blog about any races in 2011 (except my drug test at nationals). between all the stage race days and track days, i think i had almost 80 race days.... so, mostly as a way to waste time in my illness, i will open up my usa cycling profile and re-live some memories of 2011. maybe i'll throw some pictures in if i really get bored tonight.... but that is asking a lot.<br />
<br />
now, the usa cycling profile is used for a few important purposes:<br />
<ol><li>find out the age of that person that you might potentially be romantically interested in. this is, of course, the most important use of the <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/results">usacycling.org/results</a> page. of course, you can sometimes lie to yourself, as this displays "racing age," not "actual age" - but it is still fairly accurate. having a mechanism like this is extremely important in a sport where you: a) often see people in helmets, which can hide indications of age, such as baldness, and b) cyclists' skin wrinkle early because of sun exposure and lack of moisturizer. the <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/results">usacycling.org/results</a> is really an excellent service that USAC provides to cycling singles everywhere. (not that i am a cycling single, but at one time i was, and greatly appreciated this stalking service).</li>
<li>sniff out the competition - it is quite helpful seeing how your competitors are doing. or if you are going to a race with no one you know, see what you have yourself matched up against. however, let's be honest on how i really use the results.... looking up races i didn't do, and saying: "oh, i totally beat that girl in a sprint once a few years ago at the early bird criterium when we were cat4s, so had i showed up, i <span style="font-style: italic;">totally</span> would have won." you can really find anything you want, and thus, everything can be a morale booster. <br />
</li>
<li>provide painful memories of missed opportunities in races - yes, it tracks all those bad results that you want to forget about... like that time i clipped my pedal as a cat4 and got 13th in crit... or that time where hanging out on the sidelines just looked more fun than riding in circles... yep, it is all there... forever...</li>
</ol>i am so happy that on february 20, 2011 i took the opportunity to do a screenshot capture of my usacycling profile. really, i should've considered retiring permanently so it would look awesome forever. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdYDF_AZFY5JntX02o4zxU_CHfwrmJQ1xulpOduWbNyXszJlJe038ma1rE7Oof945rzp0crJ-hCMnPPMaOgJfjzfHyqXqe2xY4Q-dZ4t37Mdgilk_UUj2w1G13gvYSTQQbQQA/s1600/usac.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574767884216352882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdYDF_AZFY5JntX02o4zxU_CHfwrmJQ1xulpOduWbNyXszJlJe038ma1rE7Oof945rzp0crJ-hCMnPPMaOgJfjzfHyqXqe2xY4Q-dZ4t37Mdgilk_UUj2w1G13gvYSTQQbQQA/s400/usac.png" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 284px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 459px;" /></a> <br />
it really doesn't get better than that.<br />
<br />
okay, onto the 2011 wrap-up<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">san bruno hill climb</span><br />
<br />
for most people, january 1st typically starts with a hangover. except my boyfriend loves to register me for the san bruno hill climb on jan 1 every year. "merry christmas, beth!" <i>uh...thanks! guess we have no new years eve plans! </i>well, i can't actually say i am bummed, because i never really do anything cool for new years eve...<br />
<br />
the first race of the year is always a pain, because it is really hard to pack the race bag.<br />
<br />
i was actually looking forward to the hill climb last january, because word on the street was that it was a big mass start. that meant i would be able to race my favorite competition: OLD MEN. nothing makes me go faster up a hill, than seeing some old guys in the distance. and given that there are a lot of masters men racers in cycling who sign up for timed events, i was looking forward to picking off the slow ones on the climb and saying "on your left" in the most girly voice i can muster.<br />
<br />
however, my whole race plan imploded when they actually started us by category at 2 minute increments. bummer although i didn't get to race along side any men, i at least still had my time. and, as such, i want to mention that i beat ralf medloff. he wasn't too happy about it, so i wanted to announce it to the internets. please note also: his bike was *way* pimped out. lastly, i would like to note that he failed to bring a pump to the race. what kind of professional mechanic is that!?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvfsT3SbV0z245bvGK6ndg3sbnbBDknuW1G_52HTJJpOoXsMyt_1y-DGopL_kUm3o5Yjql95xHvmk7oAj7IL0WVTrp5G6Jcot-tNYrCM2O1gTPAS3Fk9RZyi6-xeUbvWNk2L4/s1600/131841_1710523958409_1097417438_1918034_6114691_o.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577708777986168594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvfsT3SbV0z245bvGK6ndg3sbnbBDknuW1G_52HTJJpOoXsMyt_1y-DGopL_kUm3o5Yjql95xHvmk7oAj7IL0WVTrp5G6Jcot-tNYrCM2O1gTPAS3Fk9RZyi6-xeUbvWNk2L4/s400/131841_1710523958409_1097417438_1918034_6114691_o.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 254px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 280px;" /></a>this here is a very bad picture. unfortunately the photographer missed the total rockstar shot of me holding the girl scout cookies in the air with the "WHOOO!" face, and unfortunately caught me mid motion with a stupid look. oh well, next time.</div><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">san jose time trial</span><br />
<br />
not an official usac event, but i pinned on a number and filled out a waiver, so it counts. this is a cool series the san jose bike club puts on - a type of winter training series. the TT course was hard. 15 miles. but there were <span style="font-style: italic;">hills</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">really turny decents.</span> given that this was my first time racing on a time trial bike, and that i hadn't ever used it on anything more than a 1-2% grade, this proved very tricky.<br />
<br />
i was totally planning on beating my boyfriend. we talked shit about it forever. however, out he comes and takes me to a technical course with a decent, that of course i sucked on, and he put mad time into me.<br />
<br />
no worries, though, SJBC had my back.<br />
<br />
to make their TT series more fun, they give people handicaps. and cause i was a girl, i got a handicap, and my boyfriend didn't - resulting in my just beating him. HA! cheap win, maybe, but i don't care!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM6Q1275q1sYqpFtWKwKXoBf9TYq_YjjYr_TEp7cqjcEjDwoQvTPbtc4xawJYhxM2psLKKQWCo4j8sklhEIkLWz9QoRCOBAwQzBPsoBAm7uj5xfl4N-4JMp8CilYGx2Cfb33V/s1600/SJBC.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574771546730905218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM6Q1275q1sYqpFtWKwKXoBf9TYq_YjjYr_TEp7cqjcEjDwoQvTPbtc4xawJYhxM2psLKKQWCo4j8sklhEIkLWz9QoRCOBAwQzBPsoBAm7uj5xfl4N-4JMp8CilYGx2Cfb33V/s400/SJBC.png" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 90px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><b>2011 - the rest of it</b><br />
<br />
okay. that gets me through, like january 8th. and i am already petering out. i am never going to finish before the clock strikes midnight at this pace. now i will resort to bullet points for the remainder of the 2011 bicycle racing year. <br />
<ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>early bird road race - i somehow got dragged to this race, despite being told by my master's men track team there is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">hill </span>in it. i didn't really listen to them, because one has to be hesitant listening to trackies who talk about hills. a little bump suddenly becomes a <span style="font-style: italic;">hill</span>. having officially turned roadie, i wasn't going to be scared away. plus, i had just won a hill climb, right?<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>this time, though, they weren't lying. i was the only chick who showed, so instead of making me ride alone, they let me start with the 35+ 1/2/3. this was fun, because i got to race with my <span style="font-style: italic;">boyfriend.</span> he won. <i>le sigh. </i>but i kicked all of his teammates asses. score!</li>
<li>snelling - the highlight of my snelling was being in a break with erinne willock & ali powers. i thought this was pretty rad - as they were like, real professional. and when i saw the photographer on top of a little bump - i made sure to go to the front so i had a cool picture with some PROs. unfortunately our break did not stay away and i barely survived sucking wheels the rest of the race. that is okay, i got a cool photo for life that i can tell people was at a big time race, and not .. snelling...</li>
<li>then there were some stage races: merco and madera. i actually discovered i thought time trialing was fun. unfortunately, i kinda stink at it. (i think my fever is going up, because i am getting a bit delusional in my recollections of "likes"). merco was super fun and i really liked the first stage. madera was okay. the roads seem to get more and more crap each year. and this year, i flatted about 2 miles from the finish, so that sucked.</li>
<li>redlands - i guest rode at my first NRC race. it was very hot and i was very overwhelmed and couldn't figure out how to get a bottle in the feed zone. (okay, now i am getting tired and not so funny...in fact, i can't even recall the stupid shit any longer. but i am almost to april and i must push through)</li>
<li>chico stage race - another really fun race! it was going awesome until the gravel section in the road race. the crit was also going awesome until i crashed myself out being in a two person break off the front with 1.5 laps to go. how do i crash myself out when there is only one other person? i don't think i have to answer that. it's my blog, afterall. but i took it like a grownup and threw my bike in front of a little kid.</li>
<li>copperopolis, wente, berkeley hills: it was the battle of breen/newell vs. werner. the aussie superstar pretty much owned us...but luckily we at least got things right at wente. and that race had the best prizes, so that is what matters. that's the race sponsored by a vineyard, and werner isn't even old enough to drink.</li>
<li>crits: there were some dumb crits that i got roped into doing that i didn't do too well at. (this line might be copy/pasted at several points throughout this bullet pointed list)</li>
<li>mutual of enumclaw - a super fun stage race i went to up in washington. i was trying to win the nature valley grand prix qualifer spot...but didn't. i had a great time racing regardless and at least had a stage win. if you are ever up there during this time of year - definitely do this race! also, i finally got to have the beer "mac & jack's african amber" i had been dreaming about for three years when i had once in seattle...</li>
<li>mt hamilton - goonies never say die. i went from off the front to off the back several times, but molly v-h and i never said die - and i ended up third. i consider this race, perhaps, my biggest accomplishment for the whole year. susannah and i were a bunch of crazies and biked back to the start in san jose... to put in a full 100 miles. ouch.</li>
<li>testarosa velodrome challenge: pascale schnieder (swiss champion in everything) pretty much put on a track clinic for the rest of us. but it was still a really fun race and i felt good sensations for the track season ahead. </li>
<li>mt hood: officially my favorite race of the year. the courses were awesome and painful and just finishing the last stage felt like an accomplishment. had a fun time guest riding with metromint team.</li>
<li>taleo criterium: small but fun race where i won a prize of a palm reading (yet to be cashed in)</li>
<li>nature valley grand prix: had a super fun time guest riding with the vanderkitten team for my second nrc race. i think that first criterium was the hardest race i had ever done. holy mother. i rode behind the world champion, which, in the words of nacho libre, was: <i>pretty sweeeet.</i> </li>
<li>lodi criterium - i was solo for about 35 minutes or so, but it all paid off because i won a bottle wine that i can't even bench press it is so big. it has yet to be cracked open, as we are too lame to have a party</li>
<li>alpenrose velodrome challenge - one of my favorite races of the year! i came a few seconds off the track pursuit record (next year!), did a scratch race not so well...then the rest of the events got rained out. super bummer. </li>
<li>cascade cycling classic - my third nrc race, and this was my favorite by far. except the day where i got a little hypoxic from the elevation. oddly enough my worst stage was the prologue - the stage that most resembles the pursuit....explain that one to me. </li>
<li>mt diablo hill climb - that was pretty stupid in retrospect</li>
<li>some more crits - see crit line above.</li>
<li>tuesday and friday night world track championships - they usually started off with a junior attacking really hard in the first lap of the race (who inevidably ended up pulling out about 20 laps later). i actually had a chance of placing with the men when the races were long enough.</li>
<li>LAVRA race - i went to a track race in LA and ended up riding with the men and getting third in the points race for lapping with a couple others. that was cool, but i still hate LA.</li>
<li>track nationals - that went pretty good for me, but i already wrote about that.</li>
</ul>okay, i kicked that out. a few details are missing, the post got more and more boring as it went on... but, i don't sell adds on my blog (like <a href="http://www.norcalcyclingnews.com/">some blogs</a>) - so the quality is shit. maybe i'll add in some pictures later, but i am still going to publish now, because - you read it here first - my new years resolution is i am going to blog at least once a week. that's right. once a week, bitches. hopefully this post will set the bar low.<br />
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okay, i am out. michael is making me drink a glass of water...because he is still going to make me race san bruno tomorrow. considering i get winded walking to the bathroom, let's just say i am not so thrilled about it. at least my pathetic crawling up the hill will make for a good blog post. hey, not every year can start off as awesome as it did last year... thank god i at least screen captured it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-86991893116710473232011-09-30T14:00:00.000-07:002011-09-30T15:26:04.829-07:00on winning a national title & getting dope testedas you can tell from the title of this blog post, yesterday i won a national title, and as a result got drug tested. it was in the heptathlon of track cycling, an event called the international omnium. (except, instead of 7 events, it is 6 events...and instead of getting points for doing well, you get points for doing bad....and, thus, you obviously want less points, not more.)<br /><br />i will not give a play-by-play of the two days, as that is pretty boring probably. pretty much, kit karzen summed it up when he said something along the lines of: "my therapy bills for the last two days are off the charts. it's like: ihatemylife, ilovemylife, ihatemylife, ilovemylife." the event would really be about a hundred times easier if all six events were held in one day within an 8 hour time span, instead of spaced out so much.<br /><br />so, what does it feel like to win a national title?<br /><br />let me tell you, it went like this:<br /><br />i came into the final race with a 3 point lead, so i had a bit of a buffer. the final race is a 500m time trial. when i first started track racing, i figured this was going to be *my* event, as i liked running the 400m. unfortunately i was approximately 100% wrong with my prognostication. i pretty much suck at the event. i mean, if they started timing about 50m after the start line, i think i'd be respectable at it. but unfortunately that is not how the race works.<br /><br />now, it is no mystery to anyone that my start sucks. but last year, i remember reading a story about tara whitten (the reigning world champion in the event). i guess the year previous she was leading going into the 500m, and lost the title in the last event. the next year, she worked on starts every time she went to the track, and when the same situation occurred she nailed it and won.<br /><br />this was very inspiring for me, so i followed suit... i did starts at the track for every workout session for the last 6-7 weeks when i was training at the track. and i got good at them. well, <span style="font-style: italic;">good</span> is perhaps an overstatement. good enough. i mean, i at least wasn't embarrassing myself anymore.<br /><br />and you know what? all that practice and all that visualization was a big, <span style="font-style: italic;">big</span> waste of time. what did i do when it really counted? i got so nervous, i jumped early, false started, and unclipped. i tried to play it cool, as one more false start is a DQ, but i definitely was <span style="font-style: italic;">anything</span> but cool. "just don't false start again, start clean, and you will be fine" i told myself as that clock ticking was going.<br /><br />if i could describe my start visually, it would be like this: you know when a beginner comes to the track on a rental bike and you see them do their first start ever? weaving down track, then taking several seconds to move 5 meters forward? well, that is pretty much what it looked like. i was pretty much scared shitless at this point, seeing the whole race shatter before my eyes... i heard kevin masker screaming his balls out at me in turn one, and i tried to sprint as fast as i could for the next two laps, all but knowing in the back of my head that there is really no making up for that, and i lost it.<br /><br />i crossed the finish line and the only emotion i felt was pure despair. i had blown it so incrediby bad. i rolled around for a lap completely devastated.<br /><br />i came off the track, very sad, and then someone said i won, as lauren hall who was in 2nd place to me going into the event, was only one place ahead of me. i really couldn't believe it. i had just fucked up so royally there is no way i still could have won.<br /><br />ya know, of all the times riding and training and day dreaming thinking about what it would feel like to win a national title, it never quite played out like that. i more pictured me having a fast ride, screaming, putting my arms in the air, jumping up and down... or something along those lines. ya know, the normal things you feel when you are on an adrenaline high. even after i heard i won, i was still upset about my 500m and in a bit of denial and disbelief that i had actually won.<br /><br />sarah hammer said to me on the infield right after the race: "that's the omnium for you!"<br /><br />and i guess that is the omnium for you. 6 races. 2 days. ilovelife, ihatelife. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">on getting dope tested</span><br /><br />so, like i said... it really didn't set in very quickly. i mean, after such a major f-up, it's hard to actually believe you won something. but i finally believed it when the USADA lady came over to me, and said she was going to be with me for the next hour. my first response?<br /><br />"can i get a picture." i mean, this was cool shit - getting drug tested!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEtOIiDH5TG-qwMY8jZ9xDQtWt6GuY7kR7uvNJQURRglrIPde5sWXNoOVSN56BFSjqxVfSeZg4gPKDr-Hl0Zl9-EOvUHG-oRAEmohX-FGy9PxqBO4gvkdEE9pAN62ynV7HyIy/s1600/usada.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEtOIiDH5TG-qwMY8jZ9xDQtWt6GuY7kR7uvNJQURRglrIPde5sWXNoOVSN56BFSjqxVfSeZg4gPKDr-Hl0Zl9-EOvUHG-oRAEmohX-FGy9PxqBO4gvkdEE9pAN62ynV7HyIy/s400/usada.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658269732810331842" border="0" /></a><br />after the picture was taken, i said: "do i have to wait an hour? i can go now." i am not overly confident about a lot of things. but finishing my dinner plate and being able to pee-on-demand, are too thinks that i am quite confident about. she was surprised i was so ready to go, so she said okay and walked me through the track to the upstairs. <br /><br />anyway, we walk inside and she has some paperwork, and i see on the top of the form it says: "Address, Zip, Phone." <br /><br />now, to say i was still pretty rattled about the 500m is an understatement. as i was walking into the room, all i could think was: i can't remember my address. is it 4727 or 2742. now, in my defense, we had just moved about 4 weeks ago. but still, that is pretty stupid i am 29 years old and can't remember my address. address, phone number, and right/left is pretty much the first test one must pass in kindergarten. and here i am. when did i become such a dumb jock?<br /><br />so getting drug tested goes like this. i take the cup and walk into a stall, and this lady starts following me in. i pretty much give her the <span style="font-style: italic;">WTF?!?!</span> look, and then realize: a) oh, they probably do that so you don't do anything shady, and b) i had just walked into the little stall, as opposed to the big stall, and it is quite a bit cramped in here. as i try to close the door of the little stall, she suggests we move to the big stall, she is the professional here, so i comply.<br /><br />"so how much do i need to pee?"<br /><br />she points to the 90ml -- which is about half a cup.<br /><br />at that point, i get a bit nervous. as, when i was all: <span style="font-style: italic;">"oh, i can pee now...i can pee anytime...look how awesome i am"</span> to the USADA lady when she told me she'd be with me for an hour - i thought she just needed a <span style="font-style: italic;">little</span> pee. i can always pee a little. but half a cup is kinda a lot. <br /><br />but if there is one thing i learned this week, it is: <span style="font-weight: bold;">don't underestimate yourself!</span><br /><br />so, i gave it go, and figure i'd do what i can. i had a few tricks up my sleeve to generate more urine if necessary, and i thought i could make the half a cup.<br /><br />so i started peeing...... and missed the cup. <span style="font-style: italic;">fuck</span> i though. <span style="font-style: italic;">that was valuable milliliters! </span>however, just like after the first day of the omnium, i recomposed, made a straight line in, and made it was up to 140ml no problem, without even using my extra-pee techniques such as leaning forward or pushing on my belly. i screwed on the lid, and then wanted to pee a little bit more. but then i felt kinda awkward about it...as that lady was still standing there. i mean, it is one thing peeing in front of a lady when you are peeing in a cup...but it is a bit more weird to pee in front of a lady when you are just peeing in the toilet bowl. so, i decided i would hold it.<br /><br />then came part two, transferring my pee into the different A and B sample glass containers. that was pretty uneventful. i was just happy i didn't spill any of my pee on the table.<br /><br />then came part three: declaration of supplements. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">USADA GUY</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">:</span></span></span></span>what supplements do you take? <br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">bethbikes!:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span>uhh, i take iron pills <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">USADA GUY</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">: </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">how often? when was the last time you took one? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">bethbikes!: </span>uhhh....when i remember.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />USADA GUY</span>:how often is that? when was the last time you remembered?<br /></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote></blockquote></span>now, how does one honestly answer this question.? i think the most honest answer would be: <span style="font-style: italic;">i remember to take my iron about as often as i "remember" to do my core work.</span> which would translate into: "three times a week on a good week, but once every 6 weeks is not uncommon." <br /><br />then came the dreaded next part....my address. i still couldn't remember. 4727 or 2742. 4727 was what first came to my mind, but i was having second thoughts. <span style="font-style: italic;">what the hell is wrong with me?</span> i went with my initial instinct, as i remember someone giving me that advice once when deciding between answers on multiple choice tests. <span style="font-style: italic;">4727 </span>i tell him. then, i clumsily explained that i had just moved and was really anxious and overwhelmed at the moment and not thinking too great. he told me to come back if it was wrong and they would re-write my form.<br /><br />i went down for the awards ceremony, found michael and asked him what our address was. "2742" he replied. <span style="font-style: italic;">of course,</span> i thought. i pretty much had freakout number 17 of the day. anyway, we walk back up, and they easily correct it.<br /><br />i am just thankful i don't have to walk down the street and knock on the door of a crackhead's house to track down my "U.S. Anti-Doping Drug-Free" letter. <br /><br />and that is a wrap.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-9043719493424201732011-08-25T11:57:00.000-07:002011-08-25T12:08:44.429-07:00you know you made it......when you get to tell people you are a cover girl <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[of the local weekly entertainment paper.]</span></span>
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<br /><a href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/the-road-less-traveled/Content?oid=2967113"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBJe4aPcmwAJnogflr55VqO4sljaFuIo9QMgyxzJ_9OhzH2I1UHTu1fdQq80YLrbugQxKpVrwure2zh7tmlclfJz96PHjWaq0RfEinqDsCLjiI5VXEHjRz6Q-2CwIRiKHO0jT/s400/East+Bay+Express.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644872123480005218" border="0" /></a>
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<br />so, there was definitely some creative licensing with some facts... but, hey, otherwise it would have been a pretty boring story for the reporter to write.
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<br />the best part? on tuesday i got to tell someone: "i can't make an appointment cause i have a photo shoot."
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<br />if you live local, pick up a hard copy of the East Bay Express. if there are actually people out there who still read my blog, despite not having updated since december, here is the <a href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/the-road-less-traveled/Content?oid=2967113">internet version</a>. maybe this is just the kick in the pants i need to start blogging again.
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<br />maybe.
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-87521743131712720202011-02-08T13:41:00.000-08:002011-02-08T14:53:05.770-08:00wrapping up 2010cause my boyfriend started <a href="http://norcalcyclingnews.com/">blogging</a> again, i figured it was about time to start again too. i realize that february 8th is pretty late to be wrapping up last year, but i don't care.<br /><br />since we last spoke, what's been up? well, this required me to sift back to my blog and jog my memory about happenings...<br /><br />1. keirin cut update<br /><br />beth bikes! dropped the ball on that one. those guys even agreed to send over a few pants if i got sizes, but then i forgot cause i am lame. i bet i am too late now. foiled again.<br /><br />2. bike riding<br /><br />i have been doing a lot of it. last i wrote about bike riding.... was.... well, nationals in october. below are a few highlights since then.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">highlight #1 - track camp<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>maybe a week after nationals, i headed back down to LA for a USA development team pursuiting track camp.<br /><br />getting to the camp was a bit difficult, because: 1) motivation to train the week after nationals was a bit lacking, to be honest. thankfully, the boyfriend made me do some intervals in the between nationals and camp so i didn't suck balls too much, 2) i had to talk my work into letting me take another week off...even though i have more than used my vacation time. luckily my boss was really understanding, 3) i had to drive all the way by myself. considering michael usually chauffeurs me around, the drive to LA was very lonely, 4) i didn't have a bike to use for camp (as mine was broke bigtime after my sweet cyclingnews crash at nationals) ...but they let me go on a rental bike. now, these aren't the normal hellyer rental bikes. they put me on a sweet carbon teschner~ so i felt super cool.<br /><br />i am having a hard time remember too much about track camp, which is probably why you shouldn't write blogs 4 months late... but let's just say, we did some team pursuiting, and i learned a lot about it!<br /><br />i had a real fun time at camp. thanks to usa cycling for inviting me & for letting me borrow one of the team bikes, there was another camp in november, but i couldn't make it do to the real job...but maybe next time!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">highlight #2 - off season</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">kingsburg criterium<br /><br /></span>off-season began with the kingsburg criterium. yep - you heard me right! the next weekend we went to the central valley for some good times at the kingsburg criterium. course was super fun~ we had a field size of four or five - but it was still a really fun race & course! i won bunches of primes (and the race!) - so after the race, it was like michael & i were on a shopping spree in fresno.... we went to 3 or 4 different bike shops/sporting good stores to spend gift cards we won, then had a luxurious 3-course meal the next day at some steak restaurant. (funny, as we are pretty much vegetarians). we stayed with some nice folks in fresno then crashed the steven's bicycles ride the next day, which was a blast! riding in fresno pretty much rules.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">redding!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>maybe two weeks after the fresno adventure, i had to be up in redding for work - so we stayed an extra day or two to do some riding. riding up in redding was awesome. it was maybe some of my favorite riding all year long. i have been a big fan of the mapmyride website for several years for this very reason... you can just type in any city and find some really cool rides. i've used both it in california and ohio - and it is great for finding cool bike routes when you are on vacation. here was <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/25087782">day 1</a> and <a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/25143084/">day 2</a> - check them out if you are ever in the area.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sLcQhcPzX5qA0fZuWvYrMdRSsB9MpypwampYaWR8c1kICFlZCyq1lWEZCsub_4XCrikURfodhGG2oV5UvPv4KCgNm8Xz44udarYJxUEGn06IFaJ6f9PFMERBW74QArul7Xr3/s1600/redding.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sLcQhcPzX5qA0fZuWvYrMdRSsB9MpypwampYaWR8c1kICFlZCyq1lWEZCsub_4XCrikURfodhGG2oV5UvPv4KCgNm8Xz44udarYJxUEGn06IFaJ6f9PFMERBW74QArul7Xr3/s400/redding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571446330291730242" border="0" /></a>redding is full of pretty riding, as you can see!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiCZYKcptTKTBBqQy3zCXSwhC983Wxo3zgsw4Urrh6dDKErrxALTkCbK42kRerPCeveRxqGaYqPyMM_qnn69Lhz7dJoB2ENReiji5SqRcGv2pOzxNpfMuZMNfKu66rX99CMkg/s1600/redding-map.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiCZYKcptTKTBBqQy3zCXSwhC983Wxo3zgsw4Urrh6dDKErrxALTkCbK42kRerPCeveRxqGaYqPyMM_qnn69Lhz7dJoB2ENReiji5SqRcGv2pOzxNpfMuZMNfKu66rX99CMkg/s400/redding-map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571445420368083378" border="0" /></a>this was our ride the first day... we didn't write down our directions quite well...after we figured out where we were, we found this map... sometimes road names are for locals-only... as in the road changes names or three roads have the same name....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bftvb_vKl3iGfXWlMqoEuZwAdcPkNF-eKSi310edKCv55sim3fjTR_nlm0ErC9yBuWtT-n2-cy6NtCXWatH1Bf_uGbt5omFHX4p_HGP9bXP1Dx2QITuMXgEqJTiscnJQq-cy/s1600/redding-parade.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bftvb_vKl3iGfXWlMqoEuZwAdcPkNF-eKSi310edKCv55sim3fjTR_nlm0ErC9yBuWtT-n2-cy6NtCXWatH1Bf_uGbt5omFHX4p_HGP9bXP1Dx2QITuMXgEqJTiscnJQq-cy/s400/redding-parade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571445789181893506" border="0" /></a>the second day, we crashed a parade. unfortuantely the picture didn't come out of me next to the marching band... so you just have to visualize it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZ3RRSimgrbM8WSL4bg1C-WjMIhEYn8PJRmDwqeGoIxnhzvDxbIHK5W3-wxNa3S2NrmsQSG-7wf6P4vZwgUd1vtYsk0g_pYPVKNlX8zF4IwYdIIQ_2Eh1n_yEoXrugJ3W2hdb/s1600/redding-shastadam.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 326px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZ3RRSimgrbM8WSL4bg1C-WjMIhEYn8PJRmDwqeGoIxnhzvDxbIHK5W3-wxNa3S2NrmsQSG-7wf6P4vZwgUd1vtYsk0g_pYPVKNlX8zF4IwYdIIQ_2Eh1n_yEoXrugJ3W2hdb/s400/redding-shastadam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571445795563691026" border="0" /></a>this is the shasta dam - very beautiful area!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQqcSPjp0stJTpih8HOop_bmEeEa787tcRyIdFLgASGeFBTNthXNCUP4FbduZL5jWtmgLo8u7nEKIMFImobPcsXeFttrjDbOy-Lr-4P_P_nKkwn9njvq-SXtn9AaZzeCM24g9/s1600/redding-sundialbridge.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQqcSPjp0stJTpih8HOop_bmEeEa787tcRyIdFLgASGeFBTNthXNCUP4FbduZL5jWtmgLo8u7nEKIMFImobPcsXeFttrjDbOy-Lr-4P_P_nKkwn9njvq-SXtn9AaZzeCM24g9/s400/redding-sundialbridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571445794762697890" border="0" /></a>also, if you are in redding, be sure to check out the sundial bridge-- it is pretty cool!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">reno!</span><br /></div></div><br />the week after the redding adventure, we went to reno! [this must have been mid-november?] (that's right, that was 3 weekends of fresno, redding, reno traveling). i got to crash my <a href="http://gbi-racing.blogspot.com/">boyfriend's team</a> camp! the guys were super nice to let me tag along on their weekend of group rides ~~ thanks fellas! i had so much fun in reno-- it was great riding up geiger...and just all around... loved it!...<br /><br />and i didn't even freeze my butt off too much because 1) it wasn't <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> cold yet, as it was only mid-november... and 2) my inner ohio blood came out & i toughed it out.<br /><br />i sadly don't have any pictures of the reno adventure - but it was good times, to say the least!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">my new team!</span><br /><br />i am a part of a women's road team for 2011 -- <a href="http://teamleadout.blogspot.com/">fremont bank cycling</a>. i am pretty excited to be racing with the ladies of this team, as they are all super nice. in december i got to do a few rides with some of my teammates on both the men & women's side. again, i don't have any photos. but our kits are supercute and baby blue- so there you have it!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">new bikes!</span><br /><br />fall was a time for new bikes.<br /><br />road bike: my neuvation ... well, it was time to upgrade. i'll leave it at that. i was looking for a new-to-me (aka used) bike... and thank you to my most wonderful bike sponsor annabell. annabell sold me her beautiful old giant road bike - which was in pristine condition! i love it! that bike kicks so much ass... it is undefeated & has five wins under it already. don't let people tell you it isn't the bike. it is!<br /><br />track bike: as you all know, my bike broke at the nationals... this too was annabell's old bike. (she is my bike sponsor!) i thought a lot about what bike to get, and then i talked to dave tiemeyer, and there was no more thinking needed!<br /><br />my bike is getting painted as we speak!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJaQhnWE9qPWsmwpbxoIH6FT-H3tEinA9TDx6OxmHHxs9XQRDJVhqx2RDeoD81Y8myefGScXvZ3dvvmmgp4Jx0iS-TR1ZWMeM6Yna2zr50HKBUB8MDy9ECrPyBkudum61XGaJ/s1600/Newell+Track+Unfinished.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJaQhnWE9qPWsmwpbxoIH6FT-H3tEinA9TDx6OxmHHxs9XQRDJVhqx2RDeoD81Y8myefGScXvZ3dvvmmgp4Jx0iS-TR1ZWMeM6Yna2zr50HKBUB8MDy9ECrPyBkudum61XGaJ/s400/Newell+Track+Unfinished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571453615778476738" border="0" /></a>here it is -- pre getting tempered and painted....<br /></div><br />when you get a tiemeyer, you can get a custom paint job....and of course i wanted an orange bike! but full orange is a bit much, so I wanted something orange and white. mr. tiemeyer sent me a picture of cari higgins' bike and suggested i do something like that.... i didn't know how best to tell mr. tiemeyer what i wanted, so i figured i would use MSPaint to display my preferences...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnmKjTs0HHb6xNFYAwVVbgqVL9jLc7xi8pUQ8k92sRMOaJvdY6y1uYiiitAV4oG1JLcbD_bU-q9AILBzt67KDVd72qV7oaWp2dy9ec-T4npQ2WuYsWxytsoGS-AKkwwfnKw_4/s1600/Higgins+Track.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnmKjTs0HHb6xNFYAwVVbgqVL9jLc7xi8pUQ8k92sRMOaJvdY6y1uYiiitAV4oG1JLcbD_bU-q9AILBzt67KDVd72qV7oaWp2dy9ec-T4npQ2WuYsWxytsoGS-AKkwwfnKw_4/s400/Higgins+Track.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571454844676434498" border="0" /></a>my bike will look like cari's, except the blue will be orange & beth bikes! will be writting on the top tube! then i realized there was one major flaw with this picture.....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwadMmRLqPRmlsxJ_0P1eGNfi1ue6Ix0XH5UerO7IR71o9YmZ09AGsppcj6h6TtDV90Ot03cBUeqpnJ-HHgTQRu5Pzt7T2Zu-_9CM_lGI1h6xCXcwKChMqGKAJG9hkZ90k7FI-/s1600/Beth-track-bike.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwadMmRLqPRmlsxJ_0P1eGNfi1ue6Ix0XH5UerO7IR71o9YmZ09AGsppcj6h6TtDV90Ot03cBUeqpnJ-HHgTQRu5Pzt7T2Zu-_9CM_lGI1h6xCXcwKChMqGKAJG9hkZ90k7FI-/s400/Beth-track-bike.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571454850958654130" border="0" /></a>so i put my head on cari's and sent it back to mr. tiemeyer. i hope he liked it!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">alright... i guess that is about it for 2010. it was a fun year. and i am ready for an even better one in 2011. ...and one where i blog more regularly.<br /><br />peace out, bitches.<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-82669116582870439392010-10-29T14:37:00.001-07:002010-10-31T17:00:08.603-07:00keirin cut propositionjust a quick friday afternoon update!<br /><br />last night i received an email back from the good folks at outlier.<br /><blockquote>Hi Beth, Much apologies, your email came as quite a shock to us, we certainly did not name our pants with the intention of robbing or offending anyone. We were not in anyway actively aware of your keirin cut campaign. However in digging through our old emails we did find someone sending us a link over 25 months ago to your site. It’s a great name and likely stuck with us while the source of it regrettably did not. We’ve added a link and acknowledgment to our site. If you’d like to chat further, please give us a call at our office and we’ll be happy to chat. Best regards and apologies for any confusion. </blockquote>a very nice letter, indeed and thanks very much for the response and link on your website. of course i did not have the name trademarked, nor am i much for legal snafus with small, homegrown businesses.<br /><br />i thought about it long and hard on my whole 15 minute commute home, and decided there is only one true course of action: <span style="font-weight: bold;">the keirin cut dungarees must go to the test!!!</span><br /><br />there is lots of skepticism about these pants because of this skinny model, who clearly does not belong in the big-quad club.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_NYLKByD7jW7yPMEYWvK68iSYSBAQol4CHTancBo1-0IqcWRA0JB8Q66GNR5ehiZ5f3_LuCjtkObcp3OdVoRQWdgYj8ssvK4vc-lHJneZwt_ghV6PH1KQt16S9KnxM6c50bC/s1600/05OUTLIERDungareePose.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_NYLKByD7jW7yPMEYWvK68iSYSBAQol4CHTancBo1-0IqcWRA0JB8Q66GNR5ehiZ5f3_LuCjtkObcp3OdVoRQWdgYj8ssvK4vc-lHJneZwt_ghV6PH1KQt16S9KnxM6c50bC/s320/05OUTLIERDungareePose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533591624109566514" border="0" /></a>i mean. i don't even think he could squat the bar.<br /><br />do these pants actually fit big-quaded keirin riders like they claim? i think they need to be put to the test.<br /><br />i propose the following folks be testers:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />#1 - dana feiss</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI42xwtgpwwQiiKtZf7kHMbYxQhdBuC63WQ8Hqq65G6iY8O1Z4bq1J2O3xakfMF6gkdiiGToCWGFIqXgA2j9-zpGDgZY6zY5Keioz8WBKVPQp7iolfAt7jJqvXdertLi8u3c8V/s1600/dana1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI42xwtgpwwQiiKtZf7kHMbYxQhdBuC63WQ8Hqq65G6iY8O1Z4bq1J2O3xakfMF6gkdiiGToCWGFIqXgA2j9-zpGDgZY6zY5Keioz8WBKVPQp7iolfAt7jJqvXdertLi8u3c8V/s400/dana1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533592758290683810" border="0" /></a><span>u.s. national keirin champion. </span>dana feiss has big quads. i still remember the day i first saw them one and a half years ago. i still shudder at the memory.<br /><br />and thanks <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacrepat/">pat benson</a> for the bitchin' photo!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qsL2UIzRpiRiYYV6TCIEYlWGWBEjD9BxKzxVXsflltHqsa2fSCPUrojr_tuyWs4xJCWJO9o8izpacyFt2rz6T7D21k3xFXf3yYX4yLgbKC6-BMbQ5HZzopELwdA5zlJShT81/s1600/dana3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qsL2UIzRpiRiYYV6TCIEYlWGWBEjD9BxKzxVXsflltHqsa2fSCPUrojr_tuyWs4xJCWJO9o8izpacyFt2rz6T7D21k3xFXf3yYX4yLgbKC6-BMbQ5HZzopELwdA5zlJShT81/s400/dana3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533592925970413202" border="0" /></a>here is dana walking to her start. do you see those quads?! i mean, she could crush that guy standing on the hood of the car. will these pants really fit her?<br /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">#2 - giovanni rey</span><br /><br />no one has bigger quads than gio. no one. and even if they have a bigger measurement... <span style="font-style: italic;">proportionally speaking</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">no one</span> has a bigger quad measurement. gio's quads are so big, he can really only ride a bike, as he must slightly waddle to walk because of the ginormous muscle he possesses.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl33B7WIuqGj4logLNy_dHRExA-WpJtKPDJkBJazEpCYUACy6OXu888XkeidkusieGebFhfxSsb7uc7DZvW4SdnF6EfRRt7IRbH5JhiVmEag-8qVGoG0jcqZe47D4gYVhFtDs9/s1600/gio1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl33B7WIuqGj4logLNy_dHRExA-WpJtKPDJkBJazEpCYUACy6OXu888XkeidkusieGebFhfxSsb7uc7DZvW4SdnF6EfRRt7IRbH5JhiVmEag-8qVGoG0jcqZe47D4gYVhFtDs9/s400/gio1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533593562864084562" border="0" /></a>i think this side shot really speaks for itself.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGQ0xGh3CHCdmPUEXiDihhvhDVNoeDomX6ffZMdoo_1irPXkw-Jt5llXX30qcus0VztufdeLmZAQFTY03iFW7X00NTITwngvDgDdW-XLcDIglpS9mJgbQjV74rnqbePjwR762/s1600/gio2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGQ0xGh3CHCdmPUEXiDihhvhDVNoeDomX6ffZMdoo_1irPXkw-Jt5llXX30qcus0VztufdeLmZAQFTY03iFW7X00NTITwngvDgDdW-XLcDIglpS9mJgbQjV74rnqbePjwR762/s400/gio2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533593567006198546" border="0" /></a>i mean, gio's quads are so big, he can't even wear normal clothes. only spandex. so if these dungarees can fit him, then i think i will definitely approve of the keirin cut name.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">#3 steven beardsley</span><br /><br />i mostly choose steven beardsley as tester number three... because, well, no one is really any damn funnier. i mean, he wears pink. he team is the gentle lovers. and, yeah, his quads are pretty damn big too.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsraXXlWzdF8hM8CKKpz2HwqhNH2Isdb8zMcXuGHvFBhX0T7pq2vaRqBH_G0GMEo-z3ZESA-uW449N0VNcsGJV9Sf_r1tuMqyY8IP8l81-vROzU9QuQ8pnmkcrNeM2CvGn8RF/s1600/beardsley1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsraXXlWzdF8hM8CKKpz2HwqhNH2Isdb8zMcXuGHvFBhX0T7pq2vaRqBH_G0GMEo-z3ZESA-uW449N0VNcsGJV9Sf_r1tuMqyY8IP8l81-vROzU9QuQ8pnmkcrNeM2CvGn8RF/s400/beardsley1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533594295514664514" border="0" /></a>and he's even done really well in some keirins even though he is an enduro.<br /></div></div></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">#4 jennie reed</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNDye5ipRQSx3ksuGIKdxrcf-riwEHlBA3hSuIej0h8SyWMrHHI5TSRckNw8mcsOiNqnyKbFvjOvT-UNxaCSSwsOTx8rADNMZXhOeVJzJWHZwYjUU5xZyH6F70nkNDX6uD6G0/s1600/jenniereed2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 381px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNDye5ipRQSx3ksuGIKdxrcf-riwEHlBA3hSuIej0h8SyWMrHHI5TSRckNw8mcsOiNqnyKbFvjOvT-UNxaCSSwsOTx8rADNMZXhOeVJzJWHZwYjUU5xZyH6F70nkNDX6uD6G0/s400/jenniereed2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533591094628970194" border="0" /></a><br />lastly, who better to be testing the truth of dungarees more than WORLD KEIRIN CHAMPION jennie reed?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDIA13dOKVHg0iKuKIv4evpgKXq3a17n6jtGxnQS5E9K-beNXGUA1KWNyONhS2Hfei4ssWDlByAwrx3wNZXx8v6i5uah0kqaqyAc4PXr0HJrRG4rjEPzy-d0qMkNrLSkbNEds/s1600/jenniereed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDIA13dOKVHg0iKuKIv4evpgKXq3a17n6jtGxnQS5E9K-beNXGUA1KWNyONhS2Hfei4ssWDlByAwrx3wNZXx8v6i5uah0kqaqyAc4PXr0HJrRG4rjEPzy-d0qMkNrLSkbNEds/s400/jenniereed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533591090610161218" border="0" /></a>yeah, jennie has turned enduro this year. but her quads are still huge. i know because i touched them in seattle this summer. and trust me, they were solid. it is rare you see quads that are just as big at the bottom part of the quad, than the top of the quad. that is what it takes to be world champion.<br /><br />and world champions need pants!!!<br /><br />what makes you think that world keirin champion will test your pants. well, she became my facebook friend. finally. so she does what my blog tells her to do.<br /><br />so, mr. abe- are you game? will you undergo a testing of your pantalons with some real keirin riders? if they fit, i will be more than happy for you to use the name.<br /><br />if they do not, i kindly ask you to change the name to some lame-sounding endurance event like: scratch style or olympic style omnium make, or madison leg....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">and</span><br /><br />secondly: make some <span style="font-weight: bold;">jeans</span> for women using my test models for sizing. that was the whole point of my campaign anyway!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-27715784781276767452010-10-05T14:31:00.000-07:002010-12-21T14:32:20.475-08:00Elite Track NationalsNationals went awesome for me ~~ with the great support of Team Bell Lap and sponsors!<br /><br />I especially want to thank <a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://mrberkeley.com/">MRBerkeley.com</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> for paying for my reg fees. Nationals was super expensive this year... over $350~~ so thanks so much for the support in helping me get to the races. I wouldn't have been able to do it without your help!</span><br /><br />I also want to thank <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.rocktape.com">ROCKTAPE</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. Dude, that shit is magic! I have been getting really sore in my inner quads during my pursuiting~~ so I taped up right where it normally hurts. Greg was cool enough to get me ORANGE tape at the SF GrandPrix... which if you don't know me is my favorite color! I didn't fatigue at all (well, that is a lie... i did fatigure, it is a pursuit! i guess i meant to say i didn't </span>noticeably fatigue in that certain spot)-- and it let me get a PR and bronze medal!! Also, my last day, my legs were hurting pretty good, so I taped up even more... and that day my legs felt the best. While I should have been hurting good by that time in the day, I was feeling like a champ and could attack the hell out of the points race! So, thanks RockTape!!<br /><br />Lastly, I want to thank my AWESOME teammates for all the support and advice this year. They were awesome. Thanks Brian for coming down to offer support during the nationals! Thanks Tom and Steve for letting me borrow your wheels! Thanks to Ted for being my promoter and making me laugh & give me good intimidation techniques. And thanks to everyone else for all the support and encouragement! I can't wait to ride with the team bell lap next year for track races!<br /><br />Okay, let's get to the cool pictures! Pat Benson took some killer photos of me during the racing, so i will put them first. Then a bit of race reporting below if you have time and will to read it!<br /><br />Let's start with the cool ones!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR9xufI6YhdgSl-u_W6G_2ksdot4EVGzVmDJFzaLNcG1G8SM9vxxw6ePKLx_uuD9waGq0y3E_TWIaWG41Un2er5HquzmyrWvWQkRq1gspQd6iZjHa1KNYiHq9p2RnmZTyEt_t/s1600/500m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR9xufI6YhdgSl-u_W6G_2ksdot4EVGzVmDJFzaLNcG1G8SM9vxxw6ePKLx_uuD9waGq0y3E_TWIaWG41Un2er5HquzmyrWvWQkRq1gspQd6iZjHa1KNYiHq9p2RnmZTyEt_t/s400/500m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524651228389813522" border="0" /></a>Here is me in the 500m~ thanks Tom for the wheels<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1s3WgccdyVsqTbiPAxjkeuuYExDH_T7U-8BRv946KnUL1BHSW3r1i2TTTSEJyzgIQdmmIIdtAq6TwsMCDi8au3TphG8pa5C3u8SQugYT3WX2k2GpPgmTRwuYEw0_yRPmxqah6/s1600/pusuit2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1s3WgccdyVsqTbiPAxjkeuuYExDH_T7U-8BRv946KnUL1BHSW3r1i2TTTSEJyzgIQdmmIIdtAq6TwsMCDi8au3TphG8pa5C3u8SQugYT3WX2k2GpPgmTRwuYEw0_yRPmxqah6/s400/pusuit2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524651243807387650" border="0" /></a>Pursuiting~~ thanks Pelaez for the wheel borrow!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_Tj6JzZabhIwqOPf8k7mHmYQz_qZQ-SpAk9TQkkNmTU-V9k4tvumgaFedm-KXRkbOZj2b-QCpBE_ZgPt3U-E_9XJ3QIuCRjb9f7FD8LVavexSNUeq1hfvXf8dNzC6WGU3_VQ/s1600/pursuit1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_Tj6JzZabhIwqOPf8k7mHmYQz_qZQ-SpAk9TQkkNmTU-V9k4tvumgaFedm-KXRkbOZj2b-QCpBE_ZgPt3U-E_9XJ3QIuCRjb9f7FD8LVavexSNUeq1hfvXf8dNzC6WGU3_VQ/s400/pursuit1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524651222626270866" border="0" /></a>Pursuit with my dopey face<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugVLuNdUUEdEBzEXT0m9BSSHdLsCH_2GendubTbLWqPIo1TK1SIkqx1gR3UZfBrfPG8ClJ-QrDwlLxNZpFUO4r410iZfvjUCoJ8iIXgrdHTU9ivMvfnK6ZQEwXgEjSVTYpAJG/s1600/pursuitpodium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugVLuNdUUEdEBzEXT0m9BSSHdLsCH_2GendubTbLWqPIo1TK1SIkqx1gR3UZfBrfPG8ClJ-QrDwlLxNZpFUO4r410iZfvjUCoJ8iIXgrdHTU9ivMvfnK6ZQEwXgEjSVTYpAJG/s400/pursuitpodium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524651230960384306" border="0" /></a>pursuit podium!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ7xL-g54YYH1sL7eJDvGmPAP5PaKzpvq5hL4p0psvUK_WgA9gW59a8npMikKrAtdUKIMhs9z8tCCQkjh3NN9He_C-BhOVoBhZh4pJe8A5wiw5aZfTf_ZcKJZwsVeExHkNWjr/s1600/ptsquali.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ7xL-g54YYH1sL7eJDvGmPAP5PaKzpvq5hL4p0psvUK_WgA9gW59a8npMikKrAtdUKIMhs9z8tCCQkjh3NN9He_C-BhOVoBhZh4pJe8A5wiw5aZfTf_ZcKJZwsVeExHkNWjr/s400/ptsquali.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524648966638668418" border="0" /></a>here is me lapping the field with kim geist in the points race qualifier!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQEhMyumxzjMGthoegLsoslOBXMdTu745rYrQ7E-Lo-seLhzWEFeDdQUlpdurMFrlVXZEOm3zWnIdzUg8HLq5FtqaCkMUggCAQ7hhm7ZuwwsqC8J-9l8AEhYmEqOfOmLMgbk9/s1600/sunglasses.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQEhMyumxzjMGthoegLsoslOBXMdTu745rYrQ7E-Lo-seLhzWEFeDdQUlpdurMFrlVXZEOm3zWnIdzUg8HLq5FtqaCkMUggCAQ7hhm7ZuwwsqC8J-9l8AEhYmEqOfOmLMgbk9/s400/sunglasses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524651637627832914" border="0" /></a>this is me before the points race. i may look nice... but i am ready to crush. (note the handlebars)<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFGr4ThMQJp8ZMw-Zz-yA7DTKTE_-Gm2yZSfT2fADMD9rmE29uKOaR83DtKp-ifPnL3IZVbGsJi0tN4_y8IeYjUegdQKgoF9LDMTFXSQrW6NDKTKfxJtuvFu4Zx0NXYkTc1bx/s1600/cn.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFGr4ThMQJp8ZMw-Zz-yA7DTKTE_-Gm2yZSfT2fADMD9rmE29uKOaR83DtKp-ifPnL3IZVbGsJi0tN4_y8IeYjUegdQKgoF9LDMTFXSQrW6NDKTKfxJtuvFu4Zx0NXYkTc1bx/s400/cn.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524653767100199778" border="0" /></a>Then this crash happened.... I made it in cycling news! My bike frame dented, but my handlebars REALLY dented. I had to get a swap out from San Jose junior Ryan Gaddow. The bars were too big for me. And I hurt my shoulder, so I couldn't really stand-- but you can see Ryan's bars in the best of the photos.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFem_D8Goal5TxU0OP_N9TeUUYKzpTy6nLNUUtBe5TII88ICHy6nVJItNTPn7D_0mq_XHI9Dvdayu-Vl9VT9j7_jmmvNMs5kSNi5Uk2-p-5A9POMOpTUvtX_ccMs9nMuTCFlgO/s1600/heatherablurt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFem_D8Goal5TxU0OP_N9TeUUYKzpTy6nLNUUtBe5TII88ICHy6nVJItNTPn7D_0mq_XHI9Dvdayu-Vl9VT9j7_jmmvNMs5kSNi5Uk2-p-5A9POMOpTUvtX_ccMs9nMuTCFlgO/s400/heatherablurt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524648949105871234" border="0" /></a>here is me off the front with heather albert. i was off the front with her a lot last week.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGqN9KZbRGoMwOZxfcz80YlkkGbOEBljQQQpKbBQCh3ZkImKxk0Lvp36EZ8g5poYlDpy9FAvOAwMWayM47dhM9XKJ3MCBGYdNBcxha_ePuJT3CxUDoKZUDXs5iZ738XmIYh4M/s1600/ptsrace3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGqN9KZbRGoMwOZxfcz80YlkkGbOEBljQQQpKbBQCh3ZkImKxk0Lvp36EZ8g5poYlDpy9FAvOAwMWayM47dhM9XKJ3MCBGYdNBcxha_ePuJT3CxUDoKZUDXs5iZ738XmIYh4M/s400/ptsrace3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524648980373426578" border="0" /></a>here is me sprinting for points<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ApYtPE_bZdmpuZzEvZnZl7qbVBOhk5s1QerTzq1s8a33VpCvadOe53VoA6sd7Fah5kKeEbv3sC3Bt9j3Fnv7Yp46fycLhmauQs2-QH-xW8Ozpmgvfb8JTMhNbK4LkAdnMONq/s1600/tuffstuff.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ApYtPE_bZdmpuZzEvZnZl7qbVBOhk5s1QerTzq1s8a33VpCvadOe53VoA6sd7Fah5kKeEbv3sC3Bt9j3Fnv7Yp46fycLhmauQs2-QH-xW8Ozpmgvfb8JTMhNbK4LkAdnMONq/s400/tuffstuff.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524651251529962258" border="0" /></a>and here is me attacking off the front, right after the crash. rrrrr.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhLtRudBVuggVO1uUTDZN9va-YKqcoMIev7YuIxYl0edzNc2F_xbGPsLRmzHtyJhhwqKLsysorO6WG1J9QYRKZPpN6ixtIQ7Wk4Ju3UeZ4usgqFcc4l274K5oJwDyop6G2KP0/s1600/pts+race.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhLtRudBVuggVO1uUTDZN9va-YKqcoMIev7YuIxYl0edzNc2F_xbGPsLRmzHtyJhhwqKLsysorO6WG1J9QYRKZPpN6ixtIQ7Wk4Ju3UeZ4usgqFcc4l274K5oJwDyop6G2KP0/s400/pts+race.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524648962864299906" border="0" /></a>and here is the points race podium-- 4th place. just one point off third! but i look pretty badass in the photo.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Race 1: Omnium-- Wednesday/Thursday</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This is actually a new track race. The president of the international cycling body made this event specifically for the Olympics in 2012. There is a limit in how many races/medals can be given out in cycling. With the addition of BMX to the Olympics, this meant other cycling disciples had to lose events. This event is kind of like the pentathlon of track & field. You have six events over the course of 2 days and you are placed in each event (1<sup>st</sup>, 2<sup>nd</sup>, 3<sup>rd</sup>, etc.)—the person with the lowest points wins. I was riding with Sarah Hammer, who is currently the world champion, and Cari Higgins, the reigning national champion. So it was some pretty good competition!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 1:</span> There were 4 events on day1.<br /><ul><li>Timed flying 1 lap race (which is 250m). I got a really good time in here, which placed me 5<sup>th</sup>. I was 2 one-thousands of a second off a second off of 4<sup>th</sup> place and 1 tenth off of 3<sup>rd</sup> place, so that was a bummer.. but oh well.</li><li><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Points Race: This is a race that was 80 laps long. Race didn’t quite go my way—I got some 5th places (which is no points), then a lap went without me. Then I had to use a lot of energy to pick up points by being out there solo for 9 laps. I ended up 6<sup>th </sup></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style=""> </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="font-family:georgia;">Eli</span>mination Race: This has been my best race all summer—I’ve scored really high with fields of 30-40, so I was expecting a high placing here. This is a race with no forgiveness, cause if you mess up, you are out. And I was out—got 8<sup>th</sup> place. I was really bummed, because this moved me down in the omnium big time. I was now sitting 6<sup>th</sup> place....</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">3000m TT: This is a 12 lap race—where you are on the track with one other person on the opposite side… you ride as hard as can and get timed. It is like the mile. I had a person best here, and ended 5<sup>th</sup>, again missing 4<sup>th</sup> place by .1 of a second…which was a bummer…. I was now again 5<sup>th</sup> place overall. I was only 1 point out of 4<sup>th</sup> and 2 points out 3<sup>rd</sup>. I really wanted bronze medal. 6<sup>th</sup> place was close to me too</span></span></li></ul></div> <div style="font-family: georgia;"> </div><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">Day 2: 2 events to finish it off. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="">S</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">cratch Race: I knew I had to do well in the first event, as the second event is my weak event. I needed a top 5 for sure. I was riding well, staying in position for the sprint. The world champ lapped the field, then went to the front and strung it out and there was very little movement from that point forward, and I ended up 8<sup>th</sup>. It was a big bummer.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">500m: this is a 2 lap race from a stand still start. It has been my weak event. I ended up with a personal best time for me, and ended up 6<sup>th</sup> in the event, but it wasn’t enough to get me 5<sup>th</sup> place<sup></sup>. I was pretty bummed, as I wanted at least a top 5 to get on the podium… but that is racing. </span></span></li></ul><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><u><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Race 2: Scratch Race</span></span></u></b></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">On Day 3, I had 2 races, the scratch race and pursuit. In the scratch race, rode extremely well in the race the entire time—I was off the front and making the race happen. The announcer kept yelling my name! There were lots of “sprinters” in the field- so I was trying to make the race hard to tire them out. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work. I wasn’t in good position for the final 4 laps, and ended 10<sup>th</sup>. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><u><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Race 3: 3km time trial/Pursuit</span></span></u></b></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">This is the same race I had done the day before. I got a better feel for the track and knew I could go faster. I also borrowed my Steve's super sweet wheels, and they were so fast—so I knew I’d be going faster! I went out really hard… about 1.5 seconds faster than the day before. I just couldn't help myself~~ the wheels just got me up to speed so fast! By the last 3 laps, I was seeing double lines on the track. I finished and found out I got a 3:56, this was 3 seconds faster than I had done—so I was jazzed!<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">I couldn’t walk down the stairs to get to the infield, and had to hobble. This put me in 3<sup>rd</sup> place. This also meant I had to ride again, because I made it into the bronze medal round. I wanted to die and didn't think I could ride again!<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> I had a while to recover and kept warmed up the whole time, so my legs didn't seize up. For the bronze medal ride, I went out fast, but not as fast as last time. My strategy was to not die so much in the end. I could hear the announcer telling me I was up. All my friends were yelling loud, and it just pushed me to go faster. In the end, I finished with 3<sup>rd</sup>! I was so happy! This is my first year doing this race, so to get 3<sup>rd</sup> was huge for me! I took off 20 seconds from the first time I did the pursuit~ so that was sweet! I know I will only get faster!</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><u><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Race 4: Points race</span></span></u></b></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">My last race was the points race. There was a qualifier and a final. In the qualifier race, I got away with Kim Geist and lapped the field. So, then I made it to the final. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">The final was 100 laps. I was feeling really good, and my plan was to take some early points, then make the field really tired by attacking alot, and try to take a lap about half way through. Unfortunately, just as I was about to make my move, I was involved in a crash. I hit pretty the boards pretty hard. My handlebars bent, dented my frame, ripped my skinsuit. Field got neutralized. I got my bars changed, and got in the race. Thanks Ryan Gaddow for the bar loaner. The bars were too big for me, and my right shoulder hurt, so I couldn't really stand up....<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">The neutralization gave everyone a chance to recover and rest, which changed the race dynamic. Race re-started and I attacked a lot trying to get away, but everyone was fresh. I still got some points and was doing well, but with only 50 laps left, I could get the field tired enough to get a lap. I ended up 4<sup>th</sup>—only 1point out of third, so that was a big bummer. But, knowing how good I felt in this race, made me realize I have the ability to win in the future.<br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><u><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">In conclusion:</span></span></u></b></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><u><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></u></b></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">All in all, a good nationals. I got a 3<sup>rd</sup>, 4<sup>th</sup>, 6<sup>th</sup>, and 10<sup>th</sup>—and showed myself well. I know I can do better… so just have to wait until next year!!</span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-76566895176843323792010-09-13T11:06:00.000-07:002010-09-13T12:01:06.262-07:00because everything on my blog comes true.....when is the <a href="http://www.melbourne2010.com.au/default.aspx">world championship</a> team going to be selected? did i miss an announcement? the race is a mere <span style="font-weight: bold;">16 days</span> away.... i have heard that people like to peak for that race, so announcing a team 2 weeks out might be a good idea.....<br /><br />as i was wondering about who was going to represent the USA for the women this morning, and i couldn't find an announcement, so i figured it hadn't been decided yet. i figured the best thing i could do to incite a quick announcement from the powers that be, would be to blog about it... because apparently my blog has a very good track record of getting things done.<br /><br />proof?<br /><ul><li><a href="http://bethbikes.blogspot.com/2010/09/be-my-friend-damnit.html">jennie reed</a> became my facebook friend! <span style="font-style: italic;">yeah! </span></li><li>i got an <a href="http://bethbikes.blogspot.com/2010/08/someone-tell-me-this-is-typo.html">nrc race</a> taken off the calendar. </li></ul>unfortunately, nothing has ever happened with those keirin cut jeans, but goonies never say die.<br /><br />anyway, although i was just wondering who was going to be on the team, i figure i may as well use my influence to say who i would <span style="font-style: italic;">like</span> on the team.... i know shelley olds already has an automatic spot because she won the pan-am championship. but here are my two requests of who i would like included on the A-team this year. i feel confident usa cycling will take bethbikes! suggestions as law.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">#1. kat mattis</span><br /><br />i got to eat mexican food with kat mattis at the madera stage race this year, and upon listening to her talk for one minute, i decided i had a friend crush on her. she's smart. she's fast. she's wise. she can suffer. she is a good teammate. she knows racing. and she has had some <span style="font-style: italic;">amazing </span>results this year. <span style="font-style: italic;"> and</span> she is super cool. i heard a stupid rumor she is retiring after this year, and i didn't like that one bit, so instead of listening to such hogwash, i just put my fingers over my ears and said "la la la la" really loud. anyway, i think she would make a really excellent addition to the world championship team for USA.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5UioFptEBdsyJ-8KkG2YQBfSgr4EHo1uxXtUET30Ke5Ksb01gavRA8hUK3ZihUllqxSiPXfaGvk35dnQMhSY1IMDe9WG4F3nY9S38NNxDrJ034m5VfGaho2W5v0Dqy8XVeMN/s1600/katmattis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5UioFptEBdsyJ-8KkG2YQBfSgr4EHo1uxXtUET30Ke5Ksb01gavRA8hUK3ZihUllqxSiPXfaGvk35dnQMhSY1IMDe9WG4F3nY9S38NNxDrJ034m5VfGaho2W5v0Dqy8XVeMN/s400/katmattis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516465092593673282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">#2 theresa cliff-ryan</span><br /><br />well, i have not had the pleasure of meeting this lady, but i am super duper impressed my her. i saw her at track nationals last year, and because i was a dipshit and didn't make the points race final, i got to witness her guts, smarts, and speed on the bike, as i watched from the stands. watching someone perform a good points race can be like watching something in the theater arts. i heard about her winning the gold in the points race championship in the pan-american games. a good points racer can do anything, so i was not surprised to continuously see her name in all the big road racing results all year long. it would also be wise to include her on the A squad.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Tiu7dGIAC4Srk7s5HTO6hpUDnIBfmfHmu-iM8nPVePu2LOmL9RG8aghBnSG17a9sxWM4SfItiokL1TGKl7P_YkI9fNJ5XaTU0srxmjK14FydzmvLojVU4sIWc3OGmE1OhGTF/s1600/theresacliffryan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Tiu7dGIAC4Srk7s5HTO6hpUDnIBfmfHmu-iM8nPVePu2LOmL9RG8aghBnSG17a9sxWM4SfItiokL1TGKl7P_YkI9fNJ5XaTU0srxmjK14FydzmvLojVU4sIWc3OGmE1OhGTF/s400/theresacliffryan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516466958085590354" border="0" /></a><br />there are lots of other most excellent additions, but i will leave that for people to <span style="font-weight: bold;">contribute to </span>in the COMMENTS section on my blog. but just remember, <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">i</span></span> am the influential one, so my top two choices will be the designated names. and i predict an announcement by wednesday or thursday... cause my blog really does get things done quickly.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-58356904046017910372010-09-01T20:49:00.000-07:002010-09-01T20:49:00.040-07:00be my friend, damnit!<div style="text-align: left;">so i haven't really written a post about the fsa grand prix. but i will, i promise!</div><div><br /></div><div>last year the highlight for me was the pre-race bbq. jennie reed was there. i was very excited, she had a piece of the pie i made. so i felt cool. </div><div><br /></div><div>this year, i show up at fsa and jennie reed says to me: "hi beth." not just hi, but hi <i>beth,</i> which means she knows my name. she also said: "good job at alpenrose" which means she knew i did well. this made me feel special.</div><div><br /></div><div>she was racing that weekend (watch out world, she is out of retirement!), and i got to race with her! i had raced against jennie reed once before. bethbikes! early, loyal followers from 2007 might remember these pictures. this was from the first american velodrome challenge, also known as beth's third track race ever! eek.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIPIEknzOg6_fUicdpmhvGtPzzFOiehUZXQ3G3DaqlWzWkjAFlbvxBUWdBaOtZjPBkHHw_sFNVr4l9F_Um2gMFsH8WO9E4-eXJFS8ndbW6ktpDSJ8NvL8uhnpavkac0LB9Gup/s400/jreedsprint2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512115860535598146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">there is me "match sprinting" jennie reed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfU9FYZ_YsXhxl1OerCPjiOoxaK7vGvhwwJHj2j3JU4dDkoH_RLArTeOr5cOzPA0jUJ3VilVElCx3IBjsb45cZX-aWvACW6gmOKfir5X9kcNjN3yz5LsLr7yplVl15ALq5HrR/s400/quad1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512115849153203810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">i was also creepy and got my friend to take a picture of our quads.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div>anyway, i was really looking forward to racing with jennie and i even have some pictures to prove of it.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd-CQATIza0Qd7fdi0wmbfnx1jnTir-ptW4kYZUaWDSpdXf4iyYc0uk8LpdvbW_6w3Vgdm7K73iUnu-0KVQyGAi1tqfvkp_oQUXsymyLs7yLF_ynAne9l4vUzAeO7_w2WCD2j/s1600/missnout.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd-CQATIza0Qd7fdi0wmbfnx1jnTir-ptW4kYZUaWDSpdXf4iyYc0uk8LpdvbW_6w3Vgdm7K73iUnu-0KVQyGAi1tqfvkp_oQUXsymyLs7yLF_ynAne9l4vUzAeO7_w2WCD2j/s400/missnout.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512116921880228530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HgGSU0JTHOlBnXidWs0Np0zO_hXc-UY43GitH14oPqeyfJ-UWpEQNWc7WCqSo1sdnNLKiWj5-gpZxdAE6aCLOB6RNioOPMhZg28qYlPaXA9z8KPnVeELDGx-XReqjVWpwef1/s1600/fsa.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HgGSU0JTHOlBnXidWs0Np0zO_hXc-UY43GitH14oPqeyfJ-UWpEQNWc7WCqSo1sdnNLKiWj5-gpZxdAE6aCLOB6RNioOPMhZg28qYlPaXA9z8KPnVeELDGx-XReqjVWpwef1/s400/fsa.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512116910861359906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>(i labeled the important people.)</div><div><br /></div><div>anyway, after the scratch race, jennie told me i made a nice move with three laps to go. after the points race, we chatted in the warmup circle for quite a while. and after the racing, she even got into the quad measuring party! </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDylcTxhNuNqCfp-OBNP-mGhk-07JLtLENIcD-isgrPL9303RZnq9-3lohI3kQhhaHbpJMFPJ8yJnMFEVbKsc8sa2VVlumsGcgoMxdsRiO9pf-fJ6hLrIRz8zUauuNBwXOy__/s400/quadmeasuring.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512117374498703074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">62cm</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">i thought we were so cool. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">that is, until michael uploaded the fsa pictures to facebook, and i tried to tag jennie. but couldn't. because we weren't friends.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pl4YZQcxVIOP08H1iGAl455NPeWAHxRTatNiEah0bvP1KOFBMe7gbEr4iHl29Zn9c7HvcMoPnGm7Ma6bjUgNCYlPFcTRfHkq_8jFoJxt0plwuVSw0Vic43XcutcL6qZqq31_/s400/jenniereed1.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512118258980919138" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 101px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">awaiting friend request? c'mon! </span></span>i thought we were cool! </div><div><br /></div><div>i went through the stages of grief.</div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><b>denial</b>: </span></span>maybe she just doesn't facebook very often...and hasn't added people. </blockquote></div><div>but then i see this.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DkWoZ8WwQxihWEWtwf_9IOWmyDRciYO5kW6DQ4hlOLvxXTYcL-E3JqADDY86h68vJDhyJwdFLEO4GmU1NgYKl4zVS6J7zxfk7HccHTTjOoT4totehsg5UNavWsZcCk5GufRY/s400/jenniereed2.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512118267128318114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 187px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><blockquote><b>anger: </b>why is she friends with hanan and not me?!</blockquote></span></span></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>bargaining: </b>maybe if i just sent her a private message hello, she will add me, as it was just an oversight. no dice.</blockquote></div><div><blockquote><b>depression: </b>a few sleepless nights.</blockquote></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>acceptance: </b> maybe she is just creeped out my the quad measuring.... or something.</blockquote>so there we have it. i can still dare to dream, though.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-55954123869995369512010-08-31T21:21:00.000-07:002010-08-31T21:58:46.113-07:00podium posing like the prostwo weekends ago, i got to see how the real pro men do podium poses, at the elite state track championship.<br /><br />podium shots aren't just about looking good for the pictures, but they are also about making a statement.<br /><br />and roman kilun had a couple of statements to make.<br /><br />the last race of the day was the madison and roman had a few things he wanted to make clear.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">shot #1: </span><br />the superhero stance. also known as, you might be bigger than me, but i am better than you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5sfoXWMd-ACIesD30Et81rCcVsaHFjR-QK22XWZkYcnMQ7NVN06Fv8anYFpysHkdTDQsRyK2wk88vsNAyPfJc7dtaFtjJ0cuBty6b1Xo7wUS8Twb_VFX1BxJOF-oRwQjqpN4/s1600/superman.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5sfoXWMd-ACIesD30Et81rCcVsaHFjR-QK22XWZkYcnMQ7NVN06Fv8anYFpysHkdTDQsRyK2wk88vsNAyPfJc7dtaFtjJ0cuBty6b1Xo7wUS8Twb_VFX1BxJOF-oRwQjqpN4/s400/superman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511798106238474658" border="0" /></a>sometimes roadies come to the track, and they feel a bit....uh... skinny? their upper body is puny and their quads are small. in such situations, roadies can feel a bit more beefy and secure by asserting their presence by taking up physical space. this is done best by assuming a super hero stance, with wide stance and arms on hip. roman displays this perfectly on the podium.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7HLYG9JAqSl_gsHPbJsoxfCDFX1TdqeGC12T6Saextx1ngB3Rt6a0MI2eR8Ght5J2h7KsGX0KzS7KghyphenhyphenVHdfyra6QgnFEg4V2ZniGZocUWVUJxaKyKpEim8NY-adopzUwXuj/s1600/roman1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7HLYG9JAqSl_gsHPbJsoxfCDFX1TdqeGC12T6Saextx1ngB3Rt6a0MI2eR8Ght5J2h7KsGX0KzS7KghyphenhyphenVHdfyra6QgnFEg4V2ZniGZocUWVUJxaKyKpEim8NY-adopzUwXuj/s400/roman1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511798113089599874" border="0" /></a>as you can see, everyone on steps two and three is looking off into the distance, averting eye contact, smiling awkwardly, and pretending they don't care that they got lapped.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">also, by standing near the front of the podium in a wide stance, he makes it clear to the world that the only reason the lap was taken was because of him. as you can see, his partner just stands squeamishly in the background and waves his hand in the air as if saying: "hey mom, i was there too!"<br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">shot #2:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CY-xzbBu7-NDvfrtciuB0p0yuWs7fyocnfeLDM5Dc1mi3JXNIDqomXqbLvPt2T_t0feLxc9QjBabyeiy0EasGuhYy7hQXhIGidPzi5vt3c49LROWQxnSHZdbOafkewDvsKW6/s1600/roman2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CY-xzbBu7-NDvfrtciuB0p0yuWs7fyocnfeLDM5Dc1mi3JXNIDqomXqbLvPt2T_t0feLxc9QjBabyeiy0EasGuhYy7hQXhIGidPzi5vt3c49LROWQxnSHZdbOafkewDvsKW6/s400/roman2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511798119277429698" border="0" /></a><br />roman also shows in this second podium shot for the madison, that he is.... well, honestly, i am not sure what to make of it. let me think...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7ndrZh80X9Xajob-6YB7ujfj2_luxpcHv7zLLRzHjRIa5IyzIYOvefw3H745O8NAPJ11Cf7JdRJesWWz2Cum6PDNWs8FOIumcauJqx1gSq0gpFrPi0XwoRuzgyNG2N4kdzgz/s1600/jesus.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7ndrZh80X9Xajob-6YB7ujfj2_luxpcHv7zLLRzHjRIa5IyzIYOvefw3H745O8NAPJ11Cf7JdRJesWWz2Cum6PDNWs8FOIumcauJqx1gSq0gpFrPi0XwoRuzgyNG2N4kdzgz/s400/jesus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511804537580268450" border="0" /></a>no, i don't think that is roman's style.... really, i think it was more along the lines of this...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyFeQpX0uQeymnY0bTHIBL3fYuiT9fR8YYE6W57bLm-U5sX0qBEh1JKudd7a38rogjLY0-jodrHhVIHzf-2iMjTVg3ot-Us0i94POdr3VSDlg2Ybr4l0JkEwj3z4r9PcMdc3S/s1600/ymca.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyFeQpX0uQeymnY0bTHIBL3fYuiT9fR8YYE6W57bLm-U5sX0qBEh1JKudd7a38rogjLY0-jodrHhVIHzf-2iMjTVg3ot-Us0i94POdr3VSDlg2Ybr4l0JkEwj3z4r9PcMdc3S/s400/ymca.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511804543376205026" border="0" /></a>"It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A. You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal...."<br /></div><br />seems a bit odd, but roman is getting married soon, so perhaps he was doing a little bit of practice for the reception...?<br /><br />it would have been really cool if he could have snuck in a fireman's hat- but maybe he is saving that one for the national championship. he is doing the team pursuit there, so let's hope that dr. kay can get the rest of roman's teammates to show up on the podium in full-on village people garb.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-56460034713552575242010-08-25T15:09:00.000-07:002010-08-26T10:54:56.218-07:00my shades are cooler than your shades: numa opticsit's true.<br /><br />i pretty much purchase the cheapest sunglasses i can find: i go the $5.99 walgreens route. that is probably why i am pretty much blind as a bat without my contacts in.<br /><br />a couple months ago, michael had some white shades sitting in the car that he said were too small for his big head. so i put them on. Immediately my bad-assery went up 10 points. these were cool. so i did what any wise person would do: i immediately stole them.<br /><br />i wore these badass sunglasses pretty much just on special occasions on race days when i knew people would be out to take pictures. i didn't want to wear them more often, because i scratch things and stuff...<br /><br />but one day, i ended up wearing them on a trip to the oaktown liquor store. now, for those of you yuppies that live in marin or the peninsula, let me tell you what a real east oakland corner store is like.<br /><ul><li>milk selection: whole milk only.</li><li>malt liquor selection: pretty much an entire refrigerator (or two) is devoted just to forties. i mean, variety is important for consumers.... you need old english, colt 45, schlitz, mickey's, country club, and let's not forget the old staple: steel reserve.</li><li>microbrew selection: if you are lucky, <span style="font-style: italic;">maybe </span>1. but i am proud to report that since we moved in a few months ago, this has slowly been increasing to now, a few different varieties! coincidence? i think not.</li></ul>anyway, oaktown is a pretty solid corner store. they also stock cutie pies (the hostess fruit pie knock off), which is awesome.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ILCf-Tv-4H7uKDCQwoyQ9-rEZVlRaiPSWRz_356yH75w5xNa54o5pj5JVyubl-rbx6xQ9wkgUAtAys_ShvoeVXxcuLWYgbYDygh1qN9kpz_msSOu8BEZOk_ngZO4QLm8EDhG/s1600/oaktown1.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ILCf-Tv-4H7uKDCQwoyQ9-rEZVlRaiPSWRz_356yH75w5xNa54o5pj5JVyubl-rbx6xQ9wkgUAtAys_ShvoeVXxcuLWYgbYDygh1qN9kpz_msSOu8BEZOk_ngZO4QLm8EDhG/s400/oaktown1.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509480716303906738" border="0" /></a><br />anyway, one summer day a few weeks ago, michael and i walk in to stock up our fridge with a variety of malt liquors and whole milk for the week. now, i have to be honest, sometimes at the checkout of oaktown, i do feel a bit out of place. but not this day. dude in line behind us, who had a full-on grill, says to me: "sweet shades!" and my cool points went way up, almost to the point where i wanted to put my arms in the air and yell: "i got street cred, bitches!" ... but that wouldn't have been so cool. so, i played all chill and gave a chin nod, and said thanks as nonchalantly as possible.<br /><br />ever since this encounter, i have been wearing these sunglasses more frequently in my neighborhood. one evening a couple of weeks ago, i decided to see who the hell made these things, as i had no clue. i saw a website on the inside of the sugnlasses: <a href="http://www.numaoptics.com/">www.numaoptics.com</a><br /><br />i went to their website thinking to see some sweet hip hop artists or something, only to be disappointed to find some lumberjack with snow on his beard on the homepage. (the dude at oak-town would not have been so impressed.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhQeHiW0r0TAkhs6JPRt8REVU12I2UMO8EpC6QZUZ8FUCkcjSy3G9WRRydbxAmyeRDFJLmMem3AiiE796T9ConPjjo7tyhq7czTvr_QeDIbB1rtzO27g-HHxRfc3OiTHeMNJo/s1600/numalumberjack.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhQeHiW0r0TAkhs6JPRt8REVU12I2UMO8EpC6QZUZ8FUCkcjSy3G9WRRydbxAmyeRDFJLmMem3AiiE796T9ConPjjo7tyhq7czTvr_QeDIbB1rtzO27g-HHxRfc3OiTHeMNJo/s400/numalumberjack.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509485322165507330" border="0" /></a>anyway, i noticed their links to their facebook page were wrong on their homepage...so i decided to be a good citizen and fill out the "contact us" form on their website and let them know. i also thought i would tell them my story about oaktown liquor store and how much bethbikes! likes the sunglasses in general.<br /><br />low-and-behold i actually got an email back! and they said they would sponsor me! boo yah! my shades came in the mail yesterday, and let me say, they are pretty sweet. i got a hot pink pair to add to my white pair. i also got some clear, and rose, & blue lenses so i can wear them on the indoor track and at night races. the optics on them are pretty damn sweet. not to mention, the badassness of them.<br /><br />of note: i found out they are widely used amongst the crazy militia men, as evident <a href="http://breachbangclear.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-numa-sport-optics-pt-ii.html">here</a>. so if anyone ever shoots a bazooka at me during a race, it is comforting to know that my sunglasses will still be in tact.<br /><br />anyway, i look cool. and that is what is important. so, check out my shades at the races and check out <a href="http://www.numaoptics.com/">numa optics website</a>. i am sure lots of pictures of me in them will be showing up on my blog in the weeks and months to come (as i typically only publish pictures of myself...) but here are a few starters, so you can see the cool shades.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3biJvtBrO_mWMSuJagj__KRZA1Ty7_LUFOWLnEztIu-iGmLO5SUdukmEtW2BBN7DJXwSu72z6ru88TXs-uopiW4_pTQBLabyBXa9ljWqAlibtjku5XDIq-GRAqA0hDr04LjJ/s1600/sunglassesbeth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3biJvtBrO_mWMSuJagj__KRZA1Ty7_LUFOWLnEztIu-iGmLO5SUdukmEtW2BBN7DJXwSu72z6ru88TXs-uopiW4_pTQBLabyBXa9ljWqAlibtjku5XDIq-GRAqA0hDr04LjJ/s400/sunglassesbeth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509483144745756210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFWb_i7kpXLkHhESIAsZH2Xyz6KWOUpNFgyfbCNWAUj9Lio7VQctRbM-XyOiX9wDBwFw-C2yqxo12ZYTnO-tEAZODRrplhPr1F-h-pK9D6Sig6SZoHl5resxpQsNylKVQGUPz/s1600/sunglassesbeth3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFWb_i7kpXLkHhESIAsZH2Xyz6KWOUpNFgyfbCNWAUj9Lio7VQctRbM-XyOiX9wDBwFw-C2yqxo12ZYTnO-tEAZODRrplhPr1F-h-pK9D6Sig6SZoHl5resxpQsNylKVQGUPz/s400/sunglassesbeth3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509483146018863282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiDniimKtKPPaXs_ixr5AFNMyktR2ewAvAZI7FT0ZJsvh772ppxkNuuwz-ZnSZWuiw5lvhxJMP7DB4MjWGAXn135w1XJWNrNg0XWAuTQNUdh0EZiM-x8CcJnltj9A0CrQcIbA/s1600/sunglassesbeth2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiDniimKtKPPaXs_ixr5AFNMyktR2ewAvAZI7FT0ZJsvh772ppxkNuuwz-ZnSZWuiw5lvhxJMP7DB4MjWGAXn135w1XJWNrNg0XWAuTQNUdh0EZiM-x8CcJnltj9A0CrQcIbA/s400/sunglassesbeth2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509483150887966322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />you know who i feel sorry for? that poor girl in the upper left side of my helmet of the above photograph.<br /><br />let me zoom in.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT6PfdF9_EgY-aYFD6LuQR1XHgCmXcPIBuaa0CxmhwKAuYf3VV_PdlcFGYvC1PyVsJRXNqgCuvngAOOMH85Pp0da15onOv5g_ynhatbuvYgAecM99dagvku6vIaAdtu7JLdKb/s1600/sunglassesugly.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 47px; height: 51px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT6PfdF9_EgY-aYFD6LuQR1XHgCmXcPIBuaa0CxmhwKAuYf3VV_PdlcFGYvC1PyVsJRXNqgCuvngAOOMH85Pp0da15onOv5g_ynhatbuvYgAecM99dagvku6vIaAdtu7JLdKb/s400/sunglassesugly.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509487497185918482" border="0" /></a>do you see her sunglasses? ugly. straight out of 1983. get with it.<br /><br /><br />and a big thank you to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacrepat/">pat benson</a> for these amazing photos!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-68175481387068963322010-08-12T07:46:00.000-07:002010-08-12T07:46:00.441-07:00alpenrose velodrome challengeso i know i am very behind on my blog posting. it is a bit late to report on alpenrose, it seems. you can read my <a href="http://teambelllap.blogspot.com/2010/08/alpenrose-velodrome-challenge.html">team blog post here</a> -- where i talk a little bit about the racing.<br /><br />other than that, i think i will just post some pictures and write some text in between....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV823Sh7kAM1dajOEGqRnQZiI1M0m_JlnKMqlZu402TeLshMgw-HfNVIGiATDozSoCWYukjJmnRIo8X5KVYz3QEe4PQCW9WKGIxgxMI3qm6OhFl0UOXeJCKDFZf_23sl6ExnlW/s1600/car.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV823Sh7kAM1dajOEGqRnQZiI1M0m_JlnKMqlZu402TeLshMgw-HfNVIGiATDozSoCWYukjJmnRIo8X5KVYz3QEe4PQCW9WKGIxgxMI3qm6OhFl0UOXeJCKDFZf_23sl6ExnlW/s400/car.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504339394978963282" border="0" /></a>this is me and m driving up. he was making try to use his telephone to look at the internet, but i find phones with internet very annoying, so thus my scowling face.<br /></div><br />we get to the track on thursday and go for a little spin. we are so lucky to be staying with awesome folks, marcia and eric who cook us spaghetti! then we pick up brian from the airport.<br /><br />friday morning i have the pursuit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1hOCtxBiWBSR3IV_GZihl5xaS_s0wBOU9yd_OkFQGzma_B_XhOhSWJTpaa9w3jbQOmKh_bCcsi4L7xaABK4wK0JMAEpyAD140xKukqYDtsSor1BVFcb2snTczc_zCR2b2nQJ/s1600/pursuit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1hOCtxBiWBSR3IV_GZihl5xaS_s0wBOU9yd_OkFQGzma_B_XhOhSWJTpaa9w3jbQOmKh_bCcsi4L7xaABK4wK0JMAEpyAD140xKukqYDtsSor1BVFcb2snTczc_zCR2b2nQJ/s400/pursuit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335768770582722" border="0" /></a>here is a picture of me all pursuit dorkage. but i am not wearing a funny hat. (but i do have one now, it just came in the mail!) i was very happy with my pursuit, except my awful start, where it pretty much looks like i did a standing start for the first time ever. 3, 2, 1. me sit back down wobble to the right, left, and then finally gain balance to stand up and move forward. it was pretty embarrassing. the video michael took of it is pretty laughable, especially his commentary: "c'mon, c'mon" willing me forward. later that night was the 500m. my start wasn't much better.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5Iir0s86ASQW_bQpBKyN5hYNndOM5Uxn0JtHPexUMiAtUvs5ClC2WbF42lyV7yd_iyYMmqMaSMsbankVOnek2H4S4ssGxwxflaRM6pal_n03xv-KlPX7DgD1m4UKdSjRnwYV/s1600/mass+start2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5Iir0s86ASQW_bQpBKyN5hYNndOM5Uxn0JtHPexUMiAtUvs5ClC2WbF42lyV7yd_iyYMmqMaSMsbankVOnek2H4S4ssGxwxflaRM6pal_n03xv-KlPX7DgD1m4UKdSjRnwYV/s400/mass+start2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335091953792578" border="0" /></a>friday started the mass start events. thank god! look at all these LADIES! whoooo! this was the start of the scratch race!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNNpK5UXW8jcfTsLLaZgJQcya8magRw_bTVBx151Y1vpfmhJnBzUL731v9-LVPEYi1Uv6INPF8P3Ylw8NT_Erkly66XclPWzNdW7FAxpEskhOvZXLYbt-80R_pY4Kz5Bpnb__/s1600/mass+start.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNNpK5UXW8jcfTsLLaZgJQcya8magRw_bTVBx151Y1vpfmhJnBzUL731v9-LVPEYi1Uv6INPF8P3Ylw8NT_Erkly66XclPWzNdW7FAxpEskhOvZXLYbt-80R_pY4Kz5Bpnb__/s400/mass+start.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335102862634450" border="0" /></a>here is me riding at some point during the race.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5I09fox7x-sFDT27zYKBziBPaxFVoOz_gWTujJD6Kq7yAAXVc_OGBmEnSVnnsQqqgPyd5HeiR7qeQy4ij9Ek3gA1y7RX8aap0rJ932_3qn0Sz5E-BkT5MLmRo6-3YGB807Zy/s1600/2+to+go+scratch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 323px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5I09fox7x-sFDT27zYKBziBPaxFVoOz_gWTujJD6Kq7yAAXVc_OGBmEnSVnnsQqqgPyd5HeiR7qeQy4ij9Ek3gA1y7RX8aap0rJ932_3qn0Sz5E-BkT5MLmRo6-3YGB807Zy/s400/2+to+go+scratch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504334513991781154" border="0" /></a>this is with 2 to go in the scratch race. someone has a good wheel! hehehe<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2I-cBDgYh5K4dPYQvUq1gWLw45GmZFMkoYSziE1Dvs11G2rQVig5-ptMlRFuhPhdh_WRghjUsYshLAPwoS9HjZC4jTDX6WRiHcH9FrJWI7RBIe5YXUUpRWJgDXU4Y0xcysKL/s1600/scratch+podium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2I-cBDgYh5K4dPYQvUq1gWLw45GmZFMkoYSziE1Dvs11G2rQVig5-ptMlRFuhPhdh_WRghjUsYshLAPwoS9HjZC4jTDX6WRiHcH9FrJWI7RBIe5YXUUpRWJgDXU4Y0xcysKL/s400/scratch+podium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335798520442450" border="0" /></a>and this is me on the podium! i guess i need to learn how to do the sexy leg shot! oops.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBJYxCIQwz_qHJ0juVJZSGuVm2APxQHlnCDPnem3sbif10Xl4IpfgAP-PL86OZgVJVfvFAraKwfDrAVEGqFXhFuXbmYpum0KmTX5s3gGz2L29z2Tqkk2D-LC7VwgQv0Exj4DI/s1600/team+sprint+prep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBJYxCIQwz_qHJ0juVJZSGuVm2APxQHlnCDPnem3sbif10Xl4IpfgAP-PL86OZgVJVfvFAraKwfDrAVEGqFXhFuXbmYpum0KmTX5s3gGz2L29z2Tqkk2D-LC7VwgQv0Exj4DI/s400/team+sprint+prep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336196476518930" border="0" /></a>later that day, i had the honor of doing the team sprint with none other than mary glen carassco. ooooooo.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEz15rbAFEEEzhu4fA5p5sIMK5bsGfNMLmQGKbAUcNV415S-TvKbLBavnX6cDyw7wWGo2EU86QQOLIBWsFjHvlnDCrBoJ1djbfWwENi05BG2Tr7Ny4VZOkt47mTQ7EuHqfGLJ/s1600/team+sprint.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEz15rbAFEEEzhu4fA5p5sIMK5bsGfNMLmQGKbAUcNV415S-TvKbLBavnX6cDyw7wWGo2EU86QQOLIBWsFjHvlnDCrBoJ1djbfWwENi05BG2Tr7Ny4VZOkt47mTQ7EuHqfGLJ/s400/team+sprint.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336192094799778" border="0" /></a>i made her go lap 2 because i didn't want her to drop me at the start!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadZsPmtPs_9r26i7I3r2ejm_2oqL6kTJ2DWFD583R9HHtXf-K0l5RKET19fdx2V43xBZZuu09t1119yA1Y4X5-cWbX0Shbsql5k2CEDzAVVdblTn3gfe3HOxLfkhg91T6OMFV/s1600/kiddie+kilo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 392px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadZsPmtPs_9r26i7I3r2ejm_2oqL6kTJ2DWFD583R9HHtXf-K0l5RKET19fdx2V43xBZZuu09t1119yA1Y4X5-cWbX0Shbsql5k2CEDzAVVdblTn3gfe3HOxLfkhg91T6OMFV/s400/kiddie+kilo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335070458388786" border="0" /></a>my nieces came to do the kiddie kilo and rocked it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd2TrQcN8xwVwq4K5wtW4wcl2w6Z11-CTXUi3ci-fWhYVy8BO6ilswxifjTBe2PCMua2dI_bEJS0PZtIT9-yque4gnfdciEaVjbJ35WcmPimAukaD4qGIX6gH3Waq4Wlke9ei/s1600/hi+mom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 327px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd2TrQcN8xwVwq4K5wtW4wcl2w6Z11-CTXUi3ci-fWhYVy8BO6ilswxifjTBe2PCMua2dI_bEJS0PZtIT9-yque4gnfdciEaVjbJ35WcmPimAukaD4qGIX6gH3Waq4Wlke9ei/s400/hi+mom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504339398579265346" border="0" /></a>my mom was also in town to watch! hi mom! (look i didn't even say a swear word that time!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">that was it for saturday -- short day! sunday started with some keirins.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWEtvEmrMAFp_Mphmo37O0EpqqIQSAZldEXJ4xVHsMsVRdGthU9jPN4_014i00oQnJtBNJx9DVWH7lrS0pKfquSPLQhltDmvZGDiIXdeQ1e2sterJiVL6sia9zD7rFcxIElV1/s1600/keirin+rep2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWEtvEmrMAFp_Mphmo37O0EpqqIQSAZldEXJ4xVHsMsVRdGthU9jPN4_014i00oQnJtBNJx9DVWH7lrS0pKfquSPLQhltDmvZGDiIXdeQ1e2sterJiVL6sia9zD7rFcxIElV1/s400/keirin+rep2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335061193803282" border="0" /></a>here is me in the rep round.<br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4ypJkXwweQ4jXQl5ldj18tjFIEg8Ogpq5w5ygnS6Rx7SxBnkxBLhr47-6K_zc5AsGjnYG0aXxv4v9tRKBlEjatWXzVBYwhc7BK6Me8df4ecmc39musp5N72mM5t1DJ0CKLcK/s1600/keirin+rep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4ypJkXwweQ4jXQl5ldj18tjFIEg8Ogpq5w5ygnS6Rx7SxBnkxBLhr47-6K_zc5AsGjnYG0aXxv4v9tRKBlEjatWXzVBYwhc7BK6Me8df4ecmc39musp5N72mM5t1DJ0CKLcK/s400/keirin+rep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504334538884869298" border="0" /></a>this is the finish of the rep round. i won it believe it or not! it was the best keirin i had ever ridden!<br /><br />then was the miss 'n out. my favorite race!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjqsb6rvl04TYni4Im3E79_hRHxXarykuuetLHBU6NxXXh42An1c6gS7dKRoBZs9yywTJ4A_5ssVHVbfpMZjoiNbAGIdve1oJyA8fQbYnIm94EeIbB2xJLUU6AOHzgNuvTpWb/s1600/miss+n+out2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjqsb6rvl04TYni4Im3E79_hRHxXarykuuetLHBU6NxXXh42An1c6gS7dKRoBZs9yywTJ4A_5ssVHVbfpMZjoiNbAGIdve1oJyA8fQbYnIm94EeIbB2xJLUU6AOHzgNuvTpWb/s400/miss+n+out2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504346513813847250" border="0" /></a>i spent a lot of time here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8iK9kc7dB-VnaVCkHaW3LzNdVOYCkxgIf4GreCjZMCz8XZMqVtX_F2TS1sduR_whJ-ctzmzL0quOOGegJA6EcgKXssceQozdv6X94NFXKL3sXjdGWEqW_peP8k4vHER4NDfM/s1600/miss+n+out.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8iK9kc7dB-VnaVCkHaW3LzNdVOYCkxgIf4GreCjZMCz8XZMqVtX_F2TS1sduR_whJ-ctzmzL0quOOGegJA6EcgKXssceQozdv6X94NFXKL3sXjdGWEqW_peP8k4vHER4NDfM/s400/miss+n+out.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504346508585058738" border="0" /></a>and here. oh wait, that looks like the same spot, doesn't it? but that was all okay, because it landed me here for the final lap.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WyJgy60NJx4rc45Qyol0PylHk6iBO1l0kbviq1JcQej_QL1m0R8YZtV0S_GVRi8mRQsin_1l7C2Gk1qVb8FhlVFfC1Rn6naQcfwOhNug1-chHAOX6ra-EDjZvhMO3H8ywjMv/s1600/miss+n+out3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WyJgy60NJx4rc45Qyol0PylHk6iBO1l0kbviq1JcQej_QL1m0R8YZtV0S_GVRi8mRQsin_1l7C2Gk1qVb8FhlVFfC1Rn6naQcfwOhNug1-chHAOX6ra-EDjZvhMO3H8ywjMv/s400/miss+n+out3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504346520646035906" border="0" /></a>2nd, not so shabby!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0O1tRKqEpi71qajNA4s-rUiLSw1uXO281v89gYj7BORar8glCz_md5Fg7nLaV_8yKSR0dq6biBmDD5SRp0oMfsF60g1OLLb14mP7E75Diqv405UeMPLUb3cu0ycd_oR1098gi/s1600/miss+n+out+podium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0O1tRKqEpi71qajNA4s-rUiLSw1uXO281v89gYj7BORar8glCz_md5Fg7nLaV_8yKSR0dq6biBmDD5SRp0oMfsF60g1OLLb14mP7E75Diqv405UeMPLUb3cu0ycd_oR1098gi/s400/miss+n+out+podium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504346530046550002" border="0" /></a>it landed me on the podium again.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FKiA3eGfQvIZ2lUrgdjpSPpHDNS6em6uwlz0S98t9SaqgkNQ41TbbBj70a-Ae9x0RCaSlpEWmeQEOJqQHbbTmRUwafFs3QJIyTie6hn64f6Yx2JqHpZU2lkVZHefXx-hp4AM/s1600/rock+tape.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FKiA3eGfQvIZ2lUrgdjpSPpHDNS6em6uwlz0S98t9SaqgkNQ41TbbBj70a-Ae9x0RCaSlpEWmeQEOJqQHbbTmRUwafFs3QJIyTie6hn64f6Yx2JqHpZU2lkVZHefXx-hp4AM/s400/rock+tape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335770623692130" border="0" /></a>but this is a better podium shot. yeah, quads!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMrGRTzQzz58n-1HLSZrAjR2_rxbMGEOCYv_SapFBUrR8Bgo4nNDMoJQRif1p0crhQqav9bgVy9Vxml1G40KqZt8bDLhRzg7Nu2VeMQrltbX4Qd7irWpD9vKQWGdcSF2tdFrn/s1600/rollers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMrGRTzQzz58n-1HLSZrAjR2_rxbMGEOCYv_SapFBUrR8Bgo4nNDMoJQRif1p0crhQqav9bgVy9Vxml1G40KqZt8bDLhRzg7Nu2VeMQrltbX4Qd7irWpD9vKQWGdcSF2tdFrn/s400/rollers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335789578372338" border="0" /></a>then i did a lot of this. it was getting hot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaeD9-u1-0mmh5dGp918ba46ISjnz4dnLzg_I_gBWTCEjb0Jw8Msg-J5g62EcfMk214tkduI5je6UFvzi9XU3OrvpkMh8wZdMbxkcdCAFwa6TidnKh-hWPg_0dQmNXautCW4g/s1600/roller+and+michael+love.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaeD9-u1-0mmh5dGp918ba46ISjnz4dnLzg_I_gBWTCEjb0Jw8Msg-J5g62EcfMk214tkduI5je6UFvzi9XU3OrvpkMh8wZdMbxkcdCAFwa6TidnKh-hWPg_0dQmNXautCW4g/s400/roller+and+michael+love.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335775329937986" border="0" /></a>but i have the best boyfriend ever who made me shade! mwah!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9BeCakiYLkWYJU7ExJihVXkiW9QWjAeoTiRjl-z1vhKeAayuKLRuGjYuzB-K1axKPP6o1AsgkOLnTytAyprzkvIIae0a2sM17RCen5RrsqH652aI8wqOtrwGhbPYCbJnnhzp/s1600/keirin+prep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9BeCakiYLkWYJU7ExJihVXkiW9QWjAeoTiRjl-z1vhKeAayuKLRuGjYuzB-K1axKPP6o1AsgkOLnTytAyprzkvIIae0a2sM17RCen5RrsqH652aI8wqOtrwGhbPYCbJnnhzp/s400/keirin+prep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504334527906832130" border="0" /></a>then i had the keirin final. this was me waiting with all the sprinter girls before they crushed me. my quads might be big, but their quads are definitely bigger.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">that is okay: next up, points race. this wasn't a very good race for me. my head wasn't in it the first couple of sprints. i got in a few breaks that didn't go anywhere. then i got in the winning break, but we didn't lap quick enough for it to matter for me, as i needed more points from sprint laps, in addition to lapping point. oh well. still go 5th.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBlBUuUZfgiF0kBC3Qj_iGxsLaGePnUkHmE7ZHhpV0pHiM9cNRgfB4ybb0-6FjTroCQmvPZMOPZ3XzjFUdz_RjNt6VUoy_f5QbH4AOGpE45RhBhumwkNtOLs0rSJunW_9GGrq/s1600/points+race.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBlBUuUZfgiF0kBC3Qj_iGxsLaGePnUkHmE7ZHhpV0pHiM9cNRgfB4ybb0-6FjTroCQmvPZMOPZ3XzjFUdz_RjNt6VUoy_f5QbH4AOGpE45RhBhumwkNtOLs0rSJunW_9GGrq/s400/points+race.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504346533745695842" border="0" /></a>here is me off the front with kira for awhile<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2ycq4q-Ju1dOzMxdPtUQdAjj73YvOuANm0YjipyHgQXjY4-f3wgDTV0LwRknd-oYDzd0dFX8SQoD338Owtd94K1dErD0RhzKXhg5LMeRvFiVB7gmdQhavgIr5cDK-cucAK6U/s1600/mass+start3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2ycq4q-Ju1dOzMxdPtUQdAjj73YvOuANm0YjipyHgQXjY4-f3wgDTV0LwRknd-oYDzd0dFX8SQoD338Owtd94K1dErD0RhzKXhg5LMeRvFiVB7gmdQhavgIr5cDK-cucAK6U/s400/mass+start3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504335078633839506" border="0" /></a>and this is the final breakaway of 5 in the race.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">whew. then i was done. i ended up 4th in the overall omnium for the weekend! that got me some extra cash! and i got the "top hellyer" award, which got me more cash! who knew! it was an awesome race. oh wait, not done yet!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQ0uOjJkVDVJQnYItunhGgKAo3KzcTtYByX0Eq48ctfIpVP-GEy5KAb3RUOhmp-aU1w_xiK5qPQqt4AusNoM_WPqnH-ek5rHlCcCaPqvnmOWby4t4l7pyadjBprtRfAvGW0hV/s1600/flying+lap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQ0uOjJkVDVJQnYItunhGgKAo3KzcTtYByX0Eq48ctfIpVP-GEy5KAb3RUOhmp-aU1w_xiK5qPQqt4AusNoM_WPqnH-ek5rHlCcCaPqvnmOWby4t4l7pyadjBprtRfAvGW0hV/s400/flying+lap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504334527372633858" border="0" /></a>still had to watch the flying lap with my nieces and yell at all my friends!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf5MxM4Ce8xz32VEySugt413QqukIEKXBrSyaEV0x5DeyuNkBe-JkO2HO09NcfikNNeEiLSz6iidxs0fjF8jdTI1DP4IR0IppXdJ1h1ci5F1ya7wH9VyMce_l9ALi59vHGG-W/s1600/alpenrose+friends.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf5MxM4Ce8xz32VEySugt413QqukIEKXBrSyaEV0x5DeyuNkBe-JkO2HO09NcfikNNeEiLSz6iidxs0fjF8jdTI1DP4IR0IppXdJ1h1ci5F1ya7wH9VyMce_l9ALi59vHGG-W/s400/alpenrose+friends.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504334516398900914" border="0" /></a>and take a cute picture with them before i left.<br /></div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywp0hMGX5gjDcIOq-kw76bSfpvhbnEXaRVbFziVocXh_TL4Nmu4jYMyQ2enYwyC40FkUbdaY1lCwDE76E8bxssnYQXOvsr6etcCGEcnb6dZ4FL4lXRAjqc25mSpSsi1dJYQcv/s1600/we+love+brian.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 378px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywp0hMGX5gjDcIOq-kw76bSfpvhbnEXaRVbFziVocXh_TL4Nmu4jYMyQ2enYwyC40FkUbdaY1lCwDE76E8bxssnYQXOvsr6etcCGEcnb6dZ4FL4lXRAjqc25mSpSsi1dJYQcv/s400/we+love+brian.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336205059796242" border="0" /></a><br />and to the real MVP of the weekend: BRIAN PETERSON! for being the best teammate, mechanic, coach, friend, cheerer ever. we love you brian!<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-86689740942025483502010-08-09T17:16:00.000-07:002010-08-09T17:56:04.474-07:00someone tell me this is a typo!in my spare time of perusing cycling news, i thought i would check out the <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/forms/nrc/2010NRCCalendar.pdf">NRC calendar</a>. i saw that this race-- US10k-- is listed as the last women's NRC race.<br /><br />someone please tell me-- is this US10k really a women's NRC race?! because i am hoping it is a typo and actually a men's NRC race.<br /><br />why?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1KZeDiTo3k7GV1mgs9BNjAG3-k2oz9t2oN1XPL478grlN76BnzT_GZjYDgdZNj1frNynw6qL2-H737J9Rs4_TWHvZKUXHDVVZ6PJz0wnCdUnaLpnDX7RC63MqokxOEwFv1ua/s1600/us10k.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1KZeDiTo3k7GV1mgs9BNjAG3-k2oz9t2oN1XPL478grlN76BnzT_GZjYDgdZNj1frNynw6qL2-H737J9Rs4_TWHvZKUXHDVVZ6PJz0wnCdUnaLpnDX7RC63MqokxOEwFv1ua/s400/us10k.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503578391044474066" border="0" /></a>i looked at the <a href="http://gobike1.com/events/10k/us10k_flyer2010.pdf">race flyer</a>...<br /><br />and it says the women's NRC race is:<br />-category 1/2/3/4<br />-10km long...<br />-$2000 payout.<br /><br />while the men's <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">non-</span></span>NRC race is:<br />-category p/1/2<br />-100km<br />-$10,000 payout<br /><br />that's gotta be a typo, right?<br /><br />they wouldn't make a women's NRC race 6 miles long with <span style="font-style: italic;">category 4 riders</span>.... i mean, the discrepency between the men and women's race is glaring enough, but considering it is a <span style="font-style: italic;">women's </span>NRC race (and not a men's NRC race...)-- that is just insulting and outrageous.<br /><br />i am hoping it is a typo. if anyone knows more, please comment! that is ridiculous!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-28731387676301782702010-08-04T13:23:00.000-07:002010-08-04T13:56:18.176-07:00far west championshipso i heard a rumor from alfred nash that the current world champion of the international omnium and points race, tara whitten, was going to be coming to the far west championship.<br /><br />i was a bit skeptical.<br /><br />...errr, intimidated.<br /><br />i guess she was really jealous that<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-size:130%;">I</span> </span>was the reigning 'far west champion,' and she wanted to add that title her laurels. i mean, who wouldn't? it was definitely the highlight of my 2009!<br /><br />when michael and i show up, we see peter bohl get out of his van. man, we can't get rid of that guy! him and lala had apparently gotten up at 3am to drive down, and were driving back that night. crazy guy! it was a big hellyer contingent, which was awesome. nash loves us and gave us lots of nice shoutouts on the microphone. thanks nash!<br /><br />nash was running one helluva race: full national qualifier plus new olympic style omnium. i think this was the first-ever olympic style omnium to be held... apparently the old-olympic omnium wasn't hard enough for the UCI, so they decided to add a 6th event and make all the distances longer. except they split the program into 2 days... but not al nash. we did the whole shabang in one day. it went like this...<br /><ul><li>flying250- i got a personal best..... [cause it was the first time i've ever done one of these!] it got me 2nd place.</li><li>80 lap-points race- i was doing really well...well, until i wasn't doing well any longer. i was a dip shit and missed the break that lapped the field, then pretty much did a 3k pursuit in no man's land. i got 4th here... baller.</li><li>elimination- i did another 3k pursuit here, setting pace at the front for about that long. on the 4th place elimination the person questioned if her or i was out (it was her), so i got distracted and then the pace picked up and i didn't have enough muster to come over, so i got 3rd....baller.</li><li>pursuit- i guess this was my third pursuit of the day, but this time i got to use aero bars and borrowed a funny hat. my splits were super even, so that was good, but i got 3rd by a half second or so...baller again.</li><li>scratch race- my ability to accelerate was waning fast and it would take me 2 laps to catch onto any attack. missed tara whitten lapping, and ended 3rd place again... i won't say it again (but, yeah, baller).</li><li>500m- i pulled off a good 500m for me, so that made me glad, but still got me 3rd.</li></ul>.....bummed i was riding kinda poopy, but so it goes. but on the good news, all these 3rd places landed me 2nd place overall! so that was pretty rad~ it is kinda fun saying you got 2nd to the world champion, but, in reality, we know it was something like this:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpTxbY2akWxLt5cfpkkrN8WSZT4AzQ3jB-4oBFPD89Oo2F6IoxSHjfMNXqjnWvhfxxa3kqx7qeN6koE7a0b26iByUSZ3QBNMFHDhUTBQfaBy_RI4rLKSlXCMrEyxIkJBjVASF/s1600/farwest.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpTxbY2akWxLt5cfpkkrN8WSZT4AzQ3jB-4oBFPD89Oo2F6IoxSHjfMNXqjnWvhfxxa3kqx7qeN6koE7a0b26iByUSZ3QBNMFHDhUTBQfaBy_RI4rLKSlXCMrEyxIkJBjVASF/s400/farwest.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501645995952347954" border="0" /></a>the real problem of my racing was that i did not follow my teammate ted burns' advice regarding racing canadians...<br /><div></div><blockquote><div>1. Throw some donuts down at the start of the race, Canadians can't help themselves.</div> <div>2. If that doesn't work just grab some beer an do the same thing.</div> <div>3. They aren't too bright...tell her it's an extra long track, and tell her every thing in Feet or miles...they only know metric.</div> <div>4. Tell her that the queen just died. That will make her cry</div> <div>5. Tell her that Neil Young renounced his canadian citizenship years ago.</div></blockquote><div></div>i knew i sucked. how could i forget such valuable race material on race day?!<br /><br />anyway, here are some super sweet pictures of me thanks to pat benson. there are even some cool ones of me by the <span style="font-style: italic;">world champion.</span> xmas card material for sure.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbvrCZAHSpcPv5DwD6seq4evA-eH7INkd160o7bxxjDNLeUbQrhYYQXnwFnQAb3KsYRV_GbM76Vj3x9tt3KIUj1QLij13MbDpPMlrUUc2DgNmulVB5xj8vLTTg8F0H3jsyDah/s1600/farwestworldchamp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbvrCZAHSpcPv5DwD6seq4evA-eH7INkd160o7bxxjDNLeUbQrhYYQXnwFnQAb3KsYRV_GbM76Vj3x9tt3KIUj1QLij13MbDpPMlrUUc2DgNmulVB5xj8vLTTg8F0H3jsyDah/s400/farwestworldchamp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501648396033526034" border="0" /></a>me checking out tara whitten's awesome quads<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FHzI4pKQq-LDl05wjKucZ47klqoNFffy91T2HUWj3iWjkAqQXoQ9M8G6v-n5BIzrLG931zdzMdUS2iqcCe22cEMeQBVZ5sDmVyMBe20tFY6pTC9wyQYAYFxJmBDi2mddVLR0/s1600/farwestpursuit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 342px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FHzI4pKQq-LDl05wjKucZ47klqoNFffy91T2HUWj3iWjkAqQXoQ9M8G6v-n5BIzrLG931zdzMdUS2iqcCe22cEMeQBVZ5sDmVyMBe20tFY6pTC9wyQYAYFxJmBDi2mddVLR0/s400/farwestpursuit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501648392498324210" border="0" /></a>bethbikes! attempting to pursuit<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgXpom3a58KtPsI0pnX9KL_DsDzLbFp9EwhtPPmIxwS8ADn8fCxrtYe2c_kHlgZywN4ONYKzjAHD_fTFxsdqEwEx5AoPIVXxPutGgdj5UTdOPa5xBaBydNYTw7SQut9PkUJak/s1600/farwestmissnout.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgXpom3a58KtPsI0pnX9KL_DsDzLbFp9EwhtPPmIxwS8ADn8fCxrtYe2c_kHlgZywN4ONYKzjAHD_fTFxsdqEwEx5AoPIVXxPutGgdj5UTdOPa5xBaBydNYTw7SQut9PkUJak/s400/farwestmissnout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501648388005969458" border="0" /></a>miss 'n out<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">so that whole extravaganza resulted in approximately a 13 hour day in the chamois! i had found a sweet all-you-can-eat buffet for us to eat at, called <a href="http://www.hokkaidoseafood.com/floorplan.html">hokkaido seafood buffet</a>. yeah, check out that floor plan-- there are sweet pictures and even a you-tube video if you click on the individual parts of the floor plan. dinner was $16.99 and we definitely ate our monies worth. it was awesome. in addition to all-you-can-eat sushi, they also had a chocolate fountain.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqtCXvaX1HYiA4CCK5bTE9wo9OI4YTrSMkLFjg32P-8TGHFv1XR3cKFNS76rsNXxv7PlQkowrBLSRzUhAePdvZZ108SS3qdb2p1TXDryg9rPkRuhvKdtq2z54LqRmBcqyUVv8/s1600/farwestbuffet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqtCXvaX1HYiA4CCK5bTE9wo9OI4YTrSMkLFjg32P-8TGHFv1XR3cKFNS76rsNXxv7PlQkowrBLSRzUhAePdvZZ108SS3qdb2p1TXDryg9rPkRuhvKdtq2z54LqRmBcqyUVv8/s400/farwestbuffet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501648378351064002" border="0" /></a>apparently gio took a picture of us. i was too busy stuffing my face to notice.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>so that was the far west championship. we drove back that night and got into oaktown around 4am. my boyfriend was crazy enough to want to do a criterium the next day. i went to cheer, but instead of cheer, i got distracted and talked to tim montagne. i did see him chit-chatting at the back a few times. when we were leaving we saw the women's race going on, and we heard some chick in the peleton say "is that beth?" as michael was attempting to ride me back to the car on his bicycle. let me say: it is much cooler riding on the back of your boyfriend's bike than doing a race yourself.<br /><br />well, that is about it for the far west championship. no wait, oh yeah, la la beat the reigning national champion in a match sprint! that was cool to watch. okay, i'm done for real this time-- thanks alfred nash for another fun socal racing experience!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-42141867279054094652010-08-03T14:55:00.000-07:002010-08-03T15:18:30.671-07:00michael ball - he's back baby.so i was pretty excited when i saw michael ball's name back on cycling news:<br /><a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ball-could-hold-link-to-armstrong-probe"></a><a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ball-could-hold-link-to-armstrong-probe"></a><blockquote><a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ball-could-hold-link-to-armstrong-probe">"ball could hold link to armstrong probe"</a></blockquote>how cool is that?<br /><br />the drama around michael ball continues. this time it is linked to his recruitment of tyler hamilton, tyler getting busted again for doping, and tyler's previous affiliation with lance armstrong.<br /><br />where's my popcorn when i need it?<br /><br />it is times like these that i really shake my head disparagingly at michael ball. <br /><br />not only has the guy's team folded...<br />and his company struggling in the designer jean market...<br />but now he is also wrapped up in some fraud investigation...<br /><br />all of these things could have been avoided if he had <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">just followed my advice and made the keirin cut jeans!</span><br /><br />if he shifted directions for R&R and started production on keirin cut jeans, all of the above would have been avoided:<br /><br />...he would have avoided the market fallout for skinny jeans from all these people whose quads grew because their cocaine habits to keep their quads small got too costly in this economy. profits and continued cycling team.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">and,<br /></div><br />...as a marketer of <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">keirin</span></span> cut, he never in a million years would have recruited 38cm quads tyler hamilton to his team, thus avoiding this federal investigation all together! <br /><br />but stupid michael ball.<br /><br />why was i never taken seriously?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-42510499644168957572010-08-02T18:17:00.001-07:002010-09-13T17:29:45.486-07:00sleep 1 & lean 1-- nutrtion53so i know i have a lot to update on this blog.... highlights include:<br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">far west championship</span>: beth bikes! races the world champion...and loses. but i definitely win at the hokkaido all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">FSA grand prix</span>: jennie reed knows beth bikes! by name, evident by her saying: "good job, beth". also, some pretty awesome quad measuring occurs...<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">alpenrose velodrome challenge</span>: beth bikes! nieces take to the kiddie kilo and i demonstrate how *not* to do a standing start.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">testarosa veldrome challenge</span>: really, am i that far behind???? shit.....<br /></li></ol>anyway, that is a lot of races to catch up and it all kind of overwhelms me at the moment. good thing i have a rest week, so i should have lots of time and energy to blog.<br /><br />but, before all that, i want to write a small shout out and thank you to my sponsor <span style="font-weight: bold;">nutrition53</span> for the products that helped me through this three crazy weekends of racing up and down the west coast. (portland to seattle to LA... oy vay!)<br /><br />nutrition53 has a few products and if you have heard me talk about it, it has probably been about the really awesome recovery drink, <span style="font-weight: bold;">lean1</span>. (if you have seen me at some track races, i may have given you a sample packet to try....if i haven't, ask me and i might have one on me.)<br /><br />i really like this recovery drink, primarily for two reasons: 1) it tastes good, 2) it mixes well. of course, a logical third reason would be: it works, as in it has 20 grams of protein and all that other recovery mumbo jumbo stuff... but really, those two things above are the reason i use it. lots of recovery drinks work... but most of them taste like crap so it is impossible to drink them. this one actually takes super super yummy! and it is really easily mixable, so it is great to transport.<br /><br />just so you know this isn't a shameless plug....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">yummy recovery drink</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://shop.nutrition53.com/v/vspfiles/photos/L00210-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 198px;" src="http://shop.nutrition53.com/v/vspfiles/photos/L00210-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>i started using the <span style="font-weight: bold;">lean1</span> before i got sponsored by them. it was actually a cool coincidence i got sponsored. i was chatting on a ride to my friend about how i really like this recovery drink lean1 and she says: "i work there!" and low-and-behold she got me the hook-up. anyway, if you are looking for a recovery drink, i suggest you try it because, like i said, it tastes really yummy and it mixes well. you can just shake it in a normal water bottle and it all dissolves -- no chunks left at the top and no chunks at the bottom. it tastes super good, and i am not just saying that. if you got a sample from you, you can attest. my favorite flavor is cookies and cream, cause i like chocolate. second favorite is chocolate. and third favorite is the strawberry. the strawberry is really good and mild tasting if chocolate is too much for you. (they also have vanilla raspberry which is nice and mild and vanilla. vanilla is the only flavor i haven't tried, so i can't comment on it, but given the other flavors, i'm guessing it is good if you are a plain jane type of person and like vanilla ice cream best...). anyway if you want to try it-- you can get 40% off my using my code... that comes to $35.00 for a tub that is pretty big and lasts a long time. Here is <a href="http://shop.nutrition53.com/Category_s/37.htm?Click=29922">the coupon</a>-- the discount is taken after you go to the checkout...be sure bethbikes is in the coupon code. if you use that link, it should be there automatically....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">sleep sleep sleep!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://shop.nutrition53.com/v/vspfiles/photos/S01499-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 87px; height: 150px;" src="http://shop.nutrition53.com/v/vspfiles/photos/S01499-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>anyway, enough about lean1. the <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> reason i wanted to write this post was because of the other product they make called sleep1. like its name, it is a sleeping pill, duh! i have a pretty hard time falling asleep after night time bicycle races.... track racing at night is so much fun, and i get so excited... (...and i take too many caffeinated GUs....), that i have hard time falling asleep. or, when i do fall asleep, i wake up a few hours later and can't fall back asleep.<br /><br />i tried sleep1 a few times after hellyer races, and found it put me to sleep pretty good. but the past few weekends, it was pretty invaluable... especially when <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEL6Oy9ny9lQ2pyB9QBry8QA_E70bBNbyY2EaBosILvDHRJv9AYQ-nLt9YPc13vV6GhEv1CPBtNuEH_FZ-rn4QySG26ShAlZbn7fOJeBcaDitCX7E08INgy4KotbO6IggM1Wt/s1600/sleep1nutritionfacts.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEL6Oy9ny9lQ2pyB9QBry8QA_E70bBNbyY2EaBosILvDHRJv9AYQ-nLt9YPc13vV6GhEv1CPBtNuEH_FZ-rn4QySG26ShAlZbn7fOJeBcaDitCX7E08INgy4KotbO6IggM1Wt/s400/sleep1nutritionfacts.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500991135085738274" border="0" /></a>we were racing late and then getting up very early for more racing... sometimes i fall asleep easily, then wake up and can't fall asleep for a few hours, and then feel like crap in the morning. but this sleeping pill helps me stay asleep-- but mostly, it doesn't make me feel groggy in the morning. i had tried using Tylenol PM once, and felt like crap the next morning... so definitely not ideal when you have to race in the morning! sleep1 is good because it doesn't have that morning-after affect on me. Anyway, i am not a dietician, so not really sure what the active ingredients are in there, except a small amount of melatonin-- but i put the backside label on the right so you can see, if you are more scientifically inclined than me. all i know, is it works.<br /><br />anyway, if you are interested in trying it, <a href="http://shop.nutrition53.com/Category_s/37.htm?Click=29922">again the 40% discount applies again</a>, so that comes to $24, for 60 capsules. (discount comes after you go through the checkout). they say 2 capsules is recommended...but i usually just use 1 unless i am super hyper.<br /><br />alright, that is all for now. but i just wanted to thank nutrition53 for the products this year! they have really helped me this season and i greatly appreciate the kind support they have extended to me. having the lean1 has definitely helped in my training and my recovery after races. i never used to take a regular recovery drink, but now i am, and think it is helping. well, i am faster and leaner, so maybe some of that is because of that. and sleep1 has helped me get some rest-- especially the past few weekends, when that was really important in multi-day races. thanks so much again for the kind support. please thank them for me by trying out their product!<br /><br />thanks again nutrition53!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38873862.post-22209246778273371962010-07-19T14:33:00.000-07:002010-12-21T14:34:22.864-08:00Alpenrose Velodrome ChallengeA few weeks ago were some of my favorite bike races of the year: the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge and the FSA Grand Prix. Because women's track cycling does not have a huge pool of athletes, women don't have many races with large, competitive women's fields. In addition to the Testarosa Veldrome Challenge, these two races are the big track races of the year, and I was excited to participate.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Part 1: Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge</span><br /><br />First off, I need to give a big thank you to Brian Peterson for being the ultimate teammate. He was the best mechanic, coach, cheerer, nutrition consultant, and friend for the weekend. Thanks Brian, we love you!<br /><br />Day 1: The first day is mostly a warm-up day, as it is just time trials. I did a 3k pursuit and a 500m. The alpenrose track is a bit funky, bumpy, and slow. Despite having the worst start known to man on my pursuit (where I lost a couple of seconds), I was really happy with time and consistent pacing. I ended me fourth, and a few seconds off of third, so I was happy with that. My 500m was nothing great. I definitely need to work on my start.<br /><br />Day 2: This year, I decided to stop match sprinting because I hate it. That meant I got to rest all morning until the scratch race. I got on Cari Higgins' wheel with a few to go and stayed on it until the end, so I got 2nd place! That was super exciting! My goal was to podium over these weekends, and I was so excited to get on the podium in my first mass start race! I also did the team sprint later in the day with La La (Mary Glen) Carrasco. We did an okay job. The competition was still; 3 teams broke the track record that day! (We weren't one of them...) We probably should have switched positions, but i am ready to try that race again with her at elite states.<br /><br />Day 3: This was a big day for me. I had keirins, miss 'n out, and points race. Racing keirins are fun! But those are races for the real sprinters, which I am not. (I only pretend). In Round 1, only the first place got to advance to the final, and Monique Sullivan was in my heat. (If you don't know her, she is the Canadian national champ). I was happy I stayed on her wheel to the finish, but that didn't get me to the final. My rep round (to get back into the final), I was riding with some good people, including Nissy Cobb. Nissy is a very fast woman, who will be one of the top sprinters in the US in a couple of years. I was last in line and made a big run over the top when the moto pulled off, and was able to squeeze my way right behind Nissy (who was riding first position). I let her lead out the sprint and was able to push through in the turn four to pass her at the line! I couldn't believe it~ it was the best keirin I had ever done! I was so happy! But no time to celebrate, because I had the miss 'n out up next.<br /><br />Miss 'n Out: I set pace at the front for at least 10 laps, which is a very tiring place to be. Then I moved to the back and started playing the devil, popping around people in the final turn before the finishing straight. This is also a very tiring place to be, as you have to accelerate quite a bit. But, I luckily made it to the final three, which was Cari Higgins, Val Bolstrom, and me. I attacked a few times, but Cari was on me. We had 2 neutral laps, not three. I ended up leading out the sprint with 1 to go, Cari passed me on the final straight away, and I got 2nd again. I was pretty happy with that!<br /><br />Next was the keirin final- I was near the back of the group, sitting 6th or 7th wheel on the motor. I knew I wouldn't win, but was hoping to squeek in a top 5 amongst all the real sprinters. My plan was to catch any of the sprinters' wheels as they were making a run. Well, this didn't work so well for me, because the person in front of me couldn't overtake the speed at the front of the back, so I came in near the back of that one. Oh well.<br /><br />I had very little time between the keirin final and my points race. My points race was my worst race of the weekend. I just wasn't mentally in it. We were racing 50 laps I believe (sprints @10), and I was just zoned out and sitting near the back for the first 2 sprints. I felt great physically, I just wasn't mentally racing. I finally got my head in the game, then got in a few breaks that didn't go anywhere, until I got in the winning breakaway. Well, it was the winning breakaway, had I been scoring points in the first two sprints and had scored more points while in the breakaway. I was trying to pull hard to take the lap quickly, but others weren't needing to take it, as they had racked up a lot of points already and were setting up for the sprints. Anyway, I ended up 5th, which I was really disappointed with, but hey can't get 2nd place everytime!<br /><br />This put me in 4th overall in the omnium and I won the "best Hellyer rider!" award! I was pretty happy with the weekend and ready to race the weekend. Thanks Alpenrose and Charlie Warner for an awesome race~ I love it there!<br /><br />Here are some pictures from the weekend:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeguLF13ZA2a9UuXhT-KIQlYCz6RK8eWhCqtABFfjV6YwPKIvcIwNZAYmxOrToc0oUTT7FhknS_7xLCkfNmGWcxAyxZqIi-RPEMzivUoHRFWvDAs4Atb5OTmqCbv554T7Xht97/s1600/mass+start2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336920407635746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeguLF13ZA2a9UuXhT-KIQlYCz6RK8eWhCqtABFfjV6YwPKIvcIwNZAYmxOrToc0oUTT7FhknS_7xLCkfNmGWcxAyxZqIi-RPEMzivUoHRFWvDAs4Atb5OTmqCbv554T7Xht97/s400/mass+start2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 230px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a>a huge turn out of women at the racing!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F3l4i7qTCLMIzakARh8SgC6wewaj4gE54NFyrw9VXihYgH5Ymw_abnJRFT3py5UzD3kP7whhkK8NIw6XqUNXo09xLjyfkrG0SFvgZPuA0kwXmyVsLePmMCvbjTeyS3rjKBSS/s1600/2+to+go+scratch.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336916106861426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F3l4i7qTCLMIzakARh8SgC6wewaj4gE54NFyrw9VXihYgH5Ymw_abnJRFT3py5UzD3kP7whhkK8NIw6XqUNXo09xLjyfkrG0SFvgZPuA0kwXmyVsLePmMCvbjTeyS3rjKBSS/s400/2+to+go+scratch.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 323px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a>here is with 2 to go in the scratch race. i'm on a good wheel!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq32LIm4Z5gZtwy1mudst8p7-KSZ0wMRWymNqg7yIcCsBE22yPoHxcPOSJvtz-Vq98YkQOUYowtdFVqwBIu-OOT9UXIFn_UxP1HxehVc6725PK0C2pHe37O2Lcpk0SUGdi9yK/s1600/scratch+podium.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504337089759139058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq32LIm4Z5gZtwy1mudst8p7-KSZ0wMRWymNqg7yIcCsBE22yPoHxcPOSJvtz-Vq98YkQOUYowtdFVqwBIu-OOT9UXIFn_UxP1HxehVc6725PK0C2pHe37O2Lcpk0SUGdi9yK/s400/scratch+podium.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 295px;" border="0" /></a>scratch podium. i need to learn to podium pose, apparently.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaeg0_qLlcPzKQH1KYB0aZ52fGZKha0_Tk-oGJx63Auk8z6ml_wt9i0HDIEdZBTeEaJ-tlwaO9XLaGwq2KHxF8c-03jKXN9v_F6XNGaoxC22SDJ53Ypffg7ymC50oIwzwCrMP/s1600/miss+n+out.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336937263950050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaeg0_qLlcPzKQH1KYB0aZ52fGZKha0_Tk-oGJx63Auk8z6ml_wt9i0HDIEdZBTeEaJ-tlwaO9XLaGwq2KHxF8c-03jKXN9v_F6XNGaoxC22SDJ53Ypffg7ymC50oIwzwCrMP/s400/miss+n+out.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a>miss 'n out racing<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzveuYONTfNAsvWtG-IWRYy2taogVVuaYBZV_w4zCXrqJ240EsBrnPmHWgEI-Y7j5oFO702amO1Wror1_of0XjqboVXvfVizHWyNLSIO4GzVfqp238le6ppltulaSejDPy1PRo/s1600/miss+n+out+podium.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336930969460866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzveuYONTfNAsvWtG-IWRYy2taogVVuaYBZV_w4zCXrqJ240EsBrnPmHWgEI-Y7j5oFO702amO1Wror1_of0XjqboVXvfVizHWyNLSIO4GzVfqp238le6ppltulaSejDPy1PRo/s400/miss+n+out+podium.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a>miss 'n out podium<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWd7RBlLhTBxHsv1l6G4zuXfz5PgpZl8QrlcLf09LwLkXsHJf5vkiLUlaVn3bTYr4m8kOpuGi41h4hkbYRUbQv2915gHgVCdUJDJ-il0tyWJJJnoh1Kp3JJd2Hq0UU51Rah62/s1600/rock+tape.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504336942522021010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWd7RBlLhTBxHsv1l6G4zuXfz5PgpZl8QrlcLf09LwLkXsHJf5vkiLUlaVn3bTYr4m8kOpuGi41h4hkbYRUbQv2915gHgVCdUJDJ-il0tyWJJJnoh1Kp3JJd2Hq0UU51Rah62/s400/rock+tape.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 263px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a>thanks ROCKTAPE for being an awesome sponsor! my right quad had a huge knot in it on friday and started wearing the tape and it helped me 100% </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAb7ET8xnD3QKhpLrnZJL_jpGGMALXwoj9FxULg2Zuh3INusGybbySFHKLfKZPqHqT-Z9XDUu6UdR9E0uyBSw1UPsrisqNgijqAsIJNu45PBuBg06wUcg8FmoajtLYR12STO0/s1600/we+love+brian.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504337094694682002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAb7ET8xnD3QKhpLrnZJL_jpGGMALXwoj9FxULg2Zuh3INusGybbySFHKLfKZPqHqT-Z9XDUu6UdR9E0uyBSw1UPsrisqNgijqAsIJNu45PBuBg06wUcg8FmoajtLYR12STO0/s400/we+love+brian.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 378px;" border="0" /></a>and thanks to our most awesome team president and track president for all his help for the weekend!<br /><br />Part 2 coming: Next stop: Seattle for the FSA Grand Prix.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0