Excitement

BY THE WAY -- Jamie won the state circuit race championships, motoring in solo off the breakaway he and 2 teammates beat up on all day!

Ice Cream

I won the scratch race last Friday! It was a nice combination of skill, fitness, and luck that got me across that line first, and it felt wonderful.

We're in the process of introducing the women's (or possibly co-ed) Madison to Friday nights. How exciting!! Check out what the Madison is.

Racing in the Methow Valley was great fun, and I mostly enjoyed the very tasty milkshakes. Oh, and leading out my teammate for her to take 2nd in the road race, and 2nd in GC.

Now I'm trying to set myself up for a successful July...we'll see how that pans out. Unfortunately, I think it involves fewer milkshakes, and more intervals that make me want to puke. Too bad the new ice cream shoppe just opened 3 blocks away. At least summer is finally here!

Whoa, June is flying by!

So I failed at reporting on the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic. It was an amazingly organized event, with free dorm housing just yards from the track, a beautiful racing surface, and great competition - plus simply amazing hosts. I learned quite a bit from racing there, but most of all I learned that I'm often better than I think I am. I need to give myself some more credit, and race like I'm worth it! Plus I had some good times with my teammates Adrian, Dan, and Jen (see photo).

Last weekend I drove out to the Methow Valley for the crit and road race part of the omnium. Heather raced all 3 omnium stages, and I rode in support of her. It was great!! I managed to give her a lead-out in the road race, and she took 2nd, moving up to 2nd in the GC! The scenery was gorgeous, and we even got to hang out in the river in Winthrop on Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday evening I went on my first truly structured training ride in a while (mostly it's been just race and recovery recently). As I rode home through Madrona, I caught a whiff of cool water trickling down the rock surface off the side of the shaded road -- it reminded me of Ithaca and the gorges; brought back some fond memories. It was also a great workout: I really put my heart into the interval efforts, climbed Madrona hill on the way home, and found my way back to the normal route all on my own. Felt so good!

This weekend will be another @ss-kicker: Friday Night Racing, the State Championship Criterium on Saturday, and the State circuit race on Sunday. I think I'll be due for some rest after that... (: We shall see!

Training, New Friends, and a Great Conversation

This weekend was amazing for my training. I raced the track Friday, which totally trashed my legs for the remainder of the weekend. The crit on Saturday started off great for a few laps, then I found myself at the back of the pack for the rest of the race. But I did still manage to hang on. Today was the hill road race, and I got popped off the main group 3/4 of the way up the hill. That's ok, because I ended up working with an amazing group of gals who kept me strong, positive, and having fun every single minute of that race! Plus I reached my goal of working my butt off for 3 days in a row.

And tonight ended with a great conversation that will lead me in a brand new direction from now on.

I love progress. And this weekend was full of progress, on all fronts.

Next weekend: the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic!!! (Full schedule here.)