tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4580848131605218152024-03-13T20:21:32.186-07:00PWPKristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-51232210980565548532018-10-18T12:48:00.000-07:002019-01-07T17:23:16.155-08:002019 PWP Sandpoint, ID<span style="color: magenta;">**Change of Location** PWP is moving to the Mountain West Bank Building on the corner of HWY 2 and Division. Enter through the main doors and proceed to the second floor. The PWP room is down the hall to the left. The room will be locked when not in use, participants are encouraged to leave bikes set up. <i> Syringa Cycles is still our sponsors. Participants will recieve 10% off all merchandise for the duration of the program</i>. </span><br />
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Here is the PWP info for 2019!</div>
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PWP is an all abilities welcome indoor cycling program helping you improve your cycling fitness over the winter months. All levels of cyclists are welcome, you bring your bike, trainer and a willingness to improve. </div>
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New for this year we will be starting in January, with the session running every Tuesday/Thursday consecutively from January 8 through March 28. Also new for this year, the Thursday session will take place in the morning; from 6-7:30am. </div>
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The Tuesday session will remain in the evenings from 5:30-7pm. Also the same, the program will take place at Syringa Cyclery located at 518 Oak St., Sandpoint ID. </div>
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Please email Kristen with any questions: kmesh.pwp@gmail.com.</div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-89812727631044727582017-10-26T20:41:00.003-07:002017-10-26T20:41:51.000-07:00Pedaling With a Purpose Sandpoint, ID<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
PWP Sandpoint</div>
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Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:30-7pm</div>
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at </div>
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Syringa Cyclery</div>
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518 Oak Street</div>
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Sandpoint</div>
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Show up with your bike and trainer ready to ride</div>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-61578810099160688782016-11-09T20:55:00.001-08:002016-11-17T19:48:35.269-08:002016-2017 Pedaling With a Purpose WESTERN SUBURBS details<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Downers Grove</span></div>
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RTT Cycle Shop</div>
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5116-B Main Street</div>
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Downers Grove, IL</div>
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Sundays 8-10:30am</div>
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Thursdays 7:30-9:00pm</div>
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<i>Facilitated by PATTY ZAMPA </i></div>
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<i>& CHRIS BALLAK</i></div>
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<i>email: patricia.zampa@sbcglobal.net</i></div>
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<u>PWP stats:</u></div>
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<li>50% of all elite women (category 1/2) license holders in Illinois came through PWP</li>
<li>PWP has folks training for Elite World Triathlon Championships</li>
<li>PWP has had a 5 time World Champion on the Velodrome train with us</li>
<li>PWP has had many state champions on the road, velodrome and cyclocross</li>
<li>PWP has had professional men and women cyclists train with us</li>
<li>PWP has had tons of folks who don't want to race, but want to keep their bike legs fit and strong for next summer. </li>
<li>PWP is the only time in cycling where ALL fitness and ability levels can ride next to each other and each get a great workout. </li>
<li>PWP is for everyone!</li>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-91576791402778273772016-11-07T20:14:00.003-08:002016-11-17T19:49:41.174-08:002016-2017 Pedaling With a Purpose LIBERTYVILLE details<span style="font-size: large;"> Libertyville:</span><br />
George Garner Cyclery<br />
740 N Milwaukee Avenue<br />
Libertyville, IL<br />
Saturdays 9-11am<br />
Wednesdays 7:30-9pm<br />
<i>Facilitated by VANESSA BUCCELLA</i><br />
<i>email: Vanessa@bffbikes.com</i><br />
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<u>PWP stats:</u></div>
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<ul>
<li>50% of all elite women (category 1/2) license holders in Illinois came through PWP</li>
<li>PWP has folks training for Elite World Triathlon Championships</li>
<li>PWP has had a 5 time World Champion on the Velodrome train with us</li>
<li>PWP has had many state champions on the road, velodrome and cyclocross</li>
<li>PWP has had professional men and women cyclists train with us</li>
<li>PWP has had tons of folks who don't want to race, but want to keep their bike legs fit and strong for next summer. </li>
<li>PWP is the only time in cycling where ALL fitness and ability levels can ride next to each other and each get a great workout. </li>
<li>PWP is for everyone!</li>
</ul>
<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-27324651045248413862016-10-17T22:53:00.007-07:002016-11-08T05:32:02.137-08:002016-2017 Pedaling With Purpose SANDPOINT Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
PWP is a welcoming Winter Training program designed and implemented in Chicago, IL to help all levels of cyclists get through the tough Chicago winter. While still running in multiple Chicago locations, the program, now 13 years old, is currently offered for the second year in <span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Sandpoint, Idaho</span>, to help the cyclists of Idaho's panhandle maintain and improve their cycling fitness over the winter, and achieve their Cycling Goals for 2017.</div>
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<u>NEW FOR THIS YEAR:</u></div>
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This year the North Idaho program will take place at <span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><a href="http://syringacyclery.com/"><span style="color: purple;">Syringa Cycles</span></a> </span></div>
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PWP will take place every Tuesday and Thursday evening from December through March 5:30-7pm. (with no sessions surrounding the holidays) *Note two weeknight sessions, and no weekend session.</div>
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As always, free storage for your bike and trainer and lots of perks!</div>
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Register by <span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">November 15</span> and receive a <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple;">Free</span> </span>pair of PWP socks!</div>
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All participants who register for the 28 session pass receive a<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: purple;">Free</span></span> pair of Syringa Cyclery socks!</div>
ALL Participants receive a <span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Free </span>Syringa Cyclery water bottle!<br />
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All details can be found on the brochure below. Feel free to email me with questions at <a href="mailto:kmesh.pwp@gmail.com"><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">kmesh.pwp@gmail.com</span></a></div>
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I look forward to seeing you all in December!</div>
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Kristen</div>
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<u>PWP stats:</u></div>
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<li>50% of all elite women (category 1/2) license holders in Illinois came through PWP</li>
<li>PWP has folks training for Elite World Triathlon Championships</li>
<li>PWP has had a 5 time World Champion on the Velodrome train with us</li>
<li>PWP has had many state champions on the road, velodrome and cyclocross</li>
<li>PWP has had professional men and women cyclists train with us</li>
<li>PWP has had tons of folks who don't want to race, but want to keep their bike legs fit and strong for next summer. </li>
<li>PWP is the only time in cycling where ALL fitness and ability levels can ride next to each other and each get a great workout. </li>
<li>PWP is for everyone!</li>
</ul>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-3073663826079777602015-10-13T08:12:00.001-07:002015-10-13T08:12:21.279-07:00Pedaling With a Purpose 2015-2016 Chicago & Hinsdale Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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PWP is a winter training program designed to help all levels of cyclists get through the winter together. </div>
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This year will be our 12th year! In those 12 years we've had World level competitors, beginning cyclists, and everyone in between all getting through the winter together. </div>
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We have 3 locations, Chicago & Hinsdale, IL and Sandpoint, ID. All locations have (free) bike storage available. </div>
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New to PWP? Have questions? Feel free to email the Facilitator for the location you'd like to attend, or me at kmesh.pwp@gmail.com</div>
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Looking forward to seeing you in December!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chicago:</span></div>
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BFF Bikes</div>
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2113 W. Armitage Ave</div>
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Chicago, IL</div>
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Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm</div>
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Saturdays 8:00-10:30am</div>
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<i>Facilitated by ANNIE BYRNE</i> </div>
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<i>email: annie@bffbikes.com</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hinsdale:</span></div>
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Hartley's Cycle Shop</div>
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24 W Hinsdale Ave</div>
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Hinsdale, IL </div>
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Thursdays 7:30-9:00pm</div>
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Sundays 8-10:30am</div>
<i>Facilitated by KYLE KERSHASKY</i><br />
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<i>email: kershasky@gmail.com</i></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-81282797145554244272015-10-02T10:37:00.001-07:002015-10-02T10:41:58.934-07:002015-2016 PWP information COMING SOON <span style="color: #ffd966;">2015-2016 Pedaling With a Purpose is happening in <span style="font-size: x-large;">3</span> locations:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: x-large;">Chicago, IL</span><br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: x-large;">Hinsdale, IL</span><br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: x-large;">Sandpoint, ID</span><br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966;">The program will run from December through March. Check back shortly for detailed information!</span>Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-44410882761791341902015-04-09T19:07:00.001-07:002015-04-09T19:07:46.930-07:00Read about PWP's Dan Meyer's recovery from a broken shoulder and hip to becoming faster than ever!!<br />
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>By Dan Meyer</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Last year, in March of 2014, I completed my first bike race. I really had no idea what racing would be like. I had only previously been a commuter biker for the past three years in Chicago, mainly riding on the lakefront path. I had just started training on a stationary bike trainer indoors with my spouse, Erica (Gaddy), who was a category 3 women racer. I was terrified I was not going to make it the entire 24 miles of the race I had picked. The week before my first race I rode my bike up and down lake shore path like a mad person multiple times. I think this was over 36 miles of hard biking that day, I had no bike computer, so I really had no idea how far I rode that day. Towards the end of my crazed lake shore path “training” ride I conked out about 14 miles from home, stopped at a grocery store and ate eight Cliff bars and rode the ‘L’ home exhausted. When I got home, Erica told me I was more than ready to do the race…I felt way better with her encouragement and somewhat ready.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Finally race day came, I was doing the 24-mile section of the Barry Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race. The race was a lot quieter and peaceful than I had imagined. I felt pretty good through the race, except for during one hill climb, where I thought my head was going to boil, so stupidly I stopped to take my hat off and put my helmet back on. I remember watching a bunch of people pass me as I took my hat off. I also remember the high speed gravel down hills being pretty terrifying. Also I did not corner well on gravel or pavement and I rode off the road and partially into a ditch around one curve...I went slower on subsequent corners. The final section of the Barry Roubaix winds through the downtown area of hasting MI and I remember this mountain biker ahead of me just going nuts with sprints and high speed cornering. I thought for sure he was going to wipe out...he didn’t and went flying over the finish line with a nice jump. His jump inspired me and I hopped over the finish line myself. That day I finished in 23rd place in 40-45 Men out of 66 riders with a rate of 14.7 miles per hour. I was really happy that I made it through the entire race and was surprised that I <a href="http://www.jhkunnenphoto.com/brx_2104/h127b4d5a#h127b4d5a" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">finished in the middle of my age group</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>I didn’t do any racing the rest of the year until August, when I did a cyclocross relay race. I had planned to do some more cyclocross races and practices, but didn’t. I did continue to cycle to work a few times a week and did some stationary bike training. I also did a bike clinic which greatly increased my cornering skills.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Then, just before Thanksgiving, I wiped out on my bike on the way to work. I slipped and fell on some black ice. I remember thinking I just dislocated my arm and hip. But no, I had broken both my hip and shoulder on the left side of my body. The road that I slipped on was so icy the ambulance that picked me up almost slid off the road.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Both breaks required surgery. I wound up having three screws put into my hip, plus a plate and 11 more screws in my shoulder. I was in a wheelchair for a month and half. It sucked to go from being so active to so injured.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important;"><i><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="161px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/6dkrylRcZRdagM4ZTUVPHJCTJbQBYddw6QxmB75l_oTcWa4kDCkZGMZpyYcJzW4yAvlBROaAS6d78K92hWTSLJwTFDm5sjG9skV13BlstMwlOWXznDzZzECoFgfQXmTUr6-Efks" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; font-size: 1em; height: auto; max-width: 737px;" width="206px;" /></span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="161px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/isxMJPKVgNV7IPM1apt3EYGyfqS4kOx4_NyF7bJJfK3aZYmubshfAOH_Vf78C0yr1k2CYzhsyntEBtk7ze1LCbpPVTXOnlJXHTeiJ4Hj9R9YNFDdAp7tiI1pmiJMz6LoXHUw9BQ" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; font-size: 1em; height: auto; max-width: 737px;" width="163px;" /></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important;"><em style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.</span></em></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Fortunately by January, two months after my surgery, I was able to get back on my bike and start pedaling again.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>I could barely reach my handlebar with my left arm at first, but my Physical Therapist, Eric, helped get me there. I also started attending <a href="http://pwppedalingwithapurpose.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pedaling with a Purpose</a> (PWP) with my Erica every Sunday. PWP is lead by coach Kristen Meshberg and her positive words during training sessions helped me want to keep going. At first I could only lightly spin my legs for one hour of a two hour workout session. But with words of encouragement from my wife Erica, next to me each workout, I moved up to pushing myself hard. By the end of March I was cranking through an entire PWP two hour workout.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>When the last weekend of March rolled around, it was time for a true test of my recovery: the 24 mile section of the Barry Roubaix Gravel Road Race. Despite being nervous about my injuries, I was excited because I knew what the race was going to be like.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>At the start line, I positioned myself up near the front of my starting group. The buzzer went off and I went off the line hard, but quickly found a pace I could sustain for 24 miles. I focused on pushing myself hard but relaxing my upper body arms and neck as training had taught me. I also took note of the riders around me.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important;"><i>On one of the first gravel down hills, there was a rider who flew into the ditch and paramedics were helping him, I hoped he was alright, and had a flashback to my accident. Then I started asking other riders if they would like to work together with me. I got shut down a few times asking. Then just before the start of the paved road section of the race a rider said yes to my request to work together. We took turns drafting on the flat and downhill sections of the remaining gravel sections. By the time we hit the road portion, we were used to working together. We hit the paved road hard and really sped up, we took turns pulling, it was awesome! Then we started to get passed by a large peloton and we joined it to draft off the back. We both got dropped on a steep hill by the peloton, which sucked, but we quickly started working together again in the last zig zagging roads leading to the finish. It was awesome to use the skills I had learned in the cornering clinic to keep my speed up in these final stretches. The rider I was working with out sprinted me across the finish line. I had an awesome race! Charlie, the rider I worked with introduced himself to me and we chattered excitedly about the race for a moment.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>I then went my car changed into warm clothes and waited for Erica and her <a href="http://halfacrecycling.org/" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Half Acre Cycling</a> teammates to finish their longer 36 and 62 mile races. It was great seeing them finish their races and hear them talk about their race experiences.</i></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>When the results posted, I learned that I finished in 17th place in 40-45 Men out of 77 riders with a rate of 16.5 miles per hour, a much better position than last year!</i></span></div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-495188994612257662015-04-09T19:04:00.001-07:002015-09-15T13:26:50.968-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<em><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">This article was </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">featured</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"> on the <a href="http://www.thechainlink.org/page/how-to-kick-start-your-spring-fitness">chainlink!</a></span></span></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1em; line-height: 17px;">We don’t want to jinx it, but it seems like spring has finally sprung. If you’re like us, you’re probably dreaming of your favorite back road, limestone path, or mountain bike trail. But after a winter of neglect, your lungs and legs may not be up to the task.</span></span></span></em></div>
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<em style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">Fortunately, Kristen Meshberg - a Category 1 road and track racer, USA Cycling Coach, founder of <a href="http://pwppedalingwithapurpose.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pedaling with a Purpose</a>, and all-around cool person - was willing to share her knowledge and experience with us. We asked her to provide some tips and tricks for getting back into shape in time for that century, Saturday morning group ride, week-long bike camping trip, or even the spring criterium you wanted to try. Whether you’re an aspiring racer or someone who simply wants to get fitter and faster, she provides some solid advice for the DIY types, as well as some insight into seeking the help of a coach.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">By Kristen Meshberg</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">So you’re thinking you might want to kick start your cycling fitness. Spring is on it’s way, and bringing some great cycling weather with it. Raw talent accounts for something but most likely your success is tied to how much work you are willing to do. Have you been riding the trainer all winter or are you thinking “oh $#%%! I better get on my bike one of these days!” Where do you get started? I have been a serious cyclist for 20 years, and a bike racer for 14 of them. For the last 11 years I’ve been helping Chicagoland cyclists get ready for spring by running the indoor cycling program, <a href="http://pwppedalingwithapurpose.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pedaling With a Purpose (PWP)</a>. In this article, I’ll share some client concerns that have appeared as common themes over the years. </span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">Figure Out What You Want to Do</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">The first thing you need to do is figure out what you want to do, and develop some goals. Have you raced multiple seasons in the past but now you’d like to do more, maybe cat up? Perhaps you’ve been riding, but have never raced and would like to try it? Do you want to race at the velodrome? Perhaps you don’t want to race but would just like to kill it on the group ride that you like to go on? Or maybe do a century? Or RAGBRAI? There are so many options out there, and if you aren’t familiar our local scene, your first goal should be to do some research and get that figured out. At PWP we talk a lot about goals and people share what they are working toward. Make sure you formulate them as SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Sensitive. Saying them out loud holds you more accountable, and if you don’t feel like saying them out loud to your friend or significant other, say them out loud to yourself! Now would be a great time to start a training journal, your first entry can be writing down your goals. </span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">Where Are You Starting From?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">What you’ve done previously and where you are starting from makes a difference in how your body is going to respond when you start training and how much volume and intensity you can handle. Questions to ask yourself are: How much experience do you have doing what you are working towards? How many cumulative miles do you have in your legs? Were you an athlete in another sport turning to cycling because of an injury? Have you been training for multiple years without seeing any improvement? Or are you are starting from zero? Answers to questions like these will help you figure out your plan. </span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">How Do You Make a Plan?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">There are several good books on training plans out there or a quick internet search can pull up any number of plans. Use your answers to the questions above and formulate your plan keeping your goals in mind at all times. If you are starting from zero, just get out there and get some miles in. Remember if you want to get better at riding your bike, you’ve got to ride your bike! Don’t forget to incorporate rest. Beginning cyclists often overlook rest, and it’s a common cause of burnout. I have all my athletes take two days a week off or at least very easy. When I was starting out, I struggled with this concept but without rest, you will at best plateau and at worst make yourself sick.</span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">When Do You Need a Coach?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">When I first started bike racing, I came from a background of lots of riding. I had worked full time as a messenger, did a few triathlons, ridden across a good chunk of the country, and was a pretty serious commuter. I had lots of miles in my legs and I knew I liked to ride my bike, but had no idea of how to “train.” After jumping in a few races at the end of one summer I was hooked! I loved the scene and felt like this was something I could be good at. I thought training meant riding as hard and as long as I could ALL the time. I think most beginners think like this. And when I say beginner, I mean beginner racer. I had thousands of miles in my legs at this point, but I was still a beginning racer. After I did some races, decided this was something I wanted to pursue, and realized I didn’t know anything about training, I was ready for a coach! A good time to hire a coach is after you’ve spent some time on the bike getting things figured out and maybe even having a season of racing under your belt. People hire coaches for all sorts of reasons. Not everyone that races has a coach, and not everyone that has a coach races. A coach’s job is to design a custom training plan that will maximize your time and help you achieve your goals while considering your work/life balance. Maybe you need help figuring out what some good goals are? A good coach can help you with that. There are lots of coaching styles out there and it’s important to find a coach that is a good fit for you. I’ve worked with several different coaches over the years, even some famous ones, and there were some that were highly recommended by other people, that did not work for me at all. It takes time to develop the relationship and you need to go into it with an open mind and heart and be willing to give their plan a shot. Once I had a coach that wouldn’t give me workouts, he would just have me come over to his house and do super intense intervals on a computrainer. I was so frustrated because I had no idea why I was doing this and what I should be doing the rest of the week. But because he came so highly recommended by people I respected, I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. What I did wrong was not move on to a new coach. There are lots of coaches out there with lots of different styles and it’s important to find one that’s a good fit for you. </span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">What Sort of Equipment Do You Need?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">When thinking about your equipment, safety should be your number one priority. All your equipment needs to be maintained by a good mechanic, and anything worn out should be replaced. You never want to crash because of an equipment failure and hurt yourself, but to crash someone else out in the process is totally unacceptable. This time of year when it’s still a little bit crappy out is the perfect time to get your bike in for a tune up. If you wait until the nice weather hits, you’ll be getting in line behind everyone else with the same idea so get on that! Getting into your local shop is also a great place to meet people and find out about clubs and group rides. If you do end up riding your bike a lot you will either learn how to do your own mechanic work or develop a relationship with a good mechanic as things constantly need to be adjusted, and/or replaced. Go to a locally-owned reputable shop and get to be on a first name basis with your mechanic! And showing up with beer and/or coffee when you drop your bike off never hurts. The amount of money you can spend on bikes and equipment is staggering. When you are starting out ride whatever bike you can get your hands on and focus on improving your motor. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard a beginning racer lament “if only I had ______, then I could be good” A power meter isn’t going to do the work for you, it’s only going to measure it. If you want to get faster, ride your bike!!! Nice equipment is fantastic and if you can afford it, go for it! Spend as much as you like and enjoy it! But don’t let not having “it” hold you back from doing what you’d like to do. </span></span></div>
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<span class="font-size-2" style="font-size: 10pt !important; line-height: 1.2 !important;"><span style="color: white;">Meshberg says a supportive group atmosphere helps keep you focused and motivated </span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">When is Indoor Training Helpful?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">Living in Chicago, we don’t have great roads to ride on and we don’t have great weather in the winter. This combination makes training outside in the winter extremely tough. Remember, if you want to be good a bike riding, you’ve got to ride your bike! So the only way to really train in the Chicago winter is inside. I’ll never forget the winter I was trying to train to be a cat 2. I had just upgraded and signed with an elite team for the next season. I had hired a coach who was a good fit, and he was giving me solid training advice. I had purchased a computrainer for my basement, and I was ready to train! Problem was I could never seem to get through more than 20 minutes alone in the basement. It was soul sucking and BORING! My winter training that year consisted again of commuting to work, a couple trips to the gym and only a handful of workouts in the basement. I came out of the winter with the same fitness level as before. I floundered in the cat 1/2 fields and became discouraged. It wasn’t until I started doing Pedaling With a Purpose (PWP) that everything changed. After doing PWP, I was able to make HUGE improvements in my fitness over the winter. Every year I improved. I started winning races and competing nationally. I attained Category 1 status in both Road and Track. Seeing this improvement was extremely motivating! I’ve been running PWP for 11 years now and I always used to wonder if I would enjoy doing it if I wasn’t training for racing. Turns out I love it more than ever! The people that come to PWP are super interesting and I love hearing what they are working towards. I really do just love riding my bike and PWP gives me that time designated to riding each week. The positivity and communal energy during a PWP session is contagious. There is no way that I (and I’m confident to say this about the participants too) would ever be able to accomplish at home in our basements what we accomplish during each PWP session. It doesn’t matter what your goals are, PWP will help you achieve them. We have had all levels of bike racers, triathletes, and enthusiasts join us over the years. From total beginner to the world level competitor, and each person is working at their own level. Everyone is welcome and everyone works out according to their own level. Sessions run until the end of March and we have locations at <a href="http://bffbikes.com/" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">BFF Bikes</a> on Armitage in Chicago, and <a href="http://hartleyscycle.com/" style="font-size: 1em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hartley’s Cycle Shoppe</a> in Hinsdale. Joining us for even a few of our final sessions will truly kickstart your fitness!</span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">Can You Also Lose Weight While Getting Faster?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;">Bike racers are some of the most weight/body fat obsessed people there are. The spandex doesn’t help matters either. In my struggles with this issue I’ve found that focusing on performance is very beneficial. Only put high quality fuel into your body if you want it to run its best. Some people start exercising and the weight just falls off. If you’re one of those, good for you! Make sure you get enough healthy calories to maintain your energy. I’m one of those lucky people that can come back from a stage race heavier than when I left. Great for surviving the apocalypse, but not so great for the power to weight ratio. Like training, in weight loss there are no quick fixes. You’ve got to make food choices based on your exercise output. If you’re planning a full racing season, winter time is the best time to focus on weight loss. But spring is here now and if your weight is not where you’d like it to be you can still make progress. It is just all that more important to take it slow. Cyclists come in all shapes and sizes. Thinking you need a certain body type to be successful is just plain wrong. Often times people, women especially, look at those guys who race the Tour de France and think we need to make our bodies look that way. Shift the focus of what you think you should look like to increasing your power on the bike, making healthy food choices, and being healthy overall. </span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-111d8eee-0bb3-d734-3c58-4fc7034de81a" style="font-size: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><br style="font-size: 1em;" /><span style="font-size: 1em;">So that’s it. It’s not about finding that one secret workout. Results come by consistent work over time. You can achieve great things, it just depends how much you are willing to invest.<br style="font-size: 1em;" /><br style="font-size: 1em;" /><span style="font-size: 1em;">Lead photo by Burnham Racing.</span></span></span></span></div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-64327003346536240592014-12-11T10:39:00.001-08:002015-01-01T08:40:34.147-08:00ADDITIONAL SUNDAY AFTERNOON PWP SESSIONS at BFF BIKES<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Seasons Greetings from PWP!</span><br />
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We are off to a fantastic start this year and our Wednesday and Saturday sessions at BFF Bikes are sold out. I know a lot of you have been out racing 'cross (or maybe not :) and might have missed the cut-off for PWP at BFF bikes. I’m super excited about the awesome enthusiasm but bummed that we had to close registration.</div>
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Due to the high interest, we are offering another PWP session on Sunday afternoons from 4-6 pm at BFF bikes starting in January. </div>
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<b>If you are looking for help to get through a 2 hour bike work workout this winter, come join PWP on Sunday afternoons! </b></div>
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This time slot could fill up as well—so if you’d like to get in on this, sign up right away!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Details:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Location-- BFF Bikes 2113 W. Armitage</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every Sunday beginning January 4 and Ending Sunday March 22</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4-6pm</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">12 sessions </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cost $179</span></div>
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To confirm your registration, send payment via Chase Quickpay to me at <a href="mailto:kmeshberg@comcast.net">kmeshberg@comcast.net</a> or via Paypal, same email. If you pay via paypal be sure to select “gift to friend” to avoid fees.</div>
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I hope this new day and time works for you! If not there is still space in the Hinsdale location on Thursday Nights and Sunday Mornings (info below).</div>
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Looking forward to seeing you!</div>
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Warm Regards,</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;">Kristen Meshberg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;">USA Cycling Coach</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;">Founder: Pedaling With a Purpose</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;">Chicagoland’s Best Indoor Winter Training Program for Cyclists</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.pwppedalingwithapurpose.blogspot.com/">http://www.pwppedalingwithapurpose.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-68112237328756795072014-10-05T15:14:00.001-07:002015-01-01T08:43:17.659-08:00Pedaling With a Purpose 2014-2015 Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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PWP is a winter training program designed to help all levels of cyclists get through the Chicago winter. </div>
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This year will be our 11th year! In those 11 years we've had World level competitors, beginning cyclists, and everyone in between all getting through the winter together. </div>
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We have 2 locations, Chicago and Hinsdale. All locations have (free) bike storage available. </div>
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New to PWP? Have questions? Feel free to email me at kmeshberg@comcast.net</div>
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Looking forward to seeing you in December!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">***Chicago:</span></div>
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BFF Bikes</div>
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2113 W. Armitage Ave</div>
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Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm</div>
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Saturdays 8:00-10:00am</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">***Wednesday evenings in Chicago are full. (If you've already registered, you're in!) We've opened up a new session on Sunday afternoon, where there's plenty of room, and limited space is available on Saturday mornings. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hinsdale:</span><br />
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Hartley's Cycle Shop</div>
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-56595535708724639272014-06-13T20:09:00.001-07:002014-10-05T15:01:16.927-07:00New AdventuresYou might have noticed there hasn't been any race reports from me this year. I'm taking a break from racing. The family and I are moving to Idaho for the summer and I'm going to be working on a ski resort leading horseback rides. I will be bringing my bike, and riding and living at elevation. I'm looking forward to "just riding".<br />
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I'm excited to try something new and getting to spend time with my kids, but I will definitely be back in town in time to get ready for PWP this winter! <br />
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Hoping to have some posts from PWP participants' experiences this summer, so send 'em on over!<br />
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<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-56911088656341862392014-05-09T12:46:00.001-07:002014-05-09T12:46:08.486-07:00PWP on the Podium!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Congrats to PWP's Erica Gaddy at the Champaign Urbana Criterium, 2nd place, Women's 3/4 </div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-18998376244130809952014-05-07T19:22:00.002-07:002014-05-09T12:50:18.017-07:00PWP's Kelly Clarke (and a bunch of Spidermonkies & other PWPer's) at the LaCrosse Omnium, LaCrosse, WI<div style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: 'Maven Pro', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-top: 1.6em; word-wrap: break-word;">
Read PWP's Kelly Clarke's report on the LaCrosse Omnium:<br />
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<i>Guys, I never knew you could have so much fun. It’s mostly because of my awesome teamies<span style="color: #c67813;">*</span>, but also LaX was a really great series, a fun town to visit, and those Wisco/Minnie gals COME TO RACE, no pussyfooting about it.</i></div>
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<span style="color: #c67813; font-size: 13px;"><i>*<span style="font-weight: 700;">La Crosse Teammates:</span><br />Kelsey ‘All City’ Phillips<br />Lindsey ‘Feels’ Fahey<br />Lauren ‘BP**’ Wissman<br />Sarah ‘The Whip’ Rice<br />Eric ‘Soigneur’ Landhal<br />Kurt ‘Long Legs’ Breitenbucher (wait, it’s possible to have a name more complicated than Diffenderfer?)<br />Pete ‘Personal Poops’ Monko<br />And our favorite ray of sunshine, Zark.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c67813; font-size: 13px;"><i>**Bitches Popped</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><i>TT</i></span></div>
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<i>We decided to drive the course when we got into town. This was a very good idea. You should drive the course when you can. Sarah spoke for us all when she said, ‘I would have shit myself if the first time I saw this was during the time trial.’ It was a lot steeper than we expected, but there was a beautiful view at the top.</i></div>
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<i><img alt="tt" src="http://spidermonkeycycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/tt1-600x600.jpg" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 98.5%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></i><br />
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<i>We stopped to talk about the course – not even the whole way to the finish.</i></div>
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<i>Later, when we arrived for the race, Pete and I decided to ride the course once. On the way up, it started drizzling. By the time we reached the top, it was pouring cold rain. I tried to warm up on rollers, but my feet were so cold they hurt, so I just jogged around for a half hour til my start.</i></div>
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<i>I was not comfortable with dude holding my seat, so I took a standing start. I kept asking him to move so I wasn’t crooked and he wasn’t, so I chose to not be pro and go for comfort. The course is steep from the get go. People were cheering from underneath umbrellas. Water was flowing down the street in a stream as we pressed upward. I’ve done few time trials, but in all of them you get so inside your head. I seem to start out hating myself, and then end up in fight mode. I tried to go at ‘hard, but don’t blow up’ pace. I passed one girl and heaved out a ‘Sorry. Keep it up.’ I passed a few juniors. I wanted to catch the girl in front of me. I kind of just wanted to be at the top of the hill so I could focus on getting dry clothes and being warm again – my chamois probably weighed ten pounds and there were buckets of water in my shoes. But everyone else was dealing with the same conditions. The course flattened out at the top, and it felt good to go from a grinding 8-12mph to 20+. I didn’t catch the girl in front of me, but I did get closer.</i></div>
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<i>There was little room at the top, so as soon as I caught my breath, I thanked the officials and started to head back down. I stopped 200 meters down to wait for Lindsey and Kelsey but also because there was an incredible double rainbow. The sky was opening and it was the brightest rainbow I’ve ever seen. A super friendly Brone’s Bikes girl stopped to chat and check out this awesome scene. Kelsey and Lindsey finished shortly after me and we all headed down the hill. The Brone girl stopped at the turn to meet her boyfriend and adorable puppy. So this terribly cold and rainy uphill time trial ended with puppies and rainbows. And I did well enough for second place, missed first by 3 seconds.</i></div>
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<i>With every race, but especially time trials, it’s natural to think ‘I could have gone harder.’ You always could have done better, and you always could have done worse. It’s a mental game when you’re redlining and your body is telling you to stop, but you want to go harder. I did the best I could for that moment.</i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><i>Crit</i></span></div>
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<i>Hella fast, right from the start. Hella fun. Attacks all over the place, constant moving around and fluctuation of speed – everyone was focused, reacting and making moves. The pack rarely settled down. I was trying to stay in good position and not kill myself. I felt pretty good taking the corners at speed with the group – better than last year (this was the first crit I’ve done this year with actual corners). Ten minutes in I thought, “This is the most fun I have ever had.” Lindsey did awesome – she attacked a few times, bridged me back up to the group once without knowing it. She was pretty pro – right there with all these other top notch ladies. Something I noticed is that I was in the drops the entire race. I usually come up to the hoods if things get boring or slow, but it was ‘go time’ the entire race. There was a crash in the last turn. I went inside, so I was able to avoid the shrapnel and loud screeches, but there was tons of brakes. The top gals were way in front of me by the time I jumped for the sprint. I ended up 7th. Wish I could have had a little better position into the second to last corner, but I was still pretty happy with the finish – it could have been worse.</i></div>
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<i>Our other teammates all raced extremely well. Kelsey worked in a chase group with a gal from Minneapolis that we became friends with that day. Pete and Zark raced twice in blazing fast races. Monko took fifth in one! Lauren attacked like crazy and Sarah was nothing short of fierce in their crit. It was a fun day at the park racing, watching races and making new friends.</i></div>
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<i>Pretty sure Wiss and Slice had as much fun racing as I did.</i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><i>Rad Race</i></span></div>
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<i>Sunday’s road race started out great. I was sitting second in the omnium, I knew the gal I needed to beat, and the three that I couldn’t let beat me. I had great positioning. Then there was a massive downhill. I tucked into the drops, squeezed the top tube with my knees and decided to go for it no matter how scared I was. My bike started shaking like crazy, waving back and forth frenetically. I was sure I had a flat or some kind of mechanical. I feathered the brakes – no change. I took my hands completely off the brakes – still shaking like crazy. Not like the normal downhill chatter, but like frantically waving back and forth. I scrubbed speed, swearing wildly in my head, ‘Just fucking stay upright. Don’t crash. Stay upright!!’ Ladies whizzed past me. I stopped at the bottom and looked at my bike. Checked the tires, checked the headset – nothing wrong. What the fuck. The official pulled over and asked if I was OK. ‘Yeah.’ I checked the bike for a second longer, then looked up to see the pack no longer in my sight. Took a deep breath and dug in. I would have to go really hard to catch them, but the race was over if I didn’t. It was do or die in the next few miles. The course started going up. Good. I can usually catch people on the climbs. Around the corner I could see the car maybe 500 meters out. But it was early enough in the race that no one was attacking and the pace was still fairly conservative. I chipped away. Girls were getting knocked out on the climb. I couldn’t work with them, because they were seemingly going backwards. Got so close the pace car moved over so I could merge back with the group. But I was breathing so hard, snot and spit running down my face. The pack was maybe 200 meters to the top of the big climb, I was maybe 10 meters from them, and I completely blew up. Well, I didn’t fall over and lay on the ground. But I couldn’t keep up my chasing speed. I slowed way down. They disappeared over the top of the climb. My heart was beating out of my chest. I got over the top and tried to kick it in – my last hope. There was an IsCorp girl that looked like she had some power left. I asked her to do 30 second pulls and work to get back. She said sure, I took a pull, counting to 40 and popped over. She said, ‘Sorry, I don’t have what you need.’ I started to dig in again, but they were gaining distance and I was spent.</i></div>
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<i>My foot was killing me – pretty sure I broke a toe at some point before the race. It had been hurting the whole time, but now the pain was front and center. I wanted to stop, but I thought about how Dean says finishing is important. I decided I had to finish. My Garmin was broke, so I didn’t even have numbers to distract me. I decided this long solo ride would be punishment for not descending well and losing the group. Except it’s not really punishment, because the course was beautiful, the roads were perfect, and I was on my bike! And I had decided just this weekend that racing a bike is the most fun that could possibly be had. It’s just better when you’re in the main group or have someone to work with. I saw Eric. He was yelling to go catch the group. I yelled back, ‘Sorry!’ He was such an amazing support all weekend, that disappointing him weighed much heavier than my own disappointment – not that such a nice guy would actually be disappointed. I was not trying to make the other spectators think he was angry and a jerk, but they might have looked at him weird.</i></div>
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<i>I was trying to psych myself up to bomb the descent the second time around, but my bike still felt kind of weird, like the front and rear wheel were not in sync. Even though I couldn’t decipher a problem with the bike, I decided to Granny it down the hill. What if the uncontrollable shaking happened again and I crashed this time? In the turn before the descent I looked back and saw Kelsey and the IsCorp girl waving. They passed me on the way down. Then Lindsey passed me and said, ‘I’ll help you after this!!’ I took my sweet time down the descent, then booked it at the bottom to catch up with my teammates.</i></div>
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<i>When I came to Lindsey, she started pedaling really fast, ‘I’m going to bridge you back up to the group!’ I tried to get her to take turns pulling.</i></div>
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<i>She said, ‘No, let me do all the work!.’</i></div>
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<i>‘Don’t be a hero, this race is over. Just take turns pulling with me.’</i></div>
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<i>We did. We also saw a colorful rooster. Then the incline came and the pulling fell apart. I felt bad about it, but I left Lindsey behind. I wasn’t sure how many women were ahead of me, and I at least wanted to get in front of the IsCorp girl. I was able to pass a few more people before the end. I finished 16th and not near any of the other racers.</i></div>
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<i>I know it’s good to hang back and work with people, but I always feel like I end up going slower than I want. Maybe I need to get over that. Last year at the Michigan State Road Race, I worked with Chelsea Strate after we got popped off the back. The speed was good and it was great to work with someone. I don’t know at what point you sacrifice speed to work with people. And if my race is over, I want to still get a good workout by working hard. Maybe I am doing it wrong by always time trialing after getting popped off. My goal is to NOT get popped off, though, and stay competitive in the field next time.</i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><i>Conclusion</i></span></div>
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<i>It was a great weekend of racing and hanging out with my teammates. I was disappointed I did so poorly in the road race, but as it turns out, my rear hub was really loose, and that is what caused the shaking – NOT user error as I assumed. I still need to practice descending A LOT. I love omniums and I love my teammates. The end.</i></div>
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<i><img src="http://spidermonkeycycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/crit1-600x600.jpg" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 98.5%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></i><br />
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<i>Making friends at the crit. Photo cred: Anna Schwinn</i></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-88474702057648077222014-05-06T19:22:00.001-07:002014-05-06T19:26:31.404-07:00PWP's Katie Kolon experiences the Joe Martin Stage Race as a cat 4<div class="MsoNormal">
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Often NRC (National Race Calendar) races will have beginning category races in conjunction with the Elite/Pro races. This can be a fantastic experience to see what a stage race is all about and experience one before catting up. Read about Katie's experience here:<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><i>Joe Martin Stage
Race (JMSR)<o:p></o:p></i></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Naiveté<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i>Some of the best things I’ve done in life, I’ve done out of
a healthy lack of fear: traveling alone throughout Guatemala immediately after
they signed peace accords to end civil war (which wasn’t really over anyway), moving
to California after college with no money and no job, and crit racing, to name
a few. JMSR was no exception. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Sarah Rice (Slice) wanted someone to go to the race with and
my thoughts were that I would visit my friend who lives in Fayetteville, take a
road trip, get out of the cold, and race a criterium. I didn’t even know what a
stage race was. I quickly found out that in order to race the crit, I had to
race the time trial and the road race. I later found out that I not only had to
race all the races, but I had to finish each one in order to advance to the
next “stage.” That’s why it’s called a stage race, dummy. Even later, I came to
understand that people didn’t race for standings as much as time. This changes
the game significantly, and especially in terms of team tactics as Slice thoroughly
explained.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZR5DSMWEsHo/U2mWT-JvQqI/AAAAAAAAAxY/i7bDmNamCz4/s1600/jmsrdevilsdenstatepark.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZR5DSMWEsHo/U2mWT-JvQqI/AAAAAAAAAxY/i7bDmNamCz4/s1600/jmsrdevilsdenstatepark.png" height="240" width="320" /></i></a></div>
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<i>[Devil’s Den State Park, Time Trial location]</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Time Trial<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vm9s1qOJBZ0/U2mWWP-a8GI/AAAAAAAAAx4/L_QnfQT1kQ0/s1600/jmsrttwarmup.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vm9s1qOJBZ0/U2mWWP-a8GI/AAAAAAAAAx4/L_QnfQT1kQ0/s1600/jmsrttwarmup.png" height="320" width="320" /></i></a><i>I had no interest in doing a time trial. I heard it was
straight up hill with an average grade of 6.8%, so I went to pre-ride the 2.5 mile
course and get a feel for it. I didn’t have time to do any warm up and I just
tried to go as hard as I could make myself do something that seemed pointless.
I almost threw up. I figured this boded well and that I would likely do better
in the real thing since it would have at least one point, which would be to not
be last. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>[TT warm up, photo credit to John Kline]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>My time trial was at 9:25am. I woke up early enough to eat
and get there with time for a warm up. I did a nice long Kristen Meshberg (Kmesh)
PWP-style warm up of 40 minutes including one hard threshold effort and a long
block of tempo. Through PWP I’ve learned I don’t need long warm-ups, but I also
didn’t think I could warm up too much for such a short and intense ride. I
almost missed my start for no good reason other than my clock was probably a
little different than their clock. I took off sprinting as fast as I could on
the flat section before reaching the hill, and then slowly climbed the next 2+
miles. And my time was 3 seconds slower than my practice run with no warm up!
Huh? Everyone said I was in my head too much. This is almost always true, but I
actually thought my warm up was too long. I came in second to last, so I guess
I met my goal, though in truth I expected to do better.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Road Race<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i>Immediately after the TT, I had to cram some food in my
mouth and book it to the start of the road race, which was starting only two
hours after I finished the TT. (Side Note: all the races were in different
locations and only the crit was in Fayetteville) There were so many logistics
to figure out in preparation for the road race beyond just where the heck it
started. Slice helped me with a lot of this. She taped the number on my seat
post, told me I needed to find out if there was a wheel truck, and figure out
if there were going to be neutral people in the feed zone or if I could have someone
from PSIMET to hand me a bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
only a 40-mile course, but it was also going to be 80 degrees and I didn’t want
to run out of water. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JuGVuTWAhik/U2mWVE6d_mI/AAAAAAAAAxk/jbh-wl467z4/s1600/jmsrstartoftherr.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><i><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JuGVuTWAhik/U2mWVE6d_mI/AAAAAAAAAxk/jbh-wl467z4/s1600/jmsrstartoftherr.png" height="94" width="320" /></i></a><i><br /></i></div>
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<i>[Start of the road race]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The race start was very casual and stayed slow way long past
when the motos told us we were done with the neutral roll-out. The course
consisted of a gradual climb with rollers for 20 miles, and then 20 miles back
down. I was near the front, but not in the wind, holding a good position.
Slowly people started to try to move up and one woman was vying for my wheel.
She kept bumping shoulders with me, and I held my position, unfazed. Eventually
the person next to me dropped back and I moved over into her spot. I noticed
that although these women were very strong, they weren’t all very confident at
riding close together, positioning, or holding a line. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I started to move to the very front at mile 8. Cathy
Frampton of PSIMET had advised me to tape important mileage markers to my stem.
The first one was “the wall,” a major hill at 8.5 miles, where teams would
attack. My plan was to go to the front before the hill and try to hang on as
long as I could. But where was this wall? The course map was incorrect. At
about mile 10, the strong riders took off up “the wall” and I was instantly
dropped. Slice had emphasized that this was the point in the race where I had
to burn all my matches to stay on, but I was burning everything just to get up
the hill, so that was that.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>As the main pack dropped me, I saw not everyone was able to
go with them and I had the hope of forming a little chase group. However, we
were all climbing and descending at different speeds and everyone seemed to
eventually pass me. I thought maybe I could catch them on the decent in the
second half of the race. I kept trying to talk myself into going faster as it
seemed my heart rate was not that high, but my body started to hurt in ways I
have never hurt before and I just couldn’t push myself hard enough to catch
anyone. I have learned that I’m really unmotivated to ride hard when I have no
one to ride or compete with. <span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Once I passed the halfway point, my
goal became increasing my average speed by going as fast and hard as I could
downhill. I got up to 46 mph at one point and got to practice taking a 90-degree
corner at 34 mph. When I hit the feed zone with 10 miles to go I noticed that I
instantly picked up the pace. I’ve also learned I am much more motivated to perform
when people are watching and especially if they are cheering. In the last three
miles I actually passed one person who must have bonked because I was going so
much faster than her I couldn’t understand how I hadn’t caught her before.
Again, I came in second to last.</span></i></div>
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<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Criterium<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i>Finally, I got to do the thing I love. I woke up early again
because my race was at 7:45am, making it the third race I would complete in a
24-hour period. My body was beat. I got on the trainer and felt terrible. I was
worrying about riding with a bunch of women that I didn’t know and who didn’t
seem to be super-comfortable riding in a pack. And the crit was very technical
with a narrow chicane and some hills, including a steep uphill to the finish.
Fun stuff. I just kept telling myself it would all be over in a mere 25
minutes. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzvXSZCN5y0/U2mWT9f6lNI/AAAAAAAAAxc/l0pYUtYaKDQ/s1600/jmsrcritstart.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzvXSZCN5y0/U2mWT9f6lNI/AAAAAAAAAxc/l0pYUtYaKDQ/s1600/jmsrcritstart.png" height="320" width="320" /></i></a><i><br /></i></div>
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<i>[Deep in thought at the start line, photo credit to John
Kline]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I started at the front of the line and maintained a good
position as the race took off. I hung on to the main group for the first lap and
got dropped on the steep uphill before the finish line. No surprise. But for
the first time at JMSR I was having fun. I forgot that I was tired; I forgot
that I was coming in last; I just had fun going fast and cornering. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SQZHB3t9kv4/U2mWTyC7vqI/AAAAAAAAAxg/oIDScqOJ4Ag/s1600/jmsrcrit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SQZHB3t9kv4/U2mWTyC7vqI/AAAAAAAAAxg/oIDScqOJ4Ag/s1600/jmsrcrit.png" height="320" width="320" /></i></a></div>
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<i>[Chicane around the town square, photo credit to John Kline]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The course was about a mile long, so we weren’t going to do
many laps in 25 minutes. There was a long decent followed by a wide 90-degree
turn on the back half of the course. I was going over 30mph and taking it
faster each lap. On about my 5<sup>th </sup>or 6<sup>th</sup> lap, on the long
downhill, my chain got jammed between the cassette and the chain stay—derailleur
fail or it jumped out hitting the cobbles at high speeds. Neutral support was half
a lap away and uphill, so I tried to coast as long as I could. I pulled over,
figuring I was out of the race because it would take me the rest of the time to
get back to the support tent. A course marshal ran over, quick-fixed my bike,
and gave me a push while telling me I can still do it. Thanks, dude! <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>By the time I got back in, the remainder of the field had
passed me. I felt proud that there had been 5-6 people behind me given the
competition in my field. I knew people weren’t taking the corners or the
downhill as fast as I was, but I had no idea I was that far ahead of people
until they passed me. I was lapped at the finish line and got the bell lap. I
worked hard to make up time in my remaining lap and managed to pass one woman
within seconds of the finish line. Second to last again, but a proud second to
last.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Take Aways<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i>My goals for the race were to complete it and to not come in
DFL. It was my first time trial and my first road race. In all honesty, I was
hoping to do better than that, but with the top women in my field holding times
that would have been competitive in the pro race, I realized the competition
was stiff. I got DFL overall based on time, but there were five out of 32 women
who did not finish all three races, so completing it was more of an
accomplishment than I first thought.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I used to think I would never “cat up.” If I continued to do
races with competition as hard as this one, it would be a long time before I
would be able to. But doing JMSR made me remember that the point is not to
always be on top, the point is to put yourself in situations where you are no
where near the top of the competition in order to learn and grow stronger as a
rider. More importantly, these experiences allow you to value the times you are
on top because they allow you to measure how far you’ve come. “Difficult and
easy complete one another; long and short measure one another.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Epilogue: The Curse
of JMSR<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i>Weeks before, amidst freaking out about what I had committed
myself to, Slice and Kmesh handed me some sage advice. These goals seemed well
within reach and I recommend them to anyone considering racing the JMSR.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t get arrested<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t break your ass in a crash on the start
line<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t blow your transmission<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Check, check, and check. Based on my recent experience, I am
adding two other real and potential dangers of the JMSR: <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t step on a nest of baby copperheads <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t get caught up in a wide-track tornado<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>We narrowly escaped both. It was biblical.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDmsZqzYQvs/U2mWWFP-2mI/AAAAAAAAAx8/4t7hi2q2zVo/s1600/jmsrnumbers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDmsZqzYQvs/U2mWWFP-2mI/AAAAAAAAAx8/4t7hi2q2zVo/s1600/jmsrnumbers.png" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>[Cloth numbers=classy.]</i><o:p></o:p></div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-15706847483453078572014-01-27T13:15:00.001-08:002014-01-27T13:25:19.434-08:00PWP participant Lauren Wissman<div class="MsoNormal">
Seeing someone come into Pedaling With a Purpose and transition into a bike racer is one of my favorite things about running this program. It never gets old and is one of the things that keeps me doing this year after year. Read about Lauren's discovery of competitive cycling:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A year ago I was riding my bike to get to-from class and to
pick up dried mango at Trader Joes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t think that’s called anything besides some frump who rides her bike to get
groceries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m a commuter and I
guess an amateur cyclist. BAM. Funny what cleats, some carbon, and a bike posse
can turn you in to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always had an obsession
with all things sports related.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing
up I didn’t have cable or X-Box and barely listened to music (before I
discovered Simon & Garfunkel around age 10). Most all of my time was spent
outside or participating in some athletically driven endeavor: skiing, then figure
skating, softball, and volleyball, until I started playing basketball and
soccer competitively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>X-mas lists
included rollerblades, footballs, Tracy McGrady TMAC 6s (which I never got and
still want), and giant dog stuffed animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I did get a bike for x-mas one year (this is where my saga becomes relevant).
There was probably 8-10 in. of snow and the roads were covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember having to be stealthy getting out
of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, my left humerus
was still healing from a recent fracture after hitting a plank of wood off a golf
cart path jump on a plastic snowboard.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>A soccer career/broken leg/torn ligament/onset ankle
arthritis later, I was advised to find a different sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was winter 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thought!!!! Cycling!!! Group rides!!
Outdoors! Chicago… So after some extensive googling I found PWP and emailed Kristen
to ask if I could get involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked it; mostly since I’m ok with
self-inflicted physical suffering (the fun kind), but also because there were
Christmas lights and RAD jams and I was sandwiched between KMesh and Kelly ‘the
masher’ Clarke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to a team event
(which involved beer no way) and before I knew it I had signed up for the
Gapers Block crits as an almost monkey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And there you have it. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>What surprised me most about racing is how much you learn
just by doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first race at Gapers
I hung with the pack, pulled (though I didn’t know at the time) for a lap or
so, and ended up 17<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
realized I wore myself out for no reason and decided to hang back more the next
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With just some light strategizing
I placed 2<sup>nd</sup> instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I think
is the most important when racing is getting your head right, think you can
win.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you can’t, take some people
down trying (not actually though).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the words of Sarah Rice (Cat 2 SM), “If you’re not hungry, don’t eat.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Although I’m pleased with the results I’ve gotten this past
race season, being adopted by Spidermonkey and having the opportunity to meet
so many impressive and positively awesome people in the cycling community has
really been the highlight of my intro to the sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nine months ago I barely knew any cyclists; or
the difference between clinchers and tubulars, a criterium and cyclocross, SRAM
vs. Shimano; and I won’t pretend like I have it figured out now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cycling went from 10% of my life to 80%, 98%
on weekends:) And I’m 120% happy about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I recently spent 8 hours in the snow watching grown men ride around/through/over
sledding children for a chance to win Lagunitas and a Pepper Palace variety
pack; “<span class="st"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">your one stop shop for hot sauce, BBQ
sauce, salsa, pickled items, jellies and jams, beef jerky, and more!</span></span>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it wasn’t strange to me at all.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>I tell the friends I have left who aren’t cycle-crazy about
our team and tomfoolery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents now
ride regularly (Carole just got a roadie and my dad wants to commandeer my CX
bike so he can start racing), my aunt and sister are hopping back on bikes again,
and I get updates when friends complete big rides, get their first pair of bike
shoes or see a Spidermonkey riding on the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This thing we do is contagious and I’m truly
honored to be a part of it.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-41964690007518495432013-10-29T08:30:00.001-07:002013-10-29T09:57:01.577-07:00Pedaling With a Purpose 2013-2014 Details <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
PWP is a winter training program designed to help all levels of cyclists get through the Chicago winter. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This year will be our 10th year! In those ten years we've had World level competitors, beginning cyclists, and everyone in between all getting through the winter together. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This year we will continue with our 3 locations, Chicago, Hinsdale, and Oak Park. All locations have bike storage available, and a PWP session pass can be used at any of the locations.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
New to PWP? Have questions? Feel free to email me at kmeshberg@comcast.net.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Looking forward to seeing you in December!!!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Chicago:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Let's Roast Cycles</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1116 N. Milwaukee Avenue</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Saturdays 8:00-10:30am</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jyu5fWstKIQ/Um_QE8nbEQI/AAAAAAAAAwM/D-Gp4MNLhAQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.06.38+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jyu5fWstKIQ/Um_QE8nbEQI/AAAAAAAAAwM/D-Gp4MNLhAQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.06.38+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cADRnlIYuk/Um_QFYhYQPI/AAAAAAAAAwU/zX6iaz3fFiU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.06.48+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cADRnlIYuk/Um_QFYhYQPI/AAAAAAAAAwU/zX6iaz3fFiU/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.06.48+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Hinsdale:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hartley's Cycle Shop</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
24 W Hinsdale Avenue</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thursdays 7:30-9:00pm</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sundays 8-10:30 am</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-npRpHEFW5Ow/Um_QE6UZT9I/AAAAAAAAAwQ/UjhVP3IignM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.05.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-npRpHEFW5Ow/Um_QE6UZT9I/AAAAAAAAAwQ/UjhVP3IignM/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.05.26+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFIcb-8dobs/Um_QEm6kyCI/AAAAAAAAAwI/aBtyWD8kar8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.05.38+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFIcb-8dobs/Um_QEm6kyCI/AAAAAAAAAwI/aBtyWD8kar8/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.05.38+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oak Park:</span></div>
Greenline Wheels<br />
105 S. Marion Street<br />
Tuesdays 10:00-11:00 am<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5eJgtojLyg/Um_QGDq3wcI/AAAAAAAAAwg/wJxGqCNdHz8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.07.11+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5eJgtojLyg/Um_QGDq3wcI/AAAAAAAAAwg/wJxGqCNdHz8/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.07.11+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XGNiePBYRK8/Um_QGYx2SOI/AAAAAAAAAwo/q4JvF8RguUY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.07.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XGNiePBYRK8/Um_QGYx2SOI/AAAAAAAAAwo/q4JvF8RguUY/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-10-29+at+10.07.22+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-37114531048027203492013-10-24T20:47:00.000-07:002013-10-24T20:47:17.158-07:00Regis' Journey from smoker to World Level TriathleteThis is one of my favorite PWP stories! Regis, you are awesome! You better believe everyone from PWP is going to be rooting for you at Worlds!!!<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i>I sucked. I barely owned a proper bike. The closest I got to cycling was that I had a Belgian passport and I lived in Logan Square with the other hip kids with bikes. Oh, and I smoked like a russian submarine officer. Friends got me to join PWP...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>After year one, it motivated me to take on triathlons. Fuck it, why not. Pentathlons were a stretch, and I hate horse-riding, but I thought swimming and running were within reach. I used to run a lot, and I've never drowned. Why not. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I had fun, I was hooked and got myself a proper bike (and the looks every triathlete gets when mingling with road cyclists). It's amazing the little things you a cyclist (at any level): cadence, position, and a really sour arse. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>After year two, I still smoked, I had now done a few triathlons, but I sucked a whole lot less. My cycling was my strong suit despite years of track and field. Go figure. That year, I qualified for nationals. Wow, what? This is good, and it's clearly thanks to some winter motivation with the PWP clan. I thought it's pretty cool that a little peer pressure from a few good friends can bring you a lot more than just bike skills and a sour behind. I had a new hobby and a newfound pride (still the looks form the road guys though).</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then I quit smoking (about time), reduced my intake to a single Boston Cream, and got a little competitive. I punched through the 2012-2013 session, ran more, swam more, and scored the 4th best bike time at Chicago, transitioned faster than some of the pro's and didn't let one single mother-effer pass me at Nationals on the bike (hail to Kristen). And holy-mother-of-Jesus, I earned a spot at ITU World's after what was an awesome day of racing. PWP, it's been a long journey. Now let's make that Belgian passport proud on Team USA in Edmonton!!!</i><br />
<br />
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<i><br /></i>Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-83340695774949473892013-09-24T18:57:00.000-07:002013-09-25T07:41:17.444-07:00TD Bank Boston Mayor's Cup Sept 21, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6xzzdILIE8/UkFsW_RSWdI/AAAAAAAAAuY/ZeplxVjCuSw/s1600/IMG_5312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6xzzdILIE8/UkFsW_RSWdI/AAAAAAAAAuY/ZeplxVjCuSw/s320/IMG_5312.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The race course</i></span></div>
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I've wanted to do this race since it started 5 years ago. It's got equal prize money for the men and women which is huge! I'd never been to Boston, the course is smack dab in the middle of downtown, and it just sounded fun. It's expensive for me to get there but the main thing that always held me back was that it's so late in the season and to tell the truth I'm usually burnt out and ready to be done. This year I was feeling pretty fresh and even though I haven't felt completely on top of my game all year, I decided to pull the trigger and go. Dana Kotler, a XXX rider from Chicago had just moved to Boston for her Sports Medicine Fellowship at Harvard, offered a place to crash for the weekend. I'd had a pretty poor showing at Gateway Cup over Labor Day weekend and didn't want to end my season with that.<br />
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The trip could not have been easier. It was beautiful sunny weather, and everything went really well. Dana was super awesome and even though originally I thought she would have to work, she ended up being able to hang out the whole time and even race in the 3/4 race on Saturday. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>On the bridge going back to Cambridge</i></span></div>
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The race was the final race of the year in our National Criterium Calendar (NCC), and all the usual suspects were there. Our current NCC Champion Erica Allar, Laura Van Gilder, the Schneider sisters, Amy Cutler, to name a few. They all had at least one teammate there to help, and the Colovita Team had a full squad of riders. When the race started I felt great! It was such a relief. They were calling tons of primes and I went early for a three place prime. I led it out from the backside to get third to Erica and LVG. In my head I went "cha-ching there's my airline bike fee". Of course I had a lot more costs to cover so I considered going for another one but I knew I really only had one more big effort left so I saved it for the end. In the end I moved up as best I could but it wasn't early enough. I stayed with the front group and was passing people until the line, but my effort was a bit late and I only managed 17th place. It was still a nice chunk of money and while I wouldn't say I was "happy" with 17th, I felt it was respectable. The podium, predictably, was Erica, LVG and Sam.<br />
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After the race we got some dinner and walked around Harvard Square. The next day we went for brunch and met up with Dana's friend Erich, mechanic at the <a href="http://www.hubbicycle.com/">Hub bike shop,</a> who had just returned from Interbike the day before. He ended up giving us a full biking tour of the city, which was cool for Dana too since she'd only been living there since July.<br />
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I had a great time and was really glad I went. Another season in the books! Looking forward to some beautiful fall rides, and of course PWP!!!! <br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Dana & Erich</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Following Erich down Boylston St. where the Boston Marathon Finishes</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lucinda helped me both pack and reassemble my bike. She's getting to be a pretty good mechanic!</i></span></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-78934069083335677972013-09-18T05:17:00.001-07:002013-09-18T17:07:18.428-07:00ABR 4 Person Team Time Trial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Daphne, Lauren, me and Stacy on the top step</span></i></div>
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I love the ABR 4 person Team Time Trial. I have a great memory of racing this race as a cat 4, on a team with a couple cat 1's. To this day, it might be the hardest I've ever ridden!<br />
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The event is so great because you take turns pulling with a maximum of 4, but minimum of 3 riders, and covering the distance between point A and point B as fast as you can. You have to finish with 3 riders, so if you start with 3, you must finish with 3, but if you start with 4, one rider can drop out if they are unable to keep up. The first year I did it we only had 3, so everyone's time counted. I rode so much harder because I didn't want to let down my teammates than if it had been just me by myself. <br />
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I had planned to race with my track teammate Stacy Mosora, and former PWP participant Daphne Karagianis. Spidermonkey teammate Sarah was to be our 4th person, but she was sidelined with an injury. At the track the Thursday before my Spidermonkey teammate (and PWP participant) Lauren Wissman offered to fill in. She's had a fantastic year and had just gotten her cat 3 upgrade that day. <br />
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I'm hoping Lauren will write a few more details about her season, but wow has she come a long way from that person who showed up at PWP last winter with down tube shifters and no clipless pedals. Daphne and Stacy and I were full of advice on what to do when/if you get dropped.....but holy cow Lauren took awesome hard pulls until the very end. I had known about her cat 3 road upgrade, and I'd seen her race the men's 3/4 madison race at the track, but she forgot to mention that she'd raced and WON a 'cross race the day before! Super talented, it's going to be cool to see how far she goes!<br />
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We had a great time and ended up winning the thing. We all took strong even pulls and paced ourselves really well. I really do love this event!<br />
<br />Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-39904304602888654612013-09-04T09:13:00.006-07:002013-09-05T07:05:34.014-07:00Gateway Cup, St. Louis, MO Labor Day Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BzA1Cm_YPcs/Uidak5YNTLI/AAAAAAAAAs0/5m2D8jqVJ18/s1600/view+from+St.+Louis+arch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BzA1Cm_YPcs/Uidak5YNTLI/AAAAAAAAAs0/5m2D8jqVJ18/s1600/view+from+St.+Louis+arch.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">View from the St. Louis Arch</span></i></div>
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I love Gateway Cup! It's a series of 4 crits in St. Louis over labor day weekend which marks the end or very close to the end of our road racing season. It's not NCC, but there's good prize money and usually attracts a decent field. It's always great racing and tons of fun. I've been doing these races since 2001, and back then it was my first experience placing in a women's 1/2/3 field. I heard the announcer say today that the series has been going on for 22 years!<br />
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My teammate Sarah was out for the series, so I had planned to come down with my husband Jason and the kids, but didn't want to pull them out of school on Friday since they just started. So as per usual I was scrambling in the days before trying to get it worked out. After a last minute plea on Facebook, I ended up getting a ride down from XXX racer Erik Didriksen and his family. (thank you!!!)<br />
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Jason and kids planed to drive down on Saturday, and would go to the <a href="http://www.citymuseum.org/site/">City Museum</a> on Sunday, and after the race on Monday we planned on hitting the arch on the way out of town. <br />
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Thursday night was the Elaine Nekritz State Championship Scratch race at Northbrook Velodrome. This is the biggest race for women all year and if you win you get your name on a cool trophy, and it's a lot of fun. Normally I wouldn't race the track the night before heading to a four crit series, but I couldn't skip this one, and I'm glad I didn't! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yDd3T3z0Hqc/UiFqF0fwaII/AAAAAAAAAsg/Tiv5J8Qox04/s1600/1266688_10201378811767229_1423703077_o.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yDd3T3z0Hqc/UiFqF0fwaII/AAAAAAAAAsg/Tiv5J8Qox04/s320/1266688_10201378811767229_1423703077_o.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Elaine Nekritz Scratch Race Podium</span></i></div>
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Friday: Tour de Lafayette<br />
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I arrived at my friend/host Marsha's house around 1 and got to rest up a bit before riding over to the race. It was an easy ride over and it helped loosen up my legs which were pretty tight from the night before. I was slightly nervous about how I would feel. The Friday race goes all day but our race started at 8:15 pm, so in the dark, with the pro men following at 9:15. They bring in big lights to illuminate portions of the course, but other parts are only lit by streetlights and quite dark. The shadows are pretty scary, and add quite an exciting dimension to the race. When the race started, I felt great! Get--a-Grip Cycles, had hooked me up with some Zipp race wheels, and they were awesome! They handled really well and added a degree of confidence. I was riding quite comfortably, but there seemed to be quite a lot of sketchiness in the field. Almost immediately there was a crash which I was caught behind. In the pit, I saw some blood on the other riders. I was fine, and wanted to keep it that way! After jumping back in, it was more of the same. The dark and the shadows made it very difficult to sense where other riders were and where they were going. At one to go I was in great position. I hit the back stretch in about 4th wheel, and then a rider ahead of me had a shifting issue. She kept it together and did not go down or take anyone out but it scared me just enough to pause and get swarmed when I should have just accelerated around it. That was the defining moment. I rode hard on the finishing stretch and finished 18th. Payout went to 25 so I was ok with that, though definitely a bit disappointed. I hadn't slept much this week so I was looking forward to getting some good rest and feeling better Saturday! <br />
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Saturday: Tour de Frances Park<br />
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Two years ago at this race on the final lap I crashed and lost a tooth. It was already a fake tooth to begin with so it wasn't quite as bad as it sounds. Today was HOT. So hot. It was hot last month during the Prairie State Series and I felt great! So I was actually looking forward to it. Although waking up today with what I could no longer deny was a migraine did not bode well for a good race. I'd had a headache since Friday but had been trying ignore it. I do get migraines and on a scale of 1 to 10 this was about a 2, but it was definitely a migraine. Going into the race, my legs felt great but my head was pretty bad, and the heat did not help things. The race was a long rectangle around a park. There was a slight uphill on the start finish side and a long slight downhill on the backside. The race was fairly animated with several attacks, and I did not really do any chasing or attacking. I just tried to maintain good position and get through it. When a two rider break got away, I sat in while the field let them dangle for a while and caught them at about 3 to go. A perfectly timed counter by the Primal team stuck and got a solo rider away. On the back stretch at 2 to go another rider attacked and seemed to get a gap. I'd planned to go early, so at 1 to go on the top of the hill I went to the front and led it out. I figured I'd be ok with being in the wind on the downhill. When we turned the second to last corner we had caught one of the riders and I was staying with the surges, and in good position. But after the final corner I quickly realized I'd used up too much energy and had nothing left for the sprint. Riders went whizzing by me and I finished in 20th place. I crossed the line and then collapsed in someone's front yard. The nice family who's yard it was poured ice water on me and I believe they may have saved my life!! I wasn't particularly happy with this race but I did the best I could and any race that I finish with all my teeth is a good race.<br />
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Sunday: Giro della Montagne<br />
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Day 3 of Gateway Cup, day 3 of migraine. It wasn't the worst migraine I'd ever had, but it was there. And I still wasn't sleeping more than a couple hours/night. Woke up this morning to the dull ache, and knew that it wasn't going to go away. I tried everything I could but really the only thing that helps is riding it out until it's done. I've raced with a low level migraine before, and know that it can be done, but it's not fun. The heat really made it worse. I thought I'd be ok today since it was just a tad cooler than yesterday. The Giro della Montagne or "the Hill" as the race is referred to, is called that because it is in the Italian neighborhood called the Hill. Very fun race, all the houses surrounding the course have parties and there is quite a crowd. There is a slight actual hill in the course, but it's not really much to make an impact. The course is another long rectangle with short sides, and the finish is on the slight downhill side. I've done well here in the past and love the fun rowdy crowd. The race started and I felt ok.... until I didn't. I wasn't actually dropped, but at about 7 laps to go, I just didn't want to be there any more so I pulled out. I think it was the right decision as I felt noticeably better ever since and I still had one more day to try for a result! <br />
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Monday: Benton Park Classic <br />
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The Benton Park Classic is one of my all time favorite courses. It's a very long course with one long straight uphill side. There's a bunch of short stretches with awesome twisty corners leading to a nice downhill section which brings you to the final two corners. When taken extremely fast you have a ton of momentum for the finish line which is midway on the uphill stretch. <br />
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I'm not really a fan of the uphill but I LOVE fast corners!!! I can get a lot of speed---even when I was in second position in the field I would find myself having to brake if I didn't want to go around.<br />
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Last year I ended up on the podium just by leading it out through the corners. Given how crappy I'd felt all weekend I wasn't sure how things were going to go, but I actually slept well the night before and woke up headache free! I still had the related neck ache feeling but it was definitely over and I knew I'd be 100% in a day or two. I went into the race committed to doing my best.<br />
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The race started and I felt fine. I loved leading through the corners and hated anytime I was not in front and couldn't fly through them. About mid race they called a $200 prime. I decided my chances were better at getting that than making it through to the podium so I went for it. I got to the front before the corner sections and took them just as fast as I could. After the first one I saw that I had a gap, and that it was growing with each corner. I pedaled hard on the downhill and flew through the final two corners. I heard later that I had a decent gap but I wanted to be sure so I still sprinted as hard as I could for the line. A bit too hard in retrospect as I had nothing left when the field went by. I had known that was a possibility but since I wasn't in contention for the overall and $200 would pay for a large chunk of my expenses for the weekend I think it was the right move for the day.<br />
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Not the greatest weekend of racing that I've ever had but even with a migraine I had a fantastic time in St. Louis. I've raced in St. Louis lots of times, but this was the first time I came down without a car, and rode to the races. What an easy, lovely city to get around in!<br />
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I guess I'll just have to come back to the Gateway Cup!!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yphTryPmZRM/UidalIDdHQI/AAAAAAAAAtA/Mm6l81SvXqA/s1600/riding+to+the+races.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yphTryPmZRM/UidalIDdHQI/AAAAAAAAAtA/Mm6l81SvXqA/s320/riding+to+the+races.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Riding to the races</span></i></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-75498485848629987242013-08-09T10:46:00.001-07:002013-08-09T10:46:19.840-07:00PWP's Cathy Frampton; ABR State Road Race Champion <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Sunday, Aug 4<sup>th</sup>, I drove south towards Kankakee and proceeded to get lost along following a beautiful river looking for the ABR Two Rivers race course. My luck for the day turned when Project 5's Marilyn Powell pulled alongside me and re-directed me to course.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>I heard last year there was only 1 woman at the race, but this year, there was an ok turn-out. Some 4 or so for the 40/50's and another 4 for the open. We would be racing together, however, the open was doing 3 laps of an 18 mi course while the 40/50's were doing 2. I had signed up for the 40/50 race not realizing the difference. My attempts to convince the 40/50 to do 3 laps were unsuccessful, so I changed to the open. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Within a couple miles from the start, we quickly formed a pace line with everyone taking turns pulling through. The pace wasn't fast, but the atmosphere was friendly and supportive for the newer racers.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Liz So was in the open race. Her cyclocross fast twitch muscles were twitching. She was not satisfied with the pace. She tried desperately to get one of us in the open race to jump with her early in a break. I wasn’t ready to go anywhere yet, still trying to warmup. Noone else seemed inclined to take up her offer so early in the race. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Well, not even ½ lap into the 3 lap race, Liz jumped - attacking on her own and getting a gap. Our group continued the paceline, keeping Liz within reach. As we went on, the 40/50’s racers were less inclined to pull through, so the three of us in the open race, myself, teammate Katie Isermann, and XXX’s Sue Wellinghoff, traded turns. Nearing the end of lap 2, the 40/50’s asked that we keep out of the way of their finish. Ok. They lunged ahead. It was fun to watch their lead-outs and sprint efforts. Congratulations to Imelda March on her 40+ win with Shannon Pookie-Keaton and Ginger Stephens right on her wheel and to Marilyn Powell for the 50+ win.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Continuing into the final lap of the open race, we weren’t sure if Liz was tiring or not. She was doing a significant amount of work staying just off the front. We got our answer when she reintegrated with the group with ½ lap to go – she was still strong. Looking at the 4 of us, I decided it was not in my best interest to wait for a sprint finish. My teammate, Katie, on the other hand would do well in that situation. So, I started attacking. Each time, Liz was attached to me like glue. I did get a slight gap after one attack, but with a cry from Liz that I might have unfairly crossed the centerline to gain the advantage, I sat up. As the four of us lulled into a pace that made it difficult to keep our bikes upright, I attacked again – but this time I held it out there for a good bit, got a gap, and put my head down to time trial to the finish.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i>Along the way, I kept looking over my shoulder for the ever-charging Liz So to be on my heels. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. Katie did win the field sprint finishing 2<sup>nd</sup> and taking home the Cat 3 IL State Championship jersey.</i></span></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-59305421967501156672013-08-07T19:46:00.000-07:002013-08-07T19:53:48.419-07:00PWPers Annette Isom and Ann Corvino checking in from Colorado<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
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<i>Greetings! Just wanted you to know that Ann & I and our team finished the Copper Triangle Road Ride in Copper Mountain, Colorado last Saturday, August 3rd. The ride was 78 mi and 3 peaks......lots of long up and long down. Reminded me of one of the Tour de France mountain stages.....could have been my imagination when I was losing it going up and up! I enclosed a picture.....Ann & Paula from Hinsdale, Margie from Oak Park and me (Glen Ellyn). </i></div>
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<i>Looking forward to PWP this year! </i></div>
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<i>Annette Isom</i><br />
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They said it was 8000 feet! Chilly! Awesome Job ladies! </div>
Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-8560939054324794112013-08-06T05:59:00.000-07:002013-08-07T16:26:43.071-07:00Master's Track Nationals July 30-Aug 4 Indianapolis, INAfter competing at Elite Nationals last year, I decided I wanted to take track seriously and really train for it and learn how to do it right. Yes there's cross-over between road and track and doing the weekly racing at your local velodrome is awesome crit training, but competing nationally is completely different. Everything from the "scene" to the training to the specific technicalities of each event, including the equipment needed was so foreign to a roadie like me. This year I've been working with a track specific coach and have been putting in some serious effort. I picked master's nationals as my one focus for the year because it was in Indianapolis, IN, and would not require a plane ticket. <br />
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The kids went to my parents for the week. Their week involved hanging out on my brother's farm, showing Jersey dairy cows at the 4-H fair with their cousins, feeding calves, playing with kittens and catching minnows and crawfish in the creek. <br />
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Jason had to work so he took the megabus down on Thursday night which happened to be the best stroke of luck. My new Zipp wheels showed up on Wednesday (I left on Tuesday) and Jason was able to glue them up and bring them down on the megabus. Thank you so much to SRAM/Zipp for making this happen!! They are super awesome, and definitely the nicest wheels I've ever ridden.<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">These wheels are worth more than my car </span></i></div>
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My #1 goal was to come home with a national championship jersey and I was going to try for it in 6 events. While I did not reach this goal, I did a lot better than I would have last year at this time, and came home with 4 second places, 1 third, and 1 fourth. The 333 meter concrete track in Indy is awesome! I felt really comfortable there and would love to come back for more racing there. <br />
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Tuesday: Points Race</div>
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I am most experienced in mass start events as that's the kind of thing I've been racing at Northbrook for 14 years. They are also the only kind of races where I've had any serious cycling injuries. The points race was the first race of the week for me and I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was pretty nervous. There was no time to get on the track before my event so the first time I put wheels down on the track was at the start of the race. I took the first sprint and managed to get points in every one. I did a good job at keeping track of the math and knew the race hinged on the final sprint between me and a rider from Georgia. She and another rider started to lead it out and when I tried to get in position I got freaked out by another rider and completely backed off. It really wasn't anything sketchy and had I been aggressive it would have (maybe) been fine. I was mad at myself for lacking confidence but I finished the race upright and able to compete the rest of the week. And I got a second place at a Masters's nationals.</div>
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Wednesday: Scratch Race</div>
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The scratch race is my favorite race which made it all the more sad when I screwed it up. Because of the points race the day before me and the other rider who got most of the points were watching each other and we let a rider from Texas go. Turned out she was an awesome time trialist and we never saw her again. We finally chased but it was too late. I ended up third and was very bummed with this result. </div>
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Thursday: Day off </div>
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Jason took the bus down after work and got to hang out with me for the rest of the weekend! We had a really good time and it was cool for me to have full support.</div>
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Friday: Individual Pursuit</div>
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Time trialing does not come naturally to me and I have worked very hard on this event. Before today, every other time in my life where I've done a standing start I've completely botched it. Today I nailed it! And I was faster than we had anticipated. I was thrilled!! I definitely gave my best effort. The Texas rider that got away in the scratch race was faster, but I took second. </div>
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Saturday: Time Trial (500 meters)</div>
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This is a sprint event, and to be good at sprint events you really need to specialize. I am an endurance rider, but decided to jump in and do it since I was there. I loved it! It was fitting that Dee Dee Scadron who is a former master's world champion in this event and now a USA Cycling official was my official at the start line. I gave this my best effort, nailed the start again (!) but know exactly what I need to work on if I want to be a sprinter. It was super fun going that fast, but only good enough for fourth place. </div>
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Sunday: Team Pursuit and Team Sprint</div>
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Ever since watching Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch, and Jennie Reed do the team pursuit at Elite Nationals in Los Angeles, I've wanted to do this event. They went on to earn a Silver medal in the 2012 olympics. My teammate Stacy and I had planned on doing it with another Chicago rider (and PWP'er) Dena Eaton, but Dena ended up having to unexpectedly move across the country for work literally weeks before the event. Luckily Stacy's teammate on the road, Jane Vanni-Noone who lives in Indianapolis was able to do it with us. Our practice for the event consisted of 30 minutes during open track time the morning of our event. Given our lack of knowledge about each other, we did really great. We ended up second.</div>
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Dena and I had also planned to do the team sprint as well, so Jane graciously offered to fill in again. Neither of us being sprinters, we actually nailed it, did the best we could and finished second! We were happy with this result. </div>
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In conclusion, it was super cool to see in person all the other Chicago/Midwest riders that I've known for years but never actually seen competing at their specialized events. There were bitter disappointments and thrilling victories. Lovely to meet Jane and all the awesome people in Indianapolis. I felt a world of difference in my preparedness and gave it my best effort. Luckily I love training and working hard........ !</div>
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I'll end with one of the best victories of the weekend: The men's 35+ team sprint with Robbie Higgins riding with my Garner Teammates Jason Garner and Jeff Whiteman:</div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-458084813160521815.post-46896578929633283662013-07-23T20:18:00.001-07:002013-07-23T21:37:57.156-07:00Prairie State Series July 12-21<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Meshberg Family hanging out with our good friend Sarah Demerly, who came in from Michigan to race the series</span></i></div>
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SO so so excited to have a race series IN MY HOMETOWN. Yes we have cool individual races in Chicago, and sometimes even two days in a row, but this is the first time I've had a whole series so close to home! <br />
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The series consisted of 7 races total, 6 crits and 1 road race. The first 3 days were not NCC, and the last 4 were. What does that mean? NCC is our National Criterium Calendar so they would be heavily attended and highly contested. The first 3 days would be mostly local riders with maybe a couple of out of towners. Hopefully this will change in the future when word gets out about how awesome this series is and we can have big fields for the whole thing. But for this year we weren't expecting the huge fields until the NCC races.<br />
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I've been targeting this series ever since I found out about it and I wanted to win the overall. Given the weird year I've been having I really did not know what to expect going into it. My focus was to do the best I could and treat each day individually. Sarah had committed to coming to as many of the races as she could, so finally we'd get some racing together.</div>
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Kenosha</div>
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I love this race! I've done this course many times when it was part of Superweek, and I love it. My oldest friend lives and works very near to the course, so she always comes and watches, and we get to hang out afterwards, so a good time is always associated with this race. Being the first race in the series and not NCC, we had a very small field. Sarah was sidelined with the stomach flu so I went solo. Our field consisted of a bunch of individual riders going against the Schneider sisters, local riders who ride for Tibco, one on the pro team, and one on the devo team. After an early break of three which included 15 year old Skylar Schneider (who ended up winning) lapped the field, Vanderkitten attacked and no one chased. Then I attacked and no one chased. I finished off the front in 5th place. Given the circumstances, I was ok with that. <br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Going against Sam Schneider for a Prime </span></i></div>
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Crystal Lake</div>
Same small field, though today I had my teammate Sarah. The race started just fine but soon I started to struggle. Turns out I had broken a spoke and my wheel had gone out of true and was smashing against my brake. I never heard a popping noise so I had no idea what was happening. I finally went to the pit because I just couldn't ride any more, I didn't think I would get a free lap, but I didn't know what else to do. When they saw the shape of my wheel I was given the ok to be put back in the field. Unfortunately while all this was going on a break had gotten away. I tried to talk my way into being put back into the break, but since it had been established while I was out of commission, it was back to the field for me. The first lap back in they called a prime. I went for it, got it, and then was done. I'm not sure how much energy I expended riding around for the first half of the race on a broken wheel, and I don't think going all out for a prime was the smartest move. I was majorly bummed. Sarah rode well in the field and finished strong.<br />
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Sharon RR<br />
The drive to Sharon, which is just across the WI border very near Lake Geneva, was beautiful. The course was flat and we were supposed to do 4 laps but was shortened to 3, for a total of about 33 miles. It was very hot, and I felt pretty good. Mostly local gals, we had a couple strong new to the series riders, including our National Criterium Champion Theresa Cliff-Ryan. Sarah said later she was affected by the heat, but she rode well and I couldn't tell. The race had a couple of attacks, but nothing stuck, and we entered the final 3k altogether. I found myself in good position at 3k to go, and was planning on going for it, at the clearly marked 1k to go sign. But then the follow moto ref pulled up next to me. He had done this several times during the race and had actually mingled with the field during several corners and at one point caused a separation that had to be chased down. I asked him to please give me some space, and he said no, and I let myself get distracted. He made me very nervous and I had no idea what he was going to do so I slowed down. He finally backed off at 500 meters. Then when I finally sprinted I heard terrible crunching noises coming from my bike! I finished 5th and Sarah was 6th. I was not happy with this result. I did make an official complaint regarding the ref and as far as my bike, I had no idea what was going on. <br />
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Beverly (Chicago)<br />
Very excited to race this course which has always been a part of the now defunct Superweek series in the past, but only for the men. Thanks Prairie State for having women there for the first time ever. This was the first of the NCC races, so there would be a bigger field with lots of strong teams there. On the way to the race, my car thermometer said 100 degrees. The hottest race of the year. Warming up, whenever I put any pressure on the pedals, I heard the terrible noises coming from my bike. So I went to Sram NRS and asked Jose to take a look. Sure enough my wheel was trashed. So he lent me a Sram wheel and I was good to go. The course is in the beautiful south side Beverly neighborhood and we got to ride by gorgeous homes and beautiful streets. Sarah's husband Eric grew up very near the course and family friends had a party on the course. They cheered for us every lap. My friend (and PWP participant) Cathy was also racing and had a huge family contingent out cheering for her and I swear they cheered just as loudly for me too. There were also tons of other friends and PWP participants scattered throughout the course. It was really fun. When we got into the race, I could tell that the heat was having an effect on people, but I felt great! I was able to move around easily and go wherever I wanted. On the third lap I heard a crash, looked back and was so bummed to see it was Sarah. She got back in the race but ended up dropping out due to the heat. There were lots of primes in this race, including one donated by PWP's Jen Welch, who grew up on the course and is a big supporter of the race. Thanks Jen!! The course was super cool with a slight up hill and then two semi sharp, fast downhill corners into the finish. I knew the winner needed to be first into the downhill. At one to go I was in perfect position, about 4th wheel. Kelly Fisher-Goodwin from Fearless Femme had gone for a late prime, gotten a gap and held it. The field was content to race for second. On the back stretch I attacked and got a gap. I'm sure part of it was not having the strength, but I think mostly it was lack of guts but I chickened out and slowed so I got passed right before the first sharp downhill corner. I'm not sure how many riders got in front of me before I was able to get in line, but I was still in good position when in the final corner the two riders ahead of me crashed! I had to dramatically slow, but stayed upright and was able to finish in 14th place. I was very happy with this result! Teresa Cliff-Ryan won the field sprint so the Fearless Femme team went 1-2.<br />
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Elmhurst<br />
Another 100 degree day, I was nervous about bringing the kids, but this was the only option for the day. My good friend and PWP participant Mary Roe had offered to watch them for me during the race. This is not the first time Mary has hung out with the kids while I raced. They have a lot of fun with her and there is usually ice cream involved. Racing would simply not be possible without help like this. So a great big thank you to Mary! Sarah wasn't able to get to this race, so once again I was solo. I wasn't going to be able to get new wheels before the end of the series so Sram let me use theirs for the rest of the series, which made the difference between racing or not racing so another big thank you to Sram. I felt great the whole race where once again I could tell the heat was really getting to people. It came down to a field sprint and I was a little hesitant to fight for position, (as I write this I'm sensing a theme here...) but I sprinted for 14th and felt good about it. Laura Van Gilder won today. <br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My two kids hanging out with our good friends the Kittle's who live in Elmhurst and came out to watch the racing</span></i></div>
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Lake Bluff<br />
After two positive races in a row with no mechanicals or weird issues, I was looking forward to Lake Bluff. Sarah would be there, and I had raced this course last year and finished well. I knew that it was a tough course. It's a great break away course because it's very narrow with tight corners with the only wide part being the very long start/finish stretch which was slightly uphill. Every time through that long section felt like the finishing sprint to me, and I never felt like I was in good position. Also a factor, after the last couple 100 degree races today it was a chilly 86. All those people who had been affected by the heat were feeling much better so I think that was a factor for me. Not sure when it happened but I sadly found myself off the back. Sarah was there too and we started taking hard pulls and after a couple of laps we actually caught back on. Sarah was able to stay connected but I was almost immediately dropped, and stayed dropped this time. My only solace was that I wasn't the first to go and I finished 23rd on the day though it really didn't make me feel much better and I earned no points. Erica Allar took the win out of a break of 6. <br />
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St. Charles<br />
I was determined to end this series on a positive note. The race was also our state championship race which meant that the title and a championship jersey would be awarded to the first rider from Illinois across the line. It's always a fun thing to win, so I was going for it. The course was 4 corners of wide open road. The race seemed very slow, for which I was grateful. There were a couple of attacks including a good one by Sarah. I was in front and could block, and she held it for almost two laps. When they caught her, it was on a prime lap, and she saw that I was near so after being solo for two laps she led me out for it! Unfortunately Pepper Palace was on my wheel and it turned out to be a better lead out for her. While I didn't get the prime, it did establish a break of four. Unfortunately we did not have Pepper Palace's sprinter with us, so we weren't cohesive. It got exciting for a moment when the race leaders bridged up, and we had our original four along with Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Erica Allar, and Laura Van Gilder. But it didn't stick, and soon we were reabsorbed. In the final lap I was in great position and got around the final corner with the leaders. I was able to avoid some mayhem and I didn't stick around to find out, but I believe a rider may have gone down. Due to the mayhem I didn't have a good wheel to the line but I sprinted and finished 10th! Sarah finished right behind me in 12th, and I was the second Illinois rider to cross the line. My former teammate Jessi Prinner finished ahead of me. Jessi's still an Illinois resident and a great sprinter in her own right, but she's now a professional who rides in support of Erica Allar, the current NCC leader. Erica won the race which meant Jessi had done her job for the day. For the series I ended up 6th overall. Not exactly the result I was hoping for though I was very happy to end the series on a positive note, and that the series got great feedback and looks like it will be back next year bigger and better. <br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Illinois State Criterium Champion Podium l-r Me and Jessi Prinner</span></i></div>
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Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869244320768089176noreply@blogger.com0