The RULES

The link is to the RULEs...

Read them, FOLLOW THEM


http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/

One more race

I have been very happy about how my season has unfolded. Despite having injured teammates, which ment I raced all but TWO races solo, I have won the VCA Women's 40+ BAR. It has been a really LONG season, I started racing back in Febuary and it is now September.

My overall TT ability has come along, but my greatest accomplishment has been watching and knowing what's going on in the race. The last two years, I did not have the fitness nor the bike handling skills to be in the peleton, I was hanging on for dear life. This year I am able to see the race unfold and in most cases be where I need to be when I need to be there.

I had ONE really sweet win this year, thanks to Maria's great lead out. I want to go out the same way, with a WIN.

SO here's to ONE more race, I'm leaving it ALL out on the course.

VA State Senior TT

Well I am really proud of my team mates, They know how to promote a race. The course is a full 40 km out and back with just a slight change in terrain to keep you honest. The pavement is smooth and some really extraordinary efforts were made to make sure the bridge was NOT an issue. Registration was as smooth as I ever seen and results were up fast. Thanks to ALL the sponsors and the guys from Pre-reg.com

Pam and I ended up as the only two that raced and both of us PRd the course. Pam took several minutes off her time and road a 1:05, I took a minute off and road a 1:06. Mark Pye had a huge hand in making us faster, every Tuesday night you'd find us at West Creek riding the TT bikes and you'd see Mark send one of us off, just to have the other on "chase her down."

This has been a really long season and my body is feeling it this afternoon. I looked back at my training log and realized that my first race was back in FEB of this year. There is one more race on the calendar, it is the AGE graded criterium. I hope that all cyclist support this race, I know the season has been long, but this is a new promoter and a new venue and we know how hard it is to find a venue, much less sponsors.

Racing in AL

This is the second year that I've headed HOME.. to AL to visit family and to take advantage of some good local racing.

The Spring City Cycling Club host a two day omnium, a RR, a SHORT 1K TT and a CRIT. I mainly come down here to visit family, but what cyclist doesn't love having the chance to visit family and race their bikes.

The first year I did this race.. the weather was perfect, in fact AL had an Indian Summer sort of day... this year.. NOT so much.. HOT and HUMID was the call all weekend long... Since I had done the RR last year.. I knew the HILL would be my nemisis.. I am not a hill climber.. if it were the Tour.. I'd be on the "auto bus"... well I dorked up the first climb up the hill.... too far back... gap opened up.... was NOT on a wheel as we crested the top... OTB.. and race over... The 1 K TT was later than afternoon, so I gave myself and the officials a break and pulled myself after 30 miles..

The 1K TT was really interesting.. guys coming up with full TT rigs... and others.. just zipping up jersey's and rolling like a RR race... I finished 3rd in the women's 3/4 field.. so not to ashamed of my finish...

Sunday's crit was right after the men's master's thank goodness it was an early race... before the heat and humidity really started cranking... I did just what my coaches have been telling me all year.. when I don't have a teammate in the race.. sit in... and get in position with 3 to go...
I made one attack.. just to see how the legs felt... everything was firing... YEAH... I was sitting about 6th wheel with 2 to go, knowing I could move up on the backside... the pace had slowed just a little as we entered the only Left turn.. and wouldn't you know it... gal in front of my touches the rear wheel of the gal in front of her... she goes down taking me with her.. I tried to swing wide.. but that wasn't happening.. it was slow motion.. and I have a metal picture of my crash.... sore elbow, knee and back.. but bike is ok...so I lived to race another day

ID3 Weekend of Racing

IF you've never raced in Roanoke... You absolutely have to put this race on your calendar. It is always on the 4th July weekend and the venue's are awesome.

I went into this weekend's race with some simple goals.. PR Mill Mountain and then race the race I need to race in the two crits.

I managed to PR Mill Mountain by about 30 seconds from last year; but I still feel like I have an alien about to burst out of my chest when I get to the top. I started coughing almost immediately, the sort of cough you get during a cold winter ride.. I coughed ALL night and even woke up the Sunday with a very sore raw throat.

Sunday the women's combined race started at 1:00 and the temps had started climbing and though there was a slight breeze, the number 90 was soon seen on the old temperature gage. It has been said in many other forums, but a women's combined field that includes CAT 1's through CAT 4's are in my opinion the toughest races to races. IF you're not careful you can blow yourself up real quick trying to hang on to a CAT 1's wheel and then you're race is done. My goal for both crits was to finish in the field and make sure I at least beat the other women competing in VCA 40+ category. To shed some perspective on how fast this race was, we were strung out in single file for the first few laps and according to my good friend who officiated the race; the women started faster than the Men's Master's race and those are usually the fastest races in VCA...

I hung on.. tail gunned and marked the ladies I wanted to beat. I ended up doing more work through the corners from the rear of the field but I didn't want to blow up hanging out in the front either... The final lap saw a little cat and mouse antics by the leaders on the back side of the course but then it really opened up the through the last corner... grabbing a wheel I wanted and waiting until the last 100 meters to go around the gal I marked.. It worked.. I was 12th overall and first 40+

Monday's course was a little different than last year's.. by about one block... but that one block was uphill.. Starting fast again from the whistle, I hung on for a good number of laps.. seeing ladies dropping left and right. It was definitely hotter than yesterday and the pace and heat was eating up the field. A massive attack from the eventual race winner broke the last of the field up, leaving small little groups of two and three spread around the course. The two other gals I was with agreed to work together until one to go.. hoping not to get lapped and pulled. Well we got lapped with about 5 to go and pulled shortly there after. I hate getting pulled in a race, but also understand for safety we probably would have been lapped by the main chase group too close to the finish. The good news is.. I hung on long enough for another 12th place finish and finished ahead of the other 40+ gals...

SO I managed to accomplish what I set out to do.. Now to set more goals....and race more races

Roanoke Bound

This will be the third season we've headed to Roanoke for the ID3 races. This is a great venue, a hill climb TT covers 900 of climbing in just 1.87 miles. This is a short steep climb and all I know is that I always feel like I have an alien about to burst out of my chest the last two times I've climbed this mountain. The crits are fun. One course is flat and technical with cobbles and the other is fast with a two short kickers to keep everyone honest.
The full team won't be attending we still have two gals on the injured reserve list. BUT, the folks we're bringing have been focusing on these races, should make for a great weekend of racing.

Cranky Monkey Win

Here's an abosolute SHOUT OUT to my teammate Paula... she WON at Cranky Monkey..
to quote her FB site
"8 laps (80 miles) 1st place Solo Women's category"

we've had record setting heat all across the East coast and this lady goes out and just rips the field.... you go girl

Well done Paula

ROSTELLO JUNIOR WINS MEN’S CAT 4 RACE, TWO PODIUMS AT PLT #1

Saturday, June 19th found the Rostello team racing and officiating the Team Nature’s Path circuit race. Karen Hanson and Sharon Leary donned their USA cycling blue official’s shirts for a day of racing at a wonderful new venue just north of Richmond near King’s Dominion. Based on the feedback from the cyclist this is a must do race, smooth pavement, 9 corners and a hill, everything you want in a bike race.
The highlight of the day was Hugh Brown’s effort in the men’s CAT 4 race. Hugh is still a junior and required to race junior gearing, but what makes this win so spectacular was Hugh’s head’s up racing.
Early in the race there was a lone cyclist off the front, almost from the starters whistle. The peleton was content to let him go probably figuring a lone cyclist could not stay way especially considering how hot it was and the fact he didn’t have a teammate to keep the peleton check. As the race progressed you could see the lone cyclist fading and the whole time Hugh was sitting about 4th wheel.

Hugh stayed exactly where he needed to be… near the front but not on the front… every lap there he was in the perfect position. About 2/3 of the way through the 30 mile race, Hugh crashed on the hill on the back side of the course. He reported to the official’s tent and waited until the main field came around again and was inserted back in the main field. From a spectator’s stand point, Hugh's adrenilin must have still been surging because he attacked bridged the gap to the leader pulling two other’s with him. The 4 off the front worked together for the last few laps staying away from the main field. Hugh over cooked the last turn just a little, recovered and still managed to win by almost a bike length. Well done Hugh.


Sunday found a good portion of the team in Chesapeake competing in PLT #1. The weather man was predicting record setting temperatures of near 100 on Sunday. So Team Rostello rolled out the “Rostello Command Post” aka Sharon’s travel trailer. Mark North, Brian, Bill, Mark Pye, Sharon, Steve, and Pam all trekked southeast for the time trial. This is a familiar course that all of us had raced at least once before; the biggest difference was the heat and the starters’ ramp. Sharon definitely had an issue with the ramp rolling too far right and off the road for a second. Mark Pye’s one minute man went into the ditch in front of him and then popped up and almost took Mark Pye out as Mark rolled down the starter’s ramp. A couple of close calls but everyone stayed upright on their bikes. Pam and Sharon both finally broke the hour mark and finished 3rd in their categories, Women’s CAT 4 and 40+ respectively. Well done ladies.

The highlight of the race was the AC in the “team bus” this allowed everyone to come in, sit a minute or two, grab a cold beverage while we waited for results. I won’t tell you how long we waited nor what the cold beverage was we drunk, but I will tell you we were the last ones to leave the staging area and head back towards Richmond.

ROUTINE

Seems like the entire month of May just flew by and now were past the middle of June and my routine hasn’t changed much
Monday active recovery ride, Tuesday TT bike ride at West Creek, Wednesday daughter has gymnastics so mom duties have priority over cycling. Thursday’s are East End ride, Friday easy ride, Saturday depending on mom chores ride tempo OR easy spin of the legs if I’m racing on Sunday, Sunday race. This has been my routine for the last few weeks.
I’m racing well and actually made the break at the Amphib Crit a couple of weeks ago. This was my first experience making the break, DANG there’s a lot of work in a break. No real sitting in and taking advantage of the field, I didn’t feel like I worked TOO much but I wanted the break to stick, I still have a lot of work to do though to hang with the CAT 1 gals when they bridge the gap and up the pace.
Langely was HOT and a small field I failed to warm up properly so I was quickly shelled.
This Saturday I’m one of the officials a the TNP circuit race so I won’t be racing but look out Sunday. I’ve put in a lot more miles on my TT bike this year, I’m confident that the work will pay off. Just wish it wasn’t going to be so DANG hot.

Sprint Into Spring 2010

I tripled up this Sunday. I was the promoter for the Sprint Into Spring and I planned on racing the women's 40+ race and the 1/2/3 race.

After a rough start the day turned out to be awesome.

After getting my daughter out the door with her dad at 0530 for her State gymnastics meet. I loaded up the truck and headed to the course. I was awake and figured what the heck. That was my first mistake, I should have eaten some breakfast at the house. It had rained sometime Saturday night and the roads were damp I started got a little concerned when the 100 mile hour tape wouldn't stick to the ground to mark the start finish line, because the CAT 5 was the fist event of the day.

We barely get the CAT 5 started and there's a crash. In the second lap a kid (turns out he was 21) went down very hard and non of us can figure out why he went down there. It took a long time to get him loaded and the course cleared. Turns out he was combative with the EMT guys, probably because of how bad he was hurt. We finally get the CAT 5's going and there's a crash in the last turn with ONE to go..
Not the way I wanted to start the day.

TWO junior’s races and a kid’s race and with NO warm-up, its time for the first women's race. I sit in for the first two laps, but my legs feel heavy so I attack to open them up and win the fist prime. Mistake TWO I let TOO big of a gap open up after winning the Prime and have to chase for several laps to get back on.
Make a quick deal with a gal I ride / race a lot with from a different team and she gives me a great lead out. She pulls me to the 200 meter mark like a pro, thanks Maria. I open up a gap win with a good 3/ 4 bike length on the field for the win. My first out right win, not just being the first in my category in a women's open race
The 1/2/3 race was a completely different story, tried to work do a little work but the first sprint for a prime and I pop. I'm off the back and riding solo... The field comes around and I jump in and sit in... I do manage not to come in DFL.

The rest of the day went very smooth. Thanks to all the cyclist that came out to race and a special thanks to my teammates and friends that helped put on a great race. If you missed this race because you thought it was going to rain.. You missed a great race. Put it on your calendar it is a must do race if you live anywhere around the State of Virginia.. But that's just my opinion. Check out Kevin Dillard's photo's at http://www.demon.myimagebox.com/#/velophotos-2010/4538175313 if you don't believe me.

Doubling UP

Sunday May 2nd I plan on doubling up at the Bunny Hop. There is a women's Master's race and a Women's Senior race.
Of course the weather man is calling for the first real warm weather that we've had all season on Sunday.
I felt really strong last night on our training ride, at times Mark Pye had us smokin' at 30 mph I just hope that translates into a great day of racing. Time will tell

Tour De Moore, Southern Pines, NC

There wasn’t a race on either the VCA or MABRA calendar this weekend, so I decided to head a little south to do a road race. The race was only about 3 ½ hours from my house, it was a road race and a women’s 3/ 4 field. I convinced Maria from TNP to go with me, so loaded up the big red truck and headed South on I-85.
Getting to the race site was uneventful, we drove through a couple of rain showers but actually found the parking lot fairly easily. We did wander around a little to find registration; a couple of signs would have helped. Once we get our numbers we walk down to the Finish line to check out the final 200 meters or so and as described it is a nice uphill finish, but the pavement is smooth and we talk about where we want to be in the race an because of the uphill finish if it turned into a field sprint where we wanted to be and when we should start our sprint.
Back at the truck we start getting ready; it was still overcast and a little humid but nothing real bad. It did act like it might rain, so there was a little discussion about what to wear. Finally, we warm up and head over to the starting line, which is different than the finish line. The CAT 5’s are scheduled to go off ahead of the women, we were scheduled for a 1050 start time.
1050 came and went, and now the sun is out, we’re doing little loops to keep the legs moving and still no sign of the official. I’m not sure what time we eventually went off all I know is that we hung around there long enough that I had to go to the bathroom and there wasn’t porta potty to be seen. I have no problems “going” in the woods, the Army has trained me to do that, but we were in a residential neighborhood and unlike a couple of other cyclist I will not “go” in someone’s backyard.
The race finally started, we rolled out at a decent pace and I’m thinking need to be near the front but not on the front. The yellow line was being strictly enforced so I kept hoping for the left side to open up. I looked down at my computer and notice we’re only 8 miles into the race, so I relaxed knowing I’ve got time to move up. Mean while the pace is like a yo-yo, don’t understand why folks just won’t ghost pedal instead of grabbing break. We had a car in front and a car behind and oncoming traffic was actually really good about getting off the road and waiting until we rolled past but every time we passed a car the peloton would slow up. I am thinking this is going to cause a wreck in the field, I gotta move up. My friend Maria made it up a few spots so she’s to my right front I’m sitting about mid-field but still hanging out near the left. The crash took about several folks, heard later that a gal flatted, panicked ensued and several folks went down. As the field spread wide to go around the carnage, I move left, bunny hopped a gal going down in front of me, CX’d a little then saw the front of the field ATTACK..
There went my race. I know when a crash happens the adrenalin kicks in, but if it happens behind you and you just keep riding and don’t rubber neck why folks have to attack. So I’m pissed I know this is my race I bury myself trying to catch back up. I’m so focused on trying to catch back on that I don’t even notice that I’m pulling a couple of other gals with me. Now I’m really pissed, if they had just worked with me instead of sucking my wheel we would have been able to close the gap. We ended up with a small chase group of 6 gals, that none really knew how to do a rotating pace line. They’d take hard long pulls and then dork up the pace line…
So long story short, finished the race, loved the course, would do it again. But need to work on my skills to move up in a pack. I know how I ride during group rides and letting folks take a wheel or slide in is not necessarily the best way to race. I also learned that I can see a crash, not panic, bunny hop and CX my road bike and stay up right; I just gotta work on my fitness to CLOSE the gap / bridge up.

Idiot at West Creek

I love cycling and when I’m out on the road and I see someone else out on a bike I try to always say HI, nod, wave, something to acknowledge a fellow cyclist. Last night I found an exception to my rule.

West Creek is usually a very safe place to ride. Several of us use West Creek as a great place to ride our TT bikes or work on specific bike drills as a team. You’ll see ALL kinds of cyclist out at West Creek, folks on TT bikes, parents with kids, or just folks pedaling around. There are also runners out there that for safety reason run against traffic. Runners are the only ones that should be going against the flow of traffic.

Last night West Creek was not a really safe place to be.
1) I think because of the DULATHALON this weekend it was crowed, there were more folks out there than I had ever seen.
2) BUT, the real reason was because there was an idiot riding against traffic. ON no less than two occasional I saw him almost cause an accident. Because he was riding against traffic, riding in the LEFT lane and cyclist and runner were occupying the RIGHT lane. As cars passed the cyclists in the right lane they were forced to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting this guy head on.
When I saw this guy the first time as we road past, I said hey, you’ll be safe riding with traffic. He yelled back that he was a certified something, I didn’t catch the last part and I really cannot understand what being certified in anything has to do with riding against traffic.
I am not sure why anyone would insist on riding against traffic, so if you know who this dude is please convince him to ride with traffic. I really don’t care if he wants to become a hood ornament or not. I just don’t want him to take out me or my friends because he’s an idiot.

Three and 1/2 hour drive for a 27 mile RR

I bailed on Jeff Cup this year because of all my travel related to work and I just didn't feel I was even close to being in shape to race in the women's 1/2/3 field and there wasn't a women's 40 + race for me to enter.. SO I skipped JC.

There isn't a local race this weekend, but I can travel to Fort Bragg, NC which is about 3 1/2 hour drive from my house, due South on I-95.

Righ now I haven't convinced any of my teammates to go, but I want to race.. so I guess I have to decide...

What's a gal to do

Yes Ma'am

Two races this weekend, a TT on Saturday and a Crit on Sunday, I relearned a lesson I thought I’d learned a year or so ago.

I was absolutely ecstatic about my TT on Saturday, faster than last year, a negative split and second place in the women’s Master’s race. I was psyched. So head home, repack the bag, switch bikes etc and try and get off my legs as soon as I can, which my family still doesn’t understand..

Wake up at 0330, got to go which I take as a good sign that I am hydrated, I don't ever drink enough water. Wake up again at 0730; tackle a couple of house chores, walk the dogs, make cinnamon rolls for the family, put the last of my stuff in the truck and head to Langley for the crit. Get there early, snap a few photos of the men’s CAT 4 race, eat a little and then start getting ready to race. My team captain comes up with a great plan, because we know how the race is going to go when Laura and Ali show up (great race ladies). The race unfolded just like we thought the two VK gals go off the front and the field cannot get organized to chase them. This is a new situation for most of us in the field; the ladies are a lot stronger than in years past and if we organize better we just might chase them down.

With 10 to go my team captain reminds me of where I’m supposed to be. I say OK… I’ll get there…. 5 to go.. I’m told to get on Jules wheel.. I say. “It’s too early”…. well it wasn’t TOO early and I should have just done what I was told.. my teammate Jules was hammering and was in great position to give me a lead-out, but I wasn’t where I was supposed to be… SO my teammate looks up. I’m not there, she shuts it down.. not going to give a lead-out to someone else… I look for an open space, there’s not one.. I try to go inside.. but it is tight.. and I don’t want to cause a crash… so I’m not sure where I finished overall; I did manage to finish 3rd in the Women’s Master’s.

But from now on I will do as I’m told and just say “yes Ma’am.”


here's the link to my pictures
http://colonelsharon.smugmug.com/Sports/Langley-Crit-2010/11804834_5LBPp#833967975_dpKh2

The injured reserve list

There’s not been a lot of racing lately by the gals on the Rostello team. We are collectively coming back from the injured reserve list. Between all of us, we’ve got two bad hips, one gallbladder has been removed, and one messed up tibia, several worn out crunchy knees… and countless other worn out parts that come with running and playing "war games" for a couple of decades. Needless to say if you took all the good parts from all of us you might have enough good parts to make one entire cyclist.

So we’ve passed on the last couple of races knowing that this is still early race season and we want to be able to race into August and September. The next race on the agenda for most of us is the Conquer the Canal TT and a couple of will toe the line at Langley and I might even hang around and do a track race or two. Hopefully the PT will have paid off and most of us will be closer to 90% than we have been in a long long while.

First Real Race as a CAT 3

I decided that I was going to NC to race the Wolfpack Classic to get some road mile in my legs, since the snow and the left over crap on the roads has made it nearly impossible to ride.
Well my race lasted all of 1 mile, before I hit a pot hole and flatted, my race was over before it really began.

SO fast forward to the last weekend in February and to the Richmond International Speedway Women's Open, 10:00 am start time.

I check the weather report the night before: 50 something and light winds pretty good for February and comfortable for a gal from the south to survive and not freeze her toes off.

Well sometime after I went to bed and when I got up, the wind never died down and I don't think we ever got to 50 anytime on Saturday

IT was COLD.... the wind was HOWLING... and I'm loading up the truck thinking man I'm going to freeze

I owe all the gals.. several glasses of wine... I begged them to do this race.. cause I race so much better with my teammates.. but they all looked at me like I was crazy.. cause it is February.. and did I mention still COLD...
The race started with 31 ladies.. largest field I've ever been in.. and I think for a lot of us... but it started just like I knew it would.. FAST.. then SLOW.. then FAST.. then SLOW...

and did I say it was COLD...

A couple of the VK gals kept trying to get away.. others would cover their move (me I'm sitting in the whole time trying to stay out of the wind....) sometimes someone would get a small gap.. but then the wind on the back side would act just like a stop sign.. and they'd get caught.... if you watched any of the races, you'd see the peloton come out of turn 2... it was just like there was a stop sign there... you could just see the field SLOW....

A couple of folks were spit off the back.. and they wouldn't move either up or down.. once the field split around them.. coming out of turn four.. the field moved around a rider.. some went high, other went low but we as came back together.. I think Phaedra and I saw the same empty spot.. we bumped ... I felt her on my hip.. I kept pedaling.. she bounced off me.. unfortunately she and Marine went down... heal quick ladies..

As the bell rung with one to go, the gals up front attacked, I got caught TOO far back so when the line strung out.. I was barely hanging on.. Jules hollered at me to get up there.. amazing what I do when Jules tells me what to do.. I did manage to latched back on .. just as the field hit the wind... I was spent.. it took everything I had to hang on... all I could do was think hang on... I still had one gear left.. forgot to shift down.. went to stand for a sprint, legs were jello by that point.. so no sprint in me... so Jules and I rolled in mid pack...

Honestly.. for February... and for as little road riding as we've been able to do.. all in all not a bad race... Kuto's for Amy and Erin for coming out.... and hanging tough... they prefer mountain biking to crit racing. I still think.. if the trails are too wet.. nothing like racing to get into shape..

Winter riding / racing

OK.. I'll admit it.. I dont' like the cold.. I was raised in AL and have spent a few years in some very HOT places... TX, IRAQ just to name a couple.. SO I think my body adapted and has refuses to change back..

Anyway.. I haven't been on the road much.. lots of trainer time.. but between cold and snow.. I've been stuck inside.

Well I'm going to break that pattern up over the next three weeks. Saturday I'm heading to NC to race the women's RR on Sunday and the next two weekends I'm going to do the local races. I don't remember getting this antsy to race ever. Maybe it is the weather.. maybe it is the work I've been doing in the gym.. I don't know. I really just want to get out side and ride my bike...
So here we go.. Sunday is going to be interesting but at least I'll be on my bike, on the road, racing..