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..

What Season is it?

Last week we had a Nor' Easter blow through here and dump a boat load of water on VA. We all hunkered down and waited out the rain.. man can you image what it was like if it had rained for 40 days... aga.... four plus was more than enough for me...

We all have things we do to stay in the best shape we can when it is TOO cold, TOO wet. TOO dark to ride outside. For the last couple of weeks we've been meeting at Bill's house to set up the trainers in his garage and spin for an hour or so... last week I couldn't make it because of a family conflict; but since I had the day off.. I road the trainer for an hour.. nothing like peer pressure to make you ride your trainer..

We have a couple of teammates that just love riding their bikes.. mountain bike, cycle cross bike and no matter the weather... they ride... SO I've 'plagiarized a couple of the e-mails they sent.. just to let you know what the team has been up to... and not to leave anyone out... when the team isn't riding.. you just might find them wearing a blue official's shirt....

To answer my own question... it is BIKE season, just pick one and go out and ride...


From my teammate Karen

" I had a great time officiated at Urban Cross yesterday. Chilly in the morning, roasting in the afternoon..how many people do you know get to come into the office with sunburn in November.. 2 highlights of the day... Jared Neiters soloing off the front in the men’s 1- 3 race in the afternoon, with Richmonder Tom Jefferys overcoming a horrible start to chip away at the front each lap to come in 5th..
The other was getting to watch Brent.. overcome a not great start position to work his way up to 3rd, and then to 2nd adn then to charge ahead on the final lap. Steely determined was in his eyes and those of us in the official chairs were pretty sure that he was going to hold it. I don't know that the bobbles was on the back side of the incredibly technical course... but Brent came back in 3rd in a tough field. If there was ever a course that favored a good mtn biker with great bike handling skills, it was the Urban Cross course.. It twisted, it turned had gnarly run ups, a sand pit, and a power climb that I only saw Jared Neiter ride consistently all day...

There is a reason why cyclocross is the fastest growing sport in cycling... the friendly feel, with pure cut throat competition. Man it was exciting as hell..

So congrats to Brent... who has an incredible record this season... and will be upgrading to a CAT 2.."

His third place finish yesterday was his only 3rd place finish so far this season... Brent was 1st at Chimborazo TT, 35+ Omnium for Richmond Cross Weekend, 35+ Apple Harvest Cross 3/4, 35+ All Hollows Cross 3/4, 35+ Tech Cross I, and CAT 3 Tech Cross II.

Go Brent...