Skinny Tire Fest!

Hey Team! If you haven't already, sign up for the skinny tire festival in Moab. It will be an extended weekend of good riding, getting to know your teammates, and meeting cool people from all over. We'd like to run a few seminars, and hopefully some of the other Mesa State Cyclists will join us as well. Let someone know if you have any questions or anything else. P.S. If I haven't already convinced you, here are more reasons to go: 1. These rides are supported, meaning they give us food 2. It might be a good enough excuse to skip school 3. It will probably be warmer than wherever you regularly ride 4. By June you will be sick of the roads around your house 5. It really will be fun

Just a quick note!

Hey, I started a personal blog at http://www.natecyclechick.blogspot.com. I'll keep contributing to this one, but the other one will cover more about collegiate racing. We're heading down to Angelfire for collegiate mountain bike nationals later this week, so I'll keep that up to date with everything that goes on down there.

You mean I have to pedal?

After our experience racing mountain cross in Nathrop, I got the idea to join some of my teammates at the local BMX track on Sunday. I wanted to improve on my mountain cross riding, but things are a little different without the help of gravity. As in, there's a lot more pedalling involved. I rode Ingrid in the “cruiser” category, which is for bikes with wheels 24 inches or larger in diameter. Our category was small, but the racing was a lot of fun. But it was also exhausting. I was out there with our downhill guys, and when I’d come in panting after a run, they’d just look at me. You know, that “I thought you were in shape look” — funny, I thought I was in shape too. BMX kills you, because it’s about a minute of all out pedaling and working the bike for all you’re worth. I’m not entirely sure how to describe it, but to give you an idea try mixing mountaincross style riding skills with the way you feel when you’re sprinting for a prime in a criterium. I realize that I’m one of the few riders who actually have experienced both of those things, but that’s kind of the point. Anyhow, I came home with a second place trophy and a bit more confidence in my riding. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon, especially when the alternative was hitting the books. Which kind of reminds me what I’m supposed to be doing right now…

Let's change things up a little...

Part of the fun of collegiate racing is that you get the chance to try new events with less pressure than there might be at a regular ACA, USCF or NORBA race. We’re motivated to ride more events to have the chance to score some extra points for our teams, and to gain new skills. For me, that meant dropping the post on my cross country bike and taking on the jumps, rhythm sections and berms of a mountain cross course on Saturday.
I have to say that when I rode up to the MX course after my morning short track cross country race, I was a bit intimidated. Everyone seemed to have it down so smooth, I was sure I was going to make a fool of myself. Instead, I spent the afternoon impressing myself with my own abilities, and the ability of my XC bike to take her share of the beating. I was racing in the Women’s A class, which is comparable to NORBA’s Expert and Pro classes combined. This meant that three out of the seven of us racing the A class were pro gravity riders. So I didn’t have any chance of a podium, but I did pick up a few tips that really helped my riding. I did ok in the qualifying run, and took third in the first heat. But since we only had seven riders, they decided to make us race a small finals, to redetermine 5th through 8th place. I thought I had a sure 6th place and was even looking to move up to 5th, until I bit the dust after landing a tabletop jump. My first and only crash all day cost me bad, and I fought to get my place back, but couldn’t quite manage it. It was a great day though, because I gained a bit more confidence in my skills, and worked on some new ones. I also scored a 7th place finish for Mesa State, which puts us that much closer to qualifying for nationals in Angelfire, NM.

Road Warrior

I lost a battle but not the war. I rode to Durango Ski Resort yesterday. Once I turned around my phone fell out and was stranded on the road. As I turned to rescue it three cars ran right over it. So my phone was a casualty of my quest to ride faster then ever.

One for the home team

We had our home race this weekend, with the road race in Gateway on Saturday and the criterium in downtown Fruita on Sunday.
Saturday was a great day for Brown & Wills. Avivah brought home the 10-12 women's road race state championship title, after winning her category. Ryan took 4th in the 13-14 men and Ethan podiumed with a 2nd place in the 15-16 men.

Trevor also got on the podium with a 3rd place finish in the 17-18 men.


I didn't quite make all 88 miles of the cat. 3 women's race, and dropped out at the Whitewater turnaround.
Sunday started off early, with the 10-14 year old juniors racing at 8:00. Ryan and Avivah were both in that race. Avi took home another win, and Ryan took 3rd.


Trevor and Ethan were up next in the 15-18 juniors, and they both put in strong finishes.
Ethan raced again just a little while later, with the cat. 4 men. Trevor had to wait until the afternoon to race in his first cat. 3 race. The senior women open was after Trevor's second race, and it was probably the most brutal crit I've ever been in. It was fun and exciting, but I blew up hard.
The full results for both days are on the ACA website.

Rockin' Down the Highway

Racing and music always seem to go together. For me, I try to use music to adjust my mentality before I start a race. I try not to be too pumped up or too chilled out before I start a race, and I try to use music to balance my mood. I get ridiculously excited before I start a crit, so I tend to listen to The Beatles or Bob Marley. For a time trial I tend to need a bit of extra motivation, so I might listen to Linkin Park or The Offspring. I’m sitting here wondering what I want to listen to tomorrow morning, during the 88 mile Gateway Canyons Road Race. I’m also wondering what I’m going to be able to stand for 5 hours of racing. Right now I’m listening to The Eagles, and I’m thinking that this just might be the ticket. If only I could get the entire CD playing in my head, instead of the same song over and over. My other options are Pearl Jam or the Doobie Brothers, and I think it’ll depend on how I feel tomorrow morning.