Saturday, June 30, 2007

Let's rehash Liberty Classic one more time

Lemon Hill..Laura Van Gilder, Rachael Heal, and Moa (that's french)
Whats her name, I'm awful w/ names...oh yea, INA Toot-in-berg, and Brooke Miller. Ina took the triple crown by in-eye-a-lating everyone in all three races, Lancaster, Reading, and Philly! That's awesome!
Shontell, shouldering Meridith Miller up Lemon!
This was my least favorite corner...getting back onto Kelly drive...the road went from wide to narrow, to hard L turn, to FAST!
Liberty was great....

Thursday, June 28, 2007

More Summerville shots from Sally P

"This is very serious at the start line"
Cool shot, huh! The Kele and Shontell show!
In the pack...
Gege Gagnon, our awesome French Canadian!!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Kira Baird came to watch!!

I was blessed by my Aunt Kathleen, and cousin Kira, who drove down from New York City. It was great to see my family. I really appreciated all the effort and finagling they had to do to make it down!!
Beautiful Kira!
Cousinly love!!
Auntie Kathy love!!
Carrie Cheadle, my sports Psychologist was there too, it was great to see her!!

Fastest Man on Wheels Shots

Jennie winds it up for her 200m TT....
One lap to go, it's Giddy-on, Tim Felt, Adam D, and Aussie
Match Sprinting with Josiah Ng, and Roberto Chiappa...
Jennie finishes her 200m...

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Fastest man (or woman) on Wheels

Ok. so I haven't done such a great job of race reporting. I think it's because I'm working so hard to learn from each ride...it's hard to process it all and come out w/ a story.



I just finished two weeks of training and racing here at T-Town. It was great great great. There were good fields, lots of international riders, good weather (for the most part), great road riding, and good friends!!



Mon was a road ride, so spin out the legs from Liberty Classic the day before. There were Tues night races where I could race w/ the Cat 2 men, but it was cancelled due to rain. I drove home where it was still sunny and went on a nice road ride. Elite training was 9-12 daily, so Wed I did some motorpacing w/ Teresa Cliff-Ryan and Jess Mclaine (spelled?). Then there was the 'Derby' group ride Wed night. Of like 50ppl, at a leisurely pace which was fun!



Thursday, my track workout consisted of a few short efforts to try to get open for Friday night racing. My legs were feeling horrible, like cynder blocks, uh oh not a good sign!



Friday night was the Kerin Cup. I had a 2k preme race. This is $50/$25 ea lap...so it was super fast the entire time...I just held on, and finally all the sprinters died and I ended 3rd on the last lap. I saw how little top end speed I have compared to these girls. I would be 'sprinting' and girls would just come blowing over me, 'hmm, that's interesting, how do they go so fast??'...



Then there was a 10k Scratch race. It was more fun, there were several jumps, people trying to get the race going. Nothing stayed away...Rebecca Larson and I made one final attempt off the front, but were reeled in w/ 2 to go...and that was that for me....I was so far out of the money it was comical!



I raced the Kerin, that was super fun. Again I really struggled with the top end...what was needed in the last 2 laps. Jennie rode awesome, and Christin Muche from Gremany barely took the win. Followed by Becky Quinn then Anna Lang.

On the men's side:
Men's Keirin Final 1-8
1 Roberto Chiappo (Ita)
2 Leandro Bottaso (Arg) Argentina
3 Andy Lakatosh (USA) T-Town Express
4 Josiah Ng (Mas) Momentum
5 Maximilian Levy (Ger) Brandenburg
6 Ben Barczewski (USA) T-Town Express
7 Haseem Maclean (Tri) Trinidad
8 Ryan Nelman (USA) T-Town Express

and that was that, cat in the hat

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Racing T-Town

Men's Endurance, FINALLY a real race!! Just kidding!!
Somethin' is about to hit....check out the wind!
Yep, that's not good!
But it make for time for photos...here's Ryan Nelson, Travis Smith, Jennie Reed, and Adam Duvendeck

This is how we chill between efforts (this was a non race day). We are hiding under the tent...It's Teresa Cliff-Ryan, Jess (her teammate and Junior world champ in the Pursuit), Carrie Higgins in the chair slouching...and I cannot make out the others
Here Adam is in front, and Josiah is in the REAR!
This was a contraversial ride, Ryan here in the front w/ Giddieon Massey on the inside...Ryan would be relegated later for overtaking too quickly...a rule that is new to me...interesting...

Here is Teresa warming up for a work out, in a sea of plastic chairs...

So, that's what I've been doing all week!

Monday, June 18, 2007

This and that


Meet Travis (sitting w/ Black glasses), Josiah w/ the the hat, Adam next, and Jennie is standing!

And again, kinda blurry...it's Jennie, Adam up front, then behind Jennie is Mark (from New Zealand) and Travis the Canadian...on a easy ride.

I guess I won't ask where the nearest Starbuck's is...

Help I'm MELTing

Saturday, we spent all afternoon at CVS (a drugstore) trying to figure out what Lip Plumper was, and decipher blush, bronzer, concealer, foundation, liquid vs pencil liners....man, you need a PhD in Cosmopology to know what to put where...and Jennie and I were useless for each other...neither of us had a clue, but it sure was funny. We left w/ new bigger lips, less wrinkles, and a hope that maybe these product would help transform us from hard core athlete's to beautiful, young, feminine women...

Unfortunately, we both felt awkward and uncomfortable as we left for dinner. This is a familiar process for me....the hope that accenting this, or covering that will make me feel more acceptable...yet it never works...


But we're tryin'...Pretty Girlified eh?

Now, we're REALLY gettin' into it!

We had a nice dinner at a place called 'Melt', where Andy Lackintosh (spelled not sure) works...he is a sprinter that lives in this area and friend of Jennie, Adam, Travis, and Jo...

From the left by me is Kevin and Tac (Angelo actualy) they are from San Diego...then it's Travis, Andy, 'Lacky', Ryan, Mark from New Zealand, Josiah is hidden behind Jennie's head, and Jennie.

This is Ryan Nelman's nostral...

Then we moved upstairs to the 'Lounge'...

Now it's time to go home!

Klutztown Laundry

I knew Jennie had skill....but I never knew the breadth of her talent....

She can ride, Santa Clause her laundry on one shoulder, and carry her purse on the other whilst navigating the bustling streets of Kluztown (good one Aunt Kathy).

This was the state of the art laundry mat...FRONT LOADERS and all!

It doesn't take much to entertain us!

Paige Elizabeth Goetz

My good friend from Wichita, Lisa Goetz..FINALLY had her baby...meet Paige Elizabeth Goetz!

Congradulations Lisa and Todd!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

After Party!




I forgot. Sally had ANOTHER barbeque for us after the race Sunday.

Kutzdale, Kutzville, Kutztown....one of those is right

So, moving on! Monday i arrived in T-Town, went to the track, met Marty Nothstein, and Erin Heartwell...both super nice and accommodating! After some wrong turns, and road closures, I found my way to the student housing in Kutztown (I think) where I'll be staying for the next 2 weeks.


Bedroom

Kitchen

Living room, awaiting a TV

Shower

I had been to REI and bought a bunch of containers for my clothes. I am SO tired of living out of a suitcase, that I cannot for the life of me keep organized. So Linda suggested getting bags, or some kind of containers for each group of stuff. I did, and I love it! Ahhhhh, peace. So now I have a bag for Jerseys, shorts, long sleeves/jackets, gloves/booties/arm/leg warmers, undergarments, casuals, clothes I'd like NOT to be wrinkled, and a waterproof bag for shampoo and all other hair/cosmetic needs.


Then I went for a super easy ride. It was beautiful.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Liberty Classic!

No photos, sorry.

Race report:
Well, I was again one of the FIRST to the line! Anxiety manifests in so many ways, doesn't it?

I was so glad to see the field size more manageable. I felt more safe! But, still was fully focused on staying top 20 as much as possible. And did it, pretty much for the entire first 2 laps.

I was surprised how fast the pace was coming off Kelly drive, amping up for the first trek up the Wall...but we were HAULIN'. I was able to keep my position, mostly from the middle. Learning to be patient, and wait for opportunities to open...cause they always do. Tried not to panic when I saw/felt a swarm of ppl on the left...cause they tend to fall back quickly.

First time up the wall...you come off the cobbles, and then it starts...not too steep at first, but the speed is high so your legs begin to burn..and my head starts to freak out 'oh god, this hurts already, I'm never gonna make it'....which I quickly changed to, 'it's only 40 seconds of the steep part, I CAN do that'...and once I stood, I was surprised how calm I was, and pleased w/ my fitness...realizing I didn't have to go ballistic...just stay w/ them...and that was do able. I saw Jenn Stevenson climbing near me, and kept my sights on her as a gauge of where the true climber were (she's amazing, she climbs so nimbly...if that's a word).

Then after the steep section, the real mind games begin...cause your body wants to sit, and relax cause the steepest part is over...but your brain knows how critical this secion. So, I focused on power, and giving all I had...but I could tell I was mentally weaker in this section...'just get to the R hand corner', which indicates the end of the climb.

The first 3 laps were fairly uneventful. Allison Powers was off alone for about 1 lap, we heard ~1 min at one point! Nice job Allison! There were a few small groups that would get separation off the Wall, but it would come back together on Kelly drive. Poor Laura Bowles crashed x2, I"m sure you all read on Cycling news. Note to self, stay away from L side of Kelly drive, too many grates, people are too aggressively trying to move up...bad combo!

On the first 3 times up the climb I was in good company, meaning I hadn't lost position, no need to panic! But on the fourth time, and fastest, there was a gap by the corner, and I saw Shontell on my wheel. So, I feel a new sense of urgency to catch...I love this part! I just keep diggin, 'can you go any faster, can you push harder, can you spin faster, keep pushing, your finish line is the back of that pack'....I can see the main pack...at the point the road starts to flatten, I realize I can no longer accelerate our group, I pull off...slowly others take up the pull, and soon it is clear we will catch. Jen McCray is solidly glued to Shontell's wheel, I just gave her a nice free ride..and she did nothing (smart huh).

All together when we hit the overpass, 'go straight to the front where you belong', I say the same to Shontell. Strawberry hill, faster than previously, and I notice my L hamstring and R quad quasi-cramping. Instantly fear screams, 'you're not gonna make it, remember what happened last year at Cascade when you cramped'...not this time! I focus deeply on the riders, and pulling up to offload my hamstrings. 'Light Spin'...and the pain recedes, we're descending...now I have to get back to the front...do it slowly!

Lemmon, Shontell is right there w/ me. I'm not completely pleased w/ my position. I try to ignore the pangs of fear of more cramping, on the last pitch it hits...now it's more both quads, not full on cramping, but twinges, and pain, and low power...'Eyes up, push through it, this is such a short effort, accelerate through the top of the climb'...I see the 3K to go sign on the decent....'A whole new race now!! I'm ready. I know how to keep my position, keep fighting, this is for all the marbles!'...

All is going well, I feel protected, Shontell is nearby, I'm not at my limit, but the pace is high. 2K to go. I feel calm and ready. The pack is getting tighter and tighter, people are taking more and more risks...I feel the anxiety build...I see the 1K sign...I'm on the L side...

I feel someone brush my hip, then a hard lean, I can feel there front wheel is out of control, they are pan icing, I know someone is about to go down, instinctively I grab my breaks...'NOOO, forward momentum Kele, the person moving forward doesn't crash'...I pedal hard, my front wheel bobbles...and I hear the sounds of crashing, I up...but I've lost several places...I don't hear Shontell behind me....I must sprint!

We come out of the round about...550m to go...Oh crap, I am WAY too far back....'Be patient, this is a long headwind sprint'....but the pace is blistering...it's all I have to stick on wheels, 200m to go, 'How are these girls sprinting from this pace, I wish I had an 11'...I can't spin any faster, or push any harder...I see Niki Wanyesgard in front of me....I put my head down...'All the way to the line, everything you have'...which wasn't much...I see Ina throw up her hand...I end up 20something..


Shontell and Jen were caught up behind that last crash. It was Brenda Lyons, and Laura Yosten, Teresa Cliff-Ryan who went down (I'm sure there were more but those are the one's I know).

It was again a great race. And a real race, where crashes happen and change the outcome. It's frustrating to be so close to a great finish (if Shontell would have been on my wheel, or just been able to do her thing)...it would have been a perfect race! But, I'll take a great race!

The team was a little down after the finish, but all walked away with something learned, and grateful to be a part of such a great event! Thanks to UltraLink and Cervelo to allowing us all to be here! I promise we all gave everything we had!!

Monday, June 11, 2007

Perseverance!


What a great shot....this was my win in Tulsa. NEVER QUIT!

Sunday, June 10, 2007

More FOOD!!

Sally AGAIN, pulled through for us!

Sally made an incredable spread for us! Here's GeGe, Jen, and Alexis diggin' in!

Me and Sally! Sally has to be one of the most patient, giving, and hilarious people I've met. It has been a joy getting to know her more these last few weeks. She's been such a great hostess. And she's had ppl in her house for 2 weeks. Can you imagine? I can hardly stand entertaining for an evening....think how disruptive it is to your home to have guests. Thanks Sally!

Outside on the patio. Julia is on the swing, with Sally, then it's Alexis, and Shontell!

And Jen and GeGe!

A new favorite, and low guilt to boot!