Get Ready for Summer Race - May 17,2009

Another hot afternoon (96 degrees) at Hellyer Velodrome with special women's 3/4 races. I did the Win & Out and finished 6th. A few minutes later we did the 10 lap scratch race (my first!). Unfortunately someone pulled into me and I crashed on the bank. I don't recall anything until the next day in ICU. I fractured my skull, head hematoma and cracked clavicle, along with lots of bruising on my right arm, back and leg. Black right eye from sunglasses and lost alot of blood. I was in the hospital until Thursday. It will take me a while for recovery - unfortunately, that means that the 4 road time trials over the next 4 weeks are out of the picture. I'll focus on weight lifting and maybe consider the state championship at Hellyer for the 2k pursuit. There is always next year.

Match Sprint Tournament - May 16, 2009

Today is RFA's BIG birthday - what better way to celebrate than race at the second match sprint tournament of the season at Hellyer. The promoters annnounced RFA's birthday and we all sang H.B. to him. It was a HOT afternoon - literally. Temps were close to 100 degrees - good thing the efforts were short and we could then retreat to the shade under the tents and drinkk fluids. It was a small group of about 16 men and women (including one junior). We started off with the flying 200 meter time trial for seeding purposes. My flying 200 time stunk and I was in the third group. RFA had a stellar time (13:24) and he was the fastest in group 2. I won my first match sprint against the Roaring Mouse woman (I started the sprint early and turned it into more of a pursuit - playing to my strengths). I won my second match sprint against the junior who tried to block me up against the rail. The third sprint was against a young man who was able to follow on my wheel and passed me by half of my front wheel. Round 4 I won by passing the 2 women. RFA was able to win one of his sprints.

Berkeley Hills Road Race, May 10, 2009

Category: W4
Place: 15
Field: 49
Course: 33 miles (1.7 laps)
19 mile lap includes the infamous Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Baby Bear climbs.

This is a tough race and I was looking forward to it. The W4 category was full with a waiting list. I know this course well since it is the same course as the Berkeley Hills Team Time Trial. It was perfect weather for racing - mid-60's and sunny. I had a slightly rocky start pre-race: I realized on the drive to the race that I had forgotten my Webcor jersey (I threw my Webcor jacket over my base layer & simply forgot!) Maybe it is because we got up at 5:15 AM - but it seems no matter how much planning, you are bound to forget something. Fortunately, we made a U-turn only 4 miles out and went home to retrieve my jersey. I still had plenty of time for warm up. It also helped that I had a full-time bike slave. We started with a promenade up the climb from the boat docks to San Pablo Road. I led out the first leg at a comfortable pace - served as a warm up and avoided any potential crashes. We probably lost a few people on the rollers after the first right turn but for the most part the group stuck together until we hit Mama Bear and Papa Bear. I was about 2 bike lengths behind at the top of Papa Bear on the first lap was easily caught the lead group for the big descent. I was now part of the lead group of 14. We were neutralized while a men's group went by -unfortunately, that gave the chase group time to join us. Tempo pace until the last climb up Mama Bear and Papa Bear - I fell off near the top of Mama Bear (about 1 mile to go) and just pushed as hard as I could up Papa Bear - just not much left. Finished 15/49 - just OK but I was happy with my performance.

Friday Night Track Racing - May 8, 2009

This was the Friday night racing at Hellyer for 2009 -complete with music, food and drinks. Great turn out and a beautiful evening - even a full moon. The weather did get a little chilly tho when the sunset. RFA and I got to try out our Oakley glasses with the yellow high visibility lenses. RFA did the men's 3/4 scratch race (25 laps) and I did the women's points race (15 laps). We didn't place but got a great work out and gained experience. I led ou on the women's points race for 4 laps (see top photo).

SoCal Cycling Vacation 4/26/09-5/02/09

RFA spent a week at our timeshare at Marriott Newport Coast Villas in Newport Beach, CA. Sunday April 26 was a travel day - we drove and hauled the tandem and our road bikes. We hit some traffic at the Grapevine due to a truck fire that started a small brushfire and some traffic in LA on the 405 near Santa Monica due to a traffic accident - could have been worse. It was interesting to pass by MountainGate in Brentwood where we used to live and the Getty Center. On Monday, 4/27, we met our friends Shari and Jeff at San Clemente for a 40 mile tandem ride down to Oceanside and back. We met Shari and Jeff a couple years ago during the Santana Tuscany tandem tour. They live in MN and were happy to get in some "spring training" and spent the week with us. The next day we did another tandem ride from Carlsbad to Torrey Pines, turning around at the Salk Institute after climbing Torrey Pines hill. That evening we went out to dinner at Carbonara's in San Clemente to celebrate Shari's birthday. Shari's daughter Jessica who lives in North San Diego County also joined us. We can't get enough of riding along the coast so the next day we did a 50 mile ride from Carlsbad to downtown La Jolla. RFA and I rode our singles. We valet parked the bikes at George's at the Cove and enjoyed a nice lunch on the rooftop cafe. A heavenly day. We had quite a headwind on the ride back. Thursday was a chill out day - a 18 mile spin around Laguna Beach. We stopped and enjoyed our Starbuck's watching the beach volley ball and a Golden Spoon frozen yogurt. Spent some time poolside (surprised I got sunburn - wasn't out that long!) We had dinner at Sabatino's on Balboa Island. The homemade sausage with goat cheese and chicken soup are super special. Friday was another tandem ride through Camp Pendleton. We stopped at LongBoards in Oceanside for lunch (see pic). We went back to Sabatino's for dinner with our friends Diane and Curt from Marina del Rey. We left on Saturday - a day early - planning to go to Hellyer track Sunday morning to practice team pursuit for State and Nationals. That was not to be - rained out! Flukey NorCal weather. We did get in a good time trial workout though later in the day. Because we left a day early we never made it to ADT velodrome in LA - next time.