Somerville

This was a fun day as well. The race was pretty negative in that no breaks could stay away. All the big teams have a sprinter that can win, so they just pull it back it, etc. It came down to the sprint. Reem moved me up with one and half to go. It was great. I picked my way around better than ever in the mass chaos. I found Sarah Caravella's wheel who was on Laura VanGilder's wheel, not too shabby huh? Well, the left side, my side just STOPPED. It got completely shut down. I just SAT in my saddle waiting to sprint. Sarah and Laura felt the same frustration as the right side move by us with ease. It opened up with 15 meters to go. I stood up and sprinted for 15th! Darn it again! Oh well, that's bike racing. Poor Reem, she was involved in a crash on the last lap. She left in an ambulance. She ended up with a pretty badly separated shoulder. She's a trooper, though. Off to work at 7AM and getting ready for a big black tie event tomorrow with Bill Clinton!!

Here is a photo of the Heather Labance Fan Club tent. Notice that only my mother and daughter are under it!!!! Got to love them. Thanks Mom and Dad for coming out at 8AM and leaving at 5PM. Again....it's better than sitting around eating potato salad. That's actually a quote from Sarah Uhl's mother three Somerville's ago!


Laura.......I got back up here. She's watchin you sister!! And she means business.

Here is the Somerville team pre-race under the tent. We had a lot of Wyeth visitors that day. Thanks for coming out to support us!!

Bike Jam

This weekend was a fun-filled weekend of crit racing. It's better than sitting around and eating potato salad!! First stop: Maryland Bike Jam. I got a sweet call-up for this race, so it's officially my favorite race ever! Notice the great spot on the line next to the National Crit Champion! The team raced really well as a team, but no great results to show for it. In the end I was in a break with Rebecca Larson with five to go. Cheerwine bridged up but did not contribute. I think thats all Rebecca and I needed, one more pull! Any whooooo0, we were caught with less than two to go! Time to get ready to sprint....not. I decided to try to take a breather, gambling away my position. I would never really regain a good position to sprint. Darn. I'll keep trying though. One of these times it's going to work. Right?
Bowlesie in the AM with a nice cup of Joe in a shark "G'Day Mate" cup. It made me think of Rochelle Gilmore! :)
Here is a nice photo of me grinding my teeth. Rebecca on my wheel and Cheerwine bridging up. Darn it again!
This is us leaving Mo's house! Mo is Reem's awesome brother who takes us in for this race every year. He lives a block away from the park where we race. Nice pose Laura!

Can Am U19 Challenge! A Great Day!

Can Am U19 Star and stage winner, Lauren Parak and her mountain bike State Champ sister Brittany!

Maddie is testing to see if I like butter with the buttercup trick, YUP, I do! Bill, Maddie and I went to the Can AM U19 Challenge this weekend at the Fairgrounds in Augusta (my Tues night crit venue). I was asked to say a few words to the girls before the start of their race. I was really looking forward to seeing the girls race, especially b/c my niece, Lauren Parak was racing. Lauren won her race and was second overall GC for the weekend. AWESOME job. I was enjoying myself so much, I stayed for the better part of the day. Those kids are just amazing! Maddie was the trophy girl. She handed out the trophies to the young men! She loved it.

I then spent the rest of the day riding with Teresa and Ann. I coach Teresa and Ann is on her team. Again, I had a very enjoyable ride/clinic with them. We rode for 3 1/2 hrs through Stokes State Forest, Sunrise Mountain and High Point State Park. My weekend looked pretty busy with clinics, talks and training, BUT...... I enjoyed it so much. Those are some of my favorite kinds of weekends.

Off to Maryland tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

H

Sorry It's Been So Long

This photo cracks me up. I just thought I'd upload it to make you smile....those who know Maddie! She continues to shame me on my bike. She does wheelies, rides with no hands, motor paces, leads out Bill for high-speed sprints and corners better than most of you out there. :)

OK, quick update: I was settling in to a nice weekend a few weeks ago when I got a call from my teammates at the Southeast Crit Series. They booked me a flight for the next morning to come and race in Alabama for the next two days. I couldn't resist and packed up for a 4 AM departure. The races were fun and we were able to get some decent results on the last day. I actually made the podium...no not for first, second or even third. It was for MOST LAPS LED. I was on a solo break for over 30 minutes and picked up some nice primes on every other lap. Bowlsie was forced to rest up in the pack and she was ready to go when the counter attack went. She made it into the winning break and placed fifth.

I rushed home to go straight back to my preschoolers. I picked up a tuna sandwich at the deli across the street from my school.....and this is what almost killed me. I was crushed by a horrible case of food poisoning. I've never had food poisoning and never want it again. Let's just say I lost 9 lbs in two days and was throwing up blood! Yup. Good stuff. I never do anything little, it's got to be BIG with me.

It has taken me two weeks to get back on my bike and feel a little like myself again. I was getting worried at how weak I had become. But alas, it was only temporary. I'm getting stronger every day, but have changed some of my racing plans due to the setback. I'll go up and do the Montreal World Cup and then return home instead of staying for the stage race. I'll race with my team at Reading and then go as planned to Philly. I was afraid that the stage race would bury me for Phillly. ??? Who knows. Now that I'm feeling stronger I'm second guessing the decision....IMAGINE THAT, me second guessing my decision.

This weekend is Bike Jam in MD and then Somerville in NJ!!

I'll get some updated photos soon....when the racing begins again.

xo