I specifically blame YOU.

I blame these little germ carriers for my new-found illness. They may look cute and innocent, but alas they are not. Head cold, drippy eyes and coughing like kennel cough which releases crazy stuff from my lungs, I had to call in sick, for real, this morning.

Of course, right when the racing season comes to a screeching stop, the colds set in. I don't know if its the heat, stress, kids, lack of exercise and structure that lets the little guys creep in and take over. I think its because I had fun rides planned and good foods to eat and maybe a cool hike or two to accomplish. So, postponed they will be.

Hopefully I will be back on form by Monday, when the germ-carriers have their second volleyball game. It's a pretty big deal. As is my rat-tail in the picture.

Smelly-Bonelli

Let's call this more of a Celebrity Appearance than a race. :)

I think I have raced at Bonelli for about 5 years...always different course, conditions, and competition. My favorite course was one that took us by one of the Ragging Waters slides, and you could almost feel the splash of the water and you could definately see the whites of the eyes of the kids as the screamed down the tube! That year my cranks fell off, so I ran two laps. I'm pretty stubborn, I don't quit easy. Probably pretty stupid if you think about it.

I headed to Bonelli Park to race the State XC champs this past weekend for a few reasons. I like to ride my bike, I like to see my friends, and I like to punish myself. Ok, i didn't mean to punish myself, it just happened. It seems that the season took it's toll on my about 3 days prior to the race, rendering me done and done. But I knew the course was going to be a fun one a lots of people to catch up with. I was bummed to not join Brian and the juniors and other teammates at the CBR State Crit Champs, where he won the elite 1/2/3 overall, but knew it was the right decision.

The energy was electric and high fives and hugs from so many great friends well-worth the entry fee! To see Patty, all the registration staff, Sharon, get a massive bear-hug from the newly-healed Justin and to catch up with Heather and Jason, and Allison both off amazing exeriences at Breck Epic and World's was totally rad! Along with Vanessa and the whole Backbone crew, running into Alexis and Essense, all was good. A huge thank you to all the racers and friends that were so gracious to me, it made me really happy to have such a warm welcome back to the dirt, although Roger kept yelling "roadie" at me. Awkward.

I was pumped to start on pavement, my new friend, and hammer for all I had for a few pedal strokes. Allison wrote in her blog something to the effect of the first 7 minutes were the best. Good stuff because that's the only time we were together, and I crashed hard with a fantastic Endo at 6:37....nice wake up call Roadie....

I spent the rest of the race talking to friends (literally), giving water to a dehydrated racer, getting another racer to sit on my wheel so I could pull them out to the finish because they were bonking, pretty much anything that could keep me from actually racing. Because if I revved it up and smashed it, I probably wouldn't have made it home from Smelly, let alone work to on Monday. Oh when I did rev it up, the pace didn't change much at all.



I loved the switchy single track through the woods where I saw Tonya Bray taking photos and other friends cheering and heckling us along with Lisa Crowe who made the wiser decision of the two of us and just came to cheer. I just threw a fist pump, hit some jumps and kept having a blast on the fun course.



My favorite part was getting a neutral feed from Elle Williams, a little lady I had the privilage to ride with in July when I did a ladies clinic up at a Rim Nordic race. She is all but 11 years old I think and was so excited to hand me off a cup of water! Now THATS what its all about!



Funny things happened out there too. Too many to recount, but i did set up a very ghetto feed for myself on a concrete can for bbq coals. It was just out of arms reach so I had to stop each lap to get the feed. I would ride by all the kids, talk to them about their race, then clip out and switch bottles all while the same lady sat about a foot away and just stared at me. For 5 laps. So odd.



I never have my own photos, so I steal them from facebook:



Heidi Bowen is super rad, I have traveled and raced with her for probably 5 years now! And yes that is dirt on my head and no I am not going bald. Thanks.



Dean Swank, one classy guy! Always positive, happy and helpful! And an amazing athlete! His lady Laura took these pictures for us!

When in doubt, I bust out some cool socks. thanks for the pics Laura!

Wait, did I forget to tell you!?

It was my birthday.

I ate a whole cake.

It was delicious.

If you closely, there is a slight amount of bling near my sick Baby-G watch...

Brian actually kept a secret from me! He is a total jabber-jaw, and I am "into everything" which means I am way too much in the Know. But, alas, we planned a party for his Brother Nich fresh back from Afghanistan. I looked around at the group and thought wow, these are some great people here, and also though oh man, what a killer vibe tonight! DUH!!!!

In a rambling that only a video could capture, Brian asked me to marry him, and I said "what are you doing" and then I said "Yes." :) Pretty awesome stuff.

And no, there is no date yet, and no that does not mean we are engaged to be engaged. That's what 16 year olds do...please. It means we are busy and maybe this weekend over a large salad we will discuss those plans. Or just book a trip to the Giro and celebrate in style...

It's Time to Play Teacher Again

Being a school teacher and all, I catch a lot of flack. Last year on President's Day, I asked a friend if they had to go to work, or if like myself, they had a holiday. They politely told me "No, us in the real world have to work on Monday." Oh, my bad. While the nations schools take a break from raising your children, to honor the founders of our country, you still have to trudge through the 9-5. FYI my job is in the real world. well, sort of. I do teach PE.

People also think that teachers are lazy. Mid February, while being at school up to 16 hours a day, training in the dark, I just keep my eye on the prize of June 10th and the slight chance of sleeping in so I can potentially recharge and get ready to raise your kids again for you in the fall.

This summer, however, there was little down time. It seemed as if we were heading to races one to two days a weekend from San Diego to Lodi in search of competition, learning, and punishment. In the car and through the short weeks I studied stacks of books about training, heart rate versus power training, biomechanics and kinesiology. When it was all said and done, I walked away with a USA Cycling Level 3 Coaching Certification and an ACE Personal Training Certification. And promptly reported back to my day job. So yes, I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to study during the day for such things. Not to mention train mid-day, work on team the team website, send emails, surf through Trainingpeaks.com and help my fellow teammates develop as riders and athletes.

Read between the lines, I had a stellar summer.

I thought this up on a solo training ride, which in fact I won.

There have been a lot of really great group ride wins lately. Lucky. No race fees, no pinning of numbers, no course marshals, just open roads, blown stop signs and intra-category flogging. Good stuff.

Recently I have heard many a tall tale about "winning" the Tuesday ride or Saturday ride, and how said "racer" stuck it to all the other competitors. As much as I would like to brag about being in a break with 2 of the 4 horse-men for 5.78 minutes 3 Saturdays ago, its not really that big of deal, and as soon as I grenaded off the break, it was just as soon forgotten because I almost crashed Abel out into the curb. PS Thanks again for wheel...And if you won on Saturday, the guy who won the race on Sunday, where fees are paid and points received, sat on your wheel and watched you flog yourself in the wind endlessly, just to pass the random fire hydrant or hibiscus plant 3/4 of a tire ahead of that other weekend warrior.

Not to downplay your improved fitness, stamina and gumption for sure. But take into consideration that some group ride participants are following a prescribed plan that does not entail beating up on non-like-category enthusiasts. Sometimes they may be told to "sit in" or complete 3 specific 5 minute efforts or to just ride for fun. Because in fact, they may just be training for something in the form of an organized race or event. These are pretty fun too because you get grouped with people of like-abilities and talent where you can really shine, or in fact, be quite dull.

Anyways, on to more interesting things. I have been winning a lot of rides myself, because I ride alone. But I keep getting stung by bee's. 30 minutes into a 3.5 hour ride is not the best situation to get stung in. And I seem to keep having quite adverse reactions to their nasty venom. Sting #1 selected one of my only skinny spots: my cheek bone. Wham, swelling all around my eye, lids closed and eye oozing, reminiscent of those 14 episodes of pink eye in grade school. (Just kidding, I went to home school and had no friends that I could contract such a lethal virus from) But really, it looked like i took a left hook to my eye hole. Ironic fact: Brian received a bee sting on his temple, resulting in the exact same fat-face situation, although he more resembled Chunk from the Goonies.

Bee sting #2, after a quite lengthy "character development" training ride in the heat of the day, while descending HWY 38 at 79 MPH, bee landed smack on my medial right tibia, another fat-free location. The forth-coming swelling, itching, aching, and misery well, was just that. The next days ride found my calf hitting my bottle cage due to massive edema, which led to spending the rest of the weekend between training and racing in a benedryl induced coma.

Good times, and welcome to summer in beautiful San Bernardino County. Next time I may have pictures, but probably not. Im just too sweaty and smashed out on the rides to fumble with my phone in my "purse" (ziplock bag) to take any worthwhile shots. And yet again, they would probably be just of sweat and the bag if they do get taken.

So there's that. Best of luck in all your upcoming races and congrats again to all your wins.

So, what your saying is I am supposed to update this thing?

My bad!

Since this blog is stale, for a myriad of reasons that don't even interest myself, you should go read these blogs in your spare time, since you have so much of it:

Unofficial Team Redlands Blog

Allison Mann - racing with the big girl MTB'ers

And I can't really think of any other things that are interesting, besides the Tour, races all over the map, and soaring temperatures that are completely out of control. I have maxed out on 7 bottles during a ride, tomorrows may call for 8. This requires a great skill in knowing the NICE parks to get water and use the facilities at, and starting with at least one completely frozen bottle in my jersey pocket.

I also saw a lady, while I was refilling a water bottle at a park, running. She ran by my with this weird crunchy sound. At closer look, below her hooded (with hood donned on top of a beannie) sweatshirt, the draw strings of a kitchen trash bag were flowing behind her. REALLY?!? Do you want to die now? Or when you go sit in the sauna wrapped in seran-wrap later on. She had no water with her, and looked as if maybe this was her 3rd jog in say, 20 months. I got out of there ASAP, i mean I know CPR and first aid, just didn't want to put a wrench in my workout.

I know that's rude. But I was shocked. I want to see what Google Search spits out this lame information that leads people astray! FYI Fluid lost to sweat and evaporation during exercise must be REPLACED.

I need a new Banner Picture...but haven't found one cool enough

Most people just think I race, or stand around. Although I do race a lot, that only takes up about 2 hours of 2 days a weekend, that equals 4 hours. As per the standing around, I usually can not stay in one spot for longer than 64 seconds, so I suppose you could call it pacing. But I only do that roughly 4 hours two days a weekend, bringing my accounted-for time to a whopping 12 hours a week. So there.

While not standing or racing, I created a team website.

http://www.possabilitiesgaryfishersubaru.com/

In an attempt to keep the community, our sponsors, our teammates, and myself up to speed on our non-stop racing and philanthropic action, the website was a must. And it took me roughly 45 hours to create.

I also spent about 4 hours making an apple pie for the Gnomes 28th birthday. That was a pretty big deal and it took one weekend of racing to balance the calories out.

Speaking of, I won a race.

Oh my bad, that's the Over The Hump race and I was the only Pro female....
Wait a second, I won another race! I headed up to Big Bear to race one of my favorite courses. Probably has something to do with all the extended fire-road climbs, but I also had a blast in the technical single track and even got to do some mud riding! Man, it seems like forever since that has happened. From the altititude, to the dust, to the fun, it was an awesome day. There were 4 pro women out, but Allison Mann, assuming the fields would be as small as usual, jumped in to race with the cat 1 men! Good for her because she stuck it them! Super cool! That allowed myself, Dorothy Wong and Deirdre York to ride for the pro podium. I've gotta say though, it was so awesome to get high-fives and hugs from ao many old friends! Quite the recharge I needed!

I remember riding UP Fern trail 2005 12 Hours at the Summit! Where I first met Tinker! Thanks for the cheers and pictures from Justin Mann! Pumped here to be riding down it and on Uncle Greg's loaner Superfly 29er 2x10!! FUN FUN FUN!!

This Podium is really cool because it spans three generations of pro mountain biking women!
Back in 2007, racing the NORBA Final in Aspen, Deirdre won the jr expert womens overall title, and I won the overall national title 19-29 yr old women expert. Its always fun to catch back up with these gals and see where life has taken them! And we haven't changed a bit, have we. ;)

Being that our team is lacking a high number of female racers, sometimes my best option is to race with the masters or cat 3 men. Here I had the pleasure of racing with Papa Breyer and Rick in a cat 3 race. It is always fun to get to ride with more of my teammembers and to learn from them. Men's fields are a weird "animal" though, I will have to delve into that topic later on.
Climbing at Sisquoc, my favorite picture I think, channeling Jens...
Sisquoc Road Race. I was so excited to be able to stretch my legs in an event longer than a 40-50 minute crit. To get to ride hard, climb hills, and work with my teammate Cynthia. This race was hot and windy and tough. I was super pumped that I was able to finishe 7th, close behing the lead group. Then I got DQ'ed. No, not a Blizzard at Dairy Queen, DISQUALIFIED. I pretty much blame Brian for this.
There was about 300 meters to go. I had attacked and broken away from a group of 5 and heading in solo for my 7th place finish. Then the pro/1/2/ men's break passed me. That means I get neutralized. But then they sat up and slowed down, blocking me in and pushing me towards the gravel. Brian was in the group of 6 and was right beside me, so I told him to go away. Hahah. He tried to get the guys to let me by, then just motivated me to finish. But to the officials, it looked like I finished with the men. Even though they had like 60 more miles to go and I was riding hard with 8th place in hot pursuit and not sure if I should sit up and wait, pass them on the left or what. But the finish was right there! So I protested, extremely politely and pled my case. They hand wrote me in the results and said I was good to go after a 20 minute discussion, only to see on the official results online, I did not finish. High-Fives all around guys! Thanks a billion for the great work out and the ability to hit my PowerMeter High Score.
I will be back next time.

The woes of summer...

About 22 hours and counting, I will be "free" for a few weeks. Free from snotty kids, free from acceptable pay (jk), free from my watch and free from my sneakers. So the good news is I will always be late and my feet will be dirty and swollen because I am barefoot. Sweet.

The other great news is the heat. We have ramped up our "overheating prevention" in some very key ways. Last Sunday on my high-noon mountain bike ride (YES I still have one and I swear, if someone else asks me if I still do, or if I ever ride it, I will kick them in the shin and run away) I put a bag of ice in my jersey up between my shoulder blades. Although it soiled my outfit leaving sweat/water/dirt lines like Dr. Seuss bathtub rings, it whittled my core down to about 101 degrees. Thank goodness.

With the shipment of our new kits, I also have an improved tan-line. My previous jersey (yes singular - I wore 1 kit, since last June. No bueno.) was a hand-me-down that the owner had cut the sleeves Bam-Bam style. Now I actually boast cuffs on my sleeves, thus tattooing those ever coveted tan lines. Genius.

In the theme of Giving Back, which seems to be rampant in the cycling community this season, I took a few newbie Junior Boys out to a mountain bike race. On a Tuesday (while Brian had his Junior Ducklings - i hope they don't know we call them that - here in Redlands for some skills training). Here's the cool thing. Unlike our local Tuesday Night Championships, you actually pay an entry fee, get cool stuff, have a closed course, course marshalls, droves of fans, and free food afterwards (if you count Clifbars and cookies) All in just under 1:30 minutes. Not bad, not bad at all.

The boys were pumped! Locked them in the team car and headed to the OC where the temps are 15 degrees lower and the middle school chicks 15 degrees hotter (so the young lads said). The course suited us all well in that it was a figure 8 with fast laps, crossing through start-finish 2 times per lap so I could see the whites of their eyes each time we crossed. The venue had a slight cyclo-cross feeling, with tight turns, sponsor pits and BBQ on the grill while the music pumped. Pretty much one of the most well put together and run Mountain Bike events I have been to in quite some time. Oh wait, I haven't raced my mountain bike since August....anyways, lets just say it was Super Sick!

Check it out if you get a chance! Over the Hump Series

They even had a photog out and pictures are online if you want to check them out and see the course a bit better. Some hills

And a way cool bridge!

Does anyone know how to get a sponsorship from Oxyclean? My white kit...dirt...sweat...I wonder what its gonna look like after my first crash....that's gonna be hot.

More Light Than Tunnel, at least right now...

Women's Clinic Update: 101 happy participants! Sunday 75+ gals went on a supported 15 or 40 mile ride loop here in town with sag vehicles and ride guides! 20 went to the Ontario Crit, putting 40 girls in the cat 4 womens field! That is so awesome for this region!

I was pretty bummed to be so tired the whole time. With minimal sleep, pre-5am wake up calls day after day, I was off my A-game! All good though! Here is my little intermediate group! We worked on shifting, pacelines, double pace lines, eating and drinking on the bike and hill climbing! So much fun! And they all had a blast! And that was just the beginning of their fun day!

Big Bear Update: Dan Rendler saved my day Friday by delivering these to me at Women's Clinic Signin! They phonetics is hilarious and the notes so funny and kind! Kids writing thank you notes are the best! I sure hope they can get over to the finish of the ToC stage today and get even more excited about riding bikes!
Saturday night, i had to skip an important bday party to spend 2 hours at the grocery store finalizing my foods for the trip! I realized I would be driving the Uhaul truck to Morro Bay with all the kids junk in it, so why not throw the Mountain Bike in?!?! PERFECT!!!!!


Sometimes I act out of character. and the kids LOVE it! I wanted to make shortcake from scratch but come on, its a bunch of 10th graders, really. So I fillet Twinkies for Strawberry-Twinkie-Cakes!!!
I also got the kids to eat Family Style, like on HOOK!
Monterey! I loved the aquarium! Sea Horses were rad, with their Male-giving-birth way of life, the Otters were out in full force, and the fact that I was NOT racing the Sea Otter Classic...made all ok. Just kidding. But the fact that I have raced all over the Left Coast, made my navigation skills come in quite handy. Who would have thought!

Mountain Bike Trails! I totally picked the CORRECT bike to bring with me! The trails could be seen from camp, and as soon as I had breakfast cleared and packed and lunch prepped, I was able to head out, two different days, to check out the goods! An intricate system of trails between the State Park and Montana de Oro welcomed me. With no maps, no computers, no info, I just had to follow the trails. Somewhat like Blue Diamond by Vegas, I could see where the trails met and intersected. Smooth switchbacks, nice rock drops, techy ascents with flowers on all sides made for an excellent experience! And it was reassuring to know I can still ride the MTB :)

Kayaking! Justin Mace, great pal since high school, taught me how to kayak in 1998. And I haven't really done it since. It is interesting to learn, however, that those long ago learned skills, come back with a snap of the finger...

This outing turned out to be the most exciting of the week. With a Small Craft Advisory in effect, gale force winds, huge swell and strong current, the kids were sent two by two to their deaths. I mean, on a kayaking voyage to the sand spit. Well at least some of them made it.

Here's the quick and dirty. Sometimes, you should pick your kayaking partners based on skill and strength, not based on whether or not they are in your top five. A few of the kayaks got stuck, pushed out towards open water and were getting stranded. So I jumped in the single kayak to go and tether them and paddle them to shore. The two girls I got to looked as if they had been under a whales blow-hole, they were drenched with sea water. Extremely fatigued and frustrated, they were sitting ducks. I tethered them and in a move I have not pulled in 7 years of teaching, I yelled. I had to. I had to get them to understand that we in fact, will need to suffer. That pain was the only option and that working together would lessen my pain, ever so slightly. I started to paddle and seriously, it was like i was moored to a dock. No progress. I was working at above full capacity and the girls were trying there best.

Whenever something is hard, I think about Boulevard and freezing rain, pain and suffering, and slog on know that this pales in comparison. The poor girls however, do not have that frame of reference, and I was afraid I was freaking them out, so made sure to just keep talking to them and keep them calm.

Enter, harbor police. Yelling, gesturing and other antics ended with the girls and kayak being loaded, along with another kayak with a parent and male student. I had to get back to the other shore to corral and guide the 25 other kids back to the dock, so the police opted for me to hold onto the side of their boat, while they towed me to the sand spit.

Well in a small single kayak, going 15 mph, my grip on the rope to my right really sucked. The waves were big and I was getting pummelled. The nose of my boat kept getting pulled hard left, and I was about to let go, and someone grabbed my arm. And that was that. Full barrel roll in the fridged open ocean. Here is where Justin's lessons came in. Flip boat. Empty water. Rest on the bottom of it. I kept telling the police I was fine, because I was and they were yelling "GET IN TE BOAT NOW> GET OUT OF THE WATER!" Calm down alright! All is good, just gotta get in!

They wanted to take me to the dock but I was like um hello, I have other kids to save! Just kidding. But that was that. Pretty exciting I guess. Got the kids corralled (in a very odd Babel-like trudge through sand barefoot searching for them across the dunes) and back, just in time to make dinner.

Always remembering to keep things light and carefree! NEON day at school...


And Dez and I showing how to be friends on the bike at the clinic. I am very grateful to my solid, great friends right now that have really helped keep me on my toes, see things in logical perspective, and teach me how to race my bike, and be a good influence on others!

Keepin' calm and Ridin' on!

May is a total double-edged sword. The weather is amazing, even for SoCal, but the work and race calendars are insane. Just keeping an eye on June 11th! Last year I was in a complete frenzy by this time, so I am pretty stoked that I have remained calm. Well calm for at least me. This has however, allowed a few things to fall through the cracks. Its all good though! I will get to them when I get to them.

I suppose I should write about some epic racing, but a 17 and 15th place this weekend, doesn't really warrant blogging. However, Saturday marked the first crit I have not been yelled at during, so I thought that was pretty bloggable.

Thankfully, Sunday the yelling resumed. Once again, not much to report about.

I thought this picture was reportable simply because I was in the drops, not on the brakes, and away from people. All quite weird and foreign feelings.
After this race, in the LBC, the Gnome and I got to spend some quality time with Carson Miller in the ER. Good job Miller! Just kidding. But we were quite impressed at the cleanliness of the facility and rapid attention he received. Snoops home town is cooler than I thought. Thankfully, all his wounds were superficial and everything checked out.

Come Monday, it was Give Back time! The Tour of California is about to start! Big Bear has a stage finish, and the guys up there wanted a little help! Redlands Bicycle Classic Race Director Dan Rendler, wheelchair athlete Kyle Massey and myself headed to the mountains to spread the word of PossAbilities, Cycling, helping others, and going after your dreams!!

In all, we saw over 800 kids at 4 different elementary and junior high schools. It was amazing! I got totally recharged for what was stacking up to be an extremely taxing and overwhelming week.

The students were so kind, gracious, appreciative and interested in bikes, Lance, funny super hero outfits and why in the world a ton of cyclists would ride all the way to Big Bear.

Outside Big Bear Middle School! These kids were hilarious!

In the gym with my Gary Fisher Pro Caliber, Gary Fisher Cronus Ultimate, and Kyle with his tricked out chairs! A HUGE thank you to bike Sponsor Gary Fisher! They have gone above and beyond with our sponsorship this year. Complete WOW!

SNOW! SNow Summit still has snow! Enough so that Cal State MTB race for this coming weekend had to be cancelled! Oh, and whether you noticed it or not, SUBARU has arrived in town! PossAbilities Gary Fisher Subaru cycling team is the regional team for companies, stepping up our game big time! The new team car arrived Sunday, just in time for the awesome trip to Big Bear!

Kyle and Dan chatting with the kids! it was COLD up there!
And lastly, today was Class Challenge at School. Being the Sophmore sponsor, we got to perform a 10 minute skit for the Justice League! I think we did a pretty good job and really hope the HOURS!!!! of work pays off in the end!

Today and tomorrow: Womens Cycling Clinic! 100 ladies registered, fun-packed days and lots of learning and networking!

Sunday: for the clinic, they head to the races or long rides. For me....Morro Bay for the week with 10th grade for the Biology trip. I get to drive the Uhaul and cook. Great idea to take the week off the bike. In the middle of racing season. I sure hope the kids like Quinoa and Spinach and Tofu. And LOTS of coffee.

Foist, this one is for YOU!!

Mark, I am not cool enough to put the video straight on my page. Maybe i will learn for next time. Also, thanks for the Gnome promo back at the classic!

So are you an ELITE bike racer?

thanks for the link Allison!

Differing Views On Success

"I WON MY RACE, AND NOBODY I KNOW WAS HERE TO SEE ME. I'M SO MAD!" Although this quote from a category racer at Saturdays Devil's Punchbowl Road Race almost had me in stitches laughing so hard, it also struck a deep-rooted cord with me. I can not race simply to win.

Maybe it is because of my mountain bike background, where battles were fought and won deep within the cover of the forest while I raced against the clock and against myself and my will to overcome. Or because while playing college basketball, Coach Jesse Clark instilled in us the belief and the understanding to not only be gracious in victory, but also in defeat. The occasions of success, for me at least number-wise, do not come about all that frequently. But it left me thinking none the less, that if I summed my success up in my printable results, I would fail. To every win there is a tale to tell, to every 20th place there is an equal and just as important story to be told. And no, I am not thinking this because of, or going to tell you the sad tale of my Out The Back 15th place finish on Saturday. ; )

To bring this complain-fest full-circle, which of course is the point here, I am going to high light what we as a cycling team does in our "free time". We volunteer. And not because we get anything for it (because technically that of course would NOT be volunteering) but because we love it, and it is part of our innate nature.

8th Annual PossAbilities Triathlon

5:05ish AM helping a handcyclist with his BRIGHT GREEN racing chair! Yes, I fixed my hair and drank half a pot of coffee before 4am. I had to start the day off RIGHT!

Once I woke up and got going, I had a complete blast! I saw old school-mates, students of my own, former and present teammates and people I used to teach Spin Class to as well as locals I ride with on the group rides. I was so stoked to get stationed in the transition zone where I could throw Hi-Fives to everyone and help them out when need-be!

In the pink, Julie Furber, one of our original Team Jose Ole sponsors along with Autumn who did the very first 12 hour Mountain bike race with Shelli and I as a team and Laura! They came out on a whim and finished together! At this event, success was measured by Being There! Ladies were elated to have NOT WALKED the 5k! To have made it though their leg of the relay, to have come out done a task which to them, seemed unattainable!

Being coupled with PossAbilities means that this event caters to challenged and disabled athletes! Hearing the stories of success in their former lives, working through immense hardship, to now completing and being competitive in athletic events was completely inspiring. David Bailey and Mike Young, pictured here in the chairs, are Motor Cross legends which both Jamie and Brian knew from their racing years.

Fermin and Beth! Rolled in with a smile and left with even larger smiles! Brian got to ride his scooter next to Beth because he was lead moto for the run course, where he chatted her up and got some info! She told him of her injury and how just last Monday, she completed the Boston Marathon. Fermin suffered a stroke in 2003 and his right side is now paralyzed. His movements reminded a lot of how my sister now walks due to her illness so I instantly had a soft spot for him in my heart. I helped them move some of their goods and instantly got Sherpa Status. Now THATS an honor.

Who says old guys can't race?!?! The gentleman on the right talked my ear off in the transition zone! He commented on how i looked "fit and healthy" hahahahha and we were fast friends from there on! He was cheering on his buddies heading out on Huffy mountain bikes for the bike portion.

I just put this one in here because I really like food and haven't blogged about it for a long time.

I didn't get this gentleman's name, but watching him complete all three portions of the event was amazing.

What cool event! The kids were careening down the slides and chomping on snow cones as soon as they crossed the line!

And the future! Liam and his brother did the complete tri and were completely SUCCESSFUL. Because they finished. Because they had fun. Because they are learning to push the limits and find a healthy balance to life. Because they are athletes.

I found Fermins website and this is what I learned:

"GIVING UP IS THE ULTIMATE TRAGEDY!"

Attempting Real Wold Assimilation

Over the past few years, I have been lucky enough to have the wardrobe and style assistance of Paige and Darla whenever duty called for a little clean-up. Paige has since gone off to College, taking half the wardrobe with her, and Darla is probably about ready for me to figure out how to tie my shoes.

While in New Zealand I took matters into my own hands and purchased some pretty rad dresses, for dirt cheap. I had my trusty Sister there to lie to me "no, your butt does not look big in that" so that I ended up buying three.

I then realized my 5th grade girls class has some killer day-glow earrings. Further inquiry led me to the Mall and a Claires store, where for under $12.00, i walked out with 10 pairs of 1980's best representation of neon.

Then enter the Shoes. Joy, stop wearing Dansko clogs. Joy, no flip-flops allowed. Your gonna wear that? I did the best shopping i could, online, and found some hot pink and hot green pumps. Perfect. and for $11.59 and pair, plus shipping, bring it! My students also suggested the cheapest yet more durable fluorescent nail polish to complete my "look."

So to all my happy-fashion-helpers, and big thank you for helping me assimilate into the 30-something crowd. Well sort of. For some reason, I am always "brighter and bigger" than any and everyone around me. I stick out like a sore thumb no matter what...

Fellow teachers at the Spring Formal. Sporting dress from NZ, bright Green themed accessories. And a slight tan line.
Bachelorette party. Yeeeaaahhhh....(I could have been getting Poison Oak at Sea Otter, instead, i was getting toe blisters and belly fat in Vegas). This dress got the "Joy we can see your slip. Wait, I think that's your tan line comment." Sidenote: what is a slip and should I have one? puhlees....

Thanks to Paige, I now have my very own pair of "fashion jeans" from a thrift store, they are 7's. I hear they are a big deal, and for $30, fine by me. Here we opted for the PINK theme. One of my favs.

But alas, some things just can not be undone. The tan lines will forever be worn as a badge of courage and pride. Yes, my thighs are horribly white. Yes, i have countless scars and blindingly white abs. But alas, it proves a point that my passion and hobbies are more than just that. Cycling and fitness and taking care of myself are a way of life and I love it. If that means that the pool deck stares aghast at my whiteness, so be it. Shun the cyclist and welcome the Muffin Tops. To each their own. For me, these tan lines are just going to get darker. Along with Day-Glow and Mohawks. I guess its just my personality!

We made it through!

The TEAM:

Angus Morton and Patrick Drapac from Australia and Drapac Porsche Professional Cycling

Larry Warbasse and Chris Butler, BMC U23 Team

Alex Jarmin and Orion Berryman from Swami's Development Elite Team, San Diego

And Rouge cyclist Carson Miller

Plus of COURSE, our own favorite BMc

What did I do? haha well....I "managed" the team. This meant sitting near Axel Meryx in the managers meeting and trying not to sweat. I cooked dinner for 12-18 people a night, lined up some massages, made sure our killer mechanic Jason was availible for tune-ups and clean-ups each evening, set up ez-up and chairs and camp at each stage, made sure we had upwards of 60 bottles filled and ready to go and the list goes on. Had to have some chats with the chief officials, accidentally stole two Mavic neutral support wheels, and basically stressed out. The Breyers, Mark, Tine, Jason, the Mortons, Lanzas, Welsh and the list goes on and on, of people who really stepped up so I wouldn't literally jump into the middle of the peloton during the crit so I could just DIE. What a massive, yet amazing and rewarding undertaking!

This team came together as a dream of Brian's that most people just smiled and played along with. By mid February it was clear that it was gonna happen whether we liked it or not, so we better batten down the hatches and ride it like we stole it! I think we truly got the pick of the litter for our Composite team. With 7 Guest Riders, you never really know what could hit the fan. Coming from Australia, Gussy and Patty are some of the most unassuming, gracious, and well-rounded athletes I have come across. And they can throw down on the bike!

Chris and Larry came hot off of BMC pro training camp and ready to whet their appetite on the competition. Post Classic, Chris got the call up to race for BMC Professional team!

Our Swami's riders made the long trek from San Diego to ride with us. It was great having some local riders who we have seen at other events and at least gotten aquainted with a little bit.

And then there is Carson. This kid is nuts. Totally self-supported, rode for Land Rover last year and this year has no team, yet finished 37th on the Beaumont Stage and went toe-to-toe with other fully supported riders the entire weekend. Awesome.

Just look for the lungs!!

We had a hard time spotting the new jerseys. Until I realized they looked like lungs, and now I can see them everywhere! Here, Gussy with 18 year old little bro Lachlan Morton pre TT. Lachlan is a machine! He rode in the brake of 10 on the sunset race, on his junior gears! We will definately see more of these boys!!

Ack!! FEEDZONES!!!! Man, looking for and feeding 8 boys is stressful! Especially when I do not know then that well. I didn't know if they would flip a lid if I missed their feed, which bottles they really needed, and basically they came at me at mock 7. After one feed I swear my pinky finger was broken! Thankfully on Friday Matt Breyer was driving the follow car stocked with at least 20 bottles filled with goodness. Carson sent BMc back to the car to get 6 bottles! Welcome to the NRC baby!
The crit was really amazing. Living here in Redlands brings the added bonus of having a huge home-court advantage and extremely large support crew. Brian is a friend to EVERYONE so the corners were packed with cheerleaders! Meredith Lanza made the COOLEST tshirts for Destry, Joey and Jamie that all said "GO MCCULLOCH" and the crew could be found littered around the coures cheering. Although Destry did say "hey that's my blue shirt!" He wore it with pride!

If you have ever watched Brian race a crit, you can tell he is a natural. He can squirrel himself into the smallest of places, probably because he is small too, and his professional motorcross background really comes in handy! Brad Huff from Jelly Belly called him "Hot Route"! This stage was Brian's best performance of the weekend, finishing 77th and on the lead time! He came around turn 11 completely roached and holding on the every bit of sprint he could muster!

It was so awesome post race to have our little compound swarmed with friends! All the other teams were packing up and our rag-tag crew was high-fiving and giving hugs to everyone involved.

Autographs for Kailee!!Brian and Destry! Yup, he's drinking a coke! Yikes! Carson taught me a lot of manager tricks. Have a cooler wtih premade recovery drinks, cokes, and cold towels for after each stage. Money!

Sunday Sunday. Brian took the approach to race each and every stage like it was the last one EVER and there was no race the next day! getting to Sunday was a huge deal, for many reasons. Brian is a cat 2 racing against a field filled with mostly pro/cat1 racers who are paid to ride their bikes and have a lot of experience. This is Brian's first season as a 2, he works 40 hours plus a week, trains around 20 a week and a lot of it in the dark. This picture here is one I will keep forever! At the start of the stage, a few awards are given out. One of them being the Carol King Sportsmanship Award. Brian got it!! When Scott Welsh was giving his little speech, he had to stop because he was getting choked up! If you know Brian, you know he is very unassuming, hates the spotlight, and would give you his jersey, shoes, helmet and even bike if you really needed it. To recieve such an award, in front of your peers, mentors, roll models and friends, was really really amazing!!

Then, he had to go upfront again! Being a solid philanthropist, Brian, with the help of teammates Mitch Porche, Evan Trubee and everyone else, raised over $5,000 to give back to PossAbilities which will enable more disabled athletes to particate in really cool events!

Here is Orian, Gussy, Carson, and Patty D waiting for the start. The kits will grow on me...

Only the front group is let through on Sunday and onto the circuits downtown, so we had our whole team to chear and support Lachlan Mortan as he flew through the last 5 laps of the crit course!

So. Tired. Eating pizza at Gourmet Pizza with the Morton family, Carson, and Brian's fam.

This is what stage racing does to you!!

And what doesn't kill you or break you up, makes you stronger! haha!OH YES!!! So, there was this San Dimas Stage Race. I got 2nd in TT, 6th RR 2nd Crit 2nd GC and got my cat 2 upgrade. Yada yada yada.

Cynthia rocked it into a 5th GC and Andrea did SO GREAT in her first stage race! We even got flowers. awwwwww....

What's next?!?! some crits, too much work, maybe some travel to stage races, but probably not another blog for a bit. This was time consuming! ; )