Inspire me Rock

Did you have a Pet Rock? I'm trying to remember why I did have one as a kid & I think a lot of kids had one. Mine had a face on it and I know I still have it somewhere safe.

The other day I was on a birthday bike ride on the North Shore (primarily in Gloucester), a place that is remarkable to me and I'd only driven through once before. The ride was full of discovering delightful places sitting on water, the roads wound in and out allowing for nice views and then swept through quiet forests that I wouldn't expect to see so close to ocean water. It was vacation.

One of the woods was full of large boulders inscribed with words of inspiration, paid for by Roger Babson in 1930.

It was a large investment for this man to chisel inspiration in these rocks in the Dogtown woods. He had 24 mottos inscribed in these rocks in 1930, it sounds like it was a job creation program for people who needed the work and it gave him satisfaction.

There are words that are motivational and, silly as it may sound, when I hear them, inspire me and  make me think about where I am, where I'm going and why I do what I do. It must exist for everyone to some degree. Maybe not words but smells, sounds, feelings, something that makes the heart pound faster and internally incite some small fire of internal motivation without there being anything in reality to be motivated about.

Since it was my birthday and on my birthday, I go in search of something to inspire that year of my life, these rocks were well-placed. There were things written all over that afternoon and evening to make me think so picking one that is most appropriate for my 35th year was not as obvious as it has been for many other years. Interesting, I think I see where this is going.

Choose. Picking and choosing what to do, what's important and what's not is one of the most vital pieces to success this year. It always is, but I believe that it will play a large role in the coming year's progress. That'll be one inscription for my boulder.

Other words that make my heart beat faster that I'd inscribe in a large, immovable object for the ages:

Creativity.
Passion.
Like Babson, I have to copy his "Ideas."
Innovation.
Entrepreneurship.
Build.
Create.
Dream.
Smile.
Imagine.
Love.

Together, these are what my life is all about and keep me going. I will be trying harder this year than ever to follow the path that winds me around these boulders. With any luck, I will end up in a place no different than where the ride Monday night ended up: in a peaceful place watching the world's most beautiful sunset accompanied by someone special. In the interim, before the sunset, there's nothing I want more than to have created something that I'm passionate about in a creative, innovative way. Smiling through the difficulties to achieve a dream, making the impossible a reality and sharing in the joys and challenges of the journey with someone.

Full speed ahead.

Moving Day

Tomorrow is moving day and I don't know where to begin. I hardly have anything as most of what I own was able to fit inside a regular car when I moved out here. There was a nice little IKEA splurge once I got to town, but other than that, I haven't added much. Somehow, though, the job is daunting.

Part of moving is simply the hauling of stuff down and up stairs many, many times. This part is enjoyable when I'm moving other people's stuff. For my own, it's more tiring as stuff -material items- is tiring and I have to worry about each thing being put in the proper place. It is a good workout and that will be welcome. Stuff weighs a person down in so many ways. My stuff is certainly no exception albeit fairly well chiseled down to the essentials considering how many times I've had to move it. Each time I've gotten a bit more particular about what's important and what can stay back.

The other part of moving is the emotional side. As much as I don't like the old carpet in my current room, it is the space I've started to associate with being my space. I really believe that every human being needs some space, no matter how small, of their very own. This room has, gradually, become my space and now I'm preparing to say goodbye to it. Earlier this year, when I moved to MA, I was trying to nest, it was something I needed. Now, not so much though I'm not sure why.

I remember writing back when I was living in Italy that I enjoyed having roommates and that I never wanted to live alone again. Having roommates here has been a highlight of my current living situation. After a long day, I always can sit down, eat dinner and have a simple exchange about the day or something random. It's a pseudo family. I'm moving to another shared housing situation but I have more private space. I may like living with others but I always think back to when I lived alone, I miss that space and time so much.

Then again, I'm the sort of person who likes to change things up regularly. I don't like changing up people but I do situations.

Time to make a change yet again. Where's my nest and how can I get there?

Life on New Skinny Tires

Life just got a whole lot more interesting, at least where it comes to my bike riding life. I'd blogged months ago about my future new road bike. That bike just came to life.

In the words of someone else, it's "so awesome it's ridiculous." I totally agree.

Now I've ridden it for 130 miles and have loved every moment of it. Monday's ride to Beverly was some good quality time to be alone with it. Listen to how it quietly rolls along, even when it's hitting potholes. It is the ultimate bike. How can it get any better than this? It was built from the best material ever, created in the next town over by people who are true craftspeople, artists, creators. It was designed by the best. It's Ride Studio Cafe branded. RSC is a place that has been near and dear to me from the moment I stepped in the door last February, a time that feels like years ago in my familiarity of it yet like yesterday in my avidity for it.

The particulars of the bike have been detailed elsewhere, but for now, I wanted to capture this moment for the archives. This, the magical moment in time when the paint is perfect, the bike rides perfectly and all I want to do is be on it riding.

Take a look of all of its photos, too!

Goal Oriented

Yesterday's goal: QOM on Strawberry Hill. Ooooh, the pang of could-have-would-have-if-only at 1 second off from the QOM:



I think I get why I like to race - it's so much easier to set a goal and reach it than any of the others I set in life and work. Really, going hard and hurting on a hill is easier than many other things. So now to translate that kind of competitive spirit to the rest of my life... Time at this point is a major limiter and it's very frustrating to not be able to do what I need to because I can't get enough uninterrupted time to accomplish anything.

What's Your Time Worth?

Last week I was confronted with a question: how much is my time worth? The way in which the question was presented hit me between the eyes and it was relevant to the discussion. This discussion had to do with how much would it be worth to me (paid in $ off of rent) to drive an elderly man to the grocery store, to doctor appointments, etc. The concept is a good one, having the conversation was not ridiculous. However, when put to me as how much it be worth to me to make a trip, say, to the grocery store to take someone shopping, I had to close my eyes, and respectfully ask that the conversation end.

Writing this small entry has some value in that putting things on "paper" helps me form thoughts and sort through issues. However, I should be hypercritical of the time this is taking at this moment and spend my time elsewhere. 10 minutes longer, then on to the next thing.

The answer to the question: my free time, the time I don't have planned, scheduled or otherwise committed is so small it's worth a premium that isn't payable monetarily.

The answer for anyone else: It doesn't matter what a person's salary is, though a contract employee might be able to point to an hour and say it costs $100 billable to a client. Still, would it be worth $100 or even $500 to lose the last moments of relaxation in a week? It comes down to quantity of free time and how much of it there is. Free time = rejuvenation time. It's the time that allows one to do well in the rest of life. Recharging and resting is as important as pushing forward on whatever it is that one does. It's just like racing. One gets stronger during rest and recovery times, but it's the training that lets the rest feel really good (and make one stronger). No champion has ever been made out of someone who trains continuously and never takes a break. 


In the real world, I'd translate this to working very, very hard and then sleeping a reasonable amount, having some non-pressured waking moments and then working very hard again. This is my ideal that I'm striving for. 

Still looking to find the balance, exactly, but feeling it's a bit better now than a few weeks ago... to be continued, 10 minutes is up and it's time to read something useful.

What's your time worth? Can you put a price on it?

Independence

Yesterday was the 4th of July. For some reason, the 4th has always somehow stood out to me - what I was doing on that day. I remember so vividly the year when, before the fireworks were going to go off, that my mom was reading an electronics book to my brother and me. My thoughts at the time had to do with how much I despised that book. Now I wish I had listened and not wasted energy on not listening.  Almost every year, I remember the evening as a warm one, one that doesn't ever seem to end and smells of BBQ. Yesterday was all of those wonderful things minus the good-smelling smoking grill. Yesterday will stand out to me for years to come. I was stoked to be out pedaling dirt trails not far from here, feeling free, happy and absolutely content with life. I need nothing more than that. 

In more recent years, the "independence" part of the day has been something that means more. We're independent as people, free in most things. I frequently think about the freedoms in this life and appreciate them. I have exercised my independence a bit more than most since I graduated from college, though within responsible limits. Independence day is one more day when I really like to think about being independent. What do I do and why? There is a solidly good reason behind everything I do, as non-apparent as it may seem to others taking a look in from a distance. Purely from decisions I have made do I live. I am completely independent though it may appear very differently. 

After just saying I need nothing more, I have decided to move. Would I move if I were perfectly content? What is the definition of having more? I can be content, but I can choose not to be, as well. I haven't been completely comfortable where I've lived since I moved in. Trying to pinpoint what, exactly, it is that has kept me feeling unsettled here is impossible. I wish I could explain it to my housemates. There's a good chance it's that I'm living in the suburbs, off the beaten path. I like being where people are. Truth be told, I get energy being around people but more so when I'm not part of the conversation. I like to listen as an an observer, not necessarily a contributor influencing the direction of the discussion. One the coolest things about the new place is its proximity to public transportation and a big road. It's access to Boston that I don't have now. Independence from my car is one the things I value most, though I don't actively try to rid myself of it. I just want to know I'd survive if it decided not to start one morning. Being free of stress in my personal life is pretty much the most important thing to me. I thrive on a bit of stress and adrenaline at all other times of the day. There is a place where I need to be free of that.

Back to people and the behaviors of people. I've never known so many people in my life considering computer work typically involved the same 5-10 people on any given day. Being around this many people on a daily basis is very new to me, still. It's a game to me to try to figure out when it's going to be busy at work. When will it be quiet and how do the weather patterns affect people's coffee-drinking and bike-buying interest? On the 4th of July, it was a rainy morning and usually rainy mornings mean people drink more milk-heavy drinks. But on the 4th, they were drinking more cold brew coffee than ever. Was it merely psychological, the idea that it's the 4th and therefore hot no matter the temperature outside? I'd like to know what was going on at local ice cream establishments. I know I wanted ice cream yesterday. I'm programmed. 

Tomorrow morning is coming fast. I'd hoped to start the day at sunrise as most days that start at that hour (4-4:15) are my best. What's coming tomorrow? Friday and the "start" to my work week as my Fridays often feel to me the way Mondays used to. This moment in time captured, finally, time to get going on to the next thing to move forward.

Time to mow

Being that it's important to blog, albeit much more important to sleep, every time I sit down and put something on the blog, I tell myself I'll keep doing it as it's interesting to capture the moments and the thoughts of each moment. I've got to commit to writing more frequently but less. That is the challenge.

After a weekend like this one, it's hard to wind down. Saturday evening was a successful art opening at the Ride Studio Cafe with photography by Susan Margot Ecker and today was the biggest group ride/special ride at the RSC that I've seen there. It was named the Crazy 88 and people will be talking about it for a long time. Today was hot, a bit on the sweltering side. The Sul Posto served gelato at the 1/2 way point on the ride. What could possibly be better on a hot day?

Yesterday I had a flashback - to how I felt when I used to race. I remember thinking that I didn't remember what it was like to be a regular person, to have time after work to enjoy leisurely activities, to have a Saturday or Sunday to do something recreational in street clothes before 3pm. I remember how much I liked living that sort of go-go-go life and thinking how I hoped I'd never revert back to a standard, normal life.

After slowing down on racing significantly, I dove into projects, the first being my kitchen island welding project. Then came consulting night and weekend work until I started to work too much during the day and filling spare time with committee meetings, small political battles interesting to fight as a homeowner, that sort of thing. I filled every moment with work and many extracurricular activities. I squeezed some time in there for family & friends, but not a lot. All of these things consumed me, but they all went in opposite directions.

It occurred to me that the reason I'm enjoying my life here so much is that it parallels the lifestyle that I used to have for a few years when I was the happiest. It was easy to blame the happiness on all of the endorphins from working out, training, and close friends who had the same lifestyle. It's starting to be obvious that it wasn't just that. Time outside on the bike is and always will be a great source of pleasure, but there's an umbrella category under which it lies.

Now I don't have idle time ever. Every moment is packed with something and there are interesting projects around every corner. I have a hard time pulling myself away. When I do, I feel a tinge of regret at the lost time.

There are some new projects that I'm dying to work on. Right now, there's a growing list of them. Redesigning this blog and my website are on the list.

As I was thinking about this stuff, I was mowing the lawn, very standard/normal, odd. There is more mowing to be done and I need to vacuum. I'm dying to go on another long ride. Trying to remember that it wasn't that long ago that I got to do a long ride and I've ridden a few shorter rides since then. No accomplishment happens when I'm riding except that I feel great afterward. It buys me more energy to get things done. Maybe that's accomplishment alone. As I feel time flying past and I'm getting older, I feel more pressure to do some great things now as I had originally intended to do 10 years ago.

As for today, it's a matter of doing one thing at a time and trying not to feel completely overwhelmed at what has to happen be between now and tonight, coming much too soon.

Just Keep Pedaling

It wasn't that long ago that I was freaked out by riding on dirt. Saturday, I was bombing down dirt roads at 45+ mph with my eyes closed.

What happened to the good ol' days of riding for hours upon hours on smooth pavement? It's been months in the making, as I've been very fortunate to have been introduced to great off-road trails not far from home and not too technical in nature. Being in the woods, lit by a headlight and surrounded by plants, trees and grasses growing over the trail wildly, is indescribably cool. Saving it for a blog another day.

The Rapha Gentlemen's Race this year was Epic with a capital E. It was all things packed into one innocent-enough looking day. I know Pamela will be blogging the full story and she'll do the story justice. I want to see what she had to say as the race was different for everyone out there.

I got invited on a tandem team, the Epic Avengers: this is a team of 6 people, with three tandems among us. I had a total of one day of prep time and considering my work schedule, that meant I didn't even have time to get to the grocery store to buy food for the race. Somehow a single load of laundry got done, but that was it.

For the first time in years, I wished I'd been training all winter & felt a bit of regret at that. I don't love being this out of shape and away from the race scene (it's by choice), but when I got an email telling me I could do this race, I almost leaped out of my bike shoes (I was on a casual bike ride at the time). 

The course was 60% dirt roads for 120 miles (for those who finished). I hadn't met the pilot or tandem I'd be riding with until the night before the race. Piloting a tandem is no small job and for a course like this, experience is key.

Trust is as well. Trusting the guy who's picking the line and handling the brakes is just about the most important thing. Second most: pedal. The stoker has to help the bike go and let the pilot do his job. I promised the pilot, Todd, that I would do just that. I was told that Todd was an experienced pilot, he came with an impressive resume, but is nicknamed The Jokester. So at what point does he take things seriously? I'd have to find out.

Pamela & John, tandem partners in life (though they rode different tandems for the sake of the team this weekend) are rider extraordinaires in countless ways. I know them pretty well as we've spent hours chatting at the Ride Studio Cafe, first having met at Mt. Washington for the hillclimb last August (I was there to man the Ciclismo Classico tent but definitely not to race.) We've been able to ride some together, but nothing like what we did Saturday. Pamela has logged 9,000 miles for the year so far and takes 2 days off the bike each month or something like that. John rides like he was born on a bike. He was part of the men's winning Green Mountain Double Century team last weekend.

Dena, a friend of Pamela's and co-winner w/Pamela of the Green Mountain double century last weekend (yes, just last weekend), knows no distance barriers. She's an engine, a terrific pilot and fun to suffer with...actually, she doesn't suffer while the rest of us do. Superhuman.

Then there's Rebecca who is a relatively new cyclist compared with everyone else and was so eager to be there. I was wondering if she could comprehend the distance or dirt as I didn't know what her background were with either. She hadn't ridden a tandem until the afternoon before this race. It was impressive watching her on the back of the tandem as she and John flew down hills during the day. On command, she stood smoothly, as if she'd been a stoker her whole life. She looked fresh and happy all day long. What's even more shocking is that she was both of those things right through to the finish.

Not knowing all that much about this race as I'm new to the area and to the world of long-distance racing & this particular race, I had to get schooled on it quickly. According to Rapha: 

The point of Rapha’s Gentlemen's Races is to inspire a different type of racing. Being unmarshalled, unsupported and unsanctioned, there's no better way to find out if you're a true team, pulling together through the difficulties and attrition to get each other to the finish, or just six individuals racing the clock.

The day started off cool, an absolutely perfect temperature with clear skies in a gorgeous part of the country (2 hrs by car north of here on the NH/VT border). We were thrilled that it didn't look like overheating would be an issue. Nor would rain. Hahahahahaha. We stayed hydrated and none of us got too hot, except for Dena who was happy when the temps dropped much lower later in the day at which time she was smiling and told us of her overheating earlier. We were shaking from the cold. I'm jumping ahead.

We started on smooth pavement at 8:09am. Breakfast was at 5:30 and I'm happy to report I was wide awake and ready to go early. Adrenaline is powerful, though I felt most of my pre-race jitters the day before. No coffee for me until a minute before the start when the Rapha espresso machine was serving up very tasty shots. 

The whole ride up until mile 60 or so was fun, beautiful, the dirt sections were great and time flew by with the miles. Todd and I had a couple of early mechanical problems with the chain jumping into the spokes. We got that fixed on a nice uphill section. An extra section we threw in as we'd gone off course, taking us down a screaming descent just to learn that we had to return up that hill. Teammates Dena and Pamela had some mechanicals on their bike, at a point where we were all at separate parts of the road. Fortunately, the ladies are quite the mechanics and were able to get going again to roll into the "lunch" stop. Other than that, we didn't have a flat all day. The new Seven titanium tandem steed that John & Pamela just bought for their anniversary worked flawlessly all day long.

Climbing was fun on the tandem. Much more so than when I'm climbing alone. I think much of that had to do with my knowing that I'd get up the hill because if I couldn't do it, someone else would be able to provide the power. The riding itself never made me nervous since I knew I had someone to work with. I don't like being in on scary rides by myself. Anytime I've ever shared a stupid riding experience with someone, I feel much more at ease & fortunately, that doesn't happen often. (Sentence inserted for benefit of family members.)

Around mile 65, the weather changed. Dark clouds hovered overhead and we were climbing. It started raining. Rain isn't a big deal, though I was wondering if it'd cause mud and what that would do to the slipperiness of the roads. I'd love to say I can remember every mile of the whole ride, but I don't. Thunder and lightning freak me out like nothing else. I descended like a mad woman down Mt Evans after seeing a single bolt of lightning setting a personal best descending time...aborting the whole ride w/o a second thought. So I am not afraid to bail when safety is at stake.

To shorten the story, we were poured on and pictures weren't possible. We crested the hill as the storm reached us at the same time. The descent was very fast, wet roads didn't seem to slow us down. Later I found out how much breaking hurt Todd's hands and how miserable he was up front (not that he said it in those words as he was still in what appeared to be a good mood. I got quiet, Todd wasn't freaked out like I was as we were under trees. He said that as long as we weren't in a clearing, he wouldn't be worried. Moments later we arrived in a tree-less part of the road. Didn't take much to pedal faster than we had all day long at that point. Luckily, it didn't last long, but the rain did. Temps dropped and he was shaking badly. The stoker is protected from the elements so much more than the pilot. Finally, we arrived at a general store where they served hot chocolate. Dena treated all of us. She was the only one who really didn't need the hot chocolate as she was smiling and happy at the coolness that the rest of us would classify as cold.

Plastic garbage bags were supplied by Pamela, she made each of us a jacket. Warm, comfy, happier. At one point, John started laughing and couldn't stop, the rest of us followed suit. It was funny, but who knew why. Maybe because we looked funny! The normal people in street clothes at the store were great. I'd love to know what they thought about the freezing, wet, silly cyclists.

The rain subsided and stopped, it looked like we'd gotten out of the storm. Still milling about at the store and recuperating, we didn't treat any of the last rest stops like race ones. The first ones we'd tried to make good time in getting in & getting out. Being fast was futile toward the end. Then the thunder started up again, my heart sank when I heard it roll up. It had caught us. We got going and the rain came down again, it was significantly harder for me to keep going at that point. Again, rain isn't a problem, it's the lightning that I don't like.

Mile 85 was soon after the hot chocolate stop. Muddy, rocky, rooty, the most technically challenging off-road portion of the course was here & we'd awaited this point all day. Thanks to the garbage bag on Todd, I couldn't see anything. I just kept pedaling on cue and he got us through. There were a couple of spots where the tandem was stopped by the mud or other obstructions. I put a foot down and sank into the mud. I hadn't realized before that that we were even riding in mud. Keeping the stoker clueless is a key to success.

On we rode until the course took a turn into the heart of the storm. At that point, we stopped and took shelter under someone's garage & waited for our teammates to show up. The race director gave us an alternate route so we could avoid the storm and ride to the finish cutting some miles out. Finally, we were all back together again and we rolled to the finish easily. The sky cleared as if nothing had ever transpired in those wild, remote hills of Vermont. Upon crossing the border back into NH, Todd let Vermont know what he thought about it. We all needed him to say the things he did to shake off what we'd just been through. We were bold enough to take off the bags and relax. Pedaling on... suddenly we had 1 mile left to go (I thought we still had 10+ remaining). What a pleasant surprise!

We pulled into the parking lot 10 hours after we'd started the Epic Avenging and we were smiling almost as much as we had at the beginning of the day. It was fun. I would do it again. I hope to do it again.

According to Todd, I was "well behaved." But he assured me that since I had taken on that course and the challenge, that I wasn't one of the well-behaved women who doesn't make history.

And what did I learn about Todd? That he doesn't take anything where it comes to riding seriously except an open field with lightning overhead and the sharp turns at the bottom of steep descents. Oh, and pre-race nutrition. He was quite concerning about eating popcorn and drinking beer the night before the race. Maybe he knows something the rest of us (me) don't. He knows how to handle a bike (with my weight on it), pedal (again, with my weight on it) and keep a good disposition even when he's shivering enough and has cold enough hands that most people wouldn't be able to keep a bike going straight and fast.

There's one for history: the Rapha Gentlemen's Race 2012 is in the books. The Epic Avengers didn't officially finish, but we officially lived and had a great time on the road together. I got back in the saddle to do the hardest ride of my life after not much riding at all for the past year.

Huge thanks to all of my teammates who worked so hard for each other throughout the long day. Thank you to everyone who brought bikes & equipment (which will never be the same again after all of that mud & grit), those (Pamela!) who organized us all at the very last minute and who had faith that we could accomplish this race together though odds said there was no way we could pull it off at the last minute.

For full visuals, visit my Facebook page!

Are you ready to race your bike?

Here's an article I wrote for the Bike Hugger blog back in 2007, at the height of my competitive racing. It's timeless advice. Enjoy.

April 9, 2007

The Team Bike Hugger blog prompted questions from readers as to what it takes to start road racing. I hope this inspires at least a few of you to get out there and experience the thrill of racing first-hand. Here is my take on the fundamentals of racing:

1. Anyone can race. You can be a successful racer.
2. Racing isn’t rocket science. The rules are simple, many are common-sense.
3. You do not need to train like a pro or be a talented athlete (aka a freak of nature) to begin racing.
4. You must be passionate about riding your bike.
5. Racing is addictive. After you race once, the habit is usually formed and very difficult to break.

These are true for men and women racers, though there are significant differences in the men’s and women’s fields.

Anyone Can Race

Just a quick word on how I started: Four years ago, I bought my first road bike. Prior to getting the bike, all I did was walk my dog after work. Once I got the bike, I commuted to and from work for 2 months, did a few group rides and, on a whim, signed up for my first race. I dabbled with racing that season in Seattle. The season after that, I had a blast racing cat 4 (beginner) in Colorado. Last year I got serious about racing (I got a coach and read every article and book that I could about racing) so as to continue to enjoy it as a cat 3. The more I race, the more I want to race and the faster I want to go. At this point, my lifestyle is very bike/racing-centric and I can’t imagine going back to the “normal” life I used to lead since this one is so fun and fulfilling. And I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go. The stamp shown here was on the envelope that contained prize money for winning a race two weeks ago. What I’m saying here is anyone can do it, you just need to start.

I saw a quote recently that went something like:

“A year from now you’re going to wish you started today.”

That being said, bike racing is for people of all ages so don’t despair if you wish you had started years ago. It’s not too late. One of my racing heros, Tina Pic was born in 1966. And don’t forget Ned Overend who is over 50 and still racing, coming second to Scott Moninger (BMC) in the Mt. Evans hill climb by 5 seconds last year.

There are different categories of racers, where the beginners are cat 4 (for women) or cat 4 or 5 depending on state (for men), intermediate racers are cat 3 and the most experienced and faster racers are cat 1/pro or 2. Sometimes there are “open” fields where all categories of racers race together. This means a pro/cat 1 racer could be racing against a brand new cat 4 racer. This often happens with women’s fields in the early season races. I really don’t think it’s a good idea, if you’re just starting, to race against competition that is so much stronger. It won’t be a race, it’ll be a mental beating down. I made that mistake once. It caused me to stop racing for a couple of months. Luckily, the guys on the team I was racing for were really supportive and they helped build my confidence back.

That reminds me to mention–it is far easier to start racing as a woman. Women racers are generally supportive of each other and I’ve found the men to be very encouraging and supportive of the women, too. Usually, though, women are scared to ride with the guys or have some excuse that I can’t understand.

Mike Magnuson, author of “Heft on Wheels” said it well: “Nobody wants to hear you whine.” My experience has shown that guys respect the women who ride hard, even if they are riding slower than the men.

Hopefully, you now see that you can race. It’s all a matter of whether or not you want to.

Racing Isn’t Rocket Science

Check out the rulebook of USA Cycling. Sorry, it’s 138 pages long, but actually doesn’t take too long. Check it out, you’ll learn a lot. There are a few major rules to follow, and usually they’ll be explained to the racers prior to the race start. The biggie is the yellow-line rule. There are so many things to learn about racing, for example, how to corner properly, sprint, work in an eschelon, etc. It certainly helps to talk to people about these things prior to racing so you know the basics, but most of this stuff will be learned while racing. Every race I enter, I learn something new. So don’t worry about not being prepared at first. Experience is the best teacher. A few things, though, that are good to be proficient at going into the first race:

Know how to “hold your line” Be able to drink and ride with one hand Be comfortable riding in the drops through corners and while descending Be comfortable getting out of the saddle on climbs Know how to draft and be comfortable riding close with people on all sides of you Stay relaxed, elbows bent at all times.

It’s helpful to pre-ride the course just for peace of mind. The less nervous you are, the safer you will be and you’re more likely to enjoy the ride.

You Don’t Have to Be a Freak of Nature

There will be people out there who are insanely strong, but the majority of cat 4 racers are fairly new to racing, and competing. You will meet others who are similar to you. Bike racing is a unique sport in that there is no stereotypical body type that defines the successful racer.

Love Thy Bike

Many people get into bike racing because they like competing. This is a good reason, but think about it, only a tiny fraction of time will you actually be racing the bike. Many hours a week, even as a recreational racer, will be spent on training and group rides. You gotta love being out there on the road, sometimes doing intervals alone, to have fun and be successful racing…and to guard against burn-out. Years from now, I know that I won’t be racing, but I also know my quality of life won’t be the same if I’m not going on long bike rides. So my top priority is to love every minute on the bike and not do anything to jeopardize that.

Racing is Addictive

Ah, c’mon, try it, you’ll like it. One thing, though, if you really don’t feel like racing, don’t let anyone talk you into it. Get to know your body and your gut instinct. Racing can be dangerous and it’s important to listen to your subconscious. But do try that first race and meet other addicts, you just might be surprised at how difficult it is to stay away from future races.

Obviously, these are just the basics. There’s so, so much more to racing. I think that’s one of the things that really attracts me to the sport. It’s something I was able to do when I was really new to bike riding, but I’m always learning and growing as a racer and as a person.

Good luck!

April Showers

It's been much too long since the last blog post, but it's time to put up something. This blog was far more interesting when I was racing or traveling. Someone made a great suggestion that I should blog about my experiences in a small business and life as I find it daily at work. The story can't be told yet - it'll need to wait until there's time, it could be years. I like the idea of being completely immersed in the business and having a singular focus on it. If my first book will be called Gelato Diet, the second one will need to be Affogato - translated this means drowned. It's also the name of a really tasty drink comprised of an espresso shot poured over gelato. The many meanings of this will work too well.

I've been fairly successful at keeping distractions out of my life - this is something I wasn't good at in Denver. There, I split my time in so many directions that it made moving forward in any single one nearly impossible. But most of what I did there was excellent preparation for what I am doing now. Toastmasters is one of the most important extracurriculars I've ever done. It'd be wise for me to return here, but I suppose adding a speech homework assignment to my already impossible schedule doesn't sound like a smart thing to do.