Track Camp Day 3: Winter Arrives

What a difference a day makes. It was shorts and short sleeves yesterday and today there's snow on the Peak.

Even Lara thinks it's cold and she's from Colorado.

The view from the back where I spent most of the day as I was off-the-back in the workouts. Phew, I'm flippin' tired. I think 5 days of racing before the camp was a bad idea.

Lipton Tea vs Victory Brewing. Today's head to head battle to finally answer the question what's better for performance, tea or beer?

To my surprise, tea won. The Lipton girls celebrate with a little break dancing.

Go Lipton, Go Party, Get your groove on...

Sima cheers them on.
Part deux: Green Tea vs Herbal Tea???

I don't know but all that tea drinking makes them have to go pee a lot.

(oh I almost forgot that whole sarcasm notification policy. most of this post was b.s. I mean except for the part about it snowing and me feeling like poop)

Track Camp: Day 2, Fashion Day

So today was all about fashion as many of the riders were trying to start new trends.

Katharine Carroll starts in with the single knee warmer look.

That was soon to be copied by Alison Powers who incidentally has beaten the world TT champ in a time trial this year. (Congrats to Kristen Armstrong on winning World's today).

Clay took his in more of a"stay away from me because I crash a lot" look with his "lucky" shorts.

But Kelle Murdin wins the day with her "laundry day" multi-colored, multi-team ensemble.

Here Sima Trapp prays that we don't have to do any more 2k efforts today.

Later Brad Huff (left) entertains us with stupid human tricks on our recovery ride.

And Mike Friedman proves that it's not just funny for a normal size person to ride my bike around as Lara Kroepsch's bike is nearly as small as mine.

Track Camp Day 1: Pedal around in circles, turn left

I wish I had more to report than that, but that's about all we did today was pedal around in circles on the track today, and all I know is that I'm tired. You'd think I had just done the equivalent of a 5-day stage race. Oh....

I do have a goal for the week though and that's to capture a picture of the Zir-mullet. We're going to have a little contest to see who is rockin' the best mullet, Sir Brad Huff (pictured above) or the Zirbeast, the Tom Zirbel, who is trying the track for the first time this week.

Parker Omnium Race Report: Holy Criterium, I can't believe it's the last road event of the season!

I'd call today the dog days of racing, because I worked like a dog today. My assignment: Go after the cash primes and cover EVERY move. Turns out I am the champ of getting 2nd or 3rd in primes as I only won one of the $100 primes but got second or third in about 5 others. I did my best covering the moves too, but unfortunately one of the moves I covered was the Lipton tea mixer in turn one as a one of them crashed and took out about 6 or 7 of us. No harm, no foul. I just got a little road rash and a couple lap breather in the race.

I think this dog is a CREF fan.

...and so am I. Here I am giving Meatball and Teton a show. Don't ask, don't tell. Seriously, it wasn't very risque. It was just payback for Friedman and Huff flashing us in our race.

"Go this way!" - This race was so well run and put together. They even had these stick men all over town telling us which way to turn.

To top it all off, Beth landed on the final podium for the overall. FANTASTIC! Alison Powers did an overwhealmingly great job of dominating the weekend, and Sarah Uhl sprinted her way to second, while our little bfisk rode consistent and strong all weekend to finish 3rd. Way to go Beth!

Parker Omnium Race Report: Day 2

Folks, if you're not a member of the Hammer Nation yet, it's time to join! Sharon the Hammer Allpress (stock photo) did a stellar ride today, made the very tough break and finished 3rd. Beth also pulled off a very nice ride to finish 7th. I on the other hand didn't have the best day. I did however win the first lap in a short lived breakaway with Miranda from CPT.

Even the juniors know it's important to pre-hydrate before the race. Too bad we did not get our pee stop because some lady thought she'd attack when we called pee break . Bad form, very bad form.

The break in the men's race. Go Meatball!

The town has been great in supporting the race. They even had a band playing.

Beth Fisk (stock photo) tore it up today at the Paker TT finishing 3rd. Sharon and I both finished top 20, me in 12th, Sharon 20th. Tomorrow will be the deciding day with double points for the road race. It's supposed to be real windy... we'll see.
http://www.parkeronline.org/recreation/parker_mainstreet_criterium/parker_mainstreet_criterium.aspx

Fred Cappy Race Report: Night 2

Well tonight went much better, and the racing much more to my taste. It was a points race tonight, my favorite. I raced pretty well, but still ended up 4th. Eh, there's lots more racing this weekend.

Last night we saw wacky plaid shirt guy. Tonight it was just wacky Mike "meatball" Freidman in a Superman suit. Why? I don't think we'll ever know.

The CREF kids did tear up the race in the 10-mile as this was all that was left of the field by the end of the race. They just rode everyone off their wheels, it was impressive. Oh, and they also set a national record for the 10-mile event. It was like one long-ass team pursuit.

Ok, time for bed. I've got a time trial in 12 hours!

Fred Cappy Grand Prix: Race Report

What do you do when you forget your jersey? Just race in your plaid button down. Actually I don't think this guy forgot his jersey, I think he's more like "wacky plaid shirt wearing guy"

What do you do when your bike is a half a kilogram under the legal weight limit? Strap a big fat pad lock underneath your saddle (the wrench was not heavy enough). Damn, my bike's so heavy now.

I didn't have my best night of racing tonight. Granted keiren racing isn't my forte, but man these girls play rough. I've never seen so much bumping and contact in a women's race before. I was so scared I ended up racing like a weak little kitten. In keiren racing not only is contact allowed, it's expected. I've even seen guys race the keiren with elbow pads and full face helmets.

The 5-mile wasn't much better. It was like a 24-lap match sprint. LAME!

mmm, pumpkin pie sure would be good right now.

So this is it, the last week of the season, good thing because I'm about to crack. Too bad for this last week I'll be racing the next 6 out of 7 days.

Swanky's Classic Race Report - Broncos Lose, VC Wins, again!

Me and the Meagan's. Thank god for uphill finishes and my teammates shutting down the chase.

I've always wanted to spray champagne on the podium.

Of course in Colorado we bring it with the champagne of beers. That's the way I roll, with a forty of Miller High Life.

So with my win today and Sharon's win yesterday that makes the second weekend in a row we've doubled up on wins. What a nice way to finish up the ACA season, and with that we also wrapped up the Best All Around Team competition. In a bit tighter race, our men's team also won BAT, awesome!

I have to admit Caroline agrees with her Aunt Renee, the frosting is the best part of the cake. It's been a big week for the Pullem's. Click here to read more.

Countdown to kickoff. Only 66 hours 'til the new season starts. One drawback of this whole racing in to September gig is that I'll probably miss the game on Sunday, and next Sunday too! Now here comes the real motivation to replace my broken TV.... no one in the house has my same affinity for watching football.

First, getting kicked out of the tour, now this. (click here to read more). I have to say Jan you're getting yourself moved right off the list. Why are all the good ones taken, I mean good if you look past the recreational drug use, unemployment, drug scandal, potential life time ban in the sport, and bad hair....

So just the other day I was all like, wow, I haven't been sick all season (except for that brief incidence of the stomach flu right before McLane) ....of course that was a big jinkx because I'm sick now. It actually started Friday but I was in complete denial. I had a scratchy throat which turned in to conjestion by Saturday and full on feeling bad by Sunday. I was actually dizzy and lightheaded while warming up for crit on Sunday.
This morning I woke up and felt like a freight train had hit me. I took as much Nyquill as I could last night to try to slip in to a cold killing coma, but alas I'm sick. I plan to be whiney, complaining, general puss as long as it takes to get better.

p.s. Sharon and Beth I want to say right now I'm wicked sorry if you get sick too...

Gateway Canyons Fruita Criterium: Race report

because sarcasm is hard to convey in blog posts I am going to make an attempt from now on to indicate when I am being sarcastic.
Beth Fisk, with a little help from JT, bringing sexy back (sarcasm) with her big win in the crit. Here she is pumping iron before the race so she can intimidate all the other riders with her big guns (sarcasm). I would have to say I'm impressed with the move she made for the win though (not sarcasm). I attacked on 3 laps to go forcing the chase from the other team, then got caught with less than a half lap left. Beth immediately countered, attacked through the technical part of the course and held on to the finish. Sharon finished 3rd right behind Megan D.

What I want to know is why Sharon did not show us these new moves last weekend, they would have come in handy on the podium (sarcasm) as we went 1st and 3rd both yesterday and today (not sarcasm).

Colorado State Championships update: Gateway Canyons Road Race

Is this a late night or an early morning? There are only two reasons to eat at Village Inn in the pre-dawn hours. Unfortunately today it wasn't because we weren't out late partying. We had to eat breakfast by 5:30 am to get to the race on time today.
Driving to the race as the sun comes up... too damn early.

The race went really well though because Sharon laid down the hammer and dropped me and everyone else in the race. She did the most awesome solo attack for the last 42 miles of the 85 mile race.
Jackie O, the podium awaits you.
Sharon "the Hammer" Allpress, the new CO State Road Race Champion. Megan D. 2nd, I was 3rd.

Road Trip 2006: Gearing up for Grand Junction

Beth as always is excited for the big trip.

We saw a fire along the way.

Then once we got to GJ we found our accomdations at the Hawthorne super delux. Check out the Tempurpedic mattresses. Super comfy!

Too bad I am not sleeping on one of them. Somehow I end up sleeping on the air mattress. How's that for being born under a bad sign?