With the end of June quickly approaching, I figure it’s time to update the team and our sponsors on my racing during the past month.  My 2010 Xterra season began on June 5th when I traveled across Colorado to Farmington, New Mexico to race Xterra Four Corners. Farmington is a tiny little town close to Durango, complete with dusty desert single track typical to that of the Southwest region of the U.S. This race was slightly different than most Xterra triathons, with the run preceding the bike instead of the typical “swim, bike, run” fashion. Apparently this suited me well as I took the lead in transition after the swim and never looked back. My award for “Fastest Overall Female” was a beautiful hand-painted platter which is currently perched on my mantel.

Today I competed in the Epic Single Track Winter Park Super Loop mountain bike race. The weather was perfect, my bike was fast, and the dirt was phenomenal. Even with tired legs and a heart rate that seemed stagnant, I had a blast.  This race was only my second pure mountain bike race in my racing history so I was thrilled to win my age group and place third overall for Expert women.

Next up, Xterra West Mountain Championship in Beaver Creek, Colorado on July 17th. Thanks for checking in.

Before I get started with a blog update, I’d like to apologize in advance for the lack of pictures.  You see, I’m technologically in the dark ages and haven’t replaced my broken four year old digital camera, and my phone just isn’t fancy enough to handle pictures.  But I have thought ahead to e-mail people who did take pictures, and I’ll try to get them posted as they come in.

First, we have many people to thank for helping Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus have such a successful Nature Valley (Best Amateurs all around!).  Our two hosts, Lindsey Hamilton and the O’Day family couldn’t have been more accommodating and helpful.  Then we have Ralf to thank for keeping our Specialized bikes looking great (and working flawlessly).  And of course, thanks Maggie for being the most fabulous team director!

Prologue – St. Paul Riverfront TT (6.0 miles)

As a new rule, no TT gear was allowed during the prologue.  This meant no funny helmets, clip-on bars, or no TT bikes.  So we pedaled as hard as we possibly could (in our drop-bars) down the riverfront, through the turnaround, past the start, and up a steep power-climb to the finish.  For the day, the team finished in 11th place overall with the following resutls:  Chloe – 34th, Melanie – 51st, Cara – 62nd, Jenna – 64th, Ari – 70th.  Amazingly, I snagged the green Best Amateur jersey.  This means, I had the fastest time of all the Category 2 racers. [Read more →]

Here’s what’s been happening from Cara’s So-Cal perspective

Kern County
2nd GC: 3rd TT, 1st CT, 3rd Hill Climb, 2nd RR
The Kern County Women’s Stage race is 4 stages in 3 days, with a 10 mile TT on Friday, a 60 mile circuit race followed 3 hours later by a 13 mile hill climb on Saturday, and a 74 mile hilly, hot, miserable road race on Sunday.

Some highlights include winning the circuit in a field sprint for the second year in a row, having a lovely stroll up the hill without a compact (ha!), and somehow getting a three minute lead on Molly Van H. and Jane D when I “attacked” them after the three of us got away in the road race.  I was convinced they must have crashed, but Rob assured me it was just the case that each was waiting for the other to chase.  Unfortunately Molly caught me at the start of the last lap and was too strong for me on the major climb.  Sigh.  Overall the race was fun and epic as always.  Much thanks to Rob and Russ from Metromint for all of their help (including a feed of the best fruit punch Gatorade I’ve ever had.) [Read more →]

As an endurance athlete, I’ve sampled a plethora of nutrition products over the years. Some are better than others in the taste department, but most seem work about the same in providing energy to the body. Additionally, all the products I’ve tried pretty much wreak havoc on my digestive system and tend to leave me feeling gassy and bloated by the end of a long ride or run.

However, Honey Stinger products are different. Check out www.honeystinger.com for the lowdown on all the different forms of Honey Stinger nutrition.   [Read more →]

Just a reminder that the 2 Wheels 4 Hope Mountain Bike Benefit Race & Fun Ride is coming up this weekend on June 5!

2 Wheels 4 Hope is a non-profit in Arizona whose goal is to help cyclists in need.  This year, their benefit MTB race and ride will go to help our teammate Heidi Clayton who was hit by a truck on a training ride in March.  Heidi has since been on a long, hard road to recovery, so 100% of the proceeds from this benefit will go to help Heidi and her family.

Event Information

When: Saturday, June 5, 2010

Where: McDowell Mountain Park – Competitive Track (Fountain Hills, AZ)

Events – Sunset Time Trial & Moonlight Fun Ride:

• Time Trial – Starts at 7:15 pm @ 20 second intervals / Long loop ~ 9 miles/ Categories: Pro, Cat 1, 2, 3, SS, Masters, kids race/ Awards 3 deep/ USAC License Required / $5 One Day License Available / Helmets and lights required.
• Fun Ride – Starts at 7:00 pm / Short & Tech Loops Open / Long Loop opens after TT – approx 8:00-8:15

Registration: Closes Friday, June 4 at 5:00 pm ET / Bike Reg

Fees: $20 minimum donation for time trial  (includes Fun Ride) / $15 minimum Fun Ride donation / 100% of proceeds go to benefit Heidi!

Event Website: 2 Wheels 4 Hope

Please do consider doing this event or simply making a donation.  Heidi is a wonderful woman, and this is definitely a very tough time for her.  Every little bit helps, and we are so grateful to you for your support!

I have been embarrassingly absent from the blog since I joined the team. First and foremost, I have to assert that this is not my fault. In fact, the fault of my absence lay solely with the University of Arizona and particularly, with the Gender and Women’s Studies department, who for the last two years have held me captive in their minor program consisting of endless reading and papers!*Last Thursday, I was freed from my academic shackles (free at last!) and received nothing  (diploma to arrive by mail “soon”).

Despite my inability to type even the shortest of blog posts for Women’s Bike Talk, I have been working very hard on the bicycle and have been thrilled to see the fruits of some hard wrought labor and hard lessons- learned coming together. I started the season new to the team with the two main goals of maintaining a consistent training schedule and gaining as much experience as possible in races.  In addition, I knew that I had a wealth of opportunity to learn from my more experienced teammates, many of whom I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the last two years through the UA Cycling Club. [Read more →]

Whew.  What a month.  A year ago I raced my first Tour of the Gila followed up by Collegiate Nationals in Fort Collins, CO.  I told myself that’d be last time I’d race for multiple days, consecutive weekends, smack dab during the last week of school.  Well, I guess I forgot.

This year, it happened again (still not sure how).  Except Collegiate Road Nationals were located almost a thousand miles further than last year.  Madison, WI is a long ways from Tucson.  Yet somehow I survived finals, finished my papers, fought a cold (and lost), and still managed to have a great time.  It helped having so many teammates in the same situation so we could aid each other in procrastinating.  Melanie has written up an excellent summary of the races, although I think she’s being a little modest about her own results.  A top-ten NRC results is a huge accomplishment, and especially impressive on top of her PhD studies, blogging, role as Team Captain, race promoter, and upcoming wedding (yes–she’ll be the bride).  Anyway, it’s pretty exciting to see hard work pay off and it’s a great result for the Specialized D4W team.

Now I’m realizing that I won’t line up at another collegiate race for quite some time, and I’m a little bummed about it.  For three years I juggled racing as a professional mountain biker for the Luna Chix and the responsibilities of a full-time student.  For those years, collegiate racing helped me keep things in perspective and realize why I race bikes.  I think it’s safe to say I  wouldn’t be racing today without collegiate racing and the UA Cycling Club (and TJ!).

Luckily, I’ve found a home with the Arizona-based road team Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus.  My teammates kick ass in the hundred different things they do (including some very impressive on-the-bike accomplishments).  Plus, I’m now comfortable wearing pink and baby blue; although I’m not yet comfortable considering myself a road racer.  Hopefully I can figure it out at the Nature Valley Grand Prix–my next big road race.  Until then, I’ll be moving into my new house, mountain bike racing, and hopefully blogging more often!

Also, thanks to all the Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus sponsors, my teammates, my friends and family, TJ, and all the other sponsors and supporters I’ve had along the way.  I’ve definitely had some ups and downs with training and racing but I’m in this sport for the long haul.  Thanks for checking in!

I apologize for the recent lack of updates.  It’s been a whirlwind of a couple weeks, what with Tour of the Gila in Silver City, New Mexico, followed quickly by Collegiate Road Nationals in Madison, Wisconsin, followed by finals week at the University of Arizona.  School?  Eeek…what?  I just want to ride my bike…

Instead of running through each stage of all the races we’ve done in the last few weeks, I’m just going to post a few highlights from Tour of the Gila and Collegiate Road Nationals, which are the two big races I attended in the last few weeks.  However, the team has been active all over the state of AZ and beyond, such as Luisa’s recent MTB racing success at Battle of the Bear.  So check back soon for reports from the rest of the ladies.

[Read more →]

Last Saturday I participated in my very first pure mountain bike race. I had a blast! The course was fun and fast, totaling 20 miles, with rolling single track and a few short climbs. I got off to a good start and plowed up the first steep double track uphill to get good position before the singe track began. The first loop was challenging as the course was crowded with racers from other categories and the Front Range 50 event. I was aggressive but friendly in my passes and was able to pull ahead of many of my competitors. At the start of the second loop, myself and a girl from Title Nine had a significant gap on the other riders.  We battled it out to the finish and she ended up beating me at the line by three-tenths of a second. Nonetheless, I won my age group and meet a new friend to train with. All and all, it was a great day. My new Specialized ERA FSR Expert performed like a champ. Thanks to Warrior Cycles for putting on a great race.

I’m not a mother yet, and I don’t expect I will be for quite some time.  I can barely take care of myself sometimes!  However, I am always so incredibly impressed by women who are able to ride and be mothers at the same time.  It’s often hard to find the time to train and race when the little ones need you by their side night and day, so major props to the moms who get out there and make it happen!  Mary, for example, gets tough by training as she pulls her son Owen along in a bike trailer.  No wonder Mary wins so many sprints…  Ruth and Heidi are also mothers, and they routinely kick my butt on the bike!

Anyways, I have family cycling on the mind because one of our sponsors – Bike Shop Hub – recently opened a new online store dedicated entirely to family cycling and child transportation by bike.  The shop is called Bike Kid Shop, and its got a great assortment of bike child trailers by Burley Trailers, Chariot Carriers, and Croozer Trailers, as well as family cycling gear from Xtracycle, for the little ones in your family.  While the store is focused on bike trailers at the moment, it will soon expand to include helmets, glider bikes, and all kinds of other great gear for family cycling.  Take a look at their great “Bike Gear Combo Deals” on trailer like the Chariot Cougar, Chariot Cheetah, Burley Bee, Burley Encore and Burely d’Lite.  They also have a really great closeout on the Burley Solo ST for only $339!

It’s great to see that the idea of family cycling is really taking off!  I definitely plan to keep on riding for many years after I “retire” from the whole racing gig.    So it’s really cool to see what kinds of options are out there for family cycling.  Because after all, kids on bikes are so much fun!