I know it's been a long time....

I know, I know, it's been so so long, but I have no idea what I have been doing. Life has been a crazy mess for the past couple of months and maybe I am on track now. After what I thought was my last race (crit Nationals) I had to start working and easy back on the training. So I started subbing for the school district mostly Elementary schools, which was fun, but lots of germs and sick kids. I didn't think much of it at the time because I didn't really need to stay healthy for any big race coming up and I need the money bad. So I continued to sub and ride casually, I even did a few mt bike rides. Then I got a phone call Jim (the director of the National Team) and he said I was going to Italy to race Toscana. Well, I thought to myself, I better start training again I only have 12 days. So I got back in the mode of training, but still had to work. I forgot how hard this was, wow. I got the training in and felt really good with my fitness and I was off to Italy. I got to Lucca and I forgot how much I love it hear. Italy is such a wonderful place and I was ready to race! Then the night before the first race I came down with a sore throat and it turned into a full on cold. I raced the first and second day and now it is the third and I feel even worse. I guess we will see how today goes.

Well, I guess next time I know better then to sub in schools, especially elementary schools, where there are a lot of germs and sick kids. I should know better, I taught for 4 years. Oh well, bills have to be paid!

I don't have any good picture to show you of Italy, I gave my camera to the mechanic in hopes of some good pictures but haven't gotten it back. So hopefully by the end of the trip I will have some good new to report and some good picture.

Zion National Park, it was beautiful!!!!

Home sweet home

I came home to Durango, but then left again...While home it was really nice to get my life back in order and spend time with my family. (for a short time) I am currently at Nationals so I will have to give another update about that soon.

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to all my supporters in Durango! You all have been the best and I am so glad to be a part of the community. Thanks for all your support!!!!!

While I was home I got to go on the group ride with the Church of the High Pines. Thanks for letting me tag along.

My dad AP Small. One of my biggest supporters, right along side with my mom (Donna) and step mom (Margaret). Sorry no pics, next time for sure!!!!

Larry and wife Jana Goldstein, you guys are the best!

The crew for the day. Thanks for such an awesome ride!!!!

Czech, France, then Germany

I guess I don't have a lot to say and I have been really bad about taking pictures so here are a few. We are in France for the next two days and then we will head to Germany. A long drive!

Andrew pinning my number

Me starting the Time Trial at the Czech race.

Rebecca and me

My boyfriend Turtellini in France what a view, he enjoyed it a lot!!!

Lauren and Turtellini, he was helping her with her computer, he is so smart.

Training in Livigno!

I haven't blogged in awhile because I had nothing good to blog about, but last week I was in Livigno training and it was absolutely the best week ever!!!!!! I have never seen so many beautiful views, the pictures don't do it justice. The training was awesome, I have never climbed so much in my life. The weather was spectacular too.


So lets see...what haven I been doing.


After racing with Aaron's I had a short break at home and then I was off to Lucca, Italy again. It was a crazy day, my flight was cancelled, then redirected and finally ended up in Florence. I was picked up, no bags, and the ride home was really, really hot (no AC and about 90+ degrees). But I was fine actually and very happy to be at my second home in Lucca. It's amazing how much you can feel at home in a place when you haven't even spent that much time there. I trained for a couple of days and then took the train up to Livigno. Every day the riding was awesome, the food was great, and it was wonderful seeing a new place. What an adventure! Here are some pictures.

Climbing one of the many passes in the Alps.




Me starting to suffer a little. Look at the snow! This was the only day there were clouds in the sky. I lucked out, 30min after I was done with my ride it started to rain.

Lots of animals roaming around. I loved these little sheep, especially the baby ones.


He was so cute and fuzzy. I am such a sucker for the baby animals!

Me on another climb, I can't even count how many climbs I did!

Oh, Stelvio! Wow, this was an awesome day. Not kidding 48 switch backs.

Getting to the top!

Almost there!

I am one tired girl after doing that climb.

Always in Italy, cappuccino, it's the best!!!

Bad luck, carma, crashes, hopefully it will end!!!

So my last post I was optimistic that my crashing would stop, but that did not happen. I survived the first day at Nature Valley in the rain, but can not say that about the second day. I got tangled up in a crash that went across the road. I picked myself up off the black top, checked my self out, no broken bones just more road rash on top or road rash. I found my bike picked it up and there was no rear wheel. Where did it go???? By this time the race was going up the road and I was one of the last people to get going. I never did catch the peloton, but I was in good company with Chrissy practicing a team time trial trying to catch up. We got to the end circuits, but it was to late, they pulled us and gave us a pro rated time (15min down). That day sucked. So I was going to work for the team the rest of the race. I nursed my wounds and try hard to the best job that I could for my team. My ribs hurt really bad so I ended up not finishing the last day.

I ended up going to the doctors and no broken ribs but separated them. I hope I heal fast because I can't wait to get back out there and race my bike they way I like to.

I am back in Durango for a few days resting up. I head back to Europe for some good training this Friday before I join the National Team to race a few stage races. I hope to take some good pictures, so check back.

I will try to download more pictures from Nature Valley too.

Philly

What can I say about Philly....HOT is the first word that comes to my head. Wow, it was so hot and humid I think I can honestly say it could have been one of the hottest races I have ever done. The team raced really well and we are now in Minnesota where it is not hot. It's raining as I am typing this and will continue to rain most of the week. I thought we left this weather in Montreal!!!! Oh well, part of the job. Here are a few pictures from Philly.

The A-Team at the last round about before the finish.


This little kid was a crack up. He was such a show off for us girls. His proud dad was following behind. I decided to take some picture of him and then he swerved and almost took me out. Not good, I don't need any more road rash.

And I couldn't forget little turtle, he was tucked in bed ready to get some sleep. He's our biggest fan, so he gets tired cheering us on all day.

Side Lined, not fun!!!!

So what do you do at a bike race when you don't race?

1. Pretend to be the assistant swannie

2. Try to help teammates as much as possible

3. Ride in the team car and do math

4. Become a professional photographer (I wish)

5. Help the girls

6. Help more

7. Get bored...so I decided to get unbored the last day

Meredith bought me a turtle to cheer me up!! I am still trying to think of a name, so if you have any ideas let me know. I will take a pole.

So here it goes, the last day I had a bunch of fun with my new pal...

Christina (our super swannie) and Turtle, he helped her set things up before the race

Taking a nap in his pink sleeping bag (it's actually a camera case) he needed to rest up before the big race, we had lots to do. Meredith let him rest on her leg, she is so nice.

Turtle got to ride in the team car and help me calculate points for the QOM. Felicia did a great job and got enough points to stay in the Jersey and when the 35+ Jersey, way to go!!!!

Turtle getting a ride in my pocket to the feed zone.

Turtle getting some caffeine so he can finish out the day strong.

Turtle was very popular, even the announcer wanted to take his picture with him.

Turtle even got his own chair at the end of the day. Just hanging out with the girls!

Turtle needs a name, please help!!!!

Racing with Aaron's

I have been getting some slack about not blogging so here it goes...

I came back from Europe and the next day flew to Denver to get Lasik Eye Surgery. Everything went well and I am healing up nicely. Trained with friends in Durango and had a wonderful time. The weather was absolutely beautiful until...the Iron Horse Weekend. I think in over 30 years they have had the event it was the first time cancelled, due to snow. A lot of people were very disappointed, but the day cleared up and was actually really a very nice day. The following day was he down town crit and I WON!!!! It was a hard race because Jeannie Longo and Mara Abbott showed up. It was nice to when a home town crit.


I then packed up and headed to Montreal to race with Aaron's Pro Team. The first race was Montreal WC and it was raining, not good! I road at the front of the race to avoid crashes, and believe it or not the on the second lap there was a crash and I ended up running over someone and then got ran over. SUCKY - Look at my knee. I have road rash and am really banged up, but luckily no broken bones. I am going to see how my knee feels tomorrow and hopefully I will get to start the race.

My bike ended up taking a beating too. The handle bars got shaved off and so did my pedal.

Tomorrow we start the Tour de Montreal. Then we will head to Philly, for Liberty Classic and then my favorite Nature Valley in Minnesota. I hope my knee feels better so I can do some racing with Aaron's it's been so long and I want to race my bike!!!!!

Hopefully I will have more pictures soon. Will try to take some this week.

What can I say...

I am a bad blogger...I know it's been awhile, again.

Last trip we had I finished of placing 8th at the Elsy Jacobs race then we drove 9 hours home (to Lucca). We got in around 1:30am, man that was a tough one. We were home for a little less than a week and wow I can't even remember what has happened. I remember, I got sick, really sick, so that is my excuse why I didn't blog! Then we traveled to Switzerland to race another WC, Berne, and it wasn't much fun. I definitely wasn't 100% and still am not 100% but oh well. I had to race because you have to start WC with 4 people. I thought that I would start and see how things went. I didn't feel good, but the selection was made on the first lap (10km from the start) and so I thought I would just sit in. I ended up finishing the race, hopefully I didn't make my sickness worse. I do feel better today though.

These are two lemons, obviously very too different types of lemons, but they are both sour. The big one takes a long time to mature. We get to pick the little ones as much as we want, but the big one Pino game me. We aren't allowed to pick the big one's.

Driving back from Switzerland, another long night of driving. We left after the race and got in around 12:30. The drive was beautiful though so it kept me busy looking around at all the gorgeous land.

We (Alison, Swani John, Andrew and I) decided to keep busy by counting tunnels. Who can guess? We counted from Berne to Lucca...How many?

I will post the answer on my next blog, so comment and guess.

A lot has happened...

What have I been doing? It's been so long I don't remember...Let's see

1. Went back to Lucca for some much need rest and recovery. I think I might have said that in the previous blog, but I really, really need it. I also was very excited to get my package for my bday from my mom that had been in customs for 2 weeks, but I never got it. That was sad, hopefully after this trip it will get delivered. Keep my fingers crossed!

2. We heading off to Holland and Belgium again to race Fleche.

3. I had my Birthday in Holland and the restaurant made me this beautiful desert!

4. Raced Fleche (first race as a 28 year old)

5. Had a really good and hard race as a 28 year old. Just look at my face!

6. First time getting away from the group, solo, but not for very long. It was still fun!

7. I loved seeing all the little (or some times big) sheep. They are so cute, especially the little lambs. I got to feed them! They stick there tongue out when they talk.

8. We had a new crew for Fleche. Katheryn Mattis, Christine Thorburn, and Ali's parents.

9. Road the track with our tt bikes to help come up with a better position. I don't have a picture of this, but I do have a picture of Kat's face after it hit the wood. Slick tires and not a lot of speed equals crash on the track. But she was a good sport and got back out there and hopefully dialed in a good tt position for her.

10. I ate a German dinner, Jager Schnitzel, it was pretty good. Here is Kat presenting GERMANY!

11. Katheryn Curi Mattis broke her collar bone again, during Fleche. She was tangled up in a crash going about 50Km an hour and landed hard. We are all so bummed out about it and are sending her healing power! Hang in there Katheryn!!!!

We are headed off to Luxemburg today. We will race tomorrow and then go home (back to Lucca) after the race.

Crashing is never fun!!

This last trip had it's ups and downs, but most of the trip was good. I got through the racing and felt like I actually race, didn't just hang on for dear life. I was able to help my team and be a part of the race and that was really fun! The last race was going really good, legs didn't feel too bad and I was having good positioning for most of the day. And all of a sudden I found myself on the ground, bike on top of me, not moving. WTF! I have to admit that the crash scared me more than it hurt me. I landed on my left side and thought for sure I had broke my collar bone again. I got up handed my bike to our mechanic Andrew and ran to the car. Lucky, I am fine, no broken bones, just some soreness in my back and neck and some really good bruises and road rash! Wow, I was lucky and I am really glad my collar bone held up this time!

I guess it wouldn't be bike racing if there weren't crashes. I was really lucky through out the four races. I avoided probably about 10 crashes all together, but what can you do when you are taken out from behind.

We (Lauren, Alison and I) are back in Lucca recovering and nursing our wounds. Kat Carroll, Christine Thorburn, and Katheryn Curi Mattis will be joining us on Thursday.

Me and this little girl at the presentation, she was so cute and had on wooden clogs.

The girls being silly.

When you see lots of these, you know the race will be windy!

Belgium

We have been in Belgium for five days now and it has rained 4 of the days. We got really lucky though, race day it was supposed to be one of the worst storms in the century and we lucked out - no rain, snow, but just a little wind. Although we had pretty nice weather the cobbles were still wet and some even muddy from the storm the night before. There were so many crashes and because of my crappy positioning most of the day I was behind all of them. One point I had to run up the cobble section cyclocross style and I have to say calves are very sore today (due to the running). It was definitely an epic day for me and one of the hardest races I have ever done and I am very pleased that I finished Flanders. Not bad for my first time, but I hope next time I race cobbles I do a better job! Sorry no race pictures, but I do have some picture from our training ride.

Out my hotel window, architecture much different from Italy. Pretty in it's own way, but if I had a choice I would pick Italy to live/train any day.

Most of these areas are pretty flat, as you can see my the picture, no mountains in the back ground to be seen. Yesterday there were hill, but they were short and steep. This was a break in the clouds, it seems like the weather is constantly changing. One minute the sun is out and the next it is cloudy, gray, and raining.

See how everything is so green...it's because of all the RAIN!!!

P.S. I did hear someone yell "go Carmen" on the Muur, who could that have been? If anyone knows please tell me.