My blogging inadequacies...

I have been a very naughty blogger. No updates since Philly. My motivation to finish one of these things has been rather low lately. I have been racing, I promise. In fact i have been racing a lot and the next couple of weeks are full road trips and race weekends. I have tried to write some blogs but every time i start one i get distracted and forget to finish. It's a severe case of ADHD and I am pretty sure I need to be on the drugs for it but not sure that is the route i want to take so I will go on being easily distracted and any readers will have to forgive me for my lack of follow through on these oh SO very important racing/life updates that i know you can't live without.

(Toona report is from July) I started this in July - Just got back from the Tour de Toona on Monday. Toona is notorious for being the toughest women's stage race in America. It is 7 days long and has quite a bit of climbing. I rode for a composite team called Bike Hugger and at the end of the week, this team turned out to be very competitive with the top teams in America taking 6th in team GC.

This year's Toona was very unique. The race started with a TTT, which was a unknown beast to many. None of the teams except maybe one got to really practice this event before hand. It was exciting and fun but also made me quite nervous. Here is a pic of our team starting out. We had a solid TTT performance. As for the rest of Toona, well go to cyclingnews.com and get the info.
I had good finishes. One day got in a 70 mile break and somehow finished with the lead group. That was fun. The crit was a blast too. Nothing like finishing a tough 7 day stage race with a screaming fast leg burning crit. My favorites.
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Since Toona, I have raced the Charlotte Criterium, Hanes Park Crit, Elk Grove, a local TTT with the Harris Teeter Girls (in which we set the Women's TTT record), Mengoni Grand Prix anc Chris Thater. The most exciting of them being Mengoni in Central Park.

I won Mengoni in a solo break with 3 miles to go. What a fantastic race! Yarden, my teammate from Israel, Hiroko and I decided we had plenty of time if we left CT at 4:20 am and make it to the race that started at 6:00am. We got there with about 15 minutes till the start and it was still dark out when we started. It was the most fun I have had in a long time in a race. Here is a pic of me crossing the line in Central Park. You gotta take advantage of these pics when you get them or at least I do, since they are rare!


Since that weekend, my season for Targetraining has come to a close. I have been at home doing some local races. It's totally different racing than NRC's. In fact, sometimes it's painful. The pack is happy to cruise and rarely launches attacks at all. Typically I like to be aggressive in these races. I want to make it hard from the beginning and make girls' legs hurt. This is racing not some Sunday afternoon tea party...Sometimes it pays off but often times I try so hard for a break, i wear my self out. Yesterday I tried a different tactic. Some would call it patience. I tried so hard it hurt worse than going hard. I sat and sat and sat in the pack till we hit this little roller and I had to attack just to see if there was anyone to respond. I had a gap and then sat up. Just wanted to play some little games but unfortunately I was too patient and waited for it to come down to a field sprint, which is the last thing I want. Someday I am going to learn that to be a sprinter one must get up out of the saddle and bumps a few elbows if I want to win a sprint. Maybe next time.

The season is not over yet. There are a couple of races that I am looking forward to very much. Bermuda Grand Prix is next week. I am guest riding on Cheerwine which will be very exciting. My good friend Beth Frye will be with me drinking fruity drinks, trying to get LVG and Kelly B. to the finish line and trying to even out the cycling skinsuit tan. I am almost positive when we come to town for this race, the locals get so scared of the bad tans lying around, they probably just stay inside. I am also intrigued by the moped stories I have heard about. I want one so bad that I just may have to bring it home with me or ride it to VEGAS.

After Bermuda, it's time for Vegas, BABY!!!! This year is going to be much better than last. All the racers will be in town for the big crit on thurs night. Most will be ending their season after this so I am sure Vegas will be rockin after the race. Good times 4-sho! This is what we have been waiting all season for...Like last year, most of the photos from Vegas will not make the blog. It will give you incentive to come out and play next year.

Lots of other exciting things have gone on like Miss Lucy being repossessed (only for a couple of hours) but in order for you to be in the know i have to be a more competent blogger. Miss Lozano, former teammate turned business school professional, wrote some rules for blogging just the other day. Keep your children far away from this blog!!! I do have to agree she makes some valid points here...enjoy but only just a little.

More in a more timely fashion, I promise...