Stifling tears, she pressed her face to the cold fence and strained to hear the sounds of laughter and whirring hubs echoing in the distance

Posted on by lindsay
This is what happens when it's a recovery ride day and your coach says NO to the group ride you planned to join: After riding v e r y  s l o w l y  by myself, I joined the group at the post-ride breakfast and spotted My First Crush working the bar. This boy was in 3rd grade while I was in 2nd, but we were in a mixed 2/3 class together and he was the first person to win my wee little six-year-old heart. I've seen him around the breakfast place before and heard people call him by name, so yeah, I know without a doubt that it's him. [And yeah, I feel like a creeper, no need to say it.] He has no idea who I am or that I once tried to impress him by flashing my copy of "The Babysitters' Club: Goodbye Stacey, Goodbye" (what ...continue reading.

Business or Pleasure?

Posted on by lindsay
I went for a bike ride last night. On the surface, this should not sound unusual. Riding is pretty much my whole life, especially if you don't count eating, which I do anyway because I have to believe that all of the eating I do is in service of my riding (including the root beer float I had after work, right before I had that other root beer float). Last night was different, however. I went out for a bike ride strictly to ride my bike. Like, just ride it around. No training plan, no kit, no waterbottle, no destination, just street clothes, a bike, and a helmet. Even the cycling computer stayed home, although that was less because I was at peace with the idea of riding data-free and more because the battery died. It was as if fate had beckoned me to go forth and pedal aimlessly. Fate ...continue reading.

Second Never Felt So Good

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Jefferson Cup Road Race/Nature Valley Pro Chase Qualifier The Course: 5 laps of a 10-mile lap The Field: 1/2 Women The Finish: 2nd I have never spent so much time starting a race report. There is no logical way to report on an event that can best be described with a "SQUEEEEEEEEE!" and maybe some spirit fingers. Before I even try, I need to start by thanking Monika, who dedicated her race to helping me and reminded me of all the ways in which she is an amazing teammate and rider. The Lead-Out The days leading up to Jeff Cup passed in a fog of anxiety. I wanted the Pro Chase qualifier so badly that I could think of little else. I'd already analyzed the start list to figure out what to expect - my guess was that with the collection of strong riders from multiple teams, nothing was going to stay ...continue reading.

A title is really just asking too much of me right now

Posted on by lindsay
Holy shitballs, I am a hot mess today. I went into the bathroom at the office expecting to see business as usual in the mirror and that my crappy, dragging feeling was all in my head, and instead saw a face that said HEY THERE, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN DEAD. I'm not sleep-deprived but I feel exhausted and - here's the really shocking part - I have no appetite. That's terrifying for somebody whose entire existence revolves around food, to the point where a stranger talked me into eating an unidentifiable cookie off a tray of unknown age and origin this past Wednesday. Wait. And I haven't been feeling very well since then... Honestly, I think it's fatigue from anxiety about an upcoming event that shall not be named. Suffice it to say that last night, during the entirety of a Chinese dancing performance at the Kennedy Center, my thoughts went ...continue reading.

Big Brother Is Watching Your Shoe Covers

Posted on by lindsay
There was an article on VeloNews.com recently about new rules imposed by the UCI with regards to lawyer tabs on forks, sock length, CamelBak placement, and several other areas. The backlash from readers was immediate, with many thinking it was an early April Fool's prank and others irritated by the absurdity of the regulations. I don't disagree that the UCI is wasting time regulating silly things when they could be serving a much better purpose [insert section in which I climb on the soapbox about women's racing], but it's the other readers' comments that are worth reading: On the requirement for lawyer tabs on forks... "It's about time the UCI addressed this issue, look at how many times we see front wheels flying down mountains unattached from their bikes because the professional mechanics are inept at tightening a skewer." "Don't be ridiculous, the UCI knows what they're doing. It's been a long ...continue reading.

In the words of my race videographer, “winning at second place”

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Black Hills Circuit Race The Course: 10 laps a of 1.5 mile circuit The Field: 1/2/3/4 Women The Finish: 2nd I never understood why people would say, "I won the field sprint!" "Oh, so you won?" "Well, no, but I won the field sprint." That seemed like boasting that I was the first person to cross the line wearing orange. But after yesterday's race, I totally get it. I came in second at Black Hills, but I won the field sprint! Let's just focus on that part. There were two goals for the day: help my teammate Ky earn upgrade points and remember how to race. It had been exactly six months since my last race and in that time, I'd forgotten how to do things like pack for races, warm up in a structured manner, and wait calmly on the start line while not struggling to hold back ...continue reading.