Sisterhood of the Traveling Bibs

Posted on by lindsay
Are you familiar with the Hunger Games? If not, climb out from under your rock, take a second to do some Googling, and come back. Also, Michael Jackson passed away. Sorry to break the news. I thought the Nature Valley Pro Chase would have an element of Hunger Games-esque drama. After all, many of us are here because we want to ride as professionals, there are only so many spots to go around, and this is a race. It's a recipe for wanting to kill and eat your competition, especially because we are cyclists and we eat everything (and then put on spandex and stress about being fat). Before I came here, I was worried about how it would be to live with the other pro chase qualifiers while calling them teammates. It turns out that those concerns were unnecessary. The other women on my team are funny, smart, interesting, ...continue reading.

It’s never a bad idea to jump into a pool in your clothes

Posted on by lindsay
[caption id="attachment_3135" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Yesterday was my first attempt at motor pacing; today was my first try riding with a radio. Tomorrow I enter the Tour de France."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3136" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Mid-ride tea party on the side of the road."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3137" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="When chicks get together to ride, we stop to save turtles and take photos. Not pictured: pillow fighting, nail polishing."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3138" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="I was on my way to the shower and somehow ended up in the pool in my clothes."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3139" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="My fellow campers are not ones to sit out a good time. We even had bubbles."][/caption]

It’s actually rather easy being green

Posted on by lindsay
[caption id="attachment_3125" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="The team rolling out for a ride."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3126" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Our kits match our team car, which is stocked with bottles, food, and a team director. I've never felt more pro."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3127" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Our kits from Decca are comfortable and well-made, but I'm not so sure about the look of a double-sided chamois. I prefer to keep my girl parts inside my kit."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3128" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Contemplating a career as a John Deere saleswoman."][/caption]

Welcome to the Jungle

Posted on by lindsay
I got a call up at the airport! Apparently this is what happens when you nearly miss your flight because you had to stop for a soft pretzel. I sprinted onto the plane and was greeted by a sea of silent, staring faces who all watched me wrestle my luggage into the overhead compartment. SO AWKWARD. The man seated next to me seemed less than excited to be my neighbor, but the feeling was mutual as I quickly realized he was not a believer in the powers of deodorant. Then the woman in front of me handed her small daughter a large plastic bag and instructed, "Throw up into this if you need to, honey." She'd better have brought two, because if her kid had erupted, that soft pretzel was going to reappear. After 2.5 hours of watching that woman's children behave like spoiled, rabid monkeys and fantasizing about pushing them ...continue reading.

The Dark Side of the Moon

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Liberty Classic The Course: 60 miles The Field: Pro 1/2 women The Finish: 31st I told a lie the other day. When talking to a coworker about my upcoming race at the Wilmington Grand Prix, I said I would be happy just to finish in the top 10. This was untrue; I knew I'd only be happy finishing in the top five, but was afraid to admit that and then have to report back on Monday and look like I'd failed. This bothers me, especially because I've done it before. I try to calibrate the expectations of people around me so it looks like I'm accomplishing something. That's disingenuous and cowardly and I don't want to do it again. If I'm willing to admit to some pretty unflattering things - crying before races, dealing with anxiety over eating, watching shows where the target demographic has yet to hit puberty - then I ...continue reading.