Life in a Day

Posted on by lindsay
7:00am: My iPhone alarm goes off, bringing to a screeching halt a disturbing dream in which I try to ride my bike through neck-deep mud. Excessive post-ride hydration from previous night means I have to pee, pangs of hunger are starting, and yet...snooze button. 7:09am: Why nine minutes, Apple? Why not an even number?? I am awake. Time to roll out of bed and hit the floor, literally, for the thrice-weekly core work routine of push-ups, back extensions, and some Pilates. 7:38am: Words With Friends, Facebook, Twitter...an exercise routine that would take 15 minutes of uninterrupted effort stretches out impressively with the distractions of an iPhone and a healthy dose of avoidance. 7:54am: I have packed the refrigerator into a plastic bag under the guise of 'lunch' and am sitting down to eat the same breakfast I have eaten every day for years. Two eggs, whole wheat toast, homemade latte, ...continue reading.

Reston: Where Thousands Cheer (if only my father laughs at that, it will be enough)

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Reston Grand Prix Criterium The Course: 8 corners, an hour, no idea of how many laps The Field: 1/2/3 women The Finish: 1st I really wanted to win Reston. It's a race in my own neighborhood, it's an important event for the XO team and sponsors, and I had family and friends coming out to watch. A few days before the race, I came down with the snotty, disgusting cold previously enjoyed by my Nature Valley teammates, but was determined to make the best of it. As for race tactics, I was undecided about how to handle being a marked rider with no teammates. Everybody knew I'd want to chase everything down and nobody would be willing to let me go without a fight. When the race started, I sat in for part of a lap and then went to the front to set a moderately high pace. My hope was that it would ...continue reading.

If I win this weekend, it will be brought to you in part by Nicki Minaj

Posted on by lindsay
When it comes to music preferences, I love Rufus Wainwright, Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Gomez, and a whole library of artists that would not be featured on a typical top-40 station. If you take a word and stick "The" in front, I will probably like their music (The Fratellis, The New Pornographers, The Like, The Black Keys, The Sounds, etc). When somebody asks what I listen to, I smugly answer "alternative" or, when I want to feel hip and edgy, "indie rock". I scoff at fans of Katy Perry or Ke$ha. "What obvious drivel," I think with a self-satisfied smile as I flip to an obscure song by Of Montreal. This is not the case while on a bicycle. When I have headphones in on a ride (blah blah blah, you can scold me all you want, my music is too loud to hear you anyway), I am listening to music most suited to high school ...continue reading.

NVGP: I hope you had the time of your life

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Nature Valley Grand Prix Stillwater Criterium The Course: 13 laps, 14 trips up Chilkoot Hill The Field: Pro 1/2 women The Finish: 19th on the stage, 14th on the GC First and foremost, here is our final video masterpiece as a team.  The videographer, who shall remain nameless to protect him from the masses of people who would mock his appalling love of liverwurst (seriously, it has the word wurst in the name, isn't that a hint??), asked that one of us make a joke referencing the fan shown in the background. After we finished making fun of him for being totally lame, of course I did it. The wurst part (see what I did there?) is that it's the kind of joke I would have made all on my own. Better to let him take the fall for it, though. [caption id="attachment_3220" align="alignnone" width="400"] Team director Michael Englemen interrupts our warm-ups to ask if anybody has ...continue reading.

NVGP: On the bright side, I got a lot of cadence practice

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Nature Valley Grand Prix Menomonie Road Race The Course: 81.3 miles, 4 laps on the finishing circuit The Field: Pro 1/2 women The Finish: 17th Things That Happened In This Race: 1. It poured rain while we waited to start. The announcer cheerfully told the crowds, "At least it's a warm rain!" He said this to 90 shivering, dripping riders while standing sheltered and dry under an awning. I wanted to shoot him with the starting gun. 2. We rode for many miles. Attacks were met with the full attention of the field and nothing stayed away. I made it into one small break that did not last. A few riders went solo up the road and were left to dangle by the field. Nothing says "non-threat!" like the field not bothering to chase you. 3. Which is why it stung a little when I attacked and was left to chill ...continue reading.

NVGP: If I tell you my secret plan, it’s not a secret plan, DUH

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Nature Valley Grand Prix Uptown Minneapolis Crit The Course: 28 laps, 6 corners The Field: Pro 1/2 women The Finish: 9th We got home from last night's crit really late and I squandered my free time this morning poking the asshole cat and inserting "that's what SHE said" into conversations. As a result, writing this report got pushed to the last minute and now I'm writing it during the van ride to the next race. If you want real insight into my charming pre- and post-race personality, you can see my Nature Valley feature video here. Also, who says "prognosticate" in an interview while riding the trainer? I can't decide if I deserve props or a bitchslap. My teammates vote for the latter. This is why I love them. The race was tough - I was nearly involved in four crashes, four of my teammates hit the ground (and bounced with minimal ...continue reading.