Nature Valley Continued...

We had a decent day yesterday in the road race. We got active about halfway through the race to see if we could get things going with a breakaway, but we were always chased down (pretty much right away). It made for an aggressive race in one sense... however it seemed like the real race began once we entered the finishing circuits. Our team goal for the day was to make sure that Kristin was there for a top finish. She came in just outside of the podium and the rest of us were right there in the mix.
Today was a new day--- Kristin stormed the Time Trial and took over the GC lead. I believe that we are also winning the Team GC... but I have not seen the official result on that. I have to say... I liked the time trial, which is very rare for this little pocket rocket sprinter! I didn`t go "hard" or anything, but I just loved riding in my own rhythm and the sound of the disc wheel... it was the first time I`ve ever ridden with actually.. At first I kept thinking people were catching me, and then I realized it was the sound of my own bike I was hearing!! .... hahaha. Such a rooky...
So we go into this evening looking to defend our lead...we`ve got a fast and technical criterium coming our way with time bonus sprints, so it ought to be exciting! Again... stay tuned :)
Oh and on another note... I`m still feeling limited by the pain in my back, and it`s a little bit frustrating... but I`m being patient with the healing process, and doing what I can for the team. Still having a great time racing!

Not Tonight..

Too tired to write a report. No changes in GC at the moment, but we have a time trial early in the morning and that should shake things up a bit. Stay tuned....
ps) i had to race on Advil today because the body is STILL not coming around...bullocks!

Nature Valley-- from The Lipton Camp Perspective

Just a quick race recap, as I assume most folks are following the race on cyclingnews.com, but anyway -- I think anyone would say that today`s criterium was a challenging one. The course was swift and technical, with a couple of slight uphill drags. As a team, we wanted to take charge of the race and set a good tone for the overall event. We were hot on the front all the time, and then Kristin made a nice little split in the field after the "Queen of the Hill" sprint mid-race. That sprint effort caused the break and Kristin was in it. We were very happy with the situation since we are shooting to have her defend her overall victory title from last year at this race. Anyway, the break worked incredibly well for us, Kristin gained some valuable time on some of the other GC (general classification) contenders. So as of now, the race seems to be working in our favor....we`ll just have to work to keep it that way!
For me personally...It was great to race with all the girls again. After having raced solo alot on the east coast while they were all up at Montreal, it was really nice to play the game of bike racing in a team setting again. I have to admit though... this was not the best day for my body on the bike. It was my first real effort since crashing, and with my back still not in check, I just wasn`t feeling all that super. Mentally, I`m really motivated, but physically... my energy was a little low. However, I found my legs here and there --think I might have still eeked out a top five in the field sprint ...and with a little more time I should be coming around even better. I`m glad to be here....

Nature Valley... here we come.

Up next for TEAm LIPTON is Nature Valley Grand Prix.
www.minnbikefestival.com

Living

Why is it that nothing makes me happier than a day on my bike?

Bici Sport Cycling Clinic

It`s incredibly rewarding to teach others what you know.

Newman has replaced the Oreo

If Paul Newman didn't get into cookie making, my life would be less enjoyable :)
...and on another note, The Honeysuckle has replaced The Mojito in my book.
ok...one more thing, I met my first male Diamond. interesting to say the least.

Pink is my new favorite color...

I have discovered that my banged up body has become quite the conversation piece. I am suddenly meeting and talking to ALL sorts of strangers who are curious about my bandages. I'm amazed at how many people think I crashed on a motorcycle! Really though.... the conversations and encounters have been bizarre to say the least. I was even offered a full body massage at a gas station! Oh man.....
I just hope my bum heals up quickly because sitting on the pink patch is so not enjoyable.

oh bebe it's a hot one

Breath for a minute breath breath for a minute.....

Spent some quality time in the hyperbaric chamber today, to aid in the healing of my oozing wounds and banged up body.
I was in there for an hour to be exact... and I fell sound asleep.
This thing is the real deal.
Thank you Dr. Grund :)

Sweet Homecoming...

Somebody's happy to have his mama home, but his mama was not so happy to receive the bill for the broken computer ordeal that happened in the last week of school.
Anyone got $1,000.00 extra dollars?!!

Philly

This picture tells the story of TEAm LIPTON teamwork, and the story that we reached our goal for the day -- Kristin won the race for the Queen of The Mountains Jersey.
That was awesome.


This picture below tells the story of what happens when things get tight...really tight, in the last kilometer of racing. There was no intentional bumping or shoving going on... just some handlebars touching, which caused some contact, which caused some of us hit the deck. Nobody can be happy about crashing, especially so close to the finish of such an epic race... but accidents do happen, and as they say, that's bike racing. Luckily, we all walked away from it! Personally, my clothes were torn to shreds and my body has road rash all over both arms and elbows, one shoulder and leg and one whole butt cheek! --but I should heal up soon...and hopefully so will everyone else who went down.

www.actionimages.cc

peep this website. good pics going on.....

Back in the mix....

Getting started. On the line in Raleigh (with my friend and former teammate, Rachel Heal).

Just finished the Memorial Day weekend NRC criterium circuit. First was Raleigh, then came Baltimore, and lastly Somerville.
It`s good to be back in the thick of it on the NRC circuit, but the racing is just SO different from Europe that I feel a bit like a fish out of water. Lipton was in Europe while the rest of the teams were duking it out at the Southeast Criterium series, and most of the teams/racers seem to be pretty dialed in with their criterium plans. It seems to be taking me more than a minute to adjust back to the U.S. racing. Crazy how easy it is to lose a little bit of the explosive edge, as well as a little bit of patience when you haven`t been doing criteriums in awhile. I have been feeling really good lately though (thanks to all the racing in Italy), so every race I have tried to get going off the front... but for some reason nobody has worked with me... as a matter of fact, it appears that (at least up to this point) most teams have been quite content to attack simply to soften the field, or cover moves and shut them down... then play it all out for a field sprint. We`ll see what happens when Ina shows up....... :)

My Dad would say.. "It's payback time."

I'm in Raleigh, N.C.
Yesterday, the day before the twilight criterium.... I`m minding my own business, driving along looking for the rental car return location. I have my kit on, my bike in the back, and things are going smoothly. My cellphone rings.... I don`t recognize the number, but its local to Santa Rosa, so I pick up.
Here`s where it all begins:

"Hello, Ms. Lyons?" ...

Me- "Yes?"

"Hi, this is Ms. so and so Sather. I am the Assistant Principal at Rincon Valley Middle School. I am in the office with Myles right now and I have you on speaker phone. Myles would you like to explain to your mother what happened today in science class."

Myles goes on to tell me that he was messing around with an iBook computer at school, and for no apparent reason, decided to stick a piece of lead into a side opening. The lead got stuck and broke, and now the computer doesn`t work.
The assistant principal proceeds to tell me that this is considered vandalism. Myles will be suspended from school for three days, and will he will (which essentially means I will) have to pay for any and all repairs needed to the computer.

Lovely. Taking a deep breath.....

Me-- "Thank you for the call, Ms. Sather."
"Myles will you please call me from your cell phone in fifteen minutes, as soon as the bell rings and you are out of school."

I will not tell you what happened when he called, but I will tell you that it wasn't pretty. no it wasn't.
I am posting this picture just to remind myself how much I love my son... even though I want to kick hiss ass into tomorrow....ahem.

Working hard or hardly working?

it`s always hectic to get bills done before travel, nevermind yardwork --ughh!

life`s little obstacles

made it through without touching.. sweet.

Fast Legs!

... And another personal best for Myles.
He ran 5:07 in the mile for second place at the district championships.
It was awesome. Man those kids were flying! The winner was 5:05!

Coming back around...

Having swollen legs seemed to be a relatively normal "side effect" of travel, but little did I know what would come my way upon returning home.
I knew that my sleep patterns would be off, but nobody ever told me I could very well have bouts of nausea on and off for a whole week after flying back! It has been a very strange nine days, but I think I`m coming back around now. I actually felt sort of back to normal by Monday....just in time to make a day trek up to Tahoe and back the very next day. It was an eighteen-hour day all in all, but well worth the travel. It`s really beautiful up there.... too bad I had to go there and back in a day.
The distance didn't seem to be the issue though, because I think I got the European driving bug -- 90mph seemed like it should be the pace... I'm going to have to curb myself of driving that speed!
Below is a picture of me after a full day of work in Tahoe. I was up there doing my very first modeling shoot (I know I know... but really I`m serious!). That was a LONG day at the office! And let me tell you, I now have a whole new appreciation for the modeling profession! That stuff is not as easy at looks! It`s a whole different type of skill to look relaxed and ease, while pretending to look like you're fishing!! -- or how about running back and forth for an hour until they capture just the "right look" ...my calves hurt from that one! ;-) -- all the while, wearing clothes that are pinned and clipped to look better fitted and wearing shoes that feel like small boats (yea... you try running and looking normal in all that!)
Ohh... I have to laugh...It was reallly fun. And the people on the crew for the shoot were so nice.... they made me feel about as comfortable as possible with the whole experience.
You can check out the company that I was doing the shoot for at www.ActivaSports.com
but don`t expect to see me in the catalog til Fall 2007 :) --

Anyway... it was day filled with new challenges, beautiful surroundings, good times and great people... my favorite things.

Way to say it...

Thanks to Judith Ardnt for putting it so eloquently....

"A lot of people don't understand that cycling is team sport, they think that you only want to be modest when you call a win a team victory. I think it's just hard to explain to people exactly what teamwork in cycling looks like. It's not only about getting bottles or protecting each other from the wind or policing breakaways. It's also about learning to trust each other, to motivate or to calm down each other and just to be there for each other. When you get close to your limits or you get weak, you sometimes lose your confidence. Then you need people who tell you that you are the strongest, and give you the feeling that whatever happens they will be there for you, and all will be safe. That's also team work".