Elite Track Nationals-Racing Day 1

Alright. I've been here in LA since Monday,  and it's been awesome. I flew into LAX Monday morning, equally about 8 hours of travel time, and was picked up by the Godby family. Maddie and her mom have taken me under their wing this whole week and I am forever thankful for it. They are my... "non-related family"...so to speak. With my road bike already waiting for me in the big COS traveling RV, and my track bike in the back of the car, we departed off to the velodrome, where i got my first taste of a "real" track. 250m wood. And it is, indeed, beautiful. We dropped off the track bike, grabbed the road bike, and headed off to Grandma's house.

Once inside, i think i slept...maybe 2 hours? Let's just say, i was tired. Really, really tired. Coming fresh off collegiate nationals, i was...tired! I think, as a total on Monday, i got about 14 hours of sleep. It was spectacular.

3 weeks on the road.

Maddie and I ventured out for a ride along the beach. The house we are staying at is 12 blocks from the ocean, and it's absolutely beautiful. I love the smell of the water. And i forget how many crazy people live in LA. Characters for sure.


The next few days we went to the track and got used to the wood, steep banking, and how things work around there. It's different from COS and Indy!

Scratch Race:
haha. SKETCH! One of the most dangerous races i have ever been in. Absolutely crazy. But it was a great experience, and I'm glad i did it. I don't see myself as an "endurance" track racer anymore, and not that a scratch race is an endurance race, but it was a great race, and definitely helped me work on my bike skills!

Maddie and I before leaving for the beach! 

Keirin:
3rd 1st round, meaning i was in the rep, which i was 2nd in, meaning i went to round 2, where i was last, which meant that i went to the 7-12th final, where i finished 2nd, putting me in 8th place!
Wow, yeah. That's what happened! I love the keirin. Absolutely love it.

So, next on tab for the weekend are the match sprints tomorrow, and then the madison and team sprint on Sunday. Maddie and I will be doing the team sprint together, and I will be doing the Madison with Megan Hottman.

So, it's off to bed now. It's late. My stomach is full, and ready for a flying 200m tomorrow, and hopefully qualifying for some match sprinting! AFter a 2nd place in the sprints at collegiate nationals, I'm hoping to gain some more experience here at Elites.

Sleep well world!

Collegiate Track Nationals

500m Podium

Italian Pursuit

Points Race

Match Sprint Podium

What a complete switch of style.
Last year...2nd place in the points race. This year, i got lapped in the points, came back the next day, and was the 1st 200m qualifier, and got 2nd in the match sprints.
Outstanding. Complete change, switch around.

As I sit here in the Indianapolis airport, i can't begin to explain the week I've had. It's been so much fun. The Fort Lewis Team that we brought to nationals was outstanding. Such a great group dynamic, and this year, we had our coach Matt Shriver join us, for his first track nationals ever.

The crew consisted of: Coaches Matt Shriver and Ian Burnett, Dana Alia, Cody Stephenson, Griffin Easter, Andrew Llewellyn, Brian Morra, Ryan Cleveland, Allie Johnson, Sarah Sturm, Lauren Taylor, and myself. We also had David Llewellyn there, driving the Uhaul truck around with our bikes, bags, rollers, and everything you can name. We couldn't have done it without him.

The first day, we had the 3k, 4k, 500m, and 1k. This year, i placed 4th in the 500m with a time of 39.3, which is a whole 1.6 seconds faster than my time last year, which gave me 7th place.

We placed 5th in the Italian Pursuit this year, but we also had to do it twice because of a mechanical on the first lap of our first race.

Our girls team pursuit finished 3rd place.

And the most important race of all was the match sprint, where i placed 2nd. It was awesome. My first real match sprint experience, and i am extremely happy with that result. I qualified first for the 200m with a time of 13.06 which was .3 seconds faster than the next qualifier. And as the rounds went, i won the first and second round. Then we had an evening break, which then resulted in the semis and finals, which were both a possibility of 3 rides.

In my semi, i was matched against Stephanie Torres. She won the first ride, and i won the next two, sending my onto the finals. Then in the final round, i was paired against Jennifer Purcell, resulting in her winning the first two rounds. But it was a great ride, against a really fast and accomplished rider.

I finished up 4th in the individual omnium, which consisted of my 4th place 500m, absolutely horrible points race, and 2nd place match sprint.

So, now, my parents keep asking me, where are you now? What are you doing? Where are you heading? What exactly are you going to do about school? haha. Well, to answer those questions...I am in Indianapolis, i am heading to LA for elite nationals, and I'm going to work my butt off when i get back to Durango, just so i can start riding that cx bike :)

Italian Pursuit Team

Match Sprint Final

Individual Omnium Final

Not a bad nationals :)
(500m, team pursuit, italian pursuit, individual omnium, team omnium, and match sprint)

FLC Girls Pursuit Team

Never Hesitate

Recently, as far as going to school, driving, racing...the whole shebang...I've discovered, no matter what it is in life, never hesitate.
Well, if you are going to say something stupid, please hesitate.
But if it's passing a car on the highway, if you want to pass, just do it. Don't hesitate. When you hesitate, that's when the oncoming car appears, and it's too late.
When you're racing and someone goes for it, go! Don't wait, don't ponder that one last second. That last second is what is going to cost you the win.

So, now that i am less than a week away from heading to my third collegiate track nationals, i go in with this mindset. Never hesitate. I have more confidence in myself this year than i have ever had in anything else. I have the same feeling I've had going to the line in my junior dragster as a teenager, knowing that my car is so dialed, i know exactly what it is going to run, and i can cut the best light on the tree. That confidence has been instilled in me, from being on the track, from achieving so many of my goals this summer.

Never hesitate.
Never stop dreaming.
Never, never, never give up.

Dryside Velodrome-Pepsi Refresh Project

Way to much stuff i have nothing to do with

So, this post is all about getting rid of stuff i do NOT need.
I have everything listed on facebook...here's a link if you are a friend of mine.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=178091374722

And if not, check out geartrade and see if there's is anything you need that is posted.
Here's a quick list:

Nike Altea Li Carbon Road Shoe Size 39
FSA RD 400 Wheelset 700c : Brand New
Shimano DuraAce Shoe-Size 38
Salomon Skate 9 Pilot Boot
Timbuk 2 Messenger Bag
WTB Deva Thinline
Giant Gateway Comp Carbon Bottle Cage
Mavic Avenir Road Pedals and Cleats
Mavic Race Road Pedals and Cleats
Bontrager Race Lite Wheelset

There will be more later on as well, once i get everything moved in and everything.

So, I am back in Durango, going to classes, getting ready for a tough semester. Classes are going to be interesting, but seeing that it's my third year, i think i've figured out how to balance everything. I'm ready to take the dive and become a track sprinter, so it starts now, and my eyes are on Rio 2016.
So, help me out, and buy something. Or if there is anything you need, let me know. Cause i probably have something you would want. I just haven't unburied it yet :)