Taking chances

My teacher from the homeschooling program I go to would just shake his head when seeing this title because it is so cliche; and although it sounds like a title of a cheesy romance movie, you just need to bear with me. This blog is not going to be cliche or romantic, but the title does sum up the message.

A couple of weeks ago, I raced the famous Berkeley Hills road race. I had ridden the course once before, but hardly remembered it, so the fam and I drove it the night before. While doing so, I was thinking, "Wow, this course is awesome... I think I can do really well tomorrow!". When we drove over the Three Bears, I thought, "Those are nothing! I will be able to spin right up them." Totally jazzed, I went to bed that night looking forward (maybe with a little to much eagerness) to race the next day.

After the crazy (but usual), get up, get dressed in five minutes, and rush to breakfast, then rush to the car, and speed along the highway, we made it alive to the start of the race.  I was even more jazzed when I saw the familiar kits of Vanderkitten and Now and Novartis. I always love the challenge of racing with the big girls! I signed up, warmed up, got a few tips from Beth Newell, then was off racing the Berkeley hills road race in the W1/2/3 category.



I look super happy at the start, but trust me, I did not look like this at the end.

I made sure I was on the right wheels, and in the right places, at the right times. I made it through the first few rollers and attacks, then before I knew it, we were at the base of the three bears climb. I was climbing... my heart rate was spiking, yet everyone was pulling ahead of me... I am pedaling backwards... the top is almost here.. almost... try to catch the next group.. ERR!!!

I watched the peleton pull away in the distance, while feeling helpless and cursing my legs, left in their dust...  I was not planning on finishing the race after that, but I was going to make myself do at least 3 laps. The rest of the race I was thinking, "ouch, ouch, ouch.....", with every pedal stroke "ouch, ouch, ouch". I was literally hobbling along. Half way into the second lap, I was caught by a Los Gatos rider. She was kind enough to let me sit on her wheel... the draft was like an oasis in a hot desert. At the end of the third lap, I was so ready to finish my race. Yet something was telling me to go on, not to stop... so on I went. In my 4 years of racing (130 races) I have only DNFed twice. So I think part of it was motivation to keep it at two for awhile longer, and the other part was just to get a good workout. A lap later, I was climbing up the Third Bear, hardly anyone was at the finish. I crossed the line, and felt a huge relief, I also felt zonked out of my mind. Yes, I still love this course, and I am definitely looking forward to next year.

Last weekend, was Folsom Criterium and Memorial Day Criterium. Both days I raced a W3 race and a W1/2/3 race. Both W1/2/3 races were so much fun, filled with so many attacks throughout the race. At Folsom, 2 riders got off the front in the last few laps. They were within sight. Before the first turn I thought, "Hmm. Maybe I can catch them". So I attacked going into the turn and immediately got a gap, which surprised me. I was so close to them, maybe within 4 bike lengths, just killing myself, before they picked the pace up and my legs said, "enough's enough!". Memorial day went down the same way, lots of attacks. I found myself bridging gaps, all in all, just having  a great time!

So the moral of the story is: to improve, you need to do the work. It does not come from sitting in the back and sprinting at the finish. Improvement comes from being in a little over your head, like at Berkeley Hills, but not dropping (and of course keeping a positive attitude). It comes from killing yourself and bridging attacks, or attacking. Improvement comes from taking chances. For me cycling is not about being on the podium every single race, it is a much larger picture. It is the hope of eventually being on a larger team, racing NRC races, and racing in Europe. All of this requires taking chances.


Now onto some news! This year I will not be at Nationals because I am going to race a huge Jr. stage race in Rimouski, Canada. Both are in July, so it would be to much traveling for me and also too expensive for me to do both. Here is the link to the site:

http://www.tourdelareleve.ca/home.php

This is a huge trip, and I will be needing all the help I can get! Anything would be much appreciated! This is the site that you could donate to:

http://www.gofundme.com/32uj3g

Thank you all for your support! Next up: Jr state TT championships!

Racing the 'Hell of the North': True Grit

Here in Norcal we have some pretty epic spring classics. My season began with the Bicycle Plus Winter Crit, which I used to get in the groove of racing again. Bicycle Plus Winter Crit was followed up in the next weekend by one of my favorite races, Coppertown Circuit race, of which I placed 4th in the W3's, and later on in the day, I raced the W1/2/3 (I totally blew up in that race, but it was a wonderful training day).

Bicycle Plus Winter Crit

 

A week later, I hit up another favorite of mine, the well known Snelling RR! The W3's was slow in the beginning, but boy, the power was really put out in the second half of the race! I was pretty happy with my tenth place, considering the amount of effort I spent bridging breaks, attacking, and counter attacking.

Snelling!

 

The two more recent crits I have raced is the first year Red Kite criterium, and good old Land Park criterium. With both, I raced in the W1/2/3, both were very fast, and both had large turnouts! The day after Land Park was Bariani road race, new course, yet the same old brutal wind! This race I had a very fun time since I raced with the W1/2/3... Although it was a race for third only ten minutes into the race, and although the average speed was low, there were still some very strong attacks, a few of which I had the honor to bridge up to. So I was able to do some work in the W1/2/3, where as last year I was holding on, so this is a big improvement.

Land Park Crit

After giving as brief of a description of my first few races as I could manage, I shall now transition to the main topic of this blog, which is about the most epic and grueling race I have completed yet, the 'Hell of the North', the ominous Copperopolis road race! Like most blogs, this one just popped in my head as I was riding along.

Copperopolis, Photo Credits: Alex Chiu

 It was after I swallowed a couple pieces of asphalt (which there was an excessive amount around) and I picked a piece out from in between my teeth, the name 'True Grit' came to mind. It came to mind not only because it is one of my favorite westerns, and not only because I was covered in grit, but also because of the determination shown by Mattie Ross. And for a little I could relate. Although I was not out to seek vengeance against a man who killed my father, I was feeling the determination.  Why? Well because I was dropped, and it was the second time I was dropped.

 

 I just could not find my climbing legs. The first time I dropped, I was able to chase back on to the leaders pretty quickly (same with everybody else who was dropped, the lead group was not making a point of keeping the pace up after the climb) but after the second time around they realized that they did not really want people to chase back on. So they were riding real hard, and the group that formed of which I was in was chasing real hard (most of us chased the first time after the climb, too). And so it was, that was the rest of the race, we caught a lady who dropped from the leaders, and another caught up to us. Our race basically was just split in half of those who could climb very well, and those who couldn't.

 

But, boy, did I kill myself out there. 3 laps on that course is not easy (each lap is 21 miles with about 1,500 feet of climbing, not to mention the roads are almost equivalent to cobbles)! One great thing about bike racing, is even when you are dropped or in a bad situation, if you continue to keep on keeping on and maintain a positive mind set, all you will do is become stronger because of it (and in some races, such as Copperopolis, you'll get legs covered in asphalt)!

My legs covered in grit, and my road rash from
last weeks cornering practice tumble

 

I now am going to focus on my climbing (I have to go searching for those legs, because I do not know where they went), along with time trialing. After this weekend of racing, and my whole past week of training, I am now really looking forward to the Chico stage race, which is coming up right around the corner. Last year was a blast, this year should be, too! People, you need to come up and check this race out!

 

 Hope to see you out there!

Out of Hibernation

I am surprised with my ability to hold in that, "If I don't race, I'm gonna die", feeling all winter long! Had it been last winter, I would have been over-whelmed with that 'feeling', to the point where days passed by like months. This winter, however, days passed by like minutes, and all of the sudden one morning I woke up and realized that my first race was in two weeks! OK, since I am technically still doing my winter training, I can't say that I held that  'feeling' in all winter long, because since two weeks ago, I JUST COULD NOT WAIT TO RACE! Believe me, those two weeks have passed by slowly.

I think the reason why this winter passed by so quickly, was because I took my competitive edge to the classroom. So instead of it lingering around me, wishing to be set loose, it was busy trying to get the best grade in Geometry Class. Last semester I got straight A's. I also found the inner math genius in me. Surprising because I barely understood math, then it clicked, and now I am getting A's and tutoring!

My training was more structured around heart rate. I had never had a heart rate monitor until a few months ago. I believe I learned a lot about what raises my heart rate and stresses me, along with what positions on the bike and mind set, relaxes me. It was quite amusing, actually. I would be riding along relaxed, at a consistent heart rate when a squirrel almost runs into my wheel!!! Startled, I would jump and slam on my brakes; then curse under my breath when the squirrel decides that continuing straight ahead might be a suicide mission (duh), so it turns around and scampers off to where it came from (laughing at me, I assume). My heart rate spiked 30 bpm higher then it should have been. I would say, squirrels are a definite stressor for me, every time I see one, my heart rate begins to rise...

I have sagged the local race/ride in Chico called Paskenta, for years before I was even racing. Paskenta is a pretty long, and brutal century with five miles of gravel, and most of the time, horrible wind. The scenery is beautiful though, and it is fun to watch the race, since several Pro riders come out. In 2011, I raced at the Cherry Pie Criterium, and Cherry Pie is the same day as Paskenta, Superbowl Sunday. Last year I rode the 75 mile loop, so did not get to sag. This year though, I wanted to sag. So, I rode the course a week before, so I could sag on race day! After sagging for many years, I was so surprised, and happy to see so many women finish the race in the lead group, and many were Pro women from Now and Novartis.

And I am happy to say, after an awesome winter of training and the inspiration of Paskenta, I finally get to race today, down in Folsom. So Excited! I am also happy to get to see so many great friends that I have not seen for a few months!

I will keep you all posted :D

End of the season

Yes, It is the end of another season of racing, and now, I am in the middle of my two weeks 'off" the bike. Although it is very relaxing, and I know I should enjoy these couple weeks off, I can't help but think of my races this last year, which makes me think about the things I want to improve on, which makes me want to begin my winter training so I can become stronger, and that makes me think about how much I want next season to come around... NOW!

But that is not going to happen for another 5 months! Aliya, stay calm, stay calm, you can do this, you don't have to have everything happen at the moment you want it to happen. So DEAL!

So during this time 'off ' the bike my family and I picked up a new puppy, I am beginning to pack on the schoolwork so I have only a little amount when the 2013 race season comes along, and I am looking forward to some hikes!

.....

OK, here I go again, thinking about last season, winter training (Need. To. Get. STRONGER) and next season.

While I am thinking about all of that, I might as well talk about it. So here I go, rewind all the way back to February 19th 2012, Copper Town Circuit race...

My eye lids were heavy, I wished to fall back asleep, but couldn't. It was the first out of many times this year that I would wake up at a most abnormal hour, to drive 4 hours to somewhere. Yes, it was the beginning of the 2012 race season. I could not fall back asleep for that very reason. I was just so excited! February 19th was also the first day that I would race as a W3.

I had placed 5th, which was not bad for the first race of the year. And after that, the craziness began.
Race after race. Hours upon hours in the car. Back and fourth to the Bay Area. In the beginning of the season, my family and I drove over to Tucson, AZ for the Tucson Bicycle Classic. The courses are really awesome, and I look forward to racing it again next year! Other trips were to Monterey for Sea Otter, and Georgia for Nationals.

I have really adapted to the hours spent in the car. I enjoy it because of the time I spend with my family, the scenery (all though I probably have memorized every turn in the road, from here to the Bay Area), and the excitement for the upcoming race.

This season I have acquired meaningful experiences from the W1/2/3 fields. Especially races like Fast and Furious and Tour de Nez where I had great opportunities to race with pros from Exergy, Vanderkitten, and Now and Novartis.

Some people have asked me whether or not I feel burned out from racing. Although I am relieved that I get some time off the bike, the answer is a definite no. When I have made a  mistake in a race, or realized that I could have done something else to get a better placing, I never feel discouraged. I always want to continue to improve, and that is what drives me to keep racing. Because when I do learn from my mistakes, I am usually successful in a race, and I become pumped and want to race even more! So basically its this whole cycle: Make mistake, learn from mistake, succeed, get happy, race more!

Racing has really brought my family together, also. In all reality, how many families actually travel around the state and country just to race bikes!? We get to see cool places, and it's also hard to ignore each other while cooped up in that small area, might as well have a discussion! Racing has even extended my family. I have met some very cool people that have helped me learn and grow, as an athlete and a person. I can't thank those people enough, because I really love this sport, and want to advance in it, and  they have helped do so.

I am grateful for every conversation, all of the encouragement, and MOST of the teasing. Thank you everyone! And thousands of thanks to my parents, for driving me to races weekend after weekend. I know there are other things you could be doing, such as finishing the barn and working with the horses, but you continue to take me to races because you know I love it, and that I want to go far with the sport, and you guys love it too!!! : )

I will keep everyone updated!

Dunnigan Hills RR

At Dunnigan hills RR last weekend, I had a really great experience, which became devastating at the end, but all in all it was great. I had a different feeling, a feeling of domination.
I must admit that I have never really had that feeling about races before, not until Dunnigan hills RR. I have never actually envisioned myself winning a race either, I was just out there to have fun and learn some cool stuff. That's why Dunnigan hills was different from most of my races, and it is also why Dunnigan hills was so devastating.

Photo Credits: Dale Tapley

The most difficult challenge that I've had to overcome, is being aggressive within the pack. There have been times when I've been pushed around and bumped, which caused me to feel uncertain, and retreat to the back of the peloton. That fear messed up some of my races. The last couple of weekends, I've overcome that fear, (I think riding in the Fast50, Chico's local race ride, really helped) and I really felt a difference at Dunnigan hills. It's a wonderful accomplishment.

 My goal going into Dunnigan hills, was to make a break. When that did not happen, I told myself if I wanted to do well, I would have to be in the top five riders when we hit the 2k point. When I was sitting 5th wheel at 2k to go, I knew that I could win the race. I was  feeling great. The lead rider began to go into the S turn right before the 1k mark a little too  tight, I knew it was a mistake before she skidded out and crashed off the side of the road... the roads were just so narrow. I too, began to feel my wheels slip out from underneath me, and I thought that I would crash also, I managed to stay up; but I had gone into the gravel. I attempted to catch back on for few yards, and then my tire flatted! :(

It's funny,a couple nights before Dunnigan hills, I had the best dream ever. In that dream, I was racing at Dunnigan hills, and I had that same dominating feeling. I had attacked several times, and finally created a break with a few other riders. I was feeling really good, and I was really close to the finish, but then my Mom woke me up, so I did not get to see how I did! At first I was a little mad, because I thought it would be so cool to see myself win, but now I am sort of grateful that my mom woke me up. That dream could have turned into a real harsh nightmare, like what really happened in Dunnigan hills!!!

Dunnigan hills was a really great race, even though I flatted, and now, thanks to Dunnigan hills, I really can't wait until Winters RR and Vacaville grand prix! I am just so excited to have that same feeling and energy in those next races. It's going to be fun!

I raced Suisun Harbor crit the day after Dunnigan hills. Which was also fun because I got to attack and cover attacks a lot. I ALMOST won a prime, I was a little disappointed when I did not get it because I think it was a cash prime! On the last lap, I could not get into a good position, and was a little tired, but ended up getting 9th.

Photo Credits: Dale Tapley

Tomorrow is District Road Race Championships in San Ardo! Then next week is Winters RR and Vacaville Grand Prix, I'll keep everyone updated on these upcoming races!

Way Back Then...

Lately, I've been fiddling around, knowing that I should (and need to) write a blog soon. You see, I can't write well, unless I'm inspired or have a brilliant idea. I've had a huge blank the last few weeks, and until today, I've had zero inspiration or brilliant ideas. After some intense Vilas repeats and a huge veggie
sandwich, I sat down at the computer and said, " I NEED to come up with something." I then stared at my computer screen for about ten minutes. All of the sudden it hit me with such force, BAM! A brilliant idea, at last! It came to me out of no where, and I was so astonished at my ideas brilliance that I said,"This is brilliant! I need to write this!" So here it is, a story about all of my racing stories (Well, not all of them, there is just to many) up until today. Remembering all the good and bad, all the rookie mistakes, bumps and bruises, victories and accomplishments; and that is why this blog is called 'Way Back Then'

It all began with this conversation:

Mark: "Hey! Aliya, Kaleb, there are these bike races called 'criteriums' at the Chico Airport... Wanna watch one."

Me: "Uhhh.. sure..." (thinking to myself: "Mark has gone off the deep end if he thinks I'M going to race a bike! Ha!)

Kaleb: "Sure!"

After watching some speedy looking racers one evening my thoughts changed.

Mark: "Well, would you guys want to actually race one?"

Me: "Yea!" (Thinking to myself: "Well this does not look to bad")

Kaleb: "Yea!!!"

So it happened, the beginning of my love for cycling, even though my first race was completely horrible (I was far from loving cycling at that moment), for some reason we continued to go race at the airport twice a week. I guess riding my bright, fire engine red mountain bike around in circles sort of grew on me after a while, because before I knew it, I was on a road bike and racing my first sanctioned race, the Chico Criterium!


Chico Criterium, '09
This was my first sanctioned race EVER! I had a lot of fun, and decided that I liked racing.

The following year I found myself at more and more sanctioned races. After getting my butt kicked at so many of those races by Katrina Howard, I decided that I was sick of it. I was going to train during the winter.



Cats Hill Classic 2010
Cats Hill Classic was my 2nd sanctioned race, and the first time I got to race with girls around my age.
When I first got on the podium, I did not know I was supposed to raise my hands, until Mark told me too...
That's why I look a little confused!!!



Districts 2010
I think I would have done better in this race, if I was not jacked up on caffeine. Right before the race
Mark gave me a little to wake me up because the night before I stayed up late.... well, it woke me up ;)
It was a big mistake!




Morgan Hill Criterium 2010
All I remember about this race was that the 13-14 girls had to race with the 13-14 boys, and it was hard!

 Katrina was my inspiration, and all through the winter I had the goal to become just like her. So I was sort of disappointed when she did not continue to race in 2011, but life and racing went on. At this time, I was really enjoying racing my bike. I had a huge,raging fire inside of me which continued to grow with every race. Its hard to explain the feeling, it more then just a big fire. Its more then just wanting to race, Its needing to race. You don't just want to eat and drink, you need to eat and drink, its part of survival.

 Basically, cycling was tattooed on my brain, and the ink was seeping all the way through it. It was always there, and still is, more prominent then ever. It probably will always be there, because I can't see myself doing anything else.
Why?
No matter how hard or disappointing a race is, I still feel like I need to continue racing, and improving the following weekend, because when I do succeed in completing my goal, and I perfect a race, I am so happy. It is very rewarding.

Cherry Pie Criterium, 2011
First win of 2011! The 13-14 girls had to race with the 10-12 boys. After the second lap I heard two of the 10-12 boys talking about attacking and dropping us girls... I laughed in my head, then thought yay right, then attacked and dropped them.



Cats Hill Criterium, 2011
Cats Hill again! Raced two races:13-14 girls and 15-16 girls, won both!




Cats Hill criterium, 2011




Morgan Hill Criterium, 2011
First women's 4 win!




Nationals, 2011



Dunlap TT, 2011



Cherry Pie Criterium, 2011



Davis Criterium, 2011
CRASH!

In 2011, my wish was to become pro, but did not expect to be racing with pros the following year.
 I watched Pascal Shnider win the Cherry Pie Criterium solo, then this year I raced with her in three races, Menlo Park Grand Prix, Tour de Nez, and Fast and Furious! Oh, I also raced with Allison Tetrick, and a whole lot of other Exergy, Vanderkitten, and Now and Novartis women, plus all the local racers and bridge teams. It is really exciting to race with these women, and even more exciting to be able to hang with them in a race. They are also awesome role models.


Cherry Pie, 2011



Menlo Park




Tour De Nez
One word: ow...




Fast and Furious
See me over there to the left, yay I'm looking at all those Exergy girls, and I'm a little scared...

 Last weekend, I had a super rewarding 3/4 race at Fast and Furious... 6th place! My legs were on fire, I attacked, and attempted to get in a break several times. After that, I managed to stay in with a fast and furious women's 1/2/3 race.

I would like to thank NCNCA for having such wonderful races! All of these races have helped me learn and develop into the rider I am and hope to become. Again, thanks to all of the women I race with, you too have helped me. I would like to individually thank Mary Maroon also, for being a wonderful mentor and an even more wonderful friend :)

After this successful weekend, I still have the fire/need to race, race, race! So I will be at Dunnigan Hills RR (WOOHOO) and Suisun Harbor Crit!

The Curse of Davis (dun dun dunnn)

The Davis 4th of July Crit is my 'cursed' race. For three years in a row I've taken 2nd in the Jr race, and have always had some problem in the Women's race.

My first year (and also first time racing as a W4) I was dropped from the main field. I wanted to drop out of the race completely, so when I saw my step-dad, I gave him the 'This sucks, can I quit?' look, the response was a shake of his head while he pointed down the road. My lesson from this...put your head down and peddle and you won't be dissappointed with your results. The "results" being that I was glad that I didn't give up and I also didn't finish last.


First year at Davis, 2010



The next year, when I could compete in a W4 race and knew what to expect, I was unfortunate enough to have been caught up in a crash. It was unbelievably hot, someone rolled a tube going around the last corner, bringing a few riders down, one of those riders rolled in front of me which caused me to flip over my handle bars and land on someone elses bike. My feet came out of my shoes (which were still clipped into my pedals) and flew with my bike across the street fracturing a pair of borrowed American Classics. That was the only time I have ever had to drop out of a race (it sucked, both crashing AND dropping out).



See, no shoes, and the bike I landed on is not mine! Second year Davis, 2011

This year I raced the W123. I knew through all my experiences at Davis that I had to be towards the front of the peleton to be safe from crashes, and also to avoid the Yo-Yo effect that you get when you are on the back of the the pack. So I had a good position on the line. When the ref  blew his whistle, I clipped in perfectly with my right foot, but almost imediately after I pulled out of my left pedal. I clipped in, but pulled out again (sometime before the race, the tip of my cleat had totally chipped off, so its like walking in a shoe that is ten times your size, your foot slips out). Finally I was clipped in, sadly I had lost positioning and found myself in the place that I had most wanted to avoid, the danger zone, the back of the peleton.
 It was all out chaos back there, surge after surge, and those primes! All of those primes! Back to back primes, and even back to back to BACK PRIMES! My ears were literally ringing from hearing those bells playing there happy song of death over and over again. That ringing sound soon turned to sirens as my legs finally gave out, and I was dropped from the peleton.
I rode along contemplating whether I should drop out of the race or not, I thought back to my first year of Davis and remembered that Mark had me continue the race. So that's what I did this year. By the second time the pack lapped me I was feeling a little better so I caught on to the back of the peleton, but  two laps later someone in front touched wheels with another and went down. I did not go down, but had to slam on my brakes, and watch everyone ride into the distance, I was dropped again; but I kept on riding! With about five laps remaining, the field lapped me, I caught on and was able to finish the race without dropping out or getting pulled; but I was even more certain that Davis was cursed for me especially when Mark said to me, "Ya know... you could have dropped out!" You see, having a broken cleat is like having a bad mechanical problem with your bike. I couldn't even get out of my saddle to sprint and better my position in the peleton without coming unclipped....SCARY!


"Uggghhh" Davis 2012

I am happy to say that I had a great experience at the Little City Stage Race this past weekend! It was wonderful. I raced in W3/4, taking 4th in the crit, 11th in the TT, 6th in the most challenging (but fun) RR ever, and 8th overall. I defeated my largest problem in the crit, which is "MOVING UP" (a little inside joke), I had the best positioning and was always where I wanted to be.



Little City Crit

 I am so excited to race again this weekend, Lodi, here I come! : -)