Flying Free

One of my favorite childhood books was 'Are You My Mother?' by Doctor Seuss. For all of you who don't know the book (or don't remember it), It is about a baby bird. He falls out of his nest because he wants to find his mother (who is getting food for him), the baby bird sets out on a search to find his mother, but is pretty confused because he does not know what his mother looks like. He asks kittens, hens, dogs, and cows if they are his mother; they all say no. He calls out to cars, boats, and planes; but they don't answer. Finally he finds a thing he calls a 'snort' (which is a big tractor type thing) and is pretty frustrated because he finds out that the 'snort' is not his mother either; but to his surprise, the 'snort' picks him up and sets him back in his nest! Then his mother comes with food, and they both live happily ever after.

You all are wondering why I'm randomly sharing this (Who cares that I liked reading about a confused bird when I was little, anyway?!) just hold on because this story has much more significance then you would think! Early in the season I felt like a lost baby bird looking for it's mother, well in this case I would be a lost person with a bike looking for a new team! After riding for Team TIBCO for a year, I thought it would be good to try something new. So off I went searching for something else. For a little while I was in a state of 'what should I do?' Should I ride unattached, or should I find a new team to ride with? For Sea Otter, I guest-rode with a team, but decided to stay unattached.

What's cool is I don't consider myself 'lost' any more, I'm just on my own. Actually, I think it will be pretty nice to be myself. A whole new learning curve, that I'm eagerly awaiting. Hey, flying solo can be sorta fun, I don't have to follow a color scheme anymore when I paint my nails! Plus, just like that baby bird, I have been placed right back in my nest. My nest being the place where my racing journey began three years ago... with myself :-)


By the way, If you need extremely wonderful wheels, please give Eric a shout at Carbon Lite Racing http://www.carbonliteracing.com/Carbon_Lite_Racing/Carbon_Lite_Racing_Products.html You can also find him on Facebook. He has generously helped me out with a wheel set, he is local to Norcal, he is awesome... GIVE HIM A CALL!!!

Expect some race reports from me later this month.

Today's Brain Workout (Aka my race today)

If someone asked, “What do you think is more significant in a race, legs or brains?” What would your answer be? Although legs are very important in a race, you definitely need those brains. Last season my Mom and Step-Dad would remind me several times that you can have the legs, but you will have troubles getting ANYWHERE without the brains, and they did not hesitate to drill it in my head during winter training also.

In a race, you need to think a lot. What is the peloton doing? Which way is the wind blowing? Is there a head wind? Tail wind? Side wind? How do I feel? What can I push today? And the list goes on. During different races there are different things to think about, but what I just named are the basics. So, as you all may know, today was my first W3 race of the season. My race, took a lot of thought and currently, I feel brain dead. But I guess it was well worth it.

The first lap, I pulled for a bit, when I felt like I should recover, I went to the back. Since this was my first race of the season and also my first W3 race on top of that, I did not expect much from myself. I was just feeling it all out, and going with the flow. The Copper town Circuit has one 180 degree turn, and a long, wide turn that sweeps around Copper town square. In between each turn are some small rollers.

Practice makes perfect, and today I realized that I REALLY need to practice cornering skills. The whole race I felt strong, my only weakness was when I cornered. When we went  through Copper Town Square on the end of the first lap, I was dropped. When we were back on the rollers I saw the group way out ahead, at first I thought, “Well, that’s that.” Then I was like, “No, that’s not that!” I picked my pace up and caught the lead group within that second lap. Thankfully, no one attacked during the period I was off the back.

The rest of the race I just tried to stay on a wheel. I had good positioning, I made sure I was hidden from the wind, but a few gusts still blew me around. My largest problem was those darn Jr. gears! I would get spun out on the descent, that was no big deal, but it became a big deal when women with their full gears ATTACKED on the descents! I was barely hanging on, plus the side wind was blowing me around!

I still felt great.  What helped me recover from my hard effort to catch the group was that I knew which way the wind blew and where the draft would be. That knowledge helped me when women attacked on the descents. It also helped me get 5^th place in the final sprint.

So, let’s say the wind is blowing from your left, If you are on the right side of the peloton, you would get the better draft. It is so cool, it is  much easier and gives you a better advantage to place well in the final sprint and that is just what I did.

Well, that’s the scoop on today’s race! I’m racing Dinuba tomorrow! My legs feel great, let’s just hope my brain recovers!

Here we go...

My first race of the year is coming up! Only five more days, ONLY FIVE MORE DAYS! I feel like I'm going crazy! Everyone I know is already racing... and the only reason why I'm not yet is because is because most of the early races last year were rainy and I did not want to do to many races in the rain. OK, so far all of the races have been sunny, but it looks like my first race is going to be rainy! Darn it!

All winter I have been riding long slow distances to prepare for this season. I definitely feel like those long hours on the bike have paid off. Just  a few weeks ago, I added intervals. I think the weather also contributed to my training. This whole winter was beautiful and sunny. I rarely had to ride inside on the trainer. Not once did I have to ride in the rain.

Well lucky me, it is going to rain during my first race! Why?! All of those long rides have prepared me for the season, they have also prepared me for good weather! Why did it all of the sudden change? Now I'm looking outside my window with anger. I have to do a specific ride OUTSIDE today, and its raining. I know I should go out and ride in the rain to prepare myself for this weekend but I am still hoping the weather will turn. Oh well, it will make my stronger if I do ride in the rain!

Now for a more positive topic. You all are probably wondering what my first race is. It is..... (drum roll)........
Coppertown circuit race! The next day I will be racing Dinuba criterium! On the 25th I will be at Snelling RR, and on the 28th My family will be heading to Tucson, AZ for the Tucson Bicycle classic!

My busy schedule begins! Here we go!

End of year Highlights

Yes, it HAS been a VERY long time since I wrote a blog... But I have finally found time to write some quick highlights of my last few races.

OK, I will start at the Challenge Challenge RR. So there was only one other W4 besides me, so we got to race with the pros. I met a couple very nice pros that gave me some helpful tips (also, I won my category)! Folsom Cyclebration, Henleyville RR, and Oakland Grand Prix,were a blast as I had a great teammate to work with.

Folsom Cyclebration, I placed 6th overall. Henleyville RR, I experienced my first break  in a 54 mile road race and finished 5th. For Oakland Grand Prix (my last race of the season), I was able to get in my first solo break for a few laps. I snagged a prime, but sadly went into my spacers on the last lap, so I lost some positioning, but finished 11th.

Team TIBCO has been such a great support to me all season from team owner Linda Jackson who never hesitates to give a quick email of  "Great job Aliya", to my pro mentor Megan Guarnier who always takes time to talk to me and check in at the races. Jr director Felicia Gomez for her amazing pep talks at Nationals. And of course, the great racing with Team TIBCO II all season long.

I  want to thank Sports LTD and The Bicycle Wheel. These two shops have never failed to keep me race ready!

Rodney Cox of R.A.C.E events helped to create the cycling junkie I have become, through his local events....thank you a million times over Rodney!!

Next, I want to thank EVERYBODY from Chico who helped me get to Nationals this year. I would not have been able to go without you guys!

My stepdad Mark, the funniest and most patient coach ever and my mom for keeping us all on schedule.

I met some really special, and totally awesome women this year, at the NCNCA races, who have really helped me achieve some of my goals and dreams. All of the  'Great Job!'s, and, 'Keep it going's, have really encouraged me to pursue what I love to do! I thank all of you for your support.

I enter next season as a Cat 3..... this should be another exciting adventure!

"Bless those who fall off and get back on again!"-Rachel Wolford (Traficante)

 Every time I would fall off a horse, my Mom would always make me ride it again. Every time I fell, I would get back in the saddle. So when I crashed at the Davis 4th of July crit, the first thing I thought about doing (after I got over the shock of crashing) was to hop on my bike and proceed to race. After realizing that I could NOT get back in my saddle again, because it was totally bent, I felt like I was going to explode and burst into millions of pieces. I was mad. And frustrated. I cried. One of my objectives, after nationals, was to become more aware of my positioning when I race. I came to the Davis crit, yearning to begin to master my new goal, and I couldn't. This is what most upset me, when I crashed out.

I was eager for my next race, the Lodi Crit. Most people would think that I would feel a little intimidated, in fear that I might crash again, I didn't.  I wanted to race and I wanted to start achieving my goal. I wasn't going to let the fear of crashing get in my way. Crashing is part of this sport, you either deal with it and know its going to happen, or you run home with your tail in-between your legs!!!

The Lodi course was fun to race, it had 8 corners and looked like a figure-eight! The night before the race, Mark and I went out to practice cornering skills, that are very essential to know, especially with this type of course. Learning thoughs skills definitely helped me the next day. I was close to the front the whole race, and ended up getting 10th place (I also won 7 bucks)!

The thing is, when I race, and do well in the race... I WANT TO RACE MORE!!! I was supposed to take last weekend off from racing, that didn't happen! I ended up down in Berkeley, last Sunday, racing the Berkeley crit. Now this course is also fun! It is simply 4 corners, but within the 4 corners is a false flat, a smallish climb and a downhill section. The start/finish line is on the down hill section, after the first turn you run into the false flat. If you do not pedal through the second corner, and get up out of the saddle, that little hill on the back side of the course, is going to feel a lot harder then it looks! After you go around the 3rd turn you begin to slightly go downhill, then the 4th corner brings you to the start/finish line.

I am proud to say that in most races I am in the first 5 people, working the race, but I am prouder to say that I REALLY worked my BUTT off in this race! As usual, I was in the top 5 people most of the time. The rest of the time I was either, pulling the group, attacking, counter attacking, or covering attacks! Until the last two laps, I was working. The last two laps were fast! I lost the positioning I wanted to have, but still came in 7th place!

I learned a lot from those races, and after the Berkeley crit, I am even more on fire to race again, soon. Even though I was not physically back in the saddle, after I crashed at Davis, I already mentally was; and it paid off in my last two races.

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Nationals!

Confidence is what I felt before Nationals. All year long I have been training for these three days I would race against girls from all over the country. I did not know how strong the girls I would race against were,  but I knew my own strength; which was more valuable.

The first  race was the road race. I felt excited beforehand, not nervous. I also felt confident. Soon after the whistle blew and the race had begun, my excited, confident feeling began to fade. I began to feel  apprehensive and jumpy. Some of the girls were very scary to ride behind. The random lateral movements caused me to feel apprehensive and I soon found myself jumping at every sudden movement. Girls were screaming and crashing all around me. There were many times when I, also, came close to crashing. Every now and then I'd get boxed in and feel like I couldn't move.

 Apprehension had consumed my mind. I let all of that chaos get to me, instead of doing something about it. What could I have done differently? Well, I could have said, "I'm not going to let their crazy riding get to me!" and then could have found out a way to get to the front of the peleton and stay there. I received 13th place when I rolled in across the finish line. By the end of the day, I knew what I was going to do differently for the criterium: stay on the front and keep the pace fast.

I was very relieved that the time trial was the next day. I would be on my own and I liked that idea especially after my experience at the road race. I just needed a day out on my own, to recollect. The day of the time trial dawned. It began to rain when I was warming up, but as I got off the trainer, the sun came out. The weather was perfect. I was ready to ride.

There was a lot of time before my start so I moseyed on down to where the roll-out would be. Most of the other girls were there, also. I struck up a conversation with a girl who rode for Frazier Cycling. In mid conversation, my race number was called. I scooted my bike over to the man who called my number, and he rolled out my bike, then I sat in line.

The first girl was off! Then in 30 second intervals two more girls took of before it was my turn. I was called up, I took a deep breath and exhaled. I pushed my bike up to the starting line. The seconds seemed to draw on like hours, I was anxious to be released into, what was going to be the hardest 10k in my life.

Then suddenly there was only 10 seconds to go. The last 10 seconds seemed to fly by a little too quickly! My eyes were glued on the clock. 5, 4, 3, 2, and precisely at 1, I gave a large HEAVE and was off and rolling! I did not have my cycling computer so I don't know what my exact speed was, but I was going fast, that's for sure! I was amazed, already in the first half mile two girls were in sight! Soon I zipped past them. In a couple more minutes, another girl was in eyesight, and in know time at all, I was past her.
I could see it, it was small but growing larger; it was the finish line. I pushed harder and harder, my speed kept excelling; and soon, I was also, past the finish line. 4th to start, and 1st back.

I slowly cruised around to cool down then went back to the finish line to find my parents. I was currently 3rd. I was excited and just kept hoping the results would stay the same. What happened next was like a dream, girl after girl came speeding in and it was difficult to watch the clock and see if their time had beat mine or not. I was pushed back into 6th place. The most frustrating part was that the girl in 5th place was only 3 seconds ahead of me... 3 SECONDS!!! Well that's time trialing for you, every little second counts.

Afterwards, I was a little disappointed, but soon realized that all of the other girls who placed ahead of me were on time trial bikes. If there was a Merchx's division at nationals, I would have placed 1st!!! I also realized, my time was not to far behind the 1st place winner! After that, I was proud of my time!

My plan for the criterium was to keep the race fast and get a top 10 finish. I accomplished both! I'd rather work my butt off in a race and get a top 10 finish, then sit in the whole time, not doing any work then win at the end. The course was simple, just a big rectangle; but the roads were nasty! There was potholes and bumps all over!

The race was fast, one other girl and I kept the pace up. I was surprised at how many attacks and counter attacks there were! I experienced some in the W4 races, but not as many as I experienced in that race! On the last lap, I had good positioning. On the final corner a girl swung in front of me, almost pushing me into the gutter, causing my to slow down. I soon had my speed up, I then just put my head down and hammered all the way to the finish line.

I came out of that race feeling great! Not only did I get 10th place after working the front most of the race, I also helped my teammate, Skylar win the race!

Triumph is what I felt after Nationals. I had worked very hard in the time trial and criterium, and was happy with my placings. I feel honored, I get to race with a group of very hardcore girls! These are the best in the country. I am already looking forward to racing with them next year. I now know what to expect out of these girls, and I will be ready for it!

The last three weeks...

Well, my last three weeks of racing has been completely..... AWESOME!!!

My all time favorite race, Cats Hill Classic, was three weeks ago. Last year it was my third sanctioned race and I placed 3rd in 13-14 girls. This year I raced two races 13-14 girls and 15-16 girls and did pretty well in both, actually, I raced AWESOMELY WELL!!! The 13-14 girls race was first. The 13-14 girls and boys were racing together in this race, but picked separately; so, of course, I tried to hang with the guys. Let me tell you, those 13-14 boys are fast.... very fast. On the 2nd lap I was dropped, but I was in the lead for the 13-14 girls race. I soloed the rest of the race and won!

There is something you need to know about Cats Hill Classic, it is such a classic, epic race because of this hill. This hill has a 22% grade. Yes, 22%. Right when you finish climbing this wall, there is a little dip. At first you do not think this dip would hurt; but trust me, after a you ride it a couple times, it hurts.

That same day I raced 15-16 girls, and also won that race, only it was much more difficult. Of course, I tried to stay in with the 15-16 boys but lost them within a lap. I was by myself until the 2nd lap, then a girl caught me and we worked together. On the 3rd lap a prime was called. Remember how I was telling you about how much the dip after the climb hurt, well it is the best place to attack, and that's what I did! I rode the rest of the race solo and won the prime!

The next day I raced two races at Scotts Valley grand prix, womens 4 and jr 13-14 combined field (jr girls and boys race together and are not picked separately). I was 4th in the women's race (I also was second in a two place prime) and was second in the jr 13-14 combined field.

Two weeks ago was the district road race state championships. The course was awesome, there were rollers and then a short climb, at the top of the climb, you turn around and head back down the hill and over the rollers. I won the District/State Championship road race in my jr. field! My teammate, Page Robertson also won her age category!

Last weekend was exciting, extremely exciting!!! I raced Women's 3/4 (the women's 3 and 4 were picked separately) and jr girls 13-14 (that day was the District/State criterium championships). I was up in front the whole race (W 3/4) and only went to the back to rest for a little bit, but decided that it was very sketchy back there and I would rather not crash! So I made my way back up to the front, where I remained for the rest of the race. On the last lap I found my team-mate, Bobbie Jo (she is a W3), and tried to stay on her wheel. On the final stretch I reached 32 mph, and was completely spun out! Some W3's passed me, but no W4's!!! So I ended up winning the W4!!!

An hour later that day, I was racing 13-14 girls. I was a little (a lot) tired from my last race so my plan was to sit in and maybe throw in a few attacks. At 5 laps to go, I attacked and dropped one girl, but, the other stayed with me. I had a feeling that it was going to be a sprint finish. I made the girl pull the whole last lap (since I ended up pulling most of the race). On the final stretch, I gave all that I had left in my legs and sprinted past her. I won the District/State criterium championships!

This weekend we will be traveling down to Davis for the District/State Time Trial championships, I am excited for it! That's what I've been doing for the last three weeks! Next up.... Nationals!!!