#teamchica

Small crowds end up being big results.

CCCX number eight.. Need to recognize my good friends Josh Rovner (King Kog) and Erica Schwanke (PB Squad) killed it on the road. Granted all of our fields were no bigger than 15. Just due to Nationals in Wisconsin. WHATEVS! we all podium'd!

First was Joshs elite 4s race. Maybe one of the stronger dudes in the field. He really held his own playing every spot every time i saw him on the course. 40 minutes of crushing and suffered like no ones bizzznezz when it came to an upshill sprint finish. He totally Tsruda'd a dude for third place! haha my dude! stoked because he got his final points for his cat 3 upgrade. Cant wait for him to move out to california.

3/4 race. Josh and I were looking forward to this one. I had told Josh that i would totally lead him out for the win. But the pace picked up really quick with a break and i was in a good position. Sorry man. BUT! everything worked out in the end for both of us! Alex Wild (Trail Head Cyclery) had come up next to me when i went up front to do my part in the pace line and said "do you just want to jump?" i was about to shake my head because it was only the second lap! But right when i was about to do so David Porter (Bicycle Blue Book Racing) blew right past Alex and myself and we took off after him leaving the group about six to eight bike lengths behind us. Benjamin Zamora (Leopard-Sapporo Team) came with for almost a full lap but seemed zapped from his victory in the elite 4s race. So we left him behind after the 180 turn just after the start finish. Alex, David and myself had a SOLID pace line from that point. "10 second pulls" i yelled and we kept that until the last quarter mile on the last lap when Alex took off at the last little false flat. I knew it was going to happen. Dude is a pro mountain biker and destroys anything steep! haha i was stoked to ride with him. So David and myself tried to mustar anything and everything we had left to catch him. I cut back for a second to draft David but he wasnt too into it so once he realized i was making a final attack once i got off his wheel i had dropped him right before the last descent towards the 180 to climb back up to the start/finish. Second place in a field of 11 racers is GOLD in my book!

2/3. haha i was stoked and a little intimidated because our field was only seven racers... Right off the start Bob Landers (Davis Bike Club) had a steady jump. I was third wheel and though to myself "ugh i really hope i can keep this pace" Alex Wild (Trail Head Cyclery) again came up and gave me the nod that we could take this again and i was trying to catch my breathe after Bobs move on the first false flat! haha Second lap. Alex and I attack the hill after the 180 going back up to the start/finish. I was trying my hardest to keep pace but my legs werent getting into gear! He said he would pull me for as long as he could until i was back up to speed. Which was really cool of him. We were caught though. Bob, Alex and myself were the only ones willing to pace line. while a Mikes Bikes dude and two Don Chapin dudes were just looking for drafts and barely took any pulls. I was a little irratated just becasue i thought to myself "isnt this a 2/3 field dont these dudes know how to do this by now?" But just seeing the results it was a complete field of cat. 3s! haha so much for the 2/3 crush fest. ANYWAYS! Alex took off once again on the backside 180 and did his pro mt. biker thing and flew up the first false flat. I was stuck with Bob who wanted to work and the other three guys that didnt want to work. A lap had gone by Alex still had a HUGE break and i finally put the heat on after the 180 to the start/finish climb. That seperated me from the four guys and i put my head down and just focused on the white line for the last three laps. The head wind was brutal of course from the backside 180 coming back towards the start/finish area. Every 10-15 seconds i would look back to see Bob slowly inching his way to catch me. But it didnt happen and i finished another successful 2nd place finish.

Erica! Completed her first official California road race. Her field was only five woman. But she podium'd at the second place spot. She suffered, pushed through a foot cramp and was so positive about the whole race and is itching for more road racing. I can see Erica getting super fast and kicking lady cycling butt! Hope to go to more races with her and Josh when he makes the move from NY.

Yesterday gave me more incentive to keep pushing myself past my comfort zone and dig deeper than ever. Positive people really make racing that much more fun. Really! Josh and Erica had the best postive energy going to and from the race. Im really humbled to know these two and very stoked to have them in my life.

Thanks again for all the support. OOOHHH YEAH!! and Josh totally Tsruda'd dude at the line for the 4s race! haha