It's been awhile....

It has been quite awhile since I've done this. I think I started off too strong and then got bored. Since it's summer and all it does in PA lately is rain, I think I'll try this again?

This time in two weeks I'll be in California for Junior Track Nationals. The weather hasn't been cooperating with my training though. It has rained almost every day, it is a little ridiculous. We have been getting some racing in, though. There's been three Tuesday Night Races and we just finished up our second Friday. I haven't had a lot of good results, but they have been improving with each race, so I'm hopeful for Nationals.

Opening Night at the track could have been better. It got rained out on Friday, so it ended up being Saturday. I raced at the Race Avenue Criterium in Lancaster in the morning. It ended up being my most successful 1/2/3 race by far. For the first time since Junior Nationals, I felt like I was in a field that was actually my level. It was so nice to be able to race instead of hanging on for dear life. I was in the front of the field most of the time. I tried a few attacks, I got off for a lap, which is the only break away I've ever been in, and had 5 seconds on the field. I got caught, but I was still pretty proud of it. I set the sprint up pretty well. I was 3rd wheel coming around turn 4. I got nipped at the line, and had to settle for 4th. Overall, it was pretty good and I made $60 which was very nice. I'm planning on hitting it up again next year, it was a wonderful course and a well run race. Afterwards, I went home, ate, showered, took a nap, and then set off to the track. Since the racing got moved to Saturday, a lot of girls weren't there because they were preparing for the Liberty Classic on Sunday. It ended up being only 8 girls. Being so close to nationals, I wasn't content to roll around the boards for 15 laps. I raced really hard, which didn't result in the best finishes, but I got my workout in for the day! Most of the people in T-Town went to watch the Philly race. Honestly, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It is always a great time, but knowing that I could've raced but was unable to because of the accident made it bittersweet, and I really didn't want to go through that. Instead, I stayed home and put in some more road miles so I can be in a postion to race in the Liberty Classic next year.

The Festival of Speed this past Friday was largely uneventful. I didn't make the Keirin Final or have any other really outstanding results. I went off the front with Kim Geist in the Point-a-Lap and picked up one point which ended up getting me 5th place.

I have pretty much made up my mind to scratch road racing for the season. With the timing of the accident, I just didn't have time to work on my form. I will be concentrating on road when I get back from nationals and may be attending Kristin Armstrong's Developmental Camp in Boise to work on some of my road form and help me to decide whether or not I'm going to make the trip to Oregon for Road Nationals.

Dana has finally returned from California! I am so glad to have her back, I can only handle so many training sessions alone. Unfortunately, she leaves again for LA on Thursday, but I'll be there for a couple days while she's there, so that should be fun.

Well, I think that's it for now. I'll try and keep it up this time.