team camp!
Wow! My first team camp was awesome! It's so cool and amazing to be a part of a community of people who just love being on a bike - and training to get faster. Little old me felt overwhelmed to be a part of something larger than myself but it was comforting to already know so many ladies already and so awesome to meet other newbies on the team who are also in my category. Starting out as a category 4 racer helps me feel a little less pressured to place in races, which will keep me in a learning mindset.
Since I'm finding it difficult to structure in my head how awesome team camp was, here are some tidbits of experiences that stood out:
Diversity of women: I knew joining a women's racing team was going to put me in a position to be around like-minded individuals. What I didn't realize was that I would find such diversity in the personalities, talents, and accomplishments of these women both on and off the bike. The cat 1/2/3 squads consisted of some incredibly strong women - with a diversity of cycling strengths. Something like 5-7 women had been racing for more than 10 years -- and that just shows how dedicated they are to this sport (I called them legacy riders - get it? legacy?)! But what was even cooler was that I could use a non-athletically related remarkable description like: entrepreneur, mother, lawyer, engineer, manager, musical, leader, pioneer - and point to at least one if not multiple women on the team. I feel extremely fortunate to know these women and so excited to race with them on the roads of NCNCA.
Lodging and food!: The YMCA at Point Bonita was such a cool place to have team camp. One of our captains used to work with some of the leadership at the Y and we were invited to come there for the past two years. In addition, thanks to generous sponsorship, team camp was fully paid for and I had to pay nothing out of pocket for food and lodging. Point Bonita is situated with such a grand view of the city and Golden Gate Bridge, that it was almost impossible for me to not get up on the first day and capture this amazing cotton-candy skies photo (no filter needed):
The food was also spot on. The staff provided plenty of tasty vegetarian and meat options that kept all of us happy - and I don't believe women cyclists are a particularly easy bunch to please. A good number of us had some form of eating restriction for a variety of reasons (health or fitness) and we only had good things to say about the food and the friendly staff that cooked and served the food!
Sponsorship: We had plenty of sponsorship talks during camp, which is a new concept to me. Two of our sponsors (Gu, and The Freewheel Bike Shop) sent representatives in person to meet us on Saturday night and we discussed our mutual goals. It was a cool thing to have such a discussion with our sponsors. In addition, several members on the team were liasons with our other sponsors and we were given apt information on the state of the team. I'm very happy to tag our sponsors for all of the cool products they provide. This is my first time on a "sponsored" team and it just feels so goddamn legit. I'm honestly taken aback and super humbled that this recreational activity is so much more available to this team. Thank you to all of our sponsors that prioritize women in sport!
Teamwork makes the Dream work!: Our long ride of the weekend went all the way to Nicasio from the headlands, a 70 mile ride with relatively less climbing than our usual ride. Pacelining drills and skills talks were so so useful. Over the course of the ride, I got more comfortable drafting behind the wheel in front of me and learning how much effort to put in when soft-pedaling in the slow lane. I also learned how to sit in behind a paceline. And I even fudged a corner when I rode over a grate on a corner curb, prompting a more experienced rider (my roommate) to explain what I did wrong when I didn't hold my line and almost brought her down. An embarrassing moment but a necessary learning experience. It was super humbling to be around women who are so experienced on the bike. Two years into my own road cycling journey - I show much potential in strength - but skills are still something to work at constantly - so you can ride safely and confidently. And that's been the beauty of learning from a team with such diversity and legacy.
So.. I guess that's all for now.. Time to think about more riding! And the next race is Bump Circuit next Sunday!
Since I'm finding it difficult to structure in my head how awesome team camp was, here are some tidbits of experiences that stood out:
Diversity of women: I knew joining a women's racing team was going to put me in a position to be around like-minded individuals. What I didn't realize was that I would find such diversity in the personalities, talents, and accomplishments of these women both on and off the bike. The cat 1/2/3 squads consisted of some incredibly strong women - with a diversity of cycling strengths. Something like 5-7 women had been racing for more than 10 years -- and that just shows how dedicated they are to this sport (I called them legacy riders - get it? legacy?)! But what was even cooler was that I could use a non-athletically related remarkable description like: entrepreneur, mother, lawyer, engineer, manager, musical, leader, pioneer - and point to at least one if not multiple women on the team. I feel extremely fortunate to know these women and so excited to race with them on the roads of NCNCA.
Lodging and food!: The YMCA at Point Bonita was such a cool place to have team camp. One of our captains used to work with some of the leadership at the Y and we were invited to come there for the past two years. In addition, thanks to generous sponsorship, team camp was fully paid for and I had to pay nothing out of pocket for food and lodging. Point Bonita is situated with such a grand view of the city and Golden Gate Bridge, that it was almost impossible for me to not get up on the first day and capture this amazing cotton-candy skies photo (no filter needed):
The food was also spot on. The staff provided plenty of tasty vegetarian and meat options that kept all of us happy - and I don't believe women cyclists are a particularly easy bunch to please. A good number of us had some form of eating restriction for a variety of reasons (health or fitness) and we only had good things to say about the food and the friendly staff that cooked and served the food!
Sponsorship: We had plenty of sponsorship talks during camp, which is a new concept to me. Two of our sponsors (Gu, and The Freewheel Bike Shop) sent representatives in person to meet us on Saturday night and we discussed our mutual goals. It was a cool thing to have such a discussion with our sponsors. In addition, several members on the team were liasons with our other sponsors and we were given apt information on the state of the team. I'm very happy to tag our sponsors for all of the cool products they provide. This is my first time on a "sponsored" team and it just feels so goddamn legit. I'm honestly taken aback and super humbled that this recreational activity is so much more available to this team. Thank you to all of our sponsors that prioritize women in sport!
Teamwork makes the Dream work!: Our long ride of the weekend went all the way to Nicasio from the headlands, a 70 mile ride with relatively less climbing than our usual ride. Pacelining drills and skills talks were so so useful. Over the course of the ride, I got more comfortable drafting behind the wheel in front of me and learning how much effort to put in when soft-pedaling in the slow lane. I also learned how to sit in behind a paceline. And I even fudged a corner when I rode over a grate on a corner curb, prompting a more experienced rider (my roommate) to explain what I did wrong when I didn't hold my line and almost brought her down. An embarrassing moment but a necessary learning experience. It was super humbling to be around women who are so experienced on the bike. Two years into my own road cycling journey - I show much potential in strength - but skills are still something to work at constantly - so you can ride safely and confidently. And that's been the beauty of learning from a team with such diversity and legacy.
So.. I guess that's all for now.. Time to think about more riding! And the next race is Bump Circuit next Sunday!
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