Recently, my friend Kenneth Walker put a shout out to the cycling community to ask for old cycling clothes that folks were willing to part with, so I sent him a few kits. I am so honored to report that my old kit from Dolce Vita Racing is currently making history:

From Kenneth Walker: Dedicated to my friend Angela, who is becoming the first black woman to race bicycles in Kansas City- What you are is symbolic of a woman's need to have power over her own body, as well as the ability to possess that power...you are going to solve a lot of problems for women in KC...and every time you make some guy taste his own lungs on a ride, a little bit more of the problem is solved! You go, girl...

Hey There Sweet Peeps!

What a blast we had at the Early Bird Races this weekend! 350+ racers, 25 Juniors, 50 women, a bunch of great teams represented. Awesome. Above is a shot of Cortney. She likes to race her bike, as you can tell.

A highlight of my day at the races yesterday was seeing the Cat. 4 Men duke it out, working to figure out which team was gonna do what. Some teams' plan was to watch what other teams did. Other teams had serious leadout plans, or attacks up their sleeve every lap. Either way, at the end of the day, it was all fun and games and nobody lost an eye.

Larry Nolan, Alan Atha, Laurie Fenech and myself make up the director's team to get the Early Birds going.. But, the 70 or so mentors who actually show up each week, are the backbone of the program. A huge thank you to all mentors who come out to help teach bike racing in Fremont every Sunday in January.

Back to the Present-Must Be Present to Win

Hello Cool Fans, Supporters, and Friends,

It's been awhile, I know. I've been a tiny bit distracted by fun and other stuff. The good news is that the Early Bird Women are soaring. We've got 19 women on the roster, and they all wanna bike race! Sweet!

We have been working our wings at the local Early Bird Racing Series, after which our team was named. There's some learning going on. There's also some fun being had.

We'd love to have you hang with us at the bike races, so see you there!

www.earlybirdwomen.com

Farewell Pablo.

What a good life you lived. I know you'll be here with us always, when we just listen, and pay attention. Thank you for blessing the lives of all of us for the time you were here.

Love, Laurel

R2D2 Loves Pablo

This note is for my friend Pablo. Pablo, you are one solid kid! I like the stories that your dad told me when we hung out for coffee. He raves about you. We know you're dealing with some silly something that's bugging you all inside. Well, I'm here to remind you, that you're beating it!!!

You're doing it! R2D2 is here to help too! He can project images of people through his special eyes, and he's projecting an image of you, Pablo... all BIG AND STRONG AND HEALTHY!!!

YUP! That's right! I can see it now!!

That's the picture I'm seeing:

YOU + R2D2 = BIG & STRONG & HEALTHY!!!

Happy New Year Pablo! I look forward to seeing you!!!

Love,
Laurel

A Cool Way to Make a Kid's Day!!!

Hey Laurel,

I am working on a project called the Wheels Can Take Me Places Project. I am training a class of twenty two 7th grade youth from a local charter school to participate in the 2009 Katy Trail Ride- 225 miles in one week. Fourteen of those 7th graders are girls. We presently have some used donated clothing for boys, but nothing for the girls. We are hoping that we can get some help from people wanting to support this project, and ask that if you have it, to donate some used clothing (or equipment) for the girls.

Please send clothing to:

Urban KC Community of Cycling

3008 Drury Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64128
(816) 326-7924

Thank you for your support.

Best Regards,

Kenneth Walker

www.UrbanKCcc.com

Community Cycling Representative for Urban Kansas City Community of Cycling

The Winter Solstice

A time of more light. A time of renewal. The season shifts to Winter for real, according to the seasonal calendar. While we go about our busy lives, let's remember to wear the rain coat, hug the ones we love, have compassion for the ones we can't tell we love, and have a real life. Make it real. You know, shift it up, make a difference. For you, for them, for anyone.

I was hanging with some friends in a restaurant tonight. Their family had three children in it. The youngest was 6. All she wanted to do was put the leaves at the end of the table UP and DOWN, all night. She thought it was fascinating how she could lift the leaf up, then prop it up , then hold it up with these little sliders that pulled out from under the table. Putting those table leaves up and down was all she wanted to think about. So, when she was at the end of the table where I was....she got to put those leaves UP and DOWN. She would tell me exactly where to hold it with my finger, while she pulled the little sliders out. It was so fun. Her parents were getting a little worried that she was having too much fun, but we handled them... the sweet ones that they are.

Parents are some of the most incredible people on the planet. Bless them deeply. They were children once, and are back for more by having some. I love it.

Thanks for reading.

The Ride was Cool, Fresh, Crisp, Packed with Climbing, and Then.... The Road Side Find was Awesome Too!

I know, I know, one person's trash is another's treasure, and maybe that's the case here, but I think I scored....right there on the side of the road.

Yup, a fresh roll of RED:

12.5 mil Premium grade cloth duct tape used for protection of window and door frames during stucco application, and high performance motorsports applications. TYPICAL APPLICATIONS: Heavy duty bundling, holding, and splicing. What am I going to do with this tape? I can think of some awesome things to do with this tape. I'll start by repairing some cracked jump rope handles at school, then get to the badminton racquet handles, then, then, then..... I'll keep you posted, and I will accept suggestions that are within reason.

Checking in with Jack

Whoa. It's been awhile.

But, thought you'd all like to know: Jack and me, we're on a first name basis now.

I remember his name, and he calls me Laurel. So, I think that's o.k.

Today's dialogue, after running around for awhile doing P.E.:

Jack: "I'm tired Ms. Green, my tummy hurts."
Me: "Jack, did you have too many nails for breakfast?"
Jack (long pause): "No............today, I had tacks."
Me: "Tacks? Oh geesh, Jack, no wonder your tummy hurts!"
Jack: "I know................ tacks hurt."

Some teachers are lucky. I consider myself one of them.

Thanks for reading. I'll try to be more consistent.. xo

What's Your Favorite Food?

In order to learn 540 names, I come up with strategies. Today, I asked them to tell me about their favorite food. The top responses were pizza, enchiladas, tacos, and corn dogs. But, not surprisingly, and, as amazing as young people are, many of them love salad, fruit, chicken, broccoli (o.k. only one student so far), fish, lobster, squid, and a variety of other awesome healthy foods.

And the student whose name I will most certainly remember: Jack.

Jack's favorite food is nails. Yup. Plain nails.

He was very matter of fact about it.

Cooperative Games

O.k. this week, it's a game called The River. They have to get all of their teammates across the river without anyone touching the 'water'. Even a shoelace, in the 'drink', forces the whole team back for a do-over. It's sort of like a bike race, you want everyone to cross the finish line in one piece. So, they put their heads together, to figure out how they will use their sticks, their rope, and their scooter to try to get each person on their team across the River (which is actually only about 8 feet across). It's sort of like a video game, they have to get across the river AND BACK in order to progress from Level 1 to Level 2. Level 2, they don't get to use their sticks anymore to 'paddle' with. Level 3, no rope. Level 4, 2 people at a time on the scooter, with the rope. Level 5, 2 people at a time on the scooter, no rope. Most students make it past Level 5, then Level 6 is 3 people at a time, with the sticks and the rope. This Level has the most laughs and people piles involved, but some teams figure out how to pass it. Children are Amazing, Amazing, Amazing.

This week vs Last Week

Last week, I explained to the 4th and 5th graders in my Physical Education classes, that I simply don't support the concept of throwing an object at someone IN ORDER TO HIT THEM, such as you might find in the game of Dodgeball. ...and that such a concept doesn't foster valuing lifelong physical fitness ideas....blah, blah.... So, we play other super sonic fun dodging games that help them forget that Dodgeball even exists...

Then, this week, students were a little unruly in one class, and the steam was starting to seep out of my ears. Being in tune, as many 4th and 5th graders are, I had one come up to me, and say:

"Ms. Green, this class really just needs some Dodgeball."

I chuckled, and somehow everything was better after that.

4th Graders Putting Things Together......

Today as I was sitting in my office working, a student poked his head in the door:

Student: "Ms. Green, do you have husband?"
Me: "Uhhh, no, why do you ask?"
Student: "Well, because my friend, who used to go to Mary Hill School had a P.E. Teacher there named Mr. Green."
Me: "Really? hmmm, well, I guess he could be my husband....good question!"

And off he went, having put it all together.....and his friend hasn't....so, he'll be on the upside of the Ms. Green/Mr. Green sleuthing effort.

Carrera De San Rafael-Finally a 1 hour Crit in Nor Cal!

There were about 40 women on the line. Some big local guns like Shelley Olds, and Sarah Bamberger. The course, a breakaway course. Gradual hill all the way up the start/finish stretch, down, down, down gradually, on the backside of the course, to the technical last corner. Excellent course. It was strung out single file for awhile, attack, attack, attack, until the winning break separated with none other than my super star teammate, Starla! I worked on blocking for her with the other teammates of riders represented in the break. Pro Man squeezed a couple more riders out of the field to bridge across to the break...Grrr...but, nice work Helene Drumm. Starla ended up 7th and I was 18th. Way to go Starla!! I was very happy with our efforts!

Onward ho!!

Frank-ly, here's what I think:

I wrote this as I was sitting in Carbondale, Colorado on my aunt's cattle ranch, in awe of the land, the wilderness, the 6000 feet of altitude, the lightning storms, and most of all, the amazing life I am so grateful for. What has come of the last few weeks of racing? Some missed marks, some lessons, some near misses, and some so-so results. Overall, some victories that may go un-articulated, but I will take a risk here, and share some of my thoughts, because now's as good a time as any, to do it. To those of you who read this. Thank you.

I am on my way to my potential as a bike racer. Only I will know when that day, year, month, race, comes. I imagine it will be in the next few years.

A bit about my big picture: Why do I do what I do? Why press on? In a sport so brutally competitive, and full of suffering, where the chances of winning are slim for most of the competitiors?

"Never more than 30% of the peleton is a major factor in a bike race. As a matter of fact, there are never more than 5 or 6 riders in a field of 100 who are strong contenders for any race, including the Tour de France." (Carl Cantrell)

So why settle for being pack fill? What's the point? Is it settling, or is it being a true competitor?

I do it, because I respect myself and my competitors more every time I race.

If I wasn't doing it, and the rest of the 70% of the peleton wasn't doing it, we wouldn't have bike races.

I have a dream that all women can look one another in the eyes and recognize how powerful each other are. Can we all just stop talking smack for a minute? Why do we love Elis Bradshaw, Karla Kingsley, Kim Anderson, Carrie Cash, Starla Teddergreen, Morgan Kapp, Dawn Neisser, Sabine Dukes, so much? They are models of women in sport, of mutual respect between female competitors, that we all can look to. Kudos to all of you!

I have a dream that all adults will reclaim their sense of play, and remember that playing is the way to learn more about themselves. Michael Hernandez is a great example of this. He has brought a sense of play and fun to the sport that no one else ever has. Thank you Michael.

I have a dream that all young people are treated with complete respect. I will continue to hold out that young people are models of wonderful human beings, and that their brilliance and power is our present, not just our future...(as if the future even existed).

I have a dream that all athletes discover along their path, that real competition means to have our competitors at their best, and that winning isn't just winning, no matter what. Crossing the finish line first, too often reinforces an ego that fosters the inability to look across to those you have "beaten". If it weren't for those of us who come to the starting line, to play, to race, to compete, the "winners" would be riding by themselves.

A true victory is one that combines the crossing of the finish line with a genuine advancement in the inner world of the athlete.

Lance said: ...."winning only measures how hard you've worked and how physically talented you are; it doesn't particularly define you beyond those characteristics....If you're willing to examine failure, and to look not just at your outward physical performance, but your internal workings, too, losing can be valuable."

Do I want to WIN an actual bike race? Of course!

I want to win, now, more than ever.

As I chase my dreams, I invite you to re-examine your own dreams, and walk the path that leads you in the direction of those dreams, no matter how small your steps.



Thanks for reading.

Back to Cali from Colorado!

If it weren't for Auntie Emma, lots of things would be different in my world. She is a friend, a mentor, and runs me more than I run my kids in P.E. Class! The first day of my visit to one of my family homes, Ty Bar Ranch, in Carbondale, Colorado I was making 120 breakfast burritos for a Tour of the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association coming through. Tables were set up in the barn, and we served 55 retired ranchers and their wives breakfast in the barn...That was cool. They were so smittin' with the whole thing, they wanted to take Aunt Emma home with them, but I would not let them!!

The next day we were off to the Rodeo, where I got to see something I never would do in P.E. class, called Mutton Bustin'! Imagine a big 'ol wooly sheep, running around in a pen with a 5 year old person attached to its back! Yup, you have to be only 5 or 6 years old. After that, you must retire from Mutton Bustin', 'cuz then, you're just too darn big. They do have helmets on, thank goodness, but geesh, it looks really hard to do!! Those sheep just run and look like they are super bumpy to ride! Please do not try this at home...and just because I write about it here, does not mean I think it's a cool idea. It was simply the first time I saw it, and was a little taken aback!!! Folks will do what they do, and sometimes we all are witness to it. How we respond, is up to us!

Superweek 2008-Wrap Up

First big highlight of Superweek was local Nor Cal phenom, Karla Kingsley (pictured above) winning on her first day racing!

Second big highlight of Superweek was Dolce Vita's awesome sprinter Starla getting 4th place on the last day of the series in Evanston!

I raced the last 5 of the 7 days of criterium racing for Pro 1/2/3 women. $1000 purse each day paying 20 deep. Dolce Vita teammate and sprinter, Starla, along for the Superweek experience. 50-60 women on the line each day. Teams to contend with were Verducci Breakaway Racing, Team Revolution, Kenda Tire, Hub Racing, Mesa Cycles, America's Dairyland, and a few strong independent riders such as Skylee Armstrong of Bicycle John's. 50K crits, that were taking about 90 minutes to do. Some days were hot, others were not. The racing was fast and strong, but also swarmy and sketchy too. So, not a whole lot of strung out fast racing, but certainly enough talent to be challenging.

Day 1: Bensenville Crit in a Park-on-a-bike-path-, up and down driveway aprons on two parts of the course, yukko.....Hot and humid, like breathing thick warm soup compared to 3ooo feet of high desert air in Bend, Oregon. Teammate Starla out due to pinched nerve causing her left arm to NOT WORK. I had not eaten enough in the morning, nor on my 3 hour drive to the race, and went into some debt about two thirds of the way into the race. Basically a bad day at the races for Miss Laurel. Hammer Gel was not cutting it. I dropped out with 7 laps to go. Hmmm, impressive, huh? Tomorrow's another day. I actually love long criteriums, so looking forward to it.

Day 2: Shorewood Criterium, finally a real crit course. Fast and somewhat technical. Very good course with a long sprint. Although they shortened our race significantly, which always sucks. Starla racing with me. We worked together well. The race was neutralized once, due to a horrible crash. Starla and I found each other with a few laps to go, worked together most of the last lap, then she found another wheel two thirds of the way through the last lap, to get 7th place. Sweet racing Starla. I was 30th, but pleased with our efforts together.

Day 3: Ripon criterium. Hot and windy. Starting on time, and keeping our race the normal distance, YES! Great, great, great course with 3 little power climbs in it. I was very much looking forward to it, as I love these kind of courses! It was mostly a race of attrition. Starla was in with me for awhile, then needed to bail due to her arm not working right...geesh, brave girl to get out there in the first place with a bum arm. I stayed in, sitting in about 15th with 2 laps to go...it was strung out pretty well, a few folks went down with a lap and a half to go, and I chased the main field for 12th place. I was very pleased.

Day 4: Waukesha Criterium-No Starla today, she was taking care of her back and her arm. A great fast course. I was sitting in about the top 15 with 11 laps to go, it was nice and fast, and strung out. Then, a Revolution rider attacked off the front to chase a small break, and crashed herself in a corner, breaking her hip in two places. The race was neutralized for about 40 minutes or so. We sat on the line passing the microphone around introducing ourselves, and telling jokes, because they would not let us ride around the course. Finally, they started us again. I have to admit, when they told us 8 laps to go, I had lost a little punch with the neutralization, and with the fact that I knew the crashed rider had really hurt herself. I finished mid field, 32nd place. A lesson in re-collecting focus when stuff like that happens.

Day 5: Evanston Criterium, great course, great weather, no crashes!! YES!! Starla racing with me again, YAY! We raced well. With 3 to go, Star and I were at the front, 2 to go, at the front, last lap swarmed a bit, we lost one another, but she stayed forward to get 4th place, and I was 19th place, just in the money. Overall, a good race.

Great Superweek, looking forward to next year.

The Victories of the Inner World at the Cascade Cycling Classic

Well, I didn't finish Stage 5 of Cascade today.....and I ended up having a great ride in the high desert of Bend, Oregon instead. I feel satisfied with what I came here to do. I believe the demons I came to slay with this event went down in Stage 2. The slow TT on Day 3 represented that, and I was lucky to get to dance around in my specialty at the criterium Friday night. What a great feeling to actually hold my head high (not higher, mind you) amidst a bunch of folks who can't even look me in the eye because I'm not kicking their ass. Due respect and compassion to every one of my competitors. If my write ups were about them, their names would be here. This sport is amazing. The strong get stronger, whether it's those left on the bike or off the bike. I love cycling for that reason, and will continue to do it as long as there's more to build in my inner world with it. Another victorious adventure with bike racing.

My SouthBay Wheelmen Teammates did a really good job finishing the entire stage race. They are such an incredibly sound bunch. I absolutely loved supporting them, and getting to work for them when I could.

Morgan Kapp was an awesome 22nd overall in the General Classification of 61 finishers, Kelli Jones was 58th overall, and Jennifer Reither was 45th overall. STUDS!!!

I am looking forward to getting to some plain 'ol criterium racing in the Midwest.. with my AWESOME teammate Starla!

More later....

Thanks for checking in.

Oh geesh, by the stickers on my bike......Still in the bike race- Cascade Cycling Classic Stage 3 and 4

This will be brief: A VERY slow day on the TT bike. 83rd out of 84 riders. First
I was time cut, then I was not. Raced the crit: 49th in the crit of 82
finishers. Overall GC placement: 75th of 82 riders.

The results for the morning time trial were posted at the sign-in spot for the
criterium. It looked as though 6 of us were time cut. (greater than 25% back
from the winning time for the TT). BUT, the officials rescinded the time cut.

I was literally back in my civilian clothes after having warmed up with my
teammates, thinking I was not going to race the crit, when they rescinded the
time cut. Our team director comes running over to the warm-up area, and yells,
"Laurel, get dressed, you're racing!!! They rescinded the time cut!!" I know who
argued with the officials, for the 6 of us who were cut in the TT. Go figure.
Some of the officials are soft that way. Who knows why they decided to let us
race. This is America, not Europe. We all know that. We live here, not there.

So, we all got to race the crit, tonight 20 minutes into the race,
I was caught inside of a 12 person pile up in one turn..meaning: I was upright
after having t-boned someone who had gone down in front of me, and about
to get smoked by people ripping through the turn from behind us.....
and everybody around me was on the ground.
One of my teammates went down super hard.... we all went to the pit,
officials put 12 of us back
in BEHIND the pack, my teammate who went down hard needed more attention, so she
sat out two laps, and was put into the middle of the pack again...Anyway, my
pack chased very hard for awhile, then got pulled at the 33 minute
mark.....within the time cut (which was 20 minutes of the crit), which means
those of us who chased our asses off will race tomorrow.

The crit was fun and fast, and awesome, very technical. My other three teammates
finished with the main field of about 50. Overall, a good, but weird, up and
down day. Whether it's an up thing or a down thing...it's all bike racing. The
main lesson: Let it go. Whatever it is....it's bike racing.
There's another bike race tomorrow, or next week, or next year, or next lifetime.

Bringin' up the rear loud and clear....Great day on the bike...Stage 2 Cascade Cycling Classic

Hot, but not all day, because we climbed and climbed to cooler land.  86
starters.  78 miles.  Oh my body was sore from the tip-over, bike pile-up
yesterday.  I was grateful for the medical tent at the finish though yesterday,
because one of the guys gave me a big bear hug, and my back went pop, pop,
poppity pop, and I felt much better.

O.k. more about today. It was SUPER DUPER fast for the first 30 miles or so with
a few rollers that split things up a bit, until a couple of breaks got away with
Webcor, Tibco, and Aaron's represented, then it was chase, attack, chase, attack
for a little while, then the pace simmered down until we got past the first feed
zone at about 40 miles, then there was all of this crazy wind, and it was fast,
and close to the edge of the road for awhile, where there were rocks flying, and
people tapping their brakes, blech.

I must say there were some times in the first 60 miles that I fought harder than
I think I have fought in a long time to get good position, and not get
caught in the wind, and hang INSIDE  the pack, not just on the back
.....although I was there too...

I was a bit behind on the the first QOM, but there were several of us, including
my teammate Kelli, who is GREAT to work with!  So we chased back on to the main
field.  Then we plowed through a little town called Sisters, which meant the
final climb was in reach.

The guys at the bike shop told me that if I can make it to the base of the climb
with the field, I'll be good to go, and will not get time cut.   So, when I got
to the base of the climb with the main field, I wanted to climb more than ever.
It was my kind of climb...about 10 miles of gradual 3-6% grade.  I would pull
some people in, then they would get ahead, then it got a little steeper toward
the end, and a few really pulled away from me...(like Emily Zell, and a few
others..she might have been having bad day, but whatever.). 

Overall, I felt great about the work I did today.  I placed 73rd out of 84
finishers.  I am sitting 71st of 84 in the GC going into the TT tomorrow.  My
teammate Morgan got 26th today, and is sitting in 23rd overall!  My teammate
Jenn cramped really severely today, and it was a slow go up the climb, but I am
sure she will be back in the game tomorrow.  She's very strong.  Kelli and I
worked together some on the final climb.  Great team! 

It was great for me to feel like myself in a road race.