Alison Tetrick

Every once in awhile you just have to sit and reflect.  Reflection could be from a moment of passing nostalgia, an event that sparks that all too familiar feeling, or just the time to actually sit still and think.  Regardless, I think reflection is usually a good thing.  Maybe we shouldn’t dwell incessantly on the past, but we should also appreciate and remember the moments and people who brought us to this point today.  Too often we blaze through life without any concern for those around us, and never taking that small moment to look upon where you are, and who you are.

Maybe it is that I have the time, maybe it is because it is all coming so quickly.  Please know, I am very thankful and blessed.

I was told the more you went to yoga, the better you would feel, and the more addicted you would become. 

It was like a simple equation.  A direct relationship between an increase in classes and an increase in positive thoughts towards the practice.  Is that true?  I was skeptical of such logic, so I decided to conduct an experiment to find out.  For one week exactly, I took 5 yoga classes.  5 hot yoga classes in a mere 7 days. 

I thought I would try the hot yoga, and for once, not leave the class early, and dedicate myself to stay through 90 grueling minutes of stretching.  How hard could it be?  It didn’t involve cardio, or my aerobic system.  However, it involved my core, my flexibility and my patience. 

The days went on.  Did I feel more limber, or just less embarrassed by my lack of coordination?

Bendie Envy.  That’s the term my friend used to describe the feeling of trepidation before each yoga class.  The suspicious feeling regarding the yoga “teacher’s pets” and those who warm up doing head stands and can stretch their leg perfectly straight out in front of them holding their big toe with their “peace fingers”.  This feeling of insecurity was decreasing with each class attended.

Crow. Cat. Cow. Pidgeon. Animal names? Of course, but also a term for poses requiring strength and flexibility.  In yoga class, I could become a tree, a silver surfer, and or I could develop talons and get my “man on”.  My breathing can now become oceanic, rhythmic, or something like that.

I was inspired by the yoga classes as they highlighted my stiffness and imbalance.  I recruited a US National Team teammate and good friend to join me.  I figured with two professional cyclists in the class, the attention of the instructor would surely be divided.  It turned out, Kat, was actually much more talented than me in the yoga department, and I was still meticulously corrected.

7 days complete.

Am I sold on yoga?  I might be.  Not just any yoga.  I think I vote for vinyasa, or as the Red Dragon Yoga Studio in Mill Valley refers to their hot vinyasa class, “Power Yoga”.  We flow from one pose to the next and through the movements, there is less time to have a yoga Nazi pick on me for my form.  I try to blend in, sweat, and move freely.  I am challenged, but I am kept interested with few static poses, and the class is based on dynamic movements and upbeat music that doesn’t involve waterfalls or windchimes. 

5 days of yoga, and I am sore.  Does it make me better cyclist?  I hope so.  Do I intend to compete in the Olympics for yoga?  Thank heavens, no, but I think it will be a beneficial addition to my weeks of training when I am home.  5 days/week?  No.  I am crossing my fingers for 1 day/week.

There is some truth to the repetition of yoga to feel its energizing properties.  Addicted might be a strong word, but I at least can admit that I began ALMOST enjoying yoga.  Who would have thought it was ever possible.

Photo by Larry Rosa

 If you like this picture… and you like to know what the date is, this will be my final plug to get your OFFICIAL Team TIBCO calendar! 

You can get it HERE!

We just got our first draft of our schedule for Team TIBCO’s racing in 2010.  The good news is that will be touring the world!  No matter where you are located, you will be able to watch the team in action.  To give you a little taste of that, we will be in New Zealand, to Redlands, to Merced, to Menlo Park, to Sea Otter, to Minnesota, to New Mexico, to Beligium, to France, to Tulsa, to Oregon, to Santa Cruz, to Burlingame, to Italy!  You got it.  I am pretty sure we will be everywhere. 

I love to look at the schedule and think about the exciting times and challenging races in the future!  Will you be there with me?  I hope so.

Upon returning from my experience on the track, I have been asked repeatedly, what was I doing there?

I even heard the rumor that I was possibly doing roller derby.  Not really roller derby, but after watching the Madison I can see some similiarilites. 

The track is usually 250m around, although sometimes it is 333m.  The events are separated into two distinct categories.  Sprint and Endurance. 

A sprint event is usually 3-6 laps in duration and involves raw power and race tactics to win.  I was very impressed with the sprinters that I saw.  With their stocky frames and mustaches, they were a raucous group of men that seemed to be happy to be loitering at the track.  As soon as I would get a little jealous of their rested demeanor, I would witness one of their brutal 500m effort.  Le ouch. 

An endurance event on the track is longer then the sprint events.  Endurance events comprise of individual pursuit, team pursuit, scratch race, points race, Madison, and omnium.  The IP is basically an individual time trial, and it has been removed from the Olympics for 2012, hence the focus on the teampursuit.    The scratch race, points race, and Madison are all mass start events.  For now, I think Iwill focus on the team pursuit.   

The team pursuit for the women comprises of 3 women/team, and the distance is 3k.  For the men, they start with 4 riders, one of the riders being expendable, and their distance is 4k.   There are few things as beautiful as a flawless team pursuit in action.  Although it may not resemble roller derby, it is pretty incredible to watch.  The efficiency and tenacity of the team is incredible 

Check out this video of the Great Britain women setting a world record against Germany in Manchester, England.

Manchester World Cup Women’s Team Pursuit

If you don’t want to watch all 10 minutes of the video, fast forward to about 3:30 in to watch the world record being set! 

I have so much respect for our US women who can kill it out the track so gracefully and powerfully.  What an awesome discipline of our sport.

What do you do when its raining?

I am beginning to ask myself that question as I look at the weather forecast. There are many options. I compiled a list, since I tend to be a list maker type of person.

The tough:
Put on fenders.
Put on fenders on the front and the rear.
Where latex gloves under your gloves.
Put ziploc bags on your feet under your socks, in your shoes, under you shoe covers.
Where a rain jacket.
Find a good friend to join you.

The not-so-tough:
Ride rollers.
Ride a trainer.
Find a good movie to accompany you.

I think I will…
Take a rest day.

What does that make me?  It makes me a girl that just got done with 2 weeks at track camp.  Cheers to that.

Maybe I will find a good movie, and that doesn’t include rollers.

Whether you care about the track or not, the rules we have covered so far, are…

1) Always keep pedaling

2) Communication

The rest of the rules are just as straightforward, and may seem obvious, but if you are ever riding around in your adventures and you find yourself on a slick wooden track with 45 degree embankments, Olympians, and World Champions (does the name Taylor Phinney ring a bell?), and going super fast, you will know what the rest of the rules are.

3) Hold predictable lines (even if you are being pummeled by a group of pursuiters, know you keep your line, and they will move around you…)

4) Pass on the right, and know which are the passing lanes (even though they aren’t marked, there are 5 lanes on the track)

5) Go fast. No really. Go Fast.

That’s it. Go fast and you will be just fine. The faster the better. I learned that on a track you are always going left. Everyone rides the track in the same direction, even if you are from the “other” side of the equator and your toilets flush different, you still ride the track in the same consistent direction. It is the universal law of the track. Left.

 Keep pedaling and communicate and you will fit in on any track you desire, or so I am told. The track is an excellent addition to any cyclist’s arsenal. It is cycling in its purest form. It is smooth, predictable, and concise. Is it hard? Absolutely. But it is well worth the challenge.

I am excited for this opportunity. Yet, as Daniel Holloway (Garmin) came flying down the embankment at me screaming, “AH! No brakes!” I still did flinch before giving him a nervous chuckle. Yes, I realize none of us have brakes, but you didn’t need to point it out. Know your audience. Ha. Welcome to the track, Alison.  No brakes necessary.

We have a roster, ladies and gentlemen..

Check out the Cycling News article HERE!

Also, you can leave comments on my blog once again! Yay!

The first rule of the track, is there are no rules,   Oh wait, no.  There are a lot of rules for track riding and track racing. 

I will tell you this.  The track is like the freeway.  You can’t just stop on the freeway, you have to plan ahead for your exits and entrances.  Think about on-ramps, and off-ramps.

And whatever you do, don’t stop pedalling.  Rule number 1: Do not stop pedalling

That can kind of be like life, right?  You keep it rolling at all times.  You don’t give up, and you keep turning those pedals.  If you keep those legs moving, you keep the momentum, and you can surmount anything, even a 45 degree embankment.   However, unlike life…. on the track, if you do stop pedalling, you won’t last long.  But, you will hit the deck and learn the lesson.  Never stop pedalling.

Keep it up.  Don’t stop pedalling.

Power= Force x Velocity

Let me geek out momentarily. 

In cycling, the physics equation, P=FxV, should be taken in consideration. I did take two semesters of physics in college, yet when I am pedalling my bicycle, for some reason this simple equation seems to slip my mind.  Why should we consider this?  We all know we want to put out power, but what is the best way to do it?  The force, is the obvious way.  It is the raw torque that you put on the pedals.  Now, the velocity, is not the velocity of the bike, but it is in fact the velocity of your foot putting torque on the pedals.  ie: Cadence. 

Hm.  If I increase my force on the pedals, I could put out more power.  But, I could also put out more power by increasing my foot velocity without having to necessarily deliver more torque to the pedals.  Very interesting.

Enough of that.  It was just a thought.  A random one at that to remind you that science is everywhere.  Yes, I am a nerd.