The local teams here, well, all I can say is, I think they suck. I think the "team" thing is a huge high school cliquey type of bullshit. I don't belong, never have, never will. It's just not me. It's not who I am. I like my friends that I train and race with. I see them on a social basis too.
I had an offer for BSM but that didn't work out. That decision ended up being a very good one. The RideClean team extended an invite to their new women's team but all of the women live in AZ so that doesn't make sense.
I've decided that this year, I'd rather save my money and race solely for DrunkCyclist.com. They gave me a jersey. Coach OB gave me a pair of sweet ass Hincapie bibs. I even have yellow soccer socks for CX. I am set.
Fuck these lame ass local elitist teams.
20 comments:
Perhaps Drunk Cyclist could spawn another worldwide syndicate (like Velo Bella or The Crossniacs), with folks representing in various disciplines and various places, and writing up race reports for a central web site. The hard part is that you're all spread out and if you're the only member in your city it can get lonely. The upside is that if you're the only one in your city you can pretty much write your own playbook.
beth, DC is actually thinking about that now. i think gnome will be sending in a usac team application. we'll see what happens. if an official tells me i can't race unattached in a DC jersey, than i guess i wont race. right?
Maybe if you were a better rider, you'd be on a better team? Or maybe the local teams just don't like you and that's why you think all of the local teams suck.
@anon - that's exactly the type of elitist attitude i am talking about.
honestly, it's like high school. once again, i'm not good enough. once again, i'm not cool enough. once again, they don't like me enough.
anon, you are 100% correct.
now don't be a pussy and tell me who you are. you are from west chester, yes?
If you have 'drunk cyclist' on your license then you can race with a DC kit.
Also, if you're unattached, you can pretty much wear any jersey you want, as long as it's not associated with another licensed team. For example, with unattached on your license, you wouldn't be able to race in a velo bella jersey, but you would be able to race in a count chocula jersey.
The only problem I could see with DC would be the team name. I'm not so sure the illuminati at USAC would take kindly to 'drunk' anything for a team name, you know, political correctness and all that. I'm sure they wouldn't want to be appear to be condoning excessive alcohol consumption, in fact, up here in new england it's only been recently that they've allowed beer vendors to set up beer tents in official vendor/sponsor capacities. Maybe they'll get around it by calling the team DC or something and not spell it out, but I could still see issues with it.
Racing with a team doesn't get you a whole helluva alot unless you're really into the whole 'teamwork' thing, by that I mean the teamwork race dynamic - blocking, chasing, leadouts, etc. From what I've seen of womens amatuer racing (and I've seen it for 25 years now), a real team effort at the cat 3/4 level is a rare as a bigfoot sighting.
Hooking up with DC wouldn't be a bad thing though, You'll have the recognition and cred as a writer for one of the most popular cycling blogs in the country, even if you don't have teammates. but hell, you don't want teammates anyways, those girls can be such...what did you call them?
well I see the f-bombs have returned...:)))))
Sometimes being FREE to ride and do whatever is not such a bad thing. The perks will be misssed I am sure.
Wow, anon if you really feel that way then put your name out there to back it up. Everyone has an opinion, but if you put it out there be man or woman enough to own it.
Anon - Your statement says much, much more about you than it does about Judi.
Happy Holidays.
Judy,
Just curious about why your local teams suck? and why you say "fuck these lame ass local elitist teams". I live in CT and just started bike racing. I am on a local bike shop team and they have been so generous to me. I have come to know most of the bike racers in the New England area and I can't really think of any of them having an elitist attitude. Do you think that it's an Ohio thing? The women in my area have just been really encouraging even though they are on other teams. Good luck with your new team and I wish the best 2011 season !!!
Hey Judy-
I felt the same way as you and rode unattached two years ago. I finally "caved" and joined a local all womans team last year, and I can tell you it was a good decision. First of all, many of your races get reimbursed- that is a huge perk. Secondly, I have a support system than really helps- especially being a woman in a male dominated sport.
I think I am similar to you in some aspects. I started off running, did tri's for 4 years and did IMFL in 2008. I thought the local team thing was stupid (like the sororities I hated in college), but you should really give it a chance. It took me a while to understand it, and to even warm up to my teammates, but now I am helping out and encouraging the newer riders of the team and it a nice thing to know you're helping newer riders.
Since someone here mentioned what kit one can race in depending on one's attachment, I'd offer this: I've raced for two seasons wearing the kit of a "syndicate" team.
Being part of a syndicate has been useful, a good doorway into racing. It's good because the name is known enough that when people see you wearing the kit they automatically know what association to make; and becaues there can be discounts on various items that make your life as a racer a little nicer now and then; and finally because you can always swap tips online with other syndicate members from afar.
But as I said before, it can be VERY lonely being The Only Whatever in your town. And if you're newer to racing and could use not only support but the impetus, the kick in the pants, of others to ride with and learn from, then joining a local team with actual numbers can be a positive thing. Which is what I've been invited to do next season, and which I will decide on soon.
Anon -- don't assume that someone isn't on a team because they aren't any good. (I'm the slowest racer-shaped object I know, and I was ASKED to join this local team. THEY approached me, and I'm pretty confident it wasn't based on my race results.)
Likewise, I've never seen Judi race (Earth to Judi: come race in Oregon. Please.) but based on what I've read of her results I know she's way faster than me, and faster than a lot of other people, too. Maybe even faster than you. You can't always know the details. So it's best not to assume too much. (Especially if you choose to remain anonymous.)
@ bikelovejones
Don't assume by someone's results that they are fast. Coming in 4th out 5 racers in a beginner category doesn't make you fast. I do agree that teams don't just hand out invitations based on performance. They also invite people to join a team because they like that person, know they would be good advocates for the cycling community & would represent their team in a positive light. Judi's personality alone doesn't qualify her to be a part of any team. The local teams just don't want to be associated with her potty mouth, addict attitude and drama she invokes. That doesn't make them elitist. Judi seems bitter. Hence the " Local teams suck" blog post.
@anon. you are right.
1. i do invoke drama.
2. i do have an addict attitude.
3. i do have a potty mouth.
plus my husband says i am socially inept and i don't fit in well with society. he's right.
i suppose that's why DC is a good fit for me. i'll stick with people who are real. they asked me to write for their site for a reason. i am glad to be a part of it.
p.s. why do you keep reading my blog? i am curious.
Anonymous, if you don't like Judi, why are you dedicating all this time on her blog? Does spending your energy putting others down make you feel good? What are you accomplishing? Is there a sense of self-satisfaction in hurting others? Sitting at your desk, thinking, "...boy, hopefully this zinger will really make her feel like shit, then I'll be a real hero. Yep, I'm awesome. I'm better than her, and I'm gonna let her know."
Merry Christmas, asshole. You're a real winner.
I keep reading because you are very entertaining and I really do appreciate your honesty, just sayin!! But you have to be willing to take the criticism. You put down all the local lame ass elitist teams....how do you think they feel?
anon, im glad you find it entertaining to come here and take cheap stabs at me. if that's how you get your thrills, maybe you should think about getting a real life. you must certainly be a lonely individual in life, that you need to lurk around on local blogs and post cruel words. merry christmas. hope your happy your words stung. it worked.
I don't really think I am only taking cheap stabs at you at all.
BTW..I did not post the comment that if you were a better rider you would be on a better team. How did I put you down? I thought I was giving you a compliment on appreciating your honesty, but I can understand that you may have thought I wrote that other anon comment.
Robyn in CT
All these Anons, I think its getting confusing which Anon is which!
There's got to be a way to alter the 'Choose an identity' checklist to replace "Anonymous" with "Douchebag" or "chickenshit weasel" or something more appropriate.
-- Mike
I do think, when Judy posts inflammatory stuff like "fuck these local teams" people are going to come on and give her crap about it. What she has to say might be completely legitimate, but the way she says it is just going to piss off people, and make them defensive and argumentative. So I think it's a vicious cycle..Judy says something like that, it pisses off those that support that kind of thing, they come back bitching and elitist, which reinforces Judy's opinions about it, and so on and so on.
Post a Comment