Weekend Recap

It has been a wild and crazy weekend! I am just now winding down. I was off work and there were some big bike races happening here. Racing, socializing, fun. Dominic was the only thing missing really. I hate his job sometimes.

Friday night was amazing. The crit was so much fun, my mind was buzzing till 3am. I couldn't sleep, it was such a RUSH! I can't explain it. That is about as close as I can get to a buzz like crack cocaine, without actually doing it. HA! That's about the best way I can explain the way I felt after racing Friday nite. I was up half the night buzzing. I played on the netbook and emailed OB, and left a comment on the DC site about it. That's why I posted the race report there, sorry.

Saturday night was the Hyde Park blast, another crit. After Friday's race I was all pumped up to race that crit too, until I saw the same day race entry fee, 55 bucks. With no chances of volunteering for a race entry, I bowed out. I went down to the race and cheered with all my friends and had a bunch of fun just being social.

I watched the women's race closely. The course was not near as scary as Friday's course. I was super proud of my team when Jen Rasmusson from our NRC team took 1st place!! I ran over and hugged her, held her bike while she got her picture taken. Then she blasted open a bottle of champagne and sprayed it all over. It was cool. She came back over to get her bike and we talked. Offered me the bottle too, I laughed and pushed it away. Jen was sweet as can be (she raced the night before with me and came in 7th). GO KENDA!



After the women's race, me and my buddy Kelon headed up the alley where the riders had a 90 degree turn up a slight hill. It was the perfect spot to watch the pro men. We were at the very end of the alley so it looked like the riders were coming right towards us. It was awesome. I was hanging with a bunch of people and having a great time. We were giving beer and dollar hand up's to the pro's, it was so fun.

Sunday morning I met up with Christa and Polly for a ride. Two more of OB's clients. He tells us to ride together and Christa lives really close by. We met downtown and rode out to Indian Hill, checked out the house where Marge Schott lived, did a few hills (east side hills don't have shit on west side hills), and headed back down eastern. I got in 50+ miles or so. Easy miles.

Me, Christa and Polly


Here are a few more pictures from Friday's race.

That's the videographer, they taped the race for the story.



Me and Sherry. She's the sweetest southern belle (BGW, she's single I think) and she loves to race bikes, road and CX. She was sweet enough to let me use her trainer before we lined up. Sherry came in 5th.



Ummm, I was having some issues with the glasses.
Photo by Jeff Jekucyk

The Madeira Crit

I just worked my ass off on this race report. I am sorry to do this to you but I posted it over on Drunk Cyclist. It's a good one, please go read.

The story

I just finished an interview for the story. It's on.

Carrie and Stacy setting up.


We aren't going as deep as I thought. Some stuff was touched on. Loss of friends who didn't make it, talk of pain from methadone/heroin withdrawal, but none of the real nitty gritty nasty stuff. No mug shots. No crying.

They'll also film me racing the Madeira criterium tomorrow. Dominic won't be there but my Mom is coming. They want to have a camera man follow her around. That should be interesting. Monday they want to film me swimming. I just can't wait to see how this turns out.

Sam Update:
I found a great doctor who slit the fucker open and it is now healing properly. Finally a doctor who didn't just hand me a script a shove me out the door. Sitz baths 2xs a day.

OB suggested a while back to cut the saddle. I finally did. You know what? It works really well! When I do replace the saddle I think I am going with a Fizik women's saddle. Anyone have any thoughts to throw in? I plan to ride this saddle until Sam is gone though.



Racing
I am officially NOT doing any triathlons this summer. I was on the fence about a couple, but we just don't have the money. We're saving for the trip to Interbike. Triathlons are 75 bucks+ and if I want to sign up for IMKY 2011, I better chill the fuck out on race fee's now. Bike racing is pretty cheap, and sometimes I can work the race in exchange for race entry.

OB is already starting CX training. I am so psyched. I am ready for some CX racing! I have recently started bunny hopping curbs and speedbumps and shit.

SW Ohio Master's Road Race

Today's race was scored in age group instead of cat's. I raced with the 40+ women.

I was so fucking nervous to go to this race, because of everything that happened last week. I forced down my oatmeal, loaded up the car and left. Dominic was having breakfast with his Pops and then meeting me over at the race. I worked registration so I could race free, cuz Dave is good to me like that.

Everything went smooth. No one said a word, everyone was happy and friendly. Rick H was pre reg'd and I was nervous about what would happen if he showed up when I was there.

I left my spot to change and warm up about 11:20. Dominic showed up about 10 minutes later.

After my warm up, the VP of the club that handled the crit series came up. He commented below, a guy named Tracy. Super cool dude. We had some good words. I like him. I think good things will happen from my shitstorm.

Time to line up. Tons of chitchat with the usual females, hugs at the starting line, everyone had nothing but smiles. Except my poor new friend Christa, who was having a meltdown and freaking the fuck out cuz it was her first race. I told her "just ride your fucking bike and stay on my wheel!".

Two teammates, Chrissy and Melissa. Melissa in the 30+, me and Chrissy in the 40+.



Then we're off. I was riding the course blind. Had no idea about the hills. One girl had said it was all uphill except for one downhill and we had 6 laps to equal 40 miles.

I stuck with the lead 5 women for about a good.....maybe 5 miles? Then they were gone and I was alone.

The hills were horrendous. The big climb was the kind that if you stopped pedaling you would tip over. It was long and tough. Then some false flats and another big climb. And then a flying downhill and I allowed myself to let it fly and I was going 43mph, and ohmigodivenevergonethatfastbefore, and my fingers did not touch the brakes! At the end of the downhill was a right turn into another fucking uphill and finally a tiny piece of 500m flat for the 200m sprint to the finish line.

Six times.

On my 4th lap I caught my teammate Chrissy and we rode together for a while. Both of us were suffering. The heat index was 95. I was dumping water on my head and down my back. On the last lap, I said, "you wanna make this our recovery lap?" and we just laughed. I let her go on the climb and ended up 5th. She got 4th.

I knew they were paying $300 5 deep and there were only 7 in my a/g. I won 30 big ones. I am telling you folks, the sponsors are gonna be breaking my door down soon. (I am totally joking duh).

Oh yea. One more thing.

Rick crashed on the first lap. He's a little banged up, but he's gonna be ok. I never wished any physical harm to the dude, but isn't that a little weird?

Yowsa

The shitstorm is slowly coming to a head. I've hurt some good people in the process and I wanted to take a minute and apologize to Bill Lorenz publicly. Bill is a local cyclist that has been involved in our cycling community for a long time. I have hurt him as well as his family and that was not my intention. Bill, if you are reading this, I am waving a white flag.

My only intention in writing that email was to bring a women's race to the series. That is all.

I never intended to hurt anyone.

Rick Hoeting, on the other hand, well, we all know he will get his in time. Karma is very real.

Moving on.

Two races in the next week. Had I not committed to working and racing both of them, I probably wouldn't be doing them. I am sick of my fucking road bike.

Anyways.

Tomorrow's race is a master's road race. No cat's. Just age group. I am going to get crushed in the 40+ division. I am still 39, but you know how that race age bullshit is. After being on antibiotics for 2 months, my gut is a wreck. Or it could be stress. I will suck, but I am just gonna ride my bike and try to have fun.

Friday's race is a criterium with two 180's and a cat 4 race for women. Can you spell c-r-a-s-h?

Thanks for all your comments and support.
Have a great weekend.

The shitstorm

Last weekend, I started a big shitstorm here in my tiny little cycling community. After the post below about this shitty crit I attempted to do, I sent an email to a USAC rep and cc'd the race promoter requesting a women's "C" race.

Here is what I sent:

You'd think that the Ault Park Series of crit races would show some interest in developing new cyclists and broadening our cycling community, but year after year, the series has locked women out. Instead, the promoter, __________, has told women they can pay the same as the men to race with the men, but most women who show up have the same experience-- shelling our out $15 just to get dropped in a lap or two. Not only does this guarantee low (if any) female turnout, it also makes women who show up feel pretty bad about our cycling abilities. As long as this is the set-up, women's turnout won't increase, and Mr. _______ can say "women don't show up, why should we give them their own race?"

USAC needs to stop permitting races that don't treat women equally. It's bad for the sport.

Sincerely,

Judi Rothenberg

The club that puts on the series found out about my email and on Saturday morning I woke up to about 15 emails from 3-5 of their board members. Nasty attacks..... I am only naming one guy who was the worst of all of them.

"Judy what you did was wrong, cowardly, self centered and unsubstantiated. You have no idea about cycling and or tradition" Rick Hoeting".

"You have a lot of audacity asking USAC to shut down an event because it doesn't meet YOUR criteria for the type of racing it should provide."

"I’ve been bicycle racing since 1972, and I have encountered every type of volunteer and for-profit promoter imaginable. To attack the integrity of ___________, who VOLUNTEERS hours of his time to promote Ault Park, is shameful. Get involved, volunteer."

"I view her as hostile to the club and cycling in general. Until her attitude changes she has no business at any meetings. Last time I checked obama doesn't meet with bin laden to lay out future plans." (Rick Hoeting)

"not all women get dropped, just the ones who need to train more." (Rick Hoeting)

"You are a freaking moron and if I was you I would quit before you run out of appendages to put into your mouth." (Rick Hoeting)

"You’ve got a lot of nerve banging on someone who volunteers their time to promote an event which benefits the Cincinnati racing community so tremendously. How much time did you spend in 2009 volunteering at cycling events?"

By Saturday morning I was in tears and had to work all day. I kept on reciveing more and more nasty emails (right now there are about 95 emails total that have been sent in the last 4 days).

Out of all those girls I raced with, ONE girl had my back. Christa. She and Julie helped me write a reply (it's long so I am just posting parts....)

As a female athlete and a beginner at bike racing, I can tell you that getting involved in the sport on a competitive level, especially as an adult, is not easy. It is intimidating and often discouraging to get to a race and often be one of only a small handful of women showing up amongst dozens if not hundreds of men. For many women, this makes it discouraging enough not to show up a second or third time. Hence, competing in an event like AP crit, where there are not only a small showing of females, but also the knowledge that you will be competing against CAT 4 men, is frustrating and makes it not as enjoyable an experience. You say not enough women show up. Of course women aren't going to show up and pay $ to get dropped from the men's race.

I know the your BOD has been approached by your own female team members about these issues and didn't get much of a response in return, that's why I turned for outside help. .....Do you think it's fair for women to pay the same and put in the same training and effort to race a field they can't compete in?

Women's bike racing has exploded in our area in the last few years. There were 33 women that lined up at Vandervorts. Wouldn't it be great it we could get even just half that to show up for their own race at Ault Park? Make it 15 laps? Let the juniors ride with us! I understand Ault Park races have been going on for 27 years. The change for a C race could be nothing more than a huge positive for everyone involved.

I just started bike racing last fall in CX. I helped Dave the following month with set up for a couple CX races. This spring I helped with registration at 4 of the spring race series. I also volunteered FOR YOUR CLUB at the Cleve's TT a few weeks back. I have offered up time to help with Maderia and Dave's master RR next weekend. I DO volunteer. You must have spelled my name wrong when you looked it up. It's Rothenberg, not Rothenburg.

I received more emails from the rest of the board, trying to apologize for Rick Hoeting's hateful comments that had me in tears Sat and Sun.

"I apologize for the comments made by Rick Hoeting. I do NOT agree with the tone, and much if any of the content, of his most recent comments, or those he made earlier. As for the comments I made to you in a private email concerning your volunteering capacities, I apologize. Clearly you have been involved in helping with local events. Thank you."

"Don't apologize for me and trust me the tone is only a fraction of how pissed I am. I am not sure why you guys keep entertaining her babble." (Rick Hoeting)

Monday I woke up to an email from the director of my team. Rick Hoeting wrote an email to my director, trying to get me kicked off Kenda:

" Judi Rothenburg is a serious detriment to the image your team portrays. You might want to seriously consider terminating your association with her or at least require some type of formal apology to the promoter and the hosting club.....For your own records....I have checked Judi’s performances personally and find that she gets dropped from her own categories as well. I think the problem isn’t that the competition is too fast but Judi is just too slow." (Rick Hoeting)

Reply from my director (again, long, so I am just posting the best parts. He backed me 100%.

"Accusing Judi of under-training is just short of bull hockey and it is very discriminatory against women. I will not honor your concern of that, as I know many women of your local OH teams, which I graciously will not name, would greatly appreciate what Judi is asking for....Your suggestion to ban her is way out there and beyond your position within USA Cycling. There is no need to threaten Judi, and don't assert any threat towards our team.....This whole thing is way out of control. Maybe everyone needs to go back and re-read Judi's original email. Judi simply requested a women's race, and she was personally attacked from that point on."

They wanted Christa and I to come to the race tonight. The race promoter asked us out to eat after the race to discuss the entire thing. My plan was to go all day. Then I sent a note asking which place to meet at, and the promoter got shitty with me again.

"Come early so we can discuss how to increase your lap count".

Ummm. I don't need a coach thanks. I just responded back that I had to go to Home Depot because my ceiling is falling in and I need a new roof. I needed a time/place. He says:

"I have a skid of shingles in my garage you can have if you race tonight".

WHAT???? BRIBE ME MOTHER FUCKER??? So you and your rich Hyde Park buddies can sit back and laugh again when I bust a lung trying to make it around 2 laps? Humiliate myself? Really?

Plus you know I NEED those fucking shingles. And I don't have any money to buy shingles for a new roof. And he knew that and tried to dangle something in front of my face just so he could get his kicks watching me suck.

So the tears start flowing and I just can't do it anymore. I called Christa and told her I was done. I am tired. I want to stop being told I suck.

I may have to quit racing and just go have fun and ride my bikes. I'm seriously thinking about it. Cuz all of the sudden, this isn't fun anymore and my confidence is destroyed.

Ault Park Crit #3

Criteriums. I swore I would try them this year.

The whole purpose of 2010 was to ride this shit out of my bikes and race as much as possible, in all venues. Road, crits, MTB (if a race actually ever occurs...we've had shitty weather) and of course CX!

OB in the front


A bunch of the girls I raced road with had promised to show up for the Ault Park series. This particular series doesn't have a start time for women. So we race with the mens 4/5's. We've been trying to get as many girls to race with us as possible, so we can have our own start time. Last week I was off due to Sam so I just cheered. I was amazed at how fast the girls dropped out. Out of 5 girls, only one made it all 20 laps.

This week, 4 girls showed up. And they decided to make the women come up front. Out of the fucking blue. We're already pissing in our pants, and now they make us come up front? Holy shit, I was pissed.

Awesome photo by Jeff.


Someone said "go" and a swarm of 65 men up came around me. I pedaled. I stayed in the pack for 2 laps. Then I lost them. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. It was impossible to catch up. I knew I wasn't going to ride alone. Fuck that. I needed to be in the pack.




I was so bummed cuz it was over almost as soon as it started. I am very very discouraged. It was my 2nd day back on the bike after 9 days off.




I stopped pedaling and pulled over and got out of the road (just in time, racers coming up from behind). Christa and I both made it 2 laps. We sat on the ground with a bunch of people and cheered everyone on. Again, only one girl made it all 20 laps. I seriously doubt I'll ever be able to hang with that pack.

I have zero confidence now.

After the race was over, me and the other girls talked about the way they pulled us to the front at the start of the race. We were evenly split on it, opinionwise. A couple girls thought it was a good idea, a couple of us thought it was bullshit. I promised to keep my mouth shut and not complain. I just did not like being called out in front like that. Not cool.

OB gave me a really nice pep talk this morning. I wanted to bail on next week's crit in this series. He isn't having any of that. He just told me to do what he says and it'll work out. I have to trust him. I really do like him a lot. He is in constant contact. He is always checking up on me. It's cool.

Oh yea, I think I might chicken out of doing the story. I am really scared.

Mom Drama

It's been a crazy few days. I can feel my temper rising. My Mom takes advantage of it. She likes to tell me when people have fucked her over because she knows I will call and throw a fit and make them make it right. Like yesterday, she tells me her garage door won't open. It's electric, and the lines got fucked up in a storm we had 10 fucking days ago. Her condo association hadn't fixed it yet. So I called their office and told them to step up and get it done already! I also told the bitch I was going to her boss in 24 hours if it wasn't fixed, and you know what? My Mom was able to open that garage door by 5pm yesterday. Her other ordeal is this fucking front door situation, and dealing with Home Depot has been a NIGHTMARE. They are FINALLY going to make it right but I am not singing any praises just yet.

My sister who lives in China flew in today. She is going to be here for 2.5 WHOLE days to see our Mom (sarcasm intended). She hasn't been here since 2004. I won't see her, don't care to see her. Later, when the visit is over, my Mom will bitch about how shitty she was treated, but for now she's excited to see her oldest daughter. Whatever. It's just more shit that pisses me off.

I mentioned in my last post that someone was interested in my story. I don't know how it's going to play out yet so please don't ask. He's gotten a look at my rap sheet from SF and knows what sort of bad stuff I was into. Yesterday he videotaped me riding. He was all harnessed up sitting in the back of a truck with a camera and I was to just follow them. I only rode for about 15 minutes with them. They got the footage they wanted, then attached a camera to my bike, and told me to go ride.

The camera weighs about 5lbs!


Since I hadn't been on my bike in NINE DAYS!!! and OB said to find rolling hills and ride easy for 2 hours, I rode to the ferry. I stopped myself from making funny faces into the camera while waiting on the ferry (how old am I?). Once across, I rode route 8 for a couple of hours. My legs felt like shit the whole time.

This guy doing this story, he's thinking it will be finished at the end of June. It's quite scary putting it all out there. I will get to see all my old mug shots soon. I am anxious to see my old fucked up faces. Opening up some old wounds, but I think I am ready. This is my way of freeing myself of these demons.

Updates of this and that....

*Update on Sam - it's better but not gone. Zanne sent me some holistic remedies so I am doing all kinds of things to make this sucker go the fuck away for good. It's healing but there is a huge chunk of scar tissue that doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

* I think some of you mis-read my post below. I am not off the bike 6 weeks. I am off for ONE week, and then if I have to have Sam cut out, I could be off the bike 6 weeks.

* I am on day 6 of no riding. I miss my beautiful bikes. I went to the crit on Wed to cheer the ladies on. That was fun, but weird not to be on my bike. I so want to ride. I have been swimming and running a few miles here and there but I hate it. My legs feel like bricks. My swim times are sloooow as shit. I have no interest in triathlon. I don't think I am going to sign up for any this summer.

* We have a new carbon frame on the way. Our LBS worked with Fuji to get Dominic's carbon frame replaced. YEEEAAA!

* My new favorite chamois cream. Made by women, for women. They are one of my sponsors so give them some love. They also sell swim shampoos that I have tried and LOVE.

* Interbike reservations are booked. Flights and hotels. Jeni and Darren are coming too and staying in Boulder City with us. I am so so totally psyched. The DC writers have something special planned for the 10 year anniversary. I am psyched to hook up with them. It's my first vacation on a plane with Dominic. He doesn't fly well. Without being drunk that is. Being drunk isn't an option though. At least I got us direct flights.



* Update on Annie - she's on the run now. Till she gets caught or OD's. Those are her choices. The picture above is in the window of her Mom's gallery downtown. Her Mom is working on a 501c3 called Fuel Cincinnati. It's a program to help drug addicts, just out of prison, obtain jobs and learn to be a normal, functioning member of society. Often addicts are institutionalized. Then they run. Cuz that's all they know, like Annie. Her Mom said she's been running all her life. I can't even tell you how many times I ran away from treatment. NOT while being under the court system though. When I had a year on the shelf, I did what they told me to.

* Something exciting might be happening soon. I can't spill the details because I don't know how it's going to play out. I'll just say this: someone is interested in my story.

"Sam"

So....better give ya a head's up that this post is going to be pretty gross.

I have had an issue with a saddle sore since March. It's right on my bikini line. Training for a 12 hour, indoors, can do that to you. I went on antibiotic ointment for a month, then oral antibiotics in April, DR appt a week later, she referred me to Doc #2, who said "we're gonna treat this like MRSA" and gave me more oral antibiotics! I called my pharmacy and found out this was the same RX Doc #1 gave me in APRIL!

FUCK!

So I have named this fucking thing. OB and I refer to it as "Sam". (Coach has to know about these things and believe me, he is used to it). I can't ride. Every time I ride it flames up. I squeeze shit out of it everyday. And it hurts. I want it gone once and for all.

Doc #2 said that if I had to get it cut out, I could be off the bike 6 weeks.

6 weeks?????

No no no no. Not now.

This cannot be happening.

I swam today. I'd rather be riding though.