Be Here Now

Actually, as much as I would like to be living in the moment on my last leisurely morning in Boulder, I can't help this lack of Zen balance in my life today! I've got luggage from one country (is this a bag of coffee from Columbia?) and have to switch to over to bigger suitcases and bigger bike boxes for a longer trip to other countries. Lot of coffee today! My passport has seen more action than...prize for the best finish of this sentence!

Where have I bean (that's what the Canadians say!)? You know the lull between Christmas and New Year's? Sure...right! Packing for Canada on Christmas Day. Off to a suburb of Vancouver, Canada for the UCI Burnaby Four. That is a six-day (condensed into three nights of racing) and a final full day Omnium. Translation for "normal" people...four looong days of racing! Neal...can I get a day off? Flying on Boxing Day?

Props to Jeremy Storie, the Burnaby promoter, for a true World Class race! Unlike certain tracks (you know who you are!) that could care less about women's racing, Jeremy went above and beyond to have a stacked women's field that included three World Champions and five different countries. Thanks you for your support of women's track racing! It is not often that I am able to line up with a field of this quality outside a World Cup and work on trying out different tactics...like taking a lap...ha! No pressure racing at that level...so much fun!

Picture from Burnaby.

Now what? After a couple nights at home, I am back to LA for a week of Omnium training before the next National Team pursuit camp next Monday. Two weeks in LA and off to Beijing to World Cup #3. This will be my second WC Omnium. I love this because I love to race my bike...and you get six different races! Look forward to some great results in China!

Madison winners at Nationals, 2010.

Before stepping on to my first flight in 2011, I would like to take a minute to thank all of my personal sponsors that made 2010 a great year! Peanut Butter & Co/ TWENTY 12 for their great support! Tiemeyer for the best custom track frames (total of 11 National Championships on Dave's bikes!)...D2 for the best custom cycling shoes (call Don!)...both from Colorado! SKINS for providing the recovery clothing layered under my jeans on every trip! Zipp for all my track wheels...including the new Super 9 rear disc...short range missile!

Omnium Pursuit, Nationals, 2010

Last, but not least...I want to thank a hand full of people that put in lots of hard work making "it" all happen...it couldn't happen without you!

Neal Henderson of Apex Coaching for helping me through a crazy transition from sprinter to...pursuiter? Oh man...never say never! But if you do, I got the guy for you!

Mark Tyson for being there at the track everyday on the moto. Hey, pull the throttle already, baby...or I'm gonna smash that roller again! Looking forward to lots of lunches in 2011. Thanks for answering phone calls from the other side of the globe in the middle of the night! Don't worry, Noreen...just another crazy female trackie!

Ben Sharp, US Women's National Track Team coach, for all his hard work (and the other USAC staff). Wish I had been there when you told your buddies over a beer how easy it was going to be to coach women! Trial by fire, Benjamin! You can sleep after London! I hear Tyson is writing a book about dealing with women athletes...

And Nicola Cranmer, GM for Peanut Butter and CO/2012. Thank you for all your dedication! Looking forward to my third year! Every year is better than the last...and it doesn't just happen! Some of us know that it isn't a job for you...it is your life...and this "job" is my life, so thanks for all you do!

Finally...to my hubby for all his support...I couldn't do it without you...I miss you so much...you're hawt...hahaha! WOOT! When we stop laughing about all our personal inside jokes on this one...from our favorite 2010 Twitter, FB and blogs...whew...comedy! Seriously, enough people... you are killing me.

And for Tony, a moment of silence. Wait...Tony wouldn't want silence...I'm going into 2011and going to turn the volume up to 11 just for you Tony!