Old news... but good news

My poor family... still have not seen photos from Nationals. Here you go!

Boulder's Higgins Finishes US Track Cycling National Championship with Four National Titles

October 3, 2010

Carson, CA-Boulder's Cari Higgins (Peanut Butter & Co/2012 Professional Cycling Team) completed her competition at the 2010 US Elite Track Cycling National Championships on Sunday with the addition of two more national titles. With teammate and former World Champion Jennie Reed (Kirkland, WA), Higgins won the first ever US National Championship in the Women's Madison. Her final Stars and Stripes jersey came in the Women's Team Sprint with teammate Liz Reap (Jim Thorpe, PA). Earlier in the week, Higgins also won National titles in the Women's Team Pursuit and Points Race. She has eleven career National Championships and four Pan American Cycling Championship medals.

Higgins commented "I am really inspired by starting my track cycling season off with a strong Nationals. I am looking forward to a great winter of racing internationally with the US National Team as we work towards our goal, the London 2012 Olympics".

Cari is coached by Neal Henderson of Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. She is also the founder of the Boulder-based Flatiron Flyers Junior Cycling Project, a junior cycling team with twenty local riders. She also serves an athlete representatives to the USA Cycling Board in Colorado Springs, CO.

Recovery

I didn't even have a chance to post ONE THING from Nationals. You would think that this week would allow me the opportunity to get caught up on all things blog. Not really.

What have I done this recovery week? Goes something like this...

Monday- travel, sleep, eat lots

Tuesday- sleep, celebrate birthday, drive to Denver to pick up bikes and Katie/Mark's dog, doctor, birthday dinner with friends, sleep

Wednesday- SLEEP, yoga, finally make it to the grocery so I can stop eating Clif bars, SLEEP BIG TIME

Thursday- SLEEP more then I thought was possible, decide that laundry was a must, SLEEP, and SLEEP again

Friday- sunrise hike, nap, lunch with a friend, fight the nap.... and maybe some more yoga

I think I am starting to feel normal again. This is all just in time to start the hard training again. It's all a crazy cycle!

Ok... race reports and pictures from Nationals are on their way. This weekend, it will all be posted!

Really?

If a sprinter sits out the Scratch race and signs up for the Individual Pursuit instead, is she still a sprinter?

Do not disturb: Therapy in session.

The answer... this is how and where you can support our team and our sponsor!

http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/cycling

Something Sassy!

She's new and beautiful!

This photo was taken from Tiemeyer's shop at about 10 pm the 2 nights before I left for LA. I was so tired from a long day but you would never know it by the smile. THE man stayed up late to make sure everything was perfect on the new frame. Thanks Dave!

The beauty about precision and custom is you just throw on the components and you are ready to roll!

I can't say enough about Tiemeyer's bikes. Lighter then most carbon frames I would consider. As stiff as I would possibly need. More aero then anything else out there. And fits me like a glove!

Boulder Fire

This has been a strange week around Boulder. One that we won't ever forget.

On Monday, Labor Day, a fire started in the mountains just west of Boulder. Because it is the end of summer and everything is dry/hot/waiting to be firewood, the fire went crazy and fast.

Thousands of homes have been evacuated, almost 200 homes/structures have been destroyed, and I promise the 100,000 Boulder citizens (and all surrounded communities) have been affected in some manner.

How have I been affected? Not directly. But, I have been helplessly addicted to the fire radio... their live radio communication. I know several firefighters in town and can't stop thinking about their tireless work and their families worrying about them at home.

I also have been forced to ride east into the plains and skip my rides into the mountains. We know how much I love climbing mountains. :)

Ok, seriously. I don't want to make light of this situation. It's bad.

I will say that I have learned a ton about Boulder and the people who live here. It is pretty warming how everyone has pulled together and responded as a community.

There are a million scary photos out there on the internet. Here is one that gives a sense of size. This is a photo belonging to my friend Craig Hoffman, pro photographer.

As I left for my ride on Tuesday, this was my view from the same exact spot at an intersection.

NORTH

SOUTH

I rode south.

Here was a couple shots from South Boulder looking north.

Yikes!

Time lapse video of 1st night.

What we have been hearing all day all week.

Keep in mind that these fires were literally one ridge away from the city of Boulder. This wasn't some fire way up in the woods. This was a couple miles away. Thursday night they warned a huge section of Boulder City residents to prepare for evacuation due to crazy winds (up to 60 mph gusts) that were pushing due east... straight into Boulder. Thanks to the efforts of the fire crew, evacuation was not needed. I don't know how they dealt with those winds.

Big thanks to all the firefighters and volunteer guys/gals up in the mountains. They have worked non-stop to contain this fire and protect the residents. We all owe you!

Hi, My Name is Cari and I am a Recovering Sprinter

Therapy started in Mexico at Pan Ams. This is where I realized I needed help. Thankfully I was surrounded by some wonderful friends and supporters of my effort.

After several months of long ass endurance rides on the bike prescribed by my head therapist, coach Neal Henderson, I can finally see the light. I AM NOT A TRACK SPRINTER ANYMORE.

For those of you who think you may have a problem, read below. These were some of my signs.

- Wearing long fingered gloves in a Team Pursuit

- In the van after our first ride on the fastest track in the world (Mexico), there was silence as everyone else absorbed the scenery. All I could say was, "Ben, it would be so f*@^ing fun to ride a keirin here."

- "Hey, are you going to eat that?"

- Can't share chainrings with teammates because I ride 1/8" NJS chains.

- Only girl on the team with "medium" shorts.

- Would prefer 15 minutes between efforts, minimum.

- Warm up in a 81" gear and not the required 86" gear.

- Again in Mexico, I daydreamed about doing just 1 200m just to set a new PR. Just one! That's all I ask.

- When told to do a 70% standing start team pursuit effort, I went 1.5 seconds too fast off pace.

- Still call mass start bars my sprint bars.

When I look at tomorrow's track workout which includes MANY efforts longer then 1 lap and I don't cringe, I know I am on the right path. Therapy is working.