New tshirts ordered!

Since the National Bike Summit in March, this has been my mantra.  So, why not make a tshirt out of it!?!  You can order one now -we'll get them in a couple weeks.


RIDE MORE, DRIVE LESS! from Defined Fitness Training, LLC on Square Market

Vuelta a Keystone Gran Fondo

I was invited to take part in this very small gran fondo -a first year event - in Keystone yesterday. Having not ridden for 2 weeks I thought sure, why not do a 90-miler! If nothing else it gave me the nudge I needed to get back on the saddle and put in some miles ;)

It was FREEZING cold when we started.  Like, I used embro in late June cold... crazy.  It did gradually warm up (50s) during the ride.

As with most fondos, the entire ride is not timed, only the timed "sections" are -usually climbs, as was the case here.  The first timed section was up Ute Pass.  Having done this climb before I did not try to race it I just maintained my steady tempo pace.  From there we came down and made our way towards the reservoir where we did a loop around the north/west side of the lake for timed section #2.  It was into a fierce westerly headwind the entire way. Having not ridden this road before I kept my pace conservative again.  I enjoyed the tailwind the entire way back to the finish!

It ended up being 80 miles and not 90 but that's ok.  I had some lunch and then drove home... only to learn later that afternoon that I'd won the women's 90mile event.  Whoops - should have stayed to collect my award!

I definitely recommend this event for next year - they had tshirts, jerseys and socks in the swag bags, and the small nature of the event made it really intimate -much nicer than some of the bigger events with throngs of riders all over the roads.

Bike to Work Day-Success!

We hosted our Golden station for the 3rd year in a row now and it was the biggest it's been!  Bike to Work day weather was IDEAL and cyclists were EVERYWHERE.  It was awesome.

http://hottmanlawoffice.com/blog/14037762/btwd14

#lookoutweek - join us!

Post by Megan Hottman.

Injured ... and sick...

So there I was, wrapping up the 500ish mile Ride on Chicago ride, followed shortly thereafter by the Ride the Rockies...  almost 1000 miles within 3 weeks and no incidents... just one singular flat tire in the heart of Chicago, otherwise I survived both unscathed....

After lugging my baggage for parts of a REALLY difficult Ride the Rockies, I came home a day early from to rest the legs as I planned to race 2x that weekend... I would have been better off finishing out the ride, as it turned out!

Instead of riding into Golden with RtR on Friday the 13th, I decided to rearrange some office furniture.  In order to slide desks down the hallway I needed to tip them on their side ... As I tipped the 3rd of 3 tables onto its edge, the feet slid out and the edge of the desk came down on my foot.

Or more accurately, on my big toe.

Yumm...delicious looking isn't it?

Long story short, I spent a few hours in the ER culminating in the PA sewing (yes SEWING) my toe nail back on because I'd made such a mess of the toe (which was confirmed broken, BTW) it had to stay on or I'd be in trouble.

Bummer, as I was pumped to race the Hess TT Saturday and Guanella on Sunday.

Alright so I did end up racing the TT -in my TEVA sandal on a platform pedal.

I wouldn't call it racing. Riding is more accurate. However only 3 women showed in my category, so I still got to stand on the podium as 3rd place and take home a few bucks.  That'll help pay off the ER copay ;)

While this was all fun and games and we got a good laugh about it, by midweek the next week, I fully realized this toe issue was not going to be a short-term issue.  I have been able to ride my commuter bike on platform pedals wearing sandals -on short trips... but I have yet to get my foot into a cycling shoe. 

Which means I'm nearing 2 weeks off the bike and it really really stinks.  There's never a GOOD time to be injured or to be off the bike...but let me tell you these warm, perfect June days in CO have been TOUGH to stomach when my bike is collecting dust!

Moral of the story: do NOT underestimate those toes or take them for granted! Without them, cycling shoes don't happen and without shoes, you can't clip in and that means you can't train or really even ride... 

That said -sometimes we get put on the injured list for a reason... and I have to say, while the REASON really stinks, the timing is probably perfect.  Combined with the real need to recover from those 1000 miles and things going haywire with work stuff, the timing of 2 weeks off the bike has been pretty spot-on.  

As soon as I got off the foot-related antibiotics, I discovered my throat was covered in white spots... why hello strep throat... so back on round 2 of antibiotics I went.  I suppose if I'm going to be sick it's best to do while my toe has me off the bike ... 

My shadow: my riding parner!

Post by Megan Hottman.

2014 blog posts Jan 1-June 16 (from old blog)

6-12-14: my Ride the Rockies week WOW what an experience!!!

Check out my instagram account for all of my photos!!

6-7-14: Tomorrow I embark on my first-ever Ride The Rockies, to raise money on behalf of Trips for Kids Denver! Thank you to all who donated to my ride and got me to my goal really early!! https://www.coloradogives.org/hottmanRTR 

"Trips for Kids Denver/Boulder is dedicated to giving underserved, urban youth the opportunity to experience and learn about the natural beauty of Colorado from the seat of a mountain bike." What an amazing, life changing mission -I'm so proud to support this organization on this epic ride!

(I'm riding the event self-supported so packing the bare minimum will be the name-of-the-game -in itself, a challenge). Thank goodness #rideonchicago got me in shape for this event  Looking forward to visiting friends in Breck and Steamboat too! It's gonna be an awesome week!

If you're not busy next Friday afternoon, come greet us as we finish back here in Golden under the arches.

6-5-14:  Check out my instagram account for all of our amazing trip photos!!!

6-4-14: so much for daily blogging during the #rideonchicago!  Ooops!  Too much eating, riding, recovering, chatting and brainstorming.  Here's my law office blog post with links to other worthy reads.  I find myself so full of thoughts that I'm speechless.  Time to process... 

5-29-14: Ride on Chicago day one in the books!! What a wonderful experience this trip has already been... a supportive helpful "group ride" through the back roads of the midwest, cyclists riding with proper etiquette, following the laws, helping each other get over the hills, all while demonstrating to the midwest that cycling has its place on our roads and that bikes and cars can safely and peacefully co-exist.  I can't tell you how many times I said today "this is such an incredible way to spend a Thursday!  Logging almost 100 miles at a steady pace through the rolling hills of Missouri..."  We have amazing support from Skratch Labs, Strava, SRAM, Firefly Bikes and more.  We've all died and gone to heaven eating Skratch rice cakes all day long, sipping Skratch in our bottles... it's just incredible to have these companies watching our backs making this ride logistically feasible for us. 

I truly believe in the mission of what this ride was designed to do, and not just the fundraising component but also the visibility part; we're showing the local communities we ride through.  And I love seeing current and former pro cyclists getting involved in the advocacy realm. Bridging that gap!  Tim Johnson has really made this event meaningful.

My dad and his teammate Steve joined us this morning as we rolled out of Kansas City -they snagged these photos of us today.

Tomorrow is a longer day in the saddle and hopefully we outride the rain yet again!

Again- a HUGE thanks to everyone who got me to my $4,000 fundraising goal before I left Denver !  http://www.peopleforbikes.org/page/outreach/view/ride-on-chicago-2014/meghottman

5-24-14: I had the absolute honor and privilege of speaking Thursday night prior to the showing of the movie Half the Road.  The woman who put the event together knew a bit about my past and my struggle to choose between racing and being an attorney, and asked me to tell my story.  I realized it was the perfect platform from which I would be able to personalize the feats and accomplishments of those women who are racing professionally -and to demonstrate the choices, the sacrifices and the challenges they face in their chosen profession. It was pretty surreal to speak in front of a nearly-packed theater with images on the big screen behind me as I walked the stage and told my story:

I am so grateful for this opportunity.  You don't think about using your own failures to shine a light on others' successes, but that was the unique opportunity I was given.  In so doing, I realized that our mistakes and failures can be lessons and messages of motivation to others.  That sometimes our most devastated, heart broken moments, can ultimately serve as beacons of light to shine on those who are worthy of our respect and admiration -as the present women's professional cycling peleton certainly is.  In so realizing, I saw how my failures could actually be used to inspire others.  And that gave them a new purpose- a new meaning.  Things truly do happen for a reason. 

So I'd urge you -to consider a time you fell short, and to re-evaluate it... perhaps it could be a really great story to someone, perhaps you can inspire someone else to take a bold step, even if your story doesn't always have a "happy" ending.  I find when we feel ourselves swimming upstream, against the current, chances are - we ARE!  It is likely not where we are directed to spend our time and talents... even if it's the thing WE want most.  Open yourselves to new possibilities and you'll be amazed at what unfolds... even if it's not the path you chose or envisioned, it's probably the one you were intended to follow.  And when that internal tension of chasing the wrong things is replaced with a comfortable, seemingly effortless ease...  you will know in your heart you're doing the right thing.

5-17-14: yesterday's morgul TT didn't go even close to as I'd planned, but that's racing. In a sport where "you're only as good as your last race," when your last race was crappy, it stings.

Sometimes you feel good form come in your legs and you gain confidence when you know you can push and your body won't resist.  A few weeks ago I felt like I was coming into some good form after a consistent month of good training, hard rides and some races.  I was pleased with the upward trajectory -both the one I could feel and the one my Training Peaks account showed me.  I was coming back. 

But then - enter a week where "work happened," and I only got in 2 hours of riding followed immediately by going down last weekend with the stomach bug.  I worked hard this week on intervals to try and rebound a bit but of course you can't cram it all into one week; my legs were so dead right from the start last night, I knew it wouldn't be a pretty race.  And it wasn't. 

It's one thing to hurt and suffer when you're fit. It's another to hurt and suffer when your (lack of) fitness puts you on borrowed time. But that's racing, and that's cycling in general.  You work hard to string together as many good days as you can so you can hopefully race at your best, but sometimes life gets in the way.  Sometimes you're taking steps back and the people you race against are taking steps forward and the chasm that opens up between you and them gets huge and you think "I'll never be able to catch back up." ... Again -that's bike racing. 

Despite my disappointing race and result last night, I am thankful to Mary Topping for helping me make lemonade from the lemons with this sweet tweet she posted of me at the finish:

Oh - and hey, 3 days left to bid on my MTB -all proceeds go to PeopleforBikes! 

5-14-14: 15 DAYS TO GO!!    click here if you're awesome.

5-11-14: I've been sicker than a DOG this weekend with some random stomach bug.  Totally foiled my birthday century ride/race plans and massively "buggered" my weekend!  But -never too sick for fundraising ;) 

5-9-14: The PeopleforBikes.org Ride on Chicago fast approaches!!!  I am almost halfway to my fundraising goals and I've just put my 2010 Cannondale MTB up for bid to raise the balance, so I can hit my $4k goal!!  Super exciting stuff happening and unfolding and I am SOOOOO excited for this event I can't even tell you.  Friends in Kansas City, St Louis and Chicago, Please take note of the following events - please come out and join us, I would LOVE to see you!!! 

(1) The BASH in Chicago when we arrive: June 2.  PARTY!!!!! 

(2) The STL Party May 30:

(3) The Departure Ride from KCMO leaving Thies Park:

7:00 � 8:00 AM: Coffee with local cyclists at Thies Park

8:00 AM: Easy roll out (with public riders). 5-7 miles (slow)

8:30 AM: Public Riders peel off.

5-5-14: two races in the bag this past weekend: the Tri Lakes TT down at Palmer Lake near Monument, and the infamous Koppenberg!  What a wonderful weekend of sunny warm weather, tons of TCL team presence and great racing!  Plus I got in a nice big ride home Saturday after the TT, riding back to Golden from Monument.  It ended up being a 95 mile day!  It is so fun to feel a bit of form creeping back into the legs.  It's been a couple years since I felt that deeper more consistent fitness and it's really fun and exciting to feel it returning.  In a new, better, healthier way.  My back feels great and life is more-well rounded, with ample time for work and sufficient time for riding.  #balanceisking

Here's looking fwd to the exciting and challenging events in the weeks ahead!!

5-1-14: Ok, I've got less than one month to raise $2,975.  I know it can be done!  That's only 60 people to donate $50, or 120 people to donate $25!! 

4-30-14: #30daysofbiking done and dusted!  I can honestly say I've never ridden my bike 30 consecutive days in a row!  Feels like an awesome accomplishment! 

4-24-14: Day 24 of #30daysofbiking and today's topic is: What IS a female athlete?  What does she look like?  I met a woman last night who'd competed in over 20 triathlons and during our discussion she revealed she did NOT consider herself an athlete!  What the what!?!?!  She said she feels uncomfortable using that word to describe herself.  This all got me thinking ...

I googled "what is a female athlete" and the only relevant link I found was to this book/series of photographs (which I LOVE, btw): http://gamefaceonline.org/

It really got me thinking ...  and so I made this video for my day 24 of #30daysofbiking -

4-23-14: just one week to go of #30daysofbiking!!  Today I-for the first time ever -climbed lookout mountain 3 times.  Yeah!

4-19-14: 19 days of #30daysofbiking!

4-15-14: happy tax day!

4-12-14: #30daysofbiking day 12

4-10-14: #30daysofbiking day 10

4-6-14: nice long group ride through 2 snow storms! #30daysofbiking day 6

4-5-14:

4-4-14: PRIZE GIVEAWAY!!! 

If you donate $50 to my PEOPLEFORBIKES RIDE ON CHICAGO EFFORT, you can take your pick of one of the following 3 items:  TCL travel coffee mug, TCL Pint Glass, or TCL backpack.  (Must pickup at my office in Golden-no shipping). Promo ends at 8pm Sunday (mtn time) -ready set go!! 

4-1-14: April Fools Day Kicks off #30daysofbiking!  Filmed using iphone -nothing fancy!

3-31-14: the #30daysofbiking challenge starts tomorrow!!  I got an early start on the challenge last week and rode every day, Monday through Sunday... just to be sure I could handle it ;) Of course some days are small days- just running to the store for groceries, and some days are big days, like 4 hour, 60-miler training rides.  But the object is to ride every day and with the exception of today (my one day off inside of a 37-day streak!) I plan on putting my bum on a bike seat every day through the last day of April!  This is totally doable.  [And ps -if the weather is bad -no one said you had to ride OUTSIDE (rollers or a trainer definitely count!!!)].  Join me - it'll be fun!!!  Get that bike all souped it, cleaned up, dialed in and road-ready!

Here's a little silly video I put together last Monday (using my iphone) on my grocery store trip just for fun:

Oh - and here's my fundraising plug/request: If I make it all 30 days in a row, would you consider donating $30 to my $4000 fundraising goal for our Peopleforbikes.org RIDE ON CHICAGO event??  I'd LOVE it if you did that ;)

3-26-14: looking for a new and fun challenge for your month of April?  Join me in this #30daysofbiking challenge!  I actually started mine this week on Monday (why not start early!?!?) Speaking of challenge... Here's a little vid of my MTB ride with mechanical saga yesterday - the moral of the story is to KNOW your equipment and to carry ALL of the tools you may need-not just some of them ! ;) 

3-17-14: shook out the cobwebs after a few years's hiatus from crit racing and spontaneously hopped in the women's open crit at the CSM race yesterday -ended up 2nd!  This was pretty momentous for me since I went out for a big ride (having no intention of racing) and stopped by the crit to cheer on teammates on my way home... found out there were only 7 women signed up so that sealed the deal and I entered -despite my dead legs!  Was super nice to re-enter the crit racing scene with a nice small pack of ladies... funny how sometimes I think I'm even more nervous now before races than I was as a newbie! Self-imposed expectations and uncertainty about fitness will do that I guess.  

Yesterday was definitely one of the bigger rides I've done recently! Slowly but surely, clawing back into shape!

3-16-14: First 2 races of the season are done - last Saturday I raced the "Frostbite TT" in balmy 70 degree temps and took 3rd place.  Yesterday I raced the Lookout Mtn TT in Frostbite conditions -cold and blustery! -and took 6th.  It's hard coming off my February "off season" and working back into fitness but that's how it goes! Each race is one step closer to being race fit again and I'm working as hard as I can to get there. 

Thanks to Sportif Images for this photo of me suffering during the TT yesterday!

3-7-14: GOPRO is LIVE!!!  Here's a snippet of a long ride I did yesterday - it includes a narrated version of lookout mountain ;)

Lookout Mountain 3.6.14 from megan hottman on Vimeo.

3-5-14: So excited to announce that I'm riding in my first-ever RIDE THE ROCKIES tour this June!!  And even better - I'm doing it to fundraise for Denver's Trips for Kids organization!  Please consider making a small donation here: https://www.coloradogives.org/hottmanRTR

Thank you!!!

2-27-14: to ride, or not to ride? ...that is the question...when you're down and out with a head cold.  Which I presently, unfortunately, am.

There are many, many articles on this topic posted by cycling coaches and exercise gurus, all over the internet.  The common saying is, "if it's above the neck, it's ok to train, if it's below the neck, rest up."  A bit of exercise is considered good for strengthening your immune system, but too much can weaken you, making your cold or symptoms worse.  Bottom line, remember that training is catabolic in nature.  It breaks you down, on purpose. So if you feel like 100% of your body's energy needs to be spent fighting the bug that's got you down, don't engage in catabolic -er training -activities.  Training while sick means you will require extra rest, extra fluids and extra calories.  So if you can't afford to stick a nap in after your ride when you're under the weather, skip the ride and just opt for the nap. 

And keep the intensity to a minimum! My personal preference is to focus on more strength-oriented riding/training so that I am not breathing heavy. 

Since I'm battling a scratchy throat and stuffy nose, I've opted to continue riding this week -but at low intensity and with TONS of fluids and extra rest added.  I leave for a trip Sunday and do NOT want to be sick or get worse while I'm there! Other OTC/herbal remedies I recommend: Kick Ass Immune, Echinacea, Emergenc-C, hot water with lemon juice and honey, NyQuil (the bomb) and loads of fresh fruits for vitamins!  Also dressing up super warm (especially for indoor workouts) and "sweating it out" or standing in a hot steamy shower seems to help the head symptoms feel better/flush it out.

Here are a few articles on the topic if you'd like to read more:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2008/12/training-while-sick/

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/01/coaches-panel/coaches-panel-advice-on-training-while-sick_103226

http://davebyers.blogspot.com/2011/12/training-while-sick-gray-area.html

2-21-14: REALLY hard to believe the local Colorado bike racing schedule starts tomorrow with a road race up at Carter Lake!  I will not be racing just yet as I'm only now coming off my "off season" post-cyclocross-season, but soon...very soon... let the pinning of race numbers commence!!!  #2014bringiton #tryingnewthings 

2-20-14: I am REALLY excited to announce that Powerbar has selected me for their Team Elite roster for the 2014 season!  I've been representing Powerbar Team Elite since 2006 and can't imagine using anything else for my training and racing nutrition!  THANKS POWERBAR!!  

2-19-14: VITAMIX CRAZED!!!  I can't stop talking about this blender -I'm a true believer!  It makes it SO easy to eat really good foods, really easily!  

***06-009600 *** 
USE ABOVE CODE and GET FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ($25US/$35CN)

1-19-14: I return home from our amazing yoga retreat on the beach and find myself relaxed, reawakened and refocused.  So much to say, so much on my heart, but I feel the inability to express the feelings and emotions of this experience.  Instead I share the below photo taken from the hotel where we stayed, and I pass on this video.  The expressions in this video were shared with me this week and I want to share them now with you. 

1-11-14: all done!  CX season is a wrap! I talked myself into racing the women 35-39 today and ended up 12th.  I sprayed off the bike and shoes, cleaned up my gear and it's all put away until next season.  Now -off season!!

1-9-2014: I can officially say I've now pinned on a number in 3 different disciplines at elite nationals -road, track and now cyclocross!  Yesterday I raced a sloppy muddy tricky women's singlespeed championship race at Valmont Bike park.  No way could I pass up the chance to race CX nats when they are just up the road in Boulder! The technical nature of the course was definitely not up my alley -fitness had little to do with it, the race was skills plain and simple.  I nearly got in my car and drove home from nerves because the course was so far outside my league of skills but I stayed, I managed to pass 3 racers and I finished in 10th place.  I also learned that WD40 on the shoe cleats and pedals helps sooooo much when it comes to getting the mud cleared enough to clip in.  Warming up I couldn't get either shoe clipped in.  After WD40 guys cleaned my bike and sprayed my cleats I was able to clip in the entire race.  Ta-Da!

Photo courtesy of 303Cycling and Dejan Smaic:

I am still on the fence as to whether I will race the other event I signed up for -the SW35+ race on saturday, or not ...part of me is really ready for my season to be over.  By my count I pinned on 33 CX race numbers this fall ...that's a LOT! I feel I made progress but have much to improve upon before next cx season!

In the meantime ... road season is just weeks away and I'm looking forward to some time off the bike before then.  I am headed to my first-ever week long yoga retreat in a warm sunny location to decompress and hope to return with lots of world-ly wisdom to share.  Or maybe just fresh legs and fresh motivation for the bike and for the season ahead! 

2013 blog posts

12-23-13: check out my first of many product reviews here! and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

12-17-13: Over the Top Radio interview!!  HERE.

12-16-13: in between the win pictured below and today, there were a few more CX races, as well as a weekend of skipped CX races due to the extreme cold temps.  Kudos to those who raced, but I knew I wouldn't make it in those single digit temps so I stayed indoors and trained at the spin studio. 

On 11/23, I raced the Cyclo-X westminster race in what was then my coldest bike ride experience ever (normally my temp cutoff is 40 degrees -but one must set that aside for CX!).  We lined up in 26 degrees and I was by far the most over-dressed racer out there.  I raced hard not to win but so that I could get back in my warm car ASAP.  It was a slippery frozen course and I ended up 4th in SW35+.  Good learning experience to see how snowy courses get muddier and slipperier as it warms up.

On 11/28 I raced the first-annual Turkey CX at BCLP. Super fun way to start the Thursday holiday and nice to burn off the turkey before consumption began.  We raced as women "A" and I started at the back and worked my way up to 5th which was a good result for me.

2 days later I lined up for the Green Mtn Sports CX race -sunny and warm down at a church in Littleton and a course well suited for me as it rewarded fitness.  Came up 2nd in the SW35+ and got to stand on the podium again -yahoo! 

Then Dec 14/15 brought the State CX champs ...on the heels of the freezing cold week and snow, this course was technical enough dry, but wet and then muddy, it became VERY technically challenging for me.  I raced the 35+ and came up darn near last.  The next day I raced the SS with mostly guys and then turned around immediately and lined up for the SW open (still on my SS bike).  The mud was so bad I could not get clipped in any longer and I was fried so I raced just one lap and then bailed.  I can say I learned a lot and gradually got more comfortable riding in the mud but there's a lot of learning left to be done!  That marks the end to my 2013 race season and the end of the CO CX season.  Up next: January CX and then CX nationals!

11-11-13: changed my approach yesterday and entered the 35+ category instead of women open.  I certainly did NOT expect this outcome! 

11-8-13: this CX racin business is so darn hard -challenging-humbling ... Of the 3 women open races I've done, I've crashed myself out in 2 of them (and one I was OTB wearing a zombie dress).  Last Sunday I'd passed a couple girls -got greedy -and made a pass at speed going into a grassy uturn -slid out, took down the girl right behind me, got passed and never could get back in front of those ladies.  Today I tried to be a bit more patient waiting for better opportunities to pass - pounced on lap 2 and moved around 2 gals and really put the hammer down to open the gas. Except in my cross eyed bullinchinashop moment I forgot to make the uturn and instead plowed straight into the tape which was nice and taunt, and which promptly sprung me TO THE GROUND hard on my left arm and hip.  Back on the bike fast but too late the ladies had passed me.  Had a 10 minute break after the race to suit up for the singlespeed race and on the first lap on the uphill barriers my funk continued, I didn't get my foot up high enough and slammed my shin into that daggone barrier and fell over in front of kind spectators who refrained from heckling and merely said, "ok that was a little funny." 

I'm just narrowly avoiding DEAD LAST in these races lately which is a tough pill to swallow -because it's not like I can just hunker down on my trainer at home, train the power, get stronger ...the mistakes I'm making and the spots I'm losing mostly boil down to bad form and bad technique and that can only be learned with practice.  I suspect I'm an even slower learner than most, which means I will need a LOT of practice.  It's very humbling.  But challenging too. 

Pics from last weekend's Feedback CX (courtesy of Bo Bickerstaff):

 

10-28-13: three races and two podiums this weekend, a 1st and 3rd place! With that, I'm officially kicked out of the CAT 3s and upgraded to CAT 2.  On Sunday I also raced the women's open race (in my zombie dress costume -that was HARD!) and was second-to-last, and almost 6 minutes behind the winner's finishing time.  Oy.  That left a bruise on the ego.  Much work to be done now that I'll be toeing the line in the women open category moving forward!

1st place, Xilinx SW3:

3rd place, Zombie CX, SW3

10-12-13: raced the Boulder Res CX race bright and early this am ... I paid the price for there being no hills or endurance sections.  The course was technical and flat ... and I did not do well as a result.  Teammate Shelley took photos of me trying to claw my way back into contention after a lackluster first lap:

10-7-13: our cycling community is absolutely devastated by this news.  Amy was a true ambassador of the sport -she made everyone's day, always greeting friends and competitors with a smile and friendly word.  She will truly be missed.

9-29-13: can't believe it, finally made it onto the sw3 podium in a large field-sized race!!  And it was the 2nd race of the day ...had SO much fun.  So challenging, so hard, absolutely loving it.

9-27-13: had a blast racing CX wed night.  Mountain Moon photo posted free shots of us:

9-24-13: overdue for an update but much to report -what a few weeks it's been...

Right after my last post, Colorado began to flood.  We got a week of nonstop rain and it demolished towns, roads, homes and even took lives ... The state has been reeling ever since.  By Sunday Sept 15, I'd had enough of watching the devastation on TV and online and decided I needed to roll up my sleeves and get involved.  I listed a bunch of stuff on ebay and started a flood fundraiser.  I had no idea what I'd do with the money if I even raised any, but I knew I would do something good and I knew down to my core that I needed to get involved.  Within hours and just a few days we had raised thousands of dollars.  Several friends and clients of my law firm assisted me in delivering box fans to homes in Boulder desperate to dry out their basements and belongings.  The fans were delivered courtesy of the donations we'd raised and all were delivered free of charge with a "colorado cyclists wanted you to have this fan" support message.  Those homeowners now all know that cyclists in this state are pretty darn special.  I think we delivered 40-60 fans ...

However in the meantime, a family was brought to my attention- one that really needed help.  Because the fundraiser was proving so effective I decided to "Adopt" them as our rebuild project.  To date we have raised almost $8,000 and much of it has been spent on their home.  Read more about it here.

Five days into this flood crisis response extravaganza we experienced true grief -last Thursday night -when one of our TCL team members fell victim to a heart attack right as he crossed the finish line of the BCLP TT.  Through the grace of God and the skill of those who immediately responded to him, his life was saved.  A handful of us gathered in the ER and waited with him through surgery until late into the night Thurs.  We held a vigil/prayer service in his honor Friday night.  And saturday night we were all amazed at his progress -he was awake, alert, and talking.  He is now up walking, out of ICU and hopes to be released soon.  We can't believe it, we really cannot.  I had the honor of meeting the man who performed 25-30 minutes of chest compressions on our teammate's chest at the race site-which likely was the difference between life and death -and I can't begin to describe the emotion in that meeting. This man -a fellow cyclist-saved our teammate's life.  Not a doctor, not a nurse, not a firefighter -he's a "civilian" - a spin instructor, certified for 30 years in CPR -all for this one occasion. 

Between the flood project for this poor family in Boulder and our close call with our teammate this week, life priorities have really been re-emphasized.  There have been many hugs, many thank yous, many kindnesses and friendships and folks helping folks out and it's just been remarkable.  I feel more alive than ever before -like I really plugged into humankind this week and what I discovered there was life changing. 

In the midst of this chaos, I found that my bike -once again, that trusty steed- was my source of sanity.  I made time to ride and even to race a bit last week and it enabled me to stay fresh and strong for those I was supporting.  High stress normally makes me sick -but this week, the bike kept me healthy.  While the bike races felt small to me in the midst of so much serious pain and struggle, it was also my saving grace.  People at the races -announcers, officials, medics, race promoters -all offered their love and support  - And the realization that -- but-for cycling, but-for our team, but-for these friendships and connections which were born out of this sport we love, I would not have these networks, these reliable folks who stepped up when we needed them - hit me smack in the face ... cycling brought us together and we stuck together when things got really serious.  This sport continues to amaze me, humble me, strengthen me. 

At one point my desire in the sport was to race professionally, to be in the olympics, to do big things at the top of the sport.  And this past week I realized- all the time, effort and investment I've put into cycling the past decade ... it was to bring me to this place where I could call on people for help and they'd answer.  I'm so grateful and so blessed.  

9-9-13: quite a week last week, with 4 cyclocross races and a time trial!  I'm adjusting to having fun with racing now that I am not lining up to contest the win - it's taken me two years to fully get back to enjoying the experience of racing, regardless of the race outcome.  CX is fun and humbling.  All the fitness in the world could not overcome my sorry handling skills, especially the mounts and dismounts -but I'm getting there.  The 2 CX races wed night were a mere hint of the difficulty of Sunday's races.  Check photos of Sunday's Singlespeed race courtesy of Sportif Images:

In between Wed and Sun, I raced a thursday night time trial --My time was slower by 30 seconds than when I raced the course back in March!  And I finished 3rd out of 3 riders.  And ...So it goes.  The balance of work and play is always a delicate one.  My identity does not come from race results.  It used to -back when life revolved around racing.  But now it provides a nice break from work and life stress -it provides unique challenges, and gives me new goals to work toward.  It's a very different mindset than the one I used to have for racing.

Thurs nite TT:

9-5-13: continuing the fun theme, I raced two cx races last night here in Golden - the first week of a 6-week CX series held on Wed nights.  I took my regular CX cannondale bike and my singlespeed belt-drive spot and raced the Women B event and then the single speed event.  SUCH great handling skills practice on skinny tires.  I'm so bad at mounts and dismounts but I enjoy the rest.  Super fun, laid back crowds, everyone is friendly and encouraging.  I hope to do the entire series -weather permitting (megan hates being cold, spoken in the 3rd person).

9-3-13: raced a super fun, small, local MTB race over the weekend and had a BLAST.  If only every MTB course were like that one -plenty of ups, not much technical, fast and short!!  Surprised myself by taking second place in the women A race.  What a GREAT experience. Our team had a great presence there as well with 6 of us racing!

8-19-13: one of the best cycling articles I've read in a LONG time.  HERE.  Should be mandatory reading for every cyclist!! 

8-18-13: had a wonderful time Saturday riding my first ever Tour De Cure -a fundraising ride working towards finding a cure for diabetes.  Got in with some fast guys and we hammered that century.  TONS of fun.  

8-15-13: I've concocted the perfect post-ride recovery drink: cold iced coffee (left over coffee from am placed in fridge before ride), about 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop of Optimum NutritionHydrowhey choc protein powder and ice. Shake, enjoy, caffein-ate, recover. YUM YUM.

August 14, 2013 -thrilled to be a part of the Venus De Miles 2013 ride, as a member of the dream team!  Anything I can do to bring women and cycling together makes my heart HAPPY!!!  click here for info! 

August 12, 2013 - wow what a weekend!  Two days of announcing, 11 hours each day!  What a great reminder to me and to everyone who helped out, just how much work goes into putting on a bike race, just how much work our officials and course marshalls and motos put in ... I tell you what I'm exhausted but that's the most fun I've ever had watching bike racing.  Saturday we were at the Racing for Hope crit in Golden.  Alice Brown and her husband raise money for Craigs Hospital after he experienced a TBI and was treated there several years ago.  Sunday we were in downtown Littleton for the first-annual Pedal p/b Cannondale crit:

It was a huge success and I suspect Littleton will host them year after year based on how well the race went.  We had a blast on the mics and hopefully we answered some of the spectators' questions and helped them understand racing a bit better.  All I remember is Friday afternoon, a blur of a weekend and now here it is Monday morning already! 

Thanks to all the racers who came out both days and who raced hard and put on a good show!  And thanks to everyone who posted on FB or sent an email giving with compliments on our announcing -we were 'winging it' so we appreciated the positive feedback!  Hope to do it again soon (but not too soon, my vocal chords are still sore!)

August 5, 2013: took a break from blogging but I'm back!  Raced the lookout mountain hillclimb last weekend.  Was hoping to experience the climb as part of a pack to perhaps set a new PR but twas not to be - the fasties took off and a group of 3 of us followed suit, however we all split up on the climb and I ended up doing much of it solo.  Same time as always right around that 22:15mark -rats!  Finished 4th but apparently 1st place was not scored or she DQ'd so I ended up 3rd.  Felt like it was a decent test of my legs, which haven't seen much racing action lately.  Picture here.

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June 24: Rode the Golden Gran Fondo on Sunday -I signed up for the 90mile route but opted for the 60mile route once on course. Dang that was a hard ride. 

Click here for a photo where I'm faking it with a smile!

June 15: raced the state TT today -a 40k course, doggone that felt long!  Came up 5th place which was disappointing but it's what I get for allowing my work to totally consume my life.  What benefit is there in owning your own business if you don't carve out your schedule and make time for yourself and priorities!!!?!?  Good eye opener for me.  some things are going to change in my life moving forward.  Congrats to our team's Barb L for taking 3rd in SW4!  Great to hang with some TCL members today -we have such a nice team!

June 9: today I raced the Go Pro Mountain Games time trial for the first time -  It was a good excuse to get to Vail and do something different!  Gorgeous weather and fun with the hubby made for an awesome mini-escape.  And I'm super pleased with 6th place today at the TT! 

May 14, 2013: Ladies Night at Bicycle Village-Aurora, This Thursday May 16- -come join us 7-9pm!  I'll be speaking about rules of the road for cyclists!

May 10, 2013: It's my birthday! The perfect opportunity to reflect on the past year, the upcoming year, and to give thanks for all of life's blessings!  Saw this article and thought it the perfect one to share today.  Happy day!!

May 8, 2013: had a great time talking about women, bikes, and women on bikes last night -as part of a women's cycling panel!  Listen/watch it here.

May 3, 2013: there's nothing quite like a new bike to make you feel fast!  I'm so excited to race this bad boy tomorrow at the Cafe Velo TT!

April 25, 2013: Last night, my talk concluded with the message that cycling should enhance a woman's life, not consume it. It is a sport that asks much of a woman, and tends to reward more, not less. However, balance is key. Over the last 10 years, I've been a full-time lawyer, and/or a full-time cyclist, but my happiest and most balanced years are those when I put the two together. I firmly believe that cycling does change a woman's life forever, in a positive way, whenever or wherever it takes her. #ridethewaveandseewhatyoulearn

April 24, 2013: I am really looking forward to speaking tonight at the Westminster Bicycle Village Ladies' Night event!  They've asked me to speak about balance and cycling in women's lives.  I've got a great little talk all cooked up!  Speaking of, check this out ...

April 17, 2013: I absolutely love this:

April 16, 2013:

This past weekend we raced the Haystack TT and TTT.  It was the one nice day of weather sandwiched among 5+ days of snow and cold, so the timing was great!  It was an event that many on our team chose to enter, so we had a great team turnout and anticipating this, Rob and I brought the rig, tent, whole setup.  It's a lot of work to bring it all but so worth it when everyone has a place to congregate! 

My TT did not go as well as I'd hoped.  I was given a lot of rest by my coach last week and it backfired on me -my legs were stuffed up and my warmup seemed to hardly awaken them.  I took a disappointing 4th place and finished feeling like I wished I could do the race over again, with a 2 hour warmup.  After a couple hours of hanging out I warmed back up and raced the TTT with two gals from other teams, Gwen and Julie.  We crushed it taking 1st.  After 2 races I was toast!  So fun to see our TCL members racing the TT and TTT, many learning a lot of new lessons, and stories of excitement afterwards!  Please visit our album on FB to see all of the photos of the event here.

March 22, 2013 - April 11, 2013 brain re-wire...

April 12, 2013: (whoops!)

My experiment technically ended yesterday but I missed a few days so I'll post today on this sunny, gorgeous Friday morning.  Wednesday I spent the morning in Court downtown and then was asked to speak as a panelist at an event that night at REI.  Rather than drive home and back, I opted to spend my afternoon at the REI Starbucks getting work done and caught up on some reading material. 

(1) I'm so grateful I don't have to drive downtown every day!

(2) I'm so grateful I don't have to work from coffee shops every day!

(3) I'm SOOO grateful for cycling groups who host informative events like RMCC did Wednesday night -to spark the curiosity and interest of newbie riders who want to try cycling events.  Love to see that spark ignite and with it, new cyclists hit the roads and enter events! 

April 9, 2013:

(1) I'm so grateful for today's snowstorm and the moisture it brought! *

(2) I can say I'm grateful because I did not have to drive anywhere in the snow -I am so grateful I have a home office!!

(3) I am so grateful for folks who send me referrals.  When you are self employed you are so glad each time the phone rings with a potential new customer!

Positive experience: ...

April 8, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful for Monday night yoga -I look forward to it all weekend.  It comes at the end of my rest day, a day spent away from the bike, and it kicks off my week in such a positive fashion!

(2) I'm grateful for friends and acquaintances with specialties totally different than mine, so that when I decide to pursue something completely new and different to me, I can rely on their expertise and advice, to hopefully make the right decisions.

(3) I'm grateful for April rain and snow showers in this drought season.

Positive experience: We have a new sponsor of our women's cycling team and yesterday the goodies they sent us arrived.  Awesome stuff!!  Even the box it arrived in smelled divine when I opened it up! Check them out - Kuumba Made.

April 5-6-7, 2013:

up at 230am this morning (Monday!) couldn't go back to sleep, too much on my mind -so I'm catching up on my gratefuls from this weekend:

(1) I'm grateful for weekends!  Especially when I show some self-restraint and can stay off the computer here and there!

(2) I'm grateful for our cycling team -we had 2 wonderful team rides on Sunday, the women's team with coach Kasey and the men's team with coach rob.  #awesome

(3) I'm grateful for our church, Red Rocks Church, and service last night, which was the perfect end to a wonderful weekend!

Positive experience: there were so many this weekend!  One highlight was that Rob and I were treated to tix to the Rockies game Saturday night from the Mountain Ranch restaurant.  Talk about amazing seats and a really great way to experience our first-ever Rockies game!

April 4, 2013:

I attended an all day legal seminar today, way across town on the east side of denver- hence:

(1) I'm grateful I don't have to spend 2 hours in the car every day driving to/from my destination in rush hour, bumper to bumper traffic -staring into the sun each day

(2) I'm grateful I don't have to spend my entire day every day holed up inside where I can't see the sunshine, sucking down stale coffee and staring at powerpoint presentations

(3) I'm grateful I could sit outside on a "Grassy knoll" today over our lunch break eating my apple and yogurt, and reading Bicycling Magazine. 

Positive experience:  I learned a few new things today at the seminar and it also confirmed for me that I'm so lucky to have wonderful clients and to actually enjoy the type of law I practice (unlike so many other attorneys, who either don't like their clients, don't like their area of law, or both!)

April 2, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful for this spring rain we so desperately needed.

(2) I'm grateful for clients who are willing to take part in the process, and who are willing to invest their time to see that justice is done and a message is sent, to hopefully prevent future bad incidents.

(3) I'm grateful for a trainer I keep in my basement, so that I can hop on my bike, knock out my intervals, and get on with my day, when there just isn't time for a ride outside.

Positive experience: a client and I attended the PTC in the traffic/misdemeanor case pending against the driver, who hit and injured my client.  The DA informed us the case is going to trial, and she's hellbent on getting a guilty verdict.  My client and I were elated that the DA's office is taking this case so seriously -because it will set a precedent in future cases where drivers think they can behave badly and won't be punished! We are excited to see this unfold. 

April 1, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful no one pulled an April Fool's joke on me today!

(2) I'm grateful for my wonderful bible study and the women in it, who make my life better and who challenge me to be better.

(3) I'm grateful for our Monday night yoga classes with Suzanne, right after bible study.  It's the perfect start to a week!

Positive experience: a client came in this morning to close out her case and finish the paperwork -she was so excited about the outcome of her case, and so grateful.  She wrote me a raving review for my website.  It absolutely made my day. 

March 31, 2013:

I'm a few days behind -oops! So many fun things happening I forgot to post.

(1) I'm thankful for our friends Gwen and Mike, with whom we enjoyed dinner and catching up on Friday night.

(2) I'm thankful for our wonderful cycling team, with whom we bonded and raced yesterday at the TT in Bear Creek - I love our team!

(3) I'm grateful to God for sending his only son, to be crucified for our sins.  We are so blessed by this demonstration of true love and sacrifice.  Happy easter!!!

Positive experience: yesterday a good chunk of our team took part in the TT at Bear Creek -Rob and I got the chance to see everyone warm up, race, cooldown and then socialize as a team.  It was so positive -we were so proud of everyone -esp those who lined up for their first or second-EVER race!!! 

March 28, 2013:

(1) I'm thankful for husbands who, when given the day off work due to low census, choose to spend their day working on stuff and fixing things around my house.  Specifically -my husband!

(2) I'm thankful for friends!

(3) I'm thankful for the opportunity to try new things (see below).

Positive experience: There's a "music hall" in Heritage Square, which is the "Creepy little theme park" where our church, Red Rocks Church, is located.  Back in the day I guess Heritage Square was booming with little shops and businesses, as well as the theme park and reception hall.  Now it is a bit of an eyesore, seeming to struggle for survival.  We walk past this theater every Sunday on our way to/from church, wondering what it must be like.  Recently I read that, after 25 years, this is their last season.  So I recruited some girl friends to check it out with me.  We had a blast -the production was hilarious!  Lots of laughs. 

March 27, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful that my cycling class attendees tonight were really motivated and hungry to work hard -because we all fed off one another and the positive energy in the room was amazing- we all worked hard and got the max benefit from our efforts.

(2) I'm grateful that my legs felt really strong today and I accomplished my workout and also set a new 1min power!

(3) I'm grateful for the spring weather and warming temps, melting all the snow we got and drying the roads so we can ride outside the rest of this week!

Positive experience: A client emailed me today saying, "I trust you implicitly" with regards to the handling of his case.  A fellow team director emailed me today saying, "How did you get so good at running a team???  Much respect!"  These little notes made my day. 

March 26, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful that, after slogging away for several hours at my desk this morning, I had the option and ability to get up from my desk, put leashes on my dogs, and take them for a walk in the sunshine, in a wide open field, with cows moo-ing and birds chirping.  No concrete jungle downtown, tall buildings blotting out the sun, smoggy air, and no boss telling me I couldn't.  Pure bliss when I can take a break outside with the pups.

(2) I'm grateful that I am able to hire a cycling coach, and that the coach I have knows how to push me and keep me motivated -and that today I WAS motivated as I got on the trainer and knocked out my prescribed efforts.  Such a sense of accomplishment and "doing what needs to be done" to get to my goals!

(3) I'm grateful that I live in a neighborhood that is safe.

Positive experience: My accountant emailed me today regarding just a few more small details, which means I'm nearly done with my taxes!  Such a relief. 

And here's a quote that absolutely sums up what I'm trying to do each day with these 3 gratefuls +positive experience:

March 25, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful that, on this particular Monday, I get to work from home.  And get a lot done.

(2) I'm grateful for the sunshine today!

(3) I'm grateful for the repair of a relationship that, at one time, was severed and now the tension is gone and we are moving forward as friends again.

Positive experience: I had an issue this morning with the bank where I do my commercial banking.  Instead of losing my cool I explained my position.  After numerous phone calls to supervisors were made, the banker finally saw my point and agreed to complete the transaction.  Once I returned home I contacted the district manager of the bank, and explained the issue -since it's happened to me several times at this particular branch.  I was very polite and asked him to refresh the staff training on this specific issue.  He agreed and promised they would be better-trained the next time I went in.  Without any harsh words or rudeness, I feel this issue was addressed well.  

And then I sent a thank you card to an employee at a different company who ROCKS it every time I ask for something.  Because if we take time to complain about the bad, we also need to take time to compliment the good.  And she deserves to know how good she is at what she does.

March 24, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful to own/manage my own cycling studio -after 13 years of teaching in others' studios, I now own my own, and I can offer classes when and how I want, and it's awesome to invite others into my space and offer them a workout of my design.

(2) I'm grateful to the members of the cycling team I manage, for their enthusiasm and their hunger and their drive and diligence ... it makes me hungrier and more motivated too.  It fuels my fire to learn and to teach. Their enthusiasm rubs off on me and makes me love the sport all over again.

(3) I'm grateful for the snow we got in Colorado this weekend -we needed the moisture, and it makes drought and forest fires that much less likely this summer.

Positive experience: we had another full house in this morning's spin class, but I could tell the motivation factor was much higher than yesterday.  Which was good-because we had a really hard workout to knock out. And everyone did -the tone stayed positive, people bit the bullet, put their head down and went for it. It was awesome.  Positively awesome. Everyone walked out a stronger, better cyclist as a result of the work they put in.

And an added bonus today - a saying I truly believe in, and embrace:

March 23, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful I did not have to drive anywhere today in the snow-while so many roads were closed and accidents were occurring during the snow storm.

(2) I'm grateful for my healthy parents -both alive, both in good health, and still married!

(3) I'm grateful for my dogs, all 3 of them, who bring me joy and cuddle with me on cold days.

Positive experience: we had a full house this morning in spin class and it was a hard workout and the room was hot and steamy and it would have been easy for everyone to give up or slack off -but folks didn't, they buckled down and worked hard.  It was fun-and rewarding -to be part of it.

March 22, 2013 through April 11, 2013: I started blogging back in 2003 when I first began bike racing.  As of late, now in my 10th year of bike-related blogging, my interest in posting has "how-shall-we-say" dwindled.  In fact I'm shutting this thing down come July.  But in the meantime, and while there's not much bike-related stuff going on right now to blog about, so I'm switching gears for the next 21 days. 

March 22, 2013 - April 11, 2013 brain re-wire

After watching this video, I've decided to follow his 21-day plan consisting of: (1) listing 3 "Gratitudes" each day; (2) journaling about one positive experience I've had within the last 24 hours; and of course (3) continuing exercise on the bike and (4) meditation in yoga classes and bible study.  (5) is a "random/conscious act of kindness" - he defines this as opening up one's email and sending out praise to one person per day.  

March 22, 2013:

(1) I'm grateful for a job - I'm lucky to have employment.

(2) I'm grateful for my health -I'm lucky I can exercise and ride my bike and take my dogs on walks -especially after battling chronic back pain the past 2 years (when, at times, I WAS unable to ride my bike or walk my dogs)!

(3) I'm grateful for my wonderful husband-the most supportive spouse ever, who's always got my back and lifts me up when I fall down.

24hr Positive experience: I really enjoyed meeting and conversing with women at the seminar I attended yesterday -hearing about their jobs and their conflicts and how they plan to work through them and tackle difficult people in their lives, it was very empowering.  It was a high energy group -I left feeling energized.

******

3-16-13:  GREAT READ on ways to get more women into cycling! Click here.

3-12-13: Moab recap -4 days on the bike totaling 194.3 miles + 4 hours of yoga classes + way too much coffee + lots of quality time with the TheCyclist-Lawyer.com cycling team ... + a few Strava Cycling QOMs and I'm a happy camper. #missionaccomplished

3-9-13: hanging in Moab with my teammates, taking part in the Skinny Tire Festival!  Rained out today, so I went to a 2.5 hour yoga class/workshop instead! Sunshine for the next 3 days -hoping for big miles!!

3-2-13: First race of the year --> Frostbite TT.  Always super windy -it's on a frontage road just south of the CO/WY border ...not great scenery, but it's a good way to gauge early-season fitness.  Read more here.

2-19-13: I contributed to our team blog today- check it out here.

2-18-13: plugging away at early-season training - mostly indoors lately, due to either cold temps, snow or HIGH winds on this side of town.  Last Saturday it was warm and sunny but CRAZY windy.  So we extended spin class and knocked out some serious miles - love the class atmosphere and energy.  15-20 highly motivated people on Wednesday nights or Saturday mornings who come in every time with game face on and determination in their legs.  It's awesome.  Tim, a class member on Saturday, snuck in this photo as I was cooling down chatting with a class member.  Quite a view from the studio, eh?

1-18-13:  Remember this???  

Registration is open for the 2013 Courage Classic ... Game on!!! Who will be my first supporter for the 2013 ride?

http://www.couragetours.com/2013/hottman