NEW blog!!

Sorry about the lack of posting but I started writing on a new blog. Check it out. www.chloeforsman.missingsaddle.com

NMBS #3 - Fontana

It's finals week at the U of A. However this does not mean I'm up all night studying hard and downing the coffee. I only have two finals this week, one is already over and the other is on Friday. So far, after only two days it's been a long week. I've already packed my bags and spent an hour peeling tape residue off my dorm walls. I think I'm ready to go home.

NMBS #3 in Fontana was interesting. Three laps of the cross-country course kicked my butt, laps two and three I couldn't remember how to race my bike. Last year at this time, I finished 20th in the cross-country and it was the best race of my life. On Saturday I finished 21st and thought it disappointing. For whatever its worth, Fontana is still my favorite. The venue is unusual because trucking yards, freeways, railways, and warehouses surrounds it--not the usual alpine ski resort. The course meanders around a rocky hill littered with remnants of abandoned developments and concrete water ditches. It's rough out there too--lots of rocks, ruts, culverts, sand, and hills. But the dust is the worst. It gets everywhere--hair, lungs, chamois. Maybe I'm a little uncertain why Fontana is my favorite. It's different, that's for sure.

I also had a good short track race. I finished 7th and felt strong throughout. The lap had a good climb up the 4x course and a technical descent followed by some singletrack--good for bottlenecking and some serious dust clouds. Spectators like that kind of thing and I guess I do too. I better start studying. Adios.

Flyin' Fiasco

I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to airports and airplanes. I perfectly happy to sit in a car for eight hours--it's relaxing and I like to look at things. It's nice to have control of the radio, music, windows, AC, or maybe just the fan if you're in TJ's car because he left his AC behind the Phoenix International Raceway after a bike race this fall. Usually there's a lot to see between point A and B and I enjoy the ride. Airplanes have their perks too--I'd have failed most of my courses this semester without them. And I know It's a luxury to zip from one city to another in a matter of hours. I just need to learn how to relax at airports, and not think about engine explosions when I'm 30,000 feet from the ground. This posting is inspired by a United Airlines flight attendant who decided not to show up for work today. As a result, what could have been a six hour drive according to Melanie who I think likes to drive fast turned into an eleven hour airport mess. Eleven hours by plane from Tucson to LA, six hours by car. Eleven by plane, six by car...

I'm over it. I got to sit around talk with my boyfriend, then talk with my coach, then talk with my boyfriend, and even met Neil, a biker from Canada who informed me my sister is getting snowed on in Squamish BC. Neil doesn't know my sister but he just flew from Squamish and my sister is living in Squamish so I put two and two together. So now I'm in Ontario, California getting psyched for another bike race. Take care.

"Most Athletic"

It's always fun to win a prize, excuse me, earn a prize. Walking up and down three flights of stairs numerous times throughout any given day is tough work. Smuggling bicycles in and out of the building isn't easy, sometimes requiring a sprint up a stairwell. On those easy recovery days, my heartrate spikes on the relentless climb to my room. Seriously. I've even managed to get an occupied 60-lb bike box up the stairway on a couple occasions. These are no small athletic feats and I'm glad somebody gave me an award.

The semester is creeping to an end. I took my first final today, and had my math instructor announce my math final is optional--sweet! With only three finals to go, another bike race in California and a final Shootout; I'm ready to vacate the football stadium, hop in my old Super-u and drive home. On a completely separate and disgruntled note, I met with my academic advisor yesterday who informed me that the school is 'likely' to eliminate my undergraduate major due to budget cuts. I have to complete a number of prerequisites before the college will 'accept' me into their program and chances are there will be no program by the time I finish the prereqs. So that meeting put a damper on the end of my semester. Anyway...back to the fun stuff.

Last weekend was a success for Team Luna. My teammates earned three top podium spots for short track and cross country. They're fast and everybody knows it so what's the point of me bragging? It's pretty exciting to be a part of it. Well my racing went well. In short track, I fumbled at the start and had to work my way up...into 5th! And I got to solo it for about 1/2 lap in 5th and then I got really tired and finished 11th. I'm still stoked, I've never pedaled into 5th position before... and then I finished 8th in cross-country, my best result in a NMBS to date. TJ posted a photo of me on his blog with my 'game' face on--check it out. This way I can also find out if anyone actually reads my blog :) Take care.