JULY!!

Again been a bit slack on the blog! So here goes... a taster of what I have been up in the last couple of weeks and the racing I have up next.


No less than 12 hours after touching down in the States I was pinning a number onto my jersey. Lining up for the 70 mile road race in 100+deg heat fuelled on airplane food I didn't have massive expectations so saw it as a way to shake off the travel and jetlag. Wasn't too much fun and I failed miserably trying to bridge to the break on my own ending up 8th. We had 4 days of crits to follow which were fun but I was run down and didn't have much to give which was disappointing. 

We stay in all sorts of digs, always grateful to our host families for having us! 

A rather memorable part of TOAD (tour of america's dairylands) has to be our post race ice bath in Lake Michigan aka Lake Shitigan with the Vanderkitten's. We failed to notice the sewage warning signs and jumped in totally oblivious to the vile aroma and fact nobody else was in the water! Luckily none of us woke up sick the following day!

Coffee spin, yes I know I look like a triathlete!

Lots of beautiful spots in NC.

From Milwaukee (still can't pronounce it) in Wisconson I flew back to Asheville NC for a couple of weeks in between races. Enjoyed some r+r and intense training in this seriously scorching heat. I am literally sleeping with a fan on my face. Exploring lots of swimming holes and lakes to cool off. Also making the most of not racing by working on my flexibility and core with yoga and pilates classes. I am always amazed at how functionally strong people who appear to have more flab than muscle are; embarrassing cyclists upper body strength!! Asheville is such a cool town very mellow and chilled, totally hippie, lots of people with dreads playing guitars or sipping coffee; its fun to explore.  

Only in Asheville!

Catching some rays!

I fly to Bend, Oregon on Sunday for the Cascade Cycling Classic with the team which I am really excited about. From there I fly back to North Carolina for a few days then to Michigan for a crit then to Chicago for Tour of Elk Grove; that will wrap up my July. 


I found out today that I have passed my first year at Bath, phew! I have been out of the country and not attended a single lecture since December!