Details for the women's weekend

For those who are signed up and have not yet gotten the information, here it is:

Girl’s Getting Dirty: Women’s Mountain Bike Weekend

Chilhowee Campground, Cherokee National Forest

May 21^st to 22^nd, 2011

Weekend Agenda:

Friday: Check in 6-8pm at group camping area. See directions for details.

Saturday: Check in 8-10am, Lunch 12pm, Dinner 6pm

Sunday: Breakfast 8am, Lunch 12pm

Event schedule:

Time	Activity	Location
10am Saturday	Beginner skills clinic-Kym	Lower picnic area
11am Saturday	Your bike 101- Mike	Main camping field/Trek mechanic tent
10am Saturday	Mountain bike rides: beginner and intermediate- USSC-Trek team members	Registration area- main field
1pm Saturday	Intermediate skills clinic- Catherine	Lower Picnic area
2pm Saturday	The mystery of tubless tires unveiled- Mike	Main camping field/ Trek Mechanic tent
1pm Saturday	Mountain bike rides: beginner/intermediate and advanced- USSC-Trek team members	Registration area-main field
7pm Saturday	Campfire girl time-talk bikes, riding and racing with members of the USSC-Trek team and cycling coaches Kym& Mark	Main field
10am Sunday	Beginner skills clinic- Kym	Lower Picnic area
11 am Sunday	Intermediate skills clinic-TBA	Lower Picnic area
9am Sunday	Trailside repairs- Mike	Main camping field/ Trek mechanic tent
10am Sunday	Mountain bike rides: beginner, intermediate and advanced- USSC-Trek team members	Registration area- main field
1pm Sunday	Mountain bike rides: beginner, intermediate and advanced- USSC-Trek team members	Registration area- main field

Other information:

Cost: $50 for the weekend. This includes 4 meals and camping fees. Friday dinner is not included and neither are snacks and any other food. Please feel free to come for a portion of the weekend however we cannot pro-rate the costs. It is $50 whether you are there for 1 meal or all five. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Pre-registration: Pre-registration is required so we can plan for meals. Registration can be done at the Trek Store of Chattanooga in person or by phone at 423-648-2100. Registration closes May 18^th. After that time registration will be done on a first come, first serve basis until we reach capacity.

Facilities: Chilhowee Campground is located in the scenic Cherokee National Forest about an hour from downtown Chattanooga. The camping area we are using is tent only, although there are campsites with RV hook-ups on the other side of the facility. There is running water, hot showers and a small lake with a beach. We will be staying in the group camping area. It is an area with room for multiple tents and cars.

Riding: We will have demo bikes if you want to try the latest Treks or are shopping around for a new steed. There will be rides for all ability levels so whether you are completely new to riding or a seasoned racer we promise you’ll have a great time.

What to bring: Bring your camping gear, cycling gear and the desire to pedal. The group camping area is a tent campsite area. Please plan accordingly.

Questions: Any questions can be directed to Kym Flynn Fasczewski at: xcgirl@vantaggiofitness.com

Directions:  From I 75 North: take exit 20, US 64/74 bypass. Follow the bypass around Cleveland (there are signs to Cherokee National Forest and the Ocoee) take US 64E toward the Ocoee. From the Ocoee Ranger Station on US 64 turn left onto paved Forest road 77. Travel approximately 7.3 miles to the campground signs, turn right. The group camp area is past the day use picnic area and overflow camping field. We will have signs. GPS Directions use: 3171 Highway 64, Benton, TN 37307-5823 (US Forestry Department). This Address will take you to the Ocoee Ranger Station Turn onto FS 77. If you get lost: 423-400-3009.

The Boys: We have had a lot of questions about what to do with those pesky boys. They are welcome to camp with you however; they are not invited on any of the weekend girl rides, activities or meals.

See you there!!!!

Collegaite Nationals and SERC updates

As part of my "giving back to the sport" philosophy I am racing for UTC in hopes of helping the school realize that:

 1. we have a cycling team,
 2. we are pretty good at cycling,
 3. more money and resources should be put into the cycling program.

So far I think it is working. We got more money this semester than last and they even did an article about my win at cross nationals. With all this being said I made the decision to suck it up and race my road bike this spring. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my road bike, I just am not a huge fan of racing it. It is enjoyable once in a while and for those who know me, I have done my share of road racing over the years. I just prefer the dirt. Well the short version: collegiate season went well. I surprised myself (and everyone else) by kicking butt regionally, qualifying for nationals and getting on the podium in the CRIT!!!! The road race was the race I was hoping for a great performance in but team tactics (not mine) made that an impossibility. I was angry I had made the trip and missed the podium in the event I was aiming for. The finish for the crit was redemption time and I sprinted as well as a recovering roadie ever has. I managed a 4th place. Woohoo!!! And my parents got to see the whole thing. What a sweet day.

While I was racing the road bike I was longing for my mountain bike. I have managed to race it a couple of times with great success in the past month. Have I motioned how much I LOVE the big wheels??!! My Superfly Elite is the rockin'est bike ever. Winder GA SERC was right before Nationals and I rode to a convincing win. This past weekend I did it again at the Tanasi SERC race. Tanasi was almost perfect. We had the whole team out there (except Doctor Kristi who had a baby to deliver...) and we went 1,2,4,5 in the Pro/1 women's field. I won with the fastest lap times I have ever turned on that course. It has to be the bike because I know my fitness is not where I want it yet this year. I am doing a slow build for cross season in the fall. I'll be really fast when it counts!!!

Well, that is the update of the past month... I'll post some pictures soon.

Thanks for reading...

Baseball, US Stove Style

Monday night I finally got to meet some of the men that are making our race season possible. Not only does US Stove make totally kick butt stoves and grills, they are great guys. American owned and American operated with totally made in the USA products; how can you go wrong??

Mark and I were invited to attend a Chattanooga Lookouts (AA baseball) game with the crew from US Stove. We had box seats, fun times and I cannot wait to go again. Thanks!!!!

Ps. Buy stoves. They rock.

Women's Weekend!!!

Hey Ladies, Trek Store of Chattanooga is hosting a women's only mountain bike weekend May 21-22.

Details here.

Come join the fun... Pass the word on to everyone you know. This is going to be a ROCKIN' good time!!!

Race season is HERE.

We've all been waiting and anticipating and after a long, wet, cold winter it is upon us. Ready or not!!!

I started off with the traditional trip to Florida for the opening round of the SERC series. Lucky me, it also coincided with spring break so we got to spend a few days in the warm weather. It was a really fun weekend, even with my pale winter legs blinding everyone as thy glowed in the sunlight. The Florida girls are always tough this time of year and this year was no exception. The first lap there was three of us off the front, the second lap there was one off the front (not me) and two chasing (myself and one other girl). The last two laps it was one off the front (still not me), one chasing (me!!) and one more chasing. It was an exciting race and I was very happy with second place. Florida in March is TOUGH!

The team started off the season with a debut of the new team kits- Yay US Stove!!!- at Tsali NC for the Knobschorcher. This is one of the longest running mountain bike races in the Southeast and the fields were going to be HUGE. There is always a ton of people here for this race. For some added excitement there was a time trial Saturday. Catherine, Amanda, Shannon, Emily Kristi and myself were all so excited to race.

The time trial was a bit dismal for me, I finished 3rd in the pro field. I finished the race and didn't feel like I had pedaled that hard. Kym, it is a time trial, if you don't feel like puking you didn't do it right. Nope. Sure didn't! Catherine kicked butt and won the Cat 1 time trial. Amanda was second. I am glad someone stepped up. Go team!!!

Sunday I was ready for a little redemption. I had a plan. I knew my competition and the course, and I was ready to race. This was also my debut on the 29er, a super sexy Trek Superfly Elite. After the whistle, I let one of the other girls set the pace and I patiently waited. And waited. I was second wheel and I was hoping for the right moment to make my move. And then it happened. At the top of the first climb the leader bobbled and I came around her and did my thing. My mind said "GO", my body said "OUCH, Kym you have been studying too much and not riding enough". Mind and body agreed to disagree and I raced. I rode hard but tried my best to stay within myself. The last 5 miles my legs were really feeling the lack of miles but somehow I did it. I WON!!!! Woohoo. Good start to the season.

I learned a couple of things about my riding at Tsali:

1. Grad school makes me slow.
2. Mind is stronger than body.
3. I need to train more.
4. Big wheel are fast.

Thanks for reading...

New name, same HOT team...

We have a new title sponsor and the 2011 season is almost here. United States Stove Company, the largest manufacturer of wood burning stoves in the US, is based right here in TN about 30 miles from Chattanooga. We are really excited about the partnership we have formed with them and hopefully we can race bikes and help sell stoves, grills and furnaces for them at the same time. If anyone out there has heating or grilling needs, look for some great "team only" deals in the near future.

The new team kits should be here in a few weeks and the design is flamin' hot... wait until you see them.

We have added one team member for 2011, Kristi Hawken. Kristi is not only a badass single speed racer, she's a really cool chick too. We are so excited to have her join the fun for 2011 and we are looking forward to watching her school everyone with gear while riding her sexy new Superfly SS.

Bring on 2011.

Another cross season draws to a close.

Cyclocross season goes by way too fast. It is now January and it is pretty much over. After an extended holiday trip to the "great white north" to see my family, I really have no race fitness left. Apparently cookies and wine are not the ideal training food. Fitness or not, we had a couple of races left this month; little things like the TN state championships, so I of course registered and hoped for the best.

The TN state race was accompanied by a UCI race the day before. There was an opportunity to actually make some money and get a killer result. I decided my cookie induced figure needed to get some miles in the legs and see what sort of miracle I could pull off. We got home from up north the 29th of December and I put in a big hard training block in hopes of reminding my body that we were in fact a bike racer. Ouch. I always forget how quickly fitness goes away. As part of my "shock it back into shape"approach I decided to head to Rome, Ga for their first January series race. Yes, it hurt even worse than I thought it would. I felt as if I was moving in slow motion the entire race and even though I won, I never felt good. Okay, mission accomplished. My butt was kicked!!!!

With a couple of weeks of training back in the legs we were suddenly treated to a "recovery week" last week. SNOW. It doesn't snow in Chattanooga. At least not 9 inches. This is a town that shuts down at the prediction of snow. We were non-functional for a week. There was a bunch of time on the rollers and a day or two of added recovery. I was fresh for the weekend, whether I wanted to be or not.

This past weekend was the UCI Kingsport Cup/ TN State Championship weekend. I went into it with NO expectations. There were some strong racers registered and I was skeptical of my fitness. All I could do was hold on and hope for the best. I had no excuses, Mike at the Trek Store of Chattanooga spent a LOT of time healing my poor bike from the damage I did to it at Nationals. the bike was working flawlessly, hopefully the body would step up to the challenge.

UCI win!!!!

photo courtesy of Bart Nave

The UCI weekend started with some drama with Shannon almost missing the start (her fantastic ability with directions was once again the culprit) and me walking her through the turns to the park 30 minutes before the start. Whew. Made it. At the gun, there were immediately 3 of us together off the front of the race. It was a flat, fast and unexpectedly (mostly) dry course. It was going to be a tactical race. After we attacked each other a few times with no success I determined it was time to sit in and let someone else make a mistake. The other two riders both tried a few more attacks and it looked like we were going to be in for a 3-way sprint when there was an attack and suddenly there was just two of us. Okay Kym, there is one lap to go, it is now or never. I did my thing. I attacked on the only mud on the whole course and I got a gap. Not a huge gap but big enough. I drilled it and never looked back. I won!!! I won a UCI race!!! Holy crap. I may never do that again but it was a killer feeling. My weekend (and my incredible season) was complete.

Sunday was the TN State CX race. I am the three time defending champion so it was time to step up. No relaxing on day two. Mark's race was the first one of the day for us and he started us off with a WIN. I am so proud of him. My husband has been my biggest supporter for many years; he is coach, mechanic, cook driver and emotional support. He has put his own racing second many times so I can live my dream. It was the highlight of my season seeing him cross that finish line. I think that was the most well deserved win of the weekend. Great job, babe!!!

After that inspiring ride it was time for me to go around the merry-go-round once more. They said go and my start was abysmal. I couldn't get clipped in and my focus was not there. Time to rally the troops. I had a quick discussion with my body, we agreed to disagree and I painfully took the lead. I never looked back. I added State CX Champion to my season's accomplishments.

I am ready for some play time. We have a few other "maybe" races coming up, all are small and local and will be done last minute if we feel like it. No more travel or stress for a while. My 2010 season is now officially over. What a ride!!!!

2011 racing starts in March.