Velo Girls' Vanessa Cairns and Lorri Lee Lown are both quoted in the Fit for Life column of this month's (May 2009) issue of Natural Health.

Check out the article here.

Our new 3-day weekend camp from June 19 to 21 this year is designed to help prepare participants for the rigors of endurance riding at high altitude. Based in Markleeville, CA, this camp is appropriate for Death Ride participants and others who wish to gain high altitude experience. The registration fee includes camping (Friday + Saturday), SAG on rides, cycling nutrition, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday breakfast and lots of fun with cool folks. Thursday and Sunday night camping options are available for a small extra fee.

Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from Markleeville; however, all are encouraged to carpool. Sign up online here.

See information about this and our many other coaching programs at coaching.velogirls.com.

Whether you want to go fast and race your bicycle, or go long on a tour with your bicycle, Velo Girls Coaching Services has some great programs on the calendar for May.

Bike Skills 302 Racing Skills + Tactics (sessions for men and women): May 23

This four-hour clinic will teach you all the individual bike-handling and group riding skills you'll need to race your first (or your 10th) criterium or road race. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, and an introduction to tactics. We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief. Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

→ REGISTER ONLINE FOR BIKE SKILLS 302

Bike Touring 101 (co-ed): May 30-31

Have you thought about touring on your bike but don't know where to begin? We'll unravel the mysteries of supported, fully-loaded, and semi-loaded touring for you. This new program includes a two-hour seminar on the topics of equipment, bicycle choice, what to bring, how to pack, camping, cooking, safety, and choosing your route. Then, we head out for a weekend of semi-loaded touring with a 50-mile hilly option or a 25-mile rolling option, both ending at Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, where we'll have dinner, spend the evening, soak in the hot tub, and sleep. The next day, we pack up and return to the start. This is a fully-supported event and includes ride nutrition, dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday), SAG, and your accommodations at the hostel.

→ REGISTER ONLINE FOR BIKE TOURING 101

Dr. Kam Leung of Discover Chiropractic in San Francisco hosted Team Velo Girls last night for an educational and fun evening. Dr. Leung practices both chiropractic and Active Release Technique (ART), which targets the tissues of the body. Using these complementary techniques, he said that "as long as it's not broken or bleeding," there are things he can do to help. For example, he estimated that 85% of headaches originate in the neck, which can be addressed through adjustment and ART. Even pregnant women can benefit - he said that breech births can be caused by misalignment of the pelvis that prevents babies from turning properly in utero.

Continue reading...

Thea Stein wins the Sea Otter Cross Country race!

Here's a great race report from Loren Uscilowski, one of the members of the Tri-Flow women's development team racers who competed at the Bariani Road Race earlier this month:

(On March 22nd) I completed my first road race after about a year and 1/2 hiatus off the bike (hog). My last race prior was The Dallas TX, U.S. Open Triathlon October of 2007. I finished the triathlon, two-stepped at the after party, and let the bike collect dust in the corner of my room for about a year and a half.

I can't really explain the time I took off the bike because I love riding, and although racing can be nerve racking, I do love to get out there and mix it up with the best of them. Maybe I just wanted to see how the other half lives -- not going to bed early on a Friday and Saturday night, because I have a long ride or race in the morning.

Fast forward to Jan 2009, I'm now living in San Francisco, having recently relocated from Los Angeles . Everyone is out riding their bikes and I can't stand the fact that I'm not doing it with them. Now I just need to figure out where to ride. I google San Francisco bike clubs and Velo Girls pops up. I click on the link and I see a bunch of girls in my favorite color - PINK! The team color is pink! How fun!! Then the first paragraph reads, Join the Velo Girls Development team. Is this weird or what? This is exactly what I am looking for!

Read the whole story

This from Team TIBCO:

Los Altos, California - U.S. National Road and Criterium Champion Brooke Miller and Team TIBCO teammates Alison Rosenthal and Alison Starnes will again mix it up with the NorCal crowd at the Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix, Sunday, March 8 at 10:50 a.m. The women's pro/1/2 race will honor Kristy Gough this year.

"We're really lucky to have such quality races and strong fields on the local NorCal scene," Miller said. "Everyone on our team wants to make sure they're in top form for the early NRC races, such as Redlands at the end of the month. Races like Menlo definitely keep us in race shape."

The Grand Prix will also give friends, family and fans of Team TIBCO the opportunity to see double national champion Miller and her teammates up close and in person.

"Criteriums are always very spectator-friendly," Miller said. "We love it when the crowds come out and are loud! These races give people the unique opportunity to interact with the riders before and after the race, and also feel the electricity of racing. Once the national season kicks off, there won't be too many more local races like this that we're able to do."

The 2009 Bay Area Women's Cycling Series begins Sunday with the Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix presented by Hawk Relay!

The first of 9 Series races, the Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix p/b Hawk Relay is the place to be next Sunday! In addition to the Category 4 and Category 3 Series races, the MPGP will also offer a Women's 1/2/3 race this year. This is a rare opportunity for category 3 women to race twice in one day, and a great chance for women's teams to all race and support their teammates in all categories!

For the Category 4 and Category 3 Series races, BAWC will add to the already great prize lists:

• $50 "team primes" in each race, with Left Coast RacingTeam sponsoring the Category 4 primes and Team Roaring Mouse sponsoring the Category 3 primes
• Crocs gift certificate primes
• Zambrano Coffee primes and podium prizes
• Urban Oasis gift certificates
• additional cash for each podium place, sponsored by NCNCA

Pre-registration for the MPGP ends Wednesday evening. Register online now -- compete in the Series, and support the Menlo Park Grand Prix!

The 2009 Women's Racing Series, run by Bay Area Women's Cycling and sponsored by NCNCA, is a points series with individual and team competitions. Points are automatically awarded to women who enter the category 3 and 4 Series races. Team points are awarded when two or more women from the same team compete in the same Series race. To learn more, visit bawcycling.com.

All 10 Team Velo Girls racers headed to the Central Valley to compete in the Snelling Road Race. Most impressive was the fact that 100 CAT4 women raced in two separate fields -- a new record high for northern CA!

The promenade was about 2.5 miles, but the neutralizing referee pulled off early and boom! Off we went! The pace was fast, and there was a stealthy wind which made echeloning desirable but a little sketchy since we didn't know most of the 50 riders who were alongside us. At times we found ourselves at the back of the pack, as the full use of the road made it easy for riders to stream up the left side of the field and there was constant repositioning. Then I saw all my teammates begin to migrate through the pack, ninja-style, and appeared very comfortable and at-ease negotiating through the fluff, planting themselves towards the front, and avoiding the yo-yo effect of bringing up the rear. But with so much reshuffling, it was difficult to maintain one position through all the little hills and sandy corners.

There was a crash in the first lap involving a few riders, and thankfully Vanessa was unbroken, albeit with a few raspberries and an ouchy elbow-kiss. This split the field a bit, and all of us were somber for a while and winded around the course 2x2 for a while. Then we hit the jackhammer back section with acne-ridden asphalt, and I think all of us suffered every time we came around to that section. We rounded a turn and went past the finish for the first time, and then soldiered on for lap 2.

Read the whole post

Team Velo Girls scored two more wins this weekend -- Emily Weinert in a dramatic battle at the Pine Flat Road Race and Thea Stein in a wet and muddy mountain bike race at CCCX #1 -- along with multiple top-ten finishes at Cantua Creek Road Race.

Coach's note: I was driving support for the W4 race at Pine Flat, and I have never seen a more dramatic hilltop finish. I've still got chills thinking about the last 200 meters!

Here's Emily's race report for Pine Flat:

It was an awesome weekend of racing and I'm so proud of the whole team!!!

The morning of the Pine Flat Road Race started out so-so - it wasn't raining, but no one was super pumped to get back on their bikes again after working so hard at Cantua Creek the day before. There were only 6 racers in the W4 race - Dana, Jill, Vanessa, and I, representing Velo Girls, and two Christines, one from the Reno Wheelmen and the other was unattached (and doing her first race). Everyone but unattached Christine had raced Cantua Creek and was talking about using Pine Flat as a training ride.

The race started out with a promenade up a ridiculously steep hill, which pretty much killed your legs by the top. We then headed out on our out and back along the lake with some beautiful views. We were all pretty much together until after the turnaround (~12 mi), after which unattached Christine started picking up the pace. Reno Christine went with her, so I figured I'd try to hang with them and tucked in behind unattached Christine. After a few miles, we started a rotating paceline and rode along at a pretty good clip.

Read the whole post

Thea Stein and Jill Eyres took race wins in their respective categories last weekend. Thea writes:

On Sunday, Jill and I both competed in our first mountain bike races at the TBF Mountain Bike Challenge #1 at Granite Bay/Folsom Lake. We both had a great time at this race and I'd definitely recommend it for first-timers--it's a mellow, 7-mile course that includes single-track, wide double track, and cross-country with plenty of places to pass or be passed. There are only few technical parts--all in all it's a great winding, swoopy loop. First Timers do 1 lap, Novice 2, Sport/Single-Speed 3, & Expert 4.

This was the first MTB race for both of us and we both agreed that riding the course beforehand absolutely makes a difference. The start of the race is somewhat chaotic so getting to the front of the line in your group helps. In my case this meant rubbing elbows with a bunch of teenage 80 lb-ers from a high school race team so that was interesting...

Read the whole post

Registration for this year's Menlo Park Grand Prix is now open, and over 100 racers have signed up to race on the first day. Sign yourself up online via SportsBaseOnline.

More details here, including the race schedule and a description of a new race course.

Jill Eyres reports from the team's training camp/retreat at the picturesque Costanoa resort on the California coast. Team TIBCO's Linda Jackson was on hand as a guest coach for the race team, and offered the riders some invaluable advice after dishing out some pain on a training ride:

...the rest of us raced (almost literally) down Highway 1, trying to keep up with Linda Jackson. Linda led us on a fast-paced ride that ultimately led to the top of Bonny Doon Road. I know I had my doubts about whether I could make it to the top, but we all made it, and enjoyed the fruits of our labor -- a killer descent back down Bonny Doon to Highway 1. Our exhilarated smiles soon turned to gritted teeth, however, as we battled a killer headwind back to Costanoa -- a welcome sight after our 47.5 mile ride.

Read Jill's report, and see other photos she took.

The 2009 club jersey design entries are in! Enter a vote for your favorite design. The poll closes on Friday, January 30, and the winning design (and the identity of the designer) will be revealed shortly afterwards.

Click here to see the designs and to vote.

The Tri-Flow Development Racing Team at the Bariani Road Race
(L-R): coach Lorri Lee Lown, Alice Fawzi, Elizabeth Simmons, Erica Smith, Mary Magnani, and Michelle Diaz.

In the ten years I've been riding & coaching, I've met countless numbers of women who have expressed an interest in bicycle racing but just don't know where to start. These meetings led me to develop the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program in 2006. This award-winning program is designed to help women learn how to bicycle race in a safe, team-oriented environment, without requiring a full-season commitment from them. Women who've participated in this program have then gone on to successfully race in the elite ranks of northern CA and national race calendars.

The Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program is designed to be a small, focused training program that teaches women how to road race and supports experienced racers who aren't part of a season-long team. Because of the small group size, each woman will receive very personalized attention. This six-week program will prepare women to race in the Bariani Road Race, providing both skills and fitness training. The entire group will race alongside members of Team Velo Girls, and will benefit from full logistical and strategic support on race day and the opportunity to continue racing with the team during the 2009 season.

Registration for this program includes a custom team kit (shorts and jersey), USA Cycling race license, race registration/entry fee, six weeks of coached group training (two sessions/week), a group training plan developed just for this program, and email coaching (and group) support.

If you'd like to learn more about racing in 2009 and the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program in particular, we're hosting an informational meeting on Wednesday, January 21st at 7:00pm at the world headquarters of RoadBikeReview.com in Redwood City.

RSVP to coaching@velogirls.com if you'd like to participate. If you can't attend the informational meeting, feel free to contact me for more detailed information.

Registration for this program closes on January 30th. The Bariani Road Race program runs from February 2nd until March 22nd. Click here for registration and more details.

Jill Eyres reports on a soupy San Bruno Hill Climb race on new year's day:

The fog got thicker with each vertical foot -- visibility was so low that I lost track of where I was, despite having done this climb about a bajillion times before. I was starting to think that it would never end, but then (finally) I got to the hairpin turn and knew that it was almost over.

Read Jill's report, and see other photos shot by Norcal Cycling News.

2008 was a banner year for Velo Girls Coaching Services. We introduced a new series of clinics, the 4-hour Bike Skills modules, and sold out almost every single session. The program was a HUGE success. Altogether, we taught 27 clinics with more than 500 participants -- and 99.999% of you felt our clinics met or exceeded your expectations!

We're thrilled to introduce our 2009 schedule of bike skills and coaching clinics. I hope you'll join us in the coming year, tell a friend or two, and share the love with others in the cycling community.

Online registration is open now, so check out all our winter and spring offerings and sign up online. Almost all of our clinics sold out in 2008, so early registration is highly encouraged!

For the fourth time in five years, Velo Girls has been awarded by USA Cycling as the Women's Club of the Year. Velo Girls has also received this award in 2006 and 2003, and also bore the title of Division II Club of the Year in 2004.

This honor recognizes us for our contributions to the cycling community as a whole, and especially for our work with women. Many sincere thanks to everybody who has helped us achieve this distinction: our members, coaches, sponsors, friends, and fans. You all play an important role in helping us bring the best cycling to the women (and men) of Northern California and beyond.

For the third year, Velo Girls brought a team of 30 volunteers (women and men) to participate in the Turning Wheels for Kids Bike Build in San Jose. All told, 600 volunteers built over 2,000 bikes in about 6 hours, which were then given to local children in need.

Said one volunteer: "Thank you for inviting us to participate in the bike build. I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday during the holiday season. The looks on the girls' faces when they picked up their bikes was priceless -- a memory I will cherish forever, knowing I had a part in making their lives just a little better."

Velo Girls founder, Lorri Lee Lown, was elected to serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. Here's her candidate's statement:

I began cycling as an adult ten years ago, and I've been active as a recreational cyclist, a commuter, a tourist, an advocate, and a racer. I'm a full-time cycling coach. I founded and am President of Velo Girls - the largest women's cycling organization in northern California. I'm active as a bicycle educator, coaching skills clinics and presenting lectures on a variety of topics related to health, fitness, and cycling, serving thousands of cyclists annually. I've served as Treasurer of the Northern California/Nevada Cycling Association for two years.

Prior to my cycling career, I spent 13 years as a staff member of not-for-profit theatres. During these years, I had direct interaction with the Boards and Finance Committees of these organizations. I'm well-versed in the daily and long-term workings of a not-for-profit organization and will bring that experience to the SVBC Board. I have a BFA in theatre management and an MBA in organizational management.

My goal in serving on the SVBC Board is to educate the recreational and competitive cycling communities about the value of the SVBC for all cyclists. This is an audience that is underrepresented in SVBC membership, and holds significant growth potential for the organization.

In addition to her seat on the SVBC Board of Directors. she was recently elected to a third term as Treasurer of the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA), the race-sanctioning body in this district.

For the past three years, Velo Girls has promoted one of the most popular bicycle races in Northern California. This year, we've got an all-new course and some all-new expenses from the City of Menlo Park and the Menlo Park Police Department. The future of this race is in jeopardy unless we can secure an additional $7,500 in funding.

If anyone is interested in saving this race with a sponsorship, please contact lorri@velogirls.com. Sponsorship is available for the full amount or for multiple sponsors at a lesser amount.

It's that time again: your chance to be immortalized as the designer of our 2009 club jersey. So get your fashion groove on and start drawing! We'll run the contest through December 15th 31st so you've got plenty of time to submit your entries.

Click here to see details of the contest: prizes, deadlines, design templates, etc.

Our popular climbing & descending clinic, scheduled for Nov 8th, sold out and by popular response to a waiting list, we have decided to offer a second session of the same clinic in the afternoon of the same day, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Registration for the second session is now open!

Sign up here for this, or other upcoming clinics.

Due to popular request after news of a sold-out Bike Skills 101 course on October 26, we are offering a second session of the same course in the afternoon of the same day! Registration for the afternoon session, which will take place from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, is now open.

Register now for this, or other upcoming clinics.

What a season! To date, almost 400 riders have participated in our various skills clinics. It's so gratifying to hear the feedback and follow-up from participants who credit our clinics with changing their cycling lives and helping them achieve their goals.

"It was a great experience. As I look back at all I learned, I can't believe how much I took away that I never expected. Great job - thanks so much for offering to everyday cyclists!"

"We were all there to learn something regardless of skill level -- a good non-threatening environment."

"Given the reputation of the Velo Girls, my expectations going into the clinic were very high. That being said, the clinic exceeded all of my expectations. I couldn't have been more pleased with what I learned and with how the material was presented to us."

"There were so many things that I learned that after riding for 20+ years I never knew about - it was fantastic to better hone the skills."

"I felt like the tips and suggestions I got that were specific to me were very useful. Even though I was sharing the coaches' time with the other group members, I felt as though I was getting my own little coaching session too."

"We had the most excellent training over this weekend and a great value for the money spent. I can go on and on. This weekend was life changing for me and I think the group as a whole. Thanks for doing what you do, you help make lives better."

"I was very, very impressed, and of course motivated to ride even more as a result. Certainly one of the best coaching/teaching experiences I have ever been a part of (of any kind)."

"Thank you for developing such a wonderful program. I am sure many, many women have found their passion/new hobbies as a direct result of this incredible program."

Register today for these upcoming clinics:

Bike Skills 101 - Individual Bike Handling Skills: 10/26 (co-ed)
Bike Skills 201 - Climbing & Descending: 11/8 (co-ed)
Bike Skills 301 - Group Riding Skills: 11/15 (co-ed)

More details and other registration options

Interested in riding with other VeloGirls in the South Bay (Cupertino, Sunnyvale, San Jose and vicinity)? Join us!

Date: Sunday, 9/14/08
Where: Meet at Monta Vista High School at the main entrance parking lot at 21840 McClellan Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014

Meet and briefing at 8:30am and roll at 8:45am. See our calendar for other ride details. Rain cancels.

Due to popular demand, we've expanded our clinic offerings for summer and fall 2008. We introduced our new 4-hour "Bike Skills" modules earlier this spring and have experienced sell-out clinics each weekend. Whether you're a new rider trying to flatten the learning curve, or an old dog who wants to learn some new tricks, we guarantee that you'll ride away a safer, more efficient, and more confident rider.

Register today for these upcoming clinics:

Bike Skills 101 - Individual Bike Handling Skills: 8/17 (women), 8/17 (men), 10/26 (co-ed)
Bike Skills 102 - Mountain Bike Skills: 9/13 (co-ed)
Bike Skills 103 - Cyclocross Skills: 9/13 (co-ed)
Bike Skills 201 - Climbing & Descending: 9/21 (co-ed)
Bike Skills 301 - Group Riding Skills: 9/20 (co-ed)
Girls Got Skills - 2-day Women's Cycling Clinic: 9/6-7

More details and other registration options

Congratulations to Lisa Guevara and Lloyd Tepper on their recent marriage. They're one of three couples who have met on the Velo Girls Singles' Rides over the years! How cool is that?

Interested in leading our singles ride? Contact lorri@velogirls.com. Who knows, maybe you'll meet the love of your life, too!

Join Velo Girls at Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose this Friday, May 30th, for a special evening of track racing for the whole family! The theme for the night is the Hellyer Hoedown - a little country & western shindig (with some bike racing thrown in for kicks). We'll provide BBQ and beverages, some rockin country tunes, and the best track racing in CA! So thrown on your cowboy hat and come spectate a fun night of racing.

The party starts @ 6:00pm. Racing from 7:00 - 10:00pm

More details: ridethetrack.com

Click here to see the rest of the photos from the event.

Through rain and sun and wind, dozens of Velo Girls members trained together for 10 weeks, under the expert guidance of Team Velo Girls members Winnie Homer-Smith and Elizabeth Simmons. This past Sunday marked the graduation ride, followed by a lovely lunch at Winnie's Burlingame garden. Post-lunch, everyone made helmet decorations to adorn themselves on Saturday's ride.

We plan to ride out as a group on Saturday, so please meet at the Velo Girls tent in the expo area at 7:30am for a group photo. Leave yourself enough time to park and register (we recommend you arrive at 6:30am). Pace groups will depart after the photo.

For more information, contact winnie@velogirls.com

All that's left is the speed!

Saturday, March 8th marks the 3rd annual Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix. Velo Girls has been busy with all the finishing touches to ensure that the race is a HUGE success.

Pre-registration numbers almost 600 athletes. Many of the races are sold out and waiting lists have been started so if you plan to register at the race please arrive early.

A new addition for the 2008 races is Michael Hernandez as race announcer. Those in the northern California racing community know Michael as one of the most prolific racers in the district and he'll wax poetic on the mic throughout the day.

Menlo Park is the first race in the Bay Area Women's Cycling Association Series, so come out and watch the women mix it up at 8:00am and 10:00am.

Also new for 2008 is the addition of the Cycles Gladiators Uninhibited Racer Series -- rewarding the most animated racer in each race throughout the day -- guaranteeing that races will be fast and aggressive.

More details here.

Avogadro's Number: According to the great oracle, Tanyapedia, the volume of an ideal gas is directly proportional to the number of atoms or molecules it contains. When applied to cycling, Avogadro's number suggests that the volume of an ideal team for the Snelling Road Race is directly proportional to its members: Sarah, Lorri, Tanya, Lala, Kim, and Dana. I could say something here about gas, and perhaps laying off the Mexican food before a race, but I won't. Let it suffice to say that this is what I was thinking about (what it means to be a team, not Mexican bean fuel) as we drove away from the race course on a drizzly Friday afternoon discussing Avogadro's number, and why we, a group of women who clearly knows "things," sometimes remain silent out of fear of appearing dumb.

Read more...

Introduced in 2006, Velo Girls Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program is designed to help you bridge the gap from club rider to team racer. In a six-week series of workshops, clinics, and rides, you'll learn everything you need to know to begin road racing, and receive support you at your first race.

Click here for the story on USA Cycling.

Congratulations to TANYA MACNEIL for winning the most votes on the Velo Girls club jersey design contest.

Click here to see all the design submissions. And pre-order your jersey today!

Now is the time to prepare for your best cycling season ever and private coaching will help you get there in the most effective way possible. Both racers and recreational riders will benefit from focused, supervised training.

January 15th -- March 15th: for all new clients who sign up for a six-month coaching package, we'll waive the set-up fee ($150 value) and reduce the monthly coaching fee to $200/month (regularly $250).

Email coaching@velogirls.com for more information and to schedule your initial coaching consultation.

The 2008 club jersey design entries are in. Cast a vote for your favorite design. The poll closes on January 15, and the winning design (and the identity of the designer) will be revealed shortly afterwards.

Click here to see the designs and to vote.

Happy 2008. To help you meet your goals and keep your resolutions, Velo Girls Coaching Services is pleased to announce a full schedule of cycling clinics.

The new year marks the return of the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing program in three Girls Got Race™ series of programs, and an all-new Women's Duathlon development racing program as well (take your pick from four series!). Men and women alike will benefit from the new series of Bike Skills Modules, each designed to train new racers and non-competitive riders in safe riding technique. Non-competitive riders seeking general skills and technique improvement will enjoy the return of our always-popular Girls Got Skills™ clinic.

Online registration is available and now easier. $20 instant savings are available just for registering before each clinic's signup deadline. Click here to learn more about the specific programs, schedules and registration.

For the second year in a row, Velo Girls (and some of our favorite Velo Boys), joined other northern California cycling clubs and corporations to help build bikes for at-need children. The Turning Wheels for Kids Bike Build has become a fun holiday tradition for us.

Each year, Turning Wheels for Kids receives donations to purchase bikes for various groups of at-need children. Last year was the third year of this program and they delivered 1,000 bikes to children. This year, they outdid themselves again, providing 1,800 bikes!!!

Read more...

Coach Lorri Lee Lown was recently invited to be one of a handful of presenters at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in January 2008 for the three-day Enhancing Leadership in Womens' Cycling Conference presented by USA Cycling. Lorri jokes that this is a great honor since she's only an MBA (and most USAC presenters are PhDs). However, she has successfully charmed Sam Callan (Sport Science and Coaching Education Manager) over the years during her many visits to the Olympic Training Center as a participant in other coinferences. Lown, founder of Velo Girls, who also happens to have an MBA in Gender Relations, will be presenting on the topic of gender differences in cycling and how to develop a successful women's cycling organization.

The conference is open to coaches and non-coaches alike. If you'd like more information about registration, contact Sam Callan.

Winter is the ideal time to perfect your bike fit. Proper fit will allow you to ride comfortably and efficiently. Do you want to complete longer events in 2008? Maximize your power and speed? Then now is the time to dial in your fit and to incent you to do this, we've reduced the price of our bike fit to just $100!

USA Cycling Elite Coach Lorri Lee Lown has performed bike fit on women (and men) since 2001. She utilizes a CompuTrainer to help you optimize your pedal stroke and efficiency. She understands the unique demands of racing (road and mtn bike), touring, and multi-day events. She guarantees that you'll love your bike again!

To schedule your fit appointment, email Lorri@velogirls.com.

It's that time again: your chance to be immortalized as the designer of our 2008 club jersey. So get your fashion groove on and start drawing! We'll run the contest through December 31st so you've got plenty of time to submit your entries.

Click here to see details of the contest: prizes, deadlines, design templates, etc.

We woke Sunday morning, packed the car with the kids, the bikes, the food, the bbq and the beer and headed out to Brisbane. It seemed awfully luxurious to only have to drive 20 minutes to get to the race location, having driven a few hours each way the past month of Sundays for other cross races.

This time I was going to try something different than usual, something called "warming up". Read more...

Velo Girls Coaching Services announces it's fall coaching special. From September 15 to November 15, 2007 receive two hours of on-the-bike coaching for just $150 (a $170 value).

On-the-bike coaching can be invaluable in improving your skills as a cyclist. As a client, you pick the aspects of your cycling you'd like to work on - climbing, descending, general cycling skills, etc. Or you can receive an on-the-bike evaluation by USA Cycling Expert Coach, Lorri Lee Lown. You can even participate in a coached work-out! The sky's the limit.

Learn more...

Velo Girls scored a pair of wins - one to end the road season and one to begin the cyclocross season.

At the San Ardo Road Race on August 25th, the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program (part of Velo Girls Coaching Services) was out in full force, with 9 women competing in their first road races. And September 1st marked the first cyclocross race on the Northern California racing calendar - a hot and dusty affair held in Livermore with strong representation from the Velo Girls. Read more...

If you join or renew your Velo Girls membership now, your membership is valid not only for 2008, but also for the rest of 2007! For the first 100 members who join or renew, you'll receive a limited edition, nylon Velo Girls tote bag -- perfect to carry all the essentials for your ride or whatever else you'd like!

And... Sign up or renew your Velo Girls membership early, and you can win one of several fabulous prizes to be announced later.

More info...

Beginning August 27th, our favorite mountain bike ride welcomes cyclocross riders for the fall! Meet At the parking lot at Arastradero OSP in Palo Alto for a fun, casual, all-levels dirt bike ride with some cyclocross skills practice at the end of the ride.

Beginners, experienced, slow, fast, mountain bike, cyclocross bike--all are welcome!

We'll convene at the Alpine Inn for post-ride food, libations, and girl-talk! RSVP to Janet at lafleur@earthlink.net.

If you're ready to take your cycling to an entirely new level, participating in a skills clinic is one of the best ways to do that.

Back by popular demand are three more Criterium Racing 101 clinics: in July, August, and September. Also, we've added another weekend of Girls Got Skills (September), our sell-out two day women's skills clinic and The Ultimate Cycling Skills Clinic (October), our one-day co-ed skills clinic.

Pre-registration is required for all clinics, and early registration is encouraged as space is limited and many of these programs sell out months in advance.

More info...

I've been participating in the Team Velo Girls midweek madness ride for the past few months and, after many encouraging words from team members, I decided it was time to branch out and try a real race. The timing of the Burlingame Criterium was perfect. I recently graduated from the Girls Got Skills Clinic and participated in last Saturday's Criterium Racing 101 class, I was ready to go. Read more...

I can't remember ever getting up as early as I did last Sunday. To my surprise I wasn't tired at all. I was looking forward to racing, although there were some unpleasant surprises. I was told that the course was mostly downhill, but when we pre-rode the course we found out that we had to climb some mean little hills (nothing compared to Mt. Hamilton though). When we drove to the start we got another unpleasant surprise. The start wasn't where we thought it was and we had to climb an extra short but steep hill. The team tried to convince me I would be fine, but when we were standing at the start line I was incredibly nervous. Read more...

Here's my attempt at my first race report. It's been almost 48 hours so some of the memories are already a little bit fuzzy.

Elizabeth picked me up and we listened to some happy country music on our way out into the farmland near Sacramento (don't hold it against us that we like country, ok). It was a beautiful day - clear, a light wind and 70 deg. I ate well and slept well the week before. I was very excited - nervous excited because this was my first race and I had been imagining what this day would be like for 7 weeks! When we got to the course and I saw some of the riders warming up I really started to feel the adrenaline surge through my limbs. What a rush! Read more...

Jason Ranoan, the race promoter, was fantastic. This was one of the most well run and fun endurance races I've ever done. About 3 weeks ago just before I registered for the race, I noticed there were a lot of singlespeed categories for both solos and teams. I asked Jason via a local forum post if he was planning on having a women's solo SS category and I got the best response ever...

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Congratulations to Sarah Clutterbuck for winning the 2007 Velo Girls club jersey design contest! Voler Team Apparel will surely transform her winning design into a stunning new jersey for Velo Girls members in 2007.

The new jersey, as well as other Velo Girls club apparel, may now be ordered through our online store. Place your order here.

Click here to see all the entries for this year's club jersey design contest, and to discover the identities of the inspired women behind them.

The Velo Girls Tri-Flow Racing Development program returns in 2007 with the first of three training series scheduled to begin on January 29. This first training program commences on March 18 with the Bariani Road Race (Zamora, CA).

Learn more about the Tri-Flow Racing Development Program, or register for other programs by visiting our Coaching section.

It was difficult to force myself to bed at 9:30 on New Year's Eve, but I figured I could party after the race. I did a pre-ride on Thursday using some race notes from last year that Evan sent out. Thanks again, Evan! They were so helpful!

I did a pre-ride of the 3.5 mile course 4 days before the race on my own. Since I was alone and the had 3 days to recover, I decided to go as hard as I could on the pre-ride so I'd be prepared for the pain on race day. I also have a new bike with less gearing options, so "spinning" up the hill was not really possible. My heart rate reached zone 5b, and I had creepy blood-like taste in the back of my throat when I made it to the top. My watch said 19:57 when I got to what I thought might be the finishing area. I set a goal for myself to come in under 20 minutes on race day.

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It was a bicycle building bonanza!

We (Lorri, Skot, Amy, Julia, George, Andrea, Christine, Janet, Lesley, Winnie, Bruce and I) came from all sides of the Bay to represent the Velo Girls in San Jose for the Turning Wheels for Kids bike build! It was a pretty early start to the day, but I knew it was going to be a good one when I was greeted with coffee and donuts... what a treat for the bleary-eyed!

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For the third time in four years, Velo Girls has been awarded by USA Cycling a Club of the Year accolade. For 2006, Velo Girls was named Women's Club of the Year, as it was in 2003. And in 2004, Velo Girls earned the prestigious title of Division II Club of the Year.

Read the official announcement from USA Cycling.

Congratulations to Yvonne Walbroehl (3rd) and Kim Natzel (5th) for top placings in the Surf City Cyclocross Series overall.

We knew it would be muddy since it had been raining, but we had no idea... Lorri picked me up and we drove over to Watsonville. It was sunny in Mountain View, but as we hit Los Gatos and Hwy 17 it was raining... pouring. We kept talking about how great this would be to experience a "real" cross race, not the hot dusty conditions we've mostly experienced. Read more...

This is what cyclocross is all about: Beautiful, healthy, athletic, slightly crazy, middle-aged women having fun with their friends.

What better way to burn off some of those excess Thanksgiving calories than to tear it up at a cross race? So I went down to Prunedale on Sunday to do the CCCX #3 race. Most of the fields were pretty small, partly because this is a smaller series (compared to Pilarcitos or Surf City), but probably also because some folks were still recovering from the holiday. Anyway, when I arrived I saw plenty of familiar faces, but none of the usual suspects from the C races I've done so far this year, and no teammates - the first time this season.
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Join Coach Lorri at Ocean Cyclery in San Francisco at 7:00PM on Thursday, November 16 for this fun, informative clinic focused on helping you make the most of your cycling experience. We'll cover the basics of choosing the right bike and the unique bike fit concerns for women, accessorizing, clothing (for function and fashion), resources for women, and we'll answer all the other questions a new cyclist might have. The fabulous Ms. Sheila Moon will be on-hand to preview all her fall and winter cycling fashions. Light refreshments and a raffle for some great prizes complete the evening.

This clinic is free for Velo Girls members, $10 for non-members. Space is limited so RSVP to sabine@oceancyclery.com. For location information and directions to Ocean Cyclery, visit www.oceancyclery.com.

Sorry, no costume to report on, maybe next year? Sunday's race was the 2nd in the Surf City series held at the Watsonville fairgrounds. I was actually looking forward to this race. I've been a bit apprehensive about the races I've done so far this year - lack of confidence for some reason.. So, Lorri picked me up and we headed over to Watsonville. We had plenty of time to ride the course before our race and see all the great costumes. (now I'm wishing I did have a costume). Read more...

I've been feeling a bit under the weather for more than a week now. I can't tell if it's a cold or allergies, but either way, it's kept me off the bike and out of the gym. But Candlestick Point has traditionally been one of my better courses, so I really wanted to race.

I attended the Sycip clinic on Saturday, not because I thought I'd learn anything new, but really to pre-ride the course with some of the more experienced racers (and check out the cute guys). During my pre-ride, I felt pretty good, but still saw stars when I tried to open it up a bit. I got great sleep on Saturday and had a restful morning on Sunday, so I was ready to race! Read more...

I guess sometimes the pre-ride is more hazardous than the actual race. At least that's how it went for me. Tthis course was pretty challenging technically. There was one spot that was particularly treacherous, a steep sandy descent ending in a left turn to a little uphill. The sand was pretty deep, too. Nevertheless, when we were doing our pre-ride I made it down that nasty little descent twice without incident. But, silly me, I had to do one more pre-ride lap. And for some reason I decided to try to hold my line on that descent instead of just going wherever the bike decided to go. Big mistake. Read more...

I was heartbroken when I learned the road racing season was ending. I felt like I had just started rolling, and now it was over. I participated in the Tri-Flow Women's Development Racing Program this summer, and it was such an empowering experience - I was hooked on racing, and thought I'd have to wait until January to race again. Boo-hoo.

In conversations with Lorri Lown, coach of the Velo Girls program, I began to notice that she used the word "cross" in almost every sentence she spoke. "What's cross?" I thought to myself, "and why is Lorri so obsessed?" When I asked her about the sport, Lorri made it clear that cyclocross is basically the meaning of life, and I could try it at an upcoming clinic hosted by the Velo Girls. Read more...

Lorri Lown and I headed out bright and early Sunday morning to our first race of the new CX season. I was all nerves, being a racing virgin and all, but Lorri was great company the whole way which was an amazing help. We arrived and were surprised by the number of women at the event. I think we had 10 women in the C class compared to the 2 Kim Natzel had reported from the year before. Maybe girls are catching on to cross? I'll definitely be jumping on that bandwagon. So we got dressed and took off for a few exploratory laps of the course getting back in time to watch the Men C group start. After they took off we fixed a few mechanical issues, got hydrated and took one more lap.

They started the Women C group 15 minutes after the A & B's. It was a Le Mans style start over a mountain of wood chips. Pretty fun but very unstable. On to the bikes and the race had really begun. We had a slow start but luckily I was able to catch up and hang behind Lorri as she passed most of the girls who had gotten a better start. Stayed that way for the first 2 1/2 laps until Lorri had a fall before one of the barriers. Silly me was still not really in a "race" mentality and was about to stop and help her up but she urged me on with a forceful "go, go, go!" So away I went. Read more...

Just announced, the Velo Girls have added yet another skills clinic to their 2006 calendar. Slated for November 11, 2006, the new ALC Skills clinic is a one-day session designed especially for participants pursuing a new landmark in cycling/fitness through events like AIDS/Lifecycle.

The ALC Skills clinic will include thorough instruction in basic bike handling in the morning, and drills designed to improve group riding safety/confidence, and climbing/descending technique in the afternoon.

By contrast, the Girls Got Skills clinic in September is an intensive, two-day clinic is ideal for intermediate level recreational riders and racers! Master individual bike handling skills (including cornering, climbing, and descending) and group riding skills. Spend a fabulous weekend with women of similar interests.

[Update, 19 September: The Girls Got Skills clinic in September is now sold out!]

Learn more information about this and other Velo Girls clinics by visiting our coaching page.

It was a long "trip" getting to the 2006 San Ardo Road Race. Much longer than the 2 hrs it took on south 101. It was actually 2 years in the making for me.

Rewinding for a minute... I was a newbie rider in 2004 and was absolutely captivated by the Tour de France. I was hooked on the strategy and ability of the individuals and of the teams. It was a fascinating, complex working of individual and team pursuit of the ultimate win. After the Tour, I decided I wanted to try road racing. Read more...

Writer Mitchell Alan Parker reports that, despite a Tour de France marred by scandal this year, the sport of cycling in Silicon Valley (and the Bay Area in general) remains "vibrant and unscathed". He consulted with the Velo Girls for some insight for the magazine's sports/adventure feature piece.

EXCERPT: Bay Area Velo Girls takes the [social] club idea a step further by having an all-female organization. "I realized that women and men approach the sport very differently," says Lorri Lee Lown, president of Velo Girls. "We learn differently, we compete differently, and we encourage each other in different ways." Going on its fifth year, Velo Girls already has 1,200 members.

Click here to read the whole article.

Official results are now posted. Podium photos are available to view here, and all event photos (including race photos) may also be purchased. Click here for more information.

The first Tri-Flow Women's Development Program concluded with a successful showing at the Snelling Road Race on February 25th. The team was able to race tactically and everyone finished strong. Kudos to Anny Henry for placing an impressive 14th in her first road race!

Registration for the next program is now open. That program will conclude with competition in the Wente Road Race in Livermore on April 22nd. REGISTER TODAY

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