My legs are black and blue, my knees are scraped up, my neck is out of whack and I still feel great.  My 3rd place in Champery puts me in second overall, but only 14 points behind Eva Lechner.  Did I mention she is Italian and our next World Cup is Saturday in Val di Sole Italy?  I think it is going to be a noisy race. …

Here is what I looked liked all day on the muddy, rooty, steep and demanding course:

The river in Val di Sole  is amazing.  Heather and I went for a soak at 10pm last night as soon as we arrived.  This profession requires all kinds of torture!  Torture I enjoy !  Team dinner tonight, which usually results in lots of wine so that will be nice!  Thanks for all the cheers!

Busy.  That’s the one word I would use to describe my life in the last  month.  Since Wisconsin, I have packed in lots of training, living, racing, photo shoots and interviews.  The race in Colorado Springs stole my soul and my legs, so my National Championships consisted of dead legs and a lack of inspiration.  That is all behind me now as I am in Champery Switzerland, excited for the dirt, trees and steeps the course will bring.

I get into another zone at the World Cups.  It takes tons of mental and emotional energy as well as physical well-being to ride at the front, and I have found I need to “save” those moments for when it counts.  It is wet and nasty out right now, and I am skipping the course in favor of a spin on the trainer. I have learned that fresh off the plane and into the technical single track is not the best strategy for me.  Sometimes experience does come with age!

This afternoon I will shop around for the perfect red wine and do a little more filming with Markus for the Cyclepassion video.  This time with all my bike clothes on. ha!

I will also be shopping for a party dress, because Power/Balance is flying me out to Hollywood for a big bash a couple days after I get home from Europe.  No sense in slowing down now!

Enjoy. ….