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Finally settled into my next destination. Up early. Not sleeping. Oh the glory of stage racing. Thank goodness for this cup of coffee.

Oh the San Dimas Stage Race. 100 women. 3 days of racing. The perfect build up into this week’s racing in Redlands.

The first day the truth of gravity was tested as we scaled the 6k climb up Glendora Mountain Road. There is nothing fun about a 6k hill climb. There is no time to appreciate your ascent into the mountains with a lofty view of Los Angeles. There seems to be only room for self-doubt and extreme searing pain as you scale the multiple switchbacks of the mountain road. PB&Co2012; had 4 riders in the top 10 after that. KStrong 3rd, KMac 7th, Me 8th, and AWelsh 10th.

With the ammunition to make a big explosion into the 2nd stage, a 7mile circuit completed 8 times through San Dimas, our team was firing on all cylinders. It was a fast, hard race. I was reminded what bike racing felt like. Welcome to 2011, Alison. Wait, didn’t I already say that? The race was chaotic with each lap containing a “hot spot”. Sprints. Time bonuses. QOM. Sparks were flying. Field of 100 was suddenly under 40. Gaining some time bonuses for KStrong gave us a tough job to go for gold in the crit. Stage 3. Sometimes even the best laid plains do not succeed.

Pain Face.

We moved on from Rancho Cucomunga, about 40 miles south, into Redlands. A big week of racing starts on Thursday. This is the big show. As we packed up from our hosts to get back on the road, I started feeling homeless. I looked at my small Zipp duffel bag packed to the brim with just the bare necessities for the next 5 weeks of racing. One week down, 5 to go. Many more races. Many more houses, hotels, beds, and air mattresses. Many more cups of coffee.

Where is the coffee now?

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