dc bike racing

Shawn "bega" Blumenfeld
a quest to win a championship...

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blueberry_soup_is_coming - February 18 2010
blueberry_circuit_race - April 12 2010
im-in-points - November 19 2009
on-lead-lap - November 25 2009
bike_to_work_day - May 24 2010
getting-ready-for-cross - September 14 2009
urban-cross-is-coming - November 14 2009
officiating_the_crits - May 17 2010
indoor-training - January 10 2010
officials-renewal-clinic - February 6 2010
waba_vasa_ride - March 11 2010
44th - December 2 2009
outdoors - January 27 2010
tacchino-ciclocross - November 8 2009
usa-cycling-radio-ban - February 3 2010
no-rain-for-me - March 29 2010
ten-nine-radio - February 8 2010
and-so-now-im-addicted - September 22 2009
kelley-acres-next-up - September 24 2009
hyattesville-cross - October 12 2009
re-urban-cross-is-coming - November 15 2009
photo-from-hyattsville - October 13 2009
another-cross - October 6 2009
off-to-the-races - February 25 2010
towc_part_2 - June 23 2010
re-tacchino-ciclocross - November 9 2009
kelley-acres-cross - October 5 2009
tour_of_washington_county - June 12 2010
south_jersey_training_series - March 22 2010

Over the years, I've dedicated a good deal of my life to helping other people race bikes. Whether from my early years of racing with the likes of Team Aggress, my own messenger racing Team Bega, and more recently the Hub Racing Women's Pro Team, I've received most of my glory from other people's victories. Don't get me wrong, I've played my part and I've recieved proper admiration for my job as a manager, a soigner, a domestique. But it's not the same as winning a race on the bike. And I've won a couple. But I want my own Championship. At the Cycle Messenger World Championships, I've qualified on the front line, placed top 20 twice, been in 6 finals. So now I really want to try to win my own championship in Guatemala at the 2010 CMWC... (im already thinking about 2011 also: the usa national championship timetrial in the mixed tandem masters classes)

and-so-now-im-addicted

September 22 2009

so i busted out my first cross race at charm city on sunday. gotta say, im addicted right off. its similar to messenger racing and not just because of the skills involved (dismounting, technical turns, on and off road) but because of the crowd. the field gets spread out, and no one really seems to care how you're doing. they just cheer for you as you come around, yelling your name loud and clear. feels like the old days off the front of some local crit, but its for everyone, not just the one or 2 leaders. lot of passion about the ride. and its close and personal to the fans. you can reach out and touch your friends as you ride by, and even talk to them (ok maybe im the only one who does that). even mimi and judy officiating had cheers for me, and my club (mark matt, jennifer) all were at the sand pit trying to get me to ride through it. i cleard the bottom stair of the stair case on my last lap and slammed my front wheel into stair number 2. i think im the only one who even tried to ride up the stairs.

big ups to big jim of coppi's who raced with me almost the whole way. he caught me on every downhill, i caught him back on the uphills, and we finished just about together. 83rd and 84th maybe? im not sure they do results that far down.