Very sorry for the long no show on the blog updates.  Well, I didn't want to be dramatic on our website so I rather stay away from it for a while. I'm back. Things are not going always the way we had planned.                 
    Starting with my Colorado trip. I was trying very hard to have a great race weekend and I guess I put little bit to much pressure on myself.    I was fighting myself mentally but I felt like somebody sucked the life out of me because I had nothing in these legs . I should be happy with my season so far so Colorado was a great learning experience.  Altitude is tough.  The trip was great overall and I'm very happy I had great company, hanging out with Bryna and Matt. Bryna and I went for an outstanding breakfast on Sunday and after we went cruising around in the car exploring the beautiful Colorado Mountains. It was fun.     
 
     Short track was ...tough. I'd say super tough. You are going full speed all the time. That's how everybody described the World Cups...ouch, just felt that pain for 20 minutes and it wasn't that exciting for me. I just have to get faster:) Overall after 3 stages I ended up 13th and oh  ...I think that's my second lucky number. 
   
    My biggest benefit from the weekend is talking with Georgia Gould and Mary McConneloug . Those two are my favorite top female riders and I admire them a lot. I love the fact that they encourage "small" riders like myself and give them advice, positive vibe and they share their experience. Georgia gave me the best "Pep talk' and I appreciate that more than anything. She is definitely one of the biggest talents in women's MTB history.   

 I had a pleasure to meet Phil who design great KOOBI saddles and gave me one to try it out. He also had a tent and he worked on my bike so I could feel like real Pro. Super nice and generous guy. I tried new saddle and it's really comfortable. Thanks Phil! 

  Matt and I went to Boulder on Monday to relax a little bit. I like it up there. I like the open main street with no traffic and plenty of outside dining. That's one of the things  I miss about home. Places where all the people chill out and you are always running into some friends. I like to observe happy people relaxing, having good food. We also went to a great bike shop.   University Bicycles was were I couldn't take my eyes from all the old school hanging bikes (check it out some of them below) I just love old bikes. We also went to Pro Peloton Bike shop and chatted it up with the nicest crew up there. I like those guys. 

    So after a long day and almost all night travel I got to home, sweet home. Next day was unpacking,putting bike together,  cleaning everything in a mad dash because I was supposed to go to Europe the next day for Polish Championship and Champery, Switzerland after that. I was super tired but even more excited. My first World Cup race and my missing Poland and most of all my ego planning to put lots of effort in my upcoming races. I was dreaming about it. Oh  well, we got to the airport and my flight was delayed and I wouldn't make an international connection. Lady behind the counter was a real b... and it made even more angry. They wanted send me in the next available flight but I would miss couple of days and made it to Poland the day before the race. I just gave up. I was already tired after my traveling from Colorado. Flying to Poland twenty something ours and after drive 2,5 hour to the race venue to Pre-ride the course. Oh I forgot about making sure my bike gets there the same day. It would of been too much. So I stayed. Good idea or not...who knows I suffered my own way. I just wanted to race.

   Good thing, Mike and I spend that great weekend celebrating his birthday and going away to Vermont to our favorite places. I also surprised  him with new  Kelly's Bedford cross frame. We went to see Kelly and I told him I needed some touch up paint for my bike. So we walk in and there is this SWEET white frame hanging and Mike is : " Wow that's HOT" and Kelly is "it better be hot because it's yours MF". I wish I took a picture of Mike's face. I love surprises:) Thanks Kelly.    Just like I say I'm back. Training hard for Windham which will be my first World Cup. I hope most of you can be there. I keep my fingers crossed for American riders. I know how it is to travel to Europe and it will be interesting to see European riders to deal with the time difference and long distance of travels. Hope Georgia Gould will wins!      

Have fun riding in this beautiful weather. Couldn't be any better.  

   See ya, Aleks  

  It wasn’t my best race but I guess I should be happy and I have a chance to show some better form tomorrow. I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike today. I like to spend more time  pre-riding the course, especially if it is such a short race and every second counts. Oh, well I wasn’t proud of the rocky section and I tried to make the time up on the second part of the single track. I was going pretty fast and didn’t make one of the turns and flew off the trail, oops. I should be happy that I wasn't hurt and I  finished  in 15th . Forgot that it is not east coast with our sticky ground,  it’s pretty loose here so I’ve had my lesson for today. Have to be more careful.

   Matt was doing great and caught up to the guy in the front of him. I guess he was doing the same mistake as me and crashed pretty hard. We are not sure how he did overall… you know Matt, he loves to go to races and talk to all the people and I think he forgets hes even racing.  He is like a kid going from vendor to vendor getting FREE stuff, jumping for joyJ He almost missed his start. UCI  representive was calling him up 4 minutes before the starts but Matt was chatting with people, showing up on the start line 15 seconds before the start with a BIG smile and saying “it’s perfect timing”,  angry UCi representive  didn’t even say anything.    
   
     Bryna was 17th and she didn’t like the elevation too much. It’s hard to breathe. Enough talking about crappy race day…We actually had a good time during the day exploring the area. We went to see Gardens of God and it was beautiful. Check it out some pictures below. There is always a good think about traveling to the races, you always see new places and I love that.  

  Keep your fingers crossed tomorrow. It’s always helpsJ

Thanks! Aleksandra

     I came to the final National US race without Mike. He doesn’t like elevation, neither do I but I try not to think about it too much. Mike is racing at Pats Peak New Hampshire this weekend so we will have more updates on our blog. Im racing in the finals of the US National circus and so far I am in 8th place overall. It will be challenging to hold on to the spot throughout the 3 days racing but I’m really excited because I’ve never raced a stage race. I’m racing time trial Friday, cross country on Saturday and short track on Sunday. Lots of fun J 

    I came to Colorado with Matt and he is racing as well so it will be exciting to see him at the national level. I really believe he can win his Cat 1 race if his bike stays together. Bryna is also with us and we pre-rode the time trail course together today. It was the worst pre-ride I’ve ever had. The course is fun  but were caught in the middle of a major hail storm that hit us pretty strong . It was a little shocking for my poor body freezing today after our last few hot and humid days in NY . I was warming up for the next two hours after that ride and it was pretty miserable. I am always one for wet conditions but this was a bit much.

 We will see tomorrow. See ya!



Warm greetings from Colorado,

Aleks