A week ago today I rode Thunderhill and felt like a C group rider all over again. Why? I switched to GP shift, where the shifting pattern is one up five down, instead of the usual motorcycle shifting of down to first gear, and up five all the way to sixth.
Also, Thunderhill was repaved for the first time since it opened for business fifteen years ago, and it was tearing up tires, mine were torn up when I got there but I decided to be thrifty and ride like a girl the whole day as I got used to the new shift pattern. And, it was an open track day, so I would frequently find myself dive bombing into a corner like a bull in a china shop, only to find a pokey puppy tootling along at about half my speed. This made it easy for me to get flustered and forget which way to shift. I know, I should be watching for such things, and I do, but I'm definitely not used to it. I'm used to being one of the slower A group riders, and in the lower half of my race grids. To top it off, there was a layer of fine sand covering turn 1, a high speed turn, and several other turns on the track.
And, and, and. My best there thus far has been a 2:08, the best I could muster this day was a 2:15.
Apparently GP shift is better for going fast. Not that I go fast as of yet, but I'm expecting I'll grow into it. So I will keep at it.
Tomorrow I will ride a practice day, Saturday I will rest, and Sunday I will race. I'm nervous about the shifting. I want to do well, as I did at Infineon last round, but more importantly, I don't want to be a danger to myself or others. I'll have fresh tires, thanks to my wonderful boyfriend, but the fresh confidence will be up to me. Today I drive from Palo Alto to Santa Rosa, and then from Santa Rosa to Willows. In these long car rides I listen to music and visualize myself going fast...maybe I can will myself to feel confident.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Catastrophic Female Injuries
Not surprisingly, racing motorcycles has made me exceptionally aware of the possibility of catastrophic injuries. Just two days ago even, my friend Cassie banged herself up pretty good at a race weekend at Reno Fernley, the poor dear, breaking a femur, tib/fib and doing some pretty unpleasant things to the toes of one foot. So it was pretty interesting to me when this article popped up in my Google Desktop Alerts:
Cheerleading Causes Majority of Female Athlete Injuries
"Between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes. The vast majority of those (67) occurred in cheerleading, followed by nine in gymnastics and seven in track. During that same period, there were 39 such injuries among female college athletes, including 26 in cheerleading, three in field hockey and two each in lacrosse and gymnastics."
It sounds like they are only taking into account organized team sports, and not sports like horse show jumping, barrel racing, motocross, snowboarding and other extreme competitive endeavors that a lot of women do.
Cheerleading Causes Majority of Female Athlete Injuries
"Between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes. The vast majority of those (67) occurred in cheerleading, followed by nine in gymnastics and seven in track. During that same period, there were 39 such injuries among female college athletes, including 26 in cheerleading, three in field hockey and two each in lacrosse and gymnastics."
It sounds like they are only taking into account organized team sports, and not sports like horse show jumping, barrel racing, motocross, snowboarding and other extreme competitive endeavors that a lot of women do.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Internet Marketing
Or, life in the post-Google world. A few months ago I left my job as an AdWords Optimization Specialist after six fun-filled years of Googling. As my manager Sheryl Sandberg told us in the beginning, "fasten your seat belts because it's going to be a wild ride." Indeed. The ride stopped being so wild, so it was time for me to move on; I prefer the adventurous life that start-ups promise, so now I'm at a new one called MyLawsuit.com. We haven't launched yet. I'm heading up their marketing efforts, with online marketing to be a large part of it.
On the side, I'm also doing a bit of AdWords and pay per click consulting for some friends in need. There is a lot about internet marketing, SEM and ppc that I need to learn, and this blog will be a part of that learning process.
On the side, I'm also doing a bit of AdWords and pay per click consulting for some friends in need. There is a lot about internet marketing, SEM and ppc that I need to learn, and this blog will be a part of that learning process.
Cats
I have a cat named Frank. I'm not a crazy cat person, but I'm crazy, and I have a cat. Never used to like cats, particularly. But they kind of just come to me. He's named Frank because he's manly. He's confident, curious and doesn't take any crap. If he were human, he'd probably ride a Harley and have a mustache. He likes it rough, but is soft on the inside. Here is a photo of him:
Motorcycles
From this:
To this:
In two years. In January 2006 I passed my MSF course, never having ridden a two wheeled vehicle before. Now I am racing and beating a few boys. Like David Byrne asked, "well, how did I get here?"
I was twenty-nine and had just broken off a relationship. Thinking that my non-work life needed a little structure and direction, I created some personal goals for myself. They ranged from the simple (visit grandparents in next three months) to dangerous (get motorcycle license before thirtieth birthday). In March, 2006, I bought my first motorcycle: a silver 2003 Suzuki SV650S. An excellent starter bike, depending upon whom you talk to. It poured rain every single day of March that year, but each day I drove home from work, suited up in wool tights, scarves and leather, and took my SV for ever-widening jaunts around my neighborhood, squealing inside my helmet with excitement.
Soon I took it to the local mountain roads where people continually exclaimed, "wow, you're pretty fast! for a girl..." I started to realize that people were more accustomed to female riders who either didn't ride without their boyfriends or who were slow as molasses, and usually both. I also started to realize I wanted them to leave off the "for a girl" part. A little ego, sure, but I loved my new sport vehemently. I dreamed of it from my desk at work, I studied it in books, I talked with people about it. Somehow, all in one neat, fast, shiny package, motorcycling captured many things I was a good at and many things I loved, but didn't quite realize that I loved. I was soon regaled by my mom with stories of how I wanted to be a speed ice skater as a kid, or how I would go flying off tall ledges and walls, pretending to fly. It is a hobby that does not require conversational skills, and yet can be quite social. It requires coordination, good judgment, watchfulness, bravery, focus, and perseverance, but not Lance Armstrong-like fitness levels or that one be a strong team player. It was perfect and I was in love.
Soon I took it to the track, and then continued going to the track. The process of getting myself there with my trailer and bike, learning a challenging, unique new sport, and receiving praise all empowered me during a time when I needed it. I daydreamed of racing.
2007 saw more track days and a visit to the Freddie Spencer School. While at the school I took a little tumble on one of the school dirt bikes and ended up having to have surgery the next week on an already problematic herniated disc. I was out for four months, but went diligently to physical therapy, continuing to daydream of racing and focusing on making my body strong again.
I returned to the track in the fall of 2007 with a race-prepped Suzuki SV650S, like my very first street bike but, like, on steroids or something. GSXR forks, Penske shock, F3 rear wheel, aftermarket rearsets and levers, and race bodywork. I received my AFM racing license in November at Thunderhill Raceway with a poky little puppy laptime of 2:15. No matter - I was a racer!
I started racing in March, 2008, and I came in dead freaking last in my novice race at Buttonwillow. I've had three total crashes, street or track. Crash #1: November, 2007, the day before my New Racer School. Guy highsides right in front of me, coming out of turn 12 at Thunderhill, and I didn't think I had a path anywhere around him or his bike so did an amazing stoppie and launched myself over the handlebars. Ruined my helmet, bruised or cracked a little bone in my elbow and got a big scrape on my knee from my under-leather garments sticking and scraping.
Crash #2: January, 2008, the day before what was to be my first race at California Speedway in Fontana. I was riding over my head and highsided. Broke another helmet, got a gnarly hematoma on my left knee and was discolored along my left side from bruises. A photo:
Crash #3: April, 2008, in a race at Infineon Raceway. It was the first lap and all the riders were all bunched together. I was half a bike length behind this guy when he got uncomfortably close to the racer in front of him, causing him to "grab a handful" of brakes, sending him to the ground. I was right behind him and zipped right up and over his motorcycle, putting me and my ride on the ground. Nary a bruise from this one, but lost quite a lot of trust in my fellow racers. Got this one on tape too:
I've made some good improvements this year. My best laptime at Thunderhill now is a consistent 2:08, and my best at Infineon a low 1:54. There are still more racers ahead of me than behind me at the checkered flag, but maybe someday soon that will change.
To this:
In two years. In January 2006 I passed my MSF course, never having ridden a two wheeled vehicle before. Now I am racing and beating a few boys. Like David Byrne asked, "well, how did I get here?"
I was twenty-nine and had just broken off a relationship. Thinking that my non-work life needed a little structure and direction, I created some personal goals for myself. They ranged from the simple (visit grandparents in next three months) to dangerous (get motorcycle license before thirtieth birthday). In March, 2006, I bought my first motorcycle: a silver 2003 Suzuki SV650S. An excellent starter bike, depending upon whom you talk to. It poured rain every single day of March that year, but each day I drove home from work, suited up in wool tights, scarves and leather, and took my SV for ever-widening jaunts around my neighborhood, squealing inside my helmet with excitement.
Soon I took it to the local mountain roads where people continually exclaimed, "wow, you're pretty fast! for a girl..." I started to realize that people were more accustomed to female riders who either didn't ride without their boyfriends or who were slow as molasses, and usually both. I also started to realize I wanted them to leave off the "for a girl" part. A little ego, sure, but I loved my new sport vehemently. I dreamed of it from my desk at work, I studied it in books, I talked with people about it. Somehow, all in one neat, fast, shiny package, motorcycling captured many things I was a good at and many things I loved, but didn't quite realize that I loved. I was soon regaled by my mom with stories of how I wanted to be a speed ice skater as a kid, or how I would go flying off tall ledges and walls, pretending to fly. It is a hobby that does not require conversational skills, and yet can be quite social. It requires coordination, good judgment, watchfulness, bravery, focus, and perseverance, but not Lance Armstrong-like fitness levels or that one be a strong team player. It was perfect and I was in love.
Soon I took it to the track, and then continued going to the track. The process of getting myself there with my trailer and bike, learning a challenging, unique new sport, and receiving praise all empowered me during a time when I needed it. I daydreamed of racing.
2007 saw more track days and a visit to the Freddie Spencer School. While at the school I took a little tumble on one of the school dirt bikes and ended up having to have surgery the next week on an already problematic herniated disc. I was out for four months, but went diligently to physical therapy, continuing to daydream of racing and focusing on making my body strong again.
I returned to the track in the fall of 2007 with a race-prepped Suzuki SV650S, like my very first street bike but, like, on steroids or something. GSXR forks, Penske shock, F3 rear wheel, aftermarket rearsets and levers, and race bodywork. I received my AFM racing license in November at Thunderhill Raceway with a poky little puppy laptime of 2:15. No matter - I was a racer!
I started racing in March, 2008, and I came in dead freaking last in my novice race at Buttonwillow. I've had three total crashes, street or track. Crash #1: November, 2007, the day before my New Racer School. Guy highsides right in front of me, coming out of turn 12 at Thunderhill, and I didn't think I had a path anywhere around him or his bike so did an amazing stoppie and launched myself over the handlebars. Ruined my helmet, bruised or cracked a little bone in my elbow and got a big scrape on my knee from my under-leather garments sticking and scraping.
Crash #2: January, 2008, the day before what was to be my first race at California Speedway in Fontana. I was riding over my head and highsided. Broke another helmet, got a gnarly hematoma on my left knee and was discolored along my left side from bruises. A photo:
Crash #3: April, 2008, in a race at Infineon Raceway. It was the first lap and all the riders were all bunched together. I was half a bike length behind this guy when he got uncomfortably close to the racer in front of him, causing him to "grab a handful" of brakes, sending him to the ground. I was right behind him and zipped right up and over his motorcycle, putting me and my ride on the ground. Nary a bruise from this one, but lost quite a lot of trust in my fellow racers. Got this one on tape too:
I've made some good improvements this year. My best laptime at Thunderhill now is a consistent 2:08, and my best at Infineon a low 1:54. There are still more racers ahead of me than behind me at the checkered flag, but maybe someday soon that will change.
In The Beginning
Christieland, 1989. I'm 14 years old and posting bulletins on Prodigy's bulletin boards looking for pen pals, probably making me one of earliest social networkers. I shared such details in my bulletins as my height and weight, eye color, what I liked to do for fun, and, naturally, my age. Soon I began pen palling with other early adopters, most of them lonely men in faraway places such as Missouri. I think I remember one of them sending me a card, and gifts. Where was Chris Hansen when I really needed him?
I made it through social networking (and pedophilia's) wild west unscathed. I kept up my own online journals, very private, dear diary type things, just by using Microsoft Works 2.0, Wordperfect, and then finally Word. In 2000 I started reading Randomly Ever After, after reading an article in Salon that the guy was fired from his job at CollegeClub.com because of the things he posted in his "online web journal." I became fascinated with journaling and HTML and created my own hand-crafted online journal, similar in layout to Gus's Randomly Ever After. The thing was a huge pain in the ass to update, and after a few months of this my friend Mike got me into LiveJournal. I joined in 2002 and have kept a journal there ever since.
I joined Google in 2002, slaving away on the AdWords account management team and learning all the ins and outs of pay per click online advertising; ins and outs that were created more or less by us, figuring it all out as we went and then seeing what the peanut gallery on Webmaster World thought. I joined Friendster. Then MySpace. Then I deleted my Friendster account. And then MySpace. And then recreated my MySpace. Then I joined Facebook, and LinkedIn. So yeah, me and the web go way back.
But this will be my first real blog. I'm too busy right now to figure out how to do it on my own, without a neat little plug and play Google product, but I figured I'd start somewhere. I also won't be able to be as reflective and narcissistic as I can be in a private online journal, so this will be a unique challenge. I bore myself even when I talk about stuff that doesn't really matter, which to me is all things external (except for motorcycles, cats and internet marketing), but we'll see if I can keep it lively.
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