Sorella Cycling
November, 2017
Sorellas Deidra James, Kat Houston, Laina Palmeri, Mary Meegan, Kim Cross at the top of 90B at the entrance to Pinhoti 2
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Save the Date: Sorella/AC MTB Bicycle Maintenance Clinic for Women!
Come join us for a free Bicycle Maintenance Clinic for Women on Monday November 13th at Atlanta Cycling VININGS from 6 to 7p, sponsored by Sorella Cycling and Atlanta Cycling, hosted by Sorellas Ali LeCraw-Smith and Diedra James. Join us for a discussion covering all things mountain biking! Learn the basics to keep your bike running smoothly, and keep you having fun on the trails.
Topics covered will include:
1. Why go tubeless.
2. Shock /suspension set up.
3. Maintenance of suspension systems.
4. Removing and installing wheels with thru-axle systems.
5. Why use a dropper seat post.
6. How to choose the right tire.
7. Clipless or flat pedals.
8. Converting your 2 or 3 sprocket crank set bike to a "one by" crank set.
You don’t need to bring your bike!
Monday, Nov 13, 2017, 06:00 PM
Atlanta Cycling - Vinings, Cobb Parkway, Atlanta, GA, United States
Sorella CX Mid Season Recap
By Brittany Hopson Montgomery
Cyclocross (CX) season is in a full swing for our Sorella CX race team. The winter sport that takes over our October – January is full of intensity, technical skill, and fun! This year we have a solid field of ladies competing in the Elite category (cat 1/2/3). Our tenured team has been out and about trying to claim as many podiums as we can. For those of you who need a cyclocross schooling click here. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclo-cross) . Currently the CX team consists of Brittany Montgomery, Cambrie Epperson, Trish Albert, and Chloe Murdock with some guest appearances from Jean Miller and Beth Gearhart. The ladies have had huge fields in the category 4/5 race at 10:00 AM and also in the Women’s Elite races that take place at 12:15. We encourage all ladies who want to try out cyclocross to come out and give it a whirl. It’s more about having fun and having a good time than; cowbells and heckles are encouraged! We guarantee you will leave with a smile on your face.
Here is a quick recap of our season mid-way thru:
The season kicked off at Boundary Waters in Douglasville with a fast flat course that brought quick lap times and tons of Sorellas out to cheer and race!
The next stop was Elks Aidmore the mountain bike course always brings out a good crowd and tests the racers technical and climbing skills. The two day event held in Conyers, donates it’s race proceeds to the Elks Aidmore mission of supporting families in crisis. Brittany Montgomery claimed the 3rd spot on the podium in the elite women’s field on day 2.
The series then traveled to Old Grey Barn next up in Dalton. This course was put on by our Privateer Racing friends in TN, The heckling barn, fly over, and steep forest descents made it another race to look forward to each year! Brittany Montgomery claimed the 3rd podium spot with Cambrie right behind her in 4th.
Our mid-season stop in Savannah this past weekend brought out a larger than normal crowd to the destination race. With the regional collegiate races Saturday and the Ga State Championship on Sunday. The Savannah weekend always lands near Halloween so there tends to be racers disguised about on the courses. This year the team rocked out as Enduro racers Saturday and Killer Sharks on Sunday. Brittany Montgomery claimed the Silver in the Cat 1/2 State Championship and Cambrie Epperson brought home the bronze in the cat 3 race.
In the next weeks, the series goes to Rome and Hampton. The series finale being in Athens the weekend of December 2nd and 3rd. Please come join us at the Sorella Hand up party on December 3rd!
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Sorella Cyclocross Hand Up Party
The 2017 Cyclocross Season Finale will take place in Athens, GA the weekend of December 2nd and 3rd. More details to come when the race flyer is published.
Let's get out there and cheer on our Sorella CX team (a few are pictured above) We will be there to cheer on and provide hand ups our club in the Womens 4/5 and the Elite Women's race).
Sunday, Dec 3, 2017, 10:00 AM
Athens, GA, United States
Sorellas Swarm Hincapie Gran Fondo
Sorellas turned out in force to support our presenting sponsor Hincapie Sportswear for their annual event Gran Fondo Hincapie held in beautiful Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina. First we helped with packet pickup and registration on Friday before the event at Hincapie headquarters in Greenville. But the real attraction was sifting through boxes of treasures at the Hincapie warehouse sale! Jackets, tights, colorful jerseys at rock bottom prices! A dozen of us stayed at a house just five miles from the start, so we took off from the house in the dawn's early light. Claiming VIP status as a sponsored club, we lined up in the chute with other teams and ahead of 2000 riders from all over the country. The 80 mile Gran route tackles 3 MAJOR climbs and tricky descents plus plenty of rollers, and the saner 50 mile Medio has plenty of hills for a challenging ride. Photo ops, great rest stops, and a party atmosphere at the finish are part of the draw. Paella, barbeque, beer truck, music... make sure to join us next October or for their new Chattanooga Hincapie Gran Fondo this coming May.
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Warm up? Stretching? Seriously, Do I Have To?
By Robin Allen and Don Myers
You don’t have to do it. No one is going to force you. But your body honestly needs a little something to set the mood, to get the blood pumping, before you hit the trail or road and begin your adventure. Think of a warm-up routine with stretching as the foreplay of cycling.
“Cycling is a sport, and just like any other sport, warmup and stretching are essential,” says Don Myers. “When you begin a ride, your muscles are cold, the fibers are tight, and they’re susceptible to injury, particularly your hamstrings, which cyclists stress with every pedal stroke. Track and field athletes warm up for 45 minutes for a 10 second performance. As a cyclists, you should give yourself at least 15 minutes pre-ride.”
And when Don Myers speaks, athletes listen. As owner of Body Mechanics Sports Massage Therapy in Norcross, GA, Myers is the massage therapist for the Atlanta Falcons and Hawks. Having begun his career working on the 1996 Olympians and Paralympians, Don is a consummate professional who works daily to help athletes stay healthy and perform their best, whether they be pros or enthusiasts.
Says Myers, “And don’t just leave the stretching for the trail. If you work at a desk, or are on your feet most of the day, a few minutes of stretching throughout the day will keep you limber. People don’t get old and stiff, they get stiff and old. Three or four minutes at a time, four or five times a day, will go a long way to making your ride, and your life, better.”
Don’s Pre-ride Prep:
Jump on your bike for an easy spin, or take an easy jog for 5-7 minutes.
Hamstrings (dynamic):
· Stand with you legs hip width apart. Use support, if needed for balance.
· Move your left leg backward and forward, keeping your leg straight, not locked, for 30 seconds.
· Move your left leg side to side, in front of your right leg, for 30 seconds.
· Switch legs and repeat.
Hamstrings (static):
· Stand with you legs hip width apart.
· Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back level and your knees straight, not locked.
· Push out your butt, keeping your legs straight, not locked.
· Hold for 10-15 seconds then repeat for 3 sets.
Quads (static):
· Stand on one leg with your knees touching. Use support, if needed for balance.
· Grab your left foot with your left hand and pull toward your butt. Keep your chest upright.
· Hold for 10-15 seconds.
· Switch legs and repeat for 3 sets.
Alternate:
· Lift your left leg onto a support no higher than your hips.
· Switch legs and repeat for 3 sets.
Calves (static):
· Find a log, a tire, a curb and stand a few inches away. With your left foot, put your toes on the support, heel on the ground, then flex and lean your body forward.
· Hold for 10-15 seconds.
· Switch legs and repeat for 3 sets.
Chest (dynamic):
· Raise your arms to your sides, level with your shoulders, and move them in a tight circle for 30 seconds.
· Raise your arms to your sides, level with your shoulders, and cross and uncross them over your chest for 30 seconds.
Pectorals (static):
· Stand next to a tree, post, or wall, and extend your left arm behind you.
· Rotate your body away.
· Hold for 10-15 seconds.
· Switch arms and repeat for 3 sets.
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#SORELLARIDES
Recurring:
November Group Ride – Silver Comet Trail
When: Sunday, November 19th, 2:00 p.m. - LAST RIDE OF THE SEASON
Open to: Sorellas, Lady friends and fella friends
Leaves from: Silver Comet Trail (Hiram Depot)
Our monthly Comet rides have been great with over a dozen participants (when weather permitted). Please join us on the third Sunday each month through November, and bring your other ladies and fellas to join us. You can find a Facebook event for the ride, here.
Winter Wednesday Night Ladies Ride at Stone Mountain Park
When: 6:30 p.m.
Open to: Sorellas and fellas who follow the Sorella pace
Leaves from: Meet in the West Gate (walk-up) Parking lot.
Led weekly by Sorella Pilar Hernandez. The ride begins at 6:30 pm and runs October through March. Meet in the West Gate (walk-up) Parking Lot. Please be sure you have rear and front lights (required by Stone Mountain). The pace and number of loops will vary depending on participants. Roughly 20 miles with an average pace of 12-14 mph. Because the ride consists of loops, it's great for all levels of riders - plus there is no fear of getting lost! Fellas are welcome with the understanding that it's a women's ride and allow the women to set the pace.
Special, Non-Recurring:
Ladies MTB Clinic for Beginner and Intermediate Sorellas
When: Sunday, November 12th, 10:00 a.m.
Open to: Sorellas and Lady Friends
Leaves from: Allatoona Creek Park
Plan on joining Alexandra Martinez and Stefanie Wilmert, both cat 1 MTB racers in xc and endurance racing with 15+ years of racing experience as they host a clinic for Sorellas and lady friends! It will start at 10 am and last till approx 1pm including ride time.
This is a beginner and intermediate clinic. We will go over basic mountain bike maintenance, how to change a flat..etc., bike fit, and nutrition tips. We will then go over bike handling techniques such as cornering, braking and riding over obstacles comfortably. After the instruction we will do a no drop ride around the trails at Allatoona. A mountain bike and Helmet are required. Please RSVP on Facebook or email Alexandra if you are not on Facebook at alexandramartinez1@hotmail.com
Conyers Horse Park MTB Group Ride
When: Sunday, November 12th, 2:00 p.m.
Open to: Sorellas, Fellas, and Friends
Leaves from: Georgia International Horse Park
Make plans to join Sorella Lara Jean Richards for a Sorellas, Fellas and Friends group ride at Conyers Horse Park. All levels of mountain bikers are welcome to join for a fun group ride with a 12-mile loop at a medium pace ~8mph. Option to do multiple loops. Helmet required. Please RSVP to the invite so Lara can know who to expect. Feel free to share the public event as well to invite non-Sorellas and Fellas.
Sorella Membership Update
We had a record number of ladies take advantage of the $20 Atlanta Cycling gift cards that were given out to the first 50 who renewed or joined on or after 10/1 (membership good through 2018). The fifty cards were all claimed by 10/17! Below are renewals during the month of October:
New Member(s): Lauren Giles, Jennifer Smith, Janet Bowman, Sarita Lew, Jocelyn Ho, Tricia Jones, Sandy Lam, Liz Davey, Tina Arbes, Teresa Sylvester, Kristen Kreisel, Amanda Watson
Renewing Members: Saskia Hoppe, Marika King, Evelyn Fisher, Martha Johnson, Dana Canipe, Elizabeth Clifton, Shanika Roberts, Stacy Robinson, Kim Nelson, Kelly Gwin, Barbara Ettenger, Natasha Williams, Jennifer Luce, Katie Hamlin, Debra Snell, Deidra James, Lauren Haws, Teri Danielson, Kristie Presten, Robbin Lee, Nicole Keaton, Michele Montandon, Susan Haynes, Susan Barrett, Maggie Hudson, Precia Carraway, Trish Albert, Rita Wuebbeler, Jean Miller, Karen Hoffman, LaKisha Gaines, Suzanne Brockway
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