Nature Valley!

By Kendi "OMG stage racing" Thomas

Based on the Omnium at Collegiate Nationals, I have the incredible opportunity to race for the Ryan Collegiate All-Stars Team at Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Ryan team is made up of 7 collegiate riders from all over the country and half the women who have ridden for the team have received pro contracts. It's cool. Really cool. We get the celeb treatment, for sure. For example, yesterday we went to a St. Paul Saints baseball game, decked out in gear, with our bikes and handed out trading cards (yeah I said TRADING CARDS) and Nature Valley bars. A few of us even got to ride around the field after first inning behind the Saints' mascot, the pig, on a 4-wheeler (I don't know either) and wave at the crowd. Then this morning Sinead Miller (Division I Criterium Champ and Marian College student) and I did a few radio interviews on the phone. Tomorrow we're even doing a television interview! Hopefully I will erase any goofy smiles that I may or may not have had in previous interviews. The great part is, though, that I get to wear my Whitman jersey with Ryan shorts. So I'll be representing the team!

So I'm in Minneapolis right now, sitting at our director's house, playing scrabble, cuddling with the first standard poodle I've ever met (it's not shaved or anything, don't worry) and hoping to GOD that I don't disappoint my soon-arriving family by being pulled from the race. I'm feeling good though. We prerode the TT course a few hours ago, which is the first stage of six. Then tomorrow night is the first crit in Uptown St. Paul. Should be exciting! I'll be twittering and blogging on my own blog, so be sure to cheer from afar!