Empower Coaching Systems

Posture and Pain Tolerance

2012-01-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103111001612

Dig deep with Bonk Breaker Apple Pie

2011-11-10T14:26:00.001-08:00

Energy bar’s 8th flavor contains the super food chia seed; Sponsoring Kenda 5-hour Energy Pro Cycling and pro triathletes Angela Naeth and Joe Thorne

Chatsworth, CA (X November 2011): While Bonk Breaker can’t claim that eating their new apple pie energy bars will help keep the doctor away, the addition of super food chia seed to the all-natural ingredients certainly bolsters their case. In development for the past six months, the eighth Bonk Breaker flavor arrives in the peak of autumn, providing athletes and anyone in search of a nutritious snack a cool and refreshing, warm and comforting energy bar free from gluten, dairy and soy.

“The feedback that we received from Facebook and our Team Bonk Breaker athletes urged us to create a bar with apples. The numerous health benefits of the added chia seed, which is the world’s richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids as well as an excellent source of calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, niacin, fiber and antioxidants, makes for a super food Bonk Breaker. Welcome to the new era of cutting-edge nutrition,” declared Bonk Breaker founder Jason Winn.

Adding to their roster of World Champions, Olympians and professional athletes and teams that they fuel, Bonk Breaker will sponsor Kenda 5-hour Energy Pro Cycling in 2012 and will enhance their presence in the world of triathlon by sponsoring professional triathletes Joe Thorne and Angela Naeth.

Bonk Breaker’s co-owner Chris Frank said, “The incredible support and feedback we receive from our community of Team Bonk Breaker athletes has been invaluable, and we’re thrilled to grow our squad as a complement to the tremendous growth we’ve experienced as a company.”

A powerhouse domestic squad that competes in the biggest races held on U.S. soil, including the Tour of California, Kenda 5-hour Energy Pro Cycling possesses a talented international lineup capable of winning on any given day. The team’s director sportif Frankie Andreu said, “Bonk Breaker’s peanut butter & jelly bar is fantastic. It's easy to eat on the move, moist, and packed with energy. It's like a power boost with each bite."

Veteran rider Chad Hartley added, “There is nothing worse than cracking open a bar in the middle of a hot ride to find a dry, tasteless, hard chunk of cardboard. Bonk Breakers are always soft and light, extra tasty, and best of all, you don’t need to drink half of a bottle to wash them down. The way I can tell a bar is really good is if I eat them off the bike. I make peanut butter & jelly sandwiches using PB&J Bonk Breakers.”

Canadian Naeth won four 70.3 distance triathlons this year and finished on the podium at three others. "Bonk Breaker is the first energy bar I have used that has the perfect nutritional balance for the demands of training and competition alike. The bars have amazing flavors, are gluten-free, and are incredibly easy to eat and digest. I love that Bonk Breaker really wants and uses my feedback, and I couldn't be more excited about working with such a fast-growing team," enthused Naeth, a pro since 2008 who attended the University of Missouri on a full athletic scholarship.

A two-time All-American runner at the University of Texas prior to discovering triathlon, Thorne stated, “I love Bonk Breaker for a few reasons. The bars are made by athletes for athletes. They are nutritionally-packed and also delicious, which is a unique pairing these days. It seems sports nutrition is either one or the other, but not both so to have great tasting bars with optimal nutrition is the best combination any person could wish for - especially if you are an athlete.”

Baked fresh from all-natural ingredients, all eight Bonk Breaker flavors are gluten-free and dairy-free. Earlier this year, the company successfully introduced the espresso chip and blueberry oat bars, the latter of which utilizes the same oat base as the apple pie bar. Additional flavors will soon be announced. For more information, please visit www.bonkbreaker.com.

About Bonk Breaker

Bonk Breaker is on a mission to feed the world with the best tasting and most nutritious energy bars on the planet. Professional and amateur athletes and anyone hungry for a nutritious snack on the fly reach for the dairy-free, gluten-free bars that are baked fresh from the finest natural ingredients. Selected four times as the “best energy bar” by Competitor Magazine, Bonk Breaker is presently available in eight delicious flavors: peanut butter & jelly, peanut butter & jelly high protein, peanut butter & banana, peanut butter & dark chocolate chip, almond butter & honey, espresso chip, blueberry oat and the new apple pie. Created in 2006 by Jason Winn while training for his first Ironman triathlon, Bonk Breaker is based in Chatsworth, California, and sold throughout the United States and in eight countries abroad. They are proud to sponsor Team SpiderTech (UCI Pro Continental), Hincapie Sportswear Development Team, four- time World Champion track cyclist Sarah Hammer, NFL’s leading receiver Wes Welker, and many other outstanding athletes around the globe. Visit Bonk Breaker online at www.bonkbreaker.com and “like” them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonk-Breaker/153294675925.

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2011-07-21T09:41:00.001-07:00

Congrats to Katie Donovan of SC-Velo/EMPOWER COACHING cycling team...3rd place at Cascade Classic stage 1 Road Race.

State Crit Championships 2011

2011-07-20T15:30:00.001-07:00

Empower Coaching Staff: Chris DeMarchi & Kirk Bausch show how its done at the Cal State District Crit championships: Chris (2nd in both Master 35 & Pro), KB (4th in Master 30). These coaches practice what they teach.

Bonk Breaker celebrating a red, white & blueberry July 4th

2011-07-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Unveils blueberry oat energy bar, sponsors U.S. Olympic track cyclists

Chatsworth, CA (30 June 2011): Bringing in the Fourth of July weekend with a touch of patriotic panache, Bonk Breaker introduces the seventh flavor of the best tasting energy bars on the planet: blueberry oat. The fast flourishing company also recently inked sponsorship deals with a trio of American champion track cyclists who are favored to medal at next year’s London Olympic Games: Dotsie Bausch, Sarah Hammer and Jennie Reed.

Following last month’s launch of the espresso chocolate chip bar, which became an overnight sensation, Bonk Breaker believes the blueberry oat bar will be an all-American classic. “Blueberry was on our short list of potential new flavors because of its great taste and antioxidant properties. Plus we received an incredible number of requests for blueberry via Facebook posts, emails and phone calls from our loyal customers, an organic and rapidly growing grassroots group of athletes and health-conscious eaters that we consider to be both valuable advisors and great product ambassadors. Our ‘lucky number 7th’ bar is made from a gluten-free oat base and is our second bar made without nuts, like the espresso chocolate chip bar,” explained Bonk Breaker founder Jason Winn.

Riding as Team USA, Bausch, Hammer and Reed won a World Championship silver medal in the team pursuit last March in Holland. With U.S. teammate Lauren Tamayo, Bausch and Hammer share the world record in the three-kilometer track cycling event that will make its Olympic debut for women in 2012.

Six-time U.S. National Champion and two-time Pan Am Championship gold medal winner Bausch overcame severe eating disorders that threatened to take her life over a decade ago, which put a halt to a promising modeling career. It was during her recovery that she discovered her talent and passion for cycling. She uses the spotlight to help encourage and inspire others to overcome eating disorders and return to healthy eating habits. “As a veteran athlete, I’m careful about what I put into my body. Bonk Breaker is the only bar I ever eat off the bike as well as in training because they are natural and nutritious. There is not another bar on the planet that is as fresh and has that ‘just out of
the oven’ taste. I had been eating them for a while and when the opportunity came to work closely with this dynamic company, I was thrilled,” enthused Bausch, who expects to make her Olympic debut at age 39.

Earlier this year, Hammer won her fourth World Championship and became the first American woman ever to win three medals at a single track cycling world championships. She set a world record in the individual pursuit and next year will be a medal hopeful in her second Olympic Games where she will ride the omnium and the team pursuit. “Not only do I use Bonk Breakers in training, but I eat them any time I want a healthy snack. I take the peanut butter & jelly bars with me on the long flights between the U.S. and Europe,” said Hammer, a Californian who presently resides in Mallorca, Spain.

Looking to make her third Olympic appearance, Reed was the first American woman to win a World Championship in the keirin in 2008. Having amassed four World Championship medals and 30 World Cup medals, the fierce sprinter retired after the 2008 Olympic Games, but was lured back to the track last year by Bausch and Hammer. Reed said, “Bonk Breaker energy bars are so delicious. Now I actually get excited about eating on training rides. I am a bit of a foodie and follow a gluten-free diet, so it was difficult to find a gluten-free bar that provides enough energy and tastes good. But when I tried Bonk Breaker, they gave me the energy boost I needed and the quality ingredients are unlike any bar I've tried.”

“We are excited to add Dotsie, Sarah, and Jennie to Team Bonk Breaker. Our sponsored athletes and teams provide vital feedback, which aids in our product development and keeps us on track. We consider them to be partners and family. These talented women represent the pinnacle of international sporting excellence, and are strong believers in Bonk Breaker and our company’s philosophy. We are proud to fuel their pursuit of Olympic gold,” stated Bonk Breaker co-owner Chris Frank.

Baked fresh using only natural ingredients, all seven flavors of Bonk Breaker are gluten-free and dairy-free. Three additional flavors are expected to be introduced before the end of the year. Further information is available at www.bonkbreaker.com <http://www.bonkbreaker.com/> .

About Bonk Breaker

Selected four times as the “best energy bar” by Competitor Magazine, Bonk Breaker makes the best tasting energy bars on the planet. Professional and amateur athletes and anyone hungry for a nutritious snack on the fly reach for the dairy-free, gluten-free bars that are baked fresh from the finest natural ingredients. Bonk Breaker is presently available in seven delicious flavors: peanut butter & jelly, peanut butter & jelly high protein, peanut butter & banana, peanut butter & dark chocolate chip, almond butter & honey, espresso chocolate chip and the new blueberry oat. Created in 2006 by Jason Winn while training for his first Ironman triathlon, Bonk Breaker is based in Chatsworth, California and sold throughout the United States and in seven countries abroad. They are proud to sponsor Bausch, Hammer, Reed, Team SpiderTech (UCI Pro Continental), the Hincapie Development squad, and many other outstanding athletes around the globe. Visit Bonk Breaker online at www.bonkbreaker.com <http://www.bonkbreaker.com/> and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonk-Breaker/153294675925 <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonk-Breaker/153294675925

Rated “R” Race Report by Lisa Campbell

2011-06-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

This isn’t so much of a race report…but a report about being at the race and all the exciting and dramatic events that happen behind the scenes. I was lucky enough to be rooming with Bonnie and Pam on Friday night since we were the only ladies doing the “granny” (otherwise known as Masters) race on Saturday.

I knew I was in a bit of trouble when Pam called me just as I was leaving and told me her and Bonnie were already there. Because the next words were….”we are getting ready to break open the wine”…In my head I saw the bottles of 2 buck Chuck being corked while Pam and Bonnie jumped up and down on the beds…with Bonnie’s dog Rusty watching…

Sure enough, when I got there…I was right! In the trash was a bottle of 2 buck chuck and there were Pringles, a loaf of Tillamook Cheddar, and various candy wrappers scattered about the room. Pam left to go to Del Taco for some pre-race carbs. It seemed like it was taking Pam awhile to get back from Del Taco…then, lo and behold Bonnie gets a phone call from her. Her room key was not working…or maybe she was at the wrong room. We’ve all done that before..you know there are no numbers on those silly key cards. But actually Pam was just across the way at the wrong hotel…

When Pam got back to the right hotel…she walked in smiling…carrying a big fat burrito and said “I was sliding the card in every door, going up and down the hallway, thinking, why isn’t this working”.

Opting for something that wasn’t going to cause me severe GI distress (and an unenjoyable race for anyone behind me on the bike Saturday) Bonnie and I went to get pizza. I have never seen someone who can eat, get ready for bed and be asleep before I even sat down with my food…but Bonnie did it..she got in bed, her dog crawled under the covers and they were out like a light. I hate sleeping, but after Pam put her eye mask on and was out too…I had to do the same. I had no one to talk to. Even the dog was ignoring me.

I will spare you the details from Saturday…I’m sure Bonnie’s report will have all the info..but let’s just say that I learned a lesson about NOT chasing after your teammate’s wheel and bringing the damn peloton with you…sorry about that Pam. Yes, I did shed a few alligator tears after the race, but I did it in the privacy of some back lot somewhere after the race. Then Pam and Bonnie cheered me up and entertained me for the rest of the day. Actually, Bonnie pretty much slept the whole day, as did her dog Rusty. Pam…well…Pam helped me re-hash that race over and over until I finally stopped feeling bad about it. By the time dinner rolled around I was ready to focus on Sunday and stop worrying about Saturday.

Speaking of dinner, when I left the room in search of somewhere to buy Epsom salts for my aching “granny” legs Pam was breaking into the Doritos’s…or the Pringles, not sure which. Never have I seen someone so strong and consistent a racer as Pam…and now I saw the “fuel” she used... I was even more impressed, and frankly, a little scared…I was reminded of something Pam said right before Barry Wolfe, when we were talking about warming up. I believe it was something like, “The only time I ever warmed up before a race it was the worst race I ever had.” See…scary.

Sunday was definitely a better day for our team. PC, Bea and Dennis had arrived late Saturday night. I know what they ate for dinner because PC texted me pictures of Chicken and Waffles. I don’t really understand that whole combo…but I did wake up James (who had arrived later on Saturday) to show him the pics and he mumbled something like “yum” and that was the last I heard from him til the next morning. Dotsie and Ruth arrived early Sunday and we were ready to rock and roll!!!!!

Again, I will spare you most of the details of the race, but I can’t leave out one part…(sorry PC). After having several awesome moves throughout the entire day, PC was off the front again coming into the hill. About half way up we could see her…then she took a right hand turn, where there wasn’t a right hand turn. At least not on the course we were on. I heard a few ladies, kind of laugh and say “Oh, PC, that silly girl”…However…I really didn’t think she was taking a wrong turn on purpose. I yelled her name…but she kept climbing…the wrong way. We had some fun in the peloton…figuring out if PC was kidding or not..but when I looked back, I swear the look I saw on her face did not look like someone who was kidding. Well, at least she had a nice downhill to get back on the course. And as we all know, the race went beautifully for us, and we won! When I saw Ruth go, and get over 20 seconds…I knew she was going to TT her way home…

What did I learn this last weekend? Pam has the strongest GI system of anyone I know and something other than blood must run through her veins…Bonnie’s dog LOVES to sleep. (He slept on the front seat of James’s car throughout the whole race), PC needs a compass…Bea and I had really sore asses and need a constant infusion of chamois cream supplied to us throughout the race…Dotsie knows more people than God and Ruth can fricking fly!!!!

BIg Win!!

2011-06-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

Empower Coaching Systems Women's Cycling team takes gold and bronze this weekend in the California State Road Race in an incredible display of tight, powerful team work! Way to go girls!

Perseverance Pays Off!

2011-05-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Empower Coaching System's Kimberley Turner turns a somewhat frustrating road race (her goal) into a BRONZE medal ride in the criterium at the 2011 Collegiate National Championships! Now thats the power of perseverance. NICE job Kimberley!

Get Structured to Get Fast!

2011-05-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

At 37 Alessandro Patacchi continues to win! His quote: “At 37, I’m able to do sacrifices that I didn’t when I was 25 or 27," he said after winning in Parma. He then speaks about altitude training...He's pointing out that his older years are requiring a serious and structured training program:) If you want to get fast, then get structured, we can tailor a program to fit your needs. www.empowercoachingsystems.com

Dana Point Grand Prix

2011-05-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

Empower Coaching's Mark Scott chillin after stealing the bronze at Dana Point Grand Prix yesterday in true sprinter fashion. Nice work Mark. Check out his bum.

Coaching Juniors w/ Chris DeMarchi

2011-04-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

I have been coaching Junior racers for about a year and a half. Some coaches will not touch the kids that make the future of our sport because of the maturity levels. I have found that Juniors can be a pleasant surprise to coach. Yes, they are young and have alot on their plates with school, training, other activities, and friends, but helping them find the balance in their life and see the light bulb come on is priceless. I really get alot of joy out of seeing a junior athlete accomplish their goals in cycling and still excel in other parts of their lives.

Even if you are not a coach, mentor a junior today! The rewards go both ways.

COACH ANDY INTERVIEW: GUIDING IRELAND’S ELITE TRACK CYCLISTS

2011-04-24T23:12:00.000-07:00

© Shane Stokes

American coach Andy Sparks was previously best known as the coach (and now husband) of multiple world and US champion Sarah Hammer, as well as being the head track coach at the UCI World Cycling Center. He was also U.S. Olympic Track Cycling coach for Beijing 2008.

However from last August he has been coaching the male riders on the Irish track team, and giving his advice and input to women’s coach Brian Nugent. Since coming on board there have been very positive signs, with the various riders showing good improvement. A team of five have travelled to the second round of cycling’s World Cup in Cali, Columbia, which begins today and runs until Saturday.

Martyn Irvine and Felix English will do the Omnium and scratch races respectively, while Jennifer O’Reilly, Caroline Ryan and Ciara Horne will do the women’s team pursuit. O’Reilly will also ride the Omnium, while Ryan will do the individual pursuit.

Sparks is a two time winner of the USA Cycling Coach of the year and his guidance has earned twenty World Cup medals and six world championship titles for his riders. That experience puts him in a very good position to be able to assess the Irish competitors he is overseeing, and he believes that there are grounds to be optimistic.

The rider that seems to excite him most is Martyn Irvine, who he describes as one of the most naturally talented riders he has ever worked with. English is seen as a very focussed rider who he expects to be successful, while he is encourage by the women’s improvement and believes that they should continue to progress.

Sparks spoke to Irishcycling.com in recent days and commented at length about the riders on the team and his short and long term expectations. He believes that Irvine and English can both go top ten in Cali, and that the women’s pursuit will achieve a time of 3 minutes 33 seconds or faster.

Looking further ahead, he expects more improvement in terms of results, and believes that at least some of the team can successfully qualify for the next Olympic Games in London.

---

Shane Stokes: Which of the Irish have you been working most with, and where has that work been done?

Andy Sparks: When I first accepted the head coaching position for Cycling Ireland in August, it primarily was focused on the men's team pursuit team. Unfortunately after Matt Brammeier signed a contract with HTC-Columbia, David O'Loughlin decided to focus on family and business and Marcus Christie was on the sidelines due to injury, it sort of spelled the end of the project on the short-term. Some positives to come out of the decision were the ability to really focus on an event that Cycling Ireland could not only be a participant at during the 2012 Games, but a player at and a legitimate medal hopeful.

Out of this refinement we were left with two key male riders; Martyn Irvine, who is our team captain, and Felix English, who is our development omnium rider and who has also turned some heads recently by beating a pretty good British sprinter [Chris Hoy] at the European Champs. Both of these riders are champions. Martyn has absolutely every ingredient needed for success on the short-term and long-term and he will be a rider to watch over the next 2 years. He is both an exceptional races and trainer and we have given him the nickname: The Irish House of Pain. Felix is an exciting young bike rider who is just finishing up his Junior career now. Felix is a very focused and professional bike rider who will be successful in the sport as he will not let anything stand in his way.

The project has already been rewarding but I also got really lucky with inheriting so many talented bike riders. Both the former coach Tommy Evans and current women's coach, Brian Nugent, did a great job of developing and recruiting the Irish talent. My job is to now expose the squad to both the highest level of training and the high standard, needed in every category, to be successful at World and Olympic level. And I'm very happy to report that we are making major gains towards this goal.

SS: What sort of progress have you seen from each of the main riders (ie those going to Cali)?

AS: We are seeing gains in all three parts of the Irish track program: Men's Omnium, Women's Omnium and Women's Team Pursuit. Martyn Irvine, our top omnium rider, finished 9th at the European Championships which is a very good indicator that he has a great shot of qualifying for the London Games (through 12 Olympic points-earning races over 2 years the top 8 European team qualify spots for London). Martyn is incredibly talented and we will be seeing quick and continued gains from him as he is very new to the mass-start racing and will really come out of every race a new and better bike rider. Martyn is one of the most naturally talented bike racers I have ever worked with.

Jennifer O'Reilly is currently our top omnium rider on the women's side. Jennifer has only been racing her bike for about 18 months (she came from a rowing background) but you would not know that when you see her in the bunch. Jennifer had a very respectable first-showing at the European champs in the omnium and now we just need to get her stronger and fitter, which will happen as she has been working hard towards this goal.

Lastly, our women's team pursuit has been making steady progress and are now achieving some respectable times. We have a team goal of 3.33 or faster in Columbia and I really hope, and expect, to achieve it. Brian has been working hard with the ladies for the last year and over the last 3 months I have been providing some guidance and support for the project in the areas where I can offer something.

SS: What do you think is possible there?

AS: My expectations, across the board, are always going to be high. All of the athletes know what level of performance I am interested in and that is what we have been working hard for to achieve. For Cali, we have set the following goals:

Martyn - top 10 Omnium
Felix - top 10 Scratch race
Women's Team Pursuit - 3.33 or faster
Jennifer - Top 15 Omnium
Caroline - Sub 3.45 in 3K Ind. pursuit

Long-term, I would love to see an omnium World Cup medal in the next 2 years for Martyn. For Jennifer in the omnium, a top 10 at a World Cup would be a fantastic results and for our Women's team pursuit squad a top 5 in the next 2 years at a World Cup would be a great achievement. None of these goals will be easy but if the team continues to work hard everyday in training and have confidence in themselves we will be successful.

SS: How do you assess their chances of reaching the Olympics?

AS: Our chances of making the Olympics differs for each event. Objectively speaking, if you examine the results from the European Championship it shows that Martyn has a very good chance of making it to London. For the women the next two World Cups will tell a lot. With the new selection procedure put forth by the UCI, European countries have it much harder than in years past on qualifying for the Games. If our Irish women get consistent top 8's in the team pursuit it would look promising to have them lining up in London come 2012.

Update from Andy

2010-11-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

Hello to my Empower Coaching Systems Family,

I wanted to send out a quick update concerning my sabatical at ECS for the last year. In August of 2009 I was approached by the UCI to lead a new track program at the UCI World Cycling Center in Aigle, Switzerland. For the last year I've had an amazing and unique coaching opportunity of coaching 80 athletes from over 15 countries.. The project produced some great results including 4 World Championship wins (producing the first-ever Korean and African World Champions), 2 World Records, 11 Continental Championship Gold Medals and 10 National Records. A busy but rewarding year!

Following a successful project in Switzerland, I was approached by Irish Cycling in a project to qualify start positions for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In addition to my scaled-down ECS duties (thanks Dotsie!) I started this project in August and in the last 8 weeks the Irish team has seen some great improvements. Our first race was the European Championships in Poland.

Safe travels,
Andy
Empower Coaching Systems
Empower. Inspire. Grow.
http://www.EmpowerCoachingSystems.com

September Empower Athlete of the Month

2010-09-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

Jon Mcgee works hard, really hard. He does not have a lot of free time to cruise around and dilly dally, as like many of us, he has a very full plate. He owns his own company and has a beautiful family of a wife and 3 little girls. Every minute of his life is filled to the brim and he needs pure quality training to reach his cycling goals. When he came to me a few months out from the famous Leadville 100 mountain bike race and said he wanted to race it and make it in under the magical 9 hour barrier to receive the very coveted gold and silver belt buckle (not to be confused with the under 12 hour silver belt buckle), I was ever so slightly skeptical that we could achieve this lofty goal. Man oh man, was I wrong. Jon works fast, really fast.

He put his mind to the grindstone and never let up. Even when family called and he had to miss or change a workout, he was relaxed and trusted his program. He had planned to go race the Silver Rush 50 one month before the Leadville100 race which is in the exact same location and would have given me a plethora of information to work with from his SRM, not to mention to see how his body responded at over 10,000 feet in altitude. He had to cancel that trip and just about gave his coach a coronary with not doing that "test" race. I think he is the one who talked me off the ledge on that day. He assured me he could still do Leadville in under 9 hours. He just kept repeating his goal. As he got faster and faster over the weeks, he got more excited and his excitement poured over into his training, and that is a dangerous combination for his competitors. He was going to reach his goal. 2 weeks out, I knew he could do it. As his Functional Threshold (one of the key components in a race of this length) rose over 20 watts and he lost over 15 pounds of body weight in prep for the steep mountain pitches of Leadville at over 10,000 feet in altitude, he was going to be hard to beat. On August 14th he hammered his way to that shiny belt buckle, along with his brother Rob, in UNDER 9 hours! As I watched the athlete tracker on the Leadville 100 website it was like waiting for Christmas morning, as the time ticked toward the 9 hour mark. He came in RIGHT under the cutoff time, and I mean RIGHT UNDER as I believe he was the last racer to make the cut. He texted me right as I was reading his time come across my computer screen and it pretty much made my entire month! I love coaching an athlete with a purpose and rough neck determination!. Next year, we have done the math and he only has to go 3.7 miles per hour faster to beat Levi's record setting time. If anyone can do it, trust me, its Jon Mcgee. No pressure Jon:-)
Congratulations to Jon Mcgee on being Empower Coaching's Athlete of the Month for September 2010!

Here are Jon's answers to his Empower Athlete of the Month questions:
ECS: What motivates you to train so hard and stay so focused on a daily
basis when no one is watching?
JM: When I started with Dotsie I really saw how much work went into putting together a good training program. I was motivated by the fact that I never wanted to disappoint Dotsie. The goals she set made the training exciting and I looked forward to seeing the improvement week after week.

ECS: What do you like best about your Empower Coaching Systems Coach?
JM: Dotsie is Great! She really knows what she's talking about. I had so much confidence that I had the best coach and training schedule which really helped me give a 100% day after day. She was always available to answer questions and always gave advice.

ECS: What prank would you play on your coach if you could do anything you
wanted?
JM: Dotsie is too nice to prank! (Dotsie says: "clearly he does not know me well enough yet. I will change that for 2011)

ECS: When you get your monthly Empower coaching Schedule, what do you look
forward to seeing on it the most and what do you look forward to the least?
JM: I enjoy seeing the next challenge and look forward to reaching the new goals. The tuff days are never fun when you start off but feel the best when you finish for the day.

ECS:: Any advice you have for a new rider beginning with Empower Coaching
Systems?
JM: Really trust your coach and follow the schedule with exactness. Their experience will provide great results. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

ECS: What are your goals for next season?
JM: I'd like to get a few road races in before the end of the year and I'm shooting for a good result in Vision Quest 2011. Also, looking forward to Leadville 2011 and improving my time.

The Cascade Experience - By Lisa Campbell (Guest rider for SC Velo)

2010-08-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Report #1
Hi Everyone,
Well, it's been an interesting few days. I'll keep this as brief as possible. The week before the race had some excitement since I ran a red light and crashed my car just prior to leaving for Oregon. The car is not okay (luckily not a total loss and getting fixed) but I wasn't hurt. My parents, James, me and 4 dogs arrived safely on Sunday and I had my first team meeting with "the girls", (as I like to call them since they all seem like little kids to me) and Coach Dotsie. 6 of us racing in all.
We pre rode the prologue course, a short 2 mile out and back with several turns and an uphill...that unfortunately for me, was removed prior to the start of the race and the turn around was placed at the hill.

The night before the prologue we came home to 4 terriers that had gotten into a large box full of many, many dog treats, rawhides, jerky sticks...and more. Unfortunately Poppy had to go to the local Emergency Hospital and stay overnight on IV fluids, and many medications to try and help everything pass through him without needing surgery. I slept a few hours that night, and figured, hey, it's only 2 miles...and we didn't start til 6pm the next day...(I didn't really think that, but that's what I told myself.)
The good news is that I wasn't last at the prologue (but close), with about 40 -50 seconds the gap between the winning and the slowest time. I was like a Fred, or a "Fredette" for this race. I had to tuck my jersey into my shorts for a makeshift skinsuit (Dotsie's idea, not mine...) and I was the only bike out there that wasn't decked out aero...I had some aero bars, but we decided not to use them since the course was so short, with so many turns and I was spending more time out of them than in them. I will use them in the 16 mile TT coming up today. By the way, I thought I was going to cough up blood at the end of that prologue. I have NEVER felt burning in my lungs like that. But the girls all assured me that was normal, and I felt better when I saw almost all the girls coming in coughing, hacking, grimacing in pain and looking like I felt too.

The real torture came yesterday. 74 miles of a road course that has not been in the race for a few years due to fires, road closures, etc. According to Dotsie (and the other team managers), we were "not to worry" because the 18 mile climb up Mackenzie Pass was a "rolling" ascent between 3-5%, 6 to 7% in a few places and was probably going to be "tempo"...WRONG, WRONG, WRONG....Okay, maybe it was tempo but it sure wasn't my tempo. And this is all before the last 8 mile climb with 11% pitches.
The climb started 28 miles into the race and those 28 miles were the scariest 28 miles I've ever ridden. The pack was huge, lots of surging, lots of breaking and a very bad crash on a steep descent that happened just 5 girls in front of me. Luckily I was able to swerve to the left towards the shoulder (looking for something soft, just in case...) and avoid the carnage. But girls went down all over the place just because they braked so hard. I was frantically looking around for 2 team mates I knew were behind me and a few miles down the road they caught up and were pretty white in the face since they just avoided the after math of the main crash.
The first mile or so of the hill was "tempo" and then it was just surge, after surge, after surge...I remembered Dotsie saying to just go with the surge and relax since they would surge and relax and come back...but after about 4 surges I knew I would not last another 5 miles if I tried to stay with the lead group...so I backed off and got into a smaller pack of girls. (Here is what was going on in my head...."What the hell am I doing here? There is no way I am going to be able to do this for another 18 miles, I'm not going to make the time cut"). I had to slap myself around and snap out of it. My pack of 7 girls bridged to another pack of 7 that had been dropped from the lead group. (With women like Mara Abbott, Cath Cheatley, Allison Powers...) Incycles Katie Donovan was up there too, but unfortunately I found out later that she was dropped on the technical descent.

I stayed with this group of girls (hanging on for dear life at the back during the descent) until I bonked at mile 70, with just 3 miles to go. I was passed my a chase group of about 7 women. I finished 53rd, 15 minutes behind the winner. Time cuts were made and luckily our team is still intact. I thought I ate and drank enough, and I may have...I am just not used to this intensity, this pacing...and this level...Dorothy gave the team massages last night and it helped. Today my legs feel like they weigh 5 thousand pounds. This TT is 8 miles up and 8 miles down. I'll be working, but not killing myself since we have another 70 mile road race tomorrow....and the time cuts keep coming! Hope I didn't bore you all and I will keep you posted. Thank you for all your support.
Lisa C

Report #2
Hi Everyone,
Thought I'd give a quick Cascade Classic update as I wait for the crit to start (and as you all know, crits are my FAVORITE thing....).
So the second time trial was on Thursday. An out and back, 8 miles up a very gradual, ie. big gear hill, and then back down. Like my previous TT, it was not exactly my type of thing..but again, I didn't finish last...just close to it. :)) The winning woman was somewhere around 36 and I was 43 minutes..so there you go.
The second road race and the 3rd stage was another exercise in sheer pain, determination and torture.
The race started with a 4 mile climb and we had a "heads up" from the Colavita team manager...her words were "I'd be warmed up if I were you"...oh great. So, exactly as we thought. The race was a literal sprint from the whistle (what happened to the neutral role out?). The field of 90 plus was shattered in the first 500m and my heart rate was up to 185 and that is where it stayed for the next 20 minutes. I struggled up the hill and as we crested the top was off the back of the main peleton (about 20 girls, and I didn't know this yet, but a 5 woman breakaway had formed and Katie Donovan, from my team was in it). Bea from my team yelled at me to jump on her wheel...and people, I'm telling ya (no offense Mo), but I have stayed on Mo's wheel easier than hers...She sacrificed herself, when she could have bridged and didn't, and waited for me and pulled my ass up to the peleton...about 5 minutes after we caught them the rest of the pack caught us and the pace settled down...for a moment then....
CRASH...for no good reason..One minute my teammate PC was asking me how I was doing and the next minute I was climbing up the back of someone who was climbing up the back of someone else and over 20 of us were tangled up and frantically trying to get up and get going. PC landed on top of me and Bea went down too. Besides a bruised knee I was okay, but by the time my handlbars were straightened and I was able to determine that my badly mangled shifter still worked...the peleton was gone...Bea again, waited for me to get up and settled before taking off. 7 other girls were also trying to fix mechanicals and the nine of us time trialed for about 8 miles before catching up with the peleton. I again, learned what it means to have a team mate work their ass off for you. So by now it is only mile 20 and I have redlined not once, but twice.

I remember thinking "how the hell am I going to go 50 more miles?". Somehow we all managed to make it through feed zones without crashing, and it was 5 of us from Incycle all in the main peleton for awhile until we hit mile 50...this is where the 20 mile climb to the finish started. I lasted til about mile 60 and fell off the back of the peleton. I learned that the 5 woman break was caught with about 10k to go. I limped along okay until about mile 67 where I again, couldn't quite hold the wheels of the chase group I was with (causing me to lose about 12 places and 50 seconds, since they all came in as a pack).
So I think I ended up about 70th on this stage and hanging out at 58th overall right now.

I was just glad to survive yesterday...and gave Bea a big, wet smack on the face for pulling my ass all over the damn road.
The crit is tonight and I'm sure you all know that I am not looking forward to it...but hoping to stay positive, in the front more than in the back and hope that from somewhere my legs will find some strength for tonight and tomorrow cause they are TIRED!!!!
Keep you all posted...
Lisa C

Report #3
Hi Again,
Well, I found one way to make sure you stay safe in a crit...get pulled half way through...actually I got pulled just shy of half way through...but I was off the back by lap 5. I have never "quit" a sporting event and I know this wasn't technically quitting...but when you see that red paddle and hear the announcer saying "these girls are going to get pulled soon"...it sure feels like major crapola...
I never in a million years would have thought this would happen to me...but now that I've been through it...I never in a million years would think that at this level of my fitness I could make it through that crit.
There were maybe 8 or 9, maybe ten other girls that were pulled, but much later than me.
Dotsie came up to me after and told me that she was pulled from every pro 1/2 crit she did for the first 3 years racing pro (not sure I believe her). What did make me laugh, though, was that she said "Did you see all those other girls off the back who got pulled later? Well, they are in big trouble...you're not...You are not pulling a salary and you are not to this level....these girls are pulling a salary and I guarantee you their team meeting is not a happy place to be right now"....That did make me laugh. But then the laughing started my cough that I seemed to have picked up from the prologue and it just keeps getting worse.
Which brings me to today...just walking the dogs up the stairs to our rental house my lungs were burning, my legs were burning. I have bruises in places I didn't know could bruise...muscle pains in places I didn't know I had muscles...and one last, brutal circuit race coming up in about 2 hours.
The forecast is for 94 plus degrees with a chance of lightning and winds...
Oh my frickin god...I have no lungs left, very little left in my legs...and I'm wondering how I will make it through this next stage.
But...I didn't barely squeak by last night to quit today...so ready or not here we go for the last stage and the last day of 6 unbelievably painful...epic...torturous...fun (yes, I did say fun...), days of bike racing.
Thanks for everyone's support...oh, and what I mean by squeaking by last night...is that I had to make 1/3 of the winners distance in order to be able to start today. The winner did 22 laps...I did ten...
Lisa C

Race Report #4
Hi again everyone,
As I type this my left pinkie finger and my right little toe are still numb. My leg muscles feel like those big huge rubber band balls kids make in kindergarten and my lungs are still screaming at me!
I did make it through to be a finisher though...even after the horrendous beating (emotional, physical and also in terms of my overall GC finish time) I took in the crit.
After the stage yesterday, if this is even possible, I have even more respect for the women in this pro 1/2 category.
Here is a description taken from Velo-News of the circuit race yesterday....

"The 17-mile Awbrey Butte circuit was the site of the final stage of the six-day Cascade Cycling Classic. The circuit, on the northwest side of Bend, rolled over undulating terrain until the quarter-mile, 6 percent O.B. Riley climb from Tumalo Creek to the feed zone, nine miles into each lap. A false flat carried riders to the base of the day’s KOM climb on Archie Briggs Road, which began with a punishingly steep right-hand switchback and a 10-plus percent ramp before stair-stepping to the summit and eventually descending over a series of rollers to the start/finish."

From the gun it was a sprint out off the starting line. There were several turns, wheels screeching and bakes grinding as we flew through the first few miles. On the first little climb there was a crash to my right (on an uphill) and the girl next to me got tangled in my bars. I yelled "just keep going, we'll untangle as we go"...and we did. I managed to stay with the peleton (furiously fighting to stay in the top 1/3 of the group..something I've found very hard to do these last few days)...until the "stair steps", which felt like I had hit a frickin brick wall. I watched with dismay as the peleton pulled away and one of my team mates came up beside me and said "stay tough Lisa"...as we fought through those stair steps it was me, two team mates and about 8 other women who were dropped. I had two team mates in the peleton, two with me in the chase group, and one off the back. We struggled for about 4 miles, with the peleton just ahead of us and then we all fell apart. No one wanted to keep the pace line going, everyone was tired and our speed crawled to about an average of 21 miles per hour...yes, that was slow for this week....Another chase group caught us and we were about 20 girls all just kind of half fighting, half screaming at each other (not me, I just drifted to the back when everyone started yelling at each other)...and half kind of cheering each other on...We just couldn't close the gap and struggled our way through 2 more laps.

My teammate Bea looked at me with about ten miles to go and said "Are we heading toward the finish line? We're going towards it, right?" I assured her we were...and that's what we did...just headed toward the finish line. There was a tiny effort with about 1K to go and I made up about 8 places. Finally finishing somewhere around 66th overall in GC, I think. We started out with 105 women and ended the race with 83.

Besides learning a lot about myself, my fitness, my weakness's, my strengths..I also learned something else. I learned that Fast Friday is a great team...being around other teams made me appreciate what I have and I am SO grateful for all the support. I just wish that more of you were women!!! No offense...but it was so awesome to have these great women around me, supporting me and encouraging me and often, saving my ass....And, I know my guest team, Incycle is grateful for having James and my Dad in the feed zones...and I'm grateful to my Mom for babysitting the dogs on the long, hot days when we were out on the road.
What a damn great experience. Next year...Master's Nationals...watch out.
Peace out.
Lisa C

Coach Chris Demarchi WINS Nationals!

2010-08-13T17:47:00.001-07:00

In a colorful display of determination, true grit and raw, mind blowing speed, Empower Coaching System's Coach Chris Demarchi, won his first individual National Championship last week in Jeffersonville, Indiana at the 2010 USA Cycling Masters National Criterium Championships.

Masters Road Nationals(women 40-44) - By Bonnie Breeze

2010-08-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

This year I had the opportunity to compete for the Masters National Championship Title in Louisville Kentucky. Most of my training this season has focused strategically planning for peak performance for the Road Race and Criterium Championship scheduled for the first week of August. My coach, Dotsie Bausch (Empower Coaching Systems), and I carefully planned each race and training day specific to these events. Since I work very long hours this meant most of my training needed to be done at O’dark thirty with a set of lights, or in the garage, staring at my Garmin computer, doing intervals on the trainer. Bottom line, it was all painful no matter how you look at it. But let’s face it, if racing at an elite level was easy, everyone would be doing it.

This year’s Championship race was more special to me than in the past because it was to take place in Louisville, just two hours from my hometown of Cincinnati. It had been over 10 years since I had raced as a senior and since my father, who was my biggest fan, had seen me race. So we decided to make it a family gathering in Louisville with hopes of the fam watching me snatch the Stars and Stripes honors.

Unfortunately in November my father was diagnosed with cancer and underwent numerous operations and died six weeks prior to the event. All the events that took place up until the time of his death in addition to what followed were so extremely painful and draining I cannot even express. My training took a back seat to everything else.

I am so thankful that I am associated with such a fabulous team. I received an enormous amount of support and encouragement not only from my coach, Dotsie, who encouraged me to continue to push forward toward my goal of winning the Masters Championship, but also from my teammates with their kind words and faith in me.

As the Road Race day approached there was record heat being reported. Fortunately by the start of my race the heat wave had been broken….by a thunderstorm. It was pouring rain at the start. Within the first half mile the race saw at least 6 casualties. One of which was moi! I hit the pavement pretty hard, but quickly got up and began to chase. But unfortunately never regained contact with the field. Debbie Milne (Absolute Racing) soloed away from the peleton to win solo.

Next up was the criterium (two days later). This was a beautiful, flat, four corner, course with tight and narrow corners. I couldn’t wait to fly through the corners. I felt like a horse chomping at the bit. Additionally, my relatives, who live in Kentucky, not far from Louisville and have NEVER seen me race, all decided to pile in the family wagon and come cheer me on. I was thrilled to see them.
The race started out fast and furious. Half way through the race I threw down my best card and attacked as hard as I could attempting to get the party started for real. Once I was caught by the field, Milne from Absolute Racing who, just two days prior, rode away from the field, attacked me back and the fight was on to the finish. A group of 15 riders remained together and continued attacking each other before the field sprint. With one to lap go I was on the front, neck and neck with Jane Evely, Team Summa, on the back side. Summa jumped just before the 3rd turn and blasted through turn 4 first. Summa held on to the first position across the line and I was finished 2nd. Anne Grabowski (Flat City Cycling) was 3rd.

This was such a thrilling event and I am so proud to have been a part of it. Even though I didn’t win, it was remarkable to compete such amazing athletes, all who came to Louisville for one thing: To take home the Stars and Stripes. But we all know there can only be one winner. Hats off to Milne and Evely!!

This season would not have been possible for me without the support from this fabulous SC VELO team and sponsors. I thank each and every person who is affiliated with this team and who made it possible.

Masters Road Nationals(women 50-54) - By Pam Schuster

2010-08-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

My expereince with National championships are that they are always a little different. My first ever Master Road Race was no exception. At the elite level I have always seen less team work at these events for numerous reasons and this was even more so at the Master's level. At the elite level many times your teammates are foreigners and are not eligible, so you have less teammates. The other reason is that the event has a title and more significance than winner of the XYZ road race. At the elite level the title is also many times a ticket to the Worlds team and the National team. At the Master's level many of the competators do not have teammates because of the different age groups and I personally only knew one other athlete in my race. Sue McDonough was unbeatable back-in-the-day when her and Karen Bliss won 90% of the National level criteriums in the country. Not a person I thought it would be wise to take to the line. Loisville Kentucky decided it was tired of the heat and decide it was time to rain. The fun course was not so fun in the rain with the fear of carnage at every bend. I am only thankful that it was the road race and not the criteriun taking place on this wet slippery day. The first 2 laps were all about staying safe. I either pulled the field or gave my self plenty of room. On the third lap 3 riders went down and I had to come to complete stop. I chased back on to the 7 leaders knowing the urgency after watching the previous races and the effects of the crashes. Numerous attempts by myself and others to get away were made. This was the fittest group of advanced aged women I had been with and we all wanted a chance at those stars and stripes. I thought about where I wanted to punch it chewy, did just that and it all worked out this time! Show me the jersey!

The criterium 2 days later was a different story with nice, dry weather(my 2nd Master's Crit....I did one as a 30 year old when I was a cat 3...got dropped of course!). The races prior to mine on this fine August 7th day all ended in a field finish. I was licking my chops because my sprint has been working and I think it is due to the lunges, squats and step-up routine I learned from Dotsie at one of her camps a few years ago. It's a great little routine and I throw it in when I am short on time(I am short on time 10 times a day!). I tried to work at the front to de-motivate the group from attacks. It worked great until 4 laps to go when Christine Schryver (Rochester, NY/Genesee Valley Cyclng) launched an attack that caused all us sprinters to hesitate until we realized she was gone like a frieght train. Even when we all decided it was over and started working she was gaining time on us. She so deserved this win and title! With 20 secounds and the dwindling pack exhausted I gave my final effort with one lap to go to claim the silver.

I learned not to take your medal home in your carry-on. TSA didn't know me(Can you believe that? TMZ does!) and wasn't sure if I should be allowed to swing it around with all my bags. I was just too elated to bring home the medal for my team who has been so supportive this year! I thank all the sponsors for believing in us and helping us be able to do what we do. I now have National RR win in both elite and Masters but only a 2nd in both elite and Masters! How ironic is that!

July Athlete of the Month - Dominic Galenti

2010-07-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

Empower Coaching Systems has crowned yet another California State Championship Road Race Athlete. We would like to congratulate Dominic Galenti on his epic win at the Sisquoc State Championship Road Race.
His dedication to train on his specific plan and constantly develop into a great junior racer had really paid off.
Dominic is a great example of balancing his life to get it done. He not only does a great job on the bike, but excels in school as well. The future for Dominic is extremely bright. His desire to win grows by the minute. He has big goals to enter this off season with a focused plan to develop as an all around rider and compete at the highest level in major stage races. With his talent and continued dedication to his training plan his dreams will start to become reality.

Coach Chris DeMarchi

Performing when the HEAT is on..... literally!

2010-06-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

IT'S HOT and sticky and you feel like you wanna run naked through a cool sprinkler over and over and over. How do you make sure you are taking all of the precautions possible to achieve peak performance in important races coming up like Elite and Junior National Road Championships in Oregon and Masters Nationals in uber humid Louisville, Kentucky in August of all months? What if you want to do well in your next crit, which is only an hour, right? Your core temperature along with the more important, muscle temperature, can overheat and greatly reduce performance in as little as 5 minutes of exposure. WHAT?

Mechanical performance of muscle is greatly influenced by temperature, as are most biological processes. Maximal forces developed by muscles and their rates of force generation, contraction, relaxation and power output are all altered when body temperature varies. Hmmmmm.......

In The Effects of Temperature on Performance by By Lawrence Fine, he states:

"A human being can only tolerate a variation of around 5° F in internal body temperature without physical and mental performance being impaired."

Did he just say MENTAL performance? Yes he did and as we know, that alone can play an enormous role in how we perform when the temperatures are normal!

Here is a quick and easy explanation on the 4 ways heat is released from Mr. Fine.

Most of the heat is conducted in the blood stream to the skin where it is released into the environment in four different ways:

1. Conduction: excess heat is transferred through direct contact with an object (e.g. when swimming in cold water).

2. Convection: circulating air allows heat to be transferred to air passing over the skin (depends on the air temperature).

3. Radiation: Involves heat being lost from the body through radiation (e.g. loss of heat within a cold environment).

4. Evaporation: excess heat is transferred to sweat which is then evaporated. Sweating is the most important means of dissipating heat when exercising under hot conditions.

What to do? I have written a tip sheet with very effective tips for dealing with the heat and optimizing your performance in the heat:

1. It is paramount that you know if you are someone who loses a lot of sodium during a hot and/or long event. If you cross the finish line looking like a powdered donut but have not yet cramped in a race, you are lucky. Know it’s coming though at some point and take the precautions to counteract cramping. There is nothing you can do to change the fact that you might be someone whose body loses sodium at a rapid rate. Its genetic and you either are or are not that person.

2. If you are going to be in a hot (over 35 degrees C) or long event, take precautions 3 days prior up to the morning of and during. Start drinking fluids with electrolytes mixed in, up to a gallon per day 2-3 days out. Keep cool the morning of and start eating electrolyte tablets or salt tablets 3 hours before the event and have them also readily available in your jersey pocket to continue taking during the event. Sodium, potassium and magnesium are the 3 components to ward off cramping, with sodium being about 90 percent of the ratio, so don't be afraid to salt your food as an athlete (unless you have been diagnosed with hypertension or high blood pressure). You need the sodium to stay hydrated!

3. Studies have shown that our muscle temperature runs about 2 degrees Celsius higher than our core temp and that muscle temps higher than 37 degrees decrease performance exponentially. Stay cool the morning of the event, especially if it’s hot out. Small ice packs in your jersey pockets placed near your kidneys during your warm up will help you stay cool, drink refrigerated temperature electrolyte drinks and soak yourself with cold water before heading to the start line. IF you just can't cool down, soak your extremities (hands or feet) in ice water for 2 minutes. The extremities carry the highest amounts of small veins and capillaries with the ability to quickly carry the cooler blood to the whole body.

4. Clothing can be an inhibitor of performance or a great aide and should be light colored if possible and made of a lightweight, breathable material that allows sweat to evaporate and pulls or wicks the sweat from the athlete’s skin.

5. Acclimatization can be very effective in preparing an athlete for competition in hotter weather. Athletes can become acclimated to hot conditions by spending a defined period of time in the designated place beforehand (10-14 days is recommended as a good adaptation period).

6. Your coach can judge or measure whether the temperature is too hot for training. Training should not take place in temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius or 102 degrees F. Particular attention to the conditions must be taken with children when training. It is best on hot days to train very early in the morning before the sun warms the day, which needs to be planned the night before to adjust sleep so that an athlete can get adequate hours of rest.

For more information and/or specific help please feel free to email Dotsie at: dotsie@empowercoachingsystems.com

Sisquoc Road Race - June 12, 2010

2010-06-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Who raced: Katie Donovan

I stopped by my mom's for lunch on my way home from the race. She handed me a garmin GPS for my car and told me she's sick of me calling and waking her up everytime I get lost driving to a local race. I don't know how I passed my exit , but this was one of those races where I had to start putting on my kit enroute to the race.

I was the only SC Velo rider racing. The Colavita team out of Nevada seemed to be the strongest team there. They started attacking from the start which ruined my plan of using the first of four laps to warm up. Kirstin (colavita) broke away on the first lap. Nobody seemed to want to chase and by the second lap she had over a minute on the field. I didn't want to have to bridge a 2 minute gap so I went to the front and kept us going at a steady pace. When we got to the back side of the course which was a slight climb I picked up the pace even more and a split was created.

The split consisted of two colavita girls, Tammy Wildgoose t(paramount) and Laura Hines (unattached). Colavita did a lot of work to help bridge up to their teammate. At the backside of the course the gap was 20 seconds. Julie from Colavita attacked and we dropped three girls. We kept drilling it and caught Kirsten in the feed zone starting the fourth and final lap. At this point it was me and the two of them. They started attacking me one after another. I was dying, but their jumps were getting kind of weak so I just kept responding. Finally they were like "let's just work together", so I attacked and we dropped Kirsten. I buried myself on the hill until Julie popped off. With 1k to go I looked behind me and could see that she was gaining ground on me, but I felt pretty safe and knew that unless I completely died she wouldn't catch me. I crossed the line first with Julie and Kirsten getting 2nd and 3rd.

Dominguez, CA - CBR race May 31, 2010 - By Steph Roorda

2010-06-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Who raced - Pam Schuster, Steph Roorda, PC Calderon, Bea Rodriguez

The race started fast, attacks were made in the first lap by others as well as by some of us. I countered a move made by Bea, and immediately had a gap with one other girl. We were driving it hard when i look back and to see one of my own coming across. It was Pam. She joined us and the three of us worked together and the gap continued to grow. With 3 laps to go Pam laid down a spicy move and broke away from the breakaway, as her style goes. I sat on the other rider in the break until 1 lap to go. Pam had a lengthy gap by this point and i made the move to get away from the rest of the breakaway. We both stayed away, Pam taking top spot, I finished second behind her. PC won the field sprint for 4th and Bea crossed in 6th!

Team Time Trial - Lake Los Angeles, CA

2010-06-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

May 29, 2010

With so many strong riders on the team we decided to split our efforts and put together two teams for the state championship team time trial event. One in the elite womens category and one in the mixed open category.

Who raced - Dotsie Bausch, Kirk Bausch, Chris Demarchi, Heather Jackson - Mixed 4 person Open

The Incycle/SC Velo p/b Empower Coaching headed out to the methamphetamine
capital of the world on Saturday to compete in the State Championship Team
Time Trial in Lancaster, California. Empty, non-traffic roads are all but
guaranteed out there in the wee hours after sunrise. The long, flat, windy
straight aways give an illusion that you are closer to the end than you ever
really are.
We had 40 kilometers to cover on the baking hot pavement of the high desert.
My team was mixed team of 2 women and 2 men. We borrowed my hubby Kirk
Bausch and Chris Demarchi from our big brother team, Amgen/UBS and added pro
triathlete, Heather Jackson as our guest rider, while our other 4 Incycle
women came together to form a team of there own. We had a goal of 47 minutes
and change and crossed the line in 48:01. One of my pet peeves in time
trialing is finishing a mere one second over the goal time. CHECK. I mean I
would rather it be 30 seconds or even 10, but not ONE. Oh well. We sure had
a blast out there, despite Heather and me being residents of the hurt locker
from the first pedal stroke. The boys were awesome and our goal of keeping a
smooth rotation was accomplished with Heather and I taking shorter pulls but
just as fast speed wise as the boys had dropped us off at. My team pursuit
background came into real handy in this race, as team pursuit redefines the
definition of wheels sucking. I displayed my very finest wheel sucking in
this team time trial. We were very excited to find at the end of the day
that we would have gotten the bronze medal in the 4-person MEN'S open
category and were the 4th fastest time of the day.
It was a real pleasure and honor to race on the same team with these fine
athletes, as everyone gave 110% of themselves all the way from start to
finish, in true Incycle/SC Velo STYLE:-)

Ontario Mid Season Criterium - May 16, 2010 - Report by PC Calderon

2010-05-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

Racers: Katie Donovan, PC Calderon, Pam Schuster and Bea Rodriguez

After our long ride home, and getting only a few hours of sleep, 8 o'clock in the morning came entirely tooo early. With our race at 10 o'clock Katie seemed to be the only one that was bright eyed and bushy tailed. Pam gave us a much needed pep talk before the race and told us how the race should go down, and if it came to a field sprint Katie would start , Pam would take us to the last turn with Bea following her wheel, and me sweeping.

At the line, Helen's came with their full squad, La Grange rider Morgan, Jen from B&L, Squad of possibilities riders, SDBC, Colivita and a few lone rangers .... We had a field of about 35 girls, and this time our race was only 50Min's. With a couple of good attacks made by Helen's, nothing was sticking, Katie did an awesome job with keeping the pace up, and having a few solid attacks herself. Every attempt for a break was unsuccessful, with 3 laps to go, SC Velo/Incycle/TTT girls meet at the front to start our lead out. I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty physically tuckered out from the race and drive from the day before and Maria from Helens was definitely testing my mental game, I was battling behind Bea, fighting for her wheel, Maria is very savvy when it goes to steelin wheels. Katie started the lead out and Pam took us to the final corner. Bea came around Pam and started her sprint with me on her wheel sweeping and Maria puttin the pressure on. I could feel her coming up hard on my left, so I had to sprint and secured the spot for second place and Pam (who lead us out) finishing strong for 3rd, and none other then BEEEEEEEATRIZ ROOOOODRIGUEZ winning the field sprint. WOOT WOOT! 1, 2, 3! awesome racing, awesome team, awesome job.

Scotts Valley Grand Prix - 5/15/2010 - Report by PC Calderon

2010-05-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

Racers: Bea Rodriguez, PC Calderon and Pam Schuster

Lining up at the line, with a full squad of Tibco, Peanut Butter, Third Pillar and Colivita was an eye opener. Every team was well represented. The whistle blew and off we went for an hour of fun! The field was very agressive. With tibco and pb launching attacks and counter attacks, with scvelo/incyle/time to track representing (woot woot). Just as it seems like NOTHING was going up the road, a strong attack was made by vanderekitten rider jen x, riding solo for a lap or so. She was quickly countered by a tibco, pb, rooster and a third pillar rider, which made a break of six up the road with seven laps to go. As it turns out the break up the road was committed and that break stuck, but not without a fight from the field. Bridges were attempted by those who were not represented in the break, including us. With one lap to go the break had a mere ten seconds on the field. Coming out of the last turn (which btw was super sketchy) we brought the ten seconds down to five. Pam sprinted for an overall finish of 11th, bea 13th and myself finishing 14th...

Fast, hard and agressive would sum up today's Scotts Valley Grand Prix, which makes for a good day of quailty racing.

Long Beach Grand Prix - Bea Rodriguez

2010-05-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

When I grow up I wanna be like you ladies!

Saturday's race went down at the LBC. The field of about 35 had great crowds cheering all thoughout the course. The course was reversed from last year, with the final stretch going into the wind on a quick, technical 7 corner course. At the line we noticed Heather Jackson (i think that's k-swiss-won-roger-millikan-triathele girl's name?). We pointed her out to eachother and she did not disapoint. She was on the run, attacking early in the race and helping the LaGrange, Helen's and Paramount girls stay in the game. Nothing was going up the road for very long. Everyone was there with a mission. Pam, Bonnie, PC and Katie all had strong performances, keeping the field on their toes, reminding them any one of us could be the winning move. We got all the good premes (Pam and Bonnie) including LADY GAGA TICKETS!!!fifth place (PC) and the "W."

.... And bonnie killed it in the popo race, woot-woot!

P.S. And Special shout out to Coach D ;) for her kick ass coaching

Finishing up the podium was Jennifer Weinbrecht from Herbalife LaGrange and Cara Gillis from Specialized Designs for Women/Bicycle Haus.

Paramount Criterium - Carson, CA - Report by Pam Schuster

2010-05-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Masters Southern California State Criterium Championships - Bonnie Breeze racing 35+ and Pam Schuster racing 45+ (fields racing together).

A fairly good showing for the 35+/45+ early morning race...30 ish riders. The pace was moderate with nothing getting away. For the Incycle/TTT gals it was just me and Bonnie. Our plan was for me to take Bonnie to the line if it came down to a field sprint. However I got a little boxed in with 400 meters to go so Bonnie got out and by time I got up to her Suzanne Sonye was aready heading fast towards the line. I still tried to get to Bonnie and head for the line but Suzanne had clearly earned her medal with a very long haul. Bonnie still won for the 35+ because as she said...I only saw 5's ahead...(that was the numbers on the 45+). Great job Bonnie! Finishing off the podium for the 35+ was Suzan Given from Paramount Racing and Gwen Inglis from Treds.Com/DFT for third. In the 45+ Suzanne Sonye not only won the race overall but gets the bear for the 45+ championship, Pam finished 2nd and Louise Keoghan from NOW-MS Society finished 3rd.

Racing the Elite women's race: PC Calderon, Bea Rodriquez, Pam Schuster and Katie Donovan

The Elite race 1 hourish later was mostly the same group with a few added youngins with fresher leggs. Our team was blessed with the added addition of Katie, Bea and PC. Much more agressive race with one break gaining about 15 secounds. It was a big break with 7-8 riders, me being the only Incycle rider however it was created by teammate Bea. With 3 laps to go this break dissolved and once again it came down to a field sprint. As planned Katie got to the front for our lead out on the final lap. Helen's girls jumped past with 2 corners to go and I jumped on them. Knowing I hopefully had PC or Bea on my wheel I took over with about 300 meter and was sooooooo pleased when lightning fast PC came by in the final 50 meters clearly winning another race for the team!!!! As I know she would say...woot! woot! Sorry don't know exact placings after that because I had to bolt home for a Mother's days celebration!

SC Velo Sweeps the Podium and Snatches up Fifth Place at the 2010 Barrio Logan Grand Prix! - By Bonnie Breeze

2010-05-03T10:59:00.001-07:00

SC Velo Participants
Dotsie Bausch
Bonnie Breeze
Not So PC-Pricilla Calderon
Beatrice Rodriguez
Steph Roorda
Pamela Schuster

Uno, dos, tres, cinco! ¡SC Velo lo hace otra vez!

The .8, mostly flat, but screaming fast course consisted of a figure eight and was set in the Historic Barrio Logan area of San Diego. The field was approximately 35 deep with all of the local favorites present.

The race start was delayed for a short period, while the carnage from the previous race was scraped off the street. Nerves were high as Ralph continued to announce how fortunate we were to have ambulatory services located on the course…..none the less, when the whistle blew to indicate the start of the race, the SC Velo girls were ready, and blasted into the first turn with no fears. Immediately the prime bell started ringing, lap after lap after lap. SC Velo was attentive and responded by collecting the majority of the prizes.

Numerous attacks and breakaway attempts were made by the SC Velo and Helen’s teams, however none were successful, until SC Velo’s Steph Roorda launched off the front with Kelli Jones from SDBC with approximately 7 laps to go. The field, anxious for the “5 to go” announcement, chased Roorda down, and SC Velo’s Dotsie Bausch skyrocketed off the front to join Roorda. Kelli had come off the break and moved back into the field. Team Helen’s Suzanne Sonye attached herself to the back of Bausch's wheel, and it looked as though the top three places were riding up the road. But the sheer power of the two team pursuit specialists proved too much for Sonye and she came unglued from the two powerhouses and rejoined the field. Roorda and Bausch continued to drive forward and crossed the finish line for first and second, respectively. The field finished close behind with SC Velo’s Pam Schuster crushing the field in the sprint and Beatrice Rodriguez grabbing the fifth spot. Simone Morsette from SDBC grabbed fourth.

Vive SC Velo!

San Luis Rey Race Report - Pam Schuster

2010-05-03T08:23:00.001-07:00

Racing is never easy. And as much as it would appear with our Team sweeping the podium both days made it look…..it was anything but easy. SLR course is challenging and has components for all to enjoy. Cross winds, climbs, sprint at the end. The field was small….15ish riders. We had 70 plus miles and 5 laps to get to know each other. The first lap was very slow with all chatting the way I know the typical men’s pelotons frequently appear….OK maybe on the last day of the Tour with 150 miles to go…Well at that pace we were going to be out there until sundown. Dotsie decided the 2nd time up the climb to get to know the other rider’s legs, lungs and desire. Well that was a little too early for one ol lady and about half of the group. So at the top of the climb there was 3 Lagrange riders and only 2 SC Velo gals(Dotsie and Steph). My group’s motivation was dependent on when the front group was in site. My motivation was the opposite. I wanted to bridge when the time was right. When they were all working it made no sense for me to do anything and when they weren’t working I had to check my inventory levels of energy to see if a bridge was now or I needed the groups help to get a little closer. Anyway…I am sure I confused them. The cycling powers decided that my group would catch the front group and so my desire to bridge was left unsatisfied. I decided I needed to attack but with over half the race left I didn’t want to be out there alone. I tapped Helen’s rider Karen Menske(she was in the back and I figured strong enough to help) on the hip to get on my wheel. As soon as the groups came together I attacked and with my teammates up front was instantly given a gap. Karen and I worked together with me doing the lion’s share because I was the freshest but soon after that she was gone and decided she didn’t want ride that hard. Well the rest of the race was me all alone never letting up with memories of 1998 Elite Road Nationals when I rode all by myself for 50 miles. At least this wasn’t that far and in 100 degree humidity and heat but the pain was felt just the same. I’m not as good as I once was but I am good once as I ever was by Toby Keith was the toon I played for all those lonely painful miles. Dotsie lit up the final climb like the 4th of July on the final lap for 2nd followed by Track Star sprinting power, Steph who won the field finish. The race was anything but easy but with the great cohesiveness, positive feedback, sacrifice and teamwork the Team really made it appear that way. Thanks goes to the Team and all the sponsors who make it possible! We really are hoping to be an inspiration to the other teams to race with their hearts, throw caution to the wind, learn from every experience and enjoy the process. Now kiss the joy as it flies away!

Torrance

2010-04-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Race Report-Torrance - By Pam Schuster!

20-30 women. Continuous fast pace. I had the usual plan to make a break, get in a break, be in a break or bridge to a break. Half-way through the race I thought to myself that I should have asked Helen's for a combine since their plan was to gang up on me. Oh yeah, they even told me this before the race and I was scared. Nothing was getting away though. Helens set up a lead out with 3-4 laps to go(for Maria), mixing it up with SBDC....which is like 1-2 laps to go on a more common course The course was a short 0.4 mile 4 corner loop. I knew I wanted to Jump 2 corners before the finish which I did, jumped again before the last corner and again for the finish and held to the line for the win just an old lady hair in front of Suzanne Sonya...not sure who was after that. Of course there was a crash on the final lap. No one hurt. I won a preem that I don't know how to use but I want to give to my team before our next race because I know they will know how to use it. Remind me!

Sea Otter Road Race

2010-04-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Who raced: Steph Roorda, Dotsie Bausch, Bea Rodriguez, Katie

Dotsie Bausch of team Incycle/Time to Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems took 2nd place in the Sea Otter Classic road race this afternoon. Bausch was part of a six-rider selection that got off the front on the fourth of six laps of the hilly circuit around Fort Ord on the Monterey Peninsula.

The stage placings were essentially determined by who had the best climbing legs at the end, as the circuit finished with a 2.5-mile climb. Carmen Small (Colavita-Baci) put in the late attack that got the stage win. Rebecca Much (Team Tibco) stayed with Dotsie Bausch (InCycle/Time to Track) until the final 200 meters but had to settle for 3rd.

The Incycle girls were all present in the first half of the race with Steph Roorda and Bea Rodriguez following all of the early moves. Katie Donovan and Bausch were able to slide on to dangerous moves in the second half of the race, sticking on the wheels of the dangerous climbers, which eventually led to the final selection.

"The team was awesome," said Bausch. "I just get so inspired by them and if I am the one in the break, I want to win for them. We have a great thing going with this team."

Dana Point Killer Cove Time Trial!

2010-04-12T22:16:00.000-07:00

Dotsie Bausch and Bonnie Breeze in action. Took 2nd and 3rd on the day for Incycle/Time to Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Ydikk_Q1Y

Dana Point Criterium

2010-04-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

Dana Point

Who raced: Katie Donovan Bonnie Breeze, Pam Schuster, Bea Rodriguez and Priscilla Calderon

This year was not an NRC event, so the field size was expected to be smaller and less aggressive then last year. Although the field size was smaller, with all the local teams in attendance, the race started and stayed fast almost the entire time. Attacks and counters were going the whole time. There were lots of primes keeping the pace high too. The teams with sprinters wanted things to stay together. Team NOW, Vanderkitten, Paramount and Helens were out in full force. Our team was short two riders, which would have been a big help considering the aggressive racing…The last lap was fast with Bonnie starting the lead out and Pam taking the next pull. Strong headwind going into the last turn certainly wore out the leadout and Bea had to fend for herself. The last turn had a crash, taking out a handful of racers. Kendall Ryan from NOW won the field sprint, Maria Lechuga got 2nd and Coryn Rivera fromthe peanut butter team picking up 3rd. Bea made it throught they mayham for 10th.

Ontario Easter Criterium

2010-04-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

Ontario

Who raced: Katie Donovan, Lea Adams, Bonnie Breeze, Pam Schuster, Dotsie Bausch and Bea Rodriguez

Happy Easter! The race is a key race for our sponsor, INCycle. They provide race primes and they offer up a bike frame to the series winner. This particular event also conflicts with a CBR race only an hour south. We knew the fields would be diluted for both events based on the close start times. (Yes, we would have driven down south after to make the other race!).

The key teams that showed was paramount and SDBC with three racers each. We had almost the full team out with the exception of PC and Steph. We attacked on regular intervals to try and create a break away. Everyone was very aggressive in trying to keep things together from the field. Pam was the first to break away with Kelli Jones from SDBC. Bea later bridged up to the break clean. The field started to chase and got very close to the break. At this point Hillary Crowley from Paramount bridged to the break and later our Katie Donovan made it to the break. The break was now bound to stay away with little motivation from the field. Coming into the final lap, Lea attacked the field and Dotsie countered on the catch to stay away and sweep up 6th place.

Bea won the race! followed by Hillary from Paramount, Pam, Katie and Kelli from SDBC.

Photo from SC Velo Club member Kenneth Hill...

Tour de Murrieta 3/12 - 3/14/2010 - Race report written by Bonnie Breeze

2010-03-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

Tour de Murrieta was a three day event beginning with a 20k time trial, followed by a fast and furious criterium on Saturday and grueling 3.5 mile circuit race on Sunday. Points were given at the end of each stage and accumulated for an overall placing at the end of the three events.
Team INCYCLE/Time to Track showed up in full force to compete in the three day event. Here is their story:

Stage 1 The Time Trial took place on Fiesta Island in San Diego. The course was an approximate 3.5 mile, flat as a pancake, loop around the island. Each rider rode three laps to complete a distance of 20k. The time trial was won by California State TT Champion Ruth Clemence, followed by Shelly Evans and Lauren Tamayo, both from the Peanut Butter & Company pro cycling team. Team INCYCLE/Time to Track’s own Dotsie Bausch landed in 4th just mere seconds off Tamayo’s time. Team INCYCLE/Time to Track’s Pam Schuster and Bea Rodriguez finished 6th and 7th respectively, and me 9th. Those girls are smokin’ fast!! Impressively, Team INCYCLE/Time to Track placed all of our riders in the top 15 spots.

Stage 2 The Grand Prix stage consisted of a fast, technical six corner, one mile loop through the downtown streets of Murrieta. Prior to the start of the event, world class tacticians, Pam and Dotsie, developed the plan for the day. POINTS, POINTS, POINTS!! With the entire INCYCLE/Time to track team placed in the top 15, and four riders in the top 10, our plan was to get as many points as possible to stack the top ten with the INCYCLE/Time to Track flag. What transpired from the criterium was nothing less that absolutely amazing. As with most criteriums, the race started out hot off the blocks. A few laps into the race Lauren Tamayo attacked and obtained a substantial gap on the field. After what I witnessed from Lauren yesterday, I believed this to be a very dangerous move, and I launched a scud missile in her direction in attempt to bring her back. Once my match was burned, Pam took over and turned the grip full throttle! Approximately a lap and a half later, Lauren rejoined the group, however, that didn’t stop the madness. From that point on, a prime was offered every lap, which kept the pace high and the field safe. Attacks made by Team Now, Team Helens, and Paramount racing made this a top notch criterium. I have to give super kudos to the NOW girls, who have demonstrated they have stepped up their cycling program and are not afraid to be aggressive. That makes for awesome racing!
When it came down to the final lap, it was the Team INCYCLE/Time to Track and Peanut Butter & Company all over the front. Lauren won the sprint and her teammate, Shelly, was second. Leah Guloien was third. I finished 5th, Pam was 9th, and Bea was 13th. Mission accomplished! POINTS, POINTS, POINTS!!

Stage 3 The Circuit Race was an approximate 3.5 mile loop that was mostly flat with a few big ring rollers. The finish, located in downtown Murrieta, was fast and technical and with criterium type flair. This course was a definite MUST BE TOP 10 to win and or avoid casualties during the charge back into town.
I entered the stage as the Team INCYCLE/Time to Track GC leader, in 3rd place. Pam was one point behind me in 4th. Tammy Wildgoose (Paramount) and Leah Guloien were, a few points back, but definitely within reach of the podium.

Our Mission, again developed by the strategic specialists, Dotsie and Pam, was to win the stage and keep our podium spot. Pam and I were advised to keep eyes on riders who threatened our position. The rest of the team was amazing, as they covered every move and reacted with counter attacks. In my book, the MVP award goes to Priscilla Calderon (aka PC, or “Not so PC”), who after covering numerous attacks, launched a solo attack off the front resulting in the opposing teams need to chase this dangerous move. Once PC was caught, this set up the winning move where Team INCYCLE/Time to Track’s Katie Donovan took a flyer with five laps to go and separated herself from the bunch by almost two minutes. Katie crossed the line solo for the victory. The move by PC was so critical for our win.

Once again the field sprint came down to a wave of blue (Team INCYCLE/Time to Track) and white (Peanut Butter & Company) at the front. The field sprint was won by Coryn Rivera (PB&), followed by Shelly Evans (PB&C), & Anna Drakulich (LaGrange/Herbalife) pimped Pam and I for 6th and 7th respectively.

Mission Accomplished!! Team INCYCLE/Time to Track won the stage and Pammy and I tied for 3rd and a spot on the podium. Bea also picked up the 5th spot in the overall GC and Katie moved herself up to 9th with her stellar performance in stage 3. Since Pam had to split, I took the Kodak moment with the Peanut Butter girls!! Woot woot!!

That’s the facts, brought to you by INCYCLE/Time to Track and most definitely presented by EMPOWER COACHING SYSTEMS!

Santiago Canyon Time Trial

2010-03-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

Incycle/TTT presented by Empower Coaching rips through the canyon to break the course record!

Saturday March 6th.
Ok, so breaking the course record was not the plan I had going into this race. It was more of a tune-up race for Track World Championships which I will compete in with Team USA in Denmark in late March. All training, recovering, eating and focus is set towards that race in the Bausch house right now. I had my fabulous teammate and Empower client, Ms. Bonnie Breeze talked into doing the time trial as well to shake the TT cobwebs out in prep for next weekends Tour of Murietta. She blazed in on her road bike no less for third place on the day. Very impressive.
I have done this TT multiple times, given its in my backyard. I knew the course record was set on 2/28/09 by Ruth Clemence in a time of 27:02 because I raced it the very next month and missed the record by 8 seconds. It was a fast day on the 6th of March this year and the speeds were blazing. Made for a really fun TT! After the climb, about halfway through, I don't think my speed dropped below 32mph. It was smokin fast. My husband started behind me and I kept waiting for him to pass me, and when he didn't 3k from the finish line, I thought, "its game time!" I know how fast I can go for 3K! He got me literally 100 meters from the finish line. Its ok. Our dogs still show him love around the house. I still smoked home in a time of 26:06, shattering the previous record and hopefully in good form leading into this weekend with my incredible and inspiring team mates to do some more damage on the race scene.
My girls really inspire each other to keep stepping up their game. They have not been off the podium in one race so far this year. Talk about a stellar start to 2010! And I watch them reach out to newer riders and share smiles and encouragement, spreading our vision for growing women's cycling one nudge at a time.
Dotsie

CBR, Dominguez Hills, 7 March 2010

2010-03-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

Women 1-3, 40 Minutes, 4 corners

Priscilla (1st), Pam (3rd), Bonnie, Katie, Lea, Beatriz

No rain and clear skies, we were off to a good start. With Pam and PC leading the series, the plan for the day was to set up for PC. After what the team unleashed at the last CBR, we were all confident in being able deliver PC. What actually happened was even better, as Bonnie put it, “unpredictable.”

Lea attacks off the line. And we’re off! Helen’s, SDBC, and LaGrange had a good showing, sending out attacks or covering ours. Nothing was going up the road. Everything was being chased, even when a motivating gap was established. The pace would quicken and speed up, tiring people out and making for some twitchy corners (and more yelling than I’ve heard this season).

It seemed we were all in a separation that seemed promising at some point during the race. Next thing you know its five laps to go and its time for the “Woot Woot!” Train to start rolling. With three laps to go, Debbie from Helen’s and Jen from LaGrange were strong contestants for PC’s wheel. Pam started us off, with Katie, Bonnie, Lea following and me behind PC ready to sweep. Helen’s get brave and send out an attack, but we are right on it, taking the Train on a small detour. We get things back under control when at one lap to go Debbie attacks and Bonnie is on her wheel and trying to keep the Train alive so hard she does not realize they have a small gap, but we are now at the second corner and the field is gaining on these two. As we get closer I see a hesitation from the separation and the field so I decide to just GO!, knowing the Train must keep going and NOW. Heading into the third corner I glance back hoping PC and Train are on my arse, (hoping it doesn’t hurt this bad in vain), when I catch a glimpse of PC out of the saddle and a Helen’s kit on my wheel. That’s when I dig even deeper through the corner and somehow find the strength to push as hard as I can up the incline between the third and fourth corner. I put in my last effort through the last turn and PC takes care of the rest. As the field swallows me up and Pam punks the youngins for third place, the crowd is amazed and confused for a second, only to realize… That was a SPIDERMAN that just happened!

I finally cross the line, out of breath, but with a smirk on my face… Damn, it’s good to be part of Time To Track/Southern California Velo presented by Empowered Coaching Systems/presented by INCYCLE/”WOOT WOOT” Train!

Callville Bay Classic Race Report – By Katie Donovan

2010-03-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

Who Raced :
Katie Donovan ( 2nd GC ), Bea Rodriguez (2nd Stage 3, 6th GC), Pamela Shuster (3rd Stage 3, 9th GC), Priscilla Calderon, Bonnie Breeze, Lea Adams

Stage 1 Time Trial - The time trial was 3.39 miles on rolling terrain with a short section near the end at about 6%-7% with a slight tail wind. The team raced this stage on road bikes, with Bea using clip on aero bars, which was probably the best decision. The first half hurt and then the second half hurt even more. I ended up 2nd, less than a second behind Alicia Welsh from Peanut Butter & Co. Teammates Bea and Pam were also in the top 10.

Stage 2 Road Race- There were no time bonus in the road race and no QOM. The race started in the rain, so the first half of the race was pretty tame with few attacks and mostly some pace making at the front. A few attacks started half way through the race, but no one was committed to a break getting out there. The race didn't get aggressive until the last mile. With 1k to go we were told that there had been a crash at the finish line and that the finish line was going to be moved. A few minutes later, someone in a car yelled "400 meters to go" and people started sprinting. The improvised finish line was some dude waving a tarp. I'm not quite sure how many people actually realized it was the finish line. Nichole Wangsgard won the stage, LaGrange Anna Drauklich got 2rd, and Kirsten Darley from Colovita got 3rd. I finished right behind Alisha so no changes in the overall GC.

Stage 3 Crit - The crit course was fun and a little bit technical. There were a ton of primes throughout the race and lots of attacks, but nothing got away. With 2 laps to go, Ruth Clemence (3rd GC) attacked and got away for a couple laps. She was chased down by PC and Bonnie and caught. With 1 lap to go, my teammates were on the front and I was on Pam's wheel as planned. The plan was to try to get me a time bonus for the win, or for my teammates to get the time bonuses. I braked in one of the turns and lost Pam's wheel. Bea and Pam ended up sprinting for the time bonus and got 2nd and 3rd. I finished just behind Alisha in the stage and kept my 2nd place overall. Bea was able to advance to 6th place in GC.

CBR Simple Green Race Report - By Priscilla Calderon

2010-03-03T14:17:00.000-08:00

Wm pro 1,2,3, had a good sized field of about 40. The field contained very good sprinters which included Anna Lang, Jennifer Wilson, Tiffany Pezzolo and the Helen’s squad was out in full force. Helen's being the more "dominate" team as far as numbers goes. Once the whistle was blown and off we went a few attacks here and there and all of the SC Velo - Incycle/TTT girls were on every move. Lea was on everything that looked dangerous yet promising. There were only a few primes, but Incycle/TTT managed to collect them. If there was a move up ahead Incycle/TTT was being represented. With 4 laps to go it was obvious that it was going to come down to a field sprint. Just by instinct we all meet at the front of the field for a perfect lead out train. A girl from NOW-MS told me after the race it was a sea of blue n orange at the front. Our team captain, Pam, had discussed before the race how she wanted the lead out train to go down and who would pull where and how far, and it happened exactly like she said it would. Katie started the lead out with Bonnie delivering Pam and I off at last corner. I was battling for Pam's wheel for laps on end it seemed like. That's a VERY popular wheel by the way. Jen Wilson trying to over take my wheel countless times with one to go, In the last turn Wilson tried one last time to overtake Pam's wheel by taking the turn inside, but to no success. Pam started to sprint with me closely on her wheel, I looked back to see that we had a pretty descent gap to roll in first and second WOOT WOOT!!!

Complimentary Photo by Tom Shao @tomshaophoto.com

Incycle/Time to Track Presented by Empower Coaching Systems (AKA SC Velo) starts with back to back wins at Boulevard and Red Trolley!

2010-02-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

Boulevard and Red Trolley were the team's season openers. The weekend started wet and with a small field at Boulevard, only 10 finishers. The race was reduced from 3 laps to 2 by consensus of the field. Kathryn Donovan and Dotsie Bausch finished 1st and 2nd respectively with Treads.com rider, Lindsey Bradshaw-Sandoval, coming in third.

Sunday the course was dry and in much better attendence for the women's race, with 36 finishers. The race was aggressive and fast. All of the teams worked hard to avoid a dangerous break from going up the road. Many local sprinters were out for one of the first crits of the season. Becky Quinn, Kendal Ryan, Maria Lechuga, Jule Hines and Dianna Del Fante to name a few. Our team attacked often throughout the race to keep the pressure on. Dotsie Bausch attacked the field in the last lap and Becky Quinn is right with her. There is a small split between them and the rest of the field. Dotsie holds off Becky for the win and Paramount racing's Hilary Crowley comes in third.

Below is the race report as told by Dennis Gonzales, the teams representative to SC Velo and team photographer.

The SC Velo women's team puts on a racing clinic at Red Trolley. With instructions, "Attack the field.", the team controlled the race from the start. Attack and counter, setting a fast pace on every lap, the women sent a very strong message in their first race as a full squad. It was pretty impressive even from the sidelines; I haven't seen this level of racing in the local women's field in a long time. The girls were relentless, leaving the competition wondering "When will this stop?". If today is an indication of things to come, this will be a great season.

Women on a mission: InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems strives to walk the talk

2010-01-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

New elite women’s SoCal cycling team looking to launch tomorrow’s pros,
veterans Bausch & Schuster lead effort to develop young female athletes

(Irvine, CA): Seeing a void in the development of well-rounded female athletes in Southern California, a pair of veteran cyclists, Dotsie Bausch and Pam Schuster, have formed the InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems cycling team. While the elite eight-rider squad will primarily compete throughout California, the young riders will race in regional and National Racing Calendar (NRC) events while being mentored and groomed to compete on the national and international circuits as professionals and Olympians. While success on the bike is important to the team, InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems will define success differently because the mission of the unit emphasizes fostering a fun, positive, respectful and nurturing environment to support young females in goal-oriented pursuits in cycling and life beyond athletics.

Bausch, a six-time National Champion and a Pan American Championships gold medal winner who has been racing as a member of the U.S. National Team since 2002, had so much fun last season racing around the globe mentoring young Australian, New Zealand and Canadian riders on Team Jazz Apple that it inspired her to focus on the talent right in her own backyard. “The women on InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems were specifically selected because of the enormous potential they have shown in winning races and as quality women who realize the importance of giving back,” said Bausch. “When I first came into the sport, I was blessed to receive generous mentorship from Jim & Katie Stafford, who demonstrated that they believed in me no matter what. They taught me cycling and the importance of team concepts, and they encouraged me never to give up on myself. That is the legacy Pam and I want to impart upon the young women coming up in our sport. We hope to build women’s cycling locally, regionally and, eventually, nationally by setting an example for our competitors, sponsors and fans that we are athletes who promote generosity, kindness and fairness in sport, and that we are only as great as the sum of our parts.”

Bausch and Schuster, who are serving as race directors, have a long-term vision for InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems. “Pam & I have great respect for what Jonathan Vaughters has done with Slipstream Sports over the years. He committed to mentoring and developing young riders, taking them from national and international junior and U23 (under age 23) competition onto professional and ProTour levels while being committed to ethical fair play in sports. Ideally that is the type of ground-breaking program we would like InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems to become for women,” explained an impassioned Bausch.

As part of their commitment to mentorship, each InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems team member is required to provide support and serve as a mentor during at least three category 4 (beginners) women’s races this year. Bausch said, “Our whole motto is to walk the talk. It’s people who make a difference in each others’ lives. We stand behind our riders in the pursuit of their cycling goals and we want our girls to do the same for new female riders. It is the only way for women’s cycling to grow.”

The InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems team will focus on the SoCal Cup Series, state and national championship races. Having concluded a three-day training camp in Thousand Oaks earlier this week, the women are eagerly anticipating the start of the season February 6th at the challenging Boulevard Road Race outside of San Diego.

Riding for InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems in 2010 are youngsters Katie Donovan, Priscilla Calderon, Beatriz Rodriguez and Steph Roorda along with veterans Lee Adams, Bonnie Breeze and co-captains Bausch and Schuster. A former competitor as a professional triathlete, Donovan morphed into a full-time cyclist last season before going on to win the Ventura Stage Race and set the record for the fastest women’s times ever recorded on both days of the epic Everest Challenge. Heading into her forth season, Calderon won a State Criterium Championship in 2006. Also embarking on her forth season of racing, Rodriguez’s resume includes winning the 2008 U23 National Criterium Championship, the 2008 SoCal Cup Series, and a state cyclocross title. Roorda, who raced with Bausch last season at Team Jazz Apple, is entering her second season on the road. She won gold in the team pursuit racing for her native Canada at the World Cup track event last December in Cali, Colombia. Bausch, who is targeting the 2012 Olympic Games as a member of the team pursuit, will represent the U.S. in that discipline at the UCI World Track Championships in Denmark in late March. Still fast after 18 years of racing, Schuster won the SoCal Cup Series last season. Adams, who is the team’s manager, placed 3rd at the 2006 Master’s World Championship Road Race. Breeze has 20 years of racing under her belt, the highlights of which include winning back-to-back Master’s State Championships in 2007 and 2008.

InCycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems is sponsored by InCycle Bicycles, Time To Track, Empower Coaching Systems (a cycling coaching venture of which Bausch is a partner), Champion Systems, Amgen Cycling Club, EPIC Performance Hydration & Recovery Drinks, Selle Italia Bicycle Saddles, SpiderTech, Smith Sunglasses, Hibiscus Sunglasses, Sequoia Technology Group, SC VELO and Great Scott P.R.oductions.

Link to Team Photos: http://web.me.com/dennis_gonzales/INcycle_Time_to_Track_(SC_Velo)/Photos.html

"Spinning Her Web of Spider"

2010-01-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

SpiderTech Athlete Ambassador wins Silver Medal in Women’s Cycling Pursuit at the U.C.I. World Cup Classics!

January 4, 2010

Professional cyclist Dotsie Bausch (Team USA Women’s Cycling Pursuit) brought home a silver medal last month at the U.C.I. World Cup Classics in Cali, Colombia. Bausch, along with her teammates Sarah Hammer and Lauren Tamayo, went on to break their U.S. National record for the second time this year. The trio first qualified with a riding time of 3:29.5, exceeding their previous national record by 2 seconds. In the final, they surpassed their record yet again with a riding time of 3:28:4. Bausch looks towards the future with great anticipation of medalling at the World Championships in March. She exclaims, "The world record is 3:22, so we are getting there!!!"

Bausch continues to cycle with eternal stamina, fearless leadership, and a Full-Knee Spider; one of Nucap Medical’s SpiderTech tape-based supports. Made from the original Nitto-Denko tape, Nucap Medical has re-invented a line of 16 pre-engineered kinesiology taping applications known as SpiderTech.

Dotsie Bausch, SpiderTech’s Athlete Ambassador, shares stories of the silver medal victory with the Nucap Medical team. Nucap Medical is thrilled to learn of Bausch’s success, spinning her Web of Spider along the World Cup cycling tracks.

For more information, contact Jen Hart, jen.hart@nucapmedical.com

EMPOWER NEWS!

2009-11-24T06:47:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rick Scott: 310.306.0375
23 November 2009 greatscottproductions@earthlink.net

Empower Coaching Systems blossoming in autumn

The cycling coaching service adds DeMarchi to the staff; clients won three titles and a heap of U.S. Elite National Track Cycling Championship medals;
Sparks appears on Gatorade’s web series; and Empower becomes a presenting sponsor of a new women’s pro cycling team

While many cyclists slow down during the off-season months, Empower Coaching Systems is blossoming full-speed this fall with a flurry of developments. The nascent cycling coaching service led by Dotsie Bausch and Andy Sparks has added Chris DeMarchi to the coaching staff. Empower athletes won three National Championships and made nine podium appearances at the U.S. Elite National Track Cycling Championships. Sparks was drafted to be a coach on Gatorade’s web series, The Quest For G: The Series. Empower will be the presenting sponsor of a newly formed In Cycle/Time to Track women’s professional cycling team for which Bausch will race in 2010.

Three-time National Road Champion and four-time California State Road Champion DeMarchi has been named coach at Empower by Bausch and Sparks. He has raced for the past 17 years and has a well-rounded background participating in both cycling and triathlon. A graduate of Cal Poly Pomona where he founded the first mountain bike racing team for the university in 1992 and served as president of the road racing team, DeMarchi brings his expertise, passion, dedication and winning drive to Empower where he can harness his experience from racing and apply it directly to coaching to motivate athletes to realize their true potential. As an Empower client during the 2009 season, he rode to his best season yet. His faith in Empower’s methodology fueled his desire to join the coaching staff.

Bausch said, "We are delighted to add Chris to our roster of coaches. He is a one-of-a-kind guy, and everyone who meets him is inspired by the infectious spirit he has for sport and his infrangible mental ability."

“It’s a thrill to coach athletes under a program that truly believes in developing their athletes and helping them reach the next level. The Empower coaches have decades of racing and training experience, which is something that can’t be learned in a classroom,” said DeMarchi. “Empower provides a ‘wrap around approach,” meaning every one of our athletes has the opportunity to develop under multiple coaches, which is unique. I’m excited about working closely and sharing knowledge with Dotsie and Andy as a member of the Empower coaching staff.”

At the U.S. Elite National Track Cycling Championships held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California (September 30-October 4), Empower athletes shined, but none brighter than two-time World Champion and Olympian Sarah Hammer, who won National Championships in the Individual Pursuit, the Points Race, and the Team Pursuit, the latter of which she teamed with Bausch. Hammer’s 3-kilometer pursuit time was a track record and the fastest ever ridden by a female on U.S. soil. Along with her gold medal in the Team Pursuit, Bausch also picked up a silver medal in the Individual Pursuit. Newcomer Jake Duehring scored silver in the International Omnium in his very first elite track cycling meet to go along with a 4th place finish in the Scratch Race. Junior rider Shelby Reynolds aced a pair of 4th place finishes in the Women’s Scratch Race and the Keirin, which earned her the distinction of being the top Junior rider at the Elite National Championships.

"The U.S. Elite National Track Cycling Championships is the premier track race in the country and we’re ecstatic to see Empower athletes achieve nine podium appearances. A great showing at Track Nationals is the high point of any rider’s season. Our athletes not only achieved their respective goals, they demolished them,” enthused Sparks.

Sparks was tapped to be a coach on Gatorade’s online reality show, The Quest For G: The Series, which can be viewed on the Mission G website (www.missiong.com). Eight athletes from various sporting disciplines were selected based upon their potential to live in a house and train with the best coaches in their respective sports in their quest to one day become champions and Olympians. Sparks is coaching New York City bike messenger-turned track cyclist Alex Farioletti.

"We’re not only excited for Empower to be a component in this world-class The Quest for G project, but we’re also pleased to add Gatorade to the list of world-leading organizations that rely upon Empower Coaching Systems to achieve their cycling goals," stated Sparks.

A team created by women, for women based in Southern California, the In Cycle/Time To Track presented by Empower Coaching Systems squad will compete nationally. The program will focus on personal development, tactical and technical aspects of bike racing and mentorship by creating a nurturing environment for the athletes. Bausch, who enjoyed racing this past season as a mentor on the New Zealand-based Jazz Apple pro unit, is jazzed about serving as a leader on the new team.

“Empower Coaching Systems is proud to help build a premiere women's racing program that will be something quite special. Our vision is to create a ground-breaking approach in the development of elite women cyclists. Our veteran riders have over 25 years of combined professional racing experience and have earned seven national titles and a gold and bronze medal at the Pan American Championships. We know what it takes to get to the top while having fun, giving back to others, and encouraging people to become their best,” concluded Bausch.

About Empower Coaching Systems:

Launched last March in a partnership between Bausch and Sparks, Empower Coaching Systems creates customized training programs for cyclists of all abilities – from professionals, Olympians, World Champions and National Champions to amateur racers, weekend warriors and newbies. Each athlete coached by Empower has access to all the coaches on staff, not just one, which provides a unique fusion of guidance specifically tailored to the individual rooted in fostering the development of mind and body symmetry that can be applied both on and off the bike. Empower strives to provide the highest quality of service no matter what level the athlete rides in the belief that everyone should have access to Olympic-level coaching to aid in reaching their full potential. Driven to watch their clients achieve their goals, Empower aims to establish the premiere standard of coaching services in the cycling industry. In addition to the innovative physical training regimen they will design as part of each client’s Victory Plan, their methodology includes focusing on sports psychology and meditation.

5th Annual Women's Training Camp - Santa Barbara, CA

2009-08-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

Join one of America's top professional cyclists, Dotsie Bausch, and the staff of Revolution Coaching for an unforgettable week of training in the beautiful Santa Barbara Wine Country. Whether you are a recreational rider, new to racing, or a seasoned veteran, this camp will take you further than you dreamed possible.

We focus on the unique aspects of cycling and training from the female perspective. Our small staff to camper ratio ensures you will receive INDIVIDUALIZED instruction while gaining skill and confidence in group riding dynamics. The coaching staff of Dostie Bausch, Jill Gass, Lisa Tonello, and Sonia Ross has 70+ combined years of riding and racing experience they can't wait to share with you. Read more about the coaches

Our daily training rides will focus on group and individual riding skills, climbing/descending, time trialing, and sprinting. All rides are fully supported. Daily lectures topics will include information on the latest training techniques, nutrition, mental toughness, strength and flexibility training, injury prevention, and bike mechanic basics.........all tailored to the female aspect of the sport.

Plan to check-in November 1, 2:00 for orientation, bike checks, meet and greet dinner, and wine tasting. Checkout is November 7 12:00, when we end with a group hug, and you depart a new and improved athlete, ready to tackle any challenge.

OUR ALL INCLUSIVE, FULL SUPPORTED PACKAGE:

* Epic 3-5 hour fully supported training rides

* Hands on instruction in group riding, race tactics and more!

* Expert guest speakers covering a variety of cycling topics

* Six nights lodging at the historic Skyview Inn in Los Alamos

* All meals, including dinners at some of the areas premier restaurants

* One hour massage (Additional massages available at extra charge).

* Full mechanical support

* Five Star Sovigneur ride support (Our Mary will spoil you for life!)

* Kalyra Winery tour

* More FUN than you’ve had on your bike in a long time—maybe ever!

C O S T
$2,295.00 double occupancy
--5% discount to ALL Camp Alumni, and anyone that brings a
friend or teammate to camp with them!
--Full payment due thirty days before start of camp

Limited to 12 participants. Coaching staff ratio 1 to 2-3 riders.

R E S E R V E Y O U R S P A C E T O D A Y!
Email: dotsie@empowercoachingsystems.com

August Empower Athlete of the Month: Scott Stern

2009-08-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

August's Empower Athlete of the Month is 16 year old junior, Scott Stern! He has been chosen for his consistent dedication to being at his best, his unwavering perseverance, his work ethic and for being motivated and determined after a recent disappointment. How an athlete mentally deals with a disappointing result or a big defeat is what separates the great from the good. Scott attended USA Cycling's talent id camp last month in Colorado. He was prepared and focused going into this camp. He was ready to rip some legs off! He was one of the top 16 year olds and came in 6th out of his division after the time trial tests they held at camp. They took the top 5 to Belgium this month for racing. SO close!
Racing in Belgium is one of Scott's goals, but Scott did not let this derail his focus and desire to be a great bike racer. He came home and used that disappointment to train even harder and race even smarter, and in his next 2 races made it on the podium in both! The way he took the bull by the horns and came out with two great results immediately after that disappointment is what champions are made of! Scott was resilient and resiliency is a big key to continuing success in life and in cycling at a competitive level. Scott has a very bright future in bike racing. Don't be surprised if you see him in the green jersey in the Tour de France in 8 or 9 years!

ECS: What motivates you to train so hard and stay so focused on a daily basis when no one is watching?

SS: Knowing that all of the hard work I put into my training schedule will pay off by getting great results.

ECS: What do you like best about your Empower Coaching Systems Coach?

SS: Dotsie is not only someone who just gives you a training plan and that's it, she also educates all of her clients on traveling tips, correct nutrition, recovery, tactics, and one of the most important parts of being an excellent cyclist is the mental aspect of training and racing.

ECS: What prank would you play on your coach if you could do anything you wanted?

SS: Before a ride when my coach is not looking I would take the tube out of the tire and put the tire back making it impossible to ride on.

ECS: When you get your monthly Empower coaching Schedule, what do you look forward to seeing on it the most and what do you look forward to the least?

SS: The thing I look forward to the most on my monthly schedule is to see how I will be ramping my training up for a specific race and seeing those long hard group rides throughout the month. There is nothing I dislike about my training schedule because I know everything that is on there will make me a stronger rider.

ECS:: Any advice you have for a new rider beginning with Empower Coaching Systems?

SS: Listen to your coach no matter what they say, stick to your schedule, and always be in communication with your coach.

ECS: What are your goals for 2009 and in 2010?

SS:My goals for the rest of the season are podium at states road race and podium at states time trial. For 2010 my goals are the US National Team, top 10 at Red River Gorge stage race, and top 10 at Soto classic.

Jazz Apples Duvnjak and Bausch Sweep Whiterock - Canada 20 Jul, 2009

2009-07-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jazz Apples Dotsie Bausch took the final stage of the Tour de Whiterock in an emphatic solo victory today while Duvnjak won the kick to secure the top two spots in stage and the overall. Half way through, Bausch confided in Pryde that she felt that she was floating on her pedals and was at the ready for a launch for a team mate. While Basuch swept all the QOM points, Pryde then launched Bausch with two laps remaining who went to a sole victory. Olympian and Webcor rider, Erinne Willock initiated a furious chase and onslaught of attacks but Duvnjak checked her every move. In the final advance for the line, Duvnjak stormed up the finish hill ahead of the six remaining chasers to steal second prize. Her second place determined Marina as the clear winner of the overall Tour, and a stand out perfomer in the BC Superweek Series.
On stage, Duvnjak took a moment to humbly complement the competition and praise the swelling crowds for their incredible support throughout the racing in true professional style.

New Zealand’s Jazz Apple dominate Tour de White Rock Road Race (taken from www.canadiancyclist.com)

The women’s race, which consisted of eight laps around the larger – but no less grueling – 10.1 kilometer circuit.

After staying together most of the race, Jazz Apple’s Dotsie Bausch, a two-time US National champion who won the Hillclimb Friday, broke away in the third-to-last lap, and quickly opened up a 30-second gap.

Bausch finished in two hours, 33 minutes and 13.30 seconds, almost two minutes ahead of teammate Marina Duvnjka, who won a sprint for second just ahead of Amy Herlinveaux of the local Trek Red Truck Racing team.

Knowing Duvnjak was behind her – not to mention several others from a dominant Jazz Apple squad – made it easier for Bausch to attack early, especially with Duvnjak marking Canadian Olympian Erinne Willock.

“I have 100 per cent trust in those girls and Marina’s whole job was to sit right on Erinne, which is a compliment to Erinne because no doubt that she was the one we needed to watch her to win the bike race,” said Bausch, who marked Willock as Duvnjak won Saturday’s criterium.

“If I was by myself at this race I wouldn’t feel confident in going 100 per cent at that point because if you get caught you have no more bullets.”

As a team, the New Zealand based Jazz Apple had plenty left in the gun.

Duvnjak, who was also second to Bausch in the Hillclimb Friday, won the Tour de White Rock Omnium, or overall, title. Bausch was second.

“We just felt really good today and wanted to try and get first and second in the overall so we just went for it, and we were just feeding off each other so well,” said Bausch, who at 36 showed she can be more than just a mentor to the young development squad. “I was confident in them, so if I blew up I knew Marina was right on Erinne and then she would go.”

For Willock, who didn’t have any teammates from her Webcor Builders Pro team on hand, it was frustrating being a target. But the Olympian also knows it’s good for cycling in BC and Canada to have Jazz Apple here.

“They’re marking me and it’s a compliment, that’s bike racing,” Willock said. “It’s awesome to have a big team here. They race pro and other riders learn the race tactics and learn the race etiquette and they say ‘OK, I have to go home and do a lot of training because that was hard.”

Road Masters National Championships

2009-07-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

Louisville native Dotsie Bausch a winner in the human race
BY C. RAY HALL •COURIER-JOURNAL • JULY 3, 2009

Dotsie Bausch left Louisville for college nearly 20 years ago. She came back this week to compete — triumphantly — in the sport that helped save her life.

Bausch won both her races in the USA Cycling Road Masters National Championships. When she crossed the finish line of Thursday's 25-mile race in the Churchill Downs infield, Bausch pumped her fist with more gusto than usual.

"Redemption," she said of fighting through an occasionally frustrating race. But she could have been talking about her life, which is truly a redemption story.

Before Bausch took up cycling 11 years ago at age 25, the only race she was winning was the one to the grave.

She joined the Villanova University rowing team as a sophomore but tired of the 4:30a.m. wakeup calls and gave up the sport the next year. She kept eating like an athlete, though, and her weight ballooned. So she cut back on food severely, triggering a long struggle with eating disorders.

There was an upside to being thin: She worked as a model in Philadelphia and New York for three years. The downside of this glitzy life was the easy availability of recreational drugs, including cocaine.

Between the eating disorders and the drugs, she said, "It was a big old mess."

She was so deep inside the mess that she couldn't see out. Her parents, Margie and Paul Cowden, saw and tried to help. They eventually got her into an outpatient program for the eating disorders.

Regarding the drug use, she recalled: "I kicked that myself."

Regarding her parents' unwavering effort to help her save herself, she said: "I felt ‚Ä¶ not deserving. I think that you subconsciously try to push them away, because you don't want them to hurt any more. And I figured that I was not going to make it. ‚Ä¶ I would eventually die."

Before she could die, she realized this: "The most selfish thing in the world would be to not make it, because of my parents and what they've done."

Over five years, she was treated by four doctors. Despite her difficulties, she functioned well enough to move to Los Angeles and work in television news.

In California, where everything is supposed to start, something ended: Dotsie's fight against food.

"My therapist (Dr.KRS Edstrom) saved my life," Bausch said. "She was really intense. She used a certain type of meditation therapy. I did the work, but she led me there."

Incidentally — or perhaps not — Bausch took up bicycling as she got healthier.

"I decided to just to try cycling as kind of an outlet for part of my healing," she recalled.

Friends invited her to train for an AIDS benefit ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. She eventually became a star in her sport, winning a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Championships.

She has acknowledged she may have traded one addiction for another, cycling.

"I've learned that I have an addictive personality, and I accept myself as I am," she once said. "I have picked a healthy addiction"

She doesn't speak of her former self as a stranger or an enemy.

"That person," she said, "definitely defines a lot of who I am now, taking life one day at a time, enjoying life so much deeper because I know how fragile it is.

"It wasn't too far from near-death. I was really, really sick. And if I had continued on that path, I wouldn't be here anymore."

That young woman who courted death does sound long-ago-and-far-away when her mother speaks.

"I think of Dotsie as full of life," Margie said. "She makes you laugh and glad to be alive."

C. Ray Hall can be reached at (502) 582-4662.

DOROTHY "DOTSIE" BAUSCH ON THE WEB
Age: 36.
Born: Louisville.
Lives: Irvine, Calif.
Education: Ballard High School, Villanova University (communications, philosophy).
Family: Husband, Kirk, also a top-level Masters series racer; parents, Paul and Margie Cowden; sister, Megan Dietzel, president of Dotsie's Internet business, Hibiscus-Sunglasses.com.
Jobs: Coaches 18 cyclists-www.empowercoachingsystems.com; advises New Zealand's professional development cycling team.
High-profile cause: Speaking to audiences around the world about eating disorders, which threatened Bausch's life when she was in her 20s.
In former lives: Rode show horses in Kentucky; modeled in Philadelphia and New York; worked in television in Philadelphia and Los Angeles; produced commercials and music videos.
On the seeming incompatibility of two of her past lives
Philosophy student: "I liked learning to think in a different way.".
Model: "Still, to this day, I really like high design, high fashion, and can really appreciate the artistry to create something that nobody's created before. The designers are artists. (Modeling) didn't seem strange to me. I loved it. I still love the industry and follow it.

Empower's Own Kirk Bausch Rages Through Idaho in the LP200!

2009-06-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Kirk Bausch and his 3 companions, raced their way over 3 mountain passes, through freezing rain and altitudes close to 10,000 feet to compete in the LP200 from Boise to Sun Valley, Idaho last weekend. Their relay team which was comprised of 2 groups of 2 guys, raged through the course in 8 hours and change. Kirk says he needs a few days of recovery worked into his calendar after this epic adventure! This picture is Kirk waiting for his partner to transition.

Bicycle racing has led Bausch to a better life

2009-06-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

The Tulsa Tough is just the next challenge for the former model.

Dotsie Bausch got into cycling while working in TV in California.
By JOHN D. FERGUSON World Sports Writer, Tulsa World

Dotsie Bausch has found peace, focus and control in the sport of cycling. The former model spent seven years living a bit out of control fighting eating disorders along with a drug addiction.

However, a move to California in the mid-1990s and a change of careers were a perfect tonic. Bausch also discovered the world of bicycle racing. The healing began in earnest.

Bausch will be part of the Jazz Apple team racing in the fourth Tulsa Tough set for three days beginning Friday night in the Blue Dome District. Saturday's daytime races feature the Brady District and Sunday's finale is set along Riverside Drive and Galveston Street.

Bausch is the first to take responsibility for her life.

She knows her eating disorders began while an undergraduate at Villanova.

Estimates say 5-7 percent of American women suffer from one of the two starving or binge eating disorders at some time during their lives, according to the Medical News Today.

Bausch knows the guilt that comes with those disorders.

But, she is more than healed.

She gives speeches to women on getting help.

"I am super open with it when I speak," Bausch said by telephone from her California home, where Jazz Apple's team spends part of the year before returning to New Zealand. "I am completely recovered and have been for quite a while. There are reasons behind everything. I try to help others navigate through the pain and disease.

"There's lots of shame (connected with the disease). I try to be open and free about it."

Bausch spent 1993-99 suffering while trying to finish school and work.

"Everything changed when I knew I could be totally honest (about the disease)," Bausch said. "Some people go through this for 20 years. It was really bad in the middle for me and working full time as a model in New York. I don't blame the industry. It was all me."

Modeling opened many doors that allowed Bausch to travel and meet great people. But, a drug addiction was part of her daily life, too.

"It was all-consuming," said Bausch. "It's terrible for your system, but I was still functioning."

Things started to turn around when Bausch decided to change careers.

The move to California for the Louisville, Ky., native was another positive step.

She got help and discovered cycling in an unusual way.

Bausch moved to California to be a television production artist.

Her first job was on the set of the pilot for "Dharma & Greg."

When the work was done, items from the set were up for grabs such as old chairs and a mountain bike.

Bausch took the bike.

She wanted to ride and saw flyers for a 600-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angles to benefit AIDS research

Luckily, she changed the knobby tires on the mountain bike before the ride.

Bausch decided she wanted the sleek road bike.

She got a racing license and suddenly took on road racing.

Bausch is considered one of the best climbers and time trial riders in the women's peloton.

She has an impressive list of podium appearances under her belt, capped off by a bronze medal in the time trial at the 2007 Pan American Championships.

She was a member of the U.S. National Team and won two national titles on the velodrome.

Bausch admits she got into riding late at the age of 26. She helps the younger Jazz Apple members as co-captain, setting the example and helping. She credits Jazz Apple team leaders Susy and Chris Pryde for much inspiration.

"Dotsie has a remarkable outlook on things and despite her busy life, she is naturally a nurturing and very open person who makes time for everyone," said Susy Pryde. "Her self-awareness and honesty also make that experience a genuine one."

Bausch's Web site (tulsaworld.com/empower) is dedicated to building better riders. She summed up eating disorders.

"Bulimia and anorexia still remain somewhat taboo (subjects). It doesn't make sense to people. People understand overeating, but it goes the other way, too. Restraining from eating."

The day Bausch was interviewed, she received an e-mail from a Canadian woman who had been battling eating disorders. Bausch knew the woman and how she almost died.

"This was her five-year anniversary," said Bausch, who will sign autographs with her Jazz Apple teammates at Tulsa's Whole Foods Market at 3:45 p.m. Sunday. "And she is completely healed. Even if she was the only one that I've helped that would be enough. It was so cool for that e-mail to come through today. That was worth it."

Schindler's List for Loving Your Next Race!

2009-05-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

Someone once said that if you want to take the fun out of riding a bicycle, take up racing. Unfortunately this is true for many cyclists who race, they have lost the simple joy of riding a bike. I know this first hand because before Dotsie started coaching me, I dreaded every race. But now this has changed and here is how that happened.

There is a pressure to do well anytime you race. Whether it is peer pressure or pressure you put on yourself to do well, there is always pressure to get a good result. Well, the first thing a racer has to realize is that one is going to lose more races than one wins. So knowing this, if the racer is result oriented, then most of the time, he is going to be disappointed. That is not to say you shouldn’t want to win and try as hard as possible to win, but you have to enjoy the experience of the race just for the sake of racing.

My new attitude for race day is oh boy, I get to put on my best kit and ride my clean bike with my race wheels. I feel good, the bike is ready to go fast and best of all, I just have to race, not train. This is why I train, this is why I do the ride until you puke intervals, it is for the joy of going really fast with all the best stuff on race day. And then, as long as I know that I have done everything I could possibly do to win the race, I know I will have had a good ride regardless of the result. Winning is best and there is no feeling like winning a race, but if I do not win, although disappointed, I won’t let it ruin the day or leave the course in a negative mood. There is no reason to race if, at the end of the day it doesn’t bring you a feeling of accomplishment and joy.

One last thought, if you do the work, if you get the recommended recovery, and if you have thoroughly prepared mentally, racing should bring you joy because you are competing in a truly great and unique sport. Try and remember how excited you were as a kid when you got a new bike. Take that feeling with you when you race because this is the ultimate way to ride a bike.

Peter Schindler
Empower Coaching Client

Athlete of the Month- May 2009 - Chris DeMarchi - Amgen Cycling Team

2009-04-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

Super Empower Athlete, Chris DeMarchi, has been wreaking havoc on both the Pro 1-2 field and 35+ field this spring season. With a long list of wins over domestic pros, Chris earns the top honors of the Empower Coaching Systems Athlete of the Month for May. Congrats Chris!

We had a chance to ask our in-house powerhouse a couple of questions.

1. What motivates you to train so hard and stay so focused on a daily basis
when no one is watching?

[Chris DeMarchi] The objective to succeed and win is a huge driving force in
my life. If it seems impossible then I set personal goals and create this
desire within to make it possible. On the long lonely rides I do a lot of
visualization of winning the upcoming race.

2. What do you like best about your Empower Coaching Systems Coach?

[Chris DeMarchi] The knowledge Dotsie has on and off the bike. Her
understanding of what it takes to be successful runs way deeper than just
intervals on the bike. Her systems offers a 24/7 training program that
includes diet, nutrition, recovery, and positive thinking.

3. What prank would you play on your coach if you could do anything you
wanted?

[Chris DeMarchi] I think I would have to let just enough air out of both of
her tires (80 PSI) so she would not notice, but just think her legs are
feeling kind of heavy, then take her on a 100 mile ride with 10,000 ft of
climbing. Then when she bonks at the 85 mile mark, I would push her home
the rest of the way just to rub it in.

4. When you get your monthly Empower Coaching Schedule, what do you look
forward to seeing on it the most and what do you look forward to the least?

[Chris DeMarchi] Every email I get from my coach is always a positive read,
I look forward to always getting information. I really look forward to the
nutrition and recovery techniques. I have to say that there is nothing I do
not look forward to. All the information I get is always positive and
progresses me forward in my training.

5. Any advice for a new rider beginning with Empower Coaching Systems?

[Chris DeMarchi] Listen, be patient, do not overdue it, pay close attention
to what your body is saying back to you. Truly believe in the system and in
everything your coach gives you. This is the real deal and when the rider
puts in as much effort as the coach does only positive things can come out
of the program.

Empower Coaching's Chris Demarchi lookin' lean and mean on the upcoming Ventura Stage Race poster!

2009-04-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

Come join us for a spectacular stage race event in Southern California the weekend of May 15-17. SIX Empower athletes will be competing for the top spots in 4 different categories!

Hard Day In the Saddle!

2009-04-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Kristina Seley of Touchstone Climbing got 4th place in the Women's Pro 1,2 race at Copperopolis Road Race in Northern California this past weekend. She has her suffer face on, as you can see. Her team mate was up in the break-away and got 2nd. Next up for Kristina, who has been with Empower Coaching for 4 years, is Sea Otter Circuit race this coming weekend. Best of luck, Kristina!

Scott Stern WINS Fiesta Island Time Trial!

2009-04-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Empower Coaching's Scott Stern WINS the Fiesta Island Time Trial in San Diego in the Junior Men 15/16 Category! This is Scott's first TT win of his career. He is known for his quick and snappy kick at the end of a race, but now he is turning the TT gears over with the same speed. Scott has also been invited to attend USA Cycling's talent ID camp coming up this June. The future looks very bright for this young and dedicated star!

Altamont Team Time Trial Victory

2009-04-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Empower Coaching's Sonia Ross, the current Masters National Road Champion, and her Kalyra teammates, smoked the 15.7 mile northern California Altamont Team Time Trail yesterday winning by a large margin over second place. Congrats Sonia and the gang!

Jimmy Watkins Strikes Gold in Southern Games

2009-04-01T13:07:00.001-07:00

Empower Athlete, Jimmy Watkins, won the Southern Games International Sprint Tournament last weekend. This is Jimmy's first big win of the year and sets him on target for a stellar 2009 season. Great job Jimmy!

Empower Coaching Systems in the Press!

2009-03-30T00:27:00.000-07:00

Bausch & Sparks unite to Empower cyclists

Veteran coaches join forces to provide Olympic-level coaching for athletes of all
abilities uniquely utilizing a methodology that stresses mind & body balance

They’ve raced at the highest level and coached athletes who have competed at the highest level. Now Dotsie Bausch and Andy Sparks have united to form Empower Coaching Systems (www.empowercoachingsystems.com) that will create customized training programs for cyclists of all abilities – from professionals, Olympians, World Champions and National Champions to amateur racers, weekend warriors and newbies. Together the dynamic duo will coach each athlete providing a unique, dualistic fusion of guidance specifically tailored to the individual that will be rooted in fostering the development of mind and body symmetry that can be applied both on the bike and beyond.

Empower Coaching Systems, whose client list includes two-time World Champion and Olympian Sarah Hammer, World Champion and two-time Olympian Jennie Reed and National Champions Jimmy Watkins, Chris DeMarchi and Sonia Ross, will strive to provide the highest quality of service no matter what level the athlete rides in the belief that everyone should have access to Olympic-level coaching to aid in reaching their full potential. Driven to watch their clients achieve their goals, ECS aims to establish the premiere standard of coaching services in the cycling industry. In addition to the innovative physical training regimen they will design as part of each client’s Victory Plan, their methodology includes focusing on sports psychology and meditation. Three levels of Victory Plans – Victory Fitness, Victory Performer and Victory Racer - are available based upon the commitment, goals and budget of the cyclist. Every coaching package provides unlimited access to the coaches via phone and/or email. Although Bausch and Sparks are based in Southern California, they will coach cyclists from all over the globe as they have done successfully in their individual coaching businesses prior to forming their partnership.

Twice named USA Cycling’s Coach of the Year and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track Cycling coach, Sparks said, “The Empower Coaching Systems training methodologies, which emphasize both mental and physical performance, have achieved three World Championships titles in the past three years. As a coach who has developed riders at all levels, I believe that for athletes to fully maximize their ability, they should have Olympic-level coaching and an Olympic-level performance team. That is what we provide at Empower Coaching Systems. We deliver the same level of technology and research, and the same knowledge, intensity and focus that the top privileged athletes in the world receive. In addition, our methodologies have proven to have an enormous impact on the lives of our clients beyond their bicycles. We feel that achieving our clients’ goals begins with building winning attitudes that carry over to all aspects of our athletes’ lives.” Cyclists under Sparks’ guidance have won 15 World Cup medals and a trophy case full of National Championships.

A former National Champion and a Pan Am Championships gold medal winner, Bausch is in her eighth year of racing professionally and has been coaching for five years. She was a member of the U.S. National Team and has competed in the biggest races around the world for professional teams including T-Mobile, Colavita-Sutter Home and Jazz Apple, her present squad. “While our hope is to grow Empower Coaching Systems into a large on-line training facility with multiple coaches offering an array of ideas, innovative thinking and brazenly developed training programs, our coaches will always be committed to providing first-class service of unrivaled quality that will cater to dynamic and diverse individuals who demand the best from their coaches,” declared Bausch. “Andy and I possess a deep love of personal coaching and have experienced great successes with our athletes. We are excited to bring together our shared beliefs and values and approach the athlete/coach dynamic differently than anyone has before. Our approach is cutting-edge and we firmly believe in its genesis and its mission.”

Bausch also hopes that the Empower Coaching Systems’ website will blossom into an “Empower Culture” destination. “I want the site to be a place that people visit regularly and utilize as a helpful and informative resource. We’ll be posting new tips frequently in the Recovery section. Each month, the coaches will select an ‘Athlete of the Month.’ In our blog, we’ll post photos, news and the latest findings from our cutting-edge research. We’d love for the site to be like a coaching café with an abundance of information to help guide and inspire our athletes.”

Empower Coaching's Chris Demarchi WINS Overall at San Dimas Stage Race!

2009-03-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

Chris Demarchi's dream of winning a major stage race this year came true as he took the overall win along with a SWEEP of all 3 jerseys, the polka dot, green sprinters and the YELLOW! Congratulations to Chris. All of your dedication and hard work has paid off! Also, Congrats to Team Amgen-Giant, for they displayed exemplary team work to take Chris to the line every time. Read Chris' race report below:

San Dimas Stage Race, where only the best come out to play and you can expect fearless competition at all levels.

Day one: The hill climb

The day starts with me finding out the Thurlow is under the weather and Gus was a DNF for the start due to his crash in Murrieta. I was thinking to myself, I am totally prepared to work my butt off for these guys this weekend, but now I am going to have to go after it and put in a special ride to put the Amgen / Giant team name somewhere in the top 10 leader board.

I did my fastest ride ever 15:06. 1 minute down on Tony from rock that has beat my twice this year in hilly road races. This put me in 5th place going into the road race.

Day two: The Road Race

This day started with Thurlow laying out a game plan to attack, attack, attack the yellow jersey and where him down, then have me sit in and grab as much time as I could. My TEAMMATES ARE AWESOME!!! One after another they attacked and attacked hard. There goes Thurlow, now Kirk, now Gil, now Anthony, now Thurlow again and so on. Bruce was protecting his spot and I was watching The yellow jersey dismantle before my eyes. From Lap one I hit everyone’s legs up the big climb of the day. I was well rested because my TEAMMATES ARE AWESOME, so I would punch it up and over the hill to hurt the group. Before I knew it, I was grabbing the KOM points. Then Thurlow goes again and makes the Yellow chase. As we are coming up on the time bonus, Thurlow clearly could of got the 10 seconds, but NO. He starts coasting because he saw me barreling down to grab the precious 10 seconds. The man trusted me enough to get those points. (Thank you). This went on till 2 π laps to go. At that point, I looked at the yellow jersey and he was clearly suffering. It was time to GO!! With another huge effort we had a minute gap on the yellow and a pretty organized group. That was all she wrote. Gil was with me and Gave me every bit he had left to drive the break. I made a deal with Paolanetti to start helping to drive the break and I would give him the win. (again Thurlow’s idea before the race)(that man has some serious skill to pre read a race) Jaime got the win and I rolled in right behind him 3 minutes ahead of the yellow. The plan worked perfect because of MY AWESOME TEAMMATES.

I was now in yellow, green, and pokidots. Totally amazing!!

Day Three: The Crit

Today was the day for me to rely on my team again. They kept everything under control and kept the tempo just right. I got second in the first time bonus, but Jaime got first, this put him down 7 seconds to me. This is where I did not panic, but told myself that my team has done everything they can to put me in the winner’s circle, Now it was my time to make it all right. I was probably talking out load to myself at this point, telling myself that I will win this Criterium, that I am going to be in my 53/11 when I take the final turn, and not touch my breaks. The only thing I was going to do was lay down the wattage until I hit that Line. I got the win and within seconds had a slew of emotion run through my body. (every one of you know what I was feeling) my dream, my goal came true!!

As a team we got the win

We got the leaders jersey

We go the sprinters Jersey

We got the pokidots Jersey

We got the total respect of the field.

Awesome job to all of my Teammates and A big thank you to all my teammates who stayed to support and congratulate us when we crossed the line. My team Rocks!!!!!!

Chris DeMarchi

On the Comeback Trail

2009-03-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

Empower Athlete Sarah Hammer scores win #5 of her comeback at the Tour de Murrieta.

In a large women’s field that included several top riders, Sarah notched another “W” by wrapping up the overall win at the Tour de Murrieta. The Tour de Murrieta victory gives Sarah her fifth win since her comeback from an injury plagued Olympic year where she finished 5th at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Next up on her racing schedule will be the big-money Long Beach criterium on April 4th as well as the NRC Dana Point criterium on April 26th. After these races Sarah will be transitioning to her first major competition of the year, the Pan-American Championships, in May.

Wish her luck as she heads towards future podiums!

Track Superstar Jennie Reed Announces Retirement

2009-03-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

Empower superstar athlete and reigning Keirin World Champion, Jennie Reed, has announced her retirement. The big question: Will she come back if the women's Keirin is announced as a new Olympic event?

We will miss you Jennie! She is a true American track legend. (Interview courtesy of RadSprint.com)

Jennie Reed was among the international top sprinters for more then a decade, consistently being on the podium in the UCI World Cup competitions. In 2008 she eventually won her well deserved rainbow jersey in the Keirin and also adding a World Championship bronze medal in the match sprint to her collection. Now, Jennie has decided to retire and RadSprint is talking with her about her long and successful career.

RadSprint: 2008 was your best year ever. Congratulations! After Beijing the world didn't hear much from you and now we learned that you have decided to retire. What was behind this decision?

Jennie: First of all, Thanks! 2008 was by far one my most accomplished years and also the most enjoyable. Funny this is, I was about to retire at the end of 2007, when Andy Sparks and Sarah Hammer motivated me to attend a women's team pursuit camp. I had so much fun doing something different and it turned in to working with Andy. It really just all fell in to place last year with Howard Marans sponsoring Momentum Cycling and having the right set up for training. I was enjoying myself more than ever racing, but I just had the feeling inside that when the year was over, I would be done. I always wondered if I would get that gut feeling about when to retire, and I did, and listened to it. I felt like I had experienced everything that I wanted to in sport and I was no longer inspired to do it again. I really was ready for new experiences in life. It was a great way to end on such an incredible year though.

RadSprint: Let's talk some more about 2008. Tell us about the World Championships and how you achieved your biggest success. You had already great form in January and February - winning silver medals at the world cups in Los Angeles in Copenhagen. How did you manage to get in even better shape for worlds?

Jennie: You know I had a lot of people around me that were tremendously supportive and believed in what I could achieve. In fact, I get emotional thinking about it because remembering back to some training sessions, my coach Andy Sparks and his fiancé Sarah Hammer would start talking about how I was just going to smash everyone and Win Worlds!

It took me a while to really believe it and go for it. It really came together for me the last year and a half. I tried some new things in training that I had never done before. My strength since I was 18 was getting up to top speed and holding on and I just really trained that the last year. I was so motivated in training that it seemed easy at times. I had such an awesome training group. I just thrived on the energy that was in the track from Sarah, Dotsie, Andy and Dr. Kay (OUCH Team sponsor). The momentum carried throughout the year and I just got stronger and faster as the training continued. By the time Worlds came around, I was riding bigger gears and I was really clear in my head. I wasn't scared of losing. Instead, I was in the moment and ready to challenge myself to see what I could do. I never felt so good and supported in my whole career as I did at the Worlds.

RadSprint: Next stop were the Olympic Games. Unfortunately the "mask incident" created the most press for the US track cycling team. Eventually USOC chief of sport performance Steve Roush lost his job over the affair. Now more than half a year later, how do you reflect on the whole story?

Jennie: I still see it as just a "crazy" incident that happened. It really took me a while just to realize what it was that the USOC was upset about! It kind of came up on me and hit me in the side of the head and I didn't see it coming or understand what was going on. I was trying to have the best performance and was told that wearing the mask would help prevent me from getting sick. It got really blown out of proportion. I was really disappointed that no one supported us during the incident. USA Cycling hid behind USOC like a little kid getting punished and it was embarrassing frankly. It's one of those things where they tell you that you didn't do anything wrong, but they won't speak up for you or support you. It really made me view the Olympic Games differently. It made me feel that it is more about politics than about sport.

RadSprint: Had all of this an impact on the racing at the Games?

Jennie: As most people know, so many things can impact performance and of course it affected me. It's always a question of how much. The initial stress was hard but what really affected me was the lack of team after the incident. I felt that everyone sort of went in to survival mode and either formed opinions about it or just didn't know what to do, but the team feeling was gone. It wasn't a good formula for my success and I ended up getting a bad respiratory infection. I've always been a very resilient person and I still enjoyed myself though. I gave it the best I knew how and was proud considering the circumstance.

RadSprint: Any good memories of Beijing?

Jennie: The memories that really stand out are the friendships I formed with other athletes. I met some great people that I will be friends with for a lifetime.

RadSprint: How did Beijing compare to Athens, your first Olympic Games?

Jennie: I think my first Olympics will always be the most special. I had some difficult years leading in to Athens. I was training in Europe and was struggling to find any form and didn't feel a lot of support from people. I finally believed in what I knew and listened to myself, regardless of what everyone else's opinions where. I learned a lot about myself that year. I knew that if I wanted to make it to the Olympics, I was the only one that could make that happen.

RadSprint: But let's have a look at the beginning. When did you start cycling and racing? And how did you arrive at the track?

Jennie: I started racing two weeks before my 16th Birthday. My dad had started cycling for recreation and he introduced my sister, Laura and I to it. One of the first times, my dad asked my sister and I to go for a ride with him which was to ride 60 miles up to our ski cabin! I wasn't going to have any part of that but my sister, Laura, went. She started to get in to racing and would beg me to go training with her. I finally caved in and went but I still didn't like it that much. It wasn't until I did a mountain bike race and won a "free certificate" to a track class that I was hooked! I always did better at the shorter distances, so I loved the track. From then on, I started racing and qualified for the Junior Worlds. I was only going to do it on the junior level, until I got a phone call from Andrzej Bek (National Sprint Coach at the time). He said he saw me at the Juniors and thought I should be a sprinter and join the National Team! It all started because of that.

RadSprint: You had your first success as in elite sprinter in 1998/99 on the national and international level. 2000 and 2001 you didn't have much on your palmares. These were also the years of Tammy Thomas, who tested positive for the anabolic norbolethone in the 2002/03 season, was banned for life and was later convicted of perjury. What's your take of all of this from today's perspective?

Jennie: I actually got fourth place at the World Championships in 2000, but since they were after the Olympics, I don't think people would remember. I wasn't selected for Olympics in 2000, but I did have a great year. In fact I set my personal record in the 200m in 11.10 sec that year! Tammy was around those years and I remember being told by a coach that "the US had their female sprinters already." I did affect me not being selected for all of the World Cups and such, but really she didn't affect my ability to perform. It was unfortunate what decisions she made because she was a really nice person, but it was frustrating for me to see her do so well in 2001, taking the silver medal at the Worlds. I had been working so hard and I actually told her straight after she got the medal that I didn't respect her medal! I've always been straight forward I guess.

RadSprint: After that, let's lighten up a bit. Tell us some funny stories and about some embarrassing moments!

Jennie: Geez, that's probably not too hard to do because I seem to do that a lot! The all time funniest story is back in 1999. We had done a World Cup in Italy or something and then on the way home we got stuck in Brussels. We were going to have to spend the night cause there was only one flight at 6pm daily. We had already been through quite a bit, trying to find connections, so the team was going to get a bus to a nearby hotel. Well, I was really hungry and decided to get a bite to eat in the airport with my teammate Marcelo. Andrzej Bek was the coach and he said, "Fine, if you want to do that then you'll have to find your way to the hotel if the bus comes while you're not here." I agreed and said not a problem, but when the time came and I wasn't there by the time the bus was there, Andrzej was "furious!" Marcello was scared and Andrzej blew up on us. He started turning red and yelling about how, 'he didn't care if we hadn't slept for one week or eaten for one week or taken "shit" for one week, that we shouldn’t leave the group! I lost it when he said the last thing and I started laughing so hard I couldn't control it and I fell to the ground, still laughing! Marcello said he thought he saw steam coming from Andrzej! Marcelo just told me that he was soo glad it was me laughing and not him! We still joke about that today!

Another embarrassing moment was in 2000. I was racing a World Cup in Mexico and was riding in the Bronze medal match against Aussie Michelle Ferris. The race was important for Olympic selection and therefore I really wanted to beat her. I had never beat her before and won the first match. In the second one I was going down the back straight and wanted it so bad that I got out of the saddle and was just giving it and when I sat down I put my whole body in to it. As I was sitting down I hit my forehead on my stem and I almost took myself out! My helmet was straight back on my head, but I didn't care cause I won! It was soo embarrassing though!

EmpowerCoachingSystems.Com is a Go!

2009-03-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

We have just finished up some last minute changes to the site and are excited to unveil: http://www.empowercoachingsystems.com/

Check it out!

Wuz Up?

2009-02-05T22:41:00.000-08:00

Rumor had it that Dotsie Bausch, a prominent women professional cyclist recently of the Colavita squad and formerly with T-Mobile planned to retire from racing at the end of 2008. Dotsie’s numerous palmares include first place in 2001 and 2003 California State Road Race and Time Trial Championship, 2007 National Champion on track in pursuit and team pursuit World Record holder, 2008 TT National Champion with her husband in mixed tandem and Gold Medal in 2008 Pan Am Games in on the track in pursuit discipline, among numerous stage race and individual race wins. Truesport obtained an interview of Dotsie from her home in Irvine, California to hear from her what she is doing.

QUESTION: What are you up to now? Retired? Not retired? Racing? Not racing? We have heard lots of grumblings, but what is really going on for you in 2009?

DOTSIE: I have a lot going on! I have taken a position as Assistant Director and Captain to Susy Pryde on the Jazz Apple Professional Cycling Team based out of New Zealand. However, I will be racing with them too. At the end of 2008, I felt well, bored, for lack of better terms. I have enjoyed the professional ranks for eight years, but I reached a point where I wanted more, I wanted to do more, I wanted to give more. I was tired of constantly being focused on my own results and my own training program. I mean how many times can you do the same race over and over, year after year? I felt satisfied with my own career and wanted to be someone who helped to grow the sport that has given so much to me. I wanted to teach other young women, inspire them to get the results they were dreaming of, help others reach their potential. Susy is giving me a chance to be a teacher/motivator/captain as well as continue to race, which I love.

QUESTION: What was it about Jazz Apple that excited you and made you want to sign with them?

DOTSIE: I had this Ah…. Haaaaa…. moment last year at Mt. Hood when I watched Susy Pryde race with the Jazz Apple development team. She was directing them, but is also fit enough to race with them, and lead them into the hardest climbs, lead them out for attacks, lead them out for sprints, and they were awesome! She was like non-stop on the radio calling every move, every shot. I don’t even know how she had enough oxygen to do it all! I thought to myself, “now THAT is how you teach people to race their bikes.” Directing from the car is just not that effective in actually teaching the new racers how to truly “feel” the peloton and its movement, feel the attacks coming, feel the right “timing” for a move etc.

QUESTION: What do you hope to accomplish with Jazz Apple in 2009?

DOTSIE: I want to see the team succeed. I want to see the girls fulfill their dreams. For example, Ruth Corset, who just took second place at the Australia National Road Champs a few weeks ago, and who I will have the pleasure of meeting at team camp in New Zealand in two weeks, said in her interview that she wants to do well in the Tour of New Zealand and hopefully make the World’s Team in 2009 for her country. Hearing that motivates me. I want to be an integral part in seeing her reach that goal. I want to do whatever I need to do to help her have the confidence and the know how to get there. Obviously her fitness is up to her and her coach, but I want to be there for the girls to teach them central nervous system processes and how it plays a roll in their recovery and racing, encourage them to race outside of their box, teach them where and why to save energy, and just be someone they can lean on and ask questions of, because I have been where they are and I understand.

QUESTION: Which victory do you consider your most important?

DOTSIE: None are important, in the grand scheme of the world. I mean please, IMPORTANT? No. There are victories that are special I guess. Nationals on the track in ’07 was special to me, because my coach, and now business partner, Andy Sparks, took a chance on me and in only 6 weeks on the track, I was able to win Nationals back to back. It was just one of those times where you commit to something 100% and put your head down and go, and it was a success. It was an objective and it stirred great emotions in me. I did not grow up as an athlete. I went to college and partied until there was no more party and then I suffered from a horrendous eating disorder and drug addiction that almost took my life. So, winning Nationals to me was validation that you can overcome anything, no matter how awful and damaging you are to your mental and physical self. But there are a lot of single race wins that mean something to me for various reasons. I have fond memories of each and every race.

QUESTION: What do you love the most about racing?

DOTSIE: Well, truthfully, I have always been one of those people who loves to train more than race. But I have learned to race well, overcome the tension and the nerves that results in finding pleasure, excitement and fulfillment on the bike. I love the process the most. The whole process from preparation to the finish line. I love the game, the way it plays out, the connection with teammates during the race where you read each other’s minds. That’s the best!

QUESTION: What do you consider failures?

DOTSIE: Well, truthfully I have had a million failures in life. We all do, but it’s the organic center of those failures that always lead us to something greater. We learn, we grow and we change based on those failures. So, in essence, I guess you can’t really call them failures.

QUESTION: Do you have any favorite teammates over the years and remember specific things they have taught you?

DOTSIE: Oh gosh, yes! All of them in one way or another. Sue Palmer-Komar taught me not to take myself or any bike race to seriously. It’s just a bike race after all. Kim Anderson taught me to laugh, above all, find the humor, because again (recurring theme here) it’s just a bike race. Tina Pic taught me how to use my nerves for a positive outcome. Kimberly Baldwin taught me how to be a team leader and always be gracious and thankful. She also taught me that a win in cycling is not possible without teammates, so show your appreciation to them! Lara Ruthven taught me how to be a consummate professional, even when you don’t necessarily like the teammate you are working for (that is a hard one for me). Amber Neben taught me how to concentrate and focus under the pressure of utter chaos. Jennie Reed taught me (but I never mastered it) how to be calm under pressure and be kind and helpful to others even while focusing on your own performance.

QUESTION: What do you want to do after cycling?

DOTSIE: HA! I barely know what I want to do tomorrow or next year. My life path has had so many twists and turns so far. I am open. I suppose continue to do what I am doing now, in one form or another. I love this sport and I have no intentions of ever leaving it, although I am clearly aware I won’t be racing professionally at 55.

QUESTION: What advice do you have for beginners?

DOTSIE: Follow your heart, do it with passion, don’t imitate, be true, give back, enjoy the process, don’t beat yourself up over a bad race, and don’t take yourself too seriously.

QUESTION: Do you have any heroes or cycling role models?

DOTSIE: My husband. My Mom. My Sis. My Dad. Truly, they are the ones who have really shown me true love, ultimate faith, unwavering support and belief in me. I am not one of those people to find heroism in a fast time or a big race win. I find it in people who use what they have done athletically to improve our world, make things better, give back to those that will come after us. That’s a hero.

QUESTION: Wait, you had mentioned you have A LOT going on? What else besides Jazz Apple is going on?

DOTSIE: Well, I have a coaching business that I have had for the past 5 years, but I am launching a new version of it called Empower Coaching Systems with business partner Andy Sparks, in about 2 weeks. Check it out at: www.empowercoachingsystems.com. I also have an on-line accessories store with my sister. Fashion is a passion of mine, and sunglasses especially! You can shop it: www.hibiscus-sunglasses.com. It’s a great diversion for me and I dig the outlet and the income it provides.

QUESTION: I spoke to Jet Tanner of JetCycling and he said you are Directing Athletic Development for his junior’s team. Why did you take this position on with all you have going on?

DOTSIE: I believe in these kids. Simple as that. They are a great group. Jet has passion, his heart is in the right place, and he cares. I believe he will grow this program to a nationwide junior development program. These kids motivate me and I want to see them succeed. They practice 3 times per week together and live close to me, so I always try and show up at least once per week to give my time and share my experience. Seriously, they give me more then I give them. I always come home in a good mood from spending time with them.

Welcome to the Empower Coaching Systems Blog!

2009-01-23T00:49:00.000-08:00

Empower Coaching Systems
Empower. Inspire. Grow.

ECS Mission statement:

Our mission is to see you become a champion. We are a coaching firm that believes that you have vast amounts of untapped potential inside of you. Our duty is to expose this potential by providing the premier standard of client support in athletic coaching. No matter what our client’s aspirations, we deal with their personal goals on an individual level with an individualized plan for success. And with the proclamation that a balanced athlete is a thriving athlete, we place an elevated degree of importance on the mind and body balance in our coaching methodology.

At ECS also know that the quickest way for us to bring about positive change in the lives of our client’s is it to embody that change in all of our actions. For this reason, we hold a firm belief in leading by example.