so I made a new friend. Cory and Dale were cool with letting their 8 year old daughter hang out with me. She reminds me a little of myself. ‘HEY! HEY! ALYSSA! COME OVER HERE AND HAVE A DRINK WITH YOUR NEW AUNT BECKY!! WOULD YA?!?!’
It’s a hunderd. It’s sticky. That’s the national phallic monument over my shoulder.
Grey is my favorite color. I can’t really describe why. Maybe cuz it holds so much potential.
This may be tacky, this may be offensive, this may even be embarassing. But I want to share my experience so that it awakens people. I have had a weird road. I went back and forth on broadcasting this so I’ll say it once and then talk to my loved ones about it personally if I feel like it. Without going into all the details: I had a couple of abnormal paps, then another test that I flunked, then a scope which led to a full on biopsy last Tuesday. I carried on, always hoping for the best. Making the most, as I do. The story is that the biopsy has turned up bad cells. That is that. I caught it. I am quite possibly the most laid back person you may ever meet, but I turn into a bitch when I want what I want. I get pushy. I make a lot of calls. I ask a lot of questions. And it worked out well.
I pulled this off a site today in my reading and need to enunciate this loudly to my girls (or boys with girls)- The Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer rates in the United States by more then 70%. Pap smears, like the one you receive regularly, is the single most effective cancer screen in the history of medicine. Remember to have your Pap test. Early detection saves lives.
What happens next? I wait to see how my body responds to the cells. I wait. I go through more tests, and I wait some more. Could be, they aren’t aggressive cells and don’t do anything but go away. Could be they multiply and something else has to be done. In the meantime, like I told a long lost friend tonight, “I ask myself all the big questions that you only ask yourself when you’re in it”. I’m racing. I’m living and loving. I’m valueing all the things I value. Things you need to do anyway, just kinda forget to do.
I’m good though. No excuses. Racing as much as I can without making my immune system weak. I’m doing everything I can to be strong physically even though I still tend to slip and a random margarita or mojito will accidentally fall down my throat.
Thanks to my parents who are my kiteholders, KJ, Chad, my teammates, my friends. I am laughing about this, believe it or not. You should, too, but just make sure and be on top of things. Be pushy. Get exams and pay attention when something is amiss in your body. As athletes, we generally see the signs. We just ignore them. We are pro at ignoring them.
Peace,
BB
People wonder why I’m late for everything…. Here’s a list of why I stunk it up at Somerville yesterday:
1. My race bag resembled the overnight bag my teammate, Corey’s 7 year old daughter packed to spend the night at her friend’s. I think it contained 3 swimsuits, a dictionary, an anatomy book, and 7 changes of clothes. Nothing I could really use.
2. A guy I’m not even dating keeps breaking up with me and did so again before the start. It’s getting downright boring.
3. Even though I live and train in Tucson, I wilted like a flower in the humidity. I do that. A gracious teammate asked what she could do, and feeling like I did at the race before crit nats last year when I threw up Red Bull into the crowd midrace on all fours, I simply said, “save yourself”.
4. Running three times a week instead of riding does not develop speed.
5. There really needed to be a hill or a distraction of some kind on that course.
My team is so great. I will prolly hear from my doc on a test I had done, today. I am where I want to be now. I am asking myself a lot of questions but coming up with few answers. I’m “not ready for the answers yet” I’ve been told and need to be patient. I want it now. Answers now. NOW!
Later,
BB
Raced yesterday and felt fine. I am running an experiment on fitness and think I passed with a ‘C’ or better. I made a mad dash on a get -away with four laps to go in Balto yesterday, then didn’t manage to totally get away. Saw I had a Colavita girl on me and she wasn’t gonna help with good reason for Tina (it was really windy) so I settled back in to help position Brooke and get her a good lead out. With two laps to go, I got in postition for her, but it was so dicey I thought it was hard to make much work. Tomorrow in Summerville, perhaps.
We had four hours of photoshoots and sponsor visits today. This is a pic of me before we left the house. I am loving my team. We have some really great girls: all positive people. The Aussie and Welsh girls give us plenty to make fun of. Took part in Rolling Thunder. Actually, we waved at the thousands and thousands of Vietnam Vets on motos storming the Mall. Then we rode on the closed down streets. It was amazing. Seeing shit like the Holocaust Museum, the Lincoln Monument, the Capitol, the White House. Really pretty moving, especially since it’s Memorial Day weekend and all. Poor Troops. Glad I have this opportunity to take this all in.
More from NJ. I think they are waiting for me to get off the computer…..
Happy Holiday,
BB
I am so happy to see plants. It’s the little things….like water. I went from Tucson Sonoran Desert to Boulder Rocky Mountain Desert now to the Eastern US. The full spectrum of yellow to green.
I got a random call while on the plane this morning. There was a spotting of me on 28th Street in Boulder last night (have I mentioned how I like Boulder…this being one of many many reasons). It was my director from last year, Karl, and an ex-teamie, Shawn. They thought I was eating Chipotle again and called to tell me enough is enough. Good one. I had “night of greats” having hit the Rio for margs, dinner, and then Glacier Ice Cream, oh, God, I just realized that my blog is starting to sound like Zajicek’s. Here’s a first though: Jake Rosenbarger and Chad had the nastyist face off I have ever witnessed with the Cream. I think they each managed, all told, at least ten (more…)
I’m writing from Chad’s pad in Boulder, CO. I came up here for a couple of days before flying to DC tomorrow. I like it here. It’s green. Too many bikers, though. I was riding behind Chad and Jake yesterday and Chad sat up and started making hand erractic hand movements so I attacked him, unfortunately, you’re always passing other bikers so I attacked some old dudes, too. I’m not sure if anyone here has a job. I think they just ride bikes.
I’m feeling good. Am awaiting some test results to see where I am really at. That’s neither here nor there, but I’m racing all those crits on the East Coast beginning this weekend. I’m pretty excited to meet my teammates. I’ve met only Nikki, and we’ll all be together over there for the first time (we have a team of 8 or 9 for Summerville!).
Hmmm, what else. I like the mountains and am getting ready to go for a bike ride in them. Had some margaritas by the pool yesterday and mojitos (seasoned with some good stories) that are slowing me down a bit this morning. Chad is keeping me fed with his mad cooking skilz. That’s about the sum of it.
More from the East siiide,
BB
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me.”
There are many stories to coincide with this song. But one of my favorite ones came today from a friend that said, that after many Miller Lites, he demanded that the bartender play this song while he drank alone in Athens, GA. The bartender obeyed and the song ran people out of the bar, slowly, dropping like miserable flies. It was turned off halfway through by the agitated co-bartender, but in the meantime, my cyclist friend was allowed a few moments of bliss.
Here’s some fun:
I busted out a fake tooth on Saturday opening a bag of jalapeno pretzels with my teeth, and went to the dentist to get it re-cemented today. I have been feeling off with my health since January, having spontaneously lost my sense of smell (more…)
Tucson. I’m hot. Here’s what’s cool:
Iced Tea. Never liked it. Now I can’t get enough.
My fans in Lawrence, Kansas. The only thing I know about Lawrence is that Atmosphere goes there for shows. He’s cool, too.
Being passionate. Some friends and I have this joke about “the Einstein Bagel Worker’s Face” where they stare longingly out of their eyes and at some point in space. Sure, I may be working at Einstein Bagels somewhere in my future, but I hope to never have that look. Sitting on my death bed and saying, ‘what a great ride’ would be cool.
The coolest guys in cycling. The secret? They have cooler women with them. The Pate? Possibly the coolest dude in professional cycling. I recently met Laura. She’s cool. You think Sayers is cool? (more…)
Here’s how you start a g’damn burger firrrrrrre.
What is new? Well, I am sad to say, I am officially out of my denial. I know. It took three years and running into Kyle on the bike path (literally) the other day when he said, “Beck, you’re growing up”. I hate it. I keep looking around for my crutches but I can’t find them anywhere. I threw them out about five months ago. My favorite crutch was ignoring things, like reality for instance. I decided that instead of jumping on my bike or getting on a plane, I’d actually make myself face things. It blows.
Enough about that though. I have some headlines for the stories I’m working on right now as we ’speak’. Check, check, check it out:
The Sonoran Desert Gets Rain (and loses cylists) Two Days in A Row And The Inhabitants Rejoice in Disbelief
Broeder Set For East Coast Swing of One Days in A Few Days
CTS Turns To LIFE COACHING
Putting Head Under Rare Hose Saves Human From Heat Stroke
Breaking Up May Be Hard To Do, But May Bring Silly People Closer
Health Alert: How Many Burritos Are Too Many?
Candy Found to Cause Unbearable Cravings For Candy (not Candelario, but real candy).
Classifieds. For Sale: A Kick Ass Aprilia Scooter That Gets 85 Miles To The Gallon
A Reader’s Poll: Should Broeder Spend Remaining Savings on Racing?? Send thoughts with brief explaination to beckybroeder@hotmail.com
BB
