NVGP

Whew! NVGP had a rough start this year with that storm during the St Paul criterium, but with six stages, a race this great can afford one messed up stage.

Super-Rookie deserves some credit for matching me up with the ValueAct Capital team, led by Lisa Hunt. I have provided massage services to NVGP teams in the past, but I've never been in a full soigneur role. This year I decided to take on that role, and see what is was all about.

At first, I knew it would be a little tough for me to jump in and be a vocal member of a team, as I'm used to operating my own business, and rarely have to confer with anyone else about decisions, except the one client on the table of course. So it was a challenge, but only for a couple of days. Then I started to feel less like a square peg and more like a cog in the machine that is a cycling team. Brian the mechanic joked with me a bit, and the racers became more comfortable with my style as they began to understand my methods. Lisa is an excellent leader, as she provides information, instruction, and then lets you work.

The hardest part of the job was not sleep deprivation (although I really don't like that at all), but knowing that I would soon feel like I knew these people and have to say good-bye in five days. I want them to know it wasn't easy, and so I will try to follow the team's progress and offer advice on what to do when those legs feel sluggish. And I'm going to hold Marni to her promise to walk on my back (you whippersnapper)!

Best wishes to Lisa, Brian, Lara, Chrissy, Hannah, Emily, Sharon, Martina, and Marni!