Blooming...allergies!

It has been over 3 weeks since I have started to suffer from some major allergies! Had no idea I even had allergies! But after waiting (im)patiently, telling them that my nose is totally stopped up, my eyes and skin red and itchy, sneezing uncontrollably ...well it actually took a bloody nose last tuesday to actually get their attention, and me COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT!  I had already seen the team doc, and he had prescribed me antihistamine (which makes you really tired!) and nasonex, but he symptoms persisted and got worse. Along with those medications he also prescribed this blood allergy test called RAST which I had to wait until a few days later to get it done, by then it was already Friday and the results take a couple of days so yesterday I got the test results and went to see the team doctor and sure enough...VERY ALLERGIC to the grassfields here ...even olive tree blooms I am mildly allergic to.  He wasn't too surprised, specially after taking a look at me....I was red , swollen, with rashes (itchy ones) all over, legs, arms, face, chest, back.  Unfortunately until I can get on a proper treatment that involves a corticosteroid for my airways I need to wait till I do this other exam that is required by UCI since if i get tested that would come out + for doping, just like an asthmatic person w/o a TUE would get busted for using an inhaler.  Then after I get those test results which I hope I can get it done soon, then the team doc has to send it all to usacycling, then I wait, when I finally get the approval from UCI for treatment, then  the doc can start ! Isn't that bananas?? wow...that is not good, on top of feeling horrible, want to peel my skin off and feeling tired from breathing only through my mouth, I shouldn't be allowed outside in order to keep the severe allergy reaction under control.  That's not good! how the heck am I supposed to train !!!HELP!! I bet you can't tell I am freaking out! well...its a delicate thing when you have to deal with your own health in a foreign country, I don't really know the language to that extent to where I can explain myself or understand all that needs to be done in order to help myself...treatment and etc.  At least we don't race till June 9th hopefully we will be able to get everything sorted out before then!

THE NEWS!

So much has happened since the last time I posted a blog.  I didn't feel I could write anything because things were constantly changing.  People leaving, and new people coming.  So much up in the air. I didn't even know what to make of it all myself.  Sometimes it is better to give it time for things to settle a bit and to process everything.  Our first loss was Carmen she returned to the US, after we returned from Holland.  We all miss her very much, but after talking to her since she has been back home she sounded much much happier, she made the right decision for her, seems like.  Then shortly after tour de Bern, Alessia was the other one who was also out of the team.  Hole mole! The same day that Alessia  left to go home the team owner and DS had big news for us.  We had two new additions to the team. Ok...brace yourselves.... Tatiana Guderzo...she took 3rd in the Olympics last year in the road race.  Also her national teammate Monia Baccaile. WOW!!!What I was flattered, excited and nervous...nervous because I want to be able to support my teammates. I hope I can live up to it! I have raced with them in local races before, local meaning in Italy only, since their current team is not UCI one of the reasons why they both joined our team ,the other reason to why they've joined us is because they are both sponsored by Campagnolo and Pinarello and Bora wheels and the bigger teams just could not accommodate their needs, lucky for us I suppose! Too bad we can't get on the same stuff that their on ...cheeky me! 

I AM NOT ALONE!

difficulties and the infinite passion 

  The cycling season has entered the women live in all the fire, a nerve schizzandocome early live appearances. The national calendar, increasingly anorexic, now does not allow more circuits to warm in spring, just as happened after allowing the quest for brilliance and pending verification of the condition of international events of a certain weight. A losers were sprinters, and especially since the first races of the year, as a rule they were exclusive. March and April, the first two competitions, there were just so few races, all international, all selective. Faticaccia for "old" long experience, almost a "mission impossible" for girls to be baptized with the professionalism. It was a beautiful dive into the storm for many of them, with the aim to survive and escape from the storm strengthened, unless your name is Marianne Vos, able to dominate uphill, downhill, sprint and time trial, thus imposing on the road, track and cyclocross since the first impact with the big. The variety of his collection rainbow is really feeling and inspires respect. The sudden impact with the harsh reality was not sure how experienced a problem. Has no puffing or made of grimaces, indeed, meet and face after an endless winter is always nice. Ben is racing to the forefront and prestige with streets that tell the story of a heroic cycling, but also new ones, still filled with hills, walls and Pavè! Percorsi true, as thick athletic world, battle, challenge, entertainment: these are the synonyms of "we want to grow." However, if the first tests of the World Cup - which contain the highest summit of cycling - were joined by race "contour", we would have a different picture. A painting that does not urlerebbe, but there would be more balanced, less hurried, more comprehensive, multi, just as they did once, and as always happens in the men's professional cycling. And to us ... what we are missing those short tours of three - four, maximum five points, distributed between March and May, or Giro di Pordenone, Giro di Bolzano, Giro di San Marino ... all jump events as bowling, one after the other within a few years ... even as the spring meetings in France (Tour de Vendee, Tour de Epinal), or Spain (Vuelta Castilla y Leon, Tour of Mallorca), all stored and forgotten. A framework, this current, which unfortunately has very little to be admired. 
But nothing happens by chance: all these and many other races have flat rate for a heavy financial problems. We are told that the economic crisis has stifled any good way ... and the only desire, is not enough anymore. No passion, even the most innocent, pure example is capable of self campare air. Companies-say-live with the fear of failure and this fear is discouraging investment and causing a standstill of the sponsorship. 
Another similar painting to the museum hypothetical cycling women, are giving the training cycle of the peninsula. Some are in trouble and do not have enough money to pay their travel abroad, which would cost too much for a budget cut very suddenly. Others struggle to pay back the athletes, creating anxiety and nervousness in a group already solid and cemented. The sponsor is in stand by - we cover - does not get more requests, production is temporarily stopped, a momentaccio ... 

The economic crisis hits and it hurts .... we are not speaking about other things now ... But sometimes the difficulty fortified, they grow and mature. Money is short, but we must also keep the nerves strong, confident in better times. And meanwhile, try to erase with the sweat of the ride, those useless rusts of dissatisfaction, frustration and ammarezza from the period of uncertainty .... Taking the example of those who suffered and are suffering real. I am referring to the earthquake in Italy which has just cleared whole countries, erasing memories and lives. 

The people of Abruzzo has reacted with great courage, character and personality by inviting all of us, far more fortunate, to be an examination of conscience, reflecting and re-evaluating certain values. We have chosen an activity-based effort, but the physical suffering will never be comparable to the pain they cause the cracks of the soul. 
We wander for a moment that "throws" and a little fatigue, but they are miserable and problemini ridiculous to compare with the loss of life. We are here to ride and chase dreams, meanwhile someone lives (still) in a few blue tent ... waiting to start from scratch. 
The passion and the desire to cycling remain a shining beacon for the strenuous climb to the stars. The wheel of the caravan was never stops ... turns slowly, it then takes the brakes, makes a tour in vacuum but then again rotate regularly. The passion does not ever dipingerà its colors everything we encounter on the way, riding alone on the edge of the road, but is in need of reliable travel companions. That pink demands for increased visibility and professionalism, but also of clear, precise and uniform, universally accepted and respected. 

Un abbraccio 

Edita Pucinskaite (former world champ)

http://www.ciclismoinrosa.net/

I had to use google to translate it so not all the italian words had a proper english translation ...but I think you can get the whole picture.  I have been struggling with my own potential, abilities and goals since I have thrown myself in to this level of racing. Most of you know that I have not been cycling for a long time.  I did my first cat4 race in 2006. Being here makes me feel like it all over again.  So much to learn! So many amazing women that inspire and motivate me.  I can't let go, I can't give up , I won't give up!Stay tuned I have more news coming....