Competitve cyclists are always looking to increase their average speed. Whether through better product development, lighter and more aerodynamic bikes, structured training, or even performance enhancing drugs the goal has always been the same. WE WANT TO GO FASTER!

In the past month PRC's two-time state champion Ana Nelson has increased her average speed on her local roads from 19mph to 28mph! An amazing gain in such a short time. How did she manage such a gain in her performance? Well, the strategy is pretty simple. She started going downhill more.

"It was like a light bulb went off in my head." Ana said, "When I go downhill I go fast. And since my goal was to go faster I thought, #%&@ it, if I just go downhill all the time I'll be the fastest girl on the team!" Ana has incorporated dozens of downhill sprints and time trials into her daily workout and the results are proving to be phenominal. In just one ride, Ana increased her average speed nearly 14mph and went on to say, "It would have much faster had there not been a flat spot in the middle of the downhill. Stupid Iowa roads."

With dedicated downhill training PRC can't wait to see what Ana brings to the 2009 downhill road season! Rock on Ana!!

We've been running a pretty loaded YouTube page for most of the year now, and we're always interested in our statistics... who is watching PRC, what are our key demographics and are our videos reaching those people, which videos get the most response, etc. Below is a screen shot from YouTube detailling the visitors to our page.

Some interesting bits about this are: 1) More than 75% of our viewers are male. 2) Most of those viewers are either 13-17 years old or 55-64 years old. 3) The most popular videos have suggestive words in the titles, i.e. SPANKED and GIRL ON GIRL. Interesting stuff for sure. If you've got time to kill go through some of the videos we've collected this year... especially if you're female or age 45-54... we need you watching to even out our numbers. ;) Ha!

PRC'S YOUTUBE PAGE

John Pemble from the Iowa Public Radio recently contacted Punk Rock Cycling after learning about our upcoming Cranksgiving event. John interviewed PRC, sponsors, participants, volunteers at Mars Cafe and even rode in a burley to collect food for our event.

Thanks to PRC's Chris Maravelas, we have additional great pictures from Cranksgiving along with three cool videos.

Check them out HERE.

On the left is a picture of the sweet Corvette Cruiser donated by Spoke9 along with the give-away bike winner, Jeremy Cribb! Congrats Jeremy!

Special thanks again goes out to everyone who particpated, donated and volunteered at our event. THANK YOU!! We were able to donate 2483 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Iowa. Awesome!

Also, congrats to Jeremy Cribb who win the Schwinn Corvette that was donated by Bob at Spoke9. It's a cool cruiser that definitely caught the attention of many. Thanks again Bob!

Here is the complete list of all who finished Cranksgiving before the 2 hour limit:

1. Matt Riggs
2. Nathan Bartels
3. Emily Schaapveld
4. Steve Fuller
5. Nate Thesing
6. Julie Hugo
7. Scott Sumpter
8. Kent Carlson
9. Jen Veak
10. Wade Stover
11. Jeff Stiegman
12. Andy Stover
13. Eric Jones
14. Kale Snavely
15. Zach Foltz
16. Jenny Weber
17. Jay Elder
18. Craig Hanken
19. Emma Davis
20. Walter Githens
21. Steve Lambert
22. Pasha Korsakov
23. Graham Johnston
24. Logan Russell
25. Scott Russell
26. Ryan French
27. Kurt Bensen
28. Brad Kramer
29. Jerry Lancaster
30. Bret Lancaster
31. Wendy Herrick
32. David Carpenter
33. TJ Davis
34. Cam Kirkpatrick
35. Julie Vardaman
36. Brad Anderson
37. Russell Seaton
38. Julie Sedore
39. Julie Goodman
40. Chad Conklin
41. Nathan Davis
42. Rick Blackford
43. Steven Hall
44. Jacob Naumann
45. Mike Lebeda
46. Keely Shannon
47. Sammy Lopez
48. Elliot Thompson
49. Kyle Sedore
50. Brian Appleby
51. Laura Boeing
52. Michael Boeing
53. Elizabeth Thompson
54. Catherine Hicket
55. Ali Doyle
56. David Howard
57. Jamie Mansfield
58. Alicia Rollison
59. Dan Scannell
60. Curtis Brown
61. Carl Blass
62. Doug Smith
63. Rick Shannon
64. Devon Shannon
65. Kelsey Freeman
66. Alaina Spaur
67. Paul Black
68. Alex Stamer
69. Reggie Blanco
70. Lincoln Decklemer
71. Tim Tripp
72. Bailey Tripp
73. Rob Tull
74. Drew Snodemass (DFL) *Results were stopped when 2 hrs were reached.

The women of Punk Rock Cycling hope you join us TODAY for Cranksgiving. Registration is at noon with the race at 1pm. Lots of cool prizes to be given away, plus you get to ride your bike for a great cause. The custom painting done on the left by Joan Broek will even be given away. Thanks Joan!

Come to Cranksgiving on Saturday for your chance to win LOTS of cool prizes. Also, a chance at winning the sweet Schwinn Corvette pictured here, donated by Spoke9.

Cranksgiving is this Saturday, November 22nd at Mars Café (2318 University Ave. in Des Moines). Registration is at noon and race starts at 1pm.

You will be given a grocery list of 12 items which you must purchase from 12 different stores. You choose the stores, you choose the route. Once all participants return, we’ll collect the food and donate it to the Food Bank of Iowa. We will give everyone a map with local streets and stores. Join us THIS Saturday!

Thanks to all of the businesses who have donated for our event! There will be many cool give-away items because of their donations. THANK YOU!!

The Noodle ZooThe Village BeanEphemera Stationary StudioGreen GoodsFrom The Heart

Rasmussen Bike Shop, Mars Café, Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo, Hy-Vee, Spoke9, Brent & Cindy Mitchell, Specialized, Oakley, BikeIowa.com, CHROME, Splash Seafood, Jason's Deli, Firehouse Yoga, Urban Velo, Harlot Wear, T-Shirt Graphix, Baby Boomers, SMASH, The Lift and the Vaudeville Mews, The Des Moines Music Coalition, Olde Main Brewing Co., Be the Butterfly, Tandem Brick Gallery, Jake's Journey, WineStyles, Joan Broek, The Noodle Zoo, Green Goods, The Village Bean, Ephemera Stationary Studio, From The Heart, The Longest Yard, Simpson College Men’s Basketball Team, Taki Restaurant, The Yard, Court Avenue Brewing Company, Wallabys Bar and Grill, Dublin Bay Irish Pub, Aunt Maudes, The Café.

SARA BROEK
Hometown: Urbandale
Resides: West Des Moines
'09 Race Age: 24
Professional Life: I'm a writer for the health magazines and websites at Meredith Corporation. You can check out some of my stuff HERE. http://www.hearthealthyonline.com/

Any past race results?
I just started cycling in February '08 and fell in love with the sport the first time I clipped in to "White Lightening," my Specialized Dolce Elite. My first event that involved biking was the Hy-Vee Triathlon. I loved every minute of the race, which lead me to want to do more.

What excites you most about PRC?
The things I will learn. I'm VERY new to the sport and I know that there are no better people than the girls of PRC to get me to the level I want to be.

What do you feel you can uniquely bring to the team?
My smile, my devotion, my energy, my humor, and my banana bread.

How do you hope to promote more women to cycle/race?
I plan to talk, advertise and promote our events to pretty much everyone that I know. I also want to invite the Meredith cycling and triathlon teams to our Ritual Rides, duathlons and Race Like A Girl events. I want to advertise PRC to fitness and cycling magazines, so they will want us on their cover.

Other cycling goals you have for yourself or PRC in '09?
Get more involved with yoga and strength training. Become better, faster, stronger and just have a blast doing it!

Thanks to Bob at Spoke9, enter the give-away on Saturday for your chance to win the sweet blue Schwinn Corvette! It’s quite a ride and in great shape as you can tell from the picture.

Don’t miss the opportunity and thanks again to Bob. We appreciate it!

See you Saturday!

Cranksgiving is Saturday, November 22nd at Mars Cafe (2318 University Ave. in Des Moines, IA). Registration opens at noon, race starts at 1pm.

READ THE LIST ON BIKE IOWA!

READ THE LIST ON TRUE SPORT!

MARIA
Hometown: Indianapolis
Resides: Des Moines
'09 Race Age: 39
Employer: I’m a lawyer, employed at Whitfield & Eddy.
Family: Married with 2 kids (6 and 8).

Race background: Raced bikes for 2 years. Have also done a few triathlons, and a number of 1/2 marathons
2008 Past Race Results: 1st Elkhart Time Trial Series (C4), 1st State Championship Time Trial (C4), 1st State Championship Team Time Trial, 2nd Green Days Criterium, 3rd State Championship Criterium (C4)

What excites you most about PRC? Awesome teammates and sponsors!
What do you feel you can uniquely bring to the team? The mommy van
How do you hope to promote more women to cycle/race? Encourage everyone I know to come ride with us at the Ritual Ride. To put on races and encourage women to show up.
Other cycling goals you have for yourself or PRC in '09? To have a crash and mechanical free racing season--and hopefully upgrade

Special thanks to Bob Skidmore at Spoke 9 for donating sweet Cranksgiving spoke cards! Be one of the first 100 to register at Cranksgiving and get your spoke card (pictured here). Thanks again Bob! We appreciate it.

Don’t miss out! PRC’s Alleycat Cranksgiving ’08 is:

Next Saturday, November 22nd at Mars Café, Des Moines. Registration starts at noon with the race starting at 1pm.

You will be given a list of 12 grocery items which you must purchase from 12 different stores. Collect the receipts, we’ll add them up and donate all of the food to the Food Bank of Iowa.

Join us! Any questions or want to volunteer? Email punk@punkrockcycling.com

Thanks to Kristin Armstrong's newest campaign for Chocolate Milk, we here at PRC have made a team decision to only drink chocolate milk in post race situations.

According to studies chocolate milk supplies the correct amount of carbohydratess to protiens needed for a solid recovery. So from here out, it's only chocolate milk for PRC!! (That is, unless we're drinking beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda, apple cider with rum, or just straight shots of diesel fuel syphoned from an Elder truck.)

Other than that, it's all chocolate milk for us!

KERI
Hometown: Leesburg, VA
Resides: Indianola, IA
'09 Race Age: 31
Employer: I work for Experian as a Strategic Account Executive.

Athletic Background: I was involved in most sports growing up, and received a scholarship to play basketball in college. Life after competitive sports led me to running and biking. I have competed in many races, finishing 2nd for women in the 5K Dam to Dam race in 2007 and finishing 5th in my age group in my first attempt at triathlon in the HyVee triathlon in Des Moines in 2007. In 2008, I got a flat tire in HyVee.

What excites you most about PRC? Experiencing the life of racing bikes! Going fast!

What do you feel you can uniquely bring to the team? Well it's not race experience, but I will bring a great attitude, personality, and leadership.

How do you hope to promote more women to cycle/race? My ambition is to share my joy of biking to others by encouraging them to, "just ride."

Other cycling goals you have for yourself or PRC in '09? Since we have a couple State Champs on the team from the 08 racing year, we have to have some in 09.

Tomorrow morning is Renegade Cyclocross Practice in Des Moines at 9am. Come early if you want for warm-up laps. Each week, the venue changes but for tomorrow, plan to meet at Witmer Park in Des Moines (37th and Washington between Beaverdale and the Drake Area).

Hope to see you there!

Ok PRC fans, several of you are curious about cyclocross and we now have a video from this past weekend's State Cyclocross Championship women's race. Congrats to PRC's Emily Schaapveld for her first cyclocross race of the year.

Two races and I am recked.

State Cyclocross Championships
Although this was the State Champ race, I had no intentions of going into it to do anything more than have fun, so that’s what I did. This was the first cross race I have competed in this year, other than a couple of the Tuesday night Renegade Cross series practice races. I had no expectations other than 45 minutes of fun and agony.

There were only 11 of us racing in the women’s open. Since the categories were not split, I was up against some strong competition…Kim Eppen and Robin Williams, just to name a couple. I knew I was going to be off the back from the get go, so I wasn’t upset about eating some dust right away. I played cat and mouse with Kristin G for a couple laps, and then she put me in the hurt box. I tried hard to catch her, but then she hurt her wrist jumping over a barrier and pulled out of the race. At this point, the next person ahead was way ahead and out of my league. The person behind me was far enough behind that I didn’t feel the need to push harder and lengthen the gap. So, I buckled down, tried to put a smile on my face, enjoyed practicing my bunny hops, and eventually finished the race a solid 7th…out of 11. :)

Dirty Duathlon
The Dirty Du was a different story from State Cross. I went into this race knowing that I had a chance to finish very well. I knew that I could have used a bit more mountain bike practice on Rollercoaster, but I was determined to tackle it the best I could, no matter how many bruises it gave me.

The day started off great with the race not starting until noon, great since I was out late the night before enjoying a couple Halloween parties. The course consisted of a 2+ mile trail run, 12 mile mountain bike, and another 2+ mile trail run. By go time, I was amped up and ready to race. It was a mass start, so everyone took off running up the first hill. To my surprise, I felt like crap. My legs were tired and cramped, and I couldn’t catch my breath. I suffered the first two miles. Come to think of it, a cross race, followed by super high sodium A-Dong soup, followed by partying was my race preparation. I could not wait to get on the bike, so I thought. Of course, that leg started with a climb. My legs were screaming at me so loud that I would not have been surprised if they just fell off. It took one full lap for me to get my legs under me again…thank goodness, because I had another 3 laps. The next laps were a little rough, dropping my chain five times, with a couple hard falls. By lap four, I was back at my game, working diligently to catch Kim Hopkins, who passed me earlier. I pulled into transition, felt great and threw on my running shoes. I finally managed to catch Kim on the run, which put me in 2nd place. I wasn’t sure how far ahead the first place runner was, so I kicked my legs in gear to at least secure the number two spot…which is exactly what I got!

My body hurts all over today, but it was totally worth it!