Good morning Little 500!

Well its official the race is only 8 days away and the Little 500 fever has struck Bloomington. I am currently on my front porch eating a bowl of cereal and listening to Sweet Home Alabama, spring has sprung! The weather is heating up, the bars are getting more crowded and the track is filling up with nerves.

We had the final practice race of the season and we looked strong. Laura started us off and kept us on the lead lap and with the top ten teams. Most of us got a chance to get on the track and experience a taste of what race day will be like. As a veteran I feel very lucky because I know what is coming. I feel like I am holding an amazing secret, because the girls have no idea how much fun they are going to have yet.

It would be impossible to truly put into words what it means to be on that track on race day with thousands of people cheering and all your best friends in matching shirts. Your heart swells and you feel this numbing feeling of pride in Indiana. There are few things more true to the University's core than the Little 500. Here students come to throw their hearts and bodies on the line to compete for essentially bragging rights for the next year and to raise money to support their fellow students. You feel this connectedness with all the riders past and present that can't ever be fully explained. If you have been lucky enough to witness a Little 500 in Bill Armstrong stadium you have had a taste of this passion and pride and for those of you who will be going for the first time, GET EXCITED!

So thank you all for your outpouring of support this year and we can't wait to share next Friday with you. And for my girls, who are checking the blog instead of homework, I love all of you very much. I think I may burst with pride when I see all of you ride on Friday. And I can't help but feel sorta like Santa since I have had the privilege to put the Little 500 in your lives. And trust me this is better than Christmas.

Thank you all! Enjoy spring and GET EXCITED only 8 days to the Women's Little 500!!