1, 2, 3, 4

This is the true post of Little 500 riders picked to have their lives surrounding America’s Greatest College Weekend posted to the web. To find out what happens when the IDS stops just reporting and starts getting real…check here for The Real Ride – Little 500 style.

1, 2, 3, 4 off…. 1, 2, 3, 4 off… Wash. Rinse. And repeat.

That sequence has been playing again and again in my head all week -- on my walk to class, during class, after class, in the shower, while eating and my molecular homework could take a hit if it doesn’t stop soon.

It’s the sequence I say to myself as I do my exchange and this weekend (at precisely 11:40am—Go Wing It ;)!) I will do one of the most, if not the most, important exchanges for me of this Little 500 season. That’s right, Qualifications are this weekend. Four riders, three exchanges, two retries, one day, and what a fun day it is.

As I sat in class yesterday and walked around campus, I noticed everyone buzzing about their spring break and showing off their newly bronzed skin as the weather pushed the upper 70s. I sat down and looked at my pale knees, and shoulders.

Yep, that’s right. I’m sporting the always-attractive cyclist tan lines from my luxurious spring break at Bill Armstrong Stadium ... and I could not be more proud of them. For me, this spring break was my favorite to date. Getting to live with my best friends, I mean teammates, for seven days and riding on the track feeling more confident and assured each day made for a spectacular spring break. But as spring break flew by like always, Qualifications are flying at all of us at light speed.

Last Monday night, every team crowded into Morrison Hall to randomly draw their qualification time. Fortunately, since my team won the Fall Series, we had the luxury of selecting our quals time versus having to randomly draw one. It was a huge relief to us to get to select our time, so we didn’t have to anxiously wait for our name to be called and draw our fate. When it was all said and done, all 79 teams had their quals time; some were happy some were not, but everyone has a time and Saturday should shape up to be one heck of a qualifying day.

Everyone should come out to watch Qualifications, they wont be disappointed -- I promise. As the team names are put on the board and switched up and down all day long the excitement only grows. I am excited. I am nervous. I am anxious. But, I am ready. I am just taking it one day at a time from now 'til Saturday, or at least one exchange sequence at a time. Back to my molecular homework…

Abigail Legg is a Junior majoring in Neuroscience.  She is in her second year riding for Wing It Cycling. Wing it finished ninth in the 2010 race.