XC Nationals 2009

After listening to the sounds of rain on the roof most of the night I really wanted to just snuggle down deeper under the covers and sleep, but the damn ducks outside my window would have none of that…..hehe. The course however was in remarkably great shape considering the rain, there is so much sand that the water drains away fast.

I’ve taken this whole past week really easy to recover from the BC Bike Race, and I ended up doing a long warm-up before the race just to get my heart rate to react. Off the start I felt surprisingly great, I managed to stay relatively close to Catharine and Marie-Helene through the start loop without feeling like I was over extending myself.

Through the first singletrack I don’t know what happened but I found myself smacked off my bike and flat on my face so fast I couldn’t even say ‘OH NO!!!”. Amanda was really was really close behind in fourth and by the time I jumped back on my bike she was right there. I got things cruising again only to look up and find myself going off course on a sharp left corner….this time I had time for the “OH S*&^!!!!” right into the tape. Amanda slipped by me here and I hoped on her wheel as fast as I could.

Amanda and I road together for the first 2 laps, she’d pull away in a couple spots and I’d pull her back in through other sections. I still felt really strong, surprisingly strong. Half way through the 3rd lap my legs started feeling the tiredness I was expecting from the start and tthhiinnggss ssttaaarrrtttiiinnnggg slllllloooowwwwwiiiiinnnggg ddddooooooowwwwwnnnnnnn. I finished 4th place, best nationals finishing for me ever, and all things considered I’m really happy with how the day went. Huge congrats to Catharine Pendreal, Canada's newest national champion!!!!!

Check out www.cyclingdirt.org for some cool video coverage and interviews.

Hanging out in Montreal for a couple of days, trying to dodge the crazy rain..yikes, thought I was going float away in todays storm. Wednesday I’m hoping another plane out east to PEI…really excited, never been east of Quebec. Out in PEI for the weekend, then back to Quebec for the next 2 World Cups…

Ciao