Sitting he in my pjs again, after a morning ride to get a good coffee from the Coffee Klatch. I have to say, I'm somewhat disappointed, I'd been hearing really good things about this place, what with it's national championb barista...I was expecting something great with my Americano but it was very average...you can get way better from just an average coffee shop in Victoria...sorry guys.
Still coughing up dust from yesterday's cross country race, first big race of the season. Wasn't too sure what to expect going into it, legs were very jittery and actually a bit achy....and I was pretty nervous. The course wasn't suited to my strengths, lots of steep climbing...and me being by far the biggest rider in the field...I suffer on that stuff. Had a really solid race though and I'm pleasently surprised with the way things went.
I had a perfect start, clipped in on the first shot, in the perfect gear and rocketed forward into 3rd/4th for the prolog. I held this position through the first couple kms till the big sustained 30% grade climb.....ya, yuck!!!!!! I had to gear myself back on the climb, I was pushing a little too hard and was passed by a handfull of racers dropping back to 6th. At the top of this climb we were sent down some pretty fun/techy singletrack and popped out onto a long pavement climb. I found myself in a little bit of no mans land here, just outta reach of Georgia Gould in front of me and just ahead of Kelly Emmett and Emily Batty behind me. This climb was the worst for exposure to the 50mph gusts of wind...ya, pretty nasty stuff. At the top of the road climb you pop back into singletrack and continue climbing. Here I was passed by Emily and Kelly, pushing the pace to catch Pua Sawiki just ahead. I grabbed a couple gears and stood to try to maintain contact but was dropped pretty quickly on the climb.
Once you hit the top of this long arduous combination of climbing, the course turns around and you have a tail wind almost all the way back to the start finish through winding, tight singletrack. It's a really fun section, but really rutted out and rough from previous years. Through here I was able to real Emily and Kelly back in and catch a little draft through a coupel sections. Kelly managed to put a good gap on Emily and myself up the last loose techy climb to the start/finish....so Emily and I road team tactics through the next 3 laps trying to hunt down the girls in front. Switching off pulling into the wind (hahaha, tough me trying to catch a draft behind Emily is kinda funny), we were able to just about real Heather Irmiger in.
I felt really strong in the final lap and pushed the pace, knowing that once I hit the top, I'd be flying all the way home. Having Heather just ahead of me was good motivation, she was my carrot. Finished a very happy and solid 8th place, only 10 secs behind Heather.
Great turn out from everyone from Trek Canada. Emily finish just behind me in 9th, Eric Batty I believe was 10th, Peter Glassford was 15th and Adam Morka wasn't too far behind him. Great start to the season. Thanks to Mr and Mrs Batty and Barry to all the feeding and tech support!!!!
Having a little troubles this mornign pumping myself up for the short track today.....30 mins of torture!!!! Oh ya baby, bring it on!!!!
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Friday, 26 March 2010
US CUP #1
Here we go again!!!!! Can't believe it's that time of year again, two small but great island cup races to blow all the gunk outta my legs and here we are at the first UCI race in North America for the year. It's a whirl wind trip for me, due to tight budget and really not wanting to be away from Victoria and Regan right now. Grabbed the 5:30 am flight this morning outta Vic and with a short stop over in Vancouver, landed in LA just before 10. By the time I picked up my rental, nice little PT Cruiser (gotta say, although it's a pretty gutless car, it's the perfect rental for a racing weekend...easliy fits bike box and all my gear with enough room for another person and their gear), grabbed a wicked chicken burrito and ice tea (with 2 large chicken breasts for $4..only in the US) I made it to Fontana and had my bike built and was on course just after 1.
Different course from 2 years ago, same as last years I've been told. Substantially shorter and with a super gnarly steep long and loose climb 5 mins in....I'm thinking first lap is going to be a runner. Only an hour in the sun and my arms already have a good red tinge to them, I think the heat is gonna hurt a little tomorrow.
XC tomorrow at 12 for the women, mens at 2:30. ST on Sunday at 2:00, men at 2:45. Find a place to crash for the night and an early flight home monday morning.
Pretty knackered right now, had a great massage yesterday, killer 1 hour easy spin and great day being lazy in my pjs with Regan...hehe, need those kind of days sometimes. Time to make some supper, stretch and relax for the night...yippeee!!!!
Different course from 2 years ago, same as last years I've been told. Substantially shorter and with a super gnarly steep long and loose climb 5 mins in....I'm thinking first lap is going to be a runner. Only an hour in the sun and my arms already have a good red tinge to them, I think the heat is gonna hurt a little tomorrow.
XC tomorrow at 12 for the women, mens at 2:30. ST on Sunday at 2:00, men at 2:45. Find a place to crash for the night and an early flight home monday morning.
Pretty knackered right now, had a great massage yesterday, killer 1 hour easy spin and great day being lazy in my pjs with Regan...hehe, need those kind of days sometimes. Time to make some supper, stretch and relax for the night...yippeee!!!!
Monday, 15 March 2010
Freeeeeeedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Done.....and done......
Finished up my last night shift, packed up and flew home saturday night....yippeeeee :)
Last minute decision to do the first island cup....can't miss a local race in Victoria at the Dump. Regan raced intermediate at noon and rocked the fully riged steel 29er to a solid 3rd place (great job babe!!!)
Catharine Pendrel (and her hubby Keith) made the road trip out to the island and decided to do the race, as well as Melanie McQuaid and Joele Guynup....ended up being a great race. I really wasn't sure what to expect from my legs, I've just been doing trainer rides for the last 3 weeks and only going on about 6 hours of sleep in the past 2 days..uggh. Warm up was painful, only thing that kept me going was my brand spanking new super sexy full carbon Series 9 Trek hardtail.....oh my goodness, after a winter of riding a 30 poundish 29er I feel like superwoman on this thing!!!!
Off the start I had a pretty good jolt of energy (the beer preem at the top of the climb was good motivation......somehow we got missed though and never did get the beer) and lead out the group up the major climb. We quickly started moving through the expert men's field which started a minute ahead of us. I managed to put a couple of guys between myself and Catharine...I was feeling pretty proud of myself...hehe. But with a quick shoulder check I noticed she'd managed to move back in behind me...with Melanie in tow.
Coming up to a small steep rock face, there was a guy on the left line off his bike, and a guy on right line straight up the rock) off his bike. I quickly decided to take the right line and half way up I clipped my guy as he was turning and slide 10 feet down the wet rock listening to the pedal of my new bike grinding down the rock.....ahhhhhh!!!!! Picking the left line, Catharine cleaned the rock and quickly put 20 seconds on me. As I'm picking myself and running back up, I hear Melanie coming up behind me encouraging me to get back on the bike.
For the rest of the first lap, Melanie and I motor along just outta reach of Catharine. Going into the second lap I hear Melanie slip up on a small rock face and I grab a couple gears and hammer up the start climb...outta sight outta mind.
For the last 2 laps I kinda find myself in no mans land....not able to see Catharine, but getting reports that she's 40secs, 30secs, 60 secs ahead of me, and just outta sight of Melanie. Finish off the first race of the season 2 mins behind Catharine and 2 mins ahead of Melanie.
Great way to blow out all the oilsands from my legs and lungs. Love, love, love my race bike, Trek Series 9. Gonna clean it up really good and pack it away for Fontana in 2 weekends. Special thanks to my mechanic for building up my race rig and again to Barry at Trek Toronto.
Also big thanks to the guys at Pro City Cycle (Trek Victoria) fo hosting the awesome race...super fun course and very well run. Next week, Port Alberni :)
Finished up my last night shift, packed up and flew home saturday night....yippeeeee :)
Last minute decision to do the first island cup....can't miss a local race in Victoria at the Dump. Regan raced intermediate at noon and rocked the fully riged steel 29er to a solid 3rd place (great job babe!!!)
Catharine Pendrel (and her hubby Keith) made the road trip out to the island and decided to do the race, as well as Melanie McQuaid and Joele Guynup....ended up being a great race. I really wasn't sure what to expect from my legs, I've just been doing trainer rides for the last 3 weeks and only going on about 6 hours of sleep in the past 2 days..uggh. Warm up was painful, only thing that kept me going was my brand spanking new super sexy full carbon Series 9 Trek hardtail.....oh my goodness, after a winter of riding a 30 poundish 29er I feel like superwoman on this thing!!!!
Off the start I had a pretty good jolt of energy (the beer preem at the top of the climb was good motivation......somehow we got missed though and never did get the beer) and lead out the group up the major climb. We quickly started moving through the expert men's field which started a minute ahead of us. I managed to put a couple of guys between myself and Catharine...I was feeling pretty proud of myself...hehe. But with a quick shoulder check I noticed she'd managed to move back in behind me...with Melanie in tow.
Coming up to a small steep rock face, there was a guy on the left line off his bike, and a guy on right line straight up the rock) off his bike. I quickly decided to take the right line and half way up I clipped my guy as he was turning and slide 10 feet down the wet rock listening to the pedal of my new bike grinding down the rock.....ahhhhhh!!!!! Picking the left line, Catharine cleaned the rock and quickly put 20 seconds on me. As I'm picking myself and running back up, I hear Melanie coming up behind me encouraging me to get back on the bike.
For the rest of the first lap, Melanie and I motor along just outta reach of Catharine. Going into the second lap I hear Melanie slip up on a small rock face and I grab a couple gears and hammer up the start climb...outta sight outta mind.
For the last 2 laps I kinda find myself in no mans land....not able to see Catharine, but getting reports that she's 40secs, 30secs, 60 secs ahead of me, and just outta sight of Melanie. Finish off the first race of the season 2 mins behind Catharine and 2 mins ahead of Melanie.
Great way to blow out all the oilsands from my legs and lungs. Love, love, love my race bike, Trek Series 9. Gonna clean it up really good and pack it away for Fontana in 2 weekends. Special thanks to my mechanic for building up my race rig and again to Barry at Trek Toronto.
Also big thanks to the guys at Pro City Cycle (Trek Victoria) fo hosting the awesome race...super fun course and very well run. Next week, Port Alberni :)
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Friday, 5 March 2010
NORTH
I've had my camera up north here the whole time, and I've been meaning to take pic's......but I'm kinda lame in that department right now.
Here's a few though :)
Plus 15 reeks havoc on the roads around here.....everything is filthy!!!
Here's the outside of my rig, Clifford....I'll get a pic of my core shack...wahoooo!!!
And this is where I am spending all of my training time right now :) I guess I'm pretty lucky to have my own shack with satellite TV, I hear up at Suncor you have to set your trainer up out in the muddy parking lot....yikes!!
Here's a few though :)
Plus 15 reeks havoc on the roads around here.....everything is filthy!!!
Here's the outside of my rig, Clifford....I'll get a pic of my core shack...wahoooo!!!
And this is where I am spending all of my training time right now :) I guess I'm pretty lucky to have my own shack with satellite TV, I hear up at Suncor you have to set your trainer up out in the muddy parking lot....yikes!!
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