Sunday 3 July 2011

My Mont Ste Anne debacle

Mont Ste Anne

Wow I really don't know what that was!! Definitely not my fast though. From lots of past experience I know first hand that this course can eat you up fast if you go out too hard so I made it my goal to keep myself in check off that start. This is one of the most challenging but also rewarding courses on the world cup circuit.....or any other circuit for that matter. It's what you call a "real" mountain bike course with technical climbs and descents. And let me tell you there is a lot of steep climbing here too!!!

So onto race day. Nothing like 29 degrees and super humid to shock the system! Making starting easier even more important. I had a great start keeping my heart rate low and not pushing into the red. Everything was going perfect and I felt really good. Actually a lot better then I usually do on this course.

Near the end of the second lap, not even 40 mins in, it was like a switch and my body just started to reject the idea of doing anything. It truly was a strange feeling, legs felt cold and tingle. Ya strange!!! I know a lot of racing is being able to push through pain but today I didn't have what it took to push through this. I slowed my pace trying to get things to come around but things just kept getting worse. I ended up started my 3rd lap but going backwards fast. At this point it seemed my brain signals were almost getting crossed and I couldn't ride in a straight line.

Finishing lap 3 I was pulled, first time in a couple of years and let me tell you, it's really not a very good feeling. And I have to admit I almost just booked my ticket home to forget about the next world cup in Windham, and take the time to sort myself out. But I truly am a sucker for punishment and keep coming back for more.

So plan for this week is to recover (even though I only raced for an hour yesterday it feels like I've done a 4 hour hammer ride) and try to calm my mind and come to terms with what happened this weekend. I know I'm a better rider and a faster racer then any of my results have proven this year. I just to keep remembering that but at the same time reminding myself that at the end of the day it's just bike riding......which I LOVE to do.

Thanks Regan for being my rock through all this self discovery. Thanks momma and poppa for your continued support. Thanks to all my sponsors for helping my out this season. Thanks to everyone who believes in me :) sappy I know haha.

Alright fast, where are you!!!!!

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