Post Race

Guatemala

So far so good :) Never been south of North America (Australia doesn't count) so I was pretty excited about being able to finally participate in the Pan Ams (no more final exams to contend with). Unfortunately, for reasons beyond my control and that don't seem to make much sense to me, I had to fly from Victoria to Toronto on one day and then from Toronto to Guatemala on the second day. 2 days of travel to get here was really tough on the system...and my posture. We arrived in Guatemala City on wednesday afternoon...and everyone on team Canada was missing one or two bags of luggage...they seemed to be taking a holiday in Miami. In my brilliant thinking, or lack of thinking, my bike shoes and clothes were in the bag that I decided at last minute to check instead of carrying on....and of course it didn't come, but I guess I was lucky to at least have my bike arrive. By the time we got to the hotel, settled in, built bikes, found a grocery store (2 hour walking in circles with bad directions) it was too dark to go for a spin. I guess it's not the best neighborhood to be out after dark :( Fortunately our bags arrived 10pm that night...yippeeee.

Course is pretty fun and fast, not very technical, but really really rough. The crazy thunder and rain storm we had thursday night did wonders for the course (though it cut out the internet and power :) You learn really fast that things work on Spanish time here, no one really knows whats going on, and when people start flocking to the buses or to food.....you should follow. It's a pretty neat set up, all the cyclists are staying at the same hotel (except the Americans), and all meals are provided and buses too and from the venue....there seems to be no rhyme or reason to how things happen sometimes but everything seems to get done. The meals have been great, a little on the small side and lacking a lot of color (very very very few vegies).....I do have to say that Guatemalans do know how to cook chicken.

So just sitting in our highly air conditioned hotel room, legs up, relaxing, recovering....waiting for supper. Tomorrow morning, we race at 8am...yikes.

Coconut water is supposed to be great for electrolytes, which is essential down here. And it just looks cool drinking straight outta a huge fresh coconut.

Cyclingmagazine.ca

http://cyclingmagazine.ca/2010/03/sections/news/us-cup-racing-starts-this-weekend-in-fontana/

Interview going into Fontana :)

Oakley Rocks

Just wanted to say a big thanks to Steve Blick and Oakley for some wicked new glasses.

I've always loved my Radars and the women's version Endure, so I've never tried the jawbones out....but wow, they are pretty comfortable.....and the ability to completely customize it pretty cool too!!!! They make me feel fast !!!!

Oakley has some pretty cool casual women's glasses out this year too, super excited to sport the new Discreet (shown in the geeky pic below) and Deception this summer too.

http://oakley.ca/

First big weekend of racing

Ya I know, I'm a little slow on the ST post. It's been a busy week, but I'm mutli-tasking very well right now.....drinking coffee, making super, doing laundry....so I thougt I'd do some blogging as well. Short track on sunday went surprisingly well especially considering our morning ride to the dissappointing Coffee Klatch I really didn't want to race...I totally would have been okay just hanging out in my pj's all day. Short track is definitely a good event for me, short and painful, and this course was well suited to me....not a lot of climbing. I got a second row call up, but had a great start and found myself in the top 6, which quickly split from the rest of the race. I found myself moving back and fourth in this group from 6th to 4th to 3rd to 5th....constantly changing. Halfway through Gary Fisher riders Willow and Heather split off the front and did a great job of team tactics pulling away from the chase group. In the final couple laps Kelly Emmett and I found ourselves in 5th and 6th, just out of reach of Georgia Gould and XC winner Lene Byberg. Kelly lead through the second last lap and I pulled out a head of her going through the start finish. Here I decided was going to be my only chance of stealing 5th place...so I hammered down, pushing the pace on the final lap. Beyond the first km it's a really difficult course to pass on, so I knew I had the upper hand against Kelly, but decided not to tempt fate and kept pushing myself....and was able to open up a small gap taking 5th place :)

Little disapppointed after the race, I hung around in my chamois (a clean one) for almost 4 hours waiting for podium (always excited for a US Cup podium)...only to find out after all events were finished and all podiums were done (ST men's being the last)....that Willow, Heather and Georgia had done their own podium right after the race (Lene had headed out right away and missed it regardless). Oh well, chamois time is training time right..hehe.

Huge, huge thanks again to Barry Near for everything he has done with the team, Trek Canada, this year. Love the kit, love the bikes, love the team...if you're ever in Toronto be sure to check out Trek Bicycle Store of Toronto on Yonge Street...it's pretty cool.

This past fall I did more mountain biking then I think I had done in the past 3 years, and super fun mountian biking...it's been great living and training in Victoria. After spending a couple months working in camp (gotta support my cycling addiction somehow), trying to get in any training time I possibly could (lots of trainer time), I've started working more closely with coach Steve Neal again and I'm really excited for the season. Thanks Steve for putting up with me all winter...I know my schedule is definitely a challenge :)

Next race...Pan Ams...Guatemala......sweeeet :)

XCT 1 - Fontana

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!!!!

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!!!!