I started this blog as a means of sharing my Ironman training and maybe impart some advice and lessons learned. It then morphed into an opportunity to share my race reports...because there's nothing more important in your life than how fast I didn't go. As I type these things out, it usually causes me to reflect a lot more on where I'm at and what it all means to me.
But let's start with those race reports.
Jim Horner CX: I was up in Edmonton for Thanksgiving and staying 3 minutes from Millcreek Ravine, I couldn't skip the chance of doing the Jim Horner cyclocross last Saturday. I did a short warm up and lined up for the start. Three quarters of a lap later (about 7 minutes or so) I was walking over to the commissaire pushing my bike with one hand and holding my broken chain in the other.
Red Cross CX: Fortunately Red Bike put on a race at the same spot on Sunday. So after a quick repair at Hard Core bikes I was ready to go. I started at the back of the pack. A big group moved off the front quickly and it was only about half a lap before the group as strung out. It wasn't as technical as my previous venture at COP, but the course was still a tricky one ducking in and out of the ravine. I maybe didn't look as good as I felt when I yelled to my dad "you should try this". He just laughed. My goal was to not get lapped too early in the race (I know, pretty lofty expectations). Being used to tucking into aero position for kilometre after kilometre of straight roads, started a bit tentative on the technical turns. But as the laps ticked by, I started to find my rhythm and attacked the hills and corners. I made halfway through my final lap holding on before reality set in and the top two riders lapped my. But I'll count that as a successful day.
Blow Street CX: There was a race out in Blakiston Park (NW Calgary) yesterday. I was on the fence about signing up since I was doing the Gorilla run today. But I enjoy cyclocross too much to pass up the opportunity. It was a big field on a fairly flat, leaf-covered course. Again I started near the back but was moving up quite well. But on my second lap my new chain link came loose and that was the end of my day. Half of my cyclocross races have now ended with a broken chain! Oh well, just saved my legs for a strong race at today's 14km Gorilla Run.(slow start through the zoo, very fast last 2km).
My cycling has seen big improvements over the last year. To the point where my bike may be close to challenging the run if my run wasn't also improving. So I was stoked for our time trial at tri club this week. My 3 minute TT felt good. And then my 20 minute TT fell apart. With numbers only slightly higher than those of a year ago I spent the night questioning why. Am I finally burning out after IMC and a busy racing year? Maybe that month in South America is just what the body needs to recover and refocus. Maybe Dezz and I will hire a couple of hybrids and take a leisurely bike ride, but that will probably be the extent of it.
Speaking of cycling abroad, Bicycling Magazine is celebrating their 50th year with an article on most memorable rides. Which got me thinking about mine. In 2008 Dezz and I did a short cycling tour in Crete, Greece. On day two we cycled about 5km. Our ride traversed some quiet, winding roads with a few uphills and what seemed like more downhills. We took a leisurely pace as you do when seeing a new country. After a long flowing decent we rounded a corner and came upon a small natural spring. We stopped for a photo opp and to take in the atmosphere. We felt like we could have been riding through the rainforest with the overhanging trees, and sound of water flowing, and not a single car passing us in our 15 minute pit stop. And then the rain started. We had a final climb into Argiroupolis up a steep, slick hill. Dezz literally was riding day 2 on clipless pedals (yep, we just bought her road shoes 3 days before we departed) and at the steepest pitch her bike just stopped. It was one of those slow motion falls we've all experienced first hand. But she jumped back on and pedaled to the top of the hill where we were greeted by a waiting Mercedes Benz. This was the owners of our paradise for the night waiting to lead us up to his guest house. We walked our bikes the last few steps down the cobbled steps, stripped out of our wet clothes and into some dry gear, made a pot of tea and feasted on the fresh farm produce and bread they provided us. Had it not been for the potential adventures that awaited us the next day on our bicycles, we would still be in Argiroupolis. She's never come out and said it, but I have a sneaking suspicion this is the day my wife fell in love with cycling.
But let's start with those race reports.
Jim Horner CX: I was up in Edmonton for Thanksgiving and staying 3 minutes from Millcreek Ravine, I couldn't skip the chance of doing the Jim Horner cyclocross last Saturday. I did a short warm up and lined up for the start. Three quarters of a lap later (about 7 minutes or so) I was walking over to the commissaire pushing my bike with one hand and holding my broken chain in the other.
Red Cross CX: Fortunately Red Bike put on a race at the same spot on Sunday. So after a quick repair at Hard Core bikes I was ready to go. I started at the back of the pack. A big group moved off the front quickly and it was only about half a lap before the group as strung out. It wasn't as technical as my previous venture at COP, but the course was still a tricky one ducking in and out of the ravine. I maybe didn't look as good as I felt when I yelled to my dad "you should try this". He just laughed. My goal was to not get lapped too early in the race (I know, pretty lofty expectations). Being used to tucking into aero position for kilometre after kilometre of straight roads, started a bit tentative on the technical turns. But as the laps ticked by, I started to find my rhythm and attacked the hills and corners. I made halfway through my final lap holding on before reality set in and the top two riders lapped my. But I'll count that as a successful day.
Blow Street CX: There was a race out in Blakiston Park (NW Calgary) yesterday. I was on the fence about signing up since I was doing the Gorilla run today. But I enjoy cyclocross too much to pass up the opportunity. It was a big field on a fairly flat, leaf-covered course. Again I started near the back but was moving up quite well. But on my second lap my new chain link came loose and that was the end of my day. Half of my cyclocross races have now ended with a broken chain! Oh well, just saved my legs for a strong race at today's 14km Gorilla Run.(slow start through the zoo, very fast last 2km).
My cycling has seen big improvements over the last year. To the point where my bike may be close to challenging the run if my run wasn't also improving. So I was stoked for our time trial at tri club this week. My 3 minute TT felt good. And then my 20 minute TT fell apart. With numbers only slightly higher than those of a year ago I spent the night questioning why. Am I finally burning out after IMC and a busy racing year? Maybe that month in South America is just what the body needs to recover and refocus. Maybe Dezz and I will hire a couple of hybrids and take a leisurely bike ride, but that will probably be the extent of it.
Speaking of cycling abroad, Bicycling Magazine is celebrating their 50th year with an article on most memorable rides. Which got me thinking about mine. In 2008 Dezz and I did a short cycling tour in Crete, Greece. On day two we cycled about 5km. Our ride traversed some quiet, winding roads with a few uphills and what seemed like more downhills. We took a leisurely pace as you do when seeing a new country. After a long flowing decent we rounded a corner and came upon a small natural spring. We stopped for a photo opp and to take in the atmosphere. We felt like we could have been riding through the rainforest with the overhanging trees, and sound of water flowing, and not a single car passing us in our 15 minute pit stop. And then the rain started. We had a final climb into Argiroupolis up a steep, slick hill. Dezz literally was riding day 2 on clipless pedals (yep, we just bought her road shoes 3 days before we departed) and at the steepest pitch her bike just stopped. It was one of those slow motion falls we've all experienced first hand. But she jumped back on and pedaled to the top of the hill where we were greeted by a waiting Mercedes Benz. This was the owners of our paradise for the night waiting to lead us up to his guest house. We walked our bikes the last few steps down the cobbled steps, stripped out of our wet clothes and into some dry gear, made a pot of tea and feasted on the fresh farm produce and bread they provided us. Had it not been for the potential adventures that awaited us the next day on our bicycles, we would still be in Argiroupolis. She's never come out and said it, but I have a sneaking suspicion this is the day my wife fell in love with cycling.
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