Ottawa Cross

Sorry for my absence of late from this spot on the WWW. I would like to tell you that I’ve been busy with this and that. But really, life has been pretty quiet and uneventful. Since I’m not racing right now or even in a recovery week getting ready for the big show this weekend, it can be hard to come up with blog posts at times.

Now, not to say that I’ve been sitting on my hands here – just that I guess I’m at a bit of a loss for words. I am back on the trainer and in the full-swing of a training program that will see me ready for racing in April, but these 90 minute rides on the trainer aren’t giving much in the way of creativity. It’s funny really. When I’m out riding my bike on the road I have a hard time quieting my brain and just getting into the groove of riding and focusing on the ride/work-out – sometimes I don’t even “hear” the music or podcast in my headphones. But when I’m on the trainer, my brain is quiet – really quiet. I’m focused on the wattage, cadence, stop watch and whatever is happening on the television screen in front of me.

So what this adds up to right now is a whole lot less thinking… Yep, out on the open road I’m thinking, I’m planning, I’m scheming, I’m writing blog posts in my head. On the trainer, I’m simply training. I’m guessing this is a coping mechanism to get through the trainer rides – if I do start thinking I begin to obsess over the time “how much more time do I have left?” and this is never good when riding the trainer. True fact – time slows down when riding the trainer and watching the seconds tick by.

There you have it. While my legs are busy working getting fit and strong – my brain appears to be a bit dormant. I’d also like to chalk this lack of recent brain action to the reality that I’m working more now. I’m writing a lot of different content on a range of topics that sometimes boggles my mind. When I get on that trainer, it really is to take a break and let myself escape.

Hmm, escape. Funny word really – I’m not trying to escape from my writing work – I really do enjoy it. But sometimes, my brain feels full and my fingers seem to get a bit slow and chunky when trying to write a new article for a client. The trainer is detached from all of this and I can be a bike racer again.

Now when I think about the words I’ve just written, I realize I may have written an ode of sorts to the trainer… Admittedly my time on the trainer actually helps me ignore the reality of the situation – that I’m not in Belgium recovering from a race or getting ready for another one. Instead I watch old ‘cross races and cheer on my racing idols or I watch live broadcasts of World Cups and shout at my friends as they do their darndest out on their ‘cross bikes. (And when I’ve exhausted these viewing options I turn to trusty Netflix for movies that Marc doesn’t want to watch…)

Take what you want from this. But suffice it to say things are quiet around here but at least they’re not boring.

(Super excited to watch the fast women duke it out on Sunday in Koksijde. Koksijde is such an awesome race course – the sand is a beast and while it can be cruel and unforgiving there is an amazing feeling of satisfaction to ride through a section or hop on the bike on a rather steep sandy descent and come out on the other side smiling. Oh and the fans – the fans at Koksijde are like none other – with each lap they seem to get louder and closer. There is nothing quite like racing in Koksijde, Belgium – lucky folks those girls and guys who are lining up on Saturday and Sunday to show off their nation’s colours and race around in the big sandbox.) Definitely a moment and experience to savour.)

Take a break and watch this video:

Okay, back to regular day-time activities but keep on dreaming and pushing.

What a great day it is! Today I start real training again. Until now I was simply “riding” – no plan and no methodology – really just riding to help me mentally and keep me moving. Well, now I get to start training – I’m pretty darn excited.

In fact I’m really feeling excited about the upcoming road season and of course the cycle-cross season. Normally I don’t do much road racing because I’m building fitness/strength in the summer months after a break from training and racing that typically extends into mid-March.

Well, the silver lining to this injury is that I can be ready and fit for the road season. I’m so keen that I even went through some race calendars and I’ve highlighted some races and events I will be doing… Here is a look at what I’m planning on doing:

April 15 Clarence Rockland Classic
April sometime – Almonte-Roubaix
April 22 – Calabogie Road Race
May 19 – UCI Road Race
May sometime – Ride of the Damned
May 26 – Dandelion Grand Prix – criterium
June 9-10 – Rideau Lakes
June 17 – Preston St.criterium
July 21 – GranFondo

If you know me well then you might be surprised to see the Clarence Rockland Classic, Almonte-Roubaix and Ride of the Damned races on my calendar… Well, I’ve decided this is the season of doing “things I never do” – yes so doing these races that I have adamantly said in the past I didn’t want to do. In addition to this race calendar I’m going to do the local training criteriums and you’ll likely see me out at Camp Fortune bouncing over rocks and roots on my mountain bike trying to keep up with the fast kids during the local mountain bike races.

Training-wise, I had a great talk with coach Steve on Friday. Steve has been coaching me for a few years now and we’ve developed a pretty good relationship. He knows that I’ll always want to do “more” – and he is excellent at keeping me controlled. What really impresses me about Steve is his openness to new ideas – I bounced some ideas off of him yesterday and he was eager to hear all about them – very refreshing and encouraging. (So basically, if you’re looking for a coach – visit Steve’s website!)

Yep, so pretty darn good day here today. I’ll be thinking of my friends traveling to France today to race the World Cup tomorrow and I really hope I can catch the highlights from the women’s race somewhere on the Internet. This is an exciting time to be a cyclocross racer and frankly an exciting time in general. Lots of good stuff happening and it is nice to be back in a very “happy” place.

This has been a week of discoveries. Most of it good news with a little bit of mixed news thrown in for spice.

The good news is that I’m healing ahead of schedule. The good news is that my physiotherapist has identified some dormant muscles in my body – the little muscles around my spine and one of my glute muscles simply are not firing. So now I’m working to get these dormant muscles active and doing their job. The good news in this is that I’ll be stronger than when I started down this road of recovery. The good news is that I met with an excellent sports medicine doctor today and got to see some x-rays of my spine and learn more about my injury.

The mixed news is that I am not able to do any skiing, running, or yoga. The risk of falling is still too high and I need to give the vertebrae the full 12 weeks to heal. The mixed news is that the x-ray has revealed that I’m likely in the early stages of osteoporosis. Apparently given my family history combined with the malabsorption issues associated with ulcerative colitis – this is not surprising. I’ll know more after the bone density scan.

The good news is that I’m talking with my coach tomorrow to discuss training and racing plans for the upcoming road season. The good news is there is going to be lots of great local racing and organized rides on the schedule for us Ottawa folks. The good news is I’ve received some great feedback and advice from a friend who really knows European cyclocross so I’ve got some great advice and suggestions for how I can improve my skills for the upcoming season. The good news is that I’ve discovered an excellent programs to help pass the time on the trainer: modern Sherlock by BBC One.

Yes, things are good. And I’m pretty darn confident they’re only going to get gooder…

I found this link to Low Pressure Productions thanks to a post on the Tall Trees Cycle blog, I discovered that there is going to be some winter racing in Ottawa…

So bookmark the page and stay tuned. Sounds like lots of fun.

Life is really about what you can do. Seriously – it is pretty simple. Determine what you want to do and figure out how you can do it.

It is too easy to get caught up in what you can’t do and forget about everything you can do. What you can do is what gives you the focus and zest for life that so many people neglect.

Make a list of everything you can do. Make a list of everything you want to do. The trick is figuring out how to do what you want. This is up to you. Look for inspiration. Talk to people who are really doing it. Learn. Listen. Do it.

There will be stumbles and falls along the way. This is life. But don’t lose sight of what you want to do.

This is a big weekend for my cyclocross racing pals. Pretty much everyone I know and have become friends with over the years of racing cyclocross is racing in their respective national championships this weekend. A very big weekend of racing for so many people. The build-up to a national championship is always a bit crazy – with trying to peak for the big day, trying not to think about the race too much, the travel, the hype surrounding the race, speculation about the course and who is fit and who isn’t – well it can turn into quite a challenging day before you even line up to race.

My thoughts are out there with you. You’ll do great. Remember the hard work you’ve put in and take confidence from the training, racing, recovery and lessons you’ve had this season. One race does not define you as a racer. It is a race and more than likely you’ll be racing next weekend. Just go out and race – let your legs do the talking and have some fun out there.

Racing in a national championship is a special thing. The fans seem to cheer more loudly. The announcer talks a little bit louder and faster. There are more photographers and journalists around. But remember the race is about you and your ride. Just like every other race you do.

Enjoy the day and remember that whatever happens – you did your best. Eat the cake and ice cream. Have the beer. You deserve it. You raced a good hard race and you’ve still got a big season ahead of you.

Boy oh boy do I want to get back to training! Now I have been riding for the past few weeks, but I’m not training… Rather I’m riding for sanity and fun. Yes, I’m riding the trainer in the basement of my Ottawa home for fun. (It is a good reason to watch television and the Adele concert over and over again…)

But what I want and crave is structure and a plan. Guess this all speaks to my Type A personality. I think partly this is because normally I would be training right now. I would have a plan and goals for each ride. But right now, I don’t have this. I know that a lot of road racers are not yet back into training yet – instead they might be out skiing, snowshoeing, running, and enjoying some outdoor winter trail riding. Well the thing is I can’t do any of this – the risk of falling is too high for me and my L3 vertebrae.

So I pedal. Now, I’m not complaining or whining. I know how lucky I am. It is just that I’m ready to get going. I’ve got my sights set on a really strong and fun 2012 so I want to get started. Yes, yes, I know that nothing will be accomplished if I’m not fully healed and recovered from my injury…

Plans for 2012 – yes I’ve got a few. A bit early for me to share them here with you. But as it stands you’ll see me out racing my road bike, hitting up the local cross-country mountain bike race series, and of course dialling in my cyclo-cross skills. For some 2012 is the Year of The Dragon but for me it is The Year of the Bike. I’m ready and open to try new races and opportunities – yes, seriously considering Almonte-Roubaix and some of the crazy Tall Tree Cycles rides…

Wish me luck as I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow – hoping to get the green light for some yoga and stretching… I’m feeling good and ready to get going. How about you?

Thank You Belgium for a great time. You have taught me so much and showed me that I really want to keep learning and growing. While the cyclo-cross season was very short and I only got to race twice – I will cherish the time I had with you.

On and off the bike I have been so lucky to meet a fantastic group of people. Passion would be the central theme for my family of cyclo-cross friends and fellow racers. We are bound by a love of the bike, the mud, the sand and the constant challenge that racing cyclo-cross in Belgium gives us.

This was my fifth season of racing in Belgium and it seems like no matter how many times I’ve been, my eyes and brain are rewarded with more sights and lessons. People often ask me why I go to Belgium to race my bike – it can be hard to answer this question without rambling on and on. To answer this question simply – because there is no place like Belgium and no other place to be than at a cyclo-cross race in Belgium.

Thank You Belgium for reuniting with my friends, for introducing me to new friends, for reinforcing my love of the bike, for testing me in a way that no other place can, for reminding me that it is important to live each day to its fullest, for showing me that dreams do come true, for reminding me that the work is never done, and for forcing me to push my limits.

I miss you already and I will be back.

When I arrived here in Belgium on Nov. 10, I had a return plane ticket booked for Feb. 6, 2012… Instead I’m flying home on Dec. 29. To be blunt: this sucks. Not the most eloquent, but really this is the way I feel right now. I really wish I wasn’t going home. Don’t get me wrong – I’m super excited to see my big grey cat Murphy and to re-connect with friends and family. But I really would rather be here in Belgium racing my bike.

I’ve been doing a good job of staying positive these past few weeks and enjoying my “off-season” – but today is a tough day. I did get out for an easy two hour ride today. My back felt pretty good – some upper back muscle tightness but my lower back (where the vertebrae is fractured) felt fine. It is strange because I feel like I can race – but I know I can’t…

These past few days though have been action-packed with lots of off-the-bike action. On Christmas Eve, Marc, Nikoline, Jacob and I loaded into our trusty Peugeot and drove to Bergen-Op-Zoom, the Netherlands for the day. We had a great poke around in Hoppmans (massive bicycle store), a good lunch and wander around the town. We celebrated Christmas with a hearty and fairly healthy dinner and then the four of us went to the Blauberg church for the Christmas service.

Here are a couple photos from the day:

We had a great Christmas day with Marc racing to a solid 6th place in Balegem. The course had some crazy descents in it and was a tad muddy…

After the race we zipped off to Zolder so I could connect with some good pals. It was great to hang out with Nancy and Andy – I’m very happy that Nancy is getting better and is able to get back to racing. I talked to a bunch of other folks and then it was time to come back to the house here so Marc could get ready for racing on Dec. 26.

Today has been pretty chilled out. Nikoline and I got out for a good ride today. I’m going to miss Nikoline – we’ve become very good friends. We first met in Treviso, Italy at the 2008 World Cup and we’ve been friends ever since. We had a great ride chatting and ruminating about life, bikes, and everything in between. Really, we should be packing but I think we’ll just procrastinate and have a big packing marathon on Wednesday!

Alright, this post has gone on long enough! Time to do a bit of work and then we’re off for dinner out with our good friends. Really going to miss this place…