Ottawa Cross

Well, it has been a few days now since the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. My bikes are in the garage. Clean and ready to be ridden. But I’m not riding them. I thought about it. Then I changed my mind. I’m on my “off-season break”. Two weeks of non-bike riding. Seems strange to be in warm and dry Belgium right now and to not be riding. But I have to consider the big picture, the future, the next season. And truth be told, I’ve got a bit of a nasty injury that I need to heal. I ended up with a wicked shinsplint (I think – self-diagnosis) the week before Worlds. It was so painful at points that I could barely walk. So now I’m doing the smart thing and resting, letting my leg heal. It is amazing what adrenaline can do – I didn’t feel the pain at all during the race, but as soon as I was back at the hotel and had taken off my magic Team Canada skinsuit, the pain came back with resounding fury. Ah well, small price to pay for the season and race of my life.

Speaking of which, here are some photos that I snagged off of Sharon Harrison’s Facebook photo page. Thanks Sharon for the photos and cheering.

So what’s next? Well, I’m taking a couple weeks off from the bike. I’m going to do my best to not think about bikes, read about bikes, and be bike obsessed. I’m hoping that the sights and sounds of London, England will help keep me on the straight and narrow for a week or so! I’m flying home to Ottawa on Feb. 15. As much as I love being in Belgium and Europe, I am looking forward to getting home. I miss my “things”, my cat, my friends, Chapters, the Food Network. It will be refreshing to have a bit of a different routine for a while – I’m also on the job hunt so if you need a freelance writer, technical writer, editor, “jack of all trades writer” – send me an email.

This is the time of the season when I should be reflecting, analyzing, and assessing what worked, didn’t work, and where I want to go. But frankly, I don’t want to do this now. I’ve kind of been thinking about and writing about this stuff all year. I do believe that this season was a break-through year for me. I made some big strides. I know where I want to be. I have a more clear picture of how to get there. I’m stoked for the 2010 – 2011 season.

But for now, I need to take a break. So, this means that this web site will be silent for the next week or so. I may pop in and throw a post up. But a break is a break – I’m going to try really hard to not be bike obsessed. There are some exciting changes in store for the next season. I’m really excited to tell you all about this, but all in due time.

Really, the best way to close of the 2009 – 2010 season is to simply say this: Thank You.

Thanks to my sponsors for their continued support and commitment. Check out this amazing blog post from KingsBridge Disaster Recovery.

Thanks to you my readers – you are my rock – posting amazing comments, cheering for me, sending me super positive emails (I’m doing my best to respond to the emails – I promise to get a response out to you today…).

Thanks to Marc – I truly couldn’t do this without him. While I was out training, recovering, and “living the life”, he was glued to his computer working hard and wishing he was out with me having fun on bikes. His patience, support, calming-influence, technical advice, bike mechanics, and belief in me are worth more than I can ever explain.

See you out there on the road and trails. I’ll be dusting off my trusty mountain bike and hitting up the trails, so ping me if you want to hook up for a ride.

Okay, I’m off to think about and read about things other than bikes… Just need to figure out what that is!

I’m still riding a pretty strong wave of emotions from the race. Amazing what feelings of pride, success, and confidence can do! We had a great morning in Prague. Walked around, took in a few sights and have made plans to return. Such a beautiful city.

But I digress, what you really want are the photos! Here are photos from the pre-race action:

Race action – thanks to Luc for these photos:

Race photo taken by Cor Vos:

Race photos taken by Rob Jones:

Here is a post-race photo of Alex, myself, and Marc:

Me and U23 Mongolian team:

This is myself and Miroslav. Miroslav lives in Chicago but returned to the Czech Republic because his brother was announcing the race (along with Richard Fries):

Team Ottawa/Chelsea:

Team Canada 2010:

Thanks again for the support. Many thanks to Matthew Knight of the Canadian Cycling Association, he made it super easy to concentrate on the racing – Matt did basically everything for us – number pick-up, registration, transponders, etc (all the stuff I’m used to doing at a World Cup). Huge shout out to Alex Sanna of Soigneur Race Services for his amazing work through-out the week – cleaning, fixing, tweaking my bikes and being there on race day for anything I needed. Marc was amazing this entire time – his support, patience, guidance, reassurances, and bike work were outstanding and definitely played a huge role in my getting to and racing in the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. Couldn’t have done it without you Marc!

Where do I start? How do I start? I fear that this racing experience might just simply be too grand for me to capture with words. It was that amazing. That huge. Really there is no race quite like the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. I was pretty confident that I was ready for the spectacle – I’ve done a lot of World Cup this year (all of them except Roubaix) and I’ve raced in front of some big crowds in Belgium.

But, really, nothing compares to the frenzy, emotion, excitement, and noise of a Cyclo-Cross World Championships. Take every racing experience you’ve ever had, multiply it by a billion, and then multiply that by a gazillion. You might come close to the experience I had yesterday.

I do have to say that the World Cup racing experience and my full season in Europe, did at least help me prepare for race day. My pre-race routine worked perfectly. Over this season I’ve worked out a warm-up and pre-race routine that allows me to get to the start line feeling refreshed, focused, and ready to race. I used this same warm-up and routine on Sunday. It worked perfectly.

The race was simply incredible. I had a blast. I tried to smile. Tried to soak it all in. I raced hard. Really hard. I knew I’d have to dig deep to finish on the lead lap. It was close, but I did it. And I know I have the abilities to ensure that next year, there won’t be any doubt of my finishing on the lead lap. I took risks on Sunday. I rode some of the more challenging lines out there. Partly because I struggled with grabbing the posts and pivoting on the ice and partly because at times, the steeper drops or crazy lines through the corners just seem to work better for me. So long as I stay upright, and I get around, I’m happy.

I felt super focused out there. There wasn’t a moment where I had a negative thought. In fact there are parts of the race that I can’t even remember. One of my race goals was to have an “experience of letting go”. I really think I accomplished this. At times it was as though my bike was piloting itself. Perfect! Just what I wanted.

I had a great picture of the course in my head. So as I was racing I could remind myself how to set up for different sections. I remember to stay wide to the left for the off-camber and to take the line along the fence. (Awesome to have the training crew from Floreal Lichtaart there to cheer me on and point me to the fast line!). After the second set of stairs I remembered to really rev it up so I could float over the slippery little climb and to then pedal through the fast and icy down/up. I focused on looking up and pedaling constantly. These were two other race goals. I didn’t do this all the time, but I’d say 75 per cent – so I take this as a success.

Really, when it comes down to it – I can say that I had a good race. This is massive. You know me. I’m very critical of myself. So for me to say I had a good race. This means I actually had a great race.

Favorite moments of the day:
- waking up and seeing the excitement and pride in Marc’s face
- hearing Marc cheer me on every time I went by the pits
- see the Team Canada boys running all over the course and cheering me on
- hanging out with Luc before and after the race
- seeing my cyclo-cross racing friends
- hanging out in the staging area, looking at my racing idol Hanka Kufernagel – knowing that anything is possible
- hearing my name announced over the loud speaker – have to love Richard Fries – no one calls a race like him
- racing and seeing/hearing/feeling the fans
- hearing the bell lap – nothing quite like that for me
- crossing the finish line alone, sitting up, smoothing out my skinsuit, sitting up proud so everyone could see the red maple leaf and the words Team Canada

It was just so amazing. So perfect. I’ve written a race report over here.

After the race I rolled back to the hotel with Connie and talked her ear off. Connie was amazing this whole week. The night before the race I was having a minor panic attack and Connie really helped me out. She reminded me of the hard work I’ve done, how I deserve to be racing at the Cyclo-Cross World Championships, and just gave my confidence a massive boost. Thanks so much Connie!

Marc, Matt, Alex and I walked back to the race course but first we made a detour. We were on a pastry mission. The first bakery was closed. Then I remembered the bakery at the grocery store… It was open. We all loaded up on pastries. Then it was off to the race, where we all got something else – burgers, frites, beer, fanta. It was all consumed! Then it was the elite men’s race. What a blast. We all went our separate ways and watched the race. I met some guys who live in Westerlo (just down the road from Blauberg). I took a bunch of pictures (yes, I’ll post them – tomorrow!). Cheered on my favorites. And then I hung out with the guys from Mongolia. A good day was had. Walked back to the hotel with Marc and Luc. Frantically packed up our hotel room and made it to Prague.

We had a fantastic team dinner last night. Went to an amazing restaurant. There was an incredible salad buffet and then the servers came by with meat that they would slice and serve to you. I stuck to the salad buffet but I watched a lot of tasty looking meat get consumed. Amazing how much the junior boys can eat! Then it was time for walking. Matt, Marc, and Alex and I took in the city. We walked for close to three hours, crossed the Charles Bridge, took in the sights, chatted (okay – I talked everyone’s ears’ off!), laughed, and simply had a great night.

Great way to cap off a fantastic day. Everyone else is on their way home now. Marc is still asleep. But in a little bit we’ll get out and explore the city before driving back to Belgium.

This whole experience has been like a dream. Thanks for being involved. I’m already making plans for next year. I’ve recruited a couple of patient juniors (Karl and Conor) to help me out with my mountain biking skills this summer. I’ve got a loose race schedule taking shape. Looking forward to a solid off-season of training, growing, and learning. I’ll take a couple of weeks off and then get back at it.

The fire has been lit. It is burning hot and bright. Can’t wait to see what next year brings. I am so happy right now.

Well, this is the last “night before” for the 2009 – 2010 cyclo-cross season. The day before my last race of the season. Kind of cool to finish the season at the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. But kind of sad to see the season ending. It has been a break-through year for me. I’ve pushed myself harder physically, mentally, and technically than I ever have.

The good thing is knowing that I’ve still got more in me. I see this really as my first season of racing cyclo-cross. I’ve come a long way this season but I’ve still got so much more to learn. This is a good thing. I’m thankful for this situation. I know that with more hardwork during the off-season and in-season, I’ll return for 2010 – 2011 even more prepared than I am now.

I’m feeling pretty good. Had a good dose of the nerves earlier today. But this has passed. I knew it would happen, just sure when it would happen. Got in a solid opening work-out on the trainer today. I watched the junior boys’ race as I pedaled away. It was nice to have Jared Stafford (who raced in the U23 race today) keeping me company while I sweated it out. We watched the race, oohed and ahed at the television and then Jared zipped off for his race.

Many congrats to the young Canadians who raced today: Conor O’Brien, Kris Dahl, Mack Carson, Keirnan Orange and Jared Stafford. For some of these young guys, it was their first racing experience in Europe. Not easy to have your first race in Europe happen at the World Championships. The energy these guys had at supper, reliving the race and talking about what happened was pretty energizing. I think this is one of the best aspects of racing, being able to sit around and talk about the race afterwards.

Well, my numbers are pinned on. Race bag is packed. Pre-ride clothes are organized. Pre-race food is ready. Bikes are in tip top shape thanks to Marc. I’m ready to go. I’m getting to the course early as usual. I’m a creature of habit and like to arrive three hours in advance. For some people this is overkill but I like to have time. I always run into someone and get talking… I also need to get out on the course and ride a few laps. The conditions have changed a lot since I was last on it. I also don’t like to be rushed. So three hours is perfect for me.

Alright, next update from me will be a Cyclo-Cross World Championships race report. Man, I get the chills just writing that!

Couldn’t do this without the amazing support from my sponsors, my coach, Marc and you.

Remember when you were a kid and you were counting the days to your birthday or maybe Christmas? You’d ask your parents over and over again – “how many more sleeps?”. You would kind of feel sick with excitement when you hear the magical number “2″. Only 2 more sleeps!! Wow – it is almost here. The day after tomorrow.

This is how I’m feeling. I’m ready for it. I’ve had a great week here in Tabor. Lots of time spent on the course today and yesterday. Some quality trainer sessions earlier in the week to flush my legs and body out from the travel. Now I just want race day to be here.

Not because I’m feeling anxious or nervous. Rather the opposite. I’m so excited to be racing in the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. I’ve been thinking about this for two years. And now I’m only two sleeps away from it. Awesome.

Had a solid session out on the course this morning. I decided I wanted to ride in the morning – rather than during the official training time. I find it hard to practice specific sections of the course when there are lots of people about. So Marc was willing to take us out this morning and help us drill the course. He helped myself and Connor break down the key sections – looking at lines, exits, entrances, and offering us lots of confidence. This helped so much. After spending a long time on one lap breaking everything down. I set out for one complete lap with no stops. I had a pretty good lap. I was feeling good about how I rode the lap and then even more so when Marc said “I’d have to say that was a pretty good lap you just rode”. This made me feel fantastic.

Now of course with the warmer temperatures this afternoon, the course has softened and a lot of the ice has melted. I kind of expected this. I’m sure it will change even more between now and Sunday. I’m not sweating this. I’ll get out to the course nice and early on Sunday and get in a few more laps before the race so I can get a feel for the changes.

At least I can go to sleep with an excellent picture of the course in my head. One of the keys to this race course is maintaining momentum. There are so many easy spots where one can loose speed without even realizing it. So I’ve got a good mental image of the course that I can replay so I can remember the key sections. There is nothing worse than “forgetting” about a steep incline or descent and having it surprise you during the race.

I had a pretty chilled out afternoon. Marc went back out to the course in the afternoon with some more of the junior boys to help them ride the course. I settled into the hotel room and basically surfed the WWW. I hopped on the trainer for a light 30 minutes of pedaling just to keep my legs loose. And now I’m just relaxing again. Marc is busy working on the bikes for the racing tomorrow. Everyone except me is racing tomorrow so there is lots of action happening right now.

I’ve got a good opening work out for tomorrow and then I’ll simply relax in my room. Do some stretching. Sleep a bit. Surf the WWW. Read. All the usual stuff.

In my typical fashion, I’ve been doing some planning for the 2010-2011 season. The 2011 World Cup schedule has been announced for the season. Looks like I’ll be making a trip to Switzerland for the first World Cup of the season and then I’ll be back in the Czech Republic for the second World Cup. Busy times. Fast times. Fun times.

I’m feeling your positive vibes and good wishes. Thank-you. Keep them coming!

Hit up the World Championships course this afternoon for a bit of pre-riding. It is as we expected – icy. Most of the corners are glare ice. But with some special ice riding techniques and a boatload of confidence, the course is super fun.

Actually – I really like it. There is nothing “crazy” or “scary” on the course. I think the key is stay relaxed and to really try to maintain speed. There are some steep ups after the start section that get the heart rate up and the pain in the legs. There are some definite leg sucking, lung burning climbs. The two stair sections are challenging because the steps are so big. A tricky off-camber thrown in to rattle the nerves a bit. The fly-over is okay – the entrance is a bit tricky – definitely need to get the post swinging action down. The descent and corner off the fly-over are fast and slippery.

Definitely a course that keeps you on your toes. I’ve watched the video of the Czech National Championships so many times, but the video does not do the course justice. I didn’t realize how much the camera deadens out the steepness of the ground. There is a reason why the guys are running on what “appears” to be “flat ground”. Trust me – that is not flat ground – those are climbs.

All in all, a great day out on the ‘cross bike. I started with the Dugast Pipistrellos – these aren’t bad but I need a bit more traction. So I switched to the Dugast Rhinos with super low pressure – seemed better. But the course will change a lot between now and Sunday – it is supposed to warm-up so that could turn some of the ice into slush. We’ll see on Sunday.

Many many thanks to Marc. He was awesome today. He rode with me and gave lots of amazing advice and extra confidence. He calmed me down when my nerves were getting a bit rattled. Shouted encouragement and reminded me to keep on pedaling. I even heard a few “that’s it!” and “good job”.

Huge thanks to Alex Sanna of Soigneur Race Services for his outstanding support today. He was in the pits, making sure everything was okay. Also thanks to Matthew Knight from the CCA for standing out there in the pits, ready with a pump and for taking some photos of us all pre-riding. Standing in the pits and being ready as soon as a rider comes in with a problem, is a pretty thankless role and one that is often not appreciated enough. So many thanks to Alex and Matt for standing out there for us this afternoon.

Also thanks to Marc and Alex for taking care of the bikes. I don’t have to do a thing. Marc and Alex are cleaning all of the Team Canada bikes, making sure the bikes are running correctly, and are pretty much available at all times to help us out with technical and mechanical questions.

Really is feeling like a team atmosphere here. Nice. It helps to be surrounded with so many friendly people. I think it helps us racers relax a bit, knowing that all we need to do is pedal our bikes. So many thanks to Marc, Alex, and Matt.

Heading out on the course again tomorrow. Tomorrow the goal of the training will be to break down the key sections of the course and run through them as many times as it takes for me to dial them in and feel confident and fast on them. Probably will try a bunch of different tires and pressure as well.

I’ve got to say it was super awesome to be out there with my Team Canada jacket on. It definitely turned a lot of heads. Nothing quite like the feeling of riding with the maple leaf on your back. Definitely makes the pedals turn a bit more easily.

Alright, it is time for supper. I’ll check in with you tomorrow. Feeling it right now. Loving it. Everything was worth it to get to this point. I just can’t believe it! Today I warmed up on the race course for the Cyclo-Cross World Championships! Amazing!

WE DID IT! THANK-YOU!

Dudes, it is almost time. Almost go time. I couldn’t be more stoked. I’m feeling good. I just want to get out there and race. Soak it all up. Have fun. Smile. Pedal hard and savor racing in the Cyclo-Cross World Championships.

Pretty quiet day here. Especially since we didn’t have Internet access all afternoon and evening… Ah well, I relaxed with my book and magazines.

Frosty out there again so I hopped on the trainer for a 75 minute spin. I watched the women’s World Championships race from a few years ago. Amazing how much can change in a couple of laps. Hanka went from leading the race (and I what I thought was a sure win) to not being on the podium. Bummer for her. But good for the others. See cyclo-cross racing really is just like life!

Many many thanks for the emails and supportive comments from my last post. Your words have truly overwhelmed me. Thanks so much!

In a few hours we are off to the race course to check it out. It is snowy. It is icy. It is slick. There are some steep ups. Some very fast downs. Some tricky corners. But I’m ready for it. It is the same race course for everyone. Marc is going to come out with me and help me dissect the course. He is also going to lead me through some hot laps. If I can stay on Marc’s wheel, I’ll be super happy!

Tomorrow will be more of the same with more time spent practicing specific sections of the course. The key is not to do too much leading up to the race but to also spend enough time and effort to get the body ready for the race effort.

Funny, we were watching the movie Up this morning and I really felt Carl’s spirit as I was sitting here. Don’t know if you’ve watched this movie but it really is an inspiring and beautiful film. Lets just say I feel like I’m in my very own Paradise Falls right now and I’ve definitely got the spirit of adventure.

We made it! After a long and rather snowy drive, we are here. Tabor, Czech Republic. Many thanks to Marc and Alex for handling the logistics and for driving me to Tabor. I was able to chill out and relax for the ride. The bulk of the Canadian team is here now. Had a great team dinner and quick team meeting. Great way to set the tone for the rest of the week and the racing ahead.

I got in a good little trainer ride to spin out my legs from the 10 plus hour long drive. Nothing like riding the trainer, watching the Czech National Cyclo-Cross Championships and listening to a CBC Radio Q podcast at the same time!

So I was just zooming through my emails and I came across the following comment that was posted on this web site:

“watched you race in holland with my friend johnny fokkema and was wondering why you do not compete at the master worlds instead of the world cup. would it not be better for you to finish in the top 10 at a the world masters championships then dead last at a world cup race. i applaud your competivice drive just think when representing canada you should be up there in the result list. Von who won came across the finish line seconds after you crossed it to do your bell lap.” (I’ve deleted his email address from this post, but if you want to find it – I’m sure you know how)

Now, I don’t know about you but this comment was pretty surprising. Surprising because I’m shocked that someone would take the time to write such a negative comment on my web site. I also found this comment disappointing. Disappointing because this person clearly does not have dreams and goals.

I’ll be honest, the first time I read this comment I was angry. Then after rereading it, I was hurt. Devastated is probably the better word. If you know me or have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I struggle with self-confidence. Let’s just say this comment didn’t do much for my self-confidence.

Luckily, Marc came to the rescue. He read the comment. Smoke started to come out of his ears and then he reminded me of the following:
- I’ve already raced the Masters World Cyclo-Cross Championships – three years ago – I was 4th – and in fact I’m ineligible for Masters Worlds (I have 160 UCI points and am ranked 48th in the World UCI Ranking)
- that Johnathan Page was multiple laps down in his first World Cups – he went on to finish second in the World Championships – and was 8th on Sunday in Hoogerheide
- how else are we supposed to get better as a nation at cyclo-cross if we don’t start at the bottom?
- that Vos hit the finish line as I was already past the pits
- that this guy really isn’t on the “same lap” as the rest of us

I can do two things with this comment: let it drag me into a pit of despair and zero confidence or I can use it to fuel my fire and desire. The old me would have wallowed in the pit of despair. Well, I’m not letting this guy put in that pit.

I’m going to use this comment to fuel me. To make me push on the pedals even harder. To attack every corner. To rip through the snow and ice. To rail the corners. To race so hard I can’t breathe and my legs are screaming at me to stop.

Deep down inside I’ll be laughing at this guy. Because I’m out here doing it. Mixing it up with the best in the world. Where is he? Sitting somewhere safe – not chasing his dreams? Watching the race on television? Settling for mediocrity?

Luckily on the same blog post I received this awesome comment:

“Thanks for all the reports and the great efforts that have put you on that same lap!
Sweet to sit in cubicle land here and get a few minutes of enjoying your adventure.
Tales from the big ring. Good luck next week.”

This comment was from a Canadian cycling legend (John Large). I have to say that his comments and emails hold much more value and weight than the other guy. John is a guy who has been there, done it, seen it all, and is now helping to inspire and guide cyclists such as myself who have hopes and dreams. Thanks John for the awesome comment. It means a lot.

Okay, time to switch gears here…

Lets just say, I’m super stoked to be here. This is a massive step forward for me in my bike racing career. This is not my last World Championships. This is my first. I’m looking forward to taking it all in. Learning as much as I can and having fun while doing it.

Looks like I’ll stick to the trainer tomorrow as well. It is supposed to hit a low of minus 12 tonight so I think the trainer indoors is preferable for me. I’ll get out on the course on Thursday and Friday to pre-ride and learn the course. I’ve watched the race video so many times, that I feel like I have it memorized. But as I’ve learned, you can’t believe everything you read/see on the Internet… Might get out and check out Tabor a bit tomorrow as well. Definitely going to visit the bike store and the grocery store.

Alright, I’m out. Time to zone out with some WWW surfing. Thanks again for the amazing support. The emails and comments are greatly appreciated. You will all be out there with me on Sunday.

The road trip to Tabor, Czech Republic starts in a few hours. We are driving through the night. Well, I’m not driving, I’m sleeping and chillaxing – Marc and Alex of Soigneur Race Services are driving.

I’m looking forward to getting to Tabor and settling into the hotel. Will be an interesting week – really don’t want to do too much. Rest. Train on the course. Get it dialed in technically. Have fun. Hang out with the other races. Put the legs up. Read my books. Relax with some magazine. Watch movies on the laptop. Then get out there and race on Sunday.

A pretty good week. Then we’ll be back here for a bit and then either home or to London, England for some relaxation.

Check in tomorrow – hopefully I have Internet access…

Many many thanks to my sponsors for their support in this journey:

- KingsBridge Disaster Recovery
- The Cyclery
- Bell Lap Coaching
- Clif Bar
- Outdoor Gear Canada

Here are some photos that Luc took of me racing in Hoogerheide yesterday. Thanks Luc! See you in Tabor.