I’m super stoked right now… I’m back to serious training again. I couldn’t be happier. In fact I’m downright excited and in case you missed it – stoked.

It has been a rough three years with ulcerative colitis flares and the vertebrae fracture – but these are all behind me and I’m ready to get back to some serious training and fun cyclo-cross racing. If I’ve learned anything over the past three years it is how much I love riding and racing my bike. I did think that I was done with serious racing but it was racing in the Eastern Ontario Cyclo-Cross Series this past year that highlighted how much I love competing and racing.

To get to the fitness and strength levels I need to race my cyclo-cross bike competitively I need help, guidance, coaching and expertise from people who pedal the talk. This is why I’m super excited to tell you that I’m now being coached by FasCat Coaching. I’m happy to be working with one of their new coaches (Tucker Olander) and all the conversations I’ve had with Tucker and FasCat Coaching founder and head coach Frank Overton have been outstanding. (This might sound like over-the-top gushing but I am really impressed.)

We’re getting started right away with my work-outs starting on Wednesday. So the off-season is officially over. I’m actually quite relieved to have structure back to my bike, running and skiing time. As you likely know I’ve been riding, skiing and running quite a bit – but I haven’t been doing so with focus or a plan. I need and crave this structure and focus.

I’ve got some good goals for the upcoming cyclo-cross season. Some big goals, some intermediary goals and some smaller goals. All goals that will have me on my bike riding, out on the trails running, riding my new 29er and generally just having fun.

One thing that really stuck with me from my conversation with Tucker on Friday was this: “Your goals are my goals”.

Can’t ask for much more.

Oh, and Tucker did say one more thing: “Your hard days will be really hard days”… this makes me a bit nervous but also extremely excited.