I’ll just come out and say it –  the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity and emotion. And it won’t slow down for a couple more weeks.

No complaints with the whirlwind of activity or emotions. These, are I think what keeps life interesting and thriving.

This past weekend kicked off the start of the Eastern Ontario Cyclocross Series. Wow – what a day. There were so many people out racing – Upper Canada Village felt like it was vibrating with excitement and energy.

My highlight was seeing Marc race. Some of you know that Marc has had some health struggles lately. So to have Marc back on his bike giving his all really was very emotional for me. Seeing him ride up the hill had me both cheering and trying to fight back tears of happiness, relief, and love.

The other highlight of the day was chatting with the women who came out to my beginner ‘cross clinic. Hearing the race stories and answering questions about how to  adjust for the next race really does put a funny feeling in my stomach.

So  yes – ‘cross is back and it’s awesome.  I’m still hoping to do five races this season – I  know nothing like my old racing season but, this year the timing has been a bit funky for me.

On Friday I’m having a gum graft done – not awesome. Thank goodness for anesthetic.

Then on October 8th, I’m having the cataract in my left eye removed. Hooray! The original surgery date was November 5th, but I  lucked out with an earlier date.

I  have no idea when I’ll be able to race or even ride after the cataract surgery.  But this is okay.  Priority is in getting my vision fixed and sorted. Bikes will always be there.

The crazy whirlwind busyness that I’ve been in lately has helped the busy noisy brain resurface. This is something  I thought I had under control… nope.

So in an effort to bring things back down and release the noise between my ears,  I’m  trying out Bullet Journalling. I bought a book about it – so I could learn the ins and outs and bought an official Bullet Journal.

At first glance, this seems like a good system. There are lots of “rules” and “guidelines” but I feel confident I can mold these to fit the practicalities of my  day-to-day.

If you see Marc at the ‘cross race in Carp this weekend –  give him a hug or a squeeze on the arm – it means a lot to have people looking out for you.

Okay, maybe the title overreaches a bit, but it’s the Internet and it seems to me that hyperbole is in vogue.

So, how are you?

Me, well, I’m hanging in. This is an honest answer. The summer has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Just when I feel like I’m getting my cycling groove back, I’m wiped out with fatigue.

I don’t know why this is happening. My suspicion is this my new reality thanks to the shingles. The few people I’ve chatted with about the shingles tell me that they haven’t felt “the same” since. And this is how I feel.

No point in ruminating about it. It is what it is. A new normal and something I have to get used to. Fortunately, I have experience with this.

And now, for something interesting (I hope)….  here is what I’m currently into:

#Reading

• Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy The Odds
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Normal People: A Novel

#Watching

• Call The Midwife – I’m late to this period drama. In small doses it’s a good one, I find the birth scenes to be a bit noisy.
• Diagnosis – I’ve long been a fan of Dr. Lisa Sanders’s column in the NY Times Magazine and I’m equally hooked on the Netflix documentary program. In a word:  riveting.
• The Great British Bake Off – so very good. This program has it all (without the birthing scenes and medical drama).

#Anticipating

• This weekend I’m running a beginner women’s cyclocross clinic. I really enjoy helping women feel more confident on their bikes and get a real thrill from seeing them learn new skills.
• Buffy Saint-Marie – Sunday night is going to be awesome. I’ve never heard Buffy Saint-Marie sing live. I once heard/saw her speak live on stage during a taping of Q during the Ottawa Juno week. I was captivated by her verve and spirit. Can’t wait to see her perform.
• November 5th. This is I hope going to be a life-changing day for me. Some of you know that the shingles has left me with a cataract in my left eye. Well, over the last three months, my left eye has steadily deteriorated to the point where I really can’t see much with it. So, on November 5th, I’m having cataract surgery. Not something I thought I’d ever be having in my 40’s but heck, I didn’t expect to have my colon and butt removed either.
• Montreal next week. I work for a company in the United States called Know Agency. I’ve been working with the fearless leaders of this SEO and digital marketing company since 2010. And now, finally next week,  I’m going to meet Kevin and Jane. I’m  playing it cool and collected right now but I expect that next Monday I’ll be second-guessing my outfit, my footwear, and hoping my cowlick isn’t sticking up.
• The start of the Eastern Ontario Cyclocross season. This year my goal is to do five races. I know, not much but I’ve got dental surgery and cataract surgery smack dab in the middle of the race season.

#Doing

• Just the normal stuff of life. Cycling, at-home yoga, sketching, wasting time on the Internet, chasing Calvin the cat around, and spending time with my favourite guy. I would like to be doing more cycling,  yoga, and sketching – but some days are better than others. I would like to be spending less time on the Internet – I’ve been working gradually on reducing my time wasted online. As for Calvin the cat – well the more energetic he is – the better. And yes, all time spent with my favourite guy is extra special and precious.

#Listening

• I work from home so I’m lucky to be able to listen to whatever I want at whatever  volume I feel like. In the mornings I listen to CBC Radio One and in the afternoons at around 1:00 I switch to CBC Music. I  take a break  from  12 – 1 – I’m not a big call-in show fan. I’m slowly but surely starting to get the hang of classical  music – big thanks to Tom Allen and the summer hosts of Shift for gradually getting me used to this music.
• The Cycling Podcast – this is my favourite cycling podcast. The hosts are smart, chatty, and are comfortable poking fun at themselves.
• The Morning Shakeout – the host, Mario Fraioli has a knack for getting people, mostly runners to open up and be real. Always interesting  guests and valuable insights into life, sport, and balance.
• Tough Girl Podcast – prepare to be inspired and to think seriously about setting out on a big adventure.
• And a whole bunch of other podcasts from NPR, BBC, and the CBC.

And that’s it.

Did you see the latest on the WWW? Cyclocross is coming. In fact, depending on where you live it might already be here.

It seems that in the last few weeks of August, so many people start to get into cyclocross-panic mode.

Stress about tires. Panic about tire pressure. Worry about mounts/dismounts. Much chatter about call-ups. So much stress and worry.

Well, here is what I think about all of this cyclocross panic:

• Why are you racing cyclocross?
• Are you a professional cyclocross racer who is making a living racing your bike?
• Why are you freaking out?

As someone who has raced a lot of cyclocross at many different levels in many different countries – I can attest to the cyclocross-panic mode being universal. I also think it’s getting worse with every passing year.

If your dismount before the barrier is not super smooth – it’s okay. Sure, you haven’t been running – that’s okay – you’re a cyclist. And yes, even the top pros grab a handful of brake when they know they shouldn’t.

Have fun. Go out and race. Keep some perspective on why you’re racing. Don’t get sucked into spending hours obsessing over call-ups.

Get on your bike. Line up. Start hard. Keep your head up. Look through the corners for your exit.

Set your dismount speed. Remount when you’re ready (the number of steps after the barrier doesn’t matter).

Try not to brake too much but remember a controlled speed is always better than chaos.

Be friendly to the other racers. Thank the organizers. Encourage people when you’re standing on the sidelines watching.

Remember that it’s bike riding.

It’s cyclocross season – it’s the best time of the year. So enjoy it. Stop stressing.

See how much fun it is when you smile and goof around?

Muddy and happy

Marc playing in the sand

It’s a pretty big day around here today. Actually today, August 8th and yesterday, August 7th are pretty damn big days in my life.

On August 7th, Marc and I celebrated our 15-year wedding anniversary. Wow! We were together for 10 years before we got married. 25 years! Amazing.

And today, August 8th is my 3-year stomaversary. Three years ago on August 8, 2016 I had my colon removed and was gifted Reset (my stoma) by a very smart surgeon and talented surgical team.

To say that August 8th wouldn’t have happened without August 7th is putting it mildly. I would not be here right now writing this if it wasn’t for Marc. This man has put his life on hold countless times to take care of me and to support me in chasing my goals. I’m truly overwhelmed when I think of the sacrifices he’s made for me.

It can’t be easy to love someone with a chronic  illness. I’m the lucky one – I don’t know what it’s like to see my favourite person crying, hurting, and truly wanting to give up. Sadly, Marc has gone through this.

The best thing about August 8, 2016 was that this all stopped. Yes, there were some blips and low points, particularly in late 2018 and early 2019, but I do believe that we’ve turned a corner now.

I feel good. I feel great. Life is good. There are still a few bumps and niggles, but together, Marc and I can get through anything. How lucky are we to have one another?

So, three years with a stoma. Three years living with a pouch attached to my abdomen, Three years living with my small intestines sticking out of my stomach. Kind of rad really.

As my dear friend Blanche said to me on Tuesday after a 72 km bike ride, “Three years? And look at you – you have a whole new life!”

It’s true I really do. I no longer feel any limitations. Okay, truth – I haven’t taken a bath since my surgery nor have I gone swimming. But this is the year – I’m going to do both – you make sure to hold me accountable!

This morning I played hooky from work and went out to my favourite place for a fun 2 hour cruise on my mountain bike. It’s so hard for me to describe how free I feel riding at Larose Forest.

This morning was extra special – there was no one else there. I rode for a solid 90 minutes before I saw another person. It was just me, the birds, chipmunks, and the trees. Doesn’t get much better.

Something about being in nature truly helps settle me. I feel less rushed. I feel zero pressure to ride hard, fast, or whatever. I’m just there on my bike – totally free.

I took these on my favourite trail – trail #6. There is a point on this trail where the MTB track meanders through huge trees. It always feels super calm when I get to this part of the trail. It’s hard for me to explain, but I feel so at peace on this section of the trail.

Three years!!! I feel like I’m just getting started. I hope Marc is ready for whatever happens next – ha ha!

It’s Sunday, the last day of my week-long vacation. My plan was to go mountain biking today. Last night I got my gear organized, filled up the Camelbak, set the alarm for a shiny 5:30, and went to bed looking forward to riding at Larose Forest.

And now here I sit at 8:37 in the morning. Not riding. I barely slept last night. My lower legs kept me awake. I was restless. At around 4:00 this morning, I turned off my alarm.

Doing this stirred up a lot of conflicted emotions. This is not something I do. I decide to go mountain  biking – so I go mountain biking. Never before would I let a little thing like feeling tired stop me from getting out and having fun. But this is a new time.

In fact this entire week off has been a new experience for me. It started with the hiking weekend in New Hampshire. I returned home on Monday with lots of plans to ride everyday and to get out and really enjoy my city.

Well, remember a few months ago when I spoke about the ability to reset and controlling your controllables? These key tenets ruled my week off. I realized I was too tired from the weekend away to do what I had planned.

I was forced to adjust. Instead of the riding everyday plan – I rode twice. I did have a great day downtown wandering the Byward Market and spending lots of time enjoying the National Gallery of Canada. And the rest of the week? I chilled out. I slept in, I hung out with friends, I did a lot of sketching, and there was a side trip to the dentist.

So yeah, not what I had planned. And to top it off, I decided not to do the Gravel Guys event this past Saturday and I sold my entry to Rooted Vermont next weekend.

This is new for me. Normally I make plans, set goals, and build my life around them. Not now. Maybe this is a sign of a big transition period for me. It’s been really hard for me to move from cycling as training to cycling as pure enjoyment. For a long time my life was attached to performance and getting the most out of my body – this determined ever aspect of my life.

It has taken hanging out with people who aren’t knee deep in cycling culture for me to realize how this is no longer a balanced approach for me. Nor is it what I want anymore. It’s okay if I eat the cookie (or two) and not ride my bike (even if it is a Sunday).

I’m hitting the reset button. This wasn’t the week off I had planned – but it was an important week  for me. I was forced to slow down and be okay with not always being doing things.

I’m controlling the controllables. And this means now not being tied to structure, rigid training plans, and being open to new things and people.

Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs and roadblocks – I guess the key is looking at these as opportunity and a chance to  reassess. Time to hit reset and to be okay with this.