This has been a tough and trying week for so many people. The events at the Boston Marathon, followed by the explosion in Texas, the death of Rita MacNeil, culminating with tension and fear in Watertown – many people would be quick to say this has been a very horrible week. I have to count myself lucky in saying that I had a very good week.

My week has been all about bike riding, relaxing and spending time with my favourite guy. Yes, this for me has been a very good week. In between lots of good long rides on my trusty road bike I’ve had a chance to simply relax. Nothing very special happened in between my many long rides. But all the small moments made for a good week:

– Many thanks to Clif Bar for the amazing box of nutrition. I cannot speak highly enough about Clif Bar and the support I receive from this company. I’ve been treated to some of Clif Bar’s new products including the new Kit’s Organic Fruit & Nut Bars and the newest Clif Shot Blok flavour – Chocolate Cherry. If you’re looking for a gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, all-natural bar to eat while riding, in-between rides or to stow in your purse/bag/jacket pocket – the Kit’s Organic Fruit & Nut Bar is the bar you need. I’ve eaten a lot of bars – and the peanut butter bar is top-notch. Easy to digest, a good flavour that is not too “peanutty” and a good texture –  the Kit’s Organic Fruit & Nut Bar is a good one. And what about the the Chocolate Cherry Clif Shot Bloks? Darn tasty! In my opinion, the combination of chocolate and cherry can’t be beat! (Now I have no excuses for not “eating enough” on my rides – as happened on Monday… I learned a hard lesson that day…)

– Reading, snoozing and chilling out. This is what I mostly did between my rides and training days. There were some long pleasant relaxing baths as well. Normally I don’t tell you about my baths… but one in particular on Thursday does deserve some attention. After talking to my coach Tucker on Thursday morning, I learned of the benefits of an ice bath… So I went for it. In two words “shockingly cold”. Getting into a bath tub filled with cold water and then having three bags of ice dumped onto my legs was not pleasant. The worst part were my feet – they are so super sensitive to cold. If Marc hadn’t been there to convince me to stay in the tub – I definitely would have gotten out. Seven minutes is a long time… After two minutes I couldn’t feel my feet (a good thing). Best quote was from Marc “I’ve never seen your legs so red”. Will I do it again? Yes, likely – particularly since I’ve learned the secret from veteran a ice bather – toe covers… Yes, my next ice bath I’ll be wearing my waterproof socks.

– One of the best parts of the week has been riding some of my favourite roads. For some of these roads, it had been over a year since I’d ridden them. Very nice to get out with my pal Vicki S. on Wednesday to show her some of my favourite roads. Could have done without the crazy headwinds but with a fierce headwind comes a friendly tailwind.

– Saturday after recovering from my hail/snow ride (it was dry when I left), I hooked up with my buddy Sheri for an afternoon of learning about a plant powered lifestyle at Plant Power Ottawa. What a great afternoon – a great talk by Dr. Michael Greger and some very inspiring words by Rich Roll. An enlightening afternoon that has sparked me to really get the most out of my body and life. Rich Roll talked about finding what it is inside yourself that gets you excited and motivated – when you discover this – do what you can to follow through on this excitement and motivation.

Today is the last day of my at-home mini training camp. The sun is out and I’m just about to head out for a ride with my friend Sally. Great way to end this very good week.

This week marks a first for me – I took the week off from work just to ride my bike. It has been an awesome week so far. I’m getting out on some of my favourite roads that I wasn’t able to explore last year. I’m riding long and steady – pushing my body and my brain. So far in three days I’ve ridden in warm temperatures and been overdressed, battled crazy wind/rain and been overdressed and finally today ridden in warmish temperatures and was dressed perfectly.

On Monday I did my longest ride in over a year. Just shy of five hours. Wow – what a day. I had a great ride but I also cracked in the last hour. Learned a big lesson – even though I’m feeling awesome – I still need to eat. More importantly, I need to eat more than I think I need to eat. Yes, made the classic mistake of not eating enough so the last hour was a bit of a death march. Not sure what the friendly guy at the MacEwan’s in Richmond thought of my salt encrusted face as I manhandled my bottle of cream soda (the pink kind). (Oh yes, pink cream soda in the bottle can be a lifesaver – try it and thank me later.)

Tuesday was a steady three hour ride with the real battle being the crazy wind and the fickle rain. Luckily I’m used to riding in the rain and thanks to my tendency to overdress, I didn’t feel cold… Today I rode with good pal Vicki S. – we talked for the entire ride – it was super to have such good company. (If only we could have done something about that headwind!)

I was just saying to Marc that I feel really good. My body feels good. I feel good about myself. I’m not stressing about what others are “saying” or “doing” – I’m just happy being me and living life the way it makes myself and Marc the happiest. And then as luck would have it, I read Katy’s website where she had posted this great video. (Watch it and pass it on.)

Well, my birthday has come and gone. What a day it was! Overall a most excellent day spent with Marc and some very good friends. There were lots of stories, good food, laughter, and gifts. But best of all was simply hanging out with great people. Special treat was getting to chat with my little nephew over Skype video – so cute to watch him “weld” and “paint” – think we’ve got a future construction magnate on our hands!

While I didn’t get to ride outside on my birthday (darn you mid-April winter storms) I did get in a good hard work-out on the trainer. Some people might think that getting up early to sweat and grunt it out in the basement on the trainer is not the best way to spend a birthday. But for me, there is not much else I’d rather be doing (well, except riding outside)…

Yesterday marked a fresh start for me. The past three years have been filled with tough illness, injury and generally not feeling like myself.

Well, that bike ride yesterday on my birthday, marking the start of my 41st year – was a true gift. A chance to really seize this year by the horns and live the best life I possibly can. I’m finally at a point where I feel really great – I’m healthy, I feel good about myself, I’m excited to be training and racing again, I’ve beat the demons of depression that come with a disease like ulcerative colitis, I’m surrounded by awesome and loving people – really I’m just so super thankful to be starting this new year with such gifts.

This is the year when I take chances and put myself out there. I’ll do things I haven’t done before. Things that scare me a little or a lot. I want to push my boundaries and really discover what it is I’m capable of.

Last weekend was a good one – I got outside on both days. And then April arrived… Normally I welcome April with open arms – in fact – I relish April. April is a big month for me… (hint my birthday is in April) (second hint I love birthdays and I especially love my birthday)

So normally when April comes along, I’m all smiles and Easter eggs. April means it is time to get outside and ride ride ride. The sun is shining. The flowers are poking through. The birds are singing. Everyone is happy. It’s April – winter is a long and distant memory.

Except this year. This year, April is not winning any friends. I’m really hoping that  for April’s sake, things start to get a bit sunnier, warmer and more April-like. All week I’ve been in the basement riding the trainer. Yes, this has its merits – but not in April! Sigh – April – what did we ever do to you? It’s not like we moan about you like we do about January and February. Nope quite the opposite, we get excited when you show up. Patios open. Garages get cleaned out. People start wearing Crocs and tank tops. Yep, we get pretty eager when you show up.

I grew up in northern Saskatchewan. I’ve seen my fair share of cold and snowy days. (Days I don’t really care to see again…) As a kid and even teenager I used to beg my parents to let me take my bike out by my birthday. Every year it was “do you think I can get my bike outside by my birthday?” Sometimes it was a yes and other times it was a no. Well, let me tell you April – I’m done with no. I want a yes for 2013.

Come my birthday, I expect to be riding outside. And this doesn’t mean riding outside bundled up in four layers on the top, double booties, two pairs of gloves, and thermal tights. I would like leg warmers and shorts weather. In fact this is what I would like for my birthday – leg warmers, shorts, long sleeve jersey, vest, light gloves, and cycling cap weather. This is all I’m asking of you April. It’s not a lot – just some sunny, warm, dry days.

I think it’s only fair. I’ve lived through enough snowy Aprils and I don’t feel like I should have to see another one. Thanks April – I knew you’d understand. You really are a good friend. I knew I could count on you. After all, April this is for your own good as well as mine – you don’t want to start getting a bad reputation do you?

Gasp – the racing season has started. In Ontario the season kicked off with the Good Friday Road Race. This means that people are madly checking websites to see who is “fit” and who isn’t “fit”….

Some folks are sitting in front of their computers pouring over power files, trying to figure out what went “wrong” on Friday and why they didn’t get the result they had planned on getting. Others are looking at Strava and critiquing the training their friends and teammates have been doing – quickly finding holes in these training plans.

How about instead of stressing over what your teammate did or didn’t do in the race, or what your cross-town rival said to you after the race while completely exhausted and likely not thinking correctly, or obsessing over your friend’s new time trial bike and fancy wheels – you just take  a deep breathe and realize what it is we are doing.

We are racing bikes. We race bikes because it is fun. We like to go on long training rides because it is fun. We do intervals because we like to push ourselves.

We don’t do this to get stressed out, to get cranky with others who have the same passions as we do, or to behave negatively to another cycling fanatic. This simply doesn’t help the sport or the image that we as cyclists have.

So when you see your “rival” or teammate at the next race and you ask “Are you ready?” – think about how and why you’re asking this. Are you asking this to find out if you can get an upperhand or are you being genuinely friendly. Yes, yes, I know this is also sport – and everyone wants to win – well guess what – we race bikes because we love to ride our bikes.

Be nice to the people riding around in spandex – they’re doing it for the same reasons as you.