It happens every season and this year it happened yesterday. I ate my normal breakfast of late (smoothie with chia seeds, flax seeds, Bioflavia, maca powder, spinach, frozen raspberries, frozen banana and almond milk). Then around 11:30 I ate my typical lunch of a big veggie stir-fry, some celery and carrot sticks and an orange. Perfect – the food was super tasty, I felt satiated and ready-to-go.

A couple hours after lunch I hit the open road for my ride. About 30 minutes before my ride, I ate a package of Clif Bloks. Wednesday was threshold interval day and the first time doing “longish” threshold intervals. The first ten minute interval went well – as hard as a threshold interval should be. In the second interval I faded at the three minute to go mark with a bit of a resurgence in the last minute. Then it was a 45-minute ride home into a headwind.

By the time I got home I was wiped out. It was a bit chilly yesterday and rather windy (thank you small ring!) – so I attributed the fatigue to the weather combined with the intensity of the ride.

I had big plans for my post-ride afternoon, well needless to say I didn’t get anything ticked off my “to do” list… Instead I felt draggy, wiped out and darn right rotten. I attributed this to the work-out intensity. Marc believed otherwise. After asking me what I ate (oh I did have a Luna bar when I got home) he determined that I was under-fueled and particularly in the carbohydrate department. Of course – I did not agree. With no energy to cook supper I zipped off to Farm Boy to pick up some pre-made food (actually pretty good because you can read all of the ingredients) – Marc gave me strict instructions to get something carby…

After eating a quinoa salad and assorted roasted vegetables and then some trail mix – I felt remarkably better. In fact I stayed up until 11:00 and was full of energy…

Yes, it happens every year. I neglect to look at the ride I have to do and eat to fuel this ride. Eating on a recovery day or an easy day is not the same as eating for a longer ride or more intense ride. One year I’ll remember this lesson and not suffer the rather unpleasant crash and energy dip.

(Oh and about the trail mix – it was so good. All sorts of nuts, Smarties, raisins, and chocolate chips. Lets just say I ate more than one serving…)

So, learn from my mistakes. Eat. Eat again. And eat some more.

The weekend, actually the week has been all about bikes. Bike riding. Bike cleaning. Bike racing planning. Reading about bikes. Talking about bikes. Hanging out with bike riding friends. Bikes. Bikes. Bikes.

To say that this is a good thing would be an understatement. It is not often that we’re lucky to find “something” that grabs us and captivates us 100%. The bike is it for me. It has gifted me so many opportunities, so much freedom and the reward of learning more about myself.

On each training ride these days I’m learning to appreciate the feeling of my body responding to my efforts. I think the last two years of illness and injury have finally sunk in. I finally realize how fortunate I am to have a body that will do what I want it to do. Perspective is a powerful thing and the challenge is to make the most of this perspective.

On Sunday I rode out to the Gatineau Park to connect with a friend who I first met way back in 1995 and had lost contact with but over the last six months or so we’ve reconnected. So very refreshing. Even better was meeting two new people on the Sunday ride around the hills of the Gatineau Park. We were all connected by a passion for the two-wheeler and getting outside to enjoy it all. Somehow the hills seemed less steep and the grass, leaves, trees and sky seemed that much more brilliant. Riding home along the bicycle path bordering the Ottawa River there were all sorts of folks out enjoying the afternoon sun – wobbly little kids on rollerblades, joggers, walkers, a family building sand castles at Kitchissippi Beach, and lots of cyclists. Before I knew it I was home and frankly I wished I’d done that second loop – the bike riding ended too soon for me.

I write often here about luck, fortune, community, and chasing your dreams. Some days I feel like I’m beating a broken drum but just like the wheels keep rolling on my bike, so too do my dreams, goals, wishes, good luck, and fortune. The bike is my “something” and whatever your “something” is – be thankful you have it. Keep those wheels turning – you just never know where they’ll take you or what they’ll gift you.

Four years ago when I nervously sent off an email to Clif Bar about sponsorship, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I was new to looking for sponsors and building relationships with companies. I was also new to elite cyclo-cross racing. So when I heard back from Clif Bar – to say I was thrilled would be an understatement.

Over the years I’ve learned more about the company, its practices and the people behind the tasty bars and gels. I am very proud to have the Clif Bar logo on my clothing and I think I wear a Team Clif Bar t-shirt at least once a week!

In a recent issue, Outside magazine profiled Clif Bar as one of the 50 Best Companies to Work For. I’ve never been to the Clif Bar headquarters but from what I’ve read and learned from chatting with staff at various events and at InterBike – I have to say that this is a very cool, ethical and forward-thinking company.

I’m proud of the companies who sponsor me and it really is a big deal for me to have the support of such a fine company. Beyond the nutrition products that feature organic ingredients, gluten-free ingredient lists, and are free of trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils – this is simply a good company. With podcasts aimed at providing nutrition advice, outreach programs to help communities through-out North America, and working with other like-minded companies to make a positive difference – Clif Bar is a company that hasn’t lost track of its roots or its principles.

Of course the food that Clif Bar keeps me fuelled with is the best out there! As you likely know I have a number of dietary limitations and it is easy for me to rely on Clif Bar and Luna products to keep feeling at my best. I’m a big fan of the Clif Mojo bars (Chocolate Almond Coconut and Peanut Butter Pretzel are awesome), the Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gel are my go-to before a cyclo-cross race and when I’m out on long training rides (yes, the Chocolate Cherry tastes as good as it sounds) and away from the bike when I’m traveling and recovering from racing and training, the Luna Protein bars are my bar of choice (Mint Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Peanut Butter are so very good).

Thanks Clif Bar for the amazing support and continued belief. I really do appreciate it. Here’s to a great 2012-2013 season and lots of good long rides and races!

Take a second to ask yourself this question: What’s Holding Me Back?

You might think that there is nothing holding you back and that you’re doing all you can to get the most from life and achieve your goals. I thought the same. But it is simply not true. There is always something more that you and I can do. Maybe it is spending more time recovering from your rides. Maybe it is really committing to a stretching routine rather than going through the motions. Maybe it is really looking at your weaknesses and rather than “trying” to fix them really drilling down and determining what it is you need to do.

I’ve been holding myself back for a few years now. I struggle with sprinting and accelerating up steep climbs, out of corners, etc. In the past years I’ve done the spring work-outs, I’ve gone out in the woods and “tried” to teach myself how to accelerate up steep climbs. But really, I’ve only been making small steps forward. Not good. I’ve been holding myself back by trying the same things over and over and not getting any further ahead.

Well this is changing now. I’m ready willing and able to try anything it takes to unlock this block I have on sprinting, starting and getting myself up and over steep climbs. I know I can do this. But maybe I haven’t wanted it badly enough? I don’t know but it is time. I’ve got a few ideas of how I’m going to address this but as always I’d definitely like to hear what you have to say on this.

Another thing I’m going to fix is my mental block on “kicking up”. If you do yoga you’ll know what I’m referring to – this is the action required to get into handstand or shoulder stand. Essentially “kicking up” your legs. I won’t do it. I have a block on it. I know I can do it but I don’t. Instead I wait for my yoga teacher to come around and help me get my legs up in the air. Yes, taking the lazy way out maybe? I know I have the core strength and leg strength – I just have this unwillingness to break through a skill that makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable (note – I’m kicking up to the wall so there is no risk of flipping over…). So this is the next thing I’m going to fix so I can stop holding myself back.

And how about you? What is holding you back? And what are you going to do about it?

I started this blog in 2007 as a way to write about my cyclo-cross racing and training experiences. Over the years thanks to this blog I’ve met an amazing group of people. I’ve reconnected with old friends. I’ve made new friends. And thanks to this website, I’ve been lucky to benefit from new opportunities.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog you likely know that I really try to be honest and open with how things are going. When life is good – you know it and when I’m struggling – you know it. In fact it is from this honesty and your amazing responses, comments, emails and messages that I’ve been able to keep perspective on what it is cyclo-cross racing and riding a bike are really all about. There have been times when I’ve felt like giving up or have been so sick that I couldn’t imagine getting on a bike – and you guys have been there – boosting me up and even giving me a stern “talking to” when I need it.

The power of community is simply amazing. The power of the cycling community is amazing. Well, today I just want you all to put your collective heads together and send some positive vibes out to a couple of my friends today. These two friends are super strong women who have been dealt a rotten hand thanks to ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Both are struggling and I just know that they could benefit from your thoughts. So today when you’re out riding your bike or enjoying a good meal, think of how lucky you are and remember not to ever take anything for granted.

If you guys have taught me anything is it the little things that are important. Squeeze your kids tight and tell them you love them. Eat some dessert. Take the time to hold the door for a stranger. Have an attitude of gratitude. Think of that person you haven’t talked to in a while and pick up the phone. Think some happy thoughts.

And to my two friends: hang tough – the days will get better.