Where was I? Where am I? Did I take the trail on left or right? Or did I come from the other direction on the bicycle path?

Uh, yeah – I got a little bit lost on my 90 minute ride this morning… Sigh, this happens to me a lot. I typically chalk it up to the bike riding adventure. Often when I’m training in Belgium, my route is determined by taking the first left, riding for a bit, and then deciding to take the next right, riding for a bit, and then taking another left, and so on. Eventually I end up rather far from the house in Blauberg and then try really desperately to find my way back. These can be some of the best and worst training rides.

Today, here in Edmonton wasn’t that different. I rolled on down to Argyle Park and rode around on the snowy grass for a while. Then I discovered this pretty cool trail network that I followed around the “lower” part of the park. Up. Down. Across bridges. Around blind corners. Steep inclines. It was awesome. Then I found Mill Creek Park. Wow – cyclo-cross nirvana. What a park. And as I came to quickly realize, it is a massive park. With a combination of paved bicycle paths, gravel trails, and singletrack – it has something for every type of rider. Only problem (well, for me) is that it is truly massive. So hence, I got lost. Really lost. I popped out of the park on a street I had never heard of.

Uh, oh. I was getting close to my 90 minutes. Was feeling a tad cold. Had to pee (need to rethink the 2 liters of water before training rides…). And I really didn’t know where I was. I tried to retrace my pedal strokes through Mill Creek Park. Impossible. Too many options combined with a bad memory resulted in my getting even more lost.

I started riding down a residential street and found a friendly citizen of Edmonton. He set me on the correct track. And within 10 minutes I had found the entrance to Argyll Park. Uh, yeah, I was pretty darn relieved. A little more zooming around Argyll Park and then time to get back to the warmth of the hotel. As I was leaving the park, the CX Edmonton crew was out staking the race course. I didn’t really take much of a look at it (still had to pee..) – lots of time for that tomorrow during the “official” pre-riding.

So all in all, a great little adventure on the bike this morning. I really didn’t mind the cold. In fact apart from slightly red fingers, I was super toasty. All thanks to my super full-zip Vermarc tights combined with the super MEC pants. So relieved I packed my winter cycling jacket – didn’t need it in Treviso but definitely need it here. And lucky for me, Marc remembered to pack my skull cap and winter cycling gloves. So I’m good to go with this weather.

As I was riding, the surroundings really reinforced why are ‘cross Nationals are so early. Snow in October. Only in Canada. Lucky us. Really, anything after these conditions doesn’t really compare. Well, okay I suppose riding through ankle-deep mud in Belgium is up there with the cold and snow. But it is Belgian mud so it makes everything so much better.

Just chilling out here this afternoon. Marc is out riding. My parents arrive a little bit later today. I’m just hanging in the hotel. Strange. I really have nothing to do. Sure, I’ve got a book to read (The Road) and I can always surf the WWW. But I don’t have anything I “have” to do (i.e. work, laundry, house stuff, etc.). This is cool. But slightly unnerving as well. Guess I have no choice but to relax. Maybe I’ll nap. Guess this is what it will be like when I’m in Belgium this winter. I’m pretty confident I’ll get used to it!

Speaking of Belgium…. Are you thinking of coming over for some mad ‘cross racing action and waffle eating? If so, definitely drop me an email. Ask any questions you may have. No question is too big, too small, or too crazy. It can be daunting traveling to a new country to race (believe me, I know). So if I can help you out, I definitely will.

Alright, I’m out. Guess I’ll go nap or read or surf the WWW or just sit here and watch the Food Network. Definitely feeling lucky to be able to do this right now. Many many thanks to my sponsors and of course Marc for making a lot of sacrifices for me.

I’m fully in the non-working just-bike-riding groove. It is nice. Really nice. Though I do feel a bit spoiled to be in this groove right now. Funny how when all I have to do is ride, the day can still seem pretty darn full. I think because I end up doing everything a bit more slowly… Ah well, it will be back to reality next Tuesday anyway.

Have to say this: it is darn cold out here in Edmonton. Where last week I was bemoaning the 26 celsius, I could definitely appreciate some of this warmth. Today I rode in 1 celsius with some kind of wind chill that cut right to the bone. Definitely relieved I packed my thermal bib tights and super warm Kingsbridge winter jacket. At least it was dry.

I hit up Red Willow Park again and then found a really decent long straight stretch of road for my intervals. Ended up in a little town/suburb called Oxford. A good little 90 minute ride to open the legs a bit and to get some of the speed/power sensations implanted on the brain and legs.

Really looking forward to racing this weekend. Excellent venue at Argyle Park. As well it is always cool to race in a Nationals championships. My thoughts feelings on the race? Don’t really have any expectations. I’m really working on listening to the words that Marc has been telling me for so long. Worry about performance and the outcomes will happen. So this is what I’ve been doing. Break down the course into sections – think about how I want to ride each section and during the race try to improve on each section. This could range from riding a flat stretch faster, taking a turn more smoothly and accelerating faster out of it, attacking the base of a climb, taking as much speed as possible into the barriers, or maintaining a high leg cadence through the sand. The other thing I do during races is talk to myself. Yes, I talk to myself. My lips don’t really move but I’m talking to myself inside my head. (Honest, I’m not crazy….) Anyway, I say things such as “Good job! Keep it up.” or “Next time try to take the corner a bit wider.”, or “Eyes up. Keep pedaling.”, or “Awesome race. You’re doing it. Nice one”. Really just positive self-talk to keep me focused and in a good racing mood.

Marc arrives tonight so this will be great. It has only been a week but it feels like much longer. Tomorrow we’ll get out for a light spin. Then Friday we’ll be out pre-riding. Then Saturday it is race day. Nice. Then Sunday we get to race again. Even better. Great way to spend Thanksgiving. Extra bonus is that my parents will be here to watch, cheer, and hang out with. Extra bonus is that next weekend in Toronto, my little bro and sister-in-law will be out to watch the races and hang out.

See you this weekend at the races. Travel safe.

It is only now hitting me what a day I had on Sunday. I must admit it was quite the whirlwind. From checking out of one hotel, warming up, racing, packing up the bikes, returning the rental car, checking into a new hotel and then collapsing for the night – I was on one big adrenaline rush. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep that well on Sunday. Kind of felt like my body was still racing. It took a long time for my body and brain to slow down from the action of the day.

Suppose this is a sign of a really good day. After thinking more about the race, I’m content with the race. Of course, I still want to do better. But it is early days yet in the season and I know I’ll do better in the subsequent World Cup races.

All in all, it was a most excellent trip. I’m sure some people were shaking their heads, thinking I was crazy to go so far for one race. But the trip was worth it. I gained some valuable race experience. I got to race with some of the best racers in the world and definitely the deepest field I’ve raced against this season. Extra bonus are the UCI and World Cup points. Cool.

Many thanks for all the kind emails that appeared in my inbox this morning. What a feeling to read you words of support and encouragement. Definitely nice to read after a long travel day today.

So now I’m in St. Albert, Alberta (a suburb of Edmonton). My bikes arrived, so this is good news. I have not put them together yet. I decided to listen to Marc’s advice and wait until tomorrow morning when I’m not so wiped out to put them together. I lucked out and I’m staying with friends of a friend for a few days. Definitely a very welcoming environment and it is super refreshing to not be in a hotel alone again. On Wednesday I’ll move over to the race hotel, since Marc arrives then. So for now I’m going to get a good night of sleep and then get out for a spin tomorrow.

Definitely a bit chilly here. But that’s okay. In a way I don’t mind after racing in the ridiculous heat on the weekend. Let me tell you, 26 celsius is not pleasant for a cyclo-cross race! But this being said, I have no interest in seeing snow flakes this week…

Alright, I’m going to sign off. I haven’t had a chance to look for photos from the race on Sunday yet… When I find some, I’ll post up some links here. (If you find photos, feel free to post the link in the comments section.) Okay, must get some sleep.

What a day. What a great day. Awesome day to be a cyclo-cross racer. Really, it was just a most excellent day. Only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Marc here (next year!).

So not only did I race in the World Cup today but I also had to get myself packed up and checked out of my hotel in Villorba. Many thanks to Jonas and Christine for transporting my bike boxes to the race (this saved me from having to go back to the hotel to pack up the bikes). Had a pretty chilled morning with a fine Italian breakfast of museli and fizzy water. Chilled in the room for a bit – catching up on the WWW action and just getting organized. Then it was time to get to the course.

My race was at 2:00, so I decided to arrive just before 11:00. I reasoned that this would allow me to beat the crowds int he parking lot and get a good spot. Well, lets just say I’m glad I arrived when I did – the parking lot was packed. Those motorhomes take up a lot of space. I basically parked in a non-parking spot. But it worked out well – I had a nice patch of grass to use later for my bike packing and I was parked across from Zdnek Stybar and the Belgian team. Pretty fast company. I put the bikes together and then ate my oatmeal experiment. Yep, oatmeal experiment… Typically I cook my oatmeal and add bananas, dates, and yogurt. Well, I didn’t have the means to cook my oatmeal, so I soaked it overnight with water, dates and spoonful of peanut butter. Then this morning I liberated a container of yogurt from the hotel breakfast room – I added this to the oatmeal and sliced up a banana I had bought earlier. It worked out pretty well. Nice taste combo with the dates, bananas, and peanut butter. Soaked oats taste pretty nice – basically a museli.

I had plenty of time since there really wasn’t much to do before the race. I pinned on my numbers and then rolled over to check out the expo. I was hoping to pick up some souvenirs for my favorite guy but no such luck. There was free gelato but I decided to pass on this!

Then it was time to get warmed up. Without a trainer to ride, I hit the open road and cruised around and got my leg spinning. A cool thing they do at World Cup races is use transponders to track the riders during the race – this gives feedback on lap times, etc – same idea as the transponders used in marathons, triathlons, etc. Excellent idea. The trick is remembering to pick up the transponder! Did this and then quickly changed into my skinsuit and jersey for some course riding. Things were going well. I had dialed in my lines. Decided to run the steep climb that I thought might be rideable… Then tragedy struck (okay, maybe tragedy is a bit dramatic…) – anyway I got a flat tire… Luckily Christine and Jonas saved the day. With this excitement minutes before the race, time really start to tick along. Then before I knew it I was lined up in the fifth (i.e. back row) and ready to start the World Cup! I wrote a race report with all the race details.

Suffice it to say, it was a good day on the bike. It was hot. It was dry. It was fast. It was cyclo-cross in Italy. I can say that the fans in Italy are much more friendly than the fans in Belgium. There was no booing or laughing. There were no visibly drunk people. Really just lots of cheering fans. I even heard a few “Go Vicki”‘s. Pretty smooth. I ended up 28th. Satisfied. But in typical fashion, I would have liked to have done better. But I’m content with this result. The trip was definitely worth it.

Have to say the water handed out at the finish was very welcomed. I was so thirsty during the race. It was funny to look at everyone – we were all covered in dirt, dust and grime. Signs of a good day of hard and fast pedaling. I quickly changed and then got down to business and packed up my bikes. It took about an hour to do – so I missed the men’s race. I would have liked to have watched this, but there will be many chances soon enough to watch the elite men race. So got the bikes packed, zoomed around and chatted with a few people and then took off for the airport. This was an easy 30 minute drive. Picked up the shuttle and I’m now settled in my hotel for the night. The hotel is literally two minutes from the airport. I took a bit of a walk and got some food. Pizza. Ice cream. It was pretty okay pizza – really just tasted like pizza at home. But considering I haven’t had pizza in over a year – I enjoyed every bite of it. And to finish things off – a double chocolate Magnum bar. Oh yeah, there is nothing quite like a Magnum bar.

I’ve got an early start tomorrow morning with a 4:30 wake-up call and a 5:30 shuttle to the airport. My first flight leaves at 7:00. I’ve got four flights tomorrow! Lots of flying. Hope my bikes make it all the way with me. Lucky for me, I’m getting picked up at the airport. Shaun’s mom is being super generous and picking me up. Thanks so much!

One thing I can say about this trip is that it was definitely made easier with the help of Christine and Jonas – they helped me out so much. Even just being around to talk to. Nice to just jabber away about nothing really for a bit. The wonderful treats from Belgium are an extra bonus – looking forward to a bowl of All-Bran Choco (might save it for Ottawa though).

Okay, I’m out. The morning is going to come fast and I must admit, I’m a bit wiped out right now. Thanks for all of your emails, Twitter messages/posts, and the speedy vibes you sent me. It all helped a great deal. I really felt like I could hear Marc’s voice out on the course today. As I zipped past the pits, I swear I could hear him cheering me on. And when I went through the twists and turns and made my way up the long climbs, I really could hear him cheering for me and yelling at me to pedal. Thanks Marc – you were with me every second on that race course today.

Spent the mid-afternoon over at the Treviso race course. Mission of the day was to get in a few laps to check out the course. Well, it is definitely grassy. A combination of grass and pavement. There are two steep climbs. One set of stairs. The start is at the bottom of a sandy/gravely hill.

Really the course has lots of power sections. A longish false flat on the dry grass. There are a bunch of fast descents followed by tight uphill corners and short bursts up and then turn around and go down again. The major steep climb is pretty insane. I’m definitely running it. I’ve checked out a bunch of lines and know how and when to approach this so I can get part way up before dismounting. After this steep run we have some recovery with a descent onto pavement and then a whip by the pits.

Next tricky part comes up with an off-camber descent and then a tight turn to another steep climb. Today I committed to running it. But after talking with Christine and Jonas, I’ll try riding it tomorrow during the race pre-ride. If I can’t get it 100 per cent, I’ll stick to my original plan.

After this little section we drop down and go through a few twists and turns and then hit the stairs. The stairs are funny – kind of shallow. I tried taking two at a time but my legs are a bit short for this. Who knows tomorrow with the race adrenaline, things might be different.

From here we drop down again and go through a bunch of sweeping turns and flat stretches. Then up a stretch of pavement on past the pits with a fast paved descent. There is a fun little transition here from pavement to loose gravel to chewed up grass with a fast off-camber descent. More twists and turns. Through the start/finish and onto the long gradual grass false flat/climb. Then we’re back to the longer descents followed by the uphill corners and climbs.

It will be fast. Really fast. I think the key is to maintain momentum as much as possible. It is tempting to overbrake on some of the descents because they are so fast but this causes you to scrub too much speed and work harder than needed for the climbs. A fine balance between too much speed and sliding out and not enough speed to kill the momentum.

I really have no idea how the race will go for me. I haven’t raced with any of these girls this season. I can only do my thing. I know a strong start is crucial tomorrow. So this is my mission – have a strong start. A strong start will allow me to get in a group. I can’t rely on the catch and pass game tomorrow – this is not the field where this can be done. I’m feeling good about the course. I’m comfortable with my lines and race plan. I’ll just roll with things and make sure I race my heart and lungs out.

Oh, I’ve got passes for a pit man, team manager, masseuse, and team mechanic… Too bad I don’t have anyone to give them to. Maybe for the next World Cup…

Met a few new people today and saw some faces I recognize. But I decided not to stop Sven Nys and Erwin Vervecken (they looked kind of busy).

So, I’m signing off with good sensations in my legs, lungs, heart, and head. I’m ready for this. Can’t do anything else to get ready for the race. I know I’m riding some good form right now. Just need to to do my thing. Yes, I’m a bit nervous. This is normal. But I’m not stressed out by the course at all. It is a good course for me. Nothing crazy or ridiculous. Just lots of fast pedaling and some guts required to take the corners fast and smooth. I can do this. I’m ready for it. 40 minutes. That’s it. Stoked. Sunday is going to be good.