I don’t claim to have a handle on the state of zen. But for my intents and purposes, I had a moment of zen on my ‘cross bike on Saturday afternoon. I made my way to secret park on Saturday afternoon, somewhat reluctantly. I was tired from my morning work-out and really wasn’t too excited about another ride. But the sun was shining and a commitment is a commitment. Rolled over to my training spot and set up a little course with some makeshift flags. First couple sets weren’t too stellar. I was fighting my bike and my brain.

Then it happened. My brain was clear. My legs felt loose and free. It felt as though the bike was doing all the work and I was simply along for the ride. This for me was a moment of zen. I was there in the moment but at the same time I felt like I was floating – watching it all come together.

The ride got progressively better from there. I flowed through my work-out – moving more quickly through the turns and really sprinting up the hill. I tacked on a few extra sets. In the end I realized I was smiling. I found that moment that makes it worth while.

After my work-out I rolled around the park and just soaked up being outside in nature. It is not often that I have time to just roll around on my bike and enjoy what it affords me. People were out walking, jogging and simply enjoying the urban oasis. I hung out and watched the water rush through Hogs Back Falls. Caught a glimpse of a wedding party getting their photos taken. Watched a little kid munch away at a giant ice cream cone.

So for something that I wasn’t that jazzed about initially, it all came together in the end. This is a feeling I’m trying to keep close this week (since the weather is not looking too great). The days when you don’t feel like going out, often can turn out to be the best rides on the bike. I think one of the keys is to not take things too seriously. I know easier said than done. Perspective is a powerful tool.

Phew, what an awesome couple of days. I’m still on a bit of a high from securing a number of sponsors for the upcoming season. Couple this with some awesome rides and work-outs in the weight room – and I’m feeling pretty darn fine. It is amazing what a positive attitude can do. Little niggly problems are overlooked and my eyes are clearly focused on the prize.

I must admit I was less than thrilled about getting out for a ride yesterday afternoon. I was a bit tired from my gym work-out (suppose this happens when I up the weight on every exercise!) and I had a lot of stuff to get done that night. The weather wasn’t that appealing either – a second day in the rain was not that thrilling. But, I pushed these excuses aside and got out on my bike. I’m super happy that I did. Really, there is no way that I would skip a ride or work-out… But sometimes I think about it. I know I’m not alone in this. This is a normal feeling, from recreational athletes to elite athletes. The couch maybe appealing but only for a few moments, until the guilt and remorse sets in (at least for me). So I got out in the rain and grit and had an excellent road ride. 8 x 5 x 1 tempo intervals. Yes, painful as it sounds. But so very rewarding to do this work-out.

So what else is happening? Well, there is a lot of road racing coming up here in Eastern Canada: Montreal World Cup on Saturday, Tour of Grand Montreal and the Tour of PEI. None of which I’m doing. Tough decisions (well not so much for the World Cup – that course is not appealing to me!). But the smart decision since the road season is not my focus. Tough to remember at times. Especially now when I feeling super fit and riding really well. But this restraint will pay off in the fall and winter. This is what I’m focused on.

So Kevin and Sheri just got back from a pretty cool trip to Italy and Spain. They watched some of the Giro, hung out in Girona with the Canadian Garmin Boys and rode their bikes up some massive mountains. Sheri did this in style wearing an Ottawa Cross jersey. So here are some pics to get you motivated to get out on your bike (perhaps even plan a trip to Europe…). Thanks for the pics – much appreciated.

Christian Maier and Sheri Jay

Sheri and Christian re-fuel

Sheri at the Summit of Col de l'Izoard

Well it has been an awesome couple of days here at Ottawa Cross. Where to start?

I’ve been super fortunate over the past few days to secure a number of sponsors for the upcoming 2009 – 2010 cyclo-cross season. My thanks go out to the following companies:

Kingsbridge Disaster Recovery: once again Skip Williams of Kingsbridge has stepped forward to be a big supporter of Ottawa Cross and my racing and training season. Many thanks to Skip and the guys for believing in me and supporting me for the season. I really do appreciate it. Go check out the Kingsbridge web site. You won’t be disappointed. Did I mention that all the guys ride? Yep, not only are they big supporters of mine but they are all pretty good at ripping it up on the road and trails.

Clif Bar: thanks to Clif Bar, my pre-race, race and post-race nutrition needs are completely covered. I was lucky to benefit from a Clif Bar sponsorship last season and I can definitely say the Clif products are the way to go. I’m kind of addicted to the Strawberry Clif Shot Bloks and the Double Expresso Clif Shot Gels give that extra buzz I need on the start line. Hungry? Feeling a bit dehydrated? Go check out Clif Bar.

Outdoor Gear Canada: my head, feet, eyes, and wheels are all taken care of by the support of Outdoor Gear Company. Thanks to Outdoor Gear Company I’ll be ripping it up with a super smooth Giro helmet and glasses. My feet will be super styling and supported in the super fly yellow Mavic Fury mountain bike shoes. To top it off, I can train and race with confidence knowing that I’ve got the best in tubular wheels rolling under me. Thanks OGC!

Bell Lap Coaching: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I would not be where I am today without the fine coaching and training from Steve Weller of Bell Lap Coaching. Steve took me on when I was a “wannabe” and carefully guided me to where I am today – an elite cyclo-cross and road racer. Steve’s knowledge about road and cyclo-cross racing has been instrumental in developing training plans that work for me. Thanks Bell Lap Coaching, you give me the confidence to toe the line.

The Cyclery: none of this would be possible without the continued support of Vince Caceres of The Cyclery. Vince is one of the biggest supporters of cyclists in Ottawa. Thanks to Vince, I’m ripping it up on some fast Stevens bikes. If you need a bike, wheels, clothes, or a tune-up – definitely visit The Cyclery – you won’t be disappointed. Thanks Vince for the support!

It is so very true. It really is about your state of mind. I came to this nirvana-like breakthrough while ripping up some singletrack on my ‘cross bike this afternoon. I was rolling along, dodging trees and bunnyhopping big tree roots when it hit me.

A few months ago I wouldn’t have been able to put such a ride together. In fact I can remember very clearly how I was riding such terrain this past January. To put it bluntly: badly. All over the brakes. Looking directly in front of the front wheel. Tense shoulders. Angry brain. Generally a very ugly bike racer.

But now things have changed. I’m re-ignited. Re-focused. Jazzed for the upcoming cyclo-cross season. Committed to doing the hardwork necessary to race at Tabor.

So today was awesome. I was one with the bike. Riding well. Focused on keeping my feet moving – even when I wasn’t sure what was around the bend. I was looking ahead – scanning the trail for roots, obstacles, etc. I was controlling the bike – moving it around to flow through corners and up steep little climbs. I hit the sand hard and made sure my weight was back and my legs were spinning like crazy to keep my momentum and speed.

I was in it. Fully and Completely (thank-you Tragically Hip). I presume I was grinning the entire ride as well. I was simply playing. Good stuff. So it really does make a difference where your head is at. Thankfully, mine is back where it should be: squarely on my shoulders and ready to go.

Today marked my third ride on my ‘cross bike this season. So much fun. I feel like I’m stronger technically today than I was last winter. I know, I’ve only been out three times. But I feel different. Stronger. Smarter. It is like the lessons that I was rebuffing and ignoring last season have had time to trickle in through my thick skull. Yep, I’m finally getting it.

Whoa – second post in one day. Either I’m on a roll and have a lot going on or it is quiet times at you know where… Actually, a bit of both.

Had a banner day of training today. Started the day earlier than usual with a trip to the gym for a weight work-out. This is an intense phase of lifting but lucky John Zahab of OHPC has prepared me well for this increased load so my body and brain are responding well. Thought I’ve got to say there is something to be said for the fatigue I feel after lifting. My muscles just feel kind of limp and useless. The feeling passes but it is a definite sign of a good session.

I got home with time to see Marc off to work and do a few odd things around the house. And most importantly, have my second breakfast. Today I had one of my favorites: 1/2 cup of 0% cottage cheese, raspberries and one scoop of chocolate Proteins + protein powder. Stir it all up and enjoy. Super tasty and chock full of protein and good for you carbs.

Next up was my first cyclo-cross ride to kick off the 2009 – 2010 season. Yep, ‘cross ride in May. It has to be done. If I learned anything last winter in Belgium it was that I need to improve my technical skills. The time is now. Time to get out on the ‘cross bike: identify areas to be improved, figure out how to best learn the technique, and practice, practice, practice. So today was the kick-off for this. I had a great session with one of Ottawa’s local ‘cross stars. We hit up secret park and went through some drills and skills.

It is simply amazing. We met for only an hour but I learned so much in that hour. It really was worth as much as a three-day cyclo-cross camp. Goes to show how much a skilled teacher combined with a one-to-one student to teacher ratio can pay off. So what did we work on? Well, sorry to disappoint but there was nothing truly “ground breaking” here. We worked on climbing, cornering at speed and braking.

See, like I said, nothing really new but the messages were new and the drills are new. I learned some new technique for climbing. One of my headaches in a ‘cross race is steep climbs. For some reason I just can’t seem to get my bike up and over these things. Frustrating. Frustrating because I watch other girls do it and I know I’m just as strong as they are. But now I know why… I’ve learned the subtle technique.

Also got some tips on my ‘cross bike set-up. So I’m going to make a couple of adjustments and see how this helps as well.

Really I think for me it is going to come down to confidence. I need to feel confident in the bike and with myself. It is hard to explain but in a crit, if I bump bars or rub tires, I don’t panic. I simply keep pedaling because I know everything will work out. But in a ‘cross race or even ‘cross training, if one of my wheels starts to wash out or I’m freaked out by a section, I stop pedaling, brake and basically loose all my momentum. This is not good. Forward momentum and speed are what we want. So I need to train the brain to get used to these things happening in training so in a race situation I don’t panic.

This weekend I’ll be taking out all three bikes. Road bike for some power/speed training. Mountain bike so I can get in some technical trail riding and get comfortable with varying terrain. Cyclo-cross bike so I can practice what I learned today and keep moving forward.

Dudes, I’m so excited. In a way it is nice to know that I have so much room to improve technically. This is encouraging. It tells me that with hard work, I can meet my goal and earn a spot on the Canadian team and race in Tabor in 2010. So stoked right now. The future is looking super bright.