I don’t know about you but I’m about done with winter. In fact, I can honestly write that I never ever want to see a snowflake again. Yep, I’m over winter and snow. Really, not to be all negative but I simply don’t like being cold.

I like warm. I can handle humid. I’ll even take some rain. Just no snow, two hour shovelling stints and below zero days.

The one thing that is keeping me sane this winter is Zwift. Yep, I’m hooked on riding in the basement and going deep into the world of Zwift. Now I don’t do the group rides or races. I simply get on, start pedaling and do my work-out for the day. I have jumped in with a group and it’s pretty cool but if the pace is not right for me, I’m happy to wave good-bye. Along with this Zwifty riding I also use Netflix for company. Television has Zwift and the  computer monitor has Netflix.

I’ve pedaled through a lot of excellent programming this winter. In case you’re interested, here are some good programs to fill the trainer time (or treadmill time):

• Happy Valley – excellent British police drama. I really hope there is a second season.
• Dicte – top-notch Danish police drama.
• Last Tango in Halifax – funny and honest British drama that shows life like it is.
• Wallander – this is an excellent Swedish police/crime show. The episodes are long and there are only three per season. Can be a bit more gruesome than Canadian programming but, this aside, it’s good watching.
• I’ve also watched a bunch of documentaries: Cowspiracy, Mission Blue, Searching for Sugarman, Clean Spirit, Pantani,  and Stop at Nothing.
• For movies, I’ve watched: Life of Pi (second time watching this), McFarland (kind of cheesy but good),  and Margin Call (if you watched The Big Short you’ll enjoy this).

In between this riding, I’ve been relaxing with my increasing pile of colouring books and trying out new recipes. I’ve just done a four week gluten-free challenge/test to see how if I feel any differently without gluten in my body. Well, I think I do. We went to Albany, NY on Thurs/Fri and I ate pretty much whatever I wanted and this included some regular bread and some gluten-laden dessert. Verdict is: I feel better without gluten in my body. And to be honest, I don’t really miss it. It makes it so much easier to avoid the office temptations (I have an extreme weakness for crackers…). The only things I do miss are my favourites at our local Greek restaurant, but I can adjust.

During this gluten-free test I also learned that my iron is quite low (8)… But because I’m not anemic, my doctor really isn’t concerned. Well, I’m concerned so I’m also trying to get this number to get into the solid double digits. As a result I’ve been experimenting with teff (high in iron), adding in more lentils, paying attention to my Vitamin C, eating pumpkin seeds, and mixing up my greens (forgot how much I enjoy Swiss Chard and have started using Collard Greens for my wraps). I’m also taking a liquid iron supplement and making sure I’m getting lots of liquid Vitamin D and B12.

If you’re curious about some of the recipes I’ve been trying out and have on my list to try, here you go:

• Teff banana pancakes
• High protein granola
• Teff porridge
• Chocolate banana teff muffins
• Lemon pepper tempeh

That’s about it from me. Oh and to keep warm I’m enjoying Crio Bru and turmeric milk (find the recipe on Natasha Kyssa’s Facebook page – lots of other excellent recipes there as well).

Well, for all you winter fans – I hope you’re having an excellent winter. I’m having a good one as well – it’s just an indoor winter rather than an outdoor winter.

Life feels like it is on hold right now. Sure I’m still doing all the stuff I normally do, but in between all of this, I’m waiting.

I’m waiting for phone calls, appointments, follow-ups and decisions.

I need an MRI to find out if there is anything “funky” happening in my spine that could be causing this ridiculous nerve pain in my right quad and the pins/needles/numbness in my left quad.

I’m waiting for my surgical consult. I met with my gastro doctor on Wednesday and a lot of decisions were made. I’ve stopped taking Entyvio (new medication that I started in September). I’m going to have surgery and have my colon removed. I’ll eventually end up with a j-pouch (part of my small intestine is used to create a new “colon”). This requires two surgeries and a good chunk of recovery time.

Because I’ve stopped taking Entyvio (which was the last really good drug choice I had), I’m taking two other drugs in hopes that these will keep me in a “remission” until my first surgery date. No one knows if these drugs will keep me stable long enough. There is a plan if I do end up “flaring” before my surgery, but we really don’t want to go down this road.

It’s now that I really feel deeply the impacts of this disease.

All of these unknowns and waiting for appointments and dates, mean that Marc’s life is also on hold. There might not be any riding in France for him this summer (though I think he should still go with his Belgian friends (hint, hint)), his summer racing plans and training are likely going to be impacted, and who knows about cyclocross season.

But, the reality is we can’t just sit and wait. Life has to keep moving forward. So until we have results and dates, we have to keep doing what we do.

I was just out for a walk and I realized I hadn’t written anything in a couple of weeks. I guess this is not a big deal. Does feel odd to me though. This lack of writing got me thinking about this space and what it is now. Initially, this website started as a way for me to share my cyclocross racing adventures with you. It became a place for me to let it all hang out – the good, the bad, the ugly, the sad and the awesome. It’s been quite a journey really. Now that I’m no longer racing cyclocross at the same level, my writing frequency has tapered off. I suppose this is because I really wasn’t sure what I could write about.

But really, I’m not sure that the rumblings in my head are really that interesting any more. Nonetheless, I’ll keep the website going and I expect you’ll see more frequent posts in the summer and fall when I’m out riding and racing agin. Yes, racing again – I’m training again with my old coach Steve Weller of Bell Lap Coaching. I’ve just completed my second week of real structured training and it has gone really well. It’s so refreshing to have daily bike goals again and to have longer term goals that extend into the summer and fall. I’ve got a couple of big goals that I’d like to accomplish. They’re far-reaching but I’ve been down this road before so I know what I have to do. I’m not sure I’m quite ready to share these goals with you yet. In fact, I don’t know if I will. A few people know what these goals are, but I guess because they seem pretty huge to me, I’m not ready to toss them out into the Internet. Suffice it to say, I want to win bike races again.

Alright, so what else is happening? Well, Marc is back home (hip hip hooray)! He had a pretty darn awesome time Belgium. I can’t thank his hosts Nick and Romina enough, they made his time there very easy and enjoyable. While it is very hard to be apart for four weeks, it is so worth it when I get to hear about Marc’s cyclocross races, the friends he had reconnected with, the rides he has gone on, the adventures he’s had with day-to-day living in Belgium, and just hearing how happy he is.

Hmm, what else? Well, here’s a very succinct snapshot of what has got my attention these days:

Watching: Making a Murderer and Dicte
Reading: The World of Cycling According to G (thanks Treena for the loan) and just finished 21 Cardinals (incredible novel) up next Birdie by Tracy Lindberg
Riding: Zwift, Zwift, and more Zwift
Following: too many pro cyclists to name, but a few who stand out: Mike Woods, Nikki Harris, Helen Wyman, Lizzie Armitstead, Karol Ann Canuel
Colouring: I’ve got three colouring books on the go (yes, I know): Lost Oceans, The Secret Garden, and Fantastic Cities
Listening: so many podcasts, highlights being: Back Story, Fresh Air, The Last Chapter, CXhairs, All Songs Considered and music, including: Adele, The Watchmen, Mumford & Sons, O.A.R, City and Color, INXS, CBC Radio 2
Going: Toronto to see The Watchmen at the Danforth, Albany, NY to see O.A.R, England with my mom to visit my aunt and uncle, France to ride bikes with Marc, Montreal to see Adele (yes, I got Adele tickets!!!)
Eating: been 98% vegan for over two months now, so far so good – feeling good and I’ve been gluten-free for six days now – easier than I thought it would be (though I miss eating at Cosmo’s and Shaan)
Doing: physio – I’ve got what we think is a compressed nerve in my right quad… but now both my physio and I think the pins/needles and full-on numbness in my right leg could be caused by my ulcerative colitis medication
Drinking: Crio Bru – made from cacao beans, this is my go-to drink morning, noon and night – so delicious
Chasing: Calvin the cat, this cat has more energy than any other cat I know!
Missing: Murphy, this is a tough month for us

And that’s it! Hmm, 706 words – guess I did have something to say after all.

Woohoo, it’s a New Year!! Yay, everyone is so excited (insert sarcasm here)…

As you can likely guess, I’m not one to get worked up about New Year’s resolutions. Frankly I think these end up putting most everyone on a path to failure and self-loathing. So here are my thoughts on it all:

Don’t try to invent yourself into a super-duper fantastic version of you for 2016. Just be you. Be happy with who you are. This is enough. By accepting yourself and being yourself, good things will happen for you and those around you. Happiness and self-acceptance does wonders.

I hope you’re having a super time this holiday season. Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, smile and take it all in.

Thinking of Marc who is in Belgium racing cyclocross. I’m so very happy he has this opportunity. Listening to him telling me about his races, training rides and other adventures and hearing the excitement in his voice is the best gift. I’m proud of him, it’s not easy to be away from family and friends at this time of the year. A big thank you to Nick and Romina who have welcomed Marc into their home. 

  
Merry Christmas favourite guy.