This has been a week of discoveries. Most of it good news with a little bit of mixed news thrown in for spice.

The good news is that I’m healing ahead of schedule. The good news is that my physiotherapist has identified some dormant muscles in my body – the little muscles around my spine and one of my glute muscles simply are not firing. So now I’m working to get these dormant muscles active and doing their job. The good news in this is that I’ll be stronger than when I started down this road of recovery. The good news is that I met with an excellent sports medicine doctor today and got to see some x-rays of my spine and learn more about my injury.

The mixed news is that I am not able to do any skiing, running, or yoga. The risk of falling is still too high and I need to give the vertebrae the full 12 weeks to heal. The mixed news is that the x-ray has revealed that I’m likely in the early stages of osteoporosis. Apparently given my family history combined with the malabsorption issues associated with ulcerative colitis – this is not surprising. I’ll know more after the bone density scan.

The good news is that I’m talking with my coach tomorrow to discuss training and racing plans for the upcoming road season. The good news is there is going to be lots of great local racing and organized rides on the schedule for us Ottawa folks. The good news is I’ve received some great feedback and advice from a friend who really knows European cyclocross so I’ve got some great advice and suggestions for how I can improve my skills for the upcoming season. The good news is that I’ve discovered an excellent programs to help pass the time on the trainer: modern Sherlock by BBC One.

Yes, things are good. And I’m pretty darn confident they’re only going to get gooder… 🙂

I found this link to Low Pressure Productions thanks to a post on the Tall Trees Cycle blog, I discovered that there is going to be some winter racing in Ottawa…

So bookmark the page and stay tuned. Sounds like lots of fun.

Life is really about what you can do. Seriously – it is pretty simple. Determine what you want to do and figure out how you can do it.

It is too easy to get caught up in what you can’t do and forget about everything you can do. What you can do is what gives you the focus and zest for life that so many people neglect.

Make a list of everything you can do. Make a list of everything you want to do. The trick is figuring out how to do what you want. This is up to you. Look for inspiration. Talk to people who are really doing it. Learn. Listen. Do it.

There will be stumbles and falls along the way. This is life. But don’t lose sight of what you want to do.

This is a big weekend for my cyclocross racing pals. Pretty much everyone I know and have become friends with over the years of racing cyclocross is racing in their respective national championships this weekend. A very big weekend of racing for so many people. The build-up to a national championship is always a bit crazy – with trying to peak for the big day, trying not to think about the race too much, the travel, the hype surrounding the race, speculation about the course and who is fit and who isn’t – well it can turn into quite a challenging day before you even line up to race.

My thoughts are out there with you. You’ll do great. Remember the hard work you’ve put in and take confidence from the training, racing, recovery and lessons you’ve had this season. One race does not define you as a racer. It is a race and more than likely you’ll be racing next weekend. Just go out and race – let your legs do the talking and have some fun out there.

Racing in a national championship is a special thing. The fans seem to cheer more loudly. The announcer talks a little bit louder and faster. There are more photographers and journalists around. But remember the race is about you and your ride. Just like every other race you do.

Enjoy the day and remember that whatever happens – you did your best. Eat the cake and ice cream. Have the beer. You deserve it. You raced a good hard race and you’ve still got a big season ahead of you.

Boy oh boy do I want to get back to training! Now I have been riding for the past few weeks, but I’m not training… Rather I’m riding for sanity and fun. Yes, I’m riding the trainer in the basement of my Ottawa home for fun. (It is a good reason to watch television and the Adele concert over and over again…)

But what I want and crave is structure and a plan. Guess this all speaks to my Type A personality. I think partly this is because normally I would be training right now. I would have a plan and goals for each ride. But right now, I don’t have this. I know that a lot of road racers are not yet back into training yet – instead they might be out skiing, snowshoeing, running, and enjoying some outdoor winter trail riding. Well the thing is I can’t do any of this – the risk of falling is too high for me and my L3 vertebrae.

So I pedal. Now, I’m not complaining or whining. I know how lucky I am. It is just that I’m ready to get going. I’ve got my sights set on a really strong and fun 2012 so I want to get started. Yes, yes, I know that nothing will be accomplished if I’m not fully healed and recovered from my injury…

Plans for 2012 – yes I’ve got a few. A bit early for me to share them here with you. But as it stands you’ll see me out racing my road bike, hitting up the local cross-country mountain bike race series, and of course dialling in my cyclo-cross skills. For some 2012 is the Year of The Dragon but for me it is The Year of the Bike. I’m ready and open to try new races and opportunities – yes, seriously considering Almonte-Roubaix and some of the crazy Tall Tree Cycles rides…

Wish me luck as I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow – hoping to get the green light for some yoga and stretching… I’m feeling good and ready to get going. How about you?