Today was a big day here in Ottawa – it was the day of the famous Preston St. criterium. This race has been going on for years (I don’t know how long) but I first watched it in 1994 (mine and Marc’s second date was me watching him race) – and I’ve hooked ever since…

I’ve done this race three times – the last time it was the big all-one category 100 km criterium that included the hill on Gladstone Ave. and then twice racing with the women. I had planned to do it this year, but it wasn’t in the cards.

Instead I was out to watch the races and to hand out The Cyclery water bottles to the little kids. It was literally an entire day of racing today including an hour of kids’ racing. Yes, one hour of all ages of kids on all manners of bikes – some raced for 100 meters on bikes with training wheels (or bikes with no pedals) right up to an under 13 category that races on the full course. Seeing those kids race was something special. Even better was talking to some of them after the race and hearing them replay the race and seeing the enthusiasm in their faces and body language. Let’s hope these kids stick with cycling.

For me the other highlight of the day was watching the men’s racing and cheering on Marc. Watching him race and seeing so many others race really made me miss racing. It was hard to be at the race and explain to people when asked why I wasn’t racing. But I know my time will come soon and when it does I’ll be ready for it.

A sign of progress is  being at the race and really wish I could do it. I’m feeling stronger and stronger every day. My legs are coming around. My recovery is better. My technical skills are increasing by leaps and bounds. Now I just need the okay from those who look at the numbers and I’ll be back on full-steam ahead.

As John Gee said to me today “you’re always an optimist” – well there really is no other way to be. I’ve got that feeling that this is going to be a good one.

I realize the other day that I haven’t written about an integral group of people of companies in a while. Yes, I’m talking about my sponsors. As any athlete knows, without sponsors, it is literally impossible to race a bike. I’ve been fortunate to have a core set of sponsors who have been with me from the start of my cyclo-cross racing adventure. So without further mumbling, I just want to say thank-you to the following outstanding companies:

• The Cyclery: gosh what can I say about Vince and his tremendous support? Without Vince’s support and encouragement, I don’t think this website and Ottawa.cx would even exist. He has provided me with bikes, group sets, clothes, mechanical work – basically anything I need – Vince and his staff at The Cyclery are there. Not many people realize the amount of support that Vince gives to local cyclists. Thanks Vince and The Cyclery for the support.
• Stevens Bikes: I’ve been racing on Stevens Bikes since 2007. I can’t say enough about these bikes and the company. I’ve been very lucky to have the support of Stevens Bikes Canada. I get to race on one of the most popular and in-demand cyclo-cross bikes on the scene. The Stevens Carbon Team is a pure beauty to ride. Thanks Stevens Bikes Canada for the bikes and sponsorship.
• Clif Bar: having food in my jersey pocket that I want to eat, makes it really easy to be on top of my training, racing and recovery nutrition. This might sound cheesy, but honestly, I haven’t tried a Clif Bar product that I don’t like. I’m really happy to see the new gluten-free products as well. From gels that go down easy to the Luna protein bars to the very popular Clif Shot Bloks – this food is simply the best. Yes, I call it food – because Clif Bar products are made from real organic ingredients. Thanks Clif Bar for helping me to  so easily stay on top of my nutrition and fueling my rides.
• Bell Lap Coaching: without coach Steve Weller, I wouldn’t even be here writing this post. He really has believed in me from the start and has made it realistic and possible for me to chase my cyclo-cross racing dreams. No challenge is too big for Steve – when I tell him what I want to do, he gets down to business and figures out how I can get there in the best form possible. This past season has been a roller-coaster with my health, and Steve is always there to adjust my training as needed and to remind me of the big picture. Thanks Steve and Bell Lap Coaching!
• Outdoor Gear Canada: thanks to a great local rep, I’ve been fortunate to have some incredible support from Outdoor Gear Canada. New helmet, new gloves, flashy new shoes, fast wheels – really whatever it is, I’m lucky to receive some top notch gear. Thanks to Outdoor Gear Canada for the continued support and great products to race and train with.
• Champion Systems Canada: I’ve been racing in Champions Systems clothing since 2007 and last season I received sponsorship from Champion Systems Canada. Everyone I’ve worked with has been top-notch and very understanding when it comes to uploading logos, making last minute changes to my clothing design and delivering my racing and training clothes early. I’ve tried a whole range of Champion Systems Canada products, and really there is not one item of clothing I have complaints about – everything fits, looks good, is durable, and best of all is completely customized for me. Thanks Sean for helping me look good while going fast!

A pretty darn solid group of companies and people – really the backbone behind my racing and training. I’m looking forward to another excellent season of racing and training – showing off the sponsors who have supported me over the years.

Today I woke up with a dull ache in my quads. That feeling that comes when you walk down the stairs, walk up the stairs, or just generally walk anywhere… Guess I pushed my legs a bit too much yesterday. This happened ever so innocently and it definitely wasn’t my intent to wake up with tender legs.

So today I’m resting. I’ve ridden five days in a row now so I guess it is time for a day off. I know five days in a row isn’t a big deal to most of you but I’m still in the recovery stage thanks to my low white blood cell count (thanks to Imuran). My coach has told me to take it easy with maximum 90 minute rides in the woods at an easy pace. I’ve been sticking to this plan fairly well…

Yesterday though I was feeling pretty good and eager to work on some more of the skills I practiced with Rene… so I road on over to an excellent sandy spot in the city and worked on my uphill dismounts in the sand. This meant I ran up a rather steep hill seven or eight times and I also practiced riding down this deep and soft sand hill for the equivalent number of times. Once this was done I road over to another spot and worked on attacking a steep incline and each time in a harder gear.

So, ya, I guess I pushed the envelope a bit. Add to this some bicycle commuting around my suburb and some extra walking last night. All this adds up to some sore legs. And admittedly, a tired body. So today I rest. I’m drinking extra liquids and being careful to stay out of the crazy heat we have here in Ottawa.

It is hard to not be riding on such a beautiful day, but there will be more days like this. Tomorrow I’ll get back out in the woods and take things a bit easier. No sand riding or uphill sprints – instead I’ll work on corner speed, descending with confidence and some barrier technique.

Last night I attended a talk by Brendan Brazier of the Thrive Diet. I’ve been interested in veganism for some time now – purely for the impact it could have on my performance and in dealing with my ulcerative colitis. Well, last night I decided it is time to make the transition and see how I feel on a vegan diet. My original plan was to start on Monday (as I wrote about on Facebook and Twitter) but now after talking to Marc about it, it makes more sense to wait until I know that my white blood cell count has normalized or at least stabilized. So instead of going completely vegan next week I’ll focus on more vegan meals/days with some days that still involve eating meat, fish and eggs. I’d be curious to hear from any of you about your diet and how you find it impacts your training, racing, recovery and overall health.

Don’t fear, I’m not going crazy… At least I don’t think I’m going crazy. Though I did have a couple of voices in my head today during my ride.

Last week I was very lucky to get out to train with our Belgian pal Rene. Rene has been racing cyclo-cross for 35 years and definitely has more than one trick up his sleeve. Our training sessions were not heavy on intensity, rather we focused on skills and making small adjustments that will gain me a second here, a couple of seconds there, and allow me to put out more power on the course. It is amazing how such small adjustments really can make a big difference over the course of a 40 or 60 minute race.

So what did Rene teach me? I’ve received a few emails, Tweets and comments asking me to spill the beans on the Belgian Tricks I learned. Well today was the real test of what I worked on with Rene – my first solo cyclo-cross training session. I’m happy to report that the lessons have stuck in my brain and I think I hit a few break-through moments out there on the bike today. All thanks to the voices in my head, reminding me to “play” with the bike, to steer with my knees, to only use the back brake and to use it sparringly, to practice my bent arm pump to get over steep inclines, to use my hips to get the bike moving through the sand, and when working on my uphill dismounts.

Yes, I learned a lot from Rene. Interestingly during today’s ride, I also heard Marc, Karl, Evan, Conor, Kris, Gabby, and Nikki while I was out training. It seems like all the tidbits I’ve collected over the years finally clicked and came together today. Reminding me to really sprint into steep inclines. To look forward and to keep pedaling. To let the bike flow through the off-cambers. To pick up the bike on the downtube rather than the toptube. To really sprint back onto the bike. To trust the ruts and let my tires roll through them. To get off my bike before it stops moving in the sand.

Yes, a lot was said and done during my ride today. At times I couldn’t hear the music being pumped into my ears thanks to my iPod do to the words of advice and encouragement. I consider this to be a very good thing. Yes, a good ride was had today. To top it off, I scared myself a couple times – convinced I had too much speed going into the soft off-cambers and that I surely was going to stall out on the log I had placed at the top of steep climb. But I listened and more importantly I relaxed.

The biggest tip Rene gave me? “Go out and play on your bike. Have fun. Set up little courses and just play.”

This has been an interesting week. Our friends our here from Belgium so we’ve been on vacation in our own city. We’ve been checking out the sights of Ottawa and getting in some relaxation. I know I’m not supposed to be training right now, so instead I’ve been lucky to get out with Rene for some awesome rides in the woods.

We’ve been taking it pretty easy and focusing on skills. Wow does it ever help to have the advice from someone who has been racing cyclo-cross for 35 years in Belgium. I’ve learned so much in four days of riding. It is amazing what you can accomplish in one hour of training.I can’t wait to  out there again and work on my new found skills. It really is amazing how the little things add up to helping you gain crucial seconds in a race.

I’ve been feeling pretty good. But this is mostly because I’ve been riding easy. No intervals. No long efforts. No long rides (okay there was the four hour ride to Merrickville and back – but I sat on for most of it). I’ve decided not to do Rideau Lakes this weekend. This is a big disappointment because I really enjoy this ride. But 340 km in two days is not a smart move for me right now. Rideau Lakes is not going anywhere so I’ll be able to do it next year no problem.

I’m feeling optimistic about my health and I know with time things will come around. Thanks for the comments, emails and messages.

For now I’ve got the new Belgian tricks to practice and to think about while I lie in bed dreaming of the upcoming cyclo-cross season.