Windham WC was plagued with flats

Well, here it is, the morning after the Windham World Cup Finals. It was going pretty well for me, and coming into the 2nd lap, I was catching people continuously. I had moved up to about 70th when I came ripping through a pointy rock garden, and flatted my rear tire.

Ripped a big hole right in the top! So, I cam limping down the downhill, and to the tech zone, where I got some air. It took about 2 refills before my tire sealed back up, but I lost several minutes, and my race was pretty much over. A bit of a bummer, since I think I had a slight chance in finishing on the lead lap, and I definitely would have only finished 1 lap down. All my laps (except the one with the flat) were within the 80% rule, so, in theory, I could have not been pulled.

but, alas, this is MTB racing, and shit happens. Last race of the season. Now its time for some good rest. I'm feeling very tired.

going to MSA, to do some epic riding, and worlds watching. should be fun :)

Provincials Recap, Windham preview

Well, Provincials were a lot of fun. The course (which i helped build a section of...) was pretty cool. Some people didn't like it, but it was different. Quite a physical course, and pretty cool. had a terrible first 1.5 laps, and then got really going on lap 3, and then finished pretty strong. Overall came 7th, and clenched 2nd overall O-Cup. I was pretty happy with that. this means a #2 number plate for the 2011 season, which i'm already looking forward to.

It will be my first winter which I can dedicate to Training. Pretty psyched on that!

Right now, i'm in Windham, hunting some internet signal. Pretty scarce, but i'm hot on the trail, and its hooking up pretty well now. The course is quite fun. Lots of climbing (I have 195m per lap) and there will be 6 laps, which means just a tiny bit more total climbing than nationals. Should be epic :)

I'm hoping I don't get lapped, and can finish the season on a strong note. That being said, i'm already looking forward to 2011.

Oh, another kinda fun thing, peter G. and I had a "loaf-off". I'll be the first to admit that neither loaf was stellar, due to a severe lack of ingredients, but it was decided that I "took the cake". Pun intended.

Bromont... only drier

So, I won't go on about a lack of posts, because clearly, its been a while.

Bromont was a good race for me. I rode very steadily, pulling back places, until the end of the fifth lap (of 6), I was sitting in 9th, catching 8th, when I crashed, and lost a bunch of air from my front tire. I had to stop and put air in my tire. Several people passed me in the tech zone, and I ended up 11th. Just off the money. oh well. legs felt good, and the course was awesome.

Now i'm getting ready for provincials. Its a very physical course, of which I helped build one section.

Ski Training

Well, its been a long time since the last post. I've been really busy, doing all sorts of stuff.

Recently, to maintain motivation, I've come up with the plan of racing the Gatineau Loppet this winter. Likewise, i've been skiing quite a lot. Its only January 8th, and I've already skied more times than I did last season (and I did ski a fair bit last season).

Anyways, I'll be chronically my learning experience for skiing, and how it translates to Biking.

Of course, my number 1 priority remains Mountain Bike, but, being that I live so close (walking distance) to over 100km of beautifully groomed skate ski trails, I figured, "When in Rome..."

Anyways, The race is a 53km Skate ski race, on February 21st, leaving 44 days to train for it. I think it should be a good journey...

Riding the Mechanical Bull

Well, the theme of my last two races would have to be mechanicals. In the Bromont World Cup, (of which I was really stoked to do) the shims that I made to compensate for a leg length discrepancy folded over top of my cleat, and rendered clipping in impossible. After a lap of really bad frustration, I went to to tech zone, and got the shim cut off. Meanwhile, I guess the muddy conditions, and jamming on the pedals with mostly one leg, bent my chain. But at the time I thought it was just really bad chainsuck that occurred every third pedal revolution. By the time I got up the big climb for the 2nd time my pedal finally clipped in. At this point I was in dead last place, and the chainsuck issue was still present. I rode as hard as I could, until I got lapped at the end of lap 4. Wow, that was frustrating! I figured that I'd just have to smoke in the next O-Cup race...

So fast foreward 1 week, to Mountainview. I only raced there once, last year at provincials, and didn't have a stellar race. But I came into it with some confidence. The start was fast, but then after we went up the hill, and popped out on a long stretch of double track, it became evident that almost everyone ahead of me had gone too hard up the first climb. I passed a bunch of people, and was soon in second place. Yeeeehaw! I was feeling relaxed and strong, just about to finish lap #2, when disaster struck. My derailleur was ripped off my bike by a wayward branch. SHIT. I quickly flipped the bike over, and thought that I should make it into a singlespeed. Then I realized that I have a dually, and the chain would likely snap. Also, I had no way to secure the derailleur out of the way. damn. I reluctantly pulled the plug, just as 3rd place was coming up on me. I guess I was comfortably in 2nd when this happened.

On the bright side, the fitness is good! On the downside, I could have really used those points for Quest for Gold, and the overall O-Cup espoir title. Shit. Well, i'll have to kill it at Kelso. But I usually race well there, so that should be a good time.

MSA

Well, Mont St. Anne was a strange race for me. I felt really relaxed at the start line, a little too relaxed, and never really got fired up all race. Also, about 5 minutes into the race, I wiped out on a corner and took a big chunk out of my top tube. Not ideal.
My legs are pretty scratched up... It looks like a small woodland creature attacked me. Its pretty gnar.

On another note, yesterday was my birthday! I'm now 22 years old. Damn, thats old! at least it feels old when your hanging around juniors. It was a great birthday, had a lovely meal with all the athletes on the project out here, and even got some cheesecake for dessert. mmm.

I'm looking foreward to Bromont. Should be a good race for me, I've just got to kill myself on every climb.

Update

Well, its been quite a long time since my last update. I keep putting it off. I'm not sure why, I guess I just haven't been in a blogging mood.
Anyways, since my last post a lot has happened.
I traveled out west, on a last minute whim to do the Edmonton and Canmore Canada Cup races. These races were a lot of fun, although I didn't go quite as fast as I wanted to. Regardless, I stayed in a cool little hostel in Canmore, and met a lot of cool people, rode some wicked trails, hiked up a mountain in clipless shoes, had a showdown with an alberta rider named cody (came out on top) and had an overall great time.

After the "out west adventures" I had a well deserved weekend off of racing. This consisted of going to my cottage, and hammering my body into submission on some epic cottage roads. Man, I was smoked after this one particular 5 hour ride. ouch.

After this, Off to bromont for another Canada Cup. Although I flatted, and had to run a bunch because my tire wouldn't seal, I felt strong, and continued to run the uphills, when other people were walking. This was good premonitions of things to come. From Bromont, Karl and I headed up to Sainte-Felicien for the Nationals project, and eventually, Nationals.

This race went quite well for me. Cody and I ended up duelling it out again, although he took it this time, on the last climb of the course. I pushed myself super hard, and was very happy with the race. Fourth was the result, although I don't like focusing on results.

The next weekend the legs proved strong again, as Eric Batty and I rode away from most of the field. I got outsprinted (again!) in the end, but had one of my best rides in a while.

I'm not sitting in a loverly condo in Mont St Anne, with Max Plaxton, and Cam Jette, on the eve of the World Cup race. I did some pre-riding behing Absalon and Adam Craig today, showed them a thing or two (just kidding) and i'm feeling pretty good. Hopefully I can ride this fitness wave that i've been on, but I guess we'll see. The course doesn't suit me, but I think that if I ride smart, and ride my heart out, I can really show some people what i'm capable of.

Its strange, I have this deep set knowledge that I will be one of the strongest mountain bike riders in the world, and I just have to keep knowing, and pushing, doing the training, resting properly, and it will all come together. Just takes time.

thats all for now, I will put up some more photos after I get onto a good internet connection. For now, i'll leave you with a good one... (shredding gnar in Canmore)