Ontario Cup #6 - Kelso

Today was O Cup#6 at Kelso in Milton and I didn't realize how slippery the rocks are there when it rains, but I'll explain later. This morning, I decided to sleep in a bit and drive to the race later than the rest of my family. Arrived at 11:30am and the sun came out just in time for a little warm up and the race. Did a short warm up with Jacob and Kelsey and our plan was to start slow and let everyone blow up and we were also all lacking in the fitness department.

For the race, I got called up 6th, which was nice and as soon as that gun went off I immediately started dropping back; a little too far back when I look at it now. The first lap I took it really easy and was sitting 19th and then I slowly started to pick it up at the beginning of the second lap and that's when I started crashing. I have no idea why I couldn't ride the single track or the rocks but I went flying over the handlebars onto my back and side twice; Zack saw them both first hand. As the laps went by I was feeling decent for the condition I was in and I started to pick off people. The long service road climb was my saving grace each lap because I seemed to drop anyone around me every lap and closed large gaps on people in front of me. Not sure how that works with a lack of training but hey, I'm not complaining. At the end of the 4th lap my legs started to cramp and I was sitting in 8th; ggrreeaaatttt. I took it easy for most of the last lap to make sure they didn't lock up and I still managed to pick up another spot. So even with hacking up every part of the single track and a serious lack of training I managed a 7th; pretty happy with that.

This week will bring more time at the Becker's farm working on my Corvette and a few rides to keep the legs loose for the East Coast Open this weekend in Collingwood.

See you all there.

Ontario Cup #5, Buck

Saturday I headed down to Bracebridge for a pre ride of the O Cup#5 at Buckwallow in the heat. Everyone was slow to get going, so Nate and I headed out for what I thought would be an easy lap. Nate's idea of pre ride is sprinting on the single AND double track, while I like to just chill on the hills and double track and go a little faster in the single track. I figured he would we tired on race day because of those laps, but that "bud" put in a good ride. After that lap I decided to wait for someone else to do an easy lap with.

After pre ride we headed to the hotel and once we got there, the only thing on my mind was to find a lake. We had a pool at the hotel and almost everyone thought I was stupid for wanting to find a lake instead of just walking to the pool, but lets be serious; lakes are way better than pools. All we have in Kitchener is the nasty Grand River, so when there is a lake around, I jump at the opportunity. So Jamie, Alex and myself drove off into the sunset in search of a lake but it was actually 4pm and we had directions. We started at Kirby beach which wasn't bad and then we had to stop at the WHARF on the way back. Jamie and I jumped off the wharf a few times and then asked a local what a wharf was; its where boats dock. That was news to the three of us.

Today was race day and what a day it was. Got a nice call up to the front line and was sitting 2nd for the first stretch an then it went all down hill from there. I think I was sitting in 6th for the first two laps and then I was fried. With each lap, brought more pain into every muscle in my body and my speed went wayyyyy down. Had a few chats with other elites as they passed me and that's how the rest of the race went; not very eventful. Actually on my 5th lap, one of the photographers snapped a picture of me on a rock section and the flash blinded me and I took a little spill. It wasn't the greatest day of racing BUT the race before Nationals last year I $H!T the bed as well and then had a awesome race at Nats, so that's what I am hoping for haha.

All for now.

Albion Hills O Cup #4

Its been awhile since I have posted anything, so I figured I better give a quick update. Two weekends ago I raced the Canada Cup at Hardwood and it started off really well. Danny and I were riding together sitting around 17th and I was feeling pretty damn good. Then near the end of my 3rd lap, I got a flat. This meant I did some walking/running/slow riding for half a lap until I got to the tech zone and put a tube in my rear wheel and started to giver again. Ended up 30th or so, which I was happy with since I had a flat.

This past weekend it was O Cup #4 at Albion hills and it was a super fast course. Nothing really exciting happened in the race for me though. I was pretty tired the first lap, but the next 3 laps I felt good and then I was gassed on the last lap. Held on for 6th place finish, so I was pretty pumped about that since no one told me I was sitting just inside the podium; I thought I was around 10th. Also congrats to Brent who finished with a 2nd!

Tomorrow I will head out with Genger for a nice ride at Puslinch.
All for now.

Mont Tremblant Trip/Race

Another year brings another trip to Mont Tremblant for a Canada Cup and this year we had 3 car loads of people join the regular crew; Jamie, Brandon, Sarah, Mcneil, LT, Ali, Kelsey, Matt, Nate, Melissa and myself. We had sun for almost the entire trip, except for 15minutes of rain the evening before the race.

Every year there are always new hilarious stories from the trip and this year was no different. A few new things I have learned about some of the people.
1) Logan enjoys driving over curbs in his new car.
2) If Melissa is hungry feed her ASAP or else your in for a rough drive haha
3) Ali likes waterfalls alot
4) Brandon likes to turn off his car going 120km/h on the 401
5) Jamie need more practice driving standard cars
6) Nate doesn't like finishing bike races in Ontario but hard races in Quebec; Noooo problem
7) Matt likes to carry large signs back from the Village for no reason.
The list could go on forever, but as you can tell, the trip was a great time.

On Saturday we had to do a little biking up Mont Tremblant for the race. I had a good call up from my results last year and it all went down hill from there. All I can take away from this race is, if you ride a hard tail for this race your either a pure machine or just plain crazy. I took a bit of footage of the course on pre ride day and threw together a video, but it doesn't want to upload.

All for now.

Ontario Cup #2 - Woodnewton

Apparently I am full of it and a huge lair says Logan since I ended up racing haha. So about an hour or so before the start of the race, Kelsey convinced me to race and pace him/ride together passing people tag team style. We did a short warm up on the "warm up track" and then to the road where I discovered that when ever I put power down on the cranks, the crack in my rear triangle would take half that energy and kill it; made for an interesting race.

We arrived at the start line with 2 minutes to go and we were off. Jamie and I did a little rubbing is racing down the first double track which got me laughing while he almost went into the bushes. As we planned Kelsey and I stayed together for 3 laps passing people; good times were had. On the first lap I took the "easy" way pat the rock garden because I was looking down and missed it since I didn't pre ride and Kelsey took the other line and got 4 bike lengths on me. I didn't make that mistake again during the race. At the beginning of the 4th lap, I got in a little train of 3 guys and we rode together for the lap. On the 5th lap, I caught a rider that was killing himself on every climb and I couldn't see anyone else in the distance to I tailed him for 3/4 of the lap and up the final long climb threw down and effort and that's all she wrote. When I look back at it, I probably should have went harder at the beginning but my legs felt like bricks and the body was still not recovered from a week of getting a cold and getting over it.

All in all it was still fun racing and now its time to start getting ready for Tremblant. I hope to head down to OS tomorrow after work to pick up a bike to use for the race but if that falls through who knows that I will be riding.

All for now!

Racing in the rain?

Just when it looked like the warm weather was here to stay, it decides to rain for the next 7 days; sweeeeeet. I am actually a huge fan of riding in the rain BUT only when its warm and when someone else is offering to clean my bike and kit afterwards. Since that never happens, I avoid riding the mountain bike in the rain.

Last weekend Kelsey, KK and I rode about 11 hours between Saturday and Sunday. When I look back at it, that wasn't the smartest choice but the weather was perfect and the trails were AMAZING! Saturday morning Kelsey and I rode over to meet the Arrow racing team for a ITT up scenic caves and then rode the provincials course Saturday afternoon that Scott and others built; such a nice course. Sunday we did an epic mountain bike ride at 3 stage and got lost like usual on the way back through scenic caves.

Sunday night I felt pretty tired but Monday morning I felt pretty good after a 30min spin. Tuesday morning rolled around and I woke up with a sore throat and my body was super tired. The rest of the week I didn't feel any better, so I didn't ride until today for another 30min spin. I think it was a combination of the long rides and well over 50% of the people at work being sick and the large amount of wheat and dairy I ate on the weekend (if you don't know, I am allergic to both).

Long story short is I will not be racing tomorrow unless I wake up a new man, but I will most likely show up to watch; unless it starts to snow haha. Good luck to everyone racing in the mud fest tomorrow.

All for now.

Ontario Cup #1- Mansfield

It didn't rain!!!! Today was the start of the real season, with the first O Cup of the year and it wasn't pretty. Yesterday I headed to Mansfield with Nate for some laps with the boys and the leg were not feeling it, but I just figured that was the 45 hours of sitting I do at work all week. Nothing special happened at pre ride, other than the awesome weather. Headed to Collingwood from there and took a little swim in Georgian Bay to try and get my legs recovered from who knows what. Okay I lied and I didn't actually swim in the bay but I walked in up to my waist and it was damn cold as you can tell from the picture Laura took of me.

This morning I walked up the stairs to get some breakfast and I was a little winded which means, either I need to start training more OR walking is the hardest sport on earth! Now for the race I got a call up to the front line since I finished 7th overall from last season, but when Adam said GO, I put pressure on my cranks and went no where; got to love the sand. After that disaster of a start I went from the front line to pretty much the back. I had to put in a harder effort to try and get back near the front, but that wasn't happening. My legs felt like bricks and I had no idea why they were o gutless. So I chilled for the first 2 laps and Kelsey caught up to me. I told him we were going pass everyone in this race tag team style but that lasted for 1 person and then I was alone again and the legs were blah (the best word to describe them). The end of the 4th lap rolled around and I was getting very frustrated/pissed because 2 juniors passed me and I couldn't hammer up any hills or the double track. So up the start climb and the rest of the lap I started to hammer and either my legs came to life a bit or the pure anger got me through that lap and ended up with the 3rd fastest 5th lap of the day and an overall finish position of 17th; brutal!

The next race is 2 weeks away, so that will give me time to get some riding in with the team in Collingwood next weekend and possibly a team time trial against Arrow racing and I hope and time trial up scenic caves.

All for now.