10 days and counting. errr 3 days...

Had a minor little tumble last weekend.  One of those things that I guess just happen wasn’t paying enough attention I guess.  Now 10 days (correction 3 days) until the masters national races start.  Been busy at work and busy training and racing.  On that note I have not yet reported on my K-W Classic race.

I am a little over due for a race report on the K-W Classic.  I was quite surprised to see the pre-reg list for this race up at 26 ladies.  This has been the biggest field yet this year.  I should have known better to even go towards the front of that field.  There were so many fast and smart riders in the field but of course right off the bat I am up there too close to the front of the race and then off the front.  What was I thinking?  Well in the long run I was burning up matches but heck I had to try and get off the front what’s the hurt in that.  I know I could burn too many matches too soon right…I have to remember this for the next race.  We also had a tremendous wind going down the backstretch of the race course there were also little lumps that apparently were trying for me too.  So let’s just say I was off the front way too early in the race I forget which lap it was now but once I was caught and then I was spat out the back of the race.  At that point I started fighting to get back on.  I did not get back on to the main again this day and didn’t even see the back end of the main group again that day.  I did catch up to a little group of 4 that came off the back end of the main group.  It took me a good 2 or 3 laps for me to catch up to this group.  Finally I did catch up to them phew.  Stayed in with these gals for a few laps then as we were starting to go into the turn around the out and back portion of the race course which was fine in my race with 26 but not in the guys bigger groups later on that day but I digress.  We were going into the out and back turn around and I just accelerated a little bit out of the corner and I was off the front of the little group and moving away from them towards the main group.  I think it was 2 or 3 more laps going at it by myself again in no mans land.  Well I at least I have come to the conclusion I’ve got the "I don’t give up" attitude right down pat even when the guy at the finish line said I had another lap to go after I asked him on the previous lap if I was on the last lap.  Oh well such is life.

Elite nationals just finished up yesterday.  It was great to sit back and watch the races go on and cheer for all the local girls that I know and a couple of girls from Alberta.  I was even successful at giving a feed to Katy so I was extremely happy about this.  

Having house guests this past weekend has really helped keep my nerves under control about the racing this coming weekend. Frankly it also helped that they were so laid back it was like we had gone away for the weekend but stayed home and were able to sleep in our own bed.  Thank you Katy and Pepper for a great weekend.  Hopefully we’ll see you again in the fall at the big cyclocross race in Toronto.

until after masters nationals...

shell :-)

19 more days til the start of Masters Nationals

I was looking on the Ontario Cycling Association website last week and the tech guide was up for nationals..wow…Instant nerves…Interesting…I’ve now done the time trial course on three different weekends.  Twice with marshals and the other time for more practice on certain sections that I thought were going to be problem areas.  Of course I’ve had all different kinds of weather for the three times that I have been on the course.  First time it was cold and with not much warm up to do the 2 laps of the course.  Next time on the course it was a practice session and fog and drizzle was on tap for this time. Almost a 100k on the course, 2 full laps of the course, and then shorter laps to go over some problem areas.  The most recent time was the second time with marshals and police at the corners and cross streets.  This time a storm rolled in just as I was supposed to start.  I was the first rider off for the day at 9am.  They had the full set up for the race start house ramp and everything.  Was not nervous coming off of the start ramp cause I have done it before and I find it quite fun coming of a ramp to start the race instead of just a hold.  Well even before the race had started we had almost a full-blown storm happening.  Thunder, lightening and rain for all the laps.  It got dark enough for the street lights come on.  It was a wild time on the bike.  Rain so hard that I couldn’t see.  Lightening so close that I was seeing little sparks of light next to me.  Even with all of this kind of weather I had renewed faith in myself going into the corners that I really wasn’t slowing down that much going in and out of them.  I was able to get around the course for 2 laps and reduce my time again on the course, which I was extremely happy about.  Let’s hope the weather is much nicer day of the big race. Please oh please.

Next  race K-W classic.


til next time.


Shell