A good year....

Eat some cement...

High of the cycling year: Winning the Silver medal in the points race at Track Nationals this year.
Low of the year: Blowing up during the individual pursuit at those same nationals.

I hate to even mention unmemorable times in cycling this year. Success in cycling let alone all sports is extremely mental and blocking out the negatives are a huge key to victory. I'm getting better at shrugging off downfalls, "it wasn't meant to be" or "it wasn't my day" I like that. Sometimes I smile when I'm climbing or leading the pack, sure it hurts but everybody doesn't need to see my ugly pain face. If you smile you look more in control and it may, just may actually look like your a masochist.

I find it kind of funny that my high and low of the year took place within the span of 2 days. Its been a good year though, lots of memorable moments, nuff said. All the hard training and sacrifices, money shelled out. It all paid off and as 2009 comes to a close I look to 2010 with determination. Of course my expectations are high, hard work dictates it. I work hard and want to do well. My goals are realistic with emphasis that I've been only racing for 2 1/2 years. Racing The Tour would be a big life goal for me, just not right now. In 10 years.

I would like to bring another hard man into the picture, Saxo Bank's Jens Voigt. Whose positive attitude has reminded me to HTFU. I look forward to the day I'm in a break with you.

Thanks to Travis Jutson for the photo....

Winter Training

Winter training. Okay the 1980 photo of Bernard Hinault on the way to victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege is exaggerating the idea of winter training. For me it was 3 weeks of heavy riding from November into December. 21 days, 3 rest days, 69 hours, 1782 km. The 2009 Tour de France: 21 days, 2 rest days, winner Alberto Contador's time of 85hrs, 48 minutes. 3445km. I think I have some more work to do....

But right now I have some time to kill in the form of a recovery week. The recovery week is like the mirage at the end of a hard trek through the dessert. The relief! rejuvination! and then its over so fast and I'm back to training. And back to that photo.....The April edition of Liege-Bastogne-Liege was held in winter conditions which gradually deteriorated during the day. Of the 174 Starters, only 21 finished. Bernard Hinault rode the last 80km of the 244km race solo, through a blizzard and won by 9:24. You sir are a hard man indeed. I raise my glass.

Flats

Tiny thin tires, high pressure tires. The sea to sky highway calls me today come ride. Its 1 degree outside. I bring extra tubes cause I know the sea to sky is riddled with debris. Riding past Horseshoe Bay I'm okay cause the highway is free of cars. Its Thanksgiving Day and I know people have better things to do than drive. The sun is out though. So is the motorcycle that rides up beside me. Hello. I think drive on or I will get on your wheel for a free ride. I'm halfway done and I turnaround to face the sun. The wind is now at my back. Its home for now.

I watch the road attentively, rock, glass, license plate. Beautiful British Columbia it reads. License plate your right. At least for today. They're all ready to puncture but I'm alert this morning. It didn't require caffeine at all. I see the sparkle up ahead, it could be rock salt but its always glass. Its green too and plentiful. Wine bottle, screw cap wine. The driver thinks......"I'll just throw it out the window". I swerve to miss listening as my tires still make contact with a few tiny shards. Still listening I wait for the sound of the telltale sign of escaping air. BANG and I'm riding the rim now. It took tenths of a second to lose all the air. Riding the rim's okay for now. Its like riding uphill even though your on a flat stretch. To the owner of that bottle: I hope the love of your life broke your heart and you were driven to drink that wine to ease your suffering.

I'm still going uphill so there is no danger of going into traffic. I'm calm cause flat tires are an easy fix. Ive flatted once before on this same stretch of road. BANG . It took tenths of a second and I was riding the rim. 60km/h downhill. Turns coming up. Its the rear tire and I fish tale. I stay upright and I remember smiling.....in traffic. My first reaction is to smile. When faced with adversity I try to think of the good things in life. Adversity happens a lot in cycling.

Sucks about the owner of that bottle though....