Still hold firm to my opinion

A few rides this week but it all topped out with my ride in the big backyard. A three hour tour was planned, the same luck that gilagan had chased me into the forest. Easy smooth pace, legs feeling good on the climbs, I just enjoyed rolling along. As I made my way farther away from the car, at this point about 25 minutes of lefts and rights, I felt a change. That change was a drifting back end. A blast with the pump, I see the small hole, it's not sealing. Spin the wheel again, still not sealing, it's flat. Of course I don't have extra air or a real pump, that's just silliness. The walk back begins, walking lasted for about 10 minutes and then the Mosquitos seem to realize I was there, I begin to run a little, my feet hurt. Off come the shoes, carbon soled shoes are just not designed to run more than 20 feet in, the bugs increase, I run faster. I'm still a firm believer that running should only be done when it's of survival mode which this was. 35 minutes later I was back at the car with sore feet and knees. A nap was needed. MNS ride with extra time planned.

a little more than a coin toss

Quality time spent on the Canada cup course yet again, bike decesion has been finalized. I love my 29er but for this one the dualie will be my choice. Solid sustainable race pace lap in the heat yesterday let me see the slight advantages the dualie had over the big wheeled hardtail. Legs are feeling, well they are feeling. Setting some realistic goals for the race in a very fast group. Some more good training days this weekend, roadie tan lines are starting to show up,trademark stealing, good living

needed the 3 days

Busy weekend, lucky there was an extra day otherwise I wouldn't have gotten eveything in. Awesome road ride with my sister Saturday morning who was sporting the fastest bike on the thebig chute loop that day. I will be a little concerned when her fitness increases, most should be. Followed up with some window stripping and painting. This old house likes to beat me up but gives huge rewards. Found myself with some of the crew from Total sports Sunday touring the Canada cup course, rocked the 29er, still torn. Back at the house again in the afternoon followed by beer and great friends on the back deck. Monday had me on the bike at 7am, done by 9 and tearing apart my sunroom. It was supposed to rain, it didn't, new stone and pine floor laid. It was hot, it looks awesome, body is sore, easy ride and recovery tonight. to busy to fix this paragraph problem, maybe tonight.

Just checking things out

Still can't sort out the paragraph proble, feeling there is some app I need now to solve it, maybe by the weekend. Made my way to hardwood for a Mini world cup race, that was the secondary reason. The main reason was to check out the Canada Cup course now that it's marked and to also see if I still liked my little wheeled dualie. It took a few minutes to get used to the slight movement of the suspension, I spent the tour of the CC course debating with user on what bike will be better. I do still like the squish, I also love my big wheels. As for the course, for a 29er, there are a couple tight spots out there and of course the roots made me question the hardtail. I think there really isn't a dramatic advantage to either on this one. It's a good course though, it seemed really long but lap times was equal to any other event. There is just a lot of stuff, it's a mentally tiring course where one mistake will have you dead stopped. Climbing was about normal for Hardwood, lots of short steep punches, the climb I hated is in again at the second feed/tech zone. Bone shaker seems a little more manicured again this year. Fnished up with the usual chase the little kids that have gotten even faster this year, around serious. Legs hurt, still sore. Older age, I guess I don't feel to bad getting beaten by someone half my age. Looking like a great weekend for some big miles. Two weeks of solid training, should be good. Oh, I'll probably end up racing the 2-9 for the Canada Cup. Probably.

Woodnewton Ontario Cup

I am happy with yesterday, I'm not happy with yesterday. It was exactly what I needed. I know sounds confusing but it will make sense in a minute. So wandered my way down to Woodnewton yesterday, feeling lighter than I've been in a while, music blasting, sunshining, heading to a course that I like. Had a great warmup with Paul from the lapdogs, thanks for the advice, my head was in the game today. I did something that I haven't done in a while, written on the back of my plate was "don't think, just pedal" My head used to get m in trouble over thinking, this is just a reminder. Rolled in with the pack, waiting for our time. For now I'm still being smart and starting at the back, I think my fitness is there but it's really not proven yet to me so it's easier to move forward from the back than fading the other way. First lap was like that, I started conservative, I know where my streghts are and pinning it of the start isn't it. First climb done and a few passed, Feeling good, kept it steady, by mid way I was seeing my streghts kick in, I love singletrack. Started to pick up the pace in there to compensate what I would lose in the climbs. Seemed to be working as I picked off a couple more fast starters. Lap two was pretty much a blurr but three had me see that I was pushing the body hard with a couple stupid bobbles that cost me a few seconds each time. Looking in the rear view I could see Scott, the planning started. Last lap, at this point I had maybe 15 to 20 seconds on Scott, I was pushing hard everywhere I could, I had to give it a little harder on the climbs if I wanted to hold him off. First climb still ahead, good, tech section ahead but a bobble, still ahead, then it happened, he caught me on the fast flat section with a hard attack, I didn't respond. I could feel the cramps and with fear I didnt step on it. Patients. I started to gain back up on the sweeping downhill but Scott gained that back on the last big climb. Ok, focus Spak. No climbing left I started to push and take risks in the singletrack, there is still time to catch him. Over the next km and a bit I gained a few seconds back, close enough that I saw him but far enough I wouldn't catch Scott, 10 seconds down finishing 14th. I'm happy, I pushed hard, I suffered, I had fun, I was riding bikes with my friends on a great course on a spectacular day. I felt like me again, my first big steps to being in a happy place again. Now that I've made my steps forward in personal life I can now make the steps forward needed to get me faster. I see my road bike and I spending some serious quality time together over the next two weeks before hardwood. I need to work on that going up stuff. Thanks again to Liz for handing me bottles, thanks to everyone else for their support over the last few weeks. It's very appreciated. MNS ride tonight, looking forward to it. Not sure if the blogger is still making one paragraph, if so, I'm sorry.

keep rolling along

After an enjoyable MNS ride I realized how sore Myles we after Sunday. Opted for a couple chill days with some easy spins and lots of stretching, attempts to be strong for this weekend. I'm also spending some quality time on the Ouse as I try and put things back in place. Only a few more days till the house is back to my things only. Of course this has brought out my creative side, some new ideas for rooms, counting down till the inside is painted etc. Busy busy. Looks like I could be housing an espoir for the Canada Cup. Still havent sorted out the blog problem, to busy keeping my wheels rolling. Heading to Woodnewton tonight hoping to miss the mad rush on the weekend. later

interclub road race

How often do you get blown for 5 dollars. Opps I meant blown up. Manned up and headed down to the first interclub road race yesterday, I figured I better try and fast track my fitness back to a higher level and doing something that I'm not good at, sustained top end power for a long time. No coasting for this guy on this day. Did the brave/stupid thing and signed up for group 5, the fastest group. First lap turned into a manic surge, yet another thing I'm not good at. Pace was high, watched numbers on the power tap shaking my head. 800 watts, 200, 800. I won't sustain this for long, and I didn't. Got blown off the back 2/3 through the first lap but I want alone. Tristan and another yong rider were off with me. A short time later it was just T and I, no backing down. The next four lap we worked together with T doing much 60 plus percent of the pace setting. We picked up a ride, then another staying steady till the last lap were T picked it up a bit more, I was behind the extra rider and couldn't regain the gap. Finshed, content, good training day. I suffered and suffered hard but loved every minute of it. Thefirst day of the return to being me. So why is that last comment there, well some major life changes. Some have heard, Shannon and I have split up. To say its been a bit of a rough go is an understatement, a major reason for me shutting down at the first o cup. For that guy who made the stupid comment on my ocup post, feel like and ass yet? Things havent been good for the last couple months and finally came to a head. Will be happy again,that's important, will be training properly again also. Looking forward to Woodnewton to see where I'm at. Time for coffee, have a bit of a hangover to deal with,last one for a while. Detox time.

just realized that the program update at blogger and my iPad don't like each other. So much for paragraphs, will attempt to resolve

returning to a focus

I'm beginning to figure out things, life can be difficult sometimes filled with extremely difficult decisions. My head is a lot clearer, of course it also was not also being hazed over with alcohol like it was Sunday. I felt like I should again at the Wednesday night world cup. I rode like I should and pushed like it should. The fitness is there, the brain is coming back. For the clown that was brave enough to make a comment in my previous post. If you're so wise with your opinion to post at least put a your name. It's always easy to make an uninformed comment behind the comfort of annonimity, manup or shut up