"It's a Good Day for Racing!"

So I had a bit of a down week.  Mostly circumstantial, rather than by choice.  So I am still feeling rather soft.  This weekend we are in Victoria, for some bicycle racing.
Friday night I was the only member of Team Westwood to race the Bear mountain Hill climb.  This race was a 3km individual hill Climb effort.  We got lost, on the way but got there with just enough time for a warm up.  The race was won by none other than Ryder Hesjedal!  A top Canadian Pro who has raced the Tour de France and placed 2nd at Amstel Gold this year.  Second place went to Rob Bitton, the top Canadian Neo-Pro (first year pro) who just finnished the Tour of California.  I placed 6th (3rd placed Cat2), considering the caliber of those ahead of me this is a pleasing result.
Today we raced the 140km BC Provincial Road Race.  This race is highly coveted by all the top BC Teams.  The field was Deep with Talent.  The course was challenging always up or down.  Also 5 degrees and raining.  "A Good Day For Racing."  The legs were soft but the race blood is returning to me.  However I regret to inform that I once again did not finnish.
The race was aggressive, many riders were keen to blow things apart.  As the race was coming undone  I was in the front group, going up a decisive climb.  My chain fell off.  I put it back on and jumped in with a chase group.  We continued on into the frigid rain.  When we were as far away from civilization as possible my chain Broke.  Game over.  Stuck out in the middle of nowhere and a bike with no chain.
I hitch-hiked back to town.  I was picked up by a man from buffalo narrows Saskatchewan.  His Truck was your typical overused farm truck complete with musky, dusty, greasy, overused smell.  This was wonderfully comforting.

But wait... it gets better.

After getting dropped off in town I found the Team Van.  Freezing and shivering I started the Van cranked the heat, shut the front door, and tried to open the slider door.  It was locked, they were all locked.  The van is running and I am locked out and freezing and the rest of the team is still racing.  Oh yea that was awesome!  Freezing and trapped outdoors,  the only other ppl around were two volunteers.
One of them had coffee.  I do not like coffee.  I have tried it before but never more than a taste.  I don't like the taste, but I was so cold and desperate for a warm drink coffee would suffice.  And so that is the story of  my very first cup of coffee.



Training shall be based solely on feel,
while racing shall be governed by sensations and instincts.




Cuylar Conly