Update: as of 2months ago :)

Well, it's been a while since I have posted on my blog. There are several reason's for this.
So in going forward I'll do a little recap of my season thus far as to substantiate my lack of blogging.....

After  24hrs of OP, I returned home, got  my eyes checked out. Outside of not being able to wear contacts for a week afterwards all was good.  Back on the bike and training almost, all indoor of course being that it was still winter up here in Calgary. What I didn't get in on the trainer I was able to saddle up my Lynskey 29 SL with Ïce spiker pro's" tires (which Shaun suggested) for some mental relief and to hone some technical skills. Which it really did help on both fronts.


Truly desperate for some dirt action I was able to get some quality riding in with my coach Shaun and fellow racer's Steve, and Julie. It was a great weekend of riding the "Round the clock"24hr course. A race that everyone else  in the group was competing in. I had other plans like, being support for Coralee  for  her first half marathon being held that same day, in May.  Back to Spokane, it was a great weekend of great food and drink with some great friends.

I did sign up for the "Salty dog" race held in Salmon arm B.C. I have never competed in a 6 hr race before so training for 6 hrs of intensity was a bit different than I was used to as I am normally a "diesel" type racer and prefer the longer races. Well as luck would have it I started a new job 1 week before the Salty Dog, so with saying that it meant no extra time off, after the race which was being held on Sunday and would have me back to work on Monday. Yikes!. Oh well, still worth the effort to drive out and get in some dirt as it has been at least 6 weeks since riding in Spokane.

After working all day Friday, we drive out and arrive around 1am at the Comfort Inn, in Salmon Arm.
2 dogs Zachary, and all that goes with it....  Up at 8am grab some breaky and head out to meet up with Steve, Julie, and Shaun. They were here to compete in this event as well. With the sign in a prelap and a great dinner, I climb into bed Saturday evening with thoughts of the race to dream about.... However, Cor, was pretty busy juggling dogs and a 6 yr old.

The course: 11km's long with a mix of single track and  highly exposed fire road, with around 1100'of vertical gain.

Race day: 8:30 am meet up with my friends and get my pit setup, ride  down to the bottom of the hill to get a good starting position for the race on the start line. Today was a tad bit overcast with expectations of either rain or sun, I know this much, the humidex was pretty high.

The Start: I was able to make some good time on the first climb up at the start, I felt really good considering all the driving and humid type environment so different than desert like Calgary.
I was able to see some really fast racers, and to see how really slow I was...
The Result: I was able to have a great day, The three of us had a great day:

Julie got 7 laps and 2nd place finish, I got 8laps and 1st (Solo sport), by 40seconds over 2nd! Steve got a 3rd with 8laps within a few minutes of us. It really was a race from start to finish. Then there was Shaun, his seatpost broke, his first lap in the race. No one had parts, or a post that would fit his Orbea frame, so he did what none of us would/could do.... He rode, errr. raced the course without a saddle and post, for 6LAPS! only 2 less than us, or around 65km's.  unreal......

After the awards, and some terrible food fast food to tie us over for the trip home, we hit the road. Cor and I taking turns to drive as needed to make it home that night for work Monday morning.

3am and back home, I get 2 hrs sleep in with 2 coffee's under my belt I go to work...

I wouldn't have had it any other way.

My wife Coralee,(spending her mother's day handing me bottles) and my sponsors, AST/ Pedalhead  and as always my coach Shaun  were absolutely key  in delivering this result for me.


http://zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=5829&cat=all