Victoria's Island

Busy One

This Wednesday has been busy. But good busy. The kind of busy that I enjoy. Lots on the list and at the end of the day - lots scratched off with a few things added. This is a sure sign of progress.

Got my new training program for the next few weeks. It is looking super good. There will be some definite sore leg days in there - but the benefit will be huge. I'm stoked for cyclo-cross (gee - have I said this before?). Had a smooth ride today - some intervals and nice recovery afterwards. Discovered some new roads and routes. Though I must admit the last 30 minutes was a bit rough. Kind of a dead leg feeling. A quick run-down of today's nutrition and I came up a bit short on the carbos... Oatmeal at 6 a.m. and grapes with lunch doesn't cut it - I guess. Now I know. I got through the last 30 minutes with some sweet music (INXS) and with thoughts of tasty protein/recovery shake. It was a doozy - chocolate protein powder, 1 cup of frozen blueberries, Kashi cereal, glutamine and milk. Thick and hearty. Yoga tonight - this should help the old legs.

Got out for a good hour on my 'cross bike last night. Working on the basics again. Retraining the brain. An hour might not seem like much but when I'm by myself doing drills, I get a lot done - no one to talk to... I would have stayed longer as I was feeling it last night - but the field was suddenly taken over by Timbits Soccer players....

Miss Minou is doing a bit better. We now have her on some crazy wet food combinations. I did buy this wonderful product - basically it is a cat treat with a hole in it - stick the pill in the hole - mold the treat to conceal the pill - sit back and watch the cat eat the pill. Magic! I love it. Much less stress for everyone.

The Tour is uber exciting right now. Sastre is one of my favorite riders. I've liked him ever since I watched that CSC movie (the name escapes me - but you know which one I mean). The time trial will be exciting - going to have to time my ride around it.

Oh - some exciting news - I got a new sponsor today!!! Cool. A product sponsor to help me take care of my nutrition - pre-race, race, and post-race. I'm stoked. Things are coming together.

Speaking of things coming together - it is time to get back into my strength and conditioning work-outs. I stopped doing them during the road race season but now I'm in the build phase, it is time to bring them back. I can feel my glutes burning already!

With that sunny picture in your head, I'll sign off. Happy Wednesday. I can safely say this Wednesday rocks!

Good Things

Good things happen to those who wait. (So the saying goes.) But I believe that good thing happen to those who deserve them. I must say a few good things have happened recently. Now I'm not bragging here, saying that I "deserve" them. On the contrary, I've been lucky and have also been a bit tenacious. So I think this allows me to use the word "deserve".

Anyway, yah, so some good stuff has been happening recently. Web site is almost ready. Massive shout out to my reviewers - much appreciated. Sponsorship opportunities are coming together and getting strengthened. Training and racing have been going really well. Cyclo-cross season is coming. The bike feels good and the second bike is on its way. The new team clothing is in the works and should look pretty sharp.

Good things. (Yeesh, I sound like Martha Stewart!)

Went for an excellent ride today. Nice two hours on some new roads. Decided to change it up and turn right instead of left. Nice. The change was just what I needed. Zoomed out past Richmond, ended up in Munster Hamlet then back to Richmond and then home. Barely a car on the road. Nice.

The little white cat is much more chipper today. But she has clued in to the medicine mixed into the wet food trick. So now she won't eat her wet food. Darn. She isn't eating much dry food either. Tonight I'm heading out to find one of these famous "pill pushers". I tried to give Minou her pill today - lets just say the tooth marks on my fingers are finally gone.

Heading out for a 'cross ride tonight. Should be super smooth. I've put together a bunch of warm-up drills and 'cross technique drills. This way when I'm getting ready for a ride, I can quickly take a look at my handy little book and choose some drills to do. Preparation is key.

Got the second Cyclocross Magazine article off to the editors. Looking forward to the feedback and comments. I must say these guys at Cyclocross Magazine are top notch and are great to work with. I can feel their enthusiasm over the WWW. So what are you waiting for - subscribe to the mag and join the Cyclocross Magazine forums.

No racing this weekend. Most likely group ride on Saturday. Some 'cross riding in the afternoon. Who know what is up for Sunday. Guess I'll find out soon as I'm talking to my coach this afternoon. (Okay just talked to my coach - had an excellent talk. The rest of the training and racing is looking awesome.)

Excellent yoga class yesterday. My abs are still aching!

Finished my book on iPod today during my ride. The Pact by Jodi Picoult. Pretty good book - especially for training. The book has a few twists and turns that keep you listening. This is the first time I've listened to a book on my Nano. I loved it. Nice change from music. Do you have an audio book to recommend?

I'm off. Stuff to do. Have a good Tuesday.

Monday

Monday. Some dread Mondays. Not me. To me, Monday is a chance to start anew. To refocus and get down to business. So this is what I did today.

I had a pretty great weekend. It started a day early with a day off and a train ride to Montreal. I met up with my dad, brother, and his fiance for a couple days of chillaxin. The goal of the trip was to watch my brother's short film - Three Beans for George - in the Just for Laughs Film Festival. After some stressful moments, we settled in to watch a number of short films from around the world. An interesting evening. Not to biased but I have to say that my brother's show was the best. Particularly because it hits the viewer at a number of  levels - all without a word. Pretty powerful and impressive.

Saturday was a chilled day in Montreal with lots of shopping and chatting. Good solid day. Great to hook up and hang out.The others had to catch a train back to The Big Smoke at 3:30 so after seeing them off I had a couple of hours to chill out. Exactly what I did. Picked up the newspapers. Grabbed a venti tea misto and relaxed. I cannot recommend the train enough. Effortless travel.

Sunday was chilled. Got out on the 'cross bike. Found some mud. Cool. Some new trails. Then played around with some flags and pedaling in circles. Met up with good friends for dinner. Good day.

As for today. Well, as I mentioned, today is all about back to business. By this I mean back to training. I had a great week off the bike last week. Relaxed. Recharged my body and my mind. I must say I had one of my best rides on the road bike ever today. Effortless pedaling. No wind. A few drops of rain. I felt one with the bike. Perfect. The new web site is almost ready - I'll be sending it out for a review and then posting it live. So keep your eyes on this space for the big news. Picked up a new book - Phil Jackson's book titled: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior. So far so good. Just what I need right now.

Finished A Student of Weather. An excellent book. If you want to borrow it - post up in the comments. Elizabeth Hay is a new favorite of mine.

In knitting news - massive progress has been made. Only five more inches to be knit! Yay! Then I have to sew up the side seams and do the felting... I'll let you know when this is about to happen - so you can send me positive felting thoughts.

Alright, gotta go. Stuff to do.

Uhm, speaking of positive thoughts. Please send some to our poor little white cat - Miss Minou. She has taken a turn for the worse. She won't even eat her food now. Not even treats. We're watching her today and keeping our fingers crossed.

Guess What I Did?

You'll never guess. Okay, a few of you already know...

I rode my 'cross bike today. That's right. July 17 and I was out zipping around on my trusty steed. Wow - what  a feeling. I love that bike. The adjustments that the mighty Fearless Leader made are right on the money. The bike really feels like an extension of my body now.

I just want out for an hour. Wanted to get the legs spinning and test out the new setup. I like it. A lot. I did some basic stuff - dismounts, mounts, fast turns, slow turns, etc. The typical 'cross warm-up drills. I'm so stoked to get into a regular 'cross training plan now. Have to spend sometime this weekend putting together some drills. Fun stuff.

In cat medicine news, we have some success. I tricked little Minou this morning and mixed the liquid medicine in with her wet food - she didn't notice. My mom suggested trying the peanut butter on the pill trick. Well, Minou licked all the peanut butter off the pill - but while she was relaxed I managed to get the pill down her throat without a hiss, growl, or scratch. Success. Time will tell if she catches on. Now if I could only get her to eat her new dry food...

Not much else going on. Working. Making headway. Smooth.

Off to Montreal bright and early tomorrow morning. Hooking up with my dad, little bro, and his fiance. Should be a couple of good days. We are going to check out Three Beans for George at the Just for Laughs festival. Other than that - not sure. I definitely want to go to Simons. I love that store. So many nice clothes at reasonable prices. Most likely we'll wander around and take in the sites. I better check the weather - hopefully it doesn't rain.

No bike racing action this weekend. Nothing on deck until August 3. As for that other race going on in France right now.... Well, I'm clearly disappointed with some of the riders. Only they can justify their actions. Enough said on this topic.

Have a great weekend. I'll try and take some pics in Montreal and get them up on this site. Thanks for reading. Enjoy the weather. Might be a good weekend to hit the beach or stroll around the Byward Market. Outdoors is best. A book on a patio or deck chair with a root beer float would be sublime.

Summer Time

Dudes, I just want to remind you that is summer time. That's right the time of the year we whistfully long for in the throes of January and February. In April and May we can be heard saying "This summer I'm going to...".

Well, it is the middle of July. So I really hope that you are making the most of your summer. Before you know it, Labor Day weekend will be here. And you know what that means. (No more white pants.)

I can honestly say this has been a pretty darn fantastic summer so far. I'm doing everything that I enjoy with some extra spice thrown in for excitement. Life is good - and I'm not afraid to proclaim it.

Bike racing is going great. I've learned so much. Pushed my body farther than I though possible. My brain is coming around to being a bike racer's brain. I've got some decent results. Met some great new people. Forged some deep friendships. What is there to not be happy about.

Work is good. I'm still working from home. I'm challenged daily. My brain aches some days - but in a good way.

Relaxation has also played a big part in my life this summer. I vowed not to get over-scheduled everyday. Some days this has worked better than others. I've got time to read. Time to knit. Time to sit and stare and think of absolutely nothing. Time to really just sit back and appreciate life. This is key. An attitude of gratitude will take you far.

This  Friday I'm off to Montreal to meet up with my dad, brother, and his fiance. Should be a good couple of days. No solid plans - Just for Laughs festival to watch Three Beans for George. Probably do some wandering around as well. I don't know Montreal at all - so I'm open to your suggestions. We'll be staying downtown and won't have a car.

At the end of the month my mom is coming out. So this will be great. A few days to visit with her and to go shopping for something to wear to my brother's wedding in September.

I'm still on my rest week. So far so good. I did nothing on Monday and Tuesday. Today I want to a yin class at Mountaingoat Yoga. Perfect. I love yin. Deep stretching. I find I leave the class standing a bit taller and feeling much lighter. Might go out for a little spin on the 'cross bike tonight. We'll see if my brain goes that way. This is the only break I'm taking until February so I want to make sure I use it properly.

Tonight I've got a very important meeting. I'm meeting with a sports psychologist. It is time to get talking about bike racing and what it does to my brain. Not to mention the crazy thoughts that I let creep in. The experience at the OBC Grand Prix on Saturday reinforced that this is the right time to start working on the mental aspect of the game.

Minou is back safe and sound from the vet. It was a rough day for her yesterday. Turns out she has a distended bowel. Not fun. She is now on special wet and dry food. We also have to give her two medications twice a day. Have you ever tried to give a pill to a cat? How about squirting sticky orange medicine down a cat's throat? Not fun. Not easy. It is amazing how just when you think the pill has gone down Minou's throat, it miraculously appears.

Made some good progress on the new web site last night. I will be sending the link to a few of you for some feedback and comments (hopefully this weekend). Got the first draft of my next article for Cyclocross Magazine written. Lots of good progress.

Totally loving a Student of the Weather by Elizabeth Hay. I highly recommend it. Especially for all you people from Saskatchewan who now live in Ottawa.

I'm out. Have a good one. And remember the time is now and it is July 16 - time is passing more quickly than you realize.

Crazy Day

Wow, when it rains it pours.Lots going on. Lots of good stuff and one bad thing.

So I'm back to work now. First day back started off really well. Excellent meeting. I'm looking forward to the days ahead and getting back into some writing and creating. Cool. The brain is challenged.

Finally got on top of my new supplement program. (Don't worry - it is just vitamins and minerals.) It just took me a while to track down everything. So we'll see how this works out. I expect it will make a big difference in how I'm feeling, particularly with recovery. The advice comes from a highly respected expert in the sporting domain.

It really is amazing how many athletes don't consider their supplement intake. I always knew I should take a multivitamin and probably iron. But I didn't realize how all the vitamins and minerals work together. So if you are low in vitamin D, for example, this will affect your absorption of other vitamins and minerals. The body really is a puzzle and one missing piece can mess things up.

Taking a few days off the bike this week. Day two of the rest week. So far so good. Though I have been looking at my 'cross bike... Soon. Soon.

So the bad stuff. Poor little Minou is sick again. This it the third time in about 4 months. Not good. So she is in at the vet all day today. Getting an unpleasant procedure done. Sounds like we are going to have to keep her on some medication permanently now. Aging is not easy. Not even for a cat.

As for the rest of today? Work. Reading. I'm currently reading: A Student of Weather by Elizabeth Hay. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. The novel is set in Saskatchewan, so this makes it even better. Hopefully some knitting as well. I also have an article to write for Cyclocross Magazine. If I have time, I'll squeeze in some more work on the new web site.

Life is busy. This is good. I don't ever want to be bored. Have a good one.

Weekend of Racing

The big Ottawa racing weekend has come and gone. Always a fun, but tiring couple of days. It is great to go out to these big local races and see so many familiar faces and people that you haven't seen in a long time. The feed zone of the OBC Grand Prix, is a really cool place to hang out  - as people are chatting, cheering, and just chilling out. Lots of friendly faces to see as the cyclists whiz by.

So the racing. What happened? First up was the OBC Grand Prix on Saturday. I must admit I was not excited to race this race. It is not the hills. It is not the climbing. I just don't get pumped for this race. Which makes it hard to race this race. Last year I warmed up and then rode home - I didn't start the race. This year I started the race. I only did one and a half laps of the three lap race. Not much to tell you. I got dropped on the first big climb. I didn't get dropped because it was going hard. I got dropped because I didn't really care to push myself. Strange. Not much happened in our chase group. We just rode. I was not feeling it. So I pulled the plug. Not cool. But this is what happened. I talked to a couple people after the race. This helped me a lot. And like one wise person pointed out - it is one race in a string of very good races. So I'm not letting it beat me up.

Marc had a fantastic race. He did the Senior 1/2 race - 6 laps. I'm super proud of him. Good job Marc!

On Sunday we had the Ontario Provincial Criterium Championships. I had been looking forward to this race all season. Perhaps even since I raced it last year. I like the course. I like crits. It is here at home. What is not to like. Again I wasn't super pumped for this race though. But nonetheless, I still wanted to race hard and have a fun time. Got in a good warm-up with some spinning and openers. The trainer is so useful for warming up at crits. I plugged into my iPod Nano and just pedaled.

As most of you know I don't have any team mates. But on Sunday, I lucked into having four awesome team mates. The EMD Serono team had a last minute race plan change and offered to race for me. So cool. I felt really good about this. It gave me a real "lift" and I felt much calmer during the race. Thanks - you guys were awesome.

So the race started out pretty tame. Lots of little attacks but nothing really sticking. I had planned to attack just before the hill. But accidentally rolled off the front a bit before. Okay. Time to hit it. So I did. I got a smallish gap. Then a rider came up to me. Perfect. (Or so I thought...) This rider wouldn't pull through. Frustrating. So I committed to the move. Managed to get 15 seconds on the pack. I kept pushing it. Not easy with the headwind and the hill. Then it was 5 laps to go. Still out there. Then 4 laps to go. Still out there. Then we were caught just before hitting the three laps to go sign. Darn. I reintegrated in the pack and got ready for the bunch sprint.

I'm not a sprinter (yet), so I had to be smart and aggressive. There were no lead-outs happening so it was just a free for all. I tried to get on Heather Logan's wheel as I knew she had a good sprint. Well, I finished fourth. Heather won. And the rider who refused to pull through? She finished second.

Am I happy with this result? Yes. And no. I wanted to win (as does everyone). And I thought with the two of us away there was a chance. Especially if we had worked together. I took a chance - I know I don't have sprint that can win me a race yet so I had to do something that would enable me to have a better chance at winning.

I was a bit frustrated and confused by the tactics going on. I learned some big lessons thanks to this "style" of racing.

This race also reinforced my love of bike racing. I had such a fun time.

Thanks for the cheering and support during the race. It was an early race start but there were still lots of people out. Thanks - the cheering really does help.

Marc had an awesome race. He got in three-man break with two other Ottawa strongmen. The three of them built up a big lead on the pack. I was super excited for Marc (also a bit nervous). In the end Marc finished third (second in the Ontario standings). Way to go Marc! Excellent race - especially considering racing so well the day before.

One of the best things about this race was the people. I got to hang out with so many cool people. Chatting and watching the guys zoom by. Great way to spend a Sunday. Though I was getting a bit tired by the end. No biggie. Nothing that a trip to Sbucks followed up with a tasty burger at the Works couldn't cure. (I treated myself to a rootbeer float - so good.)

Now I'm taking a few days off and getting ready to start my cyclo-cross training. Can't hardly wait. It is going to be a good season.

Welcome Back

Typing "Welcome Back" brings up a strange memory. Ready - brace yourselves... This title reminds me of the theme song to Welcome Back Kotter. Do you remember that show? I can remember sitting watching it and laughing along - though I'm sure I wasn't really "getting" any of the jokes as I was quite young when it was on.

So two days of computer-free living.... It went fairly well. I admit that I did fire up the black apple to check my email each day. But that was it. I was restrained. Wednesday was a struggle. I really wanted to poke around on the WWW. But I resisted. Thursday was pretty easy. I really had no desire to sit and type away.

I think it was a worthwhile experience and actually helped to break my addiction. In fact today after catching up on email and reading the news, I was a bit lost. I scrolled through my bookmarks looking for a site that would catch my eye. Nothing. Why read a web site about knitting when I could just knit instead? Why check out the latest recipe/foodie site when I have cookbooks here I haven't cracked in ages? Time will tell how long this feeling lasts. But really I feel less cluttered with less time spent "browsing".

So what did I do with my two days? I fully and completely relaxed. On Wednesday I did some stuff around the house, I went to yin yoga, spent some quality time with a good pal in a coffee shop, I browsed the bookstore, I knit, I did some errands, I rode my bike. Perfect. On Thursday I did much of the same but I added in a trip to The Cyclery to get my wheel fixed (thanks Steve - you rock!) - I would be completely lost without Vince and his shop, I went out for lunch at Wild Oat (sooo good), I checked out the Ottawa Farmer's Market at Lansdowne Park (bought some superb samosas and dal for supper). Another excellent day.

I admit that I have spent the bulk of this morning on the computer. But not languishing on the WWW. Nope - I've been sending emails, writing articles, contacting potential sponsors, working on web site designs. Doing "non-work" work. Very productive. Even more so when I don't feel the pull of web sites.

So big race weekend on deck here locally. Tomorrow is the OBC Grand Prix. Should be a good one. I really have no idea what to expect. Quite a few strong women are coming to race, so it should be a good time. I'm hoping to apply some of the lessons I've learned over the past couple of weeks. Then on Sunday we have the Ontario Criterium Championships. Again, really not sure what to expect. There are a number of women coming to race so it should be a good hard race. I know one thing for sure - there will be no crackers for me!

As for the rest of today. Well, I'm going to head downtown to have lunch with Marc. Nice treat. Then I'll head home and get out for ride. Opening work-out today. Then I'll clean my bike. It got quite dirty after Wednesday's motor pacing session. Wow is motor pacing ever useful. Not only is it awesome for building leg speed but it really tests you physically and mentally. It is also useful in highlighting strength/fitness areas that need improvement.

Had a great talk with my coach (Steve Weller from Cycle-Smart) on Wednesday. He is super positive and is an excellent listener. He lets me ramble along about my races and training and then is able to pull out the key information that needs to be reinforced. Thanks Steve!

The Tour is pretty exciting this year. I couldn't believe how the riders danced up the last climb yesterday. They were literally flying. Amazing. The speed is most impressive. Lots of excitement so far this morning - speed wobbles, broken chains, crashes, slippery descents, shattered pack. Paul and Phil are audibly excited today.

Okay, I'm out. Thanks for reading.

P.S. The latest issue of Cyclocross Magazine is now available. I suggest you pick up a copy. Not to be too obvious but be sure to check out my article!

Day Two

It is day two of my vacation. Strange. I hadn't planned this vacation. It was/is kind of unexpected. As a result I have no plans. I'm not getting on any plans. I'm not driving anywhere. I'm just not working. For some this probably sounds idyllic.

Problem is, there are so many places that I want to visit that it almost seems wasteful to not be jetting around. I know. I know. I need this week of staying put and recharging. It is just so counter to my go-go personality.

This being said I did have a very relaxing day. Nice little sleep in and then some Tour de France time. I didn't plan on watching the time trial - but it ended up being quite exciting. I did some web surfing and t.v. watching at the same time - nothing like a little multi-tasking.

Went out for a smooth recovery ride. Though my planned route was diverted due to an interesting discovery. I stumbled upon a drug bust in progress. As I was pedaling I could see lots of flashing lights up the road. I assumed there was an accident - odd for the quiet road. Nope, drug bust on a grow-op. Crazy. The funny thing is, it didn't surprise me. I'd never seen a car in front of the grow-op house (and I ride this road a lot). I tried to squeak through the swarm of police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks. Nope - not happening.

Had a fabulous lunch. Managed to buy some canned smoked trout in Ogdensburg yesterday. Very tasty. Excellent on a salad. The cats liked it as well!

Headed out and did a couple errands and then settled into the Sbucks. My mission was to write the first draft of my next article for Cyclocross Magazine. After much scribbling and restarting, mission accomplished. A very relaxing afternoon. Tea misto. Outside magazine. Chatter of strangers. And a first draft complete.

Whipped up a tasty dinner of quinoa, onion, mushrooms, peas, corn and chicken. Pretty tasty. And uber-healthy. Little known fact: quinoa is a complete protein. Also quinoa doesn't always need to be savory - you can use it for dessert and cereal as well. Speaking of cereal, I tried a new one this morning. Typically I eat oatmeal (the slow-cooking kind) every morning. Inspired by the RWR gang and their breakfast creations in Beauce, I decided to shake things up.

Oat bran. Almonds. Raisins. Raw sunflower seeds. Blueberries. Plain yogurt. Water. Mix it all up - toss in the microwave. You end up with a tasty, healthy, and satisfying breakfast. To up the protein quota I might try adding in some egg whites. Not sure though.

So that's my day. Bored yet? I know it wasn't uber-exciting but it was just what I needed. Now my goal for tomorrow is to not be on the computer. Are you gasping? Well my thinking is that if I really was on vacation (one where I went somewhere), I wouldn't be sitting in front of my laptop. So, my plan is to stay off the computer for Wednesday and Thursday. So this means no blog posts. Sorry. But I think I need a computer break. The plan is for two days. I may extend it to Friday. But I do have some computer-related stuff to do this week.

I'll let you know how the two days go. Plan for Wednesday - yin yoga, coffee meet-up, reading, knitting, motor pacing. Plan for Thursday - early morning ride, trip downtown (maybe lunch with my favorite guy), a wander in the Byward Market, trip to the Ottawa Farmer's Market at Lansdowne Park.

See you on Friday! Have a good couple of days.

Late Post

So sorry for the late post today. Today is the first day of my week-long vacation. It was busy. Crammed a lot in.

Kicked off the day in style with a morning power yoga class. It was good to stretch the sore cycling muscles and to relax in the heat.

Then it was in the car and off to Ogdensburg, N.Y. Had to pick up some vitamins and picked up a few groceries. I'd never really been to Ogdensburg before. Not much to it. I checked out the Aldi - the Belgian version is much better.

Spent the rest of the afternoon chillaxing on the front step. Me and the lumpy grey cat flaked out in the heat.

In bike racing land, I've got two more races on deck for July. Both here at home - so this is nice. Hometown crowd and no traveling. I've been thinking more about the race on the weekend. I'm happy but not satisfied. This happens to me a lot. I get a good result but I so want more. I just want to do better. To get the one more step up the ladder. One step at a time.

So far this cycling season has been a real success. I've been racing harder, getting better results and truly learning about bike racing. This is all going to pay-off big time during cyclo-cross season.

On the sponsorship front, I'm still trying to get a couple more sponsors on board. Ideally, if I could get someone to help out with plane tickets or a vehicle, this would be awesome. I've got a couple of irons in the fire but it is tough going. The web site design is coming along and soon the new site will be live.

The latest issue of Cyclocross Magazine is now available. My first article is in this issue. I'm writing an article per issue about my season of training, racing and trying to qualify for the Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Hoogerheide, Netherlands.

As for the rest of the week? I think I might finally make it to the National Gallery (remember I was going to do that this past winter...). Some nice long rides are planned (and some motor pacing fun). Some indulgent book reading and tea sipping. Some knitting. Nothing to crazy. I'm hoping to check out the Lansdowne Farmer's Market on Thursday - this has been on my list all summer as well. I've also got some bike racing stuff to do - season planning, letter writing, web site work, etc.

Thanks for reading. Have a good night. Think I'll watch some Tour de France action this evening. I have no idea who will win. Most exciting race in a long time.

Congrats to Sue S. for a super ride on Saturday with her 5th place finish in Beauce.

Shout out to DSJ for his awesome ride on Sunday.

A massive congrats to Cynthia Wilson - the new elite Canadian 70.3 Triathlon Champion.

Ottawa rocks!