To start off, I just had a nice, relaxing long weekend.

I spent the last few days on Vancouver Island with my two favourite men. We camped in Tofino, hiked beaches, drank Tofino's locally made beer, cooked gourmet meals over the camp fire, slept on the ground (I, literally did...my camping mat had a hole), and were guests at a good friend of mine's wedding at a private beach. It was a beautiful weekend. Not only did my man dress up in a dress shirt and pants, but my dog wore a bow tie!

We came back and got back into our normal routine for Monday. I had hoped to go for a ride since we hadn't been on bikes all weekend, but our bodies just said 'no.' We listened.

Come Tuesday, I was itching to be out on my bike. It was one of those mornings where you just want to call in sick so that you can spend all day riding and adventuring. Ok, that's everyday. Who am I kidding?

After work the sun was shining and the summer weather felt amazing! We rode to Glenlyon and spent the pre-race minutes warming up.

Lined up for the women's cat-4 6:30 P.M. race time, and I could feel my tummy grumbling and being unhappy. It was a long day for me at work - due to working outside the office, I missed lunch. I tried to gobble down some food at 5 P.M. before riding to the race....bad idea!!

The women's cat-4 group headed out, following behind the cat-4 and cat-5 men.

The pace on the ride out to the first corner was pretty fast, which was unusual.

I managed to spend my time at all sorts of different positions, trying to keep an eye on the series points leader for our category - watching her movements. I figure I still have a lot to learn from some of these women.

We were passed by one of the men's groups and did a much better job at neutralizing as a pack this time. Still not perfect.

We didn't really have any laps mentioned on the lap board until we got to the last lap. I figured that at our current pace, this would be plenty of time to get myself moved up a few positions. I wanted to finish in the top ten this time...

I could hear the Pender Racing girls yelling at each other to form a line so they could pull through as a team. Everyone else seemed silent and concentrated. As we neared the final corner before the home stretch, I made sure to find a comfortable spot mid-pack.  After turning the corner, I noticed a group of women forming a four-pack and moving up and away from the front together. I was comfortably in the top ten at this point, but I decided to jump in with the four of them. Why not go for a top five?

Still, nearly at the finish line and although the pace had quickened, it was not nearly a sprint.

So, I did what any young, eager, inexperienced racer would.

I jumped out in front of the group and started to sprint.

As fast and hard as my legs would take me. Hands in the drops. Pain face game on.

I sprinted.

And sprinted.

And then I realized just how far away the finish line was.

So I kept sprinting.

And a girl jumped out from behind me and took the lead.

I didn't pay much attention. I couldn't give up at this paint. I told my legs to shut-up.

Another girl came up beside me, and we challenged each other to the finish line.

She made it ahead of me by inches! Just inches! And secured herself a second place finish.

I happily, and exhaustedly, settled into third place.

My body felt as if it had exploded, but I was so happy! Yes, I may have been premature on my sprint to the finish, but I gave it my best shot. By no means am I the fastest women in that racing category, but I kept the idea of strategy in the front of my mind for that race. I experimented and took advantage of the opportunity. And it paid off.

So, I'm happy to be on the points board. I don't expect to finish like that every race, but I'd be pretty happy to stay in the top ten.

Next week is the UBC crit.

#bringiton

P.S. Yes, I know. "Exhaustedly" is not a real word.

My third crit race of all time.
Exciting, no?
I'll be honest, my legs were feeling pretty rough. I had another weekend of riding and even spent a morning in the gym pushing around weights...my muscles were tired.
Nonetheless, I got on my bike after work, rode to Glenlyon, and lined up for the crit race.
I wasn't sure it was my best idea, but I did it.
Maybe I should have taken a day to rest?
It turned out okay.
The pace was decent and I had no trouble keeping up. Going from front to back to mid-pack all throughout the race. I had planned to move up in the last couple laps and to hold my position, but by the time we turned and headed for the last corner of the last lap and by the time the women started to pick up the pace and sprint towards the finish, my legs were DONE!
I held in and kept as much speed up as I possibly could.
Finished in 15th place, alongside all the talented, powerful, fit women.
Still with a smile on my face because, come on, crit racing is fun times!
Looking forward to next week's Glenlyon race.
#cyclelikeagirl

 
Tuesday evening was the WTNC at the UBC course. It was also my second crit race to date.

Monday night there was a lightening storm...which I slept through. Tuesday, was windy and blustery, with bits of rain here and there. Riding out to UBC after work was challenging against all the headwinds - but I managed.

I made sure to be ready and in the line up for the start time this week. Last week was a bit of a scramble for me, figuring out where to go and when.

The women's cat 1-2-3 rolled out first, followed by the men's cat 5, and then finally us women in the cat 4 group. The start of the course was slightly uphill, followed by a sharp right turn onto a flat and then downhill section, sweeping right corner downhill, and then another right corner going back uphill before the last right corner heading uphill and up past the finish line. It was a short and fun course.

I found the lap board this time, so I had a better idea of how much longer we had to race and how much energy I should expend. I found that I was holding back on the downhill sections because I didn't feel too comfortable getting that close to the pack in the corners. I had no problem getting ahead in the uphill sections - which I proved about midway through the race when I took the lead for about a quarter lap. My efforts were squashed when we had to neutralize for other racers to get by, and a bunch of the girls passed me...kind of defeats the purpose of being neutral?!?

My legs were certainly burning and feeling tired from the long riding I had done over the weekend. But the fatigue seemed to disappear after I got a couple laps in, and I was able to ignore it.

Last lap I tried best to stay tight with the pack and when we got around the last corner, I started to pick up my pace to sprint to the finish. I could only get so far, because I caught up to the wheel of a Glotman rider who was not going as fast as I, and I couldn't pass across the yellow line to get by.

Still, I finished in 11th place, feeling strong and happy about the entire course. I've now been out front, at the back, in the middle, squished on the side...I love how unique each race is, depending on the abilities of each rider and the course. I'm looking forward to next week's race, back at the Burnaby location.

Do you race crits? What was your first experience like?

The 4 Peaks 4 Parkinson's ride is only 4 weeks away, and my training is still coming along well. Last weekend I made a plan to tackle two of the four hills I would be riding during 4 Peaks. It was a perfect weekend to do so, since the weather was planning on being pleasant.

I met up with my riding team, Atomic Racing, on Saturday morning at 9am - brought along my manfriend too, so he could get a taste for the Atomic style. ;) We all rolled out together just after 9am towards Stanley Park from Yaletown. We did a partial Stanley Park lap, and exited out onto Lions Gate Bridge going North. Once across the bridge we took some winding roads and headed out East towards Deep Cove where we took a few minute break and a group picture.

From Deep Cove, half of the group went to Indian River Road, and the other half of us started climbing up Seymour Mountain. The folks that did Indian River Road carried on up Seymour Mountain afterwards...and they got to the top of Seymour nearly as quickly as we did!!

I managed a personal record climbing Seymour on Saturday, with a time of 1 hour and 10 minutes. I've shaved off a lot of time from that climb since the first time I went up there. Proud of myself.

We regrouped at the bottom of Seymour Mountain for a coffee and to decide what to do next....and we happened to bump into Corey's team, CrossRoad Racing. Some of their team were heading over to climb Cypress....and, well, I have trouble saying 'no' so we joined in too!

We all rode together, and we went over to West Van, up through the British Properties and out onto Cypress. It was a lot of climbing that day and the sun was pretty darn hot. My legs were tired and I had barely enough energy to get out of the saddle and push hard by the end of the ride. Needless to say, I was really happy to finish riding that day, get down the mountain and back home.

It was a great day! I rode 125 km - biggest ride I've done so far! Climbed nearly 3000m in elevation. Scored a ton of personal records and trophies/medals on Strava. I'm feeling good about the 4 Peak's challenge...I can do it!

Sunday, I was up at 5:30am to meet up with a new team I'll be training for the Ride to Conquer Cancer with...the Silver Bullets. This is a team put together by Silver Wheaton, the title sponsor for the Ride to Conquer Cancer 2016. We had a 7am training ride around Richmond and Steveston. By the time I got home at 11:30 I had rode 90km and my legs were mush.

I refused to sit on my bike on Monday. My butt was not happy.

Next weekend, I plan to ride at least 3 mountains on Saturday. Sunday will be an easier ride, perhaps even try and get a mountain bike rental for a change.

What's the biggest ride you've completed? Most elevation climbed in one segment?

#challengeaccepted