A couple of weeks...

...go by like that!

COP

The week after Fernie was very low key. Caught up on a few things around the house and worked and very little riding. Made it out for a midweek ride with the dogs, Meredith and Angela which was nice. We road up Pnuma starting at the Moose Mtn Road, which I had never done. Got to the top and there was a local midweek downhill race. We turned and went back the same way, on a very busy trail at this point, with people climbing up. The rest of the week was pretty mellow with some leisurely hikes at COP.

SQ enjoining the view from top of JP

The following weekend was pretty relaxing as well, with a road ride downtown Friday. Got Sequoia all tagged up for a summer in Calgary! Though crossing fingers that the tag never have to be used. So far so good, though she would love to figure out a escape route into our neighbors yard for some delicious orange cats on a leash!

Saturday we hiked up JP which was great, would have been nice on a bike as well, but I was pretty happy to be on foot going up. Coming down my little toe wasn't too happy with being pressed against the front of the shoe so the bike would have been a good option. Happy to see the snow gone, and both JP and Cox looks like a great ride. One weekend soon it will be on the to-do-list. A few more pictures in the end as well.
Sunday we played for a little bit at the Nordic Centre before meeting up with Steve for some dinner. He came down from Edmonton after just finishing, and qualifying for New Zealand might I add, in triathlon. So China this year, then New Zealand next year! I can only hope I'm close to as fit when I'm ready to retire! So happy for him.
So on to another work week, and even less riding. I made it out to Bragg Creek for one ride Tuesday, which I enjoyed, worked hard going up, then took it easy down and let dogs enjoy the ride. Got out early enough to avoid any traffic jams on the trail. Skipped Thursday COP ride with lack of energy and with some weird car sick feeling (when I'm the driver... sort of weird eh?). Met up with Lisa in Canmore Friday as I was picking up my registration pack for the race on Saturday. We did one lap of pre-ride, and quiet enjoyed the course. Fun, short and no sections to get bored on at all! Saturday I got up, had my regular breakfast, took dogs for a hike at COP and headed out to Canmore once again. The Canadian National Championships! wow.. big names and very serious, so obviously I got a bit nervous as this is not my cup of tea..had a very quick and low key warm-up, which could have been the reason for what to come!? The start was as quiet as a start I've ever attended, you could hear a needle drop in the grass!! it was very strange, there was a few people watching and you couldn't even hear them. Olympic spot in the view for some of them maybe? or maybe every race at this level is like this... not sure, it felt pretty intense though, and in my head I was smiling a bit, and this picture totally eliminated any nerves I had. The start goes, and the dust is flying (probably should have kept my glasses on for the first lap eh..) and in about a few seconds in I feel like crap, again, very strange feeling as this year the start (though this might have been harder than any of the others I've done) hasn't been my issue, I could handle the pain, hang on hard for about 20 min and settle in to a pace. But not today, I hung on, but there was no response in my body, I could go as hard as I could but no peak in heart rate, I slowed down, and not quick return of heart rate, I just plain old sucked. Sort of what I'm used to from other years, but not this year. While I'm riding, and feeling terrible sorry for my self, I'm analyzing everything I've done the last couple of weeks, sleep, rides, how I've felt, what did I do etc... the engineer in me is already looking for the root cause of failure!! But one lap in, I haven't figured it out, though at least I'm keeping my mind busy, still in pain and once in a while the thought of quiting come around trying to knock me out, but with people along the course cheering you on (people you know and people you don't know) it is not an option to quit, and I'm not a quitter. All I wished for was to not see a Luna come up from behind!! And then, through the feed zone half way through, I see a blue shirt over my left shoulder and I thought that was it, gees was I ever slow. Thank goodness, she was going through the feed zone on the other side! phuu! that was close....
Danelle Kabush had a great race, both of them rode really strong, I knew I had to ride hard and top of my game to stick with them, I tried but didn't have it in me. Pendrel  took home the win, and another Canadian Championships, she is a amazing rider. And the rest of the girls strong as well, there is no shortage in strong Canadian female riders.

Trish enjoying a cool down!

So after a terrible day on the bike there is only one thing to do the next day! Find the fun again! Went out with Gerry and Trish and road up Prairie View and down Jewels, then up again, and down Hector!! oh yeah!! what can I say, the best day in a long time! Though if you asked Trish and Gerry, who had a bit of a longer Canadian Championships experience than my self, they might have a different view on the day. Though impressive ride by the two with a couple of hours of sleep :)
The dip after was probably the highlight, or maybe the nap later on?? not sure...

Still working on the root cause analysis and will update if I every figure it out, the science of my body and it's response to effort under different circumstances.....

Happy riding all!