So here is a little update on some more races that we've done.
Azencross in Loenhout, one of the better attended cross races in all of Europe. This race generally attracts more nations than the World Cup. My number was 171, so I think there were at least 100 guys signed up. For some reason they messed up my UCI number and I didn't get a call up. So back row. Well actually had the best start to date, threw the elbows out and squeeked my way up 20 spots throughout the first lap, but then could only move up here and there after. So for some reson I wasn't in the results page either, but I would have finished 1 lap down. This course was very interesting, lots of mud, lots of fly overs, tons of drunk Belgian fans littering the course with probably 50, 000 empty beer cups.
This leads me to one more conclusion. The popularity of Cross in Europe is definetly more so than in North America. But many of the 20, ooo fans that are there are not really there to watch the race. Sure a lot of them are die hard "SUPPORTER OF", fully decked out in Sven Nys coats, Erwin V hats or Bart Wellens buffs(a buff is some wierd material that is worn as a hat, scarf, bandana by everyone out here). But a lot of them are just there for the atmosphere, the party and the booze. It kind of reminds me of a cross between a concert and soccer game. Fans fill all local bars within a kilometer radius before the race, some are there for the juniors and women, but they mostly spill out for the Elite race while severly intoxicated and proceede to act a lot like soccer fans cheering on their favorites and heckling everyone else. Maybe in North America we should make a cross race beside a Nascar event. I bet everybody that is standing around drunk would love to watch funny looking people in spandex crash and throttle themselves through endless sand and mud.
Oh yah, back to the race, this is the one with the famous bmx style "woops". It's really twisty and turny and it is just lines with wall to wall people, it's pretty cool. Tasha jammed her wrist pretty hard in warm up, so she didn't get to do it, so we'll have to put that one in for next year.
Norzeecross. I think it is supposed to be the oldest cross race in Belgium. Nord meaning north, zee meaning sea, it is guess where...right on the North Sea in Middelkirke.
Mud, mud, mud. Man this was the one race that we did "low key" and just packed three of us in a car and didn't have any support crew. Haha, if we only knew. You couldn't even ride one lap without seriously needing a bike change. If they had a race like this in Ontario, which they never could less you irrigated a muddy field for a week, it would probably make a lot of people give up racing. They somehow actually manage to put some little hills in it as well, I guess there are indeed elevation changes here after all. So, like I said we have no support, so on the start our bikes are not the cleanest, but we wern't the only ones. After a whole season on the same tires...I flat. It's kind of ironic to flat in the mud the one time that I don't have my spare bike and there is nothing in the pit. I ran to the pit, mostly out of frustration, but it was over. I was actually on a good day considering my sinus are infected and I am coughing up yellow sputum and it was my 6th race in 8 days...ha..that really makes me laugh that I'm in an aweful state and I can still drill it. Kevin bit it hard on the one piece of pavement and Nathan broke his derailer, so none of us finished. Haha, good thing it was a whole 20 minute drive. I think some guy named Sven Nys won...
It was defineltly a race worth going to, if you want to learn what mud is...this is the race. I have a whole new respect for mud, there are just so many kinds of mud here.
Tacky sticky mud that actually is kind fast and soft and you can actually feel the tires stick to it. Thick hard rutted mud in the cold weather.
Frozen cow dung, tractor tire rut break your carbon rims mud.
Thick soupy rip your shoes off your feet if they are not on tight enough mud.
Then on top of those basic muds, you can have a combination of some or all of those muds at the same time, in the same 20 meters. Good thing about 99% of the races we did in North America had about 1% mud. Great preparation for going to Europe.
But the mud today was like a thick gluey grey semi-wet mud that made you regret eating too many stroopwafles and made you think your ass was fat.
Funny that I would race well and feel good, when I am probably on the verge of a bacterial pneumonia...cause all week its been warm up on the trainer, cool down on the trainer, healthy carbs blah blah blah. Yesterday got two frigin huge frites with about a gallon of mayo immediatly after the race , (So did Wendy Simms) chased it down with a 7up, then ate a whole buch of crepes, then had a beer(my only one so far) then ate cake. Today half a warm up lap and a little spin around the block to get a coffee, which I have not found anywhere that gives coffee to go, clearly a sign of an undercaffinated nation. I felt good unitl the flat. Oh well.
So, no coffee to go, but you can buy beer on the corner and everyone seems to urinate where ever they feel it is appropriate, mostly on electrical fences, this is something I take full advantage of. It's the the little things in life that are great.
Sorry there are no play by plays of the races, you can buy the videos if you really want to see them. I'm the guy with spit hanging off his chin that gets lapped at the World Cup in the sand. Got to have some claim to fame.
So racing is done and I'm on holidays. I wanted to race tomorow in the Super Prestige, but Natasha wants to get romanic and do real people stuff and go to Brugge. I promissed her that we could have one day off the bike, so if I want to keep my little stroopwaffle of a girlfriend I better be good to her cause you know she is the only one that can put up with me.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Things happen is 3's
So I haven't posted in a few days and my parents are probably woundering if I'm okay. Yes, I am OK. Had a great race at the world cup considering being almost last around the first corner, managed to find some holes to run around lots of riders. Ended up 26th and only 4 minutes back from the winner. Not to shabby for my first World Cup ever and my second year of racing cross.
Yesterday was suppose to be my final race for our trip but it did not fly. I'm pretty bummed as I wanted to have a good start and improve on my top 13th position. I went to pre-ride the course and this lasted about 4 minutes before I broke my wrist. The first section was super muddy, like soup for 100 metres. Nobody could ride it so you had to run through it and run up a fly over and then jump on your bike and go down it into soup mud again. As I was going down the ramp I noticed I wasn't going directly into a grove and I change my line. Big mistake, as soup mud isn't really forgiving when hitting it fast off a down hill. I flipped over my bike and landed on my wrist. It immediately swelled up and I was unsure if I should race or not. My decisions were mainly based on me ending on a good note. I thought having a great world cup was good to end with, and maybe if I raced again I would be okay but if I was crashing all over the place because my wrist couldn't hold my handle bars tight, I would be pretty upset. After a few more hours the decision was probably really smart, my fingers started to look like someone blew air into a rubber glove and my wrist looked pretty warped.
Wendy had an awesome race yesterday and was super close to her first european podium ever. I definitely think she will have podium spot before her trip is over. As Derrick posted before, my other housemate Barb Howe, who's racing women's elite wasn't racing as she was injured at the world cup. She had surgery and was back the other day in full spirits. Derrick and I both wish her a super speedy recovery. As a joke yesterday I bought her a Erwin Vervecken mug. She actually knows him as she spent a weekend for a race in the same host housing.
So now Nathan Chown (who is also in the house with us racing men's elite) has a broken wrist, Barb has a torn achilles tendon which was re-attached, and I have a broken wrist. We have hopefully completed are list of things happening in 3's.
Derrick did the race yesterday, and raced really well for the annoucers missing his call up and starting dead last on the line. He moved through the pack and started riding better and better as each lap went on by. He's kind of sick, yeah sick in the head, but also sick with a cold and refusing to stop racing. Now he is says he is going to race again today which I think is pretty stupid. But who am I to say or know better. He's the nurse, who didn't think my wrist was that bad until he took the time to look at it. Never think nurses are the most caring people when it comes to injuries or illnesses!
Yesterday was suppose to be my final race for our trip but it did not fly. I'm pretty bummed as I wanted to have a good start and improve on my top 13th position. I went to pre-ride the course and this lasted about 4 minutes before I broke my wrist. The first section was super muddy, like soup for 100 metres. Nobody could ride it so you had to run through it and run up a fly over and then jump on your bike and go down it into soup mud again. As I was going down the ramp I noticed I wasn't going directly into a grove and I change my line. Big mistake, as soup mud isn't really forgiving when hitting it fast off a down hill. I flipped over my bike and landed on my wrist. It immediately swelled up and I was unsure if I should race or not. My decisions were mainly based on me ending on a good note. I thought having a great world cup was good to end with, and maybe if I raced again I would be okay but if I was crashing all over the place because my wrist couldn't hold my handle bars tight, I would be pretty upset. After a few more hours the decision was probably really smart, my fingers started to look like someone blew air into a rubber glove and my wrist looked pretty warped.
Wendy had an awesome race yesterday and was super close to her first european podium ever. I definitely think she will have podium spot before her trip is over. As Derrick posted before, my other housemate Barb Howe, who's racing women's elite wasn't racing as she was injured at the world cup. She had surgery and was back the other day in full spirits. Derrick and I both wish her a super speedy recovery. As a joke yesterday I bought her a Erwin Vervecken mug. She actually knows him as she spent a weekend for a race in the same host housing.
So now Nathan Chown (who is also in the house with us racing men's elite) has a broken wrist, Barb has a torn achilles tendon which was re-attached, and I have a broken wrist. We have hopefully completed are list of things happening in 3's.
Derrick did the race yesterday, and raced really well for the annoucers missing his call up and starting dead last on the line. He moved through the pack and started riding better and better as each lap went on by. He's kind of sick, yeah sick in the head, but also sick with a cold and refusing to stop racing. Now he is says he is going to race again today which I think is pretty stupid. But who am I to say or know better. He's the nurse, who didn't think my wrist was that bad until he took the time to look at it. Never think nurses are the most caring people when it comes to injuries or illnesses!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
World Cup, Hofstade Belgium
So if you read my last post I said I would ride like my job depended on it. Guess what, I think I should fire myself. I have never wanted to quit a race so bad, I had a horrible start, got caught behind 2 crashes and took two bike changes all in the first lap....I have come to the conclusion that my ego has been completly shatered. Also I had a torn knee warmer which was falling down. Nothing like a few thousand people laughing at you thinking you suck. It was completely demoralizing. I think this tops the time at the Tour de Toona where I got litteraly thrown to the pack of the pack after trying to cross a gap to the break.
I guess if people are going to laugh at you after they pay 14 Euros to watch you race that's ok. Part of me wanted to get off my bike and start a hockey bench clearing brawl, but those days are behind me. I did what I could, on this day it was not enough, I just wasn't there.
But I'm not going to sit here and feel bad for myself. I knew this was going to be insanly hard. So I did this to myself. For the most part I try to keep positive, especially on the blog. Because I know a few people read this and it's important to stay positive and keep an even keel.
But there was definetly a few minutes of personal darkness after the race.
Also, if every other UCI race is like a regular season hockey game this is definetly the semi-finals, game 7 going into overtime. So after the race I thought, take a day off, rest, re-focus.
But forget that, I'll go race again tommorow and give it another shot. Sometimes when you have a bad race, you just got do another one to get it out of your head. Some may think that this is crazy, but sometimes you gotta be a little crazy.
Natasha had a great race, she ended up 26th in her first World Cup, about 4 minutes down to the winner. On this course that is nothing. Fellow housemate Wendy Simms finished 18th as well. Unfortunately, I didn't realy see any of the Womens race due to the preperation required in mine. But I'll watch on Friday when they race in Loenhout.
On a sad note, Barb Howe is currently in the Hospital recovering from Emergency surgery from a severed tendon in today's race. Our deepest thoughts go out to Barb, who has quickly became a good freind during our stay in Belgium. We wish her a speedy recovery.
I guess if people are going to laugh at you after they pay 14 Euros to watch you race that's ok. Part of me wanted to get off my bike and start a hockey bench clearing brawl, but those days are behind me. I did what I could, on this day it was not enough, I just wasn't there.
But I'm not going to sit here and feel bad for myself. I knew this was going to be insanly hard. So I did this to myself. For the most part I try to keep positive, especially on the blog. Because I know a few people read this and it's important to stay positive and keep an even keel.
But there was definetly a few minutes of personal darkness after the race.
Also, if every other UCI race is like a regular season hockey game this is definetly the semi-finals, game 7 going into overtime. So after the race I thought, take a day off, rest, re-focus.
But forget that, I'll go race again tommorow and give it another shot. Sometimes when you have a bad race, you just got do another one to get it out of your head. Some may think that this is crazy, but sometimes you gotta be a little crazy.
Natasha had a great race, she ended up 26th in her first World Cup, about 4 minutes down to the winner. On this course that is nothing. Fellow housemate Wendy Simms finished 18th as well. Unfortunately, I didn't realy see any of the Womens race due to the preperation required in mine. But I'll watch on Friday when they race in Loenhout.
On a sad note, Barb Howe is currently in the Hospital recovering from Emergency surgery from a severed tendon in today's race. Our deepest thoughts go out to Barb, who has quickly became a good freind during our stay in Belgium. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Belgium Lessons
With two rest days, and being the morning of the World Cup I thought I put my nerves to rest by writing a post of what I have learnt in Belgium.
#1- lots of smog, yeah smog; they call it smog but really looks like fog. It’s everywhere in Belgium, probably will affect my vision today at the World Cup.
#2- shit selves, yes this will probably also be seen a lot today at the race venue toilets. The toilet bowls are different here in Belgium. They have kind of a shelf and then a little hole, so when you do you know what, it sits there on the bowl and with low water pressure it is really hard to wash off.
#3- Washing machines aren’t simple in Belgium. They may look simple but when you put your laundry in a washer in Belgium, don’t expect to get it out easily. The door might lock, or it might say you have 5 minutes left for about the next day or so. If you can get it out, it might have forgotten to do the spin cycle and be soaking wet.
#4- Lack of refrigeration. Things like milk, eggs and other grocery items that you buy in North American aren’t refrigerated. If you think you can’t find these items at the grocery store in Belgium, it is not because they aren’t there but because you are looking in the wrong section. These are in the heated isles and not refrigerated at all???
#5-Stroop Waffles. Yep, these are good. If someone introduces you to these, you must follow these rules......Do not try them. They are highly addictive and might cause severe weight gain. It might also be their secret plan to get you fat and slow by the last few races you do in Belgium.
Well I got to go prepare my stuff for the today’s race. It looks like it is going to be a really wet race. Still raining and has rained all night. Wish me luck.
Wishing everyone a belated Merry Christmas!
NCE
#1- lots of smog, yeah smog; they call it smog but really looks like fog. It’s everywhere in Belgium, probably will affect my vision today at the World Cup.
#2- shit selves, yes this will probably also be seen a lot today at the race venue toilets. The toilet bowls are different here in Belgium. They have kind of a shelf and then a little hole, so when you do you know what, it sits there on the bowl and with low water pressure it is really hard to wash off.
#3- Washing machines aren’t simple in Belgium. They may look simple but when you put your laundry in a washer in Belgium, don’t expect to get it out easily. The door might lock, or it might say you have 5 minutes left for about the next day or so. If you can get it out, it might have forgotten to do the spin cycle and be soaking wet.
#4- Lack of refrigeration. Things like milk, eggs and other grocery items that you buy in North American aren’t refrigerated. If you think you can’t find these items at the grocery store in Belgium, it is not because they aren’t there but because you are looking in the wrong section. These are in the heated isles and not refrigerated at all???
#5-Stroop Waffles. Yep, these are good. If someone introduces you to these, you must follow these rules......Do not try them. They are highly addictive and might cause severe weight gain. It might also be their secret plan to get you fat and slow by the last few races you do in Belgium.
Well I got to go prepare my stuff for the today’s race. It looks like it is going to be a really wet race. Still raining and has rained all night. Wish me luck.
Wishing everyone a belated Merry Christmas!
NCE
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas in Belgium
This is definetly the most interesting Christmas we have ever had. Christmas eve was spent cleaning bikes and fixing a dented rim and fixing a rim. Christmas day was spent pre-riding the Hofstade World Cup race. Christmas dinner was really good. Barb Howe and Wendy Simms made fresh salsa and tortilla shells and did some great white beans.
The crew got together for a nice relaxing meal in our apartme
nt.
nt.So, tommorow, we do the World Cup. Lots of sand, it's raining now, so lots of mud. The course is pretty short so not getting lapped will be a huge success in itself. It's a big race and all, but I guess we'll treat it like any other. Just go
, give it
, give it 100% and hope for the ride of my life.
Racing is serious buisness here. so tommorow, I'll go to work like my job depended on it.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
3 days of racing in 3 days completed
So we made it.......all of us housemates (Wendy Simms, Barb Howe, Derrick and I) that decided to do the 3 cross races is in a row completed it with very consistent results. I was aiming for atleast one top ten while I was here in Europe. Still not there but close, and at the very least consistent.
So 2nd day racing, which was yesterday, I finished 13th again. Had a better start and then avoided some crashes but again was caught a few places in the race behind slower riders. Thought my effort was pretty solid and was pretty taxed by the end of the race. Made a couple errors half way through that broke my concentration and costs me a few places. A couple other americans showed up to the race, that moved me back a few unexpected positions as I felt I rode a better race than the day before. Strangely enough, the course was more mountain bike style. I'm really starting to like these style of courses and do somewhat better on as well. I'm thinking maybe next year in the summer I should be trying to find a mountain bike, instead of a tt bike.
Then today, another weird start again. First row call up, 8 girls line up, then 2nd row I get called up, line up behind Wendy. Then third row gets called up and this girl lines up beside me from the third row. Not only does she line up beside me, but she shoves her wheel in front of mine and into the first row and then puts her elbows out in front of my face. I think, okay there, thats enough, you are slower than me and no way are you getting your ass off the start line in front of me. That got me a good initial start into the first corner and then I became content of my top 10 start off the line, relaxing a bit to soon, put me back into 20. Crash into the first technical section, another few spots back, then came the stairs. 50 or more steps up a hill, catch back up to the group ahead and get on the tail end. After the race I here that there was a huge fist fight between some of the girls ahead. It was really hard to pass through the stairs so you got held up quite a bit. I managed to pick off a handful of girls throughout the race, but didn't really have the jump like I did yesterday. Probably the fact of racing for 3 days in a row. Ended up 15th overall and got my first prize money from Europe, 30 Euros. I did win money on Friday for my 13th place but was told I would get it in the year 2010! Yeah, I bet. And yesterdays race was too cheap to pay out after 10th.
So my highlight of today was meeting Erwin Vervecken. He came 2nd in a sprint finish today. Barb met him at Southhampton this year, so Wendy and I were introduced to him. He seemed super chilled and a really nice guy. Yeah this was my moment of glory for the day.
So a few days rest over Christmas eve and Christmas Day. Probably be pre-riding the World Cup course for Christmas. Yep....that's my Christmas present to Derrick, from Derrick and to share with ourselves. I'm pretty stoked about racing the world cup on boxing day. I feel like my starts are getting better each race, I am being a little more aggressive, and all I need to do is make sure I continue this a little longer through the first lap of the race. I'm also getting better at the game of dogdeball from all the crashes off the start. It's going to feel pretty neat to be racing in front of the 14,000 fans.
Oh yeah, if anyone is reading this that has any connections in making trading cards, I really need to have these of myself for next year when I am here.
NCE
So 2nd day racing, which was yesterday, I finished 13th again. Had a better start and then avoided some crashes but again was caught a few places in the race behind slower riders. Thought my effort was pretty solid and was pretty taxed by the end of the race. Made a couple errors half way through that broke my concentration and costs me a few places. A couple other americans showed up to the race, that moved me back a few unexpected positions as I felt I rode a better race than the day before. Strangely enough, the course was more mountain bike style. I'm really starting to like these style of courses and do somewhat better on as well. I'm thinking maybe next year in the summer I should be trying to find a mountain bike, instead of a tt bike.
Then today, another weird start again. First row call up, 8 girls line up, then 2nd row I get called up, line up behind Wendy. Then third row gets called up and this girl lines up beside me from the third row. Not only does she line up beside me, but she shoves her wheel in front of mine and into the first row and then puts her elbows out in front of my face. I think, okay there, thats enough, you are slower than me and no way are you getting your ass off the start line in front of me. That got me a good initial start into the first corner and then I became content of my top 10 start off the line, relaxing a bit to soon, put me back into 20. Crash into the first technical section, another few spots back, then came the stairs. 50 or more steps up a hill, catch back up to the group ahead and get on the tail end. After the race I here that there was a huge fist fight between some of the girls ahead. It was really hard to pass through the stairs so you got held up quite a bit. I managed to pick off a handful of girls throughout the race, but didn't really have the jump like I did yesterday. Probably the fact of racing for 3 days in a row. Ended up 15th overall and got my first prize money from Europe, 30 Euros. I did win money on Friday for my 13th place but was told I would get it in the year 2010! Yeah, I bet. And yesterdays race was too cheap to pay out after 10th.
So my highlight of today was meeting Erwin Vervecken. He came 2nd in a sprint finish today. Barb met him at Southhampton this year, so Wendy and I were introduced to him. He seemed super chilled and a really nice guy. Yeah this was my moment of glory for the day.
So a few days rest over Christmas eve and Christmas Day. Probably be pre-riding the World Cup course for Christmas. Yep....that's my Christmas present to Derrick, from Derrick and to share with ourselves. I'm pretty stoked about racing the world cup on boxing day. I feel like my starts are getting better each race, I am being a little more aggressive, and all I need to do is make sure I continue this a little longer through the first lap of the race. I'm also getting better at the game of dogdeball from all the crashes off the start. It's going to feel pretty neat to be racing in front of the 14,000 fans.
Oh yeah, if anyone is reading this that has any connections in making trading cards, I really need to have these of myself for next year when I am here.
NCE
Friday, December 21, 2007
Scheldecross, Race # 1, Belgium
So as Derrick has already posted about our results today. I'll give you a little more info on how the race went. It is pretty different racing in Europe, but some things are still the same, we got to the race with what seemed like lots of time but is never the case in cross. By the time I had my numbers on and was changed and everything I had 60 minutes to the start. I roled around for about 20 minutes trying to figure out when we could get on the course and the last race was ended. When I was on, Derrick and I did a few laps (not nearly or clearly enough time to figure out the lines in the sand) and then I had about 15 minutes to start. It is really ridiculously hard to get around a race venue in Belgium without going on the course, but I still managed to get to the start line.
So I get second line call up, which normally in a cross race, each line has 8 girls in it. Not today.........yeah there was 8 in the first, but then like 20 or so in the second, not only that, the girls in the second row, roled there bikes between the girls in the front row seconds from the start. I was trying to understand what the starter was saying and when we were going to go, obvouisly nothing makes sense to me in flemish. The race started, correction.....the race obviously was a false start and I was way back in 20 something going into the first corner. I guess the rule in Belgium is that false starts are legal. Unfortunately, my housemates (Wendy Simms and Barb Howe) and I didn't know this. Got around a few girls before the first sand section but not enough. Then I didn't get the line right in the second sand and it costed me a bit more time. Rode around the first two laps or so with a couple other girls and let them lead into the sand and crash in front of my face. As soon as the 3rd lap started I had figured out the right lines to follow and I dropped the 3 girls that I was with. Started gaining on the riders ahead but not enough time left to get them.
It was really good to be back racing again. I know I've only been off a couple weeks but it is really easy to loose the feel of the bike right now, especially when it's so cold in Canada and there is so much snow that you are lucky if you get one good ride done outside every week. I feel like I didn't go too hard today, just tried to ride smooth and not push the limits too hard and crash all over the place. Which is good, as I have never done 3 races in 3 days in a row. So hopefully I will gradually improve over the next 2 days.
So tomorrow is another day and another race. I am aiming on atleast one top 10 finish while I am here in europe, which I am thinking either this Saturday or Sunday is my shot at this. Derrick raced really well today. Accomplished the goal of not getting lapped by the superstars he was racing against. Koodoos to him!
Tomorrow looks pretty challenging. A huge sand hill, probably man made, looks really hard, don't think anyone will be riding it.......stayed tuned to see if my running legs are with me at tomorrows race!
NCE
So I get second line call up, which normally in a cross race, each line has 8 girls in it. Not today.........yeah there was 8 in the first, but then like 20 or so in the second, not only that, the girls in the second row, roled there bikes between the girls in the front row seconds from the start. I was trying to understand what the starter was saying and when we were going to go, obvouisly nothing makes sense to me in flemish. The race started, correction.....the race obviously was a false start and I was way back in 20 something going into the first corner. I guess the rule in Belgium is that false starts are legal. Unfortunately, my housemates (Wendy Simms and Barb Howe) and I didn't know this. Got around a few girls before the first sand section but not enough. Then I didn't get the line right in the second sand and it costed me a bit more time. Rode around the first two laps or so with a couple other girls and let them lead into the sand and crash in front of my face. As soon as the 3rd lap started I had figured out the right lines to follow and I dropped the 3 girls that I was with. Started gaining on the riders ahead but not enough time left to get them.
It was really good to be back racing again. I know I've only been off a couple weeks but it is really easy to loose the feel of the bike right now, especially when it's so cold in Canada and there is so much snow that you are lucky if you get one good ride done outside every week. I feel like I didn't go too hard today, just tried to ride smooth and not push the limits too hard and crash all over the place. Which is good, as I have never done 3 races in 3 days in a row. So hopefully I will gradually improve over the next 2 days.
So tomorrow is another day and another race. I am aiming on atleast one top 10 finish while I am here in europe, which I am thinking either this Saturday or Sunday is my shot at this. Derrick raced really well today. Accomplished the goal of not getting lapped by the superstars he was racing against. Koodoos to him!
Tomorrow looks pretty challenging. A huge sand hill, probably man made, looks really hard, don't think anyone will be riding it.......stayed tuned to see if my running legs are with me at tomorrows race!
NCE
Scheldecross...Elliott 13th
So the first race is in the books. We raced in Antwerpen today ,about 1 hour from where we were staying. Natasha came in 13th today while Belgian housemates Wendy Simms came 4th and Barb Howe finished in 9th.
It was totaly crazy to have done our first race on a friday afternoon and seen so many people out watching, a true sign of X-mas time in Belgium.
I finished 45th...which wasn't bad for a first Cross experience and the first 30 guys were totaly Cross studs so...
Housemate Nathan Chow finished a few seconds ahead and had a pretty solid ride.
We are stoked not have gotten lapped. K Hazzard flatted and was unable to continue.
Lots of sand, not a whole lot of running, about -4 deg C, frozen ground, a little hard to pass and I was on the brakes way too much and super nervous, wasted alot of energy, but that's ok.
Natasha tells me she will write a post of her race tonight or tommorow so I'll let her blab.
It was really nice to have infrastructure today. Having people take the bikes, clean the bikes, take your stuff. In North America we are so used to taking care of ourselves. Here it is, get in, do the job, get it done and get out. You can learn racing, but today what I learned was really more about ways to prepare for things like a European, or a really organized unit. Here the socializing is for the fans not the riders. This is not the "fun" atmosphere you find back home. It's serious, there is a lot of money, the job has to get done. This is a lot more professional, they run it like a buisness. As I am obviously not as good as some of these guys , I will really have to learn to stop the bad habbits that the North American atmosphere provides. Guess this type of aculturatution may take some time, but maybe we can focus on this kind of preperation and see what happens.
Tommorow, we travel to Huijbergen in Holland (Netherlands) and it's gonna be even harder than today. So baby steps, don't get lapped, get my head out of my ass in the first lap and I think this should be congruent with a better result. Not that I'm all about results, but it is a good measure to see if your comprehension of the necessary elements that must be present in this sport.
So, my belly is full of Spaghetti Bolognaise made by our host and time for a little snack.
DSJ
It was totaly crazy to have done our first race on a friday afternoon and seen so many people out watching, a true sign of X-mas time in Belgium.
I finished 45th...which wasn't bad for a first Cross experience and the first 30 guys were totaly Cross studs so...
Housemate Nathan Chow finished a few seconds ahead and had a pretty solid ride.
We are stoked not have gotten lapped. K Hazzard flatted and was unable to continue.
Lots of sand, not a whole lot of running, about -4 deg C, frozen ground, a little hard to pass and I was on the brakes way too much and super nervous, wasted alot of energy, but that's ok.
Natasha tells me she will write a post of her race tonight or tommorow so I'll let her blab.
It was really nice to have infrastructure today. Having people take the bikes, clean the bikes, take your stuff. In North America we are so used to taking care of ourselves. Here it is, get in, do the job, get it done and get out. You can learn racing, but today what I learned was really more about ways to prepare for things like a European, or a really organized unit. Here the socializing is for the fans not the riders. This is not the "fun" atmosphere you find back home. It's serious, there is a lot of money, the job has to get done. This is a lot more professional, they run it like a buisness. As I am obviously not as good as some of these guys , I will really have to learn to stop the bad habbits that the North American atmosphere provides. Guess this type of aculturatution may take some time, but maybe we can focus on this kind of preperation and see what happens.
Tommorow, we travel to Huijbergen in Holland (Netherlands) and it's gonna be even harder than today. So baby steps, don't get lapped, get my head out of my ass in the first lap and I think this should be congruent with a better result. Not that I'm all about results, but it is a good measure to see if your comprehension of the necessary elements that must be present in this sport.
So, my belly is full of Spaghetti Bolognaise made by our host and time for a little snack.
DSJ
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Training story
Natasha waiting for the Train
Good story from monday...
So we had to get on the train from the Brussels airport to Tielt, the day we arrived. So we're pretty tired from the flight and delays and such. We barely manage to buy the tickets and get the bikes in the elavator and then we almost get on the wrong train, but we get some help and get on the right train.
So we had to get on the train from the Brussels airport to Tielt, the day we arrived. So we're pretty tired from the flight and delays and such. We barely manage to buy the tickets and get the bikes in the elavator and then we almost get on the wrong train, but we get some help and get on the right train.
So the train was empty, I thought this was great, we throw the bikes and bags in one corner and then then sprawl out
across a couple seats (that's a pic of the bikes in an empty car on the train). Not three minutes after we started what looked to be a doldrum of a train ride, doesn't half of Brussels then get on the train. Well then at every approaching stop our baggage that was in a corner of the train seemed to disappear in front of our eyes.
Generally speaking I am a pretty paranoid person, multiply that with jet lag and lack of sleep, add in that I have no clue what the people on the train are saying, well, this makes for a pretty paranoid Canuck on the the train.
The guy standing closest to the bags, the guy that looked pretty shady to begin with, his cell phone goes off...yah his ring tone...the sound of a bomb dropping. I decide that acting cool is no longer an option, I pretty much jump over the guy that was sitting beside me and grab the bags and then sit on them for the rest of the ride. That is until we are 5 minutes from our stop. We have only 60 seconds to get all our stuff out, so we eagerly move it between cars, then we mangage to block two exits from the train and get a lot of funny looks from all the Belgians going home from their office. We give them half smiles as we feel shame and embarassed that we look like total amatures, we bow out at our stop and thankfully Bernard is there to greet us and takes us to what will be our home while we are in Belgium.
Good story from today...
Natasha and I went for a little ride into Oostkamp today to pick up some essentials that we forgot to get yesterday. Apperently I bought Kammelmilk, which apparently is the product you get when you beat milk before you make yogourt. So not really that great in coffee. Also I did have some dreams about walking in the sand? Anyways Tasha went into the Delhaize to buy some non Kammelmilk, we got it right this time.
We then had to go to the local ATM, where NATASHA felt the urge to say extremely loud "I took out the maximum amount that it would let me", as she tucked the Euros into her jersey pocket. I know blue collar crime is low in Belgium, but I think this pushes the limit of how do you say "asking for trouble" in Flemish.
Close call, lucky the two guys in back of her were probably just staring at her Steven's tights which are now probably thining.
So one more day of training before the first race in Antwerpen. So far among the people staying at house, there is ; Barb Howe from the US, Wendy Simms, Nathan Chown and his wife Leslie. Future Jet Fuel teamate Kevin Hazzard will arrive tomorow and one more American is arriving later. So we will be getting some great support at the races and we should be all taken care of with support crew and mechanic as well. So looking forward to getting smacked around a little.
Good story from today...
Natasha and I went for a little ride into Oostkamp today to pick up some essentials that we forgot to get yesterday. Apperently I bought Kammelmilk, which apparently is the product you get when you beat milk before you make yogourt. So not really that great in coffee. Also I did have some dreams about walking in the sand? Anyways Tasha went into the Delhaize to buy some non Kammelmilk, we got it right this time.
We then had to go to the local ATM, where NATASHA felt the urge to say extremely loud "I took out the maximum amount that it would let me", as she tucked the Euros into her jersey pocket. I know blue collar crime is low in Belgium, but I think this pushes the limit of how do you say "asking for trouble" in Flemish.
Close call, lucky the two guys in back of her were probably just staring at her Steven's tights which are now probably thining.
So one more day of training before the first race in Antwerpen. So far among the people staying at house, there is ; Barb Howe from the US, Wendy Simms, Nathan Chown and his wife Leslie. Future Jet Fuel teamate Kevin Hazzard will arrive tomorow and one more American is arriving later. So we will be getting some great support at the races and we should be all taken care of with support crew and mechanic as well. So looking forward to getting smacked around a little.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Belgium
All is well. Bikes are good, legs soon to follow. The place is great. Have managed to not go to Bakery yet. Rode outside. Very cold. Place is great, will put pictues. Time for sleep. Some funny stroies, will tell later.
DSJ
DSJ
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Belgium bound
Instead of having a raffle we should have just placed bets on if our plane would leave today, on time or at all. Fingers crossed, it's slightly delayed at the moment...hopefully the flight is still a go. After all I manage to freak out at least once this morning trying to get three bikes packed after a hard workout. Thank god it was Minute Maid and Perrier at the Cyclery party and not Stella and porcelain prayers like last year.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Rhode Island -Round 6-Chain Buster
So as I predicted the crew had a good day today. Riders other than the duo..
Young Karl Hoppner laid some smack down to finish 3rd in his 1st US junior race! They start em young here, so that is a really good sign of things to come from this youngster from Ottawa. Tash and I saw Connor (The Condor) O'Brien and Karl sprinting their brains out last week at the PEAK centre in Kanata..just as we were getting into our sprint session. Good to see that the kids are working on their high end. I think this training comes from OZ (the Wizard Wild man) Bakker. Who incidentally put in another solid ride to round out the top ten today. Knowing Oz he's probably pretty happy with another good ride, picking up another UCI point and making some bling!
Steve Proulx said he "crashed a million times" and ended up in the top 20. Word on the street is he'll have a better day tomorrow.
So for us, a good day as well. Natasha must have brushed against Steve and got some of his crashilitis...cause my girl had more crashes than the Daytona 500. But she muscled her way back and scooped up a 4th place podium...1 second shy of third.
I had a solid ride, started off a little slow...we arrived to the course a little too late today and didn't really pre ride enough, had to rush the warm up and blah blah.
Never the less found my groove on the 2nd lap, was on the tail end of a group in about 17 th place or so, then started riding through people, found a group and rode as hard as I could on each uphill, flat and twist. It worked really well, ended up dropping some of the guys I was with. One guy was with me and he stepped on the gas out of a corner and busted his chain. Ironically I brought the bikes in to the shop this week and Steve (Cyclery mechanic extraordinaire) said the chains were finished and put on some new ones. Man when I saw this guys' chain break, I thought it was as ironic as a fly in my chardonnay. It sucks when things like that happen. We were going at it pretty hard, it would have been fun to duel to the end. Anyways I finished 12th which was pretty close to the objective today.
Got some air time and props from the announcer today...he said I was having a great ride. That was nice. I mean I don't do this to get famous or for recognition, but it sure is nice to get some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
So tomorrow will be hard, a little bit more technical, lots of running. That's ok. I've been running a lot lately and my legs feel great. I guess Ken's training is working. Tasha will go well if she gets the job done as I know she can..later.
Young Karl Hoppner laid some smack down to finish 3rd in his 1st US junior race! They start em young here, so that is a really good sign of things to come from this youngster from Ottawa. Tash and I saw Connor (The Condor) O'Brien and Karl sprinting their brains out last week at the PEAK centre in Kanata..just as we were getting into our sprint session. Good to see that the kids are working on their high end. I think this training comes from OZ (the Wizard Wild man) Bakker. Who incidentally put in another solid ride to round out the top ten today. Knowing Oz he's probably pretty happy with another good ride, picking up another UCI point and making some bling!
Steve Proulx said he "crashed a million times" and ended up in the top 20. Word on the street is he'll have a better day tomorrow.
So for us, a good day as well. Natasha must have brushed against Steve and got some of his crashilitis...cause my girl had more crashes than the Daytona 500. But she muscled her way back and scooped up a 4th place podium...1 second shy of third.
I had a solid ride, started off a little slow...we arrived to the course a little too late today and didn't really pre ride enough, had to rush the warm up and blah blah.
Never the less found my groove on the 2nd lap, was on the tail end of a group in about 17 th place or so, then started riding through people, found a group and rode as hard as I could on each uphill, flat and twist. It worked really well, ended up dropping some of the guys I was with. One guy was with me and he stepped on the gas out of a corner and busted his chain. Ironically I brought the bikes in to the shop this week and Steve (Cyclery mechanic extraordinaire) said the chains were finished and put on some new ones. Man when I saw this guys' chain break, I thought it was as ironic as a fly in my chardonnay. It sucks when things like that happen. We were going at it pretty hard, it would have been fun to duel to the end. Anyways I finished 12th which was pretty close to the objective today.
Got some air time and props from the announcer today...he said I was having a great ride. That was nice. I mean I don't do this to get famous or for recognition, but it sure is nice to get some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
So tomorrow will be hard, a little bit more technical, lots of running. That's ok. I've been running a lot lately and my legs feel great. I guess Ken's training is working. Tasha will go well if she gets the job done as I know she can..later.
December Update
So here we are in Rhode Island waiting to race this 'avro. Just thought I would write a little blurb to let everyone know what is happening.
NB draw....ticket sales are going pretty well, if we had another week or two I think we could have sold them all. I must have given my ticket blurb over 200 times...you know that feeling you get when you tell a story over and over...yah well I'm to the point where I annoy myself when I hear my voice. Oh well...could be worse.
Everyone at work has been especially supportive and it's great to see so many people step up and help us out. It's awesome to be supported by so many people who have confidence in us. Also Natasha's family has been pushing tickets to everybody from Bellville to Calgary. Word on the street is some guy at The Royal Bank bought a whole bunch and is giving them out at his X-mas party as gifts...nice.
Racing...The picture above is last weeks -17C race in Ottawa...fun as it was not sure how many times a year I would want to do that. Thank God we chose Cross and not Cross Country skiing.
Tasha is riding the trainer right now in our hotel room as we get ready for the last official race weekend of 2008. We calculated that Since October we have spent almost 100 Hours in the car together traveling to races...OMG! We have had some pretty interesting conversations. Some not so interesting, some near death experiences and I'm pretty sure a couple times she wanted to decapitate me! If looks could kill, well there would be no blog.
So today should be good, probably about 40 degs F or so once we race so thats about 6-7 degs C by the time we race. Looking forward to putting everything together today.
DSJ
NB draw....ticket sales are going pretty well, if we had another week or two I think we could have sold them all. I must have given my ticket blurb over 200 times...you know that feeling you get when you tell a story over and over...yah well I'm to the point where I annoy myself when I hear my voice. Oh well...could be worse.
Everyone at work has been especially supportive and it's great to see so many people step up and help us out. It's awesome to be supported by so many people who have confidence in us. Also Natasha's family has been pushing tickets to everybody from Bellville to Calgary. Word on the street is some guy at The Royal Bank bought a whole bunch and is giving them out at his X-mas party as gifts...nice.
Racing...The picture above is last weeks -17C race in Ottawa...fun as it was not sure how many times a year I would want to do that. Thank God we chose Cross and not Cross Country skiing.
Tasha is riding the trainer right now in our hotel room as we get ready for the last official race weekend of 2008. We calculated that Since October we have spent almost 100 Hours in the car together traveling to races...OMG! We have had some pretty interesting conversations. Some not so interesting, some near death experiences and I'm pretty sure a couple times she wanted to decapitate me! If looks could kill, well there would be no blog.
So today should be good, probably about 40 degs F or so once we race so thats about 6-7 degs C by the time we race. Looking forward to putting everything together today.
DSJ
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