Cross Nationals-DSJ 3rd

I was trying to think of something ultra clever to call this post, but unfortunately I know I put in a good effort yesterday, cause I just said the hell with it.



So here in Edmonton. It's been frigin cold the last couple days. Really cold, like -4 in the am, then it warms up nice, but burrr. Fixing bikes in the garage is a major challenge. We are staying with a guy named John. He's an interesting fella. I thought at first that he was of Asian descent as you would think he appears to be Asian and his last name is Chang, which sounds Asian. Also there is Some Asian art in his house, so ipso facto....but...no. After talking with him for a while I noticed a certain"ting" to his voice.



So I finally hit it and said:

"Are you from the West indies" man was he suprised,



"guess", said John



"Trinidad" I said.



"No shit" he said and man he could not believe that I picked that up. Just another example of how doing the Tour de Tobbago with Glen a few years ago really paid off.



So he's a great host, been so helpful, even let us have some Roti...mmm can't wait for my next piece.



Ok, so Nationals. Well Tasha had some shit luck. For more than one reason. She missed her pedal had a disastrous start, then startED running it hot , and she actually rode through the pit on the first lap, which would have been an automatic DQ. Then she rolled her front tubular on an off-camber section. I didn't see her come through the first lap so I ran parts of the course panicked, looking for her. Man was I scared. So she had to pull off the course and and she couldn't get the tire back on the rim, so she was forced to abandon.



She is ok. I'm really impressed with way she handled herself, she didn't blame me for being a hack mechanic and not gluing the tire on right, she didn't blame anyone. She just accepted it, realized that she just wanted the title so bad and took a risk after having a bad start. Hey in this sport your going to loose a lot more than you win, so you do your thing and get over it. Learn your lesson and get ready for today.



She inspired me to race well. She told me to do it for her, so I did. Lately she has been doing way more than her share for the duo, her 4 wins in the US made sure that we wouldn't starve this month. So I was prepared to suffer. My start was ok, but I got behind one train too many before a corner and took a massive branch to the face, whats with that. I was way too far back on the first lap so I just grabbed the Octto bars and pulled on the drops so hard I thought I was going to rip the bar tape off. I fought to catch Kabush and Garrigan who got away. They had 35 seconds on me and I pulled it back to 14 maybe even 10 seconds, then I bobbled the climb and stalled out at the top and it grew to 30, I then cut into it again, and had Garrigan within 6 seconds...but the race was a little short (56 min) and had to settle for 3rd. I say settle, but I'm happy about it. Last year I was 11th, so 3rd this year, not to mention second Nationals podium...not bad.



Anyone who has put on an elite men's jersey on the road or cross has deserved it and worked their ass off to get it. You know it will be nice when I get mine, but it takes time. When I looked at the jersey yesterday, I thought one day, I will have that jersey and it will be sweet and I will have earned it through hard honest work and I will wear it to the airport, at home and to the Cornwall Square and I won't give a damn what anyone thinks, even if it smells like armpits.



DSJ