Race and Rant

Things have been happening. My first Canadian race was last weekend in the form of the Spring Series Stage race in Langly. The road race went well. It was one of those things where I didn't want to giv'er straight out as it was cold and rainy. I just wanted to stay in the pack for the 140km.

Sure enough, first 3.2minutes of the race I saw a break go. I noticed the Kona jersey of Neil Kindree(2x National Champ) a Symmetrics guy, two Red Truck Racing guys and a couple from another team. Seeing this I figured this would be the break of the race so I went outside the pack and pulled an Andrew Brown on the grass and jumped into the newly formed break.

Well this was the race folks. The whole 3.45h it was this group just up front. It eventually got down to about 5-6 guys including myself and we eventually got about 5 minutes on the pack. It was all well and good until the 120km mark where I started to die. Our team didn't have feeders for this race seeing as its a Spring Series race(low key) so I was limited to what I could carry for liquid. Obviously it wasn't enough and the legs started to cramp and die. I rolled in a modest 7th I think. Still ahead of the pack.

Crit went fine. Nothing too much to report. I cant seem to get away from these Health Net guys. Kirk Obee(sp?) has a lady in town, so he was doing some of the races here as well. I think he might be US Crit champ or something because he had some sort of stars and stripes jersey on. Either way he took the win in that race.

The TT went fine as well. I didn't bother slapping on the aero bars but I did dawn the old skin suit from PEI's Canada Games team, which drew some looks. I pulled out a 16th(of 75ish) overall in that event, but a 9th for the people who participated in the full Stage Race.

I feel pretty good about it. Nothing big came from the break in the Road Race, so chalk it up to a good training day. I also saw a couple framilier faces in Heather Lampson, Andrew Brown and a couple guys who I know from the Comox Valley. Nice to shoot the shit with those folks.

A couple things to get off my chest. For one, work is killing me.

Number 2. Port Moody. Unless some sort of magical riding oasis comes my way in the next couple days, I think this place is the WORST place I have ever ridden my bike. So far the only rides I have been able to do have been on freeway-like roads, where most of the time I'm trying not to get hit by cars.

An average ride goes like this.....pedal, pedal, Red Light...wait......pedal pedal....ride though gravel....Red Light...wait....pedal pedal..swerve car.......ride through construction...pedal pedal...yield to car...pedal....CLIMB CLIMB CLIMB 17%......look at new subdivision....pedal pedal...

No joke. Honestly I might as well stay in the garage on the trainer. It really is awful. I've been riding on the sidewalks a lot just to avoid cars. I rode up a 21% sidewalk climb today. Not by choice, simply to get home. Its insane.

Anyway. The team and I are going to a Stage Race in Oregon tomorrow. Its a 4 day/stage event. There is apparently is a strong field, and some interesting climbing stages. Time will tell.

I call everyone while I'm in the States...Its cheaper to call Canada that way. I'm such a complainer.