GIRL DOWN!

2012 Canadian Road Cycling National Championships was a race I had been looking forward to for a while.  The course was an undulating out-and-back section starting and ending in Lac Megantic, with two laps of a loop in Lac Drolet at the furthest extremity.

In the loop, I was cheered on the steepest section of the course, feeling pretty good.  We went through the feedzone.  I covered an attack, brought it back, and talked to my teammate about strategy.  The next thing I know...BAM.  And black.  And blue.  I hear the peloton was starting to get pretty sketchy around that time, I'm sure I was taken out from behind.  (**FROM BESIDE! A certain girl took me out from beside...I know the story now, and it's not pretty).  I got up as fast as I could, but apparently I had been out cold for a minute.  I said I wanted to get back on and ride, and I did.  Then I realized something wasn't right and let off the gas right away.  I took myself out of the race. 

My head was hit pretty bad and I thought I had a concussion.  I was brought to the hospital.   I know better than to mess with that stuff.  It's nasty.  One thing I'm happy about though, is that I had my Lazer helmet on, and fitted correctly with the dial adjustment.  It's cracked now, it absorbed most of the impact, and my brother Max said he wants it as a trophy.  Okay brotha, it's all yours.

I was taken care of very well by the paramedics, the nurses and the doctor.  Nothing was broken.  I learned from my stretcher that Denise Ramsden, my teammate who just got selected for the Olympic team for London WON.  Joëlle Numainville played her cards perfectly and got a 3rd place, and Annie Ewart climbed up on the thrid step of the U23 podium as well.  You girls raced perfectly, and the excellent news made my day.