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.

Canadian National Chapionships 2012 : Pre Race

The 2012 edition of the Canadian National Road Cycling Championships is being held in Lac Megantic in the region of Beauce, Québec.  It's a bit of a hike from Québec City where I live, but it's a treat that the Championship is being held in ''my own backyard''.  I know what it's like to haul everything across the country on my own for a race: stressful and expensive.  

This year, Optum pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies has a team of 3 super staff, a big trailer full of all of the Orbea bikes and HED wheels we could need, and I didn't have to spend hours on long-distance phonecalls negotiating hotel prices, and I won't be doing my own mechanics on some company's front lawn either.  (I'm thinking back to 2010 in Edmonton here, a fun race, but geez, what a feat it was to even participate).

I know the course, I've been out to see it a few times.  I've been on a nice spin today, and I'll spend a good part of my day chilling out in my hotel room.   Race day: T-1 and counting.

ONE MORE THING: The news is out, it's official! Congratulations to my teammates Denise Ramsden and Joëlle Numainville who are going to the OLYMPICS in July!  My two Optum teammates along with Clara Hughes are going to make a super team.  I'm happy for them, happy for Canada, and know that they are really going to rock it in London. 
http://www.canadiancyclist.com/dailynews.php?id=24373