Niagara Classic Road Race

The Niagara Classic Road Race, a.k.a. effingham. The cyclists in niagara all know this famous climb-- saylor's hill. This top of this hill is the killer part of the course each lap and also the top is the finish of the road race. What a great race, close to home, local training areas, but one big hill!
As I was packing up my car early in the morning for my 8:30 start, a stopped got my large tim horton's coffee and headed to the race. I completed my usual race warm-up, legs felt a bit heavy and headed to the start. On the start line, then we all peddled off down Tice Road. I was very nervous at the start, yet stayed at the front of the group, where I wanted to be. We settled into a rhythm, then the base settled down. I placed an attack, and got a good gap off the front. I was wishing someone might bridge up to me, but the group just chased me down. I settled back in, and felt comfortable as we got onto effingham street. I moved up to the front of the group for the climb up saylor's hill. I had a good climb, I wasn't going for the 'queen of the mountain' points, just a good race. Started down Tice Road on lap 2- the fast section, one main group still. Some riders who were dropped on the climb bridge back on. We settled in as a group, and turned onto effingham road. Then as we approached the bottom of the climb, all the riders were trying to move-up before the start of the climb. The rider beside me, got crashed out. She fell onto me, but I managed to push her off me. Then ride into the gravel and grass, back onto the road- and start the climb. Unfortunately, I lost a bit of ground going into the start of the climb. I managed to get on to the back of the pack, but a few smaller groups had formed up front. As we headed down Tice Road, I bridged up to the next group- after a few minutes of solid work. Then I joined into a group of 6 or so riders. We headed up saylor's for the 3rd time... my legs were really feeling the efforts. Then started the last lap, we could see the first group in front of us -- but our group could never close the gap down. I tried to bridge across the gap, but didn't make it. I knew that would have been my big effort, and the race up the hill for the final sprint would be tough. I managed up the last climb, near the back of my group. Overall, pleased with the day - 10th in the category 3/master women's race. And 4th in category 3. I had some good efforts, and with road racing-- the more you race, the more you learn!

Windwarning and 70% chance of thunderstorms...

weather from my last bike race. Saturday, May 8th-- my friend Barb and I packed up the car and headed down to the Bristol Mountain Road Race just outside of Rochester, New York. This being my Mother's Day outing- a bike race! Too funny, no spa-day, pedicure, etc - a road race in horrible weather conditions. Some how I convinced Barb to race as well- with this being her first road race. Barb being a seasoned triathlete and running racer, she was not new to racing though.

I raced in the cat 4 women's race, which they combined with the cat 1,2,3 women's race. Cat 4 women did 2 laps of the 17 mile course, and cat 1,2,3 women were doing 3 laps. I was pretty happy that it wasn't raining or thunderstorming when the race started. I had packed extra honey stinger energy chews -just in case. (my new favourite race/riding food). We headed out on the flat section of the course with a strong head wind. As we turned the corner the wind finally shifted, we were all welcoming the hills just to get out of the wind. The pace picked up on the first climb, and didn't let up after that. I made it up the first climb with the main group, then some fast windy turns. When we started the second climb, I felt okay on the steep pitch, but the group then split on the rest of the climb. As I was dropped from the leaders, but kept them in sight at the top of the climb. I found myself in a group with two other riders. We descended well, and could see some other riders up the road, but couldn't close the gap up. As we ended lap 1, and hit the head-wind section again for the second lap. We worked together well as a group. As we hit the last climb of the day, the rain started!! ughh. I tried to push the pace on the climb, we all stayed together though. (I need to work on road race strategies!!). Then we hit the descents together, I wasn't feeling as comfortable as the other riders on the descents, but I could keep in contact. The rain continued, and a few wind gusts on the final descent into the finish. I finished at the end of my group, the down hill finish-- not my strength. I was 8th overall in the cat. 4 women. I had a great day, got a good ride in, and had alot of fun. Also, Barb finished her first road race ever in epic conditions.

Barb- finishing Bristol Mountain Road Race

Note to self: I should have printed off reverse directions home from the race. We did manage to get lost, on the way home from the race. We were in desperate need of coffee and made a few wrong turns!

CF

I haven't raced in the past few weeks. Just have been doing some training rides. I watched my husband race the Paris to Ancaster bike race last weekend, then I did a nice ride home from the race. My husband finished 6th overall, even feeling 'under the weather'. One day I will race this race! No babysitter available this year, so I sat this one out.



Anyway, so I thought that I would add a few things about cystic fibrosis.

What is cystic fibrosis??

Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. There is no cure for CF. Cystic fibrosis causes a build-up of thick mucus in the lungs leading to severe respiratory problems. Meanwhile, mucus and protein build-up in the digestive tract results in extreme difficulty in digesting and absorbing adequate nutrients from food.



The most exciting news is that the median age of survival has increased substantially in the last five years. Today, half of all Canadians with cystic fibrosis are expected to live into their 40s
and beyond, making the median age of survival one of the highest reported in the world!

Information courtesy of: http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/en/index.php

Link to Team CF blog: http://www.teamcf.org/

Tour of Bronte

Yesterday, we packed up the minivan for a great bike race at Bronte Creek Provincial Park in Oakville. My husband and I both raced in this inaugural race. The road race was a mix of smooth and not so smooth paved and unpaved winding roads-- and of course a few potholes thrown in there. The women's race started with the masters 2 men and junior men--which always makes for a different type of race for the women. The women's field had some very good riders --Helen Wyman -5 time national British cyclocross champion, Sue Palmer-Komar- semi-retired Olympian and commonwealth games medalist, and Leigh Hobson-Olympian. As the raced started, we headed out down the paved road--not too bad until the right turn onto the gravel section--then there were bumps, and potholes. I held my position through this section on the first lap, riding through the gravel well. Up through the registration area and across the narrow bridge still with the pack. Once back on the road section, I settled in and started to feel more comfortable in the pack. Then we hit the start of the gravel section, one rider took the corner too fast and slid out in the gravel. Myself and a few riders got stuck behind him, we got around the rider, but not quickly enough as the pack had got a bit of a gap. We all chased but with the head wind, we were unable to get back on with the pack. I rode with a small group that grew to 5 by the end of the race. We worked together through the sections of the course, and I was feeling more comfortable with all the gravel turns. I was really happy with the tubular wheels that my husband set-up for me, the wheels were solid and held-up well with the few potholes I didn't manage to avoid! My group came down to 4 of us on the final lap, a few small attacks on the last lap but nothing stuck. I did an attack on the road in the last kilometer, but didn't manage to get away. One of the guys did a counter attack- I attempted to go with this- but got outsprinted at the line --by the other women in my pack. I was 5th in the women's field. I really enjoyed the race course and the race. It was a great venue, after the races we went over the children's park, petting zoo and barn with the kids. Hopefully this race is on the race calendar next year because I would love to go back!!

Good Friday Road Race

The weather was great - beautiful, sunny, not too windy for my first road race in a long time. Actually, it has been probably 4 years or so since before I was pregnany with my son. I have raced cyclocross throughout the years after having my kids but not road. My race was the first start of the day 9AM- packed the car, and headed up solo. My husband was racing in the afternoon, so he came up later with the kids. I arrived at the race with plenty of time to sign-in,warm-up, etc. My race was the elite 3 women/master and junior women--had a good size field. We started a few minutes late due to a crash in the M3 mens/Elite 4 men's race that left a few minutes before us, we passed two crashes in the first lap--of a three lap race. My race had a solo rider break away and manage to stay away. There were a few other attempts at getting breaks away, but nothing stuck. Our race came down to a group sprint-were I was 5th overall in my category. I was satisfied with the finish, and will continue to work on feeling comfortable racing in a pack. Wow, now to get ready for the race this weekend --Tour of Bronte!!

South Carolina

Just survived a 1300km drive home from South Carolina...one minivan, 3 adults, 2 kids, 4 bikes, gravol (for the adults) and lots of cartoons- Backyardigans, Dora, Diego, etc. The trip was good-- two weeks of cycling, spring weather, having fun with the kids and friends.

The cycling was a great start to the season, completed some epic rides. A few good climbs up Ceasar's head-- a climb that is 6 miles or so. Some longer rides out to Clemson, the Bob's grill loop and of course a few coffee stops along the way. I must admit that I do enjoy a stop for coffee either during or at the end of most of my rides. Although in Pickens, South Carolina coffee stops are alot harder than the multitude of Tim Horton's in the Niagara Region. That is why those coffee stops in SC were pretty good! Highlights for the kids include- throwing rocks/sticks in the river, riding bikes, climbing in the cupboards. Overall we had a great trip and looking forward to some early season cycling races!

Team CF

Just returned home a few days ago from a great vacation in South Carolina...with lots of cycling. I have recently become part of the club team-for Team CF... (standing for Cystic Fibrosis). A few months ago, my husband eagerly told me about a post he saw on a cycling website. The post was about Team CF, and how they were accepting resumes for the team. We were both very excited to hear about the team, and now I am part of it. Cystic fibrosis has become a big part of our lives with my 2 children having CF. It has been a whirl-wind of a year with the 2 CF diagnoses, and learning/completing about neublizers, chest physiotherapy, digestive enzymes, trips to the CF clinic etc, etc for the kids. So I have started this blog, to give a bit of insight into my world and some of my adventures.