Monthly Archive for October, 2008

He's been with you the whole time!

Published on October 26, 2008 in Life. 0 Comments

So I haven’t written a blog post in a long time now, obviously…  I’ve really just been a lazy bum!

After a great nationals long weekend, I was a little overwhelmed with homework.  I didn’t really ride my bike at all until the races in Calgary.  I had some pretty good races–7th and 5th, my back was killing me though!  I finally cracked the top 5, and no cash.  Dang.

I do LOVE racing cyclocross!

I feel like I had lots to post about and everything slowed down this week, but I still didn’t post anything.  I’m just lazy.

But I do owe a big belated shout out to Wendy Simms!  UCI Cyclocross World #1!!!!  Woohoo!!!

And an interesting article about J Pows.  Reminds me of a post I wrote in Belgium last year.  What do you think?

And it was good to go to church today for the first time in a long time!  A major note I took from Don’s sermon is that God has been there since the beginning.  He’s been with you every step of your life.  Through thick and thin, He’s been there!  And you wouldn’t be where you are today without Him!  Interesting thought…

More introspection to come, I’m sure.

::SA

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Back

Published on October 14, 2008 in Biking. 0 Comments

So after my high on Saturday and wanting to move to Belgium and just race my bike, I was put back in my place on Sunday with 32nd place!  32nd place!  Wow!

I had a good start and I was riding well.  I was in a group that was hovering around 10th-ish.  My legs hurt, but I thought I would be able to stay with that group.  It is a little hard when you roll a tire, crash, unable to get it back on you run for EVER to the pit.  Dang!  Now I’m in kajillionth place.  I’m tired.  I don’t want to ride.  This sucks.

But I paid my money, I had to go.  I had more skills to practice.  So I just kept riding.  By the end I have to say I was barely rolling around, hoping the super speedy Kabush would lap me so I could follow him through the bowl.  But to no avail, lead lap it is for Mr. Adamson.  Only time I’ll ever complain about that…

Great event, great weekend, great people.  I gotta say, I love cycling for the community.  I love seeing people that I see a couple times a year, but share great memories with.  And we were able to have Marc and Vicki, my Belgian parents (though not old enough, merely wise enough), over for dinner.  It was great.  Stories, stories, and more stories.  We exhausted the rest of my family.  But it was fun!

Good times.

::SA

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I want to go home for Christmas!

Published on October 11, 2008 in Biking. 0 Comments

That being Belgium of course!

I struggled with motivation, among other issues, prior to this cross season.  I knew I loved racing, but I didn’t really feel like training.  And I knew that I had no money to go race in the States and Belgium as I was planning/dreaming…

But I had a pretty decent ride at Nationals today and I really want to go to Europe and race my bike!  It is so awesome there!!!

After thinking about it, I didn’t actually have that great of a result.  But I did get a lot of compliments, have a lot of fun, and work really hard!

I had a great start.  I knew with #9 I wanted Kabush’s wheel.  That paid off, with me settling into 3rd for the first bit.  And I kept hanging onto guys’ wheels, thinking, “man, this guy should be killing me!”  So that’s gotta be a positive!  I felt like I rode well.  My only problems were on the long straight stuff, especially into the headwind, and the barrier on the second last lap when I crashed into it and Mark caught up to me.  But it was a lot of fun.  And I think I am pretty happy with 12th (which is what I think I got…).  I went in thinking that a top 10 would be a really good result for me.

And good ol’ Daddio pulled off an awesome result with 3rd place!  Lots of Congrats all around!!!  Too many, I don’t want to leave anybody out…

So anyone want to fund a trip to the homeland for me?!?!?  Maybe $5000 or so?  It’s a good cause!  I promise!

Tomorrow–another day, another race!  What a great life!!!

::SA

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What do you mean?

Published on October 8, 2008 in Biking and Thoughts. 0 Comments

I was recently reprimanded for some comments I made previously on my blog.  By somebody whose opinion, thoughts, and friendship I greatly appreciate…

I never mean any harm by what I say on this blog.  And if I do cause harm, I would love to hear your comments in a reasonable fashion and I remove, clarify, or just discuss what I have written.

I realize that before I say what things people could do better, I should first thank them for all the thankless time and care they put in.  Without organizers we would have no races.  Without commissaires we would have bad races.  I am very greatful for the people that put in so many hours just so I can go ride my bike around in circles.

So if you look at the last paragraph of my last post, there is much to be clarified…

I don’t want to be a snob or a jerk… whenever I think something should be done differently I try to approach the situation very calmly and rationally.  Like when I approached Bernie at the first cross race of the year about the start.  I thought there was a rule for it, but when I double-checked I was wrong.  But at all the big races I’ve been to the start is very much a surprise.  There is no countdown or even a 10 second warning.  You have to be ready.  The start is just so crucial in cyclocross!  I had the same conversation with Jim and Chris in Calgary.  I tried to approach the chief commissaire at a time that is convenient and discuss it rationally.  If there is no agreement, they are the chief–what they say goes!  Thanks!

When I asked Ed about the start for Sunday’s Oval Cross, he said if anything they would move it the opposite direction.  I rationalized my start line and he rationalized his.  It’s fair.  So I leave knowing that we both know the situation and why the other believes what they do.  He is the organizer.  If I don’t like that, then I don’t do his race, I organize my own race, or I go home and eat doughnuts.  Thanks for a great race Ed!

I know that in Alberta we have great events, run by great people.  But I think I learned from my dad that nobody is perfect, there is always room for improvement.  I have high expectations.  But I like to think that I’m happy with whatever comes my way.

I think my comments from the other day we perceived poorly and will take them off.  Again, I never mean any harm.  And if I write something on here to make you think, maybe it’s really me that needs to do the thinking.

SO THANKS TO ALL THE ORGANIZERS, COMMISSAIRES, VOLUNTEERS, AND EVERYBODY WHO HELPS ME TO DO THE THINGS I LOVE!!!

::SA

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Cyclocross

Published on October 5, 2008 in Biking. 0 Comments

Yup, more races this weekend.

Most things went pretty well for me.  I had some pretty crappy starts, unusually pulling out of my pedal and ending up outside the top 5–both days.

Saturday was dark.  And scary.  The course was super rough and, therefore, hard on my back.  And I couldn’t see a lot of stuff and really had to learn how to feel the course.  There was lots of crashes, not from me.  But most of all I had fun.  I finished 6th–let’s keep it consistently out of the money here!

Sunday was another day.  Same starting problem–even after tightening up my pedals… Hmm…  Oh well, settle in.  Or maybe my back will kill me for a couple laps, then I can settle in.  Ok, 7th today.  Not bad, but not great either.

ps. I don’t actually know my placings, these are just what I figured…

6 DAYS TIL NATIONALS!!!

::SA

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