2010 AB cyclocross season end

Nov 6 - Riverbend Cross Madness, Red Deer
The last Alberta cyclocross race was on a fast-paced open course, with a few twisty sections in the scenic river valley.

photos - Central Alberta Bicycle Club

With cyclocross Nationals on the same day in Toronto, the three women that showed up in Red Deer raced with the Expert men. Fun start in the mass, dodging racers that had overshot a few corners off the twisty start, getting through the rideable sandpit in a drunken path. I was positioned well. Once we hit the open sections, the strong guys quickly passed by.

Held my own with not getting lapped and duked it out with a couple guys. I was adamant to climb the insanely steep climb. Was getting more fatigued each time though made it without walking! The cheering section there helped!

Finally, mastered the barriers taking the bike speed into the run. Check out the height, especially on a slight uphill!

Jumping the barriers to me, feels like this!

photo - Aaron Falkenberg

Totally proud of the Albertan women that made the trip to Cross Nationals - Elite and Master women. Was hoping to see both Pepper and Katy on podium. Glad superwoman 4-time National cyclocross champ Wendy Simms had strong Alberta racers to challenge her! Pepper and Katy mostly raced in the Expert men category back home. Paid off with 2nd place for Katy and 4th for Pepper!

Canadian Cross Nationals - Katy hopping the barriers with Wendy

photo - Canadiancyclist.com

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Oct 30 - Brian Kullman Memorial Cross, Calgary

Race course set in the schoolyard beneath the Children's hospital on a super balmy summer-like day. More twists and turns than the prior year made it challenging fun. Many new faces with the thanks to the organizers for reduced entry for women. World ranked road racer Julie Beveridge showed up. I knew she would be speedy, wasn't sure about technical.

photos - R. Haskell

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Off the start, the many ability level field broke up quick. Bridget took the lead, with Sonya, Shantel, Julie and Marg close behind. Bridget lead strongly though washed out on the tricky descent corner to a swooping steep ascent. We avoided her and quickly passed by.

Shantel grabbing the cash prime at the first run-up the stairs

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In the open sections it was awesome to hang onto Julie's wheel drafting making good ground.

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Marg hovering behind Julie
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Passed Julie on the stairs run-up and stormed on any technical section to get away. Not overly thrilled to race solo on an open course to wind.

Approaching the barriers... .

I'm always excited to clear the barriers without tripping!
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tricky sharp left turn after the barriers
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small person technique up the steep climb

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Meanwhile, Bridget was strongly chasing her way back. I held the lead for a few laps, though energy was flailing. Ended up washing out on the same spot as Bridget earlier, now having to run up a normally rideable climb. Lost alot of the precious lead.

Bridget with her eye on Marg
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Marg working it, though tuckered

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Within the lap, Bridget came by Marg strongly

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Super exciting women's field racing this season!


Oct 31 - Beans 'n Barley Cross, Calgary

Next day, back to Shaganappi Park for the Halloween race. I dressed up with a costume minimally with black ears and black tail. The racers that dressed up were outstanding.

photos - Bill Quinney .

Had a super start with the course catered to my compact chainrings 50/34 in the straightaway sections. Felt strong today.

2010 Cyclocross

Sep 25 - School of Cross, Edmonton

AB cross season started slow for me with rolling my ankle on a super steep off-camber dismount within the first half of the first loop of the first race of the season! Doh, it hurt as I limped up the climb. After resting for a few minutes, I decided to coast back to the finish to pull out of the race... catching sight of the last rider ahead, and feeling ok, I (stupidly) started chasing! It was a fun course, clawed my way back to mid-pack by the end. Paid for it with a Fred Flintstone size ankle the next morning despite doing everything I could to keep the swelling down. It was a bummer to not race the next day... and next few races.

the wickedly fast start to the 1st cross race

photo - Aaron Falkenberg

Oct 9 - GP Jim Horner Cross, Edmonton

Rested my ankle for a couple weekends, then had two good races on the Velodrome course grounds.

Following Bridget and Shantel for a couple loops on the techie curves

photo - Bill Quinney

Shantel chasing Bridget over the barriers

photo - Saul Ansbacher

Up & down the grassy bowl near the Velodrome

photo Teresa Chung

Much needed help to open the bubbly!

Oct. 10 - Redbike Red Cross, Edmonton

Similar course to the prior day, in reverse direction. Seemed abit flowier. Still fun!

Marg laughing at Shantel's huge course taped hands.

Shantel jockeyed Bridget for 2nd.

Oct 17 - Kelowna Cyclocrawwws

While I was in Kelowna for a super fun birthday party weekend, I took the opportunity to go into Kelowna's first cross race. Choice of categories A and B, so I went A with the speedy guys and World Mountain bike champ Catherine Pendrel.

Course was rougher than the plush Alberta grass courses. Lots of fun technical sketchy corners and trails, with the steepest hike-a-bike section for a cross race ever!

First time I've flatted and had the good fortune Monica Nelson who was spectating overheard me and offered her wheel. Had fun catching back up to a few guys after my wheel change.
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Finished 2nd to Catherine though she lapped me, and was challenging the top 3 guys! Good atmosphere, and well organized for a first time event.

On podium with Catherine Pendrel

Oct 23 - Lion's Den Provincials, Devon

Course designer Cory Dickinson put in the "agitator" snail loop again. Made me dizzy going into it...Off the start, Katy was quickly binocular distance ahead. A good spectator race was happening between Bridget, Shantel and Marg, with sightings of Master woman Sonya not far behind. We were wheel to wheel.

Devon photos - Bill Quinney

I did a horrible job leading into the snail loop. With Bridget getting by me, it was so much easier to follow good riding lines, or should I say circles!

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Into the final sandpit, a stake tripped me tossing me and my bike into the pit. Bridget scooped her bike that bit it as well, with me dusting sand off not far behind. The wind was out of my sails to chase. Very exciting action for the crowd!

3rd at Provincials

photo - Alexis Hillyard

Oct 24 - Pedalhead Roadworks Super Prestige, Edmonton

Next day, woke up to rain which made the thick grassy course at Goldbar nicely rideable.

Pedalhead photos - Darcy Reynard

Many exchanges of the lead with Shantel, Trish, Sonya and Marg. Lengthy sandpit section which was challenging to grab the line closest to the pond (only one guy fell in!). In the end, Shantel had a stronger finish.

Marg chasing Shantel

Shantel chasing Marg

Coolest weather day though nice to watch from the indoor pavillion

Riding on the Highlevel Bridge

I hooked up with friends of friends and joined in on a wine & cheese party with a different view... from a historic streetcar atop of the high level bridge in Edmonton!

Not the typical brilliant sunset views with the rainy evening, though still alot of fun. The streetcar came with conductors dressed the historic part and shared their knowledge of the streetcar history. .

historic pic of the high level bridge, 49m above water level

Anyone can charter a streetcar. Check this site.

Mt Baker Hillclimb in the Rain

Back in 2003, I did the inaugural Mt Baker hillclimb in wonderful temperatures getting to set the first women's time up in 1 hr 39 min. Attempted it again in 2004 in the pouring rain. Since then, Leah Goldstein has smashed it with 1 hr 26 min.

views from Mt Baker on my pre-ride days earlier

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For 2010, the rains were back. This time the organizers cut the course 3 miles short... the best and steepest part of the course! Visibility didn't really matter on the latter miles as it's a closed road. Course was now 21.5 miles and 3300' elevation gain (normally 24.5 mi, 4300').

Finally decided on what to wear. Lots... as the bike spray from the bikes ahead would keep me cool and the exertion of the climb would keep me warm on the ascent section. (Note to self... do not need a raincoat or headcover)

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Smaller hardy group of racers on the startline. Off the horn, the guys went fast. I hung on best as possible to the first little climb... maybe a little Gran Fondo muscle fatigue happening from the previous day. Grasped onto the 1st chase group of guys to the 2nd little climb. Finally settled into the 2nd forming group of guys which was "comfortable". Ooh, not a good word in a hillclimb race!

Finished... chowed down an awesome spread of food, grabbed my bag waiting for me at the top. Made the wicked cold descent down though was warm with wearing everything I owned. When I finally saw the results, one young woman was ahead by only 2 minutes. When I say only 2 minutes... she was strong enough to get away with the men on the flatter 12.5 mile section which is over half the race and a good headstart. If the women all started together, it would have really showed the hillclimbers! Next time...

the ravens at the top of Mt Baker - as big as my bike!

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Got wicked questions from the customs officer going into the USA at the Abbotsford/Sumas border:

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Where are you going? to ride my bike up Mt Baker

What's your profession? actuary analyst
What is the life expectancy of a 60 year-old male Pygmy from New Guinea? ha! he caught me by surprise... and I even attempted to answer it. Nice that they are getting their humour back!

Gran Fondo Canada!

After 30 years of using the road up Mt Norquay for Provincial hill climb champs, Banff Parks declared the road an animal corridor. Hence, the race was cancelled. I had planned to switch to Masters category for my first time and was hoping to set a record.
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Bummer though this opened up the schedule to now go in the inaugural 120-km Gran Fondo from downtown Vancouver to Whistler.Exciting that morning, riding to the race start across the Lion's Gate bridge. It was wheel to wheel traffic of bikes at 6:15 a.m. in the dark. Fun to bump into familar faces in the starting corral. Dropped my bag off where it was to be trucked to the finish line. Hmmm... only one truck already full with a 5 foot high stack of bags waiting to be loaded.
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Men and women in the racing category got to seed up front in what was called the Giro category. 4000+ Gran Fondo racers were seeded behind us. Men racers started at 6:50 a.m. and women one minute back. The rest of the riders started at 7:00 a.m.

Two women racers sprinted off the start. There was a car and a motorcycle in our path which slowed up the women's peloton. Once we dodged it, the two women were far ahead. No-one wanted to chase. I gave in and picked up the pace for a "warmup". It took until the rise before Lion's Gate bridge to catch them. I dropped back for a break once we did. We pretty much floated along in a peloton with the water views of Burrard Inlet.

Within 30 km, the first pack of 100 men from the 4000+ field behind us, caught the women's peloton and we were swarmed. We rode in chaos like that for a good 20 km. There were 2-foot high pylons lining the whole 120 km to Whistler. They weren't visible when riding in the mass of riders. I crushed one with my drivetrain and did a nice mountain bike manoveur to stay upright to the shriek of a man riding behind me.
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Finally, the BC race commissaire vehicle came and neutralized the women's field. The commissaire hollered that he would disqualify any women who rode ahead of their vehicle until that group of men passed us clearly. Women were upset when he said he'd neutralize each time a pack of men came by. Yah, crazy but that's the joy of women's racing! Pretty unfair as the men behind were not in the racing category.
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We were neutralized again thru the feedzone for Gran Fondo riders in Squamish, the halfway point. Out of Squamish, the peloton took the long and gradual climb steady. Midway, I decided to hoof up the pace. At the top, I looked back and was happy to see two riders with me. Inevitable that the peloton would catch us on the flat section. I told the two gals I would do the same thing at 86 km when the next big climb hit.
.At 86 km, everyone was settled in a steady pace up the climb. I picked it up again. At the top, the same two women were with me... Leah Guloien and Nik Vogler. We all worked together with Leah pulling strong on the flats with Nik and I taking turns up any incline. Too bad Leah had two mini-mights with her! Heard later, more women would have went with us though they thought the peloton would catch up quickly anyway so didn't. With smaller groups of men to pass, we avoided riding with them as best as possible. Not easy when the men would jump on our wheels to draft!
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By 108 km, a group of seven finally caught us. Heard that only three strong riders towed the other four up to us. It would have been ultra-cool to have kept the break. I was beat and it felt good to chill in the chase group. The women slowed to turtle's pace for the last 10-km with one woman in pink from Whistler attempting to pick it up on the climbs. It was the commissaire who agitated the peloton when he said he would neutralize us again with another's men's pack 500 metres behind us. Ann Yew went to the front to pick up the pace.
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With the turn off the highway into Whistler, veteran racer Sara Neil looked like she was going to attack any moment with 1 km to go. Then Leah blew by so fast with 500 metres to go and another corner to the downhill sloping finish. The peloton was so blown apart for this sprint that seconds were given between each rider which is unusual for a peloton finish.
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I put my head down and went hard though could not even catch anyone's wheel. Crawled in 8th place out of the 10-racer peloton. I was happy for Leah as she worked hard the whole race. I was pleased to have instigated the hill climb chases. Not sure how all this will help my race in the Mt. Baker hillclimb the next day! Video of speedy men's finish
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Ultra awesome the weather was perfect. All week, it was forecasted for rain. At the finish line, it was like a reunion of many athletic sorts... saw so many buds from road cycling, mountain biking, adventure racing, triathlon... met new people.
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Race was organized well for a first time event. Only glitch which could be seen as a glitch on the spot... lack of bag transportation! My bag finally arrived to the finish line by 2 pm when I finished around 11 am. I am so glad I had driven my car up the day before and parked it with extra clothes and food.

Westside Spring near Kelowna

One of my favourite springs only 11 km from where I stay at my friend Mike's chalet in Kelowna. This spring is not documented yet on FindaSpring.com. I bumped into a grizzly older man one day filling up water. He said he has been using that water for 25 years. I asked if he ever had it tested. His reply was "I'm still alive"!

Spring is found off Westside road opposite lakeside. 4.5 km in from Hwy 97, parking spot after blue sign "Raymer Bay". Listen for the water.

Vancouverite Dorothy filling up with water to take home

view of the awesome Okanagan Lake

checking the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) rating

Darkhorse at Ironman Canada

For the past two summers, I've been on awesome training rides with Scott Neyedli from Scotland while we were both in Kelowna. I'm rooting for him in the Penticton Ironman tomorrow August 29!

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Lean & super nice Scott in black riding with Evano (L) and James (R) on an epic ride on the backroads of Penticton - I took the photo while riding!

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Talk about darkhorse... Scott came a close 2nd in the 2009 West Australia and 2010 Australia Ironmans and didn't even get mentioned in the 2010 Penticton Ironman preview.

I have Edmonton cheers going to Paul Tichelaar if he is over his injury and decides to race. All the best to Edmonton friends Mark Woodhouse and Gary Eggan in their pursuit for sub-10 hours!

Myself, I chose to opt out of Alberta Provincial mountain bike champs this weekend with the smart decision of healing fully! I'm healing up my body with amazing work by manual physiotherapist out in Kamloops Claudia Scrivener. With the cranial sacral work on my face, my fractures from June are settling where they need to be. After each treatment, I am wowed how the skull can be manipulated and shifted. Way better then getting surgery!

I saw Claudia reduce the Smurf-size swelling in my finger ligament in front of my eyes, just by pressure and manipulation. I'd recommend her and will definitely see her if needed in the future. Wish I knew about her months earlier...

Whole Food, Plant-Based TALK - Sep 4 Edmonton

Brendan Brazier, professional triathlete, plant-based nutrition expert, and bestselling author, shares how to thrive on a whole food, plant-based diet.
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Date: Saturday September 4th
Time: 5 - 6 p.m.
Place: Planet Organic, southside, Edmonton
Cost: free
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Other Alberta event info here.

How to Thrive on a whole food, plant-based diet - Brendan Brazier shares his tips for losing weight, reducing stress, and staying healthy, the whole food way found in his bestselling book The Thrive Diet.

It's a great way to "be"!

Not so fun part of a Stage Race!

photos courtesy R. Haskell

Stage 3 Tour de Bowness - Criterium

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Fun course as the roads are super rough on the backside corners. Hung in there. Took the hill hard a few times. Good attacks by everyone which made it another fun race.

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After the last corner, tossed the little gremlin away that said "I'm too small to sprint". Sat hard in my saddle in the drops and stayed on Tanya's wheel for the final 200 metres. At the line, I was behind by a nose though pretty pleased I made the effort to sprint!

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Gathered overall omnium points for 3rd with Pepper commanding an awesome win with her efforts at the crit.

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Bow Cycle put on a wicked event with Niklas Group as a main sponsor. In the Women's field, almost everyone left with a prize or cash. Thanks Bow!

Fun Part of a Stage Race!

Marg, Heather & Pepper - photo Al Black

Stage 2 Tour de Bowness - COP hillclimb
It feels different to climb this hill in a race situation with strong racers. It's a 3-up time trial format. Pepper, Heather and I were seeded together as the top riders from the previous days's road race. From the start, I let the race unfold and followed Heather with Pepper glued onto her wheel. I actually lost my normal drive to scamper up. Just different focus for me in a group than challenging myself alone.
The climb goes up the road in Canada Olympic Park 1.3 km and 345 feet elevation gain. The pace dropped slightly halfway up. I took the lead maintaining the same pace stand-climbing.
On the final corner which is the steepest of the course, I heard what sounded like an engine revving up! Off goes Pepper gutting it out to the top. Cool, I thought and had no desire to challenge. At that point it's all a mental game to go through the lactic acid build-up. Been there, done that!
Racing at 7:30 pm gave shadows ahead of me from the riders behind me. Made sure I kept Heather's shadow behind and rolled to the finish. It was awesome to see the focus Pepper raced with.

Team Peloton

Stage 1 Tour de Bowness - 11 loops, 5.3 km circuit

One of the most fun road races I've been in lately... highlights were having two awesome teammates Chantal and Danika, lots of action with pulls/attacks from a great field of women, and a course with hills giving total elevation gain 2700' for less than 60 km distance.

Into the 4th loop, four of us broke away. It was cool to work with my teammate Chantal, Pepper from Juventus and Heather from United Cycle. Within one loop, our foursome grew by a few more riders and my guess is BC Bike Race Podium champ Katy worked it with my teammate Danika to bridge up to us.

Halfway into the race, the Cat 3 men began to pass our peloton on the long descent. Bummer for the women when this happens as we have to "neutralize" which is a term in cycling to stop our race while the faster men's peloton is cleanly past before we can race again.

I was on Heather's wheel with the women's peloton following, when this occurred. It was tempting to follow her as she continued forth. It was a large men's peloton so I immediately "neutralized" with the women's peloton and slowed down to allow the men to pass. The race pictures clearly show the women's peloton being passed by the Cat 3 men in the series of 5 pics with all the women together.

Heather, a very accomplished racer placing 3rd at the recent Canadian National Crit champs and has been racing the US Pro Women circuit this summer, did not seem aware the women's peloton neutralized to allow the men to pass. She continued to race forth. It was not reassuring to see the Commissaire vehicle which was driving on the left hand side of the road next to the Cat 3 men's peloton which hid Heather racing on the right hand side of the road out of their view!
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It was flustering seeing a rider go as our peloton neutralized. Women expressed concern as we eased the pace together waiting for the last guy to go by. The women's peloton wondered what to do... chase, chill, race... Pepper gave good advice that the race was not over. It seemed unfair to have to chase down "given time".

The race dynamics were now altered, though in a cool way despite the predicament. The peloton worked together like a team. We eventually caught up to Heather as she soft-pedalled into the last laps. The peloton wisely stayed behind Heather. With 1/2 lap to finish, Danika attacked, Heather jumped, we all followed. Various strong efforts on the last climb with Chantal challenging Heather to the finish. I sat on their wheels in 3rd.

Ended up the Commissaire in the vehicle watching our race "missed" seeing Heather not neutralize with the women's peloton, losing track of her for a lap(?). Officially, racers need to present a protest to the Head Commissaire post-race for any issues. Even though women expressed dismay at the time, no-one came forth officially. Possibly lack of knowledge of the procedure as this situation rarely comes up. The protest was delegated to "heresay". It just wasn't pleasant to be waiting neutralized seeing a racer ride away. I'm not sure why Heather didn't wait for the women's peloton to catch up from our neutralized position.

The race was ultra fun up to that point... learned to keep persevering when stuff out of our control happens...

It ended up awesome working with the rest of the peloton to the end.

Ogopogo Sightings

Good cycling kilometres have been spent riding in the Okanagan valley with rides along Lake Okanagan. Lake Okanagan spans 135 km. The coolest paddling race in the falltime called The Length of the Lake is on my list of things to do.

Marg with Ogopogo - summer 2008

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CBC radio just had a documentary on the famous Ogopogo lake monster first spotted in 1872. It had me laughing as the Ogopogo topic comes up when I'm at the Lake. It's worth a good laugh...

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Give it a listen... CBCradio: Ogopogo Mystery Put to Rest

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My cousin and siblings with Ogopogo back in 1968... - photo Dad

Ogopogo looked tougher in the '60s and is abit cartoon-like now.

Smurf-hand at Creampuff

Riding high in the Cascade mountains descending an 11-mile swoopy singletrack trail, I would usually have a wicked grin on my face. With my right hand swollen smurf-size (pudgy like a smurf not smurf blue!) due to my right index finger ligament sprain from a crash at the OrganGrinder weeks ago not healed... there wasn't enough endorphins for a grin as I was grimacing from each nudge of the handlebar vibration. At the bottom of loop one, my finger dexterity was gone and hand like a smurf. Concerned as functioning hands are helpful in mountain biking!

Marg in the swoopy singletrack of Oregon scenery - photo by Sasquatchmtb

This was halfway into the 100-mile Cascade Creampuff mountain bike race. Yeah, for some reason I thought my hand would be ok and I took a chance on the startline. It was a brain battle to make the decision to stop. When I was using my fourth finger to brake, that was the final call (awesome powerful Formula R1s!). I had already ridden 56 miles (90 km) and 8200' elevation gain... Thought the heat wasn't bad as the course was very sheltered in the trees though it was only 10 o'clock in the morning when I stopped. The race started at 5:05 a.m.

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The climbing on this course was designed for me... I thought my La Ruta friend Charlotte was poking fun at me when she said I'd be climbing it in my big chainring - she was right! Chilled at the pace of the lead woman which was Rebecca Rusch until I went ahead more comfortable at my own pace. Kept in mind, that I'd be climbing that forest road again later in the heat and to go at a pace I'd be able to keep a 2nd time.

The descents were all fairly smooth, fast and swoopy, not technical by Canadian standards. Nothing at all like the OrganGrinder course in Canmore. With the super early morning light, I was blinded in the first single track going from light to dark to light within the shadows of the trees. This got better as the morning went. My tire pressure was set abit high and I was clumsy to start. Got smoother on the singletrack as the day went. There was loose movement in my headset as I discovered on the fast fireroad descents making it scary so chilled out.

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I was leery at intersections hoping the volunteer would direct me the correct direction as we looped around various ways. In the past, I've gotten misdirected 'cause I'm small and mistaken for a junior rider or definitely not elite category! The roads/trails all looked the same to me.

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A boy rider noted the rainbow stripes on Rebecca's jersey sleeve and asked what they were from. Not an official UCI event though I guess Specialized put them on after her WSC 24-hr wins. I could put stripes on my jersey too!

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Rode with a few singlespeeders on the climbs who noted I rode like a singlespeeder and should try it - yeah someday it'd be cool. One singlespeeder guy raved (in a male oriented way) about riding near my TA teammate Louise Kobin last year. I let the comment slide and agreed Lou is wicked strong. Don't the boys know all the girl racers are friends? I'm much of an unknown name these days as the race organizer decided to take me out of the Pro category and put me in masters' age class. I corrected that race morning. Getting older, not ready to leave Pro.

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Definitely a 29-er course, for those interested.

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Camping in the school yard was the way to go. Ample time to meet cool racers from all over. Easier to get up for the 5:05 race start from the school. The pre-race food not up my alley so glad I prepped my own. One of the more expensive race entries I've ever paid and almost a deterent. The unique big ring non-technical course makes it enticing to race. All in all, well organized.

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Will give it a go another time.

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Next time, I'll race fully healthy! Facial bones intact (see "there was NO banana!" blog June 15) and functioning finger ligament! Yeah, stupid or stubborn to try but I did!!