As much as the average person would not in a million years wish for a farmers tan, a glove tan, and bike shorts tan (mid thigh)....I don't think I have ever been more proud to rock them!
Two weeks in Cali, for me, was like a vacation. Okay, well maybe not a typical vacation...but to me, being on my bike for 5-6 hours every day in the hot sun was about as good as it gets :)
Team Ontario cycling did an incredible job of organizing such a great training camp. Me and about 16 other dedicated athletes my age, and 3 coaches stayed at a resort in Ramona, California. The resort had an awesome pool, barbecue, and really great condos!
My trip to California was also an opportunity for me to practice my independence....this was my first time flying without my parents, and it was up to us athletes to grocery shop and make our own meals. I took full advantage of this opportunity, as in a couple of years, I will be in university, and this is great practice for what it's going to be like. Over the course of the 2 weeks, I rode over 1000km. As a cyclist, it is very important to put in as many kilometers as possible at the beginning of the season to build fitness. In Cali we not only rode every day, but also did stretching sessions, core, and plyometrics (jumping).
Despite the difficulty of climbing numerous mountains every single day, it's amazing how you can push the pain in your legs aside and just enjoy the moment....for me, 5-hour rides flew by because I was so astonished with the beauty of the sun, mountain views and chatting with people around me. At long, tiring training camps like this, I also learn a lot about my body. I learned that after a ride, I need to take time to stretch in order to feel more recovered the next day. I also need to constantly be eating and drinking throughout the whole ride. During a 100km ride, for example, a cyclist can easily burn 2000 calories, so I made it a habit to constantly eat. Clif Bars were my saving grace...they sit in my stomach really well, and provide instant- yet long lasting energy. I can honestly say...there was not one ride I bonked!
During the course of this trip, I created so many new friendships. Going into the camp, I didn't really know anyone too well, but by the end of the two weeks, I had made new friends, teammates and summer riding partners :)
How I got through the week....
I arrived back in Toronto on Feb 29th. I couldn't even describe the feeling I felt when I came off the plane and gave my mom and dad a big hug!
I rested for a couple of days, did some yoga with my mom, stretching, and spent a lot of my spare time catching up on homework. I knew during this week resting was SUPER important, as I had just pushed my body through some pretty crazy stress! Also, in only a couple of days, I will be competing at the 2016 Track Provincial Championships!!!
At this point in time, I really did not know what to expect from myself this weekend at provincials. I had heard stories from older riders that when they return home after long, slow base miles on the road, their legs go through a bit of a "shock" when they come back to the speed on the track. Knowing this, I put no expectations on myself, and just believed that my fitness from California will pull me through the weekend!
Friday morning, my mom, dad, boyfriend Andrew and I left for the velodrome at around 10am. Today, I raced the individual pursuit: one of my favourite events! Mental preparation is key for this event. Since it is only 2km and lasts a bit over 2 minutes, having your head in the game is critical. Believe it or not, My mental prep started the day before!
Individual pursuits are probably one of the most painful races, and will always be the most painful 2 minutes and 30 seconds of my life. When the time came, my coach put my bike in the start gate and the timer started counting down from 45. The adrenaline and positive energy flowed through my blood with an indescribable volume. 3....2....1....BEEP! Off I went, taking off with one of the best starts I have ever done on the track. Looking at the splits and seeing my coach communicating with me, my first 4 laps (1 kilometer) was slower than all my competitors. However, I gradually picked up my pace, and ended up getting a personal best by a couple seconds! I also ended up with provincial gold!
This was a very exciting moment for me, not only because of a new personal best, but I am officially a provincial champion for the first time! This feeling lasted all weekend and replaced feelings of exhaustion and fatigue from training in California with confidence and strength. Even my coach periodically teased me about the smile that I couldn't "wipe off my face" :)
Saturday night I raced the scratch race (race where the 1st person to cross the finish line wins, no fancy rules) and my teammate Naomi and I had one of our best races. Communication between teammates is crucial in track races and Naomi and I certainly deserved an A+ in that department!
Not only did "chatting" throughout our race earn us 1st (Naomi) and 2nd (me), but it seems as though every race we do together strengthens the trust between us, as teammates and friends!
On Sunday, we arrived at the velodrome around 8am, and prepared for the points race that was in the afternoon (60 lap race with "sprints" every 10 laps, points awarded for the winner of each sprint). This was the last race of the weekend, and I was ready to give it my all. I had accumulated a few points during the beginning of the race, and towards the end of the race, I attacked and almost lapped the field! This had been a goal of mine for a long time, and it felt really good to finally accomplish it at a fairly big race.
All in all, provincials was a hit! I guess I race better when I'm completely exhausted? ;)
This past month has been an amazing training block and learning experience for me. There are so many people who worked really hard to make this past month successful- not just for me -but for everyone.
My mom and dad- for allowing me to go to California and supporting me through provincials.
The OCA for organizing an AWESOME camp in California... and organizing track provincials...round of applause for you guys!!!
Clif- well, you make DELICIOUS ride food and I would not have been able to make it through any of my rides in California without your amazing bars and gels!
All of our awesome Kallisto-FCV p/b Toyo Tires sponsors!
My coaches and mentors at track provincials- Rob and Dave... you never fail to give me solid advice before and after races and guide me to become a better cyclist every single opportunity you see. Thanks so much!
Now prep for Track Nationals starts....Stay Tuned!
Ali
Now prep for Track Nationals starts....Stay Tuned!
Ali
