Roller Coaster

The last time I updated my blog things were looking good. I had just raced the Paris to Ancaster and was riding the wave of success from being the unofficial P2A champion of the Gripped Publishing Empire (we produce Canadian Cycling, Canadian Running, Triathlon Magazine Canada and Gripped climbing magazine). Two weeks later I was on the start line for the first Ontario Cup mountain bike race of the year and I came to realize how quickly fortunes can change.

It’s been a few years since I’ve focused primarily on mountain bike racing and I was excited to get the season under way. I had been spending lots of time training on my MTB, although a very wet spring in Niagara meant most of my riding was done using slick tires on the road. Well, Race 1 started off great and I was sitting third after the first lap, only about 10 seconds out of second, when I came through the start/finish and realized I had a rear flat.

I didn’t handle it particularly well.

A few choice words and a punched-fence later, I came to a stop and hopped off. I was at a crossroads. Do I try to fix it and likely finish at the back, or do I go back to the car (which was in sight) and call it a day. Sadly, and rather foolishly, I chose the latter. I quit. I walked off the course, packed up the car and left as quickly as I could. It took me all of about 10 minutes to regret my decision, and that regret was multiplied later that day when I looked at the results and realized I could very well have come back to finish on the podium. Lesson learned.

Race 2 went better, if by better you mean I didn’t flat and I didn’t quit. Unfortunately, I did bust a chain while running second just before the end of the first lap. Once again, I handled it like a champion – tossing my bike to the ground in disgust and yelling out a few more choice words. Thankfully, this time my girlfriend was nearby to talk some sense into me. “Calm down” she mouthed to me. It was what I needed. I picked the bike back up and ran to the tech zone where someone had a chain tool and a powerlink to save my day. I fixed the bike and then rode like a crazy person to get back up to second, where I finished. It was another lesson learned that not giving up can have good results.

I had to miss Race 3 because of other commitments, but came to Race 4 on Sunday with just one goal in mind – no mechanicals. That was a goal completely out of my control, which meant the pressure was off. This time, though, I came prepared. I had a quick inflator can with sealant in it for a quick flat fix, a multi-tool with a built-in chain tool and a powerlink. And, of course, this time I didn’t need any of it. When Lap 1 went by without any issues, I was able to breathe a bit easier. I kept thinking I was getting a rear flat, but that was just my tired legs complaining on the uphills. The race finished without incident and I was fortunate to take another second.

Now, with three races left on the OCup schedule, I can only race one of them, so I figure I’ll bide my time in my current category and then hopefully see about an upgrade for 2012. Unfortunately, that upgrade will likely mean I won’t be seeing any podiums for a long time.