Grandma and I
After my four day trip to the Island I came back home to Whistler. A trip up to a secret lake and rope swing in the forest made for a chilly dunk (I think we were the first brave troopers to try in this year!) but thanks to the weather there were no bugs!
Dad's training for the RBC Grand Fondo this summer...SWEET KIT!
I finished my easy riding days in Whistler with a hard training day on Tuesday, my favourite way to prepare for an upcoming weekend of racing. Dad came out in the morning and honked the car horn during a kadenwood personal best attempt (Kadenwood is a local climb in Whistler, 2.9 kilometres averaging 6.9%). I was able to get it done at an average speed of 21.9km/hr so very stoked to take a good chunk off my previous best. For those who know the climb and are looking to compare, its from the bricks to the manholes on the right hand side of the top roundabout.
That evening I joined up with Team Whistler's weekly group ride up to the Olympic training center. Although we chatted for the easy parts of the ride, there were some times when it was time to go maximum. Of course it took me a while to get used to riding in such beautiful terrain while going so hard. At the top, a small group of us were lining up for a sprint and as we took the final corner, the entire panorama of the mountains came into view and I couldn't help but think how different this is...usually when I am getting ready to sprint I am looking at barriers, manholes and other hard objects close to my path in the midst of a cacophony of noise blanketed in dim early evening light, the overhead lights beaming, casting long deceiving shadows. The backdrop of the mountains at that moment will be something that will stay with me for a long time.
The local press has also been working hard to help Team Exergy get some exposure here in Canada, for which I am extremely grateful.
Eric at the Whistler Question wrote this wonderful piece on Thursday. Article #1
Gary at the Vancouver Sun published this excellent article this morning...digging the photo in the written copy! Article #2
And Terry at the Province included an in-depth article discussing my initiatives as an asthma awareness ambassador. Article #3
Team Exergy has also recently published the Canadian Nationals report after working with one of Canada's best cycling photographers, Jon Safka of www.cyclingphotos.ca. Thank you Jon! See you at the races soon!
Keep being rad.