2012 Canadian Track Nationals

Sun sets on 2012 racing

Well that didn't go as well as I hoped! This week's 2-day Omnium event was the first real disappointing event of racing for me this entire season so I guess it's a sign that it's time to shut it down for the year. Of course that was the plan but it would have been nice to experience some good sensations for just one more week; last week in Quebec City at the Pro Sprint Challenge I felt on the top of my game.

But alas, everyone's season must come to an end and a rider can only enjoy 'super form' for so long. My season was oriented towards June and early July, a six week block that included: the Philadelphia International Championship; the Air Force Classic in Washington, DC; the Tour de Beauce (Canada's most prestigious stage race); the National Road & Criterium Championships and finally BC Superweek and Exergy Twilight. Those six weeks were good to me so I am very happy with my 2012 season. 

I think one of the biggest things I learned this season was to believe in my preparations and maintain as stress-free a lifestyle as possible. The changes I made to my nutrition and on-the-bike training lent themselves well to my long season (March 1st - Sept 6th) and strong performances throughout (except of course this past week). My favourite week of the year was right after the Tour de Beauce when I roomed with all the other Canadian Continental professionals leading up to the Canadian Nationals. CyclingBC set us up at a collection of beautiful houses huddled in the countryside adjacent to Mt. Magantic, providing the perfect combination of quality training and a quiet atmosphere for recovery. 

My other favourite experience of the season was spending 3 weeks in Vancouver just this past month training on the velodrome, racing in the local weekly events and meeting a lot of people by name. The bike lanes in Vancouver reminded me a lot of Portland, Oregon and I am happy to report that there are A LOT of people riding bikes in Vancouver. The up-and-coming CyclingBC racers are also extremely strong and seem to have a great attitude towards cycling, so I think the future of cycling in BC is bright! Enjoy the remainder of your racing seasons...for me...time for 2 weeks off the bike and then back to just general stress-free adventures on my 2-wheeled steed. 

2012 Track Nationals: Scratch. Photo Courtesy: Richard Wooles Cycling BC