Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

IMG_4465
Originally uploaded by per_velo.

Belgium-Quebec-Vancouver-Pennsylvania-Kelowna all in 6 weeks!? It was a crazy plan. I am an optimistic sucker who loves racing way too much to pass up a free place to stay, strong field and "only" a 7 hour drive to great racing. I should have stayed home.
Nick and I rolled out of Calgary on Friday onroute to Salmon Arm were we had scored a free place to sleep at the Skinner's. The drive, although long, was uneventful. That same evening we took a little spin on some of the interior BC backroads guided by our gratious hosts. At the time my legs felt car tired, but not overly wrecked. I figured that the first bit of Saturdays race would be rough, but that I would come around to my old self eventually.
Saturday we drove the 1.5 hrs to the course just outside Kelowna. It promised to be a great day of racing with a solid field, an incredible rolling course and great weather. From the gun I knew I was in big trouble. The cold I thought I had kick from the week before was giving my a sore chest and labored breathing again, my nose was running and my legs were as flat as ever. I didn't even recognize my own body at the time, it was almost frightening. I ended up missing the break as I sat helplessly in the bunch just trying to ride and after just over an hour I pulled the plug and abandoned. As I pulled over in the feedzone I was shivering with goosebumps covering my arms and legs...it was 30 degrees out. Something was definitely not right and although it was unbearably disappointing at the time I know I made the right decision to pull the plug.
I never should have made the trip, instead I should have just stayed home and focused on the Bow crit which I wont even make an appearance at now. I completely overestimated my ability to cope with being sick and the extensive travel. I learned some valuable lessons.
As Nick and I drove home we started to reflect on the past 5 weeks. Ever since I came home from Belgium I have been criss crossing this continent in search of prime racing and so far it has been rather successful. There are many like us who do the same, but none from Alberta and few without teams and support staff to ease the stresses. I think we have discovered the limits of trying to be a privateer racer based in this part of the country. It definitely has its limitations and we have discovered them. All the more reason to be very confident and happy with my plan for next sea