Skipping The A Race. No Provincial Championships For Me.

2010 has been an interesting season -- at times, I would say it's even been a struggle (and not the usual bike race type struggle).

2009 was undeniably the best season of my life. I did everything the way I wanted to. Good power work, religious spinning, cross training and a lengthy list of races (some even with podium finishes and cheques!)

This year, my priorities changed. To compete at this level requires a huge committment. It means that after work, training/racing and everything that goes with it takes up all the remaining oxygen. And in previous years, that was just fine with me.

This year, I wanted more. Not more from myself as an athlete; but more from myself as a friend, sister, girlfriend, daughter, earthling. I wanted to be able to raise a glass on a friday night with friends without having to say "no thanks, I'm training". I wanted to stay up late, spend weekends at cottages with no bikes, visit family in my home town and just spend the morning chatting over coffee, instead of jumping out of bed at the crack of dawn to get endurance miles in "before the day starts". I wanted to see the Olympics ... but I finally understood that I wouldn't be going as an athlete, and that was OKAY!!

So yes, 2010 has been a different sort of year.

And what better way to finish it off than by blowing off the Provincial Championships.

Sorry Chico, I'm sure it's a lovely course, and I was really looking forward to racing it. But something better came along. I think in the long run, memories of yet another "8th place finish" will pale in comparison to ones of campfires and all night euchre tournaments, fishing, hiking and dominoes by lantern-light with mom, dad and sis at our place on Kama Bay. We haven't all been together there in about 15 years.

So good luck to all the racers. Maybe see you for some of the non-ocup stuff in the fall. Otherwise, til 2011!