KingsBridge Blog

It is Vicki here checking in from a few weeks of being on the road and getting into some early season cyclo-cross racing….

Phew, it is a relief to sit down and take some time to let my fingers do some work for a change! Lets just say it is has been a very busy September and I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out how we ended up in the first week of October! Well, as you may know I’m a professional cyclo-cross racer and KingsBridge provides me with support that allows me to focus on my racing and training – this is why I’m invading the KingsBridge blog!

So, the cyclo-cross season started in early September with a double race weekend that saw me traveling to Trexlertown, Pennsylvania for a Saturday race and then driving to Kirkland, New York for a Sunday race. Yes, a lot of travel in a couple of days – but this is the life of cyclo-cross racer in North America – you go where the races are! That first race in Trexlertown was a chance to get a feel for my legs and see where I slotted in amongst some of the top elite women in North America. I went into this race with high hopes and expectations – last year I had raced to a solid 9th place and I was ready for an improvement on this performance…. Well, lets just say things didn’t come together as I had planned – I felt lethargic on the bike and just couldn’t ride the way I wanted and to be honest, part way through the race I checked out mentally. Not the start to the season I had planned on. I hit the reset button and told myself that Sunday in Kirkland would be better. It was better. Much better – I finished in second place. But admittedly this was not the same class of field that I raced with on Saturday and again I had the same lethargic feelings.

This was new territory for me. I’m used to feeling 100 per cent when I’m on the bike and I’m used to racing well and seeing improvements year after year. I had lots of talks with my coach, my husband (and number one fan), and my friends. We chalked it up to a bit of poor nutrition and just a few lingering cobwebs in the legs. Great, I focused on eating more carbohydrates and making sure I was rested for the following weekend of racing in Catamount, Vermont. In the last two season I had raced very well here and I really wanted to do the same. I was aiming for a top ten finish and a strong ride. I knew I could do it – I’m stronger, smarter and a better rider than I was last year. But unfortunately Saturday was more the same – no energy in the legs and just feelings of being worked over. To make matters worse I crashed hard in the last lap and injured my shoulder. The shoulder injury kept me out of the race on Sunday as I was looking ahead to a mid-week race in Las Vegas.

I left Catamount, Vermont bright and early on Monday morning to connect with the KingsBridge crew at the DRJ Fall World show in San Diego, California. I spent a couple of days helping out in the booth and getting in a couple of rides along the San Diego Bay. My shoulder was healing and although not 100 per cent, I knew it wouldn’t be a factor in the big race to come.

Tuesday after the show, we loaded up the rental van and myself and the KingsBridge crew hit up the open road for Las Vegas! Yes, Las Vegas. I never thought I’d be racing my cyclo-cross bike in Las Vegas, but each year as part of the Interbike trade show, the organizers host Cross Vegas. This is a “race under the lights” that attracts a top-notch field, lots of fans and is generally a good time. Thanks to the great support from the KingsBridge gang I was well taken care of for the race (many thanks to the Element Hotel for helping us out with accommodation). So the race? Well, I had an excellent start and made the lead group – at one point I was sitting in 18th position…. And then the hammer dropped and I imploded. Same problems as before. Very frustrating. But through it all I still had a good time and was happy to be out racing, but the lack of good results and lethargic sensations on the bike weren’t doing much for my confidence.

The good news is that after a battery of tests with my doctor (I have a disease called ulcerative colitis that I have been battling for the past year), we learned last week that there is a reason for the lethargy, fatigue and poor riding. Turns out I’m more sick than we initially thought. So last week I had an iron infusion and was given orders to not race in Gloucester, Mass. last weekend. This was a real disappointment since Gloucester, Mass. is where I had my first podium and my first win on a cyclo-cross bike. But doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders. I took a few days off the bike and just enjoyed being down in Gloucester cheering on my husband Marc (who also races in the KingsBridge colors).

This week I’ve gotten out for a couple of rides to test out the legs and today I had a second iron infusion. The big question through all of this is how am I feeling? Well, relieved. Relieved to know that these poor rides were really out of my control. Frustrated that the ulcerative colitis is rearing its ugly head and making life challenging. Thankful that I’m still able to get out and ride my bike and live an active lifestyle. Optimistic because I’ve pushed the reset button on my season and I’m letting the past be the past.

My season starts this weekend with a local race that is part of the Ottawa Bicycle Club Cyclo-Cross series. This is a great local series that has been around for years. It is also the launchpad for many athletes such as myself who have gone on to race for Team Canada at the World Cyclo-Cross Championships. Next Wednesday I hop a plane and I’ll be racing in the first World Cup in Aigle, Switzerland on Oct. 17 and then the following weekend in Plzen, Czech Republic.

So, all this to say – life is good. My health is coming together. I’m supported by an awesome group of people. My race season is looking awesome with me once again living in Belgium from November to February. A slow start but I’m anticipating a strong finish!

(Be sure to check out my website to read daily updates of my racing, training and all parts in-between. And next post, I’ll get some photos up for you!)