Pan Am Mountain Bike Championships 2012

Another trip done, another place traveled, another good race and some even better memories! We had a great group of people, amazing mechanics and coach. We arrived not this past Thursday but the one before in the evening and drove for a couple hours from Mexico City out to Puebla. I went into this trip expecting the worst of the worst and it turned out pretty good. With nine riders in a ten by twenty-five room sleeping in bunk beds we all got pretty close while talking about feelings and stuff. We were able to pre-ride the course for two days and we were the lucky winners of the contest of which country would get left behind on the venue and have to wait a couple hours for the bus to come back. I had a mishap and dropped a coffee mug on the floor and shards flew into both of feet. It looked like Jaws had just taken place 2012 Mexico style. Found out on the drive that it was convenient to have a garbage dump on the side of the road into a creek.. With chicken and rice in our system and on our plates for three days straight I am sure we had some energy in reserves, but with being at altitude we were burning lots of our beloved variety of food off.  Race morning came and it looked like the "weathers plan of rain" was out and the sun was in. After we spent the morning trying to find a somewhat empty toilet because of the lack of running water. Once that was accomplished one, two, three and even four times for some people we jumped on the bus out to the venue. The crazy driver of course was driving that morning and he hit a few of the speed bumps a little to fast and I think ruined the suspension a little, after that was achieved the engine started to slowly stop working, after ten minutes of going up a mountain in 1st gear at 6.66 k/ph we made it to the venue only to have the bus break down on spot and start smoking.  Just as we arrived our U23 Canadian women were racing with Andreanne Pichette and Laura Bietola both racing in the top five. After the chamois were put on the warm ups began at our 8,000 ft race venue. A good warm up took place as well as some pre-race get soaked with ice water. Enough UCI points for third call up. There were five Canadians on the seven person front line. I took the wholeshot and led into the first descent and up into the first climb. I wanted to stay out of trouble and then ride my own race as being smart that day would lead to a  good result because of the unusually high venue and the heat. I faded back to 8th on the first climb and then started working forward again to finish up in fifth. I had teammate Evan Mcneely just up ahead and first year U23 and ridiculously fast climber Howard Grotts from the US chasing me which meant there was no time to mistakes all the way to the end. Nice work to Russel Finsterwald for taking the W and Kerry Werner for 3rd.

Post race there was a cool down the US guys excluding Mcneely and Finsterwald as they had to pee in cups for anti-doping. I think the award for longest ever going before peeing in the cup goes to the one and only Evan Mcneely. While he was drinking water and thinking of waterfalls I found a Mexican guy on a bike that was making Tacos so I pounded back some of those, de-chamois'd, cleaned my no no place as you don't want to get infections, especially in Mexico City area. Packed up gear, got a Mexican jersey, started hurting with gut rot and suffered with the big climb up the buses with all the gear. Arriving back at the hotel we rush washed our bikes, showered, ate, packed, ate, packed bikes, ate, thought we were taking a 7 pm bus to town, waited more, then ate the dinner at our accomodation, waited more, took the bus to Mexico City, slept for five hours, checked in at the airport like a ninja, flew back the best place on earth Peachland!

Thanks to the Canadian Cycling Association, Rocky Mountain Bicycles, The Bike Barn, Mom and Dad and everyone else who has been apart of my life/training the last few months.

Pictures below, be aware if you are scared of blood, spandex and awesomeness!