Then it was on to Merritt to Race the Ranch with the added 4km to the loop it made for a long, but fun race, where many participants were cut off after the first lap because they had a time restriction, but hadn't allowed extra time for the extra 4km. I ended up running out of food, not having planned on being out for so long.
I did the Test of Metal for the second time. The first time was in 2004 when I started out bike racing. I remember putting so much preparation into it the first time. I went to the clinic beforehand on how to ride it, and was really nervous about it. This year, I decided on the Thursday night, that, yeah, I'd like to do it again. I had a ride down there.
I beat my 2004 time by an hour! (If only I could take an hour off for next year, I would be flying.) I really enjoyed it. I wasn't too concerned how hard I went out this year. I just wanted focus on eating enough and feeling good throughout the race, which I accomplished fairly well. I even gave some food away to a girl that looked like she needed some glucose fast, if she was to make it to the end of the race. Next year I would focus on getting out ahead, to beat the crowd to the funnel affect that always happens.
Kamloops Nationals was the hottest race I have done (compared to Canmore last year.)
We started out in 40+degrees at 2pm. My motto was the tortoise and the hair. I would just keep going at my pace, and I watched girls falter out and break down in tears as they dropped out of the race, overheated and under-glucosed. I had Cory, my photographer and feeder hand me a bottle every half a lap to drink and pour over my raisined body, between taking photos. There was a sandy uphill section where the sand was too loose to ride. Running in it, I felt like I was competing in the Indian test of walking on coals.
I was happy to have finished 8th at this race. Getting top ten in a Canada Cup is a feat. Now I have enough points to race a world cup.... now I just have to get fast enough.
