CODY SHIMIZU

A look into my life, a journal to look back on, a blog for others to see.

After a disastrous last few weeks of my summer season, I took some time to recover completely before I delved into cyclocross season. Coming back from Winnipeg`s Canada Summer Games Test Event I was wreaked, being crammed in a car for 12 hours right after a race is a horrible recovery idea. Back in Edmonton, I just took the next week really easy just cleaning the dust off my cross bike, making sure it’s in race condition. I had tried to plan it out where I would have a slower start to the season, and use all of the races as a build up towards the end, hopefully for nationals. By the time I started riding my cross bike, I had less than a week until the first race in Okotokes. I was feeling pretty sloppy on my cross skills like, running, dismounting, and remounting.

The race in Okotokes was interesting, the course had a solid mix of cornering and power sections, but unlike last year it was a fast course. I wasnt too nervous about the race itself since I didnt have too high of expectations, hoping that I would be at least around top 10. On Saturday I felt great, I made sure to not go too hard from the start. I personally felt like I was able to hold a very steady pace through the whole race, and getting back my cross skills. On Sunday I could definitely feel that I was much more tired, but I was looking forward to it, the morning was a little damp, so I was expecting the course to be a little choppy from the morning races. Instead by the time I raced it was ridiculously warm again and the course was still superfast and dry. Nearing the end of the race I could feel myself hurting, but I suffered through and still managed to get a top 10 finish, looking forward to a few weeks of solid training.

The week after was filled with lots and lots of boring long rides out on the road trying to build a little more of a base. Next was the Pump house Cross in Calgary, I was really looking forward to this race. This race in Calgary was always my favourite. This course had always been perfect for me, with lots of corners, and not much power sections. But this year was different; they had to move the course to a different park due to construction problems or something. The course still had fun technical sections, unfortunately it also had lots of straights with heavy! I mean HEAVY grass. It suuuucked. At the end of race, it came down to me and my team mate for 7th place, coming into the last corner with the barriers just before them, he hopped, I got off and ran. He was clean and fast through the barriers, and he got me in the end. At least the complete sufferfest had ended. On Sunday, the race never happened due to rain. Yes… A cross race cancelled due to rain.

Provincial Championships were up next, I didnt really taper, or peak for provincials this year as it was my first year in the elite category. I really had no expectation for this race, I was hoping to try and get into the front group, and stay in there for as long as possible. It was looking good from the start. I got the holeshot, than got chopped hard on the second corner. By the time we got to the first straight, I could immidiately feel the lack of power in my legs, and that was pretty much the story for the rest of the race. In the end I managed to hold on to 6th place which I was quite happy about, especially after a hard training week.

The next races were back in Edmonton, at the Argyle Community Park. Considering this week was a rest week for me, I was looking toward a good result to see how my training working. On Saturday, I had an amazing start flying off the line. I was able to keep with the top group for the first little of the race, and no mistakes, I was able to get a 4th place, with 3rd right in my sights. On Sunday, I surprising felt better than I expected, in the first few laps I just, made it into the lead group but I got dropped soon after. Floating in no mans land between the lead group and the HUGE chase group. Not soon after I got swallowed by the chase group. Me, my teammate and another strong guy from Hardcore were able to shed the chase group. In the end it came down to me and the guy from Hardcore, having a drag race to the finish line. Thankfully I was able to take this one, and I ended up in 5th place.

The following Tuesday, during training I broke my ankle. So, yea my season ended early. I will make a post about that later. GG