The Road to Provincials

The Ontario Cup series is drawing closer to the end. September 9th is the final race of the season and it's looking to be a doozy.

This year we are returning to Highlands Nordic for the final day of racing. Last year was apparently so well received that we're getting a second dosage. Personally I missed this race last year but I've gotten plenty of chances to preride the thing and I can say it's going to be tough. The course organizers are really aiming to lay the hurt on us as the course is relentless in causing cardiovascular agony.

The course starts very narrow so fighting to be on the front of the pack will be all the more fierce. It turns quickly into a steep climb and even quicker into some narrow singletrack. After a jump and foray into the first of many rock gardens, the course opens up into a very wide, very long climb to the top. In the winter time I come to Highlands to do a lot of nordic skiing, the sport this venue is known for. It's really interesting to see what it looks like without six feet of snow and to race in the opposite direction up the steep climb.

Getting back into the singletrack is an exercise in restraint. All the other courses would demand that you put the hammer down but everything here is so devilishly tricky that it's just not worth the energy to sprint from braking zone to braking zone. Maintaining a steady pace and carefully picking your line through the trees and huge rocks will serve you better in the long run. Even the downhills here are harder than they look as they're littered with rocks that require the utmost concentration. No chance for a physical break as your body gets pounded by the stones and if you try to take a mental break you'll probably find yourself picking your bike up out of the bushes. One wrong step through the rock gardens and all of your momentum will be instantly sapped and you'll have to work hard to get that speed back. Do that for four laps and you might not have enough for a fighting finish.

The course is just so relentless in every way - tricky singletrack, harsh downhills and butt-busting rock gardens. To be honest though, the departure from courses that only need raw speed for a course that requires more efficiency and strategy is fitting for a provincial championship. I'm also really glad I got the rear suspension overhaul done on my HeiHei a while back because that's the bike I'll be using. The course is just far too rough for a 26er hardtail I think.

Training this week has seen me keep the intensity but cut the workload so my body can peak just in time for the race. Of all the training days I've had, the legs have felt really fresh and more than capable for what the workout is asking for. I'm really excited for the race because I definitely feel like I'm on top form but also because I'll have a cheering section. The girlfriend has wanted to see me race for sometime now and she's not going to miss this chance - I have to make sure to put on a good show!