...End & Start...

I have wanted to update my blog more than I can explain, but when I have homework on my mind I feel like this would be very unproductive and thus I continue with homework. It's hard to explain what goes through my head when I am smothered with homework, but I can tell you sleep along with blogging and tweeting gets the boot. Not good habits and I full understand that, but with only one more week of school left I will soon have much more time for blogging and tweeting!

These last few weeks of school have been...crazy to say the least! I have been working all term on researching office design, finalized by applying that research to our own design. The best part is we were able to choose the company we want to to design the office space for. It was quite obvious to me that it would be cycling related as none of my class mates would choose something remotely close it and I wanted mine to stand out. WHY? Well not only is this class the highest weighted course and you want to have a good mark, but this project is for a scholarship with Staples Business and Allsteel Office.

Last week on the 30th we had arrange our projects on desks in the classroom so that the panel of designers from Allsteel could select what they thought was the top three projects were and those three students would then have the opportunity to present their project to a panel of interior designers and furniture designers in Toronto on the 18th. Well... the night of the 30th I received a e-mail from my prof saying I was going to Toronto on the 18th.

While my first reacted was SWEET! It very quickly turned into a 'Oh ****!'. I can't explain how much work I have to do in other classes in the last two weeks, but now I have to continue with this project and meet with profs and enhance what I have. Mean while all my classmates are done with that project and only have to worry about other classes.

Once I finally concluded that this is not only a really good opportunity to

win some money to help out with school, but this would be really good networking with interior designers in the industry (I have 8 months off of school coming up, a job would be really handy) I applied my theory I use while biking, 'Just F*** It!' Basically don't hesitate, just go for it!

So to conclude my rant and on the note of cycling, I will be racing P2A on the 17th and on the 18th I will be in Toronto hopefully accepting a scholarship :D

(: *****I will be posting updates on both, as school will be done after the 18th***** :)

...My office is designed for SCOTT...Pics will be posted...

There is promise, as I just took time out of homework to write this!

Joyride 150

Having time off school for the holidays provides you with an abundance of free time, and what better way to spend it than at Joyride 150! Since I was there last winter there has been several changes, and by changes I mean more fun. More skinnies have been added in the beginner section as well as a whole new expert section, which includes drop offs, teeter todder, and a very narrow pole you have to try to ride across. The pump tracks haven't changed at all, but not to worry they are still as fun as ever!

When I went to Joyride previously I brought my XC bike with, but realized quickly that everything but the XC course is designed for a bike with a smaller wheel base, thus making it much more fun to ride a dirt jumper or bmx bike. That said, my XC bike stay at home this time and I decided to rent a dirt jumper. Much more fun for this type of riding! It does take some getting use to not being able to sit down and using non clip-less pedals, but after a while you adapt.

I warmed up with a few XC loops and riding the pump track till I was nice and toasty, then I was off to the other room. Before hitting the jumps I thought it would be smarter to ride some skinnies and get a good feel for balancing this bike. Surprising to me, I found the jumper easier to balance on the skinnies than the XC bike. Nonetheless, I was ready for some air! I had some trouble the previous year getting air and had my mind set that I wasn't leaving till both wheels were off the ground for a respectable amount of time. Two or three times around the jumps and we had take off! After completing my mission faster than I expected I spent the remaining couple hours off and on riding the jumps, taking breaks and riding other sections.

All in all it was a great day! Wish I could spend 6hrs there riding everyday.

In addition I promised I would post some music I listen too while training. Here are just a fewthat I would recommend. Enjoy :)

Deadmau5 - California Love Vs Velile & Safri Duo - Helele (Dj Loofslaw Mashup)

http://hypem.com/#!/search/Deadmau5%20-%20California%20Love%20Vs%20Velile%20%2526%20Safri%20Duo%20-%20Helele%20(Dj%20Loofslaw%20Mashup)/1/

Diplo & Don Diablo – Make You Pop

http://hypem.com/#!/item/14fhm/Diplo+Don+Diablo+-+Make+You+Pop

Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed (Jakwob Remix)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/w8bb/Ellie+Goulding+-+Starry+Eyed+Jakwob+Remix+

Tiesto Feat. Diplo – C’Mon

http://hypem.com/#!/item/13754/Tiesto+Feat+Diplo+-+C+Mon

Zeds Dead & Omar LinX – Out For Blood

http://hypem.com/#!/item/15tks/Zeds+Dead+Omar+LinX+-+Out+For+Blood

David Guetta ft. Busy Signal & Red Rat - Da Remix Deh (D&H Remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIdckOohH64

Hyper Crush - Keep Up (Chew Fu Cold Crush Fix)

http://hypem.com/#!/search/Hyper%20Crush%20-%20Keep%20Up%20(Chew%20Fu%20Cold%20Crush%20Fix)/1/

Kid Cudi - Pursuit Of Happiness - (Steve Aoki Dance Remix)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/xp0b/Kid+Cudi+-+Pursuit+Of+Happiness+Steve+Aoki+Dance+Remix+

The White Panda - Escape Day 'N' Nite (Kid Cudi // Tiesto)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/1621k/The+White+Panda+-+Escape+Day+N+Nite+Kid+Cudi+Tiesto+

Tokyo Police Club - Favorite Colour (PUNCHES Remix)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/16zs3/Tokyo+Police+Club+-+Favorite+Colour+PUNCHES+Remix+

Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand (Fare Soldi Remix)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/15rsr/Duck+Sauce+-+Barbra+Streisand+Fare+Soldi+Remix+

AudioDax - Thoughts (Crystal Castles Remix)

http://hypem.com/#!/search/AudioDax%20-%20Thoughts%20(Crystal%20Castles%20Remix)/1/

Barletta - Large Marge Anthem (Major Rager)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/13d85/Barletta+-+Large+Marge+Anthem+Major+Rager+

David Guetta ft. Busy Signal & Red Rat - Da Remix Deh (D&H Remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIdckOohH64

Mohombi - Bumpy Ride (Chuckie remix)

http://hypem.com/#!/item/13bcp/Mohombi+-+Bumpy+Ride+Chuckie+Remix+

Life Cycles

http://www.lifecyclesfilm.com/

I stumbled upon the trailer for this movie a couple days ago and was completely amazed. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out!

Oh, and did I mention the song in this trailer Ghosted by Data Romance is sweet!!

http://cargocollective.com/dataromance#606523/Ghosted-Single

I didn't Forget!

....just haven't had the time :(

Where to start? Well, school has been going great so far! Just a couple weeks into the term myself and 4 other classmates were asked to represent Fanshawe College at the IDC (Interior Designers of Canada) Interior Design Charrette. Schools from across Canada gathered a team to compete in the challenge. With only 7 hours we were asked to create a sculpture out of recycled items such as pop cans and card board. On a small card we were given the words 'Evolution, volution, revolution. What does it mean to you'. Then it was go time!

http://www.fanshawec.ca/EN/dit3/program/dit_studentlife.html

To stack on top of school I was racing the Ontario University Cup race series every weekend. Taking place at four different venues: Mansfield, Hardwood, Bolar Mountain, and Ganaraska Forest. Theses races are always fun, and in the two years I have been involved I think we have lucked out on the weather! No rain and no snow, just some sunny fall weather, couldn't ask for better riding! I defended my title again for the second year in a row. Make it three next year? Don't see why not :)

With my race season ending, some much needed time off the bike was in order. In replacement weight training has began. The life of a athlete...always have sore muscles...but the podium in worth it.

Because of the U-Cups I haven't been doing much fall road riding. That said, this week I was back to riding and having the weekend free from racing I managed to get out on my first fall road ride today. It appears I managed to time my first fall road ride for when the weather started getting cold. Only 3 degrees out this morning, and with the threat of rain I was a little hesitant while getting ready. Once I got riding I warmed up pretty quick. It was sprint day today. My legs were pretty unpredictable from doing weights. Every sprint I would stand up and hope for the best. Still a great ride, and wasn't snowing as it was in other parts of Ontario.

For the next couple weeks, i'll continue to truck aways at weights and hopefully get some more road rides in before the white stuff hits the asphalt.

I will also promise to stay on top on my updates!

Tie my handlebars to the stars so I stay on track.

It's that time of the year again...Time to transition from cyclist to full time student and training athlete.

Even though I'm in school now, I still have Ontario University Cups to look forward too. There are only four race in the series, but that's just enough when your balancing school and have been racing since the spring. Once mid October comes and U-Cups have wrapped up I will finally have some days off the bike. I think it's possibly better for you mentally than physically, but moral of the story you don't hear me complaining.

It's been a GREAT season, lots of great experience and knowledge gained that can be carried over to next season. This was my first season racing the full Canada Cup series. As a result I realised how hard it is to race both the full C-Cup and O-Cup series at the same time. If your racing a O-Cup one weekend odds are you are racing C-Cup next...they are always one race after another, which gets extremely hard as your legs aren't always there. I was very sad to miss my favorite Ontario Cup at Buckwallow Cycling Centre :( At the same time I had the opportunity to race a Canada Cup in Edmonton, which was super fun!

A huge highlight of the season was making team Canada and having the opportunity to race world championships! Can't tell you how much I learnt. Best experience, and got a sweet picture of both me and my bike in the air! It's one thing to watch the video, but when you are right in the action and learn the pacing and get a feel for how different the courses are set up it's a whole other story. After my race and watching the junior men, U-23 men, and elite men and women it all starts to come together. I look forward training harder and building off this season. Have to wait and see what 2011 brings!

Back to homework!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!

Time to focus on the task at hand!

It's a little surreal having the opportunity to race on the world stage. The best part is that it's on home turf! Just riding around in the Canada kit I get cheers and I'm not even racing just riding. Every cheer I hear tomorrow is going to drive me to dig that little bit deeper. Mostly im going to stay focused on representing Canada to it's fullest and not focus on the heat or pain.

This is a extremly hard course that not only tests your fitness, but technical skills to the fullest. It's fitting that it's the world championships course. The winner of this race truely deserves this title!

Tomorrow I will race 4 laps of the course along with a start loop which is half a lap. The weather is going to play a huge factor in the race! It calls for more hot weather and the sun will bake down on every climb. Watched several Junior women crumble from the heat today.

Going to be a battle that's for sure!

This race gets EVERYTHING i have left and more!

---You can do anything you set your mind to---

MSA Update 2

World Championships tomorrow!!!!

Been on the course Monday and Tuesday for training. Monday I broke each section down to find lines. Yesterday I worked on getting flow throughout the course which is not a easy task. It's not very easy to pre-ride a world cup course as there are people everywhere! Training today starts are 9, my plans are to get one lap in and rest.

I have changed tires to Rocket Ron's. I like the tire for dry and wet conditions. Right now the course is like a beach with no water, but there is a chance that it will rain for my race so I'm thinking Rocket Ron's are a good choice.

I'm keeping this short....but I'll share some pictures :)

Team Canada 2010

Getting 'pumped' on the pump track.

Fun Switch back climbs.

Fun drop.

Blurry air times!

Deep breaths.

Cruising.

Such a cool hat...