Amazing Parc, my second edition... the big step.

Me Self in the park.

This was my second year at the Défi Vélo Mag Cyclosportive du Parc de la Mauricie. It was, all and all, a good year,considering the condition the Sherboucle had left me in. 3 weeks of not riding my bike and the end of a bronchitis. I'm very happy about me shaving a hour of my 2008 time. All my year of training payed of ... from 4h31 to 3h39 this year.

Guillaume, Dan Gerous ( for that occasion "Gilles" ) and me had ranted a place to stay in Shawinigan on the Friday night. Me and Dan wanted to go for some pastas... but it seem hard to find in that city. It reminded me of my childhood because i grew up near the " Parc de la Mauricie" We had a chalet in St-Mathieu du parc, one of the entrance of the park. We finally went for good old St-Hubert BBQ. God it was rough the next morning at the start line.


My bike and Guillaume's one.

So morning came fast, it was a fogy cold morning. We got to the park early. We had the problem of deciding what to wear? I knew that i had to be warm cos i did not want to worsen my bronchitis. But i also knew that when sun came, it would be hot. We went for a little training ride the legs were ok. We then got to the line 20 minutes before the start. At 10 o'clock "BANG" it's a start. As always Guillaume goes off like a rocket! Me and Dan see that our legs are not at par straight from the start. My legs feel heavy and painful ... I'm not able to follow Dan's pace. I say to myself go at your pace the race is long and you aim is under 3h30.

I followed a good group of cyclist for 1/4 the race. Past the bridge of the lake wapizagonke when we started to climb on the other side of the lake, i decided to fuel up with the power gel. But when i tried to get the gel in my back pocket... with all the layers i was wearing, it was time consuming when my eye focused back on the road i had dropped from the group... no way i could get back with them. I was a bit "pised off" on that. I knew from the other races done before... you lose a group it's hard to get back to it. I want on and another group of 15 riders picked me up. I went on with them to the halfway mark. My pace was ok but i knew ... i was not to my best for that day. From the halfway mark people in the group started to attack here and there splitting the group up in smaller group. From there on i was ether alone or with a smaller group of riders. We got to the "belvédère" hill climb. i had a good steady pace, but not my usual pace.

From the last feed zone to the finish line it was the same... going from small group to bigger group and the splitting up. i did not have the power to go faster and try to attack and give more to the finish line. I ended up crossing the line at 3h39.. 9 min slower then expected. When i look at my stats... i was 10 mins slower in my second section. making that 9 min. If i had kept up the pace i would have finished with my desired time. And if i had not been coming back from my bronchitis i think i could have done it in 3h20 possibly? We met with our friends Daniel and Christian after the race. Daniel had done the half distance of 53km. Christian did a DNF saddly.

So next year my goal is 3h15 and better... i think i can do it. I just love that ride!

I could not get one phrase out of my mind in the last few km's of the race " juste encore un ti pitch, come on! encore un, go" I was hearing the phrase in my mind... it was said to me last year by a good friend. I wish i could have made a cheer this year for our mutual runs with that friend at the lunch afterward. I guest not... hope you had fun doing your run. I had a blast. it was a big step... See ya in 2010, cher Parc!



My friend Gilles Gagné!