Amazing base jumping

I just came across this and had to post about it. Must be an amazing experience.

Amazing Base Jump - Watch more free videos

Do I still exist?

It's been almost six months since my last post. Things have been very busy with starting a new company. This means I've been training so little that all my cycling gear is getting a little tight!

Racing this year is taking a back seat to business. Got to do, what you got to do.

If you're interested in keeping up with me on this front checkout my other blog at http://endtochaos.blogspot.com.

The clocks move ahead this weekend. The winter is over!!

Welcome Winter

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Originally uploaded by dheaps.

It snowed for the first time in Toronto today. Darkness is here. Hello winter.

Chico Fall 8hr - The Solo Cherry

Today was the Chico Fall 8hr. It was held up at Walker Farm in Durham. I wasn't able to race (packing for the move), but Chris and I headed up to see Todd, Ian, Mike and Steve all do their first 8hr solo. It was an inspriation to see all of them step up. Not sure of the positions but I think they were all top ten, which is great.

I was able to grab a bunch of photos of everyone except Mike. Sorry man, you were always the first to come by...and going so quick! :)

Congrats to Rob from Barrie for taking 3rd in the Solo, good job!

and Greg for coming 3rd with a four man team, of whom I met none...did they really exist? hmm Greg's getting married soon, so maybe he's just playing the field with 3 strange men...nothing crazy, you know :)

You can see all of today's the photos by clicking any of the ones below, or going to http://www.flickr.com/photos/dheaps/.

Run the fastest at the end

I recently finished reading Good to Great, fantastic book. Close to the end Jim Collins talks about a running team having a simple and very effective plan on how to win races. “We run the fastest at the end.” This simple motto is what they base all of their training on. So much so that they put a coach at the ½ way mark of the race, from this point they calc how many people they pass by the end of the race. They earn points for the people they pass and it’s a huge source of pride among team members.

I really like this idea, makes a ton of sense. In each of my O-cup races I’ve gone out hard and ended weak. Consciously thinking about going out slow and coming in fast I think could really work for me. To the point where I could start with the first hour of the race taking it easy and then give it my all during the second half. And measure how many people I can pass. Would be very interesting to see how I could do with this.

Either way it’ll have to wait till next season. Work is too busy and I’m moving in two weeks, and I don’t feel up to it – so I’m going to miss provincials this year. No biggie, I’ve had a great season (loved Hot August Nights) so I’m good.

But come next year...

Racing is my drug of choice

I was walking with my wife Colleen tonight and she asked me "do you have more fun riding with your friends or racing?". At first I couldn't explain it "I enjoy both" I said. But in thinking about it more I said "there is a feeling that comes with racing that never comes on the joy ride".

I wish I could capture how it feels mid-race, the feeling of flying through the forest - flowing from turn to turn, coming to an open section and standing up over a slight rise...holding momentum, building speed and then dropping into another section of single track - the forest flying by in a blur but yet being able to see so clearly the trail ahead. My body feeling truely like a machine, everything pumping, flowing, breathing...a dance of physics, mechanics and desire.

These words really don't do it justice. If you ride mountain bikes you probably have a sense of what I'm talking about. If you race you may know the feeling I'm talking about, but then again maybe it's different for everyone.

All I know is that it's a high like nothing else, and I'm hooked :)

Is Weave Racing the new Lance?

Yes it is true folks. Hot August Nights came, we rode and we won...again. Always nice to win, even nicer to win back to back. This year everything ran super smooth. I'll post a bunch of pics over the next day or so and write a more detailed description of events. I'm also trying to find a good place to host some video. Chris brought his camera and documented the whole thing.

Anyway, thanks to the Weave Racing team for everything. Ya'll rock!

So...is Weave Racing the next Lance? haha - let's see if we can do it another 5 years in a row!