Cesar's Blog

I have always been curious how would it feel to race a marathon without specific training. Not that I don’t run everyday, but I wasn’t training for this race specifically. After my May 2017 Marathon, where I clocked 2:59:45 I have been wondering what would it feel to break 3 hours once again. It wasn't the case this past Saturday, but it was a good mental run. I had a free entry from last year's race when I came 3rd, and I didn't want to waste it.. after all, free entry is free entry. With Maria and the kids keen on going on the road as a support crew, I decided it would be a good idea to race again. I had the usual for breakfast, oatmeal and a waffle with peanut butter and bananas, an extra large coffee and water. I was at the start at around 8:00am, but the race wasn't until 9:00am, so sat on the car to stay warm since the temperature was -9c burrrr @#$% Just 10 minutes before 9:00, I headed out to the start and lined up for the start. I started and for the first...

Another great MTB race and family camping trip. This time I raced with Amit in a team of 2. The format, a 4 hours mountain bike race. The course a 8kms loop with almost 300 mts of elevation gain. Single track almost all the way; 21 min uphill and 11 down. We headed out on Thursday night since Cypress Hill is about 4 hours drive from home. Amazing oasis in the middle of the prairies, unbelievable weather with high of 30c. We camp there with Russ and family, Amit and family and of course my kids, wife and mother in law (every one with a training partner for their level, my mother in law was walking at least 5 kms every morning along the lake with Thelma; Maria was running with Anne and Jody; Russ and I were swimming across the lake every day, and Amit and I racing our bikes Saturday morning. We came in 3rd place and had an amazing performance, I always think I could have race faster and harder but at the time it feels like I am going as fast as I can... The race started at 10am and ran ...

2 days in Amit's office. There will always be a reason to go out in an adventure and explore this beautiful country. Andy and Amit are always game for a loooooong adventure mountain bike ride so this year we planned an overnight at the ranger’s cabin in Tombstone. We started from Station flats and climbed up Sugar Daddy, went down Snake and Ladders, up RidgeBack and Moose Packers. The down hill on Shaft was fast ! Up we went on the Husky road to Loamzilla (yes, we pretty much raced to the top which I realized on day 2 that it was a bad idea…) The downhill from Loamzilla is technical and steep (very steep). Powderface ridge was a challenge, Amit wasn't feeling well and I carried his backpack all the way to the top and down to Elbow, but that is what friends are for ::--)). He then started to feel better and we both slowly tried to catch up to Andy who was on fire pursuing the KOM of Little Elbow !!! He got it, we didn't have anything left after 3,000 mts of elevation gain i...

I wanted to take a day off and go for a longer ride, so the idea was head out at 4am and ride the Water Valley loop clock wise. I was riding home the night before and ran into Ryan Yung, when told him my plan for Friday he told me that Erik was planning a cx adventure ride as well// I emailed Erik and agreed on meeting at 9am at the information centre in Bragg Creek (better than my 4am planned...), Pat Dodge, Erik Bakke, and one of his co-workers were there on time. I had my cx bike ready for the trip, Erik rode his monster cx and the rest just mtb. We rode the gravel rode of Mclean Creek for a long time... at some point turned right at a close gate, were after crossing an old bridge we were able to ride on an old abandoned road. The rode took us to Blue Rock Campground at the end of Turner Valley./ There, we re-filled the water bottles and began the adventure ! we took a single track trail that was barely marked, bushwhack for for al...