Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Season is FINALLY Over


By Florent Bouchat

Part of me wishes it would go on, the other part cannot be any more relieved that the pain is over. Some - or maybe many - people think it was silly of me to race with hip pain but now that i have been off the bike for a week with continued hip pain, seems to me riding didnt make a lick of difference. So with that said, i am glad i continued since i had an immense amount of fun the last races!


If you want to read all about my last day on the bike this season, check out my story (with plenty of photos) on CYCLOCROSS Magazine.

A BIG THANKS to Baboco, my teammates, family, friends, supporters, Challenge Tires, PROBAR, Mt. Tam Bikes, Specialized, Concap, Coach Elmo and of course JONAS! The support is so immensely appreciated!!!

As of today i am off the bike for a full nine days. I thought i would go crazy without riding a bike but it's actually been easy.  I've kept myself busy with house projects, writing articles, and catching up on emails and other stuff that's been put off a bit too long. I also finally got a new computer to replace the one that was stolen in Girona last year. It's definitely helped to keep me distracted.  The hip pain also makes it a bit easier to stay off the bike :-(


The last two days Jonas and I have been up at 7am to greet the workers who are installing our new water boiler and "burner" to heat the water.  Once they are done, another set of guys come to switch us over from oil to gas.  A gas line was just installed on our street a few months ago, but before that, gas was not an option. 

I dont mind the early rising but I must admit having no heat or hot water for what will be three whole days by the time the project is over is a bit inconvenient.  I tried to take a "bird bath" this morning and found that after one minute my bitties were numb. Brrrr....

Next week they come to insulate the walls, then the solar panels go up by May. We got extra solar panels so we can heat our water on electricity - green electricity that is! It will also save us a bunch of money on gas. Our new fancy water boiler has a gas/electricity switch so you can decide what you want to use to heat the water - cool, huh.

Thursday i have another appointment for my hip - an x-ray and some other eco-something-or-other test to determine where i am in the recovery process. Fingers crossed all is back in order SOON, especially since Team Baboco has team training camp starting April 7th.  It will be in Benidorm, Spain - the equivalent of Boca Raton but with hills for those of you who dont know the town.

Thanks for reading!


4 comments:

Amy said...

Oh, house works - bah! But you'll be happy when it's done. Hope the rest helps your hip feel better and if you are planning to be in Leuven let me know - my workshops are done and we could meet for coffee or lunch. Have you heard of the new vegan restaurant on the Tiensestraat, Loving Hut? Cute place!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Christine.

Oh Benidorm will be fun! Spring camp, awesome!

Great that you are getting some time off the bike, a well earned rest I say. Take it easy.

Personally I think you guys are mad getting your heating installation changed in February!! You deserve to be cold ;) I think I'd be showering etc at the local pool. Still it's cool that you are getting this done.

Hope your x-ray's dont show anyhing too terrible and that you mend quickly :)

Thanks for sharing all of your exploits this season :)

OH and do I get Daphny VdB to come to my party?

PEANUT said...

@Amy - too cool! it sounds like a vegan version of greenway!! I am so super excited. i have a hip appointment today and my custom insole appointment tomorrow (the time of year to get all this stuff done for me), but next week let's meet up for lunch - then maybe on the same day i will also meet johan for dinner so i make full use of my trip. What days are you free next week?
@Chris - What party are you having? maybe i will go...i can get a ride with daphny ;-) How's your training going? on track?

Anonymous said...

Training started again this weekend Christine, after a two week break of anything vaguely sport related, timely too as work was piling on pressure on various projects and once again mental stress was exhausting me more than physical. I hate that feeling.

Yeah starting again with a few easy rides, runs etc, gonna mix some swims in too maybe even a triathlon at the bcak end of eth summer before 'cross gets underway.

I finished the 'cross season with the London League Team Champs finishing in my highest position of the year, unforetunately my team mates didn't fare so well and as a team we finished DFL. Ah well, still I ended well which only inspires me more for next season.

Oh I will think of a reason for a party if Daphny and you are coming. Ha! you'd better bring Jonas too.