Guest Blog Post

Hmm, kind of not sure how to introduce myself. But since you’re here on the popular Cyclemania website, I’m assuming that just like me, bikes are a big part of your life. So I’ll cut to the chase, I’m Vicki Thomas and I’m a cyclo-cross racer. I split my time living in Ottawa, ON and Blauberg, Belgium. I’ve lived in Ottawa since 1990 when I moved here from northern Saskatchewan to study journalism at Carleton University.

After graduating from university, I began a 15 year career as a technical writer and now have branched into freelance journalism and copywriting. But this career has taken a backseat for me. I’ve decided to devote more energy and time to my bike racing. It might seem strange when you do the math and discover that I’m 38 years old – isn’t that a bit late in life to switch from a full-time professional desk-bound career to a full-time bike racing careeer? Well, yes and no. This move to becoming a full-time cyclist has been a gradual process.

I started bike racing again in 2004 after a hiatus from the sport where I competed in a number of other sports including hockey and taekwon-do (I was a member of the 2003 Canadian ITF Taekwon-Do team and won a bronze medal at the ITF World Taekwon-Do Championships in Thessaloniki, Greece), and I threw in a marathon in for fun as well! But I kept on being drawn back to the bike. When I ride my bike I feel free – mentally and physically.

In 2004, I rediscovered a love of all things bike and bike racing. This passion quickly became focused on cyclo-cross racing. Cyclo-cross is one of the most difficult forms of bicycle racing. It is a winter sport, with the season starting in late September and ending in mid-February. Woodland trails, open meadows,mud, and short, steep hills are the main features of a cyclo-cross course. Normally the circuit is 2.5-3 km in length, and the race duration is around 40 minutes. Cyclo-cross is also the most popular discipline of bicycle racing in North America. The United States championships
are held over four days to acomodate racers and fans. In Europe, spectators arrive upwards of four hours early and will pay 20 dollars to watch the race.

In 2008, I set a goal of racing at the 2009 World Cyclo-Cross Championships. I did not accomplish this goal. So I reset, changed my training up, switched from full-time work to part-time work, and really devoted myself to my sport. I’m proud to say that on Jan. 31, 2010 I represented Canada at the 2010 World Cyclo-Cross Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic. Never have I felt as proud as I did that day when I lined up on the start line wearing my red and white Team Canada skinsuit. The power of the maple leaf and the words Team Canada are unbelievable.

I want to experience this again. It is a gift to be able to be a bike racer and to race and train all over the world, and in my opinion, I have no option but to shoot for the biggest goals I can. So for the 2010 – 2011 season, my goal is to race at the 2011 World Cyclo-Cross Championships in St. Wendel, Germany.

This is my major goal for the season. But on the way I’ve got a number of smaller goals to tick off on my way to this race. Some of these goals are tangible such as specific results at the Canadian National Cyclo-Cross Championships and World Cup circuit. Other goals are less measurable but just as important, and include improving my technical riding skills, continuing to build my race fitness, become more confident on the bike, and improve my mental game. I’ve come to learn that to be an elite cyclist, each component must be considered and a strength in one area does not always compensate for weakness in another. This well-rounded approach to my training and racing has helped me to continue to improve year over year.

To accomplish these goals, I’ve taken another step career-wise and I’m no longer working part-time. Rather, I’m working on a freelance basis from home so I can better focus my energies on training and racing. To help me do this, I’ve been fortunate to receive support from some generous sponsors who help me to cover my travel, racing, and living costs.

You might still be scratching your head, thinking, “hmm, I still don’t get it – why make such sacrifices so late in your athletic lifespan?”. Well, I truly believe in doing things to one’s best. I want to see how far I can go in this wonderful sport. How much faster, stronger, smarter can I become as a bike racer? I’m 38 years old, I haven’t got a lot of racing years left, so there is no time like the present to put all my energies into this and see how far I can go.
It might sound cheesy, but I really believe that the sky is the limit.

The other reason for doing this, is that I have ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a disease that attacks the large intestine – making life rather unpleasant and painful at times. Medical research has yet to diagnosis what causes ulcerative colitis and as such there is no known cure for this disease. For many people suffering with this disease, life is a challenge. I’m one of the lucky ones – thanks to my healthy and active lifestyle, I’m able to stay relatively symptom free. I want to show people that even with such a life-long disease, anything is possible. There are many young people being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis – I cannot imagine what it would be like to be young and have to deal with this disease. If I can help to raise the profile of ulcerative colitis and be a positive role model for others, then I’m making a difference.

So there you have it – this is me. To keep people up-to-date with my racing, training, daily musings on life as a bike racer, and the ups and downs of such a life choice, I have a web site where I post daily. Go check out Ottawa Cross to read about my blog posts, read about my sponsors, check out my race reports, and if you feel like it – leave a comment so I know you’ve been by. You can also download my sponsorship package if you’re interested.

Thanks for reading. Remember to always keep the rubber side down…

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