Parmain, France.

Cheers Joppe! That was some bloody well spent time!
Three days of quality riding in Parmain.

'To follow the path, look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master.'
Basho

On the door step of a fresh start.

As long as the sun sets...

I think it is time to give a bit of insight to my season, which has now been planned three times. As I'm now happily back on my bike, I've been also mentally able to start planning the racing season all over again.

My first thoughts are that it will be really interesting as the things that I'll do will be very much different than last couple years. It is due to the change of focus and rational (really?) thinking. After two years of kilo and sprint I wasn't very happy with my development and I thought about riding again. The result was the individual pursuit and other more endurance type of racing. It all started pretty well doing my PB in Manchester in February. The ride itself was promising at least despite the my massively failed pacing. At least my Swiss mate told me that the first kilo shouldn't be the fastest. I'm sure that he is quite right tho...

Anyway, after Manc I fell really ill and lost it all,but that's another story. It just forced us to plan the things again. No Bucs champs as I had planned and so on. I started again in the beginning of April and now I'm feeling pretty good with my newly shaped body. Six kilos make a difference on the hills. Anyway, I'm planning to start racing late May to get hard miles to my legs. Then I'm basically going to change to more track specific training tad before the Omnium nationals and keep building for track towards the bigger targets and challenges later in the season.

I have no idea what the season afterall is gonna be like, but now I'm looking forward to it again.

'The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet.' Shunryu Suzuki

My day on the Beacons.

What a ride!

'In the landscape of spring, there is neither better nor worse. The flowering branches grow naturally, some long, some short.' - Basho

On the roll again.

It's been good times. I have never enjoyed my training more - I just wanna ride more and more; and I've found some time for other hobbies and relaxing as well. I'm simply happy.

Tomorrow one more ride in Wales and then I'm off to train in France for couple days with Joonas Henttala, who is training and racing in there. Good luck for tomorrow and Monday!

Daily ride.

That's the way.

Quick hook?

Coffee break.

Severn beach.


'If you do not get it from yourself, Where will you go for it?' - Chien-Ju

The best 90 minutes of all spring.

I wasn't strong or fast, but I was happy. I just felt so amazing to be back on my road bike.

'Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.'
- Wu-Men

University project.

Here we go then. First step towards next years dissertation. I guess this one way to start to refine the topic, at least it is my way. I'd call it something like 'Brainstorm management board'....

On the mend.

Back in Wales, back in uni, back in training and, last but not least, back in Siimatiimi. The adventure in hospital world left me six kilos lighter. It sounds like a lot of weight, and well it is, but in my case it ain't too bad as I was to get rid of some kilos. It just happened another way this time, which wasn't too pleasent – but effective at least. Hah, I'm only too glad it is over now.

Back to real life then. Today I managed to do two 50mins sessions, which was good. It is building back already. Lets just not talk about the wattage yet and besides I promised to my mom not talk about wattages at all. It might all be different now, as I lost loads of my weight. It just remains to be seen. Soon I'll hit the roads with the brand new crank again to gain some miles in and then it is back to business. I just shouldn't hurry too much, but more importantly enjoy the journey back.

All in all, I just enjoy to be myself and healthy again!

'Everyday life is the way.' - Chien-Ju

Crawling back.

My last update wasn't too positive and to be honest I wasn't doing so well. After all we flew back to Finland with my father and went straight to hospital. After running around different departments I was hospitalized for a week. At the end doctors found out that I had a burst appendicitis. Anyway, I'm not gonna talk more about it, because I'm sure that none of you really wants know more about it.

Its been tough times and I really haven't been in a good mood.

I got out of the hospital on first of April and since then things have improved day by day. That's not fooling tho. I'm quite ok already in general and getting better. I'm still on antibiotics for a month and sadly, other of them contains antabus – not even one beer for me. When it comes to riding my bike I can feel damage done by the illness and the almost four weeks training I lost. I'm weak. But I'm happy to start training again. Yesterday I did 40mins of training and today I'm aiming for 60mins. Crawling back is one thing and racing another in future. Anyway, I think that I'll be even stronger than before as I'm back to form. I just have to do all the work again.

Good news is that the doctors think that the stomach problems I faced last season might well have been due to this. My results already last year could have been far different from what they were. So it well might be that I'll become stronger after this. That's something I want to believe.

Life is good again and I'm on the journey back.

”A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Lao Tzu