Milestones.

What a weekend it was. Now after all the Nationals during last four weekends, I don't really have words to describe the way I'm feeling about this season. Since I got on back on my bike in April, it has been an amazing journey all the way to this day. Still the journey continues.

The first three weekends weren't bad. In the time trial I had a good form, but an electric storm forced me to abandon to my service car. It was shame, but it happens – no can do. The next weekend were the omnium nationals, which was a weekend of intense training for me. Finishing fourth was a decent performance. The next weekend I had only Team Sprint to ride for various reasons - some of you may know why. Anyway, we got third in the team sprint – which meant that Jarkko got his first medal ever from National Champs. I'm happy for you mate!

The following week I kept the training loads on the normal levels as we had decided with my father earlier on the year, despite the Nats being on the next weekend. Still on thursday I went out for TT training and some Team Pursuit work on the evening. Friday was the first race day of the last part of the Nats and I had the kilo and team pursuit in my program. I had felt good on the rollers earlier on the morning, but I'd never had figured out the way it all came out. The plan was to take the first half of the kilo relaxed (Well, if that's possible) and then give it all on the second half. It worked well, I felt still very strong at 600m point and kept going. I was the last starter so I only had to wait for my time to figure out the results. I rode 1.08.00, which was hard to believe at first and I won my first National gold medal and shirt. I just couldn't take all out of it yet as we had the Team Pursuit still to come. I can't say anything, but I'm proud of the team. We managed to nip 3 seconds from the target time and finished second after a team, that was far stronger on the paper. Thank you Juhana, Juhani and Mikael!

If I'm honest I might have slept only couple hours the following night, I was stoked about what happened on the calm Friday night. The next morning was the 4km Individual Pursuit in my program. The schedule was changed couple times during the day, but it didn't bother me too much. We had a plan with Mikael: the final should be our ride. That's what happened. We were in the finals with two clearly fastest times. The finals were at first interrupted by a short shower, but then it was time to go. My ride was brilliant: for once I started slowly building it up towards the end. I didn't see Mikael for once during the ride except on the finishing straight, but I heard my father shouting on the last lap that I'm on the lead. Later I heard that I was on second place until half way through, which was a good sign of my pacing. I won my second National's jersey the very next day and rode two times under 5mins in couple hours outdoors. Bloody hell, I thought – in April I had the same amazing feeling when I got back on my road bike just to ride some 30 odd kilometers for the first time after the illness.

The weekend was completed to sheer perfection on Sunday when my father took National bronze in over 50yrs men's class. He rode his PB and even had to overtake the other rider. I had even more butterflies in my stomach than I had during my own races, haha. It is a tough job being on the spectator side.

So I ended having my best national racing season ever with two golds, a silver and a bronze. Still the major race is to come in August. Now I'm training intensely towards the Summer Universiades 2011 in Shenzhen, China. I'm very confident that I can give my very best in there, training looks good, the form is building up and I'm sort of highly motivated. I'm looking forward to one of the best experiences in my sporting career.

'There's no meaning to a flower unless it blooms.' - Hsin Hsin Ming

The racing season is on.

Quick update of the results from the major races so far:

NC U23 Time-Trial: DNF
NC Omnium: 4th (Disciplines: 1-6-9-2-9-2)
NC Team Sprint: 3rd
NC 1km TT: 1st (Outdoors PB: 1.08.00)
NC Team Pursuit: 2nd

Today I got my first champion's shirt in kilo. I'm simply happy. If someone had told me about this kind of day during the spring I'd have laughed. Back then I was only hoping to get back to my bike. I can't really describe the way to this moment.

We also won silver, and I mean won, in Team Pursuit. Biggest cheer to boys - Juhani, Juhana and Mikael Thanks, it was a real pleasure riding with you guys!

That's what has happened so far. Things are looking good towards Shenzhen.

'Life is the only thing worth living for.' - Chien-Ju

Training day.

'Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish your opinions.' -Hsin Hsin Ming