Now couple days after the last races of the season, I'm sitting down with coffee and thinking my season backwards. So many things happened last season that I can hardly remember all of them, I really don't, but it doesn't matter really – the main thing is that there were the main moments that I learned from and I'll never forget.
I started my training on October after another disappointing season, with new focus. I decided to leave sprinting for the big boys and took individual pursuit in to my program and adapted my training. From the very beginning it started to work. The winter hours were put into action in late February as I started in my first World Cups. I did a clear personal best and I was sure that it will only get better. But it wasn't quite so.
After a week at home in Finland I was spot on back in work in Wales, but couple days later I started to feel feverish. I thought that alright some viral flu and a rest week will do. It only got worse and worse. After two weeks of more or less high temperatures I flew back to Finland as I wasn't getting any treatment in Wales. I don't know today how long I could have lasted if I didn't come to Finland. As I went to hospital here I was straight away hospitalized and got out only 10 days after. I was diagnosed with acute abscess around appendix, which is rare, but yeh – it all started to get better as soon as I got the right antibiotics. I still didn't know if I was to ride my bike at all this season. I was just happy to get back to full health.
On April the first I got out of the hospital seven kilos lighter and my hemoglobine was around 120s. All the work started from scrap. The goal was to get into some sort of racing condition at the end of the summer as I started my training slowly again. My first session was 20 minutes on indoor rower just trying to hang up the total time. For then on I added the load and got better and better.
I recovered surprisingly well and got on the start line monts ahead of the plan and well I did. That was the first signal that the season wasn't lost and I kept working. Seldom I've felt so good after a regional race than that day. That little trophy for a 2nd place from Kauhajoki Chrono means a world to me. I was second and I had had a decent ride and I was on podium in my very first race only less than two months from the illness. A little race, with hell of a meaning!
The real season started in the beginning of July with NC U23 time trial and I was in rather good shape. I started well, the people in split times and my service care said that I was doing a good job. Then came a thunderstorm and forced me to abandon. It didn't happen that weekend, but to be honest it wasn't supposed to. But that day meant to me that I'm in contest for top places in Finland again and the track season was only beginning. Next weekend was the omnium in which I fought well, but still others were stronger. I knew where i was going, and I knew I had no chance in the omnium, but still whatever the race is I hate losing. It has been always hard for me to do training races without caring about the result, but this season I had to learn it.
The next weekend was a team sprint, from which we got a bronze. But the next weekend was the weekend of my season, the weekend of my first NC golds, the weekend that meant that I'm really back. The kilo gold felt so good, but I couldn't quite yet take everything out of it as we had still the Team Pursuit coming on. The calm Friday night I got one gold and silver. I don't know how it all did happen, I just started to feel amazing earlier on the morning and I somehow felt that the day is gonna be a good one. It had all turned out good. It got even better the next day as I won the Individual Pursuit and was in finals with my good friend. We had a good final, and it felt pretty special to ride with a good friend in the final – I enjoyed it. I had had my best NC season ever after a spring of doubts and emptyness.
Then it was all about the Universiade in China. Tapering went well and I did well in races too. The track was good, but not quite as fast as indoors. I was 12th in Individual Pursuit, 13th in Sprint and somewhere in Keirin. The trip was amazing and I met so many so amazing people. It was the perfect way to end up an unforgettable season.
Now after the season I still can't believe everything that has happened. I ended up with the best results so far and I have many questions without a clear answers, and some of them will never get one. Why did it all come so well together? What made the difference? I'm feeling so lucky now, but at the same time I know that the hard work did eventually pay off. But what happened this season is special for me, and actually I'm sure that this season was a turning point for me and my career. All the special moments this season hail from March. A friend of mine said to me after the track nationals that: 'Can you remember the day when you felt so good after your first road ride?'. And I sure can and still I enjoy riding my bike more than ever. Now I do know that I can be a winning rider, I also know that it is only matter of working hard and one can overachieve.
At last I want to give some thanks and credits to people around me:
My mom and dad – you were here for me on the bad days and on the good days, without you I don't what would have happened.
My friends – the support from you guys helped me to get back on two wheels fast I'd never believed myself.
The staff at Newport Uni – thanks for the support with my academic work, I wouldn't have passed my year without it.
The people at Jorvi hospital – without you I might not be riding.
'Life is the only thing worth living for.'
Chien-ju
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