Off-season 2015

It’s over???  I can hardly believe it. Is my first real season of bike racing over?  Can I really sleep in and go camping for a few days without bringing my bike along?  Yes…but not really: Yes, it is the off-season but my off-season looks like full-time farming on my parent’s grain and bison farm.  I’ve switched from riding bikes to driving tractors, eating bison steak and stealing seconds of my mom’s fresh cinnamon buns!

All the time spent in the tractor (today I was baling straw) has allowed me to reflect on this past year.  It has been an amazing year of bike racing and exploring professional cycling.  I have far and beyond exceeded my expectations for the year.  I had four major goals: improve my bike handling (and learn how to catwalk my bike), be top 5 at Nationals, be involved in a National Team project, and learn how to motivate my team.  Alex (my hubby) taught me how to catwalk, I won the Canadian National Criterium Championship race, I was involved in 4 National Team projects with the finale being World Championships, and worked with gems for teammates.

As for the race reports:

Overall winner at Twee Daagse van de Bloemenstreek, Massemen (photo by Joselyn Ryan)

Belgium – I did my first European race tour with Canada at the beginning on August.  My time there I personally used as a sprint camp.  I sprinted for every preme and took a few wins at the end too.  European racing has a huge following in Belgium and the crowds that we raced for pumped me up!  These local races often had 80 girls lined up at the start – I dream of the day that it is like that in Canada!!  One race that we did started with a 70km kermesse, or short circuit race, where the top 20 were started in a second race that was organized as an elimination race.  Cones were placed 500m apart and the last one across the line was out until only 1 remained.  After two stressful eliminations I attacked and stayed away solo to take the 1000euro prize (and a beautiful bouquet of flowers of course) for the team.

Leading the elimination race (photo by Hinnick Paul)

Attacking in the Finale of Lotto Ladies Cup in Belgium (photo by Krist Vonmelle)

France – It was only 2 weeks after returning home from Belgium that I got back on an international flight to Lyon, France for more racing (I had to come back for a TTT camp in between).  I flew with my trade team TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air for the 6 day stage race of TCIFA (Tour de Cycliste International Feminin de L’Ardeche).  We traveled with our director Mari, but had no mechanic, no soigneur and no control over where we stayed or what we would find when we got there.  When we arrived we were greeted so warmly by the race organizers and were found everything we needed by the help of so many of the other teams and racers.  The racing there was like nothing I had ever experienced.  The climbs were steep and kept coming and the descents were fast, technical and on narrow roads.  I sprinted every day to earn the red sprinters jersey and held off some very tough, experienced riders to win the jersey each stage and at the finale.  I ate more crostinis, pizzas, waffles, and baguettes than I ever have – ever!

Sprinter's Jersey in Ardeche (photo by Velo Palmares)

Mari Holden (DS), Me, Lauren K, Jess Cerra, Senna Feron (BEL), missing Sofia and Leah

#yogaeverydamnday and with a bottle of Syrah from Ardeche area

Richmond, Virginia – 2015 Cycling World Championships – I was entered in two races at this event.  My trade team selected me to race the TTT and Canada selected me to race the road race.  For me this was an honour that recognized where I came from and the hard work that got me the results I’ve had throughout the season.  World Championships would be the biggest and hardest event that I had ever participated in to date.  Our team came in 5^th in the TTT as the top North American team and I rode to a solid 36^th place in my first every Road World Championships.  I loved it! I loved the excitement and the intensity.  I loved that people cheered so loud that you forgot there was a helicopter filming you from above.  I loved wearing the maple leaf and riding into one of Canada’s best ever showings at a World Championships.

A team of Canadians (hehe ok, I am the only Canadian - but proud!)

Getting aero - It's science. (photo by Adam Pulford)

The Team - a special moment in my heart (photo by Mari Holden)

Canadian Women's Road World Championship Team (photo by Denise Kelly)

Pinned and ready to roll at the 2015 Richmond World Championships.

Now it is time for the off-season – which is something I have never had!  When I was a triathlete I was also a cross-country runner for my university, a swimmer in an elite swim club, and a club cyclist.  One season would end just for the next sport to start up and I never missed a beat.  On my wedding day I went for a run in the morning and raced a triathlon in the middle of our honeymoon while on Christmas Day I spent the afternoon on cross-country skis! I am taking professional cycling seriously and I want to build into this next season from a solid and rested start.  During this time I am reflecting on 2015 and setting goals for 2016, 2017 and 2020.  This first year was big, but I think there is a lot more to squeeze me.

Waiting for 2015 World Championship Team Selection

Hey!

Here is a cool video made by AJCmedia (Alex Jackson Creative media) to recap a bit of racing and wait for the news on who has been selected for the 2015 Canadian Women's Road World Championship team.

Seen in the video: Felt Bicycles, SRAM red components, Quarq power meter, Zipp Speed Weaponry, Speedplay pedals, Fizik shoes/saddle, K-Edge, Arundel bottle cages, JLVelo clothing, Sho-Air International sponsor, GQ-6 Hydration found at GNC stores, Modify Watches, SockGuy socks

Alison Edition: 2015 Global Relay Canadian National Championships

Thursday Time Trial – June 25, 2015

                The Canadian Championships TT would be my longest TT of the year at 30km.  The day was windy and the course was two laps of descending at 70kph and climbing up a near 7% grade.  I was able to negative split my laps while maintaining a consistently hard pace.  When I finished I had the best placed time but I knew that there were several key contenders after me.  In the end I took home 7^th place and a greater understanding of what level of pain one must embrace in order to be a champion.  Congratulations to Carol-Ann on her win.

Photo by Velo Palmares

  

Friday Road Race – June 26, 2015

                The road race course itself was selective due to the wind, a steep climb in the 3x15km circuits, with a longer climb out of the circuit toward the finish at 110km.  The Canadian field is strong and the hunt for the Maple Leaf jersey was fierce.  It was all about playing the game of tactics and riding hard.  We had a beautiful day to ride and I had a great time rolling on Quebec’s roads.  It wasn’t a perfect race but I grinded the gears to 4^th place.

Photo by Richard Wooles

Sunday Criterium – June 28, 2015

                The Sunday crit was a West Coast crit due to the rain that came down for the race.  Rain is not a problem for a BC winter riding gal like me and I had been looking forward to the punching crit course all weekend.  The course was fast, it climbed to the finish, rounded two corners descending, and then climbed again.  It was a dynamic race and I came into it with a plan.  A few breaks went and were pulled back, but the winning move was a break of two out of which I was able to take the win on the uphill finish.  The win was really sweet because my parents were there to watch it happen.

                I really enjoyed my debut riding at Canadian Nationals and am really thankful to have the best equipment to use courtesy of our sponsors Felt Bicycles, SRAM, Zipp, Speedplay and Fizik.  A huge thank-you to Twenty16 p/b Sho-Air for taking a chance on me this year and developing me as a cyclist.  Thank you to the supports of CyclingBC, Richard Wooles and Julian Base for the technical and managerial support, and running around for us all week, it would have been much more stressful had I been there on my own.  Thank you to my coach Alison Testroete, and also Felicia Gomez for working with me this year – we are looking good!  And yes, thank you Bruce and Phoenix Velo Training Group in Mission, BC where I got my cycling start.

Super happy that my parents could cheer me on to my first Championship win. Photo by Richard Wooles.

2015 Canadian Crit Champion

Full Results here.

Block II – Racing Like a Pro

In bike racing, a first-year pro is called a Neo-Pro.  I am a Neo-Pro: new to pro racing and almost as new to bike racing.  This first year my husband and I understood that there would be a lot of ‘new’ and a first-time for everything.  My family is just as excited as I am to work hard to make this career a success.  In bike racing you need a strong team to be successful and luckily for me I have three teams – my family, my trade team and a great coach (Alison Testroete).

My parents listening close to the live race feed while at lunch with Alex and my sister

Alex and I out for a bike tour: Roadie vs. Mtn Biker 

It has been really exciting for me to have the opportunity to race pro and UCI races in the USA.  The opportunities for me to grow as a cyclist stem from the support I have to develop as an athlete from my team, TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air.  My team directors believe in me and push me to learn quickly in race settings and my teammates guide me along in my bike racing education.

Photo by @dmunsonphoto

During this second block of racing:

I won my first NRC yellow leader’s jersey after winning the Highlands stage 1 of the Redlands Bicycle Classic (after crashing at 2 laps to go),

I claimed 2^nd in the Sea Otter Classic road race,

I took home the Points/Sprinters Jersey at the UCI Tour of the Gila while standing on the podium in 3^rd place for two stages, and

I finished the Amgen TOC in 7^th place overall while contributing to the overall team win for TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air.

Photo by @cyclingnutz

I have been learning a lot and writing it down so I don’t forget it, but I know there is a lot more to learn and experience.  Right now, I am spending a little bit of my time learning how to ride a fixed gear pursuit bike on the track.  Riding around a velodrome is another new thing for me this year and I look forward to making these skills stick.  It has been humbling and inspiring to ride with the Canadian Women’s Pursuit Team who took home the Bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games and the Silver medal at the 2014 World Championships.  These girls started from nothing prior to the 2012 Games, paid their way to World Cups while having no official training camps together and have worked hard and steady to set the bar for Canada’s Women’s Team Pursuit.  Now, after achieving big results, they don’t have to pay for their own team kits and they have several training camps together in order to refine skills and be the best athletes they can be.  I am so inspired by these girls who believed in their dream and did it with whatever they had at the time.

Wearing the green for the final stage at Tour of the Gila

Next up for me:
Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau UCI 1.1 RR – Thursday, June 4 **I get to ride for the Canadian National Team!

Chrono Gatineau UCI 1.1 ITT – Friday, June 5 (with TWENT16 p/b Sho-Air)

PhiladelphiaInternational Cycling Classic RR – Sunday, June 7 **This will be my first World Cup race!!

Canadian CyclingNational Championships – June 25/26/28 **This will be my National Championship debut!

Keep in touch via my blog (here)

Twitter @triactionjackso

Instagram @triactionjackson or

Like my Facebook page - Alison Jackson Athlete Page

Block l: California Winters and Bike Racing

I’ve been back in Canada for a week now and it’s COLD!  The California sun has spoiled me!  Alex has been out biking in shorts and a t-shirt and I’m bundled up in wool socks, shoe covers, leg warmers, jersey + long sleeve jersey + winter bike jacket + neck gater + doubled-up gloves! (All labeled with the team name TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air thanks to JL Velo an eco-friendly sport clothing company).

I can’t complain for long though because I am so enjoying riding my bike, spending time with Alex, crafting, wedding dress shopping for my sister, and packing up property – yes, we are moving!  To spur on our life of adventure and bikes we are moving to Alberta to be farmers for the few weeks that we aren't chasing bike races across the globe.  We have the best employers out in Alberta (thanks mom and dad!) that allow us to work and travel as much as we need to so I can work as a professional cyclist.

The cycling? Yes! It has be fantastic!  I am so thankful that Alex and my parents got to meet a few of the amazing people that I've had the privilege of sharing a meal with during my first block of training and racing down south.  First off, I've joined many new fan clubs for people I love.  One for Mama V (Julia), a former USA mtb pro, a mother of two craaaazy boys, a successful business woman with an enormous helping heart and living powerfully at an age that puts a twinkle in my eye because I know what I’m going to be like at that age too ;)  And another fan club for Chef John for his kind heart that spills over into deliciously cooked meats, chill conversation and his all-in attitude when he approaches a challenge.  This is another big thank you to you two.

"This is a road bike." (photo: VeloImages)

Training camp was awesome.  When spending time with such amazing people and athletes you are bound to soak up something – especially when you are as curious as me!

TTT practice on our FELT bikes (photo: Nick Kova)

team cheer - #powerpose

Valley of the Sun was our first race weekend together as a team, and I have to say that I LOVE RACING AS A TEAM!  The tactics are so fun and I love being a part of something that is bigger than me alone.  I was so excited to race my amazing FELT TTbike with the cool sound effects made by the ZIPP disc wheel (I’m doing things I only dreamed of before).  Unluckily, I got a flat at the turn-around and waved to every person, car, and cactus that I saw until someone picked me up 6km later.  Ugh, so I became nobody’s threat to their GC standing but I did become a grrrrREAT teammate!  (heehee)  My job for the following road race and crit was to watch and bridge and chase and listen to my teammates for what they needed me to do.  It was great fun!  We got to practice lead-outs and I got to feel what it is like to lay it all down 3 laps to go to make it easier for the next teammate to lead out our sprinter for the win (and we did win)!

Two weeks later a small portion of our team (4 athletes) drove up to Chico for a 4 event stagerace.  This was fun because we were all fairly new to pro racing and were forced to figure it out together.  It opened up a few new opportunities and I was able to take two stage wins for the team!  At the first stage, I was not ‘one to watch’ but when the pack opened in front of me on the climb 2km to go I went with all I had in a solo break that just barely kept off the masses for the finish line.  My teammate Andrea had suggested I channel energy from my last race when I got a flat at VOS TT to push hard this weekend which was really helpful to find focus for this final effort on the front.  Every race that weekend TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air had at least one person on the podium and in the end we took home all the jerseys: Yellow – GC winner, White – U23 winner, Green – points/sprint winner. After two stage wins and some hidden sprint points collected during the crit I found myself in the green jersey!  I love that cycling is dependent on having a good team – the whole team earned those jerseys, not just the person wearing them in pictures.

It’s been fantastic working with the TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air directors Mari and Nicola, my bestie team mechanic James, all of our hosts that housed us for training camp and races, and I’m honored to get to work with my favorite Canadian athlete Alison Testroete on my training program.

Race line-up for the Spring:
San Dimas Stage Race - March 27-29

Redlands Bicycle Classic - April 8-12

Subaru Sea Otter Classic - April 16-19

Tour of the Gila - April 29-May 3

Amgen Tour of California - May 8-10, 15

P.S. One of my favorite memories of of California is from building a box maze for the boys in our host house.

Oh yeah, two levels, multiple dead ends and only one way out!

Introducing ALISON JACKSON, professional cyclist

Follow @teamtwenty16 on Instagram

For me, 2015 brought with it TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air a UCI pro cycling team based out of California.  Based on some conversations after bike racing in 2014, I was offered a spot on Team TWENTY16 p/b Sho-Air.  I am excited to be working with a fantastic team of directors Nicola, Mari, Julia and Kristin.  These women are both powerful and beautiful with so much experience to offer. 

Other fantastic people that we get to work with are our sponsors Kim and Scott Tedro with Sho-Air trade show and event transportation, Felt Bicycles (#therealjimfelt), SRAM #leapthefrog, ZIPP on speedy wheels, QUARQ for da power, JL Velo for team clothing, Violich Farms (my homestay and Californian almonds), k-Edge, Fiizik, GQ:6, Speedplay, Pain Pathways magazine, Clif Bar, Catlike Helmets, Ride Biker Alliance, Thule, Oakley, Arundel, dznuts, ec3d compression (Canadian company!!!), Kreitler Rollers, Arctic Heat, Modify Watches, Bubbled Wall, Pedros (keeping my bike clean), Sock Guy, City Cycle, George’s Cycle & Fitness, and Velo Images.

I look forward to the coming days spent with teammates because they have so much experience and know how that I want to learn.  My goal is to be a sponge!!

Training on the best equipment: Felt Bicycles, Fizik, Zipp, SRAM, Speedplay, Arundel

Teammates!!!!

Pit stops = Shot Block picnics

Thank you also to Bruce from Wentings Cycle and my first ever bike team Phoenix Velo for always encouraging me and supporting me to keep biking!

I am happy to represent my family everywhere I go as they are my biggest supporters of life.  My cutest husband Alex who works hard to have me follow my dreams while meshing them with his own.  My biggest fan: Mom (who comes to more races than anyone), and Dad who I know is so proud of me.  My sister who makes family time better by scheduling my training time around family time.  My bro and his new wife who share in my excitement. My second parents and brother who love that I bike and would do anything to help me succeed.  I love you all!

I’ll keep the blog updated but it’s going to be all about bikes now!  Do I need a new nickname or will triactionjackson still fit?  Only time will tell.

2014 was a Good Year!

 I was recently notified that I received the 2014 Canadian Sprint Athlete of the Year Award by Triathlon Canada, because I won the 25-29 Age Group Sprint Triathlon World Championship in August, 2014.  In addition to that, I had received the 2014 BC Senior Cross-Country Athlete of the Year Award by BC Athletics, because of my performance at the FISU World University Championships in Entebbe, Uganda when I ran for Team Canada in March 2014.

Thank you to both these sport governing bodies for the recognition and awards.

Team Canada at FISU XC World Championships

The Bronze medal that I won as part of the Canadian Womens Team (The real one was stolen!!!) This gem of a medal is brought to you by a fantastic friend and teammate Morgan Cabot

My 'team' at Triathlon World Championships cheering me on to my 1st place finish in the Sprint and my 7th place finish in the Standard distance

TWU Spartan's Alison Jackson - Graduating Reflections

Thank you to TWU Spartan media man - Mark Janzen for conducting this graduation video, you have been a blast to work with throughout the years.

For the rest of you, enjoy the video!

Graduation Reflections

A Spartan for the Final Season

With only one more class needed to finish my degree and only one more year of eligibility to run for the university, I took a French class for fun and planned to run every day.  However, my biggest goal was to inspire other athletes to be leaders on the TWU Spartan track team.

First: A Kudos to my 4 years at Trinity Western University.

In the beginning, it took a bit of convincing to make the switch from where I was at a local university to attend and train at TWU.  When I did decide to make the switch I was all in: the faith community, the high-level of academics, and the elite level of training that TWU offered could not be beat.  I was challenged in many ways and have graduated a better person full of confidence to pursue all of my God-given dreams.

Second: The final XC season.

Just as we planned in training, I came out faster at every race throughout the season than the previous year (about 30+sec faster over 6km).  I placed 3^rd, 4^th, 2^nd and 7^th respectively, in the CIS season, finishing 7^th at nationals.  Our women’s team took home the CanWest Championship banner and trophy for the second year running (pardon the pun *wink*) and finished 2^nd as a team at our National Championships.  The word of the year for our team was ‘history’, and even though we wanted to make that by winning our National Championships, that National Championship race made history in and of itself!  Race day included 100kph winds with gusts of up to 140kph!  We will all be talking about our week out in St.John’s, Newfoundland for years to come.  Also, TWU’s XC team made history by giving back to the local community and inspire young runners in schools to participate in athletics.  We hosted a School Spirit Contest across the entire school district in St.John’s and surrounding communities awarding two winning schools with a running clinic from the TWU XC team.  The run clinics were a great success which brought as much joy to the elementary students as it did our team. Finally, and especially meaningful to me, was that the love of my life flew all the way across the country to watch the race and tour the countryside with me afterward.  The history books will say, that I have the best family who ever supported an athlete.

A few girls from one of the School Spirit Run Clinics

Royal Blue: color matched for TWU

That's me, second row, tucked in like a cyclist to defend myself against the brutal wind!

Hanging onto our well-earned Championship banner

Alex and I exploring the east coast

One of many Newfoundland fishing town

We were awarded honorary Newfoundland status after getting 'Screeched-in'

Living out of the back of a rental van :)

Fogo Island - a must visit on the east coast

Fogo Island's beautiful coast

In order to wrap up my time at TWU, here is a list of a few of my accomplishments during my university career:

-          Best finish at CIS XC Nationals : 5^th (2013), 7^th (2014)

-          Best finish at Canadian XC Nationals: 14^th (2013), 19^th (2014)

-          Named to Canadian World University XC Team 2014 to finish 17^th individually, 3^rd as a team

-          Best indoor 3000m: 9:36 and CanWest Champion (2013, 2014), 4^th at Nationals (2013), 6^th (2014)

-          Best indoor 1500m: 4:31 and 6^th at Nationals (2013), 11^th (2014)

-          Canada West Student Athlete of the Year 2013

-          Hosting the School Spirit Contest during our trip to Newfoundland for the 2014 XC Nationals

-          A graduating GPA equivalent to an A-

As for the goals that I set out to accomplish this season, I did not make the Canadian team for XC Worlds - God knows that it doesn't fit with my new line of work anyway (more to come) - however, I do believe I succeeded in leading myself out of a job as Team Captain on the TWU track team because I am not missed yet from a void of my input, lol, but I am happy to say that the team is full of beautiful candidates for future leadership.

Cheers to the next season of athletics and of life!!

The STANDARD Episode

     Again, I chose not to wear a wetsuit but I wish for this one I had one!  1500m in the pond, two hours earlier than the Sprint race, and on a rainy miserable day – the wetsuit would have made warmth and flotation benefits.

     The entire race felt strained and my body felt tight rather than relaxed (possibly tired from Friday’s Sprint race, possibly not dressed properly for the weather).  Still, on the bike I was able to catch and pass people especially on all the corners (triathletes cannot corner well…good thing I’m also a cyclist!).  When I got to the run I was still feeling tightness and couldn't seem to settle into a 36min 10km pace which I accomplished last year.

     It was really fun to get to see teammates out on the course racing and on the sidelines cheering!  I already had my win and taking 7^th place in the Standard distance isn't so bad either.  Two years ago in Auckland I came 11^th so I am happy that this is still an improvement.

*~Best Story of the Day~*

     After taking my bike out of transition, I had my Garmin in the pocket of my backpack.  I visited with teammates, tried the specialty ‘Draft Legal’ beer at the gardens and watched some more racing before I headed home.  At this point I noticed that I had lost my Garmin.  So I went looking.  When I arrived at the Lost and Found desk, with my Garmin serial number (which I just so happened to have in an email), I expected that whoever found the Garmin would decide to keep it – lucky find.  However, the clerk handed me my Garmin with a note on it!  The note said “Ride Fast” “Good luck – from Russia”.  Isn’t that so cool!  A Russian athlete turned in my Garmin!  So cool :)

Here are some pictures of the day, including the podium presentation at the closing ceremonies!

Swm - Bike - Run

Getting friendly with other Canadian athletes :)

Standing on top of the podium with the Canadian flag = A proud athlete

     That’s all for the triathlon season!  Next up, my final semester at Trinity Western University running my last cross country season and studying French! 

Yes, I am taking a French class, but no, I will not dress like this all the time ;)