I grew up in Ontario. Hamilton when I was young, moved to Waterloo for high school. The first cycle sport I took a real keen interest to was downhill mountain bike racing. I raced that untill 2005 when I decided to take some time off from being competitive and let some of the injurys I had aquired over the course of many years heal up properly. I had spent a fair amount of time riding and training on a fixed gear track bike but only on the road. I enjoyed the simplicity of it, aswell as the strength and fitness gains. Around the same time a new Velodrome, or cycling track had opened its doors thanks to Rob Good of Waterloo in London, Ontario. I decided to give it a go. It didnt take many trips before I was asked if I would like to race. I tried a couple of races and had good old fasioned fun. I liked it because you could go fast and not worry about hitting trees or falling off a cliff. Within a month of riding the track I decided to enter the Winter Nationals held at F.C.V. They were the first trophies I have won at a bike race and a proudly displayed under my wall of medals, awards and memorbilia. It was at that race I met 1982 World Champion Gordon Singleton. Gord became my mentor and coach for my first couple years of racing on the track. Where I am today wouldnt be possible without the efforts of Rob Good and Gord Singleton training the fundimentals of the sport.
In 2007 I decided to take racing on the track more seriously after having a good effort at Canadian Nationals narrowly missing out on some medals. I had been to many races in New York City, and Rochester Hills, Michigen that year and really liked the sence of adventure going somewear elese to race. At the end of the year I packed up my belongings into a rented truck and moved accross Canada to live and train with some of the fastest sprinters in Canada. By the end of 2007 I had won the Burnaby Six Day's sprint compitition and was riding faster than ever immagined.
In the early summer of 2008 I was inviolved in an unfortunate accident witch ended my year of racing and nearly my carear. In the fall I was invited by Richard Wooles to atttend a Canadian Cycling talent camp purly based on what he knew I was capable of before, and not in the shape I was in then. Richard became my full time coach and I started what took a year to regain good form, strength, and the confidence to win races again. Within that year I managed to podium several times at big American events and early fall of 2009, a year after crashing and nearly quitting I placed second at the National Champs in the 1000m time trial, also known as the Kilo. It was then I decided to really take the sport serious and focus on the 1000m event as it was a natural place for me aswell as a strong way of picking 3rd riders in the team sprint event.
Since then I have traveled up and down the Pacific Coast and the world to represent the Province of British Columbia, and the country of Canada, winning many races as I go. And making a name for myself as a Kilo TT rider. I Medaled at the 2010 National Champs in the same event. I have traveled to countries like Trinidad and Tobago to race in events such as the Southern Games, and in 2011 spent two months in Melbourne, Australia training for the upcoming 2011 season in North America and racing their Summer Carnival serries. Two days before leaving Australia I rode a test race witch already showed that I am going far better than I have ever gone before while being full peaked. 2011 will be an exciting year!
I decided to start a blog so people can better keep track of not only how I am doing but where I am. I promise to keep it more entertaining than just writing about training sessions by focusing more about the lifestyle and the road trips that goes along with it all.
I hope you enjoy it!
If you are interested in helping support me please don't hesitate to contact me via email, jamieshankland@yahoo.ca
Jam!e
2010 FSA Grand Prix. Redmond, Washington. 1000m Time Trial.
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