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CUI BONO?
THERE ARE A LOT OF DEALS that get cut on the race course. Some are obvious, some hidden. Many between competitors...
... for money, glory and pride.
The worst deal of all?
Well, that depends on Cui bono?...
... Who benefits?
Deals between competitors kindasuck, but...
- hang on for camera glory
- work to stay in break
- straight cash
... we can usually tell who benefits,
and who pays.
No, the most insidious deals...
- staying up late
- backing off the finishing sprint
- starting the new diet "tomorrow"
... are the ones we cut with ourselves.
Because nobody benefits,
'cepting our competitors.
===
167.4 (Happy Fatter's Day - sheesh!)
8 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 60lbs
85/90/-6 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MY INSANE CULT
FEW OF US HAVE BEEN TO AN AA MEETING, but we've seen TV/movie version many times. Hi, I'm Todd and...
... I'm an endurance junkie.
Hi Todd.
When we come clean with the general population, Today I...
- swam 10,000 yards
- rode for 5 hours
- ran 20 miles
... they think we're crazy.
We're not.
The adrenaline rush of ...
- 60 miles an hour in nothing but lycra
- the swimmers blue mind
- the runner's high
... we need that hit.
Regularly.
This risks we take...
- sending it down the mountain
- running along into the cold, dark night
- impossibly holding our breath one more length
... would freakout any life insurance company.
These sensations of pushing well beyond normal, reasonable, safe...
... are often all that's keeping us stable.
In all sincerity, because the allure of the lottery and dulling our senses with substances is so very tempting and tragically treacherous...
... stay dangerous my friends.
The sane kind.
===
164.6
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: `100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 60lbs
86/98/-12 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TODAY WAS A ROUGHIE
SOME BIG TRAINING DAYS are better than others. The reasons are myriad. Which means when it goes sideways...
... it's up to us to figure it out.
Like today.
I knew it was going to be a big day...
- 7 hrs
- 87 miles
- 10,500' of vert
... on Monday.
There are only 8 weeks to get our Leadville legs, and me and Let's Go need(ed) to do some simulation.
For me,
today,
I just never got comfortable.
Never felt that feeling of being on top of the pedals and...
... smoothly moving like a Singer sewing machine.
It was much more like a broke down pumpjack one might see in the hot and dusty oil fields of Bakersfield...
... in desperate need of lube and love.
Clunk.
Clunk.
Clunk.
I've narrowed it down to a few things...
- going too deep on Thursday after solid Tuesday and Wednesday
- rolling the gravel wheels vs road wheels on Friday's BRO ride
- hitting the legs with resistance Sunday-Thursday
... and I should know better.
I'm gonna add to that...
- probs too much tire pressure
- def hotter today than our last attempt
- carrying a third bottle to be safe on hydration
... some I can control, some I can't.
In the end, I think it really comes down to not being sufficiently recovered.
On a positive note, given the fatigue level...
... we averaged 12.7 mph with zero drafting over a similar profile to Leadville.
Not bad.
Not great.
But, we can work with that.
Oh, and I'm feeling quite extra speedy on the downhills.
Time for...
- In-N-Out burger, fries and shake
- some good sleep
- and a day off
... to set the pins up to be knocked down next week.
===
164.6
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: `0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
89/113/-25 per Strava (someone's tired!)
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THAT TOPSECRET SECRET
THE IDEA OF A PUBLIC DECLARATION is not new. Lots of people have proclaimed they will accomplish X goal and gone on to do just that...
... because it works.
There is a hitch.
The haters,
the perceived haters,
hating the idea of haters.
There are plenty of famous athletes who have made the call and fallen flat on their face...
... sometimes by knockout.
Which is why most of keep our plans secret,
denying ourselves the power therein.
I'm onboard with that.
There is also power in keeping our intentions unknown.
Wherein lies another hitch.
If we're posting our stats with the Strava lords,
that might be considered a passive-aggressive statement.
Which begs the question...
... if we're keeping our mouths shut, do we keep our training private?
Personally, I'm open book on that, except for my top secret racing agenda which scrawled in code...
... on my vision board.
===
164.6
7iah hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 30 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: `0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
83/84/1 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IMAGINE THAT!
WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, can ya even remember that?, we had tremendous imaginative powers. From games to friends to travel to faraway places...
... our lives were boundless.
What happened?
Did reality set in?
Did we set conditions on our dreams?
Did some kind old bag of wind tell us not to have our heads in the clouds?
The thingaboutitis...
... when we register for an event or race, all bets are off.
We've already imagined...
- the trainging
- the equipement
- the travel and accomodations
... to start.
More importantly, if we're really on our A game, and you and I are!...
... we can see the finish line, and exactly how we'll be at that moment.
Which isn't child's play.
It's actually...
- life
- business
- relationships
... how doers get it done!
As I'm writing this I'm reminded of the gloves I wore today...
and the shirt I'm wearing right now
This is gonna be a total marketing faux pas because we're neverever supposed to make too many offers, but...
... I imagine more than a few of you will want this reminder to Rip!
Order the Gloves, get the Shirt for FREE.
Use this code: LET'SRIP
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lets-rip-buy-t-get-gloves-for-free
===
162.6
8 hours sleep
670 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 30 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 30 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
85/91/-7 per Strava
What I'm reading: 7 Powers, The Foundations of Business Strategy, Hamilton Helmer
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
EMBRACING THE BURN, DAILY/OFTEN
WE'VE ALL FELT THE BURN. Some of us love it, some of us hate it. No matter where we are on the spectrum...
... the burn is coming for us.
Is it minimizable?
Maybe.
If yesterday is any indicator, I may have stumbled upon something.
For the last few weeks, I've been steadily increasing my ATG air squats.
From reps of 10 to reps of 30.
If you haven't done them lately, or ever...
- standing
- to full "ass to grass"
- to standing
... it's quite a shock to learn our trusty bottom half may not be as durable as we think.
When I started 10 burned,
then 20 really burned...
... the last 5 of 30 were a massive struggle.
Back to yesterday's hammerfest, when the burn came on it was like my body saying...
... Oh, we're gonna burn now. Buckle up buttercup, I've got this.
Rather than pulling the plug at the onset of burn, I embraced it and powered on.
Best I've felt in weeks/months.
Now, I'll be the first to admit it could just be that I was supertapered going into last weekend's BWR UT and I might just be having a good response to the taper followed by the 3.5 hours of racing across the high desert.
But, even if that's the case...
... the burn of 30 ATGs feels so good.
Gonna keep upping it,
apparently 100 is a thing.
(yes, on top of split squats and probably bringing back box jumps)
===
165.2
8 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 90 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 90 ATG air squats and 18 split squats with 50lbs
85/96/-12 per Strava
What I'm reading: 7 Powers, The Foundations of Business Strategy, Hamilton Helmer
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE TOOK ME BACK
IT'S REALLY HARD TO LET GO of something we love. The fear we won't get it back is legit. Yet, the opportunity of enjoying something new...
... is real, and tantalizing.
The known vs the unknown.
Once we move on, that thing we left behind might...
- forget about us
- reject our return
- change and move on
... it's risky.
No, Surfergirl didn't leave me or vice versa.
But!...
... I did leave my beloved TMWC (Tuesday Morning World Championships) for another ride: Wednesday Worlds.
The main reason, and it's very valid, waking up at 5am and rolling out in the cold, dark, pre-dawn was leaving me almost worthless for work the rest of the day.
The lesser reason, I was thinking the blazing intensity of WW would be a better work out.
Well, a funny thing happened when a downloaded the Tuesday vs WW data...
- significantly more time above threshold and VO2 max
- much higher average and normalized power
- and, the best, all my pals were there
... to smack me in the face!
For sure, it helped that the sun was up when I rolled out.
And, I was putting down power on the road vs battling dust, rocks and terrain.
The fellas were all welcoming...
... probably because they knew they'd dump me up The Wall and send me home with a good lycra whipping.
Gawd, I've missed this ride and these awesome cats.
===
165.2
7 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 30 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 30 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
84/83/-9 per Strava
What I'm reading: 7 Powers, The Foundations of Business Strategy, Hamilton Helmer
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GIVE ME 10 WEEKS
HOW LONG DOES IT REALLY TAKE to get into top shape for an A race is a question we'd all like answered. For an Olympian, it might be years. For us...
... we might have a few months.
Or less.
Depending on when we sign up, and the vagaries of life.
But, let's just say we are fitter than most,
not as fit as some.
Then our focus will be...
- long climbs or power climbs
- slogs into the wind or a million turns
- finishing in ones and two or a ripping bunch sprint
... more on race specific training.
Given a good baseline of fitness, my general rule is...
- our bodies
- our equipment
- our travel and logistics
... it takes 10 weeks to really sharpen the saw.
For me, aiming for Leadville on 8.15.26, I've got time...
... but, no time to waste.
And, so it begins.
===
164.6
8 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level,
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 60 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
81/72/9 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: The Search, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE PREPARATION/EXPECTATION EQUATION
DECONSTRUCTING OUR RECENT PERFORMANCE is critical for improvement. The longer we wait, the foggier our recollection. Details we were sure of...
... become memories full of bias.
It's natural.
Who wants to remember what went wrong, when we can glory in all that went right?
Other than screwing up yet another sprint for the line, nothing really went sideways for me at BWR UT.
And, if I'm being honest, Billy tested my legs on the overpass coming into to town. Whether or not he knew it, and I stayed glued through the the pain...
... I was hurting.
There are a few things that went really right...
- The chef's pasta the night before at Chef Alfredo's, with Danny and Lisa, was delish and just what I needed.
- The AirBNB I found at the last minute - a 3-bedroom house was perfect and the beds wonderful.
- The 8:30 start was a little too late to skip breakfast, so I went with my gut and mowed down a couple of chocolate Entenmann's donuts, half an apple, and a couple of cups of my trusty mushroom hot chocolate.
- I picked up Skratch Super High Carb and ran 6 scoops in my 2-liter pack and another 3 in one bottle.
- To stay ahead of cramps, I ate a Salt Stick chews.
- For the bike set up,
- Ceramic Speed chain held up really well to all the dust, even after getting doused with cold water by Smitty at the final aid station.
- The tire pressure was pretty low, 22lbs in back 20lbs up front. I rimmed out a few times over the random chunky stuff while in a paceline. That's always risky. But, I also felt like I was much more comfortable than other competitors who dropped off the group over time.
... the last was mindset.
Preparation vs Expectation.
I came in pretty rested having spend the previous 2 weeks on my MTB in Park City.
Because of the altitude, it was difficult to put in hard efforts of any meaningful time. Hours in the saddle were solid, but even a lot of that was spent ripping down hill.
I'd give me preparation a B, which was fine for a B race.
Knowing that, my expectations were quite low.
Here's the point...
... poor preparation with high expectations is a formula for frustration and a crummy day on course.
Whereas...
... awesome preparation with low expectations always makes for a fun race and often surprising outcomes.
===
163.6
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level,
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 70 ATG air squats and 18 split squats with 50lbs
82/74/7 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
IF THINGS AREN'T ENDING UP as we'd like them to, the obvious thing to do would be dong something different. But, that can be a hard pill to swallow because...
... we're comfy and don't wanna change.
Hope isn't a strategy.
Or, a tactic.
So, even though I was hoping I'd be able to fend off the change with a few hundred meters to go at BWR UT, the mofo I'd been working with for the last 30 miles...
... stuck a shiv in my back.
There was nothing I could do.
Had no answer.
Surfergirl, bless her little beating heart, could see I was frustrated with myself and...
... accidentally twisted the buried blade.
What are you going to do about it?
I think it was an innocent, honest, loving, caring question due to the fact that she's seen me frustrated with something...
... then, draw up a solution and make it happen.
Truthfully, does it really matter if close out a racing effort by taking some cat on the line who I may never see again?
Not even.
What matters, to me, is that I execute the plan.
In this case...
... having something left at the end, to rip a fast finish.
The kool kids call that durability.
I call it having your shift together when it counts, which means I'll be needing to...
... wrap up long rides with sprints that sting.
===
164ish no scale
7.5 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/86/-3 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE YOU EXCITED FOR THE RACE TOMORROW?
THE NIGHT BEFORE any race is not a normal night. No matter how practiced we are there's always something different to our routine. Sometimes...
... we just make it up.
Why not?
It might work,
or not.
Surfergirl keeps asking me are you excited?
I wanna say yes,
and I know I will be tomorrow...
... about a millisecond after we start.
Until then,
my energy tends to be low.
Not depressed low.
Hybernation low.
Lethargic.
Slothy.
Trying to amp me up, she asks...
... have you looked at reg to see who's going to be there?
That's the kind of thing that...
- if I glanced at it now
- the night before the race
- when I'm trying to chill and sleep early
... would def keep me up and tossing and turning.
No, that's not my agenda.
I prefer to...
- lose all hope
- ditch all desire
- punt all pretense
... and shut 'er down with my favorite pint.
===
164ish no scale
8.5 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
81/70/11 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
NOSTALGIA
WE ALL STARTED this endurance journey somewhere, likely not where we are today. Introduced by a friend, sometimes on purpose, others inadvertently. While we may change locales, and the friends become distanced…
… we’re still here.
In the game.
We may have the opportunity to go back to where it all started.
For me, it was…
- my roommate’s bike
- a finagled purchase of my own
- secrets of sprinting revealed by Bret, who raced track nationally for San Jose Bicycle Club
… in Provo, UT.
I rearranged my classes…
- to start as early as possible
- so I could ride every afternoon
- before cruising the library to cruise the cubicles in search of a “study” partner.
… because I had priorities to attend to.
Today I hit a climb I’d always wanted to check out, Cascade Springs, but it was a battered gravel road back in the day.
Now, it’s pristine pavement all the way up over 8000’
Followed by a plummeting descent that is as magical now as it was 40 years ago.
I’ve moved,
but, I never really moved on…
… and, I’m quite okay with that.
===
164ish no scale
8.5 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
81/68/12 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE TRUE PRICE OF FREE ADVICE
A WHILE BACK, I connected with the COO of a well-known bike brand. We were working on a collaboration at the time. I asked him for some...
... advice on what we're doing over here.
Today, we met for lunch.
Looked at from now to the end of the year,
the objectives I want to accomplish,
what I think is possible.
No different than...
- capabilities
- weaknesses
- peak seasonal events
... planning the race season with a coach.
After some yummy tacos,
and back of napkin calculations...
... we came up with a solid methodology to implement.
Like any great coach,
my friend made it so simple to understand...
... and gave me the confidence to go for it.
I was prepared to pay a minimum of $1,000.
In the end it could be way more expensive than that...
... if I don't take action.
It could cost me 100s of 1000s.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/77/5 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE SUFFERING AND EPICCING TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN?
WE ALL KNOW that group workouts are torturous by nature. It's not a secret. Yet, we continue to show up beating after beating because...
... suffering loves company.
Alone, for most of us, is no good.
We won't see it through,
we'll ease up when we should be hardening up.
The bonds we end up forming are often unbreakable...
... we're in agony together.
Suddenly people who barely knew each other are fist bumping and ready for the next one.
What's the opposite bondforming experience?...
... when we're pushing geographic boundaries together.
Like today.
It wasn't the 90 minute climb topping out at 9160'.
Nope.
It was the 60 minutes of downhill...
- ripping through the trees
- sliding around gorgeous berms
- jumping rocks and roots and stumps
... feeling like we were cheating life.
Epiccing, like suffering, loves company.
We set off in search of adventures that will push beyond the comforts or riding around the block...
... the unknown and undiscovered beckoning to be shared.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/71/10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
COOCOO FOR CLIMBING
IF WEIGHTED SQUATS are a lot better than air squats, is climbing a lot better than riding on the flats? And, if climbing is better...
... is climbing with a weighted vest mo' bettah?
Things one wonders.
And takes to extremes.
I remember backintheday, rolling out with 100oz hydration pack on my back and 2 large waterbottles filled with sand.
It seems so silly now,
almost as all the ruckers.
On a bike we can measure power.
So, we know.
We know we don't need to stress our backs with extra weight or stupid add ons...
... we can just pedal faster.
Velocity X Force - Power
Which taken a step further...
... climbing aint gonna train us any better than flats.
We gotta put out the power.
There is a caveat, if we like...
- climbing big mountains
- ripping punchy stuff
- pounding the flats
... our bodies will adapt and become more efficient at the one we love and gravitate towards.
Me personally?
I'm coocoo for climbing,
and bananas for bombing.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
80/63/17 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HEAR ME OUT
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST PLAIN FUN to make fun of Velo, "powered by Outisde". Whether it's their clickbaity titles, AI drivel, or soulselling advertorials...
... there's at least one good laugh a day.
Here's my current favorite.
Stop Complaining About Sound, These Are The Best Headphones for Cycling
Roight!
Because decreasing our ability to engage with our surroundings when traveling 20+ miles per hour in our underwear on...
- trails
- gravel
- pavement
... is a great idea.
Genius.
Next up...
... Stop Complaining About Night Vision, These Are The Best Sunglasses After Sunset.
There is no best.
At best, assuming it's not clickbait or advertorial would be...
... These Headphones Least Worsen Your Ability To React To Danger When Riding.
Or, for the trailrunners...
... These Earbuds Reduce Getting The Shift Scared Out of You When A Bike Rider Has Been Saying 'Hey There' For 5 Minutes and Finally Gives Up and Passes You.
Now for you in the back jumping up and down ready to tell me to not be so closeminded...
... I hear you.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/72/10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
>
POP TART POWERED, BEE STUNG... ATHLETE unINTELLIGENCE
SOMETIMES, we just gotta change it up. Do something different just fer fun. Go against...
... conventional wisdom.
I thought it had been a good week...
- 177 miles
- 17:26 hours
- 20951' of vert
... given I'd been knocked down by a 24 hour bug.
Mostly in the dirt,
mostly with friends.
Yet, every single ride Strava's Athlete Intelligence...
... scored it as recovery or recovery and endurance.
Apparently, the AI couldn't account for the fact this sea leveler was suffering at 7000-10,000 elevation.
Rolling out this morning...
- a few scoops of Envy
- 4 pop tarts
- 1 Carbs gel
... I grabbed what I had + 100 ounces of water.
While I hoped to put down some power, since all I'd done was "recovery and endurance" rides...
... I knew the truth.
Leaving with a simple plan,
ride until I ran out of food and water.
It was an epic day in the mountains...
... topped off with a bee sting in the gut a few miles from home base.
Memorable.
===
164
9 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
84/80/0 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE ADVENTURE
SOMETIMES, the road really is better than the inn. We realize that whatever we are aiming for may not be all that great, but...
... putting in the work gives outsized returns.
Gratitude blooms.
Like today.
My pal Charles charts out this loop...
- 32 miles
- 4700' of vert
- topping out at 10,000'
... which seems really cool.
Until we hit our first massive fallen tree and bushwhack around it.
Then, patches of snow,
too long to ride.
Followed Puke Hill.
The view...
- The Great Salt Lake to the west
- Park City to the East
- Not a soul around
... stunning.
Somehow the goals seem weak, lacking...
... when beauty abounds.
If we'll just stop to look.
===
165ish, no scale
7ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/72/10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHEN TRAINING ISN'T ACCORDING TO PLAN
THE BEST LAID PLANS can go sideways for a variety of reasons. I'm not gonna list 'em since I don't want to poison your mind and have you...
... manifesting awfulness.
'Cause I'm questioning just that about myself.
Did I manifest...
- 3 days off at I Do Epic
- riding with friends short on time
- puking my guts out last night after a miserable 70 minute ride
... or, is it just life?
Doesn't matter too much,
except part of my GrandMasterRipOnRaceDay plan...
... was a massive training week this week to make up for last week
and leave me slightly buried for BWR next week.
I consulted AI all night...
- possibly caused by using pure table sugar on my rides
- hydration via room temp peppermint tea
- a few Tums
... while Surfergirl laughed at me and secured the remedy.
Arose after 10 hours, feeling a lot better.
Energy seems good enough to day...
... to meet up with the local slayers.
The prudent thing would be to skip the meet up,
spin at most, or sleep...
... a proper adjustment.
But, screw it...
... I've got plans, too.
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
80/57/22 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HE'S A GENIUS
WE ALL HAVE, or should have, wish we had, that friend who can fix anything. Even though we've upped our skills over the years there's always that...
... next level repair.
We can't do it.
Like my SID fork, today...
- packing in on descents
- rebound slower than a sloth
- adjustment dials backing out and loose
... I was in a bind.
Turns out the great C Gonzer lives where I'm visiting,
racing pals from a decade ago.
Within about about 20 minutes,
he had it working nearly good as new.
How'd you learn how to do this?
I just really like working on my bikes.
That's it?
Well, I am a mechanical engineer by trade.
That's it...
- love what we do
- study the basics
- achieve mastery
... genius level work.
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
80/57/23 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: Feeling Is The Secret, by Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GETTING HIGH
TRAINING AT SEA LEVEL is no way to prepare for high elevation activities. Sure we have extra oxygen to go hard, which is always nice. But, it'd be even nicer...
... to be able to rip when high.
Which begs the question...
... why am I working so darn hard, putting out so little power?
Nah, that's obvious.
Kinda.
90 minutes into the ride today,
we'd been ripping up Big Mountain Pass (f'real).
Challenging?
Yes.
Wheezing?
Yes.
Gapped?
Indeed.
Here's the rill dill...
... even though the power is relatively low,
the breathing is labored.
Which presents a realhonesttogoodness truth...
- breathing too hard
- not thinking 100% clearly
- focusing on staying on pace
... it's hard to stay on top of the hydration and nutrition at altitude significantly above our normal.
We, me especially, gotta force it.
Another important consideration at high elevations...
... it's better to pace on HR than PWR.
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/71/12 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: Feeling Is The Secret, by Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SETTLING...
THE IDEA OF SETTLING, for most of us, is repulsive. We'd never do that because our standards are too high...
... or, so we think.
Because we don't know better.
Welp,
today I realized
I've totally been settling.
While we do have trails to ride near home...
- skinny single track with rain ruts
- weeds elbow high
- punch climbs
... it's nothing like Utah..
Today, outside of Kamas was incredible.
My pals, PViddy and TimmyV, had been telling me it was great up here.
But, c'mon...
- smooth, fast and flowy
- adorned with greenery and trees
- berms so perfect the suspension compresses as you no-brake it
... expertly engineered trials.
Waywaywaywayway better than my home trails.
Once we know we're settling the only question is...
... what are we gonna do about it?
===
165ish, no scale
8ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/61/21 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
A GOOD BREAK
TAKING TIME OFF can be restorative. Sometimes it's on purpose, other times its an unplanned forced situation. Either way...
... we're anxious to get back at it.
Like right now.
Being that I was committed to be all in at the biz conference...
... I skipped the last few days.
Including the typical epic Saturday.
Everything feels really good except my gut, which is feeling quite bloated...
... after lots of good food.
I suppose that's part of the anxiety, not...
- the drop in fitness
- the packed on pounds
- the connecting with the crew
... the sensation of being a caged animal.
Some might caution,
don't over do it.
A fair warning if working back from an injury.
But, this belly is yellin' at me,
get after it,
right now.
Can't wait to start shedding and shredding manana.
(I've got 10 days to turn it around before BWR UT)
===
165ish, no scale
78ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/63/20 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
>
AI DRIVEN?
AI could be all it's cracked up to be, if we can only learn how to use it to our benefit. But, new things can be...
... a challenge to learn.
Even scary.
One of the take aways on day 3 of I Do Epic was regarding AI,
and it got me thinking about racing...
... because as we say, Racing is life!.
My grand takeaway is AI's ability to deliver what we are looking for has much to do with regarding the prompts.
For example, knowing what you know about me...
... create a training program as if you were Javier Sola
Just like us at a race,
AI needs its head screwed on straight in order to deliver.
And a proper prompt is the starting point.
Making it human...
... what is the main prompt driving our training?
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/73/12 per Strava
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WE CALL IT SPOOKED
THE UNMISTAKABLE ENERGY of the start line can be overwhelming for the uninitiated. We feel it the moment we arrive at an event, and when we line up the vibe can take us...
... from confident and courageous to literal shaking.
Plans melting.
Rather than the controlled missile launch we'd imagined, we are overcome by the complete chaos of undirected explosions.
And, that's okay,
until we want a different outcome.
On Day 2 of I Do Epic, we spent much the day in a massive barn learning how a master horse trainer teaches and guides the beasts with energy vs force.
Demonstrating the animal's sensitivity to each other in the herd as well as to us humans, as we approached and worked with the horses.
Thankfully, the inanimate endurance tools we depend on...
- bicycles
- helmets
- shoes
... cannot sense our moods or energy.
Can you imagine mounting a spooked bicycle?
I've often wondered how I am able to reach a place of calm and certainty with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of my "closest friends"...
... so close to losing it?
I don't have a good answer other than...
- a safe race
- an unleashing of the training put in
- finishing knowing there was nothing left in the tank
... experience and expectation.
But, the old cowboy did share one nugget that really resonated with me...
... We create what we anticipate.
===
165ish, no scale
8ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
87/84/3 per Strava
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
START WHERE YOU ARE
TRAVEL BRINGS IT'S OWN CHALLENGES when it comes to maintaining our fitness. Will we have time, will there be space, do we have the equipment...
... will we even want to?
Have the energy?
When I signed up for I Do Epic Live in the hinterlands of Idaho, I figured we'd be starting early and ending late so...
- 27 hours
- 380 miles
- 27000' of vert
... I made sure I'd put in a large training block prior.
Taking a break made sense, but...
... a funny thing happened when I woke up.
I had two and half hours to kill,
while situated on the shore of the Snake river,
with a lovely and lonely gravel road echoing my vibe.
My original plan was out...
- a long walk
- a ton of push ups
- a million air squats
... a quick and glorious spin was in.
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
89/97/-8 per Strava
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I WANTED TO STOP SO BAD
GETTING AFTER IT for a long period of time can be a beautiful thing, if we are in the right mindset and our bodies are prepared...
... and we're used to it.
Even addicting.
But, if our head's not into it,
our bodies not prepped,
it's been a while...
... quitting looks might tasty.
Like today.
There we were, riding up one of the most beautiful climbs in Utah, the Alpine Loop...
- few cars on the road
- perfect spring weather
- forever views up into the snowpack
... a coupla dudes riding a good fast tempo.
And, about 45 minutes in...
... I wanted to pull over.
Have a smoke, errr bite of my bar,
dip my toes in the stream.
It would have been so easy,
and lovely.
Which is why I didn't do it.
Because I know from experience pushing through these moments is...
... what it takes to finish anything strong.
Well, and the reward of a chocolate chip cookie at Sundance...
... would be that much sweeter.
===
165.8/12.7%
7ish hours sleep
690 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
91/107/-17 per Strava
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE OTHER CROSSTRAINING
IF WE'RE IN A RELATIONSHIP of any kind we're most likely going to be exposed to activities which don't perfectly align with...
... our primary objective.
Got it?
Yeah, we get it.
The thingaboutitis...
... it's usually more than okay.
Surfergirl loves to hike.
Any time we're roadtripping and I'm in a hurry to get to the beddown...
... she's plotting a once in a life time hike.
Like today,
just after 6pm
3 hours from our destination...
... we absolutely had to hike Kolob canyon for no less than 2 hours!
Yes, that's an explanation point because...
... old diesels need their beauty sleep
Her "reward" for this detour is me stretching out while she drives, which I'm pretty sure...
... she purposely fakes like she's tired and unnecessarily jerks the wheel so I'll get behind it.
While I have to admit the hike was outstanding, and served to remind me that I should do some regular hiking to prepare for the potential to be hiking at Leadville...
...it's pretty clear I have not properly trained her on driving in a relaxing and soothing manner nor bowing down to the needs of her old man's sleep.
===
165.8/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
690 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
no Stretches
88/98/-9 per Strava
What I'm reading: How To Fail At Almost Anything and Still Win Big, by Scott Adams
>
BECAUSE I ASKED...
MEMORIAL DAY IS A BUSY ONE around here. All kinds of people out enjoying the day: runnin, bikin, swimmin, surfin, paddlin...
... things were chaotic.
I got a late start.
Preferring to get some work knocked and start prepping the van for our road trip...
... I slipped out just past noon.
There is a steep hill above a picturesque beach that attracts locals, nonlocals and everyone in between.
At the top, I saw an older woman lugging two chairs for her and her ancient father.
Normally, I'd just wiggle around them and the rest and go on about my day...
... but I remembered.
Hi there, can I help you with those chairs?
Oh, yes, please.
Leaned my bike on a palm tree.
Let's go down a little bit more, where it's a little flatter.
C'mon dad, over here.
This looks pretty good.
Thank you.
No problem.
How did you know we needed help, nobody else noticed?
Oh, I prayed I'd be useful today.
With that, I was off on a lovely tour of the southern part of our county...
... pavement, gravel roads and single track.
You're probably thinking Nice virtue signal Todd...
... to which I'll say, thinking of others is not my default or my strong suit.
I have to work at getting my heart to be fully functional.
===
165.8/12.7%
8.5ish hours sleep
690 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
√ Stretches
91/113/-22 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE RANDOMNESS OF PROGRESS
NICHING DOWN is a legit way to go about maximizing results. We study the experts, learn all we can, put it into practice. The goal is...
... supreme mastery.
But, is narrow and deep the only way to get it done?
The best way?
Personally, I think I've learned more studying endurance athletes and coaches from other sports than I have focusing on bike racing.
Maybe, probably, there is more literature and research available.
Here are a few of my favorites
- running - Born To Run, Christopher McDougall
- triathlon - anything by Phil Maffetone
- swimming - Total Immersion Method, Terry Laughlin
- natural fitness - Natural Born Heroes, Christopher McDougall
... because they introduced me to new ways of thinking about endurance and fitness.
Bringing in randomness to our experience...
- events
- people
- travel
... can deliver game-changing progress hacks.
If we'll just open our ears, eyes, hearts.
===
165.8/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
690 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
√ Stretches
88/99/-11 per Strava
>
AFTER TAKING SEVERAL READINGS
SIMULATING OUR 'A' EVENTS months in advance can be quite revealing, in bad...
... and good ways.
Once, isn't enough.
Every weekend is too much.
It's not a damned if we do,
damned if we don't situation.
More like a...
- damn?
- damn!
- hot damn!
... outcome.
With that in mind I turned to Grok to help me assess today's simulation because...
- what happens if I cut ballast?
- what workouts would improve my time?
- are there supplements that aid lung function at altitude?
... AI is damn fine when it comes to crunching numbers.
Because I'm a true and proud supernerd...
- 2 previous attempts in last 7 years
- body weight on those days
- power numbers as well
... I have the data, going back years.
I put Grok to work...
- I can improve
- I'm in a pretty good place already
- This is gonna be a heckuva lotta fun
... and came out with what I already sensed.
Grok thinks I can beat my previous PR,
which seems absolutely ludicrous...
... mainly because I have a lot of higher value things I want to accomplish this summer.
This is a typical use of AI for me...
- confirm/test/explore what's possible
- learn how to do things I can't figure out
- assist in leveraging my tiny helmet covered bean's processing power
... are you using AI to evaluate and make moves?
As the great Wille Nelson sings...
... After taking several readings I'm surprised to find my mind's (and body) still fairly sound.
===
167/12.7% oof!
7.5ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
√ Stretches
90/114/-24 per Strava went kinda deep today
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S A LONE WOLF'S WORLD
NO MATTER HOW MANY friends are planning to do the A event with us, regardless of how many weekends we link up to train together...
... the bulk of our efforts are alone.
Unseen.
By nearly everybody, except that neighbor who we pass by at the same...
... godforbidden time each dark morning.
We're on the hunt...
- miles
- skills
- fortitude
... for more.
And even when we do link up, if we're truly committed...
... we might breakup, or off.
For example, I'm committed to ride a spritely tempo between all the worthy climbs tomorrow...
... where I'll move into the bottom to mid-threshold.
Because that's gonna be my pace at the A race,
and I've really got to train it now,
to maintain it then.
So, yeah, 7 miles up the climb I'll probably be alone...
... just like I'll most likely be on raceday.
Which is why I'm working on this jersey to where in in Leadville.
Personally, I feel like an inspirational, personalized jersey is good for...
... a 1-2% increase in performance.
If you're of the same persuasion...
- super aero jersey
- amazing imported Italian fabrics
- no minimum order required, make just 1
... go here: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/start-a-project
===
165.6/12.7% (time to start trimming blubber)
8.5ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
√ Stretches
85/82/2 per Strava (time to bump these numbers up)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
13 WEEKS SHOULD BE ENOUGH
AT SOME POINT, the training for the A event has gotta get real. Sure we have our base miles just because we are base-ically addicted, but...
... that's not gonna cut it.
Gotta get specific.
As of this moment, I'm 13 weeks out from starting the Leadville Trail 100.
It'll be my 8th time.
While I know the drill, I also know...
... I'm nowhere near ready.
Haven't done an hour long climb...
... since I don't know when.
Haven't ridden over 5 hours since October.
Haven't ridden my MTB more than twice a week in ages...
... haven't
haven't
haven't
haven't
haven't.
Equally overwhelming and energizing...
... the challenge is elephant-sized.
And, I'm gonna attack it one mile at a time.
===
164.6/12.5%
8.5ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
√ Stretches
86/89/-4 per Strava
>
STRETCH GOALS
STRETCHING seems to go in and out of popularity. When, how long, which moves are a essential...
... and that's not counting yoga and pilates.
Where to start?
That's a good question.
I'm no expert, which is why I check in with my physical therapy pal, Scott, from time to time.
Mostly when I'm miserable
or injured.
Which got me thinking.
The last couple of days my bike fit felt like it had changed...
... which is impossible, right?
Then, I thought...
... could my body have changed somehow?
Thinking back on my many visits with Scott...
... and how stretches had fixed various aches and debilitating pains.
It hit me like a ton of lycra!
I haven't been stretching regularly,
at all.
Got back at it this morning...
... dang, I'm stiff!
But, guess what...
... the bike fit felt back to awesome.
Stretch goals are the kind that have us reaching to our limits to accomplish what seems nigh impossible...
... I like setting those.
New/old stretch goal...
... stretch every night as part of my shutdown sequence.
===
163.6/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
680 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
√ Stretches
86/91/-6 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT MASTERING THE BASICS LOOKS LIKE
THE VERY BEST PROS have mastered the basics. From techniques to tools, from sleeping to sprinting. They have it...
... all down cold.
How do we know?
Because at the very the very best are still practicing the basics...
... only the output is at a much higher level.
Duh!
Yeah, I know.
But, the real question is are we chasing...
- fads
- trends
- shiny objects
... or working diligently on mastering the basics?
===
163.6/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/83/1 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
FROM FLOOR TO CEILING
BUILDING FITNESS can appear to be a mystery to the uninitiated. For the reasons, holding onto it is illusive. And losing it...
... downright easy.
It's a shame.
If the unwashed simply established a floor...
- a minimum daily commitment
- built over weeks
- and months
... they'd find their ceiling to be nearly limitless.
Instead, they get the bug or come clean with their naked selves...
... and progress rapidly for a short season.
Get thrown off track,
and start over.
We know different.
Our floor maybe is simple as getting outta bed and kitting up...
... knowing it's easy to get out the front door at that point.
After that, it's just a matter of raising the floor...
... to see how high we can fly.
Things I think about while riding zone two for 2 hours...
... because that was my floor today.
And, I always ride on Mondays.
===
165.6/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
86/90/-4 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
PRISONS WE CHOOSE TO LIVE INSIDE
>
HOW FAR SHOULD WE TAKE OUR BRO-SCIENCE?
ONCE WE FIGURE OUT the gear and products that work for our bodies, it's, honestly, just amazing. It fits. It works. And we stick with it...
... because we rip.
Easy.
We don't want to change.
That can be a problem if what we love goes out of stock or worse...
... out of production all together.
A few years back, when Wahoo acquired Speedplay they dumped my tried and MTB pedals.
The Frogs.
Had I known, I'd have purchased at least 10 pair of pedals and probably 100 sets of cleats.
To my horror, I logged on and learned the sadsad news.
No mas.
When I woke and realized I was out of my favorite carb mix today...
- water
- plain ol' sugar
- and Liquid IV for flavor and electrolytes
... well, yeah, I took a stab a making my own.
You should witnessed the...
- disgust
- concern
- warnings
... from the crew when we stopped to refill our bottles midride.
I shared my mix was 4 tablespoons of sugar...
- you're gonna get diabetes
- go into a coma
- die early
... I could only laugh.
Just what exactly do you think is in your favorite powder or gel?
I got the idea from an ultra-trail runner I follow on YouTube.
He'd wanted to experiment and discovered how sucrose...
- quickly absorbed glucose
- more slowly absorbed fructose
... breaks down in the small intestine.
It's a 1:1 ration,
most high end mixes are 1:.8.
Ever look at the ingredients of what you're drinking?
My 4 very level tablespoons = 50 grams of carbohydrate.
But, isn't that gonna kill ya?
It's about the same as a can of Coke,
or a couple of candy bars.
So, yes, it will absolutely...
- crush our health
- give us that orange with 4 toothpicks look
- and lead to all kinds of degenerative diseases
... unless we are ripping and burning it up.
That 50 grams is about 50% of what I consume per hour...
... when getting after it.
How'd it work over 3 bottles?
Flawlessly.
Gonna test full strength this week.
This is bro-science...
... so take it with a literal and proverbial grain of salt.
===
166/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
660 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/88/-3 per Strava
>
FIRST (TASTE OF) BLOOD
WE'RE LIKE WILD ANIMALS. Once we get the first taste of adrenalin, charging through the countryside...
... with reckless abandon.
We're hooked.
The thingaboutitis...
... we gotta get that first taste.
16 years ago, my pal Dr. Jeff couldn't keep from...
... slobbering all over me.
About gravel riding.
You would love it.
Seems kinda lame.
Trust me.
Tell me why.
Well, it'a a combination of two things you love: road and mtb.
And it's fun?
Oh yes!
It took me 5 years to finally see a signal...
- steel
- heavy
- leather bags
... a lonely gravel bike on sale at the local bike shop.
I thought it was radical to ride the tires at such low pressure...
- 38mm
- 60 lbs
- with tubes
... now I'm on tubeless carbon hoops, rolling 18 up front 20 in the back.
So much has improved!
For the first year or more I rode gravel alone...
... like a lunatic in the wild.
It took 5 more years till a few of us were getting together...
... and another 3ish to do what we did today.
Ruckus URBN GRVL group rides.
In town for the weekend, Jeff joined us for today's masterpiece...
... I'm not sure he made the connection on the impact he's had on us.
===
165.6/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
6200 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
88/101/-14 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
STOP BEING MEDIUM
THERE'S A REASON so many of us struggle to improve. Especially the newest of us...
... doing all we can to hang on.
Never improving.
I heard it said so well and succinctly today by one of my fave running coaches, the great Fred Duncan.
The question how much work we can survive in one session, it's...
- hard
- easy
- hard, again
... how many high quality outputs can we stack over weeks and months and years?
If we aren't resting, active-recovering we can't go hard enough on our hard days to see any improvement...
... we become really excellent at medium.
And, stay there.
Which is fine, if you're into that sorta thing.
But, I know you're not.
Which brings up today's ride...
- 23 miles
- ave HR 93
- ave PWR 102
... we did the impossible.
I say impossible because it's nearly impossible to get a group of athletes together and not start pushing...
... we pulled it off by setting the tone ahead of time.
The BRO ride is a super easy conversational cruiser...
... because bros need bro time.
Before slaying it on the weekend.
If you want to do a deeper dive on Fred's post it's here: https://x.com/Fred__Duncan/status/2055274916199502322?s=20
===
164.6/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/75/8 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ZONE TWO MUCH
ANYBODY CAN RIDE ZONE 2. It's easy. Zone 1 is easy. Coasting is easier. The trick is...
... to stay there.
For a long time.
The past few months I've been doing my Z2 on the mountain bike,
on kinda steep trails.
Not spinning,
a lot of torque...
... then completely off when descending.
Which is somewhat easier than what I did today...
- keeping on the pedals
- with high cadence
- limited coasting
... Zone 2 on mainly flat, with a few rollers.
Turns out 2:80 spend doing...
- 90 minutes Z2
- 31 min Z1
- 9 min z3
... is it's own kinda hard.
1261 calories burned ain't nothing.
The mental game to stay at a given pace and basically never stop pedaling...
... regardless of the terrain.
I know you zwifties are wanting to mock me,
and I'm totally down with how much harder
it can be on a trainer.
I get it.
The real point is this kind of training...
... is extremely effective at building physical and mental endurance.
===
165.2/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/83/1 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER OF MID-WEEK RACING
MID-WEEK RACING has been around for ages and continues to endure because it's great training, fun to bring the community together...
... and get in some ripping intensity.
400 showed up to race Over The Hump last night.
A very healthy number of age group competitors...
... ready to battle.
I've missed the last two seasons,
so it was exciting to finally make it out.
I entered Elite 45+ looking to see how I'd rate.
Warming up,
I saw a lot of friends.
But, I was missing one.
My pal Eric was senselessly killed last year while riding his bike early in the morning, by a druggy.
After a decade of racing together...
- bro hugging each week
- seeing his babies grow up
- and turn into fine little racers
... there was a hole in my heart.
On the start line,
the energy was high,
the confidence eager.
We shot out.
I maneuvered leading into the first single track,
thinking okay this feels right.
There was only one solid climb,
20 minutes of redlining.
From leading,
to wheezing,
to 7th.
Ouch!
The downhill was a couple of miles long,
and it felt good - even PRd it.
Sliding out onto the double track,
I could see 5th and 6th,
and closed the gap.
Two of the three of us were pulling hard back to the finish line.
Just as we're about to hit the final single track before the finish,
we're caught by some of the guys we'd dropped.
At the same time,
we enter the tight turns we merge with the Beginners and Sport racers.
It's not pretty.
Some of us give the slower riders space,
others mob through.
I go from 5th to 8th.
Frustrated.
Upset about getting beat by the dude who wasn't pulling with us.
Finishing,
I stormed off.
Not my finest moment.
After a recovery drink and some spinning...
- reveling in my anger
- knowing it would motivate me
- looking forward to some specific training
... I realized how great it is to be racing.
Once I'd changed into my tshirt and jeans, I had time to reflect...
- we live in a free and prosperous country
- have the time and energy for mid-week racing
- I'm feeling 100% recovered from my TBI, while Eric is riding in the heavens and his family navigates life without him.
... and be extremely grateful.
===
165.2/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
590 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/83/1 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CONSISTENCY IS BORING AND...
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHATTER on the interwebs regarding what happens by simply being consistent. What is often left out is the biggest battle...
... which must be won.
Boredom.
That's what the naysayers are thinking as we head out into the morning sunrise doing the unfathomable.
Sure, it can be monotonous to do the same workout over and over.
But, we aren't newbs or drones and know how to counter that by mixing it up, and socializing with likeminded beasts.
With unholy motivation we focus...
... on the rewards.
Months and years later,
we're nothing like the person we started out as.
Consistency might look boring to an outsider, but...
... we know it's lethal.
===
165.6/12.6%
7.5ish hours sleep
710 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
84/80/-4 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS
THERE'S DANGER just crossing the street. But, people do it and a lot more because it's part of life. We, on the other hand...
... like to raise the stakes.
Ignoring the warnings.
For years, I have casually read the signs regarding mountain lions and rattle snakes on our local trails and all over the western US.
In the process I've...
- a close up encounter with a big cat
- run over many sunbathing snakes
- stared down coyotes
... had one real scare and many thrills.
The cat was the most shocking.
I thought I was seeing a large loping coyote way up the gravel road.
Not uncommon.
Keep going.
Kept seeing as elevation changed.
Rounded a corner only to see a giant cat perpendicular to the road.
Staring at me.
Didn't do what you're supposed to do...
- stand your ground
- make yourself look bigger
... back pedaled and ripped up a single track, braking to make the turn at the top.
Went back to that spot many, many times,
raced up that hill as fast as possible...
... never came close to needing to brake to make the turn at the top.
That my friends is living.
===
165.6/12.6%
7.5ish hours sleep
710 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
84/80/4 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TIMING
TIMING IS EVERYTHING, and there is so much to be timed when it comes to racing. To time anything to perfection necessitates...
... starting very early.
Ultimately, requiring less energy.
We saw this today at the Giro.
The winning sprinter producing fewer watts than 2nd or 3rd place...
- 1480w
- 1870w
- 1580w
... making it look easy(er).
Because he timed his acceleration perfectly.
Not unlike sprinting for the line, the great Scott Adams stated...
... the secret to success is energy management.
Which helped me lean into doing my best and most important work early in the day when I'm most alert and creative.
What else...
- workouts
- relationships
- spiritual exploits
... can we improve with better timing?
===
165.2/12.6%
7ish hours sleep
680 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/87/-2 per Strava
>
BLAME IT ON THE DONUT
STAYING ON TOP OF THE RECOVERY is super easy to skip. Especially, if we are really on top of it...
... day after day.
We're rested.
When the opportunity presents itself to overdo it...
... we do it.
We think we'll be fine.
We aren't going to do die, but...
... we will be less than fine.
Like today.
After shortchanging myself on sleep two nights in a row,
getting talked into more than easy spinning,
skipping the hyper-ice sessions...
... all variables I couldashoulda controlled,
I suffered today.
The sting of ripping,
felt stale and suffocating.
When looked back on the data...
- on trails I've ridden
- raced up
- stomped
... I actually set some PRs.
The difference when between being fatigued vs fresh is stark...
... longfaced-droopy vs JUBILANT.
Eventually, I succumbed to the efforts,
pulling the plug halfway up a steepytechy...
... and limped to the donut shop.
Where, after a few moments and calories and water I miraculously...
... felt very fauxfresh!
===
165.2/12.6%
7ish hours sleep
6500 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
87/100/-13 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BRO!
ALL RACING AND TRAINING ain't the way to do it. The ubersuccessful connect with others on a deeper level, it's the glue we need...
... to help us hold it all together.
Not the training and racing.
Life.
Some say getting out and getting after is...
... cheap therapy.
I won't argue with that.
Getting out, and away, for a conversational workout...
... can be life changing.
Lifesaving.
But, we already know that.
Most of our friends don't,
or don't make the time,
or have the friendship.
Which got me out on the road way earlier than I wanted to today,
because I knew my pal had been traveling a ton,
and could squeeze in a ride.
And got me thinking...
- early start
- easy terrain
- all bikes welcome
... why not create a BRO ride?
Details in the image.
(Surfergirl has had this going with the Trail Angels for decades).
===
165.6/12.6%
7.5ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
85/84/0 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BEST EFFORTS OSCILLATE
DOING OUR BEST. We hear from the time we take our first steps, through our teens, into adulthood. Then we preach it...
... to anyone who will listen.
Because it works.
As the great Tony Horton used to say on the P90X videos...
.. do your best, and forget the rest.
It's a legit way to live, except...
... our best oscillates.
We can get better at our best...
... is there anything more exciting than knowing that?
I found a fun features on Strava today.
The Best Efforts Power Curve has a little box we can check and...
... Show Estimated FTP.
The last 6 weeks I've been pretty dialed.
According to the app I've raced FTP 10 watts.
The feedback is helpful.
Knowing we can improve...
... is a devine gift.
===
165.6/12.6%
7ish hours sleep
680 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
86/91/-5 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GO BIG, PUNK!
THROWING THE GEARS TO THE BIG RING used to be much more of a thing. With the advent of 13-speed, not so much. Lot's of 1x drivetrains...
... making things simpler.
Better...
- lighter
- more aero
- cleaner look
... depends on the use case.
MTB started it all,
can't even buy one with 2x.
Gravel bikes are mostly there,
some 2x systems.
Road and TT have special use for 1x.
Track and BMX have always kept it clean and simple.
Anyway, there I was this morning doing my dawgawn bestest to try and recapture my PR from Jan 2026 on a segment called Pain Cave because...
... who wants to just cruse home after hammerin'?
And it dawned on me...
... back in Jan I forced myself to stay in the big ring all the way up the steeps.
Did it work?
Kinda.
Knocked 2:47 off of last week's tepid attempt...
... still 48 seconds off the PR.
I looked back at my scale logs...
... I'm 2 lbs heavier, .5% higher in body fat.
Then my weight training...
... I'm doing a lot more leg work Sunday and Monday.
Probably not a great way to prep for Wednesday.
Lastly I looked at time spent in Zone 4 or above...
... 48 min in Jan vs 49 min today.
I'll take another cracky at it...
- come in lighter
- more rested
- caffeinated
... attacking with punk blazing style.
Check 'em out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedal-punk-collection
===
165.6/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
710 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
86/92/-7 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE SUPER SUCCESSFUL DIET THAT IS POTENTIALLY KILLING OUR POTENTIAL
THERE ARE A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL plans to decrease our extra ballast. Perhaps the most powerful is one that we rarely actually apply to getting lean...
... yet allow to dictate our ultimate potential.
Case in point.
Eat the same meal, day after day...
... we'll get sick of it.
Eat less.
Waste away.
Lose muscle.
It's just a fact.
Yet, we do that same thing...
- same group rides
- same strength work
- same A race targeted
... with so much of our activities.
The inertia against improvement is overwhelming.
We can't do more,
become more.
We stall,
or worse,
we give it all up.
And why not?
It's become boring.
However, who can blame even the most monk-like amongst us who pack on the pounds because...
... there are so many amazing food choices to be had.
These days, living in any kind of a city, even the smallest, there can be found really creative and fun dining experiences.
We can eat more,
yes, become more.
Maybe not the more we are looking for.
If we're really going to reach new heights...
- new groups
- new strength work
- new A races targeted
... we must mix it up.
PS this applies to everything: love, family, business, sprituality.
===
164.6/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
720 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
84/80/3 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BAR MONEY
Jun 21, 2021
by TODD BROWN
YOU'RE IN PRETTY DERN GOOD SHAPE ON ANY RIDE AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT A $20 ON YA. Could be in your wallet, or you saddle bag. That's the problem...
... it could be there.
But, what if you forget the wallet? What if you forget to load your saddle bag?
No Jackson, no snackin'.
No bueno.
What's the solution?
I'll tell ya, as long as ya promise not to tell another soul.
Deal?
Pop off your bar end, slide in a crisp one...
... just be sure part of it is pressed under the cap.
There ya go.
Handlebar Money.
https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/collections/raceday-wallets
Of course, most people skip the wallet because it's way too big which is why we make the amazing RaceDay Wallet.
- It's light
- Thin
- And the innertube it's made from is so grippy on your jersey it's impossible to fall out... really.
Use promo code: HANDLEBARMONEY
https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/collections/raceday-wallets
---
---
169.6
7 hrs
Stretch and Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5506423686
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
REMOTE VIEWING
Jun 20, 2021
by TODD BROWN
ON A LAZY SUNDAY MORNING I saw giants taking powerful swings at each other. Not out the window, but on a piece of glass I held in my hand. Not within 100 miles, but on another continent. Not actual giants...
... but the best racers in Spain.
I don't know how anybody could possibly be riveted to this like I am...
... without personally having felt debilitating effects of the wind increasing as you get dropped from a winning break.
That's drama.
And pain.
Shame.
We get it because most days we aren't on the sidelines...
... we're in the saddle.
We are doers,
not viewers only.
It's a new week, let's get after it.
Even on the longest day of the year, long after the sun has risen, I'll mount up with my blinkies making me extra visible.
I love the Knogs because the offer 330 degrees of visibility when used in tandem.
And their lightweight.
And aero.
The code is DOERS
---
---
167.6
8.25 hrs
Stretch and Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5503751639
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
THIS TIME IT'S SOCIAL
Jun 19, 2021
by TODD BROWN
SOMETIMES YA GOTTA RIDE TWICE. An early one to get it done, and a later one just for fun. Like today. First, a quicky, hitting it hard on the local gravel climbs for 90 min. Then the kids arrived for a visit...
... and gave me a gift money will never buy.
A social ride.
A real one.
Honest.
Here are the signs of an actual social ride vs the usual hooliganistic hijinks of It's just a social ride.
Finally get out the door around 10, after searching through the kit basket to get the new son-in-law something matchymatchy...
... vs the planned roll at 8, don't be late.
Load up mostly borrowed bikes so everyone can ride...
... vs each rider having their own raceready steed with whom they are one.
1/2 mile into the ride the first of many stops for catching up and laughter...
... vs our usual don't get dropped or you'll be alone policy.
After 67 minutes of playing around on the same fun loop with berms and jumps and other fun stuff we hit In-N-Out for burgers, fries and drinks...
... vs 4-5 hours attacking and coughing up lungs and limping home to collapse into a coma.
Being social is always fun on bikes...
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all/products/ride-your-bike-t-shirt
... because even on the fake ones where we're killing each other there is always time to talk and catch up.
Either on the warm up or cool down.
Many a lifelong friendship has sprouted from such rides.
Kinda makes ya wonder what the world would be like if we all rode alongside each other for a few miles.
Yes, this is one of our original designs and comes with matching sticker to put on your bumper or trailer or your bathroom mirror.
Let's get the message out!
Purchase 2 of these shirts and second one is free.
Use promo code: RYB
Code expires Monday.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all/products/ride-your-bike-t-shirt
---
---
166.7
6.5 hrs
Stretch n Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5497250064
https://www.strava.com/activities/5496309975
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
HANG ON LOOSE
Jun 18, 2021
by TODD BROWN
ONE OF THE HARDEST SKILLS TO TEACH IS HOW TO HOLD THE BARS. Some new riders are gripping like they're on a roller coaster that might launch off the rails at any moment. Others, lazy and loose. One will prematurely tucker ya out...
... the other?... can end very badly.
I once heard it explained as like riding a galloping horse, the reigns are flying and flapping yet they are also tight and firm in one's grasp.
That's a good visual.
If you're on the road it's not quite as obvious until a direct hit with a pothole or something like it. The more dirt gets the equation the more imperative it is to practice good bar gripping.
You know what else helps?
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Our superlight full-finger gloves.
I ride 'em road or dirt.
Always.
Supple leather palm, very ventilated top,
Without too much effort you could poke around on the site and find this whopper of an offer.
Place an order for Gloves and Socks and use promo code: BuyGlovesGetSocks
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
---
167.6
7.7 hrs
Evening Surf
https://www.strava.com/activities/5490686594
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
DON'T JUDGE ME
Jun 17, 2021
by TODD BROWN
MAYBE THAT'S THE APPEAL OF GRAVEL RIDING? It's just totally wrong in so many ways. It's a road bike that is much slower than a mountain bike on real trails. And, a mountain bike that is pig on smooth dirt and pavement...
... a true jack of all trades and master of none.
The notsoobvious thing about such a bike is that by riding one there is a lot of mastery to be gained.
Riding with the group on a gravel bike with fattish tires will only improve our power.
Likewise letting it rip on fast and loose dirt roads increase our bike handing ability.
Looking to uncover the lost art of picking a clean line over rough terrain there's nothing better than skinny knobbies and zero suspension to sharpen the skills.
So, when the Stravaverse questioned...
... Single track on a gravel bike?
I could only reply...
... Yes. Don't judge me.
As I get closer to the the feared and terrible Crusher in the Tuschar, I'm starting to ride the gravel bike more and more...
... trying to master the jack of all bikes.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
One thing that will make that trip a lot easier is packing all my gear like a pro with a RaceDay Bag™.
When I see people still using dome duffle bags and rifling through all their shtuff...
... I just have to laugh. Such a waste of energy and time.
The bags are never on sale... we make them right here in CA for racers just like you.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
---
---
168
8.2 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5488259821
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
YOU'VE GOT LEGS, USE 'EM.
Jun 16, 2021
by TODD BROWN
BP ASKED THIS POIGNANT QUESTION ON LAP 2 OF 4 THIS EVENINGS HOT LAPS. Why are we doing to more laps? TBH, sometimes I think of my extended family who are disabled for various reasons. The assortment of canes and walkers assisting their courageous efforts...
... some have had these challenges since childhood.
My answer to my young padawan? I could have quipped a sassy retort if I wasn't breathing so dern hard. It went like this...
Why are we doing 2 more laps?
Because... we... can.
Upon return I uploaded and entered the Stravaverse and what did I discover to my surprise and delight? A PR on the 4th lap, actually a bigboy #2 cup, which reminded me of the earlier conversation and what I should have said...
Why are we doing 2 more laps?
Because... we... can... get faster!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all/products/gotta-ride-t-shirt-avail-in-2-colors
Which is why once we've taken care of our responsibilities we gotta ride.
If you've never tried one of our t's I promise you they are soft and get softer the more you wear them.
This design in nearly sold out and I'd like to make room for a new design so here's the dealio...
Use promo code: GOTTARIDE
... and when you buy 1 Gotta Ride shirt, the 2nd Gotta Ride shirt is free.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all/products/gotta-ride-t-shirt-avail-in-2-colors
---
167.9
8 hrs
Gym work in the morning
https://www.strava.com/activities/5483157854
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!
Jun 15, 2021
by TODD BROWN
IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME, kind of. Youthful energy is percolating on every ride. Cats are pumped to stretch their legs. Weight is down, miles are up, and bikes tuned...
... and the spirt of giving abounds!
Yep, every boy and girl is ready to give their crew the gift of pain!
Ain't it great?
Why just today The Old Diesel heard...
Todd, I'm down 7 pounds.
Wow... I can tell.
Yeah, I'm gonna drop 7 more.
Well... better get your buns on the A loop next week so we can see what ya got for us!
I mean bro can't just tease us with pretty wrapping and a bow...
... that ain't right.
Am I right?
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/recovery
So, if you're feeling the giving spirit this summer make sure you recover... because everybody knows giving is better than receiving.
The Hypervolt is pure magic as far as I'm concerned. Plug it in and massage the pain away. Legit.
Yes, PR Lotion has 2 uses... TWO! Great for giving the gift of pain and excellent for post giving.
And yeah, what's better giving a bunch presents than a strong drink... for recovery?! Skratch is that.
This code will save you $50 when your purchase all 3.
The code is REKUVRY
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/recovery
---
---
165.9
8 hrs
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5464438489#kudos
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
SHINY SHOES SAVE LIVES
Jun 14, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WHEREVER YOU STAND, you have to consider this observation by General Schwarzkopf.. Shiny shoes save lives... because shiny shoes are indicative of discipline. But, we don't have drill sergeants nor do most of have coaches. We have something much better...
... Passion.
Nobody is telling us to get up at the crack o'dawn and ride.
Ha!
Usually just the opposite.
They don't get us.
Don't get the magical elixir that is a crisp morning breeze.
Our shoes may be occasionally dusty...
... but our minds are always clear, our lungs strong.
Bring it!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/bike-parts/products/mandible-bike-cage
Speaking of elixirs and shiny stuff... is there anything worse than having your full water bottle launch out its cage?
Yes, but losing a bottle can be really bad in a race situation.
I've been racing these cages for 8 years.
The same cages, taking them from bike to bike.
Nothing - NOTHING - holds a bottle like the Mandible.
If you're racing the bumpy stuff, this is the only cage to get.. Not because it's crazylight, because it works.
Use promo code: SHINY
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/bike-parts/products/mandible-bike-cage
---
---
165.9
8 hrs
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5464438489#kudos
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
THE COUNTDOWN
Jun 13, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WHETHER WE ARE 6 MONTHS OUT OR 6 WEEKS 0R 6 DAYS OR 6 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE START OF OUR BIG RACE MATTERS. Given enough time we can get incredibly fit and ready...
... and that can be a problem.
It's easy to imagine arriving at our ideal weight, with a bike in tip top shape when we have 6 months.
With six weeks, even if things needed some refinement, we can get a lot done.
Six days, we'll be lucky to get the bike perfected if it's not already there.
Six minutes, it's just hope and pray, and that probably will fail...
... if we haven't put in the work.
Steven Covey encouraged us to...
... Begin with the end in mind.
Have you begun?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/raceday-wallet
If you have parts you think you'll need, now is the time to source them. There are still a lot of supply chain issues.
Which means you might need to pull out the credit card.
Personally, I'm a fan of the RaceDay Wallet™.
Made from innertube, it's big enough for what I need on a ride or about town.
The bonus is that the material is so grippy it will never fall out of your jersey pocket.
Use promo code: COUNTDOWN
https://pedalindustries.com/products/raceday-wallet
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
165.9
8 hrs
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5464438489#kudos
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
JOURNEYMEN RACERS DOMINATE
Jun 12, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE RACER? Is it today's flavor of the month or is it the cat that's been around forever? The superstar or the journeyman? One is entertaining at the highest level, the other is...
... reliable but not outstanding.
For me, there is a certain romance with the journeyman.
They are not children any more.
They have come to terms with their limitations and continued to hone their craft to what might be the greatest level of all...
... reliability.
Sure, I love the unexpected explosiveness of new face. Of course, I thoroughly enjoy a brutal and dramatic fight for the finish line among the favored titans.
But, in the end, when I gear up to race I'll take reliability over flash ever time...
... and that's what comes to all of us who set out on the quest to be our best.
A few will stand atop the podium for the the rest of us...
... it's about the journey, man.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition/products/saltstick-fast-chews
One area of performance that can be unreliable this time of year is our muscles.
It's hot.
We get depleted.
The cramps set in and our day is ruined.
When I head out for a long day, I always through these in my back pocket.
Because they are chewable you can gobble if needed, or just let melt in mouth.
Use promo code: JOURNEY
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition/products/saltstick-fast-chews
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
165.8
7.5 hrs
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5459606241
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
IS THAT A BANANA IN YOUR BIBS OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME?
Jun 11, 2021
by TODD BROWN
FOR SURE, for sure, for sure... the second most awkward thing I had to explain to my friends was shaving my legs. But, the first... the first, quite frankly, I had to explain to myself...
... thin lycra cycling shorts in public.
For some of you this may have come naturally. Not for me. At all.
But, there's a really important lesson there that I've applied so often at this point it's second nature...
... I don't care what others think...
... If somethings spins my wheels, I'm doing it to the best of my ability.
Got it?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalindustries-changing-poncho
Maybe that's what inspired the changing poncho?
Not entirely... I also use it to wipe down my body post ride, and then wipe down the bike if it's going inside.
Most of the ponchos we make are for teams.
Use promo code: BANANA
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalindustries-changing-poncho
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
164.9
7.2 hrs
Gym Work
https://www.strava.com/activities/5452085817
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
FEAR LESS MIND CONTROL
Jun 10, 2021
by TODD BROWN
PADDLING A FEW MILES OFF THE COAST THIS MORNING I THOUGHT I SAW A SHARK. I didn't. But, if the light is reflecting just right the caps of the waves get a little sharkfinny...
... mind control is a serious skill for us.
Think crit racing is dangerous, it will be.
Contemplate the cliff side of a trail, enjoy the fall.
Will that rock you're staring it cause a flat, probably.
The great Napoleon Hill stated, What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve...
... so we focus only on the good stuff, where we want to go...
... the clean lines through the turn,
the solid part of the trail,
the smooth section of gravel,
... because our lives literally depend on it.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/helmets
Speaking of our minds, these are my favorite brain buckets. Super comfortable, and very stylish.
We have a few containers coming in this month.
This is the Protone, my go to everyday helmet.
There are other colors and models available, just click the link below.
Use promo code FEARLESS to save $45 on the Protone (15%)
The code expires Friday night at midnight.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/helmets
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
165.8
7 hrs
HyperVolt and Stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/5446959158 (paddle)
https://www.strava.com/activities/5449672751 (ride)
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
LUCKY ENOUGH
Jun 09, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WE'D JUST FINISHED HOT LAPS WDNSDY. For most, it is the hardest ride of the week. Roughly an hour. No let up. No draft. Technical. Max HRs are hit with high, high, high average HRs...
... one by one we trickled in after the final lap.
Dusty shins. Sweat pouring. Tongues hanging. Sloppy fist bumps.
A few minutes pass.
Normal breathing is restored.
Slack jaws slowly turn to cat-ate-the-canaray smiles.
It's a truly remarkable experience.
Occasionally, I wonder why all the energy to get rides like this going... and then I get a message like this.
Hot Laps hurt to so good. I love it.
If you don't have a killer, weekly ride, put one on. It's easy, just start on time and keep inviting.
If you do have such a ride, invite a some new cat to join...
... and watch 'em smile afterward.
After that it's a cinch to entice them to do an actual race... yes, this is a truly diabolical plan to get people to explore their maximum potential.
Are you in?
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/books-n-such/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
Kinda like my diabolical plan to finish this book.
Which you can pre-order now.
I've given myself 45 days to get it completed.
No doubt, you'll get something extra if you order now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
PEDALposse will get the book automatically.
---
170 (oh my!)
7.2 hrs
HyperVolt and Stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/5444185909/analysis/2841/6393
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
YOU CANNOT GET TESTED BUT YOU CAN GRADUATE
Jun 08, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE NO TESTING CENTERS PER SE. No multiple choice answers. No fill in the blank questions. No essays to write. It's just impossible to know if we've mastered the necessary skills...
... yet, we do graduate.
It's impossible to watch it, read about it, listen to the stories...
... and grasp the final meters of a sprint,
the elbow to elbow fight to be first to the single track,
what it takes to fuel your body to endure for hours...
... the only way to advance from Cat 5 to Cat 4 to Cat 3 is to race.
That is where the lessons are learned...
... and when we're good enough we advance because really know the material.
Speaking of fuel!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition
This is flying off the shelves.
Lots of flavors to chose from.
Use promo code: LESSONLEARNED
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
169
6.7 hrs
HyperVolt and Stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/5435466106
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
STOP SETTING STUPID EXPECTATIONS
Jun 07, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THIS IS TRUE OF EVERYTHING. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. It's the downfall of newbie racers, the secret power of wizened witches and warlocks in every race. It looks like magic, or alchemy. New racers please stop...
... overestimating what you could do in 1 year,
and underestimating what you can accomplished in 3 years.
When I was a newb, sure I was on my way to France, I was fortunate to meet a crusty old cat who clued me in...
... it takes 3 years to figure out what kind of racer you are.
He was mostly right.
After 3 years it was clear I my sweet spot was crits and circuit races.
But, new forms of racing came around. MTB XC and SuperD, crazy endurance distances, and now we have gravel.
If there's one thing I've learned, it takes 3 years to get really good... and... we can get really good, better than we think, if we'll put in the work AND FOCUS.
We need time to figure out the deets...
- Specific training
- Nutrition
- Hydration
- Bike and fit
- Tires and set up
- Suspension set up
- ...
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars%E2%84%A2
... and a giant calendar is key to see how your year lays out.
Good news!... the year is half over, and most of the events have yet to happen.
I'm closing out the rest of 2021 calendars with this 50% off promo code.
The giant calendar is the bomb for getting an honest view of what we can do with the time we have.
Trust me, we don't have enough... this will help.
The code you need to enter at check out is: 3YEARS
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars%E2%84%A2
---
168.4 (oh boy!)
7.5 hrs
Push Ups and Pull Ups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5430044002
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
YOU'VE GOT DATA
Jun 06, 2021
by TODD BROWN
YOUR RIDE IS READY TO VIEW. These six words, they should have been three. Nevertheless, they are a signal to our brains that there is a feast of data waiting to be devoured. Which begs the question...
... should I get out of my sweaty clothes first?
Yes, ya dummy!... but sometimes I'm just too curious to see how my perception of things stacks up with the Stravaverse.
Yesterday was a perfect example of feeling like it wasn't outrageously hard then looking at the data and realizing we were actually clicking right along.
Which begs the Why questions...
- What was different?
- Tire pressure?
- Sleep?
- Weight?
- Food?
- Fluids?
- Weather?
- Faster riders?
Ask the right questions. Get the correct answers. Go faster.
This sport...
... it has me endlessly fascinated.
Take fluids.
How much should we drink? How often? After reading Waterlogged I started drinking according to my thirst vs forcing a certain amount of ounces per hour.
Whatever your strategy, ain't it nice to have new bottles?
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/water-bottles
Use promo code: DATA
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/water-bottles
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
167.8
8 hrs
HyperVolt and Stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/5427415381
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
JUDGE A MAN BY THE SIZE OF HIS TIRES?
Jun 05, 2021
by TODD BROWN
AS SOON AS HE SAID IT HE KNEW HE'D REGRET IT. The thought that goes into tire choice when ripping off road is staggering. Add to it tire pressure, and you'll see limitless combinations on every ride. So, when I asked...
... Those tires look huge, what size are they?
Ugh, 2.somethings. I'm not sure.
He left it hanging there, knowing I wanted an answer as I watched the massive knobbies whiz around. I prodded.
How do they ride?
Look, the size of a man's tires are inversely proportional to his ability to handle his bike.
Oh, that'll make the blog.
Damnit!
Just kidding.
Tires aren't akin to shoes.
They are more like shields for battle, and everybody has their preference.
Some cats like 'em big and heavy and grippy and impervious to whatever the mountain is gonna throw our way.
Others, light with low, fast rolling treads.
I'm in the second camp, and I gotta admit when both tires broke loose in a swopping left hander at over 30mph today I was wondering...
... Are they gonna hook back up?
They did. They nearly always do. But, it's a helluvan unsettling feeling that takes a lot of getting use to.
Getting the pressure right is part art and part science... I'm down to 17 in the front and 18 in the rear. Fastashell, and allkinda grippy for low profile tread.
Speaking of shields...
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/easy-rider
How do you like this new one?
It's what inspired this new kit.
Here's the deal on this...
If you order prior by end of day on Sunday, June 6th 2021, we will ship in time for the 4th. After that date isn't guaranteed.
Use promo code: RUGGEDCOLIN
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/easy-rider
---
Save even more with PEDALposse.
---
167.5
7 hrs
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5419766474
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
FOR SURE, I WANT TO WIN.
Jun 04, 2021
by TODD BROWN
FOR SURE, I WANT TO WIN.... those are the final words from a Quinn Simmons interview regarding the famously ominous Unbound Gravel race. Balance that with the words of previous winner Colin Strickland...
... Equally important to winning a big gravel race is HOW you win the race.
Quinn is riding with a pro teammate, Colin is adamant that gravel racing is NOT a team sport.
Who's right?
I'm going to go with Colin on this one. But, that's probably because I prefer to race alone anyway. I get what he's saying, that the history of gravel racing is one of individuals battling just as much with themselves over challenging terrain and obscene distances.
Yes... the essence of gravel is Rugged Individualism...
: the practice or advocacy of individualism in social and economic relations emphasizing personal liberty and independence, self-reliance, resourcefulness, self-direction of the individual, and free competition in enterprise.
... I love the romance of that approach, no matter how much it denies the need for society as a whole to work, I just love that freakin' ideal.
Yeah, Colin definitely gets the nod on this one from The Old Diesel.
So much so that I we whipped up this design.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/easy-rider
Here's the deal on this...
If you order prior by end of day on Sunday, June 6th 2021, we will ship in time for the 4th.
After that date this outstanding design will still be available but not might arrive prior to 7/4/21
Use promo code: RUGGEDCOLIN
PEDALposse will save even more.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/easy-rider
---
168 (time for my wedding weight to be shed)
7 hrs
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5414888063
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
FOUND WANTING
Jun 03, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THE RACING LIFE HAS NOT BEEN TRIED AND FOUND WANTING...
... it has been found difficult and left untried.
And that is what separates us from them.
We savor the difficult journey racing offers.
From prep
to racing
to exhaustion
to elation,
knowing we did our absolute best is the ultimate satisfaction.
Find a race.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
Me, I'm racing to finish this book.
Which you can pre-order now.
I've given myself 45 days to get it completed.
No doubt, you'll get something extra if you order now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
PEDALposse will get the book automatically.
---
166.7 lbs
7 hrs
Isokenetic/Plyometric
https://www.strava.com/activities/5409954691
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
THE ONE INGREDIENT EVERY GREAT RIDE NEEDS
Jun 02, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT ROUTES. Every locale has something epic to offer. Whether we are planning to ride nearby or traveling afar, there is one thing we've got to be sure to get right...
... or not bring it at all.
It won't fit in your RaceDay Bag™, but you could check it on a plane.
For me, having the right people along for the ride is much more crucial than where we are riding.
I have nothing to add to that...
... get the people right and the ride is always awesome.
That's a basic truth for any successful operation.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/basic-colors?variant=40053265989793
Speaking of basic...
... this is a new color, part of our basic series.
If you want to give the best gift ever this Father's Day or graduation or maybe a birthday...
... and your "right person" likes elegant design.
Use promo code SAVE10
https://pedalindustries.com/products/basic-colors?variant=40053265989793
---
166 lbs
7.5 hrs
Hypervolt and Stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/5404188801
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
MULLIGAN FLATS
Jun 01, 2021
by TODD BROWN
MULLIGAN FLATS, it sounds like a desolate area up in the mountains. Maybe there are scattered pines and dusty roads. A rustic old cabin perhaps? But, no... this is about our version of what golfers refer to as a Mulligan...
... which I'm pretty sure is what a certain rider pulled on our giant MTB jaunt last Saturday.
You may be thinking, But Diesel, golf isn't a sport. Frankly, gawd rest my inlaws souls, I agree. Golf is a wonderful game of pool played on a massive table. A game that 50 year old Phil Mickelson, with debilitating arthritis, just won 2 million bucks playing...
... that would never, ever, ever, ever happen in cycling.
If there's one thing I remember from my ventures on the greens it is a Mulligan is where you hit a terrible shot and yell Mulligan! then take another crack at it.
Back to Saturday.
We're slogging up this hour long climb, it's sunny and hot and our group is spread all over the mountain.
3 of us are off the front...
... when this certain rider says I think I have a slow leak.
Which brings up his Mulligan.
What else would you call it?
One minute he's with us...
... the next he's nowhere in site.
When, eventually, minutes and minutes later, this certain rider shows up I have to quiz...
Wow, that musta been a helluva flat to fix.
Oh, uh, it was fine.
Lost some air then?
No, ummmm, just felt like it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging, just pointing out that we can take Mulligan's all ride long, which this certain rider did...
... only to destroy and humiliate me on the next, shorter climb...
... but, try that in a race and...
... game over.
Speaking of air... we're really digging this digital air checker. I even through it my RaceDay Bag™ in case I have to borrow somebody's pump at an event.
It's compact, and very reliable.
Use Promo Code: AIRCHECK
---
166.9 lbs
6 hrs (no wonder I sucked so bad this morning)
Hypervolt and Stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/5395185073
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
RIDE THIS TOWN
May 31, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WE'RE GONNA RIDE THIS TOWN, RIDE IT INSIDE OUT. Meet y'all at 6, back to work by 9. And that's what makes 'em scream and shout. We're on two wheels. Skinnies, knobbies and fatties...
... ripping this place apart.
Nobody knows this town like us. We know it. They know it.
Even today, after years living here, I followed my nose and found an unknowntome cut-through.
Life is a lot different at 15 or 20 in a world going 50, 60 and 80.
There are alleys and trails. Sunrises, leaves, weeds. Coyotes and cats. The speeders will never know these parts...
... and that's hellafine by me.
You know what else is hellafine by me? Our new website.
Check it out: https://pedalindustries.com/
Of course I'm always working it, poke around it's a cinch you'll find something unknowntoyou.
Like this.
Look close... there's a promo code there.
Let me know what you think of the update... might just surprise ya with something.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
---
166.8 lbs
8.3 hrs
Pullups and Pushups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5391782100
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
FREEDOM
May 30, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WINNING A FIGHT OR A COMPETITION FURTHER BOOSTS TESTOSTERONE LEVELS...
Motivation is the one thing underdogs must have more than anybody else...
A few times in your life you arrive at a place where your future has been waiting for you all along.
The preceding are a few quotes from Sebastian Junger's new book, Freedom.
Here are few others:
It's not that they are against excellence... but they know how badly pride and ego can destabilize a group.
Leaders who aren't willing to make sacrifices aren't leaders...
I should have fought until I was the last man left alive.
Whatever you're up to this Memorial Day, I hope you get a nice ride in... maybe even a long one like the setting for this book...
We walked around four hundred miles and most nights we were the only people in the world who knew where we were. There are many definitions of freedom but surely that is one of them.
... it is, after all, a free country.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition
Of course, if it's really long you might need some electrolytes for the road and a recovery drink when you get back.
I have turned a lot of people onto these, and I think we gained a few more believers today.
Use promo code FREEDOM
The code works on everything in this link and saves you 15%
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition
Save even more if you're part of the PEDALposse.
---
166 lbs
8.2 hrs
Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5386258500
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
FIVE DIGIT DAYS
May 29, 2021
by TODD BROWN
JOHN BAILED BECAUSE THE RIDE WAS TOUTED AS ZONE 2 and too easy, which is exactly why I committed to go. You'd think by now we'd each know that when the boys are together Zone 2 is not Zone 2. It's Zone...
... too freakin' fast!
I mean what were we thinking?
How could it be Zone 2?
We climbed over 10,000', in 60 miles, under 6 hours.
On dirt.
Yeah, a true 5 digit day - 10000'+
5 digit days are magic.
In advance, they seem insane. While riding, it can be overwhelming to think about. But as you bring it home and climb those few remaining feet a wonderful thing happens...
... not only didn't it kill ya, but ya feel damn fine.
Of course, the bonus is that your climbing ability takes a big leap forward.
A bunch of us are preparing to do the Leadville 100 and this was a perfect ride to start getting our bodies and minds ready.
Thankfully Chris was passing these out like candy.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition
I have turned a lot of people onto these, and I think we gained a few more believers today.
Take as soon a hint of a cramp is coming on. I like to let them melt in my mouth.
Use promo code 5DIGITS
The code works on everything in this link.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition
---
166.4 lbs
7 hrs
Stretch and HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5379819415
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
COOKING AND CRANKING
May 28, 2021
by TODD BROWN
NOBODY IS, SHOULD EVER, JUST BE HANGING OUT IN THEIR BIBS. The lifestyle of our sport is unlike our local surf culture. We wear our sport on our glowing faces, which radiate health, because we regularly raise our heart rates...
... that's not the only place our lifestyle beams.
Just look at our legs! They are almost ageless. Muscles rippling and taught, ready to unleash our might fury.
It's not just our skin.
I don't know any proper cyclist who wears anything but cycling socks. Dress socks, boring. Tube socks, terrible.
We have an endless supply of race t-shirts. Some are real keepers, worn well beyond their Use By date.
Leadville does something cool, they give you a track jacket with your name and finishing time printed on it. That jacket serves as a reminder of what I've done, and what I can do...
... and I'll be thinking about it tomorrow as I ride the mountains with the posse members who are doing Leadville this summer.
After, I'll be donning a piece of cycling apparel you may not have in your vast collection of treasures.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-apron-for-cooking-and-cranking
Yes... an apron, because I'll be working the backyard BBQ like a boss.
It's the same apron I use when cranking on my bike.
With handy pockets for my most common tools, and parts I need to briefly store, it's extra efficient and keeps me clean.
I whipped up a bunch for the PEDALposse. If you're part of the posse, then it's on it's way.
If you're not...
... there are a few extras you can order here:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-apron-for-cooking-and-cranking
... or you can join the posse and get the apron as your first PEDALposse gift here:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-monthly-subscription
But, you should only join the PEDALposse if you're into receiving cool surprises every month, saving an obscene amount on gear, and being part of what we're all about.
Have an awesome 3 day weekend with your 2 wheeled lover.
---
166 lbs
8.2 hours -
Pull Ups and Push UPs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5374688433
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
SOMEDAY ISLE RIDE TO KICKINGASSVILLE
May 27, 2021
by TODD BROWN
MY FRIEND CRAZY MIKE TEXTED ME FROM BUELTON, about 200 miles up the coast. He left yesterday, rode around the mountains up there today and plans to return tomorrow. He rode his bike there, he'll ride it back...
... someday I'll do that.
At least that's what I keep telling myself.
Friend after friend has been riding off and not returning for days, some for months. Each time I learn of it, I pepper them with questions...
How do you do it?
What do you take?
Where do you stay?
... the truth is, these are bullshyte questions.
They represent the kind of thinking that keep me trapped on Someday Isle instead of living in Kickingassville.
Too harsh?
I dunno.
If the sock fits, wear it.
A lot of what I accomplish originates in Kickingassville, but the ride off and return in a few days is definitely on Someday Isle.
Speaking of socks...
... I took this shot because it demonstrates all the effort we've put into making foot protection.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
These have been worn many times.
The inside out one is fresh out of the dryer. You can see all the different construction elements that go into FastMax compression.
The sock on the left is also fresh out of the dryer, but I've given it a few hard tugs lengthwise. I do this because the EZBreathe Yarns contract in the dryer's heat.
If you're into goodness for your feet, before you head out from Kickingassville, you really ought to try these out.
They come in lots of colors.
Use promo code: CRAZYMIKE
And get 2 pair for the price of one - order 2 pair and enter the promo code at check out.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
---
165.4 lbs
7.2 hours -
Stand Up Paddle in the morning
https://www.strava.com/activities/5369827435
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
SATISFACTION CAME IN A CHAIN REACTION
May 26, 2021
by TODD BROWN
EVERYBODY GOING STRONG! Up above on the climb, there was racing in the air. I couldn't get enough. I had to self destruct...
The first lap hurt so bad.
Wanted to quit.
The second lap was worse.
Kept pedaling.
The third was burning.
No stopping.
The fourth...
... I'm on fire!
... I just can't stop, when my heart gets hot.
Fastest lap of the night, #4.
Why's that?
I dunno.
It just is.
Sometimes, the workout seems to ask too much. Seems too hard. Seems impossible.
Then we start.
And it gets easier.
Unstoppable.
Until we are burning.
I'll pay for it tomorrow. But, who cares.
Not me.
Just gonna curl up in bed after I hit my legs with the Hypervolt.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/recovery/products/hypervolt-w-bluetooth
5-10 minutes, each leg.
Better than any massage.
No appointment needed.
Save $30 with promo code CANTSTOP
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/recovery/products/hypervolt-w-bluetooth
PEDALposse saves even more
Yes, this post was inspired The Trammps.
---
167.7 lbs
7.8 hours -
Burpees - Pullups - Kettlebell
https://www.strava.com/activities/5364457936
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
I HOPE I'M AS FAST AS YOU... UGH!
May 25, 2021
by TODD BROWN
CAN I BE REAL ABOUT SOMETHING? Let you know my inner, evil thoughts? Because that's where this is going all from an innocent attempt at a compliment. It starts with Jorge rolling up and saying...
... Toddy... Cody, he is what I imagine you were like a long time ago.
Really?
Yes. He is fast and spunky and handsome. You must have been like that.
And I'm thinking That's a helluva thing to say.
But it gets harsh with this guileless praise from Cody...
... Yeah, I hope I'm as fast as you are when old.
And there it is... in all it's glory.
The plain and simple truth has been presented, in glaring and bright lights. I have all the symptoms of the early onset O.L.D...
... and these young punks, clueless in every blameless way, think they are doing me good.
So many things come to mind...
- You have no idea how
- You should hope to
- You're gonna pay for
... I bite my helmet strap, and smile...
... because I'm damn lucky to ride with these younger, spunkier and handsomer cats I call friends.
The reason I'm even in the conversation is because I'm tapping into my inner winged wolf... every dern day.
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I hope you are, too...
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---
167.6 lbs
6.5 hours - not enouth
10 Pullups 20 Pushups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5356080628
Ride with us: https://www.strava.com/clubs/pedalindustries
HAVE I EVER TOLD YOU THAT YOU (DON'T HAVE TO BE) MY HERO?
May 24, 2021
by TODD BROWN
IT WAS LIKE SCALES FALLING FROM HIS OAKLEY'S. Finally, he could see his heroic pulls on the front of our group rides were great for everybody but him. It only took about 2 years...
... and tomorrow might christen a new era.
I say might because the pull to pull hard and long is intoxicating.
I predict this cat is going to need all 12 steps to ween him off this bad adrenaline drip aka Hey, look at me pulling all the big train.
We're all out there for our daily dose, our racer's high. The only question this cat needs to answer is this...
... Do I want to pull hard early and get dropped or be smart and punish these cats when it counts?
There really isn't a right answer. Both are exhilarating... neither includes any Wheelsuckery.
But, I've experienced this particular cat dropping me on the way to meet the group and making me hurt after the real racing is done and we're headed back home.
Let me just posit, if he uses his power judiciously and truly experiences the real rush of finishing with the lead group he'll never, ever go back to his backward ways.
We'll see manana.
Want to know something funny... the 50 or so who regularly do this ride will be wondering...
... Is he writing about me?
To which I say...
... I don't know, am I?
One person I'm not writing about is my pal Chuck, who scored a new pair of Fizik MTB shoes.
How did he score them? Like this...
... Hey, can you get these?
Yep. Size?
43.
Done.
That's the easy part... the sweet part is saving 25% because he's part of the PEDALposse.
Maybe you should check it out?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-monthly-subscription
---
166.9 lbs
7.5 hours
20 Pullups 40 Pushups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5352888896
DESGRANGE, HITCHCOCK, OR YOU... WHO'S BETTER?
May 23, 2021
by TODD BROWN
TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM, I found myself watching and laughing and having a good time with an old Nora Ephron movie. Like all great directors, with Nora you know what you were going to get...
... it's the same way with all great race directors.
The best put on a great show from beginning to end.
They fill the house.
For me, it's all about the suspense. Whether I'm racing or watching, it's figuring out who has the goods to win that I find so mesmerizing.
The greatest suspense director?
Is it Desgrange, creator of the three week Tour de France, or Hitchcock, creator of Psycho...
... or is it you, going after that big race or ride this summer?
My money is on you.
If you've got something planned and you think there's the slightest chance you might get cramps...
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... this is my goto fix...
... they're chewable, but I like to let them melt in my mouth the moment a feel cramps could be coming on.
If I feel a twitch I pop open my container and down one.
They're amazing,
effective,
and inexpensive.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition/products/saltstick-fast-chews
---
165.3 lbs
8 hours
Stretch and Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5348158468
THERE'S NEVER TOO MUCH TWO
May 22, 2021
by TODD BROWN
IT'S WEIRD HOW SOMETHING SO WRITTEN ABOUT, TALKED ABOUT AND THOUGHT ABOUT is so easily overlooked, discarded and forgotten. But, it's also good. Good if you're doing it...
... because few do.
It's exactly what I did today. After a hard block Tues-Thurs, I spun yesterday and went out for a long day of Zone 2.
Which meant I passed on the various invitations to go pound it with the posse.
I find it nearly impossible to do a proper zone 2 ride with others. Inevitably, someone - probably me - will squirt ahead and then it all goes to bell on a handlebar.
There are a few things I like to focus on when doing these rides.
- make them event specific, like your next race or ride
- make them long
- make them count
For example, my next big event is a mountain bike race. Obviously, I rode the MTB. Less obvious, I worked on climbing with as low of a heart rate as possible. This forces me to be very efficient on the pedals and keep my upper body as quiet as possible. Inefficiency is readily apparent by a rising h.r..
I probably over did the time today, shoulda kept it under 4 hours. But, perfect weather.
Making them count, means not screwing them up by hitting it hard for even a tiny bit of time. It also means, not coasting it in with a bunch of zone 1.
All the downhill sections should be as smooth and fast as possible.
That's it.
Zone 2.
Eventhough Starva ways Tough Relative Effort, I should feel really good next week...
... and I should also have some new capillaries from the Zone 2 work...
... which is why there's never too much two.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lotions-for-speed-comfort-and-recovery/products/lactigo
Sometimes after a big day like this I'll apply this special menthol mixture.
Posse member John told me about it a few months ago. And I have to admit, it does make the ol' musckels feel mucho better
Use Promo Code TOOTWO
It'll save you 20%, this weekend only - while supplies last.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lotions-for-speed-comfort-and-recovery/products/lactigo
---
165.4 lbs
6.7 hours sleep (not nearly enough, had to watch the Giro!)
Stretch and Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5341160820
CREEPING ON YOU
May 21, 2021
by TODD BROWN
I AM A FAN OF BIG GOALS. The more outlandish the better. Part of that is perfecting the art of being a real creep. Not a peeping Tom...
... this takes real detective work.
If you're a nut, and I am, then you want to do as much sleuthing as you can. i.e. creep on your competition.
A lot of races put up their past results. Others go further and put up the start list.
There's gold in that data. Dive in and you'll get and good idea of who your competition is and what they've done in the near and distant past.
One thing I noticed tonight when looking at a particular long range goal I have is that the cats I'm creeping on have 4-digit racing license numbers. Mine, by comparison, is 48675. Current numbers are 6+ digits.
What does that mean?
These cats are gonna be wily, grizzled, and hardashell to beat because they've been licensed racers for decades.
Now to put a face, or bike and helmet, with their name and number so I know who's who when we line up.
The goal I'm working on might take me years to accomplish. But, I'm starting on it this year... and as soon as the date is announced it will be marked in red on my RaceDay Calendar™.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars%E2%84%A2
While our calendars have been a little sparse, there are lots of events starting to firm up.
For me, there is no better way than having a giant wall calendar to plan and plot the big goals I'm chasing.
Use promo code: OUTLANDISH
To save 20%, while quantities last.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars%E2%84%A2
---
165.4 lbs
7.5 hours sleep
Stretch and Hypervolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/5336047216
GRASS PODIUM STANDARDS
May 20, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THERE'S THE PODIUM FOR 1ST, 2ND AND THIRD... then there's the grass podium for fourth and fifth. Where you stand on the grass. I know of one team that prohibits posting grass podium pictures...
... they only focus on the top three finishes.
That's the bar the team have set for themselves, and a high bar it is.
Frankly, I'm totally down with that. It's not grass podium shaming, it's letting it be known to their racers...
... get on top or don't get up at all.
Standards matter.
High standards inspire...
... and they keep us from slacking, keep us focused, keep us from doing stupid stuff.
What are your standards?
One of mine is to share with you what I'm testing, and what's working.
Well, I'm more convinced than ever in the power of maple syrup.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/bikeshop-hammer-gel-flask-clear-5oz
Just filling one of these up with 100% organic goodness.
Give it try. Tell me what you think.
I'm curious.
The flask is only a couple of bucks... if you order today, I'll throw in one of our Clearly Awesome Bottles
https://pedalindustries.com/products/bikeshop-hammer-gel-flask-clear-5oz
---
166.9 lbs
7.5 hours sleep
15 Pull Ups 30 Pushups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5329535737
https://www.strava.com/activities/5332078438
THE AMAZING MR. HUGH JASS ON MOTIVATION
May 19, 2021
by TODD BROWN
I WAS TALKING WITH MY FRIEND HUGH JASS ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES HIM. He's one of those guys that constantly amazes me. No goal too big, no foe to mighty...
... he has Hugh Jass motivation.
When I ask him how he does it, he just looks at me and quotes Nietzsche:
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.
Ya know, I think he's right.
Having a Why is the greatest tool any competitor can have.
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Which is why a lot of racers learn how to use and carry fancy tool.
If you're into useful art,
use promo code: HUGHJASS
and save 15% on our tools.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/tools/products/bikeshop-crank-brothers-f15-multi-tool
---
167.1 lbs
8 hours sleep
Weighted Burpries, Squats and Pull Ups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5326721901
SHIFTING JUST TO KEEP UP
May 18, 2021
by TODD BROWN
I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH MY CREW AND I BET YOU DO TOO. They keep getting faster. Faster bikes, better training, improved diet and weight. There is absolutely no way on God's hard asphalt I can keep up...
... unless I shift.
Because the sport keeps changing all the time, I have to keep shifting my own strategies.
I think back to the early days...
... 8 hours was a big week,
21s were wide,
donuts and diet coke for breakfast the norm,
a big Saturday had me home by 9am...
... and all rides were hard, no recovery, nothing easy.
Keep shifting my friends, it only gets faster from here.
One thing I've switched to is wax for my chains vs oil.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lubes
Wax has the lowest drag coefficients. It's also dry, and doesn't pick up any dirt or grime.
My go to is Wend, the WaxOn and WaxOff products.
Apply a drop to each link and massage it in. Let dry overnight. Ride for miles on or off road.
Use promo code KEEPSHIFTING
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lubes
---
167 lbs
7 hours sleep
10 Pullups 20 Pushups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5318241534
I'D RATHER BE EXCLUDED THAN INCLUDED
May 17, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THE POWER OF THE BEST RIDES AND RACES lies not with inclusion, but exclusion. Sure we're invited. But, they do not suffer the slow, the weak, the unprepared.
And isn't that great?
To know there are still places on earth where we won't be given a participation trophy or a finisher's medal. To know that there are people who demand Keep up or get dropped.
And aren't those riders and racers we want to hang with?
Unique.
Rugged.
Courageos
Wanting and pushing to find out how good they really are.
These are my people.
Us.
Not getting invited, not deemed worthy, getting dropped... that stuff can get me seeing red...
... and wanting to wear these red gloves and socks.
Here's the deal... and it's a very special one: buy any pair gloves and the socks FREE!
Use promo code: SEERED
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
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---
166.6 lbs
8 hours sleep
25 Pullups 50 Pushups
https://www.strava.com/activities/5312495980
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ALWAYS EAT WHEN YOU CAN
May 16, 2021
by TODD BROWN
I FIND INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE. But, there's something about the Jack Reacher series I just love. The books resonate with the way I like to race, alone...
... no team needed.
As a bonus, Jack, the hero, lays down fictional knowledge hits like this:
Always eat when you can. Then you won't have to when you can't.
That is solid advice doing any kind of endurance race, the rougher the terrain the more I practice it..
If it's 3,4,5 hour race, I gotta eat, and I never miss an opportunity to do so when the terrain is smooth or the pace is chill. Especially if I don't know the course or the cats I'm competing against. Things can change quickly, and might not calm down for many miles.
Or,
When your instinct tells you something's wrong, somethings wrong. Always trust your gut.
This is, of course, our cyclesense.
Always trust your cyclesense when it's warning you to check your equipment or stay away from certain riders or off specific roads.
These tips for surviving fictional peril are totally legit. And our hero, being a lone wolf, must adhere to them to dominate the danger laden world where he operates.
We have plenty of potential hazards, all of which we want to avoid or dominate. There is plenty to learn, even from a made-up world.
If I ever write fiction, you know I'll work this in...
... the more we ride, the less risky it all becomes.
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Yes, these are the best fitting and softest tshirts you'll ever, ever wear.
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https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all/products/gotta-ride-t-shirt-avail-in-2-colors
---
167 lbs
Stretch
8 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5309927793
ABOUT THAT NEW TANDEM
May 15, 2021
by TODD BROWN
MY STOKER IS MOVING ON. Apparently, she has found a better captain and has jumped on his tandem. Ordinarily, I'd be one ticked off hombre. Who in their right mind wants to break up a successful team...
... after nearly 24 years of donut dates?
I'm so shattered I couldn't even get in a proper ride.
Instead, I spent the day creeping around snapping photos like this one, just to document the apparent happiness with her choice.
He is younger, smarter, handsomer, harder working, and by all counts a total stud...
... worse, and a whole lot worse, I actually really like this cat.
So, I reckon I'll drown my self in Skratch and go for a ride tomorrow.
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You can join my pity ride...
Use promo code: DADPITY
It'll save ya 20% as long as you spend over $50, which is too easy to do with products this awesome.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/nutrition
---
166 lbs
Dance, dance, dance
8.5 hrs
no ride today
SOMEWHERE FAR ALONG THIS ROAD
May 14, 2021
by TODD BROWN
AT THE END OF MY ROAD THE ASPHALT TURNS TO GRAVEL, THEN DIRT. There's a low white metal barricade with a few reflectors. Beyond that it drops straight off. This wouldn't be too bad if it was at the top of a hill...
... but it's at the bottom.
Just the other night I was bombing that hill with abandon, when I started to ease on the brakes.
I kept accelerating.
I pulled harder.
Nothing.
The white gravel, dirt and white barricade were fast approaching.
Just before impact, I unclipped my pedals...
... only to find myself laying in bed, breathing hard.
I never crash.
Well, rarely.
It's not that Dreaming Diesel's skills leak into reality. But, it did get me thinking about the best way to explain how to go fast.
The great Phil Jackson coached Michael Jordan with these words, Let the game come to you.
I think it's the same way with going fast on a bike. Whether it's a fast, flowy single track or a long straight sprint, we have to learn to let it come to us.
Gravity is going to bring that turn.
The bunch is going to bring the finish line.
When we stop chasing the trail or the sprint everything slows down. It's weird, but true. For me, my heart rate is lower. Confidence is higher. Everything is better...
... and a lot more fun.
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Fun like this bright pink socks.
Let's make 'em double the fun.
Use promo code BOGOPINK and when purchase 2 pair of these socks one will be free.
Yes, you could buy 4 and 2 of the pair would be free.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves/products/hiviz-pink-knitted-sock
---
167.6 lbs
Stretch
8 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5295909545
I CAN NEITHER CONFIRM NOR DENY
May 13, 2021
by TODD BROWN
HOW CAN I EXPLAIN THIS WEEK'S PERFORMANCE... and no, it was not a case of premature acceleration - get your mind out of the sprint. HOT LAPS WDNSDY were truly some hot laps. The problem is...
... I can't confirm nor deny what made it seem effortless.
But, that's the problem with being an Ol' Diesel... or any kind of Ol'... ya never, ever know when you're going to relapse into being young.
Let me list the few things I can put my sweaty glove on:
- 8 1/2 hours of sleep the night before
- Put on a few pounds
- Dropped my tire pressure - running 17 and 18, front and rear
- Cooler temp
It's not the PR Lotion or the lightening quick BMC 4stroke nor the new KASK Valegro helmet with lots of vents
... those are constants going back months...
... there is one more thing, and I think this could be it.
I've increased my training volume the last three weeks, putting into practice the transformative training post. According to Starva, my fitness is tip top. Higher than I've ever seen...
... these aren't hours of extra stupidhard efforts...
... just a lot more Zone 2.
Unfortunately, because I don't believe in science and training with a power meter, I just have to guess at these things. I go with my gut, and my slightly bigger gut (bullet point 2) says...
... it's the volume, the increased training volume and decreased air in my tires.
Now for an easy rest of the week.
Speaking of easy...
... this digital pressure checker makes accurate tire pressure super easy.
Which is important when going from mostly accurate floor pump to kinda accurate floor pump.
This is a winner.
So are you if you use promo code CONFIRM and save 10%
---
167 lbs
Paddle Surf
7.7 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5290780876
DOES BRAD PITT REALLY RACE BICYCLES?
May 12, 2021
by TODD BROWN
LOOK, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER FOR SURE TO IF BRAD PITT RACES BICYCLES, but do you ever notice how actors seem in public like their most recently played character? We aren't any different...
... at least I'm not.
In the height of the Froome era, I saw a lot more cats climbing seated with underfed and underdeveloped arms stabbing out.
It doesn't have to be TV, could be the local race scene. When I first started, the fastest cat rode with knees pointing straight out. So, that's what I did.
The personality most dominating our view casts a huge net into how we see ourselves on the bike, and how we handle our ponies.
And, it's not just their racing style.
The team kits too.
Pre-Sky, there were very few teams kitted in mostly black.
These days, the pro peloton is filled with white shoes and white socks. Guess what's the rage 'round these parts.
I'm not passing judgement, just making an observation.
What we consume matters.
Whether we admit it or not, we take on the characteristics and habits of those we lionize.
As the racing scene is opening back up it's time to think about hanging out again.
There's nothing better than a team canopy to send a signal of who you are and what you represent... as well as where y'all are congregating.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/canopies-banners-and-flags
If you're needing a complete canopy or a new top...
... or want to dress up your bike rack...
... give me a shout. This month you can save up big dollars on canopies and banners.
Who knows, maybe we'll pro up your hang out and some superstar will hang out with you and your posse.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/canopies-banners-and-flags
---
166.2 lbs
Stretch and Hypervolt
8.5 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5287606319
SERIOUSLY HOOKED.
May 11, 2021
by TODD BROWN
DO YOU EVER WONDER HOW MANY LIVES WE'VE RUINED FOR THE BETTER? Do you remember the day you were ruined? I mean, a lot of people ride bikes. They even throw down serious cash on a bike they'll never race...
... yet, they aren't ruined.
Nobody is truly ruined until their first group ride. There is just nothing like it in any other sport, and there's no explaining it.
But, I'll try.
Take Ken.
A few years and a lotta pounds ago, he was a normal man leading a lovely life. Somehow he wandered into our friendly support group, aka Tuesday Morning World Championships.
Innocent and pure.
Quickly, his first and only goal was to finish with the Bs.
Fast forward to this morning's epic performance.
On the front of the galloping A ride, Ken leads at the bottom of The Wall. 20 of us are strung out. 5 of us made it over the top, all behind Ken.
What the heck were you looking at Ken, watts or h.r.?
Nothing.
Nothing? Your head was straight down, bobbing up from time to time.
Nothing... just the road, I really wanted to PR the climb.
Mission accomplished, and I shutter thinking of what's next on his list.
Or consider Michael.
He's a goner after just 3 group rides, check this text I got post ride.
My tactics were bad. Rode off the front up Aliso Creek Trail and wasn't as strong up The Wall. Plotting my revenge.
You're officially hopelessly addicted.
You're right. I'm seriously hooked. That I am waking up at 5:30a alone is overwhelming evidence. I need to get these guys next week, then I'll step up and suffer through an A group beat down.
These cats could be sleeping in and having tea and crumpets at 8a.
They'd be sharper at work the rest of the day.
Keep wearing the same size trousers.
Fit in socially when out with friends.
Plus, they'd have a few extra Benjamins to invest or lavish upon their lovers.
Speaking of ruined and hooked and smashing PRs...
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You don't have to believe me...
... and if you race against me I'd prefer you don't trust a word I share. Just ignore this...
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This is the shyte.
And, if you're into biased research... and clearly any company that puts up research that backs their claims has to be taken with a grain of Skratch. They claim...
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Still with me, then you must be thinking...
... I wonder if this really works.
You keep wondering, Ken and Michael and I will keep smashing it.
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The code works on everything here:
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lotions-for-speed-comfort-and-recovery
---
166.6 lbs
20 PullUps 40 PushUps
7 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5279304643
I'M GOING TO MAKE IT
May 10, 2021
by TODD BROWN
DIRECT QUOTE FROM TODAY'S GIRO STAGE WINNER: Five months ago I considered quitting cycling. What a nice little story to go along with his Grand Tour debut and stunning win...
... but, like Paul Harvey, I want the rest of the story.
How did he get a new pro contract? What made him think he could get one? He's 27, but at what age did he believe he could beat the best of the best? And...
... why didn't he quit?
What kept him going when it all appeared to be going against him?
You know what's super cool, though?
He's got that something that keeps people going and it was massively on display as he dropped his breakaway companions and held the charging herd at bay.
At some point, he knew I'm going to make it!
Maybe that is what's in the bottle Roger De Vlaemick picked up at the 1971 Tour.
Do you like this image?... It's a signed, limited edition litho and normally it sells for $150. Not today. Today, and only through March 12th you can save $40.
Click the link to read all the details of this very famous picture.
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How did I arrange such an offer?... Easy, Brett Horton is one of my top pals and perhaps the world's greatest collector of cycling history.
Act now.
The code is GOTHEDISTANCE
These will sell outl
Click the link to read all the details of this very famous picture.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/roger-de-vlaeminck-1971-tour-de-france-limited-edition-of-500
---
166 lbs
25 PullUps 50 PushUps
7 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5273906615
THE HEART OF THE MATTER IN QUESTION
May 09, 2021
by TODD BROWN
SOME SAY WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF HEARTBEATS ALLOTTED TO EACH OF US. Which got me thinking about a friend who was so happy his resting h.r. was now below 60. He'd put in a lot of work to get there. Which is cool...
... because that's actually pretty good.
Most readers of this blog tick a lot slower when resting.
Will we live longer?
The math is thought provoking.
70 beats a minute over year = 36.7 million beats.
50 beats a minute over year = 26.2 million beats.
If we work out 10 hours a week at ave h.r. of 130... it's 28.9 million beats/year.
For all those who don't get why we ride...
Don't criticize what you can't understand.
-B. Dylan
https://pedalindustries.com/products/ride-your-bike-t-shirt
For those of us who like to encourage others...
... this is a good one.
Use promo code HOWMANYBEATSLEFT
and save 20% and get free shipping.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/ride-your-bike-t-shirt
---
164.2 lbs
Hypervolt
8 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5269994576
THE RISE OF PETER THE GREAT AND NEAR FALL OF YOURS DIESEL
May 08, 2021
by TODD BROWN
AS I HUSTLED MY WAY UP GMR TODAY I WONDERED IF THE GREAT PETER SAGAN hadn't put his stamp on the Tour of California his first year as a pro, would he have had the support to do all he's done as a pro...
... did they know what a gem they had in the young MTB Champion? That he would go on to win the ToC on this very climb a few years later, and so much more?
All I remember is here is this 20ish year old kid whacking the pros day after day for the sprint finishes... and as I recall, smashing the final climb up to Big Bear.
I mean, who decides if a young star is going to be a superstar or an incredible domestic?
What if he'd been told to haul bottles back and forth every stage?
Was he hauling bottles and still stomping it at the end?
I dunno...
... but I do know, watching Tadej and Remco gives me the same feeling.
These bright, young talents have unlimited power and recover in the shift of an e-tap.
Which explains why I had so much to mull all this over, because when the 8 of us took off together I was quickly shot out the back...
... how could I fall for the old It'll be fun, we'll just cruise it?
I shoulda known, these are my friends and this is what we do. Lie like helk just to make sure we'll all do the ride.
Quickly my list of excuses grew: end of giant week, at end of big block, riding the gravel bike with road wheels is still slower, poor sleep last night...
... oh it was a long list, and total utter bullshnyte.
All things considered, it was actually a respectable time.
But, here's where we need to take a moment and consider how things went the rest of the ride and make a few notes for next time.
First, the wind was really howling at the top. The road wheels are ENVE 5.6's and I was being pushed all over the place. Exiting a fast sweeper...
... I was blown onto the shoulder and into the gravel, at speed! Gotta be careful when it's blowing like that when running the deep dishes.
Second, right after that one of the guys yells Todd, you're wheel is spraying sealant all over. This is good and possibly bad. Good that I had plenty of sealant, coulda been bad if it didn't seal. I stopped to check. Plenty pressure, hole sealed...
... however, I noticed I was missing a chunk of tread. I'd checked the tread a few days before, it was fine. But now it was clearly not fine. In fact, potentially fatal if it blew in a turn. I ignored my cyclesense last night that was telling me to check the treads again.
I wasn't going to ignore my cyclesense anymore...
... with that shoddy tread and wind blowing me around I kept my speed in check the rest of the way.
Peter and Remco will be tearing up the Giro... and I'll be replacing my worn out after many miles Pirelli rear tire, and adding Orange Seal sealant.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/giro-specials
I absolutely love this tire...
Very, very fast... and weirdly quiet, with outstanding grip.
We'll keep this better than usual promo code going...
Use this promo code to save 15%, code is GIRO.
The code is good on Pirelli tires, KASK helmets and Orange Seal.
It will expire soon... I'm not telling you when because I want you - yes you - to take advantage of it before some new to what we do cat shows up.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/giro-specials
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164.2 lbs
Stretch
6.5 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5264297912
WHY BIKE RACING TV STRUGGLES
May 07, 2021
by TODD BROWN
I'M EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT IT, but not only do I subscribe to various cycling TV apps... sometimes I forget which ones I have. Even worse, I recently purchased Apple TV so I could throw the apps on the big screen only to realize my "smarTV" already had the capability...
... for the love of spoke!
Of course, none of my neighbors would do the same. They wouldn't watch cycling on TV if I paid them...
... they don't get the struggle.
They don't see the insane drama battling for position during the final klicks of a sprint finish, or the anguish and despair of a racer's failure to continue with the leaders up giant mountain...
... we get that, because we struggle.
In our own way, we'll all kit up in the morning and ride like a pro. Not as fast, not as strong...
... and certainly without all the support.
This is why we watch, and this is why we struggle...
... to see who is the most pro.
So get your lycracoveredbuns out there today and burn some Italian rubber off your mostexcellent Pirelli tires.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-tires
I absolutely love this tire... and that's saying a lot, because I was such a Conti diehard for so long. The Conti's are still incredible... but if I had to chose, I'm Pirelli all the way... and I'm running the 26's on my ENVEs.
Very, very fast... and weirdly quiet, with outstanding grip.
For gravel, it's Pirelli again.
Very fast on the road, and in a straight line.
They corner really well once they are on edge, but... if you're not comfortable with a little sliding as you lean it over, the run it on the rear only and get a Conti Terra Speed on the front.
We'll keep this better than usual promo code going...
Use this promo code to save 15%, code is GIRO.
The code will expire soon... I'm not telling you when because I want you - yes you - to take advantage of it before some new to what we do cat shows up.
Now get out and struggle so you can get back to the couch, eat some ice cream, and take a nap.
---
164.2 lbs
morning paddle
8 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5254546746
THE GREATEST RECOVERY SONG EVER
May 06, 2021
by TODD BROWN
WE ALL HAVE OUR PUMP UP JAM. The music that sets the tone, a song we want playing loud and strong as we slay the course. But few have a recovery song...
... one that gets us through the dark days of rebuilding our awesomeness.
Mine, the one I go to and share often, is old and forgotten.
Like all good songs it's a story with a lot of drama packed into a few powerful words. The imagery is unmistakeable. From broken dreams to a showdown to near death...
... our hero is unbreakable.
Now the doctor came in, stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said, "Rocky, you met your match"
And Rocky said, "Doc, it's only a scratch
And I'll be better, I'll be better, Doc, as soon as I am able"
One of my pals took a digger last night, and I'm 100% sure he'll be back as soon as he is able. He's that kinda guy.
I guess this is as good a time as any to remind ya how much I love the fit and feel of KASK helmets.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/helmets
Not only that but with them being made in Italy and the Giro starting this weekend...
... welp, might as well do something special.
Use this promo code to save 15%, code is GIRO.
---
164.2 lbs
morning paddle
8 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5254546746
IT'S RISKY.
May 05, 2021
by TODD BROWN
THE SAFER YOU RACE, the riskier it actually is. Nobody ever won playing it safe. But, that's not the issue. I mean it is, but not how you think. The real risks, and they are real...
... take place well in front of the Start line.
Winners aren't taking risks between the Start and Finish. It's the losers that do that...
... losers lose time when racing, lots of it, by making mistakes or playing it so gawldern safe they never see the action.
Do you think Julian Alaphilippe had never practiced his incredible winning move to be World Champion in 2020?
Of course he had, we'd seen it in numerous A, B and C races... and no doubt countless efforts he'd made on training rides.
He was there to win.
To the viewers it looks risky, to the winner it looks like the surest path to victory.
Train risky, race confident.
For those of you who took the risk of answering the question in the previous post... the winner is Margie D, and giving the Exceptional Effort to Crazy Mike for his very specific and incorrect guess that it was Cody (the young buck I chased all the way to the finish).
The answer was Shattered by The Rolling Stones - best RnR band ever according to John T.
For the rest of ya use promo code TRAINRISKY to save 25% off on this limited production shirt - limited to first 50 who use the code.
Thanks for playing
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-wolf-logo-shirts
This shirt will get softer the more you wear it.
Fabrics • 100% combed ringspun cotton fine jersey, pre-laundered for reduced shrinkage
Features: • 1x1 baby rib-knit set in collar
Special Inks: • you cannot feel the ink, it will not crack or fade
$20 ($15 with promo code)... is all it takes to have it delivered to your mailbox and reminding you what a badarse you are on the bike.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-wolf-logo-shirts
---
166.2 lbs
pull and push ups
8 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5249276341
DON'T YOU KNOW THE HEART RATES... GOING UP, UP, UP, UP!
May 04, 2021
by TODD BROWN
TO RIDE IN THIS GROUP YOU MUST TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH! Riders dressed in sporty kits. Battling traffic. Some kind of fashion. Laughter, joy and getting dropped. And sprint and sprint and sprint and sprint...
... and look at me.
I'm in tatters. I'm just shattered.
Work and work for climbs and sprints.
Ain't you hungry for success? Success, success, success, success.
Does it matter?
First person to guess who inspired the preceding I'm sending our new tshirt. Send your size with your guess.
But does it matter? All the hard riding we do? The battling?
Yes, it does. Because every now and again we get a little win of some sort and it powers us onward to a kickarse the rest of the day.
Like today.
My goal was personal. It was measurable. And I got 'er done. Had me fired up all day while cranking at our intercontinental headquarters.
Were you fired up from your last ride?
Hungry like a wolf, flying like an eagle?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-wolf-logo-shirts
This shirt will get softer the more you wear it.
Fabrics • 100% combed ringspun cotton fine jersey, pre-laundered for reduced shrinkage
Features: • 1x1 baby rib-knit set in collar
Special Inks: • you cannot feel the ink, it will not crack or fade
$20... is all it takes to have it delivered to your mailbox and reminding you what a badarse you are on the bike.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-wolf-logo-shirts
---
165.2 lbs
Stretch and Hypervolt
6.75 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5241333318
WEAPONIZED TRAINING FOR DUMMIES
May 03, 2021
by TODD BROWN
IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYTHING IS WEAPONIZED, why not jump on the train with weaponized training? How could I weaponize my training you ask. Why would I weaponize my training...
... because it's obviously awesome to have a freaking arsenal of enemy-destroying weapons when racing.
Therefore, we must weaponize our training.
To do this, you must develop and deploy your spycraft.
Does your sprint suck? Find a sprinter. Stalk that cat in the Stravaverse. Look at how they structure their week. Do it. Find out where they do their training rides. Ride with them.
Wish you could climb a helluvalot better? Find the best climber in town, repeat the above.
Build your arsenal. Racing is war. Chasing PRs is war against yourself - the best kind.
Showing up on their training turf takes some guts. You might be shunned, mocked or worse. Hopefully you'll be beaten to within an inch of your life (on the bike). These are the battles where we lose and learn...
... to win the war on race day.
Ever wonder where I come up with this stuff?
I just keep my ears and eyes open to the convos going on around me... things like wishing for better performance while avoiding the better performer's and their training tactics...
... passing along the good stuff.
Which brings up two emails I got today. One from Mark thanking me for the post to pre-ride the race course... he took second and his pal won; another from Robert thanking me for a gravel route I suggested...
... which makes me want to ask you this question: Would you be interested in joining a group - on FB or Strava - for deeper conversations? If so, please let me know where would be your preference.
Speaking of preference, it turns out that most people prefer not to see our hineys when changing in public.
Hence, our world famous changing poncho available in 4 awesome colorways or in your team's custom colors.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalindustries-changing-poncho
Use promo code: NUKETHECOMPETITION
For savings and free shipping.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalindustries-changing-poncho
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165.3 lbs
20 pull ups, 40 push ups
7.5 hrs
https://www.strava.com/activities/5236219496
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