WHY SO COMPLICATED
THE INFOOLENCERS are out in force this time of year, on all channels, broadcasting to whoever will listen...
... with grandiose, complicated and detailed ideas on how to get stronger.
In the gym.
I know I've shared this before,
but, I'm sharing it again just in case ya need a reminder.
There are really only 3 large muscle group moves
- pullups
- pushups
- squats of some sort
... that deserve our dedication.
That's it.
From home.
Yet, while listening to a podcast today I was treated to all kinds of nonsensical theories and complicated concepts.
Always with the precursor of...
... One study showed...
Which begs the question...
... do these cats even compete?
At all?
I kinda doubt it...
- back when I competed
- I couldn't do that now
- when I trained hard
... given their offthecuff comments.
So, if they're basing their advice on studies,
and haven't raced in years...
... I gotta question EVERYTHING they put out.
I'm also questioning this insane offer:
===
164.6 lbs 12.6%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 40 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/93/-7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
RACE PICS?
AN EVENT OF DECENT SIZE and epicness will typically have at a minimum one photographer on course. The goal is to find a spot...
... with great lighting, eye-catching background, individual riders in the main part of the frame.
Usually, they're very good at that.
But, here's the questyun...
... if the pics are that great, why don't we buy more?
Any.
The system is sooooo broken...
- small fuzzy pics with photog logo
- hidden among thousands of participants
- on a crummy app that is slow, with poor navigation
... it's not even worth it to spend 10-30 minutes scrolling.
I know, because that's what I did this morning looking for pics.
Found 1.
Found another.
Page reloaded, lost 'em both.
Sale not made,
no pic for me.
I read a rant about how awful it was to take race pics with photog logo and screenshot for our own use.
It's not cool,
but neither is making us hunt and search.
Life goes fast,
and we're covering a lot of ground.
Amiright?
It's poor practice to whine and not give a solution.
How about this...
- racers who have their number correctly mounted and easy to read
- get their pictures emailed to them
- with an easy link to pay
... we put AI robots to good use.
Bonus points: have the link go to the promoter's website for check out.
===
165 lbs 12.6%
7ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
100 push ups, 20 pull ups, 40 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/93/-7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT IT TAKES
THE FIRST TIME WE reach our limits we're quite certain there's nothing more to give, we teeter and totter because...
... we've never been there before.
And that's a good thing.
But, not yet.
It's a good thing...
- bonk
- cramp
- hit the wall
... the next time.
I was thinking about a few of the upcoming races,
ones I did last year and really suffered.
Then, I looked at my fitness according to Strava and saw it's up 46% from 12 months ago,
57% from 24 months ago.
It's like...
When we've surfed the highs and lows of committed love...
... we know there is an even higher level on the other side.
When we've heard No a thousand times...
... we know a Yes is coming.
When we've previously PRd or podiumed...
... we know we have what it takes.
We never look back with longing...
... we summon our victorious memories,
remember who we really are,
and crush it.
===
164.2 lbs 12.5%
7ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 20 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/94/-8 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
REBELYES
WE ARE REBELLIOUS. The things we say Yes to, the things we say No to, are in our nature. The proof...
... we don't care what others think.
We're doing it.
Rebels stick out.
Make others uncomfortable.
Because it's...
... unbearably obvious they are executing a plan.
Seemingly out of nowhere, we are...
- fast
- lean
- healthy
... making it look easy.
Defining winning on our own terms.
rebelYES!
===
===
164.2 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 20 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
83/73/10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
>
SO THE TIME CHANGED
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN HEADING OUT in the dark, predawn of morning. Before the sunrises, the commuters take over...
... even returning with the lights still on.
Today that changed.
Again.
Unless you're a superduper early bird.
Even then, you're likely getting a bit of sunlight on the return.
I'm in that camp once a week, most of the year.
But, that's not the real point of this post.
The real question is not if I'm switching to morning workouts vs riding into the night, but...
... if I'm gonna let Big Brother's clock dictate how I work the day?
Ever.
===
165.2 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 0 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
84/79/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BEFORE AND AFTER
WHEN THE STAKES ARE LOW it's changes everything. It's easier to have enjoy, be relaxed...
... roll the dice.
Failure is an option.
Like, an acceptable one.
Today's Filthy 50 turned out to be a hoot.
Within the first 5 miles, me and two of my pals were off the front of our category.
It was wild because while we're catching the wave of riders ahead of us, on a longish single track climb, the slayers who started behind us joined our attacking moves.
Lots of energy,
lots of fun.
My plan was to test what I've been doing the last couple of weeks on my "hard" days...
... sit in threshold on all the climbs.
Rather than pushing as hard as I might in race conditions.
It's turning out to be a really effective way to race,
not leaving me gassed.
On the course anyway.
Once I packed up and made the drive home, the fatigue started to settle in.
Within a few minutes of plopping on the couch and starting the game,
I was unconcious.
Woke up to see the team played like it was high stakes...
- tight
- mistake-prone
- poor energy management
... still, they managed to win.
Not easy.
===
164.4ish lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 0 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
86/90/-4 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE CONDITIONS MAY VARY
DO AN EVENT ENOUGH TIMES and we start to get the hang of what we can count. The venue, the people, the aid stations, the course...
... and the weather.
You sure about that last one?
Mostly,
but not tonight.
I'm camped that the Filthy Fifty, and it looks like tomorrow...
- no dust
- no crazy wind
- no oppressive Indian summer heat
... is going to be unlike every other year.
After sporadic rain the past week...
- the parking lot is green
- the dust will be nil
- hero dirt
... it's gonna be fantastico!
If I wasn't sponsoring I'd be fighting for the limited parking,
unless I owned a Mazda...
... those guys sponsor the event and take care of their tribe with VIP parking.
Me?
I'll chairs,
a bike rack
and Mexican Coke.
Should be a great morning...
... banging bars with 500 of my best friends.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
84/76/8 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MEDIOCRITY
WE HAVE STANDARDS for ourselves. But, it's kinda weird because the standards in one area are insanely high and in another...
... embarrassing low.
How can that be?
Haven't we had this beat into us by every wannabe infoolencer and gooroo...
... How you do one thing is how you do everything.
Really?
Personally, I could care less...
- winning a ping pong game at the office
- stunning the crowds with a suit n tie
- arriving on time to the barbeque
... about a lotta stuff.
But, take us to the start line...
- starting months/years out
- tapping into the hidden meaning in the kit design
- it's not about winning as much as knowing there was absolutely nothing left to give
... and a whole other cat shows up.
And, I'm not even sure that's mediocrity...
... vs doing the minimum amount necessary to achieve a desired outcome.
There are time when the minimum necessary,
is the maximum possible.
It's our decision.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
85/83/1 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
OPEN SEASON
PRETEND IT'S THE DAY BEFORE our race. We're amped. Feeling good. Equipment is ready. Now it's time...
... to do some openers.
Not the temptation...
- get in some unneeded training
- pound out more than a few massive sprints
- buzz the other competitors acting like you're soft pedaling
... to ruin what we've prepared to unleash.
Openers should be brief bouts of FTP...
- 2 min at 80%
- 5 min at 95%
- 1 min 130%
- 1 min 140%
... to open our systems up.
Depending on tomorrow's race...
- long epic race - pedal to the start
- 1-3 hours - ez pedaling w/ a few jumps
- Less than an hour - similar to the bouts of FTP above
... we'll warm up before racing accordingly.
That's my plan for Saturday,
and I'll roll to the start of the Filthy Fifty.
===
164.8 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
75 push ups, 15 pull ups, 30 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
86/89/-3 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SOME LESSONS ARE TIMELESS
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE a time when shifters and derailers were analog. Cables did the work, and after an initial break in period they worked really well, until they got gummed up...
... requiring herculean strength for actuation.
Nobody misses that.
Except me.
Today.
After checking said shifter batteries, and tucking my baby into the work stand for the night...
... I, too, hit the hay.
When the alarm blared,
I stumbled downstairs.
Staged the baby by the front door,
and gave them shifters on last check.
Green,
good to go.
Yet, 8 miles later, on pace to easily cruise to the start of our friendly drop ride...
... a few skips.
Then nada.
No green,
no red.
Just dead.
I did the ride of shame home, stuck in a Get your buns of the saddle and work gear.
Replaced the traitorous villain,
hustled to ride toward the pain train.
Passed going the opposite direction,
pinned to catch.
Do you think they waited or slowed?
Heck no!...
... these are my well-trained friends we're talking about.
4 miles later, on hill...
... I passed them all and pressed on.
Ticked off?
Nope.
I'd been riding threshold for so long,
figured I'd keep it there the rest of the morning.
Which bring me to ...
- always check the batteries
- always bring at least 1 spare
- chasing at threshold vs the sporadic nature of a group ride is still a heckuva workout
... the timeless lessons for today.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
6.9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
25 push ups, 5 pull ups, 10 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/94/-7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
AT DINNER TONIGHT
WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS you haven't seen in a minute and decide to invite them all over for dinner...
... you might wonder what you're going to talk about.
Especially, if it's your lover's friends.
Which is what happened tonight.
Cuz, if I'm being honest...
- racing and riding
- e-commerce
- the book I'm reading
... there are really only three things I wanna talk about.
Surfergirl's a clever one and passed around a jar filled with random questions.
Read it.Tell the group the answer.
Mine was...
... If you could travel to any place on the planet, where would you go?
Well...
... Where would you go?
Me?
I just really like it here.
Boring,
I know.
===
165 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 20 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
84/76/7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
>
THE STANDARDS
WHEN WE FIRST GET STARTED, we're improving so rapidly there is no standard. We just know if we head out the door...
... we're gonna get faster.
Until it dawns on us.
And, we set standards...
- where we work
- where we live
- who we spend time with
- who we marry
- how we spend our free time
... to stay on this path of amazing health.
Our fitness isn't about our training...
... it's about the life we choose to live.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 5 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
85/83/1 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SOMETHING OLD IS SOMETHING SWEEET
STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH and the favorite best route ever will potentially maybe possibly, fall out of favor. Be forgotten and...
... be nothing but a fond a memory.
Until it's rediscovered.
Some of the crew started doing such a favored route a while back...
... one we ripped our legs off on twenty years ago.
Today I joined.
And I'll be dawgawned it if wasn't the funnest thrashing ever...
- 7 miles
- no lights, no stops
- rollihng and punchy 1200' of gain
... well, just as fun as I remember.
Part of the reason was the weather was insanely perfect...
... and we used it as a "warm up" to connect to a larger ripping group ride.
So, the old ride which is now the new ride connected to another even older ride that never died...
... turned out to be a heckuva way to log an exceptional off-season sweet-spot ride.
===
164 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 0 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/95/-8 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
PUTTIN' IN THE WORK
SOMETIMES WE ARE WORKING SO HARD and making the incremental changes that we don't even notice the improvements...
... until someone says That's insane!
Oh, damn, you noticed....
... I thought it was just me being my biased self.
Which is exactly what happened today.
To me.
We've been tweaking and dialing in our bibs...
- new shaping through the hips
- slightly different angle on cuffs
- and, oddly, perfecting the orientation of the fabric when we press it
... for 2027.
I felt so sexy in them, I turned to Surfergirl and said...
... Go ahead and try and keep your hands off these buns.
Somehow she resisted,
for like 7 seconds, then...
... well, I'll save that for another day.
Anyway, in case you're thinking I'm just making this stuff up because I want to sell you something...
... check the screenshot above.
Priceless.
Check 'em out: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/apparel
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
75 push ups, 15 pull ups, 15 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
83/69/14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
>
TAKING THE PASSION TO THE NEXT LEVEL
WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT CAT who gets fired up and goes all in on the sport. From bike, gym shorts and tshirt...
... to legit, everything.
But, this is just over the top awesome
Check out my pal David's version...
- real gear
- custom kits for company
- entries paid for all employees
- team that anybody can and does join
- representing and connecting all stakeholders with the county
- getting corporate sponsors to invest in pump tracks all over the place
... of leveling up.
Here's the dill, while the amazing David's of the world would like the next David to step up at some point...
- it's already organized
- the needs clear identified
- the tools are there, skills can be taught
... they really just need each of us to give a few hours a year.
Trust me this isn't a guilt trip on you as much as it is on me...
... who did almost zero to get the pump track in our town, that is used and loved by our family.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
75 push ups, 15 pull ups, 15 Bulgarian split squats with dumbells
84/74/9 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THIS PUTS ME TO SLEEP, SOMETIMES KEEPS ME AWAKE
SLEEP IS A BIG DEAL for us athletes. More sleep being preached more than ever by the infoolencers and their sell out ads for beds and monitors and apps and whatnot...
... because the benefits far outweigh the actual costs.
Here's a free one.
It helps me fall back asleep...
... occasionally keeping me up.
The With Pace podcast.
It's not the...
- topics
- guests
- production
... it's Pace's delivery.
Imagine a golf broadcaster setting the tone for a bike racing conversation,
and everyone almost whispering.
Sweet dreams, until...
... the topic turns juicy, extremely relevant.
On a recent episode he interviewed Cole Paton on his Little Sugar win.
It was a break through year...
- he changed coaches
- lived and trained stateside vs Europe
- purchase a home to quit living like a vagabond
... and won a bunch, including the US XC Marathon Championship.
Which got me thinking are their dramatic changes I could/should make for 2027?
Eventually, Pace's delivery had be back a sleep...
... but, you can be darn sure I listed to that part again this morning while knocking out the strength work.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/86/0 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of WAr, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT IS PEDALING, REALLY?
LEARNING TO RIDE A BIKE is a monumental accomplishment for most kids. With balance bikes even two-year olds can quickly be zooming round the neighborhood...
... completely ignorant of the physics at work.
Shoot, most of us can't even explain the magic at play.
We just love it.
There are a lot of life lessons...
- momentum
- speed control
- looking where we want to go
... being downloaded, and coded into our brains.
What all riders learn and master is When to pedal
Applying the equivalent to pedaling when...
- business is slow
- relationships stale
- health issues are presenting
... can keep us from crashing.
If we'll do it.
Hint: listen to our hearts.
===
163.8 lbs 12.5%
6.5ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/88/-2 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BECAUSE THE CALENDAR SAYS SO
WE CAN LIVE BY THE CALENDAR or we can die by the calendar. Actually, it might be worse than death. Getting to the end of the year and...
... realizing we didn't do didly.
Ouch.
Some of our fellow humans are so locked in on their devices, God might spare them the pain...
... of knowing what they've missed, lost.
But, not us.
We're making it happen.
Now, one way I do that is with the Giant RaceDay Calendar.
I fill in the important dates in this order...
- Family Events
- Date Nights
- Work Commitments
- My Races
... then, hang it where everyone can see it.
Because if the family, the lover, the boss know I've prioritized their happiness...
... they're gonna be anxious to support me on RaceDay.
It's magic,
and it's a heckuva lotta fun for all involved.
Now, we're doing a big time promotion when people purchase a RaceDay Bag...
- Custom Name Free
- Podium T-shirt Free
- Giant RaceDay Calendar Free
- LetsRip.space Free
- 20% Off all ISD Products Included
- 30% Off all Insider Gear Included
- 10% from your Friends N Family Code Included
- Pro Deals at Hunt, Kogel and more Included
... $142 in FREE gear + all kinds of savings.
It's scary good.
===
164 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
83/69/14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MAKING IT HAPPEN
THE ENDURANCE WORLD is vast and exciting. So many ways to test our mettle, against others and, more importantly...
... against ourselves.
We must choose one.
Focus.
Go for our own greatness.
So, which would it be...
- Tour de France Champion
- Ironman sub-8 hours at Kona
- Boston Marathon sub-2:05
... that would be personally most satisfying?
Or for you...
- Downhill World Champion
- Unbound Champion
- Leadville 100 sub-6 hours
... dirty racers.
Doesn't have to be any of those, but whatever it is...
... why aren't we 100% committed to making it happen?
This trip ain't gonna last forevah.
===
===
164 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
85/74/10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
PLAYING WITH MYSELF
ONCE WE'RE HOOKED on the endurance lifestyle we eventually find our tribe. The locals who are into it as we are. Meeting up to train...
... takes our training to a whole new level.
In a number of ways.
It's social,
friendships develop.
It's competitive,
we dig harder than we would alone.
It's accountable,
they're gonna be there, let's go!
It's fun,
something goofy is bound to happen.
For all those reasons and more...
... we thrive with our tribe.
But, sometimes we need a break not because the above is too much, but because we need to...
... tap back into our origin story.
Alone.
The playful passion that got us to where we are.
Which is exactly what I did today.
Met up with kids,
fist bumped,
etc.
I'd prepped them that I was peeling off if the pace was more than I wanted in October, and while it seemed perfectly fine...
... I managed to get a big boy cup on Strava.
At which point I made good...
... they powered on.
I split right, and went in search of miles and miles of singletrack goodness...
- alone
- adventuring new to me trails
- climbing relaxed and then bombing any and all downhills
... exactly what I needed today.
Connect to my roots.
The thing about playfulness I love...
... it's the kind of riding that feels effortless because it is so much fun.
===
164 lbs 12.5%
7ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
no Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/84/2 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
REMINDED OF THE FINISH
WE THINK WE'LL BE HERE FOREVER, that there will always be another race to do, an adventure to have...
... a mountain to climb.
Maybe.
We drove to San Diego today to attend the funeral of our son-in-law's grampa.
That may seem like a stretch, but when your kid marries into a solid family everyone gets connected...
... and we loved this old man.
On the way down, we zoomed by a booming fire on Camp Pendleton...
... the smoke blowing across the freeway.
During the service our grandson was full of energy...
... and I volunteered to take him outside.
It was hot and gusty.
Fire weather.
We ran around the church grounds, into the bushes and out, up and down the steep grassy hill.
He's three,
with all the blessings to experience a wonderful life.
Like Grampa Wayne.
I missed most of the stories the family shared, but that didn't matter because...
- beautiful, large family
- a million friends who he'd touched
- good with God, true to the love of his life
... I already know how his story ends.
Planning to zip home, I plugged in Maps only to find our 40 minute drive was now 2 hours and rerouted around the morning's fire...
... which was now burning across the freeway, on both sides.
As we finally drove into our little town, we could see smoke and then flames consuming homes.
We don't know how long it's going to take to get home,
or how quickly things can drastically change.
Kiss your babies,
love you lovers,
be good to all.
===
162.4 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
no Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
85/74/10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF OFF SEASON?
WE'RE DRIVEN. Obviously, that's why we do what we do. We have an itch to perform. Regardless of the activity. It was the great Jim Collins who revealed in Good To Great, that great companies...
... have Big Hairy Audacious Goals.
Always.
So, what's the offseason BHAG?
If we had to pick one...
... return stronger?
If we could pick some...
- well-positioned for better power/weight
- all injuries addressed and healed
- equipment absolutely dialed
... seem worthy of our attention.
But, if I'm being honest, and I always am with you, it would be...
... returning with a freshness and rejuvenated passion.
The offseason, when done correctly, should have us feeling like the best race taper ever.
If I wanted a mental image to manifest that, I'd lock in to Jake from the movie Silverado...
... energetic young fella, wears two guns in a fancy rig.
===
I should just end it there, except I know you're wondering what's the recipe for feeling like Jake.
How'm I gunna do it...
- get a ton of sleep
- ride with the wind, no agenda and no plan
- probably up my strength sessions, but skip 'em if I'm not feelin' it
- the only really disciplined thing'll be the diet, to start the season at race weight
... something like that.
Bottom line...
... if it's not fun or adventurous I'll pass.
Really, really bottom line...
... if it ain't Hellyeah, it's no.
That should do it.
===
162.4 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
noLower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/81/5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TRACKING AND THE 40% RULE
WE'VE ALL HEARD it's important to track the data because what gets measured gets mastered. In fact, I'll a step further...
... what gets measured gets mastered.
We're into that.
Amiright?
With that in mind, I thought I'd be really diligent today on the tracking.
The on the protein intake is a gram for every pound, 165 grams.
I got somewhat close, 144 grams.
Maybe a few more in the other things I ate today: nuts, dumplings, etc.
The point is, now I'm more aware I need to up my game there.
I also took the time to chicken scratch the pullups and pushups.
The goal was 30 pullups and 150 pushups, which I slight exceeded because a rep of 1 seemed week.
The thing about this one is while I started somewhat strong for me, my ability to keep up the reps waned and...
... I had to apply the 40% rule.
I learned this from the great David Goggins who said...
... we can always do 40% of our last effort.
Whether or not that's true science or bro calling us out, it works.
Which thinking also came into play with the evening sprints and torque training.
The point of all this is being strong is something I want to master as I age.
===
164.6 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
87/84/2 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
STOKE THEIR FIRE
IMMEDIATELY AFTER A KILLER EVENT, we are all fired up and convinced we'll be back for more. The feeling was that great, even more if we were laid to waste...
... then, we're coming back to get after it.
But, time passes.
Life happens.
How do we keep that fire alive?
Well, one of my sneaky things to do with our events is to make sure participants have something to consider throughout the coming months.
Like this soft and sexy tshirt.
The course profile, with it's epic climbs, is featured.
Along with the date of the event.
I have another thing I'll creating for them as well, to adorn their steeds.
Why...
- mainly I'm grateful they joined in on the adventure
- I want them to have a momento
- keep their fire stoked
... so, why not do something special?
===
16.6 lbsish 12.5%
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
87/84/3 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE RESET
WHEN THE SEASON IS OVER, we can take a break or we can train on. The problem for most of is deciding when it's over...
... and hitting reset.
How do we do that?
Do we go full couch surfer...
... gorging on chips and dip?
Or, pave the months ahead with base so thick and dense...
... it will steamroll the competition?
Or, pursue activities that compliment our passion...
... and comeback with new, sharper skills?
Honestly, I dunno.
I only know...
... it's time to reset.
===
165 lbsish (no scale)
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
88/89/-1 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
UNBELIEVABLE
EVER NOTICE HOW IF WE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT, we can have an excellent adventure and come out better than before? Yet, if we try and explain how it works to the friends and family...
... they be like No way!
Way.
But, here's the dill.
Most Sundays, I get up
- with very tender quads
- a little crickety in the bones
- and can't make it without a serious siesta
... versus how I felt today, after yesterday's epicality.
Why is that?
Welp, doing the adventure right means...
- staying on top of the energy consumption
- not going anywhere near the red zone
- not cramping
... feeling exhausted but not obliterated.
Where as a typical Saturday means...
- staying on top of energy consumption
- going deep into red many times
- possibly cramping
... feeling exhausted, obliterated and destroyed.
Reality is, that adventure is a huge Zone2 sesh and,
we'll probably be flying next weekend.
So, when we asked how our seemingly impossible adventure went,
we say...
... it was incredible, can't wait to do it again.
They say...
... unbelievable.
===
165 lbsish (no scale)
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/100/-11 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IS THIS HOW LEGENDARY EVENTS BEGIN?
THERE ARE LEGENDARY QUESTS that start with an individual's personal need to accomplish something big, from there a few friends get roped in...
... then all a the sudden athletes are shelling out cash and puttin in the time.
Cuz it sounds insane.
I mean think of it...
- John and Judy Collins and triathlon
- Henri Desgrange and Le Tour
- Steve Hill and his son Dan with friend Tanner Bell and Ragnar
... a handful of people capturing the imaginations of millions.
Which brings me to today.
We have now attempted the Surf N Summit 6 times...
- Failed due to 112º+ temps
- Failed due to a freak snow storm
- Late night finish, two rescued off the mountain
- Evening finish in the dark, 30% attrition
- All finishers before sunset, 30% attrition
- Failed due to tropical storm
... 50% failure, and 30% attrition when we do complete the quest.
We had a really good group today.
All were riding strong.
Had the storm not rolled in I'm convinced we all would have finished, we'd already knocked out...
- 101 miles
- 11000' of vert
- ave speed 13m/h
... we were on pace, one final 4000' climb remained.
But, getting stuck at
- 10,000'
- no cell service
- in lycra
- powerful winds
- driving rain
- mud
- plummeting temps
- in the dark
... just didn't seem all that appealing.
shouldawouldacoulda
Some firsts for this year...
- two outta staters
- power outage at the VRBO
- lotsa friends rolling out for first 30 miles
... made it a lot of run.
Let me expand on my review of the Silca tires...
- a ton of downhill PRs
- great speed across the valley
- a few PRs uphill
... they're reallyreally fast.
Oh, back to the question...
- difficult to finish
- battling the elements
- demanding the best equipment
... is this how legendary events begin?
Maybe we'll see ya next year.
===
165 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
92/115/-24 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE LAST SUPPER, AGAIN...
FOR SOME OF US, the night before the big quest can be rough. Tossin' and turnin' and bathroomin'. Will we ever get to sleep, followed by...
... oh crud, what is that annoying sound.
The alarm,
ya dummy.
But, just before that all goes down...
... is the last supper.
Let that sink in ya (me) religious weirdos.
Frankly, some dinners are better than others...
- good food
- geeking out on the prep
- filling in the gaps for the uninitiated.
... and tonight is one of my all time faves.
When faced with the biggest ride of the year...
- 123 miles
- 15000' of vert
- 12 hours to beat the sunset
... there' really nothing like.
A convo stuffed...
... with passion and angst.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
84/73/11 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: HIdden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
FOR THE LOVE OF IT
THE BIGGEST, CRAZIEST CHALLENGES we go after are generally fueled by our truest passion. The accomplishment happens...
... because it calls to our souls.
We've gotta do it.
Which is how the Surf N Summit came about.
For years, I'd dreamed and schemed of how to ride from Dana Point to Big Bearlll
- gravel bikes happened
- discovery of a 40 mile bike trail
- connecting an abandoned logging road to a gravel route
... while keeping to a minimum using public roads.
It's the same thing with our super fun business...
- Italian fabrics
- Patterns we designed - printed, cut and sewn here
- On demand with no minimums.
... making the apparel and gear I always wanted.
Because that allows us - you and me - to get our create juices flowing and create special designs that mean something to us...
... and inspire and memorialize our adventures.
Take this year's Surf N Summit kit in pic above...
- hi viz camo jersey because it's literally hunting season in the mountains
- dark green bibs to compliment the forest environment
- hi viz accessories to complete the look
... which is honestly one of my all time favorite designs.
If you've got a hankering to make something special for your upcoming quest,
let's make it happen.
Click here: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/start-a-project
Katie wanted a suit to train for Ironman
Kurt wanted a kit for Good Dirt
Kimberly wanted a bag to match her kit.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/87/0 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: HIdden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
AFTER READING THE REVIEWS and listening to the infoolencers, we pull the trigger on a new gizmo...
... hoping it's all it's cracked up to be.
Making us better.
Faster.
Which is exactly what I did with the new Silca Protocol gravel tires.
I went with the RCG-1 50mm, which is about as knobby as my Conti Terra Speed 45mm on the center...
... with much bigger knobs on the sides.
Here are my initial impressions...
- super lightweight
- very thin casing
- easy to mount
- aired up to my usual 20lbs, very smooth and fast
- noticeably better grip turning in the loose stuff
... after one ride.
Tomorrow, I'm going to test the Silca recommended pressure...
- Rear 25.5 lbs
- Front 24.5 lbs
... per their online calculator.
Distilling it down the tires...
- feel very fast
- need to explore their limits cornering
- a little nervous about durability over nasty rocks
... could be a significant improvement over the Terra Speeds.
It's always a little nerve-racking to leave behind a tested, proven product that has led to much success...
... which is what makes searching for our limits constantly fascinating.
===
165 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
730 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/87/0 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BUT, THE WEATHER...
WE'RE ALL ALWAYS LOOKING at the predicted weather for our upcoming event. Some us of with angst...
... some of us with lust.
Where do you land?
Asking because Chicago Marathon just announced less than ideal conditions for raceday.
Now, for those looking to...
- to finish their first marathon
- complete Chicago
- PR
... that means something.
For those looking to:
- win
- podium
- beat their friends
... it might mean something altogether different.
Depends on what where made of,
what we know about ourselves,
more importantly...
... what stories we tell ourselves.
Me personally, tell me it's gonna be awful and...
... I think of what the great Jocko Willink would say.
Good.
Gonna be hot, good.
Others will wilt.
Gonna be cold, good.
Others will freeze.
Gonna be muddy, good.
Others will bog down.
Why is that my goto response?
Probably because at this point I've faced it all,
plowed through the truly sucky.
Attitude counts, for sure.
But, experience,
that's like building an asset.
Still looking to be heinously hot for the SurfNSummit on Saturday...
- 123 miles
- 15,000'
- 12 hrs
... Good.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6%
7ish hours sleep
570 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
88/92/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
REFRAMING EASY DAYS
WHEN THE EASY DAY is on the schedule, we kit up, check ourselves out in the mirror and wink...
... time to go easy.
Most of us,
most of the time,
utterly fail to hit the mark.
We go way beyond.
Why?
Because we are endure-ance athletes,
and if we ain't enduring,
we aren't satisfied.
Some of us could use a reframe, and as the great Scott Adams taught...
... a reframe does not need to be logical or fully true. It only needs to work.
Here's one that works for me.
Usual frame: Easy days are a waste of valuable time, so...
... Imma gunna go sorta kinda easy.
Reframe: Easy days done properly set up the hard days for maximum execution and benefit, so...
... Imma gonna go super easy.
===
163.4 lbs/12.3%
8ish hours sleep
570 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
86/82/3 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BEWARE THE SELF-COACHED ATHLETE
WHEN SOMEONE "comes outta nowhere" we interested in where they came from, for sure. But, what we're really dying to know...
... is how the heck they did it.
Take Vinny Mauri.
Never heard of him?
Of course not, no one in the marathon world had either...
... until he recently put down a 2:05 marathon.
His first crack it...
... fourth fastest time by an American, ever.
How?
Well, he's self-coached...
- most of his training is on a Planet Fitness treadmill
- clipping along at a 5 min/mile pace
- for hours at a time
... with a very unique approach.
Like, insanely unique.
That 2:05 was at a small time event,
no competition,
no pacers.
What does the future hold for him?
Better yet...
... where are we delivering sub-par performances because our training and thinking is stuck in tradition?
Get the details here: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2026/10/after-one-of-the-most-insane-marathon-buildups-ever-how-fast-can-strava-legend-vinny-mauri-run-at-the-chicago-marathon/
===
163.4 lbs/12.3%
8ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
90/103/-14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
HOT IN, SO HOT IN...
WHEN WE KNOW SOMETHING WORKS, it's hard to imagine a completely different pathway yielding the same results...
... even when we see them in real life.
Take altitude training.
Athletes from all kinds of sports go to camps high in the mountains to gain the benefits of training high in the mountains...
... mainly, more red blood cells delivered to working muscles.
Today, I was deep into suffering through the heat wave plaguing us right now...
... miles from home.
Dying.
Not dying...
... wilting a slow, agonizing demise.
Why?
Cuz I'm an idiot, and cuz...
... the heatwave is gunna last all week.
Potentially, into our epic SurfNSummit...
- 123 miles
- 15000 of vert
- 12ish hours of adventure
... next Saturday.
I wanna try and heatproof myself.
The other reason is purely inspired by our current World Road Champion Brandon McNulty...
- expand blood plasma
- lower HR and core temps at a given pace
- with a rise in hemoglobin mass similar to short camps
... who shuns the altitude days in favor of the blistering Arizona summer heat.
===
I wasn't a total idiot...
... stopped twice for a popsicle and ice in my bottles.
Still smoked when I arrived to our airconditionless casa.
===
161.8 lbs/12.3%
7.5ish hours sleep
730 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 1 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
90/103/-14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HOW'S EVERYTHING GOING?
WE QUESTION SO MUCH when focusing on getting the most out of our efforts to improve. The infoolencers on the socials, the clickbait ads...
... the local hero dropping hints of how it's done.
But, here's the real question.
And, I bring that up because I was inspired to reach out to a number of friends with a simple text...
... How's it going?
It's a heart felt question,
and it solicited answers like...
- Let's chat, it'll be good to talk
- All good, working through challenges with aging parents
- Howdy! Everything is good... just taking a break after a busy summer of racing
... to Dude just calling me right back and yakityyaking for 20 minutes.
I posted this on X...
... Is logging time on social media essentially infidelity in my marriage?
'Cuz honestly...
... are we (me) paying attention to what's going on in the lives of those we profess to love?
Before you reply How's it going Old Diesel?...
- connecting with God often
- family is amazing and growing
- biz is up 18% on the year, but I gotta up my value delivery to hit the annual goal I set
- I'm still a ways off from: sub-160 lbs, 10 pullup and 50 pushups in a row, but I'll get there
... consider this your invitation to let me know how things are going for you,
and check in on a few friends.
Sometimes we get to ask in person, like today when I ran into...
... "young" Kevin Vermaerke in his UAE kit on the road.
How's it going?
Great, just got back from Canada.
Which reminds me, a lot of are feeling extra patriotic after Brandon's killer V.
... this kit is rad in person, and when you purchase Jersey and Bibs you save 15%.
WE QUESTION SO MUCH when focusing on getting the most out of our efforts to improve. The infoolencers on the socials, the clickbait ads...
... the local hero dropping hints of how it's done.
But, here's the real question.
And, I bring that up because I was inspired to reach out to a number of friends with a simple text...
... How's it going?
It's a heart felt question,
and it solicited answers like...
- Let's chat, it'll be good to talk
- All good, working through challenges with aging parents
- Howdy! Everything is good... just taking a break after a busy summer of racing
... to Dude just calling me right back and yakityyaking for 20 minutes.
I posted this on X...
... Is logging time on social media essentially infidelity in my marriage?
'Cuz honestly...
... are we (me) paying attention to what's going on in the lives of those we profess to love?
Before you reply How's it going Old Diesel?...
- connecting with God often
- family is amazing and growing
- biz is up 18% on the year, but I gotta up my value delivery to hit the annual goal I set
- I'm still a ways off from: sub-160 lbs, 10 pullup and 50 pushups in a row, but I'll get there
... consider this your invitation to let me know how things are going for you,
and check in on your top 3 friends.
Sometimes we get to ask in person, like today when I ran into...
... "young" Kevin Vermaerke in his UAE kit on the road.
How's it going?
Great, just got back from Canada.
Which reminds me, a lot of are feeling extra patriotic after Brandon's killer V.
... this kit is rad in person, and when you purchase Jersey and Bibs you save 15%.
===
162 lbs/12.4%
7.5ish hours sleep
600 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/92/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
CLARITY AND DISCIPLINE
WHEN WE ARE NEW to endurance sports we start off with a lot of enthusiasm. Learning all kinds of new skills and tricks, wanting to...
... go as far and fast as possible.
Our commitment shocks the onlookers.
We aren't just new to the sport...
... we are new.
Comments like, You sure have a lot of discipline are common.
Flattering.
But, do we?
Have a lot of discipline?
Discipline is for children...
... we have clarity.
We don't say No to cake...
... we say Yes to ripping on raceday.
===
163.2 lbs/12.5%
8sh hours sleep
640ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 96 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
88/98/-10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
NOW THIS IS BEAUTIFUL
THE BEAUTY OF THE UCI WORLD CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS is a combination of things which I really appreciate and enjoy, and...
... one thing stands out among all that is different.
Communication.
No race radios.
It makes for way better racing, and we can understand the challenges because...
... it's exactly how we race on the amateur level.
Be it the local group ride or pinning number on.
We have our heads on a swivel, and we're paying attention to everything that's happening and...
- no update from the car
- no teammate telling us they are otb
- no braintrust analyzing all the data points for us
... we are making decisions based on intuition and experience.
Which makes the USA's win...
- Simmons setting it all up early on going in a long range break
- Jorgensen sucking the life from all contenders
- McNulty soloing in for the win at 32k to go
... a truly beautiful thing.
Oh that all pro racing was that way.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
8sh hours sleep
640ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/101/-13 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE WE EATING TOO MUCH?
IN THE MAD DASH to fuel for, and the recovery from, the next heavy training session, is it possible we might overdoing it...
... to our detriment?
I mean, look around.
For a herd of endurance athletes...
... are we gazelles or elephants, or somewhere in between?
The reason I'm asking is today, after a fairly rigorous start...
- 5:30 am start, as always underslept, normal rise is around 6am.
- 60 miles, 5000' of vert, 225w Normalized (good for me)
- over an hour at threshold or above
... I felt unusually awesome.
What I did was...
- Ate light dinner vs a bunch of extra carbs
- Pre-ride skipped the oatmeal in favor of 3 Trader Joe's peanut butter cups.
- Got home, pounded a Fair Life chocolate milk vs. a pile of Kodiak cakes and a smoothie.
... not on purpose or as a test.
Just life.
Hanging out with one of the grands all evening before.
Getting home to a work crew taking over the downstairs and clearing out amidst the chaos so I could get some work done.
Results are in...
- slept amazing
- had awesome energy all morning
- and cranked out a buncha work before noon
... and I'm asking a legit question.
Am I eating too much?
===
163.8lbs/12.5%
7sh hours sleep
640 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/109/-20 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT IS AN EVENT SO GOOD WE WOULD PAY TO HOST?
THE BEST EVENTS OFTEN START WITH NEED AND PASSION, or both. They grow organically from there until...
... they are famous and selling out.
What would be one so good we'd be willing to bankroll it ourselves?
Free entry.
That was the question on a recent Founders podcast.
It got me thinking the...
- lots of people I'd want to hang out with
- and be challenged and stimulated by
- share the experience with
- add in some killer eats
- outrageous awards
- swarm of vendors
... things that would be worth it.
That's the kind of event I'd be interested in putting together.
In the meantime...
- parting with our cash to help finance it
... isn't that what we are basically doing when we register for any event?
===
163.8lbs/12.5%
8sh hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
86/90/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TWO NOTEBOOKS
DOCUMENTING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS is something many of us do. Whether it's a framed race photo, or race numbers with medals on the mantle...
... if it matters, keep it memorable.
What about the future?
Do we document that?
Each morning I bust out two notebooks...
- just after reading something uplifting
- meditating on it
- before all else
... one for imaging the future, one for the todos.
The dumb ideas get axed,
the good ones have a shot at life.
The tasks get completed and crossed out,
the survivors either get done or killed.
What does that have to do with racing, life?
Everything.
===
Deeper Dive
To image the future is to deliberately build a picture of what has not happened yet so that picture can shape what you do now.
It is not fortune-telling and it is not daydreaming. It is the constructive work of taking pieces of memory, observation, values, and desire and assembling them into a scene, a feeling, or a story of a possible tomorrow.
How the mind actually does it
Your brain uses the same machinery for remembering the past and picturing the future. It pulls familiar people, places, objects, and emotions out of storage and rearranges them into events that have never occurred. Neuroscientists call this constructive episodic simulation. People who lose the ability to recall personal memories often also lose the ability to vividly imagine their own future.
There are at least four related modes:
- Simulation — constructing a specific scene (“I see myself finishing the climb, breathing steadily”).
- Prediction — estimating likelihood.
- Intention — deciding what you want.
- Planning — laying out the steps.
They usually operate together.
Why the pictures matter
Sociologist Fred Polak argued that the images a person or a culture holds of the future are a driving force of history. A living, attractive image of a better world pulls people forward; a decaying or purely catastrophic image produces paralysis or decline. The pictures are not just reflections of reality—they help create it by directing attention, effort, and courage.
That is why practices such as writing a “best possible self” letter, running scenario workshops, or simply sitting still and seeing a concrete good outcome in detail can change mood and behavior. The image becomes a reference point you can steer toward.
Two common mistakes
- Treating the image as a rigid prediction instead of a working sketch that can be revised.
- Only imaging disaster. A mind that rehearses only collapse has less material with which to invent alternatives.
Imaging the future, then, is the act of making the not-yet visible enough that you can start living toward it today.
===
162.6 lbs/12.4%
9ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/98/-12 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SOMETIMES PRE-VIEWING IS JUST A HECKUVA A GOOD REMINDER
THE FIRST WE EVER RACE A COURSE, taking the time to recon from parking to finish, even if it's just the first 5 miles...
... can pay oodles and oodles.
If we have the time,
pay the dime.
Pre-view it all.
But, what if we've already raced it?
Trust me on this...
- the turns
- the sunlight angles
- how the herd responds over undulations
... we'll never have the course as dialed as the locals.
I was reminded of this today
- 36 miles
- 4500' of vert
- most of it off road
... pre-riding the first 33ish miles of our upcoming epic SurfNSummit.
The reminder wasn't the route so much as these specific issues...
- check your batteries - the one day I don't check the shifter batteries the night before and my casual spin to the start turns into sprinting home to replace a 2032 and then pin it to meet the crew - we don't wait, ever.
- respect the pre-ride like we'd expect the race day - I went low on my calories/bottle and extra gels in the pocket and really suffered for it on the way back
- if at all possible - have the cold/icy water if it's going to be hot vs the "room temperature" free water that was as warm as the outside air of 100º. this made eating the NutttrButtrs during the last 90 minutes impossible because my stomach wasn't loving the hot water
- have the bike in the finest working order - that fouled rear 2-speed unable to access my 3 lowest gears made the 50 minute climb unnecessarily challenging
- pace to race - in this case, while grateful to have 4 of the posse join us, they weren't doing the whole thing and rather than high zone 2, we were bouncing between tempo and threshold for the first 90 minutes, which is not the plan for the epic adventure
... that said, it was great to push the pace and be reminded of such idiocy.
Interestingly, while the big climb was a definite grind, and with the superlow cadence I couldn't put out as much power...
... my time was only 7 seconds slower than during the event last year.
Go figure.
No.
Go preview,
as much as possible.
And if we can't in person,
we try and dig up some YouTube intel.
===
165.4 lbs/12.4%
7ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/113/-24 per Strava Power &Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SHARPENING THE EDGES WITH ANGER
HAVING CONTROL OF OUR EMOTIONS on race day doesn't mean just playing it cool. Some emotions are better than others...
... for those who know how to harness them.
Like anger.
I'm not ashamed to admit, below that happy go lucky, come what may demeanor...
... is one hacked off dude.
If I have to/I've been known to...
... conjure up the most heinous reasons to crush the least deserving, most innocent competitors on the line.
Don't worry,
they never know.
Anger works for me.
I had a business partner say...
... you're so mellow
and
... dude, you have authority issues
... during the same meeting!
lol
Here's the real dill.
When I was younger it was uncontrollable and cost me a lot of points on the tennis court and life in general.
These days, if I'm rejected, disrespected, doubted, stomped on...
... that rocket flame of anger is powerful stuff.
Suddenly, I have this amazing laser focus combined with get outta my way energy.
I love that.
- heck no I don't want cookies
- heck yes I'm doing that work out
- heck no I'm not staying out late
- heck yes I need that upgrade
It's way better if I can get it going months, sometimes years in advance, but...
... making it up on the start line is a great way to lock in and race.
You might be askin' What the heck is wrong with you Diesel?...
... let's just say getting rejected on a home we were trying to buy has me pouring jet fuel on PEDAL industries.
Yeah,
harnessed anger is lit.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
155/138/17 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
REAL VISION
ALONG THE WAY to a glorious A race we face a lot of decisions. Some are micro, others macro. How we handle them...
... depends on our vision of how it will end.
What are we seeing?
I've long been fascinated with visualization techniques.
Once I learned of the concept via the great Denis Waitley's Psychology of Winning...
... the pieces began to fall into place.
Things I was underconciously aware of suddenly made sense.
The question that remained was...
... Could it be mastered and controlled?
From a practical standpoint, I can confirm that having a clear vision of how I want to cross the finish line...
- good food choices
- commitment to excellent sleep
- making time for and executing the critical workouts when desire is flat
... has given me the strength to accomplish the steps necessary along the way.
Which lends immense and undeniable confidence as the A race approaches…
… because we approach all the prep as if the finish has already happened.
We literally see everything with new eyes.
But, what if it works in all areas of life, not just racing?
What would that be worth,
what does it tell us about our present circumstances...
... what are we going to do about it?
===
162.8 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
158/156/2 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SPRINTING FOR THE WIN
UNLESS WE ARE ACTUALLY sprinters, racing events on the track or crits, it's unlikely we'll ever sprint for the win. We might race our pals to the city limits sign or...
... bang bars with other pack fodder.
So, why practice sprinting?
Here are my top reasons...
- to maintain, increase strength
- as a supplement to weight training
- to cement in neuromuscular connections so I can harness said power
... I have one dedicated sprint day per week.
This is not an interval session,
with efforts lasting minutes.
Yuck!
This is all out getting after it,
in bursts of 5-15 seconds,
spaced with full recovery.
I like to do 'em offroad.
Tonights was particularly fun.
Yes fun!
On the downhill sections, any time I had a chance to get on the pedals hard and keep my speed up, I went for it.
Not only was I recruiting the sprint muscles...
- legs
- butt
- core
- back
- arms
- shoulders
... I was reinforcing how it all works together over rapidly changing terrain.
Which is, in a sense, sprinting for the win.
The win being staying strong and coordinated.
===
163.4 lbs/12.6%
7 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 14 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
161/170/-10 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE F-WORD NOBODY WANTS TO USE
IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE the amount of reasons we can come up with when we find ourselves OTB (off the back)...
... whether it's dropping anchor or slipsliding away.
Bring on the excuses.
Like today's TMWC stacked with visiting hitters...
... we were pinning it something vicious, all the way..
Until I started spinning the slowslide of shame,
with five miles to go.
Giving me plenty of time to think of all the reasons...
- haven't shaved legs since July
- got to bed to late
- creatine made me put on 5 lbs
- my Classified hub is dying and dragging
- upped my box jumps and other leg stuff Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday
- walked 3 miles in the sand Sunday (normally just 2)
- left a little late and had to hustle to meet group
- gravel pedals and shoes vs road
- unaero gravel frame
- somewhat shallow road wheels
- less than aero helmet
- extra weight from lights now that it's dark
... while gimping to the finish.
But.
We all know the truth...
... and it starts with F.
FATIGUE.
It's offseason fur cryin outloud!...
... what the heck am I doing?
Well, just the most lifechanging, epic adventure on SoCal...
- 120 miles
- 15k of vert
- around 12 hours (including stops)
... the SurfNSummit on 10.10.26
Sooooooooo... 1 more extralarge Saturday,
then two weeks to taper,
and feel fresh.
Might have to skip the legwork the week of,
or sooner?
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
7 hours sleep
630ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
162/179/-18 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I SPY
WE LIKE TO SAY this is my escape, to ride/run/swim for an hour or few per day. Our happy place isn't a pain cave as much as it is...
... a world without staring at glass.
Is it novel?
There was a pithy post on X this week...
... I'm inviting a bunch of people over this weekend to doomscroll together.
My other non-scrolling/glass moments are reading.
Ingesting something uplifting in the wee morning hours has been a goto for years.
But, then this happened.
The wind down used to be watching "just a few minutes" of TV,
then onto binge watching...
... now it's a full-on addiction to reading spy novels.
They're all basically the same character...
- ex-special ops dude with skills his government needs
- always going off the range to get the job done
- while mixing in some lady-drama
... and I can't seem to get enough.
It started after my TBI,
as therapy.
Who knew staring and scrolling glass was bad juju for brain function and ocular wellness?
In about 30 months, I've read...
- all of Jack Carr (10)
- all of the Gray Man series (15)
- all of the Pike Logan series (20)
- and I'm on book 11 of 25 in the Scot Harvath (series)
... with no end in sight.
From a therapeutic standpoint, my ability to rip downhill on my MTB has returned to about 90% of where I was.
From Oh crap! every ride,
to Heckyeah! this is fun!
Is there any connection between being a spy and racing?
Well, yeah.
If being resourceful, able to adjust on the fly, and see the mission through to completion is how you like to rip on raceday...
... this is your genre.
===
166.2 lbs/12.6%
8 hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
156/144/12 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
NOW FOR THE REST OF OUR SHOW
WE'RE WRAPPING UP THE 3RD QUARTER, heading into the final three months of the year...
... but not the end of the racing the calendar.
Am I right?
We aren't going to...
- hang it up for 2 months
- watch games
- eat chips
... because we know the truth.
Now is the time to...
- bank strength
- build base
- hone diet
... for springtime cometh.
That's what I'm doing.
Shoot, tonight I passed on cake an icecream.
It wasn't hard, once I gave up sugar, the cravings were gone.
In years past, I'd say Bring it on, it's offseason...
... to the point of friends saying It's good to see fatTodd is back.
Imagine that.
Actually, don't.
Imagine ripping it up next spring, right on through the summer.
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
8 hours sleep
620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
159/163/-4 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TORQUE TRAINING... STILL?
SOME OF US ARE WILLING to take chance with our equipment. Opting to go with the yet to be tried and true...
... can lead to great advantages.
And, big challenges.
As I struggled mightily up a rather steep pitch today...
- 52/42 chainrings
- 13/26 6 speed cassette
... I remembered how tall the gearing was back in the day.
It was brutal.
But, one of the benefits we didn't realize back then was forced torque training...
- high power
- low cadence
- in place of gym time
... something coaches preach in today's era of super wide gearing.
So, why was I doing it today?
Because my super niche 2-speed rear hub from Classified, which replaced the front derailleur dual chain rings...
... has been acting up for the last 2 weeks.
And died today.
Leaving me with the lowest gear of a 46 in front x40 in back.
Manageable on most road climbs...
... swear-inducing on the dirt steeps I faced throughout today's epic URBN GRVL ride.
I've had the system for just over 2 years,
and it has been great.
Superior, I think, to traditional 1x most cats are running offroad.
Because the Surf N Summit is fast approaching...
... I'm in a real pickle.
Classified is based in the Netherlands...
... which is much father away than the hinterlands.
They have few dealers in the states.
Hopefully, they'll get back to me in time to get the system functioning like the racewinning force it has been.
It was a risk when I purchased it,
and I don't regret it at all.
It's that good.
===
166.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
630ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
163/186/-24 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THIS CHAING HURTS
STAYING ON TOP of the maintenance game never seems like it's gonna pay off. It's a constant steady drip on our time and wallets...
... until it's not.
Then, it's chunky.
I was reminded of this today by reader Roberto (not his real name).
Here's the chat transcript:
===
165.4 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
153/128/24 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
SHIFT I HATE
DO YOU KNOW WHY WE SAY If it was easy everyone would do it? It's not just because it's true, it's also because for those of us who are doing the hard stuff...
... we need to know there's a reason.
We do things we hate to do.
Here's a few of mine..
- pullups
- pushups
- box jumps
- stretching
- going to work after a glorious morning riding
- hanging on the back of the group until I literally see stars
- skipping the cookies and cake and ice cream
... and I could go on.
If we are doing things like the above so much,
if it really is that hard to be consistent...
... what is driving us?
A couple of things.
One, it gets easier once we get started.
Two, it becomes habitual, part of operating system.
Three, the really big one...
... we know.
We know this is the path to mastery...
... and few are we, the willing and committed.
To arrive at our stated destiny.
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
750 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 55 push ups, 11 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
157/148/8 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
WHY SO COMPLICATED
THE INFOOLENCERS are out in force this time of year, on all channels, broadcasting to whoever will listen...
... with grandiose, complicated and detailed ideas on how to get stronger.
In the gym.
I know I've shared this before,
but, I'm sharing it again just in case ya need a reminder.
There are really only 3 large muscle group moves
- pullups
- pushups
- squats of some sort
... that deserve our dedication.
That's it.
From home.
Yet, while listening to a podcast today I was treated to all kinds of nonsensical theories and complicated concepts.
Always with the precursor of...
... One study showed...
Which begs the question...
... do these cats even compete?
At all?
I kinda doubt it...
- back when I competed
- I couldn't do that now
- when I trained hard
... given their offthecuff comments.
So, if they're basing their advice on studies,
and haven't raced in years...
... I gotta question EVERYTHING they put out.
I'm also questioning this insane offer:
===
164.6 lbs 12.6%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 40 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/93/-7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
RACE PICS?
AN EVENT OF DECENT SIZE and epicness will typically have at a minimum one photographer on course. The goal is to find a spot...
... with great lighting, eye-catching background, individual riders in the main part of the frame.
Usually, they're very good at that.
But, here's the questyun...
... if the pics are that great, why don't we buy more?
Any.
The system is sooooo broken...
- small fuzzy pics with photog logo
- hidden among thousands of participants
- on a crummy app that is slow, with poor navigation
... it's not even worth it to spend 10-30 minutes scrolling.
I know, because that's what I did this morning looking for pics.
Found 1.
Found another.
Page reloaded, lost 'em both.
Sale not made,
no pic for me.
I read a rant about how awful it was to take race pics with photog logo and screenshot for our own use.
It's not cool,
but neither is making us hunt and search.
Life goes fast,
and we're covering a lot of ground.
Amiright?
It's poor practice to whine and not give a solution.
How about this...
- racers who have their number correctly mounted and easy to read
- get their pictures emailed to them
- with an easy link to pay
... we put AI robots to good use.
Bonus points: have the link go to the promoter's website for check out.
===
165 lbs 12.6%
7ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
100 push ups, 20 pull ups, 40 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/93/-7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
WHAT IT TAKES
THE FIRST TIME WE reach our limits we're quite certain there's nothing more to give, we teeter and totter because...
... we've never been there before.
And that's a good thing.
But, not yet.
It's a good thing...
- bonk
- cramp
- hit the wall
... the next time.
I was thinking about a few of the upcoming races,
ones I did last year and really suffered.
Then, I looked at my fitness according to Strava and saw it's up 46% from 12 months ago,
57% from 24 months ago.
It's like...
When we've surfed the highs and lows of committed love...
... we know there is an even higher level on the other side.
When we've heard No a thousand times...
... we know a Yes is coming.
When we've previously PRd or podiumed...
... we know we have what it takes.
We never look back with longing...
... we summon our victorious memories,
remember who we really are,
and crush it.
===
164.2 lbs 12.5%
7ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 20 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/94/-8 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
REBELYES
WE ARE REBELLIOUS. The things we say Yes to, the things we say No to, are in our nature. The proof...
... we don't care what others think.
We're doing it.
Rebels stick out.
Make others uncomfortable.
Because it's...
... unbearably obvious they are executing a plan.
Seemingly out of nowhere, we are...
- fast
- lean
- healthy
... making it look easy.
Defining winning on our own terms.
rebelYES!
===
===
164.2 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 20 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
83/73/10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The Way of the R.A.C.E.R, Old Testament
SO THE TIME CHANGED
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN HEADING OUT in the dark, predawn of morning. Before the sunrises, the commuters take over...
... even returning with the lights still on.
Today that changed.
Again.
Unless you're a superduper early bird.
Even then, you're likely getting a bit of sunlight on the return.
I'm in that camp once a week, most of the year.
But, that's not the real point of this post.
The real question is not if I'm switching to morning workouts vs riding into the night, but...
... if I'm gonna let Big Brother's clock dictate how I work the day?
Ever.
===
165.2 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 0 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
84/79/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
BEFORE AND AFTER
WHEN THE STAKES ARE LOW it's changes everything. It's easier to have enjoy, be relaxed...
... roll the dice.
Failure is an option.
Like, an acceptable one.
Today's Filthy 50 turned out to be a hoot.
Within the first 5 miles, me and two of my pals were off the front of our category.
It was wild because while we're catching the wave of riders ahead of us, on a longish single track climb, the slayers who started behind us joined our attacking moves.
Lots of energy,
lots of fun.
My plan was to test what I've been doing the last couple of weeks on my "hard" days...
... sit in threshold on all the climbs.
Rather than pushing as hard as I might in race conditions.
It's turning out to be a really effective way to race,
not leaving me gassed.
On the course anyway.
Once I packed up and made the drive home, the fatigue started to settle in.
Within a few minutes of plopping on the couch and starting the game,
I was unconcious.
Woke up to see the team played like it was high stakes...
- tight
- mistake-prone
- poor energy management
... still, they managed to win.
Not easy.
===
164.4ish lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 0 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
86/90/-4 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE CONDITIONS MAY VARY
DO AN EVENT ENOUGH TIMES and we start to get the hang of what we can count. The venue, the people, the aid stations, the course...
... and the weather.
You sure about that last one?
Mostly,
but not tonight.
I'm camped that the Filthy Fifty, and it looks like tomorrow...
- no dust
- no crazy wind
- no oppressive Indian summer heat
... is going to be unlike every other year.
After sporadic rain the past week...
- the parking lot is green
- the dust will be nil
- hero dirt
... it's gonna be fantastico!
If I wasn't sponsoring I'd be fighting for the limited parking,
unless I owned a Mazda...
... those guys sponsor the event and take care of their tribe with VIP parking.
Me?
I'll chairs,
a bike rack
and Mexican Coke.
Should be a great morning...
... banging bars with 500 of my best friends.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
84/76/8 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MEDIOCRITY
WE HAVE STANDARDS for ourselves. But, it's kinda weird because the standards in one area are insanely high and in another...
... embarrassing low.
How can that be?
Haven't we had this beat into us by every wannabe infoolencer and gooroo...
... How you do one thing is how you do everything.
Really?
Personally, I could care less...
- winning a ping pong game at the office
- stunning the crowds with a suit n tie
- arriving on time to the barbeque
... about a lotta stuff.
But, take us to the start line...
- starting months/years out
- tapping into the hidden meaning in the kit design
- it's not about winning as much as knowing there was absolutely nothing left to give
... and a whole other cat shows up.
And, I'm not even sure that's mediocrity...
... vs doing the minimum amount necessary to achieve a desired outcome.
There are time when the minimum necessary,
is the maximum possible.
It's our decision.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
85/83/1 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
OPEN SEASON
PRETEND IT'S THE DAY BEFORE our race. We're amped. Feeling good. Equipment is ready. Now it's time...
... to do some openers.
Not the temptation...
- get in some unneeded training
- pound out more than a few massive sprints
- buzz the other competitors acting like you're soft pedaling
... to ruin what we've prepared to unleash.
Openers should be brief bouts of FTP...
- 2 min at 80%
- 5 min at 95%
- 1 min 130%
- 1 min 140%
... to open our systems up.
Depending on tomorrow's race...
- long epic race - pedal to the start
- 1-3 hours - ez pedaling w/ a few jumps
- Less than an hour - similar to the bouts of FTP above
... we'll warm up before racing accordingly.
That's my plan for Saturday,
and I'll roll to the start of the Filthy Fifty.
===
164.8 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
75 push ups, 15 pull ups, 30 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
86/89/-3 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
SOME LESSONS ARE TIMELESS
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE a time when shifters and derailers were analog. Cables did the work, and after an initial break in period they worked really well, until they got gummed up...
... requiring herculean strength for actuation.
Nobody misses that.
Except me.
Today.
After checking said shifter batteries, and tucking my baby into the work stand for the night...
... I, too, hit the hay.
When the alarm blared,
I stumbled downstairs.
Staged the baby by the front door,
and gave them shifters on last check.
Green,
good to go.
Yet, 8 miles later, on pace to easily cruise to the start of our friendly drop ride...
... a few skips.
Then nada.
No green,
no red.
Just dead.
I did the ride of shame home, stuck in a Get your buns of the saddle and work gear.
Replaced the traitorous villain,
hustled to ride toward the pain train.
Passed going the opposite direction,
pinned to catch.
Do you think they waited or slowed?
Heck no!...
... these are my well-trained friends we're talking about.
4 miles later, on hill...
... I passed them all and pressed on.
Ticked off?
Nope.
I'd been riding threshold for so long,
figured I'd keep it there the rest of the morning.
Which bring me to ...
- always check the batteries
- always bring at least 1 spare
- chasing at threshold vs the sporadic nature of a group ride is still a heckuva workout
... the timeless lessons for today.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
6.9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
25 push ups, 5 pull ups, 10 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/94/-7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
AT DINNER TONIGHT
WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS you haven't seen in a minute and decide to invite them all over for dinner...
... you might wonder what you're going to talk about.
Especially, if it's your lover's friends.
Which is what happened tonight.
Cuz, if I'm being honest...
- racing and riding
- e-commerce
- the book I'm reading
... there are really only three things I wanna talk about.
Surfergirl's a clever one and passed around a jar filled with random questions.
Read it.Tell the group the answer.
Mine was...
... If you could travel to any place on the planet, where would you go?
Well...
... Where would you go?
Me?
I just really like it here.
Boring,
I know.
===
165 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
50 push ups, 10 pull ups, 20 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
84/76/7 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
THE STANDARDS
WHEN WE FIRST GET STARTED, we're improving so rapidly there is no standard. We just know if we head out the door...
... we're gonna get faster.
Until it dawns on us.
And, we set standards...
- where we work
- where we live
- who we spend time with
- who we marry
- how we spend our free time
... to stay on this path of amazing health.
Our fitness isn't about our training...
... it's about the life we choose to live.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 5 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
85/83/1 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
SOMETHING OLD IS SOMETHING SWEEET
STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH and the favorite best route ever will potentially maybe possibly, fall out of favor. Be forgotten and...
... be nothing but a fond a memory.
Until it's rediscovered.
Some of the crew started doing such a favored route a while back...
... one we ripped our legs off on twenty years ago.
Today I joined.
And I'll be dawgawned it if wasn't the funnest thrashing ever...
- 7 miles
- no lights, no stops
- rollihng and punchy 1200' of gain
... well, just as fun as I remember.
Part of the reason was the weather was insanely perfect...
... and we used it as a "warm up" to connect to a larger ripping group ride.
So, the old ride which is now the new ride connected to another even older ride that never died...
... turned out to be a heckuva way to log an exceptional off-season sweet-spot ride.
===
164 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
0 push ups, 0 pull ups, 0 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
87/95/-8 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Magnetic On Demand, Old Testament
PUTTIN' IN THE WORK
SOMETIMES WE ARE WORKING SO HARD and making the incremental changes that we don't even notice the improvements...
... until someone says That's insane!
Oh, damn, you noticed....
... I thought it was just me being my biased self.
Which is exactly what happened today.
To me.
We've been tweaking and dialing in our bibs...
- new shaping through the hips
- slightly different angle on cuffs
- and, oddly, perfecting the orientation of the fabric when we press it
... for 2027.
I felt so sexy in them, I turned to Surfergirl and said...
... Go ahead and try and keep your hands off these buns.
Somehow she resisted,
for like 7 seconds, then...
... well, I'll save that for another day.
Anyway, in case you're thinking I'm just making this stuff up because I want to sell you something...
... check the screenshot above.
Priceless.
Check 'em out: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/apparel
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
75 push ups, 15 pull ups, 15 Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells, etc
83/69/14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
TAKING THE PASSION TO THE NEXT LEVEL
WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT CAT who gets fired up and goes all in on the sport. From bike, gym shorts and tshirt...
... to legit, everything.
But, this is just over the top awesome
Check out my pal David's version...
- real gear
- custom kits for company
- entries paid for all employees
- team that anybody can and does join
- representing and connecting all stakeholders with the county
- getting corporate sponsors to invest in pump tracks all over the place
... of leveling up.
Here's the dill, while the amazing David's of the world would like the next David to step up at some point...
- it's already organized
- the needs clear identified
- the tools are there, skills can be taught
... they really just need each of us to give a few hours a year.
Trust me this isn't a guilt trip on you as much as it is on me...
... who did almost zero to get the pump track in our town, that is used and loved by our family.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
75 push ups, 15 pull ups, 15 Bulgarian split squats with dumbells
84/74/9 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of War, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
THIS PUTS ME TO SLEEP, SOMETIMES KEEPS ME AWAKE
SLEEP IS A BIG DEAL for us athletes. More sleep being preached more than ever by the infoolencers and their sell out ads for beds and monitors and apps and whatnot...
... because the benefits far outweigh the actual costs.
Here's a free one.
It helps me fall back asleep...
... occasionally keeping me up.
The With Pace podcast.
It's not the...
- topics
- guests
- production
... it's Pace's delivery.
Imagine a golf broadcaster setting the tone for a bike racing conversation,
and everyone almost whispering.
Sweet dreams, until...
... the topic turns juicy, extremely relevant.
On a recent episode he interviewed Cole Paton on his Little Sugar win.
It was a break through year...
- he changed coaches
- lived and trained stateside vs Europe
- purchase a home to quit living like a vagabond
... and won a bunch, including the US XC Marathon Championship.
Which got me thinking are their dramatic changes I could/should make for 2027?
Eventually, Pace's delivery had be back a sleep...
... but, you can be darn sure I listed to that part again this morning while knocking out the strength work.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/86/0 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Act of WAr, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
WHAT IS PEDALING, REALLY?
LEARNING TO RIDE A BIKE is a monumental accomplishment for most kids. With balance bikes even two-year olds can quickly be zooming round the neighborhood...
... completely ignorant of the physics at work.
Shoot, most of us can't even explain the magic at play.
We just love it.
There are a lot of life lessons...
- momentum
- speed control
- looking where we want to go
... being downloaded, and coded into our brains.
What all riders learn and master is When to pedal
Applying the equivalent to pedaling when...
- business is slow
- relationships stale
- health issues are presenting
... can keep us from crashing.
If we'll do it.
Hint: listen to our hearts.
===
163.8 lbs 12.5%
6.5ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/88/-2 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
BECAUSE THE CALENDAR SAYS SO
WE CAN LIVE BY THE CALENDAR or we can die by the calendar. Actually, it might be worse than death. Getting to the end of the year and...
... realizing we didn't do didly.
Ouch.
Some of our fellow humans are so locked in on their devices, God might spare them the pain...
... of knowing what they've missed, lost.
But, not us.
We're making it happen.
Now, one way I do that is with the Giant RaceDay Calendar.
I fill in the important dates in this order...
- Family Events
- Date Nights
- Work Commitments
- My Races
... then, hang it where everyone can see it.
Because if the family, the lover, the boss know I've prioritized their happiness...
... they're gonna be anxious to support me on RaceDay.
It's magic,
and it's a heckuva lotta fun for all involved.
Now, we're doing a big time promotion when people purchase a RaceDay Bag...
- Custom Name Free
- Podium T-shirt Free
- Giant RaceDay Calendar Free
- LetsRip.space Free
- 20% Off all ISD Products Included
- 30% Off all Insider Gear Included
- 10% from your Friends N Family Code Included
- Pro Deals at Hunt, Kogel and more Included
... $142 in FREE gear + all kinds of savings.
It's scary good.
===
164 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
83/69/14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MAKING IT HAPPEN
THE ENDURANCE WORLD is vast and exciting. So many ways to test our mettle, against others and, more importantly...
... against ourselves.
We must choose one.
Focus.
Go for our own greatness.
So, which would it be...
- Tour de France Champion
- Ironman sub-8 hours at Kona
- Boston Marathon sub-2:05
... that would be personally most satisfying?
Or for you...
- Downhill World Champion
- Unbound Champion
- Leadville 100 sub-6 hours
... dirty racers.
Doesn't have to be any of those, but whatever it is...
... why aren't we 100% committed to making it happen?
This trip ain't gonna last forevah.
===
===
164 lbs 12.5%
8ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
85/74/10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
PLAYING WITH MYSELF
ONCE WE'RE HOOKED on the endurance lifestyle we eventually find our tribe. The locals who are into it as we are. Meeting up to train...
... takes our training to a whole new level.
In a number of ways.
It's social,
friendships develop.
It's competitive,
we dig harder than we would alone.
It's accountable,
they're gonna be there, let's go!
It's fun,
something goofy is bound to happen.
For all those reasons and more...
... we thrive with our tribe.
But, sometimes we need a break not because the above is too much, but because we need to...
... tap back into our origin story.
Alone.
The playful passion that got us to where we are.
Which is exactly what I did today.
Met up with kids,
fist bumped,
etc.
I'd prepped them that I was peeling off if the pace was more than I wanted in October, and while it seemed perfectly fine...
... I managed to get a big boy cup on Strava.
At which point I made good...
... they powered on.
I split right, and went in search of miles and miles of singletrack goodness...
- alone
- adventuring new to me trails
- climbing relaxed and then bombing any and all downhills
... exactly what I needed today.
Connect to my roots.
The thing about playfulness I love...
... it's the kind of riding that feels effortless because it is so much fun.
===
164 lbs 12.5%
7ish hours sleep so dang hot
730ish anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
no Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/84/2 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
REMINDED OF THE FINISH
WE THINK WE'LL BE HERE FOREVER, that there will always be another race to do, an adventure to have...
... a mountain to climb.
Maybe.
We drove to San Diego today to attend the funeral of our son-in-law's grampa.
That may seem like a stretch, but when your kid marries into a solid family everyone gets connected...
... and we loved this old man.
On the way down, we zoomed by a booming fire on Camp Pendleton...
... the smoke blowing across the freeway.
During the service our grandson was full of energy...
... and I volunteered to take him outside.
It was hot and gusty.
Fire weather.
We ran around the church grounds, into the bushes and out, up and down the steep grassy hill.
He's three,
with all the blessings to experience a wonderful life.
Like Grampa Wayne.
I missed most of the stories the family shared, but that didn't matter because...
- beautiful, large family
- a million friends who he'd touched
- good with God, true to the love of his life
... I already know how his story ends.
Planning to zip home, I plugged in Maps only to find our 40 minute drive was now 2 hours and rerouted around the morning's fire...
... which was now burning across the freeway, on both sides.
As we finally drove into our little town, we could see smoke and then flames consuming homes.
We don't know how long it's going to take to get home,
or how quickly things can drastically change.
Kiss your babies,
love you lovers,
be good to all.
===
162.4 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
no Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
85/74/10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: From Poop to Gold, Old Testament
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF OFF SEASON?
WE'RE DRIVEN. Obviously, that's why we do what we do. We have an itch to perform. Regardless of the activity. It was the great Jim Collins who revealed in Good To Great, that great companies...
... have Big Hairy Audacious Goals.
Always.
So, what's the offseason BHAG?
If we had to pick one...
... return stronger?
If we could pick some...
- well-positioned for better power/weight
- all injuries addressed and healed
- equipment absolutely dialed
... seem worthy of our attention.
But, if I'm being honest, and I always am with you, it would be...
... returning with a freshness and rejuvenated passion.
The offseason, when done correctly, should have us feeling like the best race taper ever.
If I wanted a mental image to manifest that, I'd lock in to Jake from the movie Silverado...
... energetic young fella, wears two guns in a fancy rig.
===
I should just end it there, except I know you're wondering what's the recipe for feeling like Jake.
How'm I gunna do it...
- get a ton of sleep
- ride with the wind, no agenda and no plan
- probably up my strength sessions, but skip 'em if I'm not feelin' it
- the only really disciplined thing'll be the diet, to start the season at race weight
... something like that.
Bottom line...
... if it's not fun or adventurous I'll pass.
Really, really bottom line...
... if it ain't Hellyeah, it's no.
That should do it.
===
162.4 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
noLower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
86/81/5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
TRACKING AND THE 40% RULE
WE'VE ALL HEARD it's important to track the data because what gets measured gets mastered. In fact, I'll a step further...
... what gets measured gets mastered.
We're into that.
Amiright?
With that in mind, I thought I'd be really diligent today on the tracking.
The on the protein intake is a gram for every pound, 165 grams.
I got somewhat close, 144 grams.
Maybe a few more in the other things I ate today: nuts, dumplings, etc.
The point is, now I'm more aware I need to up my game there.
I also took the time to chicken scratch the pullups and pushups.
The goal was 30 pullups and 150 pushups, which I slight exceeded because a rep of 1 seemed week.
The thing about this one is while I started somewhat strong for me, my ability to keep up the reps waned and...
... I had to apply the 40% rule.
I learned this from the great David Goggins who said...
... we can always do 40% of our last effort.
Whether or not that's true science or bro calling us out, it works.
Which thinking also came into play with the evening sprints and torque training.
The point of all this is being strong is something I want to master as I age.
===
164.6 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 160 push ups, 31 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
87/84/2 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
STOKE THEIR FIRE
IMMEDIATELY AFTER A KILLER EVENT, we are all fired up and convinced we'll be back for more. The feeling was that great, even more if we were laid to waste...
... then, we're coming back to get after it.
But, time passes.
Life happens.
How do we keep that fire alive?
Well, one of my sneaky things to do with our events is to make sure participants have something to consider throughout the coming months.
Like this soft and sexy tshirt.
The course profile, with it's epic climbs, is featured.
Along with the date of the event.
I have another thing I'll creating for them as well, to adorn their steeds.
Why...
- mainly I'm grateful they joined in on the adventure
- I want them to have a momento
- keep their fire stoked
... so, why not do something special?
===
16.6 lbsish 12.5%
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: min 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, heel and toe raises
87/84/3 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
THE RESET
WHEN THE SEASON IS OVER, we can take a break or we can train on. The problem for most of is deciding when it's over...
... and hitting reset.
How do we do that?
Do we go full couch surfer...
... gorging on chips and dip?
Or, pave the months ahead with base so thick and dense...
... it will steamroll the competition?
Or, pursue activities that compliment our passion...
... and comeback with new, sharper skills?
Honestly, I dunno.
I only know...
... it's time to reset.
===
165 lbsish (no scale)
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
88/89/-1 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
UNBELIEVABLE
EVER NOTICE HOW IF WE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT, we can have an excellent adventure and come out better than before? Yet, if we try and explain how it works to the friends and family...
... they be like No way!
Way.
But, here's the dill.
Most Sundays, I get up
- with very tender quads
- a little crickety in the bones
- and can't make it without a serious siesta
... versus how I felt today, after yesterday's epicality.
Why is that?
Welp, doing the adventure right means...
- staying on top of the energy consumption
- not going anywhere near the red zone
- not cramping
... feeling exhausted but not obliterated.
Where as a typical Saturday means...
- staying on top of energy consumption
- going deep into red many times
- possibly cramping
... feeling exhausted, obliterated and destroyed.
Reality is, that adventure is a huge Zone2 sesh and,
we'll probably be flying next weekend.
So, when we asked how our seemingly impossible adventure went,
we say...
... it was incredible, can't wait to do it again.
They say...
... unbelievable.
===
165 lbsish (no scale)
9ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/100/-11 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Hidden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
IS THIS HOW LEGENDARY EVENTS BEGIN?
THERE ARE LEGENDARY QUESTS that start with an individual's personal need to accomplish something big, from there a few friends get roped in...
... then all a the sudden athletes are shelling out cash and puttin in the time.
Cuz it sounds insane.
I mean think of it...
- John and Judy Collins and triathlon
- Henri Desgrange and Le Tour
- Steve Hill and his son Dan with friend Tanner Bell and Ragnar
... a handful of people capturing the imaginations of millions.
Which brings me to today.
We have now attempted the Surf N Summit 6 times...
- Failed due to 112º+ temps
- Failed due to a freak snow storm
- Late night finish, two rescued off the mountain
- Evening finish in the dark, 30% attrition
- All finishers before sunset, 30% attrition
- Failed due to tropical storm
... 50% failure, and 30% attrition when we do complete the quest.
We had a really good group today.
All were riding strong.
Had the storm not rolled in I'm convinced we all would have finished, we'd already knocked out...
- 101 miles
- 11000' of vert
- ave speed 13m/h
... we were on pace, one final 4000' climb remained.
But, getting stuck at
- 10,000'
- no cell service
- in lycra
- powerful winds
- driving rain
- mud
- plummeting temps
- in the dark
... just didn't seem all that appealing.
shouldawouldacoulda
Some firsts for this year...
- two outta staters
- power outage at the VRBO
- lotsa friends rolling out for first 30 miles
... made it a lot of run.
Let me expand on my review of the Silca tires...
- a ton of downhill PRs
- great speed across the valley
- a few PRs uphill
... they're reallyreally fast.
Oh, back to the question...
- difficult to finish
- battling the elements
- demanding the best equipment
... is this how legendary events begin?
Maybe we'll see ya next year.
===
165 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
730ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
92/115/-24 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
THE LAST SUPPER, AGAIN...
FOR SOME OF US, the night before the big quest can be rough. Tossin' and turnin' and bathroomin'. Will we ever get to sleep, followed by...
... oh crud, what is that annoying sound.
The alarm,
ya dummy.
But, just before that all goes down...
... is the last supper.
Let that sink in ya (me) religious weirdos.
Frankly, some dinners are better than others...
- good food
- geeking out on the prep
- filling in the gaps for the uninitiated.
... and tonight is one of my all time faves.
When faced with the biggest ride of the year...
- 123 miles
- 15000' of vert
- 12 hours to beat the sunset
... there' really nothing like.
A convo stuffed...
... with passion and angst.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
84/73/11 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: HIdden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
FOR THE LOVE OF IT
THE BIGGEST, CRAZIEST CHALLENGES we go after are generally fueled by our truest passion. The accomplishment happens...
... because it calls to our souls.
We've gotta do it.
Which is how the Surf N Summit came about.
For years, I'd dreamed and schemed of how to ride from Dana Point to Big Bearlll
- gravel bikes happened
- discovery of a 40 mile bike trail
- connecting an abandoned logging road to a gravel route
... while keeping to a minimum using public roads.
It's the same thing with our super fun business...
- Italian fabrics
- Patterns we designed - printed, cut and sewn here
- On demand with no minimums.
... making the apparel and gear I always wanted.
Because that allows us - you and me - to get our create juices flowing and create special designs that mean something to us...
... and inspire and memorialize our adventures.
Take this year's Surf N Summit kit in pic above...
- hi viz camo jersey because it's literally hunting season in the mountains
- dark green bibs to compliment the forest environment
- hi viz accessories to complete the look
... which is honestly one of my all time favorite designs.
If you've got a hankering to make something special for your upcoming quest,
let's make it happen.
Click here: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/start-a-project
Katie wanted a suit to train for Ironman
Kurt wanted a kit for Good Dirt
Kimberly wanted a bag to match her kit.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/87/0 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: HIdden Order, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
AFTER READING THE REVIEWS and listening to the infoolencers, we pull the trigger on a new gizmo...
... hoping it's all it's cracked up to be.
Making us better.
Faster.
Which is exactly what I did with the new Silca Protocol gravel tires.
I went with the RCG-1 50mm, which is about as knobby as my Conti Terra Speed 45mm on the center...
... with much bigger knobs on the sides.
Here are my initial impressions...
- super lightweight
- very thin casing
- easy to mount
- aired up to my usual 20lbs, very smooth and fast
- noticeably better grip turning in the loose stuff
... after one ride.
Tomorrow, I'm going to test the Silca recommended pressure...
- Rear 25.5 lbs
- Front 24.5 lbs
... per their online calculator.
Distilling it down the tires...
- feel very fast
- need to explore their limits cornering
- a little nervous about durability over nasty rocks
... could be a significant improvement over the Terra Speeds.
It's always a little nerve-racking to leave behind a tested, proven product that has led to much success...
... which is what makes searching for our limits constantly fascinating.
===
165 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
730 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/87/0 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
BUT, THE WEATHER...
WE'RE ALL ALWAYS LOOKING at the predicted weather for our upcoming event. Some us of with angst...
... some of us with lust.
Where do you land?
Asking because Chicago Marathon just announced less than ideal conditions for raceday.
Now, for those looking to...
- to finish their first marathon
- complete Chicago
- PR
... that means something.
For those looking to:
- win
- podium
- beat their friends
... it might mean something altogether different.
Depends on what where made of,
what we know about ourselves,
more importantly...
... what stories we tell ourselves.
Me personally, tell me it's gonna be awful and...
... I think of what the great Jocko Willink would say.
Good.
Gonna be hot, good.
Others will wilt.
Gonna be cold, good.
Others will freeze.
Gonna be muddy, good.
Others will bog down.
Why is that my goto response?
Probably because at this point I've faced it all,
plowed through the truly sucky.
Attitude counts, for sure.
But, experience,
that's like building an asset.
Still looking to be heinously hot for the SurfNSummit on Saturday...
- 123 miles
- 15,000'
- 12 hrs
... Good.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6%
7ish hours sleep
570 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
88/92/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
REFRAMING EASY DAYS
WHEN THE EASY DAY is on the schedule, we kit up, check ourselves out in the mirror and wink...
... time to go easy.
Most of us,
most of the time,
utterly fail to hit the mark.
We go way beyond.
Why?
Because we are endure-ance athletes,
and if we ain't enduring,
we aren't satisfied.
Some of us could use a reframe, and as the great Scott Adams taught...
... a reframe does not need to be logical or fully true. It only needs to work.
Here's one that works for me.
Usual frame: Easy days are a waste of valuable time, so...
... Imma gunna go sorta kinda easy.
Reframe: Easy days done properly set up the hard days for maximum execution and benefit, so...
... Imma gonna go super easy.
===
163.4 lbs/12.3%
8ish hours sleep
570 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
86/82/3 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
BEWARE THE SELF-COACHED ATHLETE
WHEN SOMEONE "comes outta nowhere" we interested in where they came from, for sure. But, what we're really dying to know...
... is how the heck they did it.
Take Vinny Mauri.
Never heard of him?
Of course not, no one in the marathon world had either...
... until he recently put down a 2:05 marathon.
His first crack it...
... fourth fastest time by an American, ever.
How?
Well, he's self-coached...
- most of his training is on a Planet Fitness treadmill
- clipping along at a 5 min/mile pace
- for hours at a time
... with a very unique approach.
Like, insanely unique.
That 2:05 was at a small time event,
no competition,
no pacers.
What does the future hold for him?
Better yet...
... where are we delivering sub-par performances because our training and thinking is stuck in tradition?
Get the details here: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2026/10/after-one-of-the-most-insane-marathon-buildups-ever-how-fast-can-strava-legend-vinny-mauri-run-at-the-chicago-marathon/
===
163.4 lbs/12.3%
8ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
90/103/-14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
HOT IN, SO HOT IN...
WHEN WE KNOW SOMETHING WORKS, it's hard to imagine a completely different pathway yielding the same results...
... even when we see them in real life.
Take altitude training.
Athletes from all kinds of sports go to camps high in the mountains to gain the benefits of training high in the mountains...
... mainly, more red blood cells delivered to working muscles.
Today, I was deep into suffering through the heat wave plaguing us right now...
... miles from home.
Dying.
Not dying...
... wilting a slow, agonizing demise.
Why?
Cuz I'm an idiot, and cuz...
... the heatwave is gunna last all week.
Potentially, into our epic SurfNSummit...
- 123 miles
- 15000 of vert
- 12ish hours of adventure
... next Saturday.
I wanna try and heatproof myself.
The other reason is purely inspired by our current World Road Champion Brandon McNulty...
- expand blood plasma
- lower HR and core temps at a given pace
- with a rise in hemoglobin mass similar to short camps
... who shuns the altitude days in favor of the blistering Arizona summer heat.
===
I wasn't a total idiot...
... stopped twice for a popsicle and ice in my bottles.
Still smoked when I arrived to our airconditionless casa.
===
161.8 lbs/12.3%
7.5ish hours sleep
730 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 1 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
90/103/-14 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
HOW'S EVERYTHING GOING?
WE QUESTION SO MUCH when focusing on getting the most out of our efforts to improve. The infoolencers on the socials, the clickbait ads...
... the local hero dropping hints of how it's done.
But, here's the real question.
And, I bring that up because I was inspired to reach out to a number of friends with a simple text...
... How's it going?
It's a heart felt question,
and it solicited answers like...
- Let's chat, it'll be good to talk
- All good, working through challenges with aging parents
- Howdy! Everything is good... just taking a break after a busy summer of racing
... to Dude just calling me right back and yakityyaking for 20 minutes.
I posted this on X...
... Is logging time on social media essentially infidelity in my marriage?
'Cuz honestly...
... are we (me) paying attention to what's going on in the lives of those we profess to love?
Before you reply How's it going Old Diesel?...
- connecting with God often
- family is amazing and growing
- biz is up 18% on the year, but I gotta up my value delivery to hit the annual goal I set
- I'm still a ways off from: sub-160 lbs, 10 pullup and 50 pushups in a row, but I'll get there
... consider this your invitation to let me know how things are going for you,
and check in on a few friends.
Sometimes we get to ask in person, like today when I ran into...
... "young" Kevin Vermaerke in his UAE kit on the road.
How's it going?
Great, just got back from Canada.
Which reminds me, a lot of are feeling extra patriotic after Brandon's killer V.
... this kit is rad in person, and when you purchase Jersey and Bibs you save 15%.
WE QUESTION SO MUCH when focusing on getting the most out of our efforts to improve. The infoolencers on the socials, the clickbait ads...
... the local hero dropping hints of how it's done.
But, here's the real question.
And, I bring that up because I was inspired to reach out to a number of friends with a simple text...
... How's it going?
It's a heart felt question,
and it solicited answers like...
- Let's chat, it'll be good to talk
- All good, working through challenges with aging parents
- Howdy! Everything is good... just taking a break after a busy summer of racing
... to Dude just calling me right back and yakityyaking for 20 minutes.
I posted this on X...
... Is logging time on social media essentially infidelity in my marriage?
'Cuz honestly...
... are we (me) paying attention to what's going on in the lives of those we profess to love?
Before you reply How's it going Old Diesel?...
- connecting with God often
- family is amazing and growing
- biz is up 18% on the year, but I gotta up my value delivery to hit the annual goal I set
- I'm still a ways off from: sub-160 lbs, 10 pullup and 50 pushups in a row, but I'll get there
... consider this your invitation to let me know how things are going for you,
and check in on your top 3 friends.
Sometimes we get to ask in person, like today when I ran into...
... "young" Kevin Vermaerke in his UAE kit on the road.
How's it going?
Great, just got back from Canada.
Which reminds me, a lot of are feeling extra patriotic after Brandon's killer V.
... this kit is rad in person, and when you purchase Jersey and Bibs you save 15%.
===
162 lbs/12.4%
7.5ish hours sleep
600 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/92/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
CLARITY AND DISCIPLINE
WHEN WE ARE NEW to endurance sports we start off with a lot of enthusiasm. Learning all kinds of new skills and tricks, wanting to...
... go as far and fast as possible.
Our commitment shocks the onlookers.
We aren't just new to the sport...
... we are new.
Comments like, You sure have a lot of discipline are common.
Flattering.
But, do we?
Have a lot of discipline?
Discipline is for children...
... we have clarity.
We don't say No to cake...
... we say Yes to ripping on raceday.
===
163.2 lbs/12.5%
8sh hours sleep
640ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 96 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
88/98/-10 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
NOW THIS IS BEAUTIFUL
THE BEAUTY OF THE UCI WORLD CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS is a combination of things which I really appreciate and enjoy, and...
... one thing stands out among all that is different.
Communication.
No race radios.
It makes for way better racing, and we can understand the challenges because...
... it's exactly how we race on the amateur level.
Be it the local group ride or pinning number on.
We have our heads on a swivel, and we're paying attention to everything that's happening and...
- no update from the car
- no teammate telling us they are otb
- no braintrust analyzing all the data points for us
... we are making decisions based on intuition and experience.
Which makes the USA's win...
- Simmons setting it all up early on going in a long range break
- Jorgensen sucking the life from all contenders
- McNulty soloing in for the win at 32k to go
... a truly beautiful thing.
Oh that all pro racing was that way.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
8sh hours sleep
640ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/101/-13 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
ARE WE EATING TOO MUCH?
IN THE MAD DASH to fuel for, and the recovery from, the next heavy training session, is it possible we might overdoing it...
... to our detriment?
I mean, look around.
For a herd of endurance athletes...
... are we gazelles or elephants, or somewhere in between?
The reason I'm asking is today, after a fairly rigorous start...
- 5:30 am start, as always underslept, normal rise is around 6am.
- 60 miles, 5000' of vert, 225w Normalized (good for me)
- over an hour at threshold or above
... I felt unusually awesome.
What I did was...
- Ate light dinner vs a bunch of extra carbs
- Pre-ride skipped the oatmeal in favor of 3 Trader Joe's peanut butter cups.
- Got home, pounded a Fair Life chocolate milk vs. a pile of Kodiak cakes and a smoothie.
... not on purpose or as a test.
Just life.
Hanging out with one of the grands all evening before.
Getting home to a work crew taking over the downstairs and clearing out amidst the chaos so I could get some work done.
Results are in...
- slept amazing
- had awesome energy all morning
- and cranked out a buncha work before noon
... and I'm asking a legit question.
Am I eating too much?
===
163.8lbs/12.5%
7sh hours sleep
640 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/109/-20 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
WHAT IS AN EVENT SO GOOD WE WOULD PAY TO HOST?
THE BEST EVENTS OFTEN START WITH NEED AND PASSION, or both. They grow organically from there until...
... they are famous and selling out.
What would be one so good we'd be willing to bankroll it ourselves?
Free entry.
That was the question on a recent Founders podcast.
It got me thinking the...
- lots of people I'd want to hang out with
- and be challenged and stimulated by
- share the experience with
- add in some killer eats
- outrageous awards
- swarm of vendors
... things that would be worth it.
That's the kind of event I'd be interested in putting together.
In the meantime...
- parting with our cash to help finance it
... isn't that what we are basically doing when we register for any event?
===
163.8lbs/12.5%
8sh hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
86/90/-5 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
TWO NOTEBOOKS
DOCUMENTING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS is something many of us do. Whether it's a framed race photo, or race numbers with medals on the mantle...
... if it matters, keep it memorable.
What about the future?
Do we document that?
Each morning I bust out two notebooks...
- just after reading something uplifting
- meditating on it
- before all else
... one for imaging the future, one for the todos.
The dumb ideas get axed,
the good ones have a shot at life.
The tasks get completed and crossed out,
the survivors either get done or killed.
What does that have to do with racing, life?
Everything.
===
Deeper Dive
To image the future is to deliberately build a picture of what has not happened yet so that picture can shape what you do now.
It is not fortune-telling and it is not daydreaming. It is the constructive work of taking pieces of memory, observation, values, and desire and assembling them into a scene, a feeling, or a story of a possible tomorrow.
How the mind actually does it
Your brain uses the same machinery for remembering the past and picturing the future. It pulls familiar people, places, objects, and emotions out of storage and rearranges them into events that have never occurred. Neuroscientists call this constructive episodic simulation. People who lose the ability to recall personal memories often also lose the ability to vividly imagine their own future.
There are at least four related modes:
- Simulation — constructing a specific scene (“I see myself finishing the climb, breathing steadily”).
- Prediction — estimating likelihood.
- Intention — deciding what you want.
- Planning — laying out the steps.
They usually operate together.
Why the pictures matter
Sociologist Fred Polak argued that the images a person or a culture holds of the future are a driving force of history. A living, attractive image of a better world pulls people forward; a decaying or purely catastrophic image produces paralysis or decline. The pictures are not just reflections of reality—they help create it by directing attention, effort, and courage.
That is why practices such as writing a “best possible self” letter, running scenario workshops, or simply sitting still and seeing a concrete good outcome in detail can change mood and behavior. The image becomes a reference point you can steer toward.
Two common mistakes
- Treating the image as a rigid prediction instead of a working sketch that can be revised.
- Only imaging disaster. A mind that rehearses only collapse has less material with which to invent alternatives.
Imaging the future, then, is the act of making the not-yet visible enough that you can start living toward it today.
===
162.6 lbs/12.4%
9ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
87/98/-12 per Strava Power & Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Black List, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
SOMETIMES PRE-VIEWING IS JUST A HECKUVA A GOOD REMINDER
THE FIRST WE EVER RACE A COURSE, taking the time to recon from parking to finish, even if it's just the first 5 miles...
... can pay oodles and oodles.
If we have the time,
pay the dime.
Pre-view it all.
But, what if we've already raced it?
Trust me on this...
- the turns
- the sunlight angles
- how the herd responds over undulations
... we'll never have the course as dialed as the locals.
I was reminded of this today
- 36 miles
- 4500' of vert
- most of it off road
... pre-riding the first 33ish miles of our upcoming epic SurfNSummit.
The reminder wasn't the route so much as these specific issues...
- check your batteries - the one day I don't check the shifter batteries the night before and my casual spin to the start turns into sprinting home to replace a 2032 and then pin it to meet the crew - we don't wait, ever.
- respect the pre-ride like we'd expect the race day - I went low on my calories/bottle and extra gels in the pocket and really suffered for it on the way back
- if at all possible - have the cold/icy water if it's going to be hot vs the "room temperature" free water that was as warm as the outside air of 100º. this made eating the NutttrButtrs during the last 90 minutes impossible because my stomach wasn't loving the hot water
- have the bike in the finest working order - that fouled rear 2-speed unable to access my 3 lowest gears made the 50 minute climb unnecessarily challenging
- pace to race - in this case, while grateful to have 4 of the posse join us, they weren't doing the whole thing and rather than high zone 2, we were bouncing between tempo and threshold for the first 90 minutes, which is not the plan for the epic adventure
... that said, it was great to push the pace and be reminded of such idiocy.
Interestingly, while the big climb was a definite grind, and with the superlow cadence I couldn't put out as much power...
... my time was only 7 seconds slower than during the event last year.
Go figure.
No.
Go preview,
as much as possible.
And if we can't in person,
we try and dig up some YouTube intel.
===
165.4 lbs/12.4%
7ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
89/113/-24 per Strava Power &Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
SHARPENING THE EDGES WITH ANGER
HAVING CONTROL OF OUR EMOTIONS on race day doesn't mean just playing it cool. Some emotions are better than others...
... for those who know how to harness them.
Like anger.
I'm not ashamed to admit, below that happy go lucky, come what may demeanor...
... is one hacked off dude.
If I have to/I've been known to...
... conjure up the most heinous reasons to crush the least deserving, most innocent competitors on the line.
Don't worry,
they never know.
Anger works for me.
I had a business partner say...
... you're so mellow
and
... dude, you have authority issues
... during the same meeting!
lol
Here's the real dill.
When I was younger it was uncontrollable and cost me a lot of points on the tennis court and life in general.
These days, if I'm rejected, disrespected, doubted, stomped on...
... that rocket flame of anger is powerful stuff.
Suddenly, I have this amazing laser focus combined with get outta my way energy.
I love that.
- heck no I don't want cookies
- heck yes I'm doing that work out
- heck no I'm not staying out late
- heck yes I need that upgrade
It's way better if I can get it going months, sometimes years in advance, but...
... making it up on the start line is a great way to lock in and race.
You might be askin' What the heck is wrong with you Diesel?...
... let's just say getting rejected on a home we were trying to buy has me pouring jet fuel on PEDAL industries.
Yeah,
harnessed anger is lit.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
155/138/17 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
REAL VISION
ALONG THE WAY to a glorious A race we face a lot of decisions. Some are micro, others macro. How we handle them...
... depends on our vision of how it will end.
What are we seeing?
I've long been fascinated with visualization techniques.
Once I learned of the concept via the great Denis Waitley's Psychology of Winning...
... the pieces began to fall into place.
Things I was underconciously aware of suddenly made sense.
The question that remained was...
... Could it be mastered and controlled?
From a practical standpoint, I can confirm that having a clear vision of how I want to cross the finish line...
- good food choices
- commitment to excellent sleep
- making time for and executing the critical workouts when desire is flat
... has given me the strength to accomplish the steps necessary along the way.
Which lends immense and undeniable confidence as the A race approaches…
… because we approach all the prep as if the finish has already happened.
We literally see everything with new eyes.
But, what if it works in all areas of life, not just racing?
What would that be worth,
what does it tell us about our present circumstances...
... what are we going to do about it?
===
162.8 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
158/156/2 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
SPRINTING FOR THE WIN
UNLESS WE ARE ACTUALLY sprinters, racing events on the track or crits, it's unlikely we'll ever sprint for the win. We might race our pals to the city limits sign or...
... bang bars with other pack fodder.
So, why practice sprinting?
Here are my top reasons...
- to maintain, increase strength
- as a supplement to weight training
- to cement in neuromuscular connections so I can harness said power
... I have one dedicated sprint day per week.
This is not an interval session,
with efforts lasting minutes.
Yuck!
This is all out getting after it,
in bursts of 5-15 seconds,
spaced with full recovery.
I like to do 'em offroad.
Tonights was particularly fun.
Yes fun!
On the downhill sections, any time I had a chance to get on the pedals hard and keep my speed up, I went for it.
Not only was I recruiting the sprint muscles...
- legs
- butt
- core
- back
- arms
- shoulders
... I was reinforcing how it all works together over rapidly changing terrain.
Which is, in a sense, sprinting for the win.
The win being staying strong and coordinated.
===
163.4 lbs/12.6%
7 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 14 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
161/170/-10 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
THE F-WORD NOBODY WANTS TO USE
IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE the amount of reasons we can come up with when we find ourselves OTB (off the back)...
... whether it's dropping anchor or slipsliding away.
Bring on the excuses.
Like today's TMWC stacked with visiting hitters...
... we were pinning it something vicious, all the way..
Until I started spinning the slowslide of shame,
with five miles to go.
Giving me plenty of time to think of all the reasons...
- haven't shaved legs since July
- got to bed to late
- creatine made me put on 5 lbs
- my Classified hub is dying and dragging
- upped my box jumps and other leg stuff Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday
- walked 3 miles in the sand Sunday (normally just 2)
- left a little late and had to hustle to meet group
- gravel pedals and shoes vs road
- unaero gravel frame
- somewhat shallow road wheels
- less than aero helmet
- extra weight from lights now that it's dark
... while gimping to the finish.
But.
We all know the truth...
... and it starts with F.
FATIGUE.
It's offseason fur cryin outloud!...
... what the heck am I doing?
Well, just the most lifechanging, epic adventure on SoCal...
- 120 miles
- 15k of vert
- around 12 hours (including stops)
... the SurfNSummit on 10.10.26
Sooooooooo... 1 more extralarge Saturday,
then two weeks to taper,
and feel fresh.
Might have to skip the legwork the week of,
or sooner?
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
7 hours sleep
630ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
162/179/-18 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
I SPY
WE LIKE TO SAY this is my escape, to ride/run/swim for an hour or few per day. Our happy place isn't a pain cave as much as it is...
... a world without staring at glass.
Is it novel?
There was a pithy post on X this week...
... I'm inviting a bunch of people over this weekend to doomscroll together.
My other non-scrolling/glass moments are reading.
Ingesting something uplifting in the wee morning hours has been a goto for years.
But, then this happened.
The wind down used to be watching "just a few minutes" of TV,
then onto binge watching...
... now it's a full-on addiction to reading spy novels.
They're all basically the same character...
- ex-special ops dude with skills his government needs
- always going off the range to get the job done
- while mixing in some lady-drama
... and I can't seem to get enough.
It started after my TBI,
as therapy.
Who knew staring and scrolling glass was bad juju for brain function and ocular wellness?
In about 30 months, I've read...
- all of Jack Carr (10)
- all of the Gray Man series (15)
- all of the Pike Logan series (20)
- and I'm on book 11 of 25 in the Scot Harvath (series)
... with no end in sight.
From a therapeutic standpoint, my ability to rip downhill on my MTB has returned to about 90% of where I was.
From Oh crap! every ride,
to Heckyeah! this is fun!
Is there any connection between being a spy and racing?
Well, yeah.
If being resourceful, able to adjust on the fly, and see the mission through to completion is how you like to rip on raceday...
... this is your genre.
===
166.2 lbs/12.6%
8 hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
156/144/12 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
NOW FOR THE REST OF OUR SHOW
WE'RE WRAPPING UP THE 3RD QUARTER, heading into the final three months of the year...
... but not the end of the racing the calendar.
Am I right?
We aren't going to...
- hang it up for 2 months
- watch games
- eat chips
... because we know the truth.
Now is the time to...
- bank strength
- build base
- hone diet
... for springtime cometh.
That's what I'm doing.
Shoot, tonight I passed on cake an icecream.
It wasn't hard, once I gave up sugar, the cravings were gone.
In years past, I'd say Bring it on, it's offseason...
... to the point of friends saying It's good to see fatTodd is back.
Imagine that.
Actually, don't.
Imagine ripping it up next spring, right on through the summer.
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
8 hours sleep
620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
159/163/-4 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
TORQUE TRAINING... STILL?
SOME OF US ARE WILLING to take chance with our equipment. Opting to go with the yet to be tried and true...
... can lead to great advantages.
And, big challenges.
As I struggled mightily up a rather steep pitch today...
- 52/42 chainrings
- 13/26 6 speed cassette
... I remembered how tall the gearing was back in the day.
It was brutal.
But, one of the benefits we didn't realize back then was forced torque training...
- high power
- low cadence
- in place of gym time
... something coaches preach in today's era of super wide gearing.
So, why was I doing it today?
Because my super niche 2-speed rear hub from Classified, which replaced the front derailleur dual chain rings...
... has been acting up for the last 2 weeks.
And died today.
Leaving me with the lowest gear of a 46 in front x40 in back.
Manageable on most road climbs...
... swear-inducing on the dirt steeps I faced throughout today's epic URBN GRVL ride.
I've had the system for just over 2 years,
and it has been great.
Superior, I think, to traditional 1x most cats are running offroad.
Because the Surf N Summit is fast approaching...
... I'm in a real pickle.
Classified is based in the Netherlands...
... which is much father away than the hinterlands.
They have few dealers in the states.
Hopefully, they'll get back to me in time to get the system functioning like the racewinning force it has been.
It was a risk when I purchased it,
and I don't regret it at all.
It's that good.
===
166.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
630ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
163/186/-24 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
THIS CHAING HURTS
STAYING ON TOP of the maintenance game never seems like it's gonna pay off. It's a constant steady drip on our time and wallets...
... until it's not.
Then, it's chunky.
I was reminded of this today by reader Roberto (not his real name).
Here's the chat transcript:
===
165.4 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
153/128/24 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
SHIFT I HATE
DO YOU KNOW WHY WE SAY If it was easy everyone would do it? It's not just because it's true, it's also because for those of us who are doing the hard stuff...
... we need to know there's a reason.
We do things we hate to do.
Here's a few of mine..
- pullups
- pushups
- box jumps
- stretching
- going to work after a glorious morning riding
- hanging on the back of the group until I literally see stars
- skipping the cookies and cake and ice cream
... and I could go on.
If we are doing things like the above so much,
if it really is that hard to be consistent...
... what is driving us?
A couple of things.
One, it gets easier once we get started.
Two, it becomes habitual, part of operating system.
Three, the really big one...
... we know.
We know this is the path to mastery...
... and few are we, the willing and committed.
To arrive at our stated destiny.
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
750 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 55 push ups, 11 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
157/148/8 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament