I BLEED IT OUT
IT'S CHILDS PLAY TO BLEED SPEEDING DOWNHILL, it's helluva lot harder to do it charging up a technical single track. Amiright? I mean it was 10 miles, 3451' of vert, and no I didn't crash...
... we were just hauling gas.
We stopped at the top.
I looked down and my arms were covered in blood.
It didn't hurt. Nothing hurt. That's the kind of day we had today.
Determined to break my old bad habit of slowly building speed on this type of climb, I raced to the trailhead first with 2 of my mostfastest friends glued to my perfectly aired up knobbies.
Knowing they'd be eversoslightly peeved that I'd snuck ahead, I just went for it. Charging hard. So unlike The Old Diesel. Their gasps of What the! only urged me on... making me pedal even harder. Something I'd never do if I were going for a PR.
It's good to break habits.
Normally, I'd let my pals go first and gap me and then do my derndest to reel them back in.
Never again.
Why... well, I've got a few MTB races on my radar and those races can be won or lost by being at the front or back of the pack at the first single track.
I did a few other things besides slay it right from the start:
- I'm lighter than I have been in years.
- All week I've hit my legs with the HyperVolt.
- I woke up early and warmed up my legs in a hot bath.
- Liberally applied PR Lotion.
- The intermittent fasting seems to have altered the way my body consumes and needs calories. I'm consuming less on the rides and feeling better.
- Cranked up Linkin Park's Bleed It Out to get pumped.
- The new BMC 4 Stroke is by far the best XC bike I've ever ridden.
Interestingly I didn't:
- Eat a big breakfast, just a handful of nuts.
- Warm up at all on the bike, just drove over and got after it.
And that blood on my arms?...
... well it wasn't from fighting a mountain lion as I hinted on the Instagram post, which a few folks believed... hahahahaha
This climb is called the San Juan Trail and it's lined with a very hearty and thorny scrub brush... cut the corners and it snags and slices your skin.
Doesn't hurt at all, just looks awesome when it mixes with the sweat on your arms.
After the ride Jimmy came over and said...
I really hope I win those ENVE™ wheels so I can keep up with you.
He might.
You might.
Someone will.
Do you know why we love ENVE™ wheels... it ain't just their sexy name, or because their lighter or more aero or faster... and those are all dern good reasons, but not good enough.
We love ENVE™ wheels because when it's on the line, they give peace of mind.
Have you entered?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/3000-enve-wheel-giveaway
It won't hurt, I promise.
Just click the link and check it out.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/3000-enve-wheel-giveaway
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163.3 lbs
Stretch N Hypervolt
7.3 hrs sleep
https://www.strava.com/activities/4338266395