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
>
THIS ONE CHANGE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE
WE ALL HAVE THAT FRIEND who we train with, who is about the speed, or even a little slower. Then, all of the sudden, seemingly out of the blue...
... they are a lot faster.
Leaving us in the dust.
What gives?
Just yesterday I was on the war path with one of these cats.
We'd opted to take a gravel route of the usual group ride, and if we reallyreally got after it...
... we'd meet/beat the group at the finish.
And romp we did.
I knew we had a shot because of his newly found powers.
And, I knew how he got them.
Because I asked.
Bro, your a lot faster and leaner.
It's my wife's fault.
Howso?
Well, she changed up her diet and she does most of the cooking and we're eating a lot cleaner.
If it's that easy then...
... why aren't we all doing it?
Maybe we don't know what eating clean is?
Here's my super simple rule...
... If I can identify the ingredients it's clean.
Steak,
easy.
Mr. Bachan's Japanese Teriyaki Sauce Surfergirl wants to smother it with,
not so much - probs not clean.
Corn on the cob,
easy.
Dorito's corn chips,
impossible - def not clean.
What is the one change we can make today that would make a huge difference in our performance?
Do it.
Then, stack it...
... with the next change.
Yes, it's that easy.
It just takes a bit of time for the results to show...
... fortunately, most of our competitors don't have time for that.
===
165.8 lbs/12.7%
8 hours sleep
790 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 105 push ups, 21 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 40 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
160/168/-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
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THERE ARE SOME DOOZIES OUT THERE
THERE ARE SO MANY INFOOLENCERS yaking for our attention on myriad platforms. It creates all kinds of noise and...
... makes discerning the truth challenging.
Impossible even.
I was reminded of the dangers of expert opinions today listening to The Marketing School podcast titled...
... How McKinsey Helped Nike Lose $223 Billion.
With a B.
TLDL: they hired a guy who didn't understand the business, and he leaned into all the new fangled, cool kid ideas, in the process destroying the brand.
Some were so stupid it was stunning.
Which reminded me of the Time-Crunched Cyclist podcast I'd listened to the day before...
... The Five Self=Coached Cycling Mistakes That Keep You Stuck.
TLDL: he states we're too unenlightened to coach ourselves, hire his firm.
Along the way apologizing for being so harsh. Except I didn't find it as harsh as it was condescending and self-serving.
I shared the above, so I could share this...
- we need to expose ourselves to new ideas
- test them out well before it matters
- implement the best
... using our common sense, listening to our inner voice, for the win.
Are there good coaches and consultants.
Absolutely.
As the great Charlie Munger said...
... Show me the incentive, and I'll show you the outcome.
===
166.4 lbs/12.7%
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 0 box jumps, heel and toe raises
161/172/-12 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
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
FAMILY FIRST. REALLY?
LOOKING AROUND AMONGST OUR FRIENDS we often see what really drives them. It's not at the races or the slaying rides where this shows up...
... it's at the events they miss.
Huh?
Yeah.
You know, we have this epic ride coming up.
It's not race, it's a social adventure.
From the beach to the mountains...
... the kind of thing you wanna do for the pure challenge.
And.
To blow your friends' minds...
... Yeah, I rode from Dana Point to Big Bear last Saturday.
WHAT?!
Yep, really fun.
No way!
Here's the dill.
A few have shared...
- planning Xterra with daughter
- family half marathon with most of family in Long Beach
- flying to Chicago to support daughter at Chicago marathon
... their reasons for missing this year.
Here's what I can tell ya about each one of these cats...
... they have grown awesome, loving families.
Nothing better.
In case weekend of 10.10 is open for you...
... it's an open invite: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/surf-n-summit-collection
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 105 push ups, 21 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 50 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/168/-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
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ANY SYSTEMS READY TO GO?
WE ALL WANNA BE BETTER, at least that's what we tell ourselves. Anybody listening to us drone on about the initiatives we're gonna take...
... might possibly be convinced we really want the prize.
But, do we?
Could our actions convict us?
Better question.
What's it gonna take?
Not the big crazy actions,
that's for sure.
We'll never get those done,
because they are big and crazy.
The real secret...
... having a system to be a little better every day.
And, sticking to it.
One of my systems is to weigh myself each morning. I get instant feedback on the previous day(s) nutrition choices. It's a simple way to stay in tune with any changes I may have/have not made...
... like I'm thinking my adding 5lbs in the last month is a direct result of the predicted 2-3% gain predicted by consistent creatine intake.
Worth it?
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 105 push ups, 21 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 50 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/168/-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
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SIRMIXALOTS GRAND MASTER GRAVEL
DEPENDING ON THE LOCALE, there can be a lot of ways to get out and cover some ground. Some areas are all paved, others all single track, others lots of gravel...
... they're all a blast.
Which is best?
I dunno.
But, I can tell you this, where we are, mixing it up on a gravel bike is a great way to get out...
... and skip most of the lights, and traffic.
Like today.
The first 90 minutes were mostly dirt...
... with nearly 30 minutes at threshold or above.
Meeting up with a slaying group ride on the road...
... pushed me to my limits and stacked on the intensity.
From there it was a JRA road, gravel and single track.
I love rides that...
- mix up the surfaces
- skip most high traffic areas
- and traverse lots of interesting terrain
... for the pure adventure.
The biggest and best one of the year is just 4 weeks away...
- Sunrise to sunset
- from Dana Point
- to Big Bear
... and you're invited.
All the details are here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/surf-n-summit-collection 
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/surf-n-summit-collection
===
166.8 lbs/12.8%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 0 box jumps, heel and toe raises
164/192/-29 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
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
JRA
BEING THE DEDICATED ADDICTS that we are, we eventually learn the jargon that sets us apart from the commoners who consider themselves in the know, but...
... are actually far from it.
Neophytes.
Anybody who's worked in a bike shop, particularly the service area has heard the phrase...
... I was just riding along.
And, said to themselves under muffled breath, while inconspicuously rolling their eyes...
... JRA.
What follows JRA...
- my X broke
- my Y stopped working
- my Z fell off and disappeared
... is always entertaining.
Not that it hasn't been heard before,
but the way it is camouflaged...
... as if it is somehow the shop's/mechanic's fault.
Yet, I digress.
Because what I really wanted to point out is how much fun it is to move about the country...
- breathtaking sunrises
- quiet, forgotten roads and trails
- daylight giving way to a moonless, star-filled sky
... and see so many amazing sites.
While we are...
... JRA.
===
167.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 0 box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/144/11 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostle, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THAT FEELING
SOMETIMES when we're out riding, the feeling is just right. Like we could just keep going forever...
... and never stop.
Why is that?
I honestly don't know.
It just happens.
And, when it does it's magical.
Like this evening.
There I was, about an hour in.
On my gravel bike, connecting the...
- trails
- roads
- single tracks
... and missing all the traffic stops and lights.
Slipping into the zone...
- HR 130ish
- PWR 220ish
... slicing through town with nary a stop.
And loving it.
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 30 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/175/-16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IF I HAD A DOLLAR FOR EVERY TIME THINGS LOOKED HOPELESS...
FOR BETTER OR WORSE, as athletes we are really, really good at enduring. When things look absolutely hopeless...
... we press on.
Is that a good thing?
That's an honest question...
... with an unknowable answer.
Because choices stack.
Accumulate.
Tangent: when I had my pager business, my landlord, an old sage and jeweler by trade, told me the worst thing he ever did was keep switching careers. That it was best to lock in, and go in search of mastery.
Welp, I could see the writing on the wall and sold the pager business.
After that, I took his advice,
and can honestly say:
If I had a dollar for every time things looked hopeless and gave up...
... I'd be broke.
In sports...
... we be _____?
In relationships...
... we be _____?
As students...
... we be _____?
There is, of course, a point where things are hopeless, and we gotta/outta sell, but, if there's anything most of us can bank on it's that...
... there is such a thing as a second wind.
Reaching the finish/the goal usually just takes a little more than we initially thought we could give.
And, so, we endure.
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 30 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/175/-16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S NOT PERSONAL, IT'S...
SOMEHOW WE FEEL IT'S OKAY to do whatever it takes to win, even if it means clobbering our friends. Ok, not all of us, but...
... definitely some of us.
We might feel, think, say...
... It's not personal, it's racing.
Shoot, one of my frenemies said this to me after a recent race post sucking my wheel for miles...
... Sorry about doing you dirty back there.
All that to say, It's okay to make things personal.
Not all things.
But, I'm definitely making The Wall personal.
It's the next to last climb...
- .88 miles
- 7.1% average grade
- my PR is 4:16, Kevin Vermaerke (yeah, the UAE one) owns the KOM, 3:06
... on our Tuesday Morning World Championships.
While I'm not sure I'll ever best my current PR, set 8 years ago on a perfect day...
- weight down in the 150s
- great pace set by Zach Lloyd
- amazing road bike I shouldn't have sold
... I do wanna get back to regularly hitting 4:40ish vs the 5:24 I did today.
When we set personal challenges like this,
it's motivating only to ourselves,
but pays off everywhere else.
It's fitness and mental fortitude we can tap into on demand.
===
166.6 lbs/12.6%
6ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 00 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/176/-16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S TOO HARD TO EXPLAIN
DO WE KNOW WHY we do really hard stuff? I mean, really? We keep doing them. Like a young mother who, during the midst of labor, swears she'll never go through childbirth another time...
... and choosing to do it again.
There's something we know,
but can't put our fingers on.
As the great Carl Jung put it...
... Man needs difficulties. They are necessary for health.
It's not the difficulty that repeatedly pulls us back...
... it's the joy we experience on the other side.
Like the insanity of starting a gravel ride at Dana Point, in predawn hours...
- pavement
- to gravel
- to singletrack
- to gravel
- to pavement
- to single track
- to gravel
... and clearing the final summit above Big Bear, as the sun drifts away.
If we did alone, it would be courageous...
... if we did it with friends, it would be the memory of a lifetime.
As the great Terry from Mesa told me today...
- it's your 6th year
- I'm feeling fit
- I'm coming
... I'm always busy.
I'm in.
Are you?
===
Do you know any of these cats?
Previous Finishers
Henri Kavaja (1)
Michael Gould (1)
Richard Brown (3)
Mike Maderos (1)
Richard Ramsey (3) <12 (1)
Josh Wolff (2)
Chris Hill (1) <12 (1)
Spencer Roundy (3)
Michael Foster (4)
Ron Barrett (1)
Todd Brown (4) <12 (1)
Terry Butler (1)
Brennan Sizemore (1)
(times finished)
<12 - completions under 12 hours elapsed time.
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 00 box jumps, heel and toe raises
154/139/15 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
AN ADVENTUROUS PACE
A TRUE ADVENTURE requires a pace that is fast enough to get to the destination, yet slow enough that all can...
... make it to the finish.
It's a fine line.
Shackleton had is crew on a boat.
Pacing wasn't the issue...
- hazardous journey
- low wages
- bitter cold
- long hours of complete darkness
- honor and recognition in event of succeess
... so much as outright danger.
In this case,
all the men needed was the hope of success.
Which is what a proper pace should be...
... given an adventure of epic proportions.
The Surf N Summit may not be a novel exploration of the Antarctic, but it does require...
- manageable heart rate, low power
- lots of food and drink
- solid equipment
... because, it's a legit journey from the sands of Dana Point to the peaks of the San Bernardino mountains above Big Bear.
If you're in, go here now: https://pedalindustries.com/products/surf-n-summit-california-10-10-26
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 30 box jumps, heel and toe raises
156/153/3 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SELLING ADVENTURE
WE SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE SOLD on adventure. It's in our DNA. Yet, often we are distracted and timechallenged and thinking...
... we are way too busy.
But,
life is short.
And,
as the great Ferris Bueller said...
... it comes at you fast.
Adventures, however...
- can be daunting
- involve the unknown
- create lasting memories
... which is why we go for them.
Especially, if we are/have...
... enlisted our posse.
On October 10th, we'll be riding the Surf N Summit for the sixth time this year.
The first two times...
- massive heatwave
- crazy early snowstorm
... we failed.
Last year, for the first time, everyone made the summit before sunset.
it's not for the timid,
those afraid to fail,
the unprepared...
... it's for the adventurous souls who dare what others fear to dream.
https://www.strava.com/activities/16111728104
===
165.2 lbs
7.8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
1560175/-15 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, 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 RING LEADER
EVERY COMMUNITY has a ringleader. The cat who's constantly inviting to do some ride or run or adventure or race. They're usually mostly fun...
... and sometimes absolute slayers.
Even that's fun.
Why does the ringleader lead?
Because, literally, the more the merrier.
Who appoints the ringleader?
Nobody, it's more of an inner calling.
Who supports the ringleader?
Those looking for a good time.
Who pays the ringleader?
Everyone,
just by showing up.
Somecommunities don't have a ringleader...
... they're waiting for us to show up.
And lead.
===
164.8 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
151/122/28 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
WHEN IT GETS ROUGH
IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS to know we can go faster over a smooth surface than we can over rough terrain. That's why the most powerful sprinters...
... race on the track.
Indoors at the highest levels.
The rest of us get it done over...
- new tarmac
- gravel roads
- rowdy single track
... whatever we get served up.
Where we still need to put down the power,
whether sprinting or just plain ol' racing.
Here's the dill.
If we only ever train our sprinting on the most perfectist of surfaces...
... we're probably gonna stink it up, when it gets rough.
Practicing stomping on the pedals when it's...
- chunky
- slippery
- torn to pieces
... is a skill worth honing.
We've got to be able to perform excellently over all conditions.
When it gets challenging lower pressure in the tires is better...
- roll faster
- better grip
- faster cornering
... just like is in our souls when life gets topsy turvy.
Lower the pressure.
Which reminds me of a dear friend, the great Fritz Tomasello. who insisted we add backpack straps to the RaceDay bag...
... so he could carry his bike from the car to the track.
That's how pristine the indoor tracks are.
===
164.8 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 55 push ups, 11 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/138/16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CHALLENGES CALL
THAT MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE calls to us, challenging us to prepare and be ready and we answer the call with all we've got. Not just going through the motions...
... this time.
Willing to do the impossible.
We've tried before.
Many times.
Only to fail.
Shattered.
We reconstitute.
To vanquish.
Yet again.
Not trying, doing...
.. the impossible.
===
165.6 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
157/151/5 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, 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'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN
MIND CONTROL is a thing. Especially on the start line when the energy is sky high due to...
... a cocktail of tapering and caffeine.
It
takes
real focus.
Just look at your "resting heart rate"...
... pumping like an outta shape donut eater on an outta control treadmill.
We aren't even moving,
because we are thinking about everything.
How do we calm that down,
achieve serenity?
This is important because if we don't get control our emotions we're going to be leaking all kinds of energy we're going to need later on.
Here are my top 5...
5. breathe deep, breathe slow
4. take in the craziness in the competitors' faces and just laugh - cuz it is funny
3. sit on the top tube, rest on the bars
2. close your eyes and trust your training
... and drumroll
... 1. race more so these feelings are welcomed
Oh, one more.
For hecksakes...
... get to the venue early.
Like 2 hours early so we can go through our launch sequence calmly.
Which brings up the ohso obvious.
Have your raceday bag loaded the night before, with everything you (could) possibly need.
Ok.
There's a lot more,
but those are the basics...
... before we unleash our mighty fury.
===
165.6 lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
158/157/0 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, 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 THERE REALLY AN OFFSEASON?
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN FITNESS if there are offseaons? It's a fair question and one that deserves...
... a fair answer.
I have my theory.
And it goes like this...
- get after it 2x/week
- keep stacking the base
- never get out of our routine
... there is no offseason.
But, there is an onseason.
What's the difference?
Look, we have to have a baseline of fitness.
For me, that means being somewhat respectable on the group rides.
If I let my fitness drop the point where I'm getting dropped quick,
that's dialed back too much.
When it's onseason, that means...
- I'll be charging the group rides
- stacking more endurance miles
- perfecting the every aspect of the routine
... everything gets dialed up.
Yeah, I thought of this as I yanked the gravel wheels off,
and mounted the road wheels.
Sticking with my commitment to hit the Tuesday Morning World Championships tomorrow...
... and shoot for a respectable sub-5 minute up The Wall.
===
166.2 lbs
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 20 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
153/123/29 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, 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'S NEXT?
THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL. Things haven't changed much. Some sit in back semicheckedout...
... others up front and eager.
Just like a new race season.
As we head into fall...
- there's still a mess of events calling out to us
- bombarding our inboxes
- popping in the socials
... we still have choices.
Before we choose what's next...
- goals accomplished
- unforgettable memories
- regrets of missed or untaken opportunites
... reflecting/celebrating/acknowledging might be the best next event.
===
165.2 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 60 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
156/142/14 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MORE AI SLOP?
UNDERSTANDING AI QUERIES, for most of us, is like understanding pig latin. If we don't have the key...
... it's meaningless.
Want proof?
Ok.
Rider X is a fast,
and uncoached.
Prepping for an upcoming, highly competitive gravel race...
... he had a sit down with Coach ChatGPT.
The recommended protocol?
Mostly endurance, but per ChatGPT I should as some higher zone work at the end of the ride to simulate race conditions.
Am I the only one who sees a problem with that?
Other than the fact that every romping gravel race I've ever done has started out like an XC race...
- completely pinned until the selections are made
- threatening to settle in before hitting it hard, again
- to the eventual war of attrition where riders finish mostly alone
... I'd say it's spot on.
lol.
So, yeah, as long as everyone agrees to save it to the last 30 mins then Coach Chat has it nailed.
In training...
- most of roll out,
- then, gradually warm up
- finally put in some good efforts
... which is probably why things unfold as they do.
Look, there are certain people I ping for their opinion knowing that whatever they suggest...
... the opposite is the best course of action.
With Coach Chat, it's not Be careful what you ask for as much as its...
... Be careful how you ask.
===
164.6 lbs
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/163/-3 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GETTING DESTROYED FOR THE WIN
SINCE IT'S SO TEMPTING to sandbag, we should never be surprised that it goes on. At all competitive levels...
... it's a thing.
But,
why?
To get an easy V.
Where's the victory in that?
For the day to day group rides and non-A races...
... we should be lining up the monsters.
Who are going to push to our very limits...
... destroy us.
That's winning.
Ya know what else it is?...
... putting ourselves in position to win the ones that matter.
===
164 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
153/120/33 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
>
WHY DO BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES
THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS to get stronger on the bike. Whether we want to climb better, fly on the flats or lay down obscene sprints...
... we need more power.
How do we get it?
Akshully go to a gym,
lift heavy at home,
body weight.
They all work.
Lately, I've been in love with the body weight stuff.
Not just the pullup an pushup stuff...
... but, high rep leg work.
Till.
It.
Burns.
Yeah, it produces the same I can barely walk feeling...
... after rattling 'em off.
And, I'm rightly winded to prove it.
The reason I'm really digging these is...
- plain ol' grinding up a long climb
- pushing hard the final minute to the top
- poking my nose in the wind for way longer than normal
... the fatigue resistance it seems to be building.
I feel the fatigue building,
and I seem to be able to deal with it better than high weight, low rep.
It feels so good,
I love it.
===
163.8 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 50 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/128/27 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MOVING
MOST OF US, all of us, learned to run, swim and ride a bike at an early age. It came naturally to run, the bike a little coaxing, swimming a few pointers...
... and we were off.
Am I missing something?
Oh, yes.
Faith.
It took faith to put the coaxing and pointers into play and...
... realize we weren't gonna drown or fall over.
If, we'd just keep moving.
===
Designed this t-shirt, and realized why I love it so much.
Every successful racer begins with...
- 0 Starts
- 0 Wins
- 0 Fans
... the only difference between them and everyone else is they keep showing up.
Moving.
===
164.6 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 30 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
158/138/19 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DOORS BLOWN OFF?
OCASSIONALLY, after an A race we might back it down for a few days. Then, think to ourselves...
... we really outta do something with this fitness and rest.
But, usually there's a problem.
Most of us, especially me, think we are resting and therefore recovered and hence ready to slay it.
I mean, if the metric are indicating it like mine were this morning...
... by golly let's get after it.
Welllllll, a funny thing happened on the final seven mile stretch.
Rather than romping like a renegade,
I limped like a lost loner.
It hurt,
I pulled the plug.
How could I have so misjudged my freshness...
- 81 mi
- 11 hrs
- 9,665'
... because last week 4 rides were far from restful.
I should been spinning the flats rather than grinding the climbs.
When I finally managed to make it home,
I thought might as well upload and see how badly my doors were blown off...
... Your highest power output for 30 seconds in 2026!
Oh...
... now what if we actually rested?
===
164.6 lbs
7 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
152/97/54 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CAUSING EFFECT
MAKING PLANS for the upcoming event can be nerve-racking because there is so much unknown. There are really only...
... two paths forward.
It's gonna tricky,
it's gonna be awesome.
I was thinking about this, watching the highlights of Leadville.
There was our PEDALindustries flag,
right on the course,
where I imagined it.
Not just any part of the course, but a part of the course which was only open to racers who qualified much faster than me.
But, I really wanted to be there, too.
At Lost Canyon.
In my mind, it was a superior location for my feed zone.
So, made the 12' flags weeks prior to traveling.
Figuring it was gonna happen,
seeing them on course in my mind.
How'd we get the flag there?
First, I applied for a lottery to gain access.
Next, a blog reader and customer reached out and invited me to use his access to the area.
Then, I was informed I'd lotteried in to the zone myself.
That my friends is a magical way to live called...
... causing effect.
===
164.8 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 50 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
152/97/54 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ONE REASON EATING HEALTHY MATTERS
SOMETIMES WE'RE ON POINT with our food choices, other times, for a variety of reasos...
... we fall off the wagon.
What's the damage?
Over the course of a lifetime,
probably nothing.
If it's occasional.
As the great Tim Ferriss advocated in The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman...
... having a cheat day once a week won't kill us.
Might be helpful.
Honestly, I'm not 100% sure about that.
Here's what I do know.
If my cheat day is Sunday, and I go all in on the cheating...
... I'm likely to wake up a few pounds heavier on Monday, than I was on Friday.
Which is not really the point I wanted to share.
When I whipped up a salad today, with fresh veggies and Safe Catch tuna...
... all I could think about was how good this was going to be for my body.
That kind of thinking matters,
more than some might think.
===
165ish lbs
9sh hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 50 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/108/46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, 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 IMPORTANT THINGS
RETURNING HOME after a weekend or week(s) away on an adventure is usually awesome. The trip may have been amazing...
... but, not as much as what we left behind.
I was reminded of this today.
On a sweltering summer day,
we pushed through LA traffic...
... in time for a little family get together.
There really is nothing that compares.
===
164ish lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
159/125/34 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THREESY DOES IT
DESTINATION RACES AND RIDES always bring their own challenges. One of them can be altitude, and the big question there is...
... how soon do we need to go up?
Give us a rule.
Oldtimers have a saying...
... three weeks or three minutes.
Anything else is subpar.
On the extremes, the very best I ever felt was after 6 weeks.
The worst was driving 15 hours from sea level on a Thursday,
then racing on Saturday.
Which got me thinking after yesterday's final ride above 10,000'...
- sprinting
- climbing
- bombing
... I finally felt pretty darn good.
Confirming the broscience...
... threesy does it.
===
164ish lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
159/125/34 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BE STILL MY BEATING HEART
OH, THE TRAINING METRICS! They overwhelm, underencourage, lead us like a ring through our nose, promise us magic, and...
... and in the end distract us.
Potentially.
But, what about HR?
What does it really tell us?
For me, racing anything over 90ish minutes, heart rate is key.
Representing a pace I can hang onto...
- elevation
- weather
- terrain
... how I will perform regardless of the conditions.
Which reminds me of one of my favorite passages...
... As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
===
163.8 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
164/151/13 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S EASY TO FORGET
WHEN WE HIT REALLY HIGH LEVELS OF FITNESS, we are able to do so much more. We can climb, descend, go for miles...
... with relative ease.
It's really fun.
Sometimes, with all the focus of being our best we neglect to unzip a bit and go with the flow.
I was thinking about that today,
rolling into a well-deserved recovery week.
Starting at 10,600'...
- picking my way through the rocks
- negotiating switchbacks
- searching for traction
... and riding straight up for 30ish minutes.
Taking it easy,
in no hurry.
Thoroughly enjoying the low speed challenges going up...
... while testing my willingness to keep my fingers off the brake levers going down.
The other thing we/I forget is hardly anybody on the planet can do this and...
... find it relaxing and rejuvenating.
But, we can.
'Cause we're fit,
fortunate,
blessed.
===
163.6 lbs9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 50 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
165/156/9 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
PARDON THE BRAIN DAMAGE
GETTING OVER AN INJURY is a process. If we're fortunate, every day we see progress. Sometimes it's inpercptible and frustating, other times it's...
... so rapid we think we're better.
Overdoingit often follows.
Not realizing we have a ways to go.
I'm not sure this falls in that category, but I did have a TBI 2 1/2 years ago...
... and I forgot I already wrote The Leadville Letters.
How I get it done at the race across the sky.
Here are a few snippets:
Intro
ONCE UPON A TIME, A FRIEND ASKED IF I'D COACH HIM TO RACE THE LEADVILLE 100. So, I fired off an email every day... with homework.
Some of the information is tactical for Leadville... like the actual secret shtuff that's helped me go sub 9 hours on all 7 attempts and snagging a PR 20 years after the first go...
... the going 7:57 at 60 y/o in 2022.
But, more importantly, the letters reveal concepts which may be applied to any ride or race likely to leave nothing but the residue of who you are when it's over.
If you're planning to get your head handed to you at Unbound or BWR... or, just want to do an epic attack on your local mountains you love the Leadville Letters.
===
No. 1 Well, HI THERE!
Are you ready to get started?
Each day you're going to get an email from me that will likely be extremely entertaining and motivational... don't let that blind you into skipping the homework.
It's going to seem easy at first and you're going to be asking yourself what the heck did I pay for?
Don't fret.
The goal is to win Leadville (more on what that means) and Leadville wasn't conquered in a day.
Stay tuned, I'm counting on you to follow through.
XOXO, tb
===
from No. 5
HOMEWORK
How and when do you start your taper – what is a taper?
What do you eat the day before, the race morning breakfast, and while you’re racing?
What does work look like for you most Fridays and how do you hack your way out of doing too much work?
What do you wear so the support team can see you?
Do you have a RaceDay Bag?
Email me the answers along with your calendar.
There’s a lot to figure out, and having it dialed early will make each and every race more and more successful.
No. 14 NEGATIVE SPLIT
IF YOU'VE PACED YOURSELF CORRECTLY, you will do a negative split at Leadville.
By negative split, I mean you will cover the second 52 miles faster than the first.
Huh?
What?
I will?
Heck yes you will!
But only if you do your pacing right.
from NO. 18 CREATURE COMFORTS
I never wrote this email... this is the point John dropped out. In fact, I’m not really sure what it was going to be about. I only wrote the headline...
===
There's a taste... I'm going to update all 30 letters, put it in book form, and include massive margins so you can make all kinds of notes. It'll be rad.
===
163.6 lbs9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 25 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 25 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
165/15411 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHEN IT DOESN'T GO RIGHT, THEN WHAT?
WHEN THINGS GO SIDEWAYS, and it's not what we planned, had on the agenda, or would wish on our worst enemy...
... then what do we do?
It's easy to advise from the sidelines.
Harder when it's happening.
Think about what a few of my friends faced...
- Body not responding to altitude to the point of barely being able to move.
- Being taken out when the rider ahead crossed wheels, crashing and suffering an AC separation and road rash on the face
- Having a major need to go number two at 12,000' and not porta potty nor trees in sight
- Realizing your shifter batter is dead at the bottom of the first major climb, 8 miles from the start
... at Leadville 2026.
Half were able to finish,
half pulled the plug...
... none logged a time they were capable of had things gone perfectly.
And that's the dill.
Thangs always be changin.
Ideally, we...
- review
- apply
- learn
... come out better for it.
We grab onto that hope,
refuse to let go,
regroup...
... and charge forward to the next challenge.
===
163.4 lbs
9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 75 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
166/156/9 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
>
BUCKLE UP!
ONCE WE FIGURE OUT how to survive and thrive at anything we have two choices...
... share it, or keep it to ourselves.
Neither one is necessarily wrong.
In fact, it might be necessary ...
- the family treasure
- the hidden path to beauty
- the knowledge we use to provide
...to safeguard our survival.
If it's not,
or if we're feeling generous,
or we're just super excited to share what we've discovered...
... what are we to do?
Personally, I've already written one book.
In fact, I ran into a customer in Leadville who shared his sister bought him the book, and he read it several times.
It's short,
and to the point.
This morning my friend Kevi pinged me...
- how many times have you started Leadville?
- how many times have you finished?
- how many big buckles?
... 8, 8, 8.
I've been very committed,
and very fortunate.
Which got me thinking...
... maybe it's time to write another book?
===
icymi
===
163.4 lbs
9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
170/180/-11 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
FASTER AND SHORTER DOESN'T MEAN...
RACING LEADVILLE WASN'T ON THE CALENDAR in January. I had my sights on a few other events, one of them was Sea Otter with the friends...
... then I qualified.
Uh oh.
The last time I raced it I started planning a year out, this time I had four months to put my plan together.
I was already testing a new training program...
- more strength work
- more intensity
- more sprints
... and it was going to be fun to see how it would translate.
The impetus was to try and hang on to my dwindling power as I age, because my real long rangl Leadville goal is go sub-9 at 70.
Here's how it went down.
Last fall, I scored a nearly new Epic World cup on Pink Bike.
The perfect bike for me on this course - a little slower downhill, faster uphill.
Fueling was 100% liquid...
- USWE 2L to bottom of Columbine - I kinda regretted that because the pack is so tight when full I felt it restricted my breathing
- Camelback up Columbine is just easy to drink than bottles
- bottles the rest of the way
... CarboRocket, 333 calories/hour.
40 degrees on start line, dawned our Fly Vest, fleece arm warmers, and skull cap. Dumped it all before Columbine.
Tires.
Ugh!
The stress.
Chatted up the Conti crew about my recent punctures on Friday.
Yeah, running the Race Rapid Dubnital is a bit risky. I'd go with Trail version.
Oh, can I buy some.
No, we don't sell at events.
(Come on Conti - make some money and help a brother out.)
Would you run inserts?
They aren't really going to help with the punctures you're experienced, and I think they might make things worse because of tension created on the sidewall.
Crank up the pressure?
Mmmm, not gonna do much.
Bummer.
What are your athletes running?
Oh, they're all running Race Rapids, same as you.
With that, I left the inserts in. No time to remove the . Ran 20lbs up front, 22 in back.
A little bouncy, but I planned to send it on the DHs.
Leadville sends waves of riders off, based on how your time at one of their qualifiers.
I was in green.
Most of my friends and competitors started in the waves ahead.
Which meant, they rolled out either 5 minutes ahead of me or 2 1/2 minutes ahead of me.
Note: in 2022, I qualified for Silver and was beat by a guy who started behind me.
I took solace in that, hope that if I could catch up I technically had the lead.
Gotta have something to prod us on.
Halfway up the first 30ish minute climb we connected with the wave ahead.
Ok.
That's cool.
Here the course changed, due to the Willow fire.
At the top, we popped out onto pavement. Rather than going right, and racing over to the hardest and most technical part of the course, we went left and rode pavement all the way around.
Here, the goal was to plummet like a demon at latch onto the faster climbers.
The long game is to work together.
Back on the dirt, we had some punchy climbs.
It's so tempting to hit it for 1-3 minutes,
better to ease off and save it for the torture to come.
Course knowledge helped me here, I was able to pick my moments and scoot ahead when things to technical.
Even leap up to the next group.
Surfgirl was easy to spot next to the 12' PEDALindustries flag we had on course.
Packs swapped out, it was time to grind.
There is always a point at races like this where I/we say...
... What the heck am I doing? This is stupid, and it hurts.
Usually it's because we are barely moving due to fatigue or conditions.
In this case, it was being alone with riders strung across the mountain ahead of me.
I settled in.
My plan to keep HR in the 150s wasn't working,
it was in the 140s.
Power seemed okay, so whatevs press on.
I yelled at the photog, Here's your chance to get some good slowmo shots!
Humor helps in these sitchyashuns.
Because I started behind, and because we're now all just doing what we can to get up this 90 min climb, over 12,600'...
... we really have no idea where we are in comparison to others or how or when we'll actually finish.
It's terrible.
Lonely.
The top of this years course was back to the originally route, which meant rather than simply turning around we went a little further then down 150 yards...
... climbing out of that I always find heartbreaking.
Now here's the fun part.
Bombing back down the narrowish top, not only are we skirting around lots of rocks, but thousands of riders are still coming up.
Sometimes single file,
sometimes four abreast.
They're barely moving,
I'm doing anywhere from 20-40 mph,
on steep, loose gravel with morning light strobing through the aspens.
It's gnarly,
and I love it.
From the bottom on back to the finish,
it's pretty much the same as every other year.
No one can really help or pace together,
we're all just doing our thing and hope it works.
There's no moto riding up to give you updates on how it's going.
It's just going.
That paved descent we bombed down, was relentless and eternal on the return.
Finally, back on the last legit dirt section, I decided to just have fun.
I was alone in the mountains, it was beautiful, I felt pretty good.
Even stopped to pee.
I never do this, but man I really had to go.
It takes forever.
And, I'm thinking...
... I wonder if I'm screwing up my finishing time in comparison to others.
Feeling a lot better, I pedal on.
When all of the sudden a rider blows by me.
Crap.
Is that who I think it is?
He's uncorked going down the very descent that has sent more than one rider to hospital..
Gotta go.
We link up at the bottom.
Yep.
Good thing I got on it.
We test each other all the way back to town,
up the long and dusty dirt road called the Boulevard.
At the final turn,
he turns on the afterburners and puts a big gap between us.
I'm cool with that...
... cuz it ain't 2 1/2 minutes.
I didn't mail it in, I still went as hard as I could, barely able to stay upright as I crossed the line.
This year's course may have been shorter and faster, but...
... I was as smoked as ever.
It was fun to meet Roy in person, I'd supported his LUX team with raceday bags for a number of years.
===
164.3 lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
170/180/-11 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Takedown, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES
TRAVELING TO AN EVENT can feel lonely. Especially, if we are going alone. Or, even if we know a few people...
... it's not like being at home.
Where we have our stuff,
and our friends to bail us out.
Here I am, 10,000' above mi casa, in need of some mechanical assistance, and who do I see in the Shimano booth?...
... none other than the great Robert Plumb.
He's from home,
repping and supporting Shimano in Colorado.
In no time, he's got things figured out for me.
It was a shock thing, but I was still sheepish about handing him over my SRAM XX clad bike.
Being the pro he is...
- the new Shimano XTR wireless set up
- the down country brake levers
- the XC calipers
... he educated me on the latest and greatest.
And, I gotta tell ya...
... Mrs Santa better quit blowin' her money on bikinis and surfwax.
===
161.8 lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
156/111/46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
PREDICTIONS
DEPENDING ON OUR LEVEL, the type of event, and a whole host of other factors, we may or may not be shooting for the podium. Let's be honest...
... most of the time we're going for the challenge.
But, the pros aren't.
They're going for...
- money
- glory
- fame
... the win.
The rest of us are shooting for some sort of PR and/or bragging rights over our friends and frenemies.
All good.
Here's my prediction for Leadville 2026...
- Quinn
- Keegan
- Cam
... for the Pro men.
And...
- Sofia
- Melisa
- Rosa
... for the Pro women.
And, lil' ol' me..
... my palms are sweating...
... break 7:30.
Seems fast, given my current fitfatness.
But, like I said, few plan on winning.
PS... yes, I do have a few other targets besides time for the race... will report on that later, don't wanna jinx it.
===
162 lbs
9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 25 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 5 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
159/113/46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
LOST AND FOUND
TAPERING ISN'T A RELIEF, quite the opposite. It's stressful in that we aren't doing what we're used to doing. Instead, we're doing...
... less, different and/or none.
Our routine is broken.
We try and hang onto it, but being disciplined creates an inharmonious tension with rest and recovery.
That was the path I was on as I rolled out this morning.
Strava maps said it would take 36 minutes,
I planned to go so easy it would stretch out to an hour.
Oh...
... the best laid plans.
Not so suddenly, I find myself in an enchanted forest...
- climbing
- winding around
- wiggling over rocks and roots
... more than I anticipated.
An hour in, the town is nowhere in sight, maps shows I'm miles from where I want to be.
I'm lost.
I come to a fork in the trail, and choose right because...
... it's going straight down.
The next five miles ...
- fast
- paralleling a stream
- bridges and jumps and berms
... some of the funnest single track I've ridden years.
I drop into Frisco, miles from where I'm staying in Breckinridge.
And realize...
... I've found my mojo.
Tapering is overrated,
having fun, the original motivation,
is what it's all about.
===
161. lbs
9ish hours sleep
540 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
163/133/33 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S GETTING REAL
THE CLOSER THE START LINE, the more real the event becomes. The visions of glory, the angst of readiness, maybe some travel or some distraction...
... there is stress and relief.
Then there's the finish.
But, before all that...
... there was a spark of ingenuity to create the what we are all eagerly anticipating.
In the case of Leadville, the town, the spark came from an explosion in the mine.
Or, should I say implosion?
Where the mine that employed the entire town, provided every job, all the tax revenue for schools and a hospital...
... shut down.
In a day.
No warning.
No jobs.
No money.
Anywhere.
From the darkest hours and days and months was born the Leadville Trail 100 running race.
As the founder said...
... We'll run 'em a hundred miles from the highest city in North America and by golly they'll have to spend at least one night in town.
That's how we'll save this town we love.
I could leave this post there...
... but, really, it begs the question...
... why are we motivated to put ourselves through the many truly insane events we pursue so passionately?
It's not Kirkegaard's What doesn't kill me makes me stronger...
- grit
- determination
- being unstoppable
... it's the lessons we learn along the way.
(That pic up there is of Ken and Merilee, this evening at a frontyard bbq, the dynamic duo who grew an event from nothing and in the process saved a town, raised millions of dollars for the local kids to attend college, and gave many thousands of us an unforgettable experience to race at over 10,000'.)
===
161.6 lbs
8ish hours sleep
550ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
166/144/22 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
A BIKE WITH NO NAME
THE VERY PRO TREND of name stickers on bikes makes a lot of sense. Seven riders on a team, three bikes a piece. That's a lot to keep track of...
... for the riders and mechanics.
We all want to feel pro.
Do we need name stickers on our bikes?
I mean, there's a quiver in our garage, but...
... it's pretty clear who's is who's.
In that case, why do non-pros name stickers?
In case our new-found friends forget our names?
To intimidate or pacify the competition on the start line?
Me, personally, I like to think a proper name can...
... give our bikes talisman-like qualities.
Like my gravel bike's name: GRVL GHOST
===
You gotta check it out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/the-giro-collection
You gotta check it out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/the-giro-collection
===
167 lbs
8.5 hrs sleep
PushUps
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/-9 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
EVERYBODY FEELS THE HEAT
THE FIRST HOT DAY OF THE YEAR always disappoints. No matter the the number of indoor, sweltering bouts with the Zwifties, countless smokin' hot sauna/spa sessions...
... the melting is real.
The spunky start imperceptibly grinds down.
In my case...
... to a halt.
90º+
Not terrible.
What was/is/might still be? terrible...
... is my/our acclimation.
As the great FosterGrants said We need 4-5 of these to get battle ready.
I hope he's right,
he usually is.
In fact, now that the initial smack in the salty head has passed...
... it's not disappointing at all.
We're one day closer to mocking his best.
Soon anything Mr. Sunshine tries to magnify us with...
... will be nothin'.
There's a lot...
- acclimation
- hydration
- apparel
... we forget about until the sitch confronts.
Bring the heat!
===
You gotta check it out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/the-giro-collection
===
167 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/0 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
IL FALCO!
LAUNCHING OFF AN ITALIAN CLIMB takes guts. The roads are steep, skinny, twisty, shady. Add in runoff, debris and corrosion and...
... only the bravest, most skilled are willing to fly.
Enter Il Falco,
The Falcon, Paolo Savoldelli.
I watched one descent in the Giro where he...
- caught
- passed
- destroyed
... the competition.
By purposely slicing both wheels through the hairpin turns.
Purposely!
Now, I don't know about you, but the only time I've slid both wheels through a turn I was outta control through gravel covered turn in a crit...
... somehow, by some miracle, I stayed upright.
There is one rider capable of such feats in this year's Giro...
... Tom Pidcock.
I hope we get to see him slicing and dicing...
... with his Red Bull brain-bucket.
===
This musette bag turned out pretty rad.
You gotta check it out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/the-giro-collection
===
167 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/0 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
FIXING A PROBLEM
IT'S NOT THE PROBLEM, it's how you handle it. Sage advice from my grampappy. I'd like to see what he says about...
... this megannoying problem.
It's been keeping me up all night...
... that's no way for an aspiring shredder to recover.
In this case, I know...
- the root cause
- how to handle
- and treat
.... that's not the problem.
The problem is,
I didn't know it would be a problem.
While I was busy slicing my thumb on the MTB Saturday...
- keeping up with Smiles
- the beautiful morning
- a bit of pain
... I was distracted.
A friendly vine of poison oak reached out,
and wrapped itself around my left arm.
Rather than scrubbing down with Tecnu, a special soap for poison oak encounters, my pre-emptive default after such a luscious ride...
... I did a quick rinse and hopped over to urgent care for stitches.
On Monday, the initial itchies set in.
Too late to handle the problem,
a week of suffering is on deck.
The moral of the story?
Prevention > Problemsolving > Procrastination
===
166 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/0 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
FANTASTICO!
ONLY ROAD CYCLING has Grand Tours. Three of them: il Giro, le Tour, la Vuelta - Italy, France, Spain...
... lasting three weeks.
21 days of racing.
Does no offroad Grand Tours signify anything?
Is road...
- body
- bikes
- logistics
... just that much easier.
I can hear the roadie gnashing of teeth - lol.
Relax.
3 weeks on a bike is nothing compared to running...
- 50 days
- 50 states
- 50 marathons
... Dean Karnazes.
Which is child's play compared to completing...
- 50 days
- 50 states
- 50 Ironman's
... James "Iron Cowboy" Lawrence.
Regardless of how ya like your pain...
- beautiful country
- insane talent
- Italian flair
... the Giro starts Friday, and it's gonna be fantastico!
===
We created a special collection to celebrate https://pedalindustries.com/collections/the-giro-collection
You gotta check it out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/the-giro-collection
===
164.6 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
95/7 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
THE LIST
THE LIST WAS STARTING to weigh me down. It kept getting longer, and more detailed. If this continued...
... I knew I'd quit.
Good ol' Ben Franklin's tool saved me.
I drew a line down the middle,
all the crud on the left.
All I needed was one thing that could go on the right.
Then, I could look at all the reasons stacking up in the You Can't Finish or Win column, and...
... give them the 1-finger salute.
What's on the right side of your list?
===
166 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
93/11 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
WHAT ARE WE RIDING FOR, ANYWAY?
WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, partly to be efficient and partly because we aren't bound by tradition. We're making it up...
... as we go along.
Just like two amazing charities and events I learned about today.
Best Buddies gets people with intellectual and developmental challenges...
- outside
- socializing
- doing hard things
... out on bikes.
Bay to Brooklyn is a memorial ride for the 343 firefighters who lost their lives during 9-11, starting on West Coast and finishing in New York City.
How about that for a cool way to put our training to great use?!
We designed their gear on Zoom calls today...
- fast
- easy
- and fun
with their input, in real time.
That process is one of the many things we do different.
===
166.7 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
93/9 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
THE CHALLENGE OF GOING TOO FAST
ON THE BWR CA COURSE last weekend, I came in really hot to an aid station. Volunteers everywhere, helpful hands full of bottles and gels, and...
... all I can see is the gap through the cones.
I blast through,
and the yelling starts.
Wrong way!
Wrong way!
Wrong way!
Wrong way!
Wrong way!
By the time I'm 100 yards down the wrong road, I turn around and see the guy I'd worked so hard to catch and pass...
... flies through the area correctly, at full speed.
The next 5 miles, I'm going all out to catch him,
and repass.
Going fast is important for...
- winning
- attaining
- achieving
... going fast in the right direction is importanter.
===
Case in point.
I thought it'd be faster and easier to just cover my wound with Neosporin and get on with life...
... Dr. Mike texted me back: Get that stitched up, it will heal much faster.
===
164. lbs
85 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
93/-2 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
... THAT ENDED WELL, MOSTLY.
THE MARINE LAYER was thick, like misty with wet streets thick. This could only mean one thing, 3D printed dirt would be covering our bodies and bikes. And one more...
... really good thing.
Hero Dirt.
We would have to wait a bit for the sun to get higher,
we didn't need it to break through,
we needed the temps to rise.
In the meantime, Tim Z and I were having a blast, right up until...
- whipping through the drenched brush
- knobbies caked with almost mud
- digging deep on the steeps.
... my booboo.
As I'm cleaning a rocky ledge,
my tire slips,
I tip.
Over!
On the way down, trying to break my fall, my glove snags on my twin-lok...
... landing with all my weight onto the webbing between forefinger and thumb.
Hurts a bit.
I see red.
But, it feels good and we ride for another hour.
Back at the van I remove my glove to see this gash.
It's deepish.
In such a weird spot, I can't see any way to stitch it.
Besides it's not bleeding,
and doesn't hurt much.
Put a call into the great Dr. Delange (bro-in-law).
For now,
lots and lots of neosporin.
Do you think I deserve this peanut better donut?
===
164 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
30 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
96/14 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
I HAD NO IDEA HOW WEAK I WAS, UNTIL...
IF WE'RE NEVER TESTED or pushed, we don't know what we are capable of. And here's the sad truth to that...
... we think we're capable of a lot more than we are.
99% of the time,
we're not even close!
For example.
As a kid, I could snap off 10 pull ups...
... no problem.
When I decided to reincorporate that exercise back into my routine, I could barely to 2...
... big problem.
Now, I snap off sets of 5 throughout my work day.
Another example.
One day, we decided to climb the local 5600' mountain...
... I couldn't make it to the top.
After a year or so...
... we we're doing repeats on that same climb.
The lesson?
We have no idea how weak we are...
... until we get stronger.
===
164 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps SplitSquats <-- Don't skip the strength work.
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/15 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE STATE?
GETTING BEYOND THE OBVIOUS BIAS that comes with living in a place you love, what is your favorite state or place to visit...
... and how often do you get there?
This is important.
We need...
- breaks
- changes
- adventures
... to thrive.
I have a few favorite spots...
- the North Shore of Oahu
- the lush forest in Breckinridge
- any open desert area in the winter
... I don't get to any of them often enough.
Good thing my favorite state is so close.
The best ways to get there...
- twisty single track
- long mountain climbs
- surfing good waves in warm water
... it's a magical place.
Filled by moments..
- calm
- confident
- proactivity
... when time disappears.
We don't need a passport,
plane,
or car.
The secret...
- playfulness
- honed skills
- vision focused far ahead
... comes with time and dedication to one's craft.
===
166 lbs
8 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps SplitSquats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/15 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
WHY IT'S SO HARD TO TAKE A BREAK
AFTER SUNDAY'S RACE, BWR CA, I swore I'd take a really good break. Stay off the bike, until at least Thursday, because I knew I was...
... exhausted and mentally burned.
This morning's excuse to break my vow was really good...
... had to drop the van off to be serviced.
And, you know, that required riding my bike home.
Surely, 30 minutes of spinning would be okay.
Was it?
I mean, the legs felt like doodoo.
Here's the real problem...
- our minds need to relax, get away from the grind
- our bodies need the physical work
- our days are organized
... we've built a routine optimized for life.
The withdrawals were killing me.
Out I went at sunset...
... with no plan but to pedal some, and coast more.
===
165.7 lbs
8 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
93/16 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
PURSUE IMPOSSIBLE
PRETTY GOOD FOR ME,
is not good enough.
Only knowing there was nothing left to give,
is satisfying.
Reaching for the furthest star,
is true north.
Latent talents disgust me, I demand all God has given me be uncovered,
activated and deployed.
Anything less than everything,
is failure.
I define my wins not by others, or trophies,
but by my own golden standard.
I'm in pursuit of impossible.
===
164.7 lbs
7 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/5 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
PUMP IT UP!
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT for cycling, because Shimano and the city teamed up to put in a pump track. We went over tonight with the littles, thinking there would be a few kids...
... it was mayhem.
10 kids, more like a 100!
What's the best path to...
- fun
- skills
- power
... hands down, it's BMX!
Heck, that's how I started...
- riding to school
- popping wheelies
- jumping everything in site
... making all kinds of friends...
- comparing scabs and scars
- daring each other to ridiculous stunts
- taking apart and sanding and painting the frames
... bonds that remain unbroken to this day.
As the great Elvis Costello said...
Pump it up until you can feel it,
Pump it up when you don't really need it.
---
166.7 lbs
8 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
96/-7 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FLAT
THE THOUGHT OF RACING TODAY was underwhelming. Sleeping in, watching Liege-Bastogne-Liege, taking a lazy beach walk with Surfergirl, making pancakes...
... anything, but clipping in and pounding the pedals.
Watts up?
Surely, it's not...
- Rock Cobbler in Feb
- BWR AZ in Mar
- Cactus Cup in Mar
- Sea Otter in Apr
- BWR CA today
... racing my Classics season?
I know it wears the pros down,
but not me?
I was flat before we even got going.
When I got a flat with 15 miles to go...
... I was so tempted to call for help.
Good thing I don't race with a phone.
I'm sharing this part, because it could happen to you.
So, I'm in a good group, with Carlitos and Kristen Smith.
We're moving.
Then I hit a rock, at speed...
... all the way to the rim.
Tire starts losing pressue.
Ugh!
I stop.
No signs of sealant or a punchture.
Hmmm?
Give it a CO2...
... all the air just blows right.
Give it another, my last...
... same darn thing.
I have just enough that I can ride very slowly.
I find one of those public tool stations, with a pump.
Yes!
Attach it.
Nothing in...
... all remaining air out.
I'm dead.
A good dude pulls up to loan me his pump, only he hasn't used it in years and can't remember how it works.
I should stayed in bed.
A few minutes later, the great Nate Adams comes blasting by.
I hollar.
He stops.
Gives me 2 CO2s.
I go for it.
Tire seals perfectly.
What happened?
I think I hit that rock so hard it broke the bead free keeping it from sealing properly...
... until all the air pressure was removed.
It remained sealed the rest of the ride.
Where's the lesson?
I need...
- rest
- a break
- time off
... to remove the pressure.
Once that's done...
... I can quickly get back up to speed.
166?
7 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
989/14 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
AN ATHEIST, A GOD-FEARER, AND GRAVEL RACER WALKED INTO AN EXPO
HAULING DOWN THE FREEWAY to get to the BWR Expo this morning, I realized I've become hellaborring. And, I think it might be true for the simple fact...
... I'm laser focused on so few things.
So you can imagine the thrill talking to real people, in real life...
... about atheism.
Because, here's sitch.
I can go all day about...
- endurance sports
- building a brand
- my familiy
- religion
... my convictions, not necessarily in that order.
As a wise man once said...
One person's convictions,
are just boring as heck to everyone else.
This truly might be one of the greatest challenges we face by spending...
... so much time alone, training.
Especially, for those addicted to filling our remaining free time with scrolling, or binging YouFlix.
Our chances to connect deeply with others are fleeting.
So, there I am catching up with Carlitos, talking about his mother's passing, my brush with death last year, the miracles of our children.
And, he says it.
I'm atheist.
Really?
We dove into the how, where, who, what, where and why of his conversion.
Fascinating.
No God?
Well, I believe in a higher power.
Ok, that might not be atheism?
Yes, but, it's where I am.
It was a great conversation between to brothers of the endurance faith.
Then, no joke, the couple in the spot next to me in the expo comes over and we're sitting there talking about the day.
Somehow, atheism comes up again.
Oh, yeah, I was raised a Catholic, but it wasn't working for me because it didn't make logical sense.
Now, this cat, is about the same age as our oldest, so it was really interesting to get his younger take on religion in general, and God specifically.
So, no God?
Nope.
But what about the sunrise, an old growth forest, a child's first breath?
It doesn't add up to God, for me.
Each of these conversations, were at least an hour long.
Respectful.
Honest.
Raw.
The first time in quite a while I haven't felt boring,
or been bored.
I'll tell ya this, though.
My guess is each of us, probably on the terrible hike-a-bike after 55 grueling miles...
... would like to have the hand of God give us a good push.
===
165.5 (carb loading)
8 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/5 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FLAT
THE THOUGHT OF RACING TODAY was underwhelming. Sleeping in, watching Liege-Bastogne-Liege, taking a lazy beach walk with Surfergirl, making pancakes...
... anything, but clipping in a pounding the pedals.
Watts up?
Surely, it's not...
- Rock Cobbler in Feb
- BWR AZ in Mar
- Cactus Cup in Mar
- Sea Otter in Apr
- BWR CA today
... racing my own Classics season?
I know it wears the pros down,
but not me?
I was flat before we even got going.
When I got a flat with 15 miles to go...
... I was so tempted to call for help.
Good thing I don't race with a phone.
I'm sharing this part, because it could happen to you.
So, I'm in a good group, with Carlitos and Kristen Smith.
We're moving.
Then I hit a rock, at speed...
... all the way to the rim.
Tire starts losing pressue.
Ugh!
I stop.
No signs of sealant or a punchture.
Hmmm?
Give it a CO2...
... all the air just blows right.
Give it another, my last...
... same darn thing.
I have just enough that I can ride very slowly.
I find one of those public tool stations, with a pump.
Yes!
Attach it.
Nothing in...
... all remaining air out.
I'm dead.
A good dude pulls up to loan me his pump, only he hasn't used it in years and can't remember how it works.
I should stayed in bed.
A few minutes later, the great Nate Adams comes blasting by.
I hollar.
He stops.
Gives me 2 CO2s.
I go for it.
Tire seals perfectly.
What happened?
I think I hit that rock so hard it broke the bead free keeping it from sealing properly...
... until all the air pressure was removed.
It remained sealed the rest of the ride.
Where's the lesson?
I need...
- rest
- a break
- time off
... to remove the pressure.
Once that's done...
... I can quickly get back up to speed.
166?
7 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
989/14 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
AN ATHEIST, A GOD-FEARER, AND GRAVEL RACER WALKED INTO AN EXPO
HAULING DOWN THE FREEWAY to get to the BWR Expo this morning, I realized I've become hellaborring. And, I think it might be true for the simple fact...
... I'm laser focused on so few things.
So you can imagine the thrill talking to real people, in real life...
... about atheism.
Because, here's the sitch.
I can go all day about...
- endurance sports
- building a brand
- my familiy
- religion
... my convictions, not necessarily in that order.
As a wise man once said...
One person's convictions,
are just boring as heck to everyone else.
This truly might be one of the greatest challenges we face by spending...
... so much time alone, training.
Especially, for those addicted to filling our remaining free time with scrolling, or binging YouFlix.
Our chances to connect deeply with others are fleeting.
So, there I am catching up with Carlitos, talking about his mother's passing, my brush with death last year, the miracles of our children.
And, he says it.
I'm atheist.
Really?
We dove into the how, where, who, what, where and why of his conversion.
Fascinating.
No God?
Well, I believe in a higher power.
Ok, that might not be atheism?
Yes, but, it's where I am.
It was a great conversation between to brothers of the endurance faith.
Then, no joke, the couple in the spot next to me in the expo comes over and we're sitting there talking about the day.
Somehow, atheism comes up again.
Oh, yeah, I was raised a Catholic, but it wasn't working for me because it didn't make logical sense.
Now, this cat, is about the same age as our oldest, so it was really interesting to get his younger take on religion in general, and God specifically.
So, no God?
Nope.
But what about the sunrise, an old growth forest, a child's first breath?
It doesn't add up to God, for me.
Each of these conversations, were at least an hour long.
Respectful.
Honest.
Raw.
The first time in quite a while I haven't felt boring,
or been bored.
I'll tell ya this, though.
My guess is each of us, probably on the terrible hike-a-bike after 55 grueling miles...
... would like to have the hand of God give us a good push.
===
165.5 (carb loading)
8 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/5 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
AN ATHEIST, A GOD-FEARER, AND GRAVEL RACER WALKED INTO AN EXPO
HAULING DOWN THE FREEWAY to get to the BWR Expo this morning, I thought a rather strange thought. And, I think it might be true for the simple fact...
... I'm laser focused on so few things.
I'm boring.
So you can imagine the thrill get to talk to real people, in real life...
... about atheism.
Because, here's sitch.
I can talk all day about...
- endurance sports
- building a brand
- my familiy
- religion
... my convictions, not necessarily in that order.
As a wise man once said...
One person's convictions,
are just boring as heck to everyone else.
This truly might be one of the greatest challenges we face by spending...
... so much time alone, training.
Especially, for those addicted to filling our remaining free time with scrolling, or binging YouFlix.
Our chances to connect deeply with others are fleeting.
So, there I am catching up with Carlitos, talking about his mother's passing, my brush with death last year, the miracles of our children.
And, he says it.
I'm atheist.
Really?
We dove into the how, where, who, what, where and why of his conversion.
Fascinating.
No God?
Well, I believe in a higher power.
Ok, that might not be atheism?
Yes, but, it's where I am.
It was a great conversation between to brothers of the endurance faith.
Then, no joke, the couple in the spot next to me in the expo comes over and we're sitting there talking about the day.
Somehow, atheism comes up again.
Oh, yeah, I was raised a Catholic, but it wasn't working for me because it didn't make logical sense.
Now, this cat, is about the same age as our oldest, so it was really interesting to get his younger take on religion in general, and God specifically.
So, no God?
Nope.
But what about the sunrise, an old growth forest, a child's first breath?
It doesn't add up to God, for me.
Each of these conversations, were at least an hour long.
Respectful.
Honest.
Raw.
The first time in quite a while I haven't felt bored,
or been bored.
I'll tell ya this, though.
My guess is each of us, probably on the terrible hike-a-bike after 55 grueling miles...
... would like to have the hand of God give us a good push.
===
165.5 (carb loading)
8 hrs sleep
No PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/5 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SPONSOR AN EVENT?
BWR CA, is the 3rd event we've sponsored this year, after Rock Cobbler and Cactus Cup. Over the years, my motivation to be involved in the sport this way...
... has evolved.
Why do companies sponsor events?, is one question.
But, I'm more interested in your thoughts.
What you, as a participant...
- want
- expect
- count on
... from your sponsors.
Do you want to see the latest and greatest products and services?
Are you wondering how much the promotor must be making from the sponsor money?
Is getting free shwag a draw?
Maybe it's just connecting better with the company?
If you didn't get a chance to see our Instagram post about the course today...
... the first sector is legit rocky, and will test your bike handlings skills.
I rode it.
My fat, 45mm gravel tires.
26 lbs up front, 28 in back.
Still very jarring.
I'm probably going to stick with that, even though the start will be a very fast and rolling climb.
Yeah, I know when we hit the dirt...
- chunky gravel
- to steepish single track
- then steep rocky climbing
... around mile 9 it will be decisive.
I'm will to risk slilding back some spots for two reasons:
- a lotta cats gonna explode on the dirt climb
- I'd rather be comfortable and in control over the long haul
.... worth it?
We'll find out.
Come by the canopy and we'll compare notes.
===
164.5
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
0 minutes Reading/Journaling
96/1 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
METRICS I'LL BE WATCHING AT BWR CA
IT'S NOT ENOUGH to monitor our heart rate and the amount of power we're putting out. There's more...
... we need to be aware of.
Yes, more than watching our competitors,
and surveying of our surroundings.
Here are my top 3...
- time
- miles
- heart rate
... for BWR CA.
Heart rate, because if I'm alone - which happens almost always in gravel racing - I need to know how much I can demand my body.
Miles, because I will attach white tape with each climb's pinnacle, so I know how long I need to push to reach the next downhill.
Time, because I want to stay on top of my nutrition, and for me that means 400 calories/hour.
The rest...
- speed
- power
- cadence
... are meaningless once the flag drops.
At least,
that's my plan.
===
163.1
8.2 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
97/-3 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
MY THOUGHTS ON OFFROAD TIRES
TO TRULY MAXIMIZE our speed racing offroad, we must excel at bike handling skills. What ever differences we might see in road speed, cornering for example, is...
... multiplied offroad.
A split second lost leaning through a turn on pavement...
- slippery
- uneven
- rocky
... can turn into seconds in the dirt.
Consequently, the easy sprint to close the gap on the road, while taxing,
might never be closed on the dirt.
Now a lot of YouTubeGurus spout off a zillion different choices...
... depending on the make up of the soil.
You know what I think about that?
Selecting a tire that works really well in almost every case is way better than...
... the brain damage caused by picking 10 tires.
Why?
Because getting to know one tire over all kinds of terrain...
... is a sure thing.
===
163.7
8.2 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
98/0 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
I HOPE HE'S MORE PROFITABLE THAN EVER
MY LOCAL MECHANIC is really good. If something's broke, he will fix it quickly and get me back on the road. Which is a good thing because...
... I needed to get my baby in n outta there this week.
Race comin' up.
In prep, I swapped out my brake pads.
They were pretty smoked.
Normally...
- pop 'em out
- new ones in
- align
... it's no big deal.
Until yesterday,
no matter what I did,
the dawgawn things kept dragging.
After...
- sweating
- swearing
- swearing some more
... I hustled over, and begged.
Could I have just had him quickly swap out the brakes to begin with...
... instead of making it more difficult and time consuming?
Sure.
But where's the fun in that,
for me?
And, where's the profit in that,
for him?
===
164.7
8 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
97/0 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
IS YOUR ARG HIGH ENOUGH?
THE GREAT JIM COLLINS enlightened the business world to the BHAG - the Big Hairy Audacious Goal. I'd like to advance that a little further to...
... the ARG.
The Absurd Race Goal.
You wanna know why?
Actually, a better question is...
... what is so great about an ARG?
Well just the fact that...
- it seems impossible
- nobody believes we can do it
- there's a possibility we might die trying
... makes it seem absurd.
To outsiders.
Not to us.
Because we'll have to...
- radically change our training
- dynamically improve our equipment
- reject anything that takes us off mission
... it's an irresistible challenge.
Anything less isn't going to...
... inspire us to reach further than ever before.
===
166.3
8 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
20 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
98/-20 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
THE ROPE-A-DOPER SUCKER PUNCHES TO VICTORY
THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO WIN a race. Some more honorable than others. But, If winning is all that matters, then...
... might as well study this master class.
Amstel Gold 2025.
The winner,
was not the favorite.
The top 2 favorites,
were alone to contest the victory.
One problem.
The third guy, the favorites disrespected, was...
- feigning exhaustion
- acting submissive
- preparing to pounce
... had plans of his own.
In a nutshell, Skjelmose' one heroic move was to make the effort to chase down #1 favorite Tadej, and in the process drew out #2 favorite Remco.
Once teamed up with Remco,
he held back, going so far as asking Remco to slow down.
With Remco doing most of the work,
they caught Tadej.
In a final display of great acting,
he cowered behind the two great champions.
While they're busy sprinting it out for the win...
.... Skelmose magically has way more power than the two best riders in the world and snags the win.
Sometimes...
... the best actor wins the race.
===
166.8
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps PullUps
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
98/-20 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHY WE NEED TO BE FAST FRIENDS
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF RACERS in the world, and we can be friends with both. Today, I lucked out and rode with the kind that pulls...
... the best out of us.
We don't ride together much.
In fact, not nearly enough.
Why is I love this kinda racer is kinda what you think,
and kinda not.
We each competed at Sea Otter last week,
I did Gravel, he did XC.
Since TimZ climbed to the top step of the Sea Otter podium,
I was excited, and slightly nervous.
Could I keep up?
Turns out,
as we casually rode,
we each managed to snag a KOM.
Not that we're into that sort of thing - lol.
Which brings up...
- spur each other on
- share what's working
- appreciate the beauty all around
... why it's such a treat to have this type of friend.
The pace is good...
... the experience is better.
===
165.3
7.5 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
100/5 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
SHOULD THESE GUYS QUIT?
TODAY'S RACE in Belgium was a stunner. As I'm heading out for a spin, I see on YouTube the final km's of the Brabantse Pijl. There's a long-range break of two guys...
... Wout and Remco.
Nothing new there, except...
- Wout's surgically repaired knee looks horrific
- Remco still has numbness in his shoulder
- it wasn't a couple of buddies out riding
... these two dropped all the other pros with 50k to go.
I know they're getting paid,
but, they have made millions.
They don't need to get back to racing
They could stay on the couch,
throw in the lycra.
Instead, they finish 1-2.
Maybe quitting isn't all it's cracked up to be.
===
165.3
7 hrs sleep
PullUps PushUps
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
96/-1 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
I'VE FINALLY HATCHED THE PLAN
THE 'A' RACE is exactly five months out, almost to the day. Gravel Nats. The course I have to imagine, given what little I know about MN, is going to be...
... flat, fast, punchy.
Exactly what we don't have here.
I've been racking my brain about how to simulate...
- terrain
- topography
- physical demands
... so, I'll be ready.
Trust me,
pushing hard uphill is completely different from...
... steamrolling along the flats.
Both require fitness.
Climbs around around here are steep...
... with plenty of descents to coast and recover.
Not so, on the flat stuff...
... no reprieves, just constant power being put down.
This week, I think I found the perfect ride...
- crit specialists
- pro triathletes
- gravel kings
... and it's stacked with dream killers to destroy me.
What luck!
===
166.7 (wish that extra 5lbs was muscle)
7.5 hrs sleep
PullUps PushUps SplitSquats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
97 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
ACCORDING TO DAVE...
AFTER THE RACING at Sea Otter, I was catching up with my pal Dave. The convo got onto training, where we both downplayed what we do to the point of...
... wondering if either of us trains at all.
Then we laughed at what we really do.
Do you do...
- intervals
- zwift sessions
- work with a coach
... any thing structured?
Nope.
Same.
Just a couple of group rides a week.
Same.
Now, before you gettin' all sassy 'splaining...
- the whoa's of snow, rain, sleet
- haven't seen the sun for 6 months
- live in a small town with no one to ride with
... I get it.
So does Dave,
and half the country.
The mortal of the story is to...
- relax
- be flexible
- keep it fun
... life is short.
The other mortal of the story is to pick a...
- day
- time
- place
... and start invitin' to the group ride,
if you don't have one.
Why?
We're mortals...
... the urge to compete is in our DNA.
And, that social ride is always gonna turn spicey,
like a race.
Consistency is key.
===
164.9
8 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
97 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
NOT ENOUGH F.R.O. BRO
THE FIRST TIME I heard of F.R.O., was on some prototype tires Intense Cycles had me test. I thought, that's cool...
... a special designation.
Clearly, I misunderstood what F.R.O. meant.
I'll tell ya the adventure first.
About a week into testing, I climbed to the top of our biggest mountain.
About a 4000' climb,
which means a 4000' descent.
It is a screamer.
Lots of straights,
hitting upwards of 45 mph,
braking super hard into the turns.
Towards the bottom,
something didn't feel right.
I stopped.
The tire tread was delaminating,
grotesquely bulging.
Coulda died?
Maybe.
The prototype tire,
intended For Race Only...
... wasn't ready.
I was reminded of this today on my MTB.
Stomping up a hill, I heard the sad Ting! of a spoke snapping.
I asked myself...
... What the heck are you thinking riding your race wheels every, single, day?!!
Which begs the question...
... Should we invest in F.R.0. gear?
What is truly F.R.O. worthy?
For my money, and it's real money...
- Tires
- Wheels
- Complete bike
... in that order.
A duplicate of our race bike, we just beat the daylights out of and a F.R.O. bike we bust out once a week and at the races.
After that, as proven today, training wheels, even as great and amazing as today's wheels are, a set of trainers are a really good idea, especially for the off-road scene.
At a very minimum, some fresh rubber a week out, is always a good idea.
===
164.7
8 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, SplitSquats
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
96 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
I ASKED AI WHAT MY SPIRIT ANIMAL IS
COULD AI DETERMINE my spirit animal? Some of have wondered what animal represents us best, others have taken the deep dive to align...
... with the animal spirit.
GROK, what is my spirit animal?
The AI presented a survey for me to take,
asked me refining questions,
and told me the answer.
Except it didn't.
I already knew.
Kinda.
Per GROK, I prefer...
- The Mountains
- Flying Solo
- Freedom
... I'm a Golden Eagle.
Without any AI assistance, we created the winged-wolf logo about 7 years ago.
Fitting.
See that jersey up there...
- Spirit Animal
- Mantra (No One Of Consequence)
- Neon green sides and bibs Surfergirl could see from afar
... for an A race in 2019.
Now, here's the cool part.
You can do the same thing...
- design a custom kit
- include your spirit animal
- and inspiring mantra
... with a simple click.
Right there: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/start-a-project
Why am I so passionate about this?
Because I want you to Rip On RaceDay! in your style.
===
164.7
7.5 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, SplitSquats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
96 (fitness per Training Peaks)
20 min vision therapy
HOW VAN DER POEL REALLY WON PARIS-ROUBAIX
AS USUAL, the journalists completely missed the action that was the key move. This time, it was Paris-Roubaix, where it was headlined The Mistake That Cost Tadej...
... A Chance To Win."
Makes you wonder if these cats ever ride bikes competitively,
let alone race.
What should have been the headline?
It wasn't a mistake,
it was pressure,
and fatigue.
But, mainly pressure.
Not pressure to perform,
these aren't children.
They're professional racers.
Tadej is a great bike handler.
Matthieu is the best bike handler.
Every corner,
every technical challenge,
Van der Poel is taking tiny, imperceptible bits of time...
... when he's leading.
And, pressuring Pogacar at all times to match him...
... when he's following.
Savage racers, whether they are leading or following...
... know how to create pressure.
The kind the wears their competitors down,
until they crack, crumble, are crushed.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot what the headline should have been...
... Van der Poel Rails Corner To Set Up Solo Victory.
===
165.8
7 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, SplitSquats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
97 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
A SWEET IDEA MIGHT HAVE SAVED ME
I FIGURED I'D NEED four bottles to complete the sixty miles of gravel racing. Then, I checked the weather and reduced that to three bottles...
... and upped the calories to 400 per bottle.
Good thing.
Because as my Camelbak with fifty ounces, and 800 calories, was getting low...
... I reached for my bottle.
Uh Oh!
Not there.
Launched on one of the smokin' fast downhills.
Could I make it on just the Camelbak and the one 200 calorie gel?
Normally, I'd say no way.
But, I tried something new...
- Wednesday
- giant apple fritter
- in-n-out 3x meat with fries
- shepherd's pie with extra potatoes
- Thursday
- giant plate of danish pancakes, syrup and butter
- 2 regular in-n-outs with buns and fries and lotsa catsup
- half a pizza
- large bag of SkinnyPop
- cherries and blueberries
- Friday pre-race
- apple
- 3 Entenmann's Chocolate donuts
- Honey Stinger waffle on the start line
... a lot of simple sugars the two-days prior.
Did it make the difference?
Honestly, I think it might have.
Energy was good for the nearly 4 hours of racing.
I think it needs more testing,
especially the donuts.
===
165 (no idea, traveling)
6.5 hrs sleep
No strength work
10 minutes stretching
0 minutes Reading/Journaling
99 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE RETURN OF T.O.D.
IT WASN'T A BLISTERING START, but it wasn't nothin' to be in 4th position at the top of the road climb and into the chicane before...
... opening it up on the dirt.
The ensuing really fast gravel downhill,
seemed to go on forever.
Other than clinching my glasses with my teeth, they were fogging from the fog, everything was going surprisingly well.
Which is the problem with tapering for a race.
We, well, at least me, feel great in those opening miles...
... it's easy to blow up early on.
Looking at my power readings and feeling my thumping heart...
... I knew I couldn't keep it up.
It was time to settle into The Old Diesel mode,
I've missed this guy.
I unhitched from the leaders,
about 8 of them floated away.
Now, it was time to ride on my limit vs someone else's.
Lots of alliances are formed in these situations.
Mark caught and passed me,
I did all I could to speed up,
we worked together.
After lap one, I was back on my own.
I knew Mr. Brownjersey was up there somewhere.
Suddenly, all I'm seeing is brown jerseys ahead of me.
I close in,
check the elbows for wrinkles,
and keep riding and chasing back.
Finally, I catch him.
C'mon ol' timer!
He's got nothing.
Dang.
Woulda been a good time for an ally.
A few miles later I catch the giant, in the white jersey.
I can't believe it.
We work together until I dork it going on to a singletrack.
I spend the next 15 minutes chasing.
And, lo and behold, he's linked up with Dave.
We're not exactly drilling it,
more like deathmarching it.
Up ahead is a super steep gravel road with big rain ruts.
I know if there is a wobble, and I have to uncleat, it's highly likely my tingy legs will fully cramp...
... and I'll be done.
So, I make an effort to lead into that short bit of nasty.
Slowly, and I mean slowly, a little, tiny gap opens...
... and stays there until the finish.
I wind up second, to the great Tinker Juarez...
- the high school tennis player
- sandwiched between two Olympians
... and just ahead of the great Dave Littieri.
What a day!
===
There is something to be said for persistence.
Well, a lot.
Somedays it works,
others, not so much.
I have often felt why am I persisting at X when Y looks so much better?
The truth, we're not seeing all the shit that lies below yonder pasture...
... better to deal with the shit we know and grow our own green grass.
===
165 (no idea, traveling)
7.5 hrs sleep
No strength work
10 minutes stretching
0 minutes Reading/Journaling
98 (fitness per Training Peaks)
0 min vision therapy
TAPERING SUCKS
IT'S RACE DAY TOMORROW, and this week has been soooooo boring. Too many don'ts, from riding too hard to eating too much to sleeping too little...
... the lethargy is real.
Why?
So we feel fresh and spicy on race day.
Will I?
Mmmmmmmabye.
While tapering we always watch the fitness score, per the training apps, drop.
Hence, the call to put in some hard miles.
But, with additional hard workouts comes fatigue.
Got it?
Tapering = Fitness down, Form up.
Frankly, I haven't see for my Form in positive territory form months.
So, while the overall Fitness is nowhere near what I'd hoped...
... the Form is in a good place.
Gonna be fun to see how it checks out.
===
165 (no idea, traveling)
8 hrs sleep
No strength work
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
93
0 min vision therapy
THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO DO BEFORE A RACE
IT'S BEEN A BUSY FEW DAYS, and I didn't get everything dialed in last week. Normally, that is the time for perfecting the set up. But...
... sometimes we have to adjust.
At the last second.
Right now...
- new cleats
- rear derailleur
... these are at the top of my list.
Fiddled with them for the last 3 days.
Adjust,
pedal,
adjust,
pedal,
adjust,
pedal.
They're mostly good,
and if they let me down...
... it serves me right.
Then, just now, I was winding down in Buelton, halfway to Sea Otter...
- It's only a flesh wound
- blood all over the place
... I massively stubbed my pinky toe, after dinner.
Mashing it into my race shoes,
cinching down the Boas
fretting on the shifting...
... should keep my festering mind off any perceived leg pain come Friday's race.
===
165 (this is not the race weight I was looking for)
8 hrs sleep
No strengthwork
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
95 (looks like I'm reste4d)
20 min vision therapy
ARE WE BEESY OR BUSY?
GETTING THAT FIRST WIN is intoxicating. We go from this might be fun to Heckyeah! I'm a racer, in an instant. Encouraging anybody, ourselves included...
... is a tricky endeavor.
Because, what is a win?
I was thinking about this today, as I considered the best way(s) to get that first taste of success for...
... our two new sales reps.
We athletes measure...
- PRs
- Miles
- Speed
... the inputs that lead to success.
They give us confidence,
that there will be a payoff.
For us, at PEDALindustries...
- contacts
- design sessions
- custom team stores launched
... are the metrics that matter.
Just like bees who...
- forage
- process nectar
- store in honeycomb
... the right inputs give us the sweet outputs.
===
163.6
8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
99 (fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
JUST BECAUSE WE CAN'T...
THE TEENS HAD SET UP A JUMP. As I came around the sweeping turn, with a little too much speed, I began drifting wide and perfectly lined up to send it. At the last moment, I locked up the rear...
... sliding and slicing to safety.
There was no way I was going to launch into a blind landing.
Challenging as it looked on take off, when I rolled around to scout the landing...
... I could see it was straight forward and smooth.
How many things are like that?
We see something that looks impossible,
look behind the curtain...
... and realize it can be done, if we work at it.
===
164.5
8 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps
20 minutes stretching
98 (fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO THERAPY?
I'VE SEEN A SHRINK. There, I said it. It wasn't out of weakness, or anything foo-foo. I was battling for my life, and I couldn't figure out how to move forward...
... using a hammer, when I needed a screwdriver.
That's what pro's do.
When we're stumped,
blocked,
broken...
... they give us the tool(s) we need.
We fix the situation,
usually ourselves,
get on with life.
Now, I'm in therapy again.
My favorite physical therapist is back in town.
I saw him Friday for my back.
In a matter of about 20 minutes
- he assessed me
- found the exact area of trouble
- taught me three different stretches
... he gave me tools I needed,
told me it'd take 4-8 weeks.
As the great Lloyd Christmas said...
... So, you're saying I've got a chance.
===
TBH, already feels remarkably better.
So, if you're suffering...
... get some therapy.
===
If you're local, see Scott Moncrief at ProSport in Mission Viejo.
===
164
7 hrs sleep
0 Strength
20 minutes stretching
99 (fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
WRENCHING ON MORE THAN THE BIKE
FOR SOMEONE WHO TALKS ABOUT PREP all the time, you'd think I'd have noticed the conditions of my tires, earlier. But, there I was on a steep and dusty climb...
... puttin' down some power.
The tire slipped,
I eased off,
sat down.
PR gone.
Not the kind of thing you wanna do in a race.
The local shop was outta stock on my favored Terra Speed 45s,
ordering online would take too long.
What to do?
The rain bike's tires, were barely ridden.
While I swapped 4 tires...
- broke beads
- remounted
- refilled
... I was lost in the inspiring words of a conference.
Which made me wonder...
... Why do I listen to so much political poison?
When I could do some wrenching...
... on my bike, and my soul?
===
165.1
8 hrs sleep
0 Strength
20 minutes stretching
101 (fitness per training peaks)
0 min vision therapy
IF IT'S NOT AN 'A' RACE...
LAST HARDISH RIDE BEFORE SEA OTTER next week, tomorrow. I had two offers, both tempting. One would likely see me dropped early, riding alone; the other would likely trash me for a week...
... pre-riding BWR CA course.
I chose neither.
At this point, the burnout is real.
Better to ride something...
- fun
- fast
- friendly
... close to home.
The main goal will be to...
... stay as close as possible to on-the-limit-race-pace.
Why not the other options, they sound harder?
Because, even though Sea Otter is not an A race, it will be very hard and challenging...
... I believe when the training is done, it's time to work on the psyche.
Rides that ...
- build confidence
- skill-building
- not draining
... are best, in the final days of prep.
===
165
7.8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
20 minutes stretching
97(fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
THE CHALLENGE OF ELECTRONIC LIFE
A FRIEND WHO'D I'D BEEN MISSING messaged me to go for a ride today. I had to go early, needed to be in the command chair to goose a few initiatives...
... we planned a meet up.
Hmmm, 'not like him to be late.
I checked my phone.
My shifters aren't working! I think my battery on the lever is dead. So bummed.
Just like that...
- no catch up with a friend
- more riding solo
- plan changed
... a reminder.
Batteries must be charged, or ...
- brain gets fuzzy
- emotions swing
- reactions slow
... we have a good chance of a poor performance.
Or, worse, we miss a chance to ride with a friend.
Here's my hack...
- check 'em before putting the bike away
- check 'em again at night while prepping for the ride
- check 'em one more time before rolling out of the garage
... and get my buns in bed early.
'Cause I prefer to be a creative thinkin', cool cucumber, with lightning reflexes.
===
164.7
6.8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
98(fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
WHAT A NICE BIRTHDAY GIFT
GETTIN' IN A RIDE, run or swim, on our bdays is a mighty fine thing to pull off. A lot of us do something epic to mark every lap around the sun. It might be on the very day, or later in the year...
... but, something gets done.
Surfergirl asked, What are ya gonna do for your birthday?
I dunno.
Gotta do something.
Just wanna go with the wind, do what I want to do.
So, I...
- Got up and read
- Re-wrapped the bar tape
- Grabbed an apple fritter
- Did some quick customer service
- Surprise visit with Shane and kids
- Chatted with a couple of customers, friends... friendstomers?
- Went for a spin
- Scanned today's orders
- Checked in briefly with the team
- Writing this blog post
- Going to quit early and see Black Bag
... basically, the same thing I do every day, minus the movie and fritter.
Feelin' darn fortunate completing the 63rd trip 'round,
doin' what I love to do,
every day.
Life has it's headwinds and tailwinds.
Gotta ride 'em all.
Like this one today.
Starva recorded my 2nd fastest time ever...
- 25.7 mpg
- 138 bpm
- 215 w
... on a segment I've covered 762 times.
Wind'll do that,
even with gravel tires.
That's the icing on my cake.
===
164.7
6.8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
99(fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
MY LATEST EXCUSE PER OZ
THE WEEKLY GROUP RIDE TODAY, was horrendous. I felt sluggish, the legs barking, struggling to contribute to the pace line, and hit my high points...
... I just wasn't feelin' it.
What could be the reason(s)?
Oz, I sucked today, couldn't get going.
Why?
Didn't get to be early enough.
Nice excuse, you gonna blog about it?
When I got home,
the denial was real.
No way did I want to see the Starva truth.
Had to be horrid.
Between flippin' pancakes,
I took a look.
What the heck?
The numbers were almost the same as last week,
when I felt great.
Turns out, I really only dropped off the pace during the 90 minutes.
Sleep deprivation for sure.
But, guess what else?
I decided to go solids for fuel vs. CarboRocket.
I realized...
- I drank 75% less fluid
- consumed 40% fewer calories
- and, yeah, a full 60 minutes less sleep
... that's how to feel terrible and still kinda get it done.
Take homes...
- Get to bed early
- Stick to the liquid diet
... for racing or riding hard (it was a 3.5hr effort today).
===
164.6
6.8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
98(fitness per training peaks)
0 min vision therapy
NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCED: The Naero
Date line: 4.1.25
PEDALindustries, based in the epicenter of the action sports world, announces a ground shaking product called the NAERO. Developed for the tech-hungriest segment of the market...
... searching to shed every second possible.
These racers...
- carbon everything
- rocket science helmets
- serums to improve every system
... thought they had it all.
Purchasing speed is their guiding principle.
The Naero is on pace to sell out in it's first week of availability.
How does it work?
- The racer trims a sheet of Unobtainium
- Wraps it round their neck
- Heats with blow dryer.
Presto, the masters racer has the neck of an 17-year old...
... no more turkey flaps flapping in the wind.
Early adopters will also receive secret instructions to apply Unobtainium to their...
... elbows and eyelids if necessary.
According to the company...
... 5 watts per flap can be saved.
"This will solve exactly what's been holding me back."
- C. Froome
"Forget motors, give me the Naero."
- F. Cancellara
"Lance, lets crush these punks"
- J. Ulrich
Get your now at https://pedalindustries.com/products/naero
===
166
8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
96(fitness per training peaks)
30 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
JUST WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE LONG SOLO VICTORIES?
ARE THESE GUYS WINNING THESE BIG RACES, going solo from 10s of kilometers from the finish line, really that much physically better than the rest? When I look at it...
... something isn't right.
I know the best are the best.
But, the rest aren't just hacks off the street.
Think about it.
How can one guy escape off the front and everyone else not form...
... a working, cohesive pace line?
Let him dangle.
Then, pounce for the win.
Instead, these long-range attackers have discovered a hack...
...and it may not end any time soon.
Because it's working.
What is needed
- hope
- sacrifice
- coordinated effort
... is true leadership.
Let's get after it this week!
===
164.6
8 hrs sleep
0 PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
97(fitness per training peaks)
20 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL BE TRAINING LIKE BMX RACERS?
ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE RACERS, is the great John Tomac. He came up through BMX, dominated the MTB scene, XC and DH, started crushing the roadies...
... eventually racing in Europe with the Motorola road squad.
How did he do that?
Locally, some of the very best racers I've battled...
- superior sprinters
- excellent bike handlers
- calm as cucumbers slicing and dicing crits
... trace their roots back to BMX.
What do BMXers do...
... over and over again?
30-40 second all out sprints.
Not,
let's go fast.
Ride it like you stole,
lightning starts.
I thought about that as I cooled down,
close to home.
The ride was fast,
and I'd felt great.
Best I've felt all year.
Confirmed by a few of PRs, on Starva.
I think my Power Spikes sessions...
- all out
- 10-20 seconds
- lots of rest in between
... are starting to pay dividends
Over the course of about 2 hours,
I'll get in 20-30 sprints with
tons of rest in between.
Maybe I was inspired by this outstanding collaboration we are doing with the one and only...
... Radical Rick!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/radical-rick-store
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/radical-rick-store
===
164.6
7 hrs sleep
0 PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
99 (fitness per training peaks)
0 min vision therapy
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
TODAY + TOMORROW + SEA OTTER = BWR?
IN FOUR WEEKS, I'll line up for my first BWR CA. All I know for sure is, the competition will be fierce, the course will be fast...
... and I'll be tested.
Time to do some strategic training.
Today, I took easy, hoping to have good legs for tomorrow.
Tomorrow, Saturday, will be...
- gravel
- single track
- a romp with a fast road group
... a very mixed surface ride.
It won't all be race pace.
Because most gravel rides, at some point, turn into solo efforts where being able to hold a high tempo for hours is a difference maker.
I'll start out at tempo,
on the dirt.
Threshold four about 30 minutes,
on the road.
Back to tempo,
on the dirt.
Between now and BWR CA is Sea Otter, in two weeks.
That will be a good test for my fitness...
... and with a massive amount of luck, I could qualify for Unbound.
Gunna be a fun 4 weeks.
===
163.6
8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
95 (fitness per training peaks)
40 min vision therapy
MY LEG DISCREPANCY + FIXING THE BACK PAIN
MAXIMIZING OUR POTENTIAL on a bike, requires a proper bike fit by a pro. My fitter, Ashley, and I have, have been working together for years. We used a variety of methods adapt...
... my slightly shorter right leg.
It's a journey...
- bikes
- bodies
- adapters
... are constantly changing.
For a few years we've been working with various cleat adaptors.
One was too wobbly,
another too restrictive,
I gave up and chucked 'em.
We think this has created a muscle imbalance, and been the major cause of my lower back pain.
It has been so bad lately,
I've been considering giving up gravel and mtb...
... going back to dirt.
Today we mounted up a new adapter, seen in pic above.
It gives the little bit of lift I need,
and has all the stability of a normal cleat.
After we got it all set up,
it felt amazing.
Excited about that.
In the meantime, I borrowed Surfergirl's car last week to go to vision therapy.
The weather was cold,
I cranked up the seat heater.
Guess what?
After an hour of heat on my back, it felt like new.
So, I purchased a heating pad like my dear ol' granny had.
I've also upped my stretching.
And, included farmer's carries, on one side, in my routine.
I'm very hopeful we can get things under control in time for Sea Otter.
===
164
7 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
96 (fitness per training peaks)
40 min vision therapy
HOW AND WHY PUTTING IN THE EXTRA MILES WORKS
IT'S INTERVAL DAY. I'll be alone for these. I always am. No one will see me out there, which is why it's so easy to dawg it, even skip the last few. Instead...
... I am pushing beyond what my body wants to do.
Uncomfortable.
What happens when we do this?
Because, as the great Dylan Johnson recently posted on his YouTube...
https://youtu.be/x-eUPB9wzYY?si=HEn6r9MP42zawRhR
... these efforts build durability.
Durability, he claims, and I agree, is a key ingredient and possibly the most important metric and indicator for predicting success.
But, nobody sees these durability building efforts,
we get no credit.
Until we're there,
at the finish,
steady...
... strong.
Going the extra miles in our...
- training
- careers
- relationships
... makes all the difference.
===
Today, we completed our 37th year together...
- Two
- became 5
- now we are 11
... miracles can happen going the extra mile.
===
164.2
8 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes stretching
97 (fitness per training peaks)
40 min vision therapy