IT'S HAPPENING!
TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY. It's been just over 5 months since my brain injury. We never took SurfNSummit off the calendar, instead...
... we aimed for that date!
10 of my closest friends - some I've never met - joined the challenge.
I'm so grateful for the support and camaraderie.
It's gonna be a great day.
Anytime we get the buy-in from of group of people who decide to do something epic together it's...
... a lot easier to prep and accomplish something epic.
And, this ain't nothin'...
https://www.strava.com/routes/3220522868121573398
123 miles
16000' of vert
... it's a heckfire motivating.
What are you planning tomorrow,
or in the coming months,
with your besties?
I hope you get it done, and I hope...
... it seems impossible.
---
164
7.5 hrs sleep
Pullups and Pushups Only
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
THE 5 IMMUTABLE LAWS OF FITNESS
IN WORLD WHERE EVERYONE HAS their own truth, it's hard to tell what is really the truth. And, it matters. Truth...
... makes everything clear and easy.
So, let me be as clear as I can be.
These are the 5 laws,
commandments if you will.
- REST. Get plenty of rest. Sleep a lot. Doing less and resting may not make sense to a beginner, but we get it. Right? Sleep is critical.
- GOOD FOOD. Keep it simple. Don't eat sugar or drink alcohol or do drugs. Do eat whole foods, meals where we can identify the ingredients. For example, a steak salad vs a protein bar.
- GO HARD SPARINGLY. We need to have the brutally hard efforts, once or twice a week. That's it. Not every day.
- GO EASY ABUNDANTLY. The rest of our endurance training should be easy and fun and rejuvenating.
- LIFT WEIGHTS. Resistance exercise, heavy weight and low reps, builds power and makes bones strong. I like large muscle groups, primarily pull ups, pushups, and squats.
That's it.
Okay, that's not it.
But, that is the truth and when we get that right...
... we're 95% there.
There, being extremely fit and healthy.
Notice, doing that is practically free...
... just takes some dedication.
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164.9
8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
WHY BEGIN WITH THE FINISH IN MIND?
THE PATH WORKING BACKWARDS FROM THE START is a strange one. Who the heck walks, runs, rides, swims backwards? Here's a better way...
... begin with the finish in mind.
It's more powerful.
Want to get married?
Date like the winner you know you are.
Want to raise good kids?
Raise 'em like the winner you know you are,
winners they can be.
Want to win a race, set a PR, win the group sprint?
Train like the winner you know you are.
See the finish line clearly, then...
... all we need to do becomes obvious.
Not a mystery.
Not awkward like swimming backwards.
How do you even do that?
Move forward.
---
166
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS MAGIC WHEELS
RIDING WITH LOVE WATTS ON THE ROAD, I'm reminded of how important wheels are. He purchased my supersnazzy, ceramic bearing carbon wheels because I just...
... had to have the latest and greatest.
Off with the rim brake wheels,
on to disc brakes on the fancyshmancy bike.
ENVE 5.6's
I'm glad he got my old wheels vs one of my direct competitors because...
... he rolls away from me any time it's too steep to pedal downhill.
It's annoying.
It bugs me.
I constantly question myself...
... What the heck was I thinking?
And, it gets worse.
The weekly roadride reminder is leaking over into all my wheelsets.
Are they magic?
Or
S-L-O-W?
How to tell?
The lowtech, yet reliable way, is to coast downhill on an windless day and determine which set of wheels is faster.
- Same tire
- Same air pressure
Then, we can go play with
- Tires
- Widths
- Pressures
And, add additional fine tuning via
- Helmet
- Apparel
- Waterbottles
- Cable routing
- Body position
Oh, boy...
... so much fun to be had!
---
By the way, we're just about ready to launch these:
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166.8
7.5 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
TAPERING QUESTIONS
IS TAPERING OUR TRAINING ART OR SCIENCE? We've all had the big quest on the calendar, done tons and tons of training, then...
... decided it's time to taper.
Is it enough to just cut the miles?
How much should we cut?
What about intensity?
Oh, the questions we have!
Got an email this morning from Tony, who lives Downunder. He caught Covid two weeks prior to last weekend's A race, thought his event would was wrecked.
Rested completely for a week.
Did a little training the next week.
Smashed the race, setting all kinds of PRs.
Talked to Andy this morning, he was forced off his bike for months after catching a nasty stomach bug and Xterra Worlds last October.
This week he's off to Xterra Nats and feels better than he's felt in years.
I'm not saying we need to get deathly ill or break bones to have our best days ever, but...
... maybe a little more rest would do our bodies good?
---
166.2
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
82
>
THESE ARE THE BEST RIDES
GOOD FORTUNE TO TRAVEL, allowed me to ride a bunch of new terrain, plus explore a new network of trails. This week will be a good reminder...
... of why our favorite routes are so special.
Our most cherished rides are rarely the obscure, remote places.
Those places are great,
but they are missing something.
I'm already excited to do the local Tuesday Morning Wrecking Crew this week.
Why?
I've done it probably 1,000 times.
You'd think once a week for twenty years would lose its luster.
Instead, the times that we...
- cleared the gap on a big jump
- got caught in a snow storm
- made the winning break
- smashed a segment
- made a new friend
... make all the difference.
Take yesterday's adventure.
We have a trail in St. George that Surfergirl loves: Bear Claw Poppy. A gentle climb, and a fast and flowy return. We ride it often when we are passing through.
After an hour with her, I met up with local friend Kevi, to ride a newly accessible canyon.
We pedaled back to his house and I noticed the right rear van tire was deflating.
A piece of metal had sliced on through.
7pm on a Saturday night is not a good time to need a flat repair.
While showering, I thought...
... We're gonna get a miracle.
At the same time, Kevi thought to call an acquaintance who had just sold a string of tire shops.
My new best friend, Jake, grabs his tools and drives 30 minutes to us and fixes the flat in a about 15 minutes.
Amazing.
We were able to make it home by 3:30 am, able to spend Mother's Day at home with kids.
That was a miracle.
The kind of episode we'll remember for years to come...
... every time we ride Bear Claw Poppy.
These rides and routes we know so well become our treasures because...
... that's where many of our best memories exist.
---
166
6.5 hrs sleep
No Strength work
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
83
>
WINNING IS NOT AN OPTION
IN ANY COMPETITION, it's possible to define winning as climbing to the top of the podium. The moment we finally pull it all together and...
... look down on those who tried and came up short.
There's a problem.
This isn't the reason we are training and racing.
Sure, every now and never we might find ourselves on one of the podium steps...
... maybe even the top.
We'll get the accompanying congratulations, and rightly soak up the moment.
But, winning?
Conquerer of all comers?
Champion for ever and ever?
Not us.
We know there is always something we could do better and...
... we are endlessly fascinated with our personal pursuit, scoreboard or not.
We want to know...
... what are we capable of accomplishing?
What's next?!!
---
165ish?
10 hrs sleep
Pushups and Presses
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
83
>
HAVE YOU HIT THE WALL OF GRAY?
AT THE TOP OF A 90 MINUTE CLIMB, I succumbed to the terrain. Not the steepness, not the wildness of the area. Gravely dirt had turned...
... from bird beaks to baby heads to small boulders.
OK, it was beginning to pitch straight up.
Climbing that stuff in 40 degree weather is easy to do in a jersey and arm warmers.
We're working.
Burning calories.
Creating all kinds of heat.
I stopped,
pulled my KOM Jacket from my back pocket...
... and started bombing back down.
Is this nirvana?
Not a soul around,
tacky, fast single track,
spring's green guard rails.
I came around a bend and saw a massive wall of gray.
Uh oh!
Off the trail,
on to the road,
I pressed harder on the pedals.
Drops of rain,
turned to frozen rain,
which turned to balls of hail...
... good thing I wore my most wholey, air-cooled helmet.
The icecream-type headache became...
... Crud, this could be bad.
I snagged a PR on this slight downhill bike trail, I've ridden dozens of times.
Nobody was out.
Duh!
Moral of the story?
Shift happens...
... get used to it, everything will be easier.
---
165ish?
9 hrs sleep
No strength work
0 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
THE GOOD THING ABOUT BEING GOOD
MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS A LEGIT CAT 2 ROADIE during peak road cycling days of late 80's, early 90's. Had I known that...
... I would have given him the thumbs up a lot sooner.
Who care's if they're happy together?
I've got someone to ride with at the family reunion.
Now, he's a good runner...
... because she's a good runner.
They do trailrunner things together.
Which means he's now merely a good cyclist.
That's the good thing about being an dedicated endurance athlete, with a little training...
... we can be good at just about any endurance activity we choose.
Not at the top of our potential, but in his case...
... the top of the relationship potential, by enduring together.
---
165ish?
8 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
JUST COMMIT, AND QUIT
ONE OF MY PALS has been out of the game for a while. Fitness dropped way down, and waist expanded somewhat out. He's back, and...
... he needs a kick in the lycra.
His words...
... I made the big climb 20 seconds faster this week, just need to ditch my blubber now.
So, I gave him the honest truth.
Stop eating bread and sugar.
He hemmed and hawed, admitting either one of those to evils where his kryptonite.
It's really simple...
... just commit, and quit.
This morning, I read about a 99 year old man who is still remarkably active. He had this to say about health...
... I weigh myself every morning, it's the best indicator of health. If I'm up a few pounds, I cut back my intake for a few days.
---
165ish?
9 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
86
>
WILL AI MAKE US SLOWER?
IT'S GOT AI! Yeah, AI will write your term paper. Set up your training plan for you. Of course, it will drive your car for you. And...
... make us slower.
At everything.
How does AI drive our cars?
It learns.
It learns to read the road,
calculate effects of weather,
anticipate the actions of other drivers.
Which means we don't,
or if we did once have the skill we start to lose it.
Take riding singletrack for instance.
Climbing it's not to challenging unless there are rocks and switchbacks.
We're going slow.
We have the time to make all the calculations necessary to ascend without putting our feet down.
When we turn around, it's all the same data coming at us but a lot faster.
One of two things will happen:
- We'll get behind on the calculations, panic and crash
- We'll slip into a state of flow
When we are in flow...
- We relax
- Things slow down
- We easily go much faster
... that is a beautiful feeling.
---
165ish?
8 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery
320 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
UNFORGIVING NATURE
WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED and the frozen rain turned to snow I realized staying warm could be an issue. I hustled back to the cabin because...
... nature is unforgiving.
I got back.
Cold.
The heat was on,
all was good.
Until the heater quit!
We crash.
We bleed.
We heal.
Hopefully we learn and remember things like...
- at high altitude it can always snow
- on rough terrain keep our bodies loose, fluid
- breaking down in a remote area takes longer to get back
... being prepared with gear, fuel and skills matter.
Nature is definitely unforgiving...
,.. all the more reason for us to be forgiving with each other.
165ish?
8 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery
320 minutes reading + Journaling
85
>
HOW TO CURE TRAINING BURNOUT
AFTER TEN WEEKS FOCUSED ON BUILDING BACK SOME FITNESS, I was feeling quite burned out. We're two weeks away from the Surf N Summit...
... not the time to quit training.
The last few days have been just what the doctor ordered.
- No agenda
- No plan or route or group
- No focussing on the computer readings
- Yes, let's explore a new area
Fast, slow, long, short, easy, hard.
Mountain biking is the perfect antidote for me.
It's not what I'll be racing this summer,
or needing for the 120 miles and 16000' of vert of the upcoming challenge.
Just fun and playful.
Still riding.
Still spinning.
Still filling the lungs with air,
and the legs with lactic acid.
But, with some jumps and berms and slides mixed in.
Burned out?
Change it up.
---
165ish?
8.5 hrs sleep
No Strength work
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
87
>
HOW TO PRETEND IT’S NOT A BIKE VACATION.
THE FIRST RULE OF BRINGING THE BIKE on a vacation is key. It’s not hiding it the back of the van or car, and it’s not saying…
… I’ll only ride if the amazing doll house tour falls through.
Rule No. 1: Make sure the important stuff is the priority.
Today, that meant a 3.5 mile hike out to Observation Point.
Fully appreciate it’s awesomeness.
Hike back 3.5 miles,
loving it.
Even if you have a nice blister brewing,
because you never hike or wear these shoes.
Follow that up with plans to grill up some dinner at sunset.
Once everything is taken care of…
… totally cool to check out the sweet local single track.
Exactly how my day went.
Perfect.
The single is a new addition the land here near my grandpa's cabin, which is the only reason a lugged the bike up here...
... to give it a more thorough inspection in the morning.
"May the 4th be with you"
---
The view down into Zion Canyon
One of my favorite things is my folding fire pit. Folds down, easy to travel with.
Found a place to do pull ups.
---
165ish?
9 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
86
>
SOME RIDES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHERS
I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT AS A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME. I’d just crushed my phone in the van’s door jamb. Ouch. But, not as big as the ouch that precedes…
… Is my bike okay?
And, too think, I was really enjoying a playful moment on challenging single track in Southern Utah.
Feeling good,
confident,
and fast.
Shoulda stayed humble,
cautious,
aware.
Going down a rocky ledge, my front wheel caught in a hole.
The bike stopped.
I arced high through the air.
We both landed among the jagged boulders.
Nothing on me was broken.
A few tears in my fuselage.
In flight, I’d been hyper aware of my recovering cranium.
Surfergirl got to see it all.
We laughed…
… It’s only a flesh wound!
Back at the trailhead, loading my bike into the van, I noticed the cracked seat stay.
It had taken a direct hit.
Cracked halfway through.
First day of our trip.
Ugh.
Drove straight to O’Reilly Autoparts.
This is gonna sound stupid, but ya got anything to repair carbon?
Like carbon fiber?
Just like that.
We’ll let’s see what JB Weld has.
Music to my ears.
I know JB Weld can fix a cracked radiator.
Tomorrow, I’ll see how their carbon repair formula holds up.
Wish us luck.
---
165.3
6 hrs sleep
No strength work today
0 minutes recovery
10 minutes reading + Journaling
88
>
DO YOU HAVE ATOMIC HABITS
IN ATOMIC HABITS, the great James Clear, made a point about how to write a best-selling book. He's sold 15,000,000 copies to date. His directive?...
... Be the book.
The point isn't that we should quit our day jobs and write a book,
though that would be a good excuse to ride, run and swim all day long.
However, as I think of my miraculous progress since coming out of ICU in January...
... two things are pretty obvious.
- I'm basically following my own protocol from The 30-Day Rip On RaceDay Challenge.
- I've made a few updates since I wrote the content for the challenge
For example, for the last 10 weeks I've been in the base-building phase.
It's gone pretty well...
- Fitness is up
- Weight is coming down
... but I have lots of top-end to recover.
True power has been offline since the last races of the previous year.
How am I going to get that back?
How did I build the base?
What are next steps?
Since I'm being the book,
I think I ought to write the book....
... take all the content, update it and put it in book form.
To do it right, I think I need a huge challenge.
Something ridiculous,
that would be a real test.
A reason,
a Why?
Something you might even want to get in on.
I'm not sure what it is yet.
But, it's percolating.
Stay tuned as the rehab continues.
---
165.8
7.5 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps and Dead Lifts
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
89
>
TAKING TIME TO RIDE FAST
TO BE FASTER THAN 99% of the competition, we need to value our 1%. Or, maybe several 1%s. Assuming we sleep for 8 hours, Do you?...
... we have 960 waking minutes.
One measly 1% block of our waking hours is 9.6 minutes.
What can we do with 1% of our day to get faster?
- Chop and prep a fresh salad
- Stretch
- A massage or Hypervolt session
- Meditate
- Clean and lube our chains
- Check our tires and brake pads
- PushUps and PullUps and Squats
Most of the things, like those above, we can do in less than 10 minutes...
... yet, we act like it'll take hours.
I do.
Maybe you don't.
It's not a question of if we have the time to get faster, but...
... will we use what we have correctly?
---
166
8 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps and Dead Lifts
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
86
>
MOMENTUM IS EVERYTHING
IT'S NOT THAT WE NEGLECT MOMENTUM, it's that we often don't respect it enough. As the great Sir Isaac Newton said, A bike in motion will stay in motion unless...
... acted upon by an outside force.
In other words, our legs move us forward, everything else...
... conspires to slow us down.
Everything.
Take turns.
Being able to carry our momentum through a turn means we spend less energy exiting the turn and getting back up to speed.
If we're really good,
we might make those behind work much harder.
If we're unskilled,
we spend all kinds of energy struggling to catch back on.
We get worn down by momentum suckers.
Remember, the corollary is Our parked bike will stay parked unless...
... acted upon by us.
---
166
8 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps and Dead Lifts
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
87
>
I DO NOT THINK YOU KNOW THE MEANING OF THAT ZONE
THERE ARE FEW GUARANTEES IN LIFE. One, however, is a lock. Invite your veryfast friends to do a recon ride where everybody is "committed" to ride zone two. Then...
... let the mayhem unfold.
Here's the bad and the good of it.
I felt bad right away.
Yes, I was suffering, sure.
But I was really feeling bad for all the suckers like me who thought this would be chill with a few efforts.
Instead, the first three hours...
... was one massive effort.
- 248 watts normalized power
- Average HR 150 bpm
- 3000' elevation gain
Probably nothing for you,
definitely something for me.
The gravel roads are shift right now.
Ruts all over the place,
stutter bumps everywhere else.
Fortunately, I decided to do some tire pressure testing today.
I aired down.
26 lbs vs my normal 30 up front.
28 lbs vs my normal 32 in back.
I rimmed out a handful of times, both wheels.
Mainly sharp edges or rocks.
Tires held up great - Conti Terra Speed 45s.
I think I can go lower.
No doubt when the trails are as nasty as they are it is muchmuch faster.
I also tested having breakfast before riding.
What?
Yeah, true.
I usually wake up at the last second and eat as soon as I start riding.
This morning, I was so excited I woke with tons of time.
A full hour.
I fired up a bowl of oatmeal,
dropped in frozen blueberries,
plus macadamia nuts for some fat.
It stayed down great.
Shocking given the hideous zone too-dang-fast we were pushing.
Definitely going to try that again because I felt really good.
That's it...
... hope your weekend is epic.
---
---
165.1
7.5 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps only
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
89 (fitness still down 30% from last year, and darn happy to be back at it)
>
HOW DO YOU STACK UP?
BEING A COMMITTED ATHLETE pays all kinds of dividends. Which is cool. What's cooler is deconstructing what we do and...
... seeing how we stack up.
Not against each other.
Just riding
or running
or swimming
won't do it.
For example, we also...
- Eat
- Sleep
- Maintain our equipment
- Study the latest info
- Might have a coach
- Make sure we have proper fit of all our gear
- Fine tune our body mechanics
- Get as aero as possible
- Test hardware
- Train with other committed athletes
- Challenge ourselves, long and short-term
- Have our "day jobs" squared away and thriving
- Prioritize family and friends
... and all that plus a lot more stacks,
compounds and
combines.
What can we add, refine, improve so we are truly...
... Ready To Rip On RaceDay.
...
By the way, I'm getting ready to launch dog tags with one of our sayings on one side and personal info on the other.
Would you like to know when they are ready?
---
165.5
8.5 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps only
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
82
>
IN A MOOD FOR VIOLENCE
IT'S BEEN JUST OVER TWO MONTHS since being able to start training after my mishap. Prior to that, it was 6 weeks off the bike or anything but walking...
... my fitness was zip.
Why do base at all?
Because I was effectively starting from zero.
Sure, I had decades of consistent riding, running, etc. But, I couldn't just jump right back into it.
I needed to give my body a break...
... and a chance to recalibrate.
It's been fun.
I've been able to do some group rides...
... hanging on, then getting dropped.
Base training is good for that, for building the aerobic engine.
It's not good for putting a sting into our efforts...
... or responding in kind.
That only comes from...
- Intervals
- Racing
... there's no other way.
The racing could be the kind where we pin a number on, spicy group rides, or getting after PRs.
The intervals, well there's a million ways to flog ourselves doing those.
In short,
we gotta do the explosive efforts.
There's no way around it.
It's not for everyone.
Only those who want to find out what they're really capable of.
Me, I'm targeting two days a week for the carnage.
Tuesdays.
Saturdays.
The key to success will be...
... showing up fresh, in a mood for violence.
---
165.1
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
83
>
JUST BELIEVE THIS ONE FACT
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF THEORIES: The Big Bang, Evolution, Creationism, even The Simulation. No matter which one, if any, you subscribe to...
... one fact remains.
This body is the only one we got.
I dunno why people treat 'em so badly.
Heck I've done plenty of bad myself.
But, there's nothing like racing to keep me on track.
Even just racing myself,
my times.
No matter what your beliefs...
... these bodies do their best when we eat clean.
Of course, there are a million beliefs on what that entails.
I keep it simple.
- No processed foods
- As much fresh veggies and berries as possible
- Plenty of protein
- Plenty of water
That's my belief of what actually works...
... and I think it's a fact.
Because every day we are building our bodies, it's important to remember...
... Every Day Is RaceDay.
---
167.1
8 hrs Sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
83
>
WITH ALL THY FITNESS, GET...
IS THERE MORE TO RACING, than racing? Well, yeah. Of course. A lot more, the only question is are we taking advantage of the opportunities. As the wise one said...
... With all thy fitness, get adventurous.
By that, I don't mean in a racy way.
The point is to go somewhere,
do something new,
unattempted.
We've got the fitness,
which too few people actually have,
so we can accomplish what most cannot fathom to attempt.
So, what's it gonna be...
- Ride across the country
- Travel to a remote destination
- Run the Grand Canyon rim to rim
- Go from hut to hut in Colorado
... pick something.
What's holding us back...
- A tour guide
- Language barriers
- Support in case things go wrong
... nothing that can't be solved.
Do it.
---
166.7
7 hrs Sleep
Pullups and Pushups
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
82
Tell us about it.
>
H0W ARE THEY SO EXPLOSIVE?
OK, WE GET IT THAT PROS ARE FASTER. Right? But, how they heck are they so explosive without racing? Asking for a friend, myself, and...
... anybody forced to train alone.
We gotta know.
- Personally, I enjoy the solitude.
- Others don't near other riders or group rides
- And, then there's those who's with uncooperative schedules
How are the outstanding pros doing it?
Not racing,
showing up and slaughtering their competition.
Intervals?
Well, personally I can't stand intervals for more than a few weeks without...
... wanting to take a hammer to my bike computer.
Riding and racing with the teammates?
That makes a little more sense, but only a little. Who wants to drill or get drilled by their trusted allies?
Way more rested?
Mmmmmaybe the non-racing leads to a more rested and ready body?
Healthier?
Because they aren't traveling so much:
- They aren't picking up colds and flues.
- They aren't eating whatever they can find.
- They aren't taking such large risks as when racing
E-racing?
Are they just getting on a trainer and duking it out with the online competition? If they are, don't they need to have fake profiles for privacy as well as less fitness?
Virtual racing?
Setting up race course segments on Strava and trying to beat the PRs?
I dunno, for me...
... ain't nothing like the real thing.
---
166.2
8 hrs Sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
80
>
GETTING PUSHED AROUND IN THE GROUP
THE RIDE WAS GETTING SPICEY. The pace increasing considerably, and the terrain going from flat to sawtooth. The legs were screaming, and...
... and I was moving backwards.
Then, it happened.
Just before the apex of quick power climb,
just when I needed it most...
... my pal, The Gambler, gave me some pedal assist.
Yep, he had the gaul to put his paws on my lycra and pushed me some.
And I loved it.
It was just the right amount
to keep me on.
Sly enough I quietly thought and hoped...
... Maybe nobody noticed.
That's thing about needing help.
When we could really use some,
we don't ask.
Good givers, like The Gambler, don't ask...
... the just give.
Without making a big deal about it.
---
165.8
9 hrs Sleep
No Strengthwork today
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
80
>
SHOULD WE LEARN TO TUMBLE?
LIKE MOST OF US, we have a group of regular riders. So far, 3 of the 10 of us have broken bones this year. One hit a tree skiing, one crossed wheels today...
... and, well, you know my saga.
I was off the back over the top,
and rolled up on the mishap.
If you're a real rider,
you've broken your collar bone.
Ok, I don't know if that's 100% true.
But, I have broken one,
while riding.
So, it's common.
And I gotta ask...
... Should we take tumbling lessons?
Would it help?
Would it keep us from doing the natural thing vs...
... rolling out of danger?
Maybe, sometimes.
Not a guarantee,
perhaps a skill worth...
- learning
- practicing
- investigating
... got a thought on this?
---
166.7
7.5ish hrs Sleep
No Strengthwork today
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
82
>
IS THIS THE BEST RIDE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?
IMAGINE A RIDE THAT FEATURES all the beauty and wonder of Southern California. The beaches, the shaded prairies, the tall forests with ski runs...
... covering all of it in a single day.
Oh, and almost no traffic.
Impossible you say.
Not.
100% possible.
It took us years to scout it.
Here are some pics from 2023... route below.
Here's the route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3216181932420212282
It's 120 miles, 15000' of climbing.
We start at Doheny State Beach and wind up in Big Bear, refueling at convenience stores and restaurants along the way.
It's almost all dirt most to Corona, then a 35-mile bike trail across the Inland Empire. At the bottom of the mountains, we jump on an abandoned logging road, and it's nearly all dirt to the top, and down into Big Bear.
Epic.
Insanely epic.
Are you game for the ride of the year?
Click here: https://pedalindustries.com/products/free-registration-for-the-surf-n-summit-california-5-18-24
---
Some of the FAQ's from a Zoom call yesterday.
Logistics:
1. Where to stay Friday Night? Dinner plans? Stay as close as you can to Dana Point, where we start… it’s only a few minutes drive to my house. We’ll have dinner at my place and go over last minute specifics.
2. Ride start time? Official Start is 6am, I highly recommend slower riders leave earlier to make sure we all get to Colton at the same time for the flat 35 miles across the Inland Empire – much easier in a group.
3. Where can we store bags? My van… Susie will drive it to Big Bear.
4. Confirm - unsupported? Any plan B options for repairs, crashes, etc.? It’s self-supported, be prepared.
a. Anyone we can hire to assist? Is there a way to transport overnight bag? Susie will drive it to Big Bear.
5. Big Bear
a. Anyone staying the night? TBD on this.
b. Transporation back to Orange County? TBD on this. Some ride back, some Uber back. We need a final head count.
5. Snow blocking trails? Currently yes, but it’s getting warmer and it’s a south facing climb, we should be fine.
People
1. How many people are coming and their capabilities? Unknown, people always commit and don’t show, others never commit and just show up.
a. We are locomotives not goats:). Likelihood of creating riding groups of different speeds (any forecasted pacing / finish times)? For sure start early, and KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD A ROUTE to your device. Any regrouping points? One for sure, in Colton at a convenience store… depending on pace, we might all meet up at Seven Oaks restaurant about 1/3 up the climb… some of us will do some extra climbing and single track at end of 35 mile bike trail, others will go straight to the climb, which is why we might end up there at roughly same time.
Nutrition
1. Where are the nutrition and water stops? ONeil Park is about 2 hours in, a campground with water and bathrooms. Do NOT dillydally at any stops. Next stop is Colton, about 4 hours away. These are my estimates for your speed.
2. Water stops on the final climb or is two bottles sufficient? At Seven Oaks restaurant, we can get water, soda, hamburgers, fries… depending on heat, 2-3 bottles. My bike holds 3.
3. Nutrition recommendations? 300-400 calories per hour. Whatever you like and sits well in your stomach. I like CarboRocket, 333 calories/bottle.
Equipment
1. Tire recommendation? I am running Continental Terra Speed 45s, with 32lbs in the rear, 28 in the front. Lots and lots of sealant before we roll.
What are the gravel sections like? Pretty nice, a little more rutted from rain run-off, but totally 100% ridable and fun. There’s a little single track where trail is currently flooded close to the start.
2. Other gear that would be helpful (e.g. hydration pack, lights). Lights for sure, early start, and maybe a late finish. Be able to carry 3 large bottles worth of water. Get a BLACK mosquito net, bugs can be nasty… we learned the hard way that the white nets reflect light which was blinding as the sun was setting.
3. Clothing recommendations? (Temp change to expect)? May is a tricky month, I’ll carry my KOM Jacket which is great for wind and water and small enough to go in my Barrito Bag … my bike will have a Barrito for the KOM jacket, and food and drink mix supplies in my Day Ripper bag. Only other item I’d carry would be arm warmers… but highly unlikely we’ll need them. My Wahoo died 30 minutes from the top… bring a battery booster.
---
166
7.5ish hrs Sleep
Pushups and Pullups
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
78
>
ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO BE...
I POLLED THE RIPPERS and 100% of them lift weights or do resistance exercise year round. Well, I was shocked by that. I had no idea if we rubbing off on each other...
... just hope.
In the beginning, after our first day with real weight, we often echo the great Cheryl Crow song...
... God, I feel like hell tonight.
Why do it?
- Strong bones
- Good posture
- Improved ability to handle challenges
Why not?
- Takes time
- Potential to get hurt
Here's my current program,
takes about 15 minutes.
- 6 pullups
- 18 pushups
- 10 shoulder press
- 5 pullups
- 15 pushups
- 6 squats
- 4 pullups
- 12 pushups
- 20 toe raises, 10 heel raises
- 3 pullups
- 9 pushups
- 10 curls (vanity muscles)
- 2 pullups
- 6 pushups
In other words, mainly pullups and pushups with something extra to break up the sets.
The focus is on large muscle groups.
In Natural Born Heroes: Mastering the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance, there's a strong emphasis on tendon strength being key to true athlete prowess. We develop that moving heavy weight with large muscle groups...
... the stuff we need to be fast.
For the bar...
- Jump up to the bar, and let yourself down slowly.
- Use a pullup assist machine
- Giant rubberbands
For pushups...
- Figure out hand positions that are comfy on the shoulders
- It's cool to start on your knees
Squats...
- Do air squats and put that arse in the grarsse
- Go half way down
Start somewhere,
just start.
---
166
7.5ish hrs Sleep
20 pullups 60 pushups 15 shoulder presses + other stuff
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
79
>
HOW TO OVERCOME INJURY
I'VE BEEN ASKED TWICE TODAY if I had any feelings of Why me? after my brain injury. And, how did I overcome that? Well, good questions because...
... we all gotta battle through the shiz.
During the darkest days, I only had one thought.
How can I fix this?
We've all been dealt multiple bad hands over the years, and if we think about it...
... we often come through them stronger, better.
It never seems like it at the time.
Our challenges, I believe, are our challenges, for a reason.
As rotten as they appear...
... they are personalized gifts.
If they weren't for our benefit and didn't totally suck,
they'd be easy to overcome,
requiring little effort,
personal growth,
or change.
With that in mind, I set about studying and researching how best to recover from this unplanned set back.
There's plenty of improvement still to be made...
... and that's exciting as hell!
---
166.7
8ish hrs Sleep
20 pullups 60 pushups 15 shoulder presses + other stuff
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
79
>
GIMME SHELTER
THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE A TAILWIND to blow the group to pieces. The palms were bending, for sure...
... this one was gonna hurt.
It's counter intuitive.
But, it goes like this.
Alone, a tailwind feels nice.
A chance to tap lightly on the pedals and fly along.
In a group, it's whole different game.
The strong go to the front and drill it.
'problem is, there's no draft,
no place to hide,
no rest.
Which is exactly how it went down today.
Three of us were rotating.
Hard pulls.
It felt terrible,
and great.
Nobody else was pulling through.
I didn't blame 'em,
it was hard as heck.
I glanced back...
... gap was 30 feet.
Then 300 feet.
Then, a slight bend in the road,
an every so tiny gap opened, and...
... I was ejected.
Just couldn't close it.
No draft.
How was the ride back up the coast into the wind?
Well, alone it woulda been a bear.
In the group, much easier.
Sure the brief moment pulling through stung a bit, then...
... it was right back to the shelter.
So, there you have it.
Tailwind, get on the front and get a gap.
Headwind, take it easy, nothings getting away.
---
168.4
9ish hrs Sleep
20 pullups 60 pushups 15 shoulder presses
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
78
>
DO LESS, AND OBSESS
CAN'T GET THIS CONCEPT OUTTA MY MIND, not because I've never considered it, because it's so darn rhymey. I coudn't say it better...
... Do less, and obsess.
Maybe I just needed to hear the message?
The idea of having 1 (one) 'A' race a year has always turned me on...
- It's more fun to have one focus
- dive into the nittygritty
- get granular
- geek out
... that's the shift I love.
Yeah, I might end up with a bike that's not good for much but a particular course,
training that is so specialized as to be worthless for everything else.
But, that's the point.
To be so singular,
to be uniquely prepared.
Then, and only then, I might have a chance...
... and that's all the hope I need.
When I'm that locked in, it's easy to treat...
... all other races as distractions at best.
Places to test...
- equipment
- strategy
- training
... nothing more.
When I'm that locked in, it's easy to commit...
... to training blocks and weight lifting.
When I'm that locked in, it's easy to see...
... the big picture.
To do less,
and obsess.
---
168.7
8ish hrs Sleep
20 pullups 60 pushups 15 shoulder presses
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
76
>
HE'S TRYING TO KILL ME
THE POOR WOMAN WAS RED IN THE FACE, if looks could kill her guide/date would be dead. They'd just cleared a very overgrown jungle and were now pushing their bikes up a rocky stretch...
... who could blame her?
Who could blame him?
Sometimes our sense of adventure...
... is total nonsense.
I could only laugh.
Don't kill him here, you need to get home first!
They had a ways to go.
We have about 5 weeks to prep for the SurfNSummit.
Yeah, it's far.
Lots of climbing.
But, still I'm surprised at how many people misjudge what it takes.
Some, think it's just impossible to complete...
... usually my most fit friends.
Others, show up with what appears to be no business attempting it...
... but, hope and the desire to do something epic.
It's one of those Henry Ford moments.
Whether you think can, or think you can't...
... you're right.
So, if you think you can ride 100+ miles with 15,000+ feet of climbing...
... click here to check it out:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/free-registration-for-the-surf-n-summit-california-5-18-24
---
168.2
9ish hrs Sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
76er
>
AN OBSERVATION ON UNEVEN POWER BETWEEN LEGS
ONE OF THE SETTINGS ON MY POWER METER shows the power put out by each leg. It can def ovewhelm for an entire ride, because we can...
... freak out about data we don't like.
It's on one of my Wahoo screens.
I see it from time to time on a ride.
Consciously trying to even out the power was annoying the heck out of me.
One leg was always stronger, unless I reallyreallyreallyreally focused.
Then, I had an idea.
Something to try,
that I used to do.
This came to me when I noticed standing and climbing,
power was always 50/50.
Hmmmm.
What's the difference?
Then I noticed,
same thing when it got steep and I really had to put out some power.
Well, that was nice to see...
... somewhat calming.
Hmmmm...
... how to do that all the time?
Welp, this is just an observation.
It might not work for you.
Meter could be mismonitoring, but this makes all the difference in the world...
... when I consciously focus on pedaling with the heels down.
What?
Really?
Yes.
What I think is happening is I'm eliminating a dead spot along the top of my pedal stroke...
... gonna verify with my genius bike fitter, Ashley.
---
167.3
8ish hrs Sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
78
>
THE WHAT AND WHY OF A PROPER EZ SPIN
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE LEGS TO COME AROUND, which means I had to actually dedicate myself to do some easy spins. Because, like most of us it's just...
... darn hard to go easy.
Or, is it just me?
First off, what constitutes an easy spin?
Two things:
- Low effort
- High rpm's
How low?
Very bottom of Zone 2, or anything in Zone 1.
How high?
90-100+ rpm's.
Why?
Well, one of my early coaches called it a Rinse Ride for a reason.
If we are really doing it correctly,
our legs feel all clean and springy because...
... we rinsed out the crud.
Why else?
- It's good on the brain
- Takes the pressure off, simply relaxing
- Great time to catch up with friends and chat while spinning
How long?
45-90 min seems about right.
The things we think about when we're just spinnin' ez.
---
166.9
8ish hrs Sleep
Just PullUps and PushUps today
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
73
>
EVER HAD THE CRUD BEAT OUT OF YOU, FOR REAL?
GROWING UP, we fought a lot. We were too weak to do much physical damage, but there was plenty of pride and shame on the line. It's not much different now...
... when we race.
If we truly get the crud beat out us by...
- the course
- the competition
- our worse, ourselves
... there is only one question.
Did we really get it beat out of us?
Or, are we destined to get pummeled over and over again because...
... the crud is still there?
Is our diet a joke?
Do our handling skills still stink?
Does our bike squeak and wobble?
'Cause if that crud is still there, then...
... it's not beat out of us.
We've just learned to live with mediocrity...
... and that's just plain cruddy.
---
167.8
8ish hrs Sleep
2 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
74
>
IS IT TIME TO CONSIDER ROAD PEDALS FOR OFFROAD?
WHEN I WAS PRE-RIDING LEADVILLE a while back, the phenom who would shatter the course record floated by me as I labored. He made it look so easy...
... was it the pedals?
99% of MTB racers,
dismount on that course.
There is no way they'd sport road shoes and pedals,
even though they are...
- Lighter
- More aero
- Offer better contact and efficiency
... because once fouled they're VERY difficult to get engaged.
Gravel,
is another deal.
Unless we are pushing the boundaries,
ripping single track,
slaloming sand...
... we're not going to dismount.
The only time would be if crashed,
or unclipped to rutter a turn.
In most gravel races,
that's not likely.
So, should we run the road set up offroad?
I have multiple friends who roll the dice in local XC races...
... and even the long, epic stuff.
It almost always works out great.
Worth the risk?
Up to you.
Worth testing?
100%.
---
167.6
7.5ish hrs Sleep
2 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
74
>
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TRAINING BIG BLOCKS?
A QUESTION CAME UP LAST NIGHT ON OUR ZOOM CALL. Have you ever trained big training blocks like Keegan Swenson just posted. Good question...
... does it work?
Maybe.
Here's what I can tell you from personal experience.
18 months ago, I was prepping for my insane time goal at Leadville.
I was really committed.
Holed up in Breckinridge all by myself,
for the month prior.
It's easy to be selfish with the time,
when you're by yourself.
The race is in August.
In July, I did..
- 20 hours
- 22 hours
- 25 hours
... a lot more than my normal 10-12 hours a week.
It was very race specific training.
Lots of Zone 2.
Recovery
was key.
I came out of that in awesome shape,
and had the best race
of
my
life.
Does it work for everybody?
I have no idea.
But, I'll definitely do it again when prepping for a once in a life quest.
----
168.9
7.5ish hrs Sleep
2 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
73
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
THINGS TO CHECK FIRST...
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK a race, the chief being the bike. Bikes don't win races, but they sure can make things a lot harder...
... or a lot easier.
As I went through my checklist, I found a few issues:
- Rear brake pad smoked
- Sealant dried out
- Battery low
It's kinda nice to have brakes that work, especially with a ripping downhill like Saturday's.
The course should be in pretty good shape, but that doesn't mean a small wire or piece of glass couldn't be a day-ender without sealant.
And c'mon...
... ya can't ride these modern bikes without good batteries.
And, I'm not just talking about the derailleur batteries. Many of the shifters have their own small batteries.
I have made the mistake of not checking the shifter batteries.
Heck, I didn't even know about them until the start of the Filthy 50 a couple of years ago. I didn't warm up, just saddled up and headed to the start.
Typically MTB XC start... everybody pinned to get to the single track first...
... I got there last.
Shifter was dead, I was spun out and then spit out.
15 minutes later, with some help from the mechanic on site, I was back at it.
Which is exactly why I came up with the RaceDay Bike Checklist, and made it into a sticker.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/raceday-ready™-checklist-stickers
For about a year now we've been shipping the stickers out with each RaceDay Bag purchase. They're great for tool boxes and benches.
Here's a link to check 'em out:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/raceday-ready™-checklist-stickers
----
168.7
8.5ish hrs Sleep
2 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
71
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
THE HEROIC MOVE
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT RACING GOING ON. Locally, regionally, internationally. Sometimes we witness the unfathomable attack from impossibly far out, other times...
... a second or third wind, for the win.
By inches.
We shouldn't be impressed.
I'm mean,
it's cool.
We all cheer.
But the truth is the victory was secured long ago.
When nobody was cheering.
It was dark,
lonely,
cold.
The alarm was more drill sergeant, than fan.
In those moments...
... the heroes make their moves.
If we're lucky,
we witness the results.
---
169.1
9ish hrs sleep
No strength work today
20 minutes recovery
180 minutes reading + Journaling
72
>
IT'S LIKE THE SUN GOING UP ON ME
40 DEGREES, 80% HUMIDITY ain't nothing. Combine that with a dawn start, the sun hidden behind the hills, and, well, when you're going 20+ mph in your underpants...
... it's bonechilly.
I left the knee warmers behind.
No vest.
No jacket.
Just arm warmers,
a base layer,
skull cap.
It's risky,
we might freeze,
this is how we do it...
... when we know sunny times are ahead.
So are they?
Whether we are enjoying the longer days,
recovering from an injury,
just getting back at it...
... we hope and plan for...
- better fitness
- decreased fatness
- all things to improve
... it's a process.
And, we know it.
Just like the sun coming up,
we imperceptibly rise to the occasion.
That's how today was for me.
Still got dropped,
but made it a little further.
I'll take it.
Here's a snapshot of where things stand.
There's nothing like a good fitness journey.
How's yours going?
---
168.7
8ish hrs sleep
10 Pullups 30 Pushups
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
73 (per training peaks)
>
MY DUMBEST PREDICTION YET
PARIS-ROUBAIX IS SUNDAY. I can't wait. It's always so fun to watch, and such a battle of machine, mind, and bike handling. Lots of drama, and this year...
... is starts before the famed Arenberg Forest.
The forest is always crazy.
Mud.
Cobbles.
A massive battle for the front ensues for those who want the best chance of getting through with the lead group...
... unscathed.
This year, the organizers decide a chicane right before entering the forest would be a good idea.
Less dangerous.
I looked at the layout.
Here's my prediction.
Rather than racing for the forest entrance to avoid carnage...
... they will race to the chicane.
And...
- have plenty of lycra on the pavement.
- or in the barriers
- or both.
... I hope I'm wrong.
Then, we have to wonder, at least I do, what is the point of racing?
Call me crazy, but I think part of it is to show bike handling prowess.
We're still gonna see it with the chicane.
Just seems like a little chicanery...
... to appease, who?
---
169.1
8 hrs sleep
15 Pullups 50 Pushups 40 Shoulder Press... no legs today.
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
69
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
BLOOD. WORK.
DON'T BE LIKE ME. Because I never get sick, I never go to the doctor. Which meant I never had my blood work done. You're too smart for that...
... here's why.
By regularly getting the blood work done, we have a baseline for "our" normal.
I don't have that.
When I had the brain injury a few months ago,
things changed.
The brain is our command center, telling the body what to produce and control and do, etc.
A brain injury often causes issues with how the body is regulated.
Today, we reviewed my blood work which was drawn a few weeks ago.
Some markers are out of range - too high on some, too low on others.
Bad news is...
... I have no reference point of "my" normal.
Could be genetic, could be from the injury.
Good news is...
... we know where I'm at, and have some corrective measures to take.
Bonus, most indicators are positive for my body, and with my overall health.
Dr. Cory King, my functional health doctor from Encinitas, went over it all with me.
Nothing too scary...
... but definitely areas to not ignore.
Things like cholesterol levels, vitamin levels, etc. that can have negative effects if left untreated.
So, we'll chock this up as another blessing from my brain injury.
Regardless of your awesome health.
Find out where you are at,
things can probably be improved.
Consider this a gentle and loving nudge from me to you...
... get the blood work done.
---
169.4
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
70
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
CHEAT CODE
HERE'S A DIRTY LITTLE SECRET. Okay, maybe it's not all that dirty but it is secret and fact is it's...
... a cheat code for life.
There's a reason we get out and do our thing.
Sure, it's great to be in shape.
Have that come what may attitude.
Fact is, even though the fitness is great...
... there's something better.
- The problems we solve
- Ideas we come up with
- Freedom to think
We often, nearly always, return...
... renewed.
Ready
To
Kicka$$
Even when,
especially when...
... we've rung out our body's energy supply.
---
169.1
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and pushups
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
70
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
STRUGGLING WITH WEIGHT... TRY NOT
SINCE MY AWESOME START TO THE YEAR, knocking myself out and spending a 5 days in ICU, my metabolism has changed. This is not uncommon, given the standard protocols...
... and now I'm pissed.
I didn't ask for this, and that is not the problem.
I haven't asked for a solution.
I have forgotten my own wisdom.
Well, on the eve of my bday, yesterday, I was asked...
... What do you want?
Get my lycracovered buns back in fighting shape.
I went to bed with a question...
... How do I get back to my normal, leanish self?
I woke up with an answer.
A book recommendation appeared on my Kindle.
Feast., Fast. Fit. by Fred Duncan.
It wasn't new information for me.
Heck, I preach it.
It's worked in the past.
I believe it will work again.
The lesson?
It isn't get on the diet train...
... it's ask the right questions,
and expect answers.
- How can I get lean?
- How can I climb faster?
- How can I stay cool in the blistering heat?
- How can I complete a century without bonking?
- How can I reduce the drag created by my bike and body?
Try not.
Ask or ask not.
---
170.3
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and pushups
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
70
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
THOU SHALT CARE FOR THY HANDS
TAKING CARE OF THE HANDS is importante. Road, is pretty straight forward. So is MTB. Gravel, well, it's got it's own challenges...
... what can we do?
I've seen plenty of ruined hands...
- brutal gripshift blisters
- palms filled with asphalt gravelly stuff
- a thumb's skin pealed from under the nail past the first knuckle
... all of it could have been spared with gloves.
Personally, I prefer very lightweight fullfinger gloves.
But, that ain't gonna help on the gravel bike.
No suspension.
What can we do?
I double wrap my bars with a good soft tape.
- helps with vibration
- displaces pressure points across a wider area
I was reminded of how great this is just last week.
It'd been a while since I'd ridden the roadie, been riding the gravel bike on and off road a ton.
As soon as I got going the bars felt weird.
Sharp.
Oh yeah, the single wrap bar.
It's lighter.
More aero.
But, I'd never go back to a single wrap on the gravel bike.
---
170.5
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and pushups
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
67
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
WHICH NUMBERS ARE WE CHASING?
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE between the kinds of numbers some of us focus on putting up. Some chase big power numbers, while others chase small numbers...
... what's the corresponding motivation?
You know.
Are we more interested in the low numbers: 1st, 2nd, 3rd...
... or, increasing our own personal power numbers?
Do we need everybody to see us on the podium...
... or, are we thrilled when we privately snag a new PR?
We can go out to the race,
or we can design our own incredible adventure.
We can train to beat everybody,
or our training can help us live our best lives.
They're not necessarily mutually exclusive,
there are four seasons for a reason.
---
169
8.5 hrs sleep
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
67
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
IS IT TIME TO STOP BINGING?
SATURDAYS ARE MY DAYS. All week long, I look forward to getting up early and rolling out with no particular plan but wasting time via hours in the saddle...
... I call it binge riding.
Not today.
It was raining
When that happens on the 6th day of the week,
my day,
I'm typically grumpy.
This time,
I was looking forward to it.
Why?
Honestly, I'd been binge riding too much.
Too many days in a row spent
slipping out after work
staying out too long...
... the time change being my enabler.
I was unconsciously due for a break.
Some call it overtrained...
... overbinged is more accurate,
for me.
---
168.2
7.5 hrs sleep
Lots of pull ups, pushups and squats.
10 minutes recovery
180 minutes reading + Journaling
68
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
THE OL' WHAT IF YOU KNEW...
THESE TWO PUNKS SHOWED UP TO MY HOUSE, and dragged their dear ol' dad out for his favorite thing. Riding MTBs with them...
... that wasn't the best part.
Sure, it was fun to keep up with 'em.
Mostly.
Then, completely overdoing it at Cheesecake factory.
The best part was dropping by the Audi store...
... and hotrodding around in a $70k RS3.
So.
Dang.
Fast!
It's good to get in the dream car, and throw it around some corners...
... to keep the dreams alive.
But, what if it wasn't a dream.
What if...
... you knew you could PR any segment, win any race?
What would it be?
If we don't know,
can't quickly answer the question..
... likely not going to happen.
But,
what
if
we
knew...
... then,
what would we do with today's training?
---
1680
7.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
69
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
JUST BECAUSE IT'S FREE MEANS...
SO MUCH INFORMATION, and so much of it free. Free is a weird price, because we know it's gonna cost time and there's probably...
... an ask down the road.
Don't be fooled.
Sometimes the really expensive stuff is great,
sometimes it's terrible.
Same for free.
Price is a signal.
Should we be swayed?
I recently got an offer to save 30% on a $6000 frame.
6K!!!...
... must be awesome.
Maybe.
But, how do we know?
Really?
The glossy magazine ad?
The pro riding it to a win?
It can be frustrating.
When it comes right down to it, most of us...
... are swayed by our friends' reviews.
Like these -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/reviews...
... which I'm extremely grateful for.
---
168.3
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
69
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
DOES YOUR DOG BITE?
THE GREAT INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU encounter with a dog is classic. The dog is off leash, he asks Does your dog bite? The answer is, No. He bends to pet the dog...
... only to have the dog viciously latch on to his hand!
I thought you said your dog does not bite?
That is not my dog.
I thought about that since Surfergirl has...
- demanded
- pleaded
- asked
... that I let her track me on my rides.
I feel like a dog on a leash.
The Jason Bourne in me wants none of that.
There's nothing to hide,
when I ride.
But, really?
She does have a point.
I often venture into the wild.
Signs with warnings of mountain lions and snakes about.
Trails are often treacherous to the bike,
and potentially me.
Humans few and far between.
If, if, if I should need a rescue,
which I never have...
... I'll just need two things.
A cell signal...
... and a friend who cares.
It's kinda romantic when ya think about it,
guess we're doing all right.
---
168.2
8ish hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
69
Do you want to Rip On Raceday?
>
I WANT TO LEARN FROM YOU
AFTER GETTING BLOWN OUT THE BACK OF OUR LOCAL GROUP RIDE, I received a humble message. A cry for help...
... what could he have done different?
First we had to get through the fake excuse.
I had to meet my wife for dinner.
That's a good one.
Is there anything I could have done different when I closed the gap?... one thing, I was the last rider when that happened.
Good question.
What could he do different?
Did you get popped off after the gap closed or did you rotate on up to the front?
I rotated through,
then blew.
Sometimes it is easy to close the gap then rotate through because you have some momentum. Other times it's better to just hang on and recover for a bit.
How do I know this?
Partly experience, and partly because someone took the time to teach me whatthehell was heppening.
My guess is you're like me, the goto person in the neighborhood when it comes to bikes by virtue of the fact that you regularly ride...
... it's super cool to help people out.
Still, we all have much to learn...
... and, I want to learn from you and share with you.
If you want to share your knowledge, and I'm sure you have a lot, join the RaceDay Ready community.
It's new.
This is where to ask questions, share knowledge, breakthroughs, tips, etc...
... it's tempting to hold back, keep your secrets.
That's fine. This isn't for you. This is for people that want to learn from others, be generous with what they know,
... and accelerate their progress.
Please, join our Slack channel HERE.
This is new to PEDAL Industries. Anybody can join.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Should this be the official RaceDay Ready hoodie?
I dunno, but it's pretty cool. I get compliments all the time.
Plus!, grants early access to this limited edition kit
$35
Order Now, quantities are limited and dwindling.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
163.2
7ish hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
20 minutes recovery
50 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
MY GUTTY LITTLE BRUINS
MY GUTTY LITTLE BRUINS. Dangit, they taught a helluva lesson tonight in the NCAA basketball tournament...
... one we can all learn from.
Up by 13 at the half.
Down by 10 with 2 minutes to go.
Oh, crud I can't watch any more.
Be positive.
I can't take it.
Ya never know.
UP BY 1 WITH 12 SECONDS TO GO!!!
How many times do we think we have it all under control in a race, only to find ourselves in a real battle?
How often do we feel overpowered and scratch and claw our way back to the front of the race?
That finish line.
That dern finish line!
Can't get it to it fast enough when we're ahead...
... coming at us too fast when we're behind.
But, here's the lesson I learned tonight and the reason locals have referred to them as the gutty little Bruins for decades...
... they kept playing.
All 40 minutes.
Never did they waiver from their plan or look lost.
The kept relentlessly pressing and shooting and hustling...
... until the very last second.
Can we ask more than that?
Can we ask more of ourselves?
My gutty little Bruins will weep tonight, but as my dear ol' Bruin dad said...
... They'll live to fight another day.
The world is relentless.
Competitors are relentless.
The finish line is always approaching...
... we have to be relentless,
in all we do,
everything,
always.
Tonight I was relentless on the group ride...
... thanks to this wonder product. 
Use code: DONTbeAbaby
And save 33%... code will expire TOMORROW, 3/24.
----
163.3
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
70 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
WE HAVE TO BE MUCH STRONGER
I WENT TO BED WITH RAIN FORECAST. To my delight I woke up to sunshine. Did my rituals, filled up some bottles, grabbed my bike...
... flat tire.
Rookie move.
Always check yer gear the night before.
Things got interesting.
Snagged my forgotten gravel bike.
One bottle cage.
Battery dead.
Tires low.
Now I'm late.
As I'm hustling down the coast to meet the henchmen, I see a massive cloud of grayness dipping all the way to the ocean...
... freakin' rain!
Worse.
The road closure along the way was actually warranted. I've had wheels swept out from underneath me in fast moving water, so I did...
... the ride of shame home.
Drenched, speeding through dropping temps, I was losing the ability to shift my already ridiculouslyeasytoshift gear.
But, ya know what?
I loved it.
I'd put all my bitcoin, which ain't much, on a bet that exactly...
... ZERO % of my neighbors friends or family would enjoy the morning like I did.
Well, maybe Rocky, the retired fireman...
... he's an 80 year old beast.
Which brings up why cycling and running are so awesome...
... our stadium is the great outdoors.
We don't just battle competitors,
we battle the elements.
Pros don't ask the onlookers to whisper...
... fans are in their faces and shoving them.
This is a sport for warriors.
Which means, we have to be stronger.
Strength takes preparation, which is what I thought about all morning late to my freezing ride.
We have to regularly battle the elements, ride through equipment challenges, and do our dawgawn...
- Push Ups
- Pull Ups
- Squats
... or we're gonna be weak just like so many of our neighbors, friends and family.
With any luck, they'll see us coming back from an epic adventure with our supersilly grins and...
... be inspired to get out and do something.
Ideally with us.
Good thing a lathered up with PR lotion this morning...
... got me home quick.
Are you ready to rip on RaceDay?
Use code: DONTbeAbaby
And save 33%... code will expire after 30 uses or 3/28, whichever comes first.
----
163.5
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
POLARIZED TRAINING MADE EASY
(excerpt from RaceDay Ready, the book I'm working on)
I WOKE UP SEVERAL TIMES LAST NIGHT WITH THE SAME DREAM. I knew it was about polarized training and that I needed to share it with you.
But, I didn’t understand it.
There was a hill about a quarter of a mile high. At the top was a grayish granite boulder. Pristine. Clean. No dirt. The path to the boulder was smooth and straight.
About 50 yards to the right was another boulder. This boulder was the same size and color, the same boulder really, but it was covered in dirt and dust. The path leading up to it was rutted and rocky and would be a real challenge to ascend.
Polarized training kept bouncing around my thoughts each time I woke up.
What did the dream mean?
Then it hit me.
The clean rock on the left with the straight and smooth path represented polarized training. The dirty rock with the rutted route represented what most of us do before figuring it out.
On the left side representing polarized training the ground below and the rock above were bathed in sunlight. The meaning here is either train in Zone 2, the bottom, or train very hard, the top of our efforts. Spend no time in between.
What most of us do, is the right side. We quickly leave Zone 2 and train the middle area between the bottom and the top. We stay there too long. Consequently, we do not have the power to reach the top. Instead, we are left to struggle in various ruts. The rock, rather than a shine beacon of hope and power becomes tarnished, dirty. Eventually, we cannot even see the rock. Our vision vanishes and, stuck in our ruts, we fail to reach the top and fall over.
Here is what is happening physiologically when we practice polarized training:
- Our cardiovascular system becomes very robust and our endurance increases.
- Our max power increases.
The result is:
- We can go faster in Zone 2 because we have more power.
- We can go longer during max efforts because we have better endurance.
The dream, I hope, illustrates our options.
- Be powerful and able to endure.
- Struggle and never reach the top.
Bringing back to the title: 80% of our training is fun, enjoyable miles and time; 20%, more or less, is extremely hard.
Since the hard efforts are spaced out with lots of Zone 2 in between they aren’t mentally draining. In fact, we look forward to unleashing all the holding back we’ve been doing during the balance of our riding.
Polarized training is training made easy.
We aren't the only ones using PR Lotion on our hard and race days...
... power house road team JUMBO-VISMA announced yesterday they've been using the key ingredient, sodium bicarbonate, to ride harder and longer.
They are using an ingested form.
PR Lotion was developed because most people's stomachs cannot tolerate the sodium bicarbonate. The get the trots...
... is that what hit Tom Dumoulin in the Giro?
Why risk that...
... especially with this outrageous savings code below?
Use code: DONTbeAbaby
And save 33%... code will expire after 30 uses or 3/28, whichever comes first.
----
164.2
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
HALFWHEEL COMEDIANS
WE ALL HAVE A HALFWHEELER IN OUR LIVES, a friend who's just gotta be half a wheel ahead regardless of the speed. It bugs some people...
... I think it's funny.
First off, who doesn't like to halfwheel a pal just to needle 'em a bit?
C'mon.
It's fun.
But, I said funny and funny is morebetter than fun.
Ok, so there's the friend who constantly halfwheels who you know is gonna halfwheel and it's your friend so you just have to laugh because you know it's gonna happen and you're gonna have to say something or even better...
... ride even slower.
Whole wheel 'em, whole bike 'em.
Just to mess with 'em.
That's friendly funny.
Then there's unfriendly funny.
Where two people who don't know each other rotate to the front of the group in a double paceline.
Gawsh I love this one.
First your pal, who you dearly love, nudges a bit a head, then newrider realizes what has happened and...
... it's even better when I know both riders but they don't know each other and I know they are both chronic halfwheelers...
... newrider lifts the pace a bit.
Back and forth,
the pace increases.
I've seen a leisurely ride shift up to 24... 25... 26... 27... to a near sprint, and here's the best part...
... they are so unconscious neither one is aware of Whattheheck is going on here!
Why do halfwheelers halfwheel?
Derned if I know.
Human nature.
One upping.
Like on our spin this afternoon, LoveWatts rode over to my place then we rode together. I rode him back to his house and commented...
I'm riding you back so we are even on miles today.
Uh-huh.
Hey isn't that your house?
Yep.
Aren't you pulling?
Sure.
That sunuvagun kept riding back towards my place just to out mile me today!...
... now what are we gonna call that?
This PR Lotion special promo STILL has me ticked off!
I loaded up on inventory so we could all stick it to the halfwheelers...
... that's how much I love you.
Alas, I have way too much inventory.
So I have a temporary insane offer at 33 FREAKIN' % savings!
It won't last.
Smart people are buying multiple bottles.
Use code: DONTbeAbaby
And save 33%... code will expire after 30 uses or 3/28, whichever comes first.
----
164.4
7ish hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
DO YOU WHEELSUCK OR JUST SUCK?
WE ALL SUCK. From time to time, we find ourselves glued to that wheel in front of us. The question is are we...
... sucking with purpose?
On yet another ride, a bunch of us worked hard on the front for miles and miles.
On yet another ride...
that dude we haven't seen since the meet up,
who hasn't had a whiff or sniff up front,
who's been leisurely hanging on,
while we suffer...
... stuck it to us at the finish.
Do I care?
I try not to,
but I do.
Silly.
Petty.
I know.
I should be grateful, because there's always some wily hack who tries that in a race...
... and, sometimes makes it work.
We gotta be vigilant for such wheelsuckery.
One thing is fursure...
... we can't suck our way to fitness.
The art of wheelsucking ain't easy to master, which is why...
... so many riders just suck.
When training with riders who are a lot faster, it's easy to convince ourselves we should be sucking.
We shouldn't.
We need to get our lycracladbuns to the front and pull through,
no matter how brief.
Pull through,
just for a second.
Get that fitness,
earn that grit,
be a boss.
Two things will happen:
- (self) Respect will be gained.
- We quickly learn it's easier to pull through than dangle.
Dangling is for babies and those about to blow.
I've dangled plenty o'times...
- Lungs bursting
- Blood pounding
- Tunnel vision turning to stars
... I've never dangled like that and had any power or game at the end of the ride or race.
That is wheelsucking to greater fitness at the mercy of superior athletes...
... anything less is just sucking.
Why are so many people sucking?
- They are afraid, I get it.
- They spend too much time on the trainer, indoors watching TV or scrolling while pedaling and have lost the feeling, the art of wheelsucking with purpose. They have become soft, unsure of themselves and their abilities to do more than simply suck.
I'm down with wheelsucking with purpose...
... not with sucking.
What about racing, particularly the road, where speeds are high and drafting matters?
That's where wheelsucking with purpose makes a difference. It's an art to get sucked along, to pull through when the speed eases, to be as efficient as possible, to fake we are tired when we merely pulling back the arrow...
... before shooting for greatness.
That is wheel sucking with purpose...
... not sucking.
What about when we're out of shape, tired, in over our heads?
Sometimes we just gotta hang on. Hanging on as long as we can on a group ride can be an incredible workout. If it's the same route each week, making it to the next corner or hill or climb can be such a rush.
That is wheel sucking with purpose...
... not sucking.
There are many good reasons to be wheelsucking...
... none to suck.
Am I truly grateful to the suckers who stick it to us on a group ride?
Nope.
I'm trying to be,
but, as a human I kinda suck at gratitude.
The good news is we don't have to be grateful for these suckers,
we can harness that angst,
and learn and prepare,
to be faster,
and win.
(that book above talks a lot about courage and resistance and being pro)
This PR Lotion special promo has me kinda ticked off!
Like a drunken fool, I purchased way to much inventory thinking y'all'd be like me and use this for every blistering ride or race...
... when we don't want to just suck.
I have way, way too much inventory.
To make matters worse, I posted it was 25% off yesterday... it's 33% off.
It's an insane deal, it won't last.
Don't wait, smart people are buying multiple bottles.
Use code: DONTbeAbaby
And save 33%... code will expire after 30 uses or 3/28, whichever comes first.
----
163.8
8ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THIS GUY ALWAYS BEATS ME, DANGIT!!
I HATE TO ADMIT THIS, but it's true. There are some people when I see their names on the start list I automatically think I got no chance. This morning...
... I had that feeling.
There, on the start list for an upcoming race was the name of a friend who beats me like a drum.
It's bad.
He just waits for the final climb and rides away.
I'm not alone.
Sometimes, on reallyreally long races like Crusher In The Tushar I can get him.
It's rare, bloody quivering rare.
Being that I've oversubscribed to too many races in the next 6 weeks I instantly thought...
... Let's focus on something else.
I could hear Fat Bastard...
... He kinda looks like a baby!
Dangit!
Then, I started thinking about it. A lot. So much so that I had to hop to the porcelain throne and unload my worries.
Where they worries?
Maybe.
I thought about it some more...
... it's been raining nobody likes training in the rain but I've been in the desert racing and got a big fitness bump and I'm feeling pretty good and maybe just maybe I can take this fitness and massage the coming weeks to take it a bit higher via the races between now and then which aren't road races but MTB and will definitely be filled with threshold efforts and in between the racing in can do some punchy group rides and my weight is back near fighting shape and when I'm as light as I was last summer I can climb a lot better and maybe I'll have some luck since nobody really knows me these days on the road because I race road so infrequently and perhaps I'll sneak away and as the great Lloyd Christmas said...
... So you're telling me there's a chance. YEAH!
There's always a chance.
Life gets in the way,
plans change,
tires flat.
The most exciting thing about this race...
... there's 5-10 other frenemies gonna show up.
And that, my fine lycracovered friend, is my plan too.
There's a chance I overdid it a bit today - check that photo at the top. I was just so excited after my pep talk to myself I couldn't resist.
Time to put the feet up and recover.
Because I'm gonna need to do some serious 2-5 minute efforts next week, you know I'll be applying the PR Lotion.
Just fer fun... there's a promo code down there + FREE shipping.
Use code: DONTbeAbaby
And save 25%... code will expire after 10 uses or 3/28, whichever comes first.
----
162.3
7.5ish hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
THE RHYTHM THAT MATTERS
RIPPING ON A BIKE IS A LOT LIKE DANCING. You've got to have the rhythm of the thing or you look like a wanker. It's the same in everything really...
... and, I've been out of rhythm lately.
About a year ago I found a really good work, ride, husband rhythm and I've been surprisingly productive.
Prior to that, I was still dancing to the kid at home beat.
- Up early
- Ride
- See 'em off to school
- Work
- See 'em
- Tuck 'em in
On weekends, I'd still get up crack o'dawn.
My weekend warriors always complained,
Why so early?
I wanna get back before kids get going.
This worked pretty darn good for decades. Kept me in decent shape, got me out with the fellas, got me into nature, got me the sunrises I love to see.
Then I read a book in 2015, The 5 Hour Workday. He proposed working from 8-1. No breaks. Just grind.
I liked the idea and attempted it several times since reading it. I say attempted because invariably I'd get thrown off track.
- Rides running later than 8
- Poor work output due to lack of sleep - gotta get up early to be seated by 8.
These were the top two problems.
About a year ago, I recommitted and moved all my riding to afternoons. The exception being Saturday. I still like to get out early and meet the hardest sonsaguns on two wheels, and that means mornings.
I liked the changes of the new beat, and it showed.
- We shut down the office and retail store
- Outsourced shipping
- Increased our sales
- Increased our product offering
- Improved our ad spend
- Built a new, virtual work team to support me
My weekdays now look like this:
- 6-8 read, journal, RaceDay Ready resistance exercises
- 8-1 grind
- 1-2 lunch
- 2-4 grind
- 4ish-7ish ride
- 7ish dinner with Surfergirl, maybe watch a movie together
- 830ish write a blog post if not already done
- 930ish stretch, do some hypervolting
- 10ish hit the hay
This has been a really productive rhythm for me: socially, mentally, spiritually and physically.
During the week it's common for me to intermittent fast until 1pm. The key is pushing through the urge to eat around 9-10, then I can easily go to 1 or even 2pm. No problem.
One day a week, I get up to the factory and check on production, QC, etc.
Weekends are similar. Still hitting it early on Saturday. Surfergirl gets out on the water. The afternoons usually involves chores or catching up on work. Sunday is the day of rest, and I've been honoring that for 30+ years now and absolutely love it...
... I'm thinking of not blogging on that day and unplugging completely.
Now, why am I sharing all this?
I think a lot of you are like me, trying to find a rhythm to groove to. When were in that groove, life is so much easier and pleasant. When we're out...
... we just aren't as productive as we could be.
For example, one of the new products we added was a RaceDay Bag for running...
... and we ran out.
I blame it on the recent travels, but I also think the rain had a lot to do with it. We've had so much rain and I've been going out in the windows the weather has presented. Weak, I know.
The good thing is we make everything here.
We aren't employing kids in China or other parts of Asia.
We don't have to wait for a boat and pray the dock workers are working.
I was thinking about that the other day. The world is a weird place and their are tremendous forces in play. The fact that we are producing here, in a strict state, is a huge advantage to us and I don't think I talk about it enough.
Where your gear comes from matters.
So, we got out heads together and added Made In USA to our logo above.
The only thing we haven't been able to make here is gloves, it's a leather thing. Weird, that weird world again. One day we'll get that mastered.
In the meantime, I'm listening to my inner drummer and following my celestial band leader...
... so I can rip on raceday.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
This is such a powerful tool for accomplishing great things throughout the year.
Just yesterday SurferGirl was in here looking at what I have planned and writing in things of her own, and family things, etc.
Gotta keep all the bandmates in tune and on the beat.
$30, shipping included.
Stock is dwindling, I'm not making more.
Ships free.
Can make in your team colors.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
----
162.4
7.5ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE 1 THING PROS DO AND AMATEURS DON'T, BUT COULD
I LOVE PRO RACING. Seeing the teams, the attention to detail, the whole attitude and vibe pros radiate. The weird thing is...
... some pro's are so amateur and some amateurs are so pro.
The difference isn't...
- Money
- Sponsors
- Equipment
- Training time
... nope, it's something so obvious it's easy to miss.
A bit of background:
Amateur (noun)
1784, "one who has a taste for some art, study, or pursuit, but does not practice it," from French amateur "one who loves, lover" , from Latin amatorem "lover, friend," agent noun from amatus, past participle of amare "to love"
Pros love racing.
Amateurs don't love racing enough.
It shows in everything pros do.
Sponsored or not.
Amateurs wing it.
Pros leave nothing to chance.
Weekend warriors vs.
Every Day Is RaceDay.
Every single day the pro works on their craft. They rest like pros, eat like pros, sleep like pros, recover like pros, train like pros.
It's not a matter of time as much as it's a matter of dedication and consistency.
I've seen amateurs spend ride a lot, spend immense sums of cash...
... only to be smoked by a pro on a mid-level bike, holding a fulltime job.
Amateurs diet.
Pros fuel.
Amateurs race.
Pros race to win.
And before you get all itsnotaboutwinning on me, you know where I stand on that...
... the pro leaves nothing on the battlefield, win or lose.
Amateurs take two pedal strokes, and coast.
Pros keep pedaling.
Here's a little pro secret: it's easy to maintain pro once you...
Dedicate.
Commit.
Plan.
Do.
... we're all counting on you.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-wallets/products/custom-name-raceday-wallet
There are two tools that I find invaluable for staying on the Pro path.
The Giant RaceDay Calendar...
... and the reminder wallet.
I have printed a wallet with an outrageous goal going on 4 years.
Not only is at a constant reminder of what I'm after, but it's made of inner and has a true cycling vibe...
... plus, it slides perfectly into a jersey pocket.
Type into the Custom Name field what you want on your wallet.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-wallets/products/custom-name-raceday-wallet
161.7
7.5ish hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE TRUTH ABOUT ROLLING RESISTANCE
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHICH TIRES to roll at the races last weekend. Faster treads vs more traction. Tire pressure matters, too...
... does any of it really matter?
Definitely.
But, that is not the rolling resistance I'm most concerned with.
The real rolling resistance to worry about is rolling through life avoiding the scary stuff. The great Ryan Holliday says The obstacle is the way. The great Steven Pressfield says Resistance points to what we are called to do.
In other words...
... do the scary stuff.
More directly for us...
... sign up for the scariest races.
The races and events we are most likely to fail at,
most likely to truly suffer,
most likely to lose...
... are most likely to bring out our very best.
Publicly stating our goals adds bonus power...
... there is massive resistance to that.
---
Speaking of which I have been experiencing a lot resistance to writing my next book: RACEDAY READY - a philosophy for ripping on and off the bike every day.
Here's an excerpt:
You want to know the answer to the other comments, particularly this one…
What are you doing?
It’s not a mystery, if you’re patient. I blog every single day about exactly what I am learning and applying. How it works. How to incorporate it. Plus, I post every single workout and how much I sleep, weigh, read, write.
So, when someone poses the question What are you doing? I quip, read the blog.
Who has time for that?
There are over 2000 posts at this point. Plus, the newly added video and podcast readings and riffs of each post.
For this reason, I have written this book. Yes, it’s for you to absorb. It is also for our kids, their spouses, their children…
… because this is would have been so valuable to me 30 years ago.
At that time, I called myself Fat Todd...
---
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
How can you resist this hoodie? $35, ships free.
Plus!, grants early access to this limited edition kit
$35
Order Now, quantities are limited and dwindling.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
163.7
7ish hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WE DO THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T
IT'S HARD TO GET UP EARLY and get dressed in the dark and cold and roll out into pre-dawn in our underwear, but we do it...
... because they aren't.
They are sleeping, cozy and mostly soft.
We are up, uncomfortable and hardening ourselves.
It's easy to say no to a donut when we have the power to say yes to doing hard things.
I said yes today,
to the hard group ride.
I said yes today,
and I'm darn glad everybody else did, too!
Where would we be without riders who are equally committed to do the hard work?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Do you know who puts the Industries in PEDAL Industries?
The industrious,
on and off the bike
those get after it every day,
If that's you, check out this hoodie. $35, ships free.
Plus!, grants early access to this limited edition kit
$35
Order Now, quantities are limited and dwindling.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
163.7
7ish hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE BURNOUT PROBLEM
I INTENDED TO WRITE ABOUT THE VIRTUES OF TIME OFF. But, I wound up grinding for 9 hours straight, trying to catch up after the road trip. My output dwindled, the sun broke through...
... and a battle ensued.
The 14 days of riding in a row, 6 of them racing, vs sitting in my office grinding from sun up.
My body ached to rest, my soul longed to get outside.
I can definitely burn out on racing, same for training with an agenda...
... but there's nothing more rejuvenating than rolling on two wheels.
So I kitted up
kept my HR low
and lightly tapped the pedals.
It's good to be home.
Here's the burnout problem.
There are some really fun and good races to be had during the next 6 weeks...
- Team Big Bear's endurance race, 3/18
- Sagebrush Safari best XC race in SoCal, 3/25
- US Cup XC on Vail's new sweet single track course, 4/1
- State Road Race is back, and I love the course, 4/8
- BWR San Diego, I've never done it, 4/15
- Sea Otter, Fuego XC, 4/22
... I've already signed up for 5 of the races because each one that I learned about seemed better than what I'd already committed to do.
Last weekend was my A race for the first half of the year.
I didn't plan to ramp things back up until summer, for Marathon Nationals in September. I thought I'd do a few events in the spring for fun, not 6.
Then, the state road race was rejuvenated and ya know I gotta take a crack at that.
Then, I heard about US Cup and how can I pass that level of competition up?
Right now, looking at the calendar seems daunting. I will definitely burn out if I try and treat them all as A races.
That's impossible.
I can probably pick 1, and do the rest for fun and practice.
Even then, there is a fair amount of travel and the ensuing chaos that always goes around getting all the equipment dialed in perfectly. Which means, I will probably skip one or two and definitely roll in on a half ready bike.
The key to not burning out, is to keep it light and get myself in a headlock if I waver for one moment on committing to making more than one of these races and A race...
... which will it be?
We'll see.
(Why did I sign up so early you ask? Because I like to help the promoters sleep easier, it's so stressful wondering if anybody will show.)
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
This is such a powerful tool.
Stock is dwindling.
Ships free.
Can make in your team colors.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
----
164.8
7ish hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
RATIOS I LIKE
THE CACTUS CUP enduro is the final stage of a super fun weekend of racing desert terrain. Rolling, fast and short, punchy climbs. Plus, my favorite component...
... a little bit of danger.
All racing has danger, but this racing is unique.
Nearly everybody sheds a little blood.
Cactus rips and tears at your arms and legs.
Rocks will leave scars to match the lifetime memories.
Slip and slide on the sand and it'll take a layer of skin off faster than a Makita.
For every mile raced, it's hard to match the fun and bloodletting.
I like it.
I'm forced to pay attention.
Under those conditions it's easy to slip into a state of flow, and critical to stay there. No mind wandering, no day dreaming, no bird watching...
... just flowing fast.
On today's enduro stage, we all raced our XC bikes because it's not that difficult. The promoter calls it the hangover stage...
... I call it fun.
We, all our crew, ride to each of 3 stages together, then race all out down some fast trails time trial style for 3-6 minutes.
It's relaxed a very relaxed atmosphere in between the intense effofrts. We chat and enjoy the beautiful wide open desert.
I had a few flesh tears,
others some skin sanding,
and one a very nice, deep slice.
Did we care?
Nope.
That's that we signed up for.
Racing.
Life.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
At the awards ceremony it got a little chilly in the shade, so I busted out this lightweight hoodie.
If that's you, check out this hoodie. $35, ships free.
Plus!, grants early access to this limited edition kit
$35
Order Now, quantities are limited and dwindling.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
162.8
7.5 hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
0 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
ARE YOU A BELIEF STACKER?
FOR YEARS NOW, my prerace meal before an epic distance has been a can of sardines. I'm partial to the King Oscar's, Mediterranean style. And, I like 'em...
... 2 hours before the race.
- Protein
- Salt
- Fat
What could be better?
I can think of about a million things that could taste better...
- pancakes
- bacon
- eggs
- waffles
- butter
- syrup
- crepes
... to name a few.
But, for me it's sardines.
They fill me up,
they go down easy.
Today, I chased them down with chocolate French crepes I get at Costco.
I'm sure you can get on board with the crepes.
How about the sardines?
Too low brow?
fishy smelly?
gross?
I hope so, because I give y'all way too much of my secret secrets as it is.
Now, you might be thinking there's no way he does that on purpose?
You'd be wrong.
Superstitions die hard for a reason...
... they work.
Belief is everything in competition.
Would things have gone as well as they did today without my sardines?
Probably.
But, that is not the point.
The point is belief stacking works.
It wasn't just the sardines.
It was also...
the white socks and gloves I saved for today,
the fresh jersey and new prototype bibs,
quietly lubing my chain last night,
listening to my play list,
warming up by myself,
a dusty, dirty frame,
glasses over strap,
... little things I like to do.
No, none of it really matters.
Training matters.
Fueling matters.
Sleep matters.
Belief stacking is the final polishing,
and it's often the difference between a great day and a good day.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Want to turbo charge your beliefs?
- Get this giant calendar
- Place it where you can see it daily
- Write in red Sharpie your top A race
Stock is dwindling.
Ships free.
Can make in your team colors.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
----
162.5 (better)
8ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
ANOTHER PR?!
THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS TO KEEP GETTING PRs. Since I just PR'd the TT course at Cactus Cup, after racing it for my 4th time...
... do ya wanna know what I did?
The most important thing, I didn't do.
We had great weather.
The first year, it was well over 100 degrees. Today was low 70's, slightly cloudy.
Good temps.
Good lighting.
Now, here's what I did personally that I think made a difference:
- I raced with a larger beefier tire up front, a Continental Cross King 2.35
- I've purposely spent most of my time training on my MTB. Training the position, training I raced in today. I cut out all gravel riding, and reduced my road riding... about 4 hours on the road, 8-10 on the MTB.
- Got another great night of sleep.
- I pre-rode the course 3 times Monday, and then road the XC course the rest of the week which is the same type of dirt. Very hard dirt, with small pebbles of decomposed granite on top. It's unique to the desert and requires a different feel than what we ride at home.
- Because I follow my Cowboy Strong philosophy that I teach in the RaceDay Ready 10-Week Challenge, I am always riding with a little fatigue due to the fact that I'm doing strength training every single day. I haven't been able to do that for a week now, as I've been on the road, and I think my body is just super fresh.
- I followed my warm up protocol of starting an hour before the short TT (the longer the race the shorter my warm up). I rode easy for 35 minutes, then brought my heart rate up with 2 minutes on 2 minutes off at threshold for 16ish minutes, and kept spinning until 2 minutes to go.
- Racing the same format last weekend, with a TT last Friday, was a good reminder of what it takes to do well in a TT... as someone who never does intervals, I need to do races that are similar to get the feel of the effort required.
Here is what I didn't do:
- I didn't freak out that I'm heavier by about 5 pounds than last year, that I had a nasty flu for 10 days early Feb, or that rain as hindered the training.
- I didn't waste any energy worrying about starting 2 hours after my competitors when it was warmer and windier - my fault for screwing up my registration.
- I didn't hit it hard from the get go and try and get my HR up asap to gain every second possible by starting fast. I brought my speed up gradually, paced myself so i could pound the one 3ish minute power climb and every climb from there to the finish.
There you go.
As for data, saw my HR get into the 180s for the first time in a year...
... on that power climb.
It probably happened at last week's TT as well, but I had no data for that ride due to Wahoo Tickr malfunction.
Wins are nice,
PRs are better!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
I had multiple racers come up to me today and tell me this weekend has been on their Giant RaceDay Calendar.
Do you know why?
Because there is nothing more powerful than a giant calendar with you races written in Sharpie.
Stock is dwindling.
Ships free.
Can make in your team colors.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
----
164.2
8ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
40 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THIS IS NOT THE PILL YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
I'M A SUCH A SUCKER. Some people fall for nice legs, others broad shoulders, a sweet smile. Me, I'm a total sucker...
... for a bad@$$.
And, I'm finding more and more of you since we expanded our bags to include triathletes and runners.
We may look different, move different, play different but in the end it's all the same...
... people pushing their limits.
I love it.
If you've taken the 10-Week challenge then you know about Cowboy Strong and my cousin Norman.
Check out Becky:
I'm the tiny female version of Norman:. a full-time horse trainer, with 22 horses, 1 miniature donkey, and various stray dogs to care for on my ranch in Texas. I have those cowboy callouses from hay bales, feed sacks, manure forks, and lead ropes. I feel that all of this has kept me relatively injury free as a competitive runner, and recently, functional fitness athlete.
Yep.
Cowgirl Strong.
She continues:
I appreciate your promotion of fitness as a lifestyle. It's so important in this "take a pill for everything" world we're living in.
Eating dinner at the bar tonight (I'm on a road trip), a commercial popped up for a weightloss pill. It seamed insane to me.
Dad bods playing soccer, good.
Dad bods working up a sweat, more good.
Dad bods loading up their plates at the barbecue, WTH?
When we commit to a life of bad@$$ery...
... there is no need for pills.
There is only one need - to be excellent.
- Physically
- Mentally
- Spiritually
- Socially
A proper focus eliminates all desire to deviate...
... and reveals that excellence is actually the easier path.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
This is the pill you need.
Are you up for the challenge?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
----
162ish
8ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
40 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
WHY RACE AT ALL?
THOUGHT EXPERIMENT: Why do you race? And before you say, I don't race...
... you race.
We all do.
We might not pin on numbers or tie on plates, but we sure as heck know our PRs...
... and go for the City Limits signs.
So, why do you race? Because you like...
- the action?
- camaraderie?
- the ego boost?
- a fitness check in?
- inspiration by humiliation?
... whatever your reason, what would happen if you stopped racing?
The racer who simply loves riding,
will race harder and longer
than the racer who loves
the finish line.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Do you know who puts the Industries in PEDAL Industries?
The industrious,
on and off the bike
those get after it every day,
If that's you, check out this hoodie. $35, ships free.
Plus!, grants early access to this limited edition kit
$35
Order Now, quantities are limited and dwindling.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
165
7.5 hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
20 minutes recovery
900 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DO YOU HAVE FRENEMIES
MAYBE IF WE WERE GETTING PAID IT'D BE DIFFERENT. But, we aren't. We are just racing for fun and sport and competition...
... the challenge.
Along the way friendships are formed.
Oh, I've managed to ruffle a few feathers along the way. Maybe it's just part of doing all you can to be your best that drudges up a few haters. Not a big deal...
... maybe a compliment?
Far more common is to meet so new people, who are also committed to excellence on and off the bike.
Friends before the race.
Enemies during.
Buds after.
I received a nice note from Adam, who one the overall last weekend. We only know each other by doing this one race, in Tucson AZ, since 2018. Over time, we have battled back and forth on each stage...
... and I look forward to seeing him each year and catching up.
Above is a picture of Dan and I after the last stage. We met this year, and we battled all three days. He held onto 3rd place overall by a whopping 3 seconds.
Below is David, from MO. We connected when he purchased a RaceDay Bag 4 years ago...
... and he happened to be in Tucson this past weekend and noticed the van.
The point is, if you're going to races and make friends...
... you're doing it right.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
And if you're wearing this hoodie, you're definitely part of a friendly tribe of dedicated athletes.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
165ish (Surfergirl diet got me)
7.5 hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THERE'S A BEE IN MY BIBS!
RACING CAN BE SO WEIRD. You're shoulder to shoulder with someone. Everyone is working so hard. But, we get tired and get crabby and sometimes...
... behave poorly.
I prayed things would be different.
Yep.
I actually said a little prayer before heading out to race...
- Help us all to ride safe
- The officials to have an easy job
- And help me to be kind and understanding
That last part is pretty much why I don't race crits any more. The are so gnarly, so technically challenging. Everyone is on the edge because the danger is so high...
... and, frankly, I can be a bit of a jerk.
Not on purpose.
But, when tensions are amped and emotions raging, it's a challenge to give another racer the benefit of the doubt let alone...
... a freakin' inch of road.
So, on lap 5 of yesterday's race when I politely inquired of another racer...
Hey, any idea what lap we are on?
Yes.
What lap?
You should know.
No, what lap are we on?
You should know, that's racing.
So you're not gonna tell me?
He looks at me, smiles, looks away.
I think, Jerk!
Ok, well, you can close that gap I just opened...
Yes, not my finest moment.
I was so tempted to go for it right then and there...
... the bee was definitely in my bibs.
That little exchange served to pump up the adrenalin for the plan I'd hatched in the morning.
As he closed the gap, I slid back bottling all that silly emotion up. Time to disappear for lap and fein exhaustion.
The things we do for a win.
It's pretty darn fun.
If we stay cool.
Playful.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Like this playful, midweight, hoodie.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
163ish
8 hrs Sleep
40 pushups and air squats
0 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RACING FOR THE WIN AND RACING FOR VICTORY
I HAD ONE PLAN TODAY, victory. Friday, I winged it on the time trial. Yesterday, I raced to win. Today, I went for the victory...
... which is unlike winning.
In fact, for me, it's a completely different mentality.
Winning is about hedging and managing and strategy and doing what it takes and nothing more...
... to win.
That's nice, but nowhere near as satisfactory as the feeling of knowing there was nothing more to give, vanquishing my fears of losing, risking everything...
... this is victory, regardless of the outcome.
I woke up with this mental image: a greased pig, wreaking havoc and uncontainable.
Can't image a better vision.
Of course, it's easy to feel that way after a great night of sleep in an outstanding hotel...
... before the first hard stomp on the pedals.
(Surfergirl turned in my points to stay at the Lowes, and why not?)
My warm up was spot on this time.
1 hour.
45 minutes easy on the pedals.
15 bringing the heart rate up and stoking the fires.
For some reason, I lined up at the back of the pack even though I predicted it would start out hard. Heck, I even thought about the same thing before hatching my plan to go on the 7th lap.
So, I got to spend that first mile or so chasing and hustling my lycra up to the front.
For 5 laps I went with every attack, or let it go and bridged up, or pushed on when things slowed down. We needed to suffer, and make the teams work, and tire out the sprinters.
During that time, I was able to ferret out who could handle their bike in the turns, who's wheel was good to follow and who had something left to give on the day.
My plan, hatched the night before was to go for it on the last climb of the 6th lap, rail the turn at the bottom and keep on going.
It almost worked.
What happened was just as good, if not better.
The teams were sprinting for the bonus seconds on lap 6, completely stretched out the field, got their seconds, then shut down the pace...
... I sailed on by, and kept going.
Then Gerry, who smoked us in the tt, passed me like I was standing still.
I looked back.
I had a good gap.
Gerry was pulling away.
I buried myself to catch up...
... and he eased up a bit.
Thanks for waiting, give me a minute to recover.
He gave me 3 minutes, to the top of the climb.
As I'm pulling through, I look back and see a white jersey.
Dang.
They caught us.
Nope.
It's yesterday's hero Gary.
I can't believe he made it across the gap. We have a good 15 seconds and now we are rolling and rotating.
It's on.
We are smooth, and committed.
Greased pigs, on the loose.
Into the bell lap, we have nearly 30 seconds. That 7th lap was the fastest of the day for me.
Gary is gassed.
Hang on bro, recover.
Gerry, Gary is struggling.
We couldn't wait, but it was cool if he skipped a few pulls. It was too much. Gerry is such a powerhouse uphill, it's just a battle staying on his wheel.
With 2k to go, we still had 20 seconds.
We started the mile or so downhill to the last turn.
This is where we would lose a lot of time. The bunch was anxious to pull us back, some wanted to hang onto their GC positions, some wanted to win the stage...
... they'd have to wait another day.
300 meters to go.
It's a drag race for the line.
Today was that rare instance, where a victory comes with a win.
Insights:
This was the first race in quite a while where I have felt really good, didn't battle any cramps, and had excellent energy.
- Great sleep
- Arrived 2 hours early
- Proper 1 hour warm up
- Consumed 600 calories, 400/hour
Those little details probably made the difference. But, who knows? The older I get, the more difficult it is to predict good days on the bike.
Marco Colbert, with a lot of great people from the city and volunteers, has rescued the Tucson Bicycle Classic. USAC, had a really pro and friendly staff, which I found to be very refreshing. If you are looking for a helluva fun weekend of racing, in the beautiful winter desert...
... get your buns out here next year.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
Victories start way before the gun goes off.
Are you up for the challenge?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
----
163ish
8ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
40 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
IT'S MARCH, IT'S MADNESS
THE TUCSON BICYCLE CLASSIC delivered another wild race. On the start line, race jitters were dialed way up because the temp was...
... dialed way down.
35 degrees.
USAC officials really, really, really like to see race numbers so there was serious deliberations on what to wear. Because the speeds can be very high on the long, long, long decent I opted to go aero.
- Skull cap
- Base layer
- Neck gator
- Two jerseys
- Arm warmers
- Plastic trash bag pieces over socks
- Covered holes on aero helmet with tape
Nobody warmed up much.
Too darn cold.
I stayed in my light down jacket as long as possible. Still, I was shivering as we waited for our wave to roll off. Surfergirl took it from me with 2 minutes to go.
Like everyone else, I was anxious to get it on...
... get that blood pumping.
We hit the first few hills pretty hard.
It felt good.
Well, I felt nothing.
The one thing that was way better than I thought was pullng that neck gator up over my face as we raced along the lumpy terrain before bombing down hill for 4 miles...
... at 30+mph in our underpants.
The racing?
Chaotic as usual.
Lots of free agents, like me, rolling the dice on attacks. A handful of teams willing to pull it all back. This carried on for 2 and half of the 3 laps, 60 miles, we'd race...
... then, the madness.
We turned right to go down the hill, I was in second position and let a gap open. These breaks were going nowhere...
... but, this opened up a bit.
The teams weren't working at all.
Then a bigger dude I thought had no chance to hold us off on the hill went.
2 guys up the road.
I waited for the teams.
The Adam went, and I thought for sure the race leader, Gerry, and his team would pull him back.
Nothing.
So I took a flyer, got within 5 seconds, could see the group was coming hard and waited for them...
... nothing.
The gap kept getting bigger and bigger.
They were gone.
3 guys up the road.
No teams working.
No free agents rolling the dice.
The only hope was they'd blow.
They didn't.
At the bottom of the 4 mile climb to the finish, my friend Gary took the front and really put it down.
Nobody could come around him.
He pulled off, everybody was gassed.
He went back and kept the heat on.
Heroic stuff.
Honestly, I thought I'd have something for the finish. Even though the time bonuses and lots of time were gone...
... it's still good to sprint across.
I had nothing.
Something, but not enough.
Adam won by over a minute, and picked up 13 seconds in time bonuses.
Impressive.
He has 53 seconds on Gerry, and a minute twenty on little ol' me who...
... somehow is still 5th overall.
Madness.
Tomorrow, I predict, is going to be lit.
The teams will have plans and the free agents got nothing to lose.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-hats/products/black-skull-cap
This skull cap is so nice
Made from the same luxurious Italian fabric we use on the front of our #1 and PRO jerseys this is breathable and moisture wicking.
Use promo code: CmonTodd!
to save 20%, ships free
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-hats/products/black-skull-cap
----
163ish
7ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
40 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
TIME TRIAL OF MY LIFE
TIME IS A CONSTRUCT WE ALL AGREE ON, and can be very real for us humans. For all other creatures there is day and night. Measured or not, seconds can mean the difference in another construct...
... winning and losing.
Aren't you glad you have me making mistakes so you don't?
This is a great one.
I thought I was being so smart and clever. Earlier in the week, I pasted all my start times into my calendar on Outlook. For some reason, I thought to share them with Surfergirl.
Good thing.
This morning, after a solid night of sleep in the van, we popped down to the Waffle House.
I love Waffle House.
She'd never been.
It's one of the reasons I come to this race.
I really look forward to it.
It's a time machine.
Backwards.
Fueled up, I doublechecked my start time: 11:40:30 AM
It was 830ish.
Plenty of time to get to the start, 30 minutes away, and relax before a 60 minute warm up.
Everything was according to plan.
9:40 AM
Why aren't you getting ready?
Still have 2 hours.
Are you sure?
Yep.
It says 10:40 start.
What?
Right here.
O. M. G!!! Arizona is on MST, Outlook updated all the times!!!!!
That's a pretty big mistake.
Rookie!
I hustled.
She pinned numbers.
No time for proper warm up.
On the line, I had another genius idea.
My new TICKR HR monitor from Wahoo, had finally connected yesterday and was working great. During the warm up it was working great. On the start line, I decided to stop the ride, which it deleted I later learned, and start a new Ride so I could look at the miles and exact time.
It read 128 as the official counted down. This is normal for me, my HR gets pretty high right before...
... ready for battle.
As I rode away, it started to drop.
120
112
104
98
Yep.
98 bmp, as I'm getting after it in a 10 minute time trial.
I don't use a power meter.
I raced on feel.
This isn't totally new for me. Short MTB XC races, I often put my Wahoo in my back pocket so I can concentrate on the racing and terrain and ignore what my body is telling me.
Who knows what the difference would have been with the HR data?
I'm 5th.
27 seconds off 1st... 5 seconds off 3rd, 1 second off 4th.
Want to know what else I did wrong?
Why not...
... I didn't crank my shoes down and had to do that within the first 100 yds.
3 mistakes.
How much time did it cost?
Who knows?
Who cares?
It's just racing.
Good times.
Fun.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Inventory is dwindling on the GIANT RaceDay Calendar...
... with magical properties of
- Increased Focus
- Superior Planning
- Dreamlike Results
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
If you like the blog, you'll LOVE the podcast version:
----
163ish
7ish hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
IS THIS AIRBNB's LAST STAND?
RACE TRAVEL IS IT'S OWN THING, and if you're like me and don't do it much it can really be a roll of the dice. While I have generally had good luck...
... not so this round..
I should have known it would be amateur night when I had to meet the owner for the key.
After a brief run through, and assurance the place will heat right up, he was gone.
A few minutes later we discovered there was a major roof leak, water soaking down the wall and dripping all over the only toilet and puddling on the floor.
While he circled back we went to dinner at Reilly for "craft" food and drink. We ordered a giant salad, meatballs and a small pizza...
... it was excellent.
Upon returning, the heater was making all kinds of heater sounds and pushing all kinds of arctic air.
We took hot showers while we waited for the owner.
It's not heating up.
Let me get my mechanic down here tomorrow.
Don't worry about it, we aren't staying.
Ok, I'll refund everything.
Great.
The thing is, I didn't want a refund. I wanted a little place, central to the races, where I could relax and stretch and generally enjoy a bit of racing and time away with Surfergirl.
Here's the good news:
- We have a van,
- A comfy bed
- A heater
And I'll have something to be pissed off about tomorrow, which is requisite for...
... putting down a blistering time in a short time trial.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Inventory is dwindling on the GIANT RaceDay Calendar...
... with magical properties of
- Increased Focus
- Superior Planning
- Dreamlike Results
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
If you like the blog, you'll LOVE the podcast version:
----
162.8
7,5 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE ONLY GIMMICK GUARANTEED TO WORK
DO YOU AHVE A FRIEND LIKE MINE? He's younger than me, was a standout athlete in high school, and...
... is in terrible shape.
I took him on a bike ride once.
Three miles of flat ending with a slight incline at the end of about 20 feet spread over about 100 feet.
Nothing.
At the top, poor fella, he had to get off the bike and lay down.
I literally thought he might be having a heart attack.
Over the years, among other attempts to regain some health he has...
- Hired a trainer at the gym
- Hired a chef
- Intermittent fasted
- Considered surgery
... and here's the latest: a diet suppression pill.
Speaking of hills to die on, I will die on this one...
- pick an event
- make a commitment
- be as ready as possible.
... this is the way.
The trainers, chefs, coaches, diets, surgery...
... are crutches.
Catalysts at best.
He will continue to fail and struggle and decline. It's rather sad. I would love nothing more than to see him return to being...
... an extremely capable, high-performing athlete.
Cut the crap.
Pick an event.
Get his butt in gear.
Yes, I've told him that with all the love and kindness and encouragement I can.
I know you're doing the same with your friends.
Keep inviting,
Keep showing the way,
Keep being the awesome person you are.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Inventory is dwindling on the GIANT RaceDay Calendar...
... with magical properties of
- Increased Focus
- Superior Planning
- Dreamlike Results
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
If you like the blog, you'll LOVE the podcast version:
----
163
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
BATTLING THE NPCs
IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE SIMULATION, then you've got to consider the reality of NPCs. Christians know the verse In the beginning was the Word, coders use words and text...
... to create virtual worlds.
Today, I was an NPC.
For gamers, NPCs are non-player combatants. Their threat is real, they are easily killed, there isn't a human player controlling them...
... they are part of the simulation.
I had every intention of doing the local group ride today. It's been months, and I needed a final beat down before the racing starts on Friday.
Up early.
In the van.
Rain started pouring.
I was easily taken out of the game as the road soaked and the tires hydroplaned. While I generally enjoy the occasional ride in the rain...
...not this one,
not on my race bike,
not right before I'll need it working perfectly.
And why ride soaked for 3 hours?
Maybe I'm not an unconscious NPC?
Maybe we are in a simulation?
Either way, I'll be back out later today when the clouds clear. Gotta get that final hardy ride in...
... no NPCs are showing up at the races.
Are they?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
If you're feeling like an NPC,
if you need a weekly kick in the lycra,
if you thrive hanging out with players IRL...
... today is the last day to join us who are playing the big game.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
----
162.8
7 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THIS IS WHAT DRIVES ME
I'M GONNA PUT MY HEART OUT HERE, because I think you ought to know. There is one thing driving PEDAL Industries...
... it's not you, and it's not me.
It's us.
Not just you and me, all of us. The planet.
I realized this the other day. I've been inviting people to ride bikes for as long as I can remember.
Why?
Because it's fun, and a great way to do the cardio side of in shape.
There are 3 things necessary for this nefarious plan of ours to truly work wonders:
- Pick an event, 1 a year will do
- Recruit or join a Posse.
- Get RaceDay Ready.
Let me explain.
Having 1 event a year to train for is invaluable for those looking to stay in reasonable shape annually because it's always out there...
... reminding us to stick to the plan, however loosely.
Knowing our posse is going to meet us at the proverbial corner each week is integral to staying on course. Training can be lonely, and for many of us...
... our deepest friendships often start and strengthen via the hours we ride side by side.
Being RaceDay Ready is all encompassing, it is much more than having a low resting heat rate and putting out big watts. Being truly ready means we are growing not just physically, but socially, mentally and spiritually.
The most fulfilled racers I know really are well-rounded squares.
They have an event or two on the horizon, a good group of riding pals, and both wheels on the ground...
... unless they're purposely shredding the gnar.
This what drives me to make the products we make, and to make them all customizable for each of our riding groups, teams, etc...
... there is something special about a uniform.
We showcase the colors and shapes and words that inspire and bond us into our unique tribes. For us, those tribes are made up of
- athletes
- adventure
- camaraderie
Want to make something amazing for your tribe?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/add-more-custom-products-to-my-store
Everything we make I've had a hand in creating and tested the heck out of...
... you can be sure it's quality.
Click here to set up a FREE design consultation.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/add-more-custom-products-to-my-store
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
----
163
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
RACING LIKE AN ELEPHANT
I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT one of the insights from the book Into The Headwinds which I'm reading and how it applies to going fast on a bicycle by tapping into...
... our inner elephant.
Not a circus elephant on a bike.
We are primarily the products of thinking that is below the level of awareness.
That's the elephant.
Here's how it applies to bicycle racing.
New racers are like the rider, hyper aware and nervous and desperately trying to take it all in...
... think will power.
Experienced racers are like the elephant, much more relaxed...
... like daydreaming while driving home after work.
The rider has finite reserves.
The elephant has limitless energy.
Why is it so hard to establish a new habit? Because the elephant is in charge of the routine events in our lives.
Want to eat better?
Sleep better?
Train regularly?
The elephant is hard to overcome. Too much inertia.
However, the authors state...
If we do something with our rational/conscious self (the rider) long enough, we can train our intuitive/unconscious self (the elephant) to take over the task. The boundary between the elephant and rider is not static or impermeable.
I see it so clearly now.
In the beginning racing, particularly off road, required massive amounts of emotional energy. After years of riding and racing, instead of being nearly panicked during tense and technical racing...
... I slip into a state of flow.
Do you see it now?
Have you had that feeling or sensation on or off the bike?
The caveat, of course, is long enough.
What is long enough?
I've read it takes anywhere from 21 days to 60 days to establish a new habit. Personally, I think it's impossible to eradicate bad habits but infinitely possible to...
... instill good habits.
We're all riders and elephants.
The idea of sitting atop an elephant and trying to get it to do anything seems impossible in my mind...
... good thing I'm a persistent sunuvagun.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
If you're looking for a way to get control of your elephant, join our Posse...
... you have until the end of the month, 2/28, then enrollment is closed.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
----
163
8.4 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
SAVE MONEY, FEEL GREAT
SINCE THE WEATHERTHINGY SAID RAIN ALL DAY, I slept in. The plan, a few days ago, was to make this Saturday my last very hard day before next weekend's races...
... I did the next best thing.
Out in the chilly garage, I got down to business.
Threw the race bike up in the stand,
pulled out the race wheels,
mounted new tires,
lubed the pulleys,
waxed the chain,
race readied,
the bike.
Once done, the rain ceased for a few minutes. I took it for a brief spin...
... the bike felt amazing.
There's something about being able to do my own wrenching that is both...
... satisfying and energizing.
The investment of time to learn what and how to do the basics, and a few dollars in equipment...
... is one of the best returns we'll ever get.
Confidence.
I felt so good, I bundled up and took a shot at dodging the storm clouds coming in off the ocean.
Ninety minutes later a soggy and cold mechanic rolled home on the Frankenbike...
... ready as I'm gonna be.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
It's been good to have The Posse keep me on track...
... we start a new month next and there are a few spots available.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
----
163.3
9 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DO YOU HAVE A SYSTEM?
IT'S REALLY HARD TO HAVE DISCIPLINE. For those who do, the results are amazing. For those who don't, like me...
... we have a secret.
We get all the benefits of discipline while having none.
What?
Yes.
It's called habits.
We don't think about habits, we do them. According to Duke University...
... 40% of our behaviors are habits.
We all have the habit to hop our bikes.
Meet the group at the corner.
Weekend morning ride.
We don't question Will I ride?, and our significant others think it's weird or something is wrong if we aren't on the bike at our normal time.
There's no decision,
no discipline.
We do it.
I was thinking about this because on the lightly attended due to heinous cold and blasting wind group ride someone said...
... I don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it.
You know exactly what I'm doing, I post it all every day.
I know.
Then do it.
It's hard.
It's not, it's just a few habits.
Personally, I wish I'd been practicing them my entire life.
They aren't complicated.
Easy to remember.
Effective.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
----
163.1
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
HOW OLD ARE YOU?
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I DO ALL WEEK is to check in with The Posse. We review how the previous week went, how this week's going, our progress for the next big race...
... it's magical.
To listen how these other athletes are juggling life and fitness goals, their approaches and secrets, is incredibly powerful.
I learn so much.
Something stood out to me tonight. Their energy and enthusiasm is unmistakably youthful.
I had to ask...
How old are you in your head?
22
17, maybe 23
32
27
... nothing remotely close to our actual ages.
It shouldn't be surprising.
All of us are in phenomenal shape, with real health and performance goals...
... that make us stretch.
Are we stretching out our lives?
Going to live longer?
Who cares?
It's not about how many days we have,
it's about how good the days are.
We're approaching a new month, which means we are opening up membership in The Posse again.
You have until 2/28 to join.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
https://pedalindustries.com/products/join-the-pedal-posse-monthly-subscription
----
163.7
8.2 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
I'LL HUFF AND I'LL PUFF
THE WIND CAME THROUGH AS PREDICTED. 25-30 mile an hour gusts, mostly tailwind on my way south to meet the group. I expected the turnout to be light...
... only the brave, crazy and stupid would show.
Which one was I?
You be the judge.
Normally, the group is 30-40 strong.
Josh and I rode down to meet...
... 4 guys?
4?
6 total.
Once we cleared the first hill and got up on the mesa the headwind was blasting us.
Everybody took a pull.
One guy bailed out.
5 of us.
On the mesa, the road snakes and the wind shifts from the right side to the left side and back to the right...
... we lost another.
4 of us.
The thing about the wind is it's just annoying.
- You really have to wrestle with the bike because it's weaving all over the place.
- It's so noisy you can't talk.
- Literally a drag.
The fact is, it's not really any harder than riding up a steep grade in terms of effort.
I'm used to that from all the mountain biking.
A lot of roadies aren't. They are used to taking a pull and relaxing, or just sucking wheel the whole ride. When the wind blows, suddenly they are super defensive.
The fact is, most of the ride was high tempo to low threshold. Comparing the effort to previous weeks on the same ride I actually spent less time in threshold.
It was easier.
But, the wind is so annoying it feels a lot harder.
Consequently, Josh and I did 90% of the pulling while the others sat in. I didn't care, I came for the workout.
At the turnaround, it was just me and Josh.
2 little piggies battling the big, bad wind.
What's the best way to ride in the wind?
If it's a huge group, and a headwind, it's pretty easy to just sit 15 riders back and hide. However, the moment that wind turns to the side it's a lot easier to be in the top 5-10 rotating.
In fact, I'd say it is almost always easier to be at the front doing short pulls because you're only in the wind for a brief moment then you are generally right back to being protected.
The farther back we get, the more squirrelly the riders get and the more difficult it is to conserve energy - physical and emotional.
It's just wind,
take a pull,
it's not a wolf,
get up front.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Train up front,
finish up front,
see the checked flag first.
Quantities are getting low.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
163.3
7 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
YOU HAVE LESS THAN 6 MONTHS
THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: You have less than 6 months until the Leadville Trail 100. That is for my friends...
... who think they have plenty of time to prepare.
They don't.
Neither do we, regardless of what we're planning to attempt this year.
We don't have plenty of time.
We have very limited time.
Every day we wait,
we have less time.
This isn't golf.
We don't have lucky days after not riding for months.
We have results of our preparation,
of our work.
I played tennis all through high school. Worked my way up to varsity. We were the worst team in the league, and I never made it out of round one at the championships. I played because my mom's boyfriend played and he kindly spent time with me. I didn't love it, I loved him. As soon as I left home, I quit playing. But...
... I'm always surprised how well I can hit the ball the first few swings.
Kinda like the first few pedal strokes after taking a lot of time off. It feels great...
... then it doesn't.
It hurts.
We wheeze.
Fire engulfs our legs.
The only way to avoid that on the day of reckoning is...
... training consistently.
Every day.
For the next 170ish if you're doing Leadville.
I'm not.
If was here is what I'd do:
- Every Saturday would be a long ride with big climbs at tempo. If I had children at home, I'd leave before sunrise and get home by 9ish.
- During the week I would begin with 1 intense group ride or hard interval session. Later in the season, I would up that to 2x per week... back to back, Tues/Wed.
- My volume would be 8-15 hrs/week. Maybe higher once or twice in July.
- I'd find 2-3 long races to do, or make my own, to simulate race pace and race day
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Inventory is dwindling...
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
If you like the blog, you'll LOVE the podcast version:
----
163.9
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
THIS IS GETTING ME ALL HOT AND BOTHERED
SURFERGIRL POINTED OUT THE CRAZY WINDS slated to hit us in two days. We get them this time of year. They'll be blowing hard Wednesday morning...
... and I can't wait.
That's the difference between us.
She's looking for calm winds and glassy water. I like that, too. But I also...
... live for nasty weather.
Not always.
For example, today was just incredible.
Green everywhere.
65 degrees.
Perfect.
So perfect, in fact, I felt better on the bike than I have in months.
What's too look forward to then?
A legit battle with the bike and wind,
jockeying for position in the group,
vigilantly watching the players,
and working together while,
others are spit backwards.
Yeah, that's fun.
What makes it even more entertaining is knowing how so many riders loathe it. Skip the rides...
... and struggle when it happens in a race.
But, not us!
Am I right?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Races and rides that are nasty make the checkered flags and finishes something to truly relish.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
164.1
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
HE HATES IT, BUT HE LOVES IT. ME TOO.
I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE: There is only one way to be great. Nowhere was that better captured than this week when the great Wout van Aert said...
... I hate it, but I love it.
Was it interval training?
Intermittent fasting?
Bike hygiene?
Nope.
It was his loss at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships, to his arch-rival Mathieu van der Poel.
Why would he love it?
A stinging loss at the line?
Because as the great TS Eliot penned, The journey, not the destination matters...
So, how do we achieve greatness?
We go on a quest.
If we're lucky, we find a worthy adversary who extracts not the very best of us, but...
... all of us.
That is why Wout hates it, but loves it.
When we go on a quest, it's a helluvalot more than
- Just finishing
- Standing on the podium
- Being the winner of a crapshoot sprint
The finish line is already known...
... what we are willing to do to get there is the journey.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
This design reminds me of the checkered flag and the victories that await those who put in the time.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
164.3
9 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DO YOU HAVE THIS TALENT?
BE HONEST. Look over today's ride, the previous week, month, quarter and year. Next, look over your results. PRs, KOMs, Podiums, Titles. Now, here's the question...
... do you have talent?
Before you answer that, let me tell you about today.
My goal was a shockingly fast group ride. Pain. Humiliation. Complete exhaustion. I wanted it all because my fitness is lagging...
... and the races are fast approaching.
I chose Swami's.
It's habitually nasty.
This edition was extra saucy with Jess and Sam in town. Sam, who rides for Legion, and his henchmen, got after it from the start. While they take over the front and start spitting people out the back, the beautiful Jess sits in. Barely breathing...
... like it's a day at the spa.
Me?
Gassed.
Gapped.
Gone.
While Sam and Jess certainly have talent...
... there was a less obvious talent on display today.
Think about this.
They live in Montana.
400' deep in freezing snow.
They've been here for less than a week.
My fitness is lagging because we've had a bit of rain and I had the sniffles...
... they are in great shape to lay down serious training in our perfect clime.
The takeaway for me is to further develop...
... the talent to work hard.
We can all do that.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
This design reminds me of the checkered flag and the victories that await those who put in the time.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
What's more fun than a blog post?... me riffing on it.
----
162
7.6 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
CHEAPER, BETTER, FASTER
HARDTAILS ARE GREAT FOR MTB TRAINING. Not because of fewer moving parts to maintain, not because they can be picked up cheap. Those are good reasons...
... this is a great reason.
Hardtails feel fast.
Going all out on a hardtail is a lot rougher than a fullsuspension bike. We are bounced around significantly more, making the bike harder to handle at racepace. It feels like we're going really fast, but...
... we are really going slower.
That's okay.
We get the rush of riding on the ragged edge while being forced to pick cleaner lines. The result on raceday is we are picking cleaner lines and the fullsuspension MTB makes it feel slower and safer even though...
... we are really going a lot faster.
Oh, one other benefit to having an inexpensive hardtail to train on is a lot less wear and tear on the racebike.
One of the few cases where we can have cheaper, better, faster vs picking between two of the three.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Whereas with this hoodie you only get to better and faster.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
I riff on all these posts here... Check it out:
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162.4
8.6 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
THE MOST UNDERRATED SKILL IN ROAD RACING
IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, I've probably raced on the road about 10 times. With what has become a personal tradition, the Tucson Bicycle Classic, happening in three weeks...
... it's time to dust off the one skill needed to win a road race.
Assuming it comes down to a sprint, likelihood 90%, there is really only one thing to remember...
... be the last one to lead the race.
If you really want to win on the road, you have to be a villain.
Be patient.
Fastfriendships and alliances will be short lived.
Be patient.
This is no time for chivalry.
Be patient.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
It thou desirest to win...
.... thou shalt not put thy nose in the wind.
The problem of course is training like this leaves us unprepared, weak, ineffective.
We must train on the front.
Take the pulls.
Burn.
We get used to the feeling, the respect and leadership that accompanies shredding the group to pieces and to our detriment...
... when the gun fires we want to display our readiness.
Resist.
There is one big risk.
It's always possible there is a brave, heroic and welltrained sunuvagun who can deliver the goods...
... and ride away solo to victory.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
Superheroes where hoods...
... and this hoodie is one of my favorites for the athletic cut and perfect weight.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
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I riff on all these posts here... Check it out:
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161.4
8.6 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
80 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHO'S IN YOUR POSSE?
WHEN I SHOW UP TO THE RACES, a mess of guys pile out of the van with me. No sense in taking on the competition solo...
... I roll with a badass posse.
Each one of them took a special part in prepping me.
It matters.
There's...
- Get plenty of sleep Sam
- Eat whole foods Ed
- Stretch and recover Guru
- Read and Write Sensei
- Lift weights Wanda
- Checklist Charlie
- Custom kit design Ken
- Weigh daily Danika
- Sargent Strava
... when I prep with the POSSE, anything's possible.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
I made this hoodie just for the posse, so we look sharp...
... it is a Limited Edition hoodie inspired by The Specials.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
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I riff on all these posts here... Check it out:
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161.7
7.3 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
75 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
HOW TO DETERMINE ZONE 2
THE GODFATHER OF ZONE 2 IS THE GREAT PHIL MAFFETONE. I learned about Phil while studying the great Mark Allen, aka The Grip...
... who destroyed his competition, staying in Zone 2.
Mark Allen was a devastating competitor who's epic battles with the great Dave Scott at Ironman are legendary.
I wanted that for the type of racing I was doing at the time. long distance MTB events.
The idea of chasing my competitors down who always went out too fast continues to captivate me.
According to Phil, Zone 2 is 180 - your age. It's based on the idea most people have a max HR of 180 in their prime. At the time, my max was 198 and I was 40.
Was my zone 2 158bpm?
No, of course not.
Was it 140?
Probably.
There are many systems and ways to come up with our zone 2 range.
- 60%-70% of Max HR
- Resting HR x 3
- 180 - age
There is the Power world, where HR is somewhat disregarded and zone 2 is based on a percentage of max power.
Or, the Perceived Exertion method, where any pace that is conversational is zone 2.
While these methods are based on the traditional 5 zones, there is also the 3 zone camp where zone 1 is the hero zone.
What I'm currently using, and think is quite accurate are the ranges generated by Strava. For me, that is 107-142. That is based on my max hr I hit last year at the Tucson Bicycle Classic TT.
Last night's Zone 2 MTB ride
How do I know this is my Zone 2 pace?
- I can easily converse at that pace,
- ride all day long,
- and survive on fewer calories than I need when racing or training hard.
- Also, I never feel sore after riding in that zone.
The biggest hurtle those new to Zone 2 training will face is the feeling of riding slow, not doing enough and wasting time.
Which is great because it keeps our competition in our grip...
... just where we want 'em.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-limited-edition-special-hoodie
It takes a special, committed athlete to achieve Zone 2 greatness...
... this is a Limited Edition hoodie inspired by The Specials.
Ships free.
Grants early access to this limited edition kit
Order Now.
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Please check out the live versions and extra riffing on what inspired the post:
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163.5
7 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
NOBODY WILL EVER CONVINCE ME
I'VE BEEN TOLD A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT MYSELF. Some selling on me on my potential, some telling me I plain suck. Sound familiar?...
... it's tempting to believe.
But, it never sticks.
Good,
or bad.
As the great Matteo Jorgenson said today after his first big win.
I didn’t even believe I deserved to be professional. It was a process of convincing myself and doing races and being up there enough to believe it. Today, finally my dream came through.
I get that.
I miss that part of my cycling journey.
Starting out at the local team training race: C to B to A
Going to my first USA Cycling event as a Cat IV and shaking on the startline...
... to battling my way for three years to Cat II.
The great Henry Ford exclaimed...
... Whether you thank you can or you think you can't, you're right.
However, too often I forget it's not a switch I just turn on,
it's a process.
Doing,
Being,
Believing.
The great Tom Watson repeatedly taught...
... The fastest way to succeed is to double your failure rate.
You can take it from here.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
This is where my doing starts.
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing on what inspired the post:
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163.9
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
1 OF 2 THINGS WE MUST LEARN TO SUFFER
PHYSICAL SUFFERING IS ADDICTING. Endurance athletes love it. We thrive on it, mile after mile. Onlookers are shocked...
... we are high, in our glory.
But, greatness depends on choosing to live with a different kind of suffering:
- The pain of discipline
- Or, the pain of regret
Choose wisely.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Seeing the entire year at once, with Saturdays and Sundays at the end of the week (like our racing)...
... is just the reminder we need to stick with the plan.
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing on what inspired the post:
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162.3
7.5 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE PROBLEM WITH TRYING SOMETHING NEW
THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO is try something new on raceday. The outcome could be great. It's very risky though, because...
... we don't know how we'll react.
Right up there is discounting something new without a longterm trial.
Most rats, wild or captive, live about two years...
... lab rats a little longer.
I'm not saying we need to do our own madscientist experimentations for two years, but...
... it takes real time to know of particular training method is working.
After over a year, I'm 100% convinced my polarized training combined with the Cowboy Strong weight lifting method are extremely effective.
Props to Todd Udall for reminding me what the great Stephen Seiler said...
... training methods that work survive.
The rest fade away and become extinct.
Regarding Zone 2 training, where I spend 70-80% of saddle time, has other benefits besides simply training the heart.
- Pedal stroke efficiency
- Mental freshness
- Adventure
Today, was a big Zone 2 ride.
My only agenda was to do something different.
Along the way, I found a trail completely new to me.
It turned out to be a hoot.
The great Dan Sullivan said we should be engaged in something with which we are endlessly fascinating...
... for me, that's getting faster.
How about you?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
I cover most of my breakthroughs here.
It's free.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing on what inspired the post:
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162.8
8.5 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
0 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
MY COLD RULES
I SPENT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN BED. Nasty cold/flu laid me out. I rode this morning because of Rule #1...
... of my 2 cold rules.
The rules rhyme.
- Above the neck, ride like heck.
- In the chest, zone 1 best.
- Feel dead, get in bed.
I thought there were two?
There are.
I see three.
There are two for riding with a cold and one when we feel awful.
Why did you list the third?
Because that's the one nobody wants to hear, myself included.
Ahhh.
Exactly.
The problem I have, and I'm sure you don't because you're smarter than me, is I don't want to listen to my body. Probably because I often ignore it when things get saucy in a race. In fact, it took everything I had not to ride at the end of the day yesterday.
I really wanted to.
Then, I sat down...
... and fell asleep.
Dead.
As you know, I'm not a doctor. This is just my rule of thumb.
Personally, I have found a zone 1 or 2 ride often speeds recovery. That and a hellahot shower.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Missing a few days of training isn't going to change much during an entire year, especially if you have your A race training blocked out months in advance.
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing on what inspired the post:
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162.7
10 hrs Sleep
.5 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
180 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THAT LOOKS NASTY, LET'S GIVE IT A FEW WEEKS
I'M ALWAYS SURPRISED BY MYSELF AND NEARLY ALL MY FRIENDS, right after a terrible outing we all say the same thing. Never again. Once in a lifetime experience...
... with the idea of never repeating the same mistake.
But, time heals all wounds.
Inevitably, after a few weeks we start replaying how things went and realize we could do better...
- Training
- Recon
- Logistics
- Bike set up
- etc
... and those wretched memories of terrible cramping or bonking or strategy or hotel are no longer nearly as tender like cactus thorns in the knuckles.
Then, the promoter sends out their schedule for the following year.
Months have passed.
Like a prize fighter who was knocked out, we are ready to take another crack at the champ who beat us.
We put down our money and register.
At that point, we realize just what we've done.
We're mad.
Embarrassed.
Even, ashamed.
And, here is where we can really screw it up...
... we forget how we got knocked out in the first place.
So, for all of us contemplating returning to the event that laid us out...
... don't get mad, get even.
Here is what I do:
Write everything down immediately after an A race,
before, during and after...
- What went well
- What mistakes were made
- Training files
- Accommodations
- Food strategy
- Equipment set up
... be extremely detailed.
It's important to really dig, and really document, and to do this immediately after the race while the wound is fresh and still bleeding.
I don't think I've ever finished an A race where I couldn't think of something I could have done better...
... even if I think it went absolutely perfect.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
The moment you have the date(s) of the big event(s), take out a Sharpie and fill out your calendar.
This takes guts, and is extremely empowering.
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing on what inspired the post:
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164.5
7 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
IS ATTITUDE REALLY EVERYTHING?
ONE THING IS FOR SURE, on raceday there is a lot of attitude. Some good. Some bad. The question is...
... what is the best attitude to have?
In the case of turning, attitude is the angle of attack, the way we approach the corner, and it directly determines how well we exit.
Lean in too far,
or not enough,
Weight the outside foot too much,
or not enough,
Arms bent but too taught,
or not enough
Body too rigid,
or not enough..
... if our attitude isn't proper it's impossible to corner with max speed and safety.
It turns it's that way with everything...
... attitude is everything.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
I have found the most successful people with RaceDay Ready start with an open attitude to try something new...
... and a commitment to finish.
If you've started, have you finished.
If you haven't started, have you checked out the testimonials?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing:
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164.7
8.2 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
BREAKING THE PERSONAL SPEED BARRIER
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO FASTER ON OUR BIKES than we are currently going. We can try and force it all we want...
... it just doesn't work.
Pathways to failure include:
- Tensing up
- Brute force
- Holding breath
Then, what works?
- Relaxing
- Slowing down
- Enjoying the moment
How do we achieve maximum effort and stay loose?
This was on my mind as I drove home from Saturday's race.
I felt so much more confident and in a state of flow on the all of the fast downhills than I did 3 months prior on practically the same course.
The main difference between then and now is rather than ride my MTB once a week, I'm riding it 60-80% of the time.
Saddle time matters.
Most of that riding is on the dirt, and when it's not there is still a fair amount of throwing the bike around and jumping curbs, etc.
Where and how we ride matters.
Actually, I'm riding a rather oldish hardtail that I set up to exactly mimic my race bike's fit.
Set up matters.
The bottom line, the more we ride the same bike over similar terrain the more we relax and going for it in a relaxed state...
... always yields max speed.
Practice => Flow => Max Results
The above formula works in all areas of life.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Current Weekly Training on my calendar:
Monday MTB
Tuesday MTB
Wednesday Road
Thursday MTB or Off
Friday MTB
Saturday Road
Sunday Off
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing:
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166ish
7.5 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
STRAVA STATS THAT MATTER
I LOVE STRAVA. There I said it. It's true. Even though hardly any of the latest updates, for which they are raising the overall subscription price, are useful...
... I love the data.
Here's why. At the end of the year, they give us all the totals for miles, time, etc.
But, that's not the best part.
I know I'm going to ride about 600 hours a year.
12 hours a week.
I can plan on that.
I know tomorrow, for example, I'm slated to ride 2 hours and probably need lights for at least part of the ride...
... sometimes that doesn't happen.
That's okay, because one of the beauties of Strava is keeping me accountable...
... helping me track the weekly goal(s).
After tomorrow, I have 5 more days to get my weekly plan completed.
Now, if they'd enable effective communication with each other ala Facebook Groups and Messenger...
... that would be a truly useful upgrade.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Speaking of weekly training and annual planning, have you noticed that the Giant RaceDay Calendar starts on Monday and ends on Sunday?
That was one of the main reasons I created the calendars, so
- I could view my weeks how a train
- and see my weekends how I race
The calendars ship FREE.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
Please check out the live versions and extra riffing:
----
165ish
8 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
ARE YOU A CONSUMER OR COMMITTER?
HOW DO I EXPLAIN THIS? I've discovered a massive secret to improved performance. It will work for anyone...
... if they'll just commit.
Here's the dill.
Once we commit to an A race, for example, everything changes.
We are no longer wandering from race to race, or thinking about maybepossibly doing a particular race like a typical consumer. We now have what the great Napoleon Hill called...
... a definite major purpose.
On such and such a date, I will do X.
I was thinking about this today, my first race of the year, because it was a chance to check if my own definite major purpose was working.
MTB Marathon Nationals.
Once I made that commitment, a number of ideas regarding training came cascading into mind.
- Ride MTB almost exclusively, even if on the road.
- Go harder on the strength training.
- Build a massive Zone 2 base.
In practice this meant, no more gravel riding. I really need to be training the MTB position almost exclusively. I'm only riding the road, when I want/need to do really competitive group rides or races.
I've also increased my RaceDay Ready Cross fit from 12 minutes to 24 minutes by adding a few other exercises along with adding more weight. My baseline is now, 10 pullups and 30 pushups in a row, and deadlifting my body weight 10 times. Daily, or a minimum of 5 days a week.
Mondays and Fridays used to be 60ish minutes in Zone 1. No more. Now, I'm shooting for 2 hours Zone 2.
What I've noticed so far, is my Zone 2 efficiency is increasing. I'm going faster and faster at a relatively low heart rate. I'm never sore from the daily lifting, because my body now thinks that's normal. (Do bodies think?). And... AND... my MTB skills are coming back which means I can go much quicker with the same physical exertion.
None of this would have happened without that commitment.
But, why?
Without the commitment I never would have seen all the areas I could make tiny little improvement...
... which were on display today.
That's a pretty steady effort and all my lap times were within a minute except the last, which I'm attributing to knowing I had the race won and it being my first real race in about 6 months.
There's more to discover, and it will be a lot easier...
... because I'm committed.
https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
I covered this similarly in the first chapter of my book.
The book is free, just cover the Shipping and Handling.
https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
Please check out the live version of this post:
----
164ish
7 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
UNLEASHING ON RACEDAY
FIRST RACE OF THE YEAR FOR ME TOMORROW. Woohoo. It'll be fun to see friends, feel that start line energy...
... and unleash.
Part of that, of course, is unleashing the training I've done. Saddle time. Strength training. Good eatin'.
But, that's not all.
There is much more than just the setting our physical fitness free on the course.
What about our minds?
Not the made up angst about a certain competitor.
The other stuff.
- The pressures to perform
- Weather concerns
- Pre-race routines we didn't get to
- Who we can or can't follow
- Work responsibilities
- Relationships that are misfiring
All that stuff up there, takes all kinds of emotional energy to maintain and there is absolutely nothing we can to about on the course.
Unleash the mental distractions to truly...
... unleash all the physical potential.
You know I'll be lubing up with this this secret sauce. If purchased a RaceDay Bag™ recently you should have a small sample pack and a promo code.
This code saves you 25% of PR Lotion: PRsMadeEz
Please check out the live version of this post:
----
164ish
8 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHO IS THE GREATEST CYCLIST EVER?
OUR APP IS POWERED BY AI. We use machine learning. These claims by more and more companies in and out of cycling, while true, might be...
... completely useless.
For example, I asked ChatGPT, who is the greatest cyclist ever:
Determining the "greatest" bicycle racer ever is subjective and can be based on various criteria, such as number of wins, longevity, impact on the sport, and more. However, several cyclists are often mentioned as contenders for the title, including:
-
Eddy Merckx: A Belgian cyclist widely regarded as one of the greatest riders of all time. He won 11 Grand Tours and numerous other races, setting numerous records in the process.
-
Jacques Anquetil: A French cyclist who was the first rider to win the Tour de France five times. He was also known for his time-trial prowess.
-
Bernard Hinault: A French cyclist who won five Tour de France titles and was known for his aggressive riding style and overall versatility.
-
Miguel Indurain: A Spanish cyclist who won five consecutive Tours de France and was known for his ability to excel in time trials.
-
Fausto Coppi: An Italian cyclist who won two Tour de France titles and numerous other races, and is considered one of the greatest climbers of all time.
It is important to note that these riders all dominated the sport during different eras and had unique skills and styles, making it difficult to definitively declare one as the greatest ever.
I'm no scientist, but even I can see that the AI is only as good as the data it has to work with. The data comes from the people who program the AI.
So.
If ChatGPT is only considering winners of the Tour De France as contenders in the greatest ever contest...
... what does that tell ya about AI?
I asked ChatGPT what is the best way to prepare for Mountain Bike Racing. There is some good general advice, a nice summary. I went narrower and asked the best way to prepare for Leadville 100 MTB race, and was provided more general advice particular to the race..
In neither case, was it suggested I to learn how to focus on the trail not the obstacles.
It might be one day,
if programmed.
No different from the Intelligence under our helmets.
It matters who's doing the programming, and the width and depth of the data considered.
For me, one of the greatest cyclists ever is John Tomac. ChatGPT couldn't get that right either, only scant highlights. Here is my version of his excellence on two wheels:
- BMX professional
- MTB National and World Champion in XC and DH
- National Crit Champion (best race I ever saw)
- National Team TT Champion
- Raced Pro on the road for Motorola in Europe
- ... AND Outstanding Father of the amazing Eli Tomac Supercross superstar.
Just like our own training of our bodies, AI outputs depend on the inputs.
That sticker photo above is from my tool box, we send those stickers out with every RaceDay Bag purchase...
... because I want you to rip on RaceDay!
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/bags-for-every-sport
Check out the live version of this post:
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164
7.5 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
