MAYBE IT'S NOT SUCH A HELMET SCRATCHER

THE FITNESS IS ON THE UP, we've been experimenting with new training, and we get out to test it on the group ride. Things go really well, we set some PRs, but...

... we're still scratching our heads.

'cuz that cat got us.

Again.

So it was for me today, and I got a clue as to why.

With several weeks of...

• hitting it hard for an hour
• verses my usual 2+ hour slog
• and a solid 3-4 hour adventure at tempo on Saturdays

... I could tell there's a hint of snap returning.

And after 38 minutes and 22 seconds of semi-vicious flat miles with the group...

... we finished with 20 minutes and 59 seconds of the Pain Cave segment.

Those seconds were important, because we're always trying to break an hour.

BBB and I each PR'd.

He clobbered me the last 1/4 mile,
putting 22 seconds on me,
finishing in 59:59.

I was...

• stoked for BBB
• downright envious
• hopeful I'd post an hour someday

... and left scratching my helmet.

Until BBB said our cool down would be climbing...

... one mile at 8%.

Suddenly it all made sense.

===

HE'S MAKING HIS LIST

THE POWER OF A CHECK LIST is awesome.  Not ticking the boxes, for that quick hit of dopamine, there is something even better than...

... getting it done.

Which is the point.

For me, the real power is in the creation of a list.

Exploring and considering...

• each and every angle
• what is needed
• what is fluff

... and building an empowering list.

It's harder than it looks.

But, done correctly...

... discipline is replaced with love and urgency.

Checking the box is dessert...

... one we can enjoy each and every day.

===

WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GOAL SETTING

WRAPPING UP THE YEAR, is a lot like wrapping up Christmas presents. We have these memories and milestones...

... to look back on later.

Gifts to ourselves.

What if we knew what gifts we'd be wrapping up for ourselves next year?

Would we plan our 2026 calendar differently?

Change up our goals...

... if their accomplishment was a given?

Now that you've done that little thought experiment, I'll share this with you.

The biggest accomplishments in my past were never concerned with...

• little details
• strategies
• tactics

... only What.

From there it was just a matter of making it real.

===

HR TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE the joy of climbing with friends to a distant peak and poking through the clouds. Summiting is like having...

... the top of the world to ourselves.

All is calm.

Bombing down the mostly unfamiliar other side...

... not so calm.

Heaven forbid we'd let a gap open and get left behind.

Already on the edge of grip, I came into a sweeping lefthand turn...

... a negative radius, sloping downward.

I drifted all the way wide to the soft bulldozed berm.

Exiting, it was nothing but steep with ruts and rocks competing for my attention.

It wasn't looking good.

Somehow I managed to wiggle through the gauntlet.

My HR now sky high.

Only one thing to do, let out a huge...

... WOOOOHOOOOO!!!

Sheesh, my heart skipped a beat just reliving and writing this.

It.
Was.
Awesomeness.

Had I gone down,
I wouldn't have died.

But, it woulda been a bloody mess firshur.

Glad I kept my eyes open
and arms relaxed,
the tires held...

... just another reason to be grateful this time of year.

===

WHO KNEW WE WERE THAT BAD?

THE PROGRESS WE MAKE can be kind of embarrassing. We don't know it at the time. In fact, we're having so much fun those early pics and vids...

... can be kind of embarrassing.

There's hope.

Bad athletes,
can get good.

Good athletes,
can be great.

Great athletes...

... know the secret.

Keep doing it.

===

THE OTHER 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

A LOT OF US plan to do some superspecialsecret training when nobody is looking in the coming days. Some are going so far as to...

... do the outrageous.

A gift to ourselves.

Which reminds me of one my pals who each year would ride a century 12 days in a row.

That was his goto way to start the year with a bunch of base miles.

Of course, the family and friends all thought that was...

... akin to getting coal for Christmas.

Personally, my overarching diabolical (counter season or counter intuitive?) plan is to... 

• play around on jumps and technical stuff
• catch up with friends
• have fun

... make the training count.

What are you planning for 12/25 thru 1/6

While you're thinking about that... 

... I'm sharing this kit with you in the off chance you're looking so spoil yourself with something outrageously sexy...

You can get it for full price here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/dusty-shins-collection

Or, 50% savings here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedalindustries-r-riders-collection

===

IS IT TOO LATE TO GO PRO?

THE SALARIES of the tops pro seem fantastic. The lifestyle unbeatable. Who doesn't want to get...

... paid to train and travel the world?

Sign me up.

But...

... it's too late, you're too old, you lack talent, you don't have time, you're too young, your equipment sucks, your friends and family won't approve, you'll nevereverver freakin' make it...

... SILENCE!

Though we may not get paid,
our travel will be less exotic,
we can still focus on...

• a specified activity
• honing our craft
• doing our best

... it's never to late to be pro.

===

WE WON THE LOTTERY!

WE DON'T DREAM enough. At least most of us. When we do, and I'm not talkin' 'bout shut eye...

... we change our state.

Great things are suddenly possible.

I was reminded of this yesterday...

... my son was going to buy a lottery ticket.

He does this when it's over a billion.

I told him how much...

• it allows us to dream
• things we'd change
• do or never do

... I love and hate the lottery.

Name one thing you'd do?

I'd never get up to an alarm clock again?

Later, I reflected on my greatest day on the bike.

In 2022.

The insane Leadville goal of...

• a PR
• sub-8 hrs
• at age 60

... and how I did it.

The dream of sub-9 at sixty started years prior.

Always in the back of my mind.

But, there.

How it would feel to be in that kind of shape.

The closer the date got, 
the more real it became.

Until I believed I could not only go sub-9,
but shatter my 6 previous efforts.

We can win our own lottery...

• crystal clear
• detailed
• belief

... if we'll just start dreaming.

===

IS IT THE SACRIFICE?

WHY DO SOME OF US stick with the endurance thing year after year after year and others check in for a season or two then check out...

... never to return?

There is something unseen happening.

I think I know what it is.

Sacrifice.

For better or worse...

• could be skipping a new car for a better bike
• an hour later out at night for an early run
• a quick swim instead of a tv binge

... we've sacrificed something.

That sacrifice produces the faith necessary to really go for it,
go for that insane physical goal we've set.

It gives us hope.

And, we love that...

... in everything we do.

===

YOU'RE GONNA SAY THIS IS IT

THINGS AREN'T GOING to go according to plan. Everything is going to go south. Everything. And you're going to say this is it..

... This is how I end.

You can accept that,
or you can get to work.

That's all it is.

You just begin.

Solve one problem.

And then the next.

If you solve enough problems...

... you get to cross the finish line.

Adapted from the closing scene of The Martian.

It's a long movie,
about solving problems,
which is what we do the moment...

... we register for a race or commit snagging that elusive PR.

(highly recommend the movie)

===

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

IF WE'RE REALLY LUCKY, and we (you n me) are, we'll stumble into something that keeps us endlessly fascinated. No matter how much we do it, or how long we put it on pause...

... it is always, ALWAYS, a ton a fun.

How can we do it forever?

At a high level?

Before I tell ya the answer...

• age
• friends
• failure to progress

... we gotta accept the challenges.

1. If we aren't on point with our health choices, age may ravish us...

... and not the sexy kind.

2. As the playground circles the sun...

... many of our friends will hang it up (see #1.)

3. Failure to progress...

... leads to boredom.

Today, I hooked my sassy grin...

• rode with younger cats
• picked up a new trick
• pushed my limits

... up to the firehose of youth.

1. Lucked into shredding a lot of single track with Steve and Brian...

... the schedules aligned, the conversations vibrant.

2. Coming in hot to a corner, Steve locked up the rear wheel...

... Why did you do that? To vector the turn and change trajectory.

3. Brian, did you launch off that rock?...

... Yeah, came around the turn so fast I had to.

The real secret to the fountain of youth...

... making and keeping young friends.

===

THE HIDDEN ADVANTAGE

WE'RE BUSY. We work. Raise families. Participate in communities. Do our duties...

... what's our hidden advantage?

Just that.

We know how to...

• schedule
• pacify
• lead

... and we have perspective.

Which is what sets us apart,
keeps us in the hunt...

... 'till we cross the finish line.

===

DARE OR DARE NOT

SOMEWHERE AROUND 8 YEARS OLD, we learn of daring. Someone gets dared. We don't even know what the word means and, yet...

... we do.

Because there is tone.

An unsaid judgment.

I dare you.

Our response...

• bold
• calm
• weak

... means everything.

Later in life, that cat in the mirror still dares us...

... if we are lucky.

What are you daring yourself to do in 2026?

===

164.2 lbs/12.5%
7.75 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/92/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SHOW A FRIEND AROUND TOWN?

GETTING A LONG-DISTANCE FRIEND TO VISIT is mostly rare, for most of us. We post to Starva, talk up our locale...

... to the point of bragging.

Then, the friend shows up.

Suddenly, we're wondering...

• will they be impressed
• can they keep up
• will they crash

... how this is gonna go down>

There was a time when Surfergirl would take such visiting friends aside and whisper...

... Be careful, he's kinda crazy.

Couldn't blame her as more than a few returned bleeding,
one with a broken bone.

It wasn't on purpose.

• I'd just forget
• be in the zone
• having a blast

... thinking they were doing the same.

The local, me...

... could rip the trails blindfolded.

Everyone else was riding blind.

Anyway...

... Tim did great today.

(I knew he would, and didn't really back it down at all.)

===

164.2 lbs/12.5%
7.75 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/91/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
470 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

GOOD NEWS: THERE'S HOPE!

THIS TIME OF YEAR, the schedule gets crowded. The company parties, family get togethers, community events...

... we want to attend 'em all.

It eats into the training time.

And, that's good.

Just yesterdee, Surfergirl reminded me of our date to see Gentry.

Her favorite trio was in town for a Christmas concert.

Driving down, we wondered if we'd run into any friends,
walking in we saw my brother and sisterinlaw...

... seating, we were astonished.

We were exactly right behind them.

Couldn't have planned it better,
total surprise.

But, that's not the point.

We were carried away in the spirit of the night...

... all the world's nonsense, forgotten.

When we returned home, there was a package on the doorstep.

Incredible...

... a customer had hand made classic ornaments for each of our family members.

As a gift.

The real point is if we'll shut off the news, the pointless socials and get out to events and people we love we find...

... there's hope!

Hoping you'll find plenty of time to share your love for others in the coming weeks.

===

162.2 lbs/12.2%
7.5 hours sleep
no PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/86/-1 (fitness/fatigue/form)
430 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

THE BEST FREE ADVICE YOU NEVER PAID FOR

WE ALL GET ACHES AND PAINS. Mostly, we just blow 'em off knowing in a few days things will right themselves. At least that's the idea. But, we are organic...

... our equipment is not.

It won't self heal,
like our miraculous bodies.

No matter how much positive energy we send it...

... those creaks won't go away on their own.

We gotta respect and inspect 'em. 

 I mean really figure it out.

Lemme splain it.

I've had an annoying creak for a couple of weeks.

Finally, last Friday...

• removed cranks
• checked, cleaned bottom bracket
• found a broken bolt on the chain ring spider

... thought that'd solve everything.

Mostly, kinda.

However, last steep climbs at end of Saturday's ride indicated problem not resolved.

Took into the shop for professional treatment.

Ace mechanic gives me a call.

It's not good.

How bad.

Axle in hub is cracked.

Yikes.

Yeah, it coulda been bad.

How bad?

Well, if it broke while riding it would have destroyed the hub innards, and...

And, what?

... and possibly locked up the wheel.

Now, I dunno how things are where you live, but on that ride I'd just finisihed...

... I hit 35 mph over a rocky, gravel fire road.

Had that wheel locked up...

... I'd be dead, at best.

Consider this the best free advice you Never paid for...

• bike
• bones
• muscles

... Fix thy creaks!

===

162.6 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/89/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
470 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

HAVE YOU HAD A CLASSY SMOKE, LATELY?

CELEBRATING AN EPIC EFFORT is, can be, a powerful factor in repeatability. You know, whether or not we ever do it again and...

... gain the associated benefits.

Old time movies we so classy.

In black and white.

Couple meets,
goes to dinner and dancing,
the very next scene we see...

... they are covered up, smoking in bed!!!

Here's how we do it most Saturdays.

Meet up at the corner,
hit it hard for 3-4 hours,
the next thing we know...

... we're at the country store.

Cokes, RedBulls, chips, even had Zingers yesterday...

... our version of smoking in bed.

===

Now, here's the diabolical brainwashing science...

• guaranteeing many repeat performances

... celebrating with lots of sugar and caffeine burns those good feelings in.

===

165.6 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/92/-6 (fitness/fatigue/form)
430 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

APPRECIATING A ROUGH START

FOR SOME GETTING STARTED is easy, for other it's hard. Even messy. So, what's better...

... an easy start or a tricky start?

Take today.

We'd climbed 4141', 13.4 miles.

The start, though steep, was pretty smooth.

The final 4.5 miles, were quite a bit rougher.

Lots of rocks.

I really suffered that last 2ish miles.

After a bit of a break, 
it was time to plummet back down.

We pushed the pace pretty good those first 4 1/2 miles...

... over terrain I've flatted on many times.

I knew the next 9 miles were smoother, but...

... after the previous beating they seemed like a freeway.

We screamed down.

Surprisingly, I posted my 3rd fastest time ever.

(In case you're wondering if that was my 3rd time down, it was my 44th since 2012, per Starva)

This served as a good reminder...

... if we push through a rough start, we gain the skills to go much faster.

===

Further update on the Conti Dubitals...

• they roll reallyreallyreally fast
• corner dependably at high speed
• seem to be pretty darn puncture resistant

... I'm loving 'em.

Looking forward to playing with pressures,
I think I can run lower than the 16 and 17 I ran today.

(that was in the cold garage, before the heated up on the actual ride which would increase the pressure by a few pounds)

===

164.8 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
0 PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/107/-18 (fitness/fatigue/form)
430 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

WHAT ARE WE RIDING SATURDAY?

WE ALL HAVE A RHYTHM TO OUR TRAINING. We have a favorite rotation of workouts, training partners, intensity...

... just like the goto dinner schedule.

When all else fails, I know spaghetti and meat balls is a winner.

No matter what I have planned.

When it comes to Saturdays, the...

• crew
• pace
• route

... I have a few defaults.

If I've had two hard sessions during the week,
I'm leaning towards a longish sweetspot/tempo ride.

If the week only had one high intensity completed,
I'm gonna wring it out on Saturday.

This week's Wednesday Worlds was kinda hard, therefore...

... tomorrow I have a nasty 1ish hour uphill TT planned.

The younsters are gonna make me hurt.

Can't wait!

How do you do it?

===

165.6 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/88/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

TACKY, TORQUEY TESTING... CONTI DUBNITALS

GETTING NEW EQUIPMENT is always fun. Usually, it is preceded by all kinds of Kool-Aid drinking. You know, the marketing team laying it on thick...

... and our friends laughing at our antiquated ways.

This week, I bit.

Finally jumped to wider tires.

From 2.2 RaceKing in back and 2.2 CrossKing in front to...

... 2.4 Dubnitals, front and rear.

My testing took place on our local single tracks...

... while doing low-cadence, torque climbing in Zone 2.

I'd rip down,
ponder performance on way back up.

Going from 2.2 to 2.4 doesn't appear to be much,
the tires are a bit lighter than the 2.2s

My initial...

• they go from edge to edge much quicker
• seem to roll very fast
• traction is great

... reactions.

I think they're gonna be a great upgrade,
will test on the smoking fast downhills, Saturday.

===

166 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/93/-8 (fitness/fatigue/form)
450 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION

IF IT TAKES A VILLAGE to raise a child, then, for us, it obviously takes a group to train us up proper. The right gaggle...

... has countless benefits.

Number 1 being speed.

Which is why I did the Wednesday Worlds today, and rolled right into...

... Pain Cave.

When we're on form, 
this is an hour segment of riding just below detonation.

Today was much easier...

• the group was slowish
• BBB and I cruised Pain Cave
• catching up and discussing next year's goals

... we were 5 minutes off the PRs.

That will come down because we committed to some rather outlandish goals.

Which means, we'll be pressing the pace on the WW ride,
then duking it out on Pain Cave.

Leading to our mutually assured destruction the rest of the work day...

... and, what we hope will be a massively successful 2026 campaign.

===

If we do it correctly, we'll sprout wings.

Deal below.

Use promo code: VELOBONES

To save 20% on any t-shirt in the collection.

Expires on 12.5.25

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all

===

165.4 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/95/-9 (fitness/fatigue/form)
420 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

OTB OR OTB?

WE HAVE ALL THESE CODE WORDS and acronyms in our culture. The deeper we get into it... 

... the cryptic they become.

Here's the mechanic's favorite...

... I was just riding along.

His eye's roll and he scribbles on the notes...

... JRA.

I heard another from a shop owner who was barely hanging on and his "loyal" patrons were constantly asking for discounts and free stuff...

... he called them Freetards.

I've been guilty of both of those and quickly cleaned up my evil ways once I got the hint.

But, this one...

... it's been hard to stay away from.

OTB.

This one is a two-fer,
I can't get it out of my mind lately.

Off the back...

... which is where I seem to be finding myself a little more than my liking.

Over the bars...

... luckily, my recent wipeouts have been on solo rides.

===

165.8 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/88/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
390 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

ARE YOU CHOPPING WOOD?

WE ALL HAVE A FAVORITE MOVIE, book or story. One that inspires us to be more than we currently are, or return to a place we once dominated. These myths are important because...

... they can lead and guide us to a better future.

Truly powerful.

One of my all time favorites is Rocky IV.

Rocky, seeing his once enemy, the great Apollo Creed, who became his friend and mentor, get crushed by a Russian giant...

... decides he must do something completely different.

He must go...

• runs
• pulls a sled
• carries logs
• throws boulders
• chops down a tree

... to snowy and freezing Siberia.

Maybe it's winter,
maybe it's cold...

... maybe they only way to get nasty fit is chopping wood like Rocky.

===

166 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
00 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/88/-4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
390 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

EARNING VS LEARNING

LIFE IS LIKE AN EPIC CARD GAME. We're dealt our genetic hand. As little children, we have no idea...

... we're just running around having fun.

Somewhere around the age of 8 or so we realize...

... we're not all created equal.

I can throw,
my aim is woeful.

I can run,
my friends are faster.

I can swim,
holding my breath is a struggle.

Most of us here, found we love to endure...

... persistence and suffering are out super powers.

We can't earn our way to a sub-4 minute mile, but...

... we can learn how to be faster and more efficient.

That's the journey we are on.

Learning how to be our best.

===

164.6 lbs/12.5%
8.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/93/-8 (fitness/fatigue/form)
290 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

TRAINING BLOCKHEAD

FOR MANY OF US, this is the time to back things down. Pick up a sporty side hustle. Hit the weights...

... do something different.

Makes sense.

The next season is a long way off.

Just one problem.

Physics.

You can't shoot a cannon from a canoe.

Meaning, when the season does come around, we're going to need a good base from which to start launching our hard efforts.

So, whatawee 'posed ta do?

Personally, I'm gonna...

• have fun
• be more socisl
• challenge my skills

... while logging some solid base mile.

===

166 lbs/12.7%
6.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/107/-20 (fitness/fatigue/form)
290 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

ARE YOU COMFY?

WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT comfort zones. How we want to avoid them because they hold us back, lead us to settling for...

... more than we can be.

Who wants that?

Things I think about after a less frightful drop down one of my all time favorite descents.

I held the KOM at one point,
still top 11.

Back than, I was really, really at ease on that screamer...

... in a state of flow, relaxed.

Comfy.

The good kind.

Yesterday, on the same segment, I was a hot mess.

Smiley on my rear wheel, showing his front wheel, asking...

... Are you riding cautious?

I wanted to say...

... Heck no, and Screw you!

Things were not flowing,
I was gripping.

Hard.

It was very uncomfortable because I haven't been on my MTB much the last year or so.

Practice leads to comfy,
comfy leads to flow,
flow leads to ripping.

Effortlessly.

===

164.6 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/94/-9 (fitness/fatigue/form)
290 Anti-Oxidant Score

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

THERE'S A LEGENDARY CLIMB

SOARING 5600' ABOVE SEA LEVEL, we have access to a legendary climb. A gravel fire road. It's the kind of challenge we can sink our teeth into, get a baseline for our fitness...

... set legit goals.

The mountain ain't movin'...

• 9 miles
• 3000'
• 6.3%

... but, we are.

The KOM is held by current world tour pro Kevin Vermaerke,
which he probably set in the NICA days.

53:10

The next 9 are local legends...

... the legit kind, not the goofy Starva thing.

There are two ways to view...

• I'm slow, and I suck
• I'm slow, and I can improve
• I'm slow, and I'm dawgawn grateful to be ripping with my pals

... today's traditional Thanksgiving effort.

One more takeaway.

When I set my PR, we lived much closer to the mountain and I'd ride it 3-4 times a month.

It was a goto.

And, it got me thinking...

... if I wanna slay like that again, I gotta do it more.

Maybe every week for the rest of 2025,
and chop 18 minutes off today's time?

===

164.6 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
84/90/-6 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

I NEVER LIFTED WEIGHTS UNTIL I GOT INTO THE NFL...

MOST OF US ARE PROBABLY HEADING OUT for the local turkey trot or some sort of holiday ride. It's tradition, followed by the traditional...

... Did you ride or run today?

Which deserves...

... Yes, and the sun also rose this morning.

Earning an...

... I bet your hungry!

Usually followed by a...

... I didn't know you could eat so much pie!

At some point someone will turn on "the game".

As full as we are,
as much as that lycra gonna be stressed tomorrow...

... we realize endurance training doesn't favor or create massive muscles.

Which brings me to one of my all time favorite athletes...

... the Great Hershel Walker.

Dude was devastating in college and NFL.

This quote must have been so humiliating to those left flattened on the field....

• 2000-3000 pushups/day
• 3000-5000 crunches/day
• hundreds of pullups/day
• hundreds of dips/day
• air squats and lunges thousands
• 20-50 yard sprints

... I never lifted weights until I got into the NFL.

Damn.

We may not be - ok, never will be - built like Hershel, but...

... kinda makes ya wonder how much stronger we could be.

Dedicating little time,
from home.

===

164.6 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
20 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/82/0 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

STRATEGY VS THE DREAM

LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR yet? Maybe it's too early, I mean jeez it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But, almost...

... so, it might not be too soon.

There's no rule on that.

I was thinking about this on my ride yesterday.

What comes first...

... strategy or the dream.

Especially with all the InfooIncers on the socials.

You know which ones kill me....

... literally saw this one today...

... Download My 47 Points To Master Advertising Now!

hahahahahah

But, you get the idea.

We can get so hyped up on a new (to us) strategy...

• Single-legged box jumps while hula-hooping for explosive sprinting
• One million grams of carbohydrate from bonking to crushing
• Sleep like a grizzly and maul the group ride

... we start looking for a race to unleash.

I've done it,
still do it.

We can all be suckers, 
the cons are as appealing as the conmen.

Anyway, what I concluded after zonetwoing my way around town was... 

... The Field of Dream if we build it, they will come...

... is kinda right.

The players, errr strategies, don't show up until the field is built.

In other words, once we identify the...

• A race
• impossible PR
• unconquerable route

... then, and only then, will the strategies we need be apparent.

Let me say it differently.

We can quickly toss aside...

• techniques
• strategies
• hacks

... the worthless dross.

Because the really good stuff that works is easy to see...

... once we have our dream/goal/desire firm and clear in our minds.

NOT AS GOOD?

JOURNALISTS ARE SO MUCH SMARTER than us fans, they have incredible insights we just can't fathom. Why it's a wonder we even...

... bother seeing with our own eyes.

This is gold.

A journo says...

... MVdP is nowhere near as good as Tadej.

On the heels of saying...

... MVdP beat Tadej on the races he wanted to win.

He being MVdP,
and he being Tadej.

Wait,
what?

He's not as good,
but he beats him?

Oh, journo.

Here's the dill, and...

... it's a good lesson for us lowly amachuros.

On certain courses... 

... certain riders are unbeatable.

The challenge is to find our course.

MY VICE IS TERRIBLE, MY CULT IS WORSE

FEW OF US HAVE BEEN TO AN AA MEETING, but we've seen TV/movie version many times. Hi, I'm Todd and...

... I'm an endurance junkie.

Hi Todd.

When we come clean with the general population, Today I...

• swam 10,000 yards
• rode for 5 hours
• ran 20 miles

... they think we're crazy.

We're not.

The adrenaline rush of ...

• 60 miles an hour in nothing but lycra
• the swimmers blue mind
• the runner's high

... we need that hit.

Regularly.

This risks we take...

• sending it down the mountain
• running along into the cold, dark night
• impossibly holding our breath one more length

... would freakout any life insurance company.

These sensations of pushing well beyond normal, reasonable, safe...

... are often all that's keeping us stable.

In all sincerity, because the allure of the lottery and dulling our senses with substances is so very tempting and tragically treacherous...

... stay dangerous my friends.

The sane kind.

===

165.4 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
20 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/70/11 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

HOW WE SOLVE PROBLEMS

SOME PROBLEMS ARE HARDER than others to solve.  It can be frustrating when the answers just aren't coming.  This is... 

... how I solve my problems.

It's a question of time, right?

The truly unsolvable problems need marinating...

• clearly identify what needs to be solved
• set aside time
• get outside

... during a very lazy ride, run or swim.

The only goal is to solve the problem.

A stop for a pastry and drink is often required...

... I carry a journal and a pen to help me flush out ideas.

The best problems take require more...

• miles
• creativity
• "fuel" stops

... 3 or 4 or a lot more sessions.

Just today I was trying to figure out what to focus on...

• goals
• events
• milestones

... for next year.

Went for a ride,
had a brainstorm,
came home to the Giant calendar.

And they think we ride just for fun and fitness! 

===

165 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
0 PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/81/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

BECAUSE IT'S BEAUTIFUL

WE ALL HAVE A WAY to perform. Whether it's vanquishing, showing off, sufferfesting, truly enjoying every moment, our individual efforts...

... leave a lasting impression.

On others,
on ourselves.

Is there a best way?
Right way?
Only way?

Let us not gaze into our own navel but...

• racers
  
• promoters
• business leaders
• matriarchs and patriarchs
• community and governments

... appreciate for better or worse.

It is what it is.

I was recently struck by a singer...

• unknown by most
• unwilling to submit to label demands
• who died without much fame or fortune at 33

... sold more than 10,000,000 records posthumously.

What?!... how? who?

The great Eve Cassidy sang as if every song was a gift to the listener, 
with uncommon love and passion.

Nothing more.

May we all do our thing with such beauty.

===

Pull down her tracks on your music app... good wrenching vibes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1_oNzhU7U

===

164.6 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/65/16 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

ON THE GAS

A LITTLE KNOWN SECRET to not falling over is going faster. It's counterintuitive. But, it's the first thing we taught the kids when they started riding motos in the desert...

... speed is our friend.

Then why did I suffer so badly last weekend in a desert-bound gravel race?

You didn't have a motor Dingdong!

No, it's more than that...

... and I've thought about it a lot this week.

The 92-mile race

• low gradient climbs and descents
• long, long straight roads
• mostly flat

... provided very little coasting.

We had to stay on the gas.

It's not like the terrain here,
most of my ride profiles look like a lumberjack's saw blade.

Anyway, I'm thinking about that this week because I'm starting to do sweetspot training...

... 90% of FTP, without coasting.

I've got to stay on the gas (the pedals).

It's hard to do when we have so many punchy climbs and lots of turns.

But, I'm a committed fool when it comes to this stuff.

===

By the way, you might be one of the horde who loved this jersey...

... which means you'll probably love the kit.

If you wanna rock this awesomeness click here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedalindustries-r-riders-collection

There's an insane offer, so don't forget to click here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedalindustries-r-riders-collection

TAKE TWO, AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING

GETTING A COLD is annoying. Can't train like we want to, can't sleep well, hard to be productive. If we get near our lover fingers are raised in an X...

... so, what do we do?

To speed it up.

There are my goto...

• Zicam at first hint
• Pollo Loco tortilla soup
• Insanely hot and long showers

... rider's tales.

Then there's what I did today...

... which could massively backfire, tomorrow.

I woke up,
it was cold.

I had a cold,
and hemmed and hawed.

I consulted my alter ego Dr. Goforit, who said...

• raise your body temperature
• the nose will start to flow
• blow that gunk out

... Put on a kit and get on two wheels.

Torture.

I've had mixed success over the years.

I'll either be on my way to pneumonia...

... or good as new tomorrow.

===

165 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/58/23 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

THE GODLY CONNECTION IS STRONG IN THIS ONE

BEING OUTSIDE and unplugged is more than just an escape from "the real world". Most people in "modern society" rarely experience what that is like. We do because...

... that's where we thrive.

And, we're moving fast.

Even if we're practicing our craft daily,
and the whether is good,
we could use more.

Not less.

I experienced a snippet of much more on our road trip.

We took time to visit the land my greatgreatgrandfather homesteaded 100 years ago.

No one else was there but us.

Access is via a gravel road,
10 miles from a 2-lane highway.

No cell service.

The only inputs,
each other and nature.

The peace and solitude remarkable.

Over night, the temps dipped low enough to freeze the rain puddles from the prior evening.

We were cozy,
the van has a heater.

Still, when we rose to stretch and visit this hallowed land filled with childhood and parenthood memories...

... we were shocked by the reality of nature.

Not in a negative way,
one that makes you feel alive,
connected to more than a paycheck and bills.

To God.

To acquire the land...

• the extreme temps at 7000'
• the distance by horse or wagon to town
• the loneliness during the months no one came to visit

... E. M. Whiting had to stay on it and not leave, for two years.

How else could he make such a sacrifice if not feeling a closeness to his creator?

I feel it when I'm...

• there
• in the surf
• on our local trails
  

... and love it.

Need it.

And so...

• walk
• hike
• ride
• run
• surf
• swim
• camp

... we keep inviting and encouraging our friends to join us.

Outside.

===

164.2 lbs/12.6%
9ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/58/23 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE...

DISNEY CREATED AN EMPIRE animating fairytales. Because the appeal is so strong, with little to no cultural barriers we have to ask ourselves not just why, but...

... which is our favorite.

Then, why?

Personally, Cinderella is my top choice.

Not just the story arc,
the snappy dances,
or catchy songs.

There's an orphan in all of us.

Often we don't see who we really are,
out talents lying dormant.

Could be naysayers,
could be something else.

It's nice that Price Charming is a price,
it's charming that he sees Cinderella as she really is.

The point isn't...

• Where's my prince charming?
• Who will save the day for me?
• Why am I not picked?

... to wallow in our sorrows.

The point is for whom are we Prince Charming?

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
9ish hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/67/16 (fitness/fatigue/form) 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

IT’S IN OUR DNA

TOO FEW OF US know our family history. Some barely know cousins. Great-grandparents? Forget about it. It’s just not a thing. And, yet…

… what could be more important?

To know their stories,
is to know ourselves.

Which is why we drove hours out of our way after the bike race.

Here in eastern Arizona, to soak of our roots.

Surfergirl’s great-grandfather helped settle Snowflake,
my great-great grandfather helped settle Saint Johns.

They are neighboring towns,
about 20 miles apart.

And the communities were quite friendly with each other.

You’d think we grew up out here,
and that’s how we met and married.

Not so.

I was born and raised in SoCal,
she was raised in Hawaii.

Maybe somethings are meant to be.

But, that’s not really the point.

This is hard country,
the high desert.

To carve a life and community out of nothing took strength, smarts, and massive cooperation…

… the same qualities it takes to complete very challenging endurance events.

Who is an ancestor that inspires you?

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
7ish hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/87/-0 (fitness/fatigue/form) 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

I WANNA PUT A DENT IN THAT GIRL

IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE we can say and do the craziest things. You know things we might not normally say or do. And, at the time...

... they sound/seem totally normal.

Like today.

I had the awesome opportunity to flat 15 minutes into the 92 mile race...

... suddenly I'm swearing like a sailor.

It wasn't horrific, 
still, glad no one was around. 

Spent the next 50 miles basically riding by myself.

Doing my best. 

Jumping from group to group.

I roll up on one of the female leaders,
bridge across to another badass Barbie.

And, I hear her say the funniest thing...

... I wanna put a dent in that girl.

Speaking of the other racer.

I visualize a halloween scene,
hatchet stuck in the helmet.

Hahaha.

Then the crass, neanderthal in me thinks...

... that sounds like something I'd like to do on date night.

Not the hatchet...

... if you know what I mean.

These crazy thoughts are birthed in our very depleted states, as we...

... do our best to stay upright and moving forward.

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
7ish hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/89/-2 (fitness/fatigue/form) 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

WHY WOULD ANYBODY GO TO DOUGLASS, AZ?

RACING VENUES ARE HARD TO COME BY, especially in big cities. Almost impossible. The result is the bigger the race, the more likely we are to travel...

... someplace we've never been.

Would never go.

Here I am,
two hours south of Tucson,
on the Mexican border, in Douglass, AZ.

This gravel race has the same vibe as my first Leadville,
back in '99.

Small town,
somewhat forgotten.

Which makes it a perfect place to stage a gravel race...

... surrounded my endless gravel roads.

I decided to sponsor the race for three reasons...

• Mike, the promoter, is hella nice and persistent.
  
• He's a huge fan of our products
• I'm a huge fan of gravel races

... which are the only reasons to sponsor anything.

Passion and admiration for what each other are doing.

Funny story.

I have actually been here before.

Back in the 80's.

I was doing missionary work in Mexico and our visas needed to be renewed. Five us youngsters piled in a van and hit to Agua Prieto, MX. The plan was to walk across to Douglass, wait five minutes and walk back with new visas.

We were greeted with...

... No, no gringo. No se puede asi. (Not so fast whitey, you can't do it like that.)

So we...

• spent the night in Motel 6
• chomped Pizza Hut
• watched ESPN

... forgot all our Spanish.

And crossed back the next day.

I'm guessing Borderlands gravel will be slightly more challenging.

Good night now.

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
7.5 hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/64/18 (fitness/fatigue/form) ... somebody is tapered!

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

HURRY UP

IN OUR EFFORTS TO GET FASTER, we often think of the many benefits. Mainly health, youthfulness. And truth is...

... we are better than most, not as good as some.

Who's better?

By that, do you mean...

... how could anybody be better???

We are aerobic machines, and that is a key to longevity.

Mostly.

Here are...

• Sprints
• Weights

... the missing ingredients.

I know, I know...

• sprinting sucks
• weights can be dangerous
• and, for the weenies in the back, who wants to gain weight?

... what you're thinking.

According to research, when we lift weights not only do our bones get denser but there are intra-muscular gains to be made that we cannot get any other way.

You know what else is weird, most people in our culture never sprint again after their early twenties.

So, here's the main takeaway from all scientific facts do 'em and...

...  move faster, age slower.

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% 
7.5 hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/71/13 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

GIVERS

THERE ARE THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER selflessly and those who volunteer selfishly. Both are admirable. In fact, when I was a race promoter it blew my mind that...

... people just reach out and offer their assistance.

Just giving where there's an obvious need.

I ran into a selfish one tonight.

The sun had set,
my headlight was on.

I was making my way cautiously because the ruts on this particular trail are bad and...

... there's an enormous sinkhole that might kill ya.

As a get there...

... did I say it was pitch dark?...

... a man is standing with a shovel in one hand and a trowel in the other.

Creepy?
Scary?

Nope, I knew what he was up to.

Not burying bodies...

... prepping the trail so when it rains this weekend the ruts will fill in.

I stopped.

Introduced myself.

Thanked him profusely.

No need, I just moved here and can't believe how lucky we are to have these trails right here. Just wanna make 'em perfect for my kids and me to ride on.

To which I could only say...

... Bro, you gotta let me make you a custom RaceDay Bag.

Is there a better gift?

===

165.8 lbs/12.6% 
8ish hours sleep 
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/82/5 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

I THINK I VOIDED THE WARRANTY

LIVING IN THE ACTION SPORTS MECCA of the world, I'm surrounded and influenced by all manner of creative, ingenious athletes. We all feed off each other. My friend Kody...

... started making super aero computer mounts.

3D printed gloriousness.

My new MTB was in need.

I reached out.

Got a mount for Roval bars?

Yes.

Cool, I'll get one.

We haven't tested for lights yet.

He thought I was asking for my road bike.

So yeah...

• the road mount is super aero
• looks freakin' awesome
• supports a light

... survived and thrived on first MTB ride.

Did my evil test void the warranty?

I dunno.

But, this is...

• come up product ideas
• make it
• test it

... what we do around here.

Here's a ink to his site: https://nanoworx.shop

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% 
8ish hours sleep 
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/85/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

DO YOU KNOW YOUR GOLDILOCKS NUMBER?

WE ARE ALL SEARCHING for that magic number of hours to maximize our training. You know, the Goldilocks amount. Not too little. Not too much...

... the perfect amount of work.

I know where it is.

You do to.

Look back over the year.

Find the week that didn't wreck you, the...

• hours
• distance
• intensity

... I can do this every week.

Bonus/verification if you had any...

• Segments
• PWR
• HR

... PRs the following week(s)?

That's your Goldilocks number.

Mine's about...

• saddle time
• bit of strength work
• some sort of other fun

... 13 hours/week.

What's yours?

===

164.8 lbs/12.5% 
8ish hours sleep 
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
0 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/86/1 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

YOU GET 1 WISH

2026 WILL BE HERE soon enough. Many of us are already planning work, vacations, family time...

... and, yes, races.

You get 1 wish.

Here it is...

• lay out your Giant RaceDay Calendar
  
• scour the interwebs for races
• pick one, and do it

... no limitations.

Imagine it...

• Anywhere on this giant blue marble.
• Any time of the year
  
• Dream equipment
• Fantastic lodging
• Clear schedule

... and ask yourself.

If not this year...

... when?

'Cause here's the deal, if we only did one race next year...

... we could probably make it happen.

It's just a mental game, play it out, and let me know...

... where, when and why.

Me personally, my top choices...

• Gravel Burn, South Africa
• Oregon Trail
• Rebecca's Private Idaho

... are gravel stage races.

Gravel Burn looks insane.

===

You do have a Giant RaceDay Calendar, right?

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars%E2%84%A2

===

164.4 lbs/12.5% 
8ish hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
0 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/91/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

THE REBEL ALLIANCE IS GROWING

EVERY NOW AND THEN a new format or race or course or piece of equipment comes along with promises to change everything. Except hardly anything changes...

... until something sparks.

How does that work?

Like this.

About 10 years ago, I purchased my first gravel bike.

My friends, like me, were roadies and mountain bikers.

A gravel bike seemed like the worst of both worlds.

I got it,
understood where they were coming from.

Except, I was having so dang much fun...

... I didn't care.

I just kept riding gravel,
inviting my friends,
enduring their
mockery.

It wasn't overnight,
more like overdecade.

The last two Saturdays, most telling.

Eight days ago, an absolute shredder on a mountain bike shows up on a spanking new gravel bike.

30 minutes in, he's grinning and shouting...

... This looks so wrong, but gadang it's fun!

Today, another pal shows up for his first group gravel ride.

He's gifted off road, we spent years riding motos in the desert...

... We're going 30+ miles an hour, I can't believe how much ground we can cover!

Does that mean you should be riding gravel, too?

Maybe.

But, really, it's just a lesson in how things that are worthwhile spread.

Then again...

... What did the gravel bike say to the road bike?

I am your father.

===

165.6 lbs/12.6% 
8ish hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
0 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/105/-15 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

FAMOUS COACHES ARE GETTING FIRED RIGHT AND LEFT

IN PRO SPORTS, or high level amateur, there is always a spot light on the coaches. At some point, blame or credit lands...

... squarely on their shoulders.

Should it?

I do love to follow college football...

• the emotional swings
• the athleticism
• the stadiums

... so much energy and unpredictablity.

Who would have thought so many megamilliondollar...

... coaches would be punted this year.

Mid-season.

The great Seth Godin wrote The Gap. 

The idea behind the book is when we find ourselves unable to close the gap to our goal...

... the sooner we decide to quit and move on, the better.

It might be a pro gambling tactic as well...

... but, the only gambling I do is putting my heart, soul and cash into this business.

Anyway, would you have/have you had the guts...

... to change directions, and how quickly would you do it?

===

163.6 lbs/12.4% 
7.5 hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/83/3 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

CHOOSE WORTHY ADVERSARIES

WHAT IS IT ABOUT LOVING UNDERDOGS? It's so uniquely American. Is it our origin story, the DNA of our culture... 

... to cheer for the fighter with no chance?

Honestly.

Who can't feel a bit of their own soul being crushed with every blow the awesome Apollo Creed delivers to a...

... bloodied, bruised, crushed Rocky Balboa?

We've all been in that arena.

Had the bell ring.

Still standing.

Somehow.

We humans thrive against overwhelming adversaries...

• inspiration
  
• desperation
  
• exasperation

... oozing with confidence and power.

When our all is required,
we discover who we really are.

As the great Kierkegaard said...

... What doesn't kill me makes me stronger.

===

164.6 lbs/12.5% 
8 hours sleep 
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/88/-1 (fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

MY TOP 5 SPEED HACKS

FOR MOST OF US, going faster, getting better, has less to do with a fancy new gizmo or the latest training fad. We know that...

... but, what are doing about it?

Like the Mastercard ad says...

... some things are priceless.

Here are five...

• Sleep
  
• Nutrition
• Strength
  
• Maintenance
• Consistency

... anybody can do. 

These are my hacks.

Sleep. 

Figure out when we want to wake up. Get in bed 8 hours prior to that. Stay there until it's time. Eventually, our bodies get the hang of it, and boom... we're sleep doping.

Nutrition.

Eat clean. No packaged foods. If we can't identify the ingredients, we don't consume it.

Strength.

Do the basics, at home. We don't have time to drive to the gym. No need to do all the sets at once, break 'em up throughout the day. Hardly any equipment is needed: pull up bar, a few dumbbells (adjustables for the win).

Maintenance.

New equipment is so nice because it is all tight and precise. Flawless maintenance will keep that new equipment performance for years, and we'll always be race ready.

Consistency.

If we always train at the same time magic happens. Those around us learn and appreciate our commitment. We get it done. Always.

A final word.

I was never the best athlete. Not among my friends, and certainly not at school or among the general population.

I was never picked first, couldn't aim or hit anything regularity.

I wasn't the bravest or most daringist.

I did have one thing going for me...

... I freakin' loved being outside and being challenged by nature.

Today, I'm probably better than almost all my contemporaries.

That's not a flex, it's just happens.

They quit.

Which brings us to the top two hacks of all time... 

... commitment and passion.

===

165.2 lbs/12.5% 
8 hours sleep 
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/83/3(fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248

YOU'VE LOST THAT AWESOME FEELING... GET IT BACK!

THERE'S A CERTAIN SOMETHING we feel during the early days of picking up our passion. It's tangible. We can taste it. We love it...

... that's how we got here.

I'd lost it.

Over the last couple of years, drunk with stupid stats from Training Peaks and Starva...

• more time
• more miles
• more climbing

... I found myself wallowing in fatigue.

Don't get me wrong.

I'd line up, or roll out with the pals, and, though I might be quick to drift back...

... the ability to endure for hours was ridiculous.

Something snapped.

Or, lightning struck.

I dunno.

But, a few weeks ago, I woke up and said...

Screw it!

I'm cutting down the long slogs...

... and bringing back sprint days.

2-3 hours became 90 minutes.

With 10-15 VO2 max efforts,
lasting 10 seconds to 5 minutes.

I'm super fortunate to live close to trails with a lot of straight up and straight down...

... I let the terrain dictate how long the sprint lasts.

Then, focus on my DH skills...

... coasting, staying off the brakes, carving  and carrying speed.

The upshot, after 90 minutes and 10+ solid efforts?

I feel amazing,
not pooped.

Sprinting engages all our muscles and focus...

... a total mind, body soul work out.

Soul?

Yeah, trust me.

Do 'em right, and you'll see stars and feel God's presence could be imminent. 

===

164.3 lbs/12.5% 
8 hours sleep 
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/83/3(fitness/fatigue/form)

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248