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Todd’s Journal
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Get RaceDay Ready
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
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
500 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
√ 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
86/84/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
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.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
500 Anti-Oxidant Score
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
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/89/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
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.
===
166lbs/12.5%
7.5ish 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
88/91/-4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
500 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
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.
===
165.2 lbs/12.5%
7ish 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
88/93/-6 (fitness/fatigue/form)
450 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
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)
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8sh 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
88/95/-7 (fitness/fatigue/form)
450 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
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.
===
166 lbs/12.7%
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
87/92/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
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.
===
164 lbs/12.5%
8 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
87/92/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
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.
===
164.6 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
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
82/74/7 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
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.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
8ish 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
81/58/12 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
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
===
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
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
82/67/14 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers
>
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
>
YOU CAN'T GROW A BEARD OVERNIGHT
WE WANNA BE FASTER. Right now. Not this season, not this month, not this week, not today. Right now...
... 300 meters from the finish line.
Houston, we have a problem.
Go ahead.
We forgot to add fuel to the return booster.
Sucks to be you.
Yeah.
We can't grow a beard overnight.
A good one, for some of us...
... can take months.
If we wanna be fast in the final sprint,
if we wanna negative split the course...
... we gotta put in the work before we need the result.
===
164.3 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises, Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/82/4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CULTURE WARS
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF TRAINING groups. Both extend invitations...
... the similarities stop there.
One culture assures...
- everyone is ready to start together
- there are plenty of stops
- nobody gets left behind
... fairness and concern.
The other demands...
- leaving on time
- no stopping
- no waiting
... rugged individuals.
The group we...
- join
- create
- help grow
... depends on the result we are looking for.
===
165.2 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises, Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
180 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/86/1 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DIRT WORLD PROBLEMS
EVERY SURFACE HAS it's challenges. Add in the weather, how we approach things...
... changes quickly.
Super mist.
The normally grippy sidewalk we were slaying to meet the rest of the crew, was not only glazed with moisture...
... bright green moss screamed Slow down and do not lean over.
We ain't rookies,
not a problem.
It was so misty, the glasses were tucked away.
The late Fall moon dust covering most of our trails and roads...
- forks
- shins
- lenses
... quickly 3D prints on to everything.
Bombing the first downhill...
- nearly 40mph
- no brakes
- 1 minute
... the dust and pebbles flying up stinging our eyes.
Two choices:
Wear the glasses,
blurry, smudgy vision.
Wear no protection,
smoke your corneas or contacts.
When the sun finally burned through,
I grabbed my glasses from my jersey pocket...
... they were covered in sweat.
lol
Truly, dirt world challenges.
===
These Ugly Sweater jerseys woulda worked well today - which include matching gloves and socks
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===
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===
164.4 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises, Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/99/-10 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THAT FREAKED ME OUT!
IN THE HURRY to get the miles in, sometimes we find ourselves willing to risk a potential short cut to get home early. Which is exactly what I did...
... just before halloween.
Hustling down a new trail.
The night's shadows suffocating the daylight.
A long ladder bridge spans steep canyon walls and the trail...
... whips around and under the bridge!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
I was going too fast to even think about it.
Leaned on the tires.
Ducked my head.
Stopped.
Went back up and mastered it at even more speed.
I'd discovered a great way to freak my friends out...
... like finding a killer haunted house.
Gonna be good scare on the next weekly MTB ride.
===
Not as scary as these Ugly Sweaters - which include matching gloves and socks
SPECIAL OFFER - 11.1-11.7 ONLY
When you Purchase an UGLY Pro Jersey, we'll include a gloves and socks. (we'll email you for your sock and glove size)
Order here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/ugly-sweater-collection-2025
===
EXTRA SPECIAL CUSTOM UGLY SWEATER OFFER - 11.1-11.7 ONLY
Same offer as above, but custom ugly in your team colors and graphics
Go here to get started: https://bookdesign.pedalindustries.com/
===
164 lbs/12.3%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises, Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/82/4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BRING YOUR BEST AND LET US ADD UNTO IT
MOST OF US have backgrounds in something other than endurance sports. During those pursuits we learned what our leaders believed to be...
... the best practices for excellence.
Do we leverage that?
Here's an idea.
When I surfed almost everyday...
- most days were small waves
- 2 days a week would be pretty good
- 1 week of the month would have 3+ days of epicness
... which got me thinking, what would happen if I trained more like a committed surfer.
That schedule up there, is a lot like polarized training...
... except for surfers, the good days are usually back to back.
Good days, means...
- charging through the surf
- scrapping to get max speed and catch one
- battling back through the big waves to get back out
... a lot of VO2 max efforts
Then,..
- back
- to back
- to back
- to back
... consecutive days one week a month, when a great swell hit.
After the big swells, there is usually a lull.
Good, because,
we're tired,
we rest.
That's how surfers train because that is nature's cycle...
- lots of endurance
- regular intervals
- a big week
- a lull
... maybe it should be ours, too.
===
165 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
0 PullUps, 0 PushUps + 0 Box Jumps, Nordic Curls, Heel and Calf Raises
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/82/4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WOULD YOU SAY THIS?
Dec 25, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ONLY OUR OLDEST WAS IN TOWN, so we met midway. At the bay. Unloaded paddle boards. Set out for some mansion gawking, and sunshine...
... and paddled for 6 miles, 2ish hours.
Not the traditional Christmas morning for most,
on par for us..
Something weird happened all day,
never seen it before.
When we got home, there was still enough sunlight
for me to spin the pedals
and Mrs Claus to walk.
Every single person I saw,
on the water and on the dirt,
had the exact same thing to say.
We live in an area with lots of people from around the country, and around the world, representing all kinds of cultures and beliefs.
Which is why I thought this was odd.
The last person I talked to was a kid in his 20's from Michoacan, Mexico.
New bike?
No speak english.
No problemo.
I learned Spanish a long time ago, and can still get along pretty good. I asked where he was from, told him how much I loved the famous ice cream sticks La Michoacana, from his state.
He was on a really sweet Giant Trance. Said he'd just picked it up on FB marketplace, and how much he loved it.
A common language, we all understand.
We talked about how long he was here and his main objective to learn English.
It was time to part ways before sunset, and say the thing I'd over and over today.
Merry Christmas.
Feliz Navidad.
---
165.1
8 hrs
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
IGNORING THIS CHRISTMASY MESSAGE WILL MAKE YOU CRASH
Dec 24, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I CAN'T STOP THINKING of the silliness I've practiced over the years. Not the Christmasy stuff, which was personally a tough season for many years, but...
... ignoring the real point of it all.
Whether you're a belieber or not, doesn't matter, the principle is true...
... you can't ride your bicycle while looking backward.
Oh, you can go a ways, however the penalty of not facing forward will be paid.
Which is the message that little babe came to deliver...
... look forward with hope and faith that good things await.
He gave instructions on how to live.
He knew all would falter from time to time.
He gave a simple formula to get back on track.
Repent.
Start anew.
Don't look back,
focus on forward.
I don't know why that is so easy to practice on a bike,
and so difficult when life's blunders serve up a shouldawouldacoulda sandwich.
Pedal on.
---
163.8
7.5 hrs
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
THE RIDING ART OF LOST
Dec 23, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I WOKE WITH A FROG IN MY THROAT. Not surprising, Surfergirl has been coughing for a week. There was only one thing to do, and it wasn't going to be easy...
... with all the rain this week.
No, I wouldn't be meeting up with the fellas.
However, since the onset of my cold was above the neck...
... I could ride long as heck.
Most people don't do this,
and decline my invites.
Where are we riding today?
I don't know.
You have no plan.
Nope.
Okay, I'm gonna do a group ride.
See ya next time.
The idea of getting lost,
aimlessly wandering,
is too vague.
I get it,
I also get this.
Every great adventure,
the ones we tell over and over,
are epic because at some point...
... the unexpected happened.
- We got lost
- Found a new trail
- Discovered a forgotten road
- Ignored the Private Property sign
- Had a massive mishap and lived to tell the tale
None of this happens on the group ride,
or in the man cave zwifting,
or at the races.
For me, It's almost a lock
I will discover something worthy
nearly every single time my objective is big zone 2.
It's an art,
to get lost and enjoy it.
Nothing new is ever discovered
on the road most traveled
---
166.2 lbs (more lost rides needed)
7.25 hrs
Push Ups and Pull Ups.
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL SIGNAL?
Dec 22, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS to signal to your mind that it's time to shift gears. Gurus, like Tony Robbins, might call it shifting states or moods...
... and this shift matters.
Because if we don't get our helmet in the race,
we're destined to get shelled.
For racing, I cycle through till I find the right jam on my...
... special a playlist.
Sometimes the pump up music isn't getting it done for me and I have to...
... wait until the first cat cuts me off or won't let me through.
Other times...
... simply seeing a frenemy can raise the HR.
Another one I like for racing or hard training is ...
... lathering up with PR lotion.
For work, I turn the volume super low and hit repeat for...
... one goto song.
Butttttttttttt...
... what's the signal for a new season
or legit off-season
or mini-break?
Before I get there,
why does this work?
Why do preachers and motivators play music before the message is delivered?
Why do bands drop the lights before electrifying the audience?
It's all signals,
that things are changing,
and we mentally shift and become a different person...
... and love it.
The opposite is also true,
no definitive signal,
no change...
... and before we know it,
the race is over,
the day done...
... and nothing accomplished.
So, what's the signal for a new season?
Mine,
shave my legs.
---
166.1 lbs (might be time for the razor)
7.25 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more.
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
YOU CAN SPRINT SOME PEOPLE SOME TIMES
Dec 21, 2023
by TODD BROWN
SPRINTING IS SO FUN, especially alone. Down clear road with a tail wind, out of a turn and into the next, up a short hill...
... It's so energizing.
Then why not sprint all the time?
The answer's obvious,
because we can't.
It's not physically possible.
The next best thing is...
... if we do it right.
The great John Wooden preached...
... Be quick, don't hurry.
Quick is
- precise
- error free
- looks effortless
Hurrying is
- looks atrocious
- mistake laden
- sloppy
We sweat with both...
... we win, PR, achieve greatness with one.
The difference?
- Practice
- Planning
- Routines
So, when the shift goes off the trails on the bike, in life...
... slow down,
be quick.
Oh, I almost forgot,
if you're hurrying to get a gift for your favorite cyclist, triathlete or runner...
... here's a quick and awesome idea.
---
164.9 lbs
8 hrs
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
IF I COULD RACE EVERY RACE
Dec 20, 2023
by TODD BROWN
APPARENTLY, POSTING ALL THE RACE PLANS is a bigger thing than ever for the pros. Imagine being paid to race, then telling your sponsors and team...
... which races you'll do.
It's one thing to say I'm going to X, Y and Z races, it's quite another to say...
... and I'm going to win.
For some racers, it's probably a requirement. For sure...
- the team wants to know
- the journalists want to know
- the competitors want to know
... if they're going to be there.
It gives everybody a chance to promote and hype and draw in the eyeballs and the money...
... which is exactly not what most amateurs do.
Most of us...
- no plan
- no calendar
- can be easily swayed
- find committing can be tough
... because, well, we are amateurs.
Or,,,,, are we amateurs because we...
- find committing to be tough
- are too easily swayed
- have no calendar
- and no plan
... not that there's anything wrong with that.
It's just the difference between pro and amateur...
... getting results,
and the ability to call our own shots (wins, PRs, quests).
It starts here.
---
164.8 lbs
8.5 hrs
Push Ups Pull Ups
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
I HEARD SOMETHING RIDICULOUS TODAY
Dec 19, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ON THE RIDE THIS MORNING I was assured that pedaling in circles is wasted energy and that the studies of one bike fitter in England done on pros are conclusive...
... I sprint to differ.
While it may be true that mashers have just as much power in certain situations, I'm 100% certain that is not true of all situations.
For example, any mountain bike rider can you tell you that on technical climbs it is critical that the power you put down is even and steady.
Why?
Because mashing will likely cause 2 problems...
- slipping the rear tire
- stalling out and falling over
... mountain bikers are generally really good at putting power down all the way through the pedal stroke.
You know who else?
Track sprinters.
I learned this from the great Gibby Hatton when I went to him for a bike fit.
After watching me spin warming up...
Have you raced on the track?
No, mostly MTB.
Oh, that explains it... trackies and offroaders are the most efficient at putting out power.
Why, is the question.
And I think I know why, because when traction is required and when explosive power is required the hamstrings are engaged.
I learned this a long time ago when sprinting with my friend who easily beat me. He taught me to extend my stride and pull myself forward. Sure enough, I got a little faster.
Sprinters of all types spend time developing their hamstrings for this very reason.
Which brings me to my next thought. The reason most cyclists don't have any power on the upstroke is because they are pathetically weak.
If they weren't, they'd engage the hammies more in certain situations: sprinting, climbing loose terrain and...
... cruising on the flat.
Lately, with all my Nordic Curl work, I've noticed I can cruise faster on flats and let my quads rest a bet by more fully engaging my hamstrings.
I'm just practicing bro-science, so take it or leave it...
... but, Joe Friel practices real science.
When I flew him out to speak to us a few years back he pulled up charts which definitively demonstrated the small gains to be made by learning how to pedal correctly.
Yes, mashers can go fast.
Yes, there are times to mash.
Yes, you should experiment with this in the off-season.
---
165.5 lbs
7 hrs
PushUps and PullUps
20 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
OLD GUYS RULES
Dec 18, 2023
by TODD BROWN
YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE SHIRTS AND HATS, usually on old guys who are kinda pudgy and unreasonably confident. I get it, but don't done it...
... more about that later.
I bring this up because lately the interwebs be chiming that old guys shouldn't be advising young guys...
... according to medium guys.
And really Peter Sagan brought it home on the latest The Move podcast discussing today's racing...
... versus how they used to race.
I tell them young guys, why going so fast. No need.
Whatever old man.
We go down hill and young guys crashing, all for nothing.
Another GenXer on X, was even harsher on old guys trying to help young guys.
Old guys are irrelevant.
I thought about it all day...
... probably because I'm of a certain age.
I think when it comes to tactics, yes, the old guys' rules are probably outdated and useless.
But!,
when it comes to strategy I'll take the age-old wisdom of the old-age guys every time.
In business, a tactic would be knocking doors. I did that. Almost pointless to do these days...
... the wisdom is to hustle and get out there and be seen.
In training, a tactic is use a heart monitor. I did that. But, there's a lot more tech to be learned and mastered for improvement...
... the wisdom is to ride piles of miles.
Anyway, if you're into improving...
- old guys have the strategies
- young guys have the tactics
... those are the rules.
I love looking for the timeless ones...
... and ladies still love flowers.
---
165.3 lbs
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
HOW DO YOU SPELL FAST?
Dec 17, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE COUNTLESS WAYS to get faster on the bike, which is why it is endlessly fascinating. They range from physical to mechanical to mental to social to spiritual and...
... help us on our quest to get fast.
Some think that the best way to get better is to fail faster, which sounds great until...
- we come up short on a jump
- or, slide out in a high speed turn
... mmmmmaybe we ought to temper that a bit.
So, I don't spell fast F-A-I-L.
The fastest people I know are relentless and pay attention to all areas where speed can be gained.
They experiment,
practice,
tinker,
study,
train,
... they do the W-O-R-K.
Usually, a lot more work than most are willing to do.
---
We're getting pretty low on Cycling bag inventory, but still have a good amount we can ship for Triathletes & Runners
---
164.9 lbs
8 hrs
No strength work today
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
I THOUGHT I WAS SO SMART
Dec 16, 2023
by TODD BROWN
A BEAUTIFUL DAY WAS ON TAP, and I was meeting two of my fave riding pals. Always good and uplifting conversation, plenty of shredding on the downhills...
... and Love Watts had planned a fun route.
After the first segment of goodness we had a problem.
Sure, I'd...
- checked all the batteries
- pumped up the tires
- adjusted shock pressures
- lubed the chain
... what could go wrong?
Uh, what about them brake pads bro?
There we were 47 minutes in to a 4ish our ride and my rear wheel was not spinning...
... which explained why I'd struggled on the first climb.
This is how good my friends are.
Rather than let me slog home with my chamois between my legs...
... we got to wrenching.
The calipers were all kindsa messed up.
The pads were smoked.
Again, I tried to wo-is-me my way home...
... no dice.
Construction Kev...
My house is nearby, and I have a set of new pads.
... les go!
Never seen this before, look at the retention clip in pic above.
It is destroyed.
15 minutes later,
we're back on track,
hootin' and hollerin' and PRin'.
I love these guys.
On the suspension set up, I aired up a little higher than my normal, which is still lower than factory setting...
... 90lbs up front, 180lbs out back.
Perfect,
much cushier,
still tracking the corners really well.
When Love Watts started charging a long, twisty and steepish singletrack I cut loose...
... figuring he'd clear the way.
Normally, with so many blind turns and a stunning day, there is just too much traffic to go for it.
I'm cautious that way.
It was a gamble,
total blast.
---
I have too much PR Lotion inventory.
This promo code: FRENS
It is buy one, get one free. You MUST purchase TWO bottles, discount will be applied when you check out.
Code can be used 15 times, so use it new before it sells out.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/amp-pr-lotion
---
164.5 lbs
7 hrs
No strength work today
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
YOU KNOW WHY THE BANNED TURNING IN THE BRAKE LEVERS, RIGHT?
Dec 15, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THIS JUST IN, UCI figures out how to squash another innovation and has the innovators crying foul. Was it for safety reasons? Worry over racers suffering carpel-braking syndrome...
... or, something much darker?
In these cases, as in all news...
... it pays to follow the money.
Now, just who really cares?
You and I, the fans, who have seen these micro adjustments...
- levers
- socks
- rider position
... to name a few, burst onto the scene then be smothered?
We don't care because...
- It's cool to sees these clever, committed racers explore the fringes of speed
- and, escape into a breakaway that is never caught
... we like that, because we dream of doing the same thing.
Follow the money...
- Fewer sponsors logos being flashed during hours long races, when a handful of racers are off on their own.
... and we get the only logical reason.
Money,
nearly always the #1 reason.
The conspiracylover in me says the big component manufacturers have already begun developing a brake lever/shifting system that is designed to give these aero benefits while leaving the levers inline with the bars.
Nahhhh,
they wouldn't be involved, too?
Personally, never tried it.
I'm also still running "standard" width bars.
I've seen the set up on local rides,
as well as the very short bar widths.
Looks cool,
seems faster.
What's wrong with that?
---
163.8 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
I LOVE IT WHEN THINGS BREAK
Dec 14, 2023
by TODD BROWN
When making a purchase I always go for the best quality available. I like things that last a long time and are extremely reliable. Given enough time and wear and tear...
... nearly everything breaks.
Here's the truth I've discovered, and it's not just bike parts...
... the replacement is almost always way better.
I was reminded this on a ride recently with a heartbroken friend. The love of his life...
... had left.
Having had my own share of love gone wrong, I could relate. I could also share the big picture, everyone of those girlfriends was replaced with someone better...
... and finally with Surfergirl.
Just this week my bookkeeper let me know she was retiring. If you're looked for a good one, reasonably priced bookkeeper lately, you know they are hard to find. I asked my CPA for a referral...
... not only does he offer that now, but at a much better rate than I was paying..
My chief designer moved on 2 years ago, best thing that happened to the business in a long time. Forced me to rethink the entire process and put what is now, I believe...
... the finest experience in the industry.
Of course, we've all hit a nail, had the tire go flat, and realize there's just no way to proceed without getting...
... and brand new bike.
The real question is...
... should we wait until things break?
---
164.5 lbs
5 hrs (Surfergirl had to watch meteor shower until 2am)
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
0 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER TODAY?
Dec 13, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I (ALMOST) ALWAYS SCAN THE RACE PHOTOS when the promoter sends out the link. Yes, I like to see myself in action. Who doesn't? The thing is...
... they aren't always outstanding.
Which makes it even more important to purchase the pretty good ones.
Take last Saturday's race.
There were photographers all over the place, and I was really hoping one of the guys on the downhill would post his pics.
Instead, I got this one.
I like it, but for something you might not notice.
Before I get there, I'm just making a public service announcement...
- Buy the pics, unless they just muffed the shot
- Do NOT lift the pics and post without paying
... we gotta support 'em for the days they nail the shot.
Like this one...
Now, about that shot at the top.
The thing I like is it looks to me like the weight training is paying dividends...
... which gets me kind of excited for next season,
and hitting the weights a lot more.
---
164.9 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
0 minutes recovery
75 minutes reading + Journaling
DO CYCLISTS REALLY NEED TO COLD PLUNGE?
Dec 12, 2023
by TODD BROWN
COLD PLUNGE IS ALL THE RAGE, and I've yet to do it. But, I'm wondering if today's ride counts as a cold plunge, which was prognosticated to be in the high 40's, yet on some devices...
... registered in the low 30's.
I'm still cold.
Because I dressed like a rookie...
- Decided my summer gloves would be sufficient
- Left my awesome KOM jacket at home
- Couldn't find my toe warmers
... I froze like a rookie.
Which gets us back to the original question:
Does not feeling anything in my hands for at least 20 minutes, wondering if I still had toes, and being cold 12 hours later count as a cold plunge?
Another bonus was we recorded very slow times on the main segments even though we were giving it everything to get home as quickly as possible...
... low hr,
low power,
complete exhaustion.
Now I know this is the point where all the armchair zwifties chime in on how dumb it is to ride in the cold, and the snowbound chide me for wearing arm and knee warmers, a base layer and skull cap in such balmy weather, so before you go there...
... can some heat me up so cocoa?
---
165.1 lbs
7.5 hrs
No strength
10 minutes recovery
45 minutes reading + Journaling
FAVORITE NEW TECH OF THE YEAR?
Dec 11, 2023
by TODD BROWN
DID YOU FIND SOME CRAZY NEW TECH in 2023, or something you want to try out in 2024? I did, and it's not on my Christmas list because....
... it's priiiiii-ceeeeey.
In this case,
it's way better to give to myself
than to receive a look of shock and awe.
Oh, I'm gonna get it because...
... I think it will be a game changer for me.
First, my gravel bike will get it since that's my focus for 2024.
Here's the problem it solves.
If you run a 1x drivetrain, like I do, you either have to run a mullet cassette (10-52) so you have a wide range or run a smaller range of gears so you have narrower jumps.
The obvious solution is to run a 2x with a front derailleur, but that's not possible because of tire clearance.
Is it really a problem?
Well, it sure was last weekend at the Hardman Classic. I really wanted a few in between gears on the climb for maximum efficiency...
... and then on the return with 30 mph gusts blowing me at top speed.
The solution?
The Classified Hub which has a planetary gearing system in the rear hub effectively turning the drive train into a 2x system.
The result...
- Wider range of gears
- Narrower jumps between shifts
... a minor weight gain, with big efficiency gains.
You can read more about here: https://www.classified-cycling.cc/en_us/
Once I get one, I'll report it.
Anyway, that's best product leap I've seen this year.
How about you?
---
166 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Ciruit + more
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
DO WE HAVE AN OPERATING SYSTEM?
Dec 10, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I'M FASCINATED WITH AI, not that I'm using it much, more with the implications of what it means to be human. And the question...
... do we have an operating system?
For example, just yesterday bombing Coal Canyon, a rough and tumble dirt road, on gravel bikes it was clear....
... some of saw a playground, others saw a torture chamber.
From an OS perspective, I think it's pretty clear we see what we want to see.
- I wanted to see clean lines and the fastest way down
- Others, moving much slower, could only see the jagged rocks and harsh terrain
Can we control that or are we born with it?
Consider the Troxler Effect.
Stare at the red + sign above, and you'll see blue dot's randomly disappear and reappear.
Why?
Some say it's our Operating System no longer rendering them because they aren't novel.
I suspect something like this is happening when we bomb a mountain.
Some of us can focus on the red + sign - the clean line down the mountain - while others are trying to take it all in and remember all the danger points instead of editing them out like the blue dots.
If we are focused on the red +, the clean line, we don't need to render all the blue dots, the dangers...
... which frees up processing speed for us to go faster, and safer.
If this is true, that it is just an OS issue, can we improve that...
... rewrite our code and go faster?
I think we can, especially when we are young. And, I think the best way to do that is not to go as fast as possible all the time but to go slow and be playful and assess the options and pitfalls in slow motion...
... then speed that up.
Which brings up the question of what is happening as we age?
Why do we slow down over time?
I don't think it's the OS as much as it is the hardware, the gray matter, not being able to process as quickly and efficiently as it once could...
... take in the data and send signals to the body.
What does this really have to do with ripping on raceday...
... I'm not sure.
But, I never thought about this before observing AI.
---
164.9 lbs
7 hrs
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
THAT WAS HARD, MAN.
Dec 09, 2023
by TODD BROWN
AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT, I opted for the long route of the 8th annual Hardman Classic. The head wind was brutal for the first hour. If it had flipped for the return, which often happens...
... I would have cried.
Why did I go the long route?
Well, because Tatt!...
You doing the race Saturday.
I reckon, but just the short version.
C'mon, we're all going long. We'll ride together and just cruise.
Ok.
In other words, I knew that he knew that I knew he was totally full of bs, but...
... who doesn't want to ride with their pals?
The only reason we stuck together for the first hour was the brutal headwind. Nobody wanted any piece of the front. Once the climbing began...
... it was every racer for themself.
Let me just insert this odd piece of wisdom...
... I always suffer the most on the races I care the least about.
No disrespect to the race, or the promoter, or competitors. But, if I'm not totally into pushing myself I can count on the usual rookie blunders...
- Not eat enough
- Not drink enough
- Forgot to start computer until 20 minutes in (hard to know how much torture is left when you don't know how many miles have been covered.)
... those got me today, but I've also done these...
- Stayed out late the night before
- Lazy bike prep leading to failure
- Changing a tire the night before to wake up to a flat
- and more
... I actually did put on a new tire last night, and it sealed perfectly.
I told the network yesterday I'd be going for a PR on Skyline, and I was pleasantly surprised to get it done.
Not that it helped me ride with my much faster friends.
The downhill was a pretty rugged gravel road that had clearly been battered by all the rain earlier this year and the hurricane we had a few months back.
I let it rip and had a blast, so glad I had the new tread on the back.
The Conti Terra Speed 45s were flawless even though I rimmed out numerous times.
28lbs up front, 30lbs in the rear.
At the bottom I caught up with the Assassin and Out Of Africa. I was ready to pull the plug and head back vs doing all of that a second time.
C'mon, go with us.
Nah...
It's just that one climb.
For reference, long coures is 8300' of climbing over 70 miles...
... 6000' of it in a scant 35 miles.
Anyway, they talk me into it and I swear, the first little bump in the road was like dropping anchor...
... leaving me to ride alone for 2 1/2 hours.
I have the best friends.
I really do...
... and I saw lots of 'em today.
All I can say is the Hardman...
... is hard, man.
---
Because I accomplished my PR goal, and persevered I figured it was time for my typical splurge.
---
166 lbs
7 hrs
No strength work
00 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
---
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MY BEEF WITH GRAVEL BIKES
Dec 08, 2023
by TODD BROWN
GRABBED MY "GRAVEL" BIKE THIS MORNING. The only objective was to get to the cafe for some sipping time and take a breather from the rush of holidayness. Why that bike?...
... I wanted an adventure.
And, I got one.
Yeah, dirt and single track and pavement with no preset route...
... but, the best was the lovely gentleman I encountered whilst sipping outside.
Do you ride much?
Oh, yes, as often as I can.
Will you be around here Saturday?
Probably.
We'll be performing a Dixieland Christmas Concert over at the museum (downtown San Juan Capistrano).
Sounds wonderful.
By the way, you look strong. Could you help me out?
Sure.
We need to put up the tents today.
On the way to the museum to set up the tents, he pulled out a painting his great granddaughter had made for him, knowing how much he also likes to ride...
... with a perfect quote.
If there is a fork in the road, take it!"
- Yogi Berah
And, well, honestly this is my beef with "gravel bikes"...
... nobody wakes up wishing for gravel.
We want an adventure.
Let it be known that from this day forth all road bikes with fat tires shall hitherto be referred to as Adventure Bikes.
---
164.6 lbs
7.75 hrs
Pushups and Pullups
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
---
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THE BEST BOOK I READ ON RACING THIS YEAR
Dec 07, 2023
by TODD BROWN
OF THE TWENTY OR BOOKS I'VE READ THIS YEAR, one stands out. It shouldn't really, it's a book for ages 8-12. I've applied it's teachings on raceday...
... but, story of our heroin drives home the point so well.
I couldn't stop thinking about it.
You might consider yourself much too wise to learn from an 11 year old girl.
I did,
and, mostly, still do.
However, the story of Pollyanna is a gem.
It is set in the early 1900's and there are all kinds of culture norms to consider, and ponder upon.
Plus, all the changes in technology and science that we take for granted.
Then, there's the language.
It's english, with a larger and more complex vocabulary than we use today, mixed in with all kinds of slang along the various social statuses.
I said the story is a gem, because Pollyanna plays the glad game...
... whatever happens, she finds a reason to be glad about it.
Which, when it comes to racing, is a mighty fine attitude to have...
... almost a superpower.
Lots can go wrong over the course of a season. Once we cross the start line and we have to adjust our plans, looking for the benefits of the challenges we face as the race unfolds is significantly more empowering than whining and complaining...
... the energy we have is limited.
We've to focus that energy on one thing only...
... getting across the finish line as quickly as possible.
Over the course of a season...
... Pollyanna would be tough to beat.
While we might complain about the weather, our equipment, lack of time, etc...
... she would be advancing every day.
---
Did you know PEDALindustries/riders are eligible for race reimbursement?
Check out here: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/pedalindustries-riders-gear
---
164.1 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
---
Comment on the post here: https://pedal-r.mn.co/spaces/12740042
ARE YOU THIS SELFISH?
Dec 06, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THIS IS HOW SELFISH I AM. I was very apprehensive about attempting the Surf N Summit by myself. At 122 miles, 15000' of vert, with 10's of miles on desolate gravel roads...
... I was too scared to go it alone.
So, I invited and invited and invited until...
... I had a small group of warriors to take it on with me.
For most of these brave souls,
it would be their farthest ride ever.
By a long shot.
Which meant I'd be doing a lot of the pulling across the flats,
and I was totally down with that, as well as...
- Putting together a training plan for those who needed it
- Buying dinner the night before (though they all wound up paying me back)
- Teaching some of them how to download routes
... basically all I could think of to make sure they'd make it with me.
That's how selfish I can be,
just to get a few hearty gents,
to do more than they ever thought possible...
... and accompany on my personal quest,
because I had to get it done.
Have you been that selfish?
I bet you have.
---
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---
163.8 lbs
8ish hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
THE RIDER WHO DARES GREATLY
Dec 05, 2023
by TODD BROWN
SOMETIMES IT HELPS TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. We see our heroes, the pros with big contracts, the local pros with endless free and amazing gear...
... and then there's us.
Doing our best.
Tight budgets.
Family to clothe and feed.
Pressed for time in every direction.
Then, when we are mocked for our endeavors,
chastised for our dedication,
misunderstood.
It can hurt,
if we let it.
But, we don't because we know...
... without our health we are nothing.
So in honor of the great Teddy Roosevelt...
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the busy and committed man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who actually crosses the start line...
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.
who strives valiantly,
who errs,
who gets dropped again and again...
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;...
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of the podium,
and who at the worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.
Dare greatly my friends...
... it matters to those who look up to you.
---
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---
164 lbs
7 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU KNOW THE MATH FOR SUCCESS?
Dec 04, 2023
by TODD BROWN
LOOKING BACK ON THE BUSINESS YEAR is always a little more fun after the Christmas rush. The investments in inventory and ads start to pay, just like our fitness...
... it's simple math.
The problem is figuring out the equation.
The basics are:
- Increase Sales
- Reduce Expenses
No body argues that...
... but they sure as heck do argue this.
Weightloss basics:
- Increase training
- Reduce calories
It's not always + and -,
sometimes it's + and +
Fitness basics:
- Increase training
- Increase recovery
Sometimes it's just a feeling
Stress basics:
- Definitely gotta do that!
- No.
I use the last one a lot when I'm feeling overwhelmed or over committed...
... If it ain't Definitely gotta do!,
it's No.
---
165.6 lbs (uh, oh)
8.5 hrs
Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pushups, pullups, squats
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
BABY STEPS TO BEING STRONG
Dec 03, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY STARTED, you've most likely started thinking about it some sort of cross training to do now that it's dark and cold. Great!...
... being strong pays dividends on and off the bike.
You're not alone,
and there's no need to over think it.
There are 3 basic must exercises, but I'll bet my helmet most of ya are over thinking squats.
I was reminded of this yesterday at the park with our grandsons...
... if you're around toddlers, just watch.
They don't bend down to pick things up...
... they lower down by doing an air squat.
All the way down,
@$$ to the gr@$$.
Whether or not you invest in weights start here,
air squats.
How many?
Well, here's my formula.
It starts with pullups. For every pullup you can do, do 3 times as many pushups and 3 times as many squats.
5 pullups -> 15 pushups -> 15 air squats
Like a toddler,
do these EVERY SINGLE DAY.
How to remember?
Well, I have an inexpensive pullup bar I purchased a garage sell decades ago. It resides in my bathroom's door jamb. When I go to take a shower...
... I knock out one set of all 3 exercises.
We're busy,
We want to ride,
not change clothes and drive to gym.
This takes 5 minutes, and will astound you with...
... how weak you are
and how strong you will get.
Want bonus points?
My pullup bar is in the bathroom so any time I'm going to the bathroom...
... I'm knocking out a set.
Something quick.
3 pullups, 9 pushups, 9 air squats.
1 pullup, 3 pushups, 3 air squats
4 pullup, 12 pushups, 12 air squats
Nothing magical, just mixing up and getting on with life.
At the end of a typical day I've knocked out 10s of pullups and 3 times as many pushups and air squats...
... in no time.
Add the other accessories like dumbbells, jump box, sled, nodic curl fixture over time...
... this is a lifelong pursuit, not a sprint.
---
165 lbs
8 hrs
1 set of pushups, pullups, squats
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
THIS IS NOT A CHEAP COUNTERFEIT
Dec 02, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE GENTLEMAN AND I met up some dirt today. It was perfect after a few light rains in the last 48 hours. Tacky, ripable...
... hero dirt.
Is there anything better?
Maybe fresh, new asphalt.
Or, a real gravel road.
Stringing together a bonanza of trails, some well-know to us and some completely knew, it occurred to me that some of today's dazzling tech...
... is just a cheap counterfeit.
We were IRL.
Not VR glasses,
on a stationary bike leaning over,
with a fan giving the sensation of speed.
This was the real thing...
- My arm was bleeding after being stabbed by unruly shrubbery.
- More than once, I felt the strain of the knobbies giving way and regaining their perch as we carved down the steep stuff.
- Hard-earned sweat dropped onto my lens, then sizzled in my eye
... and we were loving it.
But, the best was the ol' lady heckling us as we battled a loose, 25% pitch...
If it isn't 90%, it's not a real climb.
It was like a cackle from with Wicked Witch of The West.
We ride bikes.
They can go fast.
You will likely get hurt...
... and have a great story to tell about a lesson you learned,
in real life.
---
164 lbs
6.5 hrs
0 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
10 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
THE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BENEFIT OF A GOOD TAPER.
Dec 01, 2023
by TODD BROWN
AS WE WIND DOWN THE YEAR, few of us are racing. Personally, having backed down the miles I'm feeling really fresh and spunky, which reminds me about...
... what I love about tapering.
Sure, there's the reduced miles and training and all the good feelings that come with that, but there's something else and if we're doing it right...
... is a huge benefit.
Because all the fatigue is leaving our bodies we not only start to feel really good, we have time to reflect on how we got here...
... all the work we've put in.
The result is where once we were tired, questioning out motivations and our capabilities....
... now we are confident.
Confidence is key to...
... ripping on raceday.
---
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---
Did you know PEDALindustries/riders are eligible for race reimbursement?
Check out here: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/pedalindustries-riders-gear
---
164.1 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU DO THIS, AND IS IT WEIRD?
Nov 30, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I'M TAKING A FEW WEEKS OFF, by that I mean I'm riding with absolutely no agenda and only if I feel like it. Three days so far this week, and I'm noticing a trend...
... I'm getting really good at my timing.
I have no reason to do this.
No coach in my ear,
No schedule.
Monday I decided I had time for a quick hour on the bike.
Tuesday, I passed on the traditional TMWC and as the day went on I was dying to get out. I thought I'd go our for 90 minutes and just rip it up for fun.
This afternoon, after grinding straight from 7am to 4ish I really need a mental break and two hours seemed about right.
There are a couple of trends there.
- Longer rides each day
- Riding at sunset
- Predicting ride time
Which I think is kinda weird...
Why am I so bent on ending at just the right?
How am I getting so accurate on ride time?
Is it just a product of playtime on the bike?
... are you as weird as me?
On a related note...
... I never seem to care about hitting a certain mileage on a ride.
It's all about time because miles can vary so much with terrain and weather conditions...
... the body does need a certain amount of time in the saddle to be fit.
Good thing I don't really care about that right now.
---
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---
Did you know PEDALindustries/riders are eligible for race reimbursement?
Check out here: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/pedalindustries-riders-gear
---
164. lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
MY STORY
Nov 29, 2023
by TODD BROWN
MY STORY
I grew up on southern California.
From an early age, I loved riding bicycles. I wasn’t great. My friends were faster, more skilled. But, I loved it. I loved riding, and I loved learning tricks. Jumping, skidding, wheelies.
Once we could all drive, we got into surfing. Saturday mornings went from riding around town to waking up next to the shore and jumping in the water. I wasn’t the best, my friends had more talent and guts. But, I loved it. Riding the waves, learning the tricks and hanging out with my buddies.
I went away to college and fell in love with the mountains. Saturday mornings were spent up high. Hiking and skiing. I wasn’t the best, my friends had more talent and guts. But, I loved it. The solitude, learning tricks and hanging out with my pals.
One day a roommate brought home a road bike.
The next day, I rode it 6 miles.
The day after, 12 miles.
I was hooked.
When I moved back to Southern California, I did some racing on the road. It was a lot of fun. I wasn’t the best, my friends were all faster. But, Ioved it. Being in the zone in a crit brought me peace and happiness. I worked up to a Cat 2.
Kids came.
I quit racing.
Mountain bikes were a thing. I got one and loved it. The skills from my BMX days with the fitness from road racing. We got a little group going on Saturdays. I was better than most of my friends – some had fitness but no skill, some had skill but no fitness.I did a few races, when I could.
In '99, my friend Jeff challenged me to do Leadville. 100 miles, off road, at 10,000-12,500’ above sea level seemed insane. I trained for it as best I could. The skills were there, but the actual workouts were a mystery to me. I rode a lot and watched my heartrate. Looking back on it, I’m amazed I finished at all. My goal the first time was to keep my heartrate just under 180 beats a minute.
I went 3 years in a row, and each year cramped and limped across the finish line.
Because I’d cracked the magical 9-hour mark, and received a big belt buckle, I figured I knew what I was doing.
I didn't have a clue.
About that time, my friend Kevin challenged me to go under 9 hours at age 60. I was 39 at the time, and busy with work and family. It seemed so far away, and it was. This turned out to be one of the greatest blessings in my life because it was always in the back of my mind. It reminded me not to get too out of shape.
I was riding less and less, spending Saturdays with the kids on motos or surfing. If we were in town, I’d get up early and be home by 830 ready to play with the littles.
That changed.
They got older, wanted to do their own things. Went off to college.
I started riding more regularly, and reconnecting with the community.
In the early 2000s, Super-D burst onto the national scene. Promoters took the long DH of an XC course and timed it. Talk about an event tailor made for me: short, I wasn’t too fit or light; fast, I was used the moto speed; technical, and still pretty handy on my MTB.
I won back-to-back National Championships.
The key?
I did way more prep than anybody else, pre-riding the courses. Most showed up in baggies and pads, I showed up in a skinsuit with moto goggles and an aero helmet.
My 20 year goal, was getting closer.
I started to think about that date with destiny… sub-9 at 60.
Around 2012, I went back to Leadville and clocked 8:30. That marked 4 tries. 3 between 8:28 and 8:38, 1 at 8:20. I felt good about my chances of cracking 9, and figured I’d go back one more time between then and 2022.
A year or two later, our oldest got into road riding and racing, I followed him. Bought a road bike, started to get back into some light racing. It was the funnest two years of training I ever had.
He moved back to Southern California and returned surfing.
At that point, I started this incredible journey.
I had the time, kids were gone.
I had the curiosity, how to go faster than ever at Leadville?
In 2019, I went back. I’d learned a lot over the years about my body, about training, about bike set up, about going fast.
I decided to go for a PR.
It all came together, and I went 8:15. I was completely blown away. How did I just go faster than ever, at 57 years old?
The next 3 years, I studied more, tinkered more, learned more. I developed a philosophy of how to pull it all together and have a truly great day on the bike.
In 2021, I did the Leadville Stage Race with the solitary goal of qualifying for the Silver Corral. This would allow me to start with pros and other incredibly fast races. In a race with 1000s, starting position matters.
With the start assured, I was now ready to put it all together.
And, I did.
I started to feel so good in early 2022, I wondered could I do another PR… at 60? I believed I could, if everything was perfect on raceday: my body, bike, preparation, and the always iffy weather.
I set my sights on a truly absurd goal: sub-8 hours.
Only one person over 60 had ever accomplished that, and he was an ex-pro who had the race outright back when I did an 8:20. He beat me by an hour that day.
The day came in 2022. Everything, and I mean everything, went perfectly.
7:57.
I was stunned, my friends shocked.
But, was I really?
No.
I had cracked the code to ripping on raceday, and I knew it.
It started with the simple idea of exploring what is physically possible for me?
What am I capable of?
I’m fascinated by that question… in all areas of life.
Now it’s time to share the keys to mastering ripping on raceday.
---
164.1 lbs
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
GIVE ME TREACHEROUS OR GIVE ME DEATH
Nov 28, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I HAD A CHOICE TO MAKE TODAY: take the fire well-worn fire road or the hard packed clay with varying depths of gravel strewn across it. One I could ride blindfolded...
... the other could leave me folded in cement ditch.
I didn't hesitate.
The treacherous gravel was much more appealing for the simple reason it would require more skill...
- The slippery feel of the moving gravel
- Proper modulation of the brakes as the road curved
- Quick identification and adjustments as the gravel depths changed
... and honing those skills will lead to massive efficiency on raceday.
For the same reason, I rode the very challenging singletrack on Saturday.
I'd much rather deal with the obstacles at my own pace, build up my skills by myself, than face them for the first time, in a crowd, at speed...
... in a racing situation.
But, that's just me.
---
164.4 lbs
7ish hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups, pushups, squats and nordic curls
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
HOW TO RIDE FOREVER
Nov 27, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WHY ARE SOME OF US RIDING FOREVER, and others for a season or two? Are there basic laws that if applied would keep us all endlessly fascinated with this beautiful sport...
... do they apply elsewhere?
I think so.
I'll take me for an example, because... yeah, decades in the saddle.
- I left surfing for cycling because of certainty. The waves are so fickle, the roads and trails always deliver.
- The thing I love about riding and surfing is variety. All the places to ride, all the skills required to be proficient.
- When I started racing, I loved the recognition of moving up the ranks, getting on podiums, and now Strava cups and KOMs.
- There is so much connection between my regular riding pals as we log the miles and share what is going on in life.
I've heard it said, if we can consistently deliver on 3 of the 4 qualities above...
... we will create an addiction.
So, here's the question:
Where else can we apply this?...
- lovers
- customers
- family
- teams
- ...
specifically, who needs...
- certainty
- variety
- recognition
- connection
... from us?
If we're losing teammates, or worse...
... it's a pretty easy fix to touch the people that really matter.
Another amazing lesson learned...
... JRA (just riding along).
---
164.9 lbs
8ish hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups, pushups and squats
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
DO WE NEED TO BRING BACK THE TOUR DE DONUT?
Nov 26, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IT'S BEEN A MINUTE since our last Tour de Donut. I know why we haven't repeated the silliness, because it just doesn't jive with the trend in massive carb consumption while racing...
... it was too much.
Maybe we did it wrong?
It was easy to string together 10 stops over the course of about 80 miles,
we live in a donut mecca.
According to the latest trend, Pro Tour racers are consuming 100-120 grams of carb an hour. The science and the results prove this new twist on nutrition vs the old-fashion way.
That is about 4 glazed donuts, and I can verify...
... a donut every 30 minutes was too much.
But!... since I'm 99.999999999% sure we did it wrong,
I'm considering a second attempt.
How'd we foul it up?
We simply weren't riding that hard, and it actually got worse as the sugar caught up with us and nearly put us into a collective coma.
The more I think about it,
the more a second attempt seems prudent.
In the name of science and athletic excellence a Tour de Donut must be reenacted...
... this time we must sprint from shop to shop.
Think of the strides we'll make for humanity.
Think of how smart we'll look powering down a bear claw,
while power away from the bunch...
... oh, the sponsorship opportunities!
Who's in?
https://pedalindustries.com/products/tour-de-donut-speed-jersey
---
163.8 lbs
8ish hrs
no strength today
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
ABOVE THE NOISE AND CONFUSION
Nov 25, 2023
by TODD BROWN
FIVE OR SIX OF US WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET UP TODAY. Instead, it was just me and Smiles, and he had to be back early. The trail, which is quite rugged...
... was unusually deserted.
We climbed for well over an hour before seeing a single soul, at which point we parted ways.
I climbed on, up and through a near-empty campground...
... the next singletrack was a place known for cougar encounters.
It was too pristine,
too sacred a morning,
to be concerned about...
... what could go wrong miles from help?
The final mile and a half gains 1000', with pitches well above 20%.
I could hear a few propellor planes in the distance.
Other than that,
silence.
I laid my bike down,
grabbed a tasty crepé,
and sat on a metal bar meant to keep traffic on the gravel road.
No need to hurry,
It was difficult to leave.
I was glad nobody else made it,
the solitude was cleansing.
These days, it can be so difficult to rise above the noise and confusion and here I was...
... far above the illusions that tug us daily here and there.
And, I had a thought.
What if I tried something different this coming season.
Rather than block out Saturdays from some brutal group ride, or racy MTB PR-chasing throwdown...
... what if I dedicated more time for adventures?
I'd still get the hard efforts in the day before with structured workouts.
Gotta hit those highs.
But, rather than a couple of times in the offseason...
... most of my Saturdays would be filled with adventure.
Scoping out new single track on the MTB,
discovering new gravel routes...
... driving to the start of something new vs rolling from home for the same ol' ride.
Would I have more blissful moments like today, accompanied by the inherent risks of new territory and riding alone?
Can they be manufactured,
forced?
Would I lose fitness?
Would I lose the racer's edge?
Something to think about as I take some time off before ramping up for the new season.
---
164.5 lbs
7 hrs
Pushups and Pullups
20 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
WE KNOW WHAT IT IS, THEY THINK THEY DO
Nov 24, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WHATEVER THE BIKE RACE, what we see is totally different from what a casual observer sees. First, the TV cameras always make the inclines, jumps and corners...
... look way easier.
Even if the casual observer gets beyond that, they are missing something more important that we have.
Context.
Because when you've done the same thing,
or tried to do it and failed...
... you know what it takes.
Is the video of Tom Pidcock blasting by other pros down a mountain at 60+ mph, along the side of a cliff with no barriers thrilling?
Yes, for sure.
Anybody can appreciate that.
But, until you've suited up in colorful, aero underpants,
put on a pitifully lightweight plastic half-shell helmet,
"protected" your hands in ultra-thin leather gloves,
ridden on tires as wide as your thumb,
at anything over 50 mph...
... you have no freakin' idea of the incredible,
skills and reflexes required,
or courage summoned.
But, we do.
Most of us have done something like that at least once.
For some, once is enough.
For others, it's never enough.
And, when we see Pidcock calm and relaxed and loving it,
we can actually imagine what it would be like.
Our hearts might race,
or our palms sweat.
We know how freakin' crazy it is.
We have real-life context...
... and that's a darn fine thing to have regarding anything.
---
163.8 lbs
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
A FRIENDLY REMINDER REGARDING PIGGING OUT
Nov 23, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I WAS DOING GOOD, solid ride with the posse, recovery drink, quick shower, walk a couple of miles on the beach with family. It was all according to plan...
... until we got home.
Smelled all the goodness.
Saw all the snacks to hold us over...
... and completely lost my mind.
It started innocently enough,
chips, salsa and a
game of chess.
Crushed my son-in-law...
... celebrated a rare victory with mini peanut butter cups.
That was it,
chip tooth and sugar tooth fully activated.
Hours later, as I was polishing off two slices of pie (gotta find out which is tastier) my son said...
... Don't worry dad, it's just one day.
He's right,
but here's the thing I want to share.
When we ride more and eat less,
the math of weight loss,
our energy drops.
Other than my belly feeling abnormally full,
I feel great...
... and I'll probably feel great riding tomorrow.
So here it is..
... if you want to drop some blubber,
do it now.
Not in the season when we're trying to train hard,
set big PRs,
and race.
We need good energy to rip on raceday.
It's just one day,
and there will probably be several more this year,
the rest of the coming days I'll be monk like so I can...
... roll into 2024 in fighting shape.
---
161.7 lbs
6.5 hrs
no weights
10 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
AWARDS FOR NEXT YEAR'S WORLDS
Nov 22, 2023
by TODD BROWN
EARLIER THIS MONTH we held the unOFFICIAL Tuesday Morning World Championships. As usual, we had the age group winners, and for the first time I announced a Most Improved Rider of the year...
... but, all week I have been lamenting I didn't add more callouts.
Like:
- Dr. of Animation - for that cat who charges week after week
- El Suckador - for the one who just will not, unless mocked, pull through
- The Therapist - you know, the one everyone wants to talk to
My motivation is this:
- Reward the rider who keeps the ride lively and pace fast
- Shame that sucker into pulling through
- Acknowledge the person who makes the ride always lovely
The idea being, that if it was an annual award, cats might be thinking about it during the year...
- I sure hope I in the running for Dr. of Animation,
or Most Improved
or The Therapist - I sure as heck hope I'm not called out for being a wheelsucker
Whadaya think?
Got any suggestions to add... add 'em here: https://pedal-r.mn.co/posts/awards-for-next-years-worlds
---
162.7 lbs
7 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!
Nov 21, 2023
by TODD BROWN
You signed up for the big race,
or to go for an outrageous PR goal,
or you’re attempting an insane challenge, just finishing would be amazing.
I get it.
It’s scary.
It’s also the most exciting way to live…
… and train.
These quests give our training a purpose for a season, usually a year (I’m working on a 10-year quest).
But…
… it is more than that because we know when we are fit we do all of life better.
And, that is the cliff's edge we are all on.
How do we be true to what matters (family, career, faith, community, friends, commitments) and still Rip On RaceDay, our self-selected date with destiny?
That is our quest.
To be true… and rip.
It is why we are here.
- To share and learn what works and doesn’t
- To stay motivated and be held accountable
- To buoy each other when discouraged.
To arrive at the start line ready…
… to cross the finish line completely satisfied, knowing we did all we could do.
That is winning.
That is ripping on raceday.
Does that resonate with you?
---
164.3 lbs
7 hrs
no strength exercises
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TWO AWESOMENESSES HOOK UP?
Nov 20, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IT'S HAPPENING! I'll take full credit for this, because it's true in my mind. Two of my favorite race promoters are hooking up. Not like that!...
... hooking up a killer week for us.
In the desert.
This winter.
Arizona.
I'm taking credit because last year I did my part to get these two lovers, not like that!...
... who promote for the love of sport,
and hope to make a profit.
Sage, you really outta team up with BWR next year for a desert showdown.
Oh, yeah.
Michael, wouldn't it be cool to put something together with Cactus Cup?
For sure.
Now, what you might be wondering is why the heck would I do that?...
... because it's gonna be awesome.
- I love the desert in the winter, so pretty!
- I love the idea of finding out who's got the skills.
- I love stage racing, and this is taking it to the next level.
Michael coined the phrase, Duel In The Desert...
... we all loved it, because that's what it is.
A duel to see who's got skills: dirt, road, singletrack, and recovery.
How's it work?
Lowest combined time of BWR Wafer and Cactus Cup 40 mile XC course...
... will be crowned King or Queen of the Desert.
Why is it so rad?
Because these are legit courses.
- Cactus Cup is 40 miles of 100% single track
- BWR is unroad, a road race with serious skill challenges
I can't wait.
Sign up and race deets here: https://thecactuscup.com/duel-in-the-desert/
Oh, and each registrant will receive one of these...
Kings & Queens will get one of these...
If you're thinking of going, let's meet up.
You can RSVP here: https://pedal-r.mn.co/posts/45749547
---
164.7 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU REMEMBER YOURS?
Nov 19, 2023
by TODD BROWN
AT DINNER WITH THE FAM TONIGHT, I asked What was your most memorable Christmas gift? The kids are adults now, I was curious what they'd answer. I knew exactly what mine was...
... the moment the words left my mouth.
What surprised me however,
was Surfergirl's answer.
My bike, it definitely wasn't new, and I didn't care. It was freedom, we'd roam the streets of Kailua, and all to go the donut shop on Saturday mornings.
That surprised me.
Not the donuts,
that tradition lives on.
Not the pre-ownedness,
it was humble times for the inlaws.
I've asked myself a million times...
What did she see in me then,
What does she see in me now,
... maybe she saw a kindred roamer?
Because, I was doing the exact same thing on my Stingray I'd painted dozens of times...
... roaming the streets and dirt lots with my pals on Saturday mornings.
Still am.
Oh, my favorite Christmas gift?
The red Schwinn Le Tour I drooled over when my mom's boyfriend took me to Fullerton bikes. I imagined myself flying up the hills and traveling great distances...
... shocked me to see it with a bow.
Wish I'd kept it.
...
Our first grandchild has mastered the pre-owned Stryder bike his parents found on FB and is getting a pedal bike this year...
... who's more excited?
---
164.8
6 hours (not enough)
no strength exercises today
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
I'M DRY, BIKE IS FILTHY
Nov 18, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE PLAN WAS TO LEAVE AT 7AM. Pesky clouds and rain wouldn't clear as predicted. The group text kept pushing a later start. At 9:20...
... I finally got on the road.
Can I just point something out for you who like to gather....
... please RSVP.
Multiple people I enjoy riding with missed the ride because I had no idea they were coming and I didn't add them to the text chain.
I could do better,
and RSVPing would help a brother out.
Anyway....... I really like the rides we do this time of year.
A lot more chill.
A lot more conversational.
Just base miles,
good times.
Which reminded me of one of my training break throughs from 2021...
... back to back hard days during the week,
long tempo on the weekend
the rest zone 2.
Which... has nothing to do with the title of the post.
But, this does.
When the bike comes back filthy, it's a good indication we had the guts to brave the elements.
We kind of did today.
Wet roads can be slippery,
and lead to a lot of flats.
Since we missed the rain and the roads were drying and perfect by the end we also missed the soaked socks, soggy shoes...
... my least favorite consequence of riding in the rain.
Thanks to the great Steve B for sharing his secret...
... why his bike looked amazing and mine didn't.
He uses SC-1 from Maxima.
Tell us what you use, click here.
---
164.5
7.5 hours
pushups, pullups & squats
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE...
Nov 17, 2023
by TODD BROWN
Y'ALL ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ride all kinds of bikes at all kinds of different races and events and festivals, with wildly varying experience, talent and skill level. We can only...
... imagine your #1 goal for next year.
I'm crystal clear on mine,
are you?
Mine...
is a whole new challenge,
is yours?
will have me in 3 different states,
will you travel?
involves racing,
does yours?
I'll do with some of my pals,
how about you?
seems outrageous,
does yours?
will require some new bike parts, not a bike,
how about you?
is spread over 8 weeks,
yours?
includes a side race or two which could throw it all out of whack,
will you risk ruining recovery?
might include the support of Surfergirl,
will you have your own support?
deserves a special edition kit to fire me up,
have you ever done that?
could include heinous weather,
would you race if it gets ugly, cold, miserable?
I am so stoked about I decided to sponsor the prizes,
have you done that?
I really really really want to know,
and so does everybody else reading...
... do tell us here: https://pedalindustries.com/rip
---
163.4
7.4 hours
pushups, pullups & squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
HOW TO GAIN RESPECT IN THE BUNCH
Nov 16, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WHEN YOU'RE NEW TO ROAD RIDING, or riding in a new area with a new group, it's superduper easy to feel dissed. Trust me, it's real and they know their doing it...
... because they don't know us.
We are an unknown,
a potential danger...
... a newb.
How to fix that:
- Be nice
- Be confident
That's it,
that's all you can do.
The dissing can come in many forms: cold shoulders, yelling at us, not letting us pull through, chopping our wheels, mocking us, etc...
... none of it is cool as far as I'm concerned.
As long as it's not dangerous, I mostly find it entertaining...
... even hilarious.
For example, at BWR UT this year, I was in the second group and we were closing on the leaders.
It was a hard effort, and I wanted to be as efficient as possible while still making it up to the front...
... I was spinning like a hamster wheel.
This tan, chiseled dude for a well-known team rides up and says...
... You're spinning too much.
Talk about a diss!
I just smiled, and said...
... Thank you.
We connected with the leaders,
flew out of town to the rollers.
I knew, having done the race before, that the rollers were deceiving and that there was a stout little hill at the end...
... then it was very fast double track for miles.
I let them go,
cleared the top on my own and did my thing...
... passing blown or unskilled rider after rider.
By the time we hit the pavement,
just in time to get in a paceline...
... I was back with the tan, chiseled disser and his merry group of graveleros.
We were rotating nicely,
his demeanor changed...
... Where are you from?
Yeah, we struck up a pleasant, friendly conversation.
Nothing changed.
I was the same rider.
- Nice
- Confident
After about 30 minutes of riding in a well-working paceline...
... we hit another challenging section.
I moved to the front...
... never saw them again.
It's always better, whenever possible, if we really feel it's necessary...
... to let the legs do the talking.
---
163.1
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay circuit + more pushups, pullups & squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
THE COST OF NOT REGISTERING
Nov 15, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE FIRST LINE OF MY BOOK, The Way of The RACER, has been quoted back to me more than any other. Every time I hear that line, I'm reminded of the day I shared it with Surfergirl...
... she didn't like it.
So,I knew it was good.
She doesn't know us (me and you) like I do.
Here it is:
Until you Register for an event, or the event, you are nothing.
Because that's just how it is.
And that, my fine young ripper, is the cost not registering.
Being a hopydreamy cat vs. a driven and...
... highly committed son of a shift.
No wonder Evan just picked up ten to give to his teammates for Christmas.
$8.95, include shipping: https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
---
163.8
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay circuit + more pushups, pullups & squats
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WILL WE EVER SEE THIS CAT AGAIN?
Nov 14, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, and I fret for those who go this route. Cat retires (in this case) or gets laid off or starts working remote, and decides there is no need to
... meet at 630am when it's cold.
I get it.
But, most don't fully comprehend the danger.
'Cause here's what happens almost every time...
cat skips those cold mornings,
shows up in the Spring when it's warm,
gets shot out the back...
... decides the ride has somehow gotten too fast.
No, sucker...
You
have
gotten
slower.
Because...
You
have
skipped
the hard rides.
Oddly, this does not seem to happen to those who are laid up due to illness, injury, work, family or other more pressing matters because those cats...
... would be there if they could.
There's a difference,
in mindset.
When those cats come back,
they know what they're in for...
... but, I think it's more than that.
They never left,
in their heads their I'd be there if I could mindset...
... gives them the wherewithal to withstand
those initial kicks in the lycra when back
to the regularly scheduled drubbing.
Set your alarm clock,
set your mind,
dress warm,
stay fit.
Ain't nothing gonna replace meeting the gang at the corner at 630am.
... and before you tell me Zwift is the replacement... yeah, I know and I'm not worried about you. You get it.
The key is the weekly checkin,
heartrate revving ride,
chasing friends...
... weekly, all year long.
Still reading?
This is exactly why I have no intention of retiring,
that kinda thinking scares the shift outta me.
---
164.9
7 hours
pullups and pushups
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SWEET TOOTH, I HAVE A...
Nov 13, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE FIRST THING I DO EVERY DAY: strip and weigh. Before anything else. Then I record it to look for trends. It's the only way to get a consistent reading of my weight...
... and instant feedback on yesterday's nutrition choices.
Today was not pretty.
It happens.
But, that's not important. I know where I got offtrack with my system, and I just need to get back on it.
Which dovetails nicely into this question from reader Michael S.
How do you determine what your ideal weight is ? I am 6 1 and a half and 177lbs . I could drop another 5 to 10 , but at my age (66) I am afraid I would drop muscle. I still race gravel and am competitive in my age group. I road 10K miles last year and will this year also .
Here's my answer, which is also part of Rip On RaceDay my system:
I’m 61, so I get it and think about it often.
First, to combat losing muscle I
- Lift weight every single day. Minimum of push ups and pull ups, almost always squats and Nordic curls, too… and do my Rip On RaceDay Circuit training 3-5 days a week.
- I have really upped my protein intake, shooting for 1 gram/lb of body weight – via meat, bars and shakes
Second, how much to weigh…
- I know I fly at 162 or less
- Currently shooting for 160, not there.
- We’re all built differently, but having a gut or paunch ain’t a picture of health so I figure if my tummy is flat or close to it, if I can see the abs more than the flab, that’s a good weight.
Hope that helps, tb
Now, about that system I'm bragging about...
... see that pic up there.
It's time stamped October, 2017.
Way before I created the system, back then I was happy to weigh 175...
... I'm appalled at today's weight.
Which brings up not my sweet tooth. That is in check. It's the...
... dawgawn chip tooth.
Not chipped tooth, but my kryptonite...
... tortilla chips and salsa.
It got fully activated over the weekend.
Time to get back on the system.
---
166
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pullups and pushups
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
WE ALMOST HAD A TRAGEDY
Nov 12, 2023
by TODD BROWN
A GOOD GRAVEL RIDE AROUND HERE is going to include some road, some dirt road, some doubletrack...
... and a tiny bit of treachery.
Kevin came close to a major mishap.
It was my fault.
Not guiding us down the narrow
singletrack on side of a small cliff,
or the sharp rocks at the bottom...
... that's normal.
I should have told the guys to give me some space.
Instead, I slammed on the brakes to walk over the unridable.
Charlie slammed harder.
Kevin rolled off the side...
... it could have been so much worse.
Luckily, he landed on the thick green bushes,
not on the backbreaking,
helmet shattering,
rocks.
But, there's a second lesson...
... one you need to know about.
He told us he'd purchased some Shimano "compatible" cleats, and turns out...
... they are compatible,
not identical.
Meaning, they don't release anywhere near as well as the o.e.m. cleats.
A lot of us buy from companies promising...
- compatible
- just like
- just as good
- we make the big brands products, too
... it usually works out okay.
Personally, I'll pay a few extra bucks to
... save the emotional energy of wondering if my gear will deliver,
when the stakes are high.
---
164
8 hours
push ups pull ups
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
WILL YOU PAY THE PRICE FOR FREE SPEED?
Nov 11, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE A TON OF WAYS TO GET FASTER. I've done most of them, and they all cost time and money. Mainly money, often lots of it. But, every upgrade, every gizmo, every coach we hire pales in comparison...
... to this free upgrade.
For most of us.
Some, a few, are already there.
Here's the thing... and try not to kill the messenger on this, okay?
We don't do it.
Don't do it full out.
Don't own it like we should.
It's FREE.
Maybe that's why?
No.
It requires a reframing for a few things in our brain.
When we do that, it's easy to access all the amazing free speed.
Replace this...
I could never forego eating sugar and bread, drinking soda and alcohol. It's too big of a sacrifice to give up.
With this...
I'm an athlete and would never sacrifice my health for poisons like sugar, bread, soda and alcohol.
The result?
Free speed by
- Being much leaner
- Sleeping much better
- Functioning at a much higher level.
- and, more.
I didn't say it would be easy...
... oh, wait I did.
We just need to reframe how we see ourselves...
... we are athletes.
If you don't hate me enough already for treading on our sacred poisons...
... do this:
- Find a mirror
- Take off your clothes - all of them
Take a look and if the answer is...
... Pretty good, a blind man would like to see that...
... then, take another look at that reframe.
I'm an athlete and would never sacrifice my health for poisons like sugar, bread, soda and alcohol.
---
I far from perfect...
... just an athlete doin' his best.
---
If you're just dying to tell me what an idiot I am for such sacrilege Click Here.
---
163.8
7ish hours
push ups pull ups
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU EVER GET BORED WITH RACING AND TRAINING?
Nov 10, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN AN AVID CYCLIST for many years, I haven't always been this focused or committed. Part of that was busy times raising family, getting career going...
... part of it was something else.
There's a pattern,
do you see it?
Boredom from road racing,
led to crits.
Boredom for business park crits,
led to MTB.
Boredom from MTB racing,
led to SuperD.
Boredom from SuperD,
let to motorcycles.
Boredom from not racing bicycles,
got me back into road.
Boredom from road,
back into XC.
Boredom from XC,
into gravel.
When we get bored the passion dies.
Here are some ideas:
- Try a new discipline
- Go to races in faraway places
- Make a public declaration of our goal
- Take chances on new tactics
- Test new positions
And so on.
Here's the dealio on that...
... most of us would rather let the passion die
vs. risk embarrassment of failure.
Now you do:
- Marriage
- Family
- Career
- Books
- Diet
- God
Enjoy the weekend...
... be spontaneous.
(I'm going to Taylor Swift movie with Surfergirl.)
---
162.8
7 hours
push ups pull ups squats nordics
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WANTERS VS DOERS
Nov 09, 2023
by TODD BROWN
OKAY, IT'S GETTING COLD and we have a few choices we'll want to make, but for most of us it's really two decisions. We can ride early, we can ride late, we can ride indoors or outdoors...
... we just have to decide.
Wanting isn't enough.
Last night, I left as the sun was setting and rode into the night. Now the problem with that is...
... it just keeps getting colder.
Tuesday, I left at sunrise and rode into the morning, which is nice...
... because it keeps getting warmer.
If it's really cold,
most of us go inside.
Those are a few of the choices we might want to do, but like I said...
... wanting isn't enough.
Wanting doesn't...
- get us out from under the covers
- get us out the door when it's dark
- get us on our bikes or in the gym
... deciding does.
Wanters,
want.
Deciders,
do.
Oh, the two choices I mentioned...
- pull on the bibs
- zip up the jersey
... it's easy to get out on the bike from there.
---
162.7
7 hours
push ups pull ups squats nordics
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
HE RODE WITH US FOR YEARS, BUT NOT LIKE THIS
Nov 08, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ONCE YOU FIGURE THIS OUT, things become a lot easier. The problem is most of us don't, and those who do...
... don't like the reality.
We, me, crowned the great Ken L. as the most improved rider on our local legrippinglungsearing group ride.
It wasn't hard.
He's been killing it all year.
But, it wasn't always that way.
For years, he was like most of us...
... pack fodder.
Then something clicked,
and he became a slayer.
Which brings up my point.
It doesn't take that long to change the way things are...
... once we decide to make a change.
---
163.8
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
unOFFICIAL TMWC '23 - RACE REPORT
Nov 07, 2023
by TODD BROWN
TODAY WAS THE DAY so many of us targeted to crush our local ride, the annual unOFFICIAL Tuesday Morning World Championships. We fondly refer to it as Just a social ride...
... but, not today.
We rolled on time, 630am.
Normally, it's a gaggle of geese the first few miles...
... but, not today.
Previous winner, Nick Bishop, lit it up asap.
Normally, it's 25-30 stalwarts...
... but, not today.
Doubled out numbers.
Normally, the pace is consistent...
... but, not today.
Jumpysurgy.
Nothing was normal today, which makes it extra
- fun
- fast
- frenemyish
We hit a few timely lights, keeping us mostly in tact until the transition to the El Toro Bike Trail.
- 7 miles,
- no lights,
- no stop signs,
- lots of power climbing.
Normally, we are pretty burnt at this point...
... but, not today.
Which could only mean one thing...
... something abnormal was on the menu.
In the entire history of all the unOFFICIAL showdowns only 2 people have managed to...
... breakaway and stay away.
The great
- Robert Freeman broke away on the bike trail
- Bret Bylund went in the first mile
We'd already seen Nick take a swing at Bret's move...
... would someone be gutsy enough to try Robert's move?
Yes!
Young Rayan.
He goes when we first hit the trail.
I'm thinking, dang, wish he hadn't done that now I have to suffer.
We pull him back,
I suffer.
Within 60 seconds he goes again,
and is gone.
The gap keeps growing and growing.
Now I'm thinking, go Rayun go!!!!
I love this.
Few try it during the year,
nobody makes it,
hardly ever.
The pace lifts, and I know the 4ish minute power climb is gunna hurt.
It does.
Not enough for me to get a PR,
because I was dropped...
... still, faster than I'd gone all year.
Would young Rayun make it?
The leaders were over the top,
our second group not far back.
I thought we might catch.
Got close.
Then, the final corkscrew and finishing straight aptly named...
... Robert's Rage (and Robot's wheelsucking revenge)
Where the great, 2019 Champ, John Janneck flew outta the pack...
... caught young Rayun at the line.
So, epic.
So, valiant.
Congrats to the winners...
- Lori Hoechlin - Ladies
- Issac Gould - U20
- John Janneck - U35
- Matthew Rhodes - U50
- Ken Lynch - U65 (most improved rider of the year)
- Mark Christopherson - U100
... much thanks to all who participated in the 2023 unOFFICIAL TMWC.
If you're digging the kit, you can save 20%...
... with this promo code: TMWC2023
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165.1 <- that didn't help
6.5 hours <- nor that
Push Ups Pull Ups Squats Nordic Curls
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
IF IT'S WORTH DOING...
Nov 06, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IF IT'S WORTH DOING, it's worth putting on the calendar. Things will come up, adjustments will have to be made. It’s a lot easier to manage the unknown...
... when we have a plan.
Here's how I work my plan.
In this order:
- Get a giant calendar.
- Hang it somewhere to see it daily.
- Fill in date nights, and getaway weekends.
- Add important family and friends’ dates.
- Block out birthdays and anniversaries.
- Gather all known, immovable work dates.
- Add all races of interest.
Do this in ball point pen, write lightly.
Then, I think about what I want to accomplish as an athlete…
… what 1 or 2, possibly 3, ‘A’ event(s) would be really fun to prepare for.
When I’m ready, after conferring with family, partners, etc… I’ll commit to the ‘A’ events.
In Sharpie, I’ll highlight
- Key events I plan to do
- Outlining the days or weekends
- The event name on the day it occurs.
The secret is to put in the stuff that really matters first...
... then everybody is on board with my one or two 'A' races.
Yeah, I still race a lot.
But, who cares of I miss a 'B' race,
if I'm not in tiptop shape?
Not me.
Not those that matter in my life.
Be true,
and rip!
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165.1 (uh oh)
9 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
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