Todd's Blog — racerness

NORMALLY, WE SIGN UP FOR A RIDE OR RACE. Do it.  And, go home.  Though the promotor assures us there's a good cause we're helping with our cash, we really don't care.  We're just happy our community is together and we're going to get down to some fun, challenging riding.

But, yesterday's heat was oppressive.  The riding quickly went from fun to challenging to destructive.  105 degrees, not a tree or lean to insight.  My breathing was fast and shallow.

The end was near.  Not of the ride, of my ability to finish.

I wasn't alone.

Banded and bonded together, 5 or 6 of us coasted to a stop at the Trabuco General Store.

Popsicles and Cokes are on me.

Our overheating cores began to cool, somewhat.  I knew 1 of these riders by name, and all of them by effort.  We were connected... and I'm guessing we'll remember this very rough day for years.  We mounted our dusty rides, our clothes covered in salt stains.

The name of this ride is the Hardman Classic, and for the second year in a row I've been reduced to a limp residue of a man.

I finished, blurry.  Drove 5 minutes home.  Made a smoothie.  Made another.  Drank 44 oz of water.  Showered.  Laid down. 

_____

Chris texted me.  He'd done his own terrible ride and found himself in a similar position.  Propped up, watching a dramatic college football game end he texted...

I love sports!

_____

I zoned out watching what I figured would be a predictable finally of the Vuelta.  Far from it!  This is by far the best grand tour.  My favorite to watch.  The attacking and countering was on 'till the very end... with an unknown 20 year old going long range a getting himself on the final podium.  I thought...

I love sports!

_____

Feeling half-human, I drove back to the finish.  Everybody was gone.  Mike, the promotor, had kindly taken down my canopy.  As I loaded it, a few volunteers stopped by to chat.

You guys are amazing, said one.

What you do makes such a difference, said another.

It wasn't registering to me.

How bad was it out there?  I asked.

We rescued a lot of people.  Exhausted riders.  4 guys throwing up.

I got that, but I didn't get this...

Do you know how many kids you help?

Tired, I could only raise my eye brows.

800 kids have come through the COA Kids bike program.  We are working so hard to teach them to respect their bodies, to avoid the dangers of vaping and drugs.  And, getting them bike riding helps them make a connection to their health.

Emotionally weak, I hid my misty eyes.

... I love this sport.

_____

Feeling fresh at the start

Gloves are covered in salt... isn't the body amazing?!

My attempt to look happy

Nothing drops like HVY MTL.. I coasted the flat and climby parts of this long descent.

Chris calls this heaven.  I think he's right.

______

162.4
0/0
9 hrs 
Ride with us: click for info. 

THERE'S A FAIRLY FAST SECTION OF TOMORROW'S RACE COURSE THAT TRANSFERS FROM DIRT TO OLD PAVEMENT with about a 5"stub.  If you take it fast and on an angle it's not a big deal.

Tomorrow, I'll bet my donut money, folks who've never seen it are going to have a big butt pucker moment.  Lock 'em up.  Skid.  And most likely yell a Holy Hell!

Not me.  

I ride that section weekly, it's my home terrain.

But, that's the big advantage of pre-riding any race course.  

When I was racing Super-D, the precursor to Enduro, I would ride the course many times.  Forwards and backwards.  

When I race a crit, I take all the turns at various approaches to figure what works best.

The point is, if I'm there to do my best... which isn't always the case... I'm going to get as much course knowledge is as possible.  It makes a difference.  

The difference in speed can be immense, but often it's just safety and a more relaxed ride I'm after.

Do you have to pre-ride to have a good day?  Not even.  You can still have a good day.  But, it's nearly a lock you'll have a much better day with pre-riding.

And the PEDAL Posse agrees... how 'bout you?

______

165
20/30
7 hrs 
Ride with us: click for info. 

BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE ALL GONNA GO BONKERS FROM HALLOWEEN (I know you steal the kids' candy!) TO NEW YEARS... well you probably will, but I won't!... I'm going to make you a crazy offer.

I was reminded of this simple truth when I saw the leg shot from my last race.

And it's not just the leg shot, the results this year tell a similar story... and I'm not just talking about the kind you sign up and pay for, i'm talking about the personal challenges I set for myself:  PRing Live Oak, time trialing Harding, daily pull ups, etc.  

LESS BLUBBER = MORE SPEED

So, here's the cuckoo offer:  buy 2 of these t-shirts, give one to your chubby checker, and commit to eat less and ride more the next 4 months.  Use promo code EATLESSRIDEMORE for 50% savings.

Let's all roll into next year svelter, ready to take it on vs having some stupid goal to get in shape. Ugh.  The horror!

Note:  you can game the system and buy just 1 and still get the 50% savings but where's the fun in that?

PS... want to be even more gnarly, tell the world what you're going to weigh on Jan 1 now.  Just think, you'll be able to look back in 2020 with 20/20 of your grand accomplishment.

Educate yourself on the perils of facing this challenge alone

... The Old Diesel never had definition like that before, granted I was probably dehydrated at this point.

______

164.2
20/60
8 hrs
Ride with us: click for info. 

THE SUN POUNDED ON MY BACK, sweat poured onto my glasses, and my quarter horse legs turned mule.  Dust whipped and swirled a mocking dance, but I kept on.... because I could see my friends' tiny silhouettes far ahead.

I'll be damned if those cats are gonna put the hurt on me!

Why?... because we ride and train together and I know (think? hope? pray?) I can keep up.

I'm part of that, I whisper to no one.... 

Riders of a feather, race together... jingled in my head. 

Later.
When it was over.
I looked that podiums.

Many were filled with friends.  And those that weren't friends before were talking about meetin' up for some future riding and training.

Why?

Because they've found a kindred spirit with kindred talent... and they're into the social side, the personal challenge side, the learning side...  way more important than the winning side.

Which is why riders of a feather, race together.

 ______

164.2
0/0
7 hrs
Ride with us: click for info. 

PVIDDY AND I REPEATED THIS TO OURSELVES CONSTANTLY.  Any time we had self-doubt in the final week of prep, this is what we said...

TRUST YOUR TRAINING

He's a gold medal-winning Olympian, I'm merely a cycling national champ.

I'm not sure which of us came up with it, or if it's even unique to us.  But, it is real.

First, there is nothing you can do to improve your fitness a week before a big race.  NOTHING.  There's a ton you can do to screw it up, A TON.  Chiefly, riding too hard.

Second, the point of the training is to figure things out.  What is...
a good pre-race week?
food to eat the day before?
on the bike nutrition that works for you?
the proper tires and pressure?
how far can you sprint, can you sprint at all?
it's along list.

Figure it out.

Don't be that rider who has a million excuses of what went wrong with your race.  It's embarrassing and is an indicator weakness.

Be the rider who is prepared and confident and ready.

Trust your training...

The week of,
The night before,
In the heat of the moment.

Relax, you're ready... now go slay it!

 ______

164.2
10/30
7 hrs
Ride with us: click for info. 

BIG SPIDERS AND FAT SNAKES JOINED MY JOURNEY THIS EVENING.  It's late summer, the best part 'round here.  As the days shorten, I've got a choice to make.

Addition or subtraction.

Am I going to add lights or ride less?
Ride the rollers inside or ride less?
Join Zwift or ride less?

Or.... improve our process at work, switch up the routines, and keep on slaying the sunrises and sunsets?

Whatur we gonna do?

 ______

163.4
20/60
6.5 hrs
Ride with us: click for info.