TODD'S BLOG
Notify me when available
We will send you a notification as soon as this product is available again.
We don't share your email with anybody
Get RaceDay Ready
FREE SPEED
WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING FASTER, it's easy to go down the free speed rabbit hole. So many variables, so hard to prove valid...
... we can be such suckers for marketing.
Then, there's the flippin' placebo effect.
Sheesh...
... what's a credit card wheelin', lycra-clad, speed junkie to do?
There are sites like Zero Friction,
YouTubers like Dylan Johnson,
the local speed freak.
Plus, e-zines and sites gettin' us (am I the only one?) all hyped up to buy some free speed.
Which brings up the truth.
It ain't free.
In many cases, think...
... arm and a leg pricing.
If I had to rank 'em, assuming the frame is appropriate...
- Wheels, Bearings & Tires
- Drivetrain - BB, chain, wax
- Helmet
- Apparel
- Shoes
... on the equipment side.
Nutrition is essential, and there are some neat on the bike eating and fueling secrets and products to be had.
Don't forget or neglect recovery: sleep, massage, nutrition, etc.
The good stuff can be startlingly better.
Do thy research...
... and spend wisely (cash only, no cc's).
===
159.8
12 hrs sleep (still fighting this bug)
0 strength work
0 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
Strava
>
SETBACKS, DO THEY REALLY SUCK?
TWO OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, have started with solid setbacks. In each case, I thought all was lost. Then I remembered the...
... advice of my dear ol' grampappy.
My boy...
... it's not the problem it's how you handle it.
Hard words for a love struck 14 yr old, getting nowhere with his puppy love.
The key to that wisdom it not so much handling the problem as...
... having faith and getting started.
Not running away.
Not giving up.
As I sit here completely wiped out by some sort of bug, coughing my brains out, I've come the realization...
- I will get better
- I will enjoy this slothful moment
- I will resist to bounce back too early
... it's early January f' cryin' outloud.
Take this setback for what it is...
... an opportunity to reset.
That's what racers do.
Reset.
Improve.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
===
158.3 lbs (not a good way lo lose wight.)
10ish hrs sleep (9:15pm-7:30am)
0 round of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BORN FOR THIS
THE REASON I LIKE TO READ FICTION is simply to imagine myself in impossible situations. The inner dialogue of the hero of my current book, Jericho Quinn, was spot on...
... to how I feel about racing.
Can you relate to this?
"He knew he was born for the rough stuff. His heart never truly beat until it was going full bore."
Exactly how I every time the gun goes.
It can get me in trouble though.
Like right now, with this nagging, awful cough and headache.
It's been going all week.
Have I rested?
No.
Just been doing all I can to keep going...
... totally idiotic.
===
158.1 lbs (not a good way lo lose wight.)
9ish hrs sleep (9:15pm-6:30am)
1 round of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GGGGGGGGGOALLLLLLLLLLLLLS
GOALS CAN BE GREAT. I say "can" because, let's be honest they usually aren't. I have a theory about that and it starts with...
.... easy.
It is so easy to set a goal.
Crud...
... set 100 goals.
And, that's the problem.
We set 'em like there's...
- the no other goals
- no current commitments
- we have limitless bandwidth
... no impact on our lives.
Having a million goals...
... is like having no goals.
I try and keep it to...
- physical
- business
- social
- spiritual
... one big goal per year.
It's a heckuvalot easier to accomplish one thing than twenty.
And guess what...
... if it's a big enough goal, it might take 5,10, 20 years.
===
159.2 lbs (yes, this bug I have has evaporated my appetite)
9ish hrs sleep (9:30pm-6:15am)
1 round of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
STYLE CUES
I THINK WE ALL HAVE A SENSE of cycling style. You know, what we think looks cool, and what we don't. At least, you should by now...
... unless you are brandspankingnew.
New kids are typically nervous and anxious...
- am I wearing the proper gear, 'cause I feel nearly naked
- do I look like Darth Vader with this helmet and glasses
- how tall should my socks be
... form and function questions.
Once acquainted with the options...
- looking cool
- being comfortable
- optimizing for speed
... start to take precedent.
Here's my general rules...
- gloves match shoes
- socks match jersey
- dark bibs
... all things being equal.
Which leaves the helmet, or helmets.
And this insane offer...
... buy a KASK helmet, get a FREE RaceDay Bag.
https://pedalindustries.com/a/bundles/kask-helmets-c5et
===
160.2 lbs
9ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-6:55am)
2 round of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE KILLER SNACK
HOW ABOUT THIS - a snack that needs no refrigeration, is a snap to prepare, gives an energy boost, and produces negative calories. How many
... would you consume per day?
Yes, there really is such a snack.
Proven by science...
- pull ups
- pushups
- deadlifts
- box jumps
are my go to's.
Personally, I like to enjoy one every 45-60 minutes...
- energy boost
- calorie burning
- improved cognitive function
... are legit benefits in less than 2 minutes.
I was reminded of this on Andrew Huberman's podcast...
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000682843685
... he's an actual scientist,
I'm just a dude who figures stuff out.
Note: not all scientists know what the heck they are talking about...
- study
- test it
- reject or incorporate
... it's called science for a reason - being 100% certain for all time ain't it.
===
160.5 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-555am)
1 round of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
>
PARTICIPATION AWARDS
THE LEGENDARY ATHLETE was returning to competition. It was to be a momentous year, documented professionally, all the world would know...
... he was back to bring them to heel.
What a dream.
After hiring a new..
- coach
- nutritionist
- top secret strength doctor
... there was one beautiful medal to show for all the effort.
Not bronze,
silver, or
gold.
A beautiful finisher's medal.
Not what he, his family or sponsors had hoped for.
Here's the dill...
... every time we battle, we have a chance to learn and improve.
Finishing,
is where
it starts.
===
161.4 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-555am)
3 rounds of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TOO EARLY?
WELL, TODAY WAS DEFINITELY the best ride of the year. Chilly start, dust down, trails open for blasting...
... the bar has been set.
It wasn't just the conditions.
The route entailed...
- fast gravel
- twisty single track
- plus, pack dynamics
... all the things I love.
And, of course, my pals.
- Love Watts and I rolled at 7am.
- Hooked up with CV, local group road ride, at 8:50 am.
- Back to dirt, with Chuckles, Zone 2, and Mrs. Smith, around 9:30ish.
The rig of choice...
... the Crux, with RaceKing 2.0s.
What could make this ride even better?
Oh, I have an answer.
A forgotten trail was bulldozed during fire season...
- it'll add another 1000' of climbing
- sneak through penal a colony
- miles of single track
... and will pour us out at my favorite country store, for a Coke and chips.
We have 360 days to find the perfect ride...
... 2025 is off to a heckuva start.
===
159.8 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10pm-555am)
1 rounds of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts BoxJumps
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
NOOOOOO, NOT ZONE 1!
IF YOU'RE DRIVEN, and you probably are if you're a regular reader, seeing zone 1 on the training plan...
... is laughable.
We don't even know what that is.
We try to do it,
see the numbers.
Think, That's not going to help...
... awwwww, skrewit!
I have a solution.
It came to me on today's ride.
First, there was the absurdly long skid in the dirt...
- speed up
- back brake locked
- back wheel as unweighted as possible.
... just to see how long I could get it.
Then, the idea to jump onto and back off of every curb possible.
There was more.
My favorite was weaving the extensive traffic cones as long as possible without touching brakes or pedals.
90 minutes later, I coulda cared less about zone 1...
... I was in zone fun.
===
160.3 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:30pm-5:55am)
3 rounds of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
>
MY BIKE TOTALLY GOT AWAY FROM ME
CLEARING THE TOP OF THE CLIMB, I was leaning to initiate a turn back towards home. Not sure if I hit a rock, or what, but next thing I know...
... I'm on a different trajectory.
Was it meant to be?
I mean...
- not a cloud in the sky
- nobody on the trails
- crazy warm day
... geez.
Why such a hurry to get back?
Why not go straight up the the trail to the country store...
... for an ice cream bar?
Some turns really are for the better.
===
160.5 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9pm-530am)
3 rounds of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts BoxJumps
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DO THE UNTHINKABLE
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO THE UNTHINKABLE, when it's unthinkable? Talk about a paradox. What it really means is...
... go way beyond the comfortable.
The great Wende Cragg captured the unthinkable...
- riding to a mountain top under a full-moon to watch the sunrise
- coaster brakes so hot they smoke after a downhill
- helmetlessly racing klunkers in jeans
... the birth of mountain biking.
50 years ago, her Pentax camera, snapped and preserved everything those...
... crazy pioneers were living.
The lifestyle.
Her documentary - click here - is as inspirational as it is mesmerizing.
Watch it.
It's got me thinking it might be a wholotta fun to get the hard training done M-F, and...
... use that fitness for adventure on the weekend.
===
162.7 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (1030pm-530am)
1 round of PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHY I DID 100 PULLUPS, 190 PUSH UPS, 53 BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR
IF WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THE YEAR pretending we are committed to some outlandish new start, I figured I might as well end 2024 with...
... a ridiculous challenge.
I can look back and say If I could do that thing...
... I sure as heck can do this, too.
That's called stacking confidence.
At 6:45 this morning, I decided to do 100 pull ups today.
A first,
by a lot.
Since my normal m.o. 3x on the pushups, that'd 300.
And, I figured I might as well add 3-loaded Bulgarian split squats for every pull up, for 300 per leg.
Sounded doable at 6:45.
I'd just take a break every 30 minutes and bang out a round of the three moves.
It got hard,
the 30 minute goal drifted.
I learned...
- breaking up the day = hustle, productivity
- found my split squat limit to be 60 lb dumbell in each hand
- muscles felt awesome through 8 rotations
- posture is great
- these are better than smoke breaks
- got hungry, ate more than normal
- 30 min goes fast, aware of time waste
- required 12.5 hours to complete
... I can still do hard things.
Now, what to get done in 2025?
Happy New Year Y'all
===
162 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (1030pm-530am)
100 PullUps 190 PushUps 53 DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE SECRET SAUCE NOBODY TRIES
DID YOU PICK UP A TRAINING SECRET this year? From a book or podcast or YouTube? Accidentally overhear the local coach...
... whispering truth to an athlete?
I bet you did.
But, that's not the real question.
The real question is did you, yes you, or I, yes me...
... do anything about it?
Because what is the point to...
- look
- listen
- and learn
... if we're not going to at the very least give it a whirl?
After trying and testing...
- the Classified 2-speed hub
- even more calories when racing
- mountain bike tires on the gravel bike
... these are my top 3 secrets of the year.
What are yours?
===
164 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (11pm-7am)
PullUps PushUps DeadLifts
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
>
IF WE'RE GONNA GO BIG WE OUGHTA GO BIG
--- one of my favorites of the year ---
TODAY, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TURNED THE CORNER. I'm mid-way through my experiment to train like Remco...
... 3 weeks of (for me) massive volume.
Last Saturday, end of week #1, I was pretty tired during the final miles of a 5 hour ride.
Exhaustion lasted through Sunday.
Monday the legs were oooof.
But, Tuesday, I felt pretty darn good...
... at the end of a hilly and peppy 60 miles.
With a cramped day, the only way I could stay on schedule Wednesday was to do two-a-days.
- Sunrise, 90 minutes of steepish climbs at moderate pace.
- PullUps, PushUps and Squats through the day.
- Evening, 2 hours of high Zone 2 rolling terrain.
... it was that second session on the bike where things were clicking.
I felt stong.
Even fresh.
3 days down,
9 hours saddle time.
Should be able to hit 18-20 hours by end of day Saturday.
It's a lot to juggle...
- solid days of work
- helping the kids with their kids
- and being present for Surfergirl
... wouldn't do this forever.
Fun to experiment.
Feeling might dawgawn fortunate.
===
162.4 lbs
15 hrs sleep (i really do have the flu)
No Strength
00 minutes recovery
180 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
RULES FOR FEELING SICK
HAVING COLD OR FLU SYMPTOMS is always a tough one for me and begs the question should I exercise today? If I do, I might get worse or...
... I might speed up the process of getting better.
My general rules...
- above the neck, ride like heck.
- in the chest, better rest
... but, they didn't help me today.
Because I was just so determined that the fact I work up sweating was due to the heater was too high, and I wanted oh so badly to ride with the fellas...
... I headed out.
Instead of feeling a lot better post ride,
I cut the ride short.
The collapsed on the couch,
after paying my dues kneeling in the bathroom.
I guess I'll add to the rules above...
... running a fever, don't be an overachiever.
===
164.5 lbs
7Ish hrs sleep (10:30 pm-5:45am)
No Strength
00 minutes recovery
20 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
YOU ARE NOT A BODY BUILDER
FUN FACTOID, weight machines at the gym were developed by body builders for body building. Each machine can dial in a certain muscle to make it bigger...
... we are not body builders.
We do not want muscles that don't serve a purpose...
... might was well be a stack of tires around our gut.
You know what else we don't want..
... injuries.
I know what you're thinking.
What the heck does the Ol' Diesel know about strength?
Well, quite a bit...
- testing
- reading
- experience
... has proven to me what works.
Here's the dill...
- low reps (1-3)
- max weight (90-100% of max)
- almost every day of the week (4-5 days)
- lots of rest between sets (complete recovery)
- multiple joint movements (squats are 3 joints)
... on getting strong with minimal to no weight gain.
Take it easy.
Get a pro to help you with form, because you can do this...
... with minimal equipment from home.
===
Disclaimer - any and all advice is just stuff I've tried and worked for me and is not professional or medical.
===
162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45 pm-6am)
PullUps PushUps
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE YOU FAILING ENOUGH?
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE ACT LIKE there is a gigantic barrier between courage and discretion. There's not. It's a fine line. If we are to improve by any measurable amount...
... we must balance precariously and charge forth.
This is truth.
Failure is going to happen when...
- going for an impossible PR
- experimenting with new training
- carving the curves so hard we start to slide
... if we are going to improve.
Why?
Because failure gives us that needed feedback to...
... learn what we need to learn to improve.
Now don't go doing some idiotic Evilknevil stunt.
But, push.
Push a lot.
Every failure teaches us,
we adjust,
improve.
So push.
Push through...
- fear
- pain
- limits
... and reach our next impossible.
As the great Tom Watson, founder of IBM at the time the premier computing company on the planet, preached to his engineers...
... Fail faster.
===
We have 5 days to ride the New Year's Resolution madness, and all year to make it happen.
===
162.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45 pm-6am)
PullUps PushUps only
5 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHOSE WATTS ARE THOSE?
ON MY WAY HOME from the local ride of destruction, I was thinking about the amount of watts the fellows were putting out and how destroyed I felt...
... how could I quantify that?
I know my numbers,
I don't know theirs.
I know how I felt,
I don't know how they felt.
Back in the day...
... I'd visualize my head on my favorite pro's body.
Crushing all comers...
- What would be be like to put out Pojacar power and escape tens of miles from the finish?
- How about a Cav-like explosion sprinting for the line?
- Or, the surge and surf stomping of the bunch by the great Sagan?
... like a boss.
Playing that game of imaging what would Pogi or Cav or Peto do is...
... a great way to take on the unconquerable challenge,
and kinda sorta maybe put out some inspired watts of our own.
---
162.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45 pm-6am)
PullUps PushUps Squats
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
>
I HEARD THE BELLS
RIDING ALONE IN THE FOREST can be dangerous. The low hanging branches, hidden roots and rocks, and...
... the occasional wild animal.
Not the bunnies,
squirrels
or deer.
No danger there.
I'm talkin'...
- bear
- moose
- cougars
... the big, mean and hungry ones.
So, we blissfully mount bells on are bikes.
Which reminds me of the great Ray Bradbury's book, Something Wicked Comes This Way.
One of the characters, Mr. Dark, is confronted with the carol I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.
My favorite verse:
God is not dead nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.
Ain't nothing like a peaceful ride through the forest.
---
162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45 pm-5:45am)
PullUps PushUps
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE ELVES ARE DONE
WELL, I'M TUCKERED. The machines are tuckered. The many hands that make the magic happen are worn and achy. We're shuttin' 'er down for a couple of days...
... even elves gotta have an off season.
But, here's the dill.
The things we really want...
- speed
- power
- time
... we can't purchase.
The things we can purchase...
- equipment
- apparel
- trips
... we'd be embarrassed to task to a loved one.
We gotta be our own elves.
So, pretend your tapped on the cash...
... how are you going to get more speed, power, time?
Imagine it's spring time,
you're toeing the line...
- fit
- taught
- relaxed
... what's it gonna take?
Write it down,
wrap it up.
Give yourself a real gift.
Better yet,
give it to a friend or family member.
---
162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45 pm-5:45am)
PullUps PushUps
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HE'S MAKING HIS LIST
THE POWER OF A CHECK LIST is awesome. Not ticking the boxes, for that quick hit of dopamine, there is something even better than...
... getting it done.
Which is the point.
For me, the real power is in the creation of a list.
Exploring and considering...
- each and every angle
- what is needed
- what is fluff
... and building an empowering list.
It's harder than it looks.
But, done correctly...
... discipline is replaced with love and urgency.
Checking the box is dessert...
... one we can enjoy each and every day.
---
That pic is literally a page from the RaceDay Ready Journal.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/books-n-such/products/raceday-ready-100-day-journal
---
163.1 lbs
9ish hrs sleep (9:45 pm-7:20am)
PullUps PushUps Squats
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE WATTS WILL COME
ROLLED OUT WITH A DEVILISH PLAN for myself. After 3 months of goofin' around, it was time to warm up the glow plugs on the Ol' Diesel. Nothing like...
... tickling zone 5 with the ticker.
Here's how weak I am.
Never in a millionkazillion years could I will myself push over 175 bpm...
- not for fun
- not for a coach
- not doing intervals
... I need to set up something stupid.
Like mashing the mammoth 50mm MTB tires,
with 20 lbs of pressure,
on the gravel bike...
... out to the local throwdown.
It was 25 minutes of pure, paved ecstasy.
Sandwiched in between 90 minutes of dirt, before and after.
Not much.
But, a start.
Time to begin upping the saddle time,
and sprinkling in a dash of intensity.
No need to hurry,
just stay consistent.
Keep doing the strength stuff.
If you build it...
... the watts will come.
---
163.9 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (10:30pm-5:30am)
PullUps PushUps
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
OUR BEAST OF BURDEN
A FRIEND WAS GOING ON AN ON about how his brother had totally failed. The brother had committed to take his lifestyle to the next level. It wasn't going to be enough to get by...
... he wanted to live at the highest levels possible.
Did he make it?
You be the judge.
From where I was sitting, the brother truly had committed.
The results were easy to see...
- health firing
- family thriving
- business providing
- relationship with God and man aligned
... what more is there?
The friend could only see the missteps and shortcomings of his brother.
I think the point of putting ourselves out there, is to...
- be an example
- be held accountable
- show how we deal with failure
... and hopefully inspire others along the way.
Haters think it is an I'm better than you thing instead of the more simple...
... I'm doing my best, and appreciate your encouragement.
Truth is, commitment...
... is our beast of burden.
---
Every day builds on the next...
... this hat is a good reminder.
Ships FREE, order by 12.24
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/hats-1/products/every-day-is-raceday-trucker-curved-bill-adjustable-hat---
163.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10:30pm-6:30am)
PullUps PushUps Squats n Such
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DESCEND LIKE A PRO
MY FRIEND MIKE has gotten the bug. Not wanting to deal with cars the went the dirt route, in the form of an MTB. He loves it, but...
... is legitimately concerned with crashing.
Legitimate in the form of...
... what we think about we bring about.
Fancying myself as somewhat of an expert,
I gave him this advice...
- Firm grip on the bars
- Arms looseygoosey
- Eyes/head up
... plus, have fun, confidence will follow.
The thing is,
we can apply that advice to literally anything.
Raising kids...
- Firm grip on getting them pointed in the right direction
- Arms ready to guide if needed or asked for
- Eyes/head monitoring their surroundings
Business/work...
- Firm grip on goals/objectives
- Loose on the how it gets done
- Eyes/head focused on where we're headed
Our next race...
- Get registered
- Plan the training
- Visualize the finish line
Come to think about it,
I wrote a book about that.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
---
166 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10:30pm-6:30am)
PullUps PushUps
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO RIDE?
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO RIDE? There are a million factors. At least we aren't too weather dependent, and we have the great outdoors as our playground. Compared to other activities...
... we got options.
My favorite is late morning...
- warmer
- sunshine
- break up the work day
... it's almost always alone.
Which is fine, but it can be risky...
... out in the wild.
Take today.
I didn't line up the turn up quite right,
took a stick to the face,
nearly in the eye!
Coulda been way worse.
Way.
Dusted myself off and rode on
decided to chill on the lovely
middle of nowhere
lawn chairs.
And count my lucky stars.
Which reminds me of the wonderful Christmas movie, The Shining...
... all workout and no reflection makes Jack a dull boy.
A good break in the action,
keeps us sharp.
---
164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10:30pm-6:30am)
PullUps PushUps Squats & stuff
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHEN YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE
WE THINK WE'LL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE LOVE. I remember specifically thinking after one particularly surprising race result...
... I could do this forever.
How does the saying go?
If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.
He must have been dying on Monday.
There I was...
- in a beautiful part of the country
- hero dirt from the recent rain
- expansive, gorgeous views
... and I was battling double-vision.
For whatever reason, I took a huge step backwards in my recovery from my brain injury.
I couldn't dive bomb the downhills.
I couldn't do what I've always done.
Did it suck?
Yeah, totally.
Did I quit?
Not even.
I slowed down, and did what I could do.
Which turned out to be an echo from an elderly spiritual leader who was assessing his final year or two of life, who said those exact words.
Doing what he could do.
Am I freaked out?
Not yet.
First off, I called my friend Rick the behavioral ophthalmologist (think PT for you eyes).
We talked about how I'd laid off doing the exercises he'd given me when I was first injured.
In fact, I did the most basic one right away, because I only have the most basic tool on me, and almost immediately noticed an improvement.
Next, I called my surgeon's office. The NP called me back and suggested I go on a steroid for 5 days to ease any post-surgery swelling that can occur, even months later.
Tomorrow, I'll get back to the more vigorous eye exercises.
Doing what I can do, and hopefully...
... back to what I've always done.
---
166.8 lbs (not really sure, on a trip)
8ish hrs sleep (10pm-6am)
Push Ups (doing all I could do while vanning it)
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
>
re: IS IT WORTH THE SACRIFICE?
Dear Ol' Diesel,
I'm still trying to figure it out Todd. I check in on one thing for a few years and then I'll switch gears, etc.
2025 I've got no endurance plans...biggest focus is strength training 5/6 days per week.
Is this lack of dedication?
Is this why i never quite seem to get my goals?
Is it enough that I attempt which is more than 99.9999% of folks can say?
I dunno man, still in search of answers. But I will tell you my want for endurance is absent.
I don't want to get up early for a ride
I don't want to get up early for a run
Heck I don't really want to do any of those things right now.
I do want to spend a little extra time with the better half
I do want to slow down a moment and enjoy or take in this new reality of empty nesters...
Does this make me lazy? I worry I'm losing my edge.
Thank you for always sharing your thoughts,
I Just Wanna Be Strong In LA.
---
Dear I Just Wanna Be Strong In LA,
Haha… no, you are doing great. Take a break. Spend time with your wife. We love our kids, and we love being emptynesters. Super fun, lots of flexibility.
I’d say this, don’t train unless it sounds fun.
We are on a quick trip up the coast. Just the two of us. Rode with Susie until she was ready to rest, then rode a bit on my own. No hurry, no rush, no care to do X work out.
Now, I’m in the hotel room catching up and she is in the Jacuzzi.
Life is short, wives are more important than miles… and besides, they like us with a little muscle.
IMHO, you're on the right track.
Love ya!
The Ol' Diesel
---
166.8 lbs (not really sure, on a trip)
9ish hrs sleep 830pm-5:30am)
Push Ups
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IS IT WORTH 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.
---
Thrill a Runner or Triathlete in your life with a RaceDay Bag just for their sport.
Use this promo code: TRIRUN
To save 20% on ISD Running and Triathlon sport specific bags - code expires Monday, 12.26.24
---
166.8 lbs (too much recovery fuel?)
8ish hrs sleep 10pm-6:04am)
Push Ups
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
>
GETTING HIGH
NEARLY 6000' IN 32 MILES represents a good amount of climbing. Mostly straight up or straight down, on dirt. At about the 2 hour mark...
... I hit the highest point.
A few miles prior, a thought occurred to me.
If something bad happens,
I'm a long, long, long way from help.
The tires are new,
sealant fresh,
new chain,
cassette.
And, I was feeling pretty good...
... check, check, check and more checks.
Carry on,
enjoy the views,
and lack of humanity.
A bobcat appeared on the trail about 20 yards ahead of me,
it made a quick u-turn and loped along as I closed in,
before lunging over the side into the brush.
The red-tailed hawk surfed the gusty ridge,
searching for pray.
Chipmunks sprinted up and down the ancient pines.
Nature really does rock my world.
This mountain range is about a 35 minute drive from home.
I used to live closer,
and spent almost every Saturday up there, alone.
Looks like I've started the new year's resolution to adventure something new or different at least once a quarter...
... resolutions are kinda dumb.
Why wait?
As the great Yoda said...
... Do, or do not.
---
Thrill a Runner or Triathlete in your life with a RaceDay Bag just for their sport.
Use this promo code: TRIRUN
To save 20% on ISD Running and Triathlon sport specific bags - code expires Monday, 12.26.24
---
164.7 lbs
7ish hrs sleep 10pm-5am)
PullUps Push Ups
0 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
>
I CHOSE THIS?!
THE BROCHURE PROMISED A CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE, everything would be tested. Yeah, all the mind, body, spirt stuff. Plus...
... every ounce of perseverence.
I salivated.
Months of prep were stacked,
when the date came,
I was ready...
... I thought.
But, then shift got real.
Way harder than I expected.
The sections with the group were hard,
we encouraged each other.
When it got really difficult,
nature split us up.
The loneliness was brutal.
I knew, hoped, we'd regroup when the elements eased.
Work together.
Get 'er done.
Crazy as it sounds,
getting towards the end,
I thought I'd gladly do it again.
Winning didn't matter,
completing the mission did...
... and, yeah, those hands were gonna be raised regardless of place.
Crossing the finish line,
to my surprise and delight...
... was my dad,
my creator.
---
Thrill a Runner or Triathlete in your life with a RaceDay Bag just for their sport.
Use this promo code: TRIRUN
To save 20% on ISD Running and Triathlon sport specific bags.
---
163.6 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-6:27am)
PullUps Push Ups
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE BEST ON BIKE WORKOUT EVER?
THERE ARE A LOT WAYS to get stronger and off the bike. Routines, fads, and trends come and go. For my money...
... nothing beats a singlespeed mountain bike.
I built one up because it was fashionable.
Little did I know how addicting the workout would be,
how much I would love riding it.
It was like battling a bipolar bull...
- docile spinning along the flats
- UFC cage fighting any time it got steep
... and it worked perfectly.
At the time, cycling had been quarantined to a few days during the week because weekends were family time in the desert riding motorcycles.
My spin stayed smooth due to the fixed gear range - it wasn't a fixed gear, I could coast.
In order to get up the constantly changing elevations...
- legs
- arms
- lats
- back
... were all recruited and magnificently engaged.
No need for weights or any kind of resistance training.
It was basically going from one interval to the next, with luxurious spinning in between.
As I'm writing this, I'm thinking of the ol' Trek hardtail.
Dusty.
In the garage.
Maybe it's time to spend the least dollars possible and...
... make strength training fun and sexy again.
---
164 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10pm-6:20am)
PullUps Push Ups Squats & Stuff
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE YOU BORING YOURSELF?
IS NEXT YEAR GONNA BE BETTER THAN THIS YEAR? It'll be different, for sure. Better is subjective, only you can determine...
... if it will be a year to remember.
We need new...
- locations
- friends
- events
- skills
... experiences that will change us.
Memorable,
forever.
As I start to fill in my calendar for next year,
it's tempting to play small,
safe...
... instead I do this.
First, I have to have one giant, unreasonable physical goal each year. (spiritual, mental, and social, too).
2024 it was Gravel Nats.
Next year (2025) hasn't crystalized yet, but it will.
Second, I think it's imperative to try a new event once a quarter.
Right now, it's looking like...
- March BWR AZ
- April Highlands Gravel (UCI)
- June BWR MT
- 4th Qtr is TBD
... it doesn't have to be fancy, could just be a weekend adventure someplace new.
Third, master something new, and have a plan to track progress.
For 2025, that is going to be bicycle mechanicing.
By the end of the year, I want to be able to do everything at a level that I could bail myself out if I was nowhere near a competent mechanic.
I'll be adding milestones to the calendar for that, and purchasing the proper tools.
There lots of other stuff on the calendar...
- date nights
- family activities
- work objectives
- service projects
... gotta make it all work cohesively.
Back in 2020 I set about getting out to the Cactus Cup for the first time.
I met a bunch of cool people, and made new friends.
Rode some fantastic and unusual terrain.
Found an outstanding Italian joint.
Cactus Cup stays in the rotation...
... I never would have found it if I hadn't ventured out.
They're having the 12 Days of Giveaways starting 12.12...
... I hope you'll win this bag, and join me out there.
---
Side note:
- I'm planning to do BWR AZ and stay the week in the desert for Cactus Cup the following weekend. If ya get out there for either one, let's meet up for sure.
- I'm also planning BWR UT, in May, and heading to Fruita/Moab the days following for some epic MTB. Lemme know if you're interested in joining.
---
164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:55pm-5:55am)
PullUps Push Ups Squats & Stuff
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE THUNDER
LOOKING FOR SOME BACKGROUND VIBES, I loaded up a Goettl Media raw file of BWR Arizona 2024. It was supposed to be my first A race of last year, but..
... life had other plans.
It's never too early to start doing recon.
I like Joe's videos because...
- the POV is always really good
- his comments teach a lot
- he's super respectful
.... in other words, he's a good dude.
Turning away from the big screen to get some work done it struck me how much...
... a race at speed sounds like thunder.
Especially the gravel sections.
I got so electrified,
I ditched the project,
and dug into examining the terrain.
Joe raced the long version, the Waffle.
I'll most likely do the shorter Wafer.
From the looks of it,
I think this terrain will call for the Race King 2.0s...
- lots of sand
- some rocks
- whoops
... means it's gonna be a hoot.
Can't wait for my next thunder storm.
---
164.7 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (9:55pm-5am)
PullUps Push Ups
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
EASY DAYS AND HARD DAYS ALWAYS
I WAS LISTENING TO A PODCAST with the superfamous coach of an ultrafamous racer, and the host, trying to dumb it down for us dummies, asked...
... What's the one piece of advice you'd give an amateur racer?
He had me on bearings and spokes.
Train easier.
What do you mean?
I mean most amateurs are doing too much.
Isn't that the way to get better?
No. I mean Yes, but no.
Explain.
If an athlete is training too hard all the time, and by too hard I don't mean to exhaustion, but, at a level that will not allow them recover, really recover, then they can't...
... go really hard, and get the big gains.
I thought about that today as...
- miles rolled by
- watts low
- h.r. lower
... my mind open and free.
That advice is easy to understand, hard to thoroughly absorb.
It feels wasteful.
Useless.
And so we ignore it,
to our detriment.
Being that it's a Monday, I tweaked the great Karen Carpenter's song...
... Easy days and hard days always get me fit.
This works for work, too.
There are days I'm resting, prepping, organizing...
... and days I'm slaying it with back to back to back appointments.
---
165.8 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:55pm-6:20am)
PullUps Push Ups & Stuff
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
COASTING IN
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.
===
Now it's time to party!!
I wish I'd come up for this idea of this collection in time for New Year's...
... but, Hey! let's party like it's twenty twenty-five!
Here's the deal...
... order by 12.9, save 25%.
Use code PARTY25.
Most likely ships just after the New Year, if we can get it out early, we will.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedal-party-collection
---
164.5 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-5:30am)
No Strength Work
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DRIVIN' THAT TRAIN
THE PROBLEM WITH CORROSION isn't the corrosiveness itself. That's bad, for sure. But, I find the real problem is...
... it comes on so slowly.
Then, catastrophic failure.
Because I've been neglecting my trusty MTB all year, well, basically for two all years...
... I was caught out, bad.
"All of the sudden",
my shifting was shift.
It wasn't really sudden.
For months the shifting had been off, but...
... just good enough to put away and forget about.
It had reached the point of no return.
Irreparable damage had been done.
Rather than simply replacing the chain in a timely manner,
an easy home repair,
at little cost...
... I had to get a divorce,
and a hot, new, young,
complete drivetrain.
Costly.
It's just a drivetrain,
not something that really matters...
... those things deserve immediate, constant loving maintenance.
===
Now it's time to party!!
I wish I'd come up for this idea of this collection in time for New Year's...
... but, Hey! let's party like it's twenty twenty-five!
Here's the deal...
... order by 12.9, save 25%.
Use code PARTY25.
Most likely ships just after the New Year, if we can get it out early, we will.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedal-party-collection
---
164.5 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-5:30am)
No Strength Work
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THERE IS LITERALLY NO SCHOOL FOR THIS
WE'RE ALL OUT THERE ENDURING, and it's like we have no compass, no gps, no no map, no field manual. There is no associates, four year, masters, or doctorate degree...
... and yet, somehow experts evolve.
Oh, there's the occasional book.
Usually so filled with jargon and graphs they are worthless, but boy...
... the authors sure look smart.
So, we rely on our...
- inner voice
- experience
- friends
... and get to work like mad scientists.
We can and do glean much from...
- watching races
- podcasts
- youtube
... then, we do our best to put it into practice on the next ride, run, swim.
Kinda makes ya wonder if...
- Jobs
- Ford
- Edison
... were just having fun, fascinated with figuring out what was possible?
---
Got a friend who's a Triathlete or Runner?
Blow their minds with a sport specific RaceDay Bag.
Use this code and save 20%: TRIRUN
Good ONLY on in stock Tri and Run bags.
---
165.6 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-5:45am)
PullUps, PushUps, Squats
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE WORST GOAL EVER
ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, I set two lofty goals. One I accomplished, one I fell far short of. What was the difference between...
... success and failure?
Both seemed outrageous at the time.
They still do.
I each case, I knew everything would have to go perfectly in order to get anywhere near what I wanted to accomplish.
The one I attained, everything did go perfectly.
I went about my business,
mission accomplished.
The one I muffed, a massive unforeseeable mountain in the road popped up.
It was such a kick in the front of my bib shorts where my legs come together,
that it was mentally and physically debilitating.
Months later, unforeseeable mountain turned to gopher mound, I'm back on track.
There's all the fancy platitudes of goals...
- goal unwritten is a hope
- goals must be believable
- goals should be realistic
... we could go on and on.
But, I'm not sure that's the point.
Really.
Having the guts to...
- set an outlandish goal
- share it with real allies, not punks who puke on our dreams
- and take massive action
... is the lifeblood of everything I do.
Failure.
Success.
They matter, but not nearly as much what occurs...
... in the process of going after personal excellence.
===
We could wait until 1.1.25 to think, start, plan...
... or, we could grab a calendar and get down to business.
https://pedalindustries.com/calendar
---
166.4 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-5:55am)
PullUps, PushUps, Squats
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DECEMBER'S FOCUS AND AN EXPERIMENT
THIS MONTH'S FOCUS ISN'T FOR BABIES. Babies crawl, make a mess of their food, and are on a quest to get fat. I'm not. Are you? I'm looking to...
... start the year on fire.
For December...
- LSD, not tripping, long slow distance
- Strength work
- Weight loss
... this is my focus.
That should have me in prime shape to hit it hard in Jan and Feb.
Two months to prep for the first races,
BWR AZ and Cactus Cup.
For Jan and Feb, I'm planning an experiment...
- Tues/Wed back to back intensity days, with long tempo on Saturday
- Tues/Sat intensity, with zone 1/2 days in between
... for alternating weeks to build race specific fitness.
The intensity for BWR's start and dynamic surges,
the tempo for Cactus Cup's old school XC race.
Should be fun.
No,
really,
it should be fun.
Just gotta nail December to be hammering in March.
---
167.2 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (9:45pm-5:55am)
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE RULE OF 3
NEW AND FIRED UP, I jumped full speed into the road scene. Since all I'd done was road race, I was one hundred million percent sure...
... I was born to race road.
While I shamelessly slobbered, the old wise man at the bike shop tried to duck.
When I stopped to breathe, he said...
... Sonny you don't know you lycra covered butt from a pothole!.
Huh?
Listen up, buttercup.
Gulp.
It takes three full years...
... to know what you're good at.
But...
But nothing, now get outta here and go to work.
He was right.
By the end of that first year, I realized I was a much better crit racer.
So, I focused on crits for the next two years.
When I found mountain biking,
I was sure I'd be a cross country racer.
Turned out,
I was a much better descender than climber.
When I finally got a gravel bike,
I was sure I'd just use it to mix up the training.
Turns out,
it's actually pretty darn fun to race gravel.
There's nothing magical about the three years...
... it's the three years of working at getting better that matters.
Oh, and before you quote the 10,000 hour rule, think on this.
There are 26,297.46 hours in 3 years, which is kinda like saying...
... if you live, eat and breathe anything for 3 years, magic happens.
Now get to work!
---
168.2 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (10pm-5am)
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S THE DATA DUMMY
I DO LOVE ME SOME DATA. In this vast digital world, there's plenty of it to access, crunch, and geek out on. The only question I have is...
... why? what? how? when?
It's more than what the Garwahoo is delivering.
That little screen can be divided so small the numbers become trivial, useless.
Then we can dissect it all on Starva, Training Peaks, etc.
Which brings up the question?
Do we.
And, if we do, what are we to make of it?
It is so tempting to wing it.
And, why wouldn't it be? That's how it was done from Adam till now.
Gut feel.
But, I had some sense knocked into me today.
Realizing inventory was running low on our gloves and socks, I was about to wing it on a replenishment production run.
Wait, why not pull a report?
Takes a few seconds.
Data don't lie.
And, whadaya know...
... winging it was not the way to go.
The thing about all the Garwahoo data is there's just a heckuva lot of it. We could...
- read a ton
- take some classes
- pester the nerd that rides
... or hire a coach, let a pro figure it out and tell us what to do.
I'm not for winging it,
and I'm not for outsourcing it...
... I'm more for figuring out what the data means.
Empowering myself.
---
167.2 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (10:30pm-6am)
PullUps PushUps & more
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BECAUSE IT SUITS US
ARE RUNNERS BETTER WRITERS or are there just more runners and therefore more writers that run...
... leading to a larger talent pool?
Christopher McDougall's Born To Run is probably my favorite running book.
Inspiring.
It got me to run.
Trail running for miles.
His book, Natural Born Heroes, got me totally into strength work because...
... the heroes were so naturally strong and lethal.
Jesse Itzler is a runner.
His book Living With A Seal is hilarious, and wildly challenges our limited beliefs about what we can accomplish.
Here are a few gems from my latest find...
- The most important thing we ever learn in school is that the most important things can't be learned at school.
- With my mind elsewhere I'm able to run for a long while, keeping up a natural speed that doesn't tire me out.
- There are three reasons I failed. Not enough training. Not enough training. And not enough training.
... from What I Think About When I Talk About Running.
For me, it's not so much the running that is compelling, but the book's ability to help me understand...
... why I love riding, and enduring.
How about you...
... got any faves?
---
166.4 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (11pm-6:05am)
PullUps PushUps
0 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I'LL RACE YOU TO THE CORNER
AT SOME POINT, and it doesn't have to be now, but it will happen soon enough, we wake from our hibernation. Something stirs, and in disgust with our gluttony and laziness...
... we show our puffy faces.
It happened for me today.
I thought I could postpone it a few more weeks,
but there I was meeting at the start
of a ferocious ride.
The ride down was lovely.
Seeing the fellas, charming.
Even the first little climb
showed some promise.
It ended there.
My ballast keeping me grounded.
Basically, I made it to the first corner.
Now, I have a baseline.
And, it wasn't all bad.
I was only two seconds off my PR on that 6ish minute effort.
Things quickly went downhill after that.
Like, really fast...
... errrr, really sluggish.
On the next section I was 3 minutes off the pace.
20, TWENTY!, % slower.
I pulled the plug at that point,
proudly did the lonely ride of shame back to the van.
This Thanksgiving weekend, I am darn...
... thankful to have the desire to improve.
'Cause when desire goes,
when there's no more fire,
then what do we really have?
Gonna make to the second corner next time!
===
In between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are...
... Get your overstretched lycra in gear Saturday and Sunday.
Since some of ya pointed out the code wasn't working perfectly, I extended through Sunday.
TNX24 will save ya 20%.
That is if you're relating to my admission of bottoming out and still reading.
Which thrills the heck outta me.
---
166.4 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (10:15pm-5:55am)
No Strength Work
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SATURDAY TRADITIONS
AT DINNER WITH THE FAM, 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.
Not the pre-ownedness.
I've asked myself a million times...
What did Surfergirl see in me way back when,
What does she see in me now,
... maybe she saw a kindred roamer?
Because, I was doing the exact same thing on my Stingray...
... 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.
---
166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10pm-6:10am)
No Strength Work
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE KNOWLEDGE CHEAT CODE
MOST PEOPLE don't know this. Some do, like the great Steve Jobs. Meanwhile, we have this amazing cheat code...
... for insider knowledge.
Take today's ride.
Love Watts brought his wife's best friend's husband, and let me know he's a triathlete.
Here's the beauty of riding with someone.
Because when his wife's best friend's husband told me he was brand new to the gravel scene, I thought...
... Oh boy! This cat is gonna get wrecked once we hit the dirt.
Nope.
Dude can shred.
Guess what else?
My friend's wife's best friend's husband, who had been to our town many times, had no idea how amazing the gravel riding could be here in "suburbia".
Quite canyons.
Canopied trees.
Miles of single track.
What Steve Job's knew is if he went on a long walk with someone he could really get to know them.
It's the same with us.
While humanity zips around in cars...
... we go for ride, run or swim and get to know humans
and the places they live.
===
Black Friday.
I see all the unbelievable sales and savings, and sometimes I wonder..
- is it something a company does when the import gear made with slave labor in China?
- are my competitors that desperate?
- if it's such a great strategy, why don't the greatest brands like Apple, Cervelo, Tesla, Belgian Waffle Ride, Luis Vuitton, Kask, Tiffany, do it?
... seems like a good way to cheapen, destroy a brand.
But, what if it's a way to reward the loyal, cult following we have developed..
... for example my friend's wife's best friend's husband has three of our RaceDay bags.
How cool is that?
So, here's the deal.
Since you passed the test,
since you know me.
Use this code, TNX24, to save 20%.
It is only good through the 29th of November 2024.
Yes, I know it's not a mind blowing discount, but you know...
... we make our bags and apparel right here in the USA.
Quality.
===
166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10pm-555am)
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THIS IS SO OVER THE TOP
DO SOMETHING ENOUGH TIMES and we start to pick up on the littlest things. Trust me, I've done this twisty country road decent at least 1000 times, when it comes to going fast...
... the littlest things matter.
On Tuesday, I hit 46.2 mph.
Not bad.
Not my best.
The PR is 50.2 mph.
A few of the little things...
√ Aero helmet
√ Tight tuck
√ Winter blubber
√ Fast wheels
... I had most of it right for top speed.
But, there was one massive ingredient.
It's not enough to make it to the top...
... gotta be sprinting past the goal to reach escape velocity.
===
166 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (930-530am)
PullUps PushUps
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
SLOWVEMBER, DEEPSLUMBER AND JAMUARY
IT'S MORE THAN OKAY TO CELEBRATE the holidays. In fact, it's mandatory. Will we sneak out for a turkey trot or social ride? Heckyes! Will we pile on the food?...
... it'd be a shame not to.
Nothing better than the 3 F's...
- Food
- Family
- Friends
... for our slow-thudding hearts.
Bring on Deepslumber...
- More parties
- more events
- less time
... soak it up.
Jamuary will soon be to the rescue.
It's so dang easy to get carried away and spend the entire first quarter trying to...
... undo what we done did.
Honest question,
asking for a friend...
... you planning to wake up on 1.1.25 ready to jam?
===
166.4 lbs
7ish hrs sleep (9:30-5am)
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
A PAIR OF 45s MADE ME OPEN MY EYES!
LEAVE IT TO HOLLIES to set things right. I'm not sure when it heppened, but it's pretty dawgawn clear my sprint is dead and...
... we gotta do some resurrectin'.
A veil of dust and yuck has been yanked open.
I couldn't put my finger on it,
but on today's MTB ride I could sense it.
Something I love, is missing.
The shackles of endurance were weighing me down...
... the chains getting longer and heavier.
It's my sprint, my freakin' sprint.I used to love to sprint...
... not the fastest, but cagey and wiley.
That was it.
Somehow, the singular focus on long endurance races had killed the speeding spirit...
- That fire.
- The angst.
- Thunder and lightning
... slumbered like a middle-earth Tolkien forest.
Doing the dishes an old tune came into my mind...
... What's the name of that?
Next thing I know, Long Tall Woman...
... is cranked up to 11.
Dishes, instantly done..
I'm jamming, alternating between...
- Squats
- PullUps
- PushUps
- Bent Rows, BENT ROWS!!!
... reactivating those muskulls.
Can't freakin' wait to get on my bike, and sprint!
===
166.7 lbs (starting to wonder if my scale is stuck)
8ish hrs sleep (10:15-6:30am)
PullUps PushUps Squats Rows
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
PUTTING A RACING SUPERPOWER TO GOOD USE
RACE LONG ENOUGH, and you can eye a competitor and know, pretty quickly, if they are suffering. And, if we're feeling good...
... this is when we pounce to distance ourselves.
But, should we,
always?
Some of the tells are...
- heavy breathing
- sloppy form
- hanging on
... they are mostly easy to note.
Though there can be fakery...
... for the worse and the better.
But, what about out of competition?
Can we use this highly-honed superpower for good...
... when neighbors, friends and family are struggling?
Even faking All is well.
Rather than pounce...
... can we embrace and lift up?
===
166.7 lbs (starting to wonder if my scale is stuck)
8ish hrs sleep (10-6:30am)
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE SEXIEST HELMET HACK EVER?
IT'S NOT OFTEN someone eyes us over and says we look sexy all kitted up. Maybe that's why it worked this time, 'cause there I was with my helmet on, and she said...
... you look sexy!
It never would have happened if I wasn't...
... on my way to my new sexy helmet hack.
When I get home...
- I put away the bike
- stow the shoes and glasses
- strip and head to the shower
... head into the house.
So there I was...
... buck naked.
Helmet on my head.
Normally, this would merit a head shake.
Another silly idea.
Here me out.
Step into the shower post ride and pop out...
... helmet and body, fresh as can be.
===
Do you think it has anything to do with penning in Date Night on the RaceDay Calendar?
Right now, the miracle working deal includes...
- the Calendar
- the Annual Plan Masterclass
- plus, one month of the Be True & Rip Alliance
... a magical way to rule the year.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/giant-raceday-calendar-2025-bundle
===
166.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep (10-5:50am)
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TRAINING THE COMFORT ZONE
ONE OF THE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BENEFITS OF ZONE 2 TRAINING is the concurrent, and typically untapped, training of the Comfort Zone. Beware, this isn't some foofoo guru hoohah...
... this requires a brave and playful heart.
Check it out.
Because we are much more clear headed in Zone 2 vs the seeing of stars lunacy when in Zone 5, smart people like us use this as an opportunity to get comfortable with speed.
Could be as simple as railing a turn and staying off the brakes...
... or as complex as shredding some single track.
Whatever the case, we should maximize every opportunity while thinking clear and not being out of breath...
... to learn and practice carrying more speed.
I noticed this on my MTB jaunt this morning.
After zipping downhill off road, at a pace many would be panicking, I saw my HRM indicating...
... a rather low 97 bpm.
There's no better time than Zone 2...
... to master getting comfortable with more speed.
All you need is a bit of courage and a lot of playfulness.
Look how comfortable Caleb is in the pic above...
... he's in the Comfort Zone.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-lights/products/knog-cobber-wrap-around-bike-light
Another thing that makes me comfortable is running lights day and night.
Just got some more of these lights in.
Too many, actually.
Use promo code COMFORT to save 20%.
Code expires in 2 days.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-lights/products/knog-cobber-wrap-around-bike-light
---
165.4
8.5 hrs
15 Pull Ups 30 PushUps 15 Squats
HyperVolt & Stretch
45 minutes reading + Journaling
INTERMITTENT FASTING, DOES IT BELONG IN CYCLING?
IS IT JUST ME or is intermittent fasting bigger than ever? Honestly, I'm not sure. Because when you think about it, in every major religion fasting plays a part in worship...
... with lots of criticism on doing it right.
The cycling zealots are no different.
Among the benefits I have personally uncovered during my journey, one stands out.
It started with an occasional, dab.
A monthly thing.
Then my friend Jorge went monk-like, fasting from Sunday evening until Tuesday morning each week.
Really?
Yep.
No food?
None, just water, coffee and tea.
I'm not there, but I am here.
Each Sunday I skip breakfast and lunch.
Understand, I rarely ride on Sundays so my caloric needs are minor...
... especially after a big Saturday on the bike and the commensurate overeating that follows.
The biggest take away for our particular religion of the wheel is this:
After the initial hunger pangs have passed, my energy is quite good. As well as my focus. Desire for food disappears. When I end the fast all I want to eat is...
... a nutrient dense, healthy snack.
That's it.
Just good stuff.
No junk.
A feeling which is lasting longer and longer, through to the following Sunday. So much so, that I look forward to the fast.
Maybe something to add to your own wheel worship?
Let me know.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Some of you might be into red this time of year.
Now's your chance to get our incredible gloves...
... and the socks are free, free, free.
Crazy, I know.
No promo code needed.
Just buy one pair, get a free pair of socks... or buy 2 and get 2... or 3 and get 3.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
---
166
8.5 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps 10 Squats
HyperVolt & Stretch
90 minutes reading + Journaling
LOSE IT OR USE IT.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR is all the colors that come out for a few brief weeks or months. The lights, the parades...
... and the old, old, old team jackets from the 90's.
Unsurprisingly, the riders themselves are old, old, old as well.
Which brings up this parallel insight I observed on the peppy, groupy portion of the ride.
There we are sleighing it through town. The Hulk keeps attacking and gapping us. I bridge up a few times and the fellas do the ol'...
... well, if Diesel is willing to chase why help?
Like those old jackets, I had a choice to make.
It made no sense to keep pulling the Hulkster back.
I had to lose 'em, or use 'em.
It's December, a good time to use 'em.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/hats-1
It's also a good time to get yourself, your friend and your mom a PEDALindustries beanie.
For 40% off, this weekend only.
Use promo code USEIT
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/hats-1
---
166
8 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
60 minutes reading + Journaling
A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
DON'T GET ME WRONG, I love a midnight clear as much as anyone. Especially, if the following morning is cleared out for a hardy ride. But, following the good rains this week, that clarity can only mean one thing...
... a morning chilly.
Why do we head out when most roll over?
Well, while studying Mencius earlier today I found this...
... A great man is one who retains the heart of a newborn babe.
I know, I know.
He wasn't talking about bike riding.
But, am I?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
A great racer, is always prepared by using the amazing RaceDay Bag™...
... Holds Everything But The Bike!
We're cranking 'em out, and can get yours shipped tomorrow.
Use promo code HOLYGRAIL
Code expires in a few days, use it or lose it.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
---
166
8 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
60 minutes reading + Journaling
THE GOOD MECHANIC
CLIMBING UP THE LAST HILL BEFORE HOME, sheets of rain falling and cascading towards me, I thought about my spiffy, new bike...
... not my cold feet.
Feet recover.
Bikes seize.
Fortunately, I had only mistimed the storm by a few minutes. Though the bibs were soaked, the sidewalls were still somewhat dry.
Just needed to rinse down the road grime and dry off Hot Lava (bike's name).
The only tool I'd need is a dry towel.
However, If it'd been hours in a deluge and mud followed by letting the bike sit for a few days...
... I'd need a good mechanic.
Good mechanics aren't good just because of their skills.
A good mechanic has a beautiful work area, and the perfect tool for every occasion, and the parts needed.
Skills.
Tools.
Parts.
For 2022, I'm planning to master a lot of more of my wrenching. Part of the desire stems for the zen like state one can get in while wrenching in the garage...
... the other part is I want to travel more, and be more self-sufficient.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
Of course, I'll be bring a PRO size RaceDay Bag™...
... Holds Everything But The Bike!
We're cranking 'em out, and can get yours shipped tomorrow.
Use promo code HOLYGRAIL
Code expires in a few days, use it or lose it.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
---
166
7.5 hrs
15 Pull Ups 30 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
45 minutes reading + Journaling
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD
AH, THE GREAT MONTY PYTHON SCENE, Bring out your dead. I was thinking about that today as I latched onto the fearsome Swami's ride on the marine base. We were there to make a virgin offering, and I warned him to stay at the back, keep his mouth shut...
... and hang on for dear life.
Simple instructions.
Perfectly followed.
Resulting in premature ejection on Heartbreak Hill. Strava calls it something else, but they are wrong.
It's a heartbreaking.
A gentle rise, sweeping to the right, that eases off not nearly soon enough, and then sweeps to the left and down.
Nothing grows there, but grass.
Too much wind.
And so that scene from The Holy Grail.
He, along with numerous others, was tossed from the cozy group into the wide open and windswept plain.
The poetic match of the movie title and the call to bring out the dead is not lost on me.
Making that Heartbreak Hill is the holy grail of Swami's.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
Speaking of holy grails, the holy grail of bags is our very own RaceDay Bag™...
... Holds Everything But The Bike!
We're cranking 'em out, and can get yours shipped tomorrow.
Use promo code HOLYGRAIL
Code expires in a few days, use it or lose it.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/all-raceday-bags
---
165.3
7 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps + Gym
HyperVolt & Stretch
70 minutes reading + Journaling
RAIN, BABY, RAIN!
I WOKE UP COZY, to the sound of not-rain. Huh? App said rain, rain, rain. And having already proven I can ride and race in the rain...
... I opted to sleep in.
Which meant skipping a key workout.
Which now means fitness lost.
Which converts to fat.
I'm going to hell.
Shame on me.
Oh wait, I've worked my buns off to create a business that allows for flexibility.
Let's get to work.
Then, let's ride.
Ever had that conversation?
Or, one like it?\
Well, if you have, you might have wanted a brand new water bottle for that well deserved ride.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/water-bottles/products/clear-and-awesome-waterbottles
Earlier this year, I scored a one-time shipment of one of my favorite water bottles.
Surprisingly, we still have some...
... for as little as $2.
They make EXCELLENT stocking stuffers.
No joke... as low as $2.
Watch the video.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/water-bottles/products/clear-and-awesome-waterbottles
165.4
7 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
70 minutes reading + Journaling
HOW TO ACHIEVE BETTER BALANCE
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BALANCING ACTS, and we must master each. I'll bet you know the secret to one of them. But, in talking with a local racer struggling with balance, I was prompted to remind him ...
... nobody gives a shift if you win a bike race.
I'm his coach, and he was expressing his frustration with balancing career, family and wanting to win every race. He is in the unusual position of actually being able to win many races if he puts in the time...
... he has real physical talents few of us have.
I get it.
My race shape waned for many years, the time we had all the kids at home.
I kept racing.
I kept winning.
Because, I defined winning differently than standing on the top of the podium. I continue to do that to this day...
... winning is knowing I couldn't have done a better job.
I sent him this quote from my book: No sporty success can compensate for failure in the home.
Which brings up the balance you have no doubt mastered.
On the bike.
And, the number one secret to that is to keep moving forward.
Wherein we find the mystical balance to achieve life-long racing success...
... keep moving forward.
Keep posting goals.
Keep challenging yourself.
Keep your expectations in line with proper balance...
... and remember, the people that love you, love you for you.
They want your time, not your trinkets.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
In the meantime, get you calendar now!
They are in stock, and we are constantly making more.
Ships free in USA
Be sure to watch my incredible video on this link.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™
166.4
8 hrs
25 Pull Ups 50 PushUps + kettle bells
HyperVolt & Stretch
60 minutes reading + Journaling
WELL, DANG BRO... I'M SORRY.
I WAVE A LOT. To the cars who approach from behind, the side and ahead. The walkers. The joggers. And, of course...
... the riders.
Most, not all, wave back. And, why not? We are outside, away from the glass we spend so much time in front of...
... enjoying this beautiful planet.
This is where I find true connection to the great spirit. I see it everywhere, feel it's embrace. Maybe I'm conditioned...
... but, I don't care.
The other day I waved to a young man walking towards me, pack on his back. I mistook his quick pace for being in a hurry...
... he was full of anger.
His words, curt and salty.
Hurtful.
I carried on.
Should I have stopped? Asked if I could help? How could he not see the surrounding beauty on that glorious sunny morning?
It's hard to know.
My friend TD, rides with a bagel most days.
It's not for him.
He's on the lookout for a hungry soul. I've seen him find more than one. It's a beautiful thing.
Many are hungry,
some for a bagel,
some a wave,
others a hug.
Enjoy your ride today.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/bikeshop-ceramicspeed-ufo-chain-lube-drip-180ml
Along the way you make someone's day a little easier.
Kinda like this absolutely amazing lube from Ceramic Speed.
You could read all the sciency stuff, or just trust me when I say it's long-lasting, quiet, and extremely friction-free.
Save 20% with promo code: WAVE
https://pedalindustries.com/products/bikeshop-ceramicspeed-ufo-chain-lube-drip-180ml
---
166.2
8 hrs
0 Pull Ups 0 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
120 minutes reading + Journaling
DON'T MUTE YOUR MUTT
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LEAN ON THE CYCLING SPECTRUM, you may have been tempted to mute your inner mutt. I came in during the extremely stodgy road only days...
... just after the invention of the wheel.
The shops and race scene were dominated by these cats who basically looked down on all the new clowns in town...
... which meant mocking Little Young Diesel.
My position,
my grip,
my gear choice,
hairy legs,
touring bicycle...
... and, oh, the horror!...
... my yellow jersey.
The mockery and meanery was discouraging, and lame.
But, I was undaunted.
In love.
I came from surfing, which I never would have left if there there unlimited and predictable waves. The idea that I could grab my bike and get my stoke anytime, all the time, was incredible.
And here's where the mutt comes in.
We're all mutts.
We all bring with us the other sporty things we did before finding the best of them all.
I brought surfing, and here's the skill set that helped me smack the highbrow lowlifes:
When 20 guys are sitting on the peak and only a handful of waves roll through with each set, you have to be very crafty. Very. Or, you're gonna get skunked. Turns out those very skills come in handy in a sprint finish.
So, what ya wanna do is think back on the sporty things you got good at before and apply those skills to bikyracy stuff.
You probably already do, unconsciously.
Get concious.
Little things, just recognizing them, gives incredible confidence.
This morning, I did a local group ride knowing full well they'd hit the climb way harder than I've ridden in months. Bam! Sprinting up a 10% grade which levels off to a false flat/rolling top.
My eyes were watering it hurt so bad...
... reminded me of the days I'd sit on the far side of the peak, dudes would think I was too far out, and I'd paddle so hard and so fast I'd catch the wave before they even had a chance.
Bark!
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
Would you like to
- receive a gift from me every month?
- save 25% on all purchase?
- have access to our best secrets and events?
Do you have someone that needs a big, fat hint of what to get you? Send 'em here, there's an Annual Option:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
---
165.6
7 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
10 minutes reading + Journaling
ARE YOU TRAINING AS SMART AS GOLDILOCKS?
AH THE AGE OLD QUESTION, would anybody sit in your saddle or eat your porridge or sleep in your bed? I mean is what you're doing worth emulating? Even better...
... would Goldilocks train like you do?
The great Joe Friel points out in Fast After 50...
... "that very strenuous exercise was an aerobic capacity preserver."
In other words, keep kicking arse regularly if you want to keep kicking arse forever.
Use it or lose it.
In Chapter 4, he goes into great detail of the benefits of intense workouts and is quick to point out that too much, is too much and will lead to breakdowns.
Says Joe, I'd prefer to see a mix of an individually reasonable amount of moderate-effort volume along with some high-intensity training.
Plus this, point the finger of blame for loss of performance with age at training intensity, not volume.
That's where Goldilocks comes into play. We have to find the right mix, balanced with our lifestyle and goals.
What does a reasonable amount of moderate-effort and some high-intensity look like to me and you?
Here's one way to look at it, and I'll into this in greater detail in the soon to be release training app and book titled, RaceDay Ready, 10 weeks to speed.
Take your max hours available in a given week, and put 80% of that in the moderate-effort category. 20% will then be dedicated to hucking up a lung.
I love lung hucking so much (kind of) that I split it between 2 days. The rest is reasonable.
This is a general fitness approach. As A races approach that changes a bit. But, in general, I never skip my lung hucking and I rarely stray from the 80/20.
Figure out your Goldilocks formula...
... and read any of Joe's books, good stuff.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
Speaking of good stuff, the PEDALposse will be receiving a gorgeous RaceDay Calendar and Free access to the new app.
If you want that good stuff all year long, send the link below to the one who loves and loves to give you something you really, really want:
- receive a gift from me every month?
- save 25% on all purchase?
- have access to our best secrets and events?
This link:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
---
165.4
8 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
60 minutes reading + Journaling
HOW THE HECK DID I GET IN THIS POSITION?
WE CAN SCREW UP ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN RACING and most of them can be overcome quickly with little lasting damage to our odds of a good performance. One exception is bike positioning...
... and, I ain't talking about bike fit.
Bike fit is important, how we position ourselves is importanter.
You can have the best sprint in the world, but if you're a hundred cats back with 300m to go you gott no chance of winning. None.
If you're galloping along with the group in an MTB race and the course goes from fire road to skinny single track you better be darn sure you're up front.
Should we always be up front?
Gosh no.
It's mighty nice and wise to float back and get sucked along in the draft and energy of the peloton mid-race.
Some of us start a climb at the front, banking on the idea we can drift to the back and still be connected before dropping down the other side. Others, like to start back a ways and weave through the shrapnel.
The first rule of positioning is deciding what kind of rider we are...
... and then race accordingly.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
Speaking of positioning... have you propositioned the greatest gift of all?
- receive a gift from me every month?
- save 25% on all purchase?
- have access to our best secrets and events?
Send this link to someone who wants to give you a gift that will bring you joy all year.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
---
166
7.5 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
45 minutes reading + Journaling
ZONE TOO TRAINING
YES, YOU SHOULD TRAIN ZONE 2. It's the place where you build volume. It's also the place pro triathletes annihilate their competition, pushing speeds most of would only dream of...
... but you should also train Zone Too.
And just what is that Old Diesel?
Well, you won't get this if you are doing your Zone 2 on a trainer or that Pelotonythingy.
In the real world, on a bike moving through the air and over varying terrain...
... is the 8th Wonder Of Speed.
You start looking at your monitor and thinking How could I...
... go faster without raising my heart rate?
This is where the magic happens, because you can and will go faster without raising your heart rate.
- Get more aero clothing
- Lose weight
- improve your position on the bike
- Relax muscles that don't need to be used.
- Improve pedal stroke
- ... and so on.
The result is real efficiency gains caused by voluntarily giving our hearts a loving break.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
Speaking of loving, wouldn't you love to
- receive a gift from me every month?
- save 25% on all purchase?
- have access to our best secrets and events?
Send this link to someone who wants to give you a gift that will bring you joy all year.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
---
166.7 (it don't come off like it used to)
7 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
50 minutes reading + Journaling
DECEMBER HEROES
AS THE GROUP SPED BY ME THIS MORNING, I thought to myself now would be a good time to bring up a topic relevant to those living in the sunbelt. Could be germane to the rest of ya's, too...
... I give you the December hero.
This is not the local Toys for Tots champion. No, far from that. This is the cat who wins all the climbs and sprints in December...
... and can you blame them?
Yes.
Kinda.
Most of the time said cat has spent the spring, the summer, and the fall getting smacked around and dropped by those who hibernate in winter...
... and it feels dern fine to win a few.
But, why do some hibernate in winter?
To let the body heal and recover,
then build base...
... and then smack everybody around the rest of the year.
In other words...
... December Hero winds up Summer Zero.
I say this with only love in my heart...
if you've been on the gas all year chasing these fools around and they are suddenly taking it easy...
... slow the heck down!
And, repeat after me...
I am a December Zero,
and a Summer SuperHero.
Have faith padawan,
XOXO
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
A lotta peeps have been joining the PEDALposse this recently.
But, not just the monthly program. They've been grabbing the entire year in advance...
... you know what they are doing?
Gifting it to someone they know will love it.
So, if you would love:
- 25% savings
- Surprise swag worth $20 or more each month
- Access to our best secrets and events
Send this link to someone who wants to give you something that will bring you joy all year.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedalposse-membership
---
166.7 (it don't come off like it used to)
7 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
50 minutes reading + Journaling
A WORD OF ADVICE FOR THE SLACKERS OUT THERE
OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, I had a chance to sit down with an octogenarian. Dinner was over, the table had cleared, and out of nowhere he looks at me and says...
... Can I give you some advice?
Sure.
The easy way, always ends up being harder.
... hmmm...
And the hard way, always ends up being easier.
Now, I have no idea why he said that. Fact is, he couldn't place my name this year.
No matter.
I get it.
And, I guess I needed to hear it.
It can be applied to anything, but you know we only talk about racy things here.
Take bicycle maintenance.
It's easy to skip checking your chain wear,
there by letting the chain go to long,
and risk snapping it in a race,
or buying an entire drivetrain vs a little ol' chain.
Or food.
It's hard to eat farm food vs factory food,
but there's no better way to drop pounds and increase performance.
Or strength.
It's hard to do pull-ups and pushups every day,
but it sure makes climbing out of the saddle easy and powerful.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-apron-for-cooking-and-cranking
This is making me hungry for food and bicycle maintenance.
Which means, I'll be putting on the awesome apron.
Weather your cranking on your bike before a race, or working the backyard BBQ like a boss... do it in style!
- 7-ounce, 100% cotton twill with stain-release protection
- Three pouch pockets, pen pocket
- 1-inch wide neck and waist ties, adjustable neck strap
- Measures 22"w x 24"l
Use promo code: BBQ and save 25%
Sale ends Friday or when we run out of aprons.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-apron-for-cooking-and-cranking
---
167.1
7.5 hrs
25 Pull Ups 50 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
60 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6321991011
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
I RAN INTO MY FRIEND'S YOUNGISH SON. He's had a rough start in life. Childhood brain cancer, and all the accompanying complications and challenges. Today, he was excited to share his new training regimen...
... and I listened intently.
I got up at 5am to go to the gym.
Really? (I know he's a big time sleeper inner, this was impressive to me.)
Yes, I'm going to get in good shape.
What inspired this?
I read a book called One Punch, about a hero who makes himself super strong by working out.
Do you have any goals?
Right now I can run a mile in 15 minutes. I want to be able to run 6 miles, like One Punch, without stopping.
I believe he will do it.
He's persistent.
Motivated.
Humble.
A perfect example of why PRs are the best rewards. Far better than any KOM or podium is to reach our own personal potential. If we win one along the way...
... that's cool, too.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
If you're looking for a new approach to racing, look no further.
The book is free, just cover the shipping.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
---
168.2 lbs. this is gonna take a while
7 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
45 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6314241486
HOW TO JUMP A GAP
GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS, but we still do it. Customer John stopped by this week. He's been beta testing my new training program RaceDay Ready. He looks totally different...
... I only noticed because of the time gap.
And, that's the problem for some of us.
Without the gap in time the difference in his stature, shoulders and belly would have been indistinguishable from one day to the next.
Which is what I was thinking about on my ride today.
I'm committed to laying in a bunch of zone 2 training through the end of the year. Sure, there will be a few group rides and maybe a D race. But, the commitment is there to lay down some good base miles.
My first A race isn't until March.
Come January I'll start bringing in more intensity.
This type of training is somewhat hard to quantify. It can feel as if no progress is being made.
I've found the only thing that gets us through the all important base miles and months is passion.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/changing-ponchos
You know what would be a big set back?...
... getting busted changing au naturel.
Which exactly why we make changing ponchos... lots of colors to choose from, or if you like, we'll make them to match your team designs.
Use this promo code: cyclesense
and save 20%, this weekend only.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/changing-ponchos
---
168.4 lbs. heaviest I've been in years, yikes!
8 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps
No HyperVolt & Stretch
30 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6314241486
DO YOU LISTEN TO YOUR CYCLESENSE?
LATE LAST NIGHT MY CYCLESENSE WHISPERED You oughta put that 3rd cage on your bike and take 3 bottles tomorrow. I ignored it because I'd specifically planned today's DJ Diesel's MixAlot 100k to stop at a store 2ish hours in...
... too bad it was closed.
The cause wasn't the holiday, but high winds created a power outage. That's the thing about Cyclesense...
... if we listen.
We get warnings all the time, at least I do.
Usually it is obviously practical, but sometimes it's mystical...
... even spiritual.
Like when my Cyclesense told me not to roll through a green light.
As I stood there, bewildered, a car screamed though the intersection...
... it would have killed me.
I've found the more I heed, the more I receive.
Hopefully, this isn't a big set back.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/changing-ponchos
You know what would be a big set back?...
... getting busted changing au naturel.
Which exactly why we make changing ponchos... lots of colors to choose from, or if you like, we'll make them to match your team designs.
Use this promo code: cyclesense
and save 20%, this weekend only.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/changing-ponchos
---
168.4 lbs. heaviest I've been in years, yikes!
7 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
20 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6310602266
THE THREE R'S OF RIDING
THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF RIDING STYLES THESE DAYS. No, it's not pro, fast and slow. It doesn't have anything to do with speed or fitness or contracts...
... it has to do with style.
Roadies are refined.
MTBrs are rugged.
Gravelers are rakish.
Dress accordingly.
Or, don't.
I don't care...
... I'm rakish by nature.
How 'bout you?
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
Speaking of which, we're having a little Black Friday fun. It starts now. Quantities are limited.
30% savings.
Use promo code BF
On these products -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
---
167.2 lbs
7.5 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps
no HyperVolt & Stretch
10 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6306492647
WELL, I'M NOT GRATEFUL FOR THIS
WE'LL BE RISING EARLY THURSDAY, 9 mile, 3500' dirt climb to take the annual group photo. I've seen a Burley full of coffee and donuts hauled up and pack of lunatics hauling down. But, I've never seen...
... a happier group.
Some years are balmy, others bitter cold.
It doesn't seem to matter.
We still go.
But, why?
Partly to humblebrag at the family dinner about our exploits, partly to see old friendly faces...
... mainly out of tradition.
At some point, someone will suggest we go down Joplin vs the easy road up. it's a nasty trail, plenty of options to hesitate...
... hesitation is never good.
If they sell it hard enough, I might cave. It'll take an extra 30 minutes, and be 10 times the adventure...
... I'm getting weak just thinking about it.
And, that character flaw is one I'm not grateful for...
... neither is Surfergirl.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
Speaking of which, we're having a little Black Friday fun. It starts now. Quantities are limited.
30% savings.
Use promo code BF
On these products -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
---
166.7 lbs
7 hrs
25 Pull Ups 50 PushUps + gym work
no HyperVolt & Stretch
60 minutes reading + Journaling
no ride today
THE TURKEY BURNER
YOU'VE GOT TWO OPTIONS, big ride before the feast or big ride after. Then, we can really to town on the feast. Frankly, neither approach has worked well for me...
... but, I am a weak soul.
If I do the ride before, inevitably it ends long before the feast. I get hungry. Binge all the candy and appetizers...
... before anybody arrives!
If I opt for the day after, I skip breakfast. Get hungry. Binge all the candy and appetizers...
... then, with sweet tooth completely reactivated and demanding go big on the meal, the second serving, and all of the deserts.
This year, I'm bookending the nonsense with big MTB before and big gravel the day after.
But, that's not all.
We aren't hosting, going to the son-in-law's. Which means I'll have to reign things in quite a bit...
... gotta maintain that reputation.
Hypocrisy, I know.
But, at least you know the truth.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
Speaking of which, we're having a little Black Friday fun. It starts now. Quantities are limited.
30% savings.
Use promo code BF
On these products -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
---
166.7 lbs
7 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
80 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6297517493
WHAT DOES OFFSEASON MEAN TO YOU?
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE OFFSEASON, but I am pretty sure we all have a different view of what that means. Does it mean off the bike or off the training regime or...
... off to do something else?
For me, the most important thing is to turn off the rigidity.
If I race,
I wing it.
If I go for a ride,
I wing it.
In other words, take the stress out of the training and monk like living.
Frankly, I think it's good to have many offseasons during the year.
But, do not, under any circumstances, let offseason turn into off-the-diet season.
We are still athletes.
- We want to perform at a high level at all times.
- We want to return to training at our "fighting weight".
Just a little reminder to prep before the upcoming holidays.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
Speaking of which, we're having a little Black Friday fun. It starts now. Quantities are limited.
30% savings.
Use promo code BF
On these products -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/black-friday
---
165.3 lbs
8 hrs
20 Pull Ups 40 PushUps
HyperVolt & Stretch
70 minutes reading + Journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6293436029
ON THE ROAD TO MASTERY REMEMBER THIS
WHEN THE RACE GETS BLOWN TO PIECES IN THE FIRST 5 MILES, you have plenty of time to think. Some of it is nonsense, daydreamy stuff, that if you don't snap out of it could see you plummet down the ranks...
... some of it is pure gold.
Check this one out.
The best racers are all great bike handlers...
... not all great bike handlers are great racers.
What makes the difference?
- Mindset
- Physical strength
- Endurance
- Discipline
- Tenacity
- Willingness to embrace risk
- And other factors beyond a simple understanding of how to race.
Each one of those, when developed, become a super power.
Today, I needed tenacity.
With 25ish minutes to go, I finally had the leader of our category in my sites. He'd opted to run MTB tires on a very challenging gravel course. Because of gusty winds, the sand was covering the tires tracks of the overall leaders. But, I could see the MTB pattern was getting more clear
Even though I couldn't see him, I knew I was getting closer.
Then, I caught him.
He sped up and managed to hold my wheel.
But, a curious thing happened.
No more than a minute or so later, I realized the cleat in my left shoe was very loose.
I had to stop.
I grabbed my tool, sat down, and started tightening. I was anxious, and fumbling. It took about 2 minutes, seemed like 20.
If it had happened just before I caught him, I would have pulled over without him ever knowing how close I was.
Instead, he knew it was on and really got after it.
So did I.
About 15 minutes later, I saw him again. This time I passed as hard and fast as I could, and he couldn't latch on. It was right at the top of the final climb and we raced all out to the finish line.
Got him by 30 seconds.
Sure, I'm bragging a bit, but only to share my thoughts.
You see, I know I'm a slow starter, and I legit count on my competitors cracking before the end.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
I wore red gloves and socks today... going for that Spartan look.
Did you know Spartans wore red because it's the color of blood and when the were wounded it wouldn't show. This gave them a look of invincibility.
You may not know this, but our socks are made on the same machines as the socks Tadej Pogacar wore when he won the 2021 Tour de France.
Here in the USA.
I only source the best for you.
And, when it comes to gloves nothing fits better or breathes better what you see here.
Right now, it's Buy Gloves, Get Socks for free.
Just pick out the color and size you want and the discount is automatically calculated at checkout.
Go here:
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
---
165?
8.5 hrs
0 Pull Ups 0 PushUps
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/6290084468
WE NEVER RISE TO THE OCCASION, INSTEAD...
TODAY WENT AS EXPECTED. Our jumbly mass of racers hit the bottom of the 4.5 mile climb and instantly splat out like giant bug on the PEDALvan's windshield. Within 10 minutes the fastest were high, high above. Me...
... I settled in.
By that I mean I dropped anchor and watched 'em go. It's a mere 27 miles, but it's only gets harder. Pacing would be key.
The single track, fast and flowy off the top, turns twisty and techy. So much so, the Ol' Diesel looked a lot like John Muir, hiking a helluva lot more than he'd like to admit.
Which brings me to my point...
... we don't rise to the occasion, we fall to our training.
While we do have trails within a short drive that provide this kind of challenge, I haven't ridden them for nearly a year.
And that long gas climb? Yeah, we have that too, but same thing. Ain't ridden it in many moons.
Which brings me to my other point...
... the moon was outstanding last night, camping at the venue.
Probs the same tonight. Highly recommend ya check it out. So put the screens away and get outside. Hold your lover's hand, and just soak it in.
Which brings me to my final point...
... the best one...
... TJ stopped to help a fallen rider out. He'd clearly taken a good whack to the helmet. That's cool as hell, the stopping part. I suspect it was because TJ himself had a real doozie this summer and nobody stopped...
Bro, you ok?
No, I'm not. I need help.
They kept racing.
TJ stopped.
His story brings me back to my original point...
... because he is a young man who's clearly received good training.
For me, TJ wins the day.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/training/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
TJ told me a second story.
I love your book. I read it in 45 minutes, but I can't stop thinking about it.
Really?
Yes, and then guess what?
Do tell.
I gave it to my girlfriend and as soon as she was done she signed up to run a 1/2 Marathon.
So, If you're looking for just the right gift to give this holiday...
You can get it on Amazon for $20...
... or here for free:
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/training/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
---
165?
7ish hrs
0 Pull Ups 0 PushUps
HyperVolt
https://www.strava.com/activities/6285012079
THE SIMPLE WAY TO TRAIN AND RACE
TONIGHT I'M DRIVING TO A RACE, where there will be two kinds of people lined up in the morning. One will be calm and relaxed, confident. The other, stressed because they know...
... shift about to get real.
The reason for their differing emotions, of course, is how they prepared.
I'm gonna make it real simple.
Train hard, race easy.
Let me break it down for you cats new to racing.
Those who train hard,
who see stars at the end of their intervals,
who are in tip top shape...
... they will find the race easy.
It won't be anything harder than their prep, it won't be mentally confusing nor physically overwhelming...
... easy.
Everybody else...
... it's gonna be a helluva day.
Train hard, race easy.
When I say Every Day Is RaceDay™ˆ, I mean it's cumulative. Eat crummy food for a week, and it's gonna cost you. Skimp on your sleep, you're gonna pay.
If you feel weak, maybe you need this hat as a reminder.
Use promo code: EVERYDAY
---
164.7
7.5 hrs
15 Pull Ups 30 PushUps
HyperVolt
No ride today - man's gotta work.
IT'S NOT THE LACK OF FITNESS
YESTERDAY, I JUMPED INTO THE MOST FEARSOME GROUP RIDE IN THE LAND, the Swami's Wednesday ride. Littered with state and national road champs plus taut pro tri riders, it's known for holding a blistering pace...
... and heavy duty trash talking.
One must be prepared for exceptional physical and mental abuse.
This, I know.
So, for me, it's like water spraying my seat tube.
No big deal.
For others, the trauma of holding wheels and ignoring insults can be too much and they never return...
... missing on the finest training they'll ever get.
Poor souls.
It's not the lack of fitness that stops them,
it's the lack of focus.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/amp-pr-lotion
The thing I really like about groups like this is how hard they push me... because it gives me fitness to really get after my PRs.
Which is why I love the name of this product so much.
Winning is nice, but PRs... oh, PRs... those are pure gold.
Just like this offer... use promo code PRS4LIFE and get 20% off.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/amp-pr-lotion
164.7
8 hrs
10 Pull Ups 20 PushUps
no stretch
https://www.strava.com/activities/6275529089
GET YOUR SHIFT TOGETHER!
SOME PEOPLE YOU CRINGE TO INVITE ALONG FOR THE RIDE. You know the ones, they are needy, bike is always slightly lacking, forgetting to bring the essentials. I just wanna scream...
... Get your shift together!
But, I don't.
I have mercy.
I use to be like them.
Then, I had an epiphany.
What if I had a bag that was also a checklist and would keep me super organized...
... I'd remember to bring, and could easily find, everything!
Yep, that's how the RaceDay Bag™ was born, out of pure necessity to make packing easy...
.. and raceday a calm affair.
Nary a day passes I don't get a message that goes like this...
Diesel, my buddy forgot his ______. I just looked at him in disgust, he's seen my bag at least a million times.
Thanks for making my life easier.
To which I always respond, This makes me so happy.
Because it does bring me great joy to make life easier for cats like us.
I know I should make a pitch to get the bag here, but you already have one.
You might, however, need a green t-shirt for the upcoming holiday season...
... and have I got a deal for you.
50% off, use this code: GREEN
Code expires Friday.
Here's the link:
165.8
8 hrs
Gym Work
Stretch/Hypervolt
60 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6272204878
SHOULD TECH BE PART OF RACING?
SERIOUS QUESTION: Should we have more and more and more tech in racing? I've just reading this article about Froome being all geeked up on a realtime glucose measurement tool...
... It will change racing more than power meters, he exclaims.
But, is that a good thing?
I think the tech makes racing less interesting. Less chaotic. Less dramatic.
The biggies I've seen:
- HR monitors
- Radio comms
- Power meters
Think on that.
HR and Power meters to tell you how hard to go. Race radios to tell you what's happening in the race and what to do. Glucose meter to tell you when to eat...
... imagine some dork whispering, Drink 2.5 ounces.
Rubbish.
Let them race on feel,
make them read the race themselves,
let 'em bonk...
... keep it real, keep it human.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2022-raceday%E2%84%A2-calendar
It's getting time to start thinking about next year...
... and get your giant wall calendar.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2022-raceday%E2%84%A2-calendar
166.2
6.7hrs
20 PullUps 40 Pushups
Stretch/Hypervolt
80 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6262086622
---
167.2
8 hrs
10 PullUps 20 Pushups
Stretch/Hypervolt
75 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6266586562
GET BETTER SOON
I JUST BOUGHT A "GET BETTER SOON" CARD for one of my racing friends.
He isn't sick...
... I just think that he needs to get better.
The end.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2022-raceday%E2%84%A2-calendar
It's getting time to start thinking about next year...
... and get your giant wall calendar.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2022-raceday%E2%84%A2-calendar
166.2
6.7hrs
20 PullUps 40 Pushups
Stretch/Hypervolt
80 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6262086622
THE INTERSECTIONS THAT MATTER
WE STOPPED BY TO SEE A LONG LOST FRIEND TODAY. Way back when, we'd all lived at the Whiting Ranch trailhead. The ladies joined the Trail Angels, the dudes joined the Warrior's Society...
... we rode, we raised kids.
We learned of the recent tragic and sudden passing of their grown child.
An unimaginable situation, the kind where you wish you nearby...
... today we were traveling through.
She was alone, spouse off to work trip.
It's hard to explain the bonds that form along our rides. Kindred spirits, intertwined. Miles down the road, we pick up where we left off.
We listened,
we hugged,
we wept.
We may never fully comprehend or accept unanticipated hardships as we ride through mortality...
... but, we keep pedaling and loving and being loved by those we meet along the way.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2022-raceday%E2%84%A2-calendar
It's getting time to start thinking about next year...
... and get your giant wall calendar.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2022-raceday%E2%84%A2-calendar
166?
8.5 hrs
0 PullUps 0 Pushups
no stretch
0 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6258804298
AWESOME 4 MILE HIKE AFTER SHREDDED SIDEWALL
IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER THAN A NICE RIDE THROUGH THE DESERT IN LATE FALL? Not really. The first 90 minutes with Surfergirl was perfect. Fast, flowy, rolly, fun. Then came the ol'...
... You don't mind if I ride a little more, right?
What could go wrong?
75 and sunny.
2 bottles.
See ya!
I wanted to hit the Zen trail.
Last time I rode was 6 years ago, the True Grit 50. It's a helluva trail. Lots and lots of sharp jagged rocks. Massive desert vistas. Some cactus. There is nothing like it back home.
It's slow.
Like a chess match,
the ancient rock is constantly checking our momentum.
One must be calm,
unhurried.
Strong,
yet flexible.
I love it!
However, one outta put some extra PSIs in the tires. I'd already rimmed out a few times ripping the fast stuff on the desert floor. Up here on the mesa I was keenly aware of the vicious rocks and keeping things in check...
... picking my way, nimbly.
But, it wasn't enough.
All it takes is one jagged rock at just the right angle and you can be just like me...
... hiking 4 miles in stiffsoled MTB shoes over rugged terrain for 90 minutes.
Pros
- Plenty of time to rethink my tire set up
- Cross train the shoulders to burning point by lugging the bike
- Have something to write about
Cons
- Feet hurt like hell
- Miss an excellent dinner
- Nearly miss the concert as well
I like a good memory as much as the next cat. And, a greatly prefer a catastrophic sidewall tear on play day vs raceday.
Chalking this up as a win.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
For sure, today's ride is the kind you want to protect you fingies, and still be cool. Take me up on this offer...
BUY THE GLOVES, THE SOCKS ARE FREE.
Mix and match your colors. I went black gloves, red socks last weekend and looked so sharp the promoter featured this pic.
So, if you dig looking sharp and demand killer gloves and sock performance click this link below... no promo code needed, it's automatically applied at check out.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Those dots you see are the perforations all along the top of the glove. Superduper breathable.
---
166?
8.5 hrs
0 PullUps 0 Pushups
no stretch
0 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6254138570
BIKING VAGABONDS
WE PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO EAT LUNCH, and by happenstance it was an MTB trailhead. A crusty, ripped ol' dude pulled up on a super sweet Ibis Mojo. He was wasn't wiry...
... as much as he was sinewy.
A lifetime of adventure radiated his countenance. Flame and snake tattoos added charm, beginning at his fingers and flickering up to his biceps...
... he'd ridden a few miles, for sure.
Just got this bike.
It's a beaut.
My first full suspension.
Do you love it?
Yes, it just knows where I want to go. Telepathic control.
Amazing.
But, to be honest, I love all the bikes. I started riding in the 60s, Schwinn cruisers. We rode all over these hills. And just never stopped.
He could have been 60, or 70, or 80.
I couldn't tell.
Before he left, he looked at us and said...
... It must be nice to be biking vagabonds...
... then drove off in his fancy truck, dream bike inside.
I thought that was funny. He's aspiring to be like us, who he thinks we are, and we've spent a good portion of the drive to UT trying to figure out how to do these trips more than a few times a year.
New goal: Biking Vagabond.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
It's important to hang on to our dreams as much as our bars.
Our Black Friday special is BUY THE GLOVES, THE SOCKS ARE FREE.
Mix and match your colors. I went black gloves, red socks last weekend and looked so sharp the promoter featured this pic.
So, if you dig looking sharp and demand killer gloves and sock performance click this link below... no promo code needed, it's automatically applied at check out.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Those dots you see are the perforations all along the top of the glove. Superduper breathable.
---
166ish
6.5 hrs
0 PullUps 0 Pushups
no stretch
0 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6249294776
HOW MUCH LONGER CAN THE TUR D' FRAWNZ HANG ON?
WHAT A PARADOX! The biggest bike race in the world is by far the most boring. Sure it has drama, but it takes 3 weeks to play out. Of course it has the best athletes, but it takes 20 days of attrition and luck. They're trying to remain relevant...
... while gripping hard on tradition.
It's the fringes where we have real action and excitement.
Certainly, this year, for me, has been a big come to Merckx moment with races that are novel...
... requiring a much larger skill set.
Drafting is nice,
drafting on gravel and sand is rad.
Carving tarmac is swell,
carving on a banked dirt berm is exhilarating.
Single track is fun,
single track on drop bars is trickylicious.
Mixed surface racing is bomb!
Of the 3 biggies, the Vuelta has been the most exciting. They've had to be different, to stand out. Now they are on the leading edge of stodgy...
... I think they can do better.
Imagine.
One bike.
A stage race.
One, maybe two, tire choices.
Every day a different type of terrain.
Now that, that my PEDAlposse, would be a helluva race and give us...
... and helluva champion.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Of course, they'll be wearing superlight fullfinger gloves. And you should, too!
Our Black Friday special is BUY THE GLOVES, THE SOCKS ARE FREE.
Mix and match your colors. I went black gloves, red socks last weekend and looked so sharp the promoter featured this pic.
So, if you dig looking sharp and demand killer gloves and sock performance click this link below... no promo code needed, it's automatically applied at check out.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Those dots you see are the perforations all along the top of the glove. Superduper breathable.
---
166.9
7.5 hrs
20 PullUps 40 Pushups
Stretch + Hypervolt
60 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6243739019
WOULD YOU ACCUSE ME OF STEALING YOUR JOY?
KEVIN WAS IN TOWN TODAY. He's a long-term thinker. Like 10 and 20 year plans. And, unlike most of us...
... he accomplishes the impossible.
So, when he reminded me of his 20+ year goal to go under 9 hours at Leadville at the spry age of 65 I looked at him and said...
Bro, we've got some work to do.
I know.
No, really.
I know, it's just the JoeJoe's from Trader Joes...
You're not going to make it.
Yes, I will.
I don't think so.
Don't steal my joy.
Don't steal my joy, that is a profound statement. It was almost a command.
Is it stealing his joy to point out the obvious?
Not, if it's honest, loving and supporting his ambition.
He's got to drop at least 30 lbs, probably 40, by radically changing his diet. That's the opening, obvious move. Then start lifting, and stretching. And, get on his mountain bike.
This is going to be so fun to witness, because I know he can do it. I'm sure of it. Plus, I'm on a similar quest to go under 9 hours.
We'll be checking in with each other often...
... and that is the secret to accomplishing big shift.
Having a buddy.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Of course, it's also important to have a firm hold on your goals and your grips.
Which is why our Black Friday special is BUY THE GLOVES, THE SOCKS ARE FREE.
Mix and match your colors. I went black gloves, red socks last weekend and looked so sharp the promoter featured this pic.
So, if you dig looking sharp and demand killer gloves and sock performance click this link below... no promo code needed, it's automatically applied at check out.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/socks-and-gloves
Those dots you see are the perforations all along the top of the glove. Super breathable.
---
165.3
8 hrs
25 PullUps 50 Super Pushups + Kettle Bells
Stretch + Hypervolt
55 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6239546029
DID MUHAMMAD ALI JUST WIN OUR LITTLE BIKE RACE?
I PUT MY MONEY ON BRETT TO GET THE V TODAY, and I was correct. As usual. I saw him go to work early, doing fake attack after fake attack. It was a master class in subterfuge...
... and reminded me of the famous rope a dope fight with Foreman.
So many similarities.
The good looks, the brash swagger. It was all there, but it had been so long since he'd decimated the ride nobody recognized him.
Instead, they surely wondered what this chunky brute was trying to prove with his weak and unmanly attacks...
... then he was gone.
Just like what Ali did Foreman, hypnotized him into thinking he had everything under control...
... then lights out.
10 miles from the finish line.
That's a helluva long range attack, considering you've got a fairly frothy bunch of cats all looking to score and PR.
A few more attacked, but none could catch the bull on the loose.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are just looking around to see if anybody in our respective categories is gonna make a break for it or if things will be fairly tame...
up The Wall,
down the canyon,
Nobody made a move of substance until we hit the bottom of the corkscrew.
This is the final effort.
.71 miles.
195' elevation gain, most if it the first .35 mile.
It stings.
A lot.
Many weeks, I pull the plug and cruise across the line.
Not today.
We were all vying for a strong finish. Even with Brett up the road, plus those other cats.
'Din't matter.
It was on.
What started as a ball of energy at the bottom, resembled a strung out line of old jalopies clunking across the line...
... gasping, and wheezing.
All in the name of fun, and a little cash.
Full results are below.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
And yes, you're almost outta time to get a custom RaceDay Bag™ for the holidays:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
167.4
6.5 hrs
0 PullUps 0 Super
Stretch + Hypervolt
45 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6234464375
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries/
Cat 2 | Race # | Racer | Ovrl Finish | Cat finish |
M / 35-49 | 43 | Brett Bylund | 1 | 1 |
M / 0-23 | 38 | Rayan Jamshidian | 2 | 1 |
M / 35-49 | 1 | Nicholas Bishop | 3 | 2 |
M / 35-49 | 26 | Joseph Edmonds | 4 | 3 |
M / 35-49 | 24 | Eric Bierman | 5 | 4 |
M / 0-23 | 32 | Isaac Gould | 6 | 2 |
M / 35-49 | 23 | matt smith | 7 | 5 |
M / 50+ | 44 | todd brown | 8 | 1 |
M / 35-49 | 33 | Michael Gould | 9 | 6 |
M / 24-34 | 31 | Brian Lawler | 10 | 1 |
M / 35-49 | 6 | Brent Thielke | 11 | 7 |
M / 35-49 | 30 | Jacob Miller | 12 | 8 |
M / 50+ | 19 | Joe Bowman | 13 | 2 |
M / 35-49 | 20 | Michael Foster | 14 | 9 |
M / 35-49 | 21 | Nathan Adams | 15 | 10 |
M / 50+ | 13 | Mark Christopherson | 16 | 3 |
M / 50+ | 14 | Brian Fitzpatrick | 17 | 4 |
M / 50+ | 39 | MIKE ZANIO | 18 | 5 |
F | 23 | Kristen smith | 19 | 1 |
M / 24-34 | 15 | Adrian Leon | 20 | 2 |
M / 24-34 | 22 | Cody Iverson | 21 | 3 |
M / 35-49 | 2 | David Whalley | 21 | 11 |
M / 50+ | 41 | Stephen Lind | 23 | 6 |
M / 50+ | 7 | Jim Bishop | 24 | 7 |
F | 17 | Maria Benson | 25 | 2 |
M / 50+ | 34 | John Ramirez | 26 | 8 |
M / 50+ | 3 | Richard Reimers | 27 | 9 |
M / 50+ | 37 | Steven Donahoo | 28 | 10 |
M / 50+ | 25 | Mireya Sanchez | 29 | 11 |
F | 27 | Charlene Yarnall | 31 | 3 |
M / 50+ | 5 | Scott Moncrief | 32 | 11 |
F | 9 | kristiina beary | 33 | 4 |
F | 10 | Ursula Carter | ||
M / 24-34 | 12 | Jonathan Wilson | ||
M / 35-49 | 4 | Tyler Dunigan | ||
M / 35-49 | 8 | Michael Quito | ||
M / 35-49 | 16 | ROGELIO LUNARIA | ||
M / 35-49 | 29 | Sai Yeung | ||
M / 50+ | 11 | James Carter | ||
M / 50+ | 18 | Christopher Hill | ||
M / 50+ | 36 | Richard Meeker | ||
M / 50+ | 40 | mani Motamed | ||
M / 50+ | 42 | Anthony Reguero | ||
M / 50+ | 45 | Paul Iverson |
Cat 2 | Race # | Racer | Ovrl Finish | Cat finish |
F/ 0+ | 23 | Kristen smith | 19 | 1 |
F/ 0+ | 17 | Maria Benson | 25 | 2 |
F/ 0+ | 27 | Charlene Yarnall | 31 | 3 |
F/ 0+ | 9 | kristiina beary | 33 | 4 |
F/ 0+ | 10 | Ursula Carter | ||
M / 0-23 | 38 | Rayan Jamshidian | 2 | 1 |
M / 0-23 | 32 | Isaac Gould | 6 | 2 |
M / 24-34 | 31 | Brian Lawler | 10 | 1 |
M / 24-34 | 15 | Adrian Leon | 20 | 2 |
M / 24-34 | 22 | Cody Iverson | 21 | 3 |
M / 24-34 | 12 | Jonathan Wilson | ||
M / 35-49 | 43 | Brett Bylund | 1 | 1 |
M / 35-49 | 1 | Nicholas Bishop | 3 | 2 |
M / 35-49 | 26 | Joseph Edmonds | 4 | 3 |
M / 35-49 | 24 | Eric Bierman | 5 | 4 |
M / 35-49 | 23 | matt smith | 7 | 5 |
M / 35-49 | 33 | Michael Gould | 9 | 6 |
M / 35-49 | 6 | Brent Thielke | 11 | 7 |
M / 35-49 | 30 | Jacob Miller | 12 | 8 |
M / 35-49 | 20 | Michael Foster | 14 | 9 |
M / 35-49 | 21 | Nathan Adams | 15 | 10 |
M / 35-49 | 2 | David Whalley | 21 | 11 |
M / 35-49 | 4 | Tyler Dunigan | ||
M / 35-49 | 8 | Michael Quito | ||
M / 35-49 | 16 | ROGELIO LUNARIA | ||
M / 35-49 | 29 | Sai Yeung | ||
M / 50+ | 44 | todd brown | 8 | 1 |
M / 50+ | 19 | Joe Bowman | 13 | 2 |
M / 50+ | 13 | Mark Christopherson | 16 | 3 |
M / 50+ | 14 | Brian Fitzpatrick | 17 | 4 |
M / 50+ | 39 | MIKE ZANIO | 18 | 5 |
M / 50+ | 41 | Stephen Lind | 23 | 6 |
M / 50+ | 7 | Jim Bishop | 24 | 7 |
M / 50+ | 34 | John Ramirez | 26 | 8 |
M / 50+ | 3 | Richard Reimers | 27 | 9 |
M / 50+ | 37 | Steven Donahoo | 28 | 10 |
M / 50+ | 25 | Mireya Sanchez | 29 | 11 |
M / 50+ | 5 | Scott Moncrief | 32 | 11 |
M / 50+ | 11 | James Carter | ||
M / 50+ | 18 | Christopher Hill | ||
M / 50+ | 36 | Richard Meeker | ||
M / 50+ | 40 | mani Motamed | ||
M / 50+ | 42 | Anthony Reguero | ||
M / 50+ | 45 | Paul Iverson |
IT'S JUST A SOCIAL RIDE
ONE OF THE BEST TRICKS YOU CAN PULL ON AN UNSUSPECTING FRIEND is to invite them on a ferocious group ride under the guise of it being just a social ride. It's just so fun, and entertaining...
... which is why we all cave to the temptation on occasion.
Tongue in cheek is always a good time.
Take the name of our local group ride a few of us started 18 years ago: The Tuesday Morning World Championships. It's mainly a bunch of cats that like to ride and have actually only raced a handful of times.
To us, the name is a joke.
To the uninitiated the name is intimidating, frightening.
Which is exactly why we tone it down for our annual shindig...
... the unOFFICIAL TMWC.
We'll do the same course, sprint for the same 15mph sign, come back and do the annual awards.
For most of us, it's the only race we'll do all year...
... other than every other Tuesday in between.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
And yes, you're almost outta time to get a custom RaceDay Bag™ for the holidays:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
165.8
9.5 hrs
20 PullUps 40 Super PushUps + Kettle Bell
Stretch + Hypervolt
60 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6231909589
DEFUND THE TIME CHANGE
I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF THE GREAT DEANDRE COLE this time of year and his classic What's Up With That? Because really!, what is up with the time change...
... and why is DST not ST?
Is it me or wouldn't y'all much rather ride the morning from dark to light than kiss your afternoons good night...
... so dang early?
I reckon it depends on where ya live. But, where I live I'd much rather be on DST all year long.
Which reminds me of Deandre who always haD to cut his shows off with...
... Well, we outta time!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
And yes, you're almost outta time to get a custom RaceDay Bag™ for the holidays:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
165.1
8 hrs
13 PullUps 26 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
120 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6227416398
A NEW WAY TO RACE BICYCLES - CRITCROSS
RELUCTANTLY CROUCHED AT THE STARTING LINE. Hearts pumping and thumping in time. The 30 second sign turns, the green flag waves. It's a full drag race for the first banked 180 degree turn...
... on go-cart course!
The energy of that start, into the first turn, was electric because the next 1/4 mile was a chicane, a short straight then onto a banked dirt turn to another banked turn and up the finish line jump...
... nearly impossible to pass.
Then back onto the smoothsmooth tarmac for good ol' crit racin', and what a crit course it was.
A perfect surface.
No road debris.
No cars or trucks.
Just bikes.
Racin'.
And, about two minutes later right back onto the 20ish seconds of dirt again.
That is my friend Eric's creation...
... called CritCross.
Crit and Supercross.
But, not just for the finish line jump.
We all raced 2 "Motos".
20 minutes + 2 laps.
Here's how it went for me.
I stuck with my gravel bike, only a few of us did that. The rest rode road, and I think that was clearly the fastest set up...
... but, i didn't want to soil the new roadie.
The first Moto my technique was terrible. I haven't raced a crit in years, and I just wasn't confident leaning the bike over. Plus, those gravel tires are really slow on edge...
... grippy, but slow.
I wound up 7th.
Totally cool, since it's off season for me, and I had zero interest in racing. Just wanted to check this new thing out.
Moto 2, different story.
First off, I felt racy.
Still had a slow start. That bike is just tough to get up to speed. Fortunately, this one was clean. No crashes in front of me. Within 3 laps I'd worked my way up to the leaders.
Second off, the rust was off the crit skills and I was leaning hard on those tires. Super grippy.
Wound up third in a three-man break, 35+...
... totally stoked.
Final thoughts...
the format of multiple heats,
the go-cart track,
the dirt section,
and finish line jump...
... made for some of the funnest racing I've had in years.
Oh wait, almost forgot...
... world class announcing,
terrific viewing for all trackside or up above,
and excellent food and drink included...
... Can't wait for the next one!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Yes, I'm still running this promo because we're almost out of time to get for the holidays... and because people keep buying 'em:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
165.2
8 hrs
0 PullUps 0 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
0 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6221804628
IN THE PRISON SHOWER OF RACING...
FIRST TIME RACERS SOUND A LOT LIKE FIRST TIME PRISONERS TAKING A SHOWER. And, well, are we surprised? I mean, who hasn't felt a little bit of What the heck is a nice cat like me...
... doing in a place like this?
All of the sudden whatever bravado we had typing in our cc info for registration is gonzo. The confidence we oozed after smokin' our outta shape neighbor up the back hill has evaporated.
We lose our minds...
How was the race?
It was great until the end.
Whadaya mean?
Well, I was riding really hard and feeling really good, leading most of the time until the last lap.
Yeah, then what?
Then a bunch of guys that I'd never seen jumped me and I finished dead last.
And riding like that my friends is like that first prison shower...
... don't drop the soap.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Yes, I'm still running this promo because we're almost out of time to get for the holidays... and because people keep buying 'em:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
164.8
7.5 hrs
10 PullUps 20 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
50 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6217500613
THE TRUTH ABOUT ZONE 2
ZONE 2, MYTH OR MAGIC? I do a lot of zone 2 training this time of year. The benefits are undeniable. But, only if you know what you're doing...
... few do.
It's a lot more than riding in a zone, and every single, married, and partnered up tri-athlete knows the secret...
... yet, we still often make fun of them.
There's a lot to make fun of, but perfecting zone 2 ain't one of them. Nope...
... we should worship the ground the run and ride on.
Most cyclists think of zone 2 as a heart rate training zone, and it is...
... but it is much, much more.
What the tri-cats do is they get in the zone...
... and this is the part most cyclists completely miss...
... then focus on going as fast as they can without getting out of the zone.
Do you see the difference?
It's not riding between 120-140, my zone 2...
... it's riding as fast as I can at that rate.
It's about efficiency...
pedal stroke
cadence,
position,
aeroness,
carrying speed,
tire pressure,
fueling,
comfort,
... you got it?
What results is a feeling of being a giant steamroller... immense momentum and power produced with ease and confidence.
I had that exact feeling last Saturday at the Filthy 50. I started 15 minutes behind everybody, due to a mechanical. Rather than hit and try and catch, I steamrolled in zone 2 and 3 and spend the next 3+ hours saying...
... on your left.
That my fine young cannibals is the benefit of zone 2 training from yours Diesely...
... who learned it racing triathlons when I was a wee lad.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Yes, I'm still running this promo because we're almost out of time to get for the holidays... and because people keep buying 'em:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
165.2
7 hrs
20 PullUps 40 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
45 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6211252872
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries/
WHICH CAT SHOULD WE CHASE?
FIGURING OUT WHO TO CHASE IS PRETTY TRICKY. Choose correctly and things can end well, choose poorly and it could mean finishing far behind our capabilities...
... or, not finishing at all.
There are basically three kinds of people you can chase in a big endurance race. Assume all three are leaving you behind...
... who's your target?
- The cat who's quickly going up the road, and riding off into the distance.
- The cat who's also ripping away, but comes back as the terrain changes.
- The cat who's slowly easing away.
For me, it's cat #3, the slow easer. That's the one that is going to make me stretch, but not to the point of blowing up.
Next best is #2 because I'm probably equal or better in certain areas. The key is to capitalize on those areas and slowly let go.
The worst is #1. Those cats are on a totally different level, what works for them will not work for me...
... to the point I'll be worse off if I try and match their speed.
Pick wisely.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Yes, I'm still running this promo because we're almost out of time to get for the holidays... and because people keep buying 'em:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
165.4
8 hrs
20 PullUps 40 PushUps + Kettlebells
Stretch + Hypervolt
75 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6208912300
DON'T LET YOUR CATEGORY DETERMINE YOUR AGE!
I HAVE 2 OLD FRIENDS. They are quite different. Both are super accomplished racers. Both are over 30, fer cryin' outloud. But, as they say age is just an age group category...
... or is it?
One, stopped by to see me. Moseyed around, picked up a few cutting edge products, passed judgement...
... and left emptyhanded.
The other called me up.
Bro, I'm putting on a race.
Tell me about it.
Well, I rented a go cart track.
Cool, I like a lot of turns.
Yeah, there's that... but, the coolest thing is we are going off the tarmac and onto the dirt.
Really?
Yeah! A bunch of berms and a finish line jump.
Sounds rad.
Plus, we are racing heats to determine winners.
Like Supercross.
Yep.
I love it!
One of these guys is actually old, the other forever young...
... don't let your category determine your thinking.
Try new things.
Like this race, if you're around these parts.
It's called CritCross, get it? Crit and Supercross.
Website is here: https://www.critcross.com/
And bring your RaceDay Bag™.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Yes, I'm still running this promo because we're almost out of time to get for the holidays... and because people keep buying 'em:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
168.4 (nooooooooo!)
6 hrs
10 PullUps 20 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
15 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6201998987
HIGH LEVEL BIKE RIDING
WITH ANY LUCK YOU'RE GOING TO MEET SOME COOL PEOPLE. Especially, if you really get into this endurance bicycle riding and racing thing. I was looking at my recent text messages...
... and thinking Damn.
Because we have this sense of We're all in this together, and because our community is extremely passionate, it's easy to meet and connect with new people.
But, that's not the cool part.
The cool part is we (all of us) are some really accomplished and awesome people. We just don't often recognize each other.
Helmets.
Glasses.
Skintight lycra...
... none of that helps.
Next time you're JRA (just riding along) or standing on the start line or hanging around afterwards...
... smile, stick out your hand, and introduce yourself.
Who knows, you might find yourself like me texting with a rocknroll drummer, an NBA star, and a grand tour winner...
... I'm telling ya, this community of ours is rad...
... and wants to meet you, too!
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
And just in case you all wind up bunking in the same cabin you might want:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
167.4
8 hrs
10 PullUps 20 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
50 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6197650285
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries/
THE SUBTLE ART OF READING THE RACE
I WATCHED A BUNCH OF GRAVEL RACING VIDEOS TODAY. Simon, from GCN, talked about positioning himself up front at the start to allow for sliding space. Rather than making up ground...
... he prefers to slowly slide back, all day.
But, that got me thinking about the subtle art of reading a race.
You know, how it's unfolding.
Where the energy is.
The move to watch.
The kind of things coachy and racy people pontificate upon.
I shall do the same with this insightful view to what I see <- I say shift like that just to see if you're paying attention.
How the race unfolds is rarely dictated by the terrain. Instead, it's the competitors that matter.
Which, in my unhumble and cocksure opinion, is the point most of ya miss.
Amateurs and rookies worry about how to conquer a race's features.
Pros and victors focus on crushing their foes.
They aren't reading the terrain, they are reading each other. Which is just one reason I read a lot of books...
... rarely on bike racing.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Most races are won long before the final sprint. Here are two things you gotta have:
- a personalized RaceDay Bag™
- and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
166.4
10 hrs
10 PullUps 20 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
100 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6193790795
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries/
ARE YOU CLIMBING THE RIGHT HILL?
TODAY DIDN'T TURN OUT AS PLANNED. What was supposed to be a ride with my pals, turned out to be 50 miles of soloing, all because I disrespected the course...
... and didn't pre-check my bike!
The Filthy 50 is always challenging for me. It's late in the year and I'm ready to play, not ready to slay. We were committed to do it and ride together and enjoy the beautiful course and see the peeps.
But, someone didn't check his electric remote wireless shifter and a full 1/4 mile into the course realized...
... I got no shifting.
Fortunately, in my RaceDay Bag™ I carry a few extra batteries: the 2032 that powers my chest strap also powers my shift lever. I hustled back.
12 minutes later, after hundreds left the start line,
I finally left,
which left me with a clean and clear course.
I could have been hacked off at my mishap. I wasn't. There was zero intention to race today. Honestly, I think it made my day even better.
That was the hill I set out to climb, a nice day on the bike.
All that to ask this question...
... are you climbing the right hill?
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
You could gift a friend the 2032 batteries... inside
a personalized RaceDay Bag™
and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Should out to Wrench House for helping me swap batteries!
1
Changing poncho in the wild
Yeah, I ate two of these.
---
165ish? slept at race
5.5 hrs Sleep got their late
10 PullUps 20 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
10 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6188963413
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries/
DO YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO IT?
IT'S A MIRACLE I'VE SURVIVED THIS LONG. How many times did I attempt to jump the gap? Or sprint before, through, and out of the corner? Risking life and lycra...
... fearlessly?
Being fearless doesn't take courage.
Courage is when you are completely aware of the sitch, and you know dern well...
... this could end really badly.
Courage is when you state your commitment publicly that you'll be winning or placing or finishing in a certain time, and failure...
... could bring a heap of mocking.
It's cool to fearless.
It's rad to act with courage.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
You know what else is rad?
a personalized RaceDay Bag™
and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Get on this before it's too late->
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
164.5
8 hrs Sleep
25 PullUps 50 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
50 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6181166132
RAGE, RAGE AGAINST THE DYING OF THE LIGHT
HENRY KISSINGER IS ALIVE. He's 98. That blows my mind. Seems like he's been 56 for a hundred years. He still gets up, works hard all day, has dinner, keeps working. If you want to be forever vital...
... never stop working.
As we ease towards winter, it's tempting to back off. Quit all together.
Check these stats.
We usually have 30-40 guys on our Tuesday morning ride.
We had 15.
Same on Thursday evening.
We had 4.
Don't be that cat,
under the covers,
sipping hot cocoa.
My friend Frank reminded me of the great Dylan Thomas poem.
Do not go gentle into that good night...
... Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
We're getting close to the holiday season, get on this before it's too late->
a personalized RaceDay Bag™
and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
164.5
8 hrs Sleep
25 PullUps 50 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
50 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6181166132
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries/
WHY ARE WE SUCH A SEXY LOT?
LOOK AROUND. Who are the sexiest people you know? And, Why are the so dang attractive? I know you know what I'm talking about, but if you don't you will soon...
... as soon as you see your kin during the holidays.
Someone gunna say, Dang you look good.
You wanna know our secret?
We all know,
it's the blood flow,
that gives us our glow.
That, plus getting outside as much as we can.
Sunshine is a happiness drug, and we get it a lot more than most folks.
Oh, and one more thing...
... which I hope you're practicing.
We unplug when we ride.
No podcast.
No music.
While we give our bodies a good wringing out,
we give our brains a chance to uncouple,
from everything.
So, when they ask let 'em know...
... It's the blood flow that give me my glow.
Oh, and eating like an athlete...
... yeah, remember that when y'all sit down.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
How about this for a holiday gift for one of your supersexy friends->
a personalized RaceDay Bag™
and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
164.5
8 hrs Sleep
25 PullUps 50 PushUps + Kettle Bells
Stretch + Hypervolt
75 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6176726368
MY HYPOCRISY KNOWS THE END
OVER THE WEEKEND I REALLY SCREWED UP. I broke rule number one, don't ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever skip eating after the big ride. But, things came up and there I was 5 hours later starving...
... which lead to massive binging.
Now I know I preach a lot about eating whole foods, but this was next level considering the narrow time window of my fall.
Whole double-patty hamburger, whole pint of ice-cream, whole bowl of fries, whole rack of ribs...
... and a whole lot more.
Finally I drifted off into a food coma...
... waking up a whole lot heavier.
Shift!
But, it was just one day and in a few days that will all be purged and I'll be back to where I wanna be...
... less of me.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Time is running out for this superprimo Holiday gift->
a personalized RaceDay Bag™
and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
165
7 hrs Sleep
20 PullUps 40 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
5 minutes reading books + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6169792854
CHECK YOUR FORM
DO YOU EVER CHECK YOURSELF OUT RIDING BY RETAIL STORES, all of you reflecting back from their large and shiny windows? In sophisticated circles we call this checking our form. The rest of us just call it what it is...
... does this kit make me look fat?
This off season, I've added quite a bit of weight training to my schedule. At least for me it's a lot. The key is...
... to have good form.
Good form means we won't get hurt.
But, we can sure fry our legs without even riding. This has made it much easier to stay in zone two.
Concurrently, I've been hyper focused on my riding form when on the bike logging these easyish base miles. Specifically, my pedal stroke. The proverbial...
... pedaling in circles.
Pushing forward along the top,
pressing down,
scraping mud off my shoes across the bottom,
pulling back up to the top.
I've also been working particularly hard at getting my ankles back involved. Somehow I'd lost a lot of flexibility and was just mashing down. Hence, I've been doing all kinds of exercises to get them back in the game and whipping across the bottom of the pedal stroke.
Anyway, consider this a public service announcement. While everybody else is just pedaling...
... check your form.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
And check out this superprimo Holiday gift->
a personalized RaceDay Bag™
and, a dedicated Way of The RACER book.
I have a special link for our Stock Designs with a personalization option... it's hidden to the unwashed masses, but I'm sharing it with you because you've been around here a while.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
Whatever name you type in will be printed... so be creative!
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Custom bags require about 3 week, so order now to have in time for the holidays...
... we'll do our magic...
... and you'll have one extremely stoked friend that is blown away by your very personal generosity.
Trust me, there's nothing better.
Use this promo code to save a few bucks -> PERSONAL
Plus... I'll also add a signed The Way of The Racer book to your gift.
Go here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/custom-name-bags
---
166
7 hrs Sleep
20 PullUps 40 PushUps
Stretch + Hypervolt
65 minutes reading + journaling
https://www.strava.com/activities/6164923987