IF YOU HAD A CHANCE to ride with your top training pal from 10 years ago, would you?  Make it happen?  Do whatever it takes?...

... let nothing get in the way?

This pal, retired from the sport.

The horror!

But, every now and again, I can coax him back on his bike and we spend some good time catching up...

... the wonderful two-wheeled way.

We rolled from his place,
through some dirt,
to a bike trail.

I promptly managed to get a fish hook in my tire.

Stopped,
pulled it out.

The magic of tubeless,
it sealed.

Not 90 seconds later I hit a perfectly place piece of gravel,
and punctured the tire.

Ugh!

Big hole.

Put in a plug,
aired it up,
no luck.

Put in another plug,
aired it up,
no go.

I'm outta air at this point,
but I must have taught him well because he's prepared.

Put in a third plug,
air it up...

... we're off, and riding.

There was no way we weren't doing this ride...

... now if I can just lure him back into riding regularly.

I miss hanging out with my oldest, son.

---

164.7
8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra squats
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
99

GRABBED THE MTB FOR DRTY WDNSDY.  It'd been a few weeks. The chain started skipping around, and when I shifted down to get over the final steep little pitch...

... it jumped into the spokes.

Did it save my life?

Maybe.

I instantly came to a stop, panicked I'd permanently wedged it between the spokes and the cassette.

A second later, I noticed...

... a beautiful diamond back rattle snake sunbathing about 3' away from me.

Had I been going a lot faster,
had the drivetrain been functioning properly,
there's a good chance one of us would have been hurt.

Derailleur is a weird word.

It's French.

Before I got all hoitytoity roadie, I called it the shifter.

It shifts the gears, or derails the chain from one cog to the next.

Today, mine malfunctioned and derailled my ride...

... shifted my plans.

Which goes to prove not all derailments ruin the day...

... sometimes we just gotta take a breath and find the good in the situation.

---

164.9
8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra squats
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
101

WHEN PLANNING OUT THE TRAINING, it's super helpful to have a large wall calendar.  Smaller calendars are okay, too. For sure, avoid my go to form...

... the ever lame, in my head.

That's just plain...

• easy
• lazy
• dumb

... otherwise known as...

• winging it
• hoping
• unpro

... not us.

First, put in the milestones...

• Family vacations and events
• Work trips and commitments

... then, add in the A events.

Now, we can look at when...

• we can do the big training blocks
• it makes the most sense to have a rest week
• and a few B and C events that would be great prep

... that's the truly big picture.

 The best way to visualize and predict the future.

--- 

We still have a few of these, and I'm blowing them out for $15, with free shipping.

https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2024-giant-raceday-calendar?_pos=1&_sid=60a4cdcaa&_ss=r

---

164.7
7 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps
10 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
100

THIS WAS A WEIRD ONE, and I'm wondering if it's ever happened to you.  A concerned reader reached out and said...

... I'm doing it all wrong.

All this training is supposed to be fun, and give me joy, etc.

According to this judge, I've missed the point.

I can't possibly be happy with all this dedication, striving, yearning to improve...

... and, I wondered if that's true.

You know what I think?

He's right.

People with low standards, set the bar low and can't relate to...

... people fascinated by what's possible, who set the bar impossibly high.

Riding fast...

... fascinates me.

If you relate, click here.

---

165.1
8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
30 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
97

AT THE PARTY FRIDAY NIGHT, the gist was to get to know each other better.  We each drew a question about ourselves.  I drew...

... if you had a super power what would it be and why?

You'd think it would be...

• to climb like a god
• sprint faster than a bullet trail

... something along those lines.

Today being Father's Day, I woulda settled for discipline...

• instead of hogging the delicious pizza we "split" last night
• rising to demolish a fresh apple fritter for breakfast
• snacking on the entire bag my favorite chips and salsa
• prying open the chocolate almonds in the bag
• going tyrannosaurus rex on a steak dinner

... was I desperate to restore my dad bod?

My actual answer to the question was to be a time traveler so I could...

• go back and visit my dad and grand fathers
• go forward and see our sons' families' families

... what could be better?

Oh, well, yeah, also go to the future to finally answer the question...

... what is the truly optimal tire pressure.

---

164.7 lbs (tomorrow's gonna be worse)
7 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps and Squats
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
98

THREE OF THE LAST 4 WEEKS I've hit it pretty hard on Saturday.  Twice on the road, once on gravel.  All chasing much faster cats...

... doing all I can to hang on.

Today's was the biggest challenge...

... the most feared ride in these parts.

It's called Swami's, and is in the San Diego area.  

One of the reasons it's so challenging is because that area has phenomenal athletes, and many of them are cyclists and triathletes.

The other reason, there is only one choice for a Saturday beat down.

I've pulled the data from just the blistering sections of the each day's workouts.  Not the warm up or cool down or junk miles.

Below are my results.

Swami's

Two weeks ago, I chased my favorite national class offroad family... they just took 1st, 2nd, and 5th at MTB Marathon Nationals, today.

Gravel route

Three weeks ago, it was another very spirited gallop on the road.

Food Park

What can we see?

Work (kJ) was similar on the 2 road rides, the gravel ride was longer but when extrapolated a similar effort.

For all three rides, my Normalized Power (NP) was almost exactly the same.

A little bit lower on Food Park.

Average Power was highest on Swami's (223), the shortest ride, followed by the longer Gravel ride (216), with  Food Park the lowest (200).

Max Power was similar on Swami's and Gravel (739, 730), and lowest on Food Park (653).

Ave Heart Rate, was nearly identical on the two road rides (155, 153) and a little lower on the longer gravel ride (145)... which also had some longish descents.

Soooooo... my fellow lovers of pain,

Which ride gives the best results when I'm searching for more explosive power in the 1-5 minute range?

While you're thinking about that, chew on this:

• I was dropped several times on Food Park but miraculously (stop lights) caught back on.
• On the gravel ride, I came off on most of the climbs, and reconnected on the descents.
• Today, on Swami's, I was shelled about 20 minutes in and rejoined after taking a short cut, then left behind again with 6-8ish miles to go.

My take away is that my fitness is rising, my ability to put out power is increasing and Swami's would be the best effort...

... if I could manage to stay on.

That used to be doable, terrible, but achievable.

My fitness, according to Strava is down 22% from a year ago and 29% from 2 years ago.

Considering it was almost zero in February, post injury, I'm pretty stoked and...

... looking forward to my next crack at Swami's.

What can I do better?

• Still need to carve off some blubber
• Coulda got better sleep last night
• More calories per hour

Now, what to do next week?

---

163.8 (I can do better)
7 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps and Squats
10 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
100

A LOT OF THINGS CAN HOLD US BACK FROM WINNING.  Our talent, our equipment, our preparation, our effort...

... being good enough to win is likely not in question.

We often have what it takes to snag the PR, get up on the podium, win the group sprint.

But, we don't do it...

... because we aren't ready.

Could be our mental game,
we aren't hungry enough,
our doubts,
fears.

Other times, we straight up...

... forget to pack our shoes.

Doh!

Whatever the case, not being ready is strictly on us.

---

162.8
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
98

THE HARDEST RIDE I DO ALL WEEK, isn't with the crew, isn't intervals, isn't some ridiculously epic PR I'm chasing...

... for most of us, we'd consider it a nothing burger.

Not me, here's why.

It's the Wednesday ride, on the heels of the blistering Tuesday ride.

By myself.

Zone 2.

3 hours.

What could be so hard about that?

The way I do it.

From the get go, I'm looking to get my HR right into the upper limits of my Zone 2.

Because I'm freshish, this means the power output is more in the tempo range.

One of my goals, is to never take the pressure off the pedals.

Flat, up, down, smooth, bouncy...

... I'm pedaling.

Focused on that target HR.

Last evening, as I rolled into the 3rd hour....

... I was exhausted and badly wanted to shut 'er down.

To quit.

My power HR was dropping and so was the power per beat.

My desire to pedal,
wilting.

I had a choice...

... stay on plan or head to the coast and coast home.

I chose to persevere because I know when September's event rolls around...

... I want to be prepared to battle fatigue.

---

162.3
7.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
99

WHAT IS A RACE, REALLY?  There's all the prep and training.  Competitors who are teaming and tapered.  A race director who's praying it goes off without a hitch...

... but, that's not the real showdown.

What a race is is a date on our calendar to find out...

... how fit and healthy we really are.

And, this is the magic of an athlete's life.

We actually have a plan, a timeline to follow...

... a deadline to bring it all together.

What are we going to find out at the A race?

Yeah, we'll discover if we're faster or slower or better or worse than the rest.

More importantly, we'll know we are doing everything we can to maximize our physical, mental, social and, yes, spiritual, selves...

... which puts us miles ahead of where we'd otherwise be.

To outsiders the resulting healthy glow looks like magic...

... to us, it's normal.

Because Every Day Is RaceDay.

---

If you like tapping into the power of reminders, check this out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/id-bicycle-stickers-and-tags/products/ride-fast-id-bundle-copy

---

162.3
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
101

HOW DOES AN UNDERFUNDED, overenthusiastic athlete figure out the intricacies of aero?  No easy access to a wind tunnel, no pal on the inside, just YouTube...

... this is a real question.

And, today, I thought I got a real answer.

I went all in on aero.

• Kask Utopia helmet
• New Speedsuit prototype
• No cell phone bulging out the side pocket

This is the depth of my science.

I was the last cat with a chance to catch the leading 5 riders over the top of The Wall.

There was one rider that I could see in between me and them...

... according to Strava, I was 10 seconds behind Gouldilox.

A legit test ensued.

Generally, if I'm not right on his wheel he rolls away from me, even though we are nearly the same weight and build.

Sensations.

Aero helmets are oddly quieter than the others at 45.9 mph (per Wahoo).

The Speedsuit opening forms a perfect seal around my neck, and the fabric is cut so exact there is zero flapping in the wind...

... just the air flowing around my body.

It felt awesome...

... fast as heck!

Nearly two miles later, as I reentered the atmosphere, we linked up.

Looking back on it, while the ride seemed slowish today we actually posted pretty quick times.

How's that for sciency?

I'm taking this Ride Fast mantra pretty serious.

Check this out: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/id-bicycle-stickers-and-tags/products/ride-fast-id-bundle-1

---

162.3
7.5 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
10 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
100

IMPROVEMENT CAN BE ILLUSIVE.  Sometimes it's obviously happening, other times we wonder if we're moving forward at all.  Here's how to know if...

... changes for the better are being made.

Where would we be if we...

• rode 3 more miles
• skipped dessert
• did 5 pull ups
• hit the hay 10 minutes earlier
• rattled off 15 push ups
• said no to one piece of bread
• spent 5 minutes on equipment maintenance

... every day?

After a year of this we'd...

• add 1095 miles
• skip 365 desserts
• do 1825 pull ups
• sleep 60 additional hours
• complete 5475 push ups
• go without 23 loaves of bread
• perform 25 hours of equipment maintenance

... and hardly notice a change to our daily lives.

Except, being slightly better each day means being...

... massively better a year from now.

---

162.8
8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
98

TWO YEARS AGO, when I was going for my PR at Leadville, I was toying with the idea of a special jersey.   It would contain something very stealthy.  I tabled the idea...

... because I wasn't sure it work.

Now, of course, the concept is cutting-edge.

Which makes this idea...

... just like every race we stand no chance of winning.

What was the jersey idea?

Sewing in a sleeve to hold my hydration bladder inside the jersey vs a camelbak-style pack...

... which is exactly what the winner, and other pros, used at Unbound last week.

I wanted it because it seemed like it would be more secure, not bouncing around over rough terrain.

Aero wasn't on my mind at all, which was the claimed gotta-have benefit for the 200 mile gravel race.

Clearly it works,
clearly I gotta take a crack at it.

Which brings up the point about racing...

... we can't win a race, ever, if we don't show up.

Take the chance,
see what happens.

---

163.1
7.8 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
99

GRAVEL NATIONALS IS IN 13 WEEKS. Last year's course for my age group was 90ish miles.  One would think I should be doing 100 mile training rides...

... there's a better metric to use for prep.

Rather than try and match the mileage,
consider this info...

• The winners completed the course in just under 4.5 hours.
• Add to that, the there isn't a lot of climbing...
• ... 3500' over 90 miles is only 38'/mile.
• Way under my climby course barometer of 100'/mile.
• Most of the roads used look very smooth and fast, maybe a little sand.

... so, what am I gonna do?

That was the question I had this morning as I rolled out...

... how can I best mimic the challenge I'll face in Nebraska?

I had a route in mind that connected the fastest gravel stretches I can ride from home.

My goal was to ride race pace for 4 hours,
then refuel at the little country general store, 
and take it easy for the 90 minutes it takes to ride home.

Things went mostly according to plan...

... until my right pedal exploded.

Yep.

2.5 hours in, 
I stand up and hear a pinging sound,
looking down I can see the pedal is sliding out about 2".

That pinging sound?

All the teenytiny ballbearings hitting the frame.

First, we need to take care of our gear.  I'd been running these pedals for over 2 years, and never done a lick of maintenance.

Bozo Nono.

Second, things can go sideways in a race, so I pedaled on.

Every few miles I'd unclip and kick the end of the pedal to get it aligned.  This worked mostly good.  I had to slow down a bit, but not much.

Me, being me, there was no way I was gonna quit when I was trying to test my body and figure out a good gravel course.

I arrived at the general store in 3:34,
26 minutes earlier than I'd hoped,
mainly due to skipping bouncy stuff.

That said, my normalized power for the effort was 236, which is pretty good given the pedal issues.

Along with figuring out a 4ish hour test course...

... I wanted to practice nutrition intake.

In race conditions I'd shoot for 3-400 calories/hour, and 1 bottle per hour...

• I downed 1.7 bottles
• 700 calories

... for those first 3.5 hours

This was a total fail.

Next time I do this test, I'll hit the sections I skipped and be on top of my nutrition.

For a first crack, 
it was a good effort.

Not great.

One thing I'll be hoping for is some hotter weather.

Today was cool, 
and overcast.

Heat will probably slow me down,
but, it could easily be in the 90's come raceday.

So, why am I not doing 100 mile training rides to prepare?

• We don't have endless gravel roads here
• Our local terrain has a lot more elevation gain
• I'm much more interested in being able to rip it up for 4.5 hours

Time in the saddle is a more important training metric for me, than miles.

---

162.3
8 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Presses
10 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
101 (finally broke 100!)

BREATHING IS A BIG THING when we're maxing out our capabilities.  I've tried nose only, focusing on expanding my diaphragm, and belly breathing.  I'd like to...

... blame the belly breathing.

That was my first attempt at improving my ability to process oxygen.

I shamelessly blamed that method for my potbelly and Surfergirl's constant request during photos...

... Hold your belly in.

I am! 

It's hard to hold back 30 lbs of blubber.

I felt like The Little Dutch Boy,
only my dike was about to break.

During this belly breathing era, you know where your belly is expanding and contracting in an exaggerated fashion...

... me rubbing legs would wear off the anodized color on the sides of my seatpost,
and my knees would bounce off said belly.

Hard to be aero when belly is in the way.

Maybe belly breathing wasn't that effective?

It took about 5 years to change that.

Not the breathing,
the belly.

But, the most rapid changes happened when I decided to go for it on the local, hilly time trial through the canyon.

While I was shedding lbs,
my coach at the time,
insisted I change.

She wanted me to stop allowing my belly expand like a water balloon attached to a faucet...

... instead, focus on expanding my diaphragm.

Bring the diaphragm down to make room for my expanding lungs.

I didn't see the point.

However, when I did that, and it took some getting used to, I noticed I was more relaxed on the bike and breathing easier...

... when riding at threshold, tt pace.

To this day, I think about that era and occasionally find myself consciously practicing the technique.

As for the nose breathing, which she (the coach) also prodded me to do, I never got the hang of it when going at a pace above Zone 1.  I do practice it when at my desk, or reading, or stretching.

It could be anatomical, or mental, or laziness...

... I gave it a shot.

The kids, in the pic above, can't remember the day Surfergirl snapped a pic of me 30 years agon, shirtless, bent over, holding their hands...

... Who were they with? I cluelessly asked.

I didn't even recognize myself when we got the pics back a month or so later.

Changing things like breathing and bellies is fun to try...

... and often makes a positive difference in performance.

---

162.1
8 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Presses
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
98

WHY DO PEOPLE SAY THIS?  It must be nice to be fit enough to do epic things, and go for long training excursions when you want. To which I always respond...

... it's not nice.

Because it's not.

It's freakin' GREAT!

Which is why we do it.

Saying No to...

• crappy food
• staying up too late
• wasting time watching stupid stuff

And yes to...

... living awesome lives.

Maybe they say It must be nice because we make it look easy.

And it is.

When we commit.

We're like race horses,
with the blinders on.

Our finish line is the fitness which results in us being better...

• parents
• lovers
• workers
• providers
• thinkers
• doers of good deeds

... than we'd otherwise be.

It's not nice...

... it's The Best.

---

162.7
8 hrs sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
97

SOME GOALS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, and I think I know why.  It's not that one destination is better than another, it's...

... what is required that matters.

Take my pal Roberto's goal for 2025.

He fell short of finishing a monster ride.

He didn't really fall, 
he wasn't able to complete the route.

To say he's going to do the whole ride next year is massive because he quit before the final 5000' climb, which was preceded by 10000' of vert and 110 miles.

That ain't nothin'...

... and he's already planning to go for it.

The only way he's going to make that happen is to change his game.

He's got to be a heck of a lot fitter,
and up his bike handling.

That's what I mean with gamechanging goals forcing us to...

• change how we prepare
• eliminate useless activities
• increase time spent doing the right things
• think of entirely new ways to reach new results

... change everything.

Are gamechanging goals really better?

I think so,
they're the only ones that get me excited about what's possible.

What are my gamechanging goals?

1. Take Surfergirl on a weeklong vacation to a dream destination (it's been too long)
2. Double our sales over last year, even though we are only 5% ahead y.t.d. 
3. Compete (not just show up) at Gravel Nationals

---

163.1
8.5 hrs sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
99

READER BURAK ASKED ABOUT MY STATS.  I'd say it's personal, and I'm not going to share that data with anybody, especially a potential competitor.  But, it's personal...

... and I want to be held accountable.

To you,
and to me.

Can't tell ya how many times I've wanted to fudge or skip... 

... knowing it's public makes it very powerful to stay on course.

So, Burak, here ya go:

I'm 62.

163.8 lbs

This is my weight, first thing in the morning, not after a 100 mile bike ride in 100 degree heat without a water bottle or food.  Tracking that number, at that time of day is super valuable.  I've used the same app for years, and if i want to see what I weighed when I snagged a PR or had a good race, it's a tap of the screen away.

8.5 hrs sleep

This sleep number is the time I spend in bed.  I used an app on my watch for a while, but it stressed me out so much my sleep got worse.  I'm typically zonked within about 10 minutes of picking up the Kindle.  Nightly sleep time has increased by 60-90 minutes since my brain injury.

1 RaceDay Ready Circuit

The circuit is comprised of PullUps, PushUps, Squats, Heel Raises, Toe Raises, Should Press and Nordic Leg Curls (look it up on YouTube).  It takes me 15-18 minutes to do them all, at home, in my PJs, right after I stretch and do some meditation.

20 minutes recovery 

Most morning I stretch and meditate for 20 minutes, and several evenings a week I'll hit the legs with the Hypervolt for 6-10 minutes.  Occasionally, not as often as I'd like, I'll get a proper massage. 

90 minutes reading + Journaling 

After I do the stretch and meditate stuff, before the Circuit, I usually dive into some sort of uplifting and/or educational reading, followed by some journaling.  If it says over 60 minutes, that's because I did more reading during the day or at night.  I really like to read and learn.

95

That little number right there I added this year.  It's my fitness score, according to Training Peaks.  Strava has something similar.  When I was finally able to start training again, my score was in the low 30s vs my high score from 2 year ago when I went all in on Leadville.  Then, it was in the hight 130s.  I've got a ways to go, and I'm super pleased and amazed at the progress I've made.

The only way for me to pull this off is to wake earrrrrrrly, 5am.  That's early for me.  I love it.  The house is quiet and peaceful.

If you want to know more about this, and be held accountable click here...  https://racedayripper.com/share/3ombFpNhXntNd8UB?utm_source=manual

... the key is not to be shy, jump in, introduce yourself, access the knowledge base.

---

163.6
7.5 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps
20 minutes recovery 
45 minutes reading + Journaling 
98

I'M NOT SAYING I'M SUPER STRONG, just stronger than I was a year ago, and probably...

... a million times stronger than most cats my age.

That might be an understatement.

How'd I do it?

That's the funny part.

There's no magic...

... unless you count patience.

But, it's so simple and so effective and so time efficient I can't stop wanting to share it.

Every day, and by every day, I mean I super very rarely skip a day.  Like never, unless I'm tapering for a race.

Every day,
in under 15 minutes,
from the comfort of my garage,
in the leisure of my cozy pajamas...

• PullUps
• PushUps
• Squats

... in that order.

Multiple sets that wind up totaling...

• 25
• 75
• 15

... respectively.

I sucked when I started.

Had to jump up and lower myself down slowly on the pullups because I could barely do one.

One!

I started doing 2x on the pushups vs pullups, and now I'm 3x of however many pull ups.

Currently, that means the first set is 8 pullups, 24 pushups, 5 squats.

Let me put this in perspective for us all...

... basic fitness for the military age male is being able to do 12 pullups in a row and 42 pushups in a row.

I'm going to shoot for my max being 12 pullups, which I could probably do now...

.... if I wasn't such a stickler for form.

Am I bragging?

Nope.

I'm begging.

Begging all of us to be strong,
so our bones and souls are less likely to break.

---

... No one is good at something they've never done before...

---

163.8
8.5 hrs sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
95

SURFERGIRL KNOWS NOT TO INTERRUPT ME when I'm immersed in the final chapters of pageturning fiction.  I'm unreachable, time stops...

... just like the final miles of a race.

I'm gone.

My alter ego firmly in control.

At the beginning of a race or quest or book, it's easy to day dream, let the mind wander, be distracted.

But, there's something about the end that demands a shift in concentration and focus.

Is it because it's time to discover the pay off?
Show what we're made of?
See the story ends?

Or, just the sheer adrenaline of the looming finish line?

---

163.8
8 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Squats
20 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling 
96

MY FAST FRIENDS INVITED ME TO TAG ALONG on their gravel ride.  For them, it would be "easy".  For me...

... it would be an explosive test.

The invitation was on Wednesday,
which gave me two days to be ready.

I wanted to do more than recover.

My plan was to use it as a practice race...

• Recover and taper
• Have a pre-race dinner
• Get to bed early and sleep 8 hours

... that's the basics.

Beyond that...

• I planned a pre-race breaky
• Prepped bottles with 333 calories each
• Stuffed a few crepes in my pockets to supplement.

How'd it go?

The bad...

• Ate half a hamburger and some fries at 830pm
• Went to bed at 1030pm vs the targeted 9-930pm
• Woke up a little late, had to sprint to the meet up vs warm up

The good...

• Legs felt great
• Food strategy went perfect
• Picked off some PRs, and recorded strong power numbers

Which brings up the most important point...

... all races always have shift go wrong.

Always.

While we endeavor to perfect our racecraft, part of the perfection...

... is mastering our response when things go sideways.

---

163.6
8 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
98

PRO RACERS GET PAID.  That's the qualification to call oneself professional.  We'd all like to be pro racers.  Wake up, eat, stretch, look over the equipment, train all we want and need...

... recover, and sleep.

You know what's weird about that?

We have to be pro,
to be a pro.

In everything we do.

What's hard about that?

The everything part.

Not only do we have to eat, drink, sleep and train like pros...

.. we have to be pro at work and family.

There's is no room for error,
no time to waste. 

Is there any money in being a pro athlete?

Who cares?

It's cool to be...

... pro at everything.

---

161.6
8 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
93

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE, and how you like to compete, your race season has just ended, or is just beginning.  I either case...

... I have one question.

Are you where you want to be?

Did things go good during the spring races?

Is the fitness coming together as the summer heats up?

It's interesting to consider our progress, and realize...

... it's all about being consistent.

Sure, we can...

• crash diet
• do a huge training block
• upgrade to a new fancy gizmo

... for a temporary performance bump.

Or, would we be a heck of a lot further down the trail by...

... doing the right things, day after day?

---

161.8
8 hrs sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
94

THERE ARE 5 KINDS OF RACERS in the world.  No matter where we go, we're sure to find all five.  Could be on a start line...

... could be on a lonely trail.

Here they are:

• Motivated by the journey, this first group focuses on the racecraft, learns all they can.  Then cracks off a blistering time up a mountain, without waiting for someone to organize a race.
• The top of the podium is the domain of fierce competitors, against their PRs and everyone else.  They figure out what it takes to win a race, and do it.
• Those on the dirt podium - 4th and 5th and top 10s - are like the top of the podium, but the resistance is real.  They're motivated, but internal limits hold them back.
• The rest of the lead group, is willing to expend effort, but not too much.  They are fast enough to be there at the end, but don't see themselves as contenders.
• The pack fodder, is cool with just being present and getting by with the least possible effort.

I've been all of these racers, at one time or another.

It's not permanent.

And, that's the cool part...

... we can always change.

---

162.8
9 hrs sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
96

KEVI BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.  We were geeking out over polarized training, the poles being Easy days and Hard days.  He's new to it, and keeps...

... riding too hard on the easy days.

Which ruins the system.

We can't ride truly hard,
if we aren't rested.

Then, he brought up a good point.

Maybe we shouldn't be riding hard at all?

What?
The horror!

He suggested a mental shift...

... from Hard to Fast.

I slept on it,
then this happened.

Tuesdays are my hard days, 
and I like to go hit it on our saucy group ride.

However, things today weren't as heated as I'd hoped...

• guys tired from going long on yesterday's holiday
• one of the hitters riding slow and shutting down attacks

... what to do when we want to ride hard and aren't being pushed?

That's where riding Fast came into play.

I did my little ol' best to keep the pace high, fast.

It didn't help the group's overall speed too much, 
still rather lethargic by our standards.

But, it got my lycracovered buns to the front more than I have been lately...

... because I committed to ride fast.

This carried on, after the group split up, for the hour it takes me to ride home.

Calling a ride or effort hard implies, I dunno, something negative-ish.

Fast can mean all kinds of things...

• average speed
• ripping up a climb
• all out for the final sprint

... how we apply Fast depends on the day's objective.

The two words, hard and fast, feel different...

... and I think that matters.

Personally, I'd prefer to be fast.

---

163.1
7.25 hrs sleep
PushUps and PullUps
20 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
95

WE ALL WANT TO DO MORE.  Accomplish more, win more, lose more, love more, read more, be more.  It might start with waking up early, not the time...

... how we spend those first 20-30 minutes matters.

For years, and I'm embarrassed to say this, first thing I'd do is head to the bathroom to take care of business, and...

... wind up playing Chess.com for 20 minutes.

I kidded myself that it was good in a multitude of ways.

Maybe.

There's good,
better,
best.

About a month ago I was challenged by a friend to change it up.

Quit...

• wasting time
• reading emails that need attention
• polluting my brain with social media

Start

• meditating
• stretching
• visualizing

At first it was odd,
going against years of (no my chess score didn't improve much) habit.

My new start involved stumbling downstairs,
laying on the couch and listening
to a recommended meditation.

Two weeks in, I decided to add stretching/yoga.

This was comical.

Reaching for my toes first thing in the morning,
no warm up.

I cold barely touch the top of my knees.

hahahaha...

Now, I'm able to do my more normal stretching routine as if I'd been active all day.

This is enlightening.

It didn't seem at all possible for me to be remotely flexible first thing.

As for the meditation, it could be

• silence
• something inspirational
• here's what I've been listening to

  Change Your Life in 18 Minutes - Guided Affirmation Meditation 

Is this the best thing ever, be all end all, amazing, incredible way to start the day?

It's working for me.

• muscles are warmed up and ready for my 15 minutes of pullups, pushups and squats
• brain is in a really good place to get after the day

Let us know what you think, or what how you wake up early(er).

---

163.2
7.75 hrs sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
92

THERE'S AN OLD ARGUMENT, and it goes back to the beginning of training and coaching...

... Should we train our strengths or our weaknesses?

It depends.

It's all about the race.

Are we competing in an event whose features align with our strengths?

Let's stop there, 
for a moment.

It's an important consideration.

If our strengths are going to be in play,
train 'em up.

Next question.

Should we focus on races that let our strengths shine?

It depends.

Are we looking to win or be challenged?

Not always the same thing.

While winning can be challenging, even when leaning heavily on our strengths...

... the most challenging races often ask more of us.

Then is the time to train our weaknesses or types of riding we aren't drawn to...

... and develop new skills,
which may turn to strengths.

As the great Tony Robbins says...

... Constant And Never-ending Improvement.

---

162.6
7.75 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
93

JUST WOKE UP.  Had an early start.  Rode crazy hard.  Got a fitness bump according to Training Peaks.  And now I'm wondering...

... Are you checking my segment out?

That's kinda personal.

I mean, I do it.

But, that don't give you license to creep on me.

Does it?

Joking aside.

4:02 showed up today.

He hadn't done this particular ride in years.

Smashed all his PRs.

He's different now that he's...

... officially 4:02 up The Wall segment.

Which is a crushing PR he posted this past Tuesday.

Used to be we'd smack this guy around.  
Shoot 'im out the back.
Bye-bye.

Not personal.

It's just the kinda fun lovin' crew we are most Tuesdays.

That ended,
when he changed.

How'd you do it?

Started riding to work a few days a week, 
eating a lot better,
dropped 20lbs.

That's it,
that simple?

I guess.

Result?

Taking us all to the shed most weeks.

To be clear,
his commute is like 100 miles round trip.

When it gets broken down like that,
kinda makes ya wonder what part of 4:02s hack...

... we can use for inspiration to make our own changes.

---

163.6
7.75 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
96

CAN WE HAVE TOO MUCH GEAR?  Is there an excess of anything? of a good thing? Just what is...

... the right amount of stuff?

I'm on the path to N - 1,
and it's freakin me out.

A superlight and aero frame for gravel racing is the cause.

If it works,
if I have 2 sets of wheels,
if I'm very nearly just as fast on the road
if I'm mostly just as comfortable riding gravel...

... I can see saying adios to my gravel and road bikes.

The idea of trading 2 bikes for a Frankenbike is intriguing.

Having less.

Simplifying.

Of course, the moment...

• the weather is dodgy
• I want max performance
• the Frankenbike goes down

... you know I'll be kickin' myself.

Yes, I know this is a firstworld problem and it could be metaphorical of nearly everything in our lives, but...

... that's the point.

How much is enough?

---

162
7.75 hrs sleep
PullUps PushUps Presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
92

IT'S WARMING UP A BIT, but still chilly in the weeeee hours.  Normally, I wear less and less as the sun rises earlier and earlier.  Not, lately...

... and I think not shivering matters.

I'm not wearing a parka,
still plenty aero.

Just a base layer,
arm warmers,
skull cap.

Yes, a jersey, too.

Keep your mind outta my mirror.

Anyway, what I've noticed is I seem to be riding better because of it.

Am I going against my longstanding tradition of...

... dress for the ride, not the roll out?

Not really.

It's more of a...

... dress for optimal body temp.

This is not intuitive to me.

I'm generally a less is more kinda athlete.

However, this seems to be a more is more.

Good thing, it's a snap to ditch the arm warmers and beanie. 

We make our base layers and skull caps out of the same wispy fabric on the front our jerseys.  The arm warmers are fleece-lined.

If you're having big temp swings this time of year,
it's worth experimenting with.

---

163.6
7.75 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
92

WE'VE BEEN BINGING YOUTUBE LATELY, learning about all kinds of places to travel, inside scoops on trails we want to explore, the downlow on races...

... it's good, not great.

Watching and reading to learn is like watching someone ride a bike.

Nice.

To learn,
we've got to mount up.

Even that is tricky.

It's new.

The progress will be slow,
the failures many.

The best thing,
is to find someone who's done it.

Learn from them.

Ask questions

Attach to their hip,
and soak it all in.

What is said,
and unsaid.

That goes for anything we want to learn.

When it comes to racing...

... we're here to help.

RaceDay Rippers Network

Click that link,
join the community,
and ask lots of questions.

Being Shy = Being Slower Than You Could Be

THE MORNING WRECKING CREW was not what I expected.  First, I wanted to skip it.  Second, I got shamed into going.  Third, I...

... felt pretty darn good.

Not at first.

Going up the driveway to the start stung my legs.

I said Hi,
figuring I'd be off the back in minutes.

But, a funny thing happened on the way up the paceline...

... the legs kinda came around.

By the end, I was setting fast times on all kinds of segments (for me, this year).

Even got a KOM on the Hour of Power segment, post group ride...

... it stood for a 3 minutes.

Then Love Watts uploaded his ride and stole it by 2 seconds.

Which is a lungwinded way to share a little secret...

... very long slow distance can equal speed if done correctly.

Saturday's ride was very long,
also, very steady.

Mostly Zone 2.

Which means I was tired at the end of the day, however...

... my muscles weren't wrecked. 

Was it just the throttled effort?

Nope.

While I didn't drink enough post ride, I did get in a pretty good meal right away.

That matters.

Gotta get those muscles to recover.

Had I pushed really hard and gone way deep on the efforts, or fouled up the nutrition, or both, the resultant damage to the ol' legs woulda been much worse.

Instead, it was a remarkable day.

Nowwwwwwww... it's time for a few easy rides before the weekend.

---

165.6 
7.75 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
20 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
94

I'M LIGHTER THAN I'VE BEEN IN 6 MONTHS.  Shocking, since I dropped 3 lbs over the weekend.  I've just got to...

... share my secret with the world.

So, you nevereverever do something this dumb.

For the last leg of Saturday's epic quest, I filled up 3 waterbottles, plus a ton of bars in my pack.

Little did I know, we'd be riding for 6 more hours.

That's a good thing, right?

All those supplies.

For sure.

Yes.

One,
giant,
problem.

I barely drank one bottle,
didn't eat any food.

When I finally got indoors,
I didn't eat much,
wasn't thirsty.

And that my fine athletic friends is the absolute dumbest thing we can do...

... racing or not.

Being thirsty,
being hungry,
truly is for dummies.

Training, racing, living,
we need hydration,
We need calories.

---

161.8
8hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
30 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
91

WHEN I INVITE YOU THRONGS OF READERS, plus all my local riding pals, to do something seemingly impossible, I get a lot of No thanks because...

... who wants to fail?

Nobody. 

Oh, except those want the thrill of owning a monumental personal victory.

It takes guts,
perseverance,
and determination...

... to attempt the diabolically divine.

Which is exactly how my friend and fellow sicko Kevin described the adventure.

From the misty shores of dawn at Dana Point,
to the lofty views 8000' above the world at sunset...

... just taking a crack at it says all you need to know about the brave who went us.

And that's the problem.

Bravery can get us in all kinds a trouble.

Like the guys who left before sunrise,
who'd never ridden the route,
who had to perform surgery,
on a bad shifter.

Bravery can also save our baconflavered gel pack...

... by causing us to look at unplanned challenges and say Bring It!

What else was unplanned?

Spencer getting a nail through his tire, 
which ripped the rim tape ruining his tubeless set up.

Me knocking my derailler hard enough to massively deform the hanger, 
ergo no shifting.

But, when we're determined, we solve the problems...

• So, Michael goes door to door begging for plumbing tape and finds an off-duty plumber
• Wilt, who joined our group along the way, directs me Cyclery USA for a masterful repair

... and we get back on course.

Bravery can give us unwarranted confidence.

While we enjoyed a hamburger, fries and Coke before the final 9 mile climb up a rough and rocky fire road...

... it was warm and we were feeling great.

We rolled out with tons of sunlight,
some windbreakers,
and swagger.

We were ready to conquer the beast.

Figured it would take about two hours.

It was 80 degrees at the bottom.

Four hours later, 
in the dark,
42 degrees.

Not the worst...

• We were exhausted
• Freezing
• Hungry

... and LOST!!!!

Our meager headlights,
lack of solid geographical info,
and the mind numbing cold conspired...

... to ruin us.

Some of us were brave.
All were calm and supportive.
To be honest, I was losing touch with rational thinking.

We'd rolled at 5:15AM,
it was now after 10PM...

... and we made about a million reroute decisions the final miles.

I texted Surfergirl,
Drive to Snow Summit,
crank the heater,
bring blankets.

We could see the city lights,
couldn't get there.

Until we did.

Finally we attacked a fast, flowy singletrack...

... like a lumbering, frozen caterpillar.

 ---

Huuuuuge, thank yous to Surfergirl for awesome swag support...

... and the brave souls who took on the challenge to do something impossible.

I'd never do alone.

We didn't all make it.

Not uncommon.

We all failed our first 2 tries.

To a rider, all are committed to return...

... and conquer!

---

Now that we've completed the Surf N Summit in October and May,
we've determined May is the optimal month.

You're invited to do the impossible with us next year.

Plan accordingly.

---

163.6
6.5hrs sleep
No Strenght Work
0 minutes recovery 
0 minutes reading + Journaling 
95

TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY.  It's been just over 5 months since my brain injury.  We never took SurfNSummit off the calendar, instead...

... we aimed for that date!  

10 of my closest friends - some I've never met - joined the challenge.

I'm so grateful for the support and camaraderie.

It's gonna be a great day.

Anytime we get the buy-in from of group of people who decide to do something epic together it's...

... a lot easier to prep and accomplish something epic.

And, this ain't nothin'...

https://www.strava.com/routes/3220522868121573398

123 miles

16000' of vert

... it's a heckfire motivating.

What are you planning tomorrow,
or in the coming months,
with your besties?

I hope you get it done, and I hope...

... it seems impossible.

---

164
7.5 hrs sleep
Pullups and Pushups Only
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

IN WORLD WHERE EVERYONE HAS their own truth, it's hard to tell what is really the truth.  And, it matters.  Truth...

... makes everything clear and easy.

So, let me be as clear as I can be.

These are the 5 laws,
commandments if you will.

1. REST.  Get plenty of rest.  Sleep a lot.  Doing less and resting may not make sense to a beginner, but we get it.  Right?  Sleep is critical.
2. GOOD FOOD.  Keep it simple.  Don't eat sugar or drink alcohol or do drugs.  Do eat whole foods, meals where we can identify the ingredients.  For example, a steak salad vs a protein bar.
3. GO HARD SPARINGLY.  We need to have the brutally hard efforts, once or twice a week. That's it.  Not every day.
4. GO EASY ABUNDANTLY.  The rest of our endurance training should be easy and fun and rejuvenating.
5. LIFT WEIGHTS.  Resistance exercise, heavy weight and low reps, builds power and makes bones strong.  I like large muscle groups, primarily pull ups, pushups, and squats.

That's it.

Okay, that's not it.

But, that is the truth and when we get that right...

... we're 95% there.

There, being extremely fit and healthy.

Notice, doing that is practically free...

... just takes some dedication.

---

164.9
8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

THE PATH WORKING BACKWARDS FROM THE START is a strange one.  Who the heck walks, runs, rides, swims backwards?  Here's a better way...

... begin with the finish in mind.

It's more powerful.

Want to get married?
Date like the winner you know you are.

Want to raise good kids?
Raise 'em like the winner you know you are,
winners they can be.

Want to win a race, set a PR, win the group sprint?
Train like the winner you know you are.

See the finish line clearly, then...

... all we need to do becomes obvious.

Not a mystery.

Not awkward like swimming backwards.
How do you even do that?

Move forward.

---

166
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

RIDING WITH LOVE WATTS ON THE ROAD, I'm reminded of how important wheels are.  He purchased my supersnazzy, ceramic bearing carbon wheels because I just...

... had to have the latest and greatest.

Off with the rim brake wheels,
on to disc brakes on the fancyshmancy bike.

ENVE 5.6's

I'm glad he got my old wheels vs one of my direct competitors because...

... he rolls away from me any time it's too steep to pedal downhill.

It's annoying.

It bugs me.

I constantly question myself...

... What the heck was I thinking?

And, it gets worse.

The weekly roadride reminder is leaking over into all my wheelsets.

Are they magic?

Or

S-L-O-W?

How to tell?

The lowtech, yet reliable way, is to coast downhill on an windless day and determine which set of wheels is faster.

• Same tire
• Same air pressure

Then, we can go play with

• Tires
• Widths
• Pressures

And, add additional fine tuning via

• Helmet
• Apparel
• Waterbottles
• Cable routing
• Body position

Oh, boy...

... so much fun to be had!

---

By the way, we're just about ready to launch these:

IS TAPERING OUR TRAINING ART OR SCIENCE?  We've all had the big quest on the calendar, done tons and tons of training, then...

... decided it's time to taper.

Is it enough to just cut the miles?

How much should we cut?

What about intensity?

Oh, the questions we have!

Got an email this morning from Tony, who lives Downunder.  He caught Covid two weeks prior to last weekend's A race, thought his event would was wrecked.

Rested completely for a week.

Did a little training the next week.

Smashed the race, setting all kinds of PRs.

Talked to Andy this morning, he was forced off his bike for months after catching a nasty stomach bug and Xterra Worlds last October.

This week he's off to Xterra Nats and feels better than he's felt in years.

I'm not saying we need to get deathly ill or break bones to have our best days ever, but...

... maybe a little more rest would do our bodies good?

---

166.2
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
82

GOOD FORTUNE TO TRAVEL, allowed me to ride a bunch of new terrain, plus explore a new network of trails.  This week will be a good reminder...

... of why our favorite routes are so special.

Our most cherished rides are rarely the obscure, remote places.

Those places are great,
but they are missing something.

I'm already excited to do the local Tuesday Morning Wrecking Crew this week.

Why?

I've done it probably 1,000 times.

You'd think once a week for twenty years would lose its luster.

Instead, the times that we...

• cleared the gap on a big jump
• got caught in a snow storm
• made the winning break
• smashed a segment
• made a new friend

... make all the difference.

Take yesterday's adventure.

We have a trail in St. George that Surfergirl loves: Bear Claw Poppy.  A gentle climb, and a fast and flowy return.  We ride it often when we are passing through.

After an hour with her, I met up with local friend Kevi, to ride a newly accessible canyon.

We pedaled back to his house and I noticed the right rear van tire was deflating.

A piece of metal had sliced on through.

7pm on a Saturday night is not a good time to need a flat repair.

While showering, I thought...

... We're gonna get a miracle.

At the same time, Kevi thought to call an acquaintance who had just sold a string of tire shops.

My new best friend, Jake, grabs his tools and drives 30 minutes to us and fixes the flat in a about 15 minutes.

Amazing.

We were able to make it home by 3:30 am, able to spend Mother's Day at home with kids.

That was a miracle.

The kind of episode we'll remember for years to come...

... every time we ride Bear Claw Poppy.

These rides and routes we know so well become our treasures because...

... that's where many of our best memories exist. 

---

166
6.5 hrs sleep
No Strength work
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
83

IN ANY COMPETITION, it's possible to define winning as climbing to the top of the podium.  The moment we finally pull it all together and...

... look down on those who tried and came up short.

There's a problem.

This isn't the reason we are training and racing.

Sure, every now and never we might find ourselves on one of the podium steps...

... maybe even the top.

We'll get the accompanying congratulations, and rightly soak up the moment.

But, winning?  
Conquerer of all comers?  
Champion for ever and ever? 

Not us.

We know there is always something we could do better and... 

... we are endlessly fascinated with our personal pursuit, scoreboard or not. 

We want to know...

... what are we capable of accomplishing? 

What's next?!!

---

165ish?
10 hrs sleep
Pushups and Presses
0 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
83

AT THE TOP OF A 90 MINUTE CLIMB, I succumbed to the terrain.  Not the steepness, not the wildness of the area.  Gravely dirt had turned...

... from bird beaks to baby heads to small boulders.

OK, it was beginning to pitch straight up.

Climbing that stuff in 40 degree weather is easy to do in a jersey and arm warmers.

We're working.
Burning calories.
Creating all kinds of heat.

I stopped, 
pulled my KOM Jacket from my back pocket...

... and started bombing back down.

Is this nirvana?

Not a soul around,
tacky, fast single track,
spring's green guard rails.

I came around a bend and saw a massive wall of gray.

Uh oh!

Off the trail,
on to the road,
I pressed harder on the pedals.

Drops of rain,
turned to frozen rain,
which turned to balls of hail...

... good thing I wore my most wholey, air-cooled helmet.

The icecream-type headache became...

... Crud, this could be bad.

I snagged a PR on this slight downhill bike trail, I've ridden dozens of times.

Nobody was out.

Duh!

Moral of the story?

Shift happens...

... get used to it, everything will be easier.

---

165ish?
9 hrs sleep
No strength work
0 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS A LEGIT CAT 2 ROADIE during peak road cycling days of late 80's, early 90's.  Had I known that...

... I would have given him the thumbs up a lot sooner.

Who care's if they're happy together?

I've got someone to ride with at the family reunion.

Now, he's a good runner...

... because she's a good runner.

They do trailrunner things together.

Which means he's now merely a good cyclist.

That's the good thing about being an dedicated endurance athlete, with a little training...

... we can be good at just about any endurance activity we choose.

Not at the top of our potential, but in his case...

... the top of the relationship potential, by enduring together.

---

165ish?
8 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

ONE OF MY PALS has been out of the game for a while.  Fitness dropped way down, and waist expanded somewhat out.  He's back, and...

... he needs a kick in the lycra.

His words...

... I made the big climb 20 seconds faster this week, just need to ditch my blubber now.

So, I gave him the honest truth.

Stop eating bread and sugar.

He hemmed and hawed, admitting either one of those to evils where his kryptonite.

It's really simple...

... just commit, and quit.

This morning, I read about a 99 year old man who is still remarkably active.  He had this to say about health...

... I weigh myself every morning, it's the best indicator of health.  If I'm up a few pounds, I cut back my intake for a few days.

---

165ish?
9 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
86

IT'S GOT AI!  Yeah, AI will write your term paper. Set up your training plan for you.  Of course, it will drive your car for you.  And...

... make us slower.

At everything.

How does AI drive our cars?

It learns.

It learns to read the road, 
calculate effects of weather,
anticipate the actions of other drivers.

Which means we don't,
or if we did once have the skill we start to lose it.

Take riding singletrack for instance.

Climbing it's not to challenging unless there are rocks and switchbacks.

We're going slow.

We have the time to make all the calculations necessary to ascend without putting our feet down.

When we turn around, it's all the same data coming at us but a lot faster.

One of two things will happen:

• We'll get behind on the calculations, panic and crash
• We'll slip into a state of flow

When we are in flow...

• We relax
• Things slow down
• We easily go much faster

... that is a beautiful feeling.

---

 165ish?
8 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery 
320 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED and the frozen rain turned to snow I realized staying warm could be an issue.  I hustled back to the cabin because...

... nature is unforgiving.

I got back.
Cold.

The heat was on,
all was good.

Until the heater quit!

We crash.
We bleed.
We heal.

Hopefully we learn and remember things like...

• at high altitude it can always snow
• on rough terrain keep our bodies loose, fluid
• breaking down in a remote area takes longer to get back

... being prepared with gear, fuel and skills matter.

Nature is definitely unforgiving...

,.. all the more reason for us to be forgiving with each other.

165ish?
8 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery 
320 minutes reading + Journaling 
85

AFTER TEN WEEKS FOCUSED ON BUILDING BACK SOME FITNESS, I was feeling quite burned out.  We're two weeks away from the Surf N Summit...

... not the time to quit training.

The last few days have been just what the doctor ordered.

• No agenda
• No plan or route or group
• No focussing on the computer readings 
  
  
• Yes, let's explore a new area

Fast, slow, long, short, easy, hard.

Mountain biking is the perfect antidote for me.

It's not what I'll be racing this summer,
or needing for the 120 miles and 16000' of vert of the upcoming challenge.

Just fun and playful.

Still riding.

Still spinning.

Still filling the lungs with air,
and the legs with lactic acid.

But, with some jumps and berms and slides mixed in. 

Burned out?

Change it up. 

---

165ish?
8.5 hrs sleep
No Strength work
0 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
87

THE FIRST RULE OF BRINGING THE BIKE on a vacation is key.  It’s not hiding it the back of the van or car, and it’s not saying…

… I’ll only ride if the amazing doll house tour falls through.

Rule No. 1: Make sure the important stuff is the priority.

Today, that meant a 3.5 mile hike out to Observation Point.

Fully appreciate it’s awesomeness.

Hike back 3.5 miles,
loving it.

Even if you have a nice blister brewing,
because you never hike or wear these shoes.

Follow that up with plans to grill up some dinner at sunset.

Once everything is taken care of…

… totally cool to check out the sweet local single track.

Exactly how my day went.

Perfect.

The single is a new addition the land here near my grandpa's cabin, which is the only reason a lugged the bike up here...

... to give it a more thorough inspection in the morning.

"May the 4th be with you"

---

The view down into Zion Canyon

One of my favorite things is my folding fire pit.  Folds down, easy to travel with.

Found a place to do pull ups.

---

165ish?
9 hrs sleep
Pullups Pushups Airsquats
0 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
86

I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT AS A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME.  I’d just crushed my phone in the van’s door jamb.  Ouch.  But, not as big as the ouch that precedes…

… Is my bike okay?

 And, too think, I was really enjoying a playful moment on challenging single track in Southern Utah.

Feeling good,
confident,
and fast.

Shoulda stayed humble,
cautious,
aware. 

Going down a rocky ledge, my front wheel caught in a hole.

The bike stopped.

I arced high through the air. 

We both landed among the jagged boulders.

Nothing on me was broken.

A few tears in my fuselage.

In flight, I’d been hyper aware of my recovering cranium.

Surfergirl got to see it all.

We laughed…

… It’s only a flesh wound!

Back at the trailhead, loading my bike into the van, I noticed the cracked seat stay.

It had taken a direct hit.

Cracked halfway through.

First day of our trip.

Ugh.

Drove straight to O’Reilly Autoparts.

This is gonna sound stupid, but ya got anything to repair carbon?

Like carbon fiber?

Just like that.

We’ll let’s see what JB Weld has.

Music to my ears.

I know JB Weld can fix a cracked radiator.

Tomorrow, I’ll see how their carbon repair formula holds up.

Wish us luck.

---

165.3
6 hrs sleep
No strength work today
0 minutes recovery 
10 minutes reading + Journaling 
88

IN ATOMIC HABITS, the great James Clear, made a point about how to write a best-selling book.  He's sold 15,000,000 copies to date.  His directive?...

... Be the book.

The point isn't that we should quit our day jobs and write a book,
though that would be a good excuse to ride, run and swim all day long.

However, as I think of my miraculous progress since coming out of ICU in January...

... two things are pretty obvious.

• I'm basically following my own protocol from The 30-Day Rip On RaceDay Challenge.
• I've made a few updates since I wrote the content for the challenge

For example, for the last 10 weeks I've been in the base-building phase.

It's gone pretty well...

• Fitness is up
• Weight is coming down

... but I have lots of top-end to recover.

True power has been offline since the last races of the previous year.

How am I going to get that back?

How did I build the base?

What are next steps?

Since I'm being the book,
I think I ought to write the book....

... take all the content, update it and put it in book form.

To do it right, I think I need a huge challenge.

Something ridiculous,
that would be a real test.

A reason,
a Why?

Something you might even want to get in on.

I'm not sure what it is yet.

But, it's percolating.

Stay tuned as the rehab continues.

---

165.8
7.5 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps and Dead Lifts
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
89

TO BE FASTER THAN 99% of the competition, we need to value our 1%.  Or, maybe several 1%s.  Assuming we sleep for 8 hours, Do you?...

... we have 960 waking minutes.

One measly 1% block of our waking hours is 9.6 minutes.

What can we do with 1% of our day to get faster?

• Chop and prep a fresh salad
• Stretch
• A massage or Hypervolt session
• Meditate
• Clean and lube our chains
• Check our tires and brake pads
• PushUps and PullUps and Squats

Most of the things, like those above, we can do in less than 10 minutes...

... yet, we act like it'll take hours.

I do.

Maybe you don't.

It's not a question of if we have the time to get faster, but...

... will we use what we have correctly?

---

166 
8 hrs sleep
PullUps and PushUps and Dead Lifts
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
86