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JUST BECAUSE IT'S FREE MEANS...

SO MUCH INFORMATION, and so much of it free.  Free is a weird price, because we know it's gonna cost time and there's probably...

... an ask down the road.

Don't be fooled.

Sometimes the really expensive stuff is great,
sometimes it's terrible.

Same for free.

Price is a signal.

Should we be swayed?

I recently got an offer to save 30% on a $6000 frame.

6K!!!...

... must be awesome.

Maybe.

But, how do we know?

Really?

The glossy magazine ad?

The pro riding it to a win?

It can be frustrating.

When it comes right down to it, most of us...

... are swayed by our friends' reviews.

Like these -> https://pedalindustries.com/pages/reviews...

... which I'm extremely grateful for.

---

168.3
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
69

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?

 


>

DOES YOUR DOG BITE?

THE GREAT INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU encounter with a dog is classic.  The dog is off leash, he asks Does your dog bite? The answer is, No.  He bends to pet the dog...

... only to have the dog viciously latch on to his hand!

I thought you said your dog does not bite?

That is not my dog.

I thought about that since Surfergirl has...

  • demanded
  • pleaded
  • asked

... that I let her track me on my rides.

I feel like a dog on a leash.

The Jason Bourne in me wants none of that.

There's nothing to hide,
when I ride.

But, really?

She does have a point.

I often venture into the wild.

Signs with warnings of mountain lions and snakes about.

Trails are often treacherous to the bike, 
and potentially me.

Humans few and far between.

If, if, if I should need a rescue,
which I never have...

... I'll just need two things.

A cell signal...

... and a friend who cares.

It's kinda romantic when ya think about it,
guess we're doing all right. 

---

168.2
8ish hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
69

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

HOW MY LITTLE PRACTICE LOOP TOOK ME DOWN

I SET OFF TO POUND MY PRACTICE LOOP.  The profile is jagged, lots of single track, and...

... I'm trying to crack 90 minutes.

Today's failure is why it's so important to practice racing.

Here's the dill.

This course is very hard to stay fueled on...

... almost impossible to drink, forget about eating.

Which meant I was tuckered out, with 4 miles to go.  The last 30ish minutes are pretty dern steep.

With about 20 minute warm up,
winging it on 1/2 bottle and 100 calories was a weak effort.

Just not enough.

Strava called a Massive Relative Effort, 
giving the workout a score of 192.

I'll try it again in a couple of weeks.

This time with 400 calories, 
and 30 ounces of water,
in a Camelbak.

There just isn't time to suck on a bottle,
the bladder hose is easy to grab,
and once in my mouth,
handsfree.

Ya can't figure that out without simulating what ya might be racing...

... in real world conditions.

---

169.1 lbs (dropping some of these will speed things up, too)
8ish hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
67

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?

 


>

SPEED AND BRAKES, NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS

THERE'S A TECHNICAL, ROCKY SECTION on part of a local trail.  First-timers walk it, new riders use a slow approach, locals...

... let it rip.

They know something.

Speed makes it much easier to glide over the the treachery.

It's counterintuitive.

Disc brakes are the same way.

They rub.

We pry 'em apart and reinsert the wheel.

Soon into the ride they are rubbing again.

Why?

The pads are worn out.

You'd think they would stop touch the disc or barely work when running thin.

That's the way rim brakes work when the pads are worn down.

Not discs.

Counterintuitive.

Which why we alwaysalwaysalways check our brake pads before a race...

... so we hit the tricky stuff with speed.

---

167.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
66

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

DO YOU D.H.T.?

 WE MAY NOT BE PRO.  Our equipment may be lacking, our preparation woeful, our  focus far from singular...

... which makes it all the more impressive.

When we, you and me...

... Do Hard Things.

Just like the pros,
but on a whole other level.

They level up,
get a pay check.

Our objective has nothing to do with money, and...

... everything to do with commitment.

Here's the cool part.

People see it.

Our family, friends, work associates, neighbors, etc.

They get inspired.

Maybe not to ride 100 miles or run a marathon or do an Ironman.

Doesn't matter.

The ability to D.H.T. can be applied to anything...

  • changing diapers in the middle of the night
  • studying instead of clubbing
  • making 100 cold calls/day
  • working 80 hrs a week for a season
  • pushing a car off to the side of the road
  • leading volunteers to repair after a disaster strikes

... once we learn we have it within us.

---

169.1 lbs
8.5 hrs sleep
No strength work today
10 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling 
66

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?

 


>

WE NEED A METRIC FOR THIS

THE FIRST TIME I SAW SHIMANO'S INTEGRATED SHIFTING, dubbed SIS, I knew there was no chance in a sprint without it.  Sure we'd perfected the lost of art of...

... sprinting, letting go of the handlebars with one hand to shift.

But, what was the point?

It was useless.

Shimano changed the game, all because...

... Gripshift had changed the game.

Gripshift morphed into SRAM.

Shimano gave us electric shifting.

SRAM did it better with wireless.

How is that my new Kindle got me thinking of this?

Simple.

Kindle changes the reading game.

Which got me thinking about another game changer, Training Peaks.

It's pretty cool.

All kinds of data.

But, one metric is missing and would...

... be so funny to have.

A measurement for how bad a ride sucks...

  • Freezing rain
  • Frying pan heat
  • Mile long hike-a-bike
  • Gail force headwinds
  • Countless mechanicals

... indicating our badassness for getting it done,
not quitting.

For example, we rolled the dice this morning on a 38% chance of rain.

No big deal, right?

3 hours in, we face another hour of driving headwind and relentless rain...

... the suckometer was needling past halfway.

  • Hands were edging towards inoperable.
  • Too wet and involved to eat carbs
  • Feet sloshing

Not terrible.

But, somewhere on the ride data it woulda been nice to see...

... the badassometer read out.

Just fer fun.

See where the day's suckiness ranked against other such rides over time.

Time to go back the Kindle...

... under the blankies.

Me still cold.

---

167.9 lbs
7.5 hrs sleep
Just pull ups and push ups
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
67 

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?

 


>

LEARNING TO RIP FROM MARCH MADNESS

BALL AND STICK SPORTS are typically concerned with, and built around, offense and defense.  How do we...

... apply that thinking to our endurance addictitions?

Do we have offense?

Defense?

Yep.

Offense

  • Riding, running swimming time
  • Weight lifting
  • Racing and competitive group rides
  • Upgrading equipment - new, shiny stuff
  • Hiring a coach
  • Fine tuning the bike fit
  • Developing our handling skills

Defense

  • Recovery work
  • Sleep
  • Proper nutrition
  • Accountability partner(s)
  • Equipment maintenance
  • Stretching
  • Allies to work with when falling behind

And before you say I've misplaced one of those, we all know...

... the best defense is offense and visa versa.

That's not the point.

The point is to figure out...

... how to incorporate a great offense and defense in our limited time.

---

167.8 lbs
8.25 hrs sleep
Just pull ups and push ups
20 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling 
62

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

TWO OF LIFE'S MYSTERIES

THERE TWO MYSTERIES THAT SCIENCE can't explain.  AI doesn't have the answer, either. But's they are facts just the same.  For example...

... why do beginners get all the flats?

Riddle me that one LycraMan.

You know it's true.

You know if you invite a new, excitedtobethere, rider along, there's gonna be a flat.

Waywaywayway more often than the experienced riders will experience.

Makes no sense.

Just like why more bike shops don't have a comfy couch to wait for that...

.... just a few more minutes...

repair.

Maybe a coffee table showcasing

  • A colorful catalog of their favorite products
  • Samples of their go to sports drinks or things to chomp
  • Gotta have tools to check out

I was thinking of another mystery as I swapped out my worn disc brake pads...

... why more of us don't learn the basics of maintenance. 

---

168.7 lbs (the struggle is real)
8.25 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and push ups
20 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling 
63

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

THE PRIDE CYCLE QUEST

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THAT YOU'RE PROUD OF?  Could be anything, but let's stay on point with athletic endeavors because it's important...

... to harness this concept.

The Pride Cycle Quest.

It's also dangerous,
if we let it get the best of us.

For me, at least, it's all about the quest.

Can I do it?

And, it's a cycle...

  • Pick the outrageous result to chase
  • Train for it.
  • Do it.

... and pick another quest.

I don't really care if anybody else thinks it's cool,
so few understand us anyway.

It's internal.

Am I proud of that result?

It's only dangerous if we are chasing likes and kudos and cheers...

... from the world.

It's not about that.

It's about the quest.

It's personal.

I'm happiest when I have at least one per year.

That's my cycle of pride.

---

167.9 lbs 
7.25 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and push ups
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
62

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

CHASING GHOSTS

PATHS BECOME TRAILS, trails become roads, roads become highways.  It's evolution, and underneath it all are the ghosts...

... who got it started.

We think we're blazing a trail,
when we are really just going along with the crowd.

I was thinking about the day my longgone granpappy came to watch me race a criterium.

It was all new to me.

We wizzed past him every lap.

But, the laps were long...

... and he could barely see at that stage.

Afterwards, he told me how it was years before, when he was young.

I thought it would be in a velodrome and I'd be able to see you entire race.

Clueless me had no idea velodrome racing was the only bicycle racing 100 years ago.

Prior to that, it was racing bicycles long distance, on dusty...

... gravel roads.

In other words, we gone from...

  • gravel
  • to velodrome
  • to road
  • to bmx
  • to mtb
  • to gravel

... so why is gravel "new"?

It's not.

We're all just chasing ghosts who've gone before.

---

168 lbs 
8.25 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and push ups
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
62

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

THIS AIN'T NO TIME FOR FOOLING AROUND

WHAT IS THE BASELINE?  The minimum effort to do and consider the week a win?  It's important to have the least acceptable effort in mind...

... and make it happen.

Riding in the rain will make you think things like that.

Like, why the heck am I doing this?

Which is exactly what I was thinking as the skies opened an hour away from home.

Because I made a plan.

A public commitment.

Accountability.

Yesterday, in the sunshine and 72 degrees I committed to do the following this week:

  • 15 pull ups, 50 push ups, 10 squats daily
  • Ride 14 hours this week
  • Drop 3 lbs 

Easy to do when the weather is good, 
and the day lazy.

The public commit was to the RaceDay Rippers,
who also hold me accountable each week when we check in.

I'm two months out from my next quest, the SurfNSummit.

The plan is on my RaceDay Calendar. 

Some say Show me your calendar and I'll know what important to you...

... and yes, Date Night better be on there each week.

We have a few of the Giant RaceDay Calendars left, and you can save 25% since a quarter of the year is nearly past by using promo code:

CAL25OFF

https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-black-2024-giant-raceday-calendar

Here is the code:

CAL25OFF

Nod to the great Talking Heads for the inspiration

This is ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no time for foolin' around

---

168.9 lbs 
9 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pull ups and push ups
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
59

Do you want to Rip On Raceday?


>

HOW TO STAY SLOW...

IT'S SUPER EASY TO STAY SLOW, and just as easy to stay fast.  To stay slow, do what your slow friends do and...

... expect to get fast.

The problem with actually getting fast,
nobody gives you credit.

For the most part, they can't see or appreciate, and will never know...

... how hard we work.

And, we've got to be okay with that.

To commence,
recognition be damned.

To be fast, do what you fast friends do...

... and expect to get fast.

Do.
Expect.

---

168.4 lbs 
7.5 hrs sleep
Push Ups and Pull Ups
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
58

Rip On Raceday

 


>

WWDGD?! - 25 WEEKS TO GO

I FELT GOOD ENOUGH THIS WEEK TO DREAM of getting my fitness back and setting unrealistic goals.  Is there anything better than that?  Getting to a place to...

... dare to go for it.

After pushing hard for nearly 3 hours, we had a choice.

Take it easy or do the hurtful climb?

500' in a mile doesn't sound like much...

... unless it's the last climb of a fast day.

We were gonna skip it, and then Love Watts yelled...

... WWDGD!

Huh?

What Would David Goggins Do?!

There was no choice at that point, because all of us have streeeeeeeeetch goals this summer.

It was fine.

Slower than I'd like...

... but, compared to last week waywayway better.

And so the journey begins.

The countdown to Gravel Nationals.

Here's where I'm at.

You can see my fitness score at the very bottom.
Down from over 50%, 18 months ago.

Weight, 168ish.
Up 10 lbs, 18 months ago.

Vision is still messed up.
Way off from what I considered one of my few advantages racing off road.

Can I be ready September 8th, 2024?

It's gonna be fun, 
and frustrating.

WWDGD?

Go for it.

Every
single
freakin'
opportunity.

---

168.2 lbs 
8 hrs sleep
Push Ups and Pull Ups
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
60

Rip On Raceday


>

WHEN THE RACE PLAN GOES TO HECK IN A HANDLEBAR

IT WAS A ROUGH START, things weren't going smoothly at all.  It was causing a lot of stress and internal turmoil.  Energy I'd hoped to reserve for...

... more important sections of the event.

Ayyyy, what to do?

What I always do... 

... but, forget to do.

Think of of the things going right...

  • I felt good
  • I'd started on time
  • My prep was perfect

... other words be grateful for the good.

My energy shifted.

I calmed down.

Focused on getting down to business.

Wound up having a spectacular day...

... at the office.

Tomorrow's race should go a lot better, and if it doesn't...

... I know what to do.

---

168.2 lbs 
8.5 hrs sleep
Push Ups and Pull Ups
20 minutes recovery 
600 minutes reading + Journaling 
56

Rip On Raceday


>

YOU INSURED FOR THAT?

WELL, THE BILLS ARE COMING and I'm thinking about you and me.  For years I've looked at health insurance as lame. Struggled mentally, sometimes economically...

... to pay that everlarger bill.

Why?

I never get sick.

Rarely, and I mean rarely, do I see a doctor.

I'm already doing all they would recommend to get better...

  • eat good
  • skip sugar
  • get plenty of rest
  • and workout regularly

... why would I spend the $ on insurance?

It feels like I'm being duped.

Well, there are these events called...

... accidents.

They happen,
and are almost completely unplanned.

So, yeah, my bills are coming in and I'm happy as being at the to of the podium at my A race...

... 'cause it looks like almost all of it covered.

Sucks to be out 1000s...

... but, way better than being out 100s of thousands.

Just putting this out there 'cause I love you...

... get covered, if ya ain't.

====

Side Note:  has anybody tried insurance for bike like BikeInsure?  Asking for myself, just found out about 'em

---

167.2 lbs 
7.8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
56

 


>

DO YOU LET POWER OR HR DETERMINE YOUR HARD VS EASY DAYS?

I HADN'T WORN MY HR MONITOR FOR DAYS.  It wasn't working consistently, so I left it parked in the drawer. Until today, I gave it a shot and it actually worked...

... it got me thinking about the levels of easy.

There's so easy...

  • I can barely feel the pedals
  • I can sing a song
  • I can easily talk
  • I am not sure

... and maybe a few more levels.

My goal today was to ride as close to the top of my Zone 2 as possible, without going over...

... the I'm not sure range.

I wasn't sure, because my heart rate was bouncing at the top of the range.  Meanwhile...

... my power was definitely over into a higher range quite often.

This is how I trained for decades, when I just had a HR monitor.

What's more important then...

... HR in Zone 2 or Power in Zone 2?

I'm gonna say, for me at least, HR is more important.  It is more reflective of how all systems are working given the effort and absorbs the little efforts when the terrain or other elements require a few more watts.

Here's a real world application.

When I'm racing something epic, like Leadville, I'm going off heart rate for my pacing, and using the power meter to keep things in check when I have to dig a little deeper to close a gap or clean a technical uphill section.

The reality is, for peak performance on the long efforts...

... it's good to have both.

If it's a short race, under an hour, well, you know...

... put the dadgum gadget in the back pocket and race on feel.

Same for a long day of adventuring, who cares about the data when we're out there.

Enjoy the ride.

We can analyze later.

---

168. lbs 
7.8 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
57

Rip On Raceday


>

SHOULD WE DO A HUNDRED RACES IN A YEAR?

YA WANNA GET GOOD, be a boss, strike fear in your frenemies, be the maker of things that happen...

... instead of wondering what happened?

Race.

A lot more.

100 times/year.

Think I'm crazy?

Think it's immmm po siiiiii ble?

Then don't do it.

Don't even try.

Keep wonderin',
misreading the moves.

Or, commit.

Do:

  • 2 zwifties 
  • 2 local races
  • 2 group rides 
  • 2 of your own personal courses for PR

We all have 52 chances a year,
to race twice a week.

No excuses.
Nothing but upside.

Heck, even a brain-damaged guy like me can do it.  

This week...

  • hammering my xc race loop Tuesday
  • group ride on weekend

... slaying myself today, getting crushed by the fellas Saturday.

Gotta start somewhere.
Gonna do what hurts and what I'm comfortable with.

Twice a week.

Oh... I know you're askin'...

... Why 100 times a year?

Because, every race is different.  

We'll see a lot of different situations.  

We're trying to see 'em all, or have a reallyreallyreally good feel for what is going to happen.

Simple as that.

Experience counts.

Get some.

It's free.

---

168.6 lbs 
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
55

Are you ready to Rip On Raceday?


>

NOT GONNA LIE

WHEN I FINALLY CAME TO, I had one thing on my mind.  Not after first being knocked out, not after the morphine and other meds wore off, days after being home...

... I wanted to say one thing.

Not gonna lie.

I was hurting.

Stunned.

How could my crazy good health take such a drastic turn in seconds...

... this wasn't what I had planned for 2024.

8 weeks later, I'm improving.

I'd leave it there, but...

... not gonna lie.

I'm nowhere near where I was just prior, nor 12 months ago, nor 2 years ago.

I'm off.

I can work 4-5 hours,
then my brain needs a break.

I can ride my bike,
but I have no power,
off-road vision is shift.

I can talk to friends,
until I can't.

Something even more weird happened though.

Something few will admit or acknowledge or maybe even notice...

... when I took that blow to the noggin' it felt like my spirit left my body.

There's a disconnectedness.

I know things aren't quite right.

Will they return or is life just going to be different?

Not gonna lie...

... this is new territory.

Now, I'm being as honest and transparent as possible in all I do.

My friend battling cancer taught me that,
the freedom of being honest.

Yes, I hid it from Surfergirl that on one of my first bike rides alone I was going down the road and thought I saw 4 ducks crossing the road in front of me...

... it was just two,
that's troubling.

Not gonna lie.

I kept riding.

Lying to myself it was all good,
hiding the truth if asked.

What is easier, being honest with ourselves and those around us or pulling the lycra over our eyes and theirs?

To remind myself of my new commitment...

... I made a special kit, see above.

That's the kind of thing I was looking forward to in 2024.

New designs, 
new patterns,
new fabrics.

The good newsy stuff.

If you're into the rawness of honesty, maybe you'll like this too.

It's patterned after one of my all-time favorite Porsche's.

Check the full kit here:  https://pedalindustries.com/collections/ngl-collection

Use this promo code on this kit to save 30%: NGL30

Code expires on 3.15.24.

---

168.6 lbs 
8.5 hrs sleep
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
54

Rip On Raceday

 


>

HE SWITCHED TEAM, AND IT...

TODAY AN AMERICAN WON PARIS-NICE, an 8-Day stage race in France.  A youngun, 25 years old.  He'd never done it before, and wasn't picked as a favorite...

... except he picked himself.

A long time ago.

When riding for a less professional, less scientific team he was spending his own cash on equipment and training to up his game.

Something the top teams covered and pursued relentlessly.

He jumped at the chance to upgrade to the current dominant force in European road racing this season.

Would it matter?

I'd say it is clear.

What's interesting is how many of are trapped like a monkey...

... failing to let go, when we know we should.

Not only did he upgrade his team and training, but placed a huge bet on himself in a daring and startling breakaway with fellow US racer Brandon McNulty.

When you are a pro...

... winning actually is everything.

Way to go Mateo Jorgenson.

---

168.4 lbs 
9 hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
20 minutes reading + Journaling 
53

Rip On Raceday



 


>

HOW TO GET FASTER FOR DUMMIES

APPARENTLY, LOVE WATTS FORGOT our commitment to go easy on the way up the coast.  Which meant we had time to do the biggest climb I've done this year...

... 2 hours and 2000' of climbing for our "warm up".

At the usual time, riders flocked in and we were off.

It felt good to do my first group ride of the year...

  • to see the guys
  • get whooshed along
  • and see some higher power numbers

... until the first overpass.

Where I was off the back.

Caught on at a light.

Off again.

On again.

My breathing and wheezing needed a muffler.

On the next power climb, normally 2ish minutes...

... I needed an extra minute or three.

They were gone.

Yeah, they are nowhere near as fast as I am...

... they're a heckuvalot faster.

Am I good with that?

Yeah, they've always been faster than lit'l ol' me.

Now I just need patience to close the gap to where...

... they are less faster.

So, here's the plan that I've used many a year...

... pick a spot beyond where I got popped today.

Make it just a little further each week.

Corner by corner,
Hill by hill.

Progress > Perfection

--- 

167.6 lbs 
8 hrs sleep
No strength work today
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
54

 


>

IT WAS ABOUT THE TRUTH, NOT ARMS RACE

I HATE TIMETRIALS.  I mean, I like 'em, but, yeah, I hate 'em.  It's not because I'm not great at 'em, and trust me I'm not.  It's because...

... they hurt so dang bad.

Not only that, it's...

  • lonely
  • painful
  • humbling

... is there anything more truthful than getting passed by your minute man?

No drafting.
No wily cunning.

Nothing matters except...

... who is the strongest,
and who can suffer the most.

Oh, wait, one more thing matters...

... who's got the most money to afford the most advanced gear.

When everything tiny thing adds time and seconds matter...

... it can turn into an arms race.

I'm okay with that to a point.

Butttttttttt, don't ya think participation would rise...

... if we raced Merckx-style?

At least at the amateur level?

On our road bikes vs tt bikes?
With road helmets?
And "normal" road wheels?
And... you get the point right?

As much as I hate/love a tt, I truly appreciated Tucson Bicycle Classic for making their tt be done on road bikes the last to years.

It's just a lot more fair/approachable/inviting...

... and equally miserable for all.

That's the truth.

Side note:  I think I love XC MTB racing because it's basically a mass start time trial.  The terrain naturally and quickly separates us.  

--- 

168.4 lbs 
8.5 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 
51

 

 


>

WERE YOU AS DORKY AS THIS?

WHEN I WAS JUST GETTING INTO THE SPORT, I was such a dork.  A small percentage of you will disagree, maybe even swear at me, but nothing says...

... stay clear, like a mirror.

I know, I know, some of us are damaged and can't look over our shoulders.

Too stiff,
crap balance.

I was neither of those.

I was a spry young newb.

Excited to ride and race.

And my girlfriend of the time wanted to get me something cool.

I quickly mounted the mirror to the end of my handlebar - see pic above.

I thought it was rad.

Perfect for the high speeds and shoulder banging of crit racing,
which I loved.

Rather than turn my head and telegraph my plans,
I could take a peek at my mirror.

Nobody else thought it was cool...

... and they made an obnoxious and clear point of it.

If my hairy legs,
questionable bike handling,
roadrashed arms and legs weren't a give away...

... the mirror, made it clear.

I was not to be trusted in the bunch.

Here's the dill.

They were right.

Because let's face it, anybody focused on the past...

... doesn't have a shot at a winning future.

--- 

167.8 lbs 
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
50


>

I DON'T ALWAYS RIDE IN THE RAIN...

I COULD SEE THE STORM BREWING.  Like a crazy fool, I rolled out anyway even though I was certain to...

... get caught in the rain.

Trust me, I am a fair weather rider.

Gimme 70 degrees,
and a lite breeze.

So why ride?

Two reasons.

One embarrassing.
One legit...

  • Poorly executed work day
  • It rains on raceday
  • Commitment

Yeah, I had all this work scheduled and a timeline to follow....

... and, well, ya know, things didn't go as planned.

That's 1.

Since it does rain on raceday, and I've never let that stop me from lining up...

... it's good to practice from time to time.

That's 2.

And I committed to myself to get my slothful self back in shape.

That's 3, a bonus.

So which one's embarrassing?

  • crap planning
  • useless prep
  • silly commitment

Well, I dunno about you...

... but, I'm cool with

  • keeping my commitments,
  • being prepared for all conditions,
  • even when things don't go as planned.

--- 

167.4 lbs 
7ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
50

 


>

IT FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME!

I WOULD CLIMB ANY MOUNTAIN, ride across the stormy sky.  It seemed like I'd waited a lifetime, spent so much time in recovery...

... it felt like the first time!

The MTB.

Like it never did before,
like I'd opened up the door.

Finally!

What is it?

I guess it's just the rawness of nature,
bringing out the rider in me.

Dawgawn I'd missed it.

Carving turns,
wiggling up technical sections,
brushing the thistles,
hanging my lycra off the back in the steeps.

Why today?

Well, to be honest, today was a breakthrough on my vision.

The double-vision I've been dealing with was greatly diminished.

Partly time.
Partly exercises for my eyes.

One of you loyal readers,
one of us,
took the time to share with me a gift for everyone.

Tools for increasing our eyesight,
the kind we need to quickly assess the best way to rip it up off road (on road, too).

You can check the tool out here: https://www.readbetweenthelions.org.  Go to the K-12 program.

It's free.

Thanks Rick!

Makes me wonder what else we can learn from each other?

Speak up y'all!

Let's get betterfasterstronger...

... together.

Have you checked out https://pedalindustries.com/pages/rip-on-raceday-network?

(yeah, this post is a nod to Foreigner)

--- 

168.2 lbs 
9 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
48


>

WHADAYA THINK OF UNDULATING TERRAIN?

WE HAVE SOME WEIRD LINGO.  Have you ever heard any body, ever, use the phrase undulating terrain?  Why would they?  When you're motor-powered...

... who cares about the terrain!

Human-powered,
totally different story.

Every bump in the road and trail counts.

The longer we're out there,
the more it counts.

Sooooooooo...

... whadaya think of undulating terrain?

Do you love it?

Or, do you prefer...

  • flat
  • downhill
  • tailwinds
  • straight up
  • headwinds

... lots choices when we roll out.

Me?

Well.

There are times when I'd give my chamois pad for a flat road with a tailwind.

Days when I feel so amazing I just wanna climb and climb and climb.

But, faced with a choice...

... give me undulating.

Ups.
Downs.
Lots a turns.

That's the ride I choose.

--- 

169.2 lbs 
9 hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUps, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
48


>

ACTION WINS EVERY TIME

WHY WAS IT SO MIND BLOWING?  Yesterday's Strade Bianchi race was so shocking to me.  Because, to me, all the pundits...

... missed the point.

Sure, the favorite won.

This was the inspiring part...

  • he told everybody where he'd attack in advance of the race
  • made a decisive attack 81 km from the finish
  • never looked back
  • and won

... who wouldn't want to be able to do that?

What blew my mind 
was what the talking heads missed.

This athlete,
is a racer of action.

He had a plan,
and went for it.

Could it have failed?
Most definitely.

Could he have looked foolish?
For sure.

Could he have lost the race outright?
Absolutely.

Did he?
No.

Because he took action.

You miss 100% of shots you don't take.
- Wayne Gretzky

--- 

167.2 lbs 
9 hrs sleep
No strength work today.
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
48


>

QUESTION: IS THIS A HIGH DEMAND SPORT?

I WAS LISTENING TO SOME GUYS ARGUE about whether or not was their religion was high demand, and it got me thinking is ours?  Are endurance sports...

... high demand?

Yes.
No.

For me, and maybe for you, too...

... its high demand.

Just consider...

  • Training
  • Fueling
  • Resting

... these are the biggies.

They are priceless,
in a sense.

Which is why the are so easy to screw up,
and so misunderstood by lookers on.

We can't put...

  • Training time
  • Good fueling choices
  • Proper sleep and recovery

... on a credit card.

We've got to demand it from ourselves...

... but, is it really demanding when we love the results?

--- 

166.2 lbs 
7 hrs sleep
No strength work today.
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
48


>

THE UNCORKED ZONE

 

IF YOU'RE INTO HOT RODS, then you know what uncorked means.  In simple terms, all that junk that keeps the exhaust quiet and lawful is chucked...

... giving us that ultra loud and mean sound.

We have that racing and training, too.

And, if we're smart, we only hit it every so often.

You know what I'm talking about, right?

Zone 2 is corked.

  • easy to breathe
  • talk while riding
  • and go forever.

Today was not Zone 2.
I was uncorked, a bit.

Allowing myself for the first time in 2 months to stretch the legs was amazing.

The accompanying wheezing and gasping for air…

… I don’t know if it was hot rod mean, but it was loud.

Hadn’t heard that in too long…

… ain’t gonna hear for 5 or so days.

Time to add some intensity the smart way.

Polarized.

If ya wanna solid refresher on this approach,
take a listen to this: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-fast-podcast-triathlon-ironman-cycling-coaching/id1400770015?i=1000596124366

Simply, 80-90% of our training should sound like a Tesla...

... cruising through the neighborhood.

That way we are fresh and ready to get after it like the pic above.

Let the rubber...

...  burn, baby burn.

--- 

166.9 lbs 
8 hrs sleep
No strength work today.
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
56

 


>

RESULTS DON'T MEAN SHIFT

I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE ON THE JOURNEY, but I can tell ya this: whether you're just starting out, coming back from injury, at the top of your game, you're gonna fail...

... if results count.

Trust me on this.

I'm rebuilding.

My fitness is shift.
the skills, off.

I've been at the top and the bottom and there is one reason I was able to climb to max fitness and performance...

... I don't care about results.

I mean I do,
but they aren't the motivator.

Optimizing my ability,
having a blast.

Way more important.

Results are nice.

If they are everything... 

... quitting, giving up, and failure is on the horizon.

Don't let that happen.

How?

Relax.

We can't see...

... the great results in the making.

They're coming.

Guaranfreakingteed.

--- 

166.9 lbs 
8 hrs sleep
Pullups, pushups, squats, presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 
57 


>

ARE WE REALLY DOING THIS?

FOSTER GRANTS ASKED ME Are we really doing this? What kinda question is that...

... Dern straight we're doing it!

Was he hoping we weren't?

Was he doubtful we could do it?

By we, I mainly mean me.

Could you?

I mean, we're gonna have a brain damaged grampa who's been off the bike for months do it...

... can you keep up?

Finish?

What's he referring to?

Oh, just the most life changing ride in Southern California...

  • 100+ miles
  • 15,000+' of vertical gain

... some might consider it hard.

Others a challenge.

Most an adventure of a lifetime.

So, if you wanna support the old sack a lycra,
if outrageous calls to your soul...

... sign up.

It's free.
and fun.

Click here for deets and pics.

--- 

167.4 lbs (safe to say, it's time to get seriouser)
9 hrs sleep
Pullups, pushups, squats, presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
57 

Rip On Raceday

 


>

HOW NOT WHAT

LEARNING TO RIDE A BIKE is filled with excitement, fear, and lots of scrapes and bruises.  We press through because everyone we see on a bike...

... has a great big smile.

We want that,
the teacher wants it for us.

Finally we get it.

And, at least in my case, it stopped there.

Hall-ah-freakin-lu-yah!

What
and when
and who with

... were left up to me.

I'll be forever grateful for learning how...

... and the freedom to do it my way.

--- 

168.2 lbs (safe to say, it's time to get seriouser)
8ish hrs sleep
Pullups, pushups, squats, presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
56 

Rip On Raceday


>

YOU DON'T NEED AN ALARM CLOCK TO WAKE UP, YOU NEED...

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I HAVE with our local morning group ride is that it starts at 6:30am.  If it was out my front door...

... not that hard.

It's not.

Takes me 50ish minutes to ride to the start,
which means I'm up at 5am.

Also...

... not that hard.

However, getting to bed at 9...

... is not my standard.

I'm more of a 930-10pm guy.

Therefore, if I don't hit the hay early...

... I'm foggy, at best, the rest of day.

Plus, slower on the bike.

Oh, there's a long list of shift that results from lack of sleep.

What's an athlete to do?

Before I tell, 
you are forewarned...

... this won't make you popular.

You might lose touch with friends, 
or lose them altogether.

We all have a choice...

... live our best lives or live a lower version.

This allows to tap into our superpower...

... set you alarm clock for bedtime.

Every.
Single.
Night.

Or suffer the consequences:

  • Inhibited ability to perform
  • Decreased handling skills
  • Quicker exhaustion
  • Decreased reaction time
  • Difficulty learning and decision making
  • Increased risk of injury
  • Increased risk for illness
  • Poor recovery
  • Memory issues
  • Weight gain
  • Poor balance
  • ... Low sex drive

Like I said,
it might be socially unpopular but...

... wouldn't you rather operate at your optimum?

I would.

---

166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pullups, pushups, squats, presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

MILEMARKERS FOR DUMMIES

ONE OF THE KEYS TO RIPPING LONG RACES is remembering where you are.  Yeah, you're racing.  Yeah, you're clicking off the miles.  But...

... where the heck are you?

And, there's more than that.

  • Are you on track?
  • When is the next stop?
  • Does your support know when to expect you?

So, I always write down on a piece of tape with a sharpie my goals to be at certain locations at certain times...

... and stick it on my top tube.

This keeps all of us coordinate.

More importantly,
it keeps me focused.

The long races, 6+ hours, can be grueling.
They can wear us down to the point...

... of forgetting why we even signed up in the first place.

Looking down at the humble piece of tape,
seeing my goals...

  • engages my mind
  • re-centers my effort
  • keeps me on the pace

... snaps me back to the present moment.

I don't just use this practice for racing...

... I write down everything I plan to do,
and when I plan to have it done.

---

166.2 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No strength work
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

IS IT HABIT OR RITUAL?

THE SATURDAY MORNING RIDE.  We work all week, and with a little planning and luck we carve out some time to ride.  In the beginning...

... it takes some discipline.

Not the riding.

The commitment.

We are working to establish a habit.
For the most part, a good one.

But, that changes over time.

It becomes a ritual.

  • A set time to leave
  • An expected amount of time to be gone
  • The proper dress code observed
  • A dedicated place to meet
  • A consistent slaying of trails, gravel, pavement
  • A flogging of the sinners who are not as fit as they shouldcould be.

Yep, this is our ritual.
Our practice.
Our faith.

We made the jump.

We are far beyond
discipline and habit.

---

166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
12-0 minutes reading + Journaling 

 


>

WHAT DOES AI SAY ABOUT TRAINING METHODS USED 100 YEARS AGO?

I PINGED CHAT GTP AND SEVERAL OTHER AI regarding training methods of Belgians 100 years ago.  Why not?  A lot of knowledge is refined, regurgitated or plain ol' forgotten...

... maybe there's something to be rediscovered?

Oddly?
or, maybe not.

The answers across the AI were eerily similar.

I say eerily because who wants to live in a silo?

Anyway, 
here's the bottom line:

It’s important to note that these training methods were not as scientific or structured as they are today. Cyclists often relied on their own experience and intuition to guide their training. However, despite the lack of modern technology and scientific understanding, many Belgian cyclists were able to achieve impressive results using these methods.

Shocking!
I mean, shocking?

When it comes right down to it, is there anything better than...

... relying on our own experience and intuition to guide our training?

I don't think so.

Not when were really into it,
when we really know our bodies.

Me, for instance, I'm rebuilding my fitness.

I realized what a distraction it is to look at the data pouring across my little Wahoo screen.

  • Maybe I should put out more power?
  • Gosh, my heart rate is ____!
  • I've only gone X miles?

So, I fire up the Wahoo,
put it in my jersey pocket.

Time to ride on just experience and intuition...

... same thing I do when racing.

---

166.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

 


>

THE MOST HUMBLING RACE OF MY LFE

MY PAL PETE AND I DECIDED WE WERE REALLY FIT and that we could do anything with just a hint of training.  Racing bikes was kina ho-hum...

... so we signed up for a 10k running race.

We were so arrogant,
we rode our bikes 15 miles to the start.

We lined up in the back, 
because, you know, we were going to
squash these runners.

Gun goes off.

We quickly move forward.

Up to the top 50-100.

Really running.
Hard.

Suddenly, I notice I'm breathing way too loud.

Uh-oh.

My legs hurt,
my hips hurt,
everything hurts.

And, I'm moving backwards quickly.

Chubby guy cruises by.

Oldish lady...

... did she elbow me out of the way?

Kids are skipping and laughing and disappearing up the road.

But, it was the guy in flip flops who said...

... Hang in there, only 3 more miles...

... that really did me in.

Here's the dill.

On the outside, at the start,
looking at these racers,
I would have bet $10,000 on me and Pete.

Looking at competitors is a poor way to pass judgement...

... it's the inside, the heart, that counts.

 ---

166.2 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A LOSER LIKE THIS CAT

I was going to post this and then I went for a ride and decided it was too mean, whadaya think?... 

THERE ARE THREE MAIN THINGS LOSERS DO.  I say losers, in this case, meaning they are literally losing out.  If they persist, then, yeah...

... the other kind.

It always surprises me when people make these very basic mistakes.

Even if they are new, 
I find it,
perplexing.

I think you do, too.

Because, for us,
it's just second nature.

Probably because we have learned the hard way.

Not only that, we try and pass this basic knowledge along to every new rider we can.

Still, they...

  • Forget gear when going to a ride or race
  • Completely foul up their nutrition and bonk
  • Neglect the bike prep only to have mechanical difficulty

... and, we shake our heads.

They are losing out on a more excellent ride.

We deal with it,
they are our friends.

However, if it persists one of two things is gonna happen...

  • We don't invite them any more
  • We leave them behind

... because, well, you know they are....

How's that for setting up a shameless plug on why we do what we do?

  • The RaceDay Bag™ has a built in checklist to make sure we bring everything
  • It comes with a RaceDay Bike Check List, too, so bike is properly prepped
  • And an insane Never Forget Anything guarantee.

... that way my friends are always invited,
and never left behind.

 ---

166.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

 


>

I USED TO LOVE RAINY DAYS

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN RAINY DAYS were awesome.  Mostly, around here, it meant nobody was riding.  Not me, not anybody else.  Which was perfect...

... if I couldn't ride anyway.

You see the selfishness right?

If I can't ride,
I'm stoked you can't either.

It means nobody is getting in the secret miles.

But, that's hardly true these days.

It's not the trainers,
those have been around forever.

It's the virtual racing,
that is a game changer.

In fact, I know plenty of people who do a fair amount of their riding virtually.

  • It's available 24-7
  • Not hampered by weather
  • All the social connections of a group ride (with right equipment).

Can you blame them?

I can't.

But, I still blame the weather for my own lack of getting it done.

 ---

166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

CODDLED VS THROTTLED?

YEAH, THE RECOVER IS GOING PRETTY GOOD.  Spoke to my neuroscientist pal, who confirmed my suspicions.  It's good news for me...

... is it good news for you?

Well, yeah, if you taking the Rip On RaceDay 30-Day Challenge.

If you're not, then sit up and pay attention.

Here's what he said.

You're probably doing so well because...

  • you're exercising every day
  • not eating bread
  • staying away from grains
  • not drinking diet drinks or artificial sweeteners
  • eating plenty of veggies and protein
  • getting outside in the sunshine
  • lifting weights
  • getting plenty of sleep, 9-10 or more hours

... right?

I sheepishly said Yes.

Which was mostly true.

But, I gotta cut out all grains and all bread, even my beloved chips and salsa and special sour dough bread.  I've backslid on the diet drinks, those gotta go.  Other than that, I'm mostly on track.

Main thing I need to add is a lot more fish oil.  
Not a problem, I love sardines.

in other words, it's time to practice ALL that I preach.

So, how're you doing?  Yes, you my loyal reader.  How. Are. You. Doing?

Could you tighten things up a bit?

Or, do you need a serious crack in the head like I got to up your game?

Which brings me back to the title of this post, Coddled vs. Throttled?

Here's the dill, for me...

... I prefer to be throttled.

Put me on a ridiculously difficult course, in with the heavy hitters, tell me the honesttogosh truth...

... make me suffer!

Then, and only then, I might merit some coddling.

Maybe it's time for a serious challenge...

... and little coddling 30 days later?

Rip On RaceDay 30-Day Challenge

 ---

165.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

I WONDER IF GIRLS DO THIS?

FOR THE MOST PART, we are a healthy lot.  We skip cigars, pass up the bars.  Well, then, where's a cyclist to go to share our struggles, solve our problems...

... shoot the shift?

Dudes,
we ride together...

... and we share, solve and shoot.

That's where we get it done.

What about the lady riders?

Where are they bonding and supporting?

There are so few of them, 
mostly they ride with guys...

... don't think I've ever see an all, or mostly, female group ride.

Is that why so few ladies ride, compared to men?

Are they missing what the guys are getting?

Is that the main reason guys ride?

 ---

164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

Are You Ready For A Hero's Journey?

I DID A POLE OF THE RACEDAY RIPPERS.  I asked them If they had to pick just one bike what would it be?  They had 4 options to pick from.  What would you answer be...

... you need the options first.

Here they are:

  • Road
  • MTB
  • Gravel
  • One of Each (acceptable though hard to explain to family and friends)

It came down to a tie between two options, evenly split.

33% for each.

Gravel and One of Each.

Why?

Well, what would your choice be?

Back to Why?

I think it comes down the basic human nature...

... we want to go on a journey.

Not just any journey.

One where we are heroic,
in our own minds at least.

That, I think, is the true appeal of "gravel" (such a dumb name)...

... the appeal of a bike that can handle mixed surfaces.

On that type of bike we have incredible freedom combined with the high likelihood of finding ourselves...

... in place far, far away from our predictable existence.

With luck we'll...

  • Shed some blood without breaking bones.
  • Find out we can do much more than we thought.
  • Gain new confidence, skill, and special experience.

... acquire our own superpowers.

Is it any wonder these bikes and events with mixed surfaces are exploding?

 ---

164.8 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

 


>

WHAT TO ASK A PROSPECTIVE COACH

THINKING OF GETTING A COACH?  Good.  You can get better faster by learning from an expert.  Be it a book, a video, a podcast.  Only a human can...

... answer this question.

The answer will instantly tell you if this relationship is gonna work out.

After small talk, after the coach's spiel, when the conversation stalls...

... ask this:

If we were meeting 3 years from now, looking back, what has to happen for you to be happy with my progress?

Trust me, conversation is gonna stay stalled.

Don't say a thing.

Wait for the answer.

Listen to what is said.

Ask yourself...

... Is this the kind of person I want to have a relationship with?

That's it.

I've used the question many times over the years, usually when hiring somebody.  There are lots of variations.

It works.

Learned it from the great Dan Sullivan.

---

162.6 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
150 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

How To Build Volume 101

IMAGINE YOU'RE STARTING FROM ZERO.  How do you build volume? Are there rules of thumb?  When do you introduce intensity?  Does it matter?...

... can you wing it?

Good questions.

Short answers:

  • Build volume as fast as you can, which isn't going to be very fast if you are starting from zero.
  • There are no rules of thumb, it's ruled by legs and lungs.  Do what you can.
  • Introduce intensity as soon as you want, it ain't going to be much.
  • Yes, it matters.

Long answer.

There are a number of good books on the subject.  Anything by Joe Friel will give you a good plan.  

You don't need a power meter, mainly because you're will not be putting out much power early on.  

But, you do need a heart rate monitor.

In the beginning of the first rides, the heart rate monitor will be exciting.  Then after a few miles, it will dim.  Reality will set in as that heart rate gets lower and lower because you have no stamina built up.  After a few weeks or months, the HR monitor will serve as a governor...

... holding you back.

This is good.

Because if you're tired, you can't do intensity properly.

Introduce the intensity one day per week.  

Don't look at the HR monitor too much, instead get after it.  Could be a group ride you want to desperately hang on to, a Zwift session with same obsession, or simply chasing that mystical PR you want to breatk.

Check the HR data when the ride is over.

Important answer:

  • Pick an event far in the future - you need time.
  • Set an insane goal.
  • Get registered.

Nothing exceptional will come with your training without a date with destiny...

... that's paid for!

---

164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

Do I Really Love It This Much?

SO, IT'S GONNA WIND UP BEING 8 WEEKS OFF THE BIKE since the noggin took a hit.  If I do the ol' traditional math, that's 8 X 3 (weeks to get back the fitness for every 1 week off the bike)...

... 24 weeks, errrr 6 months?

That's hella long time.

The big question is...

... do I love it that much?

And by it, I do not mean the obvious...

... riding my bike.

I mean being in shape and the...

... feeling of being fast.

If I'm being honest, and I always am with you...

... I've forgotten what that feels like.

Surfgirl said Let's go on a ride today...

... and I jumped at the chance to ride with her support.

How'd it go?

Well, even though I was on my MTB...

... I still easily dropped her.

Nothing new there.

What was new was how hard I had to work to catch her,
huffing and puffing and legs burning...

... at a pace I recall doing for hours, endlessly.

This time it was for about 2 minutes.

Was I surprised?
Disappointed?

Let's just say I laughed out loud when I saw what Training Peaks was showing for my fitness.

37.

Yep, nearly 100 points lower than my all time max fitness just 18 months ago.

Lesson:  fitness disappears, fast.

Lesson:  I'm gonna bring it back, patiently (not my superpower, but a lesson to learn).

Who's in?

---

164.8lbs
9ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

TOP REASONS NOT TO LIFT WEIGHTS

THERE IS A LOT OF BANTER about weight training.  We should do it in the off-season, shy away from in the race season.  Frankly...

... I couldn't disagree more.

Weight training is for those who want:

  • stronger bones
  • to build muscle
  • put out more power
  • improved core strength
  • better grip strength

Who want's that?

Year round?

Oh,
well,
me.

You?

Top 3 exercises we should all be doing?

Takes just a few minutes to do a set.

Very little equipment needed: pull up bar, some dumbbells...

... or skip the minor investment.

  • have weak bones
  • look like a T-Rex
  • less power
  • weaker core
  • pathetic grip

It's your body...

... and I'm just a dude, not a doctor!

 ---

164.8lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

CONFIDENCE, WHO'S RESPONSIBILITY IS IT ANYWAY?

IN GETTING CAUGHT UP WITH THE LATEST BREAKING CYCLNG NEWS, I saw an article title and it's bugged me ever since.  Maybe I'm heartless, from a different generation...

... or maybe this guy is just weak.

The title of the article is, They Lost Faith In Me.

Honestly, I can't believe I even bothered to read it.

But, after a week of it percolating as a top article...

... it got me like a slow moving train wreck.

As expected, featured racer blamed his lack of success on the team losing faith in him.

Bro, it's not the team's job to have faith in you.
They are paying you.
Faith is there.

That's my first reaction.

Bro, them's fighting words.
Now go prove 'em wrong.
Create the failth.

Earn it.

That's my second reaction.

What happened to good ol'...

... if it's to be, it's up to me!?

Or... 

... fake it, 'till ya make it!?

In the end, I couldn't decide if I should feel sorry for a grown man having such a pathetic excuse...

... or be ticked off that such lameness made the front page.

Bottom line,
like it or not...

... it's our responsibility to be confident,
and to infect all those around us with such assuredness.

Life,
racing,
everything...

... is more fun, and, oh, ah, successful!

 ---

162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

WHAT HAPPENS IN SIN CITY...

THERE ARE SINS, and then there are things we personally consider sins.  Either way, 'Vegas promise that what happens in 'Vegas stays in 'Vegas...

... is a big fat lie.

Not a big deal.

We are only letting ourselves,
and those we committed to...

... down.

For example, the second Friday in January is known as Quitter's Day because by then...

... most people have thrown in the towel on their resolutions.

Like I said, 
not a big deal...

... unless you want to
improve,
make changes,
stay true to what matters.

If that's on the line,
we can't afford to sin,
and if we do we've got to...

... repent right away, 
and keep moving forward.

So,
how are those resolutions doing?

I had two:

  • Get to bed around 9,
    start day before 6.
  • Get back to race weight,
    under 163.

The only reason I'm mostly on track is due to putting myself in the hospital on Jan 8th...

  • appetite disappeared
  • needed a lot more sleep

... otherwise, I'd be struggling.

Which is better than quitting.
A lot better.

Struggling,
good.
Repenting,
good.
Never quitting,
Best.

Keep up the good fight.

 ---

162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

 


>

THE RACERS CREED

WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT, we stand for a few things.  And, it matters.  Because this is...

... how we roll.

The Racer's Creed

  • Access to bicycles - and anything that makes you stronger and better - should be unlimited.
  • Always yield to the In Real Life Imperative.
  • All racing should be free.
  • Mistrust tradition, government recommendations - promote bro-science.
  • Racers should be judged by their racing, not by bogus criteria like KOMs, USAC Category, age, color or gender.
  • You can be free and forever young on a bicycle.
  • Bicycles change your life for the better.

Agree or Disagree?
Lemmeknow.

 ---

165.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull ups, push ups, presses, squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>

IT AIN'T EVERY DAY YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THIS

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED RIDING?  For most of us, it was a magical time.  Each ride a little further, a little faster.  Each effort...

... a little easier.

No wonder we got hooked.

Still, 
some wonder off.

Is it because the day comes when going further, faster, with less effort is no longer predictable?

Shoot, forget predictable...

... sometimes those days have months between them.

Even years.

I can tell you this, as I impatiently wait for clearance to get back on my bike and start riding again...

... knowing I'll get better every ride keeps me hanging on.

Can you relate?

 ---

164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull ups, push ups, presses, squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

 


>

IT'S SO MIXED UP

ROAD BIKES use road tires.  Most of us find a favorite, and that's what we run day, night, rain, shine.  For MTB, it's basically the same formula.  Find a tire we like, run it regardless.  For gravel...

... ugh.

First off, gravel ain't just gravel.

It's gravel and asphalt and single track and rocky terrain.

So, a gravel tire needs to be fast on asphalt, tacky on gravel turns, nimble on techy stuff and rugged on the rockies.

What's the ol' saying?

There's fast, cheap and quality...

... you can only pick two.

But, we're racing.

We want fast, light and rugged...

... and we want all three.

Not gonna happen.

Me?

I'll take fast and light, banking on my handling skills to get me safely through the rugged stuff.

Is that enough?

Probably not.

If it really matters, 
gotta pre-run the course,
then pick the very best option...

... not easy,
but, that's what make it fun. 

 ---

164.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
Pull ups, push ups & squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 


>
BUSTING OUT THE BEATER

BUSTING OUT THE BEATER

May 15, 2023 TODD BROWN

TOMORROW IS GONNA BE INTERESTING.  I'll be doing the local race on the bike I spend the most time on...

... I consider it my beater.

Not only do I do most of my training on it,
but I loan it out when someone comes to visit,
and, I haven't done a lick of maintenance on it in months.

Why do I ride it the most?

Because it's oldish, 
identical fit to my race bike,
and ridiculously reliable day after day.

Why race it?

Well, the race bike's suspension is wonky and in need of love.

Here's the interesting thing though.

Is the ol' bike really a beater or have I just treated it like one?

In its day it was top of the top,
lots of carbon and tech,
super light.

It's lighter than my current race bike,
shifts as good as or better than the electric stuff,
and has a fork that is so plush I still giggle when it gets rough.

Ya know what I'm gonna have to do, right?

Convince myself this is fastest dern bike I own.

Which reminds me about the second chapter in my book, The Way of The Racer...

... All You Can Do.

All we can do is enough...

... not a haul pass to complain or make excuses.

---

165.4
8 hrs
1 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

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HOW TO DO MAINTENANCE MODE

HOW TO DO MAINTENANCE MODE

May 14, 2023 TODD BROWN

WHETHER MY NEXT A RACE IS IN 6 MONTHS OR 6 YEARS, this is my maintenance mode.  It's tried and true...

... and might be good for you.

Because here's the deal.

We can't race all the time.
Can't be always on.
Gotta rest.

Here's my formula for successful maintenance:

  • Know what the next A race, or could be.
  • Ride hard twice a week.
  • Do other stuff.

Knowing what the next A race, however far off, is a powerful motivator to maintain our good habits we practice when we really want to preform well.

We might drift off course from time to time,
but we always come back because that big challenge is out there.

Riding hard twice a week is simple enough in concept.  It can be difficult to do alone.  The best way I've found is to have a group to ride with on those big effort days.

For sure somebody in that group has an upcoming A race,
and their energy will get us to regularly push ourselves.

There are lots of other activities I enjoy that compliment riding and racing. Most of them involve family and friends, and it's great to connect more often and deeply than I might when living the A race life.

During maintenance mode the ride time often fluctuates wildly.  Long days when there's time, short days or skipping days when time is short.  Often, it's just a matter of taking a mental break that necessitates this...

... lack of a regimen.

I've gone years between A races, but I've always had something big out there...

... haunting me to stay fit and healthy.

When is your next A race/event/challenge?
Who is pushing you twice a week?
What can you add?

---

164.9
8.5 hrs
0 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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THIS STEEPLE IS STEEPED IN STEPPING TRADITION

THIS STEEPLE IS STEEPED IN STEPPING TRADITION

May 13, 2023 TODD BROWN

SHOULD WE BOW TO THE CLIMBING GODS on bended knee, or just admit they've broken our legs and will to ride, with ease?  Like we have a choice!...

... when it gets truly steep.

To honor the Giro, some of the pitches I battled on a stair-stepping climb today were 24%.

On a stunning 1.3 mile ascent, my pace was pathetic compared to our local pro young Kevin, who rides for DSM.

  • He averaged 10.9 mph
  • Me, 6.9 mph
  • Him 7:34
  • Me 11:54

I was well off my PR from 4 years ago, 8.9 mph and 9:14.

Which is great news.

Why?

Because today's route was beautiful and extremely satisfying in every way.

Here's the link: https://www.strava.com/activities/9065838378/segments/3092547893762368880

It had everything...

  • Nice warm up
  • Some spirited group riding
  • 3 Epic climbs

... and the best breakfast burrito I've ever had.  Kudos to High Tide for upping their burrito game.

Now I have something to work on for the next few months.

  • Dropping my times on the 3 big climbs

That's gonna be really fun to work on.

I'm not sure I'll PR any of them...

  • The first one I PRd on a group ride 4 years ago.  It's fast enough to make drafting matter.
  • The second one I hit after the spirited group ride portion, 2.5 hours in, and PRd 4 years ago.
  • The third one... see previous 2, I did PR it today but I've only been up it 3 times as it's a recent discovery.

... I won't ever be a climbing god,
but, I'll definitely be idolizing their gifts to ascend.

---

Time to commit to the RaceDay Ready regimen.

---

165.6
7 hrs
0 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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WEIGHT JUST A MINUTE

WEIGHT JUST A MINUTE

May 12, 2023 TODD BROWN

YES, I WEIGH MYSELF DAILY.  I have for years, and I record it as well.  It's such a great way for immediate feedback on what was consumed the day before...

... however, there is a problem.

Weight isn't everything.

Yes, I need to shed all the ballast if I'm going to climb well. 

My body always changes, when I gain control of my mouth and truly live by RaceDay Ready.

But, lately my weight is up a bit.

Should I care?

Maybe.

If my body fat is up, then yes.

If it's not, or if it's lower, then probably not.

How to know the difference?

There's the simplistic Do these pants make me look fat? test.

It's simple.

I put on the skinny jeans and if there's a muffin top, we gotta problem.

If the waist is same or looser then it probably means I put on muscle.

Another home test is using a scale that measures body fat. 

Generally, they are consistently inaccurate. Meaning I don't think the percentage shown would match up with a legit pro body composition measurement, but I do think it's consistent.  While it might say 18%, like today, which I think is high, I think it will be consistently high as long as I...

  • weigh myself first thing each morning
  • drink about the same amount of liquid each day

... then I can use it to track progress.

Capeesh?

So, do I care I'm up a bit.

Yes, on the surface it bugs me.

That said, I am on a very long-term goal 9 years out.  My goal is to be as strong then as I am now.  To do that, I'll probably put on more muscle than I'd normally carry because of all the additional strength work I've added to my regimen.

Also,
the skinny jeans are looking good
and the arm sleeves are fitting tight.

Nothing wrong with that.

---

165.1
8 hrs
1 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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THE SPEED OF THE PELOTON

THE SPEED OF THE PELOTON

May 11, 2023 TODD BROWN

FOR ALL OUR HUBRIS OF BEING THE BEST OF THIS OR THAT, it really just comes down to our peloton...

... who we ride with matters.

We can choose the peloton,
we not the effects.

We've all been on a blistering group ride, traveling the same route we have ridden either alone or with a different group...

... and blown away our PRs.

Keep riding with the those cats and we often go from hanging on,
to regularly pulling through,
to winning the sprint.

The peloton's speed and effects aren't accidental,
riding with them is a choice.

Choose wisely.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/dirt-dad-fund-store

The picture above is from the DIRT Dad Fund.

Dads
Indoors
Riding
Trainers

These dads Zwift together all year long...

... that's their peloton to stay in shape.

20% of every purchase goes directly to the fund to help the less fortunate members of the peloton.

Click the image to check out some of their gear.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/dirt-dad-fund-store

---

164.6
8 hrs
.5 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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OH, THERE'S MY LYCRA

OH, THERE'S MY LYCRA

May 10, 2023 TODD BROWN

GOT MY LYCRA HANDED TO ME LAST NIGHT.  The  course was nearly identical to the week before, Strava says my little ol' heart was ticking harder than last week's race...

... so, like any fool, I checked to see if my brakes were rubbing!

I mean jeeeeez... my splits were slower, and I was 3 min behind the winner and 2 min behind guys I'd battled the week before.

Whattheheck happened?

The weather was perfect for racing, overcast and cool.  Same as week before.

There's a ton of data to dig through on Strava and other places...

  • Freshness/Fitness
  • Training time
  • Effort distribution
  • Weight
  • Sleep
  • Food
  • Stress

... here goes:

Stress, I've had to decline some opportunities to give service and time lately and it was stressful to say no.

Food, I definitely cut my calories to get back to race weight last week... and skipping breakfast on raceay was a bozo nono.

Sleep, has been way off.  Getting a decent amount, but staying up too late.

Weight, I'm down 2 lbs from last week, maybe too much too fast.

Effort, last week, I went out Thursday and drilled it again then went long on Saturday.

Training time, last week was about double the hours from the week before but less than I was doing a year ago.

Fitness/Freshness, this is the biggie... and a big change from this time last year.

Monday 5/8/23 Fitness 108, Form 19
Monday 5/1/23 Fitness 108, Form 27
Monday 5/9/22 Fitness 127, Form -8

I was definitely in a better place a week ago than this week, and it showed.  

What is interesting to me is that my Fitness was quite a bit higher last year and my Form lower, but I was racing better

Let's see what happens in the coming weeks as I get back to last year's training during this series...

... hard race Tuesday,
long Zone 2 and 3 Saturday,
all the other days are Zone 1 and 2.

---

163.2
8 hrs
1 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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NO MORE STUPID GOALS

NO MORE STUPID GOALS

May 09, 2023 TODD BROWN

I HAVE A HABIT OF SETTING STUPID GOALS.  There is a big difference between stupid and audacious, but sometimes I forget...

... how about you?

It's a problem for me.

And, I blame it on the bike.

Because I have set many audacious goals over the years and accomplished them it's easy to fall into a trap by simply neglecting two key differentiators.

  • Believability
  • Highly desirable

Without that, the goals are just stupid at best...

... defeating at worst.

Why do I blame the bike?

To be clear, the bike has helped in both stupid and audacious goal setting.

Specific audacious examples:

  • Race Baja 500
  • Get kids successfully into adulthood

Not only did I believe those goals were possible, I desperately wanted to see it through.

Now, for some stupid ones:

  • Double sales in 12 months
  • Purchase a remote vacation cabin

These weren't goals in my soul, they were more like goals I was supposed to go for...

... because of some book I read,
or magazine article,
or guru. 

Therefore, stupid...

... and doomed to failure.

Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with most goals.  Nor, do I think it's bad to set goals.  But, if we don't believe they are attainable and we don't really have  a burning desire...

... they are worthless, and in many cases defeating.

The filter for my goals is:

  • Believability
  • Highly desirable

---

162.6
7.5 hrs
0 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES LIKE MINE?

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES LIKE MINE?

May 08, 2023 TODD BROWN

HAD A CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH MY FRIEND KENT TONIGHT, and boy was it enlightening and confirming.  He's a multi-time national champ...

... from high school right on up to the Senior Games.

Gold medals to prove it. 

Funny thing is we'd never compared training notes.

Probably because he's a world-class Volleyball Player and we didn't considered ourselves to have much in common...

... he had a 40" vertical leap, I had an okay sprint.

Anyway, we have a lot in common now.  

Not with sports, with age and how to preserve our health and be competitive.  

For reference, his team is comprised of an average age of 65, and they still compete in the 50's.

Legit.

Turns out we're doing almost the identical regimen.

  • Lift weights daily
  • Stretch daily
  • Eat whole foods
  • Stay away from bread and sugar
  • Hypervolt and Hyperice

He probably stretches more than I do, and for sure he warms up more than I do...

... he's doing very explosive moves.

  • Box jumps, on and off
  • Playing tennis
  • Running hard

Funny thing.

He got all geeked up when I told him about the sled.

You got a sled?

Yeah.

They're so expensive.

I know, but worth it for all the activation in my ankles.

Where do you do it?

Right on my street, confirms to my neighbors how weird I am.

Ok, I'm getting it.

Get this one from Freak Athlete.

I guess the moral of the story is this... 

  • keep challenging yourself
  • keep signing up for the races

... stay strong.

---

164.6
7 hrs
1 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
70 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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SERIESLY RACING

SERIESLY RACING

May 07, 2023 TODD BROWN

ROLLING INTO THE SECOND WEEK IN MAY and most of the SoCal racing is done or nearing done.  Road races, mostly done.  MTB races, winding down.  Gravel, kinda done...

... but there is a phenomenon.

The race series.

Some of the series are wrapping up, and some are just getting started.

One thing I've noticed, the race series seem to be doing pretty well.

  • Lots of racers
  • Lots of spectators.

From a business perspective, the various series going on seem to be taking a page out the the ski industries marketing book.

  • Give 'em a deal
  • Let 'em race a lot
  • Take all their money

When that happens, there isn't a lot of energy or time or resources left to do other races.

I can see the series thing continuing to grow and the lone races continuing to shrink.

Is this a good thing?

I dunno.

Among the many positives is those who commit to do the entire series end up belonging to a community vs just doing a rando race.  I actually think this is really good.  We need to connect more, not less...

... not just the racers,
but the families and
the sponsors.

As athlete's, it's challenging to have an A series vs an A event.  

I was thinking about this while listening to the Giro commentators discussing whether or not Evenepoel came in to the first stage too hot and he'll fade in the 3rd week.  Or, will he build such a big lead it won't matter.  

We kinda get to face that challenge if it's a weekly series, not so much if we race on a monthly basis.

Either way, it's a challenge to figure how to stay fresh and still stay fast.

I like it.

Do you?

---

162.8
8 hrs
1 Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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CHOPPING WOOD AND ZONE 2 TRAINING

CHOPPING WOOD AND ZONE 2 TRAINING

May 06, 2023 TODD BROWN

COMMITTING TO ZONE 2 TRAINING HAS SOME LIMITATIONS AND BENEFITS.  For example, it's hard to find a training partner who's zone 2 will match up, which means...

... we have plenty of alone time.

How to use that wisely?

Personally, I use to listen to podcasts or books while spinning along.  

Not any more.

I prefer unplugged riding...

  • My brain needs a rest
  • Outside has many wonderful sounds
  • All the better to hear any encroaching danger.

... because it reminds of the great Rocky IV training montage.

Not the wood chopping
running in snow
rock throwing.

Those scenes are epic, but for me it's what is going on inside Rocky's head.

While he's laying all the epic base strength...

... he's thinking.

How is he going to demolish Drago?

And, as the great Tony Robbins points out....

... the quality of the questions determine the quality of the answers.

Somewhere in all that crazy non-traditional and very raw prep Rocky finds his answer...

... maybe it's the scene where he chops down the giant tree?

That doesn't really matter.

What matters is what are we thinking about on these long Zone 2 rides?

---

164
7.75 hrs
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
30 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

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https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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ALL GEEKED UP ABOUT THE RESISTANCE

ALL GEEKED UP ABOUT THE RESISTANCE

May 05, 2023 TODD BROWN

LAST NIGHT'S GROUP RIDE WAS NUTS.  I felt amazing.  Even though I'd had a tough MTB race 48 hours prior, even though I'd lifted weights every day this week...

... the legs were magic.

I was all geeked up about it on our Accountability call.

Gushing.

Finally, after 7 months of consistently working on 2 newish moves I was feeling the results.

  •  The Sled 
  • The Nordic

For sure I'm a lot stronger than when I started, but I think that's only part of the story.

Permit me to go bro-science on you...

... I think it's neuromuscular.

The entire pedal stroke is engaged and firing because, again bro-science, I've activated all the muscles and tendons.

  • The Sled has done wonders for my ankles and really pushing through the bottom of the pedal stroke.
  • The Nordic has done the same with the engagement of the hamstrings on the back of the stroke.

Adding those to moves to the squats, box jumps, calf raises and shin raises has made a huge difference in my seated power...

... which is exactly when you'd feel it, all out and hammering on a flattish ride.

The good news, the really good news, is that nearly everyone I share this with thinks I'm an idiot.  They think it's dumb to stress those muscles.  Foolish to lift 3-5 days a week, year round, except when tapering.  A waste of an investment...

... which means I've got a long runway before anybody catches on.

Bro-science...

... gotta love it.

---

Our pals at OverTheHump floated my a coupon code to save $5 for the race plate, use promo code PEDAL23.

---

163.2
7.75 hrs
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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WWTD?

WWTD?

May 04, 2023 TODD BROWN

I HAD A DISTURBING CONVERSATION at the race this week.  It wasn't a troll, I get those.  It wasn't gossip, I hate those.  It was worse...

... it was resignation.

We've all been there, had our lycra handed to us one too many times and wanted to quit.

Said we'd quit.

Yet, here we are...

... still getting after it.

I did BWR and had a terrible race.

How bad?

Worst finish ever.

Hmmm...

And this is after hiring a coach and going all in.

Ok...

So, I fired the coach and I'm not going to do my other A race this year.

Yikes!

Can I buy you lunch and pick your brain?

Sure, if you drive to San Clemente and we go to Kawamata's.

So, what am I gonna tell him?

Because when I think about it, I already post all I'm doing here...

... and I've consolidated it all in the RaceDay Ready Challenge...

... and I have an accountability call that is a helluvalot more than a check in.

Should he have fired the coach?  

Maybe, maybe not.  

Hard to know.  

I think the right coach can be transformative.  At the same time, I think a lot of coaches are plugging numbers into an algorithm and regurgitating the output, and not much more. It's not necessarily their fault, it's what they are taught to do so they can make a living...

... a great coach makes a difference.

 

PS I'm not a coach. 

---

164
8 hrs
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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SLICING FOR SPEED

SLICING FOR SPEED

May 03, 2023 TODD BROWN

IF WE'RE LUCKY, our competitors will be just a little faster and just a little slower.  Bonus if that happens on different parts of the same course.  Because then...

... we can get on the ultimate fitness train.

Last night at OverTheHump Race #1 was just such a race.  The proof is in the following convo...

I was just trying to hang on to you and gap TR.

Ha!  I was just trying to hang on to Coxy and gap you.

We weren't the only ones.  I could see battle ensuing all over the course.  Racers very evenly matched, pushing hard and trying get away and hang on.

What happens next?

We have a week to get better, and we're all thinking where we lost a bit and where we can gain a bit.

Me, I'm thinking I can make up the 22 seconds to the guy who finished ahead of me...

  • I can drop a few lbs
  • Carrying the loaded saddle pack was dumb.
  • So was the full, tall water bottle
  • Not to mention, lifting weights in the morning
  • Or, the 2 hour ride the night before
  • I can probably get some better sleep
  • I could flip my training schedule and be more rested
  • Maybe a better warm up would help

... and everybody else is guaranteed to be having similar discussions with themselves, their partners, their coaches, etc.

We're all slicing up the results, 
looking for slivers of speed,
a little over here,
a little there.

We usually race the same course 2 weeks i a row.  I hope that happens and the weather is about the same...

... we be cool to slice enough time off for a better finish.

 

---

164.5
7 hrs
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

View Details
THE 3 EVILS OF ENDURANCE ATHLETES

THE 3 EVILS OF ENDURANCE ATHLETES

May 02, 2023 TODD BROWN

THERE A 3 EVILS WE ALL FACE.  Most of us would rather spend a few thousand on a better bicycle, hire a coach for a few hundy a month...

... than conquer the evils.

This is a fact.

In fact, it came up tonight at the races.

We were battling back and forth for quite a while.  The fun kind, bar to bar action.  My pal is extraordinarily powerful...

... he's also loaded down with too much ballast.

Dunlop's disease,
dunlopping over his bibs.

Bad for him,
good for me.

Post race went like this...

How much do you weigh?

165ish.

That's 20 lbs less than me.

That's a lot.

I've got to lose 10 lbs.

You'll be killing us all when you do.

Which brings up the 3 evils:

Sleep.  We need more.  When we get proper rest, the results are subtly better.  Enough to matter, not enough to remember to get to bed at a regular time.

Food.  We really are what we eat.  When we avoid spiking our insulin with sugary foods and drinks we feel great.  My simple rule is to eat whole foods as much as possible.

Strength.  We need to hit the weights, work the core, and stretch and massage.  The stretching and massaging is key to being able to hit the weights 3-5 days a week.

The struggle against these 3...

  • Lack of sleep
  • Cruddy food
  • Skipping the weights

... is very real for me.

Fortunately, I've seen incredible results via RaceDay Ready.

The cost of discipline ain't money...

... but the results are pure gold.

---

165.5
7.5 hrs
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
70 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED

THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED

May 01, 2023 TODD BROWN

WE DON'T RIDE IN A TRUCK TO THE TOP OF HALEAKALA and coast down in moon suits.  We are hard pressed to do a 2 mile ride along the board walk... 

... and you can forget the amusement parks.

After you've conquered a climb to the top of a volcano and had a seat of your lycra bibs thrill descending on the very limits of your own skill...

... everything else is boring.

BORRRRRRing,

Pay good money to be cattle prod in a long line,
have no control of velocity or trajectory?

Heck no!

We pay with sweat,
burning lungs,
blood.

Risks,
catastrophes,
hours of preparation.

Some say the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

We say the road to heaven is paved...

and steep
and rocky
and twisty
and flat
and fast
and slow
and windy
and oil
and abandoned
and rainy
and hot
and freezing
and broken
and friends
and enemies
and pot holes

... and full of adventure.

That's our jam.

It's hard
and challenging
and we wouldn't want it any other way.

---

166.5 (time to get serious)
8 hrs
2  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
80 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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THROW AWAY THE BOX

THROW AWAY THE BOX

Apr 30, 2023 TODD BROWN

I THINK WE'VE ALL HAD THE EXPERIENCE of being put in a box.  Maybe we put ourselves there, maybe it was a coach, or a friend...

... who observed we were good at X.

Usually it's backed up with our first win.

But, what if we won...

an XC race against terrible bike handlers?
a sprint against the plodding TTers?
a climb against track racers?

... was that worthy of confidence?

Maybe.

The only way to find out is so throw away the box,
try something new or different,
take a chance.

It's a no-lose proposition.

We might discover a hidden talent,
Confirm what we knew all along,
Or, pick up some new skills.

For example, a long time ago I built up a single-speed MTB.  Even though it was slower in almost every conceivable way, I actually became a better rider...

  • smoother pedal stroke
  • increased upper body strength

... totally worth it.

So much so, I'm thinking about building another one up.

---

165
9 hrs
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
20 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

View Details
ADVENTURE: STUPID OR SMART?

ADVENTURE: STUPID OR SMART?

Apr 29, 2023 TODD BROWN

AT 2PM, THE SUN'S HEAT WAS cooking the desert floor.  Not a soul to be seen.  I knew how to get back to where I'd started, had a pretty good idea of the long way to my destination...

... and hoped the short cut wouldn't kill me.

I wasn't short on time, but lately I'd been...

... short on adventure.

The fact that things could go horribly wrong was why it had to be done,
choosing the safe route felt like failure,
risk taking was irresistible.

The heat might overpower me,
my sense of direction be completely wrong,
a mechanical failure would make for a helluva hike.

I went for it.

Soon enough, whooshing through the dips and drops, my chain sounded terrible.

Why didn't I lube it?

Something had to be wrong, the sound was much worse than dry links.

I stopped.

Sweat filled the bottom of my lens as I inspected the drive train.

Of all the things!

The culprit, a loose chain catcher, was causing the grinding sound.

I grabbed my multi-tool, and went to work.

So did the horseflies!

Swiping at them only seemed to signal for their friends to join in harassing me.

The fix, in this case, was removal of the catcher as quickly as possible so I could get moving.

Rolling into the small town felt fantastic,
I'd tempted fate,
and won.

---

165ish
7.5 hrs
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
0 minutes recovery  
20 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

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SHE GOT ME GOOD

SHE GOT ME GOOD

Apr 28, 2023 TODD BROWN

ANOTHER TRAIN INSANE SESSION with my littlest, and I'm smoked this time.  A bunch of bouncy girls and a few guys, jumping, boxing, lifting, squatting...

... doing all kinds of whacky moves.

61% of the workout was zone 2, a little tempo, and an average HR of 116.

But, that doesn't tell the story.

The story is I'm weak; way weaker than I thought I'd be, especially during some of the moves focused on just one area, like biceps.

Another curiosity was my imbalance on coordination.  On some of the complex moves I was clearly better at on one side vs the other.

Lastly, explosiveness.  While I struggled to get my fried legs to achieve lift off...

... they looked like Peter Pan, easily floating up and twisting down.

There's a lot to be said for serious crossfitters, which is true...

... of any athlete that specializes.

---

165ish
6 hrs
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
20 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

View Details
WE TRAIN BECAUSE OF THE 2ND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

WE TRAIN BECAUSE OF THE 2ND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

Apr 27, 2023 TODD BROWN

BECAUSE THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY GOING TO A STATE OF DISARRAY we have to train.  It's just the nature of this dimension as clarified in the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.  As athletes,...

... we can be sharp and fit or far from it by regular training and racing. 

I was reminded of that when I looked at the heinous state of the van's once pristine vehicle wrap.

In just a few years, it went from sexy to shabby.

So I decided to do a refresh on the look and feel of things using the essence of PEDAL Industries.

This is our...

Creation Story – a friend asked me to produce a custom bag for his race team.  When I saw his concept, I took it to the next level with all the compartments and labels.  It was easy because I had such a need in my own life.  It took about 6 months to figure out all the fabrics to use, printing, cutting and sewing.  We’ve never changed our core process or partners.

Creed – We are athletes.  We train and race in order to be fit and ready for all of life’s challenges.  Each day we work to get a little better.  For us, Every Day Is RaceDay.

Icons – Our icon is the flying wolf because we are hungry like wolves to improve, and we fly like eagles on raceday.  I had created the flying wolf logo for the PEDALposse, but since that has been tabled and people love the logo, we’re going to use it a lot more.

We’ve also settled on Black, White and Yellow 1235 as our corporate colors.  The yellow of all our pocket linings is one of our distinctive features.  Next up will be manufacturing our bib pads with yellow highlights. 

Rituals – Our rituals are laid out in the RaceDay Ready 10-Week Challenge.

Sacred Words – PRs > KOMs.  Winning is nice, a bonus.  PRs are the metric that shows improvement.  In the end, we have only ourselves to conquer.

Non-Believers – The anti-athletes who mistreat their bodies.

... now to apply that to the new van graphics featured above.

---

165ish
8 HRS
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
75 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

View Details
IS THIS PROOF IT PAYS TO PRE-RIDE?

IS THIS PROOF IT PAYS TO PRE-RIDE?

Apr 26, 2023 TODD BROWN

THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF MY BUDDY'S MOUTH, well, they kinda hurt.  When it comes from someone else...

... it stings a little more than it should.

I gotta ask...

Ok...

How did you get second place again?!

Ouch.

Somehow it's not as funny as when I'm mocking myself.

But, some times we need salt in the wound to dig a little deeper.

Is there a common denominator?

Over the last year, 5 of 7 A races, 

  • MTB XC Nationals in CO
  • Leadville
  • US CUP XC
  • CA State Road Champs
  • Sea Otter Fuego XC

... I was beat by a local or a returning ex-pro.

Is that the difference?

The first two, was a CO local who lived in Leadville for 15 years.

US CUP ex-pro who has raced the courses many more times.

CA State, local.

Sea Otter, local.

It's weird.
I know.

You got a better idea?

Yeah, they were faster and better.

---

165ish
8 HRS
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

View Details
IT'S WORKING!

IT'S WORKING!

Apr 25, 2023 TODD BROWN

THERE IS NOTHING MORE EXCITING than knowing the training is paying off.  That is because it's so hard to know, right?  Sometimes we doubt.   It's not like you can see...

... the construction of more mitochondria.

How do we measure the little engines that can?

Power meters tell us how much power we put out,
and that's cool.

Heart rate monitors tell us how hard our heart is working,
and that's good to know, too.

Good metrics, for sure.

We can gain confidence and swagger tracking that data.  Of course, some bad data results can also be...

... a sucker punch.

Which brings me back to knowing,
now that's powerful.

For me, there isn't a metric I trust or bank on.  Sure, I'll do some checks on the local hill or get after it on a group ride that is essentially a practice race.  Those can give me a good indication.

But, there's something better.
More powerful.

It happens after a serious 8-10 weeks of training...

Building in the base,
logging hours in the saddle,
continuing all the resistance training,
being a freakin' monk at the dinner table. 

... then I taper, and go into major recovery mode.

Ideally, if all goes according to plan, 4 days out from the A race, I'll stomp hard on the pedals for 30-90 seconds.  A few times, during an endurace pace.

The day before, I'll go out for a shorter ride, and stomp on those pedals for 10-20 seconds.

My legs, will feel nothing but magical.

Then,
the doubts vanish,
and I know for sure I'm ready...

... now, that's exciting!

---

165ish
7.8
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

View Details
TLDR IS NOT THE BEST OPTION

TLDR IS NOT THE BEST OPTION

Apr 24, 2023 TODD BROWN

THE DIGITAL WORLD is leaking into everything we do.  It's not good.  In many cases, what should be liberating us is...

... watering down the bike ride experience.

We have our own version of TLDR (too long, didn't read)

Because we can be reached any time at any place, it can be very difficult to create boundaries for work and the rest of life.

Consequently, we miss the group ride or skip a nice afternoon on two wheels...

... instead we hit the trainers.

Too long, didn't ride...

... is not acceptable.

We need sunshine.
We need connection with our people.
We need disconnection from the pressures around us.

The tools to make the time are readily available,
it takes commitment and planning,
to meet up for a ride.

... and it's totally worth it.

---

165ish
6
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

View Details
A SEA OTTER CLASSIC

A SEA OTTER CLASSIC

Apr 23, 2023 TODD BROWN

I FIRST STARTED COMING TO THE SEA OTTER CLASSIC for the road races.  Specifically, to race on the famous Laguna Seca race course.  There's nothing like diving down the corkscrew...

... tucked, at 60 mph.

Except for maybe today's XC MTB race.

We start on the same asphalt and race to the top of the same hill... then, 50-100 racers squeeze into a very hardtopass single track.

Instead of tucking to hit 60, we are flying over rock and ruts and carving turns...

... to get out of sight out of mind.

I was second through the gate, the guy in front could climb but he wasn't going nearly fast enough on that hardtail...

... as I go around his left another rider goes around his right and shuts the door on us.

He's gone, and I'm battling to get through myself.

Let me just say righ there, some people are cool and know you are being held up... 

... some aren't.

He was.

As I'm closing back up to first, I completely overshoot a blind corner and go off course into the deep grass.

The gap increases to him, decreases to the hardtail.

10 minutes in and we are already catching the group that left 5 minutes ahead of us.

The trail is about 12" wide.

The only way around is through the tall grass, which requires a lot more power.

By the time I clear the first major climb of the day, 1st place is gone.

He was just a helluvalot faster.

We still have 90ish minutes of racing, which ends with one of the most heartbreaking climbs you'll ever do.

Time to settle in and go into diesel mode.  Climbing at high threshold and descending like a demon.

Every now and then I look back.

Nobody is coming.

At mile 19ish, I'm feeling good and continually passing rider after rider from the previous when all of the sudden...

... that freakin' dude blows right by me.

I pick up the pace and hang on for a minute or so, but it's just too much.

The nightmare of cramping and battling the final 3-pitch climb is amazingly fresh in my mind.  I opt to let him go and continue on at a pace I know I can hold for the entire day.

Yet another first rider up award to add to...

... the largest collection of 2nd places in the northern hemisphere.

That's the race story,
but not the story of my time at Sea Otter.

For me, this was a unique experience.  After years blogging, and nearly a year working on my social media, and months of launching my podcast...

... some really cool things happened.

People took time to stop me, and introduce themselves and tell their stories...

... why they were there, racing.

Max studied with our son Trevor and has spent some time at the house... 

... he was there doing his first race because his friends who make a really cool truck tent need someone to represent.

I hadn't seen Derek since he was 14 or so, when I was his counselor at church...

... he was there to get a better corral time for Leadville this summer.

Steve stopped by the van looking to purchase a changing poncho...

... he was there racing with his family.

Mark, who won, had been focused on the race since October...

... looking forward to aging up to the 60s.  Any time on the podium with Francisco it's a good time.

I think this is Steve.  He introduced me to his beautiful family as the guy who inspires him to get out and ride...

... it was the first race for his boys, and family trip back to Monterrey, where they were married.

This was by far my most satisfying trip to Sea Otter...

... maybe next year the race track will be complete and we'll hit the corkscrew again.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/raceday-ready-accountability

My friends, old and new, all had great races.

If you're struggling to get to the next level...

... check out the club.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/raceday-ready-accountability

---

164ish
8
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
0 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

 

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THIS MAKES YOU SPECIAL

THIS MAKES YOU SPECIAL

Apr 22, 2023 TODD BROWN

TOMORROW'S RACE STARTS ON A WIDE RACE TRACK.   We'll go straight up hill for about a mile then the course funnels down to a u-turn onto a single track... 

... to get there will be a sprint royale.

But, we can't let up because we still face 28ish more miles with 4000ish feet of elevation gain.

Just that sprint start alone would have most people bent over puking.

Looking at the course profile we will deal with 15-20 similar, punchy climbs.

The single track is treacherous enough to take a good chunk of us down.

About the same amount will experience some sort of mechanical issue.  Flat tires, broken chains, etc.

A similar percentage will battle cramps and sour stomachs.

In other words, about 25% of tomorrow's competitors will have to deal with some sort of real physical challenge.

Add in the fact that everybody wants to win, and nobody is going to make passing easy and you've got...

... the reason most people don't race.

We do because

  • We're in it for the long haul.
  • We've already fought to finish many races.
  • We are battle hardened able to take any challenge and press on.

That is what makes us special.
Different from most people.
Resilient. 

Without a doubt learning to be resilient has helped me push through all kinds of life's challenges.

How about you?

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/raceday-ready-accountability

Need some help sticking to the plan?

Join the club.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/raceday-ready-accountability

---

164ish
8
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
10 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

 

View Details
BUILT TO LAST

BUILT TO LAST

Apr 21, 2023 TODD BROWN

IT'S NOT ENOUGH to get in shape for a race this summer.  We've got to think much farther out because racing is the anchor to our fitness.  If we're fit, we are fit for all of life...

... so, what's your A race at age 90?

Work backwards.

Consider the effects of our decisions some times take decades to show up.

Good,
and bad.

Since the compounding effect of training is real...

... we think of Every Day Is RaceDay.

Tomorrow's ability is dependent on today's commitment.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/raceday-ready-accountability

Not getting it done?

Join the club.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/raceday-ready-accountability

---

165.6
8.1
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
0 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

View Details
FADS FADE FAST

FADS FADE FAST

Apr 20, 2023 TODD BROWN

SO MANY FADS COME AND GO.  It's not easy to distinguish between the good and the bad.  I have a few rules of thumb to help me...

... know what is legit.

Here are my top 2 rules:

1. When it comes to food, you know it's a fad when you see ridiculous claims on food that is complete trash.

For example, I've see Red Vines packaging printed with these gems over the years...

  • Fat Free
  • Gluten Free

... do those ring a bell?

Or these poisons proudly on the Keto train:

  • Fried chicken wings
  • Pork rinds
  • Pizza

2. Good advice endures.

For example, long slow distance is key going fast.

  • Eddie Merckx calls it piles of miles
  • Phil Mafetone preaches Zone 2
  • Joe Friel base training first

In other words, if it's been around a long time and the marketers don't have their fangs clamped down ready to suck your hard earned cash...

... you're probably in good shape.

Does that mean there's nothing new?

Not at all.  
Study the literature.
Absorb the podcasts.

Just take it with a grain of sea salt. 

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

 

---

164.8
7.5
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

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THIS ISN'T HARD, THAT'S HARD!

THIS ISN'T HARD, THAT'S HARD!

Apr 19, 2023 TODD BROWN

ONE PERSON'S WORK is another person's pleasure.  To us, it's nothing to ride up a hill for 20 minutes, or much more.  We love it, the climbing up, being in the power zone...

... almost as much as ripping and carving down.

Here's the weird thing.  

And it came up in a conversation with a committed, hard core surfer.

For reference, most of surfing is paddling as hard as you can to get through the breakers for up to 20 minutes, then floating between sets, then jockeying for position with other surfers, then paddling as hard as you can to catch a wave, at which point you battle back out through the breakers...

... all kinds of work for very brief payoffs.

2 hours in the water,
gives no more than 2-4 minutes actually riding the waves.

So why is it that nearly every surfer I know, these very talented athletes who are used to fighting nature and man, wants an e-bike?

Because...

... it looks like work.

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

 

---

164.6
6.2 hrs (Surfgirl's flight landed at 5am, that's love right there)
1.5  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

View Details
POLARIZED CHAIN SMOKING

POLARIZED CHAIN SMOKING

Apr 18, 2023 TODD BROWN

TONIGHT WAS FUN.  I hit a bunch of hills on my way to the group ride.  It's kinda sneaky, and maybe I shouldn't do it, but when you're frothy like that and everybody else is cold...

... it's just too darn easy to pin right away.

Besides, it's a training ride and I'm training for some MTB racing and those always go hard from the start.

I rode the first 5ish miles off the front.  
Strava estimated 300+ watts.  
HR was nipping at anaerobic.

It was about a 10 minute effort,
the final for the day,
I felt great.

The point is this.  If you're going to do polarized training...

... the hard days have got to be chain smokers.

Not kinda hard,
Not up there...

... all out
is all that counts.

I love these custom socks we made for the Chain Smoker MTB Race in Vegas next month.

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/custom-gear

If you want to make some custom socks...

... click here:  https://pedalindustries.com/pages/custom-gear

164.6
6.2 hrs (Surfgirl's flight landed at 5am, that's love right there)
1.5  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery  
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

Podcast:

 

Training:

 

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

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HOW 'A' RACES CAN GUIDE OUR FITNESS JOURNEY

HOW 'A' RACES CAN GUIDE OUR FITNESS JOURNEY

Apr 17, 2023 TODD BROWN

THE PROBLEM WITH LONG-TERM THINKING is that it works.  The proof is everywhere.  The challenge, clearly, is not the thinking but...

... staying on course.

Thinking is easy, doing can be hard.

So, here's how to make it fun.

  • Have a massive goal for an A race - I mean completely unreasonable
  • Have check-ins with ourselves or others
  • Measure our progress

If it's fun, it will be easy.
If it's easy, it will get done.

1 caveat...

... the A event must be a minimum of 6 months out, ideally years out.

Here's an example.

Unreasonable: I have a goal to crack 9 hours at the Leadville 100 when I'm 70.  To the best of my knowledge it as never been done.  How's that for unreasonable?

Check-in:  I plan to do the race, and a few similar races, between now and then.

Measure:  I know where I need to be in terms of fitness, and I track those metrics daily.

The best part is the benefits that come with a true A event...

  • I'll maintain maximum fitness, with the accompanying ebbs and flows of seasons.  
  • I'll arrive at 70 in far better shape than if I didn't have such an outlandish goal.

As the great Socrates said:

The beginning of wisdom is defining the terms.

In other words...

... let your A event guide your fitness journey.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd

164.8
8.2 hrs Sleep
1.5  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

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TIPPING THE SCALES IN OUR FAVOR

TIPPING THE SCALES IN OUR FAVOR

Apr 16, 2023 TODD BROWN

PIANISTS PRACTICE SCALES to get familiar with the notes and chords.  We do the same every time we ride.  In both cases, the most important result is...

... opening the pathways to reach the desired actions.

The end product is confidence and ease, and magic.

My pal Merlin is a true magician on a keyboard.  He can play anything, in any style, on anything with keys.  Last week, before a workout, he made my grandmother's old, salt-air-destroyed piano sound amazing.

Like a pro on an old and rusty bike schooling all the hotshots.

It's not the piano,
not the bike.

It's the player who has played the scales,
the rider who was logged the miles.

There is no substitute for time in the saddle when it comes to handling.  

Leaning.
Sliding.
Sprinting.
Jumping.
Braking.
Dodging.

Just riding outside improves these skills.
Honing them requires specificity.
PRs and Podiums follow.

Yesterday, my son Trevor joined me on a ride.  First time for him in years.  He raced very successfully from 2013 to end of 2014.

Dad, would you consider this riding to be technical?

Yes, a lot of bones have been broken on this trail.

Are you surprised I'm keeping up?

Slightly, but I'm astonished at your ability to talk when we climb.

My heart rate is 189!

Ha ha ha!... mine's 152.

Give me a few months.

How, how, how could that punk be so fast downhill with zero riding and keep up climbing without wheezing?

He'd done his scales.  
He still has the smoothest pedal stroke I've ever seen.  

We can't purchase the pathways, but...

... we can earn them.

---

Podcast:

 

Training:

 

---

164
8 hrs Sleep
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling 

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SLOW AND LOW LET YOURSELF GO... FASTER

SLOW AND LOW LET YOURSELF GO... FASTER

Apr 15, 2023 TODD BROWN

MY FRIEND CALLED UP after a rather severe concussion and asked if I'd teach him some bike skills.  He'd been riding his bike, crashed, somehow made it to a hospital, and then spent 2 days there...

... now he wants to get back on the bike that bit him.

He shows me the scars.

Yikes!

I don't remember anything.

Nothing?

The Garmin says I was going 23mph and immediately stopped.

If we were kids we'd laugh.  He's an adult, with a career and a family.  Getting back on his bike...

... is important to him.

Let's get started.

I'm somewhat shocked at the difficulty he has getting going, just clipping in and taking the first pedal stroke.  There are two reasons:

  • He hadn't really ridden much for 20+ years, prior to the crash.
  • He's been on Zwift a lot (I'll get back to this).

This was going to be a challenge.

As a lifelong rider and outdoor enthusiast, it hadn't occurred to me how far most adults' abilities to balance and control their bodies when in motion could degrade. Handling a bicycle with the inherent speed, myriad obstacles would be frightening.

Could you roll off that low curb there?

It would be terrifying.

What would you do?

Here's what I did.

First we simply rode, I'd chose a desolate road with zero cars.

Keep your elbows slightly bent, your hands firm and your fingers looped around the bar.

We practiced lazy, swooping turns.

You've got to keep your outside foot down.

Things that are so automatic for me, and probably you, we don't even call them second nature.  It's just the way we do it.  Naturally.  Every time.

Keep your chin up, you need to be looking far ahead because things happen fast out here.

Our speeds were very slow as we moved into figure 8s.  Large at first, then we kept shrinking the space.

Do you feel all those muscles firing to keep you upright?

I do.

It is tiring?

It is.

That's because you are nervous and weak.  We are going to fix that by mastering riding slow.  Then, we can go fast.

Ok.

I could tell one leg was clearly being favored and more coordinated so I introduce the one-legged pedaling drill.

  • Let your right foot hang
  • Pedal with your left leg
  • There shouldn't be a dead spot
  • You should have constant power all the way around.

His pedaling was more like stabbing straight down.

That's very common, to have a dead spot like that.

How do I fix it?

Do this drill, first thing at the start of each ride on a flat street in an easy gear.  Both legs, 1 minute each side, 3 sets.

What else?

When using both legs to pedal, imagining you are simply sliding your feet back and forth can be very helpful. 

Clearly, he was having a good time.  The turns were getting better, the posture better, the confidence increasing to the point...

... we rode off the terrifying curb many times.

The most impressive thing to me was his humility and openness to doing some unconventional Miyagi-like training.

We're a long way from sprinting and railing corners or joining a big group ride, but we'll get there.  I'm sure of that.

I was so happy for him, and left him with these words.

Keep it fun and playful.  Take your kids to the school tomorrow for some hide and seek on bikes.  All that starting and stopping and tight turns will do wonders for your bike handling and confidence.

---

As for Zwift, I'm not scientist and I have zero data but I sure as heck think...

... it's a big factor in the declining handling skills of riders.

Get outside whenever possible.

Podcast:

 

Training:

 

---

164.8
7 hrs Sleep
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

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YOU GET THE IDEA

YOU GET THE IDEA

Apr 14, 2023 TODD BROWN

I NEEDED THIS RIDE.  It had been weeks, months perhaps, since I'd experienced this kind of ride.  Some might call it selfish...

... for me it's necessary.

Like breathing.

What happened?

Before the sun rose, I took care of the basics.  Customer service, a few production issues, some a/p and a/r.

Now, it was time to ride without purpose or agenda or goals.

The ideas gushed.
Things to be improved.
New initiatives to be launched.

I pulled into a hidden spot, and enjoyed a warm drink and a soft cookie...

... a new thought.

Call your friend, he needs you and has asked you to call him several times.  Call him now.

The next hour, we caught up.  He has a real battle on his hands, the kind you never want to lose.  Having crossed the chasm he faces, I shared with him what wisdom I had gleaned on my journey.

Will it help?

That's not the point.
It was the call that mattered.

Ideas are nothing,
without action.

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

Podcast Version

Miracles are happening.

---

165.5
7 hrs Sleep
0  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

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DREAMS COMING TRUE

DREAMS COMING TRUE

Apr 13, 2023 TODD BROWN

ONE OF MY EARLIEST COLLABORATIONS I dreamt about, was with the Leadville Trail 100.  In my mind it was so obvious...

... a bag to remind us about the A race we're training for.

Heck, the RaceDay Bag™ was inspired by my second Leadville 100 when...

... I forgot my shoes!

Yep, I'm that guy.

When I saw the Leadville version of our RaceDay Bag presented as their feature product today...

... another Leadville dream had come true.

People train months, years just to finish this incredible Race Across The Sky.

  • 105 miles
  • 12,000+ feet of vert
  • Start line at nearly 11,000'

For most of us mortals, it is the hardest thing we will ever accomplish, which is why the mayor originally accused Ken...

... Are you trying to kill people?

It takes a powerful vision to stay on track and cross that finish line...

... I'm so stoked to be part of this giant challenge.

Check it out.

https://leadville-race-series.myshopify.com/products/leadville-race-series-xl-pedal-bag

 

https://leadville-race-series.myshopify.com/products/leadville-race-series-xl-pedal-bag

---

165.9
7.5 hrs Sleep
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

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THE SPIRIT IS WILLING BUT THE BODY IS WHEEZING

THE SPIRIT IS WILLING BUT THE BODY IS WHEEZING

Apr 12, 2023 TODD BROWN

I'VE HAD A FRIEND BUGGING ME to join me on my daily workout.  He's a lifelong athlete, but has let things slide the last few years.  So, when I set up him up on the sled...

... let's just say it wasn't sliding.

It didn't occur to me that it would be hard for him.

I slide 180lbs easily.

Last week,
Bryson did it no problem,
14 year old Myles did it no problem.

But, I shoulda known when he was winded after 50 jumping jacks...

... this was all gonna be a problem.

That's the thing about resistance training.  Done right, it takes months not days to be able to easily move things around.

I removed 80 lbs from the sled.
Too easy.

Added 40 back.
Kinda doable.

Shoulder press, I had him use the 15 pounders.
Same for squats.

That's where I started.

I could tell he was bummed when I used the 40s and the 70s on the same exercises.

It takes a while.

Let me do a few more reps.

You're doing fine.

Nobody wants to hear this, especially a proud athlete.

But hear this!

According to Dr. Peter Atilla...

... regular physical exercise trumps everything for longevity.

He winced barely doing a nordic.

Skipped the box jump.

Will my pal be back?

For sure.

And next time his neck straining pull ups and his head only push ups...

... will be heavily mocked.

Friends don't let friends be weak.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd

165.3
8.7 hrs Sleep
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
0 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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HOW A TURKEY GOT US OUT OF A TICKET

HOW A TURKEY GOT US OUT OF A TICKET

Apr 11, 2023 TODD BROWN

'ROUND THESE PARTS there are a lot of friendly drivers and cyclists.  Often when we all hit a stop sign together, the cars wave us through.  We all think this is great...

... officer Friendly felt differently.

He was ticked.

Siren wailing, 
lights flashing,
badge and gun threatening.

What the heck do y'all think you're doing.

Uh, well, the cars were stopped and waved us through.

I don't care.

Ok.

Maybe one of the cars doesn't see you and pulls out, what about that?

You're right.

You have to obey the law just like the cars.  Licenses.  All of you.

It wasn't really all of us because the yahoos who started the stopsignrunning sprinted on home...

... just the suckers remained.

Officer Friendly kept firing questions and answers and scenarios.

Big O', our man from Turkey, took command.

You're right.  Yessir.  You're definitely right.

And then he landed the real reason he stopped us...

... I've seen tow trucks run that very sign at 35 miles an hour!

This man, this officer, has seen too many casualties and he was...

... extremely upset at our stupidity.

Like all good people doing good work...

... he loves and cares for the people he serves.

Big O' connected with him on a personal level, he empathized with the many tragedies this man has seen and will see.

Y'all were lucky today, not as lucky as the motorcyclist who was just hit. I have to go.  Don't let me see you do that again!

Yessir, thank you for the warning and for caring, sir.

It is a quandary.  

We do often get intersections at the same time and drivers often do wave us through...

... better to error on the side of caution.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd

 

165.8
7.2 hrs Sleep
1  Circuit of RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
20 minutes reading + Journaling 

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SAVED BY THE SEALANT, WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE

SAVED BY THE SEALANT, WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE

Apr 10, 2023 TODD BROWN

I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT ANDY'S HEROIC EFFORT on Saturday.  First blocking for me, then riding in a break until it died...

... and bridging across solo to join me.

But, wait there's more!

We kinda screwed this up, 
and I don't want you to do the same thing.

Half way through lap 2, on our way to the turnaround his tire sprung a leak. 

I have a flat.

Are you tubeless?

Yeah, but it's not sealing.

Front or rear?

Front.

Because the tubeless tech is so good now, we rarely flat.  If we spring a leak, it usually seals so quickly we don't even know there is an issue.

Rather than slow a bit to see if it would seal we shoulda stayed on the gas, and pedaled hard.

We didn't slow much, but maybe it was just enough to give those jokers chasing us hope?

We'll never know the answer to that...

... but, we do know it's likely gonna seal and we should press on.

Because it was a championship race and we were only there to see if we could win it...

... neither one of us carried any darts or repair tools.

Unusual, but not unprecedented.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/on-bike-raceday-bags™/products/pedal-industries-mini-raceday-bag-2-0-isd

If it had been an epic quest kind of race, like Leadville or LoToJoa or Ironman... 

... we definitely would have had our mini bags ready to go.

They ship free.

Work great.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/on-bike-raceday-bags™/products/pedal-industries-mini-raceday-bag-2-0-isd

166.1
7 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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EASTER EGG HUNTING FOR BIG KIDS

EASTER EGG HUNTING FOR BIG KIDS

Apr 09, 2023 TODD BROWN

I USED TO NOT LIKE EASTER, or Christmas.  The idea of some kooky lie, like a jolly fat guy in the chimney or an egg-laying bunny really bugged me...

... until today. 

I finally got the connection via the Urban Dictionary.

Easter Egg: A hidden item placed in a movie, television show, or otherwise visual media for close watchers.

Close watchers.

What are we, in terms of endurance sports, if not close watchers?

We are always on the lookout for the slight improvement.  

Maybe it's in a race, or a group ride?
A YouTube video or social media?
A mentor or friend?
A book.

When we watch closely we find the Easter Eggs, the knowledge few see or take the time to ponder... 

... we can make real improvements.

What we consume matters.

https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/pages/raceday-ready-2023-ala-todd

Part of the RaceDay Ready Challenge is reading 30 minutes a day.

Not phone scrolling.

Diving deep into the great wisdom literature...

... finding our own Easter Eggs.

166.8 (no peeps for me!)
8.2 hrs Sleep
No Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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HOW TWO OLD FRIENDS ROLLED THE DICE AND GOT AWAY

HOW TWO OLD FRIENDS ROLLED THE DICE AND GOT AWAY

Apr 08, 2023 TODD BROWN

LAST NIGHT SOMETHING WIERD HAPPENED.  Usually, the evening before a targeted race I'm a little wound up. Not this time, with the State RR Champs on the line...

... and I think it made all the difference.

We had takeout, lasagna and meat balls, and pulled up Ted Lasso.

It's a terrific feel good, comedy, one of the few shows we watch together.

After one episode we cleaned up and were about to wind down.

Want to watch the next episode?

Sure, why not.

The next thing I know, I'm spread out on the couch and pounding popcorn and laughing and just having a great evening.

You know what?

What?

I don't think I care about tomorrow's race at all.

Why?

I dunno, this is just so much fun and so relaxing... I guess, I've also accomplished my big goals for the first half of the year.

Hmmm.

And... you know all the hitters are going to be there tomorrow.

You'll feel different in the morning.

Maybe.

I did, kinda.

I slept wonderfully, didn't give a thought to the race.  I was more excited that Andy, who just finished a 70.3 Ironman the previous Saturday, was coming and wanted to run PEDAL Industries colors.

For context, we haven't been on the same team for 30ish years and even then we were different categories.   He moved south, we raised our families, I got into MTB.  LIfe. 

So, there we are.  A couple of yahoo's who haven't raced a road race in CA for 4 years.

  • A tri guy
  • An MTBr

Unlike the explosiveness of the road, with attacks and tactics, we've been honing our endurance.

I got no top end.

Me neither.

We gotta go early.

Yeah, I'm thinking 2nd time of up the climb (we climb it 3 times).

We gotta go earlier.

Ok.

We have nothing to lose.  He is crushing triathlon, on his way to Xterra Worlds.  I'm already tickled with the year's start.

The race begins at the top of the finishing climb and promptly drops 2 miles to a 120 left hand turn...

... a big enough deal for a neutral roll out.

At the left hand turn, there is a little rise and I just stand on the pedals to get my blood going.

I look back and no one is chasing.

Ok, let's go a little further.

I already wanted to make the race hard because a who's who of local roadies had shown up and our fields 55+ and 60+ were combined with 50 or so racers...

... we both needed to get away from the climbers.

The moto comes up.

You're at 30 seconds.

Really?

I press on.

50 seconds.

At the turn around, I start counting and the moto confirms.

A minute 30.

All I could do was laugh.

Emilio told me post race, 

When you went I knew it was going to be a problem.  Nobody knows you, but I knew you could stay out there all day.

At the bottom of the climb the moto comes up.

1:50.

I can't freakin' believe it.

The climb is not terrible, 2 miles and 400', it is a power climb.  I stayed right at threshold wanting to conserve my energy and get to the turnaroud before group...

... I figured they'd catch at the top of the first lap.

Nope.

Now I've been off the front for 15 miles.

I start counting seconds and who do I see?

Andy!

He's got about 20 seconds to make up and about 40 seconds on the group.  

I hold up.

It seems eternal before he latches on.

Unbelievable... 

... something we'd always wanted to do.

We started rotating.

40 seconds.

50 seconds.

1 minute.

At the turnaround, half way through the race, 4 riders make it across...

... one of the true hitters.

Dougie.

We press on.

Doug and Jon are strong, the other two start skipping pulls.

Doug is legit.  Current National Road Champ, last year's National Crit Champ.  

Jon and I have only raced once, and he bridged across a gap and easily beat me.

I'm worried.

Can I make it to the turnaround and out to lap 3.

Yep.

As we are heading back out the valley, we are moving smoothly. We lose one of the pull skippers and I try and take the other off the back.  He's determined not to do his share. 

So, Doug and I will battle for 60+ and Jon and Andy and skipper will fight it out for 55+.

At the turnaround, with 7.5 miles to go... 

... I see Emilio, alone.

Closing.

Uh-oh.

We are good friends and know each other well.  He's a National CX Champ, and more.  Generally, he smokes me on <2 hour races and I can sometimes get him on > 4 hour races.

Then, I see the charging group about a minute back of Emilio.

We gotta go.

Keep the pace high.

We hit the climb.

Andy sets a steady, fast pace.

I feel mostly good, with a few cramp twitches in my lower legs.

Doug hits us.

We all withstand.

With a mile to go, Doug is vicious this time...

... I'm holding, then I'm not.

He's gone.

Jon and skipper are coming back to me and Andy is really fighting but losing a bit of ground.

Where is Emilio?

When I'm sure Emilio isn't going to catch us, I slow down the pace hoping the other two won't come around and Andy can catch on so I can lead him out.

We're too exhausted.

I'm 2nd in 60+
Andy's 3rd in 55+

And, that is how two old friends rolled the dice to get away and had...

... the best day of racing together, ever.

There's a saying, 

You gotta risk it
to get the biscuit.

To do that is hard, I have to detach my ego from the outcome and be willing to lose.  

Had we been caught, I'm guessing I would have been dropped on the last climb and finished way down the pack.  It wouldn't have mattered, being off the front with Andy was the best.

On our podiums.

Honored to make this podium.

Andy and ...

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™

The power of a Giant calendar, with the races that matter marked in Sharpie is demonstrably powerful.

It's been a crazy past 2 months, and I've decided to skip BWR so I can recover for Sea Otter.

Get one.

They ship free.

Just a few left.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™

----

166.5 (gained 3 lbs relaxing last night)
8.2 hrs Sleep
No Resistance Training
20 minutes recovery 
20 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

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ROADIES GONNA BE ROADIES

ROADIES GONNA BE ROADIES

Apr 07, 2023 TODD BROWN

WHAT IS IT WITH ROADIES?  I'm sure I'm the one who's wrong here, actually no I'm not, this is craziness for the State Championships tomorrow where...

... 90% of racers signed up in the last week?

This is a roadie thing!

It's partly a hangover from the good ol' days of packed calendars and packed fields...

... but, I think it's also something else.

As dumb as this sounds, as silly as this is, I think people hold off on signing up because...

  • they want to see who the competition is
  • surprise everybody at the last possible moment.

There is a big problem with that, which is why I try never to do be a last minute signerupper...

... it creates all kinds of stress for the promoter.

Think of that poor person.

They are usually promoting out of pure passion.  There is no money in local bike racing, so for hecksakes...

... register as soon as possible.

Help a promoter out.

Nobody is surprised that the local national and state champs, the heavy hitters and their henchracers are gonna show up...

... and everybody wants to go to an event that is well attended.

In the heyday of road racing, late 80's and early 90's, fields were packed and events sold out.

No internet promotion,
No social media,
wordofmouth,
and flyers.

Gravel races and MTB races currently sell out all the time...

... because people sign up early.

Am I wrong?

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lotions-for-speed-comfort-and-recovery

I'll tell what would be wrong... showing up without my PR Lotion tomorrow.

Save 25% and free shipping with promo code SIGNUPEARLY

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lotions-for-speed-comfort-and-recovery

----

163ish
8ish hrs Sleep
No Resistance Trahing
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

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BIKE PREP 101

BIKE PREP 101

Apr 06, 2023 TODD BROWN

 THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK a race, the chief being the bike.  Bikes don't win races, but they sure can make things a lot harder...

... or a lot easier.

As I went through my checklist, I found a few issues:

  • Rear brake pad smoked
  • Sealant dried out
  • Battery low

It's kinda nice to have brakes that work, especially with a ripping downhill like Saturday's.  

The course should be in pretty good shape, but that doesn't mean a small wire or piece of glass couldn't be a day-ender without sealant.

And c'mon...

... ya can't ride these modern bikes without good batteries.

And, I'm not just talking about the derailleur batteries.  Many of the shifters have their own small batteries.

I have made the mistake of not checking the shifter batteries.

Heck, I didn't even know about them until the start of the Filthy 50 a couple of years ago.  I didn't warm up, just saddled up and headed to the start.

Typically MTB XC start... everybody pinned to get to the single track first...

... I got there last.

Shifter was dead, I was spun out and then spit out.

15 minutes later, with some help from the mechanic on site, I was back at it.

Which is exactly why I came up with the RaceDay Bike Checklist, and made it into a sticker.

https://pedalindustries.com/products/raceday-ready™-checklist-stickers

For about a year now we've been shipping the stickers out with each RaceDay Bag purchase.  They're great for tool boxes and benches.

Here's a link to check 'em out: 

https://pedalindustries.com/products/raceday-ready™-checklist-stickers

----

163ish
7ish hrs Sleep
Just PushUps and PullUps today
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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LESS WEIGHTY MATTERS, UP THE PROTEIN

LESS WEIGHTY MATTERS, UP THE PROTEIN

Apr 05, 2023 TODD BROWN

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 4 YEARS OUR STATE ROAD RACE is back on the calendar.  This Saturday we'll get after it, so I thought I'd do...

... some light research.

To be honest, I was hoping the last time was in 2018.

5 years ago I was 10 pounds heavier, the low 170's is where I'd been for years...

... during 2018 is when I started cracking the code.

Turns out I'm right about where I was the last time I did this race, low 160's.

Is anything else different?
Is there any other reason to hope for a better outcome?

Yes,
and No.

I'm not as battle hardened for road racing as I was back then.  We would hit the road hard every Tuesday and Saturday in prep.  Plus, I'd competed in other road events.  

Road tactics and strategy don't worry me, too much.  Knowing who's who doesn't either.

Maybe those should be concerns?

While I'm tipping the scale about the same, I'm a lot stronger from doing the RaceDay Ready Challenge.  

While my top end and explosiveness (what little I have) is down some, MTB racing has increased my ability to ride at Threshold for a long time.

While I don't have Coach Brian McCulloch helping me hatch a plan... 

... last time it was to wait for the sprint...

... I have hatched a pretty good plan.

Saturday we'll be mixed in with the next age group down and the age group above, about 40-50 racers.  That will make it interesting because few will know exactly which category the others are in.  

There are a few racers I've marked, hopefully I have it right...

... and nobody cares about lil' ol' TB.

But, you don't care about that.

You want to know how I lost the 10 and kept it off for 5 years.  

I was thinking about that this morning as I made Kodiak Cakes.  
28 grams of protein in 3 pancakes.

Upping my protein and reducing my carbs was, is, will continue to be, a key piece of Ripping On RaceDay.

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

----

162ish
8isk hrs Sleep
Just PushUps and PullUps today
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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INTERVIEW WITH BRAD KEYES, FOUNDER OF CarboRocket

INTERVIEW WITH BRAD KEYES, FOUNDER OF CarboRocket

Apr 04, 2023 TODD BROWN

I LOVE CARBS, YOU LOVE CARBS, WE ALL LOVE CARBS.  As athletes we pick and choose when to indulge and more importantly...

... when to use carbs for performance.

So, I had a chat with my bro Brad Keyes, founder of CarboRocket, who might just be...

... the best bro scientist I know!

  • Legit racer
  • Product that solved his problem

A few samples from the podcast:

What is the origin story of CarboRocket?

I used to throw up after all my races, so I make something that worked for me.  Gave it to a few friends.  Got an order from a bike shop. Mixed the first batch in my basement.

What is your background?

I have a degree in Native American Studies, I also have a lot of friends who are top notch nutritionists and scientists.

Have you always been an entrepreneur?

Not at all.  I was in the mortgage industry for 20 years.

How did you come up with your breakthrough product, Half Evil... you were way ahead of the establishment with 333 calories per bottle?

Do you own your own manufacturing?

What's the magic formula for calories per hour?

What are the advantages of beet juice for pre-race nutrition?

What about beet juice during a race?

What are you thoughts on post race or hard training nutrition?

Should we be drinking a gallon of water a day?

Why does Half Evil have glucose and fructose?

Why do we cramp and what can we do about it?

Does alcohol affect performance?

Are you faster on a singlespeed or a geared bike at Leadville?

Catch the full-interview here on the podcast,
or here on YouTube.

https://carborocket.com

If you want to try CarboRocket... Brad gave us a killer promo code to save 25%.  

The code is:  RDR

 

https://carborocket.com

----

164ish
7.5 hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery 
80 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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SAINTS, SINNERS AND WILL POWER

SAINTS, SINNERS AND WILL POWER

Apr 03, 2023 TODD BROWN

THERE IS A BIKE RACE FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO LAS VEGAS called Saints to Sinners.  It's a relay race.  I wish it was called Sinners to Saints.  Not because there is a prevailing headwind blowing east, I just like the idea...

... ending up a saint vs a sinner.

Today, we lost a saint..

A few years after selling Dragon Alliance,
18 months PRing IronMan St George,
12 months after his diagnosis,
6 months after helping me
launch our Tri bag,
he's gone...

... to race in the heavens.

We met in college, in a fraternity.

I didn't get him at the time.

We were friendly, but I thought he was arrogant.

That's on me.

My insecurities and my inability to read people who are simply a lot smarter than me kept me from appreciating Will.

We reconnected here in San Clemente.

Once he retired, he got out his hammer and chisel to reclaim the fitness he'd enjoyed as a young man.  He went from doughy hanger onner, to a lean, happy...

... watt producing machine.

Few recognized him at first.
It was an astonishing transformation.

Why wouldn't it be?

He'd transformed an idea; from his garage to a successful business. 

More importantly, he'd transformed himself into a wonderful husband and father.  

Along the way he'd found time to serve his local community, and guided many people to a higher way of living...

... closer to the Great Spirit.

Will was so kind to me, and a champion of my little business.  He spent hours sharing Dragon stories with me, and how to do things better...

... because he enjoyed seeing others succeed.

Maybe that was his secret.

I'll miss him,
his intellect,
his spirit.

Heaven got a good one today.

 

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HOW MANY CHARITY RIDES SHOULD I DO THIS YEAR?

HOW MANY CHARITY RIDES SHOULD I DO THIS YEAR?

Apr 02, 2023 TODD BROWN

DURING THE LAST MILE OF THE LAST LAP, in a tough battle for second place, we entered a nest of high speed berms.  I made it through cleanly...

... another racer didn't fare as well.

I could hear his tire give way,
glanced over to see his legs in the air,
followed by a gnashing of machinery and body.

Should I stop?

My competitor got around him, 
kept charging hard after me.

I was thinking about that today after an order for JDRF came through.  JDRF is a charity that helps those in a real battle...

... of life and death.

JDRF isn't just putting on ride to raise money to cure Type 1 diabetes, they are connecting people who might not otherwise get to know each other.  People from varied backgrounds, religions, political philosophies...

... are united in a common cause.

Uniting our hearts and minds is always an offshoot of charity.

This is why we are encouraged, commanded to be charitable.  Yes, to help each other for sure.  More importantly to unite us and see each other's humanity through working together.

I didn't stop to help the fallen racer.  

I told myself, I'll be finished in less than a minute and will report it as soon as I cross the line.

Here's the shame of it.

At the line were Surfergirl and our son and grandson. The other person's pain and potentially bad injury were quickly forgotten.

Was he okay?

Yes, for sure.  No ambulances were called or medics alerted.

Should I have stopped?

I dunno.

We were all racing, all doing our dangest to finish fast.  We know the dangers.  97% of the time, we pop up and ride on...

... shaken, bruised, not broken.

Had it not been a race, I would have stopped for sure.

But, is that even true?

How often am I racing past people in need every day.

I have a friend who brings an extra bar on every ride and makes it a goal to find someone who might be hungry to give it to.

I have others who stop for any flat or mishap and help out. 

As I complete my 61st lap around the sun, I ask myself...

How many more rides will present an opportunity to be charitable, to meet someone new, to possibly be of service...

...  and unite our hearts and minds, even for a moment?

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

----

163ish
8 hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
0 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

----

164ish
7.5 hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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I LEARNED SOME CRAZY SHIZ TODAY

I LEARNED SOME CRAZY SHIZ TODAY

Apr 01, 2023 TODD BROWN

AFTER ALL RACES there is always the huddle.  Could be a group, a single rider, or just ourselves, but we always...

... replay the race.

Today was not different,
except some crazy shiz was shared.

First up, Tim and I had to rehash his blistering start.  It was nuts.  From the word go he was sprinting and...

... Tinker and I were hanging on.

He backed off a little before the single track and we got by him.

What the heck was I doing on the World Champion's wheel?

Weaving, bobbing and dodging some very fast, flowy single track.  I was there for a bit.

This was blowing my mind.

I've never been there.  Either Tinker has raced pro, or had a call up to the front row.  

Two weeks in a row he has put the wood to me.

15 minutes in 3 hours last weekend, 3 minutes in 1 hour this weekend.

Could I have held his pace?

Maybe, if I'd tapered and really focused for this race...

... maybe, just maybe.

Could he have gone faster?

Probably.

But, it's something to think about.  

Am I just gonna resign myself that we are all racing for second place when Tinker shows up or am I gonna go for it?  That is what I did today, resign to race for second, and consequently Tim and I had a very fun and tactical battle.

Here's another weird mental thing.  

Because I didn't know Tim before our battle at Cactus Cup a few weeks ago, I figured I could probably beat him.  Why?  Who knows?...

... I learned it was totally unjustified.

He has beaten really fast guys who regularly smoke me or have smoked me soundly in the past.  That was one of the things that came up in our post race huddle today.

Now that I know that will I race Tim different?
Maybe.

Now that I know I can at least start with Tinker will I race him different?
Maybe.

It's crazy how expectations impact us.

But, I wasn't expecting this crazy story.

Apparently, and I didn't know this, at Cactus Cup some of the guys Tim and I were racing were cutting the course.

No shiz!

I couldn't believe it, but sure enough, these cats were dramatically short on miles according to their Strava files.

And, when confronted, simply stated well the officials said I placed X and I'm taking the prize.

How crazy is that?!

Grown men, cutting course to win a bike race?!

So dumb.

How do you do that to your soul?  For get your competitors, that kinda shiz can snuff the light right out inner greatness.

Then, Jon showed me his new Trek SuperCaliber.  It was so light.  At least 3 pounds lighter than my bike and a super sano cockpit.  That weight savings is enough to actually matter, and I never would have guessed it would be so much fun to ride.

3lbs...

... how crazy is that?!

When I finally got back to camp, Steve and Bryson were there.

What place did you get?

2nd.

You?

2nd.

And, you?

2nd.

If you're a regular reader you already know I have the largest collection of 2nd place awards in the world...

... but, 3 friends all ending up 2nd in their age class?

That's some crazy shiz.

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

----

163ish
8 hrs Sleep
0 Strength training
0 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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I'M SO DANG HUNGRY

I'M SO DANG HUNGRY

Mar 31, 2023 TODD BROWN

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE DAY BEFORE A BIG RACE?!  No matter how much I eat, and I've already eaten a lot, I'm still hungry...

... is it just habit?

I remember the dumb days, when I'd be afraid to eat too much the day before a race.

Predictably, I'd bonk.

Tomorrow's should be a screamer.
14 miles mostly single track.
Hero dirt conditions.
About an hour.

I know this, but my body is behaving like there's a 100-miler ahead.

I guess that's just part of racing,
being full.

Unlike all my friends who are eating pasta and carbohydrates,
I prefer something substantial.

Red meat.

Tonight, it's gonna be shish-kabobs on the camp fire.
No s'mores, though.
I ain't crazy, LOL.

Maybe it's also camping? Even if it's not really camping, with the van and neighbors so close we can hear each other whisper.  We outside all day long.

For that matter, I'm looking forward to the actual race.

Might be my only alone time of the weekend.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-hats/products/pedal-beanie-available-in-4-colors-instock

I'm glad I have my beanie.
It'll be low 30's tonight.

You can be warm outside, too.

4 colors available.


$20 and its delivered to you.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/all-hats/products/pedal-beanie-available-in-4-colors-instock

----

163.9
7 hrs Sleep
0 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
0 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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WELL, THAT STINKS!

WELL, THAT STINKS!

Mar 30, 2023 TODD BROWN

MY B.O. WAS OVERPOWERING THIS MORNING.  That should get rid of 50% of readers.  Now, we can get down to why...

... and what to do about it.

Just after reading and writing for about an hour, I headed out to the garage for some RaceDay Ready resistance training.

Jumping Jacks, to start.

Within 20 reps, my body heated up and oh boy the stench was real. 

At the same time, I'm listening to a marketing podcast by a dude who is ripped and their conversation reveals a stunning piece of knowledge...

... I've been doing 30 sets a day for 10 years.

What?!
Did I hear right?

I hit every body part, every day, 10 years running.

He isn't wiry, Cowboy Strong.
He's Hulk Ripped.
Giant.

Which brings up the B.O...

  • I get up
  • Read, write
  • Do my 10ish sets

I don't

  • Put on a special outfit
  • Drive to the gym
  • Get prettied up

Which brings up the other point.

I've learned, it takes a lot more than we think to be great...

  • I used to think 90 minutes, 4 days a week was enough saddle time.
    It's not.
  • I used to think legs twice a week in the offseason was enough make me stronger and faster.
    It's not.
  • I used to think I could wing it on 6-7 hours of sleep.
    I can't.
  • I used to think cheat days were a good idea.
    They aren't.

... which is why we have to work through the B.O.

Time is short.

Efficiency matters...

... consistency matters more.

You know what stinks worse than working out in the tshirts we sleep in?...

... being weak.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™ 

Want to get stronger?

Get a Giant calendar and fill in your A, B and C races...

... there's nothing like focus to keep ya on track.

We have about 5 of these left, in stock. 

Ships free.

Can make in your team colors.

https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars™

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162.3
8.2 hrs Sleep
1 RaceDay Ready Strength Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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IS THIS YOUR RELIGION OR ARE YOU SIMPLY RELIGIOUS?

IS THIS YOUR RELIGION OR ARE YOU SIMPLY RELIGIOUS?

Mar 29, 2023 TODD BROWN

I SEE A LOT RACERS GET SIDETRACKED BY RACING.  Suddenly, years have flown by and...

... opportunities have been missed.

Racing hard became religion.

Why not?  We have...

  • Regular meetings
  • Gospel preached by local wizards
  • Rules to live and ride by
  • Strange diets
  • Unusual apparel on public display
  • Secret symbols of commitment
  • Different sects posing as clubs
  • Different disciplines posing as denominations

That is religion.

Not all religions are created equal.  

Some, notably the great religious movements, provide something much more mystical...

... a feeling of love and connectedness that reaches into our souls.

This is true religion, connecting us to who we really are, who we can become, and to the Great Spirit.

I train religiously,
it's not my religion.

Training facilitates religious experience by purifying our bodies.  

Do the less active feel the spirit of religion?

Sure.

I enjoy a richer experience when I can move freely and and powerfully, without the many addictions calling to my physical existence.

Training used to be my religion.
It filled a void.

One day I woke up and committed to keep one simple commandment of the religion I was born into.

Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God …Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

A funny thing happened.

Out of the blue, I learned all kinds of training and racing secrets that had been previously hidden to me.

A better thing happened.

I rested.
Family was properly placed first.
A day to study higher things became a daily practice.

I would like to say I care which of the great religions you adhere to, those I worship with would like me to say that, too.  I don't.  That isn't important in my mind, not nearly as important as...

... setting time aside to connect with the Great Spirit.

Crazy as it sounds, setting that time aside is part of the RaceDay Ready Challenge.

Note:

Join us for live interview and Q&A with Brad Keyes, Founder of CarboRocket

On Zoom Meeting - 730pm PST
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4149084992?pwd=Y2dGZ0p1RXFoK2dQTTVIUGRick1PQT09
 
Meeting ID: 414 908 4992
Passcode: rL0pz4
 

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

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163.5
7 hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

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STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND LOSING

STRENGTH, MUSCLE AND LOSING

Mar 28, 2023 TODD BROWN

IT WAS SHOCKING TO SEE ONE OF MY FRIENDS at the last race.  He's always been super fit and muscular, but something had changed.  He'd lost a lot of upper body muscle...

... noticeably smaller chest, shoulders and arms.

We're all getting older.

Common knowledge says we lose muscle with age.

That's true at some level.  The common level.  But, we want...

... to be uncommon.

Am I right?

This is why I'm so adamant about being Cowboy Strong by lifting weights or some other type resistance training...

every,
single,
day.

Here is just one result I can report on from the same very difficult race.

Multiple times we were forced to dismount and push our bikes.  The terrain was very steep and rocky.

Rather than struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I was able to run up these sections.  Not because I've been running, but because I've been regularly pushing my sled...

... every day, up and down the street.

On the bike results have been astonishing.  Superior ankle flexibility has led to a greatly improved pedal stroke.

I could go on.
I won't.

The point is, most people are losing muscle mass by either not doing any resistance training, or reducing what they've done in the past.

Conversely, I've increased that area of preparation and I'm seeing great results.  I won't be mistaken for The Hulk, but I'm holding stronger...

... much more than I ever thought possible.

The decline may be inevitable, 
it doesn't have to be rapid.

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

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164
7 hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

 

 

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INTERVIEW:  RYAN DAHL, CEO OF WAX RESEARCH... WE TALK CHAINS AND DRIVETRAINS

INTERVIEW: RYAN DAHL, CEO OF WAX RESEARCH... WE TALK CHAINS AND DRIVETRAINS

Mar 27, 2023 TODD BROWN

I SAT DOWN WITH RYAN DAHL, CEO OF WAX RESEARCH, TO TALK SPEED.  Specifically, the latest version of his WEND chain wax with ceramic particles.  I learned alot...

... scored us a 50% off coupon.

What did I learn, specifically?

  • Which chains are fastest
  • Why wax with ceramics are faster
  • How lifestyle a business can become a world class operation.
  • Teflon contaminates ground water, how WEND fixed that
  • Why chains turn black with oil-based lubes
  • How to mix water and oil to create a super thin lube to really penetrate the chain and get into the rollers
  • Borrowing from their downhill ski wax technology is a huge R&D advantage
  • Why you want a solvent free lube, why it's hard to do
  • How WEND emulsifies water and oil eliminating need for solvents
  • How to properly apply lube
  • How much lube is needed
  • How much time is needed before riding
  • Why dry lubricants like wax will extend the life of your drivetrain
  • Will different formulations of his WEND wax play nice
  • Does he really use Tide to clean his drivetrain?
  • Pledge for the rest of the bike?
  • How Ryan competes at the highest level without having a big VO2 motor
  • How he gets 2 seasons out 1 chain
  • When is the best time to lube your chain
  • Why we argued about how much he charges
  • Why his purchasing power is so massive
  • How to get free lube if you see Ryan out riding

It was a lot of fun to connect with Ryan.  He's been beating me on the bike since he was 16... and there's some video at the end of one of our battles from the 90's.

Use promo code: RDR50 to save 50% on his new lubes... code expires 4/1/23

Order here: https://wendperformance.com

You can watch the interview here.

Listen to it here.

Ask Ryan anything about lubes here

https://pedalindustries.com/pages/raceday-ready

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164
8 hrs Sleep
1 Strength training
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

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

https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries

https://twitter.com/pedalindustries 

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