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Todd’s Journal
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Get RaceDay Ready
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GOAL SETTING
WRAPPING UP THE YEAR, is a lot like wrapping up Christmas presents. We have these memories and milestones...
... to look back on later.
Gifts to ourselves.
What if we knew what gifts we'd be wrapping up for ourselves next year?
Would we plan our 2026 calendar differently?
Change up our goals...
... if their accomplishment was a given?
Now that you've done that little thought experiment, I'll share this with you.
The biggest accomplishments in my past were never concerned with...
- little details
- strategies
- tactics
... only What.
From there it was just a matter of making it real.
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
510 Anti-Oxidant Score
7.5ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Dips
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
10 minutes stretching
180 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/84/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
HR TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE the joy of climbing with friends to a distant peak and poking through the clouds. Summiting is like having...
... the top of the world to ourselves.
All is calm.
Bombing down the mostly unfamiliar other side...
... not so calm.
Heaven forbid we'd let a gap open and get left behind.
Already on the edge of grip, I came into a sweeping lefthand turn...
... a negative radius, sloping downward.
I drifted all the way wide to the soft bulldozed berm.
Exiting, it was nothing but steep with ruts and rocks competing for my attention.
It wasn't looking good.
Somehow I managed to wiggle through the gauntlet.
My HR now sky high.
Only one thing to do, let out a huge...
... WOOOOHOOOOO!!!
Sheesh, my heart skipped a beat just reliving and writing this.
It.
Was.
Awesomeness.
Had I gone down,
I wouldn't have died.
But, it woulda been a bloody mess firshur.
Glad I kept my eyes open
and arms relaxed,
the tires held...
... just another reason to be grateful this time of year.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
480 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
no PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Dips
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/96/-8 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
WHO KNEW WE WERE THAT BAD?
THE PROGRESS WE MAKE can be kind of embarrassing. We don't know it at the time. In fact, we're having so much fun those early pics and vids...
... can be kind of embarrassing.
There's hope.
Bad athletes,
can get good.
Good athletes,
can be great.
Great athletes...
... know the secret.
Keep doing it.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
480 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Dips
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/82/3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
THE OTHER 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
A LOT OF US plan to do some superspecialsecret training when nobody is looking in the coming days. Some are going so far as to...
... do the outrageous.
A gift to ourselves.
Which reminds me of one my pals who each year would ride a century 12 days in a row.
That was his goto way to start the year with a bunch of base miles.
Of course, the family and friends all thought that was...
... akin to getting coal for Christmas.
Personally, my overarching diabolical (counter season or counter intuitive?) plan is to...
- play around on jumps and technical stuff
- catch up with friends
- have fun
... make the training count.
What are you planning for 12/25 thru 1/6
While you're thinking about that...
... I'm sharing this kit with you in the off chance you're looking so spoil yourself with something outrageously sexy...
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Or, 50% savings here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedalindustries-r-riders-collection
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
500 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/84/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
IS IT TOO LATE TO GO PRO?
THE SALARIES of the tops pro seem fantastic. The lifestyle unbeatable. Who doesn't want to get...
... paid to train and travel the world?
Sign me up.
But...
... it's too late, you're too old, you lack talent, you don't have time, you're too young, your equipment sucks, your friends and family won't approve, you'll nevereverver freakin' make it...
... SILENCE!
Though we may not get paid,
our travel will be less exotic,
we can still focus on...
- a specified activity
- honing our craft
- doing our best
... it's never to late to be pro.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
500 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/89/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
WE WON THE LOTTERY!
WE DON'T DREAM enough. At least most of us. When we do, and I'm not talkin' 'bout shut eye...
... we change our state.
Great things are suddenly possible.
I was reminded of this yesterday...
... my son was going to buy a lottery ticket.
He does this when it's over a billion.
I told him how much...
- it allows us to dream
- things we'd change
- do or never do
... I love and hate the lottery.
Name one thing you'd do?
I'd never get up to an alarm clock again?
Later, I reflected on my greatest day on the bike.
In 2022.
The insane Leadville goal of...
- a PR
- sub-8 hrs
- at age 60
... and how I did it.
The dream of sub-9 at sixty started years prior.
Always in the back of my mind.
But, there.
How it would feel to be in that kind of shape.
The closer the date got,
the more real it became.
Until I believed I could not only go sub-9,
but shatter my 6 previous efforts.
We can win our own lottery...
- crystal clear
- detailed
- belief
... if we'll just start dreaming.
===
166lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/91/-4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
500 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
IS IT THE SACRIFICE?
WHY DO SOME OF US stick with the endurance thing year after year after year and others check in for a season or two then check out...
... never to return?
There is something unseen happening.
I think I know what it is.
Sacrifice.
For better or worse...
- could be skipping a new car for a better bike
- an hour later out at night for an early run
- a quick swim instead of a tv binge
... we've sacrificed something.
That sacrifice produces the faith necessary to really go for it,
go for that insane physical goal we've set.
It gives us hope.
And, we love that...
... in everything we do.
===
165.2 lbs/12.5%
7ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/93/-6 (fitness/fatigue/form)
450 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
YOU'RE GONNA SAY THIS IS IT
THINGS AREN'T GOING to go according to plan. Everything is going to go south. Everything. And you're going to say this is it..
... This is how I end.
You can accept that,
or you can get to work.
That's all it is.
You just begin.
Solve one problem.
And then the next.
If you solve enough problems...
... you get to cross the finish line.
Adapted from the closing scene of The Martian.
It's a long movie,
about solving problems,
which is what we do the moment...
... we register for a race or commit snagging that elusive PR.
(highly recommend the movie)
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8sh hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/95/-7 (fitness/fatigue/form)
450 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
IF WE'RE REALLY LUCKY, and we (you n me) are, we'll stumble into something that keeps us endlessly fascinated. No matter how much we do it, or how long we put it on pause...
... it is always, ALWAYS, a ton a fun.
How can we do it forever?
At a high level?
Before I tell ya the answer...
- age
- friends
- failure to progress
... we gotta accept the challenges.
1. If we aren't on point with our health choices, age may ravish us...
... and not the sexy kind.
2. As the playground circles the sun...
... many of our friends will hang it up (see #1.)
3. Failure to progress...
... leads to boredom.
Today, I hooked my sassy grin...
- rode with younger cats
- picked up a new trick
- pushed my limits
... up to the firehose of youth.
1. Lucked into shredding a lot of single track with Steve and Brian...
... the schedules aligned, the conversations vibrant.
2. Coming in hot to a corner, Steve locked up the rear wheel...
... Why did you do that? To vector the turn and change trajectory.
3. Brian, did you launch off that rock?...
... Yeah, came around the turn so fast I had to.
The real secret to the fountain of youth...
... making and keeping young friends.
===
166 lbs/12.7%
7ish hours sleep
no PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/92/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
THE HIDDEN ADVANTAGE
WE'RE BUSY. We work. Raise families. Participate in communities. Do our duties...
... what's our hidden advantage?
Just that.
We know how to...
- schedule
- pacify
- lead
... and we have perspective.
Which is what sets us apart,
keeps us in the hunt...
... 'till we cross the finish line.
===
164 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
no PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/92/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score
>
DARE OR DARE NOT
SOMEWHERE AROUND 8 YEARS OLD, we learn of daring. Someone gets dared. We don't even know what the word means and, yet...
... we do.
Because there is tone.
An unsaid judgment.
I dare you.
Our response...
- bold
- calm
- weak
... means everything.
Later in life, that cat in the mirror still dares us...
... if we are lucky.
What are you daring yourself to do in 2026?
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
7.75 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/92/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SHOW A FRIEND AROUND TOWN?
GETTING A LONG-DISTANCE FRIEND TO VISIT is mostly rare, for most of us. We post to Starva, talk up our locale...
... to the point of bragging.
Then, the friend shows up.
Suddenly, we're wondering...
- will they be impressed
- can they keep up
- will they crash
... how this is gonna go down>
There was a time when Surfergirl would take such visiting friends aside and whisper...
... Be careful, he's kinda crazy.
Couldn't blame her as more than a few returned bleeding,
one with a broken bone.
It wasn't on purpose.
- I'd just forget
- be in the zone
- having a blast
... thinking they were doing the same.
The local, me...
... could rip the trails blindfolded.
Everyone else was riding blind.
Anyway...
... Tim did great today.
(I knew he would, and didn't really back it down at all.)
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
7.75 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/91/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
470 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GOOD NEWS: THERE'S HOPE!
THIS TIME OF YEAR, the schedule gets crowded. The company parties, family get togethers, community events...
... we want to attend 'em all.
It eats into the training time.
And, that's good.
Just yesterdee, Surfergirl reminded me of our date to see Gentry.
Her favorite trio was in town for a Christmas concert.
Driving down, we wondered if we'd run into any friends,
walking in we saw my brother and sisterinlaw...
... seating, we were astonished.
We were exactly right behind them.
Couldn't have planned it better,
total surprise.
But, that's not the point.
We were carried away in the spirit of the night...
... all the world's nonsense, forgotten.
When we returned home, there was a package on the doorstep.
Incredible...
... a customer had hand made classic ornaments for each of our family members.
As a gift.
The real point is if we'll shut off the news, the pointless socials and get out to events and people we love we find...
... there's hope!
Hoping you'll find plenty of time to share your love for others in the coming weeks.
===
162.2 lbs/12.2%
7.5 hours sleep
no PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
no Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/86/-1 (fitness/fatigue/form)
430 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE BEST FREE ADVICE YOU NEVER PAID FOR
WE ALL GET ACHES AND PAINS. Mostly, we just blow 'em off knowing in a few days things will right themselves. At least that's the idea. But, we are organic...
... our equipment is not.
It won't self heal,
like our miraculous bodies.
No matter how much positive energy we send it...
... those creaks won't go away on their own.
We gotta respect and inspect 'em.
I mean really figure it out.
Lemme splain it.
I've had an annoying creak for a couple of weeks.
Finally, last Friday...
- removed cranks
- checked, cleaned bottom bracket
- found a broken bolt on the chain ring spider
... thought that'd solve everything.
Mostly, kinda.
However, last steep climbs at end of Saturday's ride indicated problem not resolved.
Took into the shop for professional treatment.
Ace mechanic gives me a call.
It's not good.
How bad.
Axle in hub is cracked.
Yikes.
Yeah, it coulda been bad.
How bad?
Well, if it broke while riding it would have destroyed the hub innards, and...
And, what?
... and possibly locked up the wheel.
Now, I dunno how things are where you live, but on that ride I'd just finisihed...
... I hit 35 mph over a rocky, gravel fire road.
Had that wheel locked up...
... I'd be dead, at best.
Consider this the best free advice you Never paid for...
- bike
- bones
- muscles
... Fix thy creaks!
===
162.6 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/89/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
470 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HAVE YOU HAD A CLASSY SMOKE, LATELY?
CELEBRATING AN EPIC EFFORT is, can be, a powerful factor in repeatability. You know, whether or not we ever do it again and...
... gain the associated benefits.
Old time movies we so classy.
In black and white.
Couple meets,
goes to dinner and dancing,
the very next scene we see...
... they are covered up, smoking in bed!!!
Here's how we do it most Saturdays.
Meet up at the corner,
hit it hard for 3-4 hours,
the next thing we know...
... we're at the country store.
Cokes, RedBulls, chips, even had Zingers yesterday...
... our version of smoking in bed.
===
Now, here's the diabolical brainwashing science...
- guaranteeing many repeat performances
... celebrating with lots of sugar and caffeine burns those good feelings in.
===
165.6 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/92/-6 (fitness/fatigue/form)
430 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
APPRECIATING A ROUGH START
FOR SOME GETTING STARTED is easy, for other it's hard. Even messy. So, what's better...
... an easy start or a tricky start?
Take today.
We'd climbed 4141', 13.4 miles.
The start, though steep, was pretty smooth.
The final 4.5 miles, were quite a bit rougher.
Lots of rocks.
I really suffered that last 2ish miles.
After a bit of a break,
it was time to plummet back down.
We pushed the pace pretty good those first 4 1/2 miles...
... over terrain I've flatted on many times.
I knew the next 9 miles were smoother, but...
... after the previous beating they seemed like a freeway.
We screamed down.
Surprisingly, I posted my 3rd fastest time ever.
(In case you're wondering if that was my 3rd time down, it was my 44th since 2012, per Starva)
This served as a good reminder...
... if we push through a rough start, we gain the skills to go much faster.
===
Further update on the Conti Dubitals...
- they roll reallyreallyreally fast
- corner dependably at high speed
- seem to be pretty darn puncture resistant
... I'm loving 'em.
Looking forward to playing with pressures,
I think I can run lower than the 16 and 17 I ran today.
(that was in the cold garage, before the heated up on the actual ride which would increase the pressure by a few pounds)
===
164.8 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
0 PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/107/-18 (fitness/fatigue/form)
430 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT ARE WE RIDING SATURDAY?
WE ALL HAVE A RHYTHM TO OUR TRAINING. We have a favorite rotation of workouts, training partners, intensity...
... just like the goto dinner schedule.
When all else fails, I know spaghetti and meat balls is a winner.
No matter what I have planned.
When it comes to Saturdays, the...
- crew
- pace
- route
... I have a few defaults.
If I've had two hard sessions during the week,
I'm leaning towards a longish sweetspot/tempo ride.
If the week only had one high intensity completed,
I'm gonna wring it out on Saturday.
This week's Wednesday Worlds was kinda hard, therefore...
... tomorrow I have a nasty 1ish hour uphill TT planned.
The younsters are gonna make me hurt.
Can't wait!
How do you do it?
===
165.6 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/88/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
440 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TACKY, TORQUEY TESTING... CONTI DUBNITALS
GETTING NEW EQUIPMENT is always fun. Usually, it is preceded by all kinds of Kool-Aid drinking. You know, the marketing team laying it on thick...
... and our friends laughing at our antiquated ways.
This week, I bit.
Finally jumped to wider tires.
From 2.2 RaceKing in back and 2.2 CrossKing in front to...
... 2.4 Dubnitals, front and rear.
My testing took place on our local single tracks...
... while doing low-cadence, torque climbing in Zone 2.
I'd rip down,
ponder performance on way back up.
Going from 2.2 to 2.4 doesn't appear to be much,
the tires are a bit lighter than the 2.2s
My initial...
- they go from edge to edge much quicker
- seem to roll very fast
- traction is great
... reactions.
I think they're gonna be a great upgrade,
will test on the smoking fast downhills, Saturday.
===
166 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/93/-8 (fitness/fatigue/form)
450 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION
IF IT TAKES A VILLAGE to raise a child, then, for us, it obviously takes a group to train us up proper. The right gaggle...
... has countless benefits.
Number 1 being speed.
Which is why I did the Wednesday Worlds today, and rolled right into...
... Pain Cave.
When we're on form,
this is an hour segment of riding just below detonation.
Today was much easier...
- the group was slowish
- BBB and I cruised Pain Cave
- catching up and discussing next year's goals
... we were 5 minutes off the PRs.
That will come down because we committed to some rather outlandish goals.
Which means, we'll be pressing the pace on the WW ride,
then duking it out on Pain Cave.
Leading to our mutually assured destruction the rest of the work day...
... and, what we hope will be a massively successful 2026 campaign.
===
If we do it correctly, we'll sprout wings.
Deal below.
Use promo code: VELOBONES
To save 20% on any t-shirt in the collection.
Expires on 12.5.25
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/t-shirts-all
===
165.4 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/95/-9 (fitness/fatigue/form)
420 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
OTB OR OTB?
WE HAVE ALL THESE CODE WORDS and acronyms in our culture. The deeper we get into it...
... the cryptic they become.
Here's the mechanic's favorite...
... I was just riding along.
His eye's roll and he scribbles on the notes...
... JRA.
I heard another from a shop owner who was barely hanging on and his "loyal" patrons were constantly asking for discounts and free stuff...
... he called them Freetards.
I've been guilty of both of those and quickly cleaned up my evil ways once I got the hint.
But, this one...
... it's been hard to stay away from.
OTB.
This one is a two-fer,
I can't get it out of my mind lately.
Off the back...
... which is where I seem to be finding myself a little more than my liking.
Over the bars...
... luckily, my recent wipeouts have been on solo rides.
===
165.8 lbs/12.7%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/88/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
390 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE YOU CHOPPING WOOD?
WE ALL HAVE A FAVORITE MOVIE, book or story. One that inspires us to be more than we currently are, or return to a place we once dominated. These myths are important because...
... they can lead and guide us to a better future.
Truly powerful.
One of my all time favorites is Rocky IV.
Rocky, seeing his once enemy, the great Apollo Creed, who became his friend and mentor, get crushed by a Russian giant...
... decides he must do something completely different.
He must go...
- runs
- pulls a sled
- carries logs
- throws boulders
- chops down a tree
... to snowy and freezing Siberia.
Maybe it's winter,
maybe it's cold...
... maybe they only way to get nasty fit is chopping wood like Rocky.
===
166 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
00 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/88/-4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
390 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
EARNING VS LEARNING
LIFE IS LIKE AN EPIC CARD GAME. We're dealt our genetic hand. As little children, we have no idea...
... we're just running around having fun.
Somewhere around the age of 8 or so we realize...
... we're not all created equal.
I can throw,
my aim is woeful.
I can run,
my friends are faster.
I can swim,
holding my breath is a struggle.
Most of us here, found we love to endure...
... persistence and suffering are out super powers.
We can't earn our way to a sub-4 minute mile, but...
... we can learn how to be faster and more efficient.
That's the journey we are on.
Learning how to be our best.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
8.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/93/-8 (fitness/fatigue/form)
290 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TRAINING BLOCKHEAD
FOR MANY OF US, this is the time to back things down. Pick up a sporty side hustle. Hit the weights...
... do something different.
Makes sense.
The next season is a long way off.
Just one problem.
Physics.
You can't shoot a cannon from a canoe.
Meaning, when the season does come around, we're going to need a good base from which to start launching our hard efforts.
So, whatawee 'posed ta do?
Personally, I'm gonna...
- have fun
- be more socisl
- challenge my skills
... while logging some solid base mile.
===
166 lbs/12.7%
6.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/107/-20 (fitness/fatigue/form)
290 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE YOU COMFY?
WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT comfort zones. How we want to avoid them because they hold us back, lead us to settling for...
... more than we can be.
Who wants that?
Things I think about after a less frightful drop down one of my all time favorite descents.
I held the KOM at one point,
still top 11.
Back than, I was really, really at ease on that screamer...
... in a state of flow, relaxed.
Comfy.
The good kind.
Yesterday, on the same segment, I was a hot mess.
Smiley on my rear wheel, showing his front wheel, asking...
... Are you riding cautious?
I wanted to say...
... Heck no, and Screw you!
Things were not flowing,
I was gripping.
Hard.
It was very uncomfortable because I haven't been on my MTB much the last year or so.
Practice leads to comfy,
comfy leads to flow,
flow leads to ripping.
Effortlessly.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/94/-9 (fitness/fatigue/form)
290 Anti-Oxidant Score
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THERE'S A LEGENDARY CLIMB
SOARING 5600' ABOVE SEA LEVEL, we have access to a legendary climb. A gravel fire road. It's the kind of challenge we can sink our teeth into, get a baseline for our fitness...
... set legit goals.
The mountain ain't movin'...
- 9 miles
- 3000'
- 6.3%
... but, we are.
The KOM is held by current world tour pro Kevin Vermaerke,
which he probably set in the NICA days.
53:10
The next 9 are local legends...
... the legit kind, not the goofy Starva thing.
There are two ways to view...
- I'm slow, and I suck
- I'm slow, and I can improve
- I'm slow, and I'm dawgawn grateful to be ripping with my pals
... today's traditional Thanksgiving effort.
One more takeaway.
When I set my PR, we lived much closer to the mountain and I'd ride it 3-4 times a month.
It was a goto.
And, it got me thinking...
... if I wanna slay like that again, I gotta do it more.
Maybe every week for the rest of 2025,
and chop 18 minutes off today's time?
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
84/90/-6 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I NEVER LIFTED WEIGHTS UNTIL I GOT INTO THE NFL...
MOST OF US ARE PROBABLY HEADING OUT for the local turkey trot or some sort of holiday ride. It's tradition, followed by the traditional...
... Did you ride or run today?
Which deserves...
... Yes, and the sun also rose this morning.
Earning an...
... I bet your hungry!
Usually followed by a...
... I didn't know you could eat so much pie!
At some point someone will turn on "the game".
As full as we are,
as much as that lycra gonna be stressed tomorrow...
... we realize endurance training doesn't favor or create massive muscles.
Which brings me to one of my all time favorite athletes...
... the Great Hershel Walker.
Dude was devastating in college and NFL.
This quote must have been so humiliating to those left flattened on the field....
- 2000-3000 pushups/day
- 3000-5000 crunches/day
- hundreds of pullups/day
- hundreds of dips/day
- air squats and lunges thousands
- 20-50 yard sprints
... I never lifted weights until I got into the NFL.
Damn.
We may not be - ok, never will be - built like Hershel, but...
... kinda makes ya wonder how much stronger we could be.
Dedicating little time,
from home.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
20 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/82/0 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
STRATEGY VS THE DREAM
LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR yet? Maybe it's too early, I mean jeez it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But, almost...
... so, it might not be too soon.
There's no rule on that.
I was thinking about this on my ride yesterday.
What comes first...
... strategy or the dream.
Especially with all the InfooIncers on the socials.
You know which ones kill me....
... literally saw this one today...
... Download My 47 Points To Master Advertising Now!
hahahahahah
But, you get the idea.
We can get so hyped up on a new (to us) strategy...
- Single-legged box jumps while hula-hooping for explosive sprinting
- One million grams of carbohydrate from bonking to crushing
- Sleep like a grizzly and maul the group ride
... we start looking for a race to unleash.
I've done it,
still do it.
We can all be suckers,
the cons are as appealing as the conmen.
Anyway, what I concluded after zonetwoing my way around town was...
... The Field of Dream if we build it, they will come...
... is kinda right.
The players, errr strategies, don't show up until the field is built.
In other words, once we identify the...
- A race
- impossible PR
- unconquerable route
... then, and only then, will the strategies we need be apparent.
Let me say it differently.
We can quickly toss aside...
- techniques
- strategies
- hacks
... the worthless dross.
Because the really good stuff that works is easy to see...
... once we have our dream/goal/desire firm and clear in our minds.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
82/74/7 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
NOT AS GOOD?
JOURNALISTS ARE SO MUCH SMARTER than us fans, they have incredible insights we just can't fathom. Why it's a wonder we even...
... bother seeing with our own eyes.
This is gold.
A journo says...
... MVdP is nowhere near as good as Tadej.
On the heels of saying...
... MVdP beat Tadej on the races he wanted to win.
He being MVdP,
and he being Tadej.
Wait,
what?
He's not as good,
but he beats him?
Oh, journo.
Here's the dill, and...
... it's a good lesson for us lowly amachuros.
On certain courses...
... certain riders are unbeatable.
The challenge is to find our course.
===
164.2 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/58/12 (fitness/fatigue/form)
>
MY VICE IS TERRIBLE, MY CULT IS WORSE
FEW OF US HAVE BEEN TO AN AA MEETING, but we've seen TV/movie version many times. Hi, I'm Todd and...
... I'm an endurance junkie.
Hi Todd.
When we come clean with the general population, Today I...
- swam 10,000 yards
- rode for 5 hours
- ran 20 miles
... they think we're crazy.
We're not.
The adrenaline rush of ...
- 60 miles an hour in nothing but lycra
- the swimmers blue mind
- the runner's high
... we need that hit.
Regularly.
This risks we take...
- sending it down the mountain
- running along into the cold, dark night
- impossibly holding our breath one more length
... would freakout any life insurance company.
These sensations of pushing well beyond normal, reasonable, safe...
... are often all that's keeping us stable.
In all sincerity, because the allure of the lottery and dulling our senses with substances is so very tempting and tragically treacherous...
... stay dangerous my friends.
The sane kind.
===
165.4 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
20 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/70/11 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HOW WE SOLVE PROBLEMS
SOME PROBLEMS ARE HARDER than others to solve. It can be frustrating when the answers just aren't coming. This is...
... how I solve my problems.
It's a question of time, right?
The truly unsolvable problems need marinating...
- clearly identify what needs to be solved
- set aside time
- get outside
... during a very lazy ride, run or swim.
The only goal is to solve the problem.
A stop for a pastry and drink is often required...
... I carry a journal and a pen to help me flush out ideas.
The best problems take require more...
- miles
- creativity
- "fuel" stops
... 3 or 4 or a lot more sessions.
Just today I was trying to figure out what to focus on...
- goals
- events
- milestones
... for next year.
Went for a ride,
had a brainstorm,
came home to the Giant calendar.
And they think we ride just for fun and fitness!
===
165 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
0 PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
0 Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
20 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/81/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BECAUSE IT'S BEAUTIFUL
WE ALL HAVE A WAY to perform. Whether it's vanquishing, showing off, sufferfesting, truly enjoying every moment, our individual efforts...
... leave a lasting impression.
On others,
on ourselves.
Is there a best way?
Right way?
Only way?
Let us not gaze into our own navel but...
- racers
- promoters
- business leaders
- matriarchs and patriarchs
- community and governments
... appreciate for better or worse.
It is what it is.
I was recently struck by a singer...
- unknown by most
- unwilling to submit to label demands
- who died without much fame or fortune at 33
... sold more than 10,000,000 records posthumously.
What?!... how? who?
The great Eve Cassidy sang as if every song was a gift to the listener,
with uncommon love and passion.
Nothing more.
May we all do our thing with such beauty.
===
Pull down her tracks on your music app... good wrenching vibes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1_oNzhU7U
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
20 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/65/16 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ON THE GAS
A LITTLE KNOWN SECRET to not falling over is going faster. It's counterintuitive. But, it's the first thing we taught the kids when they started riding motos in the desert...
... speed is our friend.
Then why did I suffer so badly last weekend in a desert-bound gravel race?
You didn't have a motor Dingdong!
No, it's more than that...
... and I've thought about it a lot this week.
The 92-mile race
- low gradient climbs and descents
- long, long straight roads
- mostly flat
... provided very little coasting.
We had to stay on the gas.
It's not like the terrain here,
most of my ride profiles look like a lumberjack's saw blade.
Anyway, I'm thinking about that this week because I'm starting to do sweetspot training...
... 90% of FTP, without coasting.
I've got to stay on the gas (the pedals).
It's hard to do when we have so many punchy climbs and lots of turns.
But, I'm a committed fool when it comes to this stuff.
===
By the way, you might be one of the horde who loved this jersey...
... which means you'll probably love the kit.
If you wanna rock this awesomeness click here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedalindustries-r-riders-collection
There's an insane offer, so don't forget to click here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/pedalindustries-r-riders-collection
===
164.8 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
82/67/14 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers
>
TAKE TWO, AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING
GETTING A COLD is annoying. Can't train like we want to, can't sleep well, hard to be productive. If we get near our lover fingers are raised in an X...
... so, what do we do?
To speed it up.
There are my goto...
- Zicam at first hint
- Pollo Loco tortilla soup
- Insanely hot and long showers
... rider's tales.
Then there's what I did today...
... which could massively backfire, tomorrow.
I woke up,
it was cold.
I had a cold,
and hemmed and hawed.
I consulted my alter ego Dr. Goforit, who said...
- raise your body temperature
- the nose will start to flow
- blow that gunk out
... Put on a kit and get on two wheels.
Torture.
I've had mixed success over the years.
I'll either be on my way to pneumonia...
... or good as new tomorrow.
===
165 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/58/23 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE GODLY CONNECTION IS STRONG IN THIS ONE
BEING OUTSIDE and unplugged is more than just an escape from "the real world". Most people in "modern society" rarely experience what that is like. We do because...
... that's where we thrive.
And, we're moving fast.
Even if we're practicing our craft daily,
and the whether is good,
we could use more.
Not less.
I experienced a snippet of much more on our road trip.
We took time to visit the land my greatgreatgrandfather homesteaded 100 years ago.
No one else was there but us.
Access is via a gravel road,
10 miles from a 2-lane highway.
No cell service.
The only inputs,
each other and nature.
The peace and solitude remarkable.
Over night, the temps dipped low enough to freeze the rain puddles from the prior evening.
We were cozy,
the van has a heater.
Still, when we rose to stretch and visit this hallowed land filled with childhood and parenthood memories...
... we were shocked by the reality of nature.
Not in a negative way,
one that makes you feel alive,
connected to more than a paycheck and bills.
To God.
To acquire the land...
- the extreme temps at 7000'
- the distance by horse or wagon to town
- the loneliness during the months no one came to visit
... E. M. Whiting had to stay on it and not leave, for two years.
How else could he make such a sacrifice if not feeling a closeness to his creator?
I feel it when I'm...
- there
- in the surf
- on our local trails
... and love it.
Need it.
And so...
- walk
- hike
- ride
- run
- surf
- swim
- camp
... we keep inviting and encouraging our friends to join us.
Outside.
===
164.2 lbs/12.6%
9ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
81/58/23 (fitness/fatigue/form) time to raise these numbers
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE...
DISNEY CREATED AN EMPIRE animating fairytales. Because the appeal is so strong, with little to no cultural barriers we have to ask ourselves not just why, but...
... which is our favorite.
Then, why?
Personally, Cinderella is my top choice.
Not just the story arc,
the snappy dances,
or catchy songs.
There's an orphan in all of us.
Often we don't see who we really are,
out talents lying dormant.
Could be naysayers,
could be something else.
It's nice that Price Charming is a price,
it's charming that he sees Cinderella as she really is.
The point isn't...
- Where's my prince charming?
- Who will save the day for me?
- Why am I not picked?
... to wallow in our sorrows.
The point is for whom are we Prince Charming?
===
165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
9ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/67/16 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT’S IN OUR DNA
TOO FEW OF US know our family history. Some barely know cousins. Great-grandparents? Forget about it. It’s just not a thing. And, yet…
… what could be more important?
To know their stories,
is to know ourselves.
Which is why we drove hours out of our way after the bike race.
Here in eastern Arizona, to soak of our roots.
Surfergirl’s great-grandfather helped settle Snowflake,
my great-great grandfather helped settle Saint Johns.
They are neighboring towns,
about 20 miles apart.
And the communities were quite friendly with each other.
You’d think we grew up out here,
and that’s how we met and married.
Not so.
I was born and raised in SoCal,
she was raised in Hawaii.
Maybe somethings are meant to be.
But, that’s not really the point.
This is hard country,
the high desert.
To carve a life and community out of nothing took strength, smarts, and massive cooperation…
… the same qualities it takes to complete very challenging endurance events.
Who is an ancestor that inspires you?
===
165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
7ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
86/87/-0 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I WANNA PUT A DENT IN THAT GIRL
IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE we can say and do the craziest things. You know things we might not normally say or do. And, at the time...
... they sound/seem totally normal.
Like today.
I had the awesome opportunity to flat 15 minutes into the 92 mile race...
... suddenly I'm swearing like a sailor.
It wasn't horrific,
still, glad no one was around.
Spent the next 50 miles basically riding by myself.
Doing my best.
Jumping from group to group.
I roll up on one of the female leaders,
bridge across to another badass Barbie.
And, I hear her say the funniest thing...
... I wanna put a dent in that girl.
Speaking of the other racer.
I visualize a halloween scene,
hatchet stuck in the helmet.
Hahaha.
Then the crass, neanderthal in me thinks...
... that sounds like something I'd like to do on date night.
Not the hatchet...
... if you know what I mean.
These crazy thoughts are birthed in our very depleted states, as we...
... do our best to stay upright and moving forward.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
7ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/89/-2 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHY WOULD ANYBODY GO TO DOUGLASS, AZ?
RACING VENUES ARE HARD TO COME BY, especially in big cities. Almost impossible. The result is the bigger the race, the more likely we are to travel...
... someplace we've never been.
Would never go.
Here I am,
two hours south of Tucson,
on the Mexican border, in Douglass, AZ.
This gravel race has the same vibe as my first Leadville,
back in '99.
Small town,
somewhat forgotten.
Which makes it a perfect place to stage a gravel race...
... surrounded my endless gravel roads.
I decided to sponsor the race for three reasons...
- Mike, the promoter, is hella nice and persistent.
- He's a huge fan of our products
- I'm a huge fan of gravel races
... which are the only reasons to sponsor anything.
Passion and admiration for what each other are doing.
Funny story.
I have actually been here before.
Back in the 80's.
I was doing missionary work in Mexico and our visas needed to be renewed. Five us youngsters piled in a van and hit to Agua Prieto, MX. The plan was to walk across to Douglass, wait five minutes and walk back with new visas.
We were greeted with...
... No, no gringo. No se puede asi. (Not so fast whitey, you can't do it like that.)
So we...
- spent the night in Motel 6
- chomped Pizza Hut
- watched ESPN
... forgot all our Spanish.
And crossed back the next day.
I'm guessing Borderlands gravel will be slightly more challenging.
Good night now.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6% (not sure, traveling)
7.5 hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
83/64/18 (fitness/fatigue/form) ... somebody is tapered!
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HURRY UP
IN OUR EFFORTS TO GET FASTER, we often think of the many benefits. Mainly health, youthfulness. And truth is...
... we are better than most, not as good as some.
Who's better?
By that, do you mean...
... how could anybody be better???
We are aerobic machines, and that is a key to longevity.
Mostly.
Here are...
- Sprints
- Weights
... the missing ingredients.
I know, I know...
- sprinting sucks
- weights can be dangerous
- and, for the weenies in the back, who wants to gain weight?
... what you're thinking.
According to research, when we lift weights not only do our bones get denser but there are intra-muscular gains to be made that we cannot get any other way.
You know what else is weird, most people in our culture never sprint again after their early twenties.
So, here's the main takeaway from all scientific facts do 'em and...
... move faster, age slower.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6%
7.5 hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
85/71/13 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GIVERS
THERE ARE THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER selflessly and those who volunteer selfishly. Both are admirable. In fact, when I was a race promoter it blew my mind that...
... people just reach out and offer their assistance.
Just giving where there's an obvious need.
I ran into a selfish one tonight.
The sun had set,
my headlight was on.
I was making my way cautiously because the ruts on this particular trail are bad and...
... there's an enormous sinkhole that might kill ya.
As a get there...
... did I say it was pitch dark?...
... a man is standing with a shovel in one hand and a trowel in the other.
Creepy?
Scary?
Nope, I knew what he was up to.
Not burying bodies...
... prepping the trail so when it rains this weekend the ruts will fill in.
I stopped.
Introduced myself.
Thanked him profusely.
No need, I just moved here and can't believe how lucky we are to have these trails right here. Just wanna make 'em perfect for my kids and me to ride on.
To which I could only say...
... Bro, you gotta let me make you a custom RaceDay Bag.
Is there a better gift?
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/82/5 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I THINK I VOIDED THE WARRANTY
LIVING IN THE ACTION SPORTS MECCA of the world, I'm surrounded and influenced by all manner of creative, ingenious athletes. We all feed off each other. My friend Kody...
... started making super aero computer mounts.
3D printed gloriousness.
My new MTB was in need.
I reached out.
Got a mount for Roval bars?
Yes.
Cool, I'll get one.
We haven't tested for lights yet.
He thought I was asking for my road bike.
So yeah...
- the road mount is super aero
- looks freakin' awesome
- supports a light
... survived and thrived on first MTB ride.
Did my evil test void the warranty?
I dunno.
But, this is...
- come up product ideas
- make it
- test it
... what we do around here.
Here's a ink to his site: https://nanoworx.shop
===
165.6 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/85/2 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
DO YOU KNOW YOUR GOLDILOCKS NUMBER?
WE ARE ALL SEARCHING for that magic number of hours to maximize our training. You know, the Goldilocks amount. Not too little. Not too much...
... the perfect amount of work.
I know where it is.
You do to.
Look back over the year.
Find the week that didn't wreck you, the...
- hours
- distance
- intensity
... I can do this every week.
Bonus/verification if you had any...
- Segments
- PWR
- HR
... PRs the following week(s)?
That's your Goldilocks number.
Mine's about...
- saddle time
- bit of strength work
- some sort of other fun
... 13 hours/week.
What's yours?
===
164.8 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
0 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/86/1 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
YOU GET 1 WISH
2026 WILL BE HERE soon enough. Many of us are already planning work, vacations, family time...
... and, yes, races.
You get 1 wish.
Here it is...
- lay out your Giant RaceDay Calendar
- scour the interwebs for races
- pick one, and do it
... no limitations.
Imagine it...
- Anywhere on this giant blue marble.
- Any time of the year
- Dream equipment
- Fantastic lodging
- Clear schedule
... and ask yourself.
If not this year...
... when?
'Cause here's the deal, if we only did one race next year...
... we could probably make it happen.
It's just a mental game, play it out, and let me know...
... where, when and why.
Me personally, my top choices...
- Gravel Burn, South Africa
- Oregon Trail
- Rebecca's Private Idaho
... are gravel stage races.
Gravel Burn looks insane.
===
You do have a Giant RaceDay Calendar, right?
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/raceday-calendars%E2%84%A2
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164.4 lbs/12.5%
8ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
0 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/91/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE REBEL ALLIANCE IS GROWING
EVERY NOW AND THEN a new format or race or course or piece of equipment comes along with promises to change everything. Except hardly anything changes...
... until something sparks.
How does that work?
Like this.
About 10 years ago, I purchased my first gravel bike.
My friends, like me, were roadies and mountain bikers.
A gravel bike seemed like the worst of both worlds.
I got it,
understood where they were coming from.
Except, I was having so dang much fun...
... I didn't care.
I just kept riding gravel,
inviting my friends,
enduring their
mockery.
It wasn't overnight,
more like overdecade.
The last two Saturdays, most telling.
Eight days ago, an absolute shredder on a mountain bike shows up on a spanking new gravel bike.
30 minutes in, he's grinning and shouting...
... This looks so wrong, but gadang it's fun!
Today, another pal shows up for his first group gravel ride.
He's gifted off road, we spent years riding motos in the desert...
... We're going 30+ miles an hour, I can't believe how much ground we can cover!
Does that mean you should be riding gravel, too?
Maybe.
But, really, it's just a lesson in how things that are worthwhile spread.
Then again...
... What did the gravel bike say to the road bike?
I am your father.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
0 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/105/-15 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
FAMOUS COACHES ARE GETTING FIRED RIGHT AND LEFT
IN PRO SPORTS, or high level amateur, there is always a spot light on the coaches. At some point, blame or credit lands...
... squarely on their shoulders.
Should it?
I do love to follow college football...
- the emotional swings
- the athleticism
- the stadiums
... so much energy and unpredictablity.
Who would have thought so many megamilliondollar...
... coaches would be punted this year.
Mid-season.
The great Seth Godin wrote The Gap.
The idea behind the book is when we find ourselves unable to close the gap to our goal...
... the sooner we decide to quit and move on, the better.
It might be a pro gambling tactic as well...
... but, the only gambling I do is putting my heart, soul and cash into this business.
Anyway, would you have/have you had the guts...
... to change directions, and how quickly would you do it?
===
163.6 lbs/12.4%
7.5 hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/83/3 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CHOOSE WORTHY ADVERSARIES
WHAT IS IT ABOUT LOVING UNDERDOGS? It's so uniquely American. Is it our origin story, the DNA of our culture...
... to cheer for the fighter with no chance?
Honestly.
Who can't feel a bit of their own soul being crushed with every blow the awesome Apollo Creed delivers to a...
... bloodied, bruised, crushed Rocky Balboa?
We've all been in that arena.
Had the bell ring.
Still standing.
Somehow.
We humans thrive against overwhelming adversaries...
- inspiration
- desperation
- exasperation
... oozing with confidence and power.
When our all is required,
we discover who we really are.
As the great Kierkegaard said...
... What doesn't kill me makes me stronger.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/88/-1 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MY TOP 5 SPEED HACKS
FOR MOST OF US, going faster, getting better, has less to do with a fancy new gizmo or the latest training fad. We know that...
... but, what are doing about it?
Like the Mastercard ad says...
... some things are priceless.
Here are five...
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- Strength
- Maintenance
- Consistency
... anybody can do.
These are my hacks.
Sleep.
Figure out when we want to wake up. Get in bed 8 hours prior to that. Stay there until it's time. Eventually, our bodies get the hang of it, and boom... we're sleep doping.
Nutrition.
Eat clean. No packaged foods. If we can't identify the ingredients, we don't consume it.
Strength.
Do the basics, at home. We don't have time to drive to the gym. No need to do all the sets at once, break 'em up throughout the day. Hardly any equipment is needed: pull up bar, a few dumbbells (adjustables for the win).
Maintenance.
New equipment is so nice because it is all tight and precise. Flawless maintenance will keep that new equipment performance for years, and we'll always be race ready.
Consistency.
If we always train at the same time magic happens. Those around us learn and appreciate our commitment. We get it done. Always.
A final word.
I was never the best athlete. Not among my friends, and certainly not at school or among the general population.
I was never picked first, couldn't aim or hit anything regularity.
I wasn't the bravest or most daringist.
I did have one thing going for me...
... I freakin' loved being outside and being challenged by nature.
Today, I'm probably better than almost all my contemporaries.
That's not a flex, it's just happens.
They quit.
Which brings us to the top two hacks of all time...
... commitment and passion.
===
165.2 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
√ Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls, Split Squats
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/83/3(fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
YOU'VE LOST THAT AWESOME FEELING... GET IT BACK!
THERE'S A CERTAIN SOMETHING we feel during the early days of picking up our passion. It's tangible. We can taste it. We love it...
... that's how we got here.
I'd lost it.
Over the last couple of years, drunk with stupid stats from Training Peaks and Starva...
- more time
- more miles
- more climbing
... I found myself wallowing in fatigue.
Don't get me wrong.
I'd line up, or roll out with the pals, and, though I might be quick to drift back...
... the ability to endure for hours was ridiculous.
Something snapped.
Or, lightning struck.
I dunno.
But, a few weeks ago, I woke up and said...
Screw it!
I'm cutting down the long slogs...
... and bringing back sprint days.
2-3 hours became 90 minutes.
With 10-15 VO2 max efforts,
lasting 10 seconds to 5 minutes.
I'm super fortunate to live close to trails with a lot of straight up and straight down...
... I let the terrain dictate how long the sprint lasts.
Then, focus on my DH skills...
... coasting, staying off the brakes, carving and carrying speed.
The upshot, after 90 minutes and 10+ solid efforts?
I feel amazing,
not pooped.
Sprinting engages all our muscles and focus...
... a total mind, body soul work out.
Soul?
Yeah, trust me.
Do 'em right, and you'll see stars and feel God's presence could be imminent.
===
164.3 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
No PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises
No Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/83/3(fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
YOU CAN'T GROW A BEARD OVERNIGHT
WE WANNA BE FASTER. Right now. Not this season, not this month, not this week, not today. Right now...
... 300 meters from the finish line.
Houston, we have a problem.
Go ahead.
We forgot to add fuel to the return booster.
Sucks to be you.
Yeah.
We can't grow a beard overnight.
A good one, for some of us...
... can take months.
If we wanna be fast in the final sprint,
if we wanna negative split the course...
... we gotta put in the work before we need the result.
===
164.3 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises, Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/82/4 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CULTURE WARS
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF TRAINING groups. Both extend invitations...
... the similarities stop there.
One culture assures...
- everyone is ready to start together
- there are plenty of stops
- nobody gets left behind
... fairness and concern.
The other demands...
- leaving on time
- no stopping
- no waiting
... rugged individuals.
The group we...
- join
- create
- help grow
... depends on the result we are looking for.
===
165.2 lbs/12.5%
8 hours sleep
√ PullUps, PushUps, Rows, Shoulder Presses, Heel Raises, Calf Raises, Box Jumps, Dead Lifts, Nordic Curls
10 minutes stretching
180 minutes Reading/Journaling
87/86/1 (fitness/fatigue/form)
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE THERE GOING TO BE AID STATIONS AT HUNKR-LA?
Oct 25, 2018
by TODD BROWN
reposted from HUNKR.com
ARE THERE GOING TO BE AID STATIONS?!!
Heck yes!
Time-wise, this is going to be the longest and toughest HUNKR yet... and we want you to crush it. So we're setting you up for success. Whether you come out for the adventurous grind or have intentions of winning the cash purse.
What's at an Aid / Refueling Station: Aid stations will be fully stocked with Hammer Heed and Gels, along with Water, fruit and some packaged snacks (fig bars etc).
The first station will be at the end of old 99, right before you start the lonely country road. About mile 22 (not including the 4 mile neutral roll out).
Station number 2 is at 34.
You'll find station number 3 as you exit the pavement and get down to some serious dirt. Mile 50.
Number 4 is at the bottom of the long dirt descent, before the final 3 mile, paved climb. Is it necessary? On paper No. In reality, we're thinking a number of riders will welcome a rest and re-fuel.
That's it, 4 stations. All dedicated to your success.
Me, Todd, my strategy is stop twice: #1 and #3. If all goes well.
It's time to HUNKR down!
_____
162.4
Ride with us: click for info.
THE 3 KINDS OF RIDERS
Oct 24, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE 3 KINDS OF RIDERS. They all went around the block.
One, loved his block and kept going round and round... cursing anybody who suggested a different route.
Another, she rode some laps then found another block... sure it was the better.
And the third, took a few turns then ventured off... a never-ending, ever-expanding block.
_____
165
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I NEED YOUR HELP
Oct 23, 2018
by TODD BROWN
MY FRIENDS, I HAVE A QUICK ASK. Some of you know I'm on a quest to get a RaceDay bag in the hands of anybody that drives to a ride or a race.
The bag makes loading up so easy, for some it's life changing.
If you would take a minute to check out a new landing page I've been working on and let me know your thoughts it would mean so much to me. I value your insights.
Here's the link: https://pedalindustries.com/pages/get-raceday-bags
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
_____
164.6
Ride with us: click for info.
THIS MAY COME IN HANDY
Oct 22, 2018
by TODD BROWN
WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS TRUE INSIDER KNOWLEDGE.
Steve passed me heading North while I was heading South. He spun around, I eased up. Little did I know he was about to dump something so juicy on me. We pulled into the Outlets to take the long route so my OCD could be satisfied with an hour of riding vs 56 minutes.
Todd, have you seen the bathrooms back here?
I think so.
Not the ones in the breezeway. I'm talking about the giant ones you can ride your bike right into.
Show me!
Sure enough, Steve had found the best bikin' bathrooms on the planet. On the backside of the San Clemente Outlets are giant "family" bathrooms... and who better to take in their than your trusty steed.
This is the kind of secret knowledge you get by being a regular reader.
Which can come in handy if you're running irregular,
now if only there was an app for that.
162.4
Ride with us: click for info.
THE CIRCLE
Oct 20, 2018
by TODD BROWN
I WAS GOING TO RIDE BAHATI'S CIRCLE OF DOOM, but the circle of life took precedent. At 645 my youngest (Little Pants) and I set off for Artesia to help my middlest (Biggol) and his wifey (Blondie) move to Irvine. With luck, we'd been done in time, and fresh enough, for me to ride home.
Not gonna lie, did my best to stay away from the giant couch with the hide-a-bed. But other than that, it felt good to be lifting and even better to be helping. Many hands made quick work of the loading and unloading.
Just like that, the no longer newlyweds were settled into Irvine... the same town Surfergirl and i started this journey 30 years ago.
Nostalgia pulled me through town on the bike path I'd ridden hundreds of times. I passed our tiny condo and then the turn off for the sweet townhome we shoulda kept.
No hurry.
Taking it in.
Remembering the Fisher Hookooekoo, my first MTB, with the Burley trailer attached and my two little boys taking their first rides.
The evenings, pre-kids, when we'd ride to Back Bay after work. Not a care in the world. No idea what the road ahead would bring us.
Friendships we'd made that remain strong today simply because someone cared enough to reach out.
It was a truly beautiful Indian Summer day. 80 degrees and crystal clear. The kind of day you feel you can ride forever.
So I did... and along the way quiet thought accompanied me...
My all your days be blissful my young ones...
even those that seem so troubling on the surface,
may you find goodness there too,
remembering to pedal,
and enjoy your ride.
the well traveled bike trail
way up high
(
taking on some calories
_____
162.6
Ride with us: click for info.
GETTING GOOD
Oct 19, 2018
by TODD BROWN
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP? Implored Sir Winston. So does Gladwell when he says it takes 10,000 hours to be great at something.
10,000 hours.
If I rode 10 hours a week 50 weeks a year, it would take 20 years to be a great bike rider.
But, it's not just riding.
I think the time spent working on my bike counts.
As does the time watching a race unfold.
Throw in the core work and stretching and yoga too.
It all adds up.
Every day, a little better. A little closer.
After 20 years, I'm not great... but,
I'm pretty damn close
to the best I can be
and that's the point of any endeavor.
_____
161.2
Ride with us: click for info.
WE CHOSE THIS
Oct 18, 2018
by TODD BROWN
I GOT A LATE START YESTERDAY. I chose to get some pressing work done.... and, I chose to postpone the ride from morning till evening which always leaves an opening for things to go sideways.
The sun quickly set. I chose to ride on.
I raced half up Harding at 9 tenths. I chose to shut 'er down and take it easy after that.
The moon rose. I chose to stop on the deserted fire road and snap a pic.
60 minutes in, I chose to stop and admire the view of my city.
It dawned on me, as the temperature quickly dropped, that being 6 miles up a rugged fire road with one light and no jacket was not my best choice. I chose to head down.
But that feeling of being all alone, in the wild.. that sound, of nothing but a distant hum... that sight of my fellow citizens far away... me, choosing to live like this... nothing like it.
Who else made a choice to be risky today
to do what their heart called them to do,
to venture out and bet on themselves?
... it's just a choice,
make it...
_____
160.8
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HAVE SOME HEART
Oct 17, 2018
by TODD BROWN
MY COACH HAS TOLD ME FOR YEARS THAT TRAINING BY POWER IS DANGEROUS. Frankly, I was too cheap to buy a power meter and didn't want to hassle with one more device. Her warning was that training by power would disconnect me from how my body was actually doing. I like simplicity so this was easy to heed.
Understand, I only get "coached" a few months out of the year... if at all. I just can't handle the structure, it takes too much fun out of riding for me. But, when I'm really serious about an event (none in '18) I need her guidance and feedback.
Word has it, the reason the pros took to power meters early on was because with all the chemical enhancement that was occurring during the same time period training by heart rate became useless. Their heart rate data was no longer relevant. It was not giving them accurate feedback on what was achievable with their new found "unbelievable" powers.
Anyway, I found this article by VeloNews really useful in helping me understand the differences and advantages of training by heart rate and/or by power. It's a good read, very clearly written.
https://www.velonews.com/2018/10/training/training-center-why-heart-rate-shouldnt-be-ignored_480208
... thought you might like it.
_____
161.2
Ride with us: click for info.
THE PRICE OF SMOKING
Oct 16, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THE HACKING COUGH STARTLED MY LITTLE MAMA. (She's visiting for a few months.)
Boy, you sound terrible.
It's not a real cough madre. It's a smoker's cough.
You don't smoke.
We did today... we smoked all kinds of KOM's.
You smoked what?
Don't worry mama, I'm okay.
That's the price of putting down smoking times when the Santa Ana winds are blowing and the temps dip into the high 40s: smoker's cough.
It's a bad habit I plan on keeping till the wheels don't spin no more.
_____
160.6
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SINCE WE'RE NEVER GOING TO RIDE TOGETHER
Oct 15, 2018
by TODD BROWN
I LIVE ON A STREET OF BIKE RIDERS, but we don't ride together. We're all at different stages of life, with very different abilities and interests. Still, you'd think we'd ride together, occasionally.
One time I ran into Matt out on the local single-track. He's a young firefighter with a crazy schedule, and he prefers the very steep stuff with big air.
The guys at then end of the street regularly ride their ancient mountain bikes, just on the road. They've long since retired, just out to stretch their legs.
Tom is my next-door neighbor. His son just bought him an electric assist bicycle. He gets up and hits the road at 630 three times a week and rides to 24hr Fitness.
All that bike riding stuff in common, but we never hang out.
So... last week I invited Tom to invite me over for Monday Night Football - I could see the flicker of the games from our backyard and since we cut the cord a long time ago, and we're both empty-nesters... tonight we did some bike talk in between pulling for the 49rs.
Can't just always be riding and never hanging out,
One day we just might need each other.
_____
162.4
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A DIFFERENT KIND OF SATURDAY
Oct 13, 2018
by TODD BROWN
RAIN, LIGHTENING AND THUNDER... TIME FOR A NORMAL SATURDAY. It was refreshing to go to bed knowing I'd be rained out in the morning. I was sure I'd sleep in. But, I didn't.
It was still refreshing to rise before the sun. I had nothing to do.
Grabbed the two books I'm reading.
Made a tall glass of ice water.
Settled into the couch.
Everybody else slept. We have guests and I was silent, not for their sakes... for mine, I wanted to get lost for an hour or two since I wouldn't be out riding.
Soon I made a run to SC Donuts - for them, not me... I'm an athlete.
Then a few errands around town I should have done earlier.
Lastly, some tweaks to our website.
At 2 the roads were dry. Matt called. Let's go! We tempo'd a steady 90 minute wander.
It was a normal Saturday, normal for most.
But, I prefer my Saturdays to include a good dose of lung-hucking.
_____
159.6
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IS THERE A CONNECTION?
Oct 12, 2018
by TODD BROWN
ASTHON LAMBIE SHATTERS INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT RECORD WORLD RECORD AND THE OLD DIESEL SHAVES A WHOLE SECOND OFF A 5-YEAR OLD PR.
First off, what little-known gravel racer Ashton Lambie accomplished is absolutely unheard of in track cycling and worth a read: https://www.usacycling.org/article/ashton-lambie-shatters-world-record
Second off, I've been wondering all week how I managed to go 14 seconds faster up Live Oak than I had over the previous 200+ attempts, besting my old PR by 1 second.
Maybe there is something to riding heavy road bikes (aka gravel bikes <- worst name ever) around then getting on racing bikes and charging hard? The surface resistance, the weight, the unaeroness, the miles riding alone, the LSD pace...
Is there a connection?
I dunno and I do' care.
Because I suspect it's more to do with balancing the pain when racing
with
having a whole lotta fun adventures on two wheels.
_____
161
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THE OLD DIESEL IS RACING HUNKR?
Oct 11, 2018
by TODD BROWN
I THINK THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF RACE PROMOTERS: guys that used to race looking to give back and possibly make a buck, and guys that wanna promote and race the kind of race they want to do.
Who is the better promoter?
Well, so far, the largest race in the world is put on by a Not Racer... so far.
But, HUNKR is different in so many ways... why not have the race creator racing? It's the race I want to race, and it will give me a much better perspective of how to continuously improve the HUNKR experience.
Plus... just being honest... I freakin' love racing. I love training for months, prepping gear the week of, waking up knowing I'm ready, seeing my friends on the start line, the focus required, the way all my cares disappear and it's just me and my bike doing our best, forgetting the rest.
Let's do it!
Oh, and whoever finishes one spot behind me races free at the next HUNKR - incentive to let me beat you? Nah, that would be crazy!
With a great team in place.
The Old Diesel,
must race!
(Why do we put on this race? Like we don't have enough to do... because, we think you'll love racing for a PR with a bunch of other really fun, talented riders.)
_____
160.6
Ride with us: click for info.
CHASING THE LIGHT
Oct 10, 2018
by TODD BROWN
LIFE CAN CERTAINLY GET BUSY, GET AWAY FROM YA, AND PRETTY SOON THE LIGHT IS DIMMING. You've run out of time. The sun no longer shines.
For some, if the ride didn't happen yet it's not going to.
Others make their own light,
They venture out,
Often alone,
Fearless,
Committed,
In need of cleansing their souls,
For tomorrow always comes and there's always more to do.
_____
161
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THERE IS A B IN BIBS
Oct 09, 2018
by TODD BROWN
WHILE THERE'S NO I IN TEAM, THERE WAS DEFINITELY A BEE IN SOMEONE'S BIBS THIS MORNING. Who was the guilty son-of-a-gun?
Was it Mark who yelled Roll 'em promptly at 630... creating a huge gap to himself?
Was it Young Kevin who yanked the group up Antonio at 22+?
Was it Mike G who kept attacking anytime a hint of respite presented itself?
Was it one the guys with red Winner sleeves?
Whoever it was, THANK YOU!
The group was finally riding a sensible pace when we got to the bike trail. Conversational. And no one had a hankering for hammering. Which was just perfect for a number of us...
... to PR Live Oak!...
Which reminds me of something I read many, many years ago in Velo News. It was an interview with Kent Bostick regarding his making the '96 Olympic team at the age of 40 something. He said, no matter what I always have one hard day week... regardless of the time of year. That's how I've managed to stay fast.
Which reminds me to remind you that the Master's World Championships is going on at our local Velodrome this week. My friend Dave Prechtl sent me a link featuring Bostick racing the 65+... Dave and his team are going for a repeat World's gold on Friday.
But, back to the bee in the bibs.
Thanks for stinging us all,
it was a good 'un!
_____
161.4
Ride with us: click for info.
TODAY BIT
Oct 08, 2018
by TODD BROWN
TODAY, OCTOBER 8TH, REALLY BIT. Well, not really, but it was the first day of Fall that had some bite to it. My non-SoCal friends will scoff and mock, but I grabbed the vest and warmers before heading out.
Jeff, in Park City, will get a good laugh out of this. As will Bob in Heber, and Matt in Highland.
Mike, in Orinda, he'll understand but won't respect it.
Bart, up in Idaho, forget about it... he'll call me all kinds of names.
It's all deserved.
I admit it.
I'm a lightweight with no winter coat... only a fine mane, which I'll need to be keeping.
_____
161.4
Ride with us: click for info.
I'LL BET THE KIDS ARE PARTYING
Oct 06, 2018
by TODD BROWN
A FEW OF MY PEERS AND I TOOK A HEALTHY CRACK AT FOOD PARK THIS MORNING. Along the way we snapped off some PRs, then pretty much destroyed the smalle-than-usual group.
By the end of the first loop, there were 5 of us. 3 in our 50's. 2 punks.
We rode hard for another hour, slugging it out with the kids... at the coast they raced North, we drifted South.
Sometimes, I get really into watching my average speed for the ride. Last year, training for LoToJa, I'd go out and try to stay above 20mph no matter what.
Today, that average speed dropped with every mile we pedaled towards home... down to 18.2... really, I'm shocked it was that high... it was one of those rides that the closer you get to home the farther away it seems, Twilight Zoneish.
I doubt the guys are doing much tonight, but the kids... the kids I'm sure will be out late, 'cause it's Saturday night!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
_____
161
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SO HUMBLING
Oct 05, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN HUMBLING AND HUMILIATING. As I kid I became a confident, proficient surfer. As an adult, I've done the same on the bike. There's a ton of joy to be had with good skills and confidence.
Tonight I realized I've probably been a bit of a jerk at times.
While I gulped water and flailed, Jake glided on by with a big smile. He didn't mean anything by it, he was having a blast. But, when he said I needed to be patient I just about lost it. While he was being encouraging, I was going from humbled to humiliated.
It's my own doing, and intellectually I know better...
But, right now my skills on a short stand up paddle board are appalling.
That's why I'm doing it... unlearning "normal" surfing and starting at the bottom. Mastering stand up paddle surfing is going to take a dedicated effort, and I'm always down for a challenge.
The other reason why, it's a really good idea to have a cross-over sport. Stand up paddling alone builds tremendous core strength and requires some balance. Surfing, on a stand up short board, is like going from training wheels to a Cat 1-2-3 crit.
I'll get there. It's worth it.
It's up to me whether or not to consider the process humbling or humiliating. Humiliating... and I might quit. Humbling... humbling brings hope, and I can do anything with hope.
This is a long way of saying... next time I bring a friend out on a ride that is way above their level, rather than glide by and emitting platitudes I'll do my best just to be there and appreciate their 100% effort... maybe answer a few questions when asked.
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162.4
Ride with us: click for info.
I'M NO SCIENTIST
Oct 04, 2018
by TODD BROWN
GENERALLY, I SHY AWAY FROM TOO MUCH DATA AND STRUCTURE. But, somehow I got convinced I should test myself before heading out for a brutal ride. So, I bought a fancy shmancy monitor and downloaded the Elite HRV app.
Monday was the first measurement, no baseline established.
Tuesday, the indicators said Ride it like you stole it. Well, yeah, I took Sunday off and rode very easy Monday. We pounded TMWC.
Wednesday, I was still cleared to ride hard. This surprised me. I thought yesterday's effort might play a factor. I did my normal Wednesday hard tempo with lots of vert and managed to bang out 2000' of elevation off-road on the gravel bike. It hurt.
Thursday, the monitor said Not today, loco. The app's prescription was to take the day off or do active recovery. I surfed (SUP) for about an hour. One nice thing was how easy it was to pass on going with the guys to the Market Ride tonight.
4 days into measuring I'm pretty sure I'm only going to confirm what I already knew: ez Monday, hard Tuesday, Tempo Wednesday, rest Thursday, spin Friday and hammer Saturday is a pretty good formula.
I'm curious about tomorrow's reading. Time to hit some light weights and stretch before bed.
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159.8
Ride with us: click for info.
FROM TRAIL TO BRAILLE
Oct 03, 2018
by TODD BROWN
FIRST OFF, WHO KNEW I'D BE SNATCHING KOMs ON THE DIRT RIDING THE "GRAVEL" BIKE.
Second, I think gravel bike is a terrible name. But, that's another story.
Third, the sunset tonight was pure fire to my soul.
Fourth, right after this pic I crashed pressing the limits of the skinny tires.
Fifth, shortly thereafter I tapped the button for my headlight and got nothing.
Sixth, 2000' in 90 minutes is a pretty sweet work out.
Seventh, both of my sons called on their commutes home and that makes a dad feel alright.
Eighth, we had very productive meetings with CHP, Sheriff, Forest Service and the fine folks at Castaic regarding HUNKR - LA earlier today.
Ninth, stopped by the factory on my back and picked up the Monster Energy kits - so sweet.
Tenth, well... I'd have to call today a 10.
(from trail rider to braille rider)
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161.6
Ride with us: click for info.
YOUNG KEVIN
Oct 02, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THIS WEEK "YOUNG KEVIN" SHOWED UP FOR THE TMWC. We used to have an Old Kevin, but he got too old. Anyway, Young Kevin came out for the TMWC. The TMWC, if ya don't know, is our tongue in cheek Tuesday Morning World Championships. Kevin was our unOFFICIAL TMWC Champ in '16, when he was even younger.
Five days earlier Young Kevin was racing the real World Championships in Austria!... where he finished 8th in the entire world of hot shot boy racers under 18 years old. 8th, out of the hundred plus that were invited and the thousands who tried to get there. Our Young Kevin is among the very best in the world.
Which made today really cool.
And yes, he beat us all...
again.
And yes, he beat us all...
again.
Welcome back Champ!
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161
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IN THE RIDE OF THE BEHOLDER
Oct 01, 2018
by TODD BROWN
STEVE, COME WITH ME TO RIDE CV TOMORROW. No thanks, too many stops. I'm going to ride Food Park.
Frank, let's do Food Park tomorrow. Nah, too many lights. I'm going to do CV.
...hmmmmm...
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160.8
Ride with us: click for info.
THAT WAS CLOSE
Sep 29, 2018
by TODD BROWN
STRAVA SAYS I PRd EVERY SEGMENT OF THE DOWNHILL, but at the time I was just in the zone chasing Paul. It's a twisty one, shadows flooding the asphalt. When I'm in the zone it all seems slow and normal, and it was...
until a chunk of road reflector sliced my sidewall,
tire pressure dropped to zero...
I had to come out of my lean to get off the rim, changing my trajectory from safe to heading straight for a tiny roundabout with a huge rock.
Things were still slow, my gaze lasered beyond the rock across the road to the dirt... I was still hauling @$$ with no steering. The dirt shoulder allowed me to lock up the rear wheel and slightly change direction.
Then I clipped a brick hard and shattered the wheel I'd borrowed from Mike.
It could have been a lot more expensive. The $300 or so it'll take to fix it seems awfully cheap.
I hailed a LYFT. We killed 18 minutes inspecting the cause, retracing my line and Paul kept me company.
Which brings up my awesome local bike shop, Rock N Road... LYFT dropped me off and clunked in to find Jeff. Can ya halp a brother out? In no time, I had a loaner wheel and tire.
Serenity accompanied me as I rolled back to the coast. I had survived near disaster, been swooped up by LYFT, patched up by Jeff.
Someone's looking out for The Old Diesel,
and I'm not sure I'm worthy,
I'm just sure glad
to be home.
There were quite a few rocks, but I think it was this very sharp reflector shrapnel.
Poor tire never had a chance
The final skid
What a great time to be alive
Thanks Jefe!
(support your local bike shop!)
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160.4
Ride with us: click for info.
IT'S A PARTY BACK THERE
Sep 28, 2018
by TODD BROWN
IT'S EARLY, OVERCAST AND QUIET. I'm on HVY MTL, soft pedaling a remote single track. Trying to shake some darkness and bring a little light into the day.
All of the sudden it's a party in my back pocket. Haptic touches and synthesized chirps begging for my attention.
Forgot to turn my phone onto silent mode. Doh!
More pings and zings. Ugh.
I hesitate, stop, check it... just friends and family prepping for the weekend plans. Nothing wrong with that.
A flick to silent mode,
peace restored,
gotta work,
then party.
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161.8
Ride with us: click for info.
THAT VAN
Sep 27, 2018
by TODD BROWN
AFTER MONTHS OF DELIBERATION, I KNOW I WANT A VAN FOR MY BIKE RIDIN' AND WORKIN' LIFE. The choices and experiences of my friends hasn't helped me one bit. Each one of them has reasoned out their decision and for the most part are completely satisfied.
A mini-van
Pros are easy to park, great mileage, high quality Japanese offerings.
Con are it's a mini-van and limited space - bikes would end up outside if more than me traveling.
A full-size van
Pros are carrying everything, being able to keep bikes inside, sleep inside, carry large quantities of our products.
Cons are they are huge, quality is not going to be on par, worse gas mileage.
Solution
Go full-size, get a motorcycle for running around town.
Now if I can just get used to the idea of having a vehicle payment again, ugh!
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162
Ride with us: click for info.
LOADED AND HIGH - TRAINING SECRETS
Sep 26, 2018
by TODD BROWN
GETTING LOADED AND RIDING HIGH, THAT'S SOME OF MY BEST TRAINING. And why not, I live in a state where that's a great thing to do... and totally legal!
Wednesday are my preferred days, kind of a destresser mid-week... leaving around 4:20 if possible - wink, wink, nod, nod.
Most of the time, it involves dirt.
For this training to pay off...
I LOAD up my bike with very full water bottles and LOAD up my pockets. I don't need all that water and gear but the point is to weigh myself and my bike down. The idea is make my steed feel like a pig.
Then I GET HIGH. Ideally, it's one long steady climb. The second best option is to do a bunch of shorter climbs in succession. My goal here is to keep my heart rate just under 160bmp, the top end of my zone 3.
This is a great weekly work out,
building power and endurance.
What did you think it was?
Only needed 1 of these bottles.
Ran into Craig on his sweet hardtail turned gravel bike.
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163.2
Ride with us: click for info.
A POOR (SMART) MAN'S GRAVEL BIKE
Sep 25, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THERE WAS A TIME I GOT SO INTO MTB RACING that I sold my road bike. It was back in the days of massive NORBA races and all I wanted to do was "train the position". I rode that MTB everywhere. I put skinny tires on it to hit the big group rides and was mercilessly heckled on Coffee Crew.
I was reminded of that today because Paul took my bait to do a dirt version of The TMWC and showed up on his MTB... with skinny tires. Not road, but "gravel" tires. He had a 50 with tiny knobbies on the front and a slick 38 on the back.
It looked so wrong, but it worked great.
(that's Craig's hardtail with drop bars and pretty skinny tires above)
We started with the crew then connected a bunch of dirt trails, criss-crossing the B group and popping back on the road at the bottom of the corkscrew just as the A's caught us.
How great is Paul's set up?
Well, I couldn't shake him on the dirt and when the A's caught us he left me for dead and sprinted up the final climb with the big boys.
Wanna test the gravel waters... you can buy an entry level bike like I did or just get some skinny tires on your hardtail. Either way will open up your mind to a new way to look at riding and help you decide whether or not to pull the trigger on a real gravel racer.
**********
HUNKR – LA is just around the corner. I’ve arranged for VIP parking for you and your team… It’s a $20 value and it will get you a primo spot… while everybody else will be paying $11 to park further away.
This will be a “gravel” event: the first 20ish miles are on abandoned Highway 99, the next 30ish are on a rarely traveled country roads, and the final 12ish are dirt.
Personally, I didn’t get the mixed-surface craze until I threw down a few bucks on a modest rig. I get it now, it’s super fun to ride in the drops and have all kinds of options. If you’ve got a nice mountain bike, just pop on some skinny tires and you’ll be set.
Use Coupon Code : "PedalParkVIP" when you register.
*Code expires October 10, 2018 - or the first 100 people to use it*
HUNKR-LA is being hosted by Revolution Bike Fest out at Castaic. There are going to be a ton of vendors and demo fleets out there – think mini Sea Otter, close to home.
A sample of what we'll be riding.
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163.4
Ride with us: click for info.
MONDAY NIGHTS
Sep 24, 2018
by TODD BROWN
EVERY MONDAY NIGHT FOR ABOUT 28 YEARS I HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. About 9, I sneak out to the garage and check the tires, put lights on if needed, check the e-tap batteries (that's recent), wipe and lube the chain, clean the glasses. Then, I slide inside to make my bottles and put 'em in the fridge. Finally, I quietly lay out my kit on the bathroom sink... and set the alarm for 5, 505, 510 to make sure I'm up and 530 to get out on the road.
Why all the clandestiness?
We all know I'm gonna be meeting the fellas for some play time. We'll be up well before the rest of town. Riding. Hootin'. Hollerin'. Going as hard as we can, then cruising home to get back grinding.
I know many of the guys will schedule their travel days for Tuesday with an 11am flight. Many a conference call has been pushed back from 8 to 9 because I got a family thing at 8.
But who wants to make a show of playing before work,
Even if it's the only thing keeping us hanging on?
The significant others don't get it,
The kids think we're nuts,
But, we know better,
What matters...
at the beginning of the Tuesday!
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163.4
Ride with us: click for info.
HUNKR - LA PRE-RIDE
Sep 23, 2018
by TODD BROWN
previously posted on HUNKR.com
HOW TO DESCRIBE TODAY? LET ME START WITH FRIENDSHIP... the kind were you and your pal say good-bye to the group and head into the wild, and that friend says Take my chews, you need some sugar, and it's 103 degrees and your clawing your way up a rugged and exposed jeep trail, the kind where you collapse together as you summit the final climb.
That's friendship.
... oh, and the kind where you're so smoked you drive off with your wallet on the top of the car and your friend says No problem, I'll buy and you can go back and find it...
... are you picking up what I'm putting down?...
If you are, then HUNKR - LA is for you... and your friends who are into super-scenic and epic adventures.
By 5:24AM I was on the road, hustling to meet Neil Shirley's crew at Castaic. The plan was to ride with them for the first 2/3s of HUNKR - LA then peel off and ride the dirt back to the final summit.
I'd love to tell you all about the details with my usual amazing wordsmithing, but Toddy very tired. So, feast your eyes on this.
When should you drive through LA? Saturday morning at 530,
speeding and loving it.
speeding and loving it.
Neil's crew on the lower slopes of Historic 99. This road was built over 100 years ago and served as the only way to get to Bakersfield for about 50 years.
After that amazing 20 miles, we got on a country road for 30ish miles where we saw a total of 9 Porsches and about 15 other cars
Then we hit the dirt
This is what friendship looks like.
There is definitely poison oak to be found at the bottom... this is the only single track, it's not too long. It takes us from an abandoned camp site to this crazy paved stream bed... no photos of that doh!
Alas, we exit the dirt and have the final 3ish miles up a paved climb
... yep, went back and found the RaceDay Wallet laying in the road...
The Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/1859223237
There's a bunch of videos here: https://www.facebook.com/events/409847986214265/
But, this a classic
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162.2
Ride with us: click for info.
THE CAMEL'S HUMP
Sep 21, 2018
by TODD BROWN
IT'S GONNA BE A LONG, HOT RECON RIDE TOMORROW. No support, no stores, possibly no hidden water stash. I'll need at least 3 bottles, maybe 4. Bike only holds 2.
Our jersey pockets are incredible stretchy (this is pilfered internet photo because it's late, and there's no one here to take pic of my backside). Just slide third bottle into the center pocket - more evidence the pic above isn't mine.
I prefer the center pocket as I'm not going to be reaching for that bottle except to swap it out for an empty on the frame. That way it's easy access to the side pockets' contents.
The plan is to drink up on the 90 mile drive to the start and then roll with 3. I'll bring some mix just in case we find some water.
It's not a camel hump, but it'll do.
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161.8
Ride with us: click for info.
HE AIN'T BROTHER, HE'S MY HVY MTL
Sep 20, 2018
by TODD BROWN
YOUR BIKE HAS A NAME, RIGHT? You've tapped your creativity, right? A bolt of inspiration has struck, right? When you check your stable and decide which one to take out you look 'em in the bars and whisper their names, right?...
... 'cause you're crazy if you don't,
ya gotta respect your rides,
love 'em long time,
bring 'em to life.
It's not like naming a baby where you've got months or years of anticipation, where generations before you might be carried forth with a given name.
Your bike's name will come to you, and only you, after a few rides, maybe a month's worth. The new two-wheeler needs to be ridden. Hard. Easy. Long. Short. Dirtied and cleaned.
I tried to force a name on my new bike. It's a Merz, and I thought Merzy seemed right. But, it didn't. Lame name.
Then Saturday, on the Hardman Invitational it spoke to me. I'm HVY MTL man! We charged over all kinds of surfaces: asphalt, gravel, packed dirt, moon dust.
This is a heavy bike, 25lbs. All metal, everything. Solid. Confident. Strong. I'm so glad I bought it. One purpose was to remind myself that there's plenty of fun to be had on a budget bike.
When it's time to ramble on,
it's me and HVY MTL
C'mon, le's go!
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162.8
Ride with us: click for info.
PRE-RIDIN'
Sep 19, 2018
by TODD BROWN
Previously Posted on HUNKR.com
WE’RE GOING TO BE PRE-RIDING THE HUNKR-LA COURSE SATURDAY, 9/22. You should come. You’ll get a chance to ride Historic Route 99 – cars haven’t been on it in 50 years. We’ll then be on a pristine country road before we turn off onto the dirt. It’ll be an adventure.
Seeing any race course ahead of time is one of the best we can do to make the big day go better.
Pros pre-ride.
Champions pre-ride.
Racers looking to do their best pre-ride.
Why do they all pre-ride? Because familiarity breeds…. speed, confidence, tranquility. It gives us a chance to determine which equipment set up, apparel, food will be best.
A proper pre-ride is done at a pace that lets us take it all in. If need be, we can go back over a tricky section a few times to burn it into the brain.
The more you pre-ride the more you can dial in the course’s features. It will always, ALWAYS, be worth the effort.
It’s not the end of the of world if you can’t make it. Heck, many of us have had amazing days on courses we’ve never seen.
But, if you can make it happen… do it.
Come prepared and be sure to bring a riding buddy,
3 water large water bottles,
and plenty of food.
Details: We’ll be meeting at the corner of Ridge Route and Castaic Lake. The CBS Cycling group ride will be coming through about 7:30am. We’ll ride with them through Lake Hughes then we’ll turn and hit the dirt finish of HUNKR. There should be water stashed, but no food. The only store will be closed. Be prepared, the group won’t be waiting. Plan on an elapsed time of about 5 hours, and 90 degree heat. Whippee!
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162.6
Ride with us: click for info.
WHAT GOES AROUND
Sep 18, 2018
by TODD BROWN
WHEN DID YOU START MOUNTAIN BIKING? He's just a little 11yr old, and I must look like an old oak tree.
When I was about your age.
He looks up at me, That must have been a long time ago.
Or, a dinosaur... I think to myself.
It was a long time ago. About your age, I started riding with my friends. Just like you kids tonight. We rode to school and back every day. (I skip the shenanigans like kicking out into the trash cans on trash days.) . And on Saturdays we rode all day long, up early and home late.
Did you bring snacks and water?
We didn't, we just left with no plan other than to ride all day. But, I could see his concern should he attempt such a feat.
Yes, we brought snacks and a coupla dollars in case there was a store nearby.
Small talk from a small human just venturing out on his very first mountain bike ride. He was somewhat timid. But every single minute he rode he gained confidence. Soon he'd mastered a nice section of single track.
We should do this again next week.
Yes, we should. You did great!
On my way home, I realized how nice it is to teach someone young about riding. I reminisced about teaching my own kids, seeing their confidence grow. Memories of my dad coming to watch me race my BMX bike.
Kids.
Bikes.
Big kids.
Bigger Bikes.
Old kids staying young,
Young kids learning something new.
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163.2
Ride with us: click for info.
A 2FER
Sep 17, 2018
by TODD BROWN
LEARN A NEW TASK. RIDE YOUR BIKE. GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP... and, according to a new study, you will improve your long-term retention of your new skills.
Yes... just more good news for bike riders and the edge we have in the world.
But as I read that formula above, and the cited article, it occurred to me we have a chance for a 2fer. Learn a cycling skill then finish with some intensity and a good night sleep and we can get better even faster.
... and burning in those new skills with some post ride sugar or carbs...
well, that's the whole point of the ride for many of us.
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164.4
Ride with us: click for info.
PASS THE MUSTARD
Sep 15, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THEY DON'T CALL IT THE HARDMAN FOR NOTHING! 86 miles and 6000' of vert into the "ride", I get the hardest leg cramp I've ever had... mind you I've had both legs lock up with me falling over at Vision Quest and the Tahoe 100. I know something about cramps. I also have a new trick for eliminating cramps.
Normally, I'd be prepared with pickle juice during the ride and lots of celery the week of the event.
But, today wasn't normal.
Rather than following my cranium and cruising the short route - what I signed up for - I followed my heart and my pals onto the full Hardman 93 mile course. I couldn't resist. I was feeling good and we were working well in the "second group" on the road.
I should have stuck to the plan, I knew I wasn't prepared from a dietary standpoint. Where's the fun in that? It's a "gravel" event and I'm on a damn adventurous bike. With my pals.
We were all feeling good until we hit Blackstar. We got a little spread out on the big climb, but we regrouped at the aid station at the bottom. Seven of us.
Seven, became 6.
6 turned into 5.
5 down to 4.
4 to 2.
Here is where the cramps hit. I was out of food and had only a splash of water. We came in off the dirt through San Juan Capistrano and right then I remembered someone telling me - who was it?, I owe you - that mustard packets will knock out cramps.
Sounds terrible, but I was desperate.
Dan and I pulled into Bravo's. I grabbed a handful of packets. Mike rode on by.
We got going. One packet. Nothing, still cramping. Two packets. Not much better. Two more, plus the splash of water.
Dan had left me. I could see him and Mike way ahead on the last dirt climb.
Suddenly, cramps were gone.
Cutting to the chase... Dan made a wrong turn, and we both caught Mike before the terrible final press up La Pata... which blew us apart and we tricked in - Dan, me and Mike.
Mustard!
I've never seen Strava rate a ride as Historic,
nor have I had my Garmin suggest 63 hours to recover.
It was hard, man.
nor have I had my Garmin suggest 63 hours to recover.
It was hard, man.
A proper start with the National Anthem.
LEFT, RIGHT OR STRAIGHT
Sep 14, 2018
by TODD BROWN
THE HARDEST THING TO TEACH A MOUNTAIN BIKER IS VISION: You're gonna go where your looking. Look left, you're going left. Right, right. Straight...
See the rock, hit the rock.
It's so easy to be careless with what we look at, what we watch, what we read.
Tomorrow I'll be all in on finishing The Hardman with a big smile.
THE UPGRADE OF THE YEAR
Sep 13, 2018
by TODD BROWN
FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED MY GOAL OF THE ULTIMATE UPGRADE. It's made me a much better climber, and it's actually super cheap. But like most things, if it easy everyone would do it.
I hit my college weight.
With a simple adjustment of my morning food routine the pounds melted off. All I've changed, is I eat fresh fruit until Noon. As much as I want. I'll add a handful of nuts. But mainly it's about 6 pieces of fruit: apple, banana, orange, peach, assorted berries. Mix and match.
I have no idea why it works, but it's been the body hack of the year.
The last time I got this lean was 2002 - using diet pills : (
The time before that was 16 years prior - a poor college kid.
After college, I put on 30 lbs... gaining weight with each pregnancy. Then, I started riding again and taking those diet pills. They made me feel terrible. Quitting the pills and eating donuts with my kids had me pack on 20. I dropped 10 pretty easy once I started competing again. But his last 10 seemed impossible to shed.
Fruit, fruit magical fruit
the more I eat, the more I lose.
The more I lose, the faster I climb,
so pound the fruit its morning time.
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162.6
Ride with us: click for info.
READY FOR AN ADVENTURE?
Sep 12, 2018
by TODD BROWN
Re-Post from HUNKR.com
GRAVEL, MIXED-SURFACE, ADVENTURE RACE... WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, it's the fact there's no right name (yet) that is so perfect. Because there's no right bike either!
They all work: MTBs with skinny tires - road bikes with fattish tires - CX bikes - "gravel" bikes. They're all great on most surfaces, not as good on some.
That's the fun, trying to figure out which rig will be the best. Which tires and pressures. Which gearing. Which foods. Which shoes - road or MTB. Which helmet - vented or aero...
The unknown of what lies ahead is refreshing.
Every ride is an open invitation to explore. See some fresh smooth tarmac, enjoy it. See a dirt trail, carve it. See an abandoned road, raid it.
That's how we're creating our courses too.
For HUNKR - LA we're going to be starting on a highway that hasn't seen cars in 50+ years, then we'll be on a beautiful country road through a tiny town, followed by our last segment of rugged fire road.
What's the right bike?
Only the adventurous will know.
FROM INDO WITH LOVE
Sep 11, 2018
by TODD BROWN
IS THIS THE LIFE? My buddy and his posse get a police escort on all their group rides followed by 2 sag vehicles and an ambulance. He said we can join him any time we want. Do you want in?
The reach of our group ride is international... and the invitation is real.
Here it is:
TMWC-ers. It’s been a year now since I left SoCal. Definitely missed riding the Tuesday Morning World Championship. Missed every bit of it....the burns punching the A route stinger...the hurt up the wall...the desperation trying to latch on Chris and Todd wheels on the descent...the sinking feeling seeing Peter catapulting the corkscrew...and ohhh did I mention the muscles aching on Tuesday afternoon! It’s never been the same for me. In case you were wondering, I think I have finally adjusted to the new way of life here. Although at times I still wonder how I am finally able to manage tolerating 30 minutes commute for 4 miles. After all Jakarta is the world’s third most populated metro (For comparison NYC and LA were 16th and 30th!) So the group ride here starts early....5.30am including weekend and public holiday. There was a period of time when I thought I was going to give up cycling simply ‘cuz it wasn’t worth waking up that early...that thought quickly ended after seeing my scale went up 15lbs in two months. So I’m back at it (or at least trying). More cyclists here than I had expected. Many fancy bikes and kits. Wide varieties...from culinary cyclists (eat way more calories during a ride than burning it) to pros wanna-be. As for me, I ride much more leisurely now...there’s a group ride I regularly join about three times a week....and i’m spoilt by the escorts (three cops, a couple support vehicles and an ambulance plus cameramen). Here’s a video of one recent weekend ride and I’m still sporting the HUNKR kits! Cheers and hope to ride again with you soon.
We've been blessed to meet a lot of great people on our weekly social ride. I miss Hartono's kindness, enthusiasm and honest appreciation for life.
Maybe there's a HUNKR Jakarta in the future?
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166
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PUT IT ON THE LINE
Sep 10, 2018
by TODD BROWN
DON'T MESS WITH MY TAN LINE.
In a group, be sure to hold your line.
Single track is all about picking a good line.
Winning a sprint often means getting your team in line.
This past Saturday a bunch of my friends put their seasons on the line. For months they rose before the sun and rode a 100+ miles every Saturday so they could have their best day ever at LoToJa - the 200 mile race from Logan UT to Jackson Hole WY.
For many, this was their only race of the year.
An entire year of prep. For one day. Like traveling to Everest and hoping the weather is favorable when you get there.
It wasn't just the saddle time. There were serious food choices made. Weights lifted. Equipment... oh the equipment... purchased, maintained and finely tuned. Support crews coordinated along the route. Travel to Logan. Hotels. It's an never-ending, exhausting list.
All so you can put it on the line,
and see what you can do when you put your mind to it.
... how'd they do? Podiums and smiles all around.
Nothing better.
OUT OF ORDER
Sep 08, 2018
by TODD BROWN
IT'S 92 DEGREES, I'VE RIDDEN 92 MILES. I'm a long way from home. How did I get here?
It didn't seem too ambitious. The plan was to do the usual 7am start, ride up to Irvine for Food Park.
Then... do all of FP and meet Trevor in Newport. He's just getting back on the bike. We planned a very easy spin around Back Bay, a dad and his boy catching up.
And then... I'd head home. After all, Surfergirl is outta town so might as well get a few more miles in.
That's how I got here - by myself, racing through Irvine, foolishly trying to get my average speed up to 20mph.
I see Sasha is still out riding hard, but our paths are different... as are our speeds.
I see the Dr. Pepper I'd been dreaming of is out of order.
I see the Mexican popsicles are well represented.
I see my giant carne asada burrito disappear.
I see the iPad is ready to show La Vuelta
I see my bed.
I see...
zzzz
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https://www.strava.com/activities/because-i-couldn-t-make-mammoth-1828389612
nice, cool, foggy start
my favorite rider
salvation
real food
i feel a lot like this cat... and I bet he's sleeping too
_____
163.8
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IT'S DANGEROUS WORK.
Sep 07, 2018
by TODD BROWN
POCO A POCO - little by little - is how a 23 year-old Spaniard described riding with the big boys to the top of a ridiculous climb today at La Vuelta. The favorites had pulled away, but he noticed he was pulling them back, little by little. Then he caught them, passed them... and won his professional race one pedal stroke at a time!
Such a lesson.
Everyday we get up and go for it. We do our best. We give our best. And at the end of some very long days we try and rest.
The danger is in not seeing the progress,
not noticing the incremental improvements,
giving up on the ideas, products and services we love,
because we failed to see things were improving...
poco a poco.
not noticing the incremental improvements,
giving up on the ideas, products and services we love,
because we failed to see things were improving...
poco a poco.
THE DREAM RIDER
Sep 06, 2018
by TODD BROWN
OH HOW I WANTED TO RIDE TONIGHT.
Beautiful late summer evening on the heels of a hellastressful day.
But, the day bled into the night shifting the ride to a dream.
I closed my eyes, and sucked a giant breath of office air.
The pressure built and built...
I let that breath slowly seep out and carry my soul
to another place with roads smooth as glass
and trails dressed with spring grass.
The wind blowing through my locks whisking the day away,
freeing my mind back to flow,
my body easily letting go.
Dream riding.
_____
163.8
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BREAKING THE ICE
Sep 05, 2018
by TODD BROWN
TONIGHT I SHOWED UP FOR THE DOCENT MTB RIDE. My first time, didn't know a soul. Always weird. On my gravel bike. Which make me extra weird, and super self-conscious.
Everybody seems to know each other, know their spot in the group and know I don't belong. It's not that cyclists are unfriendly or cliquey it's just human nature. I get it.
But, if there's one thing I know about group rides and newbs it's that sooner or later there will be a separation and I'd be riding with a handful or just one rider.
Bingo... I've found my spot. Atop a breathless climb we stop.
Heckuva climb.
Yep.
That first steep pitch had me concerned.
That small talk turns into... You going down Centipede?
I guess. How steep is it?
He looks at my bike, I can tell he's hoping from some cheap entertainment.
I look at him and think Let's go friend.
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165.4
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BECAUSE I KNOW YOU
Sep 04, 2018
by TODD BROWN
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WON'T GET UP EARLY, I will
Because I know you won't maintain your bike, I will.
Because I know you won't work your core, I will.
Because I know you won't get properly fit, I will.
Because I know you won't sleep alot, I will.
Because I know you won't eat right, I will.
Because I know you, I will...
Eat right,
Sleep alot,
Get a bike fit,
Work my core,
Maintain my bike,
Rise early every day,
To be the very best I can be...
I will do the work,
and I hope you
will join me.
_____
165.4
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I WANDER WHY
Sep 03, 2018
by TODD BROWN
I WANDERED DOWN TO DOHENY,
Checked out my bro's Airstream.
I wandered over to San Juan,
Found Charlie's back trail.
I wandered onto campus,
It felt new and young.
Checked out my bro's Airstream.
I wandered over to San Juan,
Found Charlie's back trail.
I wandered onto campus,
It felt new and young.
I wondered why don't I wander more...
There's something about Ryan Bingham's music that makes me just want to wander... to break free of the routine and the common. I found him while streaming an "outlaw" playlist. Just wandered into it, now I can't get enough of it.
It's like the new "adventure bike" has made opened up a new way to ride, a way to wander about town. Previously I rode mixed surface on my hardtail, but I like the road position a lot better for this style of adventuring.
An hour and half of today's ride wasn't even riding, just hanging around. That's part of the wandering.
Being time-less... like this cat.
TUBED BE DETERMINED
Sep 01, 2018
by TODD BROWN
IT'S JUST DAWGAWN AMAZING HOW A SIMPLE RECON RIDE CAN TURN INTO A SLOG WITH A FEW ILL-TIMED FLATS. Yes, I was that guy that pulled the rookie move and showed up on a gravel ride with tubes and no sealant (it's only my 3rd gravel ride). Then, I was that guy who's replacement tube exploded as soon as it was inflated... some said it was an ancient tube. And then... yes... I was that guy who didn't find the wire that caused the first flat and needed to fix yet another flat and bum yet another tube and CO2.
Guessing when we'll be back from a recon ride is hard enough. If we knew the course we wouldn't be reconning. With a few rookies, or old hands riding like rookies, the return is TBD.
Which begs the question... what to do when the ride is tubed be determined?
Do we wait for the rookies?
Forgive them?
Teach them?
Ditch them?
Fortunately for me, my pals are stoked to have me riding gravel and are willing and kind enough to help a rookie out.
Oh my rookiness!
No sealant.
Bad/old tube.
Not finding the cause, 2nd flat.
Not bringing enough spare tubes and CO2.
Bad/old tube.
Not finding the cause, 2nd flat.
Not bringing enough spare tubes and CO2.
(how about that weird tube up above?...
... and trying to hang on early on?...
rookies have all the luck,
it's amazing they ever return,
but, if they do they're probably gonna be lifers)
... and trying to hang on early on?...
rookies have all the luck,
it's amazing they ever return,
but, if they do they're probably gonna be lifers)
THE PROFESSIONAL EATERS
Aug 31, 2018
by TODD BROWN
BLESSED ARE THE EATERS, FOR THEY SHALL FINISH STRONG. The best riders and racers are professional eaters. Not the dieting kind, not the clean kind, not the vegans... we're talking about the pros who know what and when to eat during the event.
If it's a 30 minute crit... shoot, leave your bottles and gu's in the car.
But, if you're going big you gotta eat.
The pros know well before the big day what their food strategy will be. They've tested it multiple times and their confident in it. The other thing they do is follow the strategy, the eat and eat and eat as the miles go by.
Rookies typically wing it, then get lost in the energy of the moment and forget to eat all together.
Rookies finish weak,
if they finish at all.
Pros finish strong,
because they it all.
Be pro.
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163.8
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FOR A GOOD TIME... ROLL GRAVEL
Aug 30, 2018
by TODD BROWN
FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO ROLL THE NEW MERZ "GRAVEL" BIKE. I thought I'd go out for about an hour... start out with the Market Ride and peel off to hit some dirt. That turned into a 3 hour ride... it's safe to say I have a new addiction.
After one ride, there's a ton I like and a few things I'm gonna change.
I used to say if I could only have one bike it would be a hardtail MTB. Not any more, it would definitely be a gravel bike... a bike that you can ride on the road or on the dirt. The road position on a bike is just great, and shredding dirt in that position is a hoot.
If you want to improve your road skills riding in the road position on dirt is awesome. The fat-for-road-skinny-for-dirt tires require a smooth pedal stroke, specially when climbing out of the saddle. Same goes ripping single track, it's just an absolute blast in the road bike position.
How's it on the road? Well, it's nowhere near as fast as my aero rocket. But, I don't think that's the point of this bike for me. It's just fine. Plus, it's super comfy with the giant tire. It's fun to get up on the sidewalk and jump off, to poach a little patch of dirt. On, and the disc brakes are ace.
First thing I'm gonna change is the bars and tape. The tubing is way to small and the tape is very slick. I could see upgrading the wheels... but I'm gonna do my best to destroy these first.
My friends promised a gravel bike would change my life,
based on a huge sample of one ride,
I agree.
_____
165
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IT'S NOT A TOUR
Aug 29, 2018
by TODD BROWN
I DON'T KNOW ANY FRENCH, BUT I DO KNOW MUCHO ESPANOL. So, let me let you in on a couple of secrets.
First, La Vuelta de Espana is the most entertaining of the three Grand Tours - 3 week bike race. If you're not watching it, check it out... Stage 5 was today.
Second, La Vuelta does not mean it's a bike tour. It literally means The Turn.
Third, El Giro (de Italia) does not mean it's a bike tour. It literally means The Lap
Finally, Le Tour (de France) does not mean it's a bike tour. It literally means The Round.
La Vuelta takes a real whack at turning 3 week racing on it's head,
It gets me geeked up for another lap of daily racing,
To see what they'll do this time round.
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165.2
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