Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts
LIFE IS PRECIOUS
TAKING RISKS these days ain’t what it used to be. Most of us live close to civilization. If we were to take a tumble, emergency medical services…
… would be helping us, whisking us a away.
Within minutes.
I thought about that, plummeting down a lonely dirt road in the middle of nowhere.
Life and death.
About 90 years ago, my relatives were working a sawmill they’d built (see pic).
A young cousin was manning a large log,
the timber bucked,
catching him.
His leg was gashed.
The others gathered to try and help…
- · 50 miles to town
- · horrendous dirt roads
- · no communications, no helicopters
… but there was nothing they could do.
He was dead in minutes.
Prior to stopping at the sawmill site,
I gotta ping on my cell phone.
Service is spotty at best out here.
Our daughter had gone into labor,
they’d easily made it to the nearby hospital,
doctors and nurses and all the supplies were ready.
===
Update: mother and baby are happy and healthy!
===
165ish lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
700ish anti-oxidant level
not today Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
no today Lower Body: 15 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
167/168/-2 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE DIFFERENCE
KNOWING THE ORIGIN of things can be empowering if we can tie it into who we are and how we operate. But, in today's connected world...
... it's easy to operate unconsciously.
Asleep.
Which is why I've sold my rather large extended family on the virtues of trekking...
- no cell service
- rustic cabins
- tents
... out to the homestead.
Land my great great grandpappy lived on for 3 years to secure the title...
- where my grampa rode out the Spanish flu epidemic
- where my dad spend his summers cowboying
- where I spent a few days every other year
... over 100 years ago.
Some of the distant cousins still ranch,
most of us are city slickers.
Soft.
Unacquainted with the land.
How it...
- feels
- smells
- sounds
... when we're living unplugged.
You know what I'm getting at right?
The feeling we have when rolling with a group,
talking and sharing...
... because plugging in would distract from the experience.
Living.
===
164.4 lbs 12.7%
7ish hours sleep
700 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
171/193/-23 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
LOOKING BACK AT TRANSFORMATIONAL
[as I prep for my A race, I thought I'd look back how I felt the last time I did it, in 2022]
IT'S NOT FOR EVERYBODY, but it might be for you. I came across this concept a bunch of times over the years. It never really sunk in until I heard it stated like this...
... I increased my volume a lot.
Yeah, we've all heard that. However, what followed hit deeply into my thought process and ultimately my training...
... It has been transformational.
Who doesn't want to transform their training?
Let me pause right here.
It might not work for you. The main reason is the timing of life just isn't right. For me, it's working...
... because I now have the time.
When I had less time, and less focus, a big week for me was about 12 hours...
... an average week, about 8.
These days, in fact this year, my biggest week ever has been 20 hours...
... the last four build weeks have averaged nearly 15, and 12 the rest of the year.
That's nowhere the 20-30 hours most pros put in. In fact, it's a challenge during this build session before Leadville. Frankly, I'm happy in the 12 range. Plenty fit...
... by making my average week equal my formally biggest week.
https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
In the end, it's about doing all you can do...
... a topic I cover in the 2nd chapter of my book.
Which is free, just cover the shipping and handling.
https://pedalindustries.myshopify.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
===
164.4 lbs 12.7%
7ish hours sleep
700 anti-oxidant level
not today Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
no today Lower Body: 15 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
175/223/-49 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BAKING CAKES
HOW DO WE KNOW it's time to bring the high volume phase to an end, when preparing for the A race of the year? It's a lot like baking a cake...
... at some point we gotta put it the oven.
And, wait.
If we stretch out the build phase too long,
we run the very real possibility of over cookin' it...
... winding up burnt.
Crispy.
If we stop too far out from the A race,
well, then our training ingredients...
... might never rise.
Leaving us flat.
I'm sure there's some real science we could tap into,
or the wise voice of a trusted coach.
Barring those options, I lean toward...
- feeling exhausted
- not wanting to get outside
- residual, never-receding muskul pain
... as my top indicators.
I'm officially there.
Couldn't come at a better time.
I'll be spending an extended weekend...
- mainly talking
- hanging out
- relaxing
... at the family reunion.
Oh, that cake analogy...
... now is the time to give the training into deliciousness.
===
166.4 lbs 12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
750 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 15 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
170/201/-32 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO BE STRONG
THE TOUR DE FRANCE took a big tumble today. Jonas, running in 2nd place, a previous winner and excellent bike handler failed to navigate a very tricky turn...
... and broke his clavicle.
Sucks.
Before the news hit, enlightening us all to one potential factor in causing him to go down...
... I was already thinking about why some crashes happen.
More importantly, why some hit the deck and shatter, while others...
... pop back up and keep racing.
My thoughts were self-centered of course.
The effort to do hundreds of...
- pushups
- pullups
- squats
... building up my body's ability to handle what is thrown at me, late into a ride or race?
It feels like it is,
as I feel in complete control 5 hours into a stout offroad ride.
At the same time,
am I putting body in a state where it is more likely to bend vs break?
These thoughts were going through my head as the skin and bones Jonas was clearly in massive pain.
Then, I heard the unthinkable.
After traveling hundreds of kilometers from yesterday's race to today's,
arriving very late in the evening...
... he was awakened for a drug test at 2am.
No matter what we are doing to keep our bodies in top shape to handle the demands of racing...
... missing sleep when we are already exhausted is a formula for disaster.
===
164.4 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
730 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 24 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
174/228/-55 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHY, IT'S ROUTINE
IN THE QUEST TO SQUEEZE IT ALL IN, we learn to develop and rely on routines. Do something consistently, and it becomes rote. Boring in the sense that...
... we don't have to think about it.
Saving us all kinds of mental energy, as well.
Here are a few examples that made today's ride, much better.
20 minutes into my 2 hour sprint to meet Smiley, I felt my rear tire losing a ton of air...
- added air with CO2
- noticed a leak
- plugged it
... took less than 60 seconds to diagnose and repair.
Thought I'd better text him to confirm my ETA, and noticed I'd left my phone at home.
Doh!
But, I have a reputation for being on time and it's routine for me not to wait, so...
- I pressed on
- arrived at Cook's at 9
- didn't see him there, waited 2 minutes at the trailhead
... and we blasted the climb together.
Mostly together,
he always starts out hotter than me,
becoming my top rabbit to chase and pace.
When I rolled up to the general store for my Saturday fix, 4.5 hours into the ride, parched and empty, without my phone to pay...
- popcicle
- Mexican Coke
... I didn't have to beg, because they know my m.o. and that I'm good for it.
And, that's just a smidge of routine evidence for operational mastery.
Carry on.
Oh, and in case your wondering...
- a mini tool
- 2 CO2s + 1 nozzle
- Dynaplug RacerPro (4 plugs)
... what's in my mini raceday bag.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/pedal-industries-mini-raceday-bag-2-0-isd
===
166 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none todayLower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 24 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
178/263/-86 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
>
PRUNE, FOCUS, EXECUTE
HOW WE ARRIVED AT OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF COMPETENCY is a matter of choice. And, that's the challenge. In a world where we can do anything...
... it's easy to reach the end of the day having done nothing.
We know better.
Starting with pruning the options...
- uplifting
- challenging
- beneficial to others
... leaving only the good stuff.
Then, we focus...
- attracting
- believing
- feeling
... with the blinders on, seeing only our end goal.
Executing daily...
... continuously improving.
Very nice you say,
but make it practical.
Ok.
Here's an example.
I really enjoy racing and riding my XC mountain bike.
Knowing that, I've built up a race-ready rig...
... and taken it to the next level.
Most recently, that meant rebuilding the suspension...
- removing the Brain
- replacing a bunch of parts
- and all new lubes and fluids
... which now is supremely supple and plush, fork and shock.
When we are unwilling to prune, focus and execute...
... we are in our comfort zone.
The case there would be comfort with absolute crap vs...
... demanding the best performance we can aquire.
Got it?
===
165lbs 12.7%
7ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none todayLower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 24 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
161/169/-9 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S NOT BRAIN SURGERY?
AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, the set up of our equipment is highly personal. The reason is simple, we are putting in a massive amount of time. And, the minutest adjustment...
... can muck it all up.
A lot.
Leading to anything from a niggle to a...
... Screw it, I'm done with this sport.
So it was with great care that a swapped out my cleats today.
They weren't completely warn out, but they were a little sloppy and replacing them now vs a week before my A race seemed prudent.
I scrubbed up...
- pictures had been taken of the current position
- the area around the cleats taped off
- tools and lube lay at the ready
... put on my operating apron.
The procedure went as expected,
no complication.
The patient was warned to take it easy the next few days,
and expect to feel some initial discomfort.
Physical therapy, in the form of bringing a torque wrench on the next few rides, was presribed.
Like the idiot I am, I promptly headed out for 90 minutes and a fair amount of climbing...
... stopping for many adjustments.
Got close to the old position,
gonna take a few more rides to reach nirvana.
PS... if this seems dramatic, or overkill, blame my dad burning this lesson into my young impressionable mind. his first lawyering job was as a malpractice attorney and the first case was defending a doctor who cut off the wrong leg.
===
163.6 lbs 12.7%
7ish hours sleep
6800 anti-oxidant level
√ today Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 24 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
164/192/-28 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I SCREAM
DURING THE LARGEST BUILD PHASE, the miles and hours are waywayway bigger than our norm. It can be daunting, overwhelming...
... we need a reward.
Beyond kudos.
Something to see us through.
Which is exactly what I was thinking today,
halfway through what will like be my biggest week of the year.
Building for Leadville.
The route would be much longer than my usual Dirty Wednesday...
... and it hit my like a icy bolt from the Silver Surfer.
If I stayed on the pedals,
I'd have time to stop by the General Store.
A hundred year old building I usually only visit on Saturdays.
The point being...
... the always have the best selection of Mexican popsicles.
I was flooded with a memory of my dad, and his favorite saying...
... I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
And that was all I needed to get me through the summer heat.
Today.
What will it be tomorrow?
165.4 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
730 anti-oxidant level
√ today Upper Body: 110 push ups, 22 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 110 ATG air squats and 24 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
167/217/-50 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THIS IS 'A' SUPER COOL CAT
MOST OF US DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY of the famous group rides. I'm not talking about the one 5 locals started a couple of months back...
... I'm talkin' the legendary loops.
And, their morphing iterations over the years.
I was reminded of how our heralded TMWC...
... took it to the next level by adding some extra credit.
Called the A loop.
About 10 years ago, Super Dave Koesel made a great suggestion.
We should add on to the ride.
Why?
So we have something to do vs waiting for the guys at the regroup.
It took us a few iterations,
carving our way through a neighborhood,
adding on two punchysprinty climbs.
Finally, we had it perfected,
arriving just in time to meet the crew...
... and keep rolling full gas.
Plus, since we had just started cracking the hour on the original TMWC, back then...
... now we had an updated hour goal.
We've hit it on the A loop multiple times,
even got closer than we've been lately today, 1:02:54 (for me)...
... could it be because Super Dave was back in town, after years of being gone?
===
ICYMI... Super Dave is an aero genius... Remember when 3T came out with their aero gravel bike, years before that was a thing?... yeah, that was Dave's project.
Here's a link to his current company... look to see top secret versions of these bikes at the Olympics.
===
167 lbs 12.7% (I keep telling myself I'm 10lbs over goal because of all the strength work, but we all know it's because
7ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 10 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
166/216/-50 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THAT SONG!
WE AIN'T SERIOUS if we don't have a our own battle song. The one we can count on when...
... well, all the time.
Could be a playlist.
Mine, current fave for firing up...
... Born To Run, Frankie Goes To Hollywood version
On repeat.
Now Chuck shared a forgotten gem with me for raceday...
... Kickstart My Heart, by Motley Crew.
Surfergirl on vacation...
... Don't Disturb This Grove, by The System
To get pumped for motos in the desert the kids loved...
... Animals, by Nickleback
When I head off to the pearly gates, my beatbox will be humming...
... Low Rider, by War.
What's yours?
===
166.4 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
5900 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 20 ATG air squats and 10 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
159/181/-22 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IS IT THE EFFORT THAT COUNTS?
WHEN TRAINING FOR THE 'A' RACE, if we're really all in, it's imperative that we prepare by doing the work demanded by the course. That means we have to nail the pace...
... we can sustain.
Or do we?
Lemme splainit.
Say, I'm training for a punchy event with lots of power climbs...
... short 1-5 minutes, repeating.
I could do intervals at a specified power output...
... or I could go for the burn I know I can barely handle for 1-5 minutes.
Or, take my upcoming Leadville MTB race, I know the pace I need to sustain to meet my goal finishing time.
Training the effort required...
... is part art and part science.
The science might say we need to put out an average of X watts...
- getting over a steep, short pitch
- hustling to catch a group
- tucking a long downhill
... the art is knowing when to go above or below the power needed.
Being intimately aware of the effort > callous commitment to pace.
===
165 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
640 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 10 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
163/209/-46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THIS IS POLARZING
THE DEBATE RAGES ON, whether or not polarized training is valuable for the unwashed or is it just for the uber elites putting in bigbig hours. To really get a grasp on the argument...
... let's look at from other perspectives.
Take marketing.
In marketing, we tout what makes us special, unique, desirable...
... while pointing out the enemies of our awesomeness.
For example, when it comes to bags I might communicate dome bags with everything piled inside are just complete trash and chaos...
... where as our RaceDay bags make raceday smooth, easy and successful.
In politics, the party we align with makes the others out to be stupid, incompetent and evil...
... where our party is full of benevolent geniuses.
It's the same with...
- religion
- sports teams
- abortion, climate change, guns, borders, etc
... topics never to be brought up at Thanksgiving dinner.
What does this have to do with training and us?
I'm just trying to set the stage....
- too much time in tempo
- not enough aggregate training
- inadequate or non-existent recovery
... polarized training has enemies, too.
I was thinking about that today,
because I had a great day with the fellas.
Here's how I set it up...
- Monday Z1
- Tuesday romping group ride, all zones all out
- Wednesday high Z2
- Thursday low Z2
- Friday Z1, barely tapping the pedals
- Saturday, 6 hours at Leadville pace with nearly 2 hours at threshold or above
... finishing the final ride, feeling pretty darn good despite 9000' in 80 miles.
If you disagree...
... then, I have succeeded in providing you some polarizing thoughts on polarization.
===
165.4 lbs 12.7% <- this blubber has got to go!
7.5ish hours sleep
600 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 10 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 20 ATG air squats and 10 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
167/241/-74 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IT'S GOING TO BE HIDDI
TRAINING FOR AN EPIC ride or race is always tricky. It's so easy to over do it on the preparation when we want to be confident that we are ready...
... to go the distance.
Battle hardened.
So, when I put together tomorrow's route and added...
... It's going to be hideous.
I had to ask myself...
... What the heck are you thinking?!
This goes against my plan to prepare for Leadville this year by staying under
- 5 hrs
- 8000'
- 80 miles
... fresh and not torched.
Aiming for more power,
and efficiency.
We're going to over every one of those metrics tomorrow,
plus it's a group of hitters and we'll be hitting it.
Yes, I could pull the plug,
or just not show.
But, who are we kidding when we say stuff like that?
(Hideous rides call to my soul. How 'bout you?)
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
7ish hours sleep
680 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 10 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 20 ATG air squats and 10 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
152/152/-1 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING WHERE WE WANT TO GO takes great discipline. Not to be distracted by the lady in the red dress is...
... a skill that deserves mastery.
It's not easy.
Time and time again, ripping the course, we have to ignore the obvious perils and...
... stay focused on our goal.
Going as fast as possible,
error free.
Oddly,
limiting our vision to the best path forward is relaxing.
Calming.
Requiring less energy.
Ultimately, a heckuvalot faster.
So, we practice the skill all the time and when we have those Oh shift! moments...
... we forgive ourselves, and reset.
Perhaps the great Emerson said it best...
... What we are, that only can we see.
===
164.4 lbs 12.5%
7.5ish hours sleep
530 anti-oxidant level
√ today Upper Body: 10 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 20 ATG air squats and 10 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
90/98/-8 per Strava
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
>
THE SLIGHT EDGE
BECAUSE WE USE OUR GEAR every day, we don't always notice the performance is degrading. It's gradual, and we are...
... more concerned with our own numbers.
But, the gear matters.
If we remember anything from the dominance of Team Sky it's...
... marginal gains.
They matter.
Not necessarily individually,
collectively they stack and become game changers.
So are the marginal losses.
I share this as a cautionary tale.
While in Park City a few weeks back,
bombing miles and miles of sweet single track...
... my fork went from finicky to very funked up
My pal Chad helped me get it working enough to enjoy the trip.
As soon as I returned, I rang up the local suspension whiz Mike and gave him the situation.
He ordered parts from Sram to rebuild and improve the fork by replacing the Brain.
Simple enough,
and 7 weeks before Leadville.
Dropped off the bike Monday, planning to have it back for the weekend and continue to perfect my oneness with my steed.
Hey Todd.
Hi Mike.
We gotta small problem.
Uh-oh.
Sram sent the wrong parts.
Dang.
Yeah, it's gonna be another 10 days.
Is the suspension torn to pieces?
Yes.
Ok, I understand.
Now, here's the part we all need to understand...
- we need to stay on top of the maintenance
- allow plenty of time for parts to arrive
- and for the mechanic's schedule
... in order to have the slight edge we need on raceday.
===
165.8 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
530 anti-oxidant level
√ today Upper Body: 125 push ups, 25 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 125 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
91/103/-10 per Strava
What I'm reading: State of The Union, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
2026 TUESDAY MORNING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE LIT
ABOUT THE MOST FUN we can have is upping our game for the weekly group ride. The good ones all have memorable names. Just saying them sparks...
... anything from fear to fun.
Like The TMWC.
A ride we started 24 years ago...
- 30+ riders every Tuesday at 630
- most wearing the ride's kit
- with an annual throwdown
... and is still ripping today.
Today wasn't any ol Tuuzdee...
- the regulars
- the outta towners
- the first timers hoping to hang on
... it was the unOFFICIAL 2026 Championships.
4 categories...
- Women
- U35
- U50
- U100
... racing for glory.
Bragging rights for a year.
The course has never changed, but...
- fullgas from the start
- even paced 'till The Wall
- saving it all for the Corkscrew finish
... the raceday never plays out the same.
Today unfolded with bouts of massive power,
dropping to conversational,
and back at it.
The only thing that was the same was Alessandro...
... pulling off the first Threepeat.
He was so far off the front the camera crew mistook him as some cat who happened upon the course...
... except he raced up The Wall with god-like speed.
Put over a minute on lil' ol' me,
and nearly everyone else.
Insane.
Priscilla crushed the women's field,
snatching longstanding, legit QOMs.
It's not all about the wins, though.
Juan was voted most-improved,
and Eric picked up rookie of the year.
These aren't participation trophies ...
... they represent outstanding effort, week after week.
Congrats to these cats....
Overall
Alessandro
Kody
Andrew
Women
Priscilla
Maria
Vi
U35
Andrew
Eric
Scott
U50
Kody
Drew
Alfredo
U100
Alessandro
Rob
Mani
Still reading?
Wondering how we pull it off?
Our 4 rules are key...
- Leave on time
- Obey the law
- Make a friend
- Have fun
... plus, always be inviting.
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/2024-tmwc
Use Promo Code TMWC2026 To Save 20% On The Gear
===
166 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
640 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 90 push ups, 18 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 112 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
90/100/-10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHO HAS THE BEST TdF ANALYSIS?
THERE ARE A LOT of professional pundits pontificating the particulars of each stage of the Tour de Frants. Then, there's the amachurs. Us handlebar hams...
... handing out our homemade takes.
Who's best?
Certainly it's not Velo's...
Jonas Vingegaard was left choking in Pogi's exhaust and came to the line two seconds back after the 1.7km hilltop kick to Les Angles.
... latest retarded hyperbole.
Cycling News' take...
A devastatingly-long and sustained acceleration by Tadej... with a two-second advantage.
... wasn't much of an improvement.
Jonas said it better...
It's a shame, of course. But when we started the Tour, we expected to lose time... so it's a good starting point that I'm tied on time with Tadej.
... and more accurately.
But, he's not selling ads for eyeballs.
My eyeballs and ears like to take in...
- Chris Horner for pointing out the knucklehead moves of the day
- Lance's podcast for the entertainment
- GCN's breathy and breasty euroness
... if I have the time.
And then there's NBC's crew...
- I do feel for Brent and TJ having to educate the unwashed with silly cartoons and goofy bets
- No way I could ride the sissybar like Christian or do the man on the course stuff like Steve
- Amid correcting, Bobke does a good job as the straight man
-
Phil may miss a few deets, but that voice is still gold to me
... collecting a solid paycheck.
Nothing wrong with that.
For actual, pure analysis...
- concise
- relatable
- insightful
... I think Tom Danielson does it best.
He delivers it via blog, vlog and podcast.
You're probably thinking Nice job taking potshots at people just trying to do their jobs...
... to which I'll counter, I'm grateful we have so many real human points of view vs the AI slop sure to come our way.
Links to Tom's work:
https://cinchcycling.cc/blogs/news/tour-de-france-stage-3-tadejs-boxing-match
===
166 lbs 12.7%
8ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 90 push ups, 18 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 112 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
87/81/5 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT'S NOT WORKING
MOST OF US have a test course, a segment that is our fitness barometer, where we lay down a valiant effort, then upload it...
... to see where we're at.
Sometimes years of data points.
When we're prepping for the A race we'll hit it hard.
The results are instructive...
- PR'd it
- on track
- woefully wanting
... from elation to devastation.
Gratefully, it's usually good and confirming info.
But, what about when it isn't?
Like my Leadville prep test up a similar climb to Columbine...
- 1:10 in May
- 1:14 in June
- 1:15 in July
... which is honestly, quite discouraging?
The May effort I was waiting for my friends,
in June I was chasing all the way,
in July I went alone.
July's effort was the shortest
June's was much longer,
May's the longest.
Big takeaway...
... my fitness is going backwards.
So, find the positives...
- I'm descending better than I have since the TBI
- the nutrition plan seems to be on point
- the bike is nearly complete
... and make adjust ments.
I still have 7 weeks to turn it around...
- stop shredding my legs with weight training
- get back to throttling Saturdays
- stack the Zone 2 miles
... and I have some definite ideas on how to do that.
Will it work?
I dunno.
What won't work is quitting.
Thoughtful, calculated perseverance is always the right answer.
===
165.6 lbs 12.6%
7.5ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 112 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
88/87/1 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HALF THE FREEDOM
WE KNOW where the 50% mark is on the course. The distance. The estimated time it takes to get there. The food we'll need to arrive and...
... finish with good energy.
But, is that enough?
Knowing vs doing,
totally different things.
The first half of 2026 is gone.
For some, it flew right by.
Others...
- bored
- unengaged
- beset by challenges
... had a different experience.
We are free to stay the course, or...
- 10x goals
- Committed mindset work
- Severing whatever is holding us back
... recalibrate and blow everyone's minds (ours included).
God, bless America.
===
Nowza good time to crack that journal open and document the amazing things we've accomplished to date.
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard
Let's rip!
===
164 lbs 12.6%
8ish hours sleep
530 anti-oxidant level
none today Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 112 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
88/88/0 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GUITY AS CHARGED
THE EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING, there is no defense for the flagrant violations of society's norm...
... we've got a problem.
And, we don't care.
It's who we are...
- city limit sign? let's race
- KOM within reach? let's race
- event 700 miles away? let's race
... we're constantly on the lookout for our tribe.
We rarely watch sportsball,
we'll watch a TdF stage start to finish.
We do find comfort in the couch,
after an absurdly long day outside ripping.
We do devour ice cream and cookies,
but only when the calorie deficit is irredeamable.
We aren't normal...
... we're race junkies.
===
If that resonates,
you might want this shirt,
which I'm pretty sure we priced wrong at $20.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/race-junky-classic-t-shirt-fe
I'll fix the price after the holiday.
https://pedalindustries.com/products/race-junky-classic-t-shirt-fe
===
165 lbs 12.6%
7ish hours sleep
680 anti-oxidant level
√ today Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 112 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
89/96/-7 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BROKE OR BROKEN?
IT'S AMAZING what we're willing to put up with. I suspect it's just in our nature and probably why...
... we thrive at the endurance game.
We tune it out.
And, here's the dill.
Pretending things aren't the way they are...
... can be demoralizing.
Yesterday, I had my cracked front windshield replaced on the van.
It wasn't huge,
but it was slowly growing,
ever since our trip to Sea Otter.
Neighbor Rick came out to chat and asked me why I replaced it.
Honestly?
Yeah.
It was making me feel poor.
The thingaboutitis, if I'd had the rock chip fixed immediately...
... the cost would have been minimal.
Which begs the question...
... what are we allowing to languish and bring us (our performance) down?
===
166.4 lbs 12.4%
8ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
√ today Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 150 ATG air squats and 36 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
90/104/-14 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MY EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING ON PEPTIDES
THE TEMPTATION to tap the pharmacy is getting realer every day. Call it the effects of the human genome project or clever marketing...
... lotsa people on the train.
I've been surprised.
Just in the last month or so, some of my much younger (30s and 40s) and generally healthy friends...
- trimmer
- slimmer
- sexier?
... have let me know their results from peptides.
They aren't athletes who compete,
just dudes wanting a better bod.
My response is always the same.
Dang...
... I can't do that because I'm a racer.
I know...
- the likelihood of getting tested is practically nil
- the evidence of peptides disappears quickly
- the help they deliver is real
... but, I'll know.
So I push on in the land of...
- working hard
- eating clean
- getting rest
... and I'm quite okay with that.
===
165.8 lbs
7 hours sleep
540 anti-oxidant level
not today Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
not today Lower Body: 150 ATG air squats and 36 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
90/104/-14 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
RIDE WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU WOULD RIDE WITH YOURSELF
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN we get an insight that touches our hearts and when we try and explain it to others they just don't get it. Not their fault. We just need an analogy...
... we can all relate to.
Try this one.
I'll do my best to share the change of heart I had recently...
- a homeless woman sitting on the corner of a busy sidewalk in front of a food court
- people, me included, waiting for the light to change
- ignoring her sad, red eyes like they didn't exist.
... it wasn't my finest moment.
We're all rich.
I'm on a stupidly expensive bike,
but no cash on me,
gazing ahead.
Ignoring the obvious hurt and loneliness.
I was ashamed...
... of my inability to see the once beautiful baby at my feet.
What would it have cost to acknowledge her?
And it hit my heart so hard...
... Love they neighbor as thyself.
Finally I got it,
and I'll do my best to share it with you.
If we really loved our neighbors as ourselves we might...
- be a little nicer, kinder more patient
- genuinely ask how they are, if they need a hand
- we might hold the bar a little lower or a little higher, out of love
... not the awkward, stumbling empathy that paralyzes us.
Genuine desire to help others as ourselves out knowing that...
- if we were raised differently
- made regrettable choices
- had terrible experiences
... but for the grace of God go I.
It reminds me of my good friend Todd Darley, a better Todd than I, who always rolls out with food.
One day we're ripping up Mulholland with a spicy group, gonna PR it...
... and Todd disappears.
Where'd you go?
Stopped to talk to the homeless hiker?
What?
Yeah, wanted to make sure he was okay. Gave him a bagel I had.
Last Saturday, a dude in a pick up with a trailer full of tools pulled up to me and Chad and flipped us the bird...
... I laughed and asked myself Now why would I do that? Having a bad day? PTSD from cyclists?
I'll never know that dude's literal problem...
... just hoping this change of heart stays with me forever.
===
165.4 lbs
8 hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
not today Lower Body: 150 ATG air squats and 36 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
88/91/-3 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IS THIS CODDLING?
WE'VE ALL HAD to face the unbearable hot situations. Sometimes in training, others in a race. But, that's the thing...
... we've all had to face them.
That's life.
So, when the geniuses at Velo led with Extreme Heat Could Force Radical Rethink of the Tour de France...
... I sighed.
Stop the coddling.
They're professionals.
Then Surfergirl chimed in...
- 2013 Tour of California
- 4pm finish
- 114º
... But, remember Palms Springs.
We started early and rode the stage ahead of the pros.
Dropping down into the desert floor was like riding into a giant hair dryer.
Oppressive and awful.
My son and I staggered into a 7-11 and chugged giant Slurpees...
... finally lowering our body temps to be able to ride to the finish.
The pros came in and literally collapsed on the sizzling black and gooey tarmac.
She had a point.
It was horrific.
After wading through the Velo clickbait I discovered the "radical rethink" just meant considering starting the races at 9:30 vs the typical much later starts that finish in the hottest time of the afternoon.
You know the real tragedy isn't the coddling, it's that...
... I won't be able to go for an early spin and watch the race finish live.
I'm sure I'll find a "radical rethink" of my entertainment consumption.
===
163.4 lbs
9 hours sleep
690 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 150 ATG air squats and 36 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
89/99/-10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of the Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MOVING THE COMFORT ZONE
IT CAN BE PERPLEXING to know a truth from personal experience, to share it because we care, and see it not be received...
... because it's scary.
Like ripping downhill.
I have a few friends who are training for a big event with me.
There will be a fair amount of climbing,
followed by a fair amount of descending.
None of it...
- steep double-track
- wide open hardpack
- a bit of chunky rocky stuff
... will give most mountain bikers any trouble.
Unless we're racing,
really going for it.
Even then, most will be fine...
... but, they could be so much better.
And here's the headscratcher...
... I can't get them to ride much harder trails in preparation.
They protest,
avoid,
skip.
Because I'm absolutely failing to ride home the point that learning to rip more challenging trails now...
- steeper
- chunkier
- twistier and slicker
... will move the comfort zone.
Moving the comfort zone means we are...
- more efficient
- relaxed
- calm
... saving all kinds of physical and emotional energy.
While others bog down with Oh shift! moments, we can turn those sections into...
- recovery
- relaxation
- moments of bliss
... something to look forward to, and potentially gain/make up time.
If we're into that.
I am.
You?
(Where else are we too fraidy catty to move the comfort zone?)
===
163.6 lbs
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
none Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
91/114/-23 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
BUT, DOES HE REALLY CARE (NOW)?
ON RACEDAY it's fair to say nothing else matters but the race. The training, the fine-tuning, the sacrifices...
... they're all coming together.
We need to rip.
But, when it's all said and done...
... should anybody, ourselves included, really care?
Take a dude I heard about...
- inspired and helped millions of cancer patients to believe they had a chance
- single-handedly lifted a dying sport getting legions to pedal
- operator of a massively popular podcast
- successful investor and businessman
- father of five children
... does he really care that he's not recognized as winning 7 TdFs?
For all you haters that are now triggered, the unsubscribe button is above and below.
For the open minded, contemplating our own mortality and personal achievements...
- family
- race wins
- inspiring and helping others
... what would you prefer?
===
164 lbs
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
none Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
87/93/-6 per Strava
What I'm reading: Path of The Assassin, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all things marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
INNOVATION THROUGH IGNORANCE
IGNORANCE AND IGNORANT are such ugly words. And don't even speak ignoramus. Referring to anybody with those words...
... is just plain mean spirited.
Ain't gonna make ya friends.
Yet, the truth is, many of personal innovations come from ideas...
- never heard of
- never thought of
- never been exposed to
... we were completely ignorant to.
Here are a few of mine...
- swimming to control breathing
- lift heavy, low reps
- sprints for power
... that have helped improve over the years.
The swimming one I came up with on my own when training for Leadville in the early days. I wanted to control my breathing and keep my breaths deep.
The lift heavy, low reps I learned from one of the great Phil Mafetone books. He only pioneered Zone 2 training coaching Mark Allen to become the most complete and dominating triathlete of his era.
Lift heavy, low reps was also heavily preached in the fascinating book Underground Secrets To Faster Running, by Barry Ross.
Sprints for power came from the awesome Fred Duncan, a premiere track coach.
The idea that we are born to be athletic and should treat our bodies as such came through loud and clear in Christopher McDougall's book Natural Born Heroes.
I could go on...
- crusty old curmudgeons calling me out
- lessons learned through experience
- defeats whose sting was wicked
... but that's not the point.
The point is we've got to continually expose ourselves to new ideas and concepts and experiences in order to...
... keep innovating and growing.
Spiritually. Mentally. Physically. Socially.
===
1664 lbs
8 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
none today Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
88/102/-14 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE VISION BORED
VISION WHILE RACING isn't everything, but it's right up there with oxygen. We gotta breathe, we gotta see...
... to move forward.
I was thinking about that today while zipping down a twisty trail.
If I let my eyes start to focus on what's up close...
... my speed drops and I become much more reactive.
When I'm focused far ahead...
... I go much faster, slipping into a state of flow and things are magically easier.
The thing I was thinking about was my vision board.
Mulling over the things already accomplished, as well as what is in the works.
The vision board seems to work the same way...
... focusing on the outcome, not how I'm going to get there.
Some of you may be thinking Dude is nuts,
others nodding your heads That's right.
Either way, I'll leave you with this thought from King Salomon...
... Where there is no vision, the people perish.
===
166.2 lbs
8 hours sleep
620 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
√ Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 70lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
89/108/-19 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TUCK AND ROLL!
AERO. The term is like a science fiction blob that oozes it's way into everything, eventually killing everything in sight and taking over the world...
... with no end of it's pervasiveness in site.
Can we escape the creepiness?
The thingaboutitis, once we go slip down the aero tube...
- positioning
- equipment
- apparel
... it's almost impossible to stop.
That list falls short of the whackiness...
- hands on the mtb fork crowns at Leadville
- hydration bladders stuffed in front of jersey
- dropper seat post for bombing road descents
... which actually works.
I was thinking about that this morning as I crested The Wall, about 15 seconds behind the leaders.
Pedaling till I was spun out...
- butt hooked on end of saddle
- hands next to the stem
- chin on the Wahoo
- elbows in
- knees in
... I assumed the position (I'm not a butt on seat tube believer).
Would I, could I catch before the bottom?
Being on my lessthanaero gravel bike...
- spun out with gravel gears
- rolling shallow depth road wheels
- rockin' a well ventilated KASK helmet
... I needed every aero advantage I could get.
After rolling up on the 3 in between the two leaders...
... we rotated, taking short and speedy pulls.
It took forever to catch,
all the way to the final curve.
I'm already thinking about next week...
- actual aero helmet
- clean shave on the legs, face, arms(?)
- and, yeah, gonna bust out the Speedsuit
... what else I can do to improve my aeroness.
On my previous road bike, I clocked 51 mph...
... today's set up shows 47.4 mph.
Tuesday can't some soon enough.
===
168 lbs
7 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
no Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 70lbs
89/113/-24 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
CUI BONO?
THERE ARE A LOT OF DEALS that get cut on the race course. Some are obvious, some hidden. Many between competitors...
... for money, glory and pride.
The worst deal of all?
Well, that depends on Cui bono?...
... Who benefits?
Deals between competitors kindasuck, but...
- hang on for camera glory
- work to stay in break
- straight cash
... we can usually tell who benefits,
and who pays.
No, the most insidious deals...
- staying up late
- backing off the finishing sprint
- starting the new diet "tomorrow"
... are the ones we cut with ourselves.
Because nobody benefits,
'cepting our competitors.
===
167.4 (Happy Fatter's Day - sheesh!)
8 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 150 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: 100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 60lbs
85/90/-6 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
MY INSANE CULT
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.
===
164.6
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: `100 ATG air squats and 20 split squats with 60lbs
86/98/-12 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
TODAY WAS A ROUGHIE
SOME BIG TRAINING DAYS are better than others. The reasons are myriad. Which means when it goes sideways...
... it's up to us to figure it out.
Like today.
I knew it was going to be a big day...
- 7 hrs
- 87 miles
- 10,500' of vert
... on Monday.
There are only 8 weeks to get our Leadville legs, and me and Let's Go need(ed) to do some simulation.
For me,
today,
I just never got comfortable.
Never felt that feeling of being on top of the pedals and...
... smoothly moving like a Singer sewing machine.
It was much more like a broke down pumpjack one might see in the hot and dusty oil fields of Bakersfield...
... in desperate need of lube and love.
Clunk.
Clunk.
Clunk.
I've narrowed it down to a few things...
- going too deep on Thursday after solid Tuesday and Wednesday
- rolling the gravel wheels vs road wheels on Friday's BRO ride
- hitting the legs with resistance Sunday-Thursday
... and I should know better.
I'm gonna add to that...
- probs too much tire pressure
- def hotter today than our last attempt
- carrying a third bottle to be safe on hydration
... some I can control, some I can't.
In the end, I think it really comes down to not being sufficiently recovered.
On a positive note, given the fatigue level...
... we averaged 12.7 mph with zero drafting over a similar profile to Leadville.
Not bad.
Not great.
But, we can work with that.
Oh, and I'm feeling quite extra speedy on the downhills.
Time for...
- In-N-Out burger, fries and shake
- some good sleep
- and a day off
... to set the pins up to be knocked down next week.
===
164.6
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: `0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
89/113/-25 per Strava (someone's tired!)
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THAT TOPSECRET SECRET
THE IDEA OF A PUBLIC DECLARATION is not new. Lots of people have proclaimed they will accomplish X goal and gone on to do just that...
... because it works.
There is a hitch.
The haters,
the perceived haters,
hating the idea of haters.
There are plenty of famous athletes who have made the call and fallen flat on their face...
... sometimes by knockout.
Which is why most of keep our plans secret,
denying ourselves the power therein.
I'm onboard with that.
There is also power in keeping our intentions unknown.
Wherein lies another hitch.
If we're posting our stats with the Strava lords,
that might be considered a passive-aggressive statement.
Which begs the question...
... if we're keeping our mouths shut, do we keep our training private?
Personally, I'm open book on that, except for my top secret racing agenda which scrawled in code...
... on my vision board.
===
164.6
7iah hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 30 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: `0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
83/84/1 per Strava
What I'm reading: Lions of Lucerne, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
IMAGINE THAT!
WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, can ya even remember that?, we had tremendous imaginative powers. From games to friends to travel to faraway places...
... our lives were boundless.
What happened?
Did reality set in?
Did we set conditions on our dreams?
Did some kind old bag of wind tell us not to have our heads in the clouds?
The thingaboutitis...
... when we register for an event or race, all bets are off.
We've already imagined...
- the trainging
- the equipement
- the travel and accomodations
... to start.
More importantly, if we're really on our A game, and you and I are!...
... we can see the finish line, and exactly how we'll be at that moment.
Which isn't child's play.
It's actually...
- life
- business
- relationships
... how doers get it done!
As I'm writing this I'm reminded of the gloves I wore today...
and the shirt I'm wearing right now
This is gonna be a total marketing faux pas because we're neverever supposed to make too many offers, but...
... I imagine more than a few of you will want this reminder to Rip!
Order the Gloves, get the Shirt for FREE.
Use this code: LET'SRIP
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/lets-rip-buy-t-get-gloves-for-free
===
162.6
8 hours sleep
670 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 30 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 30 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
85/91/-7 per Strava
What I'm reading: 7 Powers, The Foundations of Business Strategy, Hamilton Helmer
What I'm studying: Imagination, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
EMBRACING THE BURN, DAILY/OFTEN
WE'VE ALL FELT THE BURN. Some of us love it, some of us hate it. No matter where we are on the spectrum...
... the burn is coming for us.
Is it minimizable?
Maybe.
If yesterday is any indicator, I may have stumbled upon something.
For the last few weeks, I've been steadily increasing my ATG air squats.
From reps of 10 to reps of 30.
If you haven't done them lately, or ever...
- standing
- to full "ass to grass"
- to standing
... it's quite a shock to learn our trusty bottom half may not be as durable as we think.
When I started 10 burned,
then 20 really burned...
... the last 5 of 30 were a massive struggle.
Back to yesterday's hammerfest, when the burn came on it was like my body saying...
... Oh, we're gonna burn now. Buckle up buttercup, I've got this.
Rather than pulling the plug at the onset of burn, I embraced it and powered on.
Best I've felt in weeks/months.
Now, I'll be the first to admit it could just be that I was supertapered going into last weekend's BWR UT and I might just be having a good response to the taper followed by the 3.5 hours of racing across the high desert.
But, even if that's the case...
... the burn of 30 ATGs feels so good.
Gonna keep upping it,
apparently 100 is a thing.
(yes, on top of split squats and probably bringing back box jumps)
===
165.2
8 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 90 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 90 ATG air squats and 18 split squats with 50lbs
85/96/-12 per Strava
What I'm reading: 7 Powers, The Foundations of Business Strategy, Hamilton Helmer
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE TOOK ME BACK
IT'S REALLY HARD TO LET GO of something we love. The fear we won't get it back is legit. Yet, the opportunity of enjoying something new...
... is real, and tantalizing.
The known vs the unknown.
Once we move on, that thing we left behind might...
- forget about us
- reject our return
- change and move on
... it's risky.
No, Surfergirl didn't leave me or vice versa.
But!...
... I did leave my beloved TMWC (Tuesday Morning World Championships) for another ride: Wednesday Worlds.
The main reason, and it's very valid, waking up at 5am and rolling out in the cold, dark, pre-dawn was leaving me almost worthless for work the rest of the day.
The lesser reason, I was thinking the blazing intensity of WW would be a better work out.
Well, a funny thing happened when a downloaded the Tuesday vs WW data...
- significantly more time above threshold and VO2 max
- much higher average and normalized power
- and, the best, all my pals were there
... to smack me in the face!
For sure, it helped that the sun was up when I rolled out.
And, I was putting down power on the road vs battling dust, rocks and terrain.
The fellas were all welcoming...
... probably because they knew they'd dump me up The Wall and send me home with a good lycra whipping.
Gawd, I've missed this ride and these awesome cats.
===
165.2
7 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
√ Upper Body: 30 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 30 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
84/83/-9 per Strava
What I'm reading: 7 Powers, The Foundations of Business Strategy, Hamilton Helmer
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
GIVE ME 10 WEEKS
HOW LONG DOES IT REALLY TAKE to get into top shape for an A race is a question we'd all like answered. For an Olympian, it might be years. For us...
... we might have a few months.
Or less.
Depending on when we sign up, and the vagaries of life.
But, let's just say we are fitter than most,
not as fit as some.
Then our focus will be...
- long climbs or power climbs
- slogs into the wind or a million turns
- finishing in ones and two or a ripping bunch sprint
... more on race specific training.
Given a good baseline of fitness, my general rule is...
- our bodies
- our equipment
- our travel and logistics
... it takes 10 weeks to really sharpen the saw.
For me, aiming for Leadville on 8.15.26, I've got time...
... but, no time to waste.
And, so it begins.
===
164.6
8 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level,
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 30 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 60 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs
81/72/9 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: The Search, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE PREPARATION/EXPECTATION EQUATION
DECONSTRUCTING OUR RECENT PERFORMANCE is critical for improvement. The longer we wait, the foggier our recollection. Details we were sure of...
... become memories full of bias.
It's natural.
Who wants to remember what went wrong, when we can glory in all that went right?
Other than screwing up yet another sprint for the line, nothing really went sideways for me at BWR UT.
And, if I'm being honest, Billy tested my legs on the overpass coming into to town. Whether or not he knew it, and I stayed glued through the the pain...
... I was hurting.
There are a few things that went really right...
- The chef's pasta the night before at Chef Alfredo's, with Danny and Lisa, was delish and just what I needed.
- The AirBNB I found at the last minute - a 3-bedroom house was perfect and the beds wonderful.
- The 8:30 start was a little too late to skip breakfast, so I went with my gut and mowed down a couple of chocolate Entenmann's donuts, half an apple, and a couple of cups of my trusty mushroom hot chocolate.
- I picked up Skratch Super High Carb and ran 6 scoops in my 2-liter pack and another 3 in one bottle.
- To stay ahead of cramps, I ate a Salt Stick chews.
- For the bike set up,
- Ceramic Speed chain held up really well to all the dust, even after getting doused with cold water by Smitty at the final aid station.
- The tire pressure was pretty low, 22lbs in back 20lbs up front. I rimmed out a few times over the random chunky stuff while in a paceline. That's always risky. But, I also felt like I was much more comfortable than other competitors who dropped off the group over time.
... the last was mindset.
Preparation vs Expectation.
I came in pretty rested having spend the previous 2 weeks on my MTB in Park City.
Because of the altitude, it was difficult to put in hard efforts of any meaningful time. Hours in the saddle were solid, but even a lot of that was spent ripping down hill.
I'd give me preparation a B, which was fine for a B race.
Knowing that, my expectations were quite low.
Here's the point...
... poor preparation with high expectations is a formula for frustration and a crummy day on course.
Whereas...
... awesome preparation with low expectations always makes for a fun race and often surprising outcomes.
===
163.6
7.5 hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level,
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: 70 ATG air squats and 18 split squats with 50lbs
82/74/7 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
IF THINGS AREN'T ENDING UP as we'd like them to, the obvious thing to do would be dong something different. But, that can be a hard pill to swallow because...
... we're comfy and don't wanna change.
Hope isn't a strategy.
Or, a tactic.
So, even though I was hoping I'd be able to fend off the change with a few hundred meters to go at BWR UT, the mofo I'd been working with for the last 30 miles...
... stuck a shiv in my back.
There was nothing I could do.
Had no answer.
Surfergirl, bless her little beating heart, could see I was frustrated with myself and...
... accidentally twisted the buried blade.
What are you going to do about it?
I think it was an innocent, honest, loving, caring question due to the fact that she's seen me frustrated with something...
... then, draw up a solution and make it happen.
Truthfully, does it really matter if close out a racing effort by taking some cat on the line who I may never see again?
Not even.
What matters, to me, is that I execute the plan.
In this case...
... having something left at the end, to rip a fast finish.
The kool kids call that durability.
I call it having your shift together when it counts, which means I'll be needing to...
... wrap up long rides with sprints that sting.
===
164ish no scale
7.5 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/86/-3 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE YOU EXCITED FOR THE RACE TOMORROW?
THE NIGHT BEFORE any race is not a normal night. No matter how practiced we are there's always something different to our routine. Sometimes...
... we just make it up.
Why not?
It might work,
or not.
Surfergirl keeps asking me are you excited?
I wanna say yes,
and I know I will be tomorrow...
... about a millisecond after we start.
Until then,
my energy tends to be low.
Not depressed low.
Hybernation low.
Lethargic.
Slothy.
Trying to amp me up, she asks...
... have you looked at reg to see who's going to be there?
That's the kind of thing that...
- if I glanced at it now
- the night before the race
- when I'm trying to chill and sleep early
... would def keep me up and tossing and turning.
No, that's not my agenda.
I prefer to...
- lose all hope
- ditch all desire
- punt all pretense
... and shut 'er down with my favorite pint.
===
164ish no scale
8.5 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
81/70/11 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
NOSTALGIA
WE ALL STARTED this endurance journey somewhere, likely not where we are today. Introduced by a friend, sometimes on purpose, others inadvertently. While we may change locales, and the friends become distanced…
… we’re still here.
In the game.
We may have the opportunity to go back to where it all started.
For me, it was…
- my roommate’s bike
- a finagled purchase of my own
- secrets of sprinting revealed by Bret, who raced track nationally for San Jose Bicycle Club
… in Provo, UT.
I rearranged my classes…
- to start as early as possible
- so I could ride every afternoon
- before cruising the library to cruise the cubicles in search of a “study” partner.
… because I had priorities to attend to.
Today I hit a climb I’d always wanted to check out, Cascade Springs, but it was a battered gravel road back in the day.
Now, it’s pristine pavement all the way up over 8000’
Followed by a plummeting descent that is as magical now as it was 40 years ago.
I’ve moved,
but, I never really moved on…
… and, I’m quite okay with that.
===
164ish no scale
8.5 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
81/68/12 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
What I'm studying: Prayer, Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE TRUE PRICE OF FREE ADVICE
A WHILE BACK, I connected with the COO of a well-known bike brand. We were working on a collaboration at the time. I asked him for some...
... advice on what we're doing over here.
Today, we met for lunch.
Looked at from now to the end of the year,
the objectives I want to accomplish,
what I think is possible.
No different than...
- capabilities
- weaknesses
- peak seasonal events
... planning the race season with a coach.
After some yummy tacos,
and back of napkin calculations...
... we came up with a solid methodology to implement.
Like any great coach,
my friend made it so simple to understand...
... and gave me the confidence to go for it.
I was prepared to pay a minimum of $1,000.
In the end it could be way more expensive than that...
... if I don't take action.
It could cost me 100s of 1000s.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/77/5 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
ARE SUFFERING AND EPICCING TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN?
WE ALL KNOW that group workouts are torturous by nature. It's not a secret. Yet, we continue to show up beating after beating because...
... suffering loves company.
Alone, for most of us, is no good.
We won't see it through,
we'll ease up when we should be hardening up.
The bonds we end up forming are often unbreakable...
... we're in agony together.
Suddenly people who barely knew each other are fist bumping and ready for the next one.
What's the opposite bondforming experience?...
... when we're pushing geographic boundaries together.
Like today.
It wasn't the 90 minute climb topping out at 9160'.
Nope.
It was the 60 minutes of downhill...
- ripping through the trees
- sliding around gorgeous berms
- jumping rocks and roots and stumps
... feeling like we were cheating life.
Epiccing, like suffering, loves company.
We set off in search of adventures that will push beyond the comforts or riding around the block...
... the unknown and undiscovered beckoning to be shared.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/71/10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
COOCOO FOR CLIMBING
IF WEIGHTED SQUATS are a lot better than air squats, is climbing a lot better than riding on the flats? And, if climbing is better...
... is climbing with a weighted vest mo' bettah?
Things one wonders.
And takes to extremes.
I remember backintheday, rolling out with 100oz hydration pack on my back and 2 large waterbottles filled with sand.
It seems so silly now,
almost as all the ruckers.
On a bike we can measure power.
So, we know.
We know we don't need to stress our backs with extra weight or stupid add ons...
... we can just pedal faster.
Velocity X Force - Power
Which taken a step further...
... climbing aint gonna train us any better than flats.
We gotta put out the power.
There is a caveat, if we like...
- climbing big mountains
- ripping punchy stuff
- pounding the flats
... our bodies will adapt and become more efficient at the one we love and gravitate towards.
Me personally?
I'm coocoo for climbing,
and bananas for bombing.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
80/63/17 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HEAR ME OUT
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST PLAIN FUN to make fun of Velo, "powered by Outisde". Whether it's their clickbaity titles, AI drivel, or soulselling advertorials...
... there's at least one good laugh a day.
Here's my current favorite.
Stop Complaining About Sound, These Are The Best Headphones for Cycling
Roight!
Because decreasing our ability to engage with our surroundings when traveling 20+ miles per hour in our underwear on...
- trails
- gravel
- pavement
... is a great idea.
Genius.
Next up...
... Stop Complaining About Night Vision, These Are The Best Sunglasses After Sunset.
There is no best.
At best, assuming it's not clickbait or advertorial would be...
... These Headphones Least Worsen Your Ability To React To Danger When Riding.
Or, for the trailrunners...
... These Earbuds Reduce Getting The Shift Scared Out of You When A Bike Rider Has Been Saying 'Hey There' For 5 Minutes and Finally Gives Up and Passes You.
Now for you in the back jumping up and down ready to tell me to not be so closeminded...
... I hear you.
===
164ish no scale
8 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
82/72/10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
>
POP TART POWERED, BEE STUNG... ATHLETE unINTELLIGENCE
SOMETIMES, we just gotta change it up. Do something different just fer fun. Go against...
... conventional wisdom.
I thought it had been a good week...
- 177 miles
- 17:26 hours
- 20951' of vert
... given I'd been knocked down by a 24 hour bug.
Mostly in the dirt,
mostly with friends.
Yet, every single ride Strava's Athlete Intelligence...
... scored it as recovery or recovery and endurance.
Apparently, the AI couldn't account for the fact this sea leveler was suffering at 7000-10,000 elevation.
Rolling out this morning...
- a few scoops of Envy
- 4 pop tarts
- 1 Carbs gel
... I grabbed what I had + 100 ounces of water.
While I hoped to put down some power, since all I'd done was "recovery and endurance" rides...
... I knew the truth.
Leaving with a simple plan,
ride until I ran out of food and water.
It was an epic day in the mountains...
... topped off with a bee sting in the gut a few miles from home base.
Memorable.
===
164
9 hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
84/80/0 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
THE ADVENTURE
SOMETIMES, the road really is better than the inn. We realize that whatever we are aiming for may not be all that great, but...
... putting in the work gives outsized returns.
Gratitude blooms.
Like today.
My pal Charles charts out this loop...
- 32 miles
- 4700' of vert
- topping out at 10,000'
... which seems really cool.
Until we hit our first massive fallen tree and bushwhack around it.
Then, patches of snow,
too long to ride.
Followed Puke Hill.
The view...
- The Great Salt Lake to the west
- Park City to the East
- Not a soul around
... stunning.
Somehow the goals seem weak, lacking...
... when beauty abounds.
If we'll just stop to look.
===
165ish, no scale
7ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
no Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
83/72/10 per Strava
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
WHEN TRAINING ISN'T ACCORDING TO PLAN
THE BEST LAID PLANS can go sideways for a variety of reasons. I'm not gonna list 'em since I don't want to poison your mind and have you...
... manifesting awfulness.
'Cause I'm questioning just that about myself.
Did I manifest...
- 3 days off at I Do Epic
- riding with friends short on time
- puking my guts out last night after a miserable 70 minute ride
... or, is it just life?
Doesn't matter too much,
except part of my GrandMasterRipOnRaceDay plan...
... was a massive training week this week to make up for last week
and leave me slightly buried for BWR next week.
I consulted AI all night...
- possibly caused by using pure table sugar on my rides
- hydration via room temp peppermint tea
- a few Tums
... while Surfergirl laughed at me and secured the remedy.
Arose after 10 hours, feeling a lot better.
Energy seems good enough to day...
... to meet up with the local slayers.
The prudent thing would be to skip the meet up,
spin at most, or sleep...
... a proper adjustment.
But, screw it...
... I've got plans, too.
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
80/57/22 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: Cry Havoc, Jack Carr
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
HE'S A GENIUS
WE ALL HAVE, or should have, wish we had, that friend who can fix anything. Even though we've upped our skills over the years there's always that...
... next level repair.
We can't do it.
Like my SID fork, today...
- packing in on descents
- rebound slower than a sloth
- adjustment dials backing out and loose
... I was in a bind.
Turns out the great C Gonzer lives where I'm visiting,
racing pals from a decade ago.
Within about about 20 minutes,
he had it working nearly good as new.
How'd you learn how to do this?
I just really like working on my bikes.
That's it?
Well, I am a mechanical engineer by trade.
That's it...
- love what we do
- study the basics
- achieve mastery
... genius level work.
===
165ish, no scale
7.5ish hours sleep
690ish anti-oxidant level, no scanner
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel and toe raises
√ Lower Body: ATG squats and split squats
80/57/23 per Strava - very rested
What I'm reading: Feeling Is The Secret, by Neville Goddard
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
>
NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!
Nov 21, 2023
by TODD BROWN
You signed up for the big race,
or to go for an outrageous PR goal,
or you’re attempting an insane challenge, just finishing would be amazing.
I get it.
It’s scary.
It’s also the most exciting way to live…
… and train.
These quests give our training a purpose for a season, usually a year (I’m working on a 10-year quest).
But…
… it is more than that because we know when we are fit we do all of life better.
And, that is the cliff's edge we are all on.
How do we be true to what matters (family, career, faith, community, friends, commitments) and still Rip On RaceDay, our self-selected date with destiny?
That is our quest.
To be true… and rip.
It is why we are here.
- To share and learn what works and doesn’t
- To stay motivated and be held accountable
- To buoy each other when discouraged.
To arrive at the start line ready…
… to cross the finish line completely satisfied, knowing we did all we could do.
That is winning.
That is ripping on raceday.
Does that resonate with you?
---
164.3 lbs
7 hrs
no strength exercises
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TWO AWESOMENESSES HOOK UP?
Nov 20, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IT'S HAPPENING! I'll take full credit for this, because it's true in my mind. Two of my favorite race promoters are hooking up. Not like that!...
... hooking up a killer week for us.
In the desert.
This winter.
Arizona.
I'm taking credit because last year I did my part to get these two lovers, not like that!...
... who promote for the love of sport,
and hope to make a profit.
Sage, you really outta team up with BWR next year for a desert showdown.
Oh, yeah.
Michael, wouldn't it be cool to put something together with Cactus Cup?
For sure.
Now, what you might be wondering is why the heck would I do that?...
... because it's gonna be awesome.
- I love the desert in the winter, so pretty!
- I love the idea of finding out who's got the skills.
- I love stage racing, and this is taking it to the next level.
Michael coined the phrase, Duel In The Desert...
... we all loved it, because that's what it is.
A duel to see who's got skills: dirt, road, singletrack, and recovery.
How's it work?
Lowest combined time of BWR Wafer and Cactus Cup 40 mile XC course...
... will be crowned King or Queen of the Desert.
Why is it so rad?
Because these are legit courses.
- Cactus Cup is 40 miles of 100% single track
- BWR is unroad, a road race with serious skill challenges
I can't wait.
Sign up and race deets here: https://thecactuscup.com/duel-in-the-desert/
Oh, and each registrant will receive one of these...
Kings & Queens will get one of these...
If you're thinking of going, let's meet up.
You can RSVP here: https://pedal-r.mn.co/posts/45749547
---
164.7 lbs
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU REMEMBER YOURS?
Nov 19, 2023
by TODD BROWN
AT DINNER WITH THE FAM TONIGHT, I asked What was your most memorable Christmas gift? The kids are adults now, I was curious what they'd answer. I knew exactly what mine was...
... the moment the words left my mouth.
What surprised me however,
was Surfergirl's answer.
My bike, it definitely wasn't new, and I didn't care. It was freedom, we'd roam the streets of Kailua, and all to go the donut shop on Saturday mornings.
That surprised me.
Not the donuts,
that tradition lives on.
Not the pre-ownedness,
it was humble times for the inlaws.
I've asked myself a million times...
What did she see in me then,
What does she see in me now,
... maybe she saw a kindred roamer?
Because, I was doing the exact same thing on my Stingray I'd painted dozens of times...
... roaming the streets and dirt lots with my pals on Saturday mornings.
Still am.
Oh, my favorite Christmas gift?
The red Schwinn Le Tour I drooled over when my mom's boyfriend took me to Fullerton bikes. I imagined myself flying up the hills and traveling great distances...
... shocked me to see it with a bow.
Wish I'd kept it.
...
Our first grandchild has mastered the pre-owned Stryder bike his parents found on FB and is getting a pedal bike this year...
... who's more excited?
---
164.8
6 hours (not enough)
no strength exercises today
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
I'M DRY, BIKE IS FILTHY
Nov 18, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE PLAN WAS TO LEAVE AT 7AM. Pesky clouds and rain wouldn't clear as predicted. The group text kept pushing a later start. At 9:20...
... I finally got on the road.
Can I just point something out for you who like to gather....
... please RSVP.
Multiple people I enjoy riding with missed the ride because I had no idea they were coming and I didn't add them to the text chain.
I could do better,
and RSVPing would help a brother out.
Anyway....... I really like the rides we do this time of year.
A lot more chill.
A lot more conversational.
Just base miles,
good times.
Which reminded me of one of my training break throughs from 2021...
... back to back hard days during the week,
long tempo on the weekend
the rest zone 2.
Which... has nothing to do with the title of the post.
But, this does.
When the bike comes back filthy, it's a good indication we had the guts to brave the elements.
We kind of did today.
Wet roads can be slippery,
and lead to a lot of flats.
Since we missed the rain and the roads were drying and perfect by the end we also missed the soaked socks, soggy shoes...
... my least favorite consequence of riding in the rain.
Thanks to the great Steve B for sharing his secret...
... why his bike looked amazing and mine didn't.
He uses SC-1 from Maxima.
Tell us what you use, click here.
---
164.5
7.5 hours
pushups, pullups & squats
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE...
Nov 17, 2023
by TODD BROWN
Y'ALL ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ride all kinds of bikes at all kinds of different races and events and festivals, with wildly varying experience, talent and skill level. We can only...
... imagine your #1 goal for next year.
I'm crystal clear on mine,
are you?
Mine...
is a whole new challenge,
is yours?
will have me in 3 different states,
will you travel?
involves racing,
does yours?
I'll do with some of my pals,
how about you?
seems outrageous,
does yours?
will require some new bike parts, not a bike,
how about you?
is spread over 8 weeks,
yours?
includes a side race or two which could throw it all out of whack,
will you risk ruining recovery?
might include the support of Surfergirl,
will you have your own support?
deserves a special edition kit to fire me up,
have you ever done that?
could include heinous weather,
would you race if it gets ugly, cold, miserable?
I am so stoked about I decided to sponsor the prizes,
have you done that?
I really really really want to know,
and so does everybody else reading...
... do tell us here: https://pedalindustries.com/rip
---
163.4
7.4 hours
pushups, pullups & squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
HOW TO GAIN RESPECT IN THE BUNCH
Nov 16, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WHEN YOU'RE NEW TO ROAD RIDING, or riding in a new area with a new group, it's superduper easy to feel dissed. Trust me, it's real and they know their doing it...
... because they don't know us.
We are an unknown,
a potential danger...
... a newb.
How to fix that:
- Be nice
- Be confident
That's it,
that's all you can do.
The dissing can come in many forms: cold shoulders, yelling at us, not letting us pull through, chopping our wheels, mocking us, etc...
... none of it is cool as far as I'm concerned.
As long as it's not dangerous, I mostly find it entertaining...
... even hilarious.
For example, at BWR UT this year, I was in the second group and we were closing on the leaders.
It was a hard effort, and I wanted to be as efficient as possible while still making it up to the front...
... I was spinning like a hamster wheel.
This tan, chiseled dude for a well-known team rides up and says...
... You're spinning too much.
Talk about a diss!
I just smiled, and said...
... Thank you.
We connected with the leaders,
flew out of town to the rollers.
I knew, having done the race before, that the rollers were deceiving and that there was a stout little hill at the end...
... then it was very fast double track for miles.
I let them go,
cleared the top on my own and did my thing...
... passing blown or unskilled rider after rider.
By the time we hit the pavement,
just in time to get in a paceline...
... I was back with the tan, chiseled disser and his merry group of graveleros.
We were rotating nicely,
his demeanor changed...
... Where are you from?
Yeah, we struck up a pleasant, friendly conversation.
Nothing changed.
I was the same rider.
- Nice
- Confident
After about 30 minutes of riding in a well-working paceline...
... we hit another challenging section.
I moved to the front...
... never saw them again.
It's always better, whenever possible, if we really feel it's necessary...
... to let the legs do the talking.
---
163.1
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay circuit + more pushups, pullups & squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
THE COST OF NOT REGISTERING
Nov 15, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE FIRST LINE OF MY BOOK, The Way of The RACER, has been quoted back to me more than any other. Every time I hear that line, I'm reminded of the day I shared it with Surfergirl...
... she didn't like it.
So,I knew it was good.
She doesn't know us (me and you) like I do.
Here it is:
Until you Register for an event, or the event, you are nothing.
Because that's just how it is.
And that, my fine young ripper, is the cost not registering.
Being a hopydreamy cat vs. a driven and...
... highly committed son of a shift.
No wonder Evan just picked up ten to give to his teammates for Christmas.
$8.95, include shipping: https://pedalindustries.com/products/the-way-of-the-r-a-c-e-r
---
163.8
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay circuit + more pushups, pullups & squats
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WILL WE EVER SEE THIS CAT AGAIN?
Nov 14, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, and I fret for those who go this route. Cat retires (in this case) or gets laid off or starts working remote, and decides there is no need to
... meet at 630am when it's cold.
I get it.
But, most don't fully comprehend the danger.
'Cause here's what happens almost every time...
cat skips those cold mornings,
shows up in the Spring when it's warm,
gets shot out the back...
... decides the ride has somehow gotten too fast.
No, sucker...
You
have
gotten
slower.
Because...
You
have
skipped
the hard rides.
Oddly, this does not seem to happen to those who are laid up due to illness, injury, work, family or other more pressing matters because those cats...
... would be there if they could.
There's a difference,
in mindset.
When those cats come back,
they know what they're in for...
... but, I think it's more than that.
They never left,
in their heads their I'd be there if I could mindset...
... gives them the wherewithal to withstand
those initial kicks in the lycra when back
to the regularly scheduled drubbing.
Set your alarm clock,
set your mind,
dress warm,
stay fit.
Ain't nothing gonna replace meeting the gang at the corner at 630am.
... and before you tell me Zwift is the replacement... yeah, I know and I'm not worried about you. You get it.
The key is the weekly checkin,
heartrate revving ride,
chasing friends...
... weekly, all year long.
Still reading?
This is exactly why I have no intention of retiring,
that kinda thinking scares the shift outta me.
---
164.9
7 hours
pullups and pushups
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SWEET TOOTH, I HAVE A...
Nov 13, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE FIRST THING I DO EVERY DAY: strip and weigh. Before anything else. Then I record it to look for trends. It's the only way to get a consistent reading of my weight...
... and instant feedback on yesterday's nutrition choices.
Today was not pretty.
It happens.
But, that's not important. I know where I got offtrack with my system, and I just need to get back on it.
Which dovetails nicely into this question from reader Michael S.
How do you determine what your ideal weight is ? I am 6 1 and a half and 177lbs . I could drop another 5 to 10 , but at my age (66) I am afraid I would drop muscle. I still race gravel and am competitive in my age group. I road 10K miles last year and will this year also .
Here's my answer, which is also part of Rip On RaceDay my system:
I’m 61, so I get it and think about it often.
First, to combat losing muscle I
- Lift weight every single day. Minimum of push ups and pull ups, almost always squats and Nordic curls, too… and do my Rip On RaceDay Circuit training 3-5 days a week.
- I have really upped my protein intake, shooting for 1 gram/lb of body weight – via meat, bars and shakes
Second, how much to weigh…
- I know I fly at 162 or less
- Currently shooting for 160, not there.
- We’re all built differently, but having a gut or paunch ain’t a picture of health so I figure if my tummy is flat or close to it, if I can see the abs more than the flab, that’s a good weight.
Hope that helps, tb
Now, about that system I'm bragging about...
... see that pic up there.
It's time stamped October, 2017.
Way before I created the system, back then I was happy to weigh 175...
... I'm appalled at today's weight.
Which brings up not my sweet tooth. That is in check. It's the...
... dawgawn chip tooth.
Not chipped tooth, but my kryptonite...
... tortilla chips and salsa.
It got fully activated over the weekend.
Time to get back on the system.
---
166
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + extra pullups and pushups
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
WE ALMOST HAD A TRAGEDY
Nov 12, 2023
by TODD BROWN
A GOOD GRAVEL RIDE AROUND HERE is going to include some road, some dirt road, some doubletrack...
... and a tiny bit of treachery.
Kevin came close to a major mishap.
It was my fault.
Not guiding us down the narrow
singletrack on side of a small cliff,
or the sharp rocks at the bottom...
... that's normal.
I should have told the guys to give me some space.
Instead, I slammed on the brakes to walk over the unridable.
Charlie slammed harder.
Kevin rolled off the side...
... it could have been so much worse.
Luckily, he landed on the thick green bushes,
not on the backbreaking,
helmet shattering,
rocks.
But, there's a second lesson...
... one you need to know about.
He told us he'd purchased some Shimano "compatible" cleats, and turns out...
... they are compatible,
not identical.
Meaning, they don't release anywhere near as well as the o.e.m. cleats.
A lot of us buy from companies promising...
- compatible
- just like
- just as good
- we make the big brands products, too
... it usually works out okay.
Personally, I'll pay a few extra bucks to
... save the emotional energy of wondering if my gear will deliver,
when the stakes are high.
---
164
8 hours
push ups pull ups
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
WILL YOU PAY THE PRICE FOR FREE SPEED?
Nov 11, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THERE ARE A TON OF WAYS TO GET FASTER. I've done most of them, and they all cost time and money. Mainly money, often lots of it. But, every upgrade, every gizmo, every coach we hire pales in comparison...
... to this free upgrade.
For most of us.
Some, a few, are already there.
Here's the thing... and try not to kill the messenger on this, okay?
We don't do it.
Don't do it full out.
Don't own it like we should.
It's FREE.
Maybe that's why?
No.
It requires a reframing for a few things in our brain.
When we do that, it's easy to access all the amazing free speed.
Replace this...
I could never forego eating sugar and bread, drinking soda and alcohol. It's too big of a sacrifice to give up.
With this...
I'm an athlete and would never sacrifice my health for poisons like sugar, bread, soda and alcohol.
The result?
Free speed by
- Being much leaner
- Sleeping much better
- Functioning at a much higher level.
- and, more.
I didn't say it would be easy...
... oh, wait I did.
We just need to reframe how we see ourselves...
... we are athletes.
If you don't hate me enough already for treading on our sacred poisons...
... do this:
- Find a mirror
- Take off your clothes - all of them
Take a look and if the answer is...
... Pretty good, a blind man would like to see that...
... then, take another look at that reframe.
I'm an athlete and would never sacrifice my health for poisons like sugar, bread, soda and alcohol.
---
I far from perfect...
... just an athlete doin' his best.
---
If you're just dying to tell me what an idiot I am for such sacrilege Click Here.
---
163.8
7ish hours
push ups pull ups
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
DO YOU EVER GET BORED WITH RACING AND TRAINING?
Nov 10, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN AN AVID CYCLIST for many years, I haven't always been this focused or committed. Part of that was busy times raising family, getting career going...
... part of it was something else.
There's a pattern,
do you see it?
Boredom from road racing,
led to crits.
Boredom for business park crits,
led to MTB.
Boredom from MTB racing,
led to SuperD.
Boredom from SuperD,
let to motorcycles.
Boredom from not racing bicycles,
got me back into road.
Boredom from road,
back into XC.
Boredom from XC,
into gravel.
When we get bored the passion dies.
Here are some ideas:
- Try a new discipline
- Go to races in faraway places
- Make a public declaration of our goal
- Take chances on new tactics
- Test new positions
And so on.
Here's the dealio on that...
... most of us would rather let the passion die
vs. risk embarrassment of failure.
Now you do:
- Marriage
- Family
- Career
- Books
- Diet
- God
Enjoy the weekend...
... be spontaneous.
(I'm going to Taylor Swift movie with Surfergirl.)
---
162.8
7 hours
push ups pull ups squats nordics
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WANTERS VS DOERS
Nov 09, 2023
by TODD BROWN
OKAY, IT'S GETTING COLD and we have a few choices we'll want to make, but for most of us it's really two decisions. We can ride early, we can ride late, we can ride indoors or outdoors...
... we just have to decide.
Wanting isn't enough.
Last night, I left as the sun was setting and rode into the night. Now the problem with that is...
... it just keeps getting colder.
Tuesday, I left at sunrise and rode into the morning, which is nice...
... because it keeps getting warmer.
If it's really cold,
most of us go inside.
Those are a few of the choices we might want to do, but like I said...
... wanting isn't enough.
Wanting doesn't...
- get us out from under the covers
- get us out the door when it's dark
- get us on our bikes or in the gym
... deciding does.
Wanters,
want.
Deciders,
do.
Oh, the two choices I mentioned...
- pull on the bibs
- zip up the jersey
... it's easy to get out on the bike from there.
---
162.7
7 hours
push ups pull ups squats nordics
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
HE RODE WITH US FOR YEARS, BUT NOT LIKE THIS
Nov 08, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ONCE YOU FIGURE THIS OUT, things become a lot easier. The problem is most of us don't, and those who do...
... don't like the reality.
We, me, crowned the great Ken L. as the most improved rider on our local legrippinglungsearing group ride.
It wasn't hard.
He's been killing it all year.
But, it wasn't always that way.
For years, he was like most of us...
... pack fodder.
Then something clicked,
and he became a slayer.
Which brings up my point.
It doesn't take that long to change the way things are...
... once we decide to make a change.
---
163.8
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
unOFFICIAL TMWC '23 - RACE REPORT
Nov 07, 2023
by TODD BROWN
TODAY WAS THE DAY so many of us targeted to crush our local ride, the annual unOFFICIAL Tuesday Morning World Championships. We fondly refer to it as Just a social ride...
... but, not today.
We rolled on time, 630am.
Normally, it's a gaggle of geese the first few miles...
... but, not today.
Previous winner, Nick Bishop, lit it up asap.
Normally, it's 25-30 stalwarts...
... but, not today.
Doubled out numbers.
Normally, the pace is consistent...
... but, not today.
Jumpysurgy.
Nothing was normal today, which makes it extra
- fun
- fast
- frenemyish
We hit a few timely lights, keeping us mostly in tact until the transition to the El Toro Bike Trail.
- 7 miles,
- no lights,
- no stop signs,
- lots of power climbing.
Normally, we are pretty burnt at this point...
... but, not today.
Which could only mean one thing...
... something abnormal was on the menu.
In the entire history of all the unOFFICIAL showdowns only 2 people have managed to...
... breakaway and stay away.
The great
- Robert Freeman broke away on the bike trail
- Bret Bylund went in the first mile
We'd already seen Nick take a swing at Bret's move...
... would someone be gutsy enough to try Robert's move?
Yes!
Young Rayan.
He goes when we first hit the trail.
I'm thinking, dang, wish he hadn't done that now I have to suffer.
We pull him back,
I suffer.
Within 60 seconds he goes again,
and is gone.
The gap keeps growing and growing.
Now I'm thinking, go Rayun go!!!!
I love this.
Few try it during the year,
nobody makes it,
hardly ever.
The pace lifts, and I know the 4ish minute power climb is gunna hurt.
It does.
Not enough for me to get a PR,
because I was dropped...
... still, faster than I'd gone all year.
Would young Rayun make it?
The leaders were over the top,
our second group not far back.
I thought we might catch.
Got close.
Then, the final corkscrew and finishing straight aptly named...
... Robert's Rage (and Robot's wheelsucking revenge)
Where the great, 2019 Champ, John Janneck flew outta the pack...
... caught young Rayun at the line.
So, epic.
So, valiant.
Congrats to the winners...
- Lori Hoechlin - Ladies
- Issac Gould - U20
- John Janneck - U35
- Matthew Rhodes - U50
- Ken Lynch - U65 (most improved rider of the year)
- Mark Christopherson - U100
... much thanks to all who participated in the 2023 unOFFICIAL TMWC.
If you're digging the kit, you can save 20%...
... with this promo code: TMWC2023
---
165.1 <- that didn't help
6.5 hours <- nor that
Push Ups Pull Ups Squats Nordic Curls
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
IF IT'S WORTH DOING...
Nov 06, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IF IT'S WORTH DOING, it's worth putting on the calendar. Things will come up, adjustments will have to be made. It’s a lot easier to manage the unknown...
... when we have a plan.
Here's how I work my plan.
In this order:
- Get a giant calendar.
- Hang it somewhere to see it daily.
- Fill in date nights, and getaway weekends.
- Add important family and friends’ dates.
- Block out birthdays and anniversaries.
- Gather all known, immovable work dates.
- Add all races of interest.
Do this in ball point pen, write lightly.
Then, I think about what I want to accomplish as an athlete…
… what 1 or 2, possibly 3, ‘A’ event(s) would be really fun to prepare for.
When I’m ready, after conferring with family, partners, etc… I’ll commit to the ‘A’ events.
In Sharpie, I’ll highlight
- Key events I plan to do
- Outlining the days or weekends
- The event name on the day it occurs.
The secret is to put in the stuff that really matters first...
... then everybody is on board with my one or two 'A' races.
Yeah, I still race a lot.
But, who cares of I miss a 'B' race,
if I'm not in tiptop shape?
Not me.
Not those that matter in my life.
Be true,
and rip!
---
165.1 (uh oh)
9 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THIS EXTRA LIGHT
Nov 05, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WELL, IT' HAPPENED AGAIN. Even though we've voted it down, we are back on standard time which means...
... we have a whole lot more morning light.
If you wake up early enough,
which you will do automatically,
for the next day or 2.
For me, that presents a challenge.
The last few years, I've found I'm significantly more productive if I work first, then go out for an afternoon/evening ride.
The problem occurs, when the day is jam packed and I can't get out to ride until 5 or 6.
It's dark,
I need lights.
It's cold,
and will get colder.
Not ideal,
especially offroad...
... it can get a little creepy riding alone.
I don't know about you,
but it's really easy to cut the ride short, or skip it,
under those conditions.
I'm going to give the 5 hour workday another go. The idea, set forth in the book of the same name, is to get in and grind hard from 8-1.
No interruptions.
No breaks.
No food.
For me, that's probably not enough time to get it all done, but...
... it is enough to do the deep work.
Take a break.
Go back and do the meeting, managing stuff.
I'll need to get up no later than 530am to be locked and loaded to go to work. That is enough time to do the spiritual, mental, journaling stuff. Plus, the Rip On RaceDay workout. And, breakfast.
The key, of course, is to push all meetings out to 3-7pm.
I've tried this before,
and eventually I adjust to the time change and 530 becomes really early.
Not tomorrow.
Let's see how long it lasts.
---
164.2
8 hours
No weights
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
RUMBLE
Nov 04, 2023
by TODD BROWN
FIGHTERS HAVE THEIR ENTRANCE SONGS, stadiums blare fight songs, civil war regiments went to battle with field bands...
... they all have a purpose.
To send a signal.
The signal,
is to our brains
that it's time to rumble.
One of my favorite pre-race jams has no lyrics,
and sounds so menacing and raw,
it was banned from radio in '58.
Don't ya just wanna feel that way some times...
... that your training and focus is so obviously excellent,
without you saying a word...
... your competitors want you banned?
Crank up the volume -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFCpUZVyXgg
---
163.8
8 hours
No weights
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
CRITICAL "RIDE" THEORY
Nov 03, 2023
by TODD BROWN
TODAY WAS THE FINAL NOSCO RIDE. It was my 3rd time doing this brutally hard charity commemorating Mike Nosco, who lost his life riding his bike. Jack, his brother has...
... brought us one of the toughest and most beautiful "rides" for 15 years.
Like all great "rides", it's very friendly at the start,
somewhat friendly along the way,
horrendous and competitive,
and friendly at the finish.
There is never a winner,
because it's a "ride".
Then why all the battling,
deep digging,
suffering?
Because it's a "ride" with 500 other fit athletes,
most of whom are friends...
... and we all know how that will break down civilized society,
any and all determination to take it easy.
That pic up there is proof, after .5 miles...
... I"m off the back of the "ride" with my friends.
It got worse from there, as I fumbled with my phone, and tried to wolf down a waffle.
The few miles I spent pinned,
taking all kinds of risks...
... to catch my friends.
We'd all committed to "ride" together.
How bad was it?
Well, this bad...
Which led to this...
... which is pretty good,
since we were just out for a "ride".
Of course, since we weren't racing,
and it was a charity "ride",
there was only...
... one metric that mattered.
You know the one, right?
I mean, who the heck cares if you get some lame trinket,
a whole slew of PRs on Starva,
or even a big boy cup?
All anybody cares about on any "ride" is...
... did I beat my friends?
To my left, my cousin Todd,
in front of me, my pal Todd,
to my right, my pal Tod (the cooler spelling).
---
163ish - no scale today
6.5 hours - not enough
No weights
0 minutes recovery
0 minutes reading + Journaling
I GOT NO FIRE IN MY BELLY
Nov 02, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE FIRE TO CRUSH IT TOMORROW is out. Just a pile of ashes with some lingering smoke. It was a hot one for sure, starting small and burning a searing blaze for months...
... it was fun while it lasted.
No doubt, when I wake up and see 800 maniacs toe the line for the Nosco Ride...
... the embers will flare up for a bit.
That's not important.
What's important is to realize now is the time to merely think about how good that fire was, relive the memories.
In the coming weeks, I'll start to gather kindling...
... by laying base miles while riding aimlessly.
Once kindling is collected, I'll gather smaller logs to stack on top, creating a wide base on which to build...
... by doing fast group rides and a few 'C' races.
As I get closer to the 'A' races next Spring, the big logs will be added...
... by rocking the hardest group rides, and a few 'B' races.
With that powerful pyramid stacked solidly high, I'll add newspaper and gasoline...
... by tapering.
The day before the 'A' race, I'll grab the torch and aim it towards my massive bonfire in waiting...
... by doing some righteous openers.
Come morning...
... I'll blaze that first 'A' race course.
For now though, it's time to enjoy the memories...
... and let the remaining embers flare up from time to time.
---
163.8
7.5 hours
Push Ups Pull Ups Squats Nordic Curls
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
DON'T MAKE THIS HUNDRED GRAND MISTAKE
Nov 01, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WE'RE ENTERING THE SILLY SEASON when so many bets are off. Not all, but most riders and racers completely lose their minds in the next 60ish days...
... and it starts with Halloween.
Of all the things I have in common with Surfergirl, this is one of my favorites...
... our love for the 100 Grand bar.
Before I get into the trick of beating sugar down and...
... laying waste to the cravings that derailleured my fitness year after year...
... I'll show you some proof that we are being conspired against.
In my inbox this morning was a seemingly innocuous email from an internationally famous event, putting forth their sponsor's message...
... one of my all time favorite examples of garbage thinking.
Off-Season Weight Training
This is just the kind of thinking that has, is, and will continue to ruin many an athlete.
Utternonesense!
And, it is evily timed with the aforementioned silly season.
The very idea of momentarily suspending our efforts as athletes with Off-Season...
... is a signal to our helmetprotected gray matter that we can ease off our athletic life.
We can,
and we can't.
We can back down the miles,
ease off the intensity...
... but, I say Every Day Is RaceDay for a reason.
Because the days stack.
We, you and me, don't lift weights seasonally...
... who wants to limit strength to the times we aren't racing?
We lift year round.
Which brings me back to the 100 Grand mistake.
I had one mini 100 Grand bar last night,
begged it from the neighbor kid,
and loved it.
Because I have been off sugary poisons for so long the pleasure was soon gone and forgotten.
However...
... if I'd followed my tastybuds initial dance with joy,
I would have had at least 5 or 10 more.
I would have gone to our kids today, to raid the grandbabies supply...
... which is exactly what I did when our own children were little and left for school the following day.
Can't let 'em eat all that candy,
can't throw it away either,
better eat it.
Sugar addiction fully reactivated and in control,
I'd steamroll with gusto into Thanksgiving,
hamnering hard at all Holiday parties.
I'd pack on 5,10, 15 pounds by January 1st...
... soothing myself with the the stupidity of it's off-season.
Don't do it.
Be strong.
Let the mothersinlaw, cousins, spouses, neighbors, children, parents, friends...
... mock us all they want.
As the great Eric Liddell said...
... God made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure.
---
164
8 hours
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?
Oct 31, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WE'RE A QUARTER OF THE WAY into our 10th year in business. It's hard to believe. Not that we've made it this long...
... how fast time is passing.
Why are we still here?
- The initial drive to make kits?
- The invention of the RaceDay Bag™?
- My passion for helping people Rip On RaceDay?
Maybe.
It hasn't all been roses.
- The effort to develop HUNKR, hundred kilometer bike races was a massive fail.
- Covid, while the bike industry exploded, nearly killed us.
- I opened a retail outlet, and closed it 30 months.
- I've built and rebuilt the design team three different times.
In a race, when things don't go well...
... it's easy to quit.
We see our plans and dreams disappear in a cloud of dust or runaway peloton.
It sucks...
... the life out of us.
Maybe it's early in the race, and the thought of all that prep going to waste is infuriating.
Or late, the final miles, and there's so little left in our reserves.
We have one choice.
Quit,
or persevere.
If you're like me, and I'm pretty dern sure you are...
... persevere is the only response we know.
We lick our wounds,
and pedal on.
But, why?
For me, it's just a question of confidence.
I believe, whatever has gone wrong can be remedied and I can get going again...
... worst case, I'll learn something very valuable for the next race.
And, I think that pretty much sums up PEDALindustries.
Everything we make and do is designed with one thing in mind...
... will this give you, and me, more confidence for the next race.
What do good parents do...
... provide confidence.
What's the best thing we can offer a friend in need...
... provide confidence.
What is the overarching mission of most religions...
... provide confidence.
What do good books or other learning offer us...
... provide confidence.
What is the result of being in shape on and off the bike...
... provide confidence.
I believe in you,
and feel honored for your belief in us.
---
163.8
6ish hrs (rough night for some reason)
Push Ups and Pull Ups
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
THIS IS CRAZY
Oct 30, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. Someone's gone mad. Could it really be true? Nah, can't be. They said it could never happen, but it finally did...
... USA Cycling put out a calendar for the upcoming year.
In October!
Can't tell ya how many times I've had to juggle and replan and straight up cancel my A race plans because the local UCI concession has waited well into the calendar year to post dates.
You say you don't care,
you're never going to nationals.
I say,
it matters.
Going or not.
If these clowns (too harsh?) can start posting their calendar early, all promoters will soon follow suit.
In fact, many already have.
They want our dollars.
We want their experiences and challenges.
The only way to make that exchange work is to allow people to plan.
Which reminds me of my longlostfriend Pete W., an original founder of Quiksilver and member of the Coffee Crew, who said...
The most successful people I know are planning their calendars not 1, not 3, but 5 and 10 years out.
Now, why would do ya think they do that?
---
161.8
8ish hrs
No Strength training today - race tomorrow
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
SOMETIMES THE TDF RACERS SEEM LIKE SUCH PANSIES
Oct 29, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE TEAMS AND RACERS are up in arms about 1 (one) gravel stage at next summers Tour de France. Why not? It's not like we want to see the best bike racer in the world...
... well, I do.
I sent my top spy to determine what all the fuss is about by interviewing an unnamed source.
What do you think about the gravel stage?
It's terrible.
Why?
Well, anything could go wrong.
Didn't a Tour de France stage winner just dominate and win the Grave World Championships, having never raced on gravel?
Yeah.
So, what's the problem?
Well, it's not fair.
How so?
Well, it's so dangerous.
More than sprinting bar to bar, through turns, at 40+ miles per hour?
No, not that.
More than bombing down the side of a mountain on a narrow road with zero protection and the potential of plunging to your death?
No, not that either.
More than charging through downtown streets, turn after turn, after a fresh rain?
Uh, nope?
More than racing across sections of Parix-Roubaix cobble stone?
I don't think even close to that.
You know it's only 19 miles of a 120 mile single stage right?
Oh, no, I guess I didn't know that.
Think you can handle it then?
Uhhhhh....
See what I mean, it's hard not to think of these guys as pansies sometimes...
... even though they are clearly insanely talented, and take outrageous risks.
What they are really saying is they aren't sure how it will turn out because it's new and different and could cause some chaos for the GC riders.
Guess what,
Buttercup?
None of us are sure tomorrow will turn out...
... we get up,
put on our pants,
and go to work hoping for the best.
---
Personally, I think this stage will be a lot of fun to watch. I hope a true slayer of all types of terrain like Pidcock or Van der Poel or Van Aert crushes it...
... in fact, those 3 racers in a crushing break up the road would be epicality.
Let's all hope for that.
---
161.8
9 hrs
No Strength training today
20 minutes recovery
180 minutes reading + Journaling
RACE REPORT: FILTHY FITTY
Oct 28, 2023
by TODD BROWN
HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WAS A HARD RACE? It could be that I'm still super dehydrated, and not really hungry. That's common, this is novel: struggling to control the van's accelerator pedal on the way home...
... my shin was cramping so hard.
The promoter likes to start the gentlemanly riders after the Sport categories.
So, I pinned it from the gun and knocked nearly a minute off my previous PR, while...
... passing as many slower Sport riders before the single track.
I blew up our group and myself.
What can I say,
it felt good.
Me and my 2 frenemies, Bob and Todd, had a nice pace line.
I thought we were gone.
10 minutes later, the great Reggie Miller somehow latches on outta nowhere...
... what the?
I was so stoked for him. He has worked so hard to get good at this sport and he was on point. Really charging.
Super cool.
A fluke sidelined the tall guy when he sliced a side wall,
and lost 20 minutes.
Bummer.
At this point, Bob gapped us and Todd wouldn't pull through.
Teammates.
Can't blame 'em.
I was still feeling okay, but I could tell the legs were not battle hardened and I had to ride conservatively.
At which point, Todd floated up a hill and bridged up to Bob.
There is a real sense of luck when starting behind 300 sport riders. Sometimes you get a clean line through single track and sometimes you don't.
I did.
They didn't.
We were all together again.
It was brief.
Things got steep,
I got gapped.
It would have been easy for me to push too hard and stick with those guys. I didn't. Instead, I stayed right at the limit and banked on my descending skills to catch back up, which mostly worked.
I could see Todd, when I reconnected with Bob.
We rolled up on my pal Chris, who started with Experts. Normally, he throttles me, but he has taken some time off this year.
Jump on my wheel, Todd is just ahead.
Ok.
We can see Todd.
About then, freakin' Eric comes outta nowhere and blows by all of us.
Dang!
I got nothing.
Bob has less.
The last 20 miles was largely suffering,
cramps coming on and off,
power output dropping.
What could I have done different for this race?
Not much.
It's been a long year, and I've been dialing back the training and intensity.
The bike worked perfect.
I slept ok, not great,
which is unusual when I'm in the van.
I consumed 315 grams of carbohydrates,
coulda used 40 more to stay on 100/hour.
My strategy of going out hard at the start might not have been the best,
but, like I said...
... I felt good, and it was fun to control the pace.
When we got back to the Finish, I was able to connect with a bunch of my friends who I don't see often enough, as well as some Strava friends who I'd never met.
Our podium was filled with people I know and admire for the lives they lead.
Eric, won.
Todd, just behind.
Me, not just behind Todd.
Rob, rode super strong finished right behind me.
Bob, battled through some physical challenges that started a week ago.
Overall, I'd call today a 10.
PS... look at that pic, can ya believe we're all over 55, one dude is in his 60s... It's crazy if you compare us (and you're included) to our peers.
Keep riding my friends.
And do you pull ups and push ups.
---
162ish?
6.5 hrs
No Strength training today - race
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS DID WHAT?
Oct 27, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE cyclists are super strong forwards and backwards, and weak as a salt cratered aluminum Fischer Hoo Koo Ekoo from the 90's when it comes to...
... side to side strength.
What can we do about that?
A lot.
Here are a few things I do in purpose, and one that seems to be reaping big benefits:
- Mix in side to side shuffles during light jogging
- Stand up paddle boarding
- Jumping jacks
Not the gnarliest of lateral strength building exercises but, not nothing.
Since I've done those things for a long time, I have to conclude that it was adding the...
... Bulgarian split squats which gave my knees all kinds of stability.
How do I know?
This is real sciency stuff.
While doing a towel change at the beach yesterday I noticed I wasn't wobbling and hopping all around like normal. I was much more planted and steady.
Then, I noticed it again when putting my socks on while standing up.
Is this proof?
No.
Why did I switch to this style of squatting from what I was doing before?
For the simple fact...
... I have reduced the strain on my back by 50%.
Also, they can be done with simple dumbbells.
They are super awkward at first and you'll be wobbling all over the place...
... then you'll be stronger.
According to my bro-science.
---
161.8
8ish hrs
No Strength training today - race tomorrow
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
SHOULD I GET MY KID A COACH?
Oct 26, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WE'RE THINKING OF GETTING OUR 13 YEAR OLD a coach. So began a recent email asking for my thoughts. The short answer is Yes. But, Maybe is the...
... longer more thoughtful answer.
Coaches can be awesome when the timing is right.
Growing up, I had a tennis coach. Trust me, I needed all the help I could get. I was weak, undersized, and slow. The only chance I had was...
... improving my skills.
Our kids had coaches...
- Swim
- Track
- Dance
... as part of the teams they were on.
When they were small, I found it almost impossible to teach them how to ski and snowboard. I was proficient, yet clueless as to how to transfer the knowledge to a young child.
They did ski school, and I got in a few runs on my own. Win, win.
When we picked up motorcycles, my pal Larry knew everything and was very patient with us.
Coaches can...
- speed up the learning process
- teach proper technique
- help avoid injury
But, with this caveat...
... the kids love it, and want to improve.
Things can go off the rails quickly if...
- our kids aren't totally into it
- are being pushed too hard
- are doing it to please us
... I did the tennis thing, to please my mom's boyfriend. He loved me, I loved him. I didn't love tennis and never played after high school. It wasn't my passion, it was his and it gave us something to do and I loved him for it.
Did it matter that I never played again?
A little, because it was something we could bond over.
What we don't want, ever, is to get so wrapped up in our child's success that our passion overshadows our child's well-being. We see this sometimes, parents living through their children. It ain't right.
When our oldest got into road racing, we got him a coach.
She was perfect.
- Fun, crazy, inspiring.
- Set up his training program
- Helped him see what he was capable of
This time was, without a doubt, the most fun I've ever had training. We spent many awesome hours on the bike together talking about life and racing.
Final answer...
... if the kid loves it, do it.
Get a coach who is talented and knows how to have fun, with the goal to improve and be good at something
Remember, PRs > KOMs...
... and be prepared to get smoked, I loved that part the most.
---
162.5
8ish hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
IT DON'T COME EASY
Oct 25, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THE SUN WASN'T UP YET. Soon the sky would begin to lighten, imperceptibly. For me, it was another reminder of...
... how long it's taken to figure much of this sport out.
It wasn't over night,
not a flash of inspiration...
... it has been pedal stroke after pedal stroke.
For example, in the early days of my fascination with really long distance racing, like Leadville 100, I battled mightily with debilitating cramps.
On raceday, I'd line up with fear knowing how much I'd soon be suffering.
I'd mark the hours, not so much the miles, counting them and pushing the dreaded pain as far into the race as possible.
From the anticipation of the day, to the passing hours, when they hit, and they always did, I'd be in the moment...
... just get me over this little hill, through the next mile, one more stamp on the pedal.
I learned to suffer, and that suffering could be dealt with and pushed through.
That's how it's been for me.
From leading all the way until 500 meters to go, and getting smoked in the sprint...
... to learning how to position myself for efficiency,
and occasionally be the last one to lead the race.
From blowing up my weight with each pregnancy (sympathy weight?) and overall neglect of my health...
... to chiseling it off, one pound at a time, over several years.
From busting chains and getting countless flats...
... to learning proper bike prep for racing.
Just like the lightening sky...
... light and knowledge come one mile upon mile.
Or, as the great Ringo Starr sang...
... You gotta pay your dues if you want to sing the blues.
---
164.2
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
120 minutes reading + Journaling
RIDING WITH CLOGS AND SAVAGES
Oct 24, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WE HAVE THIS WEIRD THING HAPPENING on one of our group rides. It can be frustrating for some. Not unique, just what happens...
... and I think we could do better.
It occurs over time, as riders figure out who's who,
and what they can each do.
Here's what happens, a few strong riders lift the pace of the group and it's game on.
- Cloggers float to the front, but never get there
- Hangerson stay at the back
- Savages just wheelsucking
The cloggers not pulling through, makes it difficult for capable riders to get into the action.
I'd refer to the Hangerson as Wheelsuckers, however, in this case they are often doing all they can do just to stay in the draft.
There is plenty of wheelsuckery going on as well...
... and some of these cats are savages.
Sucking
and sucking
and sucking some more...
... until, dropping all but the verymoststrongest of riders.
I say it's not unique, because it's just how life plays out.
Some are willing to risk taking the lead,
though failure is possible, even likely.
Some sit by and watch the leaders,
clogging the opporunities.
Some are hanging around,
just happy to be there.
Some let others do all the work,
then take the glory.
I say it's weird, because it's a training ride. We are all there to get in a great workout and try new tactics that we might use in racing.
Racing is totally different,
that is when we all need to be savage.
Not judging,
just observing,
and doing my derndest to lead when I can.
---
165
6.8 hrs
Pull Ups, Push Ups, Squats, Nordic Curls
20 minutes recovery
45 minutes reading + Journaling
I KNOW EXACTLY WHY YOU DON'T LIFT WEIGHTS
Oct 23, 2023
by TODD BROWN
AFTER TRAVELING TO UTAH AND BACK, it was time to get back on the routine; which meant it was time to do the strength work. Four days had passed...
... and I felt it.
Oh, how I hate
lifting weight.
The inertia required to make that first move is astounding.
I didn't feel fresh,
I felt weak.
No wonder so few endurance athletes spend time doing resistance exercise.
It sucks,
compared to the joy of moving fast.
So, why do I do it?
Before I share that, the how might just be more important for you.
I lift weights daily.
Rarely does a day pass that I don't do the bare minimum - squats, nordic curls, pull ups, push ups.
The routine makes it easy.
For me, the weights come right after
the hour I dedicate to warming up my brain and soul.
The routine makes it safe.
No more sore or pulled muscles,
it's just normal everyday movement.
The routine makes it fast.
I get 8 moves done at home,
in a fifteen to twenty minute workout.
But, why do it?
Because it has revolutionized my pedal stroke,
improved my posture and bone density...
... I'm faster and more competent.
So, I pull on my socks,
put on my shoes...
... and get after it.
It's routine.
---
162.3
8ish hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
WHEN TO START TRAINING FOR THE NEXT 'A' RACE
Oct 22, 2023
by TODD BROWN
HOW FAR OUT SHOULD WE START TRAINING for the next 'A' race? It's a good question, with several things to consider. Regardless of the variables...
... there are two answers.
Before we get to the correct answer, we have to consider:
- When is the next 'A' race?
- How important is it?
For example, my friend is an Olympian. He was limited to competing once every 4 years...
... there was nothing else that mattered to him.
It took him 14 years to qualify,
and, when he got there,
win 2 gold medals.
We are no different.
If that 'A' race is next spring, or in a couple of years, to be our best we should have...
... started years ago.
The next best time...
... is now.
---
162.7
7ish hrs
No strength training
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
FLIPPING THE SWITCH
Oct 21, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER the first time I felt competitive. Not the feeling of having a chance to win. The one before that, of...
... wanting to win.
Not, the
Oh, look I won a prize kinda win.
Or the,
I beat grampa at cards kind either.
The other one,
the one for killers.
It was about the time I started playing tennis,
but, if didn't originate during those slow paced matches on the court.
I think I gor my first taste in 4th grade,
when the O'Malley twins pinned me down after school and pummeled me...
... just for fun.
I didn't think it was fun,
it hurt, and I cried as I walked home alone,
but, I was sure I'd be on the giving end next time.
I had to wait 2 years,
the 6th grade bmx shootout.
It was essentially an enduro race...
Starting at the top of a mile long city park,
launching on massive jumps we built,
over a huge, thickly cut grass field,
across a major thoroughfare (so dumb),
snaking through the junior high
sprinting onto the football field,
finishing on a giant double jump
... it was there that I learned to flip the switch.
I wanted that win so bad,
to beat my friends...
... to pay back the humiliations of being bullied,
the frustrations of my parents failed marriage,
of sucking all ball and stick sports.
I learned to put my elbows out,
to win.
It felt good.
So, when I saw the amazingly talented high schoolers battle it today, giving it all they had and not winning, but crying...
... I understood.
Sometimes, we just need a win.
It's okay to cry when the shift hits the fan.
It's okay to care about winning,
it's a life skill we need...
... to survive.
Those who learn it, will be fine,
those who master what it means to win...
... will master life.
---
163
7.5 hrs
No strength training
0 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
I SAW SOMETHING AMAZING TODAY
Oct 20, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I'D HEARD ABOUT IT, and looked forward to seeing it in person. The race director had kindly nudged and nudged and nudged me, until I drove
... 500 miles to see it for myself.
A miracle?
Close.
Why?
Because of this people.
How do you gather two thousand five hundred teenage racers, plus their coaches, family and friends in the foothills...
... for a mountain bike race?
Love.
Love for riding mountain bikes,
Love the kids who are racing
their hearts out,
Love for the volunteers...
... thousands of them.
Then, I pre-rode the 6 mile course.
It was tough.
Rocky.
Uh oh,
maybe they don't love these kids after all?
During practice racers were stacked up waiting to take a crack at the rocky climb.
Following that was some fast, flowy single track,
broken up with sections of razor sharp lava,
followed by low speed, large
granite boulder riding.
Tires would be shredded,
wheels ruined.
The evidence rolled by throughout the day,
plenty of banged up limbs
bikes being pushed...
... nearly all smiles.
A different kind of love,
that of being tested,
showing mastery.
Tough.
Love.
Credit Dallin Atack, the brains behind it all, for making it happen
What did I learn from this?
- Clear vision of what is going to happen
- Plenty of volunteers who care
- Excellent training
- Community
The secret is good feelings for each other.
Teams of 100 or more kids all lined up in neat rows,
lots of chairs and shade to hang out,
plenty of food being cooked.
This isn't just a race,
it's a lifestyle.
And, I love it.
---
163ish
7 hrs
no strength training
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
THE INCREDIBLE BEING OF WEIGHTLESSNESS
Oct 19, 2023
by TODD BROWN
THERE IS A FEELING that most people never experience. I had it today. Many times. If only we felt this, not just once, but often...
... maybe there'd be a little more hope.
Weightlessness.
Not the kind during an Oh shift! moment.
Or, the butt puckering kind.
The kind that brings joy.
With the proper speed,
just right amount of lift in the whoops,
we are airborne, flying without a concern in the world.
It's a physical experience,
with a spiritual counterpart.
No matter what kind of pressures
I'm feeling or dealing with...
... they are gone when I'm weightless.
I learned of a tragedy that struck a friends' familiy,
the weight had become too much to handle for a young soul...
... how do we become whoops to those who need to take a load off?
That's not the right question,
everybody needs a whoop from time to time...
... how can we be better whoops to those we love?
---
161.7
6 hrs (early start to UT)
no strength training
0 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
ARE YOU HEAD STRONG?
Oct 18, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WHAT IF ALL THE TIME WE PUT IN, in the saddle, could be improved by spending a few minutes a day doing mental work? Would it be worth it? Would you do it, or...
... are you too headstrong?
Some people are saying...
... If there isn't a scientific study, can't be worthy of my time.
Ok.
But, for those who are open to new ideas...
... I think there are neuromuscular connections we often over look.
For example, pedaling with one leg clipped in using a very easy gear on flat or nearly flat ground will quickly identify any dead spots in our pedal stroke. If we have one...
... doing that exercise several times a week reaps huge rewards.
There was a time, when I'd do that for the first minute or so of each ride. 30 seconds, each leg.
I've blogged ad nauseam about the amazing results I'm having with these 4 exercises:
- Sled
- Nordic Curls
- Toe Raise
- Calf Raise
And, I can't overemphasize developing the discipline of looking only where you want to go, which I screwed up tonight and followed the wrong line into the bushes - pic above.
Here's the dill, to be head strong...
... we must allow time to do its thing and cement in the good practices.
---
162.3
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT A D-1 ATHLETE ON A BIKE?
Oct 17, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME. D-! athlete decides to get a bike. Goes for a ride. Likes it. Quickly advances to the fast group...
... and burns out.
And, I think I know why.
Maybe.
Today, G, who I met out gravel riding joined our peppy morning ride.
On his gravel bike with big knobbies,
finished with the bunch.
It was his very first group ride,
and this ain't an easy one.
On the way back to the start, he let out that he'd played college sports.
Figures.
What should I do to get faster?
Log a lot of easy miles.
Really, sounds counterintuitive. That's not how we did things in college, it was hard, hard, then harder.
Yep, my experience is most people ride too hard, so they can never ride truly hard on the hard days.
Was today hard?
Not really.
I'm gonna get a lot faster.
I have no doubt.
High level athletes are very competitive.
It's in their nature.
Easy to see.
The key is, and I hope I can be helpful, is to make sure it's fun. That's where the Zone 2, easy riding, comes in. Sure, there's immense cardiovascular benefits, but I think the mental side is every bit as important.
The advice I gave him, is no different than any other fit athlete
- Ride hard twice a week
- Zone 2 the rest of the days
Those are the big rocks,
we can get a lot more granular.
There's no need now, he's a busy dad and entrepreneur.
All work and no play,
makes Jonny a dull boy.
I'm sure G is going to redrum me soon (see pic above)...
... just hope it goes on for years.
---
162
7 hrs
No strength training
60 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
SHOULD WE SHIFT GEARS MORE OFTEN?
Oct 16, 2023
by TODD BROWN
NOW THAT I'M TRAINING WITH POWER, I find myself shifting gears all the time. Off road, where the terrain is constantly undulating, is when it happens the most and the new SRAM rear derailleur that can be shifted under a load...
... looks like a great upgrade.
Being in the right gear makes all the difference in the world.
We really see this over time, longer races, where efficiency can put our competitors in our dust, or so far back the dust has settled.
Why shift?
Efficiency.
When to shift?
When we are bogging down or spinning out.
Apply that everywhere...
The measure of intelligence is the ability to change (shift) - Albert Einstein
If that's true, and I believe it is, and you are feeling bogged down or spun out, then...
... I have 1 question for you.
When are you going to shift?
---
162
9 hrs
No strength training
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
I'LL DO THE RACE OR RIDE NEXT YEAR
Oct 15, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I'VE SAID IT, and I've heard it. We all have, at one time or another. Mostly, the sentiments are genuine, logical, sensible. We want to do something, but we put it off. It is, after all, ...
... just a bike ride or race.
There will be next year.
That's what these guys said.
MG was hit by a car this week,
he'll be fine, the bike not so much.
AS, went to Xterra Worlds,
got food poising and couldn't start.
WH, made it into Kona,
2 months later diagnosed with cancer.
What if it wasn't a bike race, but...
- A phone call to a dormant friendship
- A conversation to say sorry
- A chance to do good
... someone who needed us?
Last week, I got an amazing meal at Chipotle. I can be a kinda high maintenance when I order, so I like to go in person. But, I was pressed for time and ordered online.
Someone made it with passion and care.
I thought I'd try it again the next day, see if the same lady was making magic for the to go orders...
... there she was.
Were you working to go orders yesterday?
Yes.
It was great!
She smiled, I grabbed my food and headed out the door.
Go back and do better.
Huh?
Go back... get your wallet out.
Really?
Really.
Who has cash these days? Seems I have less and less in my raceday wallet, but the night before I'd been impressed to get some cash when checking out at the grocery store.
Just a $20.
Miss?
Yes.
Thank you.
I have no idea if she needed the cash, I only knew...
... sometimes there isn't another race or ride or opportunity.
---
161.2
6 hrs
No strength training
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
WHEN AND HOW WILL YOU RIDE YOUR LONGEST RIDE EVER?
Oct 15, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WE ALL KNOW OUR LONGEST RIDE. Might have been last week, last year or decades ago. Might have wrecked us, might have opened our eyes. Bottom line...
... it was memorable.
Epically unforgettable, like it was yesterday.
Part of that, for me, is I couldn't and wouldn't have done any of my longest rides without a friend.
Some one to hatch the plan with,
no matter how stupid it sounds.
My first longest ride was with Tally, my roommate, 6 weeks after purchasing my first road bike. A 125 mile loop, sunrise to sunset through the mountains of Utah.
30 years later, after much shaming from countless friends who'd done it, my next longest ride was LoToJa. 212 miles, just over 9 hours.
Yesterday was the latest. San Clemente to Big Bear. After two failed attempts in 2022, we made it:
- 122 miles,
- 15000' of vert,
- over pavement, gravel and single track.
It started in the dark, (photos below)
a balmy, coastal fall morning.
It ended in the dark.
I'm just gonna say right now, we could easily have died up there.
Sweaty
8000'
35°
But, we didn't.
Josh, Michael and I clocked 14 hours, just under 12 on the bike.
Richard and Terry amazingly finished 3 hours later,
Met at the summit by angels Kevin and Marrissa,
After Kevin's irreparable tire escapade.
Post a hot shower,
Trevor, my son, showed up with hot pizza.
Wrapped in blanket, still shivering I couldn't help but ask...
... Would you do it again?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
We could make a few changes...
- Go when the days a longer
- Streamline Doheny to O'Neill a touch
- Skip the extra miles and 1700' of Grafton (I love)
- Get more people for a stronger paceline across the I.E.
Logistically, we nailed it pretty good.
- Stop in Corona at Speedway minimart
- Stop in Redlands at 7-11
- Hamburger and fries at Angelus Oaks.
Bike choices, it's def a gravel bike ride.
Emergency prep, could have been better:
- Space blanket
- Arm warmers
- Skull cap
Major mistakes on my part:
- Left my bottles at home, turned around and got 'em
- Left them again at Angelus Oaks, pressed on
- Back up batteries for Wahoo and head light
... yeah, we could change a few things.
But, we can't change this.
We made it,
together...
... and it changed us,
for the better.
---
A few stats:
- 300+ calories/hour, mostly carbs
- Average power 179
- Average HR 129
Terry got a "lift" back to OC from Richard.
---
Targeting 6.14.24... put it on your calendar
---
161.3
6.5 hrs
No strength training
0 minutes recovery
0 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
TOMORROW IS D'DAY
Oct 13, 2023
by TODD BROWN
SIX OF US GATHERED FOR DINNER. Introductions were made, and I fully expect the niceties of the evening to deepen into bonds of friendship, doing...
... a ride that's never been will do that.
We've got a solid plan, a good route, above average fitness.
But, as the great Mike Tyson said...
... Everybody has a plan until the get punched in the mouth.
I try to think of all the potential punches...
- Flats
- Broken chains
- Dead batteries
- Distracted drivers
- Inclement weather
Over this terrain, anything is possible.
130 miles.
15,000' of climbing.
Road, gravel, single track.
The most likely, of course, is bonking.
We're all fit enough to do it...
... are we wise enough to fuel it?
---
160.3
7.5 hrs
No strength training
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
WHY PILES OF MILES BRINGS SMILES ON RACEDAY
Oct 12, 2023
by TODD BROWN
PROS HAVE ALL THE KNOWLEDGE and rarely share it during their careers. If they do, it often lacks relatable context. But, sometimes they drop gold...
... like the famous Eddy Merckx method.
Eddy, how do you dominate every race you enter?
Piles of miles.
The follow up question I would have asked...
... How does that work?
Here are some reasons why piles of miles create smiles.
Implicit in Eddy's quip is repetition.
Repetition makes hard look easy...
.. because our skills increase with more reps.
Where a novice struggles with...
- bonking
- a paceline
- a smooth pedal stroke
- cleaning a techy single track
- carve a swooping turn at max speed
... an experienced racer does it all with ease and grace.
It's not so much genetics,
or being lucky...
... as the reps.
Overtime, it's practically a lock we will become proficient.
Even, expert.
Then there's the endurance component.
If we are riding piles of miles, we can't be full out day after day. That would lead to burnout, and massive fatigue...
... intensity just isn't sustainable in large quantities.
However, we can ride what we moderns call Zone 2.
According to Stephen Seiler, Inigo San Millan and other cutting edge thinkers, we can ride Zone 2 almost endlessly...
... and continue to see gains.
And there's a bonus,
when the opportunity arises,
we can easily ride almost any distance.
Because we've put in the time,
piles of miles,
the reps.
---
160.7
7.75 hrs
Push Ups, Pull Ups, Squats, Nordic Curls
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
SKINNY FAT. WATTS THAT?
Oct 11, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IN THE QUEST FOR MAXIMUM FITNESS, it's easy to look for the quick fix. The hack. My pal recently sauntered down this path, and...
... he has transformed his body.
He no longer giggles when he walks,
he's skinny fat.
And, that's a problem.
Not because he has lost a few chins...
... because he is weaker than before,
lost so much muscle.
We don't want to get there,
we run from such evil...
... we want to increase our power to weight ratio.
Where did he go wrong?
It wasn't the magic pill that fooled my pal into eating less,
or the serious surgery others opt for,
those can be a good jump start,
it is the intoxicating effects....
... You weigh less. Yippee! Hoorah! You made it!
Lies.
What would have been significantly better, and be absolutely amazing, is if someone came up with a pill to reframe his thinking...
... I'm an athlete. I fuel my body with sufficient good food and lift weights, to be hella strong!
Which is why you're reading this...
... your daily dose of reframing.
---
162.7
8.5 hrs
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
GOT AN INSANE COMPLIMENT TODAY
Oct 10, 2023
by TODD BROWN
IT'S NOT EVERYDAY I get an insane compliment like this. We'd just finished the weekly showdown. It was a rough one, and I finished 3rd. Rare for me...
... and here came the insanity.
Dude rides up to me and pinches my skin,
just above my bent knee,
legs loaded with blood.
Your skin is tight.
Yeah...
You're on testosterone.
Really?
Oh, for sure.
Your background in software sales has come up with this analysis?
Funny.
Well, do explain.
That's the sign, tight skin.
Really, you actually believe that?
Yep.
Ok, let's take a test and find out. I'll pay you $1000 if you're right and you pay me $1000 if you're wrong.
Uh....
End of conversation.
How insane is that experience/compliment?
Who does that????
I'm riding fast,
eating a ton of protein,
adding collagen to my diet,
and lifting weights almost daily...
... so good they think I'm doping.
LOL
I wish he would have taken me up on the bet,
I could use some Christmas money.
Side Note: A dear friend got into body building late in life and slid down the doctor enhanced slope...
... He died two years ago from breast cancer.
... stay away from that $#!7!
Bonus Side Note: I'm open book, if want to know exactly what I'm doing and ask me anything, click here:
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/30-day-rip-on-raceday-transformation
Double Bonus: Yes, that is my "tight" skin up there, 8 hours after the most awesome compliment ever... click that link if you want to be so good they call you fake.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/30-day-rip-on-raceday-transformation
---
163
7ish hrs
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
20 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
Oct 09, 2023
by TODD BROWN
ON SATURDAY, 10.14, WE ARE RIDING THE SURF N SUMMIT. It's not too late for you to join us. In redoing the routes, I noticed some really good news...
... it's less than 100 miles.
I mean anybody can do that, right?
Just eat enough.
Well....
50% of it is off-road,
some it single track.
And...
There is some climbing,
4600' on the first 38 miles,
and a mere 9000', after that.
Don't forget...
It's gonna be hottish,
in the 80s,
no shade.
Bottom line is, we've attempted this twice and been foiled each time due to insane weather.
How have I prepared?
Lots of Zone 2 miles.
What will I eat?
Honey Stinger Waffles and Costco Crepes.
What will I drink?
Carborocket 'till I run out, then Gatorade.
Any other nutrition?
I love Salt Tabs.
Whatever I can score at a minimart.
Gear?
Lights for the 530am start, hopefully not needed for the finish.
Bug netting for my helmet.
KOM jacket.
Who's going?
The few, the brave, the nutty.
Who's finishing?
All of us...
... it's only 98 miles.
Wanna go? Click Here.
---
164
8ish hrs
1 RaceDay Ready Circuit
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
THE GUARANTEED FORMULA FOR RAPID IMPROVEMENT
Oct 08, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WE HAVE THE ANSWER for rapid improvement. It's guaranteed to work. We can show you exactly what to do, but there's a hitch...
... we can't do it for you.
All you have to do is take 2 elements,
add them together,
and get results.
First, FAITH.
Have faith that your plan will work,
and that you can accomplish your dream.
Second, LOVE.
Do it,
because you love it.
Improve it,
because you love it.
Share it with others,
because you love seeing them enjoy it.
Act In Faith,
Do With Love.
Want to...
Set a PR?
Win a race?
Improve your fitness?
Fix things up on the home front?
Act In Faith,
Do With Love.
... make it a great week.
---
163
8ish hrs
No strength work today
10 minutes recovery
180 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
https://twitter.com/pedalindustries
https://www.youtube.com/@pedalindustries/featured
CRACKING THE CODE EVEN MORE
Oct 07, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I'M STILL THIRSTY. 80 miles and 6000+ feet of climbing will do that, especially with the Wahoo-exaggerated 111* max temp. We could have turned around early...
... before climbing 2000' up Blackstar.
Not our style.
We wanted to hit the gravel climb on gravel bikes and see what kind of times we could show vs our MTB times.
Before I get to that,
I think I've cracked the code to gravel's popularity.
At least part of it.
On this ride were a bunch of my friends.
Road friends who know each other,
mixing with MTB friends...
... and all of us making new friends.
Where roadies would rarely ride dirt
and MTBrs rarely get on the road...
... gravel is a convergent.
A place to learn new skills,
and more importantly,
make new friends.
So, how'd that big climb go?
I PR'd all the steep stuff, and would have easily PR'd the entire climb if we weren't taking it so easy the first 2 miles.
Was it just the bike?
Youtellme.
We'd already ridden 2 hours when we got to the climb, not at a blistering pace just a good endurance clip.
I'd been up it before on a gravel bike, but under different conditions and with a little different set up.
I can't say enough about the 45s with 30ish pounds of pressure.
They are just really fast, and shock absorbing.
But, my training is also a lot different.
The last 18 months I've really committed to Zone 2 almost all the time, with some explosive group riding twice a week.
Lots and lots of endurance miles.
Plus, all the leg workouts I do, almost daily, for strength.
I don't care about muscle size...
... strength, wirydude strength, comes from near daily resistance training.
Not blowing the legs out twice a week in the weight room, which is so typical and traditional for body builders and "lets get strong this offseason" bike racers.
Bro, Why don't you want to be strong year round?
Right?!
Check it out, I'm updating my 10-Week Challenge for 2024, and creating...
... The 30-Day Rip On RaceDay Transformational Sprint.
https://pedalindustries.com/pages/30-day-rip-on-raceday-transformation
---
163.6
7ish hrs
Pull Ups, Push Ups and Squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
THE OTHER TIME NOT TO USE A BIKE COMPUTER
Oct 06, 2023
by TODD BROWN
SO MUCH DATA, so many screens. We think it's not a big deal, because they have crept into our lives, like ivy growing up a wall, then covering the house...
... until we can't imagine a screenfree life.
Or, imagine at all.
That is one of the reasons I sometimes race with my computer in my jersey pocket...
... so I can visualize all the options as the race unfolds.
There is another time,
perhaps more important.
When I have a problem I want to solve,
need an answer from on high.
Then, I roll out with no agenda...
... slow and unhurried.
I find dirt delivers more consistently,
a quite slice of nature,
accessed by few.
No screen.
No music or
distractions.
Me.
Nature.
The possibility of lightening.
Lightening of burdens.
Ideas born in a flash of magic.
But, yeah, that computer is still in my pocket...
... because if it ain't on Starva it didn't happen.
---
Friendly reminder, price increase is coming 10.9.23
---
162
8ish hrs
Pull Ups, Push Ups and Squats
10 minutes recovery
00 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
THIS 3 MINUTE ROUTINE IS A RACEDAY GAME CHANGER
Oct 05, 2023
by TODD BROWN
LET'S BE HONEST, we're the only ones who might possibly aspire to the starving waif look of a Euro pro. Not our friends, neighbors or lovers. Because most of those cats...
... look like they'd snap in two with a little nudge.
Not strong.
Not resilient.
Here's the thing.
We really can change the way we look and feel in just a few minutes a day.
I timed it during a break,
and the answer is yes.
In a mere 3 minutes, I did 1 set of
- Pull Ups
- Push Ups
- Squats
The Core 3, which I easily do
without sweating,
at home.
Details.
- The first round is always palms out pull ups until I start to lose my form.
- 3 times as many push ups as pull ups, hands about mtb handle bar width.
- Bulgarian split squats are my current favorite, enough weight to max out at 5-6 reps.
That's it.
Trust me,
takes no time...
... is a raceday game changer.
---
Friendly reminder, price increase is coming 10.9.23
---
162.5
7ish hrs
Pull Ups, Push Ups and Squats
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
THE BEST NEWS IN GRAVEL, I MEAN UNROAD
Oct 04, 2023
by TODD BROWN
I LOVE RIDING MY GRAVEL BIKE. Everywhere. Over everything. As far as I'm concerned, a course with some pavement and a healthy dose of gravel, doubletrack and singletrack...
... show's who is the best rider.
Ya gotta surf the group like a bee,
and glide the dirt and rocks like a butterfly.
If you're a roadie, you have a pretty good idea of how to surf the group.
Going from wheel to wheel putting out the least amount of energy possible and always being in a good position is a musthave skill to successfully race on the road.
If you're not a roadie, and you're planning to gravel race, find a group to start training with. You don't need a road bike, your gravel bike is close enough in speed...
... and will make you even more proficient at surfing the group.
If you're a competent mountain biker, you know how to glide over rocks...
... especially those who started off on a hardtail.
If you're not a dirt ninja, go find some dirt. The gnarly the better. If you don't have your gravel bike yet, your road bike is surprisingly competent in dirt and can do way more than you think is possible.
It'll be fine.
There is one place where both the roadies and the mtbrs are going to need to up their skills.
Cornering.
At speed.
On gravel, it is very common to have your tires drifting in turns. Roadies never do this on purpose, and mtbrs will find it a new game on the skinnier tires.
Which brings up tires and tire pressure.
Personally, I prefer to find a tire I like in nearly all conditions and just ride it all the time. There is so much speed to be gained in knowing what your tires can do.
For example, a couple of seasons ago my friend Eric put on a race at a gocart track and had us go off into the dirt for a short section.
It was a lot of fun.
Tight, banked turns,
Smoothsmooth tarmac.
Most everybody opted for a road bike since 80% of the time we were on pavement.
I chose my gravel bike.
Here's what I learned.
- I could cruise and relax on the dirt.
- If I stayed in the draft I was just fine in the group.
- I could take the corners muchmuch faster with my fatter, lower pressure tires.
How did it go down?
Once I figured this out, I would let a gap open between me and the rider ahead into all the tight turns...
... then go much faster due to superior grip.
I'd latch on again,
and draft.
Riders behind me had to work really hard to get back on.
It was a war of attrition.
On the last lap we were down to 3 racers.
I came in third.
Way better than I'd have guessed at the start of the race.
Lesson:
Master your tires, and tire pressure.
Which bring me back to the title...
... the best news in gravel, for me, is the BWR Triple Crown next year.
Can't wait to test my skills and bike set up across three very unique courses.
https://www.belgianwaffleride.bike
---
Friendly reminder, price increase is coming 10.9.23
---
162.3
7ish hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
CRACK THAT WHIP!
Oct 03, 2023
by TODD BROWN
WHEN A PROBLEM COMES ALONG, you must whip it. And, boy do we have a problem on our local group ride. Today was hard, blowing all kinds of riders off the back...
... and not that fast.
Nowhere near what we were doing 5 years ago.
I detect a problem,
and we need to whip it good.
This ride used to be the bar by which all rides were measured...
... and sadly, still is.
What happened?
We got soft.
Friendly.
Social.
Now, I'm all for being friendly and social...
... I'm also for holding the bar high.
For me,
and, my friends.
Those are the friendships I cherish.
Who the heck really wants a friend that will let us slide,
let our standards drop, or even worse,
lead us away from our greatness?
Not me.
Lead me,
guide me,
ride beside me...
... teach me all I must do,
to rip on raceday!
That is what we are all about.
Not to win "the" race,
to win "our" race and
maximize our potential.
As the great Devo sang,
Now whip it into shape
Shape it up, get straight
Go forward, move ahead
Try to detect it, it's not too late
To whip it, into shape...
... to whip it, well, whip it good!
For you locals...
... get your buns out to TheTMWC.com for our unOFFICIAL World Championships on 11.7.23
The new jersey is an homage to Cafe de Columbia... since there isn't more than about 100' of pancake flat on this ride.
---
Friendly reminder, price increase is coming 10.9.23
---
162.3
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Todcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
https://www.instagram.com/pedalindustries
Invalid password
Enter