ALONG THE WAY to a glorious A race we face a lot of decisions. Some are micro, others macro. How we handle them...
... depends on our vision of how it will end.
What are we seeing?
I've long been fascinated with visualization techniques.
Once I learned of the concept via the great Denis Waitley's Psychology of Winning...
... the pieces began to fall into place.
Things I was underconciously aware of suddenly made sense.
The question that remained was...
... Could it be mastered and controlled?
From a practical standpoint, I can confirm that having a clear vision of how I want to cross the finish line...
... has given me the strength to accomplish the steps necessary along the way.
Which lends immense and undeniable confidence as the A race approaches…
… because we approach all the prep as if the finish has already happened.
We literally see everything with new eyes.
But, what if it works in all areas of life, not just racing?
What would that be worth,
what does it tell us about our present circumstances...
... what are we going to do about it?
===
162.8 lbs/12.4%
8ish hours sleep
480ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
158/156/2 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
UNLESS WE ARE ACTUALLY sprinters, racing events on the track or crits, it's unlikely we'll ever sprint for the win. We might race our pals to the city limits sign or...
... bang bars with other pack fodder.
So, why practice sprinting?
Here are my top reasons...
... I have one dedicated sprint day per week.
This is not an interval session,
with efforts lasting minutes.
Yuck!
This is all out getting after it,
in bursts of 5-15 seconds,
spaced with full recovery.
I like to do 'em offroad.
Tonights was particularly fun.
Yes fun!
On the downhill sections, any time I had a chance to get on the pedals hard and keep my speed up, I went for it.
Not only was I recruiting the sprint muscles...
... I was reinforcing how it all works together over rapidly changing terrain.
Which is, in a sense, sprinting for the win.
The win being staying strong and coordinated.
===
163.4 lbs/12.6%
7 hours sleep
480 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 14 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), Bulgarian split squats with 25lb dumbells, nordic curls, heel and toe raises
161/170/-10 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE the amount of reasons we can come up with when we find ourselves OTB (off the back)...
... whether it's dropping anchor or slipsliding away.
Bring on the excuses.
Like today's TMWC stacked with visiting hitters...
... we were pinning it something vicious, all the way..
Until I started spinning the slowslide of shame,
with five miles to go.
Giving me plenty of time to think of all the reasons...
... while gimping to the finish.
But.
We all know the truth...
... and it starts with F.
FATIGUE.
It's offseason fur cryin outloud!...
... what the heck am I doing?
Well, just the most lifechanging, epic adventure on SoCal...
... the SurfNSummit on 10.10.26
Sooooooooo... 1 more extralarge Saturday,
then two weeks to taper,
and feel fresh.
Might have to skip the legwork the week of,
or sooner?
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
7 hours sleep
630ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
162/179/-18 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WE LIKE TO SAY this is my escape, to ride/run/swim for an hour or few per day. Our happy place isn't a pain cave as much as it is...
... a world without staring at glass.
Is it novel?
There was a pithy post on X this week...
... I'm inviting a bunch of people over this weekend to doomscroll together.
My other non-scrolling/glass moments are reading.
Ingesting something uplifting in the wee morning hours has been a goto for years.
But, then this happened.
The wind down used to be watching "just a few minutes" of TV,
then onto binge watching...
... now it's a full-on addiction to reading spy novels.
They're all basically the same character...
... and I can't seem to get enough.
It started after my TBI,
as therapy.
Who knew staring and scrolling glass was bad juju for brain function and ocular wellness?
In about 30 months, I've read...
... with no end in sight.
From a therapeutic standpoint, my ability to rip downhill on my MTB has returned to about 90% of where I was.
From Oh crap! every ride,
to Heckyeah! this is fun!
Is there any connection between being a spy and racing?
Well, yeah.
If being resourceful, able to adjust on the fly, and see the mission through to completion is how you like to rip on raceday...
... this is your genre.
===
166.2 lbs/12.6%
8 hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 60 push ups, 12 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
156/144/12 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WE'RE WRAPPING UP THE 3RD QUARTER, heading into the final three months of the year...
... but not the end of the racing the calendar.
Am I right?
We aren't going to...
... because we know the truth.
Now is the time to...
... for springtime cometh.
That's what I'm doing.
Shoot, tonight I passed on cake an icecream.
It wasn't hard, once I gave up sugar, the cravings were gone.
In years past, I'd say Bring it on, it's offseason...
... to the point of friends saying It's good to see fatTodd is back.
Imagine that.
Actually, don't.
Imagine ripping it up next spring, right on through the summer.
===
165.8 lbs/12.6%
8 hours sleep
620 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
159/163/-4 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
SOME OF US ARE WILLING to take chance with our equipment. Opting to go with the yet to be tried and true...
... can lead to great advantages.
And, big challenges.
As I struggled mightily up a rather steep pitch today...
... I remembered how tall the gearing was back in the day.
It was brutal.
But, one of the benefits we didn't realize back then was forced torque training...
... something coaches preach in today's era of super wide gearing.
So, why was I doing it today?
Because my super niche 2-speed rear hub from Classified, which replaced the front derailleur dual chain rings...
... has been acting up for the last 2 weeks.
And died today.
Leaving me with the lowest gear of a 46 in front x40 in back.
Manageable on most road climbs...
... swear-inducing on the dirt steeps I faced throughout today's epic URBN GRVL ride.
I've had the system for just over 2 years,
and it has been great.
Superior, I think, to traditional 1x most cats are running offroad.
Because the Surf N Summit is fast approaching...
... I'm in a real pickle.
Classified is based in the Netherlands...
... which is much father away than the hinterlands.
They have few dealers in the states.
Hopefully, they'll get back to me in time to get the system functioning like the racewinning force it has been.
It was a risk when I purchased it,
and I don't regret it at all.
It's that good.
===
166.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
630ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
163/186/-24 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Full Black, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
STAYING ON TOP of the maintenance game never seems like it's gonna pay off. It's a constant steady drip on our time and wallets...
... until it's not.
Then, it's chunky.
I was reminded of this today by reader Roberto (not his real name).
Here's the chat transcript:
===
165.4 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
630 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
153/128/24 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
DO YOU KNOW WHY WE SAY If it was easy everyone would do it? It's not just because it's true, it's also because for those of us who are doing the hard stuff...
... we need to know there's a reason.
We do things we hate to do.
Here's a few of mine..
... and I could go on.
If we are doing things like the above so much,
if it really is that hard to be consistent...
... what is driving us?
A couple of things.
One, it gets easier once we get started.
Two, it becomes habitual, part of operating system.
Three, the really big one...
... we know.
We know this is the path to mastery...
... and few are we, the willing and committed.
To arrive at our stated destiny.
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
750 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 55 push ups, 11 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
157/148/8 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
WE ALL HAVE THAT FRIEND who we train with, who is about the speed, or even a little slower. Then, all of the sudden, seemingly out of the blue...
... they are a lot faster.
Leaving us in the dust.
What gives?
Just yesterday I was on the war path with one of these cats.
We'd opted to take a gravel route of the usual group ride, and if we reallyreally got after it...
... we'd meet/beat the group at the finish.
And romp we did.
I knew we had a shot because of his newly found powers.
And, I knew how he got them.
Because I asked.
Bro, your a lot faster and leaner.
It's my wife's fault.
Howso?
Well, she changed up her diet and she does most of the cooking and we're eating a lot cleaner.
If it's that easy then...
... why aren't we all doing it?
Maybe we don't know what eating clean is?
Here's my super simple rule...
... If I can identify the ingredients it's clean.
Steak,
easy.
Mr. Bachan's Japanese Teriyaki Sauce Surfergirl wants to smother it with,
not so much - probs not clean.
Corn on the cob,
easy.
Dorito's corn chips,
impossible - def not clean.
What is the one change we can make today that would make a huge difference in our performance?
Do it.
Then, stack it...
... with the next change.
Yes, it's that easy.
It just takes a bit of time for the results to show...
... fortunately, most of our competitors don't have time for that.
===
165.8 lbs/12.7%
8 hours sleep
790 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 105 push ups, 21 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 40 box jumps (24"), nordic curls, heel and toe raises
160/168/-8 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THERE ARE SO MANY INFOOLENCERS yaking for our attention on myriad platforms. It creates all kinds of noise and...
... makes discerning the truth challenging.
Impossible even.
I was reminded of the dangers of expert opinions today listening to The Marketing School podcast titled...
... How McKinsey Helped Nike Lose $223 Billion.
With a B.
TLDL: they hired a guy who didn't understand the business, and he leaned into all the new fangled, cool kid ideas, in the process destroying the brand.
Some were so stupid it was stunning.
Which reminded me of the Time-Crunched Cyclist podcast I'd listened to the day before...
... The Five Self=Coached Cycling Mistakes That Keep You Stuck.
TLDL: he states we're too unenlightened to coach ourselves, hire his firm.
Along the way apologizing for being so harsh. Except I didn't find it as harsh as it was condescending and self-serving.
I shared the above, so I could share this...
... using our common sense, listening to our inner voice, for the win.
Are there good coaches and consultants.
Absolutely.
As the great Charlie Munger said...
... Show me the incentive, and I'll show you the outcome.
===
166.4 lbs/12.7%
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 0 box jumps, heel and toe raises
161/172/-12 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
LOOKING AROUND AMONGST OUR FRIENDS we often see what really drives them. It's not at the races or the slaying rides where this shows up...
... it's at the events they miss.
Huh?
Yeah.
You know, we have this epic ride coming up.
It's not race, it's a social adventure.
From the beach to the mountains...
... the kind of thing you wanna do for the pure challenge.
And.
To blow your friends' minds...
... Yeah, I rode from Dana Point to Big Bear last Saturday.
WHAT?!
Yep, really fun.
No way!
Here's the dill.
A few have shared...
... their reasons for missing this year.
Here's what I can tell ya about each one of these cats...
... they have grown awesome, loving families.
Nothing better.
In case weekend of 10.10 is open for you...
... it's an open invite: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/surf-n-summit-collection
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 105 push ups, 21 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 50 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/168/-8 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WE ALL WANNA BE BETTER, at least that's what we tell ourselves. Anybody listening to us drone on about the initiatives we're gonna take...
... might possibly be convinced we really want the prize.
But, do we?
Could our actions convict us?
Better question.
What's it gonna take?
Not the big crazy actions,
that's for sure.
We'll never get those done,
because they are big and crazy.
The real secret...
... having a system to be a little better every day.
And, sticking to it.
One of my systems is to weigh myself each morning. I get instant feedback on the previous day(s) nutrition choices. It's a simple way to stay in tune with any changes I may have/have not made...
... like I'm thinking my adding 5lbs in the last month is a direct result of the predicted 2-3% gain predicted by consistent creatine intake.
Worth it?
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 105 push ups, 21 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 50 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/168/-8 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DEPENDING ON THE LOCALE, there can be a lot of ways to get out and cover some ground. Some areas are all paved, others all single track, others lots of gravel...
... they're all a blast.
Which is best?
I dunno.
But, I can tell you this, where we are, mixing it up on a gravel bike is a great way to get out...
... and skip most of the lights, and traffic.
Like today.
The first 90 minutes were mostly dirt...
... with nearly 30 minutes at threshold or above.
Meeting up with a slaying group ride on the road...
... pushed me to my limits and stacked on the intensity.
From there it was a JRA road, gravel and single track.
I love rides that...
... for the pure adventure.
The biggest and best one of the year is just 4 weeks away...
... and you're invited.
All the details are here: https://pedalindustries.com/collections/surf-n-summit-collection 
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/surf-n-summit-collection
===
166.8 lbs/12.8%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 0 box jumps, heel and toe raises
164/192/-29 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Foreign Influence, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
BEING THE DEDICATED ADDICTS that we are, we eventually learn the jargon that sets us apart from the commoners who consider themselves in the know, but...
... are actually far from it.
Neophytes.
Anybody who's worked in a bike shop, particularly the service area has heard the phrase...
... I was just riding along.
And, said to themselves under muffled breath, while inconspicuously rolling their eyes...
... JRA.
What follows JRA...
... is always entertaining.
Not that it hasn't been heard before,
but the way it is camouflaged...
... as if it is somehow the shop's/mechanic's fault.
Yet, I digress.
Because what I really wanted to point out is how much fun it is to move about the country...
... and see so many amazing sites.
While we are...
... JRA.
===
167.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 0 box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/144/11 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostle, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
SOMETIMES when we're out riding, the feeling is just right. Like we could just keep going forever...
... and never stop.
Why is that?
I honestly don't know.
It just happens.
And, when it does it's magical.
Like this evening.
There I was, about an hour in.
On my gravel bike, connecting the...
... and missing all the traffic stops and lights.
Slipping into the zone...
... slicing through town with nary a stop.
And loving it.
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 30 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/175/-16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
FOR BETTER OR WORSE, as athletes we are really, really good at enduring. When things look absolutely hopeless...
... we press on.
Is that a good thing?
That's an honest question...
... with an unknowable answer.
Because choices stack.
Accumulate.
Tangent: when I had my pager business, my landlord, an old sage and jeweler by trade, told me the worst thing he ever did was keep switching careers. That it was best to lock in, and go in search of mastery.
Welp, I could see the writing on the wall and sold the pager business.
After that, I took his advice,
and can honestly say:
If I had a dollar for every time things looked hopeless and gave up...
... I'd be broke.
In sports...
... we be _____?
In relationships...
... we be _____?
As students...
... we be _____?
There is, of course, a point where things are hopeless, and we gotta/outta sell, but, if there's anything most of us can bank on it's that...
... there is such a thing as a second wind.
Reaching the finish/the goal usually just takes a little more than we initially thought we could give.
And, so, we endure.
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 30 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/175/-16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
SOMEHOW WE FEEL IT'S OKAY to do whatever it takes to win, even if it means clobbering our friends. Ok, not all of us, but...
... definitely some of us.
We might feel, think, say...
... It's not personal, it's racing.
Shoot, one of my frenemies said this to me after a recent race post sucking my wheel for miles...
... Sorry about doing you dirty back there.
All that to say, It's okay to make things personal.
Not all things.
But, I'm definitely making The Wall personal.
It's the next to last climb...
... on our Tuesday Morning World Championships.
While I'm not sure I'll ever best my current PR, set 8 years ago on a perfect day...
... I do wanna get back to regularly hitting 4:40ish vs the 5:24 I did today.
When we set personal challenges like this,
it's motivating only to ourselves,
but pays off everywhere else.
It's fitness and mental fortitude we can tap into on demand.
===
166.6 lbs/12.6%
6ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 00 box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/176/-16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DO WE KNOW WHY we do really hard stuff? I mean, really? We keep doing them. Like a young mother who, during the midst of labor, swears she'll never go through childbirth another time...
... and choosing to do it again.
There's something we know,
but can't put our fingers on.
As the great Carl Jung put it...
... Man needs difficulties. They are necessary for health.
It's not the difficulty that repeatedly pulls us back...
... it's the joy we experience on the other side.
Like the insanity of starting a gravel ride at Dana Point, in predawn hours...
... and clearing the final summit above Big Bear, as the sun drifts away.
If we did alone, it would be courageous...
... if we did it with friends, it would be the memory of a lifetime.
As the great Terry from Mesa told me today...
... I'm always busy.
I'm in.
Are you?
===
Do you know any of these cats?
Previous Finishers
Henri Kavaja (1)
Michael Gould (1)
Richard Brown (3)
Mike Maderos (1)
Richard Ramsey (3) <12 (1)
Josh Wolff (2)
Chris Hill (1) <12 (1)
Spencer Roundy (3)
Michael Foster (4)
Ron Barrett (1)
Todd Brown (4) <12 (1)
Terry Butler (1)
Brennan Sizemore (1)
(times finished)
<12 - completions under 12 hours elapsed time.
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 00 box jumps, heel and toe raises
154/139/15 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
A TRUE ADVENTURE requires a pace that is fast enough to get to the destination, yet slow enough that all can...
... make it to the finish.
It's a fine line.
Shackleton had is crew on a boat.
Pacing wasn't the issue...
... so much as outright danger.
In this case,
all the men needed was the hope of success.
Which is what a proper pace should be...
... given an adventure of epic proportions.
The Surf N Summit may not be a novel exploration of the Antarctic, but it does require...
... because, it's a legit journey from the sands of Dana Point to the peaks of the San Bernardino mountains above Big Bear.
If you're in, go here now: https://pedalindustries.com/products/surf-n-summit-california-10-10-26
===
165.2 lbs/12.6%
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, 30 box jumps, heel and toe raises
156/153/3 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WE SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE SOLD on adventure. It's in our DNA. Yet, often we are distracted and timechallenged and thinking...
... we are way too busy.
But,
life is short.
And,
as the great Ferris Bueller said...
... it comes at you fast.
Adventures, however...
... which is why we go for them.
Especially, if we are/have...
... enlisted our posse.
On October 10th, we'll be riding the Surf N Summit for the sixth time this year.
The first two times...
... we failed.
Last year, for the first time, everyone made the summit before sunset.
it's not for the timid,
those afraid to fail,
the unprepared...
... it's for the adventurous souls who dare what others fear to dream.
https://www.strava.com/activities/16111728104
===
165.2 lbs
7.8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
1560175/-15 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
EVERY COMMUNITY has a ringleader. The cat who's constantly inviting to do some ride or run or adventure or race. They're usually mostly fun...
... and sometimes absolute slayers.
Even that's fun.
Why does the ringleader lead?
Because, literally, the more the merrier.
Who appoints the ringleader?
Nobody, it's more of an inner calling.
Who supports the ringleader?
Those looking for a good time.
Who pays the ringleader?
Everyone,
just by showing up.
Somecommunities don't have a ringleader...
... they're waiting for us to show up.
And lead.
===
164.8 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 30 push ups, 6 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
151/122/28 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS to know we can go faster over a smooth surface than we can over rough terrain. That's why the most powerful sprinters...
... race on the track.
Indoors at the highest levels.
The rest of us get it done over...
... whatever we get served up.
Where we still need to put down the power,
whether sprinting or just plain ol' racing.
Here's the dill.
If we only ever train our sprinting on the most perfectist of surfaces...
... we're probably gonna stink it up, when it gets rough.
Practicing stomping on the pedals when it's...
... is a skill worth honing.
We've got to be able to perform excellently over all conditions.
When it gets challenging lower pressure in the tires is better...
... just like is in our souls when life gets topsy turvy.
Lower the pressure.
Which reminds me of a dear friend, the great Fritz Tomasello. who insisted we add backpack straps to the RaceDay bag...
... so he could carry his bike from the car to the track.
That's how pristine the indoor tracks are.
===
164.8 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 55 push ups, 11 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/138/16 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THAT MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE calls to us, challenging us to prepare and be ready and we answer the call with all we've got. Not just going through the motions...
... this time.
Willing to do the impossible.
We've tried before.
Many times.
Only to fail.
Shattered.
We reconstitute.
To vanquish.
Yet again.
Not trying, doing...
.. the impossible.
===
165.6 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 80 push ups, 16 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
157/151/5 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MIND CONTROL is a thing. Especially on the start line when the energy is sky high due to...
... a cocktail of tapering and caffeine.
It
takes
real focus.
Just look at your "resting heart rate"...
... pumping like an outta shape donut eater on an outta control treadmill.
We aren't even moving,
because we are thinking about everything.
How do we calm that down,
achieve serenity?
This is important because if we don't get control our emotions we're going to be leaking all kinds of energy we're going to need later on.
Here are my top 5...
5. breathe deep, breathe slow
4. take in the craziness in the competitors' faces and just laugh - cuz it is funny
3. sit on the top tube, rest on the bars
2. close your eyes and trust your training
... and drumroll
... 1. race more so these feelings are welcomed
Oh, one more.
For hecksakes...
... get to the venue early.
Like 2 hours early so we can go through our launch sequence calmly.
Which brings up the ohso obvious.
Have your raceday bag loaded the night before, with everything you (could) possibly need.
Ok.
There's a lot more,
but those are the basics...
... before we unleash our mighty fury.
===
165.6 lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
158/157/0 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Apostles, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN FITNESS if there are offseaons? It's a fair question and one that deserves...
... a fair answer.
I have my theory.
And it goes like this...
... there is no offseason.
But, there is an onseason.
What's the difference?
Look, we have to have a baseline of fitness.
For me, that means being somewhat respectable on the group rides.
If I let my fitness drop the point where I'm getting dropped quick,
that's dialed back too much.
When it's onseason, that means...
... everything gets dialed up.
Yeah, I thought of this as I yanked the gravel wheels off,
and mounted the road wheels.
Sticking with my commitment to hit the Tuesday Morning World Championships tomorrow...
... and shoot for a respectable sub-5 minute up The Wall.
===
166.2 lbs
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 20 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
153/123/29 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL. Things haven't changed much. Some sit in back semicheckedout...
... others up front and eager.
Just like a new race season.
As we head into fall...
... we still have choices.
Before we choose what's next...
... reflecting/celebrating/acknowledging might be the best next event.
===
165.2 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 60 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
156/142/14 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
UNDERSTANDING AI QUERIES, for most of us, is like understanding pig latin. If we don't have the key...
... it's meaningless.
Want proof?
Ok.
Rider X is a fast,
and uncoached.
Prepping for an upcoming, highly competitive gravel race...
... he had a sit down with Coach ChatGPT.
The recommended protocol?
Mostly endurance, but per ChatGPT I should as some higher zone work at the end of the ride to simulate race conditions.
Am I the only one who sees a problem with that?
Other than the fact that every romping gravel race I've ever done has started out like an XC race...
... I'd say it's spot on.
lol.
So, yeah, as long as everyone agrees to save it to the last 30 mins then Coach Chat has it nailed.
In training...
... which is probably why things unfold as they do.
Look, there are certain people I ping for their opinion knowing that whatever they suggest...
... the opposite is the best course of action.
With Coach Chat, it's not Be careful what you ask for as much as its...
... Be careful how you ask.
===
164.6 lbs
7.5ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
160/163/-3 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
SINCE IT'S SO TEMPTING to sandbag, we should never be surprised that it goes on. At all competitive levels...
... it's a thing.
But,
why?
To get an easy V.
Where's the victory in that?
For the day to day group rides and non-A races...
... we should be lining up the monsters.
Who are going to push to our very limits...
... destroy us.
That's winning.
Ya know what else it is?...
... putting ourselves in position to win the ones that matter.
===
164 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 0 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
153/120/33 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS to get stronger on the bike. Whether we want to climb better, fly on the flats or lay down obscene sprints...
... we need more power.
How do we get it?
Akshully go to a gym,
lift heavy at home,
body weight.
They all work.
Lately, I've been in love with the body weight stuff.
Not just the pullup an pushup stuff...
... but, high rep leg work.
Till.
It.
Burns.
Yeah, it produces the same I can barely walk feeling...
... after rattling 'em off.
And, I'm rightly winded to prove it.
The reason I'm really digging these is...
... the fatigue resistance it seems to be building.
I feel the fatigue building,
and I seem to be able to deal with it better than high weight, low rep.
It feels so good,
I love it.
===
163.8 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 50 split squats, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/128/27 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MOST OF US, all of us, learned to run, swim and ride a bike at an early age. It came naturally to run, the bike a little coaxing, swimming a few pointers...
... and we were off.
Am I missing something?
Oh, yes.
Faith.
It took faith to put the coaxing and pointers into play and...
... realize we weren't gonna drown or fall over.
If, we'd just keep moving.
===
Designed this t-shirt, and realized why I love it so much.
Every successful racer begins with...
... the only difference between them and everyone else is they keep showing up.
Moving.
===
164.6 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 15 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 0 ATG air squats and 30 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
158/138/19 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
OCASSIONALLY, after an A race we might back it down for a few days. Then, think to ourselves...
... we really outta do something with this fitness and rest.
But, usually there's a problem.
Most of us, especially me, think we are resting and therefore recovered and hence ready to slay it.
I mean, if the metric are indicating it like mine were this morning...
... by golly let's get after it.
Welllllll, a funny thing happened on the final seven mile stretch.
Rather than romping like a renegade,
I limped like a lost loner.
It hurt,
I pulled the plug.
How could I have so misjudged my freshness...
... because last week 4 rides were far from restful.
I should been spinning the flats rather than grinding the climbs.
When I finally managed to make it home,
I thought might as well upload and see how badly my doors were blown off...
... Your highest power output for 30 seconds in 2026!
Oh...
... now what if we actually rested?
===
164.6 lbs
7 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
152/97/54 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MAKING PLANS for the upcoming event can be nerve-racking because there is so much unknown. There are really only...
... two paths forward.
It's gonna tricky,
it's gonna be awesome.
I was thinking about this, watching the highlights of Leadville.
There was our PEDALindustries flag,
right on the course,
where I imagined it.
Not just any part of the course, but a part of the course which was only open to racers who qualified much faster than me.
But, I really wanted to be there, too.
At Lost Canyon.
In my mind, it was a superior location for my feed zone.
So, made the 12' flags weeks prior to traveling.
Figuring it was gonna happen,
seeing them on course in my mind.
How'd we get the flag there?
First, I applied for a lottery to gain access.
Next, a blog reader and customer reached out and invited me to use his access to the area.
Then, I was informed I'd lotteried in to the zone myself.
That my friends is a magical way to live called...
... causing effect.
===
164.8 lbs
8 hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 50 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
152/97/54 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
SOMETIMES WE'RE ON POINT with our food choices, other times, for a variety of reasos...
... we fall off the wagon.
What's the damage?
Over the course of a lifetime,
probably nothing.
If it's occasional.
As the great Tim Ferriss advocated in The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman...
... having a cheat day once a week won't kill us.
Might be helpful.
Honestly, I'm not 100% sure about that.
Here's what I do know.
If my cheat day is Sunday, and I go all in on the cheating...
... I'm likely to wake up a few pounds heavier on Monday, than I was on Friday.
Which is not really the point I wanted to share.
When I whipped up a salad today, with fresh veggies and Safe Catch tuna...
... all I could think about was how good this was going to be for my body.
That kind of thinking matters,
more than some might think.
===
165ish lbs
9sh hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 10 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 50 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
155/108/46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The entire works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
RETURNING HOME after a weekend or week(s) away on an adventure is usually awesome. The trip may have been amazing...
... but, not as much as what we left behind.
I was reminded of this today.
On a sweltering summer day,
we pushed through LA traffic...
... in time for a little family get together.
There really is nothing that compares.
===
164ish lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
159/125/34 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DESTINATION RACES AND RIDES always bring their own challenges. One of them can be altitude, and the big question there is...
... how soon do we need to go up?
Give us a rule.
Oldtimers have a saying...
... three weeks or three minutes.
Anything else is subpar.
On the extremes, the very best I ever felt was after 6 weeks.
The worst was driving 15 hours from sea level on a Thursday,
then racing on Saturday.
Which got me thinking after yesterday's final ride above 10,000'...
... I finally felt pretty darn good.
Confirming the broscience...
... threesy does it.
===
164ish lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
159/125/34 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
OH, THE TRAINING METRICS! They overwhelm, underencourage, lead us like a ring through our nose, promise us magic, and...
... and in the end distract us.
Potentially.
But, what about HR?
What does it really tell us?
For me, racing anything over 90ish minutes, heart rate is key.
Representing a pace I can hang onto...
... how I will perform regardless of the conditions.
Which reminds me of one of my favorite passages...
... As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
===
163.8 lbs
8ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
164/151/13 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing, Old Testament
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHEN WE HIT REALLY HIGH LEVELS OF FITNESS, we are able to do so much more. We can climb, descend, go for miles...
... with relative ease.
It's really fun.
Sometimes, with all the focus of being our best we neglect to unzip a bit and go with the flow.
I was thinking about that today,
rolling into a well-deserved recovery week.
Starting at 10,600'...
... and riding straight up for 30ish minutes.
Taking it easy,
in no hurry.
Thoroughly enjoying the low speed challenges going up...
... while testing my willingness to keep my fingers off the brake levers going down.
The other thing we/I forget is hardly anybody on the planet can do this and...
... find it relaxing and rejuvenating.
But, we can.
'Cause we're fit,
fortunate,
blessed.
===
163.6 lbs9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 50 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
165/156/9 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
GETTING OVER AN INJURY is a process. If we're fortunate, every day we see progress. Sometimes it's inpercptible and frustating, other times it's...
... so rapid we think we're better.
Overdoingit often follows.
Not realizing we have a ways to go.
I'm not sure this falls in that category, but I did have a TBI 2 1/2 years ago...
... and I forgot I already wrote The Leadville Letters.
How I get it done at the race across the sky.
Here are a few snippets:
Intro
ONCE UPON A TIME, A FRIEND ASKED IF I'D COACH HIM TO RACE THE LEADVILLE 100. So, I fired off an email every day... with homework.
Some of the information is tactical for Leadville... like the actual secret shtuff that's helped me go sub 9 hours on all 7 attempts and snagging a PR 20 years after the first go...
... the going 7:57 at 60 y/o in 2022.
But, more importantly, the letters reveal concepts which may be applied to any ride or race likely to leave nothing but the residue of who you are when it's over.
If you're planning to get your head handed to you at Unbound or BWR... or, just want to do an epic attack on your local mountains you love the Leadville Letters.
===
No. 1 Well, HI THERE!
Are you ready to get started?
Each day you're going to get an email from me that will likely be extremely entertaining and motivational... don't let that blind you into skipping the homework.
It's going to seem easy at first and you're going to be asking yourself what the heck did I pay for?
Don't fret.
The goal is to win Leadville (more on what that means) and Leadville wasn't conquered in a day.
Stay tuned, I'm counting on you to follow through.
XOXO, tb
===
from No. 5
HOMEWORK
How and when do you start your taper – what is a taper?
What do you eat the day before, the race morning breakfast, and while you’re racing?
What does work look like for you most Fridays and how do you hack your way out of doing too much work?
What do you wear so the support team can see you?
Do you have a RaceDay Bag?
Email me the answers along with your calendar.
There’s a lot to figure out, and having it dialed early will make each and every race more and more successful.
No. 14 NEGATIVE SPLIT
IF YOU'VE PACED YOURSELF CORRECTLY, you will do a negative split at Leadville.
By negative split, I mean you will cover the second 52 miles faster than the first.
Huh?
What?
I will?
Heck yes you will!
But only if you do your pacing right.
from NO. 18 CREATURE COMFORTS
I never wrote this email... this is the point John dropped out. In fact, I’m not really sure what it was going to be about. I only wrote the headline...
===
There's a taste... I'm going to update all 30 letters, put it in book form, and include massive margins so you can make all kinds of notes. It'll be rad.
===
163.6 lbs9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 25 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 25 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
165/15411 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHEN THINGS GO SIDEWAYS, and it's not what we planned, had on the agenda, or would wish on our worst enemy...
... then what do we do?
It's easy to advise from the sidelines.
Harder when it's happening.
Think about what a few of my friends faced...
... at Leadville 2026.
Half were able to finish,
half pulled the plug...
... none logged a time they were capable of had things gone perfectly.
And that's the dill.
Thangs always be changin.
Ideally, we...
... come out better for it.
We grab onto that hope,
refuse to let go,
regroup...
... and charge forward to the next challenge.
===
163.4 lbs
9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 75 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
166/156/9 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
ONCE WE FIGURE OUT how to survive and thrive at anything we have two choices...
... share it, or keep it to ourselves.
Neither one is necessarily wrong.
In fact, it might be necessary ...
...to safeguard our survival.
If it's not,
or if we're feeling generous,
or we're just super excited to share what we've discovered...
... what are we to do?
Personally, I've already written one book.
In fact, I ran into a customer in Leadville who shared his sister bought him the book, and he read it several times.
It's short,
and to the point.
This morning my friend Kevi pinged me...
... 8, 8, 8.
I've been very committed,
and very fortunate.
Which got me thinking...
... maybe it's time to write another book?
===
icymi
===
163.4 lbs
9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
170/180/-11 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: The First Commandment, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
RACING LEADVILLE WASN'T ON THE CALENDAR in January. I had my sights on a few other events, one of them was Sea Otter with the friends...
... then I qualified.
Uh oh.
The last time I raced it I started planning a year out, this time I had four months to put my plan together.
I was already testing a new training program...
... and it was going to be fun to see how it would translate.
The impetus was to try and hang on to my dwindling power as I age, because my real long rangl Leadville goal is go sub-9 at 70.
Here's how it went down.
Last fall, I scored a nearly new Epic World cup on Pink Bike.
The perfect bike for me on this course - a little slower downhill, faster uphill.
Fueling was 100% liquid...
... CarboRocket, 333 calories/hour.
40 degrees on start line, dawned our Fly Vest, fleece arm warmers, and skull cap. Dumped it all before Columbine.
Tires.
Ugh!
The stress.
Chatted up the Conti crew about my recent punctures on Friday.
Yeah, running the Race Rapid Dubnital is a bit risky. I'd go with Trail version.
Oh, can I buy some.
No, we don't sell at events.
(Come on Conti - make some money and help a brother out.)
Would you run inserts?
They aren't really going to help with the punctures you're experienced, and I think they might make things worse because of tension created on the sidewall.
Crank up the pressure?
Mmmm, not gonna do much.
Bummer.
What are your athletes running?
Oh, they're all running Race Rapids, same as you.
With that, I left the inserts in. No time to remove the . Ran 20lbs up front, 22 in back.
A little bouncy, but I planned to send it on the DHs.
Leadville sends waves of riders off, based on how your time at one of their qualifiers.
I was in green.
Most of my friends and competitors started in the waves ahead.
Which meant, they rolled out either 5 minutes ahead of me or 2 1/2 minutes ahead of me.
Note: in 2022, I qualified for Silver and was beat by a guy who started behind me.
I took solace in that, hope that if I could catch up I technically had the lead.
Gotta have something to prod us on.
Halfway up the first 30ish minute climb we connected with the wave ahead.
Ok.
That's cool.
Here the course changed, due to the Willow fire.
At the top, we popped out onto pavement. Rather than going right, and racing over to the hardest and most technical part of the course, we went left and rode pavement all the way around.
Here, the goal was to plummet like a demon at latch onto the faster climbers.
The long game is to work together.
Back on the dirt, we had some punchy climbs.
It's so tempting to hit it for 1-3 minutes,
better to ease off and save it for the torture to come.
Course knowledge helped me here, I was able to pick my moments and scoot ahead when things to technical.
Even leap up to the next group.
Surfgirl was easy to spot next to the 12' PEDALindustries flag we had on course.
Packs swapped out, it was time to grind.
There is always a point at races like this where I/we say...
... What the heck am I doing? This is stupid, and it hurts.
Usually it's because we are barely moving due to fatigue or conditions.
In this case, it was being alone with riders strung across the mountain ahead of me.
I settled in.
My plan to keep HR in the 150s wasn't working,
it was in the 140s.
Power seemed okay, so whatevs press on.
I yelled at the photog, Here's your chance to get some good slowmo shots!
Humor helps in these sitchyashuns.
Because I started behind, and because we're now all just doing what we can to get up this 90 min climb, over 12,600'...
... we really have no idea where we are in comparison to others or how or when we'll actually finish.
It's terrible.
Lonely.
The top of this years course was back to the originally route, which meant rather than simply turning around we went a little further then down 150 yards...
... climbing out of that I always find heartbreaking.
Now here's the fun part.
Bombing back down the narrowish top, not only are we skirting around lots of rocks, but thousands of riders are still coming up.
Sometimes single file,
sometimes four abreast.
They're barely moving,
I'm doing anywhere from 20-40 mph,
on steep, loose gravel with morning light strobing through the aspens.
It's gnarly,
and I love it.
From the bottom on back to the finish,
it's pretty much the same as every other year.
No one can really help or pace together,
we're all just doing our thing and hope it works.
There's no moto riding up to give you updates on how it's going.
It's just going.
That paved descent we bombed down, was relentless and eternal on the return.
Finally, back on the last legit dirt section, I decided to just have fun.
I was alone in the mountains, it was beautiful, I felt pretty good.
Even stopped to pee.
I never do this, but man I really had to go.
It takes forever.
And, I'm thinking...
... I wonder if I'm screwing up my finishing time in comparison to others.
Feeling a lot better, I pedal on.
When all of the sudden a rider blows by me.
Crap.
Is that who I think it is?
He's uncorked going down the very descent that has sent more than one rider to hospital..
Gotta go.
We link up at the bottom.
Yep.
Good thing I got on it.
We test each other all the way back to town,
up the long and dusty dirt road called the Boulevard.
At the final turn,
he turns on the afterburners and puts a big gap between us.
I'm cool with that...
... cuz it ain't 2 1/2 minutes.
I didn't mail it in, I still went as hard as I could, barely able to stay upright as I crossed the line.
This year's course may have been shorter and faster, but...
... I was as smoked as ever.
It was fun to meet Roy in person, I'd supported his LUX team with raceday bags for a number of years.
===
164.3 lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
170/180/-11 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Takedown, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
TRAVELING TO AN EVENT can feel lonely. Especially, if we are going alone. Or, even if we know a few people...
... it's not like being at home.
Where we have our stuff,
and our friends to bail us out.
Here I am, 10,000' above mi casa, in need of some mechanical assistance, and who do I see in the Shimano booth?...
... none other than the great Robert Plumb.
He's from home,
repping and supporting Shimano in Colorado.
In no time, he's got things figured out for me.
It was a shock thing, but I was still sheepish about handing him over my SRAM XX clad bike.
Being the pro he is...
... he educated me on the latest and greatest.
And, I gotta tell ya...
... Mrs Santa better quit blowin' her money on bikinis and surfwax.
===
161.8 lbs
7ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
156/111/46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
DEPENDING ON OUR LEVEL, the type of event, and a whole host of other factors, we may or may not be shooting for the podium. Let's be honest...
... most of the time we're going for the challenge.
But, the pros aren't.
They're going for...
... the win.
The rest of us are shooting for some sort of PR and/or bragging rights over our friends and frenemies.
All good.
Here's my prediction for Leadville 2026...
... for the Pro men.
And...
... for the Pro women.
And, lil' ol' me..
... my palms are sweating...
... break 7:30.
Seems fast, given my current fitfatness.
But, like I said, few plan on winning.
PS... yes, I do have a few other targets besides time for the race... will report on that later, don't wanna jinx it.
===
162 lbs
9ish hours sleep
540ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 25 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 5 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
159/113/46 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
TAPERING ISN'T A RELIEF, quite the opposite. It's stressful in that we aren't doing what we're used to doing. Instead, we're doing...
... less, different and/or none.
Our routine is broken.
We try and hang onto it, but being disciplined creates an inharmonious tension with rest and recovery.
That was the path I was on as I rolled out this morning.
Strava maps said it would take 36 minutes,
I planned to go so easy it would stretch out to an hour.
Oh...
... the best laid plans.
Not so suddenly, I find myself in an enchanted forest...
... more than I anticipated.
An hour in, the town is nowhere in sight, maps shows I'm miles from where I want to be.
I'm lost.
I come to a fork in the trail, and choose right because...
... it's going straight down.
The next five miles ...
... some of the funnest single track I've ridden years.
I drop into Frisco, miles from where I'm staying in Breckinridge.
And realize...
... I've found my mojo.
Tapering is overrated,
having fun, the original motivation,
is what it's all about.
===
161. lbs
9ish hours sleep
540 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
163/133/33 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THE CLOSER THE START LINE, the more real the event becomes. The visions of glory, the angst of readiness, maybe some travel or some distraction...
... there is stress and relief.
Then there's the finish.
But, before all that...
... there was a spark of ingenuity to create the what we are all eagerly anticipating.
In the case of Leadville, the town, the spark came from an explosion in the mine.
Or, should I say implosion?
Where the mine that employed the entire town, provided every job, all the tax revenue for schools and a hospital...
... shut down.
In a day.
No warning.
No jobs.
No money.
Anywhere.
From the darkest hours and days and months was born the Leadville Trail 100 running race.
As the founder said...
... We'll run 'em a hundred miles from the highest city in North America and by golly they'll have to spend at least one night in town.
That's how we'll save this town we love.
I could leave this post there...
... but, really, it begs the question...
... why are we motivated to put ourselves through the many truly insane events we pursue so passionately?
It's not Kirkegaard's What doesn't kill me makes me stronger...
... it's the lessons we learn along the way.
(That pic up there is of Ken and Merilee, this evening at a frontyard bbq, the dynamic duo who grew an event from nothing and in the process saved a town, raised millions of dollars for the local kids to attend college, and gave many thousands of us an unforgettable experience to race at over 10,000'.)
===
161.6 lbs
8ish hours sleep
550ish anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
166/144/22 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
MANTRAS ARE WEIRD. The concept goes back centuries, with deep religious ties and the idea of...
... magical or spiritual powers.
Of course, we've co-opted that.
Dressing up our version called self-talk with a fancy sounding word.
But, that's not the point.
The point is,
mantras work.
Words are powerful.
We know this.
So, we find a word or phrase and internalize it.
Then, unleash it for...
... when we reel the need.
Here are a few of mine...
... I'm not ashamed to share 'em.
Those are for racing,
there are more for other roles I play on this grand stage of life.
Do you have one, several?
If not,
you might be missing out.
162.3 lbs
8ish hours sleep
550 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 100 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
167/147/20 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
GETTING THE GEAR SORTED ABOUT BEFORE RACEDAY is critical. We need to be comfortable and confident. But, what if...
... we experience some sort of failure in the run up?
Do we change?
If it's the week before?
Ugh.
I'm there.
Right now.
And it's not an insignificant part of my gear.
When Conti discontinued my RaceKings...
... I, and maybe you, too, moved to the replacement, the Dubnital.
I've had several easy to plug punctures.
(I'm running the Race version vs the Trail because I race :)
But, one two weeks ago plus the one yesterday on the racecourse...
... has me rethinking my choices.
Yesterday's puncture, on a brand new tires I mounted up days before, ingested 3 regular plugs and one fatty.
Still didn't seal.
Had to bum a tube, after burning through my two cartridges and running RMCs electric pump down to zero.
Do I mount up another new tire? (yes, I brought one additional new tire because I like to be prepared)
Or, do I change...
... to what my trusted advisors are running?
The Maxxis Aspen ST Team.
It's not an easy decision.
I've been getting veryveryvery confident...
... on the Dubs.
Not a life and death decision,
possibly a skin n bones one.
To be safe, I hopped on BikeTiresDirect and ordered the recommended set.
Paid for FedEx Next Day.
Also found a set of CushCores and Carvers in Breck.
I'll have a few days to test 'em out, get a feel for 'em.
Either way it's a roll of the dice.
But, that's not the point of this post.
The point is, sometimes God winks at us...
... do we listen or roll on same as before?
===
162 lbs (fwiw, I'm always fast at this weight)
8ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 100 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 20 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
171/169/1 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING, especially on the start line. We judge the body shapes, assess the equipment, the looks on the faces...
... tell ourselves a story.
About how it will go down.
My best lesson on this was running a 10k,
back in the day.
I was bike fit,
had a pair of old running shoes...
... thought I'd show the runners how it's done.
How hard could it be to lope for 40 minutes?
Somewhere around the 5k mark,
about 30 minutes in...
... ripped on by.
Lesson learned.
Don't judge.
We have no idea what kinda shape people are in,
what they're struggling with,
how they hurt.
---
When I exited the van this morning there as a twentysomething sitting on the curb.
Thoughtful,
maybe sad.
What are you listening to?
MJ Lenderman.
Sounds cool.
Yeah, I really like this song You Don't Know The Shape I'm In.
Right on, I'll give it a lesson.
You'll like it.
Thanks.
===
162 lbs
7.5ish hours sleep
580 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 0 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
175/195/-20 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
IT'S A LOT EASIER chattin' with a stranger when we have our passion in common. Still, a lot of us get shy, or just plain prefer...
... to stay in our own worlds.
We miss out,
when we do that.
This week I had a reader reach out and say Hey, I'll be in Leadville, let's ride.
Never met in real life,
but, Hey, why not?
He brings along a few more cats.
I ask, how do you know these guys and he says...
... I'm social.
Invites me to dinner,
I meet more new people.
One I saw the next day, running down Columbine.
Another pinged me and wanted to talk biz...
... we're gonna do some fun stuff together.
Then, on my spin today in Breck a rider going the opposite direction yells...
.... Hey Todd!
We turn around then start pedaling together.
Remind me your name.
Grant, we rode together at BWR AZ.
Oh, yeah, slaying the last singletrack coming into the finish.
Yep.
You doing Leadville?
No, I live here.
All this friending makes life better.
It's as simple as telling ourselves...
... I'm social.
===
162.3ish lbs
7.5ish hours sleep
510 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, hand gripper, shoulder press, curls
Lower Body: 10 ATG air squats and 0 split squats with 50lbs, nordic curls, box jumps, heel and toe raises
170/166/4 per Strava Relative Effort (whatever that means)
What I'm reading: Blowback, Brad Thor
What I'm studying: The works of Neville Goddard, all kinds of marketing
THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS to go to altitude camps. We've heard, read, watched the uber pros regularly go for weeks at a time and then...
... come back to earth and fly.
Okay.
But, why?
Well, here's one I forgot about,
until I started staying at 11,000' at my sis' in Breck.
We lose weight...
... when living above 10,000'.
Be careful.
Eat, like normal, even if it takes a bit of effort.
Make sure we're peeing normally, or more than normal.
Keep doing the strength we normally do.
If we do that, our bodies are still working harder to stay alive and we'll ideally hang on to the muscle...
... and still shed some flubber.
===
162.5 lbs
8ish hours sleep
610 anti-oxidant level
Upper Body: 75 push ups, 0 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
173/184/-11 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
THERE ARE LOTS OF CLASSIC books on personal development. They've been around for 150ish years, thousands if we include scripture...
... because they influence, guide, help us to improve.
This title popped into my head while walking in the desert.
How to Win Races and Influence Sponsors.
Why?
I dunno,
the heat...
... channeling the great Dale Carnegie?
Which got me thinking maybe it's time to write another book.
Who doesn't want to win everything and get paid to do it?
I know what you're thinking...
... Ya greedy nogood sunuvagun!
Hear me out...
... then, tell me if you'd be down to learn with me.
===
165.7 lbs
700ish
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
82/85/-4 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHEN TRAVELING we are often fortunate to meet up with a local and get invited to the local ride. There are so many opportunities for this to go wrong...
... or be the best day ever.
Today was a lot of both.
My local pal Terry invited to meet up for a social ride and rip some urban gravel.
Like a total newb, I...
... was wondering why the first 10ish miles were so chill.
Scottsdale is so flat, makes ya wonder how the heck these guys can climb.
Then the shift hit the spokes.
The roadies pinned it, the pitch changed to 3-5%, the speed shot up...
... and I slowly shot backwards.
Not knowing where the heck we were going, or where I was, the little hamster was spinning and spinning to keep 'em all in view.
We regrouped at a gas station,
split off from the roadies,
hit the dirt.
Spoiler alert: the desert single track on a gravel bike is insanely fun.
I was wondering why I don't spend even more time out here.
It's that fun.
Massive insight: the reason the dirt racers in AZ are so freakin' fast is because of the terrain.
Today was sprint...
... basically 2+ hours of intervals.
Wahoo don't lie.
Put out some of my best power numbers of the year...
... because the fear of getting dropped and left for the dead in the dezi is a hella motivating.
Final opinion...
... I need to spend more time in AZ during the winter.
My friend Mike's Edge Nutrition did me right for first 3 hours,
then the bottles were dry.
He gave you a code if you want to test it out: FRIDAYDEAL
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/edge-nutrition-products
===
162 lbs
700ish
7.5ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
84/98/-15 <- haven't see a big negative number for quite a while.
CALORIE RESTRICTION has it's place. When we're set on dumping some ballast, fasting for spiritual or religious reasons...
... we must be judicious.
For the win.
If we time it wrong...
... we suffer.
Hangry ain't a winning plan...
... though getting PO'd can be.
If we're fueled.
My current strategy...
... is working well.
Here's the weird thing when I fuel properly...
... I'm not famished post ride.
At BWR last week, I consumed nearly 1500 calories/400 grams of carbs.
Didn't bonk,
good energy all ride,
post race, had a protein drink and some waffle.
Felt great, satiated.
Still with me?
Most mornings...
... before rolling out.
For the race calories, I use my friend Mike's Edge Nutrition.
He gave you a code if you want to test it out: FRIDAYDEAL
https://pedalindustries.com/collections/edge-nutrition-products
===
164.7 lbs (Surfergirl flew home, time for a little cal restriction)
700ish
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
80/76/3 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG with coming in too hot to a corner, over jumping the landing, or even a premature acceleration...
... unless we over do it.
That's the challenge.
Pushing to the edge,
not beyond it.
I was reminded of this when over leaned a little too far, cutting the apex of a turn, while pre-riding the Cactus Cup course this morning.
Specifically...
... everything in the desert wants to kill you.
Finding out such things is the point of pre-riding.
If you're interested...
... this provided really good traction.
I'm tempted to go lower since it's so rough on the back half, but I shattered my rear wheel a few years back doing just that on this very course.
Is bleeding really proof we're trying?
Maybe.
Or, could just be proof we're lacking skills or judgement or both.
Either way, the key is not to focus on the bleeding or any set backs, but...
... to reset as quickly as possible.
Charge on.
===
164ish lbs
700ish
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 0 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
81/81/-1 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
NO MATTER OUR SKILL AND EXPERIENCE, at some point we'll find ourselves in an undesirable situation, teetering on the edge of disaster...
... looking for a way forward.
Speed is always the answer.
Could be speed to...
... put simply, change the situation.
I was thinking of that this morning on a rather naughty trail.
Rather than bog down and lose momentum...
... I pressed harder on the pedals to dance across the rocks.
The hard part about that is the first time we're faced with such a situation, we're...
... mustering the courage to charge forward seems crazy and fraught with peril.
Walking through Fountain Hills AZ today, I sidled up a statue of the great Teddy Roosevelt, and was reminded of a quote...
... In any moment of decision, best thing you can do is the fast (he said right) thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.
When I read his autobiography I was so impressed by his willingness to go for it vs playing it safe.
Summed up best in his Man In The Arena...
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
===
164ish lbs
700ish
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/70/8 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
WHEN RACECATIONING, it's nice to spend a few days after and poke around town sans the pre-race jitters. Many of the big events are...
... in cool places.
Staying later is a nice bonus.
Especially for our willing and lessthanwilling support crew.
Doing just that, being the genius that I am, I jumped on Strava maps and
... mapped me out what looked to be an epic route.
It's a pretty awesome feature for instances like this.
Two hours in,
I needed to get back,
and grind out some work.
Being the genius that I am (not)...
... I overrode the maps and started winging it.
Soon I found myself...
... going very slow.
Even hiking the (for me) unridable.
Normally, I'm down for the challenge.
Still, I couldn't shake the longing I had for yesterday's...
... flowy, swoopy, fast delights.
Which, was all part of my mapped out route...
... I was too smart to follow.
164ish lbs
700ish
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 50 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/71/8 per Strava
IT'S INTUITIVE THAT WE SHOULD REST, but for some of us that's really hard to do. To take a day off from training or work just doesn't compute because...
... more work equals more results.
Maybe.
Likely, not the kind we are looking for.
There's an ancient story about a being who created amazing works for six days...
... and then took seventh one off.
Not because he was tired,
but because the work was done.
We need to rest, too.
The training is in the bank,
we don't try and have it,
we know it's there.
When we are at home,
we don't try to be there,
we are simply there.
This is how we must be with our training.
This is our guide.
Trust the training,
rest.
===
164ish lbs
700ish
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 0 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/65/13 per Strava
MOST OF US NEVER SHOOT for the overall podium. We have a pretty good idea that's reserved for the young and ubertalented. Settling for an age group placing...
... or maybe cracking the top 50 overall.
Those are real wins for us.
Then there was yesterday's podium...
... at BWR AZ, 2026
Second place I find so inspirational.
The confidence of this racer is otherworldly.
Who placed second overall among the Elite Men,
who didn't bother to race their age group, 70+!...
... Ned "The Lung" Overend.
Does that mean we'll all be clobbering the punks as we age?
Nope.
What it does mean is if we continue to take care of our health, focus on what's possible...
... we may continue to perform at a high level for many years.
Can ya just imagine being a hunert years old racing Elite?
===
163ish lbs
700ish
7.5ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
80/71/9 per Strava
REVIEWING WHAT WENT GREAT and not so great is critical to making progress...
... whether we like it or not it.
So, what's to like?
The trusty Conti Terra Speeds were ace...
... 21lbs, 23lbs, plenty of traction, muy fast.
Edge Nutrition...
... 350 calories in 2 bottles to start, 2 handed up from Surfergirl, great energy.
New KMC pre-waxed chain...
... with some ceramic speed lube added, smooth and quiet.
Sexiest kit to date...
... feeling fast, counts.
What needs improvement?
For the first time, my Classified rear hub didn't function. I was stuck in the big gear setting. It coulda been catastraphic if the climbs had been steeper...
... forced me to grind more than I'd preferred.
Gotta figure that out.
The result?
C'mon...
... you know I'm the king of second place.
The best part of the weekend...
... hanging out with all the friends.
===
163ish lbs
700ish
7.5ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/62/16 per Strava
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
IT'S THE NIGHT BEFORE BWR, and all the crew is in the AirBNB's garage. Final gear checks, number placements...
... and the usual banter.
Later, tonight, we'll lay out the kits.
And the Assassin looks at me...
Why do we do this?
Huh?
Why do we go throug this...
... it's like going to battle.
Yeah.
Do you think it's a need we have as men, to bound and go into battle...
... something leftover from the centuries of cultures fighting for survival?
Now that you say it like that, yes...
... and I think that's why we love it.
Agreed.
===
This is my vision for tomorrow... deal below.
Get that t-shirt with this code: TRANSFORMED
And save 30%.
ORDER NOW: https://pedalindustries.com/products/velobones-classic-t-shirt?variant=46200717082859
Offer ends 3.2.26.
===
162 lbs/12.3%
700ish
ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/62/16 per Strava
TIME SPENT TRAINING makes a huge difference in our fitness and performance. But, we have to be judicious how we use it given the constraints of living an awesome life...
... in all areas.
Done correctly, increasing volume can deliver huge gains.
It seems obvious,
and really hit home after Rock Cobbler five or six years ago.
I overheard the winner, who demolished all the hitters, say the following...
... I upped my training volume to 25+ hours a week, and it's been transformational.
That's pro level.
Pretty much inconceivable for most of us,
or, only possible for one A race a year...
... every other year, if at all?
My personal experience?
Yeah, 2022, I was megacommitted to going sub-8 hours at Leadville Trail 100 MTB.
The race is always the second weekend of August.
July, I put in three weeks of 20+ hours.
The results per Strava?
My fitness was rated at 137.
For perspective, right now it's in the 80s.
The race result?
7:57.
How did I spend the hours?
Mostly zone 2, 3-5 hours/day...
... ramping it up two of those days to match demands of the A race - Leadville in this case - climbing at very high tempo/low threshold.
The key to going for transformational volume...
... is to stay fresh.
Digging into a fitness hole can be difficult/impossible to get out of in time for an event.
Will I do it again,
definitely.
This year.
Ideally a week or two prior to Sea Otter - it's a lot easier in summer, when the days are longer.
Should you try it?
Your call,
test it first,
months prior to A race.
Prepare to be transformed.
===
Here's what that might look like...
... special offer below.
Get that t-shirt with this code: TRANSFORMED
And save 30%.
ORDER NOW: https://pedalindustries.com/products/velobones-classic-t-shirt?variant=46200717082859
Offer ends 3.2.26
===
Note: Each Friday I'll be sending our a Rip On RaceDay Dispatch. Hope you love them.
===
162.4 lbs/12.3%
720 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
Lower Body: split squats, step ups
80/69/11 per Strava
WE'RE IN GREAT SHAPE, eating right, sleeps on. We should get sick, or battle any kind of illness...
... we ignore the signs.
Because dawgawnit we're better than that.
No we're not.
This is gross, but hear me out.
Literally.
My hearing had been getting really bad.
ChatGPT said it was probably residual effects from the flu a few weeks back,
and lingering runny nose and cough.
Today it was just unbearable.
Couldn't even hear myself wheeze as I was laying down the heavy watts on Wednesday Worlds.
Caved.
Saw doc.
What seems to be the problem?
Huh, can you please speak louder.
WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!?
Can't hear.
Lemme look.
OK.
Yuck... you go to the beach a lot.
Yep.
We gotta clean that gunk out.
30 minutes, a fire hose and a stick of dynamite later...
... I can hear!
I told you that, so I could tell you this...
There was a 40ish year-old man who longed to be Ironman World Champion for his age group.
He was a perennial top 10er.
One year he noticed that people who swam, rode or ran through the pain eventually had to quit the sport.
His goal suddenly became attainable because he focused on...
... always, instantly addressing pain or things not working.
At 70, mission accomplished.
Championship won.
Got it?
===
162. lbs/12.3%
760 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
Lower Body: split squats, step ups
81/76/5 per Strava
IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO BEAT THE LOCALS. Doesn't matter if it's road, dirt or a mix. If you're from outta town, and it's you're first time...
... local knowledge is gonna kill ya.
Not the locals,
they're nice,
until not.
They're going to...
... faster and better.
They've mastered the course,
and they will spend considerably less energy,
conserving to stick it to us when we make the slightest error.
So, we pre-ride and do our best to...
... to close the gap.
I was thinking about this weekend's BWR AZ...
... and realized how lucky I am.
My local pal said...
... Call me, I gotta tell ya about miles 55ish on.
Sometimes it just pays to make friends with everyone we met.
===
162.4 lbs/12.3%
710 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
Lower Body: split squats, step ups
81/69/11 per Strava
WHAT DO YOU DO when it's race week? Do you have a count down sequence...
... or do you just wing it?
Do you taper...
... or biz a usual?
Is your sleep game on...
... or is stress keeping you up?
Are you planning every day...
... or hoping there's time available to do what's needed?
What about your nutrition game...
... loading up, starving, guessing?
When you pack up...
.. is it under duress?
Are you arriving with time to spare...
... or skidding into the parking lot?
How we do race week,
is how we do race day,
is how we do everything.
Get thy shift together...
... it's race week!
===
163.4 lbs/12.3%
700 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
Lower Body: split squats, step ups
82/74/7 per Strava
SOME SPORTS let the athletes get away with all kinds of nonsense. And, I'm not talking about Canadian curlers caught cheating red-handed. I'm talking about the Canadian skater who...
... took out Jack Hughes' teeth with a high stick.
Then, the pay back.
Overtime: Jack scoring the game winning goal for Olympic gold.
Am I dunking on our northern neighbors?
No.
That's basketball where flopping is part of "the game".
I'd never do that.
I'm tapping into Jack's spirit.
How many times have we seen the marathoner or triathlete pull up with cramps...
... and crawl across the line?
The crit racer taken out in a corner, covered in road rash, get back out there...
... and sprint for the win?
The XC rider go overthebars, regroup and race on...
... blood be damned?
As the great Jack Hughes said...
This is all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. It's unbelievable, the USA Hockey brotherhood is so strong... I'm so proud to be an American today.
Keep getting up...
... even when it hurts.
===
162.8 lbs/12.3%
670 Anti-Oxidant Score
9ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
√ Lower Body: split squats, step ups
82/76/6 per Strava
LIVE LONG ENOUGH and you'll get a win. No, it's not the Even a blind squirrel can find a nut kind...
... it's way better than that.
Might have to do with sport,
probably doesn't.
Which is not the important part.
Accomplishing the goal the...
... we reallyreallyreally wanted.
Reveals a process.
It's the same regardless of the endeavor,
and we usually learn it young.
Sadly, sometimes we forget.
The earliest I can remember...
... all manifested themselves.
After, I visualized,
took action,
believed.
It's a feeling as much as a knowing.
If the feeling has been missing,
go back through the archives and find it.
I was thinking about that when Kiri pinged me.
This bag has been with me through it all, and I haven’t had a single problem with it! From my collegiate racing days, to my wedding weekend, it’s seen it all and it still looks amazing. You guys rock!!!
That was 7 years and 31,882 orders ago.
What we think about,
we bring about.
===
162.8 lbs/12.3% - carbo loading last night
700 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
84/87/-4 per Strava
WHY SIGN UP FOR A BUNCH OF RACES, when you just one will do? Right? They're expensive, take commitment, require time...
... and dedication.
For what?
To get...
... the cheat codes (if you're not a gamer, look it up).
As the great Heath Ledger' character the Joker said...
... Why so serious?
Exactly.
Sign up,
often.
Take the Ls...
...and stack the skills.
They're races,
not death dances.
One last quote from the great Thomas Watson regarding the path to success...
... Fail faster.
===
161 lbs/12.2% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
680 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/57/22 per Strava
RACING ALONG, it's easy to find ourselves in a rut. Wheels sucked in, rocketing forward, but...
... we're beginning to lose control.
Ruts take us where they want to.
Routes are different we...
... the destination is up to us.
I like road trips.
Getting out of my routines gives me a different perspective.
See the life ruts I'm in.
Toss out the bad ones, and...
... stay on my righteous route.
(yes, that's righteous in hippy talk - like, righteous wave dude.)
===
161 lbs/12.2% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
680 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
79/54/25 per Strava
PROGRESS CAN HAVE A REALLY WEIRD EFFECT on how we approach the day, the week, and the month. It all depends on...
... what we're seeing.
Progress or no progress.
Last week's flu battle and daily rain knocked me back a bit...
... the resulting behavior is somewhat predictable.
Due to lack of appetite...
... now my discipline is next level.
Due to lack of training...
... I took measures to get back on track.
The thing is, neither of these two actions would have taken place if I wasn't tracking the data.
What gets measured,
gets managed.
===
161.4 lbs/12.1% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
770 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
81/62/19 per Strava
253 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
Dear Diesel,
I'm interested in your take on trainer road. I've had an account for a couple years and have stuck with it pretty consistently. At the moment, my race calendar is empty for the rest of the foreseeable future, so I'm looking to drop it as well. I've felt it's worked well to keep me consistent, but not sure how to quantify the rest of it. Hopefully you can elaborate a little more when you get a chance.
Eventless Ryan, Simi Valley, CA
Dear Ryan,
===
161.4 lbs/12.1% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
770 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
80/55/25 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
WHAT IS HACK FROM OTHER SPORTS we could use to increase our focus? There are probably a million of 'em. Some make sense metaphorically...
... others in real life.
Like this.
Ever watch the Kentucky Derby,
or any horse race?
The beasts have blinders on.
Covers on the bridle...
... to keep the horse focused.
Which means this, for us, is symbolic.
When we lock in on...
... we can improve our odds of success.
Racing with blinders on.
===
Speaking of blinders, I've been pretty loyal to my TrainerRoad experiment and honestly very disappointed as I watch my fitness continue to fall.
Mostly likely gonna pull the plug on it.
===
160.8 lbs/12.1% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
720 Anti-Oxidant Score
9ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
√ Lower Body: split squats, step ups
81/52/28 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
ONCE WE GET THE 'A' RACE on the calendar, things become clearer. We get a sense of when we need to do what we know needs doing, and...
... what we need to cut out for a season, or longer.
But, there's more.
It takes a while,
which is why it's valuable
to put the calendar to use asap.
With time, our brains magically serve us with...
... ideas and inspirations.
New stuff,
that can help
and make a difference in our prep.
Moms call it nesting,
before the baby arrives.
It's the same thing...
... Rip On RaceDay!
===
160.6 lbs/12.1% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
730 Anti-Oxidant Score
9ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
√ Lower Body: split squats, step ups
83/58/25 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO MEASURE our effort, how hard we are working. From the tried and true, to the...
... new, new, new.
What's the most important?
Most of us have heard of glucose monitoring,
to optimize the calorie intake.
How about lactate measuring,
to gauge lactate build up?
It's quite common these days to have a power meter.
And then there's the lowly heart rate monitor.
The first two are beyond most of us,
and their use is controversial.
The power meter is the reigning champ of data, but I'm here today to make the case...
... for continued use of the humble HRM.
It's that third part I find most powerful.
Here are three use cases...
... for the HRM as a pacing device.
It's great to know our power numbers at our home elevation, under ideal weather conditions.
Even greater to know the corresponding HR....
... to be able to properly pace at our bodies true capability given the many variables: health, elevation, weather, etc.
===
161.4 lbs/12.2% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
630 Anti-Oxidant Score
9ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, step ups
83/58/25 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
WHAT IF I JUST QUIT? I mean, sometimes it's just so damn hard and confusing, it feels hopeless...
... the challenges just keep coming.
Why not pull the plug?
The hills seem like mountains,
insurmountable ...
... we crest and zoom down the other side.
The crosswinds grinding our powers,
clawing to stay in the group...
... a bend in the road and we sit in with ease.
The brutal cold and darkness,
begging us to say in bed...
... roll out into the rising, warming sun.
Reminds me of the great Led Zepplin...
Good times, bad times
You know I've had my share
I get dropped and foiled
On the training rides
But, I still don't seem to care
... that classic and electric opening.
Gimme those first 14 seconds and I can do anything.
Check it -> https://youtu.be/TA9Rec1qAFQ?si=DtFAGCr8LEn3o87Y===
===
161.6 lbs/12.4% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
630 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
√ Lower Body: split squats, step ups
83/53/30 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
BACK IN THE BEGINNING, before tubeless tires, suspension, carbon hoops, we'd pump our MTB tires up to 55 lbs because...
... hitting a rock meant certain trouble.
If not disaster.
Modern tech makes it better, but Don't hit the rock!...
... the worst advice we could ever give.
You know why, right?
Because...
... there is only one way to navigate the treacherous terrain.
Look where you want to go.
This is the way.
===
I wrote in detail about this topic in my book, The Way of The R.A.C.E.R
===
161.6 lbs/12.4% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
640 Anti-Oxidant Score
10ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
√ Lower Body: split squats, step ups
85/60/24 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
WE AREN'T NORMALLY SUCKERS for the mushy Olympic backstories. However, we are lovers of all sports approaches that...
... can help us go faster.
A spotlight on Jordan Stolz popped into my feed,
from Sports Illustrated.
Generally, I skip these.
But, it's hard to ignore a stunning photo a kid in a speedsuit doing 38 miles an hour.
There was the usual special interest focus, We had no idea he was serious...
... and, then, there was this gold from Jordan himself.
I know how to do all my own equipment because I like to have it a certain way, Stolz continued. Usually if you have some other guy do it, it’s not going to feel right, so you may as well just do it yourself.
And, it really got me thinking about my recent bike fit struggles.
Back in the stone wheel age,
I took a road bike and a mountain bike to the local guru.
She helped me a ton on the road fit,
adjusting this and that.
When I got on the MTB,
she moved around, took all the measurements.
There's nothing I can do.
Huh?
Really, are you in any pain or feeling inefficient?
Nope.
Okay, you owe for one bike.
At the time, I was really into MTB...
... read all the books on proper set up.
I guess my point is, if we're reallyreallyreally into it...
... we can master the process.
===
163.2 lbs/12.4% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
630 Anti-Oxidant Score
1-ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 80 push ups, 20 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
√ Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
87/70/17 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
IF THE COLD SEASON HASN'T HIT US YET, it still might. Which means sooner or later we'll be slicing the truth as close as we dare...
... gauging our health.
Or, just lying.
Feel good,
workout...
... feel like crap.
Feel goodish,
rest...
... feel slightly better.
Being the young mind that I am...
... I pinged Grok, Do I need antibiotics?
No, you dummy, those are for infection you have a virus.
What can be done, oh great one?
Drink a ton of liquids, drown that thing, get a lot of rest, take smokin' hot showers, and pick up some Mucinex for the cough.
To which I also added spicy soup.
You know the biggest problem with that, right?
I'm gonna feel good in the morning,
and be tempted as hell,
to get out and ride.
Good thing weatherchannel predicts rain,
because last January I didn't rest enough and went right into pneumonia.
Athlete Intelligence says...
... better to rest a few days, than to be sidelined for weeks.
===
164.4 lbs/12.5% - nothing like a lack of hunger to trim down
650 Anti-Oxidant Score
9ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
89/80/8 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
EVERY SPORT HAS THEIR SUPERBOWL, and it's fun to gather and cheer and groan and chip it up with friends and family...
... especially after some epic outdoorsiness.
But, did this happen to you?
I raced a biggun Saturday...
... hustled 3 hours home and collapsed at midnight.
Got up Sunday,
did my Sunday stuff.
(Disclaimer, this is the only pro football game I watch all year.)
Started the Superbowl late...
... so I could speed through the commercials.
Next think I hear...
... Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks!
Did I just need a good snooze or...
... is actually being outside,
doing our thing,
10x better?
(yes, this is why no post yesterday.)
===
167.4 lbs/12.5%
650 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 40 push ups, 10 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
91/93/-2 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
AFTER MOST EPIC RACES, we're so smashed, depleted, humbled, the idea of hanging out is overwhelming. It'll be a miracle to simply load up and...
... make it home.
Not today.
Sam's barbecue game as on full display,
the Soda Crackers were crankin' live country...
... we changed, loaded our plates, and perked right up.
The main topic of discussion was
... first how well we did.
Then, we got into...
... the dopey stuff.
Yes, there's the dopamine hit of squiggling through the chaos of the start and charging to the first dirt section.
Plus the hits we get bombing downhill,
narrowly missing rocks,
sliding through turns.
But, the stronger dopamine hits are the ones we get when we learn something...
... it burns into our brains.
And we can't wait to put it into practice and slay...
===
164.4 lbs/12.5%
690 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
93/107/-14 per Strava
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
LOT'S OF EVENTS have a get together the night before. Historically, this is a big carb loading affair. A chance to reconnect with our motley community...
... and make some new frenemies.
It can be risky...
... which is why not everyone goes.
Me included.
But, since it'a a B race...
... I plunked down the $12.
Oh, the other reason is Sam Ames' food game is always excellent.
On the way over, I picked up some secret race intel.
There are goatheads all over the parking lot.
Bad enough when they're tracked into the van...
... potentially catastrophic on the way to the start tomorrow.
Made a new friend, a cool cat from Santa Barabra...
... we'll see if his status turns to enemy tomorrow.
Doubtful.
Genuinely nice people tend to dominate the gravel scene.
===
164.4 lbs/12.5%
690 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
88/78/10 <- very tapered, per TR AI protocol.
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
PRETEND IT'S THE DAY BEFORE our race. We're amped. Feeling good. Equipment is ready. Now it's time...
... to do some openers.
Not the temptation...
... to ruin what we've prepared to unleash.
Openers should be brief bouts of FTP...
... to open our systems up.
Depending on tomorrow's race...
... we'll warm up before racing accordingly.
That's my plan for tomorrow,
and I'll roll to the start of Rock Cobbler on Saturday.
===
163.4 lbs/12.4%
690 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/86/4 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
MAYBE YOU'VE HAD A COACH, thought about having a coach, have friends that employ a coach. It doesn't really matter...
... if we're not going to listen.
You may think that's obvious,
but ask any coach their biggest challenge.
Gaining the athlete's trust.
Which is weird,
since the athlete is paying.
Looking over today's shellacking, I was asking myself...
... Why did I suck so bad today?
The power numbers were about the same as last week's PR busting ride,
with the same cats,
and same course.
But, I was hurting a lot more.
I dug deeper into the data.
Well, looky here...
... my hr was much higher.
Significantly more time at a threshold hr vs the previous week.
What was different?
Harder sprint workout on Monday,
but, not by a lot.
Longer and harder "easy ride" yesterday.
Then it hit me right between the Kask and the Oakley's.
I ignored my TrainerRoad AI coach which was warning me with a yellow message...
... Danger Ol' Diesel!
The AI sensed I was fatigued.
I paid for that,
ignored it.
Here's the key, we don't trust coaches or experts...
... until we've ignored their wisdom and failed.
===
More thoughts on my TrainerRoad AI coaching experience:
===
164.4 lbs/12.5%
690 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
91/93/-3 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
THERE IS A CONCEPT of Total IQ and Free IQ. We can have a very high Total IQ, but if we live our lives in survival mode...
... our Free IQ ends up being very average.
Now do physical performance.
We can have the talent to run a sub-30 minute 10k,
but if we're stressing...
... the time required could double.
Now do work.
Parenting.
Life.
I was thinking about this today when a friend asked...
What do you think of Moltbook?
I dunno, focused on building a great life. Didn't even know there was a gov shutdown - lol.
Getting shift done requires...
... so does winning races,
snagging PRs.
As the great Tim Ferris said...
... Most information is time-consuming, negative, irrelevant to your goals, and outside of your influence.
Speaking of outside...
... Let's go!
===
165.4 lbs/12.6%
640 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
60 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/83/6 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
WHEN WE FOLLOW THE TRENDS and start to put them into practice it's always a question of does this really work and...
... am I doin' this right?
Take tire pressure.
I've been playing with it for a couple of years now, you know the whole lower pressure is faster thing...
... today might have been a breakthrough.
Not on the knowledge,
or the practice.
But, how it works.
I hadn't aired up since Saturday's race,
where I ran on the low end because of the terrain.
So, I'm lower,
way lower,
than usual.
On a trail I know well...
... overshooting all of the corners.
What the heck?!
Then, it dawns on me.
The super low pressure smoothes everything out..
... the perception of speed diminishes.
Disappears?
It feels like I'm going the usual,
maybe even slower.
I'm not.
I'm going faster, and once I get ahold of the sitch...
... absolutely
loving
it.
Possible conclusion...
... lower pressure is faster because it feels so good.
===
Onesixtyfat lbs/12.7%
710 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 60 push ups, 15 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/87/3 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
Dear Competition,
You've been on our mind lately. Probably because the big race is getting near.
To say we want to beat you would be an understatement.
Destroy, more like it.
Our entire program has been spot on. From the nutrition to the eyewear. Even the pulley bearings.
We've never been more prepared.
There's just one thing we want to say before the scoreboard tells the truth...
... no matter how it goes down.
Thank you.
===
166.2 lbs/12.7%
520 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 120 push ups, 30 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/84/5 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
RECAPPING THE RACE is imperative if we're gonna learn and improve. The awful, the okay...
... and the amazing.
Here's what...
... went great today.
And, the big miss?
Oh, gosh...
... such a rookie move.
I knew the race started at 9:45.
At 9:30 I rolled over and saw the typical staggered posts for staging.
There it was plain as day...
... my wave would roll at 10:04.
When I returned at 9:50 expecting to see the hoards ready to smash it...
... I had a sinking feeling.
SHIFT!
10:4 was for the short course.
Now, there's two things we could do right here...
... cry in our sugar water or get after it.
You know what I did,
because you'd do the same thing.
Amiright?!
Long story short...
... would up second to the great Tinker Juarez.
Order has been restored to my universe.
===
165.4 lbs/12.7%
640 Anti-Oxidant Score
7.5ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
92/97/-5 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO PACING STRATEGY and figuring out how long the race could take and how much nutrition we're going to need...
... there's an easy hack.
Be a creep.
It's Friday night.
I've got a C race tomorrow.
Surfergirl asked...
.... Will the race be harder than your Saturday rides?
No.
Why not.
Well, on our friendly rides we are doing our bestest to kill each other, knowing we can always pull the plug and limp home.
Hmmm.
Whereas in most races, I'm racing to place as high as I can.
Which got me thinking.
It's a C race...
... what the heck am I saving anything for?
So, I thought I'd better do some spy how my pals did on the same course 2 weeks ago.
3 hours...
... I'm gonna need 3 bottles, 340 calories in each.
That is how to creep for the win.
===
165.8 lbs/12.7%
640 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 100 push ups, 25 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/85/4 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
THE FIRST TIME WE reach our limits we're quite certain there's nothing more to give, we teeter and totter because...
... we've never been there before.
And that's a good thing.
But, not yet.
It's a good thing...
... the next time.
I was thinking about a few of the upcoming races,
ones I did last year and really suffered.
Then, I looked at my fitness according to Strava and saw it's up 46% from 12 months ago,
57% from 24 months ago.
It's like...
When we've surfed the highs and lows of committed love...
... we know there is an even higher level on the other side.
When we've heard No a thousand times...
... we know a Yes is coming.
When we've previously PRd or podiumed...
... we know we have what it takes.
We never look back with longing...
... we summon our victorious memories,
remember who we really are,
and crush it.
===
166 lbs/12.7%
610 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 25 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
91/90/0 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, it all clicks. The weather, gear, timing, friends, and the all important...
... fitness.
We are unstoppable.
The best part about it is...
... it's totally unpredictable.
The...
... all worthless.
Not totally,
but, mostly.
If we knew the trick to magic legs...
... we'd all be magicians.
Take today.
I had 'em.
Didn't think I would...
... but, there I was pulling through with authority this morning.
When we hit the Pain Cave segment...
... I thought I'd pull the plug.
Then it happened...
... I slipped into the zone.
It felt so good,
didn't want it to end.
Strava said I PRd Pain Cave...
... might have to rename that segment.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
710 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: 100 push ups, 25 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
92/95/-4 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
249 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment - probably more worthless than Strava
SOME TRENDS CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK, others confirm what we knew all along. And then, there's the ones...
... we just luck into.
Is this truly dumb?
Today, I got a new bike fit by a highly recommended fitter I'd never use before.
Now's the time to do it,
not in the throws of the season.
This was a process...
... that was truly next level.
That's not the dumb or lucky part.
This is.
I noticed in prepping to meet you that my cranks on the MTB are 170s and on the drop bar they are 172.5s. Does that matter?
Well, it might, and the trendy thing to do is to go with shorter cranks.
We took a bunch of measurements,
warmed up, etc
I had to know more.
What would the advantage be for me with the shorter crank?
First, the 170s will be just fine. The advantages will be in power delivery, aerodynamics, hip and back issues you may or may not have.
That sounds good to me.
Yes. Overall increased performances will benefit endurance racers competing in longer events.
Exactly my jam.
Now, here's where the dumb luck comes in.
The cranks on my new MTB are from my previous MTB, you know...
... the bike I smashed my previous PR at Leadville by 18 minutes.
TBH, had I checked way back then, I probably would have yanked them off and put on 175s because that's what I'd always run.
The next obvious question for the drop bar bike...
... should I swap out my 172.5s?
Well, I may not be as smart as I look...
... but, I'm lucky enough to know a master bike fitter like Andrew Bosco.
===
163.2 lbs/12.4%
540 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 25 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/82/7 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
266 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
HEADING INTO THE THIRD WEEK of using TrainerRoad's AI powered app, and I gotta ask an honest question...
... Is this thing working?
It's possible I'm doing it wrong,
though with degree in Spanish lit, that's unlikely.
Anyway, here's how it works...
... but, is a lowering FTP the goal when I'm building for Sea Otter?
We're 10 weeks out forhecksake!.
Just look at that pic up there...
... Whadaya think?
I know what I think...
... We get what you pay for.
Yes, I can select harder workouts than what AI is prescribing...
... however, when I do that AI says You're gonna fail, you fool!
I'm looking forward to their CSR's response, which has been quite good and thorough...
... assuming it's a real person.
Assuming.
Which reminds me of a valuable lesson I learned from my Chemistry teacher...
... When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me.
===
165 lbs/12.6%
660 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: 100 push ups, 25 pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
91/88/2 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
266 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
MOST US HAVE MINDLESS activity time when we plug in and feed our brains. This mental fuel has the same value of nutrition...
... maybe more.
Here's what I'm listening to...
... this month.
Some is sporadic,
others deemed more valuable or necessary...
... on repeat,
many times.
When...
... I'm alone and want to elevate my life.
The pay off...
... is totally worth it.
Uplifting thoughts lead to...
... improved results in everything.
===
164.4 lbs/12.6%
630 Anti-Oxidant Score
9ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, gripper, heel & toe raises
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/86/4 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
266 FTP per my TrainerRoad AI coach experiment
MOST RACES SHOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE MADE OF. Competitors are challenged at every level, whether it's getting along while fighting for position...
... or the truly epic battles.
The internal ones.
Just today at Gravel & Wine I saw the unbelievable.
Big Kev was lined up for his first gravel race.
The start was spicy,
then settled in,
then crazy.
Massive power to get up very steep pitches,
followed blistering bombing down the other sides.
It had rained the day before, so the conditions were excellent.
Until they weren't...
... and our hero yardsaled in a deep sand turn.
When your big,
and you go down hard...
... things can break.
Crack!
The right side of his bars snapped at the stem.
Most people, me included, would uber outta that sitchyashun.
What does he do with 50 miles and 4000' of vert to go...
... he jury rigs the bars and freakin' finishes.
Riding home the point...
... it's not where we start that matters, but our determination to finish.
===
btw, Paul Dunlap's Gravel & Wine events are excellent, beautiful course, and a really good vibe among the competitors.
===
164.4 lbs/12.6%
640 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips, gripper
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/83/7 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
IT'S A NEW YEAR, a fresh start. For some of us there will be redemption on the table, other are searching for a breakthrough...
... the first race is always fun.
Just 'cuz.
Tomorrow's my first...
... of what looks to be many race days in 2026.
For me, it's the beginning of a stout training block.
C race tomorrow,
gravel 60 miles, 6000' of vert.
C race next weekend,
MTB marathon, 3ish hours of pinning it.
B race in two weeks,
HELLacious 70ish miles, 8000+' vert.
Yesterday's rain kept me off the bike,
doing my naughty sprint work out.
At the time, I thought it was a bummer to miss a training day.
Looking at the next 2 weeks...
... yeah, I think I'll come out on the other end on a good trajectory for Sea Otter.
===
165.8 lbs/12.7% (kinda chubby fer me)
650 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
89/77/11 <- tapered (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
THE THING THAT KEEPS US COMING BACK day after day to train, check out the data, read up on the latest gear and trends, do some YouTubing, should be very clear at this point...
... we are endlessly fascinated with one question.
How good can we be?
Not just our ultimate potential...
... but given our present circumstances.
When we have a big breakthrough on any kind...
... there's a trap.
And, I fell in it hard today.
Like mud puddle faceplant hard.
Here it is...
... It's easy to feel stupid.
In this case, the breakthrough had nothing to do with the pursuit of fastness.
Nope.
I figured out a way to save $350/mo on a necessary biz expense.
Yep, felt pretty stupid because I could have made this change years ago.
Just fer fun, prahtend it was a performance breakthrough I stumbled upon, like...
... things that can make a huge difference.
It's only stupid if we don't implement it immediately...
... otherwise, don't look back, move quickly forward with gratitude.
===
165.6 lbs/12.6%
630 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips, gripper
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
90/83/7 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
EVERY GROUP HAS A RINGER, sometimes a handful of 'em. Occasionally the whole dern lot are hitters. First-timers don't know them personally...
... hardly anybody does.
Then, a name surfaces.
Bouncing around the group after the damage is done, we hear...
... Youknowwho was really on it today, sheesh!
Lightbulb goes off...
... so that's their name!
Noted.
And, that's how...
... to make a name for ourselves.
No permission required...
... just hella desire.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
620 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips, gripper
√ Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
30 minutes Reading/Journaling
92/95/-4 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
UNTIL YOU'VE LINED UP AT THE START LINE, all you've see are pictures and video. A bunch of people, dressed for success, looking like they're about to have fun...
... and then you get there for the first time.
The energy is overwhelming.
Everyone's emotions all over the place.
It's hard to put your finger on it,
but you're pretty sure a bomb is about to go off.
People could die.
Time passes,
races come and go,
we get the hang of it all.
What once was shared panic and terror...
... doubts haunting every corner of the soul.
Now it's simply priceless entertainment that calms us.
We look over the unwashed,
cooly observing with glee.
We aren't nervous..
... we are ready!
===
164 lbs/12.5%
630 Anti-Oxidant Score
7.5ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips, gripper
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
91/86/4 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
WHEN ZONE2/POLARIZED TRAINING got really poopular, Zone3/Sweetspot got popped on. It was no longer cool or appreciated...
... in fact it was scorned.
Bad call.
But, how can you say that Diesel?
Easy.
You're an idiot.
Maybe.
And stupid.
Probably.
Is that all you can do, just back down and take it?
Now you're understanding my point.
I don't get it.
And you probably never will because you don't think things through, you just mindlessly go with the trends.
So do you!
No, I test them. Glean what I can. Move forward.
Ok, then why is Zone2/Polarized Training not as good as Zone3/Sweet Spot training?
It's not, not as good or not not as bad.
Huh?
I know, it's hard for you to comprehend. Sit down.
Ugh!
Ok, now listen up... there isn't a race in the world that is going to act like any particular training method. But, they are all going to have specific demands and we can...
... put in the proper training to meet those demands.
I need an example.
Here's one: crit racing is a whole lot of under/overs... thresh hold/VO2max.
Here's another: endurance MTB racing is a whole lot of Sweetspot
One more freebie: triathlon is piles of Zone 2.
I think I understand.
I doubt it.
What should I do then?
Try this, just for bibs and jiggles...
... specific workouts to improve your weaknesses during the week, race simulation on Saturday.
===
164.6 lbs/12.5%
640 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips
√ Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
92/94/-2 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
RACE ENOUGH, chase enough PRs, sprint for enough city limit signs, and it slowly becomes apparent things can go wrong, sometimes way wrong...
... and learn from them.
If we look.
Not just during these quests,
all the time.
Yesterday, I crashed somewhat hard and dinged my elbow by misjudging the traction available.
Good.
At Borderlands Gravel, less than 10 minutes in, I flatted.
Good.
On a long, very steep and technical climb my glasses completely fogged over and I had to stop.
Good.
Recently, I rolled out without enough food and bonked.
Good.
Did the crash hurt?
Kinda, and now I know a little more about mine and the bike's capabilities.
Did it suck losing the pack at Borderlands?
Yep, and it was a great reminder to have my tire fixin' solution very ready for action on race day.
Was it a bummer losing my vision on the climb?
Emmhmm, and new lens and anti-fog is on my list of things to improve.
Was bonking a bummer?
Always is, and now I'm erring on the side more calories vs less.
How we respond to mishaps, matters.
They aren't personal attacks from the universe...
... they're lessons to make us better, faster, stronger.
===
164 lbs/12.5%
600 Anti-Oxidant Score
8ish hours sleep
√ Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips
Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
92/93/-13 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
WE ALL KNOW FAMILIARITY with the race course always pays off. We can go faster everywhere, carry our momentum better, brake later, even in the blind turns...
... if only it were that easy.
It's not.
Few have the resources...
... to dedicate to dialing in the course.
I was reminded of that watching Dakar Africa this week,
(gotta watch something while stretching).
Guys on huge offroad motos,
blasting across the desert sands,
with absolutely zero course knowledge.
The potential for launching off a rolling dune...
... only to find the other side is straight down 50-300 feet.
Is high,
deathly high.
These were my thoughts this morning as I tackled rarely open single track...
... how do those guys do it, and live?
Same way we do.
By riding all kinds of terrain, as often as possible...
... learning to the read the signs mother earth is giving us.
Some might say road is more predictable, to which I'll say...
... nothing is predictable going 50+mph in our underpants.
Go new places, ftw.
So when you race new places...
... it's for the win.
===
Weekly Power Zone Totals
| Weekly Zone Totals | ||||
| 17-Jan | ||||
| Z7 | 0:14:48 | 1:03:48 | 8% | |
| Z6 | 0:22:26 | |||
| Z5 | 0:26:34 | |||
| Z4 | 0:45:26 | 0:45:26 | 6% | |
| Z3 | 2:02:00 | 2:02:00 | 15% | |
| Z2 | 3:34:00 | 9:31:00 | 71% | |
| Z1 | 5:57:00 | |||
| 13:22:14 | ||||
===
165.4 lbs/12.6%
635 Anti-Oxidant Score
7ish hours sleep
no Upper Body: push ups, pull ups, dips
no Lower Body: split squats, nordic curls, heel raises, toe raises
90 minutes Reading/Journaling
94/107/-13 (fitness/fatigue/form per Strava - probably worthless data)
