AS INEOS PROCEEDED TO TURN THE BEST TOUR DE FRANCE IN YEARS FROM THRILLING TO BORING, I realized how happy I am to be racing Leadville on my own terms.  There's no GC to protect and no concern about how I place amongst my peers.  

Unlike Bernal, I won't be playing it safe at the finish. 
The only safe playing I'll be doing is making sure there is absolutely nothing left at the end.

Unlike the runners up, I won't be trying to hold on to my standing.
The only standing I'll be holding onto is my own time splits.

No race radio in my ear giving me updates.
My race radio will be SurferGirl swapping out my bottles.

No team car to bail me out of a mechanical mishap.
My old, weak hands will have to bail me out if needed.

No teammates to protect me from the wind.
Just sprinting to the riders ahead, surfing one group to the next.

After reviewing all the time splits for my age group for the last few years, I realized my buddy Jeff's time from 6 years ago was almost exactly what I was shooting for.   That was Jeff's 10th and fastest year.

On my top tube will be Jeff's time and my goal splits.  I think I'll go out a little slower than him, and I hope I can come back a little faster.  And it's just a hope.

My mission is to beat my PR set 19 years ago - 8 hours and 20 minutes.  The other 4 attempts are between 8:32 and 8:36 - which is weird when you consider the weather is never the same, I've flatted, I've jammed my chain, etc.

On the surface it seems completely unreasonable given the time span and the unpredictable nature of racing on a given day, but... I'm the lightest I've ever been for the event.  My bike is top notch.  My training best ever.  And, the course is constantly getting faster.  Plus, Jeff and I are pretty even most of the time.

Whatever happens, it won't be boring.

165.2
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

THEY WERE NORDIC, HANDSOME AND LOVELY, WITH HEAVY ACCENTS.  I admired their beauty, right up until I didn't.  There was this moment when the lady ruined it all.

How you ask?  What was this repulsive sin?

Well... it was kinda like when you see someone unload a brand new, glamorous carbon rig. They mount it wearing their elegant super euro kit.  With that first pedal stroke you know... this is gonna be ugly.

Shaky on the straight lines.
Horrendous cornering.
Bowleggedness that begs for a Wide Load sign.
Arms locked straight.
... ah, it's an inexhaustible list.

Where is that person's friend?
Silent, no doubt.
Maybe aghast!

Just like I was this morning as the adorableness of said Nordic offended all in site with a bite of croissant.  Bite is not the right word... it was more a rip of a hunk, mouth open wide in the approach... staying wide, chomping a few times with a colossal gulp.

Ruined it.

Friends don't let your friends ride ugly.

Be light on the hoods.
Cut the apex on the turns.
Tuck those knees in.
Bend those arms.
... this is a good start.

164.4
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

MASSIVE GROUP RIDES, WEEKDAY AND WEEKEND RACING, PERFECT WEATHER... around here you can pin it 24-7.  Worse, it's Tour time and everybody just wants to race! 

Hard.

Everyday is a new opportunity for Zone 5.

Put it in the big ring, and leave it there.

That's all we want to do.

Ride 'em all...

...soon you won't be able ride at all.

164.4
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

TONIGHT, AFTER A RATHER LARGE SNACK, I TORE INTO ONE OF MY OAT ROOTS.  Man, I love these things.  Can't have 'em everyday or I build up a tolerance.  You're probably the same.

Oat roots are after all...

... Haute Routes.

Haute Routes are super cool events, that I used to pronounce hot route... thinking it meant super cool cycling route, then I met the crew over there on a work project.

But, that's not my point.

My point is I work Hot Routes into my weekly regimen.  

A hot route to me, is a loop that brings me pleasure and that I can really rip around on.  I might go out and just spin it a few times, then jump on it for a smokin' fast lap... or I might start our slow and go faster each lap... or I might rip the first lap and go slower and slower as I exhaust myself.

Typically, Tuesdays are the same Hot Route - The TMWC.
Wednesdays, I like to rip a loops off on the MTB
Fridays... I think of new ways to end up at the same old spot for a cup and some journal time.

Fun + Fast = Hot Route

165.4
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

MY DAD HAD THIS JOKE ABOUT THE 3 STAGES OF LIFE.  It made no sense to me when I was in my 20s.  Now that he's gone, it's just more evidence he was a genius... so, let me try and screw it up while applying it to me 'n Jefe.

Stage 1
Young guns, falling in love with girls and bikes.  Dude, I pooled all my shekels and I'm pulling the trigger on a Gios with Campy Super Record. 

Stage 2
Young families, and we reconnect the friendship and epic endurance mancations.  Dude, have you heard of the 24 hours of Moab?... let's do it!

Stage 3
The sprocket of life showing some serious wear.  Hey, is there a bathroom on the route?

Jefe, aka Dr. Sumsion, was one of the first cats to get a road bike in the college days.  I think it was to help his ski racing.  He had this cool Italian rig.  I had a Cannondale touring bike, because surely 3 rings in front must be better than 2!  All I knew then, or know now, is that he's always on the forefront of what's cool... proof:  he's been begging me for 10+ years to do a gravel race.

We lost touch after college, but somehow reconnected.  It was over the 24 hours of Moab.  We grabbed PViddy and McKay and trotted out to see what we could do.  I'd never had so much fun suffering through cramps, dark and snow.  So began my re-entry to racing and the world of heinously hard endurance events.

These days, he pops down to SoCal a couple of time a year and if I'm lucky he carves out time to go for a ride... usually spending the night at my place and hitting TMWC.  The rest of the time I'm longing for, and occasionally pulling off, the amazing riding in Park City.

What came first, the friendship or the bike?  Who cares!

166.4
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT EASY SATURDAY.  And I did, on the bike.  But, it was Family Weekend and the team wanted to do the old hike.

I was never winded.

Barely broke a sweat.

5 miles later my legs were wrecked.  They were still wrecked today when I went for an easy lunch spin.

Why?

1.  Off the bike I don't wear shoes, ever.  I'm a flipflop kinda guy.  Sand got in my shoes and ground the balls of my feet raw.

2.  I walk a lot on the sandy beach.  That is not the same as over rocky, uneven terrain.  I've got shin splints.

3.  I didn't to any recovery stretching or rolling because it wasn't a strenuous.  Rookie move... ain't I too old for that?

Life Lessons:

1.  Shoulda just hiked in my Rainbows, but it also wouldn't kill me to wear shoes occasionally.

2.  Nor would it kill me to go back to hiking the many trails nearby.

3.  Always do the stretching and rolling... always.

It was worth it to spend time with these two, and think back 19 years.

166.6 (food and family, a lethal combo)
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

EVERY SINGLE TEAM IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE IS AT LEAST 11.2% WEAKER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS, and I'm digging it!  Some even more.  When it was announced there would be 8-man teams vs 9-man teams I figured it would open up the racing, and WOW! this the most fun I've had watching the Tour de France in decades.

30 years ago American Greg LeMond electrified the world with his stunning come from behind victory on the last day of the Tour.  It was a short time trial, and he trailed Fignon by 50 seconds.  There was little hope, yet he won by the narrowest victory every: 8 seconds.

Sometimes all we need as competitors is a little hope.

It's weird, isn't it?

We've seen it in ourselves, the tiny bit of hope flourishes into a towering tree of confidence. 
It happens one pedal stroke at a time. 
And they build. 
And we change. 
We become new again. 
Fresh. 
Ready to take on much more than we'd thought possible.

We're seeing it in this tour with the super stylish racing of Julian Alaphillipe, with the attacking climbing of Thibaut Pinot, with the metronome pace of Steven Krusijswijk... and I believe it's building in the slow starting defending champion Geraint Thomas.

A mere 2 minutes separate the top 6 racers after 2 weeks of climbing.  The evenness of their talents is unreal, hard to comprehend.  On a typical group ride or race, I can lose that much time on one climb.  

Who will win?
The man who's hope continues to grow.

Who is that?
Thomas or Pinot, I don't know...
but my heart goes with Julian.

164
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

I HAVE 3 SCREENS I LOOK AT ON MY GARMIN.

First is always the screen I'll need at my next "A" event.  Right now it's set up for Leadville 100 MTB race. 

I'll be watching my h.r./power to try and hold reigns on the way out, and to kick the spurs on the way back... if all goes well, it should be a negative split - less time for the last 52 as the big summit is midway.

Cadence is not an issue early on, but can be when I get tired.

Elapsed Time... this is crucial because the clock doesn't stop until we finish, but I will stop 3 times to refuel... maybe 4.

Distance will help me stay oriented as things can get a little funky at 10000' above my home.

Second, is my screen for road/gravel riding.  

No power on the those bikes.  Power doesn't really matter in a race.  Either you're in it, or not.  So, I just watch my h.r.

Speed and Grade help me gauge the effort as well.

I track actual time here, because I generally have time in the saddle as my goal for a particular ride.

Third is my mtb screen.

Here I track power first, since mtb races and rides are more like mass start time trials.  

H.R. still counts.

Cadence counts more, the longer the effort.

Ride time, not elapsed.

What are you tracking?

_____

Road/Gravel screen

MTB screen

163.6
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

HE WAS A BEAR OF A MAN.  The kind of guy you wouldn't want to play flag football against... an accidental swat might fling you and me to ambulanceland. 

I blew by him, just on a nice tempo.

He was panting hard.
His lithe lady like a butterfly ahead.

I've seen it before.  I'll see it again.

I popped up a nifty climb, snagging a PR.  Dropped down a daring single track that had me walking, hoping no kids with big travel bikes mowed me down.  Soon I was riding back up the the main dirt access road.

I'd forgotten about him.
But, there he was.
Stopped.
Sweaty.

For a moment I imagined what it would be like to push a massive 300ish pound body up that road. 
Lady barely breathing. 
Skinny, endurance dorks like me flying by.

Not only is that an amazing physical effort, but possibly quite humbling.

I wanted to high-five him... then I realized he might snap my skinny twig of an arm in the process.

164
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

I WOULDN'T SAY HE FOUND ME ON THE TRASH HEAP OF LIFE, but my trajectory at the time wasn't the best.  Back then, he was an internationally famous '84 Olympian with 2 gold medals.  I was a retired high school varsity tennis player on a bad team, trying to learn how to race my bike.

We started riding together.  Him, to nudge me along the right path.  Me, enjoying being a voyeur on his giant life.

We became the best of friends.
The wives became friends.
The kids became friends.

We kept riding together.  I dragged him down to the original Coffee Crew.  He dragged me to higher places.  Along the rides, we shared the trials of raising a family, losing parents, career choices, finding faith etc.

We were neighbors in Irvine, riding a lot of road.
He moved to Foothill Ranch, we followed and we all got really into mountain biking - eventually doing Vision Quest. 
He moved to Coto, suddenly we were there too and with no good group ride we started The TMWC. 
Then off to San Clemente, ... but didn't follow them to Australia for 3 years.

This week, freshly back in the States, he jumped into The TMWC with his characteristic I'm in terrible shape... and did just fine.  Which is proof, that I finally taught PViddy something after nearly 30 years...

... never, ever say I feel great when heading out for a ride... even to your best friend.

166
25/45
Ride with us: click for info.

I RECKON SOME OF YA ARE GONNA BE PISSED, but I really do think KOMs are for losers - PRs are everything.

Who cares if I get a KOM?  I mean, it's cool... for sure.  But, stay with me.

If it's a bunch of 10 year olds I stole the KOM from?  If the wind was howling from behind?  If I started at the back of a big group and surfed my way to the front? If, if, if...

If it's my KOM, it just means I'm the fastest guy who's been recorded.  That's it.  

If you've got the KOM?  If you're a pro, any kind of pro? if you used any of the above mentioned tactics?  If you're just a hell of a lot faster? If, if, if...

I honor that effort and I use it to inspire myself to dig deeper.  But... that's all.

Because I can't control you.  I can control - delusion or not - myself.  Therefore, I think PRs are always better than KOMs.

I know the conditions when my effort is recorded.  I know the work I've put in.  I know whether or not it's a legit PR.  I know whether or not to celebrate.

Comparing myself to others weak.
Comparing myself to yesterday is all that matters... starting with Am I having fun?

166.2
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

WHEN 700 PEOPLE LINE UP AT A 100K MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE, only a few think they will actually win.  The rest of us have our own metrics to ride by.  We start in mass.  Other than our number plates there are no indicators of racing category.  

We collaborate with older and younger and opposite sex.

We ask ourselves, How old is that cat?  

Less than 90 seconds separated 1st-3rd in my race.  Here's how it went down:

At 4am, I got up and enjoyed my race-proven, possibly superstitious, sardines and beans breakfast.  That's 3 hours prior to the start.  Failed at more sleep.

530am, warmed up my engines in a hot bath.

615, drove to start with one awesome trophy wife for support.

650, line up in 3rd row.

7, we're off.

705, I'm at least 50 guys back.  Do I like it?  Hell no,  I love it!  I tell myself it's all according to plan.

8ish, no more people are passing me.  I'm settled in, and I ask myself...

Can you ride this pace 2.5 hours from now?... that's about how long it's going to take me to do a lap and be right back here.

I'm also asking myself, Why do I do this?  Why didn't I sign up for the 50 instead of the hundred?  Why am I so slow?  How come that lady, who's my age, on a single-speed passed me? ... because these are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves at this point.

And the answer is always the same: to find out what I'm made of.  Specifically today, I want to see if I can get into Leadville.  That's the same thing at least 100 of the racers want to know. 

90 minutes in and I think I'm on pace, but I'm not sure.  We are starting to shred the amazing single track, and The Old Diesel is in the zone.  All the fools who started fast - too harsh?, no because I've been there many times and will be there again - are starting to come back to papa.  I'm not sure if I'm on track because a fast section I relished has been replaced with a snappy, zigzaggy section.  It adds time, but how much?

2 hours in and a silver fox eases on by on the final climb of each of 2 laps.  He looks awesome, and I'm pretty sure he's around my age.

At about 2 hours 34 min I complete lap 1.  Surfergirl, aka Trophy Wife, is resplendent in her Tour de Donut jersey.  We swap bottles, she jams food in my pocket, I lube my chain - lots of dust and water crossings take a toll up here.

Typical of this style of racing is to form alliances with people about the same speed, trading pulls and chatting a bit.  I rolled with Singlespeedguy from Utah and Mike from Edmonton enough to chat.  The rest either passed me or I passed them too fast.  These alliances break up the mind battle, and really make it fun.

Lap 2, and the answer is YES! I can go as fast as I went the first lap.  In fact, I go about 3 minutes faster.  Some of this is due to holding tight to the reigns on lap 1 and some is that the course is just wide open... nobody to slow me down. So fun!

330 in.  I've got 90 minutes left, and I'm daring to cut loose.  Outta the saddle jamming up the little stuff, and steadily grinding the bigger climbs.  This allows me to use different muscles in my legs. 

Cramps threaten - forgot to mention I pounded a good amount of real pickle juice when I stopped to reload - but yes, cramps threaten and I'm downing Salt Stick chewable tablets.  They abide, and ride like hell.  It's on.

430 in.  I see silver fox... and damn!... another silver fox.  We've got the final, hideous climb... the one I fell over on 6 years ago because both my legs cramped simultaneously - took me 37 minutes that day, the same climb I went hellalot slower on the 2nd lap 3 years ago.  There's no mailing it in today, these two racers are the real deal and I can only hope I don't crack.   

This is what it's all about.  Amir attacked hard, got a decent gap.  I ground on.  It's an undulating climb, and each steep ramp I stood.  We battled, then I slowly opened up my own gap.  There is no way I would have ever ridden that climb that fast, that hard if awesome athletes like these two weren't pushing me.  

I took just over a minute off my PR, 21:26.

Here's the point dear rider:  As a dude, I need these silly contests in my life... cause when all the shiz goes down at work, or things aren't copacetic at home, I can look back at today and remember I can do hard stuff.

_____

All these guys and gals hope they can lottery in to Leadville.

These 3 got in

Time to rest, recover, reload

Ride with us: click for info.

IN LESS THAN 72 HOURS THE GUN WILL GO OFF AT THE TAHOE 100 MTB RACE.  Everything I do between now and then is designed to make me feel fast.  There's no heavy duty training to be done.

Time to ride fast.

... and riding fast, starts with feeling fast.  Here's my Top 10:

1.  My bike will be detailed, lubed and ready.
2.  I'll get a ton of sleep the next few nights.
3.  I be super strict on my diet to keep lean while not exercising much.
4.  My bottles will be marked, and filled with goodness.
5.  My food will for the day prepped for easy access.
6.  My helmet washed and all the sweat salt removed.
7.  Glasses super clean.
8.  The Racing playlist will be rocking on the drive.
9.  The race kit, the special one that says I'm here to kick ass!, lovingly folded.
10.  My special RaceDay bag with the winged wolf, packed and double checked.

Do I do more?... yeah, but stick with the top 10 rook.

164.4
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

NO, SUSIE DIDN'T MAKE ME DO IT, nor the kids dissing. 

Not my moms' (both of 'em) subtle cuts.

Not my boring friends blunt hints hoping to restore my conformity.

That's the kinda stuff that makes me rebel on.  'Cause that's what I am. If I wasn't, I'd be...

golfing
donutting
driving a sedan
riding an electric bike, if ridin' at all

But, that ain't me.
     I did it because I'd done it. 
Same reason I do anything.
     To do it!

What's next!

... just going all freakin' out at Tahoe this weekend.

165.2
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT IF I'M FAST ENOUGH FOR LEADVILLE.  I mean, I think I'm fast enough, but they don't.  Why would they?  They don't follow me around, they don't know the work I've put in.  But, I do.

Today I realized, it's time.  It happened on Harding.  I put down my fastest time this year, and finished it off very strong vs limping in.  I knew right then, it's as good as it's gonna get and I oughta just get it done.

Change of plans.  

I'm going to go back to Tahoe next weekend vs doing the stage race qualifier at the end of the month.  It'll be my 3rd time racing that course.  

My first Tahoe race was terrible.  I cramped so hard I fell over and couldn't get back on my bike.  The second time was magical... I just looked at my splits from that day:  2:26 on the first lap, 2:27 on the second lap.  

I'm banking on magical again... then on to Leadville.

... felt so confident I ate the last donut...

... hope I'm right.

164.6
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE HAVE NOTED, we are the average of our 5 best friends.  But, due to a bolt falling off my bike today I had a little deeper insight on that subject.

Here it is... 

We are only as good as our network.  In other words, our ability to get things done is determined by how good our network of friends is.

For example, today I'm riding along and a bolt on my spider falls off.  I instantly stopped riding, knowing from previous experience how easy it is to destroy the chainring when a bolt is missing.  I search for the bolt.  No luck.

Call my wife.  No answer.

Call my buddy Justin.  Answer.  Explain.  He'll meet me at bottom of the trail.  He gives me a ride home.

Call power meter dealer I purchased the bolt from.  They're closing early.

Call John at Velofix.  He'll be in the neighborhood.  Stops by and fixes it within 2 hours.

I'd say my network is freakin' awesome.

It's something to think about, right? 
Is my network at work top notch?
Am I cognizant of my kids' (when they were at home) network?
Is my social network uplifting?
etc...

How good are my networks? is worth asking, so is how much value do I bring to my network?

As I write this a massive earthquake, 7.1, hits Ridgecrest CA and rocks us hard in San Clemente.
I hope my network is okay.
I wonder if our 72 hour prep is in place?  Food, yes.  Water, I'm not so sure.

Maybe that's what was meant when He said, Love they neighbor as thyself.

 _____

164.6
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

AS A PROMOTER I GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK... it's expected, it's the things I don't see and probably don't appreciate.  The result:  we get a little better every year.

Yesterday's unOFFICIAL TMWC was my favorite to date.  It wasn't my fastest day.  It wasn't the biggest turnout.  But...

We had the results in real-time.

We had plenty of interlopers, the folks who show up once a year and really blow it out... dragging our posse to new PRs.

We had donuts!

We had PVidmar, one of the OGs, back after 3 years down under.

We had our first timed KOM from the bike trail to the top of Live Oak.

We had our largest turn out of ladies.

We had an abundance of happy people.

We had a rider take an early flyer that would probably have stuck had he known the course... doh!

We had guys from Utah and Arizona in town just because... and a cat from New Zealand!

We had great sponsors:  TwoHubs, Stage21, Sariol Legal, Monster Energy,  Sejuicedbar and PEDALindustries.

We had on bike video and a drone - check 'em below... they're awesome!

We had the best volunteers ever:  Susie, Shelby and Dawn.

We crowned John Janneck unOFFICIAL Tuesday Morning World Champion of 2019!

But for me it was extra special because I got a chance to ride with my son Trevor from the Wall to the Dragstrip.  We reminisced about his first TMWC 10 years ago, when he was in high school... and all the fun racing he did while in college.  Honestly, there was nothing better than being with my best riding buddy on my favorite course on an absolutely beautiful morning surrounded by my posse.  He's moving out of state in August, and I'll miss him... but every Tuesday when we hit the final miles I'll think back on this day and smile.

As the day wound down, nice messages came in thanking me for putting on another unOFFICIAL, but I think Jorge's text summed it up best:

The most friendly race I've ever done. 

#itsjustasocialride



FRIENDS... tomorrow is the annual unOFFICIAL Tuesday Morning World Championships.

3 things you need to know for tomorrow:

1.  You need a timing chip, so get to the start early.  We'll be ready for you by 6:10am.  We start at the park off of Antonio and Oaktree.  Parking is limited.  If you're driving, there's plenty of parking at the church on Oso and Antonio.

2.  We have a KOM from the start of El Toro Bike Trail to the top of Live Oak.  This will be chip timed, which means the fastest person on that segment wins - not necessarily the first person over the top... why?, because we want to keep things together as much as possible until we hit the bike trail.  There's $50 to the top male and female riders sponsored by our friends at Sariol Legal.

3.  We have a code, and EVERYBODY is expected to abide by it:

Have fun.
Obey the law.
Make new friends.

IS IT FAIR TO CALL TODAY'S MTB RIDE GRUELING?  It was 97 miles.  Nearly 10,000 feet of climbing.  Just over 7 hours.  Strava called it an Historic Effort... which began at 440am.  

But is it grueling if we choose to do it?  Nobody forced me.  Quite the opposite, I was invited.  And I leapt at the chance to ride with my kindred soul from AZ, Markell, on the old Blackstar Racing Leadville training ride. 

We live to find out what we've got physically.  How far can we push?  Just what exactly What is in the tank? is more important than what's left... because when we do it right, nothing is left.

But, there's something else.  There's this thing where we tell ourselves I'm going to do X, X being something crazy, and our bodies usually perform to expectation.  Could be a spritely 90 minute circuit with a pack of animals or an unfathomable endurance metric.  Most of the time, the body is game to play.

Right up to the end, I felt great today. 

Sure, there were moments of severe distress but I backed it down a bit and the power came right back.

Then, I got home.

Dismounted.

Truly struggled to open the front door.

Nearly collapsed on the floor.

Covered in sweat.  Panting.  In desperate need of something, but failing to form the commands to myself necessary to regain my bearings.

I made my way to the kitchen.  Grabbed blender.  Poured in fruit, protein, water.  Stabbed at the Smoothie setting.

Drank it.

The cold.  The sugar.  The feeling of coming back to life.

Made another.

Chased it  with 44oz of ice water.

Showered.

Napped.

Groggily blogged.

Was it grueling or satisfying?

_____ 

Bonus surprise, Markell's OG brother Mike joined us for the most savory portion from Whiting Ranch to the top of Harding.  He is an out of shape legend, who's ridden scant miles this year... and still clobbered me on Harding.

_____
164.6
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

THE CULTURE OF OUR RIDE:

While the ride itself is an eyeball-gouging, hair-pulling affair... it's all in jest, an effort to push and applaud each other.

But, what happens when someone breaks one of the the pillars of our culture?  Once, or every now and then... hey, we all mistakes.  I'm taking about a consistent offender.

We can say, do nothing.

But, at what cost?

The cost of saying, doing nothing is losing the culture of the ride.  Lose the culture, lose the ride.  The cost of saying something is an unknown... so remember, a spoonful of sugar hopes the medicine go down.

What are you going to do?

It's your ride...
or team,
or family,
or business,
or community,
or _______

_____
166
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

We believe racing is the best way to find out how good we are.
The goal is not to win, but to develop a system that brings out our best on and off the bike.
Success is in the friendships with whom we share this glorious ride.

_____
166.4
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

MY FRIEND CHRIS BEATS ME MOST OF THE TIME.  Beats me on training rides.  Beats me at the races.  But, what I really like is the way he beats me.

He goes beast.

Like today. . (actually yesterday, no service at resort) 

Gun goes, he goes… and I’m thinking… will the beast make it to the finish?, because every now and then he blows and I catch and pass him.

Off he goes with the lead pack… which included Tinker Juarez.

Through the dust I could see ‘em, but they were getting smaller and smaller.

I wasn’t dogging it… Strava shows I PR’d the opening climb. (yeah Todd)

After a very fast descent, I was a handful of seconds behind.  The next long climb, I had to settle in… we still had 3 and a half hours of racing ahead of us and there was no way for me to continue that pace.

Fast forward to the second 24-mile loop.  It’s hot.  We’re at 9000’.  Not a cloud in the sky.  I’m in my groove and I’m thinking Chris will be suffering.  I’m gonna roll up on him.  The beast will blow.

Riders from the shorter events appear on the trail ahead of me.  So many black jerseys – just like Chris’s.  I keep thinking there he is and uncorking  short efforts.  But, it’s never him.

Trail starts to run out.  The long 10-minute enduro course to the bottom is peppered with riders in black.  I blow by.

Then I finish.

There he is.

The remnants of beast slowly receding,

Dust filled lungs hack out Todd, got a Coke in van?

Yep.

... and I think to myself beast and beats, same letters different order... if only I could've summoned my beast maybe we'd have finished in a different order?  Someday he'll have to teach that to go beast, maybe over a Coke.

_____
164.6
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

AS I SLOWLY BEND MY BODY AND TOUCH MY NOSE TO MY LEG, I realize what a big fat lie is told.  And then, believed!

You can't get better after a certain age is just a steaming load of...

But, people believe it.

And give up.

Don't.

That's all I can tell you... wait, I can tell you more.

After 3 months of stretching every night, I'm more limber than I have ever been in my entire life.  

That's just one example of many, from my own personal experiences.

Are there things I can't do that I could?  For sure.  But, letting that be my guide for what is possible is a huge mistake... one that I will no longer make.

Instead, I grind.  I work.  I practice.  I improve. Every.  Single.  Day.

How 'bout you?

_____
164.6
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

https://www.pedalindustries.com/pages/fantasy-raceday-bag-giveaway

SOME IDEAS DON'T WORK.  Like my idea to make The unOFFICIAL TMWC Invite Only.  What a FAIL! 

It wasn't to exclude anybody, but to make sure the crew got a personal invite before it sold out.

My thinking was it would sell out super fast.

It didn't.

And... a bunch of people think they aren't invited.  The opposite of what I'd hoped.

Ay carumba!

Registration is now open to ALL, no invite needed.

Here's the link: https://replaytiming.com/register/2019-tmwc/

So fellas... pass the word along por favor... or Toddy's gonna take this one in the chorts.

YES, YES, YES... it's that time of the year.  No matter what, there's no way to skip rides now.  The season is on us.  The big events just around the corner.  Now is when PRs are set, podiums are climbed and the victory we are after makes us do things we wouldn't do 6 months ago.

If it's raining, we're going any way.

If we're busy, we're going early.

If it's hot, we deal with it.

If everybody bails on us, we don't care.

Because we know the competition, be it ourselves or our mortal enemy (so dramatic, I know, but for some that's how it is), might skip it... and just knowing we got it done...

GIVES.  US.  SO.  MUCH.  POWER!

... and confidence and fire...

Today, is when our minds get so much stronger.  Sure the body will be a little better from the workout, but the mind... oh, the mind... that's what counts today.

I don't mind, if you skip it... if it's too hard... too early... too time consuming... it's okay.  You rest up.

I'll be riding.

THERE'S A KINDA PACE WHEN YOU RACE LEADVILLE THAT YOU'VE GOT TO FEEL, because your heart and brain are going to lie to you.  It takes more than a few outings to feel it, but when you do... hot damn!

To me it feels like I'm a tank or a loaded semi or a bulldozer or an outta control train... yes a crazy train!

Un.  Flipping.  Stoppable.

 It doesn't happen on the road, because road racing is much more about 1-5 minutes of pain.  It doesn't happen in XC because that's about holding your breath until you heart explodes.  Not gravel because... is that racing? : )

Only at a truly long mountain bike race do I have to become that crazy train.  The training for it goes like this:  Figure out that pace I can hold for hours and hours.  Then train it every Saturday.  That's it.

If I listen to my heart in August, I could completely blow it on the first climb by going out way too fast. I'll be so fresh and antsy.  If I listen to my brain on Powerline I might just pull over and quit.  At Leadville your heart and your brain are your enemy. 

Your friend is that feeling of unstoppable.  Let the kids go hard early, laugh at them when they pull over and puke or quit or cry 6 hours later.

So, when my assignment today was to hammer Harding this morning, I decided to hammer it at Leadville pace.  I wasn't super stoked on my time, 1:10.  It was a minute slower than a few weeks back.  But... here's the kicker.  I took a full 5 minutes off last week's time up Maple Springs, 1 hour flat.. which came after Harding.  Then, I proceeded to keep putting out solid power for the entire 6 hour ride.

62 miles, 10,000' of elevation gain.

Nothing wrong with that.

Every week I'm laying that track, stoking that fire.  The big choo-choo is coming together.  Soon it'll be... 

ALL ABOARD! 

_____
164.2
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

EVER HAD THIS HAPPEN?

Me:  Hey, I saw So-n-so is doing X.  I'm going to do it.

Them:  Yeah, but you're not So-n-so.

Me in my head:  Damn right!

Naysayers... what are ya gonna do?  Listen to 'em?  Agree with 'em?  Let 'em bring ya down?

Not me.

The real question is, should they even be part of our future?  It could mean death by a thousand cuts.

Which brings me to that pic above.  I plowed down a local single track . It's overgrown with thistle bushes.  I persisted and pushed until it became impossible, impassable.  

It was a long ways.  
I should have turned back sooner.
But, I hoped it would get better.

Ever hear of old man power?  That's where young guys quit and old guys ride on after riding the youngsters into the ground.  It's not really an age thing, it's an experience thing.  Like me in the thistles.  I rode on.  Way too far.  Because I have old man power.

Is it really for old men?

No.

Old men can do it because they have experience.  Kids don't.  Old men know there's life after pain.  There's strength.  There's confidence.  That pain, makes power.

Which brings me back to the naysayers... the moment you realize they are mental thistles and there's no getting through, turn around... never go back down that trail. 

Only a fool would do that.

_____
165.4
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

WHEN I TRULY COMMIT TO SOMETHING, I put it on paper.  I write about it every morning.  Then I post it where I can see it.

Advertising works.

I advertise to my mind.  Brainwash myself.  Remind myself.

It's the only way I can get it done, stay the course... keep from freaking out when it actually starts to happen... hope turns to expectation.

So, I made myself a custom RaceDay Wallet.  Because I'm committed to busting a PR at Leadville this year.

Want one for yourself?  Click here.

_____
166.4
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

THE BEST WORKOUT I DID TODAY?  The pullups and pushups... because I hate doing pullups and pushups.  But doing them... 

... when I don't want to makes me stronger, mentally.
... to failure makes me stronger, physically.

The best food I ate last night?  It was not eating the 2nd cookie, skipping the ice cream and still thoroughly enjoying dessert with my family... because I hate skipping the social sweets.  But skipping them...

... when I want to indulge makes me stronger, mentally.
... and that second and third round I skipped makes me strong, physically.

Riding the bike is easy.

Being my best requires more than pedaling.

166.2
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

IF TODAY IS ANY INDICATION OF MY READINESS FOR LEADVILLE... we in big trouble mister. 

Let me count the ways:

1.  My sleep patterns have been stinky.  Stenchy actually.  Like a child I've been binge watching a ridiculous show every night this week... staying up late only to rise with the birds every day at 530.  That aint gonna cut it bro.  Sleep = speed.

2.  My pacing, ugh.  Rookie at best.  We had 4 major climbs today.  I set PRs on the first.  Dangled off the back on the second.  The third... I was pedaling squares while vultures circled. 

3.  My food.  Well, I wasn't hungry.  But dawgawn if that VMO didn't cramp so hard I nearly fell off my rig.   The climbs were large, the sun was burning.  I knew this yesterday... no salt tabs?... c'mon man get, it, togetha!

Was there anything good?  Only a fool doesn't find the goodness to go with the badness.

1.  I rode with a Camelbak for the first time in years.  And, it was great!  So easy to sip while the terrain is rough.  And... and!... I parceled it out perfectly.

2.  The new Maxxis Ikons:  rad.   Great traction, super cornering.

3.  My spider-sense-MTB-oneness is coming back.  Yep, faster downhill every ride.

4... that 4th climb.  Only Chris and I did it. It was after I cramped.  After Charlie threw me 2 Salt Stick tabs.  And I felt great.  There's a lot of confidence to gain by continuing to ride and work through the challenges.

Leadville will present a lot of problems.  I found 3 today.  Easy to address.

I got 8 weeks to find 'em all.

Start to Finish

THERE'S THIS REALLY COOL APP ON MY CELL.  It's almost as good as a ride with the posse.

It's limited to audio, but it rocks.

Just like when we ride, we can talk.  Actually converse and share stories.  Learn from each other.  Get inspired. Or, just listen when listening is what's needed.  

Better than iMessage, WhatsApp, Messenger, and way better than email.  

The icon is a green square with a tilted C thingy... it's great for the times we can't ride together, I'm trying to use it a lot more.

163.4
11/33
Ride with us: click for info.

WHEN SOMEONE ASKS WHAT'S MY FAVORITE BIKE, it's on the heels of do you ride street or dirt.  Yes, of course, before they get to that question I gently correct them and say You mean road or mountain?

My answer?
The short one... always the same.

The bike I'm riding.

My long answer?

It's still the bike I'm riding, but then I'll go deeper.  The last couple of years it's been much more about the road.  My oldest got into road riding and brought me along.  He's out now.  I'm still very in... until lately.  

Looking for a new challenge, I decided to take another run at Leadville - the 100 mile bike race at over 10,000' in Colorado.  I just had to get a new bike.  Oh man, the new MTBs are amazing: faster, lighter, better suspension, better shifting, better, better, better.

I'd forgotten how much better mountain biking is compared to road riding.  The solitude.  The oneness with nature.  The lack of cars and congestion and noise.  The long, long climbs.  The feeling of flying once the bike is pointed downhill.

Yep, mountain biking is my favorite... unless I'm on my road bike, or my gravel bike, or my unicycle, or my motorcycle.

So... what's your favorite bike?

164.4
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

UGH... IT'S SO DANG EARLY.
I'm staying here.
Under the covers.

It's too cold.
I'm too tired.
I've ridden a lot already this week.

I should have left earlier.
I don't have time to do it all.
I forgot to get my gear ready last night.

Get your sorry butt outta bed.
Right now.
You can rest after the race.

Then you'll...
Feel fast and ride fast
on race day.

... how most mornings start for me.  How 'bout you?

_____
165.4
10/30
Ride with us: click for info.

FIVE US HEADED UP TO THE RACES  SATURDAY.  We train together most Tuesday mornings.  All of us managed to climb atop the podium.

Which got me thinking...

We're all on different teams.
We're friends.

Are we weird?

Or, have we figured out some sort of secret sauce?

And what came first?

Do we race together because we train together or do we train together because we race together?

Join us sometime or every time... together we're better... thetmwc.com

_____
166.4
20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

4 MORE WEEKS TO THE BEST TUESDAY OF THE YEAR

You can register here https://replaytiming.com/register/2019-tmwc/  

New for 2019

1. ​We'll have a KOM from the Start of the El Toro Bike Trail to the Top of Live Oak. We'll time you based on the Winner's Time and based on your Chip Time.
2. Everybody gets a T-Shirt! If you register by June 10^th.
3. The first 10 U23 Registrants are free!!
4. The Lottery. You don't have to be fast or slow, you could win The $500 Lottery, or invite someone who wins The Lottery. If you invite The Lottery Winner, you'll be splitting the pot with them. But it doesn't end there...if you are within 5 generation of invites, you'll be sharing the pot.* For example, if I invite Tim, who invites Lori, who invites Pete, who invites Kim, who invites Cheyne, and Cheyne wins The Lottery...we ALL share in the pot.*
   
   *Note: if multiple people invite the same person, the person the Invitee enters will get the credit.

Any questions can be directed to todd@pedalindustries.com.

We look forward to seeing you!

The PEDAL Industries Team

SOME OF MY PREDICTIONS COME TRUE, they just take a while.  Like today's winning break.  The actual break was hoped for, the makeup of the break was predicted.

Post race, I got a chance to chat with Chris.

I've raced with Chris a number of times the last few years.  As I'd been away from the road scene, he and many other new faces filled the ranks.  Today was the first time I really got a chance to hear his story.

First, let me describe his race style.  He attacks, gets brought back, and attacks, gets brought back, rides on the front, attacks, rides on front.  He's relentless.  And I love it.  He keeps the pace up, and keeps everybody honest.  Some might call it fool hardy, but from time to time it works and he scores the big V.

And, that's how it went down today.  On his 200th attack, Jon and I shot across.  The three of us then got a smooth rotation going and opened up a really nice gap on the field.  Chris, so far, has no interest in the sprint.  He works hard and makes the break stick.  

Jon taught me a lesson in patience.  I had visions of soloing in for the V.  Then, I had just a vision of his back wheel.  Doh!

Chris snagged 3rd and moved up on the overall as well.

Cooling down, we spun around the alternate course and here's what I learned.

Chris used to be a runner.  Not a jogger.  A certified badass runner.  Sub-15 min 5k, 31 min 10k.  Now he's been racing bikes for a handful of years.

10ish years ago I predicted the masters racing ranks would start to swell with ex-runners and triathletes.  Eventually, they would have to quit and move to riding and racing bikes.

That hasn't exactly been born out.  

I suspect part of the reason is the vicious nature of bike racing, particularly the road.  A lot of athletes can't wrap the mind around the tactics of the road.  The drafting.  The sitting in.  The decisive nature of one well-timed attack.  The runners that move to MTB racing fare better, usually.  

That's what's cool about Chris.  He has succeeded in spite of his nature being to work hard all the time.  This year he won at least one road race using that tactic, and many podiums.

If he ever figures out how to hide... I hope we can run him down.

_____
164.4
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

9 DAYS OUT, and I'm fairly pooped.

Calendar says I be racing in 9 days.

Calendar doesn't know I'm gonna sneak in a race on Monday too.

What will that form be then... -1,000,000?

_____
164.4
30/90
Ride with us: click for info.

REGISTRATION.  The moment of truth.  Before you register the race is just an idea, an I might do.  Which means it's nothing.  It also means if you're talking about it, it's just talk.  Some might even call it BS.

I know this first hand.

This year I had planned to do the Whiskey50.  But, and you might think this is weird, the closer the event got the less sure me going seemed to be.  Right up until the week of the race, when I went to register and it was sold out.

Yep, I was that guy.  A big, fat loser.

You can't win if you're not there.  You can't PR if you're not there.  If you aren't in the race, you're out... you're that guy, too!

Conversely, also on my radar was the Santa Barbara Road Race.  I signed up 2 months in advance.  In this case, the closer the event got the better I got.  My diet was stricter.  My training was better.  It all fell into place and I had a great weekend of racing.

When you register magic happens.  The sooner you register the sooner it starts.  Your focus changes.  It's easier to say no to distractions and yes to what moves you closer to your goal.

To make your registration more powerful, share it with the world.  Post it on social media.  In 2016, I blogged every week about a 200 mile bike race called LoToJa and how I was prepping for it.  Trust me, when you put it out there it is like having a super power.  It takes that initial registration and multiplies the goodness by a million.

But, the real pros... the ones who really know how to harness their ambitions, build a posse.  My posse is my group of friends who I train with.  Not all of the posse race the same races, but that doesn't matter.  What matters is that the posse knows my plans, and I know theirs.  The posse becomes like a board of directors.  We share ideas and secrets.  We plan rides to do.  It's a whole other level of accountability and motivation and fun!

Yes, fun!  In the end, the registration and the sharing and the posse are meant to bring a whole lot more fun to the racing.  The racing is hard.  It takes everything we've got.  Keeping it fun carries us through the challenges and disappointments bound to come our way.

If we weren't challenging ourselves, if we weren't going for it, there wouldn't be any disappointment and there wouldn't be any growth.  We'd be static at best, most likely going backwards in terms our physical abilities.

That is what Registration is all about.  Finding out what we're made of and how far we can go.

What are you registered for?

I'M NOT A GIFTED ATHLETE, AND YOU PROBABLY AREN'T EITHER.  Few are.  The rest of us compete knowing our weaknesses, and sometimes we win.  We beat the blessed, we pummel our PRs... because we have to, it’s who we are. 

We are racers.

We are passionate.

We are determined to improve.

The RACER’s Life is the approach I have used to win 2 National Championships, finish Leadville sub-9 on all 5 attempts, and rest my head at the end of the day battered, beaten and satisfied that there was nothing left to give.

What more can we ask of ourselves than everything?

_____
165.6
0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

DON'T TRY THIS ON THE ROAD. 

It's for off-road riding.

When you're solo.

And wanna learn.

Podcasts.

Expand your mind.

 _____

0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

5 YEARS AGO I STARTED GROOVING THIS LITTLE TRAIL.  Riding it over and over, to get from one side of the road, under a bridge.  Might not a been the first to ride it, just the first to name it on Strava.

The Undertaker.

Time flies.
People care.
Shazam!

The Undertaker is now a legit trail.  It's wide, with berms and bridges.  A super groovy way to get from there to here. 

Here is rad.  A whole new trail system has been developed.  Lots of options:  easy rollers, gnarly doubles.

Long live the caretakers, may they never meet the undertaker.

 _____

30/90
Ride with us: click for info.

SOME DAYS WE TOTALLY BLOW IT.  For instance, today I thought first place was long gone and I thought I had second sewn up.

I finished third.

It’s such a potent pot of emotion.  It should be stirred and savored.

Yesterday I’d have been thrilled to be on the podium, within two minutes of JJ and right behind Ty.

Today I’m ticked.

JJ was out of sight on the first long climb. So, I gave up on him.

Ty and I battled all race long and he sat on my wheel the last two miles. I didn’t care because I have so much confidence in my sprint.  I hit it hard into the left hander and had it lined up with 40 yards to go... then pulled so hard my cleat released from my pedal and Ty pedaled right on by beating me by .1 seconds.

Had we known JJ was so close we might have gone harder the last few miles vs waiting to sprint.

I could cry Wo is me, but I’d rather take this angst and put it to use for next race:

-I’m digging the borrowed pedals. I need to buy my own pair and set the release point harder. I knew this was an issue in testing and should have listened to my spider-sense.

-I need to remember mountain bike racing is really just a long tine trial and it’s critical to stay focused on going all out till the end because people do fade and they do have mechanicals.

It’s critical to review what went well too:

I’m getting more and more in touch with the bike.  I PRd a bunch of downhill sections as well as setting top 5 times among all racers.

My pre-race food and rituals are spot on.

My taper into the race was great. I felt strong from the start on... there is nothing like the start of an MTB race, nothing comes close to the all out effort to get to the single track first.

I know I’ll go faster as I get more time on the new bike and when I put the race wheels on her (her name is Sparky).

My daily push-ups and pull-ups and core work paid off as my upper body felt great the whole time.

Could it have ended better... maybe, maybe not... the results show how it should have ended.  

End of story.

Stopped by the Trabuco General Store for one of my go to post ride snacks.

Hmmmmmmm

 _____

0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

MY FRIEND KEN BOUGHT THE FASTEST BIKE I'VE EVEN OWNED FROM ME ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO.  I sold it because I needed the cash.  He bought it because... well, maybe just to help me out... but he said he wanted to get in shape.

I promised to ride with him.
Which I never did until today.

There are a million reasons why...none of them good.

Life is busy... yes, and that's the lamest reason.

It was good to see him.  He lives about 45 minutes away.  We met at Santiago Oaks.  

The ride was very short - 4 miles, 30 minutes.  But, it was fun.  It's always fun to catch up with a friend.

It was a short ride because he hadn't ridden for 18 months.  Can ya believe that?  He hasn't ridden the fastest bike I ever owned?

Having a little more in my tank, I decided to head over to the place that bike of Ken's had proved to be so fast.

Harding Truck Trail is a 9 mile, 3000' climb up a rocky fire road.  It's a great place to train for Leadville.  It's where I come to check my fitness.  Where was I today?  

I was way behind where I was 5 years ago.  Specifically, 10 minutes behind the PR I set on 2/22/14 at the annual Harding TT.  Ouch!  Was I all out racing?  No.   But I wasn't dogging it either.  Was I as light as possible?  No.  But I do weight about 7 lbs less, and I am in great shape... however, carrying 2 full bottles and riding heavy training wheels and knowing I was going to ride a lot more isn't ideal.  Was the temp perfect?  No, it was hottish.

Ideal or not, I have a long way to go to get ready for Leadville.  This may be my biggest challenge in years... changing my riding from explosive road racing to endurance mountain biking.

The positive side?... was anything positive?... well yeah!  The new bike is very fast downhill, and my skills don't seem to have diminished too much... that is only going to improve in the coming months.

Going fast at Leadville this year... heck qualifying at Tahoe... is going to take a high level of dedication.

I'm down for that.

 _____

0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

I DUMPED A LOAD OF GEARS, STOMPED ON THE PEDALS, CHAIN SKIPPED, KNEE SMASHED INTO STEM.  As the blood filled the deep impression just to the side of my kneecap, it occurred to me:  

This is hard...
and I love it!

That's the difference between us and them. 

If it's easy, we pass. 
If anybody can do it, we skip it.

We're down for the hard stuff, the demanding stuff and the stuff that scares the crap out of us:

Shooting gaps while sprinting at 38mph
Launching off 4' drops into a rut-lined trail
Committing to 200 mile races
Posting our weight vs goal weight
Lining up with A's knowing a pistol whipping will ensue
These are the things we do...

We aren't into easy...

We're into growing, challenging, learning... we know that hard things make us better.

#Nietzsche

 _____

20/60
Ride with us: click for info.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY TIMES I'VE WATCHED ROBERT LANGDON CRACK THE DA VINCI CODE, but I do know this:  last night when I started to watch it I realized how much more we see and hear the 2nd and 3rd and 4th... times through.  It's true of anything, really.

The more we race, the more we see opportunities and hear weaknesses.

The more we train, the more we learn about ourselves.

Do more.
See more.
Hear more.

More really is better.

 _____

0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

I GET THE IDEA BEHIND CAT 5:  Make people do 10 races with other novices before they move up.  But... in some cases it's just plain silly.

Take my buddy Cheyne.

He has won nearly every single race he's entered, including overall at last year's unOFFICIAL TMWC.  Most of the time he's riding alone off the front.  Saturday he went off the front, got a mechanical, chased back on and back off the front for an easy solo victory. 

So much for the let him learn how to ride in a pack first idea.  It's not much fun for him nor the rest of the 5s.

Surely there must be a better way?  Do we have a thoughtful official witnessing these guys and gals that can take a look and say Yeah, you're ready, move on up?

I can see where there could be gray areas that officials want to avoid.  I don't know what the bar would be, but winning every race you enter by a lot can't be too hard to distinguish.

Racers like Cheyne have often been riding in a group for a couple of years anyway and someone finally got them to do a "real race".  

Let's get them on their way to bigger challenges.

THE TMWC RIDERS PEPPERED THE PODIUMS TODAY.  Cheynne won.  Emilio won.  Charlie finished 2^nd, so did I.  Paul and Mike snagged a 4^th.  Kevin, George and Lori climbed to 5^th place finishes.  And, those are the ones I know of.

I’m so happy for our crew.  I know how hard everybody works.  We ride for various teams, but we all cheer each other on because we see the work that’s put in week after week.

Personally, I put a demon to bed today.  The past four attempts have finished with the pedal of shame… head hanging low, eyes down, body destroyed.  This year was the finishing touches of a dedicated effort… mainly losing the weight and committing to my strength and core regimen.

Yes, it is worth it.  It’s worth it to know what you’re capable of.

My Garmin said I hit 192 bpm on the final climb, something I haven’t seen for years. 

When I looked down and saw I was in zone 6 (didn’t even know that was possible) I had just passed Emilio with about a mile to go.  I didn’t want to go around him, but once the old diesel is revving I gotta keep chugging.  He countered me and Fenton was closing fast.  I had to make a choice, chase Emilio and risk blowing up or let Greg catch and bank on out sprinting him.  Now, rested I see it differently… but I shouldn’t.  Greg came through and he could see Mike Frias was starting to close on us.  He wanted me to help so we could stay away, but again I was sure my sprint would take me home to 2^nd. 

It was no time to get greedy chasing Emilio.  I had finally made the last climb with the leaders vs off the back.  It was time to secure the podium. 

I’m so grateful for my health, the ability to have a great bike, and so many friends inspiring each other to search for the best.

I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU… are you going to PR the course or a segment of this year’s unOFFICIAL TMWC?

Are you going to take the next 12 weeks to plan out your assault?

Who’s wheel(s) will you be on?

How much will you weigh?

But the real question is, Will you be within 6 degrees of separation of the winners?

This year is invite only.

1. You’ll get an invite from a friend with their Order Number.
2. You will register and enter their Order Number.
3. You’ll get a confirmation email with your Order Number.
4. You can then invite up to 6 people and have them enter your Order Number.

We’ll have all the usual categories and trophies…

PLUS, if you are within 6 degrees of separation from the Men’s or Women’s Overall Winner or the unOFFICIAL Lottery Winner (or all 3), then you’ll be splitting the cash and/or prizes with them.

You're automatically entered in the lottery when you sign up.

You’ll also get:  chip timing, a sweet t-shirt and fed some yumminess.

Will you be within 6 degrees of separation?

There are only 110 slots available.

I'M RIDING THAT FINE LINE.  Prepping for the last road race of the year and looking further out to the endurance MTB races.  They are nothing in the course of life, but they aren't nothing.

They are goals that keep me motivated.  They demand me to remember I'm an athlete.  Only my best will do.

The road race, San Luis Rey, is a tough code to crack. 

The old course was much better for me because after the hideous climb was a harrowing descent which allowed me to catch back on and recover for the fast, slight downhill finish.

The new course, so far, has had my number.  I have yet to cross the line with leaders.  Each year I have cracked.  Exploded.  Detonated.  Evaporated... limping shamefully to the finish while my pals are celebrating and smiling.  This year may be the same.  

The final climb is just a tad too long, a touch too steep, a lot too fast for T.O.D.

But, TBH, this is the finest I've been in the last 4 years of attempts.  5 or 6 pounds lighter, on a bike I love.  Today's final hard ride felt just dandy.  I almost let myself dream of a fast finish... 

... but, I couldn't.  Didn't dare.  Too risky.  Might let my guard down...

So, rather than call it quits after smoking a 54 minute segment I opted for the long way home.  

Maybe too long.

But, that's the fine line.

The longer route let me settle in and ride the pace I'll be needing at Whisky 50, Marathon Nats, Tahoe 100... which will all lead up to Leadville.

Did I need to do it?

Not even.

I just wanted to.

I felt good.

Kept my effort in check and enjoyed the prettiest day of the year.

It's a fine line that over training.  But, if it feels good it's probs okay.

 _____

0/0
Ride with us: click for info.

I'M AT HIDDEN HOUSE COFFEE. San Juan Capistrano.  CA.  I live nearby.  Sometimes I wonder if I'm really living.  Is it living if I have anxt bubbling just below my bubbly exterior?

I'm not sure.

I am sure this is a new Friday tradition.

Get up.
Review my goals.
Ride over here.
Reflect.

Listen to the doves.  Watch the people.  Feel the air.

Today is an exceptional day.  Sunny and 60s.

There are others here.
Some writing.
Others reading.
Some locals.
Many passing through.

Maybe I'll come every Friday at 8.  Just to see who's who.

Maybe this is the start of a new path?  It so hard to change directions.  Life's inertia is strong.  More years make it like cement.  Drying.  Curing into place.

This place.

This hidden coffee house could serve as a starting point for a new adventure.  A change of environment.  Not greener pastures.  Different pastures.  Who knows what might be hidden here?  In this little slice of town.  I might write a new story for TWB.

Maybe I should spend this sacred time listing the wonderful things that happened this week?  The things I'm grateful for?  That's the popular thing to do.

So I won't.
I'll write.

See what surfaces.  Mull it over.  Swill it around.  Enjoy my thoughts.

Thoughts.
Surroundings.
Me.
Silence.

Who am I not to glory in the morning sun's rays?
Lighting the table.
Warming the trees.
Blooming our minds.

I will not miss another ride like this.
Toss the phone, the digital world.
Go analog, remain physical.

... time to pedal. 
Never settle.