The Back Saga

Hello. So had my appointment with Physical Medicine today to get a specialists opinion on what could be wrong. I've been thinking all along that I probably injured my back in my last race or sometime there soon afterwards. I put some pedal extenders on the bike about a week before my race and didn't give my body time to adapt to the new position it was now in, then went out a rode a really hard TT. This is how I think the injury occured. Needless to say, the doctor's opnion was a sprained lower right-side back. It has been feeling better for the last couple of weeks which the doc said is a good sign. So the prescription...keep avoiding heavy lifting, and continue easy riding on the bike as long as it doesn't cause pain. Hopefully it heals soon, as next season is front loaded with a lot of RR's early on. Almost finished with English 202, Wednesday is the last class, then a month off before heading into the Library Tech program. Also, just had my first day at work as a library volunteer at Rancho Bernardo High School! So far, so good. Until next time.....

Down Time

I'm not a good patient. As it turns out, I injured my back at my last race, the Santiago Canyon TT, November 8th. Something in my right-side, lower back area, almost feels like a pinched nerve or a strained muscle. I kept on riding regardless of the pain because it didn't seem to bother me that much on the bike, but afterwards the pain and stiffness would set in. So I've decided to take a full week off the bike beginning this last Sunday, and today was the first day that I didn't work or ride and it already has started to improve. On a good note, I finished 6th out of some twenty odd competitors, and had a new PR of 28:47, beating my old PR by ten seconds. Great way to end the season! It's not only the bike I've taken time off from, but my diet also. Let's just say, I've been enjoying myself:) But ultimately I don't enjoy "forced time off", but I did plan on taking a full week off the bike sometime this month, but it just wasn't happening, so I guess this is someones way of forcing me to! I enrolled in the Library Technology program, classes begin this January. I'm excited to be taking something else in college besides general education classes! Until next time.....

A Great Weekend

Yes it was, a great weekend of riding that is. Before I begin telling you about that, let me get the work and school arena of my life out of the way. Work is going well, business has slowed down, as just about everything in our countries current sad state of affairs has. We're still managing to pay the bills, so that'll have to do for now. It could be worse, right? School is fairly uneventful this semester. I like English 202, but I'm getting anxious for spring to arrive so I'm able to get started in the Library Technology program. Now on to the good stuff...Thursday morning I receive an email from the team that the plan for the weekend is to attend the infamous Swamis ride on Saturday. For those of you who don't know this ride, it's touted as the hardest group ride in San Diego. Every so often a pro shows up to mix it up with the local boys, this Saturday delivered. First off, I've always been scared, that's right, scared of attending this ride for fear that I wouldn't hang very long and ulitmately end up riding solo and humilated for many, many miles. I really need to get over that and realize that although I'll never be able to hang with the big boys of the sport, my fitness is good, and there's always someone slower:) Anyway, so there I am, sitting in front of B&L Bikes in Solana Beach, with a teammate, anxious, nervous, but not afraid. Up rolls Neil Shirley and Cody Stevenson from Jittery Joes. As if on cue, the groans begin, kiddingly, but also with a hint of, "Oh shit, today's gonna hurt". At 8:15am sharp the ride gets underway and I immediately notice another teammate up ahead and proceed to ride up to him. Now I find myself right at the front of the pack while we cruise down PCH, and the whole time I'm thinking, "Should we Cat 4's be leading THIS group, on THIS ride?" Oh well, enjoy leading it while you can. About four miles down the road we spot three riders looking back at us, waiting to jump in. As we approach they do just that. The guy who jumps in in front of me is decked out in a full Astana kit, complete with Trek bike and all. He looks vaguley familiar, but I'm unable to see him from behind. My first thought is this is just some poser Astana wanna-be joining in the Swamis ride, sucker! Just about then this guy turns to look back at the group and Holy Shit, it's Chris Horner! Very cool. I'm riding Chris Horner's wheel. A smile comes across my face, and I chuckle to myself thinking, what other sport has this much accessibility to the top athletes who compete in it? I mean really. When I played golf, there was never a chance I'd just radomly run in to Tiger Woods and have the opportunity to play a few holes with him. But there I was, just one day earlier flippin eggs and slingin hash in a hot little kitchen, and the next day drafting behind Chris Horner!!! The ride, epic, the experience, as they say, priceless. A great memory. Today, another beat down delievered to me by my Swamis training partner, who will now be known as "Warner Whiskas". More on that later:) Until next time.....

Technology Overload!!!

Hello again. Here's my life lately in a brief report. School is going well, three weeks ahead on my assignments so no stress there. Raced the Santiago Canyon Time Trial last Saturday and managed an 8th place finish, with a time of 30:17. Not good considering my goal was 28:30. Don't know what happened, some days you have it, some days......I've still been managing to get out on the bike 10-12 hours a week lately, but I have to admit my motivation to ride hard has been low. I just don't see the point this time of year. My diet has also been on the "easier" side so to speak. On a high note, I will be picking up a new frame sometime this week. A full-carbon Bailey Bikes ride. I've decided to go all carbon for the comfort factor, the bike will still be stiff, but vibration muffled more then my current aluminum frame. I'm hoping the new ride will help motivate me a bit to get out and pound the pedals. Now to the topic of this post...No more technology-based riding for me. As you know, after much research I ended up pulling the trigger on a Powertap about four months ago. At first I loved it (new toy syndrome), and thought I would use it to maximize my training, but here's what I learned about myself. That approach doesn't work for me. I'm not knocking powermeters in any way. I do believe that coupled with a coach or an individual who loves to crunch numbers after rides, they're extremely beneficial. But for someone like me, who's always ridden by feel, and doesn't have the funds to employ a coach, they're a crutch. I've been letting my heart rate and wattage dictate my rides. Frequently being dropped because I've been checking the meter and telling myself, "You better let up, you're going to hard!" I've noticed some of the guys on the team who typically have trouble finishing races, post in their race reports that at some point during the race they looked down at their powermeter and decided they couldn't keep going at whatever wattage was showing, so time to quit! What if they didn't have the powermeter to look at? Would they of quit? Time for me to get back to the basics, listen to my body, and let that dictate how I'm going to ride on any given day. Anyone want to purchase a powermeter? Until next time.....

Crash & Burn

As an endurance athlete and someone who likes to train as much as possible, I've become accustomed to feeling slightly fatigued all the time. Alot of my training rides involve feeling a bit tired as I start pedaling, but soon everything feels great, and I ride strong. Not the case this last Saturday! Last week I began my weight training regime at the gym in hopes of gaining some much needed strength in the legs. Here's what last week's training schedule looked like..
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 3 hours in gym
Wednesday: 50 miles
Thursday: 2 hours in gym
Friday: 45 miles
Saturday: Meltdown!
I did all that training leading up to the biggest ride I've ever taken on Saturday. Huge mistake!!! I left my house Saturday morning and rode to our meeting point at a leisurly pace, feeling ok. This all changed when we hit the first of many climbs that day. My training partner, who I usually have no trouble dropping on climbs since he's more the sprinter type, left me in the dust. About a quarter the way up Palomar South Grade Road I knew something was wrong when I was having trouble maintaining 6-7mph, and 250 watts. My usual pace up that climb is 9-10mph, and closer to 300 watts. Needless to say, I began cramping while descending East Grade Road, and was getting worried knowing I still had to claw my way up Mesa Grande Road. I finally arrived at Santa Ysabel seventy-five miles later with forty miles left to get home. I was in trouble! I really didn't want to limp home by myself on Highway 78. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to stay on the wheels of my training partners that day. Just then my prayers were answered. Two other teammates pulled up saying they'd just finished climbing Palomar, and started their ride right there in Santa Ysabel. I was able to hitch a ride home with them, tail between my legs, as my training partners finished out the ride:( I'm convinced this was a case of over-training, especially before a ride of that magnitude. Needless to say, I decided to take three full days off the bike, and will pull the TT bike out this Wednesday and Friday for two-hour workouts, and that'll be it before the Santiago Canyon TT this Saturday. Let's hope my legs are better this Saturday then last!!! Until next time.....

I'll gladly pay you Tuesday.....

Finally!!! I've figured out what I want to be when I grow up. It's not something completely new. I toyed around with this idea about a year ago, but was turned off to it by the amount of schooling it involved, and I couldn't see myself waiting that long to begin working in a new career. What you ask? A librarian. I know, that sounds a little soft for a male, but it actually encompasses everything I like, well almost everything. I love to read, I love books, I like a nice peaceful environment, and enjoy researching and helping people. As I was searching the internet a few days ago looking for a career for my sister, I somehow stumbled across a link that involved library technicians. What's that I asked? Apparently it's a job in a library that works under a librarian, and only involves earning an associates degree to begin work. And Palomar College offers that. Perfect! And from there one may advance to a librarian and obviously more money if so desired. That's all the rant on the school side of life. On to more great news. I've been waiting around three weeks now to see where I placed within my category at the Mt. Charleston Hill Climb. I knew I finished 46th overall, but was much more interested in where I finished in "my" race. My goal going into the race was a top-ten finish. Last season I managed to finish 24th in Cat 4, so I was setting my sights higher this year. Well as it turned out I did............6th place!!! I guess all that ass-busting Palomar Mountain repeat work paid off. Fortunately for me I enjoy training almost, well maybe just as much as racing itself. I'm thankful for that, otherwise who knows how long I'd keep this up. Off topic, but interesting. I'm on a training ride this last Sunday heading down the 56 bike path towards the ocean when who do I spot heading up the opposite way moving very fast with a bobbing head.....none other then Thurlow "Turbo" Rogers! Had to do a double take on that one. First, what is Thurlow doing this far South on a training ride? Second, what's he doing blasting up a public bike path of all places? Who knows??? That's all, until next time.....

Weak

Weak. That is how I felt today on a training, (I need to quit using the word training, since I'm not racing at the moment), on a ride today with a teammate. We ended up logging sixty-five miles for the day, most of those climbing miles through the hills of Poway and Ramona. I did manage to get nine hours on the bike this week prior to the ride today, but they weren't "hard" miles so to speak, so I'm not sure why I felt so weak on today's ride. The powermeter on the other hand tells a different story. Watts are watts, they don't lie, as Lance Armstrong once said. I was frequently checking the wattage I was putting out on today's ride and noticed it wasn't any lower then most of the rides this teammate and I do on a regular basis. I was having trouble keeping up with him today, thinking I was weak, but based on the data, I have to think he was just riding that much stronger then usual. Another benefit of training with power! On to a topic that does have me concerned. The compact cranks. I've been riding on them all week, but as I mentioned, those rides were really low on the intensity scale. Today was the first ride of any intensity that allowed me to really experience what the compact's felt like. The verdict is out. I feel as though I've picked up two gears on the lower end while using the 34-tooth sprocket, and feel like I only lost one gear on the 50-tooth sprocket. What concerns me is the shorter crank arms. The length on my standard set was 175mm, while these compacts are 172.5mm. In theory I believe this should allow me to spin even more, but it feels strange, and my heart rate seemed abnormally high today. I'm hoping they're just going to take some time to get use to. If anyone reads this who has some knowledge on this subject, please feel free to comment:) Until next time.....

Ramblings

Hi All. Nothing really new and exciting to tell you about today. I'm three weeks into my English 202, Advanced Literature class so far, and I'm loving it. Although I must admit, it is a bit more difficult then I thought it was going to be. The teacher tells us there are no wrong answers in a class like this, but it sure seems as if I'm finding them! Work is work. I have been extremely unmotivated to go to work lately, more so then ever. It's not the restaurant business as a whole that's bothering me, it's the environment within my restaurant that's bothering me. I'm not speaking of the customers when I say this. I've been running the restaurant for a little over six years now, and in doing this I've learned to appreciate working for myself so to speak. What I've learned to dislike very much over these last six years is having people work for me. It's a never ending theatre of drama!!! Rarely is everyone getting along and just taking care of business, leaving their problems at the door. I've been racking my brain lately try to come up with an alternative to working in a restaurant. This frustration is the driving force behind me returning to school after all these years. In the meantime, if I could find an occupation that paid the same or more then I'm currently earning (that wouldn't be alot), I'd find someone else to "tend the shop", and I'd be on to a new challenge. Time will tell. Meanwhile, on the biking front. Nothing new to report, I'm actually having a little difficulty adjusting to not having to train for a race that's right around the corner. I do plan on competing in two more TT's (Santiago Canyon), and I figure I'll pull out the ol' TT bike a couple of weeks prior to those races to get familiar with it again, but right now, I'm forcing myself to relax, and enjoy some long, slow rides. I'm even having trouble trying to allow myself to indulge in some foods that I've been denying myself most of the season! I know, a rough struggle, poor me!!!! Until next time.....

TTT

Hi All. Well yesterday was the Fiesta Island Team Time Trial. I may of made mention in an earlier post that I wasn't looking forward to competing in this event. I had commited to it a couple of months ago, and at the time was really pumped to do this race, seeing as how I love to time trial, but as the event drew nearer, my excitement began to wane. Alot of this was due to the fact that I was only able to get a couple of practices in where I actually drafted behind another bike in the aero position. For those of you out there who've never experienced this, let me tell you, it's a little unnerving at first. Couple that with the fact of my lack of motivation since the Mt. Charleston Hill Climb, and the 4am wake up call this race involved, and I was dreading it to say the least. So race day starts with the 4am alarm, I drag myself out of bed thinking, "didn't I just do this last week?". Grab a quick bowl of Muesli and a coffee, and head out the door at 4:45 for Fiesta Island. Skip ahead to the start. 7:07am, and we're on the start line. Oddly enough I'm feeling rather relaxed for sitting on the start line and about to begin an hour of extreme discomfort racing in a format I'm completely unexperienced in. The starter says go, and we're off! I immediately take my place in line and we go. I'm amazed at how quickly I adapt to getting on a wheel in the aero position and being totally comfortable doing it. Our race went soooo smooth. No mishaps, nice pulls, a good high pace for our collective abilities. Finished the 40km in a time of 57:14, for 5th place. Not bad for a team that didn't practice once together. My legs felt so good, and I'm sure I would of been able to go faster. That was the hardest part of the day for me, knowing that I could have picked up the pace, but in doing so, run the risk of breaking the group's flow apart, which would of lead to disaster. Needless to say, after all the grumbling about not wanting to do this event, as Arnold says, "I'll be back!" And what did I do to celebrate? In & Out Burger........a double-double, hamburger, fries, and a chocolate shake!!! Let me tell you, after eating healthy for a very long time, eating this kind of food to reward yourself is no reward at all. Sure it tasted good while I was consuming it, but I felt like crap immediately afterwards. Two races left on my calendar, both TT's at Santiago Canyon. First week of October and November, so this allows me a little time to relax on the training, and then get back on the TT bike a couple of weeks out and get ready to hit it. Compact cranks went on the road bike yesterday, and I'm anxious to get out today and see how they feel:) Until next time.....

motivation.....

Motivation. Something I could use a little more of right now. I think I trained so hard for Mt. Charleston that now that the race is finished, so is my motivation. Most of the guys on the team ended their season weeks ago, but I'm trying to push through to early November. The Team Time Trial is this Saturday at Fiesta Island, and although I was excited when I originally commited to it, my excitement has wandered. I have manged to get on the TT bike a couple of times this week to get reacquainted with the feel of it, but I admit, I am nervous about the prospect of drafting twelve inches off another teammates wheel without access to my brakes! I'll keep you all posted on the results after the race. Until next time.....

Las Vegas

Ah, Las Vegas. A town I love and hate all at the same time. A true-life love/hate relationship. Everytime (almost everytime), I've ever visited Vegas I've come away swearing I'll never visit again. The reason for this declaration usually involves large quantities of alcohol, and the hangover that accompanies that. Last year around this time was no exception. A friend of mine and myself loaded up the car and headed out to Vegas on a Friday morning for the Mt. Charleston Hill Climb. The race was on Saturday, and it was the primary reason for making the trip, but partying all night after the race was running a close second. Needless to say alot of alcohol, and a large amount of fun was had by all. As far as the race went I managed to finish 24th out of a full-field of Cat 4/5 racers, with a time of 1:44 and some odd seconds. I returned this last weekend to try and better that time and finish in the top-ten. I knew of at least one racer who was signed up for this race that specializes in hill climbs, so I had no delusions whatsoever of actually winning this one. 17.5 miles, all uphill, starting at 3300 some odd feet, and climbing to 8600 and some odd feet. Beautiful climb, and I must say, one of the most well organized races I participate in throughout the season. Needless to say, I managed to shave about four minutes off my time last season, finishing around 1:40:19. I'm still not sure where I placed, as we decided not to stick around for the unofficial results. What did I take away from this race? For starters, I know I can crack into the 1:30's. I think I let the HRM dictate how I rode most of the race, which isn't neccesarily a bad thing, but with 1km left and a group of three up the road, had I threw caution to the wind, and attacked, I'm almost sure I could of caught them. Second, I'm stating this now, for the first time in public so to speak.........I am finished racing crits! Ontario #5 was my last one. Why you ask? Try as I might, I still don't derive that much pleasure out of racing in a crit. Bumping bars, the yelling at each other, dealing with juniors or any bike rider for that matter that can't hold a line, and the constant fear of the inevitable crash, all add up to an unpleasant experience for me. The risk/reward just isn't high enough to be worth it. Not to mention the overall vibe at a crit as opposed to a road race is just worlds apart. The crit scene is just oozing nerves and attitude. Not necesarily a negative one, but there seems to be far more tension in the air then at a road race. Racing at Charleston this last weekend reminded me of just how much I prefer the road scene over the crit's. So, with that said, the bike will be receiving compact cranks at the end of the season, and my training will be tailored specifically to perform well in road races and time trials. Of course this means I'll be racing far less next season, but with school scheduled to take up a larger portion of my time, and the possibility of a part-time job soon, that's OK. Until next time.....

Palomar.....

Palomar. That word alone seems to conjure up images of pain and suffering beyond what most of the riders I know are willing to experience. I've made it my mission to climb up that mountain more then I ever have before. Of course I'm not doing this all in the name of fun, there is a purpose. Mt. Charleston is that purpose. In less then two weeks I'll be loading up the car, heading out to Vegas, and subjecting myself to a 17.5 mile road race, all uphill. The only climb I know of in the San Diego area that will allow me to come close to that amount of climbing is Palomar. Today's ride stats...Stage at Valley Center Road and Highway 76. Climb South Grade Road, descend down East Grade Road. Break for a bite to eat at Lake Henshaw, climb East Grade Road, descend down South Grade Road back to the car. All in all, not alot of miles (50), but half of them climbing. Excellent!!! Now anyone who has climbed Palomar on any given weekend day of the year knows all about the high-speed motorcycles that continually race up and down the mountain. Normally I find them nothing more then an annoyance as I make my way up or down the mountain. But on our descent down Highway 76 today, we came in to a turn marked 30mph I believe, and as we approached I noticed a motorcycle rider laying down flares in the road. That can only mean one thing. Sure enough as I rounded the corner I saw an ambulance and about four other motorcycles pulled off the side of the road. The next thing I saw was the reason for all this. Wedged underneath the guardrail was someone's motorcycle, looking like a twisted heap of scrap metal, and my immediate thought was "where is the rider?" I figured I'd make my way down to the next switchback and look up from there and see if I could spot him, assuming he went over the guardrail when colliding with it. As I approached the next switchback I stopped and asked my teammate if he'd seen the rider. Yes, unfortunately he did see someone lying on the ground, covered with a blue tarp back at the scene of the accident. That too can only mean one thing. Why is it these "weekend warriors" feel the need to race up and down this mountain at break neck speeds risking not only their own lives, but the lives of others driving cars, or riding bicycles?!!! And more importantly, where is the local law enforcement? I know the road and highway are under the jurisdiction of the Highway Patrol, because a few weeks back as I was climbing South Grade Road there was a massive sting operation underway utilizing everything from numerous cars, motorcycles, and even an airplane to ticket these riders at just about every turn. The state must of made a fortune that day! So why is it, that on almost any given weekend there's not a Highway Patrol in sight? Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that the Highway Patrol get rid of each and every motorcycle rider on the mountain, I would just like to see some enforcement of the exisiting speed laws that are in effect. The way these riders are choosing to ride is reckless, and I understand that most of them when asked, would probably say it's their life, and if they want to risk it that's their choice. I fully agree, but not when it's putting other lives in danger. Did I mention that this last Wednesday was the final night of my Speech class? Finally, I took and finished the class that has been my college nemesis! I honestly never thought I would ever, ever get out of Palomar College because of that class. I'm down to about five classes left before I bid farewell to Palomar and hello to Cal State San Marcos. I still don't know exactly what it is I want to do with my life. Kinesiology peaked my interest, my wife has mentioned a degree in Liberal Studies to teach as she does. All these are great options, and no matter what I choose, just having a college degree would be a huge accomplishment for me. I've never imagined myself ever earning one, and I don't want to get excited about it yet, because it's still pretty far off in my future, but it's fun to dream. Every since I can remember I've always wanted to write. When other kids were saying they wanted to be a firefighter, policeman, or president, I was the wanna-be author. Of course with my lifelong history of procrastination I've never pursued that dream. This blog is actually my feeble attempt to rekindle that spark. I would really like to pursue a degree in Literature, but what could I do with it? I'm not fortunate enough at my age, and with my responsibilities to friviously chase a degree that would be of no use to me once I've earned it. If anyone out there accidently stumbles across this blog in their search of more interesting and important events in the world, and may have some information to lend in this matter, please do. Thank you, and until next time.....

IT'S OVER!!!

Hi All. Well the dreaded Speech class is over for me! Actually, the class officially ends this Wednesday, which is the night I was suppose to present my final speech, the persausive speech, but I was able to present last night, going last with a room full of six people. I really don't know if that made it any easier, but I was able to get it over with:) Next up, Spanish and English!!! I noticed in my last post I mentioned that Aliso Viejo was the next race for me. Well obviously that race and come and gone, and not too soon! Aliso result = DNF. First DNF I've ever had, and hopefully the last. Ended up getting such as bad side-stitch cramp that I couldn't go on. I could give a full race report, but let's just say I was not prepared to race a race that brutal after having not raced for five weeks prior, and in those five weeks, not really exposing myself to any high-intensity training. Needless to say, after my Aliso experience it was back to hitting the training hard which resulted in me riding REALLY strong, but stupid at San Marcos. I've decided that when the legs feel as good as they did at San Marcos this is when I either need to attack and try and get away, or sit in near the front and see what happens in a field sprint. I really don't think I possess a very competitive sprint, so I'm leaning towards the attack theory. Next race on the calendar, Ontario #5. I'll be racing two races that day, Masters 30+ 4/5, and the Cat 4/5. I plan on trying two different strategies that day. In the Masters race, I'm going to try and attack halfway through and see if I can stay away. Then in the 4/5 race, sit in near the front and wait for the sprint. But it's the week after Ontario that I'm really focusing on. The Mt. Charleston Hill Climb. For those of you that don't know, I LOVE to climb. This race delivers that. 17.5 miles of all climb, from 3300 some odd feet, to 8600 some odd feet. Great race, did it last year as a Cat 5 and placed 24th out of a hundred I believe. The goal for this year is a top ten. We'll see what happens. Well, off to work for know, until next time................

Pluggin Away

It feels like it's been awhile since my last post. Not too much new going on is why I suppose. Work has been going good, busy lately, which never hurts. School started back up for me two weeks ago. I've finally decided to tackle the dreaded class I've put off for the last thirteen years, SPEECH!!! It's actually not that bad. The first night and the introduction speech was the worst so far, but once you start getting comfortable around your classmates I've found it's gotten easier. As far as the bike front, haven't raced since June 8th, Chula Vista GP. I was registered to race La Mirada and Green Trolley since then, but I went and sliced my finger open on the meat slicer at work which put a damper on the racing for a bit:) Needless to say, the finger is almost 100% now, and the next race on the calendar, July 12, Aliso Viejo GP, should be a go. I registered for the Masters 30+ 3/4 category which should prove to be tough for me being a Cat 4, but want to get faster, ride with faster riders, right? I've begun to focus my training less on being able to perform well in crits, and more on prepping for the upcoming road races on the calendar. I've decided those are what I prefer to do. Next season for me is going to include racing less, and focusing more on being ready for RR's, TT's, and some GP's. I'm going to race a crit every now and then, but only to fill in some blanks on my calendar. Until next time........

Belated Post

Well the Dana Point GP has come and gone. Spent the night up at my Aunt's in San Juan Capistrano to be close to the course for the early 7:30am start. Fact: I do not like early race starts. Don't get me wrong, I wake up early everyday, but racing a bike early doesn't agree with me. As usual the Swamis lined up to the start line right on front. I moved in right behind them one row back. My plan was to stay on their wheels throughout the entire race, ensuring myself a high finish. I'm trying to practice 'sitting in' more during races and save me legs to finish stronger. So much for plans! The race started brutally fast and I found myself mid-pack before I knew it. That pretty much sums up this race report. Mid-pack all day. Finished 41st out of a full-field (120). I left the next day for San Francisco to drive my nephew back to my Sister's place. Good trip, but woke up on her fouton Tuesday morning with a pinched nerve in the right side of my neck. Then I made the mistake of going for a sixty mile training ride Wednesday with a teammate, and was in pain the whole time. So needless to say I've spent the last two days couped up in the house trying to get better before the team ride tomorrow, and the Chula Vista GP this Sunday. We'll see. I'm not doing either if this hasn't cleared up. I figure it's only going to set me back further if I push it now. Back to school June 23rd for a Speech class. Not looking forward to that, but it has to be done to get to where I want to be career wise. Return back to work this coming Tuesday from my two-week vacation. That's good and bad:) Until next time............

Fiesta Beat Down

Hi All. Well last night I made the trip down to Fiesta Island for the Thursday night workout. As I mentioned in my last post, it was my first time doing this. I arrived just before 5pm, unloaded, geared up, found some teammates and began riding laps around the island to warm-up. Just before 6pm we rolled over to the parking lot in the center of the island and awaited the 6pm start time. I'd say around 100-150 riders showed up, and when you see the likes of Neil Shirley, Iggy Silva, and the full Ca Pools team you know you're in for some serious work! The first lap was mild, but after that the attacks began and all hell broke loose. I was able to sit in comfortably for the first thirty minutes of the hour-long ride, but noticed I was exposing myself to the wind far too much. Just after the thirty minute mark I decided to put in a big effort to get to the front of the group. It worked, but that was a HUGE mistake on my part! At that point my heart rate was high and the pace of the group only picked up. I was only able to hang on for two more laps before losing contact. I sat up and rode a couple of easy laps around the island to recover and then jumped back in for the last lap. Overall, a great workout and something I need to do more often. I figure if I can hang in with that group for the full hour, a Cat 4, 40-minute crit should feel easy after that. Talk to ya soon!

New Bloggin

Well, I've done it. Joined the world of blogging that is. This is my first official blog, and we'll see where it goes from here. I've decided to keep this online diary so to speak, to help clear thoughts out of my head, track my progress on the bike, in school, etc. For the most part this blog will focus on the bike, training, racing, and life in general. Let's get started...............Today is day three of my attempted "vacation". So far, so good. No school until June 23rd, and work as been predictable, so this has allowed me to get some good miles on the bike. Got out Tuesday for 4 hours for some low-to-medium intensity riding trying not to push it to hard knowing that Wednesday I had plans to meet a teammate and do some high intensity work in the hills around Valley Center, Fallbrook, etc. Met up with the teammate Wednesday and we pushed it hard through the hills (another 4 hours) as planned. I was feeling the effort in the legs later in the day! Tonight (Thursday), I'm heading down to Fiesta Island for the Thursday night hammerfest. I've never done this before and am excited to see how I'll do. I figure if I sit in the entire hour I should be able to hang on. And if not, I'm more then happy to be humbled. It's a bit of a commute for me, but it's a great chance to see some teammates and further immerse myself in the SoCal racing scene. I have a question that maybe the one person who might read this blog can answer. This has been bothering me for quite awhile now. I've noticed on training rides throughout San Diego county that riders who ride along the Coast Highway are far less friendly then riders who ride out in the hills. Why is this? I try and make an effort to wave to every rider I see. I believe this is one of the aspects that makes cycling such a great sport. It's a tight-knit community. I'd say for every twenty waves I give on the coast, I may get two or three back. But the same amount of waves given inland will yield almost twenty for twenty! WTF!!! Here's my theory...........The riders who are riding on the coast are probably there becasue they are too weak to handle the hills inland. Just riding down the coast is a huge effort for them, therefore they are so focused on their 180bpm heart-rates, that they're experiencing tunnel vision, which doesn't allow them to see me waving from across the road. Just a thought. Next race, the Dana Point Grand Prix. Great race I've heard, never done it. Will be staying at my Aunt's house Saturday night in San Juan Capistrano seeing as how my race goes off at the lovley hour of 7:30am! OUCH! Details later, until then ride hard, and be safe