Zen...

Hi All! How's everyone out there doing? Great I hope! Well it's happened. The mountain bike shoes finally arrived last week! I've since been able to get out on about four rides with proper shoes. What a difference! I had planned on getting out today for a good 2-3 hour epic ride in the dirt, but a cold front blew in yesterday and San Diego actually received a fair amount of rain! As it turns out, I spent Friday washing and cleaning the heck out of the mountain bike, so I had no desire to take it out in what was sure to be some muddy trails today. I know, I know, it's a mountain bike, but there's a big difference between cleaning dirt and dust off a bike as opposed to mud!

The four rides I have gotten out on have all been in Discovery Hills behind my house. What a great place to get a quick ride in! There are miles and miles of trails up there, with quite a few good single tracks. As funny as this sounds, as soon as the trails dry up, it may be awhile before I get out on my road bike again. It's a really nice change to get out away from the cars and traffic and just surround yourself with nature all while getting a heck of a good workout. Really peaceful and zen-like. I've also been checking out quite a few videos of XC mountain bike races on the internet, and I have to tell you, it looks fun as hell! The idea of a race that starts in a sprint followed by a time trial just might be right up my alley. Time will tell! Until next time...

Feeling tired...

Hi All! Just arrived back home from another great dinner at the in-laws, followed by a delicious chocolate mousse made by yours truly! The dinner capped off a great weekend on the bike, not the new mountain bike unfortunately, but the road bike. Rode 76 miles yesterday partly with the Swami's ride up Lake Wohlford, then the rest of the way with a good friend of mine back through Valley Center, then out to the coast via Del Mar, and eventually home to good ol' San Marcos. Today's little jaunt was with another couple of friends, starting in Carmel Valley and heading up in to Ramona via Highland Valley Road, then back down Scripps Poway Parkway, and returning to Carmel Valley via the 56 bike path. 56 solid miles in the books, and my legs feel like rubber! Tomorrow is spinning on a stationary bike, followed by some core work

Still no ride on the new-to-me mountain bike! My shoes were put on back order, so I wait! I'm just fortunate that I have a great road or TT bike to fall back on. Still really looking forward to hitting the dirt and changing the pace up a little. I think a break from the "road" scene is what the doctor is ordering. I've been doing some trail research on "Mountain Bike Bill's" website recently. What an awesome tool that is to find some great local, and some not-so-local trails to ride in So. Cal. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! Hope everyone else had a great weekend. Until next time...

Something new...

Hi All! So I haven't been sleeping well lately. This happens when I'm unable to shut my mind down at night. And that usually is a result of a change in my life. What is it this time you ask? Mountain bike! Yes, that's right, you heard me. I decided to take the plunge and hit the dirt again.

My first adventures on two wheels came in the form of BMX bikes back in the mid-eighties. From there, my passion for being on two wheels evolved in to motorcycles. I rode motorcycles until the ripe old age of nineteen, grew bored with it, sold everything, and took a long break from the world of two wheels for quite awhile. Back in 1998, I decided to purchase a mountain bike from Target, (I know, I know!), and rode occasionally, but nothing serious, (obviously nothing serious on that bike!).

Then one day about a year after that, my cousin called and invited me to go on a mountain bike ride with him. Sure, why not! I, on my high-end Target special. He, on his $3000 Santa Cruz. Of course it wasn't long in to the ride that my curiosity took over, and I found myself navigating the trails aboard the Santa Cruz. BIG FINANCIAL MISTAKE!!! Since that day, I've sunk more money in to mountain bikes, and road bikes, that I'm sure if totaled up, would make me cry!

Well needless to say, for the last ten years it's been all about road bikes for me. And I've loved every minute of it, and still do. But...lately I've found myself getting a little burnt out so to speak. Maybe it's been the lack of racing, or maybe it was too much racing last season, but what ever the reason, I need a change.

Over the last two weeks, I've managed to travel to a couple of cyclocross races to watch some friends tear it up. This has ignited a spark in me to return to the dirt. Not cyclocross though! I have no desire to be forced off my bike to have to run and jump over barriers and any other man-made obstacles that stand in my way. I never raced mountain bikes back when I did ride them, but now that I've raced over sixty races on the pavement, I'm not as intimidated as I was back then, that, and I've discovered the unequaled joys that one can only get from racing.

So here is my latest toy. Picked it up yesterday used from a nice guy in Corona. Not the lightest rig out there, but that will give me something to work on, that and relearning how to even ride in the dirt again. I can't wait!!! Until next time...

A great weekend...

Hi All! Hope everyone out there had a great weekend. I know I did. Got out yesterday and met up with some former teammates for the SDBC "A" ride. The pace was great for this time of year. Not too fast, not too slow, but just right. Rode some extra miles (the A+ ride) with about twelve other riders, and ended up logging 65 miles for the day.

Today, I met up with another former SDBC teammate of mine, Eric Lloyd for a great ride up to Camp Pendleton to watch some of the "Storm the Beach" cyclocross race. We watched the 4 race in the morning that included another SDBC rider, Alcino, who managed to get through his first ever cross race on a heavy mountain bike with a rear flat tire! The guy's got an engine! After that, Eric and I rode up to San Clemente for some lunch, then headed back to the race course to catch some of the Men's Pro 1/2/3 race before heading out just in time to arrive back at my place right as the sun was setting. Perfect timing!

It was nice to see some of the old teammates again, catch up on what's been going, and enjoy another perfect San Diego weekend with some of the nicest guys in cycling.

Hope all is well out there. Until next time...

Whipped!!!

Hello All! So, what's the hardest ride in San Diego you ask? DE LUZ!!! Of course this is just one man's opinion, but De Luz has kicked my A#! both times I've ridden it! The usual answer to that question is typically Palomar Mountain, and that WAS my answer until I rode De Luz today for the second time ever. I needed to ride it at least twice before I was convinced of its ability to punish any and all who dare to tackle its hills. Here's the catch...

Although Palomar is a longer climb (12 miles), without any reprieve whatsoever, this is actually what makes it easier then De Luz. The fact that there is no let up on the slopes, no place to coast, or spin out the legs, allows you to get in to a rhythm. As most climbers know, this is the secret to climbing well, or again, at least in my opinion. You shouldn't fight the climb. You shouldn't fight your bike. All too many times, while I'm riding with partners who aren't good climbers, or who dread climbing all together, I hear them battling with their bikes. Constantly shifting gears, trying to find the perfect gear or cadence, when they should just find a gear they're able to stay on top of, settle in, and find a good rhythm. De Luz doesn't allow this to happen.

Steep, short, punchy hills, followed by steep, and all too short descents that don't allow time to recover. Over and over again. And once who've entered the canyon, there's no easy way out, you're committed. Ride numbers for the day...

5.5 hrs
86 miles
5100 calories burned
137 average bpm
192 max bpm
79rpm average cadence

The end result? Whipped!!!! Until next time...

Santiago Canyon TT...

Hello again! Results for the Santiago Canyon TT race I did last weekend. 29:26, for 7th place out of 19 riders in the Cat 4/5 race. Not bad for not having raced in five months! Until next time...

Check...

Hi All! Yesterday, Mt. Laguna Loop via Kitchen Creek Road. 58 miles, 5900ft of climbing. Today, Palomar Mt., 78 miles, 7900ft of climbing. Two of San Diego's finest climbs in the same weekend. Check that one off the bucket list! I'll provide more details later, but for now, I'm whipped!!! Until next time...

I did it!!!

Good morning All! Speaking of morning...my favorite time of day! I wasn't always a morning person, but since owning a restaurant for the last seven plus years, I've become one. 5:30am everyday. That's when my alarm goes off, regardless of whether I work. I've found this to be good for a couple of reasons...First, it helps me get on a regular sleep pattern. There's nothing worse for interrupting good sleep then going to bed and getting up at different hours throughout the week. Second, from the time your alarm goes off and you get out of bed, until the time you actually arrive at work, is the best. The day is fresh. Nothing bad has happened. Just a nice hot cup of coffee, some catching up on the news, watching the sun rise, it's all good! Who knows what the day's going to throw at you after that!

I did it!!! Yes, I finally pinned on a number and raced this weekend. I decided late Friday night, that I was going to go race the Santiago Canyon Time Trial Saturday morning. Having not raced since late May, I told myself not to have any lofty expectations, just go and try and break thirty minutes for the eleven mile run up the canyon. I couldn't hang around for the results to be posted, and they're not yet on the internet, but I'm pretty sure I reached the goal. We'll see. But boy did it feel good to race again! That's what I was hoping for. I wasn't sure if I was losing the urge to race, or if I had just been away too long and the urge was dulled.

As far as the race went, nothing to exciting. I always play a game in TT's where I like to see how many people I can catch and pass in front of me, all the while, trying not to be passed by anyone. I was able to do that Saturday. I think I passed three riders, two of whom were one minute, and a a minute and a half in front of me. My thirty second guy and myself, played a game of "back and forth" for the last five or so miles of the race. There was one incident that totally annoyed me though.

As I was racing up the canyon, I saw two riders up ahead moving at a good pace, drafting off of each other, obviously not in the race, but rather out for a weekend ride up the canyon. (Apparently Santiago Canyon is a popular riding spot for Orange County cyclists). As I caught up to then I yelled out, "On your left!" I slowly made my way pass them, and as soon as I did, they jumped on my wheel. Now as far as I know, this isn't illegal in a time trial, but what it is, is annoying to the racer trying to concentrate on their race! I didn't say anything though, and kept pedaling. All of a sudden the jackasses slowly come up my left side, pass me, and proceed to pull over right in front of me! Now I know this IS illegal. A racer is not allowed to draft at all in a TT. At this point I quickly slip out in to the car lane to get out of their draft before I'm DQ'ed by one of the officials on the side of the road. I also yell at the guys to "MOVE!". I'm in a race I tell them, but they pay no attention and this annoying game is played until we're a little less then a mile from the finish, where I drop the hammer hard and shake them.

Can't these people see the number on your back? That coupled with the fact I'm yelling at them that I'm in a race should be enough. Oh well, that's all part of it I suppose. I do plan on making the next Santiago Canyon TT, November 14th, then my uneventful season will be over. Hopefully next year promises to be better all around, for everyone. Until next time...

An eye opener...

What do ya think? Some truth to this...

???

Hello All. Ok, I'm having a problem. I cannot seem to get psyched up to race lately. Of course I haven't raced since last May at the State Championship TT's, where I had a great time, but that was then. There's a race coming up this Saturday, the Santiago Canyon TT, a race I love, but somehow I just can't seem to get my head in to it.

I'm still thinking that maybe when there's too much going on outside of my "cycling" bubble, it's just too hard to focus on the bike. I suppose this is how it should be, cycling after all, is just a hobby. Still, it's a hobby that keeps me sane in a world that's anything but.

I'm leaning towards skipping the race Saturday in lieu of just going for a nice long ride (maybe Palomar), and then heading up to Anaheim Sunday with the guys for another nice long ride back down to Solana Beach. There is another Santiago race November 14th, who knows, maybe I'll be more in to then?

Sorry for the lack of interesting posts, but there really hasn't been much going on other then work, and some riding. I promise something more interesting next time! Until next time...

Mad Skills!!!

Down again...

Ok, here I sit on the couch again! Another injury involving either a pinched nerve or some kind of muscle strain in the left side of my neck/chest. This has been a reoccuring injury since I was in my early twenties and heavy in to lifting weights. I pulled a muscle or strained one way back then, and every once in a great while it gives way. It's usually few and far between so it's something I can live with, but it's hit me two times in three weeks! Fortunately, I think I've discovered what's triggering it. Working out!

I worked out very few times this year, and when I did, it hurt my performance on the bike. I'm not saying that working out is a bad thing to do, or that it has no benefits, but not for all. A professional bike racer probably does benefit from this, but one has to remember that's their job. They ride a bike 40 hours a week, and that's it, so adding workouts in to that mix isn't an overload, but for the average amateur racer who has a regular forty hour a week job, just riding an average of ten to twelve hours a week is enough. Anymore, and overload can occur, which just sets you back. We shouldn't try and emulate their training schedules.

I believe it's better to spend any extra time one has actually out training on the bike rather then hitting the gym. Which one is going to make you faster? There's a saying..."Get in to shape to play your sport. Don't play your sport to get in to shape". I don't think that holds true for cycling. Most people ride bikes to get in to shape. I now firmly believe that's all that is needed for me.

So here I sit. Maybe another week off the bike to heal, and then back to it without the weekly workout! Hope all is well, until next time...

Magic...

Hello All! Have you ever had one of those moments on the bike where there just seems to be "magic" in the air. I LOVE to ride my bike. I don't ride just to get in to shape for an upcoming race, or because it's a social outlet for me. Training partners aren't required for me to enjoy a ride, sometimes they help motivate, but in the end I'm just happy I'm able to get out and pedal. I regress.

Today after work, I hopped on the bike to get a quick 1-1/2 hours of recovery after Sunday's 90-miler through the hills of San Diego County. As I rode down the Coast Highway, I just had this sense of everything being "perfect". The temperature, the ocean water, the sights, sounds, smells, everything. And I was enjoying all this, the only, and best way possible, from the seat of a bike. I wasn't hammering the pedals, which in its own way is extremely enjoyable, but just cruising down the highway, taking it all in. This is why I ride, moments like these. Be safe y'all. Until next time...

Distractions...

Hello All! Have you ever felt that your life just isn't going smoothly, and nothing feels right. Turmoil, that's the word!!! I've decided to back out of the Mt. Charleston Hill Climb this coming Saturday. With this economy the way it is, our restaurant has taken a big hit in sales, but the problem really lies in our food cost going up exponentially over the last year or so. Anyone who grocery shops knows this to be true. This is one of many pitfalls in the restaurant business, food costs literally change on a daily basis, and you're not able to change your menu to reflect those changes!

So, with the business struggling, I'm forced to work more hours, and my priorities have shifted considerably. I couldn't figure out why, for the longest time (almost this whole race season), why I couldn't get motivated to train properly, or even race for that matter. Now I know. Oh well, this is life, ups and downs, ebbs and flows. It's how we deal with it that matters most.

So for now, the racing takes a back seat to more important matters, but I will continue to log as many miles as possible on the bike. I'm determined to not lose too much fitness, because we all know how much more work is required to get it back:)

Hope all is well with you all. Until next time...

Yo...

Hello All! How's everything going out there? Not a lot new to report here. Work is work. We could be busier, wish we were, but who doesn't these days! I've been training my a#$ off for the last two months trying to be prepared for the Mt. Charleston Hill Climb coming up September 19th. Unfortunately I was training a little too hard and paid the price for it.

Two Fridays ago, I attended my nephew and niece's "End of Summer" party at their pre-school, and woke up Saturday morning with a cold. Imagine that! Well, like the fool I tend to be when it comes to not listening to my body, I went out with the team Saturday for a hard training ride throughout the hills of San Diego county. Needless to say, I awoke Sunday morning with a bad pinched nerve in the left side of my neck, which affected the entire left side of my upper body. Couple that with the cold I already had, and what do you get? A forced time off the bike:( I ended up taking one week completely off the pedals, which I realized after riding both days this last weekend, didn't really set me back at all. In fact, I felt really strong on the bike. Maybe a little rest isn't such a bad thing after all!

Hope all is well for everyone out there, keep your heads up, work hard, and play harder. Until next time...

An actual update!!!

Hi All,
Sorry for the huge gap in between entries. Truth be told, I've come to realize that blogging takes some commitment, and I've managed to place quite a few other commitments ahead of this one. I was out on a ride last week, working my way through the hills of San Diego County, when a thought occurred to me...instead of blogging about just my training, or my races, (which these days have been few and far between), why not write about what I see, or what I experience while on my bike. So here goes...

What made me think of this, was an incident that happened soon after I pulled out of the Chevron off the 15 and Highway 76, next to Nessy Burger. I decided to head straight down the 76 East and make my way to Cousar Canyon Road. As I made my way down the highway, I came up on a large construction project, (I believe they're widening the Highway). There was a construction worker standing in the middle of the road holding one of those "Stop/Slow" signs, with the "Stop" side facing me. I rode to the front of the line, to let my presence be known to the cars waiting to proceed down the road.

As the worker flipped the sign, I clipped in and took off. Now mind you, this section of road was slightly downhill, and within a few seconds I was cruising along at 25-28mph, trying to keep my speed up as not to hold up traffic. There was no shoulder in this section of road, just cones on the right-hand side. I was riding as close to the cones as possible, noticing that not far up the road the cones ended, and then I'd be able to get out of the way, and let the cars pass.

Well needless to say, some jackass in a large, black truck, decided he didn't want to wait and gunned it by me. I knew the truck was coming, I could hear the engine rev. At that point, I moved over as far right as I could, uncomfortably close to the cones as the truck sped by. As soon as I thought I was clear of the truck I just began to move back over, when all of a sudden I noticed he was also towing a trailer with a dune buggy on it! I just manged to veer right, and I swear I felt something solid brush my left shoulder! Hands down the closest I've come to be taken out. I had to laugh to myself when I looked up and noticed the "Jesus is Lord" sticker dominating the guys rear window! Yeah right!

On the training front...I've been working my ass off in preparation for the Mt. Charleston Hill Climb. Hands down, one of my favorite races of the year. Weekly Palomar repeats, yes I did say Palomar repeats:) Dieting and getting the weight down as much as possible. I have to say though, I'm getting tired of always being tired. This level of intensity in my training leaves me little energy for anything else.

Nothing to report on the racing front, seeing as how I haven't raced since May! I can't wait to pin a number on, I just hope the lack of competition doesn't hurt me too much come race time. Hope all is well out there! Until next time...

Long time, no talk...

Hi All,
Happy 4th! Hope everyone has a great day, and enjoys the freedoms this great country has to offer. No place better! Sorry for the big gap between entries. I've come to realize that maintaining a blog is a lot of work, and often difficult to remember it even exists. I just returned from vacation on the 30th. Seventeen days of vacation to be exact, the longest I've ever taken. I had a GREAT time! Managed to see Yosemite, Crater Lake, and finally arriving in Astoria, OR to prepare for the reason for taking the trip in the first place. Riding down the Oregon coast to San Francisco with my father-in-law:)

The trip was absolutely beautiful! I have to say, the roads in Oregon, and the scenery, make the rides around here in So Cal pale in comparison. I had to keep reminding myself there was a dark side to what creates that beautiful scenery. RAIN!!! Fortunately for us, we only experienced one day in the nine that we rode, that was really wet. Other then that, the rest of the trip was on the cool side, but highly enjoyable. Our ride numbers...Nine days of riding, 639 miles total. Other then a pair of sore kness, everything was perfect. Not even a flat tire between us!

On to the racing...WHAT'S THAT??? I haven't raced since the State TT Championships back in May!!! I'm getting a little nervous that I won't remember how when I do finallly get ack in the action. My next race will either be the Sisquoc RR, or the Mt. Charleston HC, or both, or neither. To be honest, my focus has faded from the race scene this season. Not that I'm not enjoying it anymore, just have other things I've been focusing on, and life has stepped in the way more then once this year. I've learned to be OK with that, reminding myself racing is what I do has a hobby, not as a living. Well that's about all for now, until next time...

The Change...

Well as you can see, there's been a change not only to my blog header, but to the team I race for now. This is sort of a homecoming of sorts. I started racing with Team Ranchos back in 2007, and have now returned. Nothing against SDBC at all, one of the greatest teams out there, full of guys who I thoroughly enjoyed racing with. Sometimes a change is what's needed to further one's progress in the sport, and sometimes that change involves taking a step back. I have absolutely no regrets about racing with SDBC, and no regrets about leaving Ranchos back in 2007. Had I not done that, I would probably have never met the people I now call friends on SDBC. Until next time...

A change is gonna come...

Hello All. Writing to you from beautiful, sunny San Diego! Man what a nice day! Got out on the bike today for a good 3.5hrs, moderate-to-high intensity, just trying to clear the legs out some after yesterday's State Time Trial Championships. 40k, in the high desert, my goal, break an hour. This was my first 40k time trial so I had no idea on how to pace myself, so I played it smart and rode within myself for almost the entire distance. 55:20 is the time I ran, so the goal was met. Next season, a 54:00 flat. I'm finding out that any race with a "championship" designation really brings out the big guns. I had a vision of cracking in to the top ten, but even running a 55:20 only netted me 28th! Next race on the calendar, the State Road Race Championship. This race is an "A" race all the way for me, and I'm hoping the form I had out at San Luis Rey is still there come June 7th. As for the change is gonna come title of this blog, more on that when it happens. Until next time...

SLR

San Luis Rey! Damn fun race! Entered this race with the intention of getting a great workout, not to place high. That's exactly what I did. I didn't think I'd have good legs for this race, after my miserable performance at Punchbowl, but guess what! To keep it short, it was sooo easy to get to the front, and even attack at will. One of my attacks actually succeeded and I managed to get about a 40-second gap on the field. Rode solo for almost 8 miles! Good fun:) Next up, Fiesta Island TT this Sunday, 40k. Wish me luck!!! Until next time...

Devil's Pukebowl

Hi All. Reporting to you from sunny San Marcos. The word for the day is HOT!!! 91 degrees here and sunny. Also reporting with my second cold this year! WTF!!! I'm getting sick of being sick. Typically, I only get sick once a year, usually around Christmas and that's it. As usual I was sick then, with a severe case of bronchitis, (first time for me), and now I've managed to pick up a head cold a few days ago. I'm sure I received this gift from my mother, who recieved it from my four year old nephew. I love those kids, but at this age they're a step above a carrier monkey when it comes to germs!

Now, on to the reason for writing this blog entry. Devil's Punchbowl. Yes, yesterday I raced the DP. This has been my third year racing in this event and I absolutely love it! The course is just kick ass, plain and simple. Of course looking back at my results you'd never guess my love for the event. 38th out of 75 racers yesterday. My poor result partly due to a side stitch cramp I experienced fifteen minutes out of the gate, followed by multiple inner thigh cramps later in the race, but mostly due to my lack of overall fitness. Getting sick and crashing will do that to you. Regardless, I still had a great time, and reaffirmed my love for road races over any other form of racing I've competed in. Now on to the report...

Lined up at the start line right where I wanted to be. One row back, on the outside. Whistle blows, get a good clean clip in to the pedal, and off I go! A guy takes a flyer in the first 500 feet of racing, we all just look at each other and laugh. Go get em buddy! As we approach the bottom of the climb which is in the first mile or so of the course, I'm pedaling hard to maintain my position (about fifth in line), too hard. We reach the top of the first portion of climbing, and I round the corner still in fifth, but now my heart rate is way too high, and I'm having trouble recovering in time to tackle the three large rollers just ahead. As we reach the first roller a pack of twenty or so guys goes motoring by me. I can't respond, still having trouble breathing! Shit, there goes the winning move! To keep a long story short, the rest of my day consisted of chasing the lead group until I could no longer see them, and trying to do battle with every rider that either caught me, or that I caught. All in all, a good solid 2-1/2 hours of hard riding that can't hurt in the quest to gain some fitness.

Next up, San Luis Rey. Originally I was on target to be in top form for this race, but having now to deal with this cold, who knows? I suppose not every season can go according to schedule:) I've also decided to quit posting my training schedule. To be honest, I'm just not that in to keeping track of all the numbers. One of the reasons I decided to sell my PowerTap. Just get out and ride hard when I feel good, and easier when I don't. I think at the Cat 4 level, that's all that's needed. Until next time...

Training Week

Training Week -- 03/23 - 03/29

Mon: 2hrs; light-to-moderate spin out to coast and back
Tue: 0
Wed: 1.75hrs; light-to-moderate spin out to coast and back
Thu: 0
Fri: 1.75hrs; TT bike
Sat: 0
Sun: 0

Total: 5.5hrs

Doing what I can...

Hi All,
I'm more then halfway through with my 12-day work stint! A couple of things I've realized from this. 1) Working everyday really isn't all that hard. As a matter of fact, I'd work far more days if it wouldn't cost me losing an employee. 2) With daylight savings time, it's possible to work everyday and still train, although it's difficult to log some serious miles.

My current training schedule during this work period has been to ride every other day for 90-minutes, moderate-to-hard intensity, attacking every hill I come across on a 30-mile loop I've designed for myself. My goal is to just keep the level of fitness I've achieved after my bout with the back injury and bronchitis I suffered over most of December and January. Throw crashing at the Tour of Murrieta in on top of that, and my performance at the upcoming Omnium stage race will be questionable.

Although the Omnium was originally an "A" race for me, I have to give it a little less priority in the grand scheme of things now, and just hope for the best. My plan, (now that I'm not racing crits anymore), is to kill it in the TT and RR, and accumulate enough points in those two events to place high overall without even racing the crit. We'll see!

More importantly, my focus as shifted to the Devil's Punchbowl RR on April 18th, and the San Luis Rey RR on May 3rd. I'm not sure I'll be in top form for Punchbowl, but should be by San Luis. As soon as the Omnium is over it's back to logging some seriously long miles in the saddle with large amounts of climbing and interval work.

I still have yet to race a TT this season, which makes the Omnium's TT even that much more iffy! There's times when I wished I would of skipped the Bulldog RR, and instead opted to race the Santiago Canyon TT just to have a TT in my legs, but trade my only top ten road finish this year, I THINK NOT!!!

We'll that's bout it for now. Until next time...

Training Week

Training Week -- 03/16 - 03/22

Mon: 0
Tue: 2hrs
Wed: 0
Thu: 3.0hrs; moderate-to-hard rode, Valley Center, Bonsall
Fri: 2.0hrs;
Sat: 1.25hrs; light-to-moderate spin out to PCH and back
Sun: 0

Total: 8.25hrs

Training Week

Training Week -- 03/09 - 03/15

Mon: 0
Tue: 2hrs; easy spin along coast
Wed: 2hrs; TT bike,light-to-moderate, followed by core w/o
Thu: 0
Fri: 2.5 hrs; easy spin along coast
Sat: 25 mins; Tour of Murrieta Grand Prix, CRASH!!!
Sun: 1.5hrs, light-to-moderate ride around San Marcos

Total: 8.5hrs

It was bound to happen...

Hi All. Well as the title states, it was bound to happen, crashing that is. Woke up early Saturday morning, 5am, and was on the road to Murrieta by 6. Our race time was 8:50am, and we had a great turn out for the two-day stage race, about nine or ten of us in both events. The plan was for another teammate and I to try and get some attacks in and just see what happens since we didn't have our sprinters with us. The whistle was blown, and off we went. I was curious to see how the legs were going to handle the first crit of the season. As expected the first ten minutes hurt a lot.

I never start out strong right out of the gate. The pace seemed extremely high and never let up. About fifteen minutes in to the race me legs began to finally settle in and at that point I knew finishing wasn't going to be a problem, but the high pace never ceased which never allowed me to get up front, let alone, attack. As usual there was a crash entering turn two, which ended up being the sketchiest turn on the course. The crash took place in front of me, but I was able to get around. Disaster adverted. At least for a few minutes.

After exiting turn four (the final turn before the start/finish line), the road went from two lanes to four, but then was reduced to three lanes because of the race announcer's booth and the cones in front of it. A couple of times I used this opportunity to stay wide on the outside and pick up a few spots, but then found myself battling to get back in the pack before I reached the cones. After doing this two times, I decided this wasn't smart and stayed in the pack through the coned section.

A couple of laps later, there I was, sitting in the middle of the pack as we entered that section. The next thing I knew I see a cone flying through the air, followed by that terrible metallic crunching and people screaming. I saw the crash taking place to the right of me, and watched it domino its way to the right towards me. I cut hard right bumping the rider next to me hard, but was unable to get around the rider who went down in front of me. Lock em up, and over I go! At that point, all I could think about was trying to save my new frame. I held fast to the bars, tucked left and hit the pavement. I ended up laying on my back, with my bike above me. From there my next thought was more bikes heading my way! I curled up and waited. Nothing. I looked up and saw the race had gotten around us. Here come the people to grab our bikes and us off the road.

Ended up with some minor scrapes on my hip, shoulder, and leg, but a pretty deep cut which bled profusely on my pinky finger. Courtesy of someone's sprocket! Needless to say, nothing broken, and was even able to get out today on the bike for 90 minutes pain free (yes, I skipped the final stage of the Tour of Murrieta)! What did I take away from this incident you ask? NO MORE CRITS!!! I said I wasn't racing them anymore, but didn't follow through on that, and look where it got me. The risk/reward just isn't great enough. I really don't enjoy them, hell even if I won, it would pale in comparison to winning a road race, time trial, or hill climb. Those are my passion, and honestly the only types of racing I have a chance of winning. Be safe out there you all:) Until next time...

Anxious...

I have an itch that I really need to scratch! I'm itchin to race this weekend. My fitness still isn't where it needs to be to place high, especially in a crit, but I plan on using this weekend's racing (Tour of Murrieta) to absolutely bury myself. I haven't been doing a lot of high-intensity training lately, I've been focusing more on re-building my base, and getting my legs back in the hills. This Saturday's crit should prove to be painful. Sunday's circuit race won't be much different given the short distance (39 miles). Pain with a side of pain please:) Report to follow. Until next time...

Training Week

Training Week -- 03/02 - 03/08

Mon: 1.75hr; easy spin to coast and back
Tue: 0
Wed: 2.5hrs; San Elijo/Twin Oaks hill repeats (3x3)
Thu: 0
Fri: 3hrs; moderate ride out to PCH and back in via Del Dios
Sat: 3.75hrs; SDBC "A" ride + race clinic + hill sprints
Sun: 4.25hrs; moderate to hard hill work. Valley Center, Bonsall, Fallbrook

Total: 15.25hrs

It's Monday morning and I'm feeling really tired. I think between the time change (I'm not complaining), and the hard work over the weekend, I'm ready to start tapering back this week for the next race this weekend. A two-day stage race, The Tour of Murrieta. I've never raced this one, but am looking forward to it. The first day is basically a crit, followed Sunday by a 39-mile circuit race. I won't be doing my usual recovery ride today, I noticed my cassette had some play in it on yesterday's ride, and it turned out to be something internal within the hub. But I did take tomorrow off for my b-day, and will be sure to log some easy miles then! Until next time...

Gotta Love This!!!

Ryder Hesjedal :: Haleakala Attempt from Media One Multimedia on Vimeo.

Training Week

Training Week -- 2/23 - 03/01

Mon: 0
Tue: 2hrs; easy spin around Carlsbad/SM
Wed: 2.5hrs; San Elijo/Twin Oaks hill repeats (3x3)
Thu: 0
Fri: 3hrs; easy spin down PCH
Sat: 1.25hrs; Bulldog Road Race
Sun: 5.5hrs; Palomar Mtn.

Total: 14.25hrs

Hair of the Dog!!!

Hello again. Today I competed in the Camp Pendleton Bulldog Road Race. Originally I was gearing up to race the Santiago Canyon TT, but a persuading email from a teammate caused me to change my mind. He said it was the most well organized race he had ever competed in. It sounded interesting, and I figured since I wasn't going to be able to make all four races in the Santiago series, why not try something new.

As it turns out, the race was incredibly organized. The United States Marines really know how to put on an event. Not only was it organized, but the Marines themselves were so friendly and helpful, which made the day so enjoyable. At the finish, the Marines were congratulating us and telling us how amazing we were! Not a chance! They are the ones who are amazing! All we did was compete in an amateur bike race, they're the ones putting their life on the line so we can. Anyone who serves in our Armed Forces will ALWAYS have my utmost respect. Semper Fi!

I managed to finish 7th place in my age category, and 18th overall. That's where the good news ends. As far as the race report goes, VERY SCARY! As it turned out, many people in the race had prior race experience and knew what to do out there, but quite a few had never raced before, and quite a few were racing with aero bars. Granted there were told they couldn't use them, using them wasn't the issue, it was the fact that people who have aero bars on their bikes are typically triathletes, and typically triathletes aren't very comfortable being surrounded by a large number of other riders going at high speeds. Needless to say, there was a lot of bumping, a near crash for me, and two crashes in our race!

On another down note, I'm fairly sure I could have won this race, if I had let my instincts take over instead of my brain in the last mile, (prior course knowledge would have helped too). With one mile to go I found myself in the lead group of about 12 riders, the peloton out of sight behind us. My instincts said to attack and try and break away solo for the win, but my brain said wait and count the riders around and see who is in your group. I went with the brain, started counting and came to the decision that I was sitting pretty high up, so I'd finish this one in a group sprint. I forgot that I can't sprint well! Had I known there was a 90 degree left turn coming up, followed by a 90 degree right, followed up by a chicane to the finish line, I would of attacked in a heartbeat knowing a single rider could blast through all that with minimal braking. Instead I stayed with the group, braking hard for both turns, then having to sprint from a slow speed for 7th. Another lesson learned. Tomorrow's plan...ride a large portion of the Tour of California route. 90+ miles with a whole lot of climbing. Oh yeah! Until next time...

Training Week

Training Week -- 2/16 - 2/22

Mon: 0
Tue: Core/Weights
Wed: 4hrs; Ramona Loop
Thu: 0
Fri: 0
Sat: 6hrs; Palomar Mtn.
Sun: 3.5hrs; TOC Cole Grade Road

Total: 13.5hrs

TOC!!!

In one word...Awesome!!! Left the house Sunday morning at 10am with about six other teammates. We made our way to Cole Grade Road via Lake Wohlford Road. I've climbed Lake Wohlford many times before, but never with a thousand + people lining the side of the road ringing cow bells and cheering you on. After riding 92 miles the day before up Palomar Mountain, I told myself I was going to take it easy going out to Cole Grade Sunday, but that was impossible with all those people providing some serious motivation to go fast up the hill. Great experience!

Anyhow, arrived at Cole Grade, and found our way to a four-acre plot of land privately owned by an individual who was generous enough to open it up to the public, offering incredible views of Pauma Valley and Cole Grade below. A Jumbotron was on hand, along with a PA system, porta potties, trash cans, etc. Simply amazing! Hats off to the owner of the land for making a lot of people's day:) I have to say, seeing the racers live was an incredible experience, but really paled in comparison to the sheer magnitude of the energy the spectators were putting out that day. I truly hope the promoters of the TOC took note...300,000 spectators turned out for Stage 8, and 2 million spectators for the entire tour. WOW!

Up next, Santiago Canyon TT this Saturday. Not expecting any fireworks, but it will be nice to reintroduce the body to the pain of TT'ing. Until next time...P.S. The photo of Armstrong was taken by yours truly, as he was approaching the top of Cole Grade Road. I was extremely lucky to get such a great photo. Couldn't of taken a better one if I tried! Until next time...

2009 Bailey Bikes D-503

The D-503. That is the name of the 2009 Bailey road bike model. In one word...SWEET! Granted, I've only been out once on it, but man what a nice ride it was. 4 solid hours through Ramona, Highland Valley, Del Dios, RSF, Del Mar. A very smooth ride, great stability going downhill, and stiff when you put the power to the pedals. Really looking forward to climbing Palomar this Saturday on it. Also looking forward to seeing the mountain the day before the TOC arrives. And Sunday is just going to be epic sitting on the side of Cole Grade Road waiting for the pros to fly by. Until next time...

Training Week

Training Week -- 2/9 - 2/15

Mon: 0
Tue: Core/Weights
Wed: 1 hr; TT bike
Thu: 0
Fri: 1.75hrs; Elfin Forest Loop
Sat: 4hrs; TT Bike
Sun: 0

Total: 6.75hrs

Down again...

Hi All. Writing from the desk on a cold, windy, and rainy day here in the North County. Everything is going OK right now in life. The cafe has had a busy week, which is a HUGE plus with the way the economy has been going. I've been busy designing a blog page for the restaurant which you can visit at http://leannslsmcafe.blogspot.com. It's a work-in-progress so bear with me. School is going good. I ended up dropping a second class and am now down to just one. I decided the cafe is where my primary focus needs to be right now. No job = no school, no racing = no bueno! On the bike front...Was recently getting back to some good training and could feel the fitness coming back. Was gearing up to head out to Pearblossom this last Saturday for the UCLA RR, that is until I ran in to a problem with my bike. I was out on a training ride Friday, just a short opener to get the legs cleared out before the race, when I decided to stop by the in-laws house in Elfin Forest. As I was getting ready to leave, I grabbed my seat post to swing the bike around and noticed it was moving inside the frame! NOT GOOD! As it turns out, the aluminum insert designed to slide the seat post in, and slide the seat post clamp over to tighten it down, was coming loose from the carbon itself. Needless to say, I rode the remaining 12 miles home mostly out of the saddle! I spoke with John Bailey (the frame's designer), and he's hooking me up with an 09' frame asap. I have no complaints with the bike, and realize these bikes haven't been out that long, so there's going to be bugs to work out. The bike was an awesome ride, and I wouldn't want another brand. Besides, I rather support someone local who's doing their own thing, rather then a large corporate company who probably wouldn't offer the same personal service if something was to go wrong with their equipment. Anyway, looking forward to the new ride, and definitely recommend Bailey Bikes for anyone in the market looking for an awesome full-carbon ride! Until next time...

Boulehard!!!

It's me again. Just a quick race report on Boulevard. When you look at Boulevard on paper, it should set up perfectly for me. Starts off fairly flat, a few miles of that, then it goes in to a nice fast descent, a great chance to get in to the big-ring and get the legs warmed up for the 10 miles of climbing to follow. It looks good on paper. Why is it then, that when the race reaches the climb, I'm always popped off the back? This year I must admit, I fully expected that, so when it happened, I was OK with it. You can't be off the bike with injury and sickness for almost two full months and expect to come back strong after only two weeks of training under your belt. This wasn't what made Boulevard so tough this year though. The BIG story of the day, was the weather. Yes, anyone who's ever raced Boulevard knows that the weather is always a factor. High winds, freezing temps, etc. But SNOW!!! Arrived at the race 1-1/2 hours before my scheduled 9:15am start. Should of been plenty of time, but by the time I moved the car (to get out of the mud), got dressed in every piece of gear I own, pinned the numbers, etc., it was five minutes til 9, and still no warm-up! So hop on the bike and ride around the parking lot for ten minutes attempting to get the blood flowing...useless! Roll over to the staging area, and wait for the official to do her thing and blow the whistle. This was one of the worst parts of the race. Now I'm not moving and getting cold fast. Finally the whistle blows and off we go. A teammate of mine takes a flyer right off the start, and another asks, "What's he doing? Probably trying to get warm I say. Anyhow, race through the back half of the course staying in the top twenty of a field of 61 riders. Beautiful. Reach the first climb, the heart rate soars, and the pace never lets up. Bye bye peloton. Needless to say, the rest of the race was uneventful, except for the wind, the rain, the freezing rain, the hail, and finally the snow that begin to fall on the final climb. Finished 54th out of 61. Not exactly the result I was hoping for back in late November when I begin training, but then was stopped due to earlier mentioned injury and sickness. I have another RR this Saturday, the UCLA RR up in Pearblossom. Again, no grand plans to finish high with my fitness being as low as it is right now. I'm aiming to be competitive for the UCSB RR on March 8th. I figure I have a full month to prepare for that. Until next time...

Return to Racing

Training Week...
02/01 - 02-/08

Mon: OFF
Tue: 1.25hrs spin around SM
Wed: 1.5hrs spin around SM
Thu: OFF
Fri: 1hr on trainer
Sat: 2.5hrs Boulevard RR
Sun: 4hrs ride to Red Trolley

Total: 10.25hrs

Jelly Beans

Hi All. How's everything going? It's been an interesting week. Work as been going smoothly as far as the operation aspect of the restaurant is concerned, but we could definitely use more business. This economy is no joke. School is going good. Ended up dropping two of the three classes I enrolled in. I figure enroll in as many as you think you can handle, then adjust from there. With the way the business is going, my focus needs to be on the cafe. On to the bike...The Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team arrived in town this Monday for their annual training camp. They stay at a resort not far from my house, and right across the street from our cafe. I contacted the team director, who as it turns out, is a really nice guy. Anyway, I offered them a "deal on meals", and received some swag and on offer to go for a ride with the team! Really cool!!! More on that later. This Saturday kicks off my racing season...Boulevard!!! The race of pain! My fitness isn't where it needs to be to be competitive, but I'm telling myself to go in with the right attitude, and let the chips fall where they may. I've been enjoying being back on the bike though:) I'll provide a race report if I live through it! Until next time...

Training Week

Training Week -- 1/26 - 2/1

Solid...

Mon: 0
Tue: Core/Weights
Wed: 1 hr; TT bike
Thu: 0
Fri: 3 hrs; Valley Center
Sat: 3 hrs; "A+" ride
Sun: 5 hrs; Wohlford, 76, Cole Grade, TIRED!

Total: 12 hrs

Tired and Sore

Hi All! It's been awhile since my last entry. No reason really, just haven't gotten to it. I'm two weeks into the Library Technology program, and so far, so good. As usual, I'm having feelings of "second thoughts". I get so worried that I'm not picking the right career choice, but I've dealt with this for years. Work is going OK. Business could be better. We are definitely feeling the pinch of this economy. Now, on to the good stuff! I was off the bike for almost 8 weeks from mid-November to mid-January. First with the sprained back, then followed immediately by a bout with bronchitis. The team camp two weeks ago was my return to training so to speak, and it was weak. Since then, I've been staying focused and consistent with my training regime, and am slowly beginning to feel stronger. I just finished a hard three-day training block designed to gain some fitness before my first race this season, Boulevard! Friday consisted of 3 hours through the hills of Valley Center. Saturday I rode out to Del Mar and met up with the SDBC "A" ride. Drilled it at the front for awhile (45-minutes), then branched off for some extra miles. Ended up with a good 3 hours. Sunday, was epic. Rode from the house and climbed Lake Wohlford Road, then headed out to Palomar Mountain. My plan was to climb to the summit, but as I was climbing the first 5-mile section (Highway 76), I was feeling weak for sure. As I reached the turn off to go up South Grade Road, I stopped and made the decision to skip going to the summit, and instead descended back down Highway 76 to Cole Grade Road. Needless to say, that climb is going to hurt the boys in the Tour of California! All in all, ended up with a solid 5-hours and a great prep for Boulevard. A lot of the team went out to the desert this Saturday for the Imperial Classic. They did great, got us a podium finish, and rode strong as a team. I was sooo tempted to race this one, I did last season and loved it, but instead decided to stick to the plan of focusing on RR's and TT's this season and opted for the big training block in hopes it'll pay off for Boulevard. We'll see!!! Until next time...