Solid...

Hi All! How's the week treatin' you? Well, another excellent week of training in the books! Week two of training with a purpose as I like to think of it, is done, and I'm ready to dive in to the third week. I've never been this structured this early in the season, actually I've never been this structured with my training, but after getting on a program this last summer, and seeing the results at the Death Valley Stage Race, I'm convinced it's what's needed to be a factor at the races.

I took Monday completely off the bike and gym as usual. I use Mondays to get caught up on as many errands and things I put off as possible. Tuesday it was back on the trainer for a round of 2x20 FTP intervals, then Wednesday a short, but hard 1:15 on the bike. Thursday I planned on hill repeats, but didn't have enough time, so it was another short but hard ride around town. Friday was the usual 60-minute recovery ride out to Carlsbad and back. Nothing out of the ordinary, but the weekend...

Friday night, my good friend and training partner, and now also a working partner with Bailey Bikes, Mark Palmer, shot me an email saying he was going to be hitting up the Swamis Ride in the morning. The Swamis Ride isn't my favorite, but I did do it last week, and figured the fast group ride would be good for me to get my racing nerve back before Boulevard arrives. The first few road races of the season are always a bit nerve racking for me, and I'm assuming a lot of other racers, because we've been away from the action for a few months, and most of our training is usually done solo, or in small groups, so when you find yourself surrounded by 99 of your closest racing friends, things can get a little sketchy to say the least!

To make a long story short, Saturday's ride was kick ass! As it turns out, Mark's coach, none other then Chris Horner himself, was at the ride, then when the ride reached the church in Escondido for the regroup, Mark, Horner, myself, and two other riders, both pros, one from the Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team, and the other a friend of Horners, spent the next 2-hours riding throughout the hills of North County. All in all, 101 miles, 5:35, and an 17.9 average! When I peeled off from Mark, Horner, and the other two riders at the 4-hour mark, we had an average speed of 18.6! One of the toughest training rides I've ever been on, but one of the best too.

Today was me, myself, and I out for 3-hours of mostly easy riding, just recovering from yesterday's big effort. What a wonderful weekend of weather to be outdoors! I hope you were all able to take advantage of it too! Until next time...