Oh Shoot

I finally had a chance to sit down and plan out a training plan at lunch today. If I'm going to do 100 in Palm Springs I need to really get going. 50 Miles already this Sunday.

Need to get going. Hope it doesn't get too cold this winter.

Season Recap

Ok the cycling season is pretty much over now. My last big ride was last week, the Tour de Poway, and now work really kicks into high gear through xmas, so I really don't have time to train for anything until next year.

I'll just briefly recap each ride from the most recent back to my last post.

TOUR DE POWAY CENTURY. This was a tough one. This is a 100 miles loop of North County, going from Poway to Ramona, back though Escondido, though Vista to the Coast, then south to Del Mar and then back east to Poway. It's not a particularly hard Century, there is not a lot of climbing, but it's not easy either.

This was the first century I ever tried last year, and had to pull up after about 55 miles last year due to an injury.

I was feeling pretty good through the first 60 miles or so. The next 10 were tough, and miles 70-80 just sucked... I was hating life so bad. If I could have quit, I might have, but I had no other way to get back to my car, but to ride there. I stopped twice just to catch my breath and get a breather, and I usually never stop. After about 85 miles I noticed my bike felt a little shaky. I got off and spun my back wheel and it spun twice and stopped. One of my spokes came loose again and the wheel was totally rubbing on the brake. So I was riding with my brakes on for how long I have no idea, but I would guess for most of that time that I was really struggling.

Anyway, I am glad I finished, I knew I could, but it tends to be one of those mind over matter things when you go for that long (7 hours and 10 minutes in the saddle). Lotus was there at the finish with Fia and a few friends, but the battery on the camera was dead. Gotta love that!!! Well get that crossing the finishline picture eventually.

CYCLE EASTLAKE - this was a metric century (100K - 62 miles) around the 20th of September. This was a nice little ride that mainly went down and back on the SB Fwy, then went out Otay Lakes to the 94, then southeast on the 94 to Barrat Junction and back. There is a freaking big hill out there at Barrat Junction. But besides that one hill, it was not too bad. There were a lot more riders than I thought there would be (probably about 300), so for a local ride, it was not too bad.

AMTRAK CENTURY - This was a full 100 miles from Irvine to Downtown San Diego. This was a real nice ride, fairly flat, not too hard, but I had a few small problems with the directions. It's called the Amtrak Century because you have the option to return to Irvine on the train. Usually most rides are an out and back or a big loop, so this one being one way was more unique, thus the return trip on the train.

Because I travel with my own support team we went up to Irvine the day before and they met me half way down with new water bottles and gels, then picked me up at the end. I gotta say I have the best support team on the century circuit. I would do this ride again, it was a good course, mostly good road conditions and fairly fast.

COOL BREEZE CENTURY - This ride was a blast. It was very well supported, the course was gorgeous, it was harder than I was expecting, but not overwhelming. The only part I did not like was a stretch you ride on old Hwy 1 along the ocean front. The road is below the new Hwy 101 and so they don't maintain the old Hwy 1 anymore. The road condition sucks on that stretch, but besides that this ride rocks. I will definitely do this ride again. The ride goes from Ventura up the coast to Santa Barbara. Does a big loop around Santa Barbara into the foothill, up to Goleta and back down along the waterfront.

One interesting thing I noticed on this ride was a building a little south of Carpinteria. It said CKE with a star on it. Only because I freaking eat there 2 or 3 times a week, did I know it was Carls Jr HQ. Who would of thought the HQ of a big fast food chain would be in a nice looking 2 story bldg on the coast about 20 minutes south of Santa Barbara. It was weird because really it's not that close to anything commercial, like an airport, or a real major city, etc. But then again, do you really need that these days???

That's a real quick recap of my rides. I really like my new bike. Full carbon is the way to go if you can afford it. Smooths out the ride a lot. I've lost a few more pounds and my body fat has gone down a bit, but I've still got a way to go. During the winter I am going to work as much as I can on intelligent training as far as intervals and strengh and core training, so when I pick up the mileage in the Spring I should be in a better starting place.

Ok need to stop typing and do some exercises.

So Far So Good

Only 2 weeks left until I head off to Ventura for the Cool Breeze. Remarkably everything is going ok. Last weekend I planned to do about 75-80 miles as my training ride and ended up doing 83. I felt real good at the end also. I probably could have done 100 that day if I had the time.

I have a little soreness in the knees from time to time, but nothing really painful. I was thinking about raising my seat a hair since most of the pain is in the front of my knee, which usually indicates your seat is too low. So I raised it a bit this morning on my short ride around here before I went to work and that pain sort of went away. I'll keep it there and see how the ride on Sunday goes (planning to do about 85).

Couple of short rides during the week, 60 next weekend, one or two short ones again the following week, then the Century.

The only other things I am experimenting with are my shorts. I'm really favoring my bib shorts, espeically for these long rides. I'm going to try the performance bib's I bought a few weeks ago this sunday and see how they go. I haven't gone more than 35ish with them so far, so we'll see. I have another pair of bib's from descente (team CSC) which are comfy, but the pad isn't as cushy as some others, so that's always a consideration with these extreme distances.

I also sent my Garmin back to Garmin for service. It just kept turning off for no reason and they said that they would fix it for free since it was a known problem. They said I should have it back in 7-10 days from when they get it. They got it on Tuesday and I included a note in it that asked them to please try to have it back to me in time for my ride, but we'll see.

Other than that, So Far, So Good!!!

Cool Breeze

Lotus says this is going to be my new nickname for a while.

While I was out of town this week I was listening to the Fredcast and he had an interview with a bike shop owner in Ventura. During the interview the host of the Fredcast had mentioned that he has done the Cool Breeze Century before and he really liked it. The Cool Breeze is a Century that goes from Ventura to Santa Barbara and then back. They have a few distances available, but of course I am still looking for my first Century, so I'm going there.

The course is fairly flat, nothing higher than 800 ft, so the Coastal winds will be the biggest obstacle. I may actually change my training to do more into the wind riding and cross wind riding and less hills for the next month. Silver Strand here I come (a lot). I did 75 miles last weekend and included the strand in my ride, so I feel the 100 should be doable (my longest ride has been 92 miles with 6,000 feet of climbing, so this Century should be easier than that, but things can happen).

Need a new Goal

There really are not any more long distance rides in San Diego until October. I think I need an interim goal until then, otherwise I may be even more lazy than I am now.

So I think I'm going to work my way upto a 100 Mile the weekend of July 4th. I did 45 today and will try to do 1o more each Saturday until then. I think I can work in 1 to 2 rides during the week also since it's getting to be light out pretty late now.

At least this is my plan.

Updates

The Solvang Century did not go well. I went about 55-60 miles before calling it a day. We had a real rough night the night before with Sofia, so I did not sleep much, did not eat well the night before and just really had no energy or enthusiam for the ride. It was a realy nice ride, good rest stops and lots and lots of riders. I might actually try it again, but it is pretty far to get there. I would probably go up 2 days before just to make sure I was not so stressed out the dat before.

Then I started to ride with the Trek group again before the San Diego Century (which is tomorrow). BUT.... I really hurt my knee about a month ago on a training ride to Alpine and beyond. My guess is that I just over stressed my knee, becuase I have not had much time (really any) to do any rides during the week, so I just think I overstressed my knee.

After resting it for about a week or two I have started to get back in the saddle. But I'm only upto about 30 miles so far. I might go 35 this weekend. The knees still hurt a bit, so I'm for sure taking is cautiously for now.

I cancelled my entry in the San Diego Century since I knew there was no way I would be able to complete it. But I don't think there is going to be a Poway Century this year, so I'm not sure what is going to be my next goal.

Frackin A

Just like they say on Galactica.

I'm out of town and I brought Thunder with me (YES I NAME MY BIKE, WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT IT!!!) and I was just giving it a quick once over before I put it in my van and noticed the rear wheel was rubbing a lot on the brake. One of the spokes had apparently become very loose and caused the wheel to go WAY out of true.

This is a total pisser, I can't imagine how much more effort I put in to cover that distance. Thinking back I was noticing that it felt a little wobbly going down some of the descents to Alpine. It shouldn't have since I just took it in, but I did not think anything of it at the time. They actually have mechanics at all the stops who could have fixed this for me right there if I would have thought to check it.

ANOTHER VALUABLE LESSON LEARNED....for whatever that's worth...

I'm stronger for it now??? Yea that's it...