Foreshadowing??

I was talking with my buddy Chris up in Seattle the other day...the usual, bike related I am certain. He was looking for something when he came across a light, "this is the light I lent to you back when you did your first 24hr race at Northstar..." I think it was in 2000.

Suddenly I vividly remember a conversation I had with a solo rider somewhere around 3a.m. as I had just finished talking to the black bear running next to me up the powdery single track climb (if you rode the old course you know what I am talking about...oh I was hallucinating by the way, and I was on a 4 person TEAM)...anyway, he was taller than I, had a beard and mustache, sort of straggley...as I passed him on the climb up to the "hike-a-bike" pitch, I asked him how he does it? I don't remember exactly what he said, but he spoke clear and coherently, not what I expected for having been racing for 15 hours on a tough course.

What I said next set in while retelling it to Chris..."Man I gotta give it to you, you are freaking nuts! I could never pull this off!"

Hmmmmmmm.....

That is 100% fact. Funny what sticks in your mind, and this episode popped up a few times a year thinking back to the 24hr races I have done in the past. Kind of funny looking at it now as I prepare for Boggs 8hr in 2 weeks, and 24hrs of Cool in May - solo. Who knew!?

Saturday was my little floor-monkey's meet at Sac State! So cool to watch Annika compete, she loves it. She is amazing too! The parents got to see her too which made it even more special!

She had way too much fun. She was wiped out at the end of the day when we finally got to go eat with Grandma and Pop-Pop. She was asleep before we hit the freeway to drive up the hill!
Its nice to see her have "her own thing" as she has spent her life traveling around watching Cameron do his thing...Of course it helps that Daddy lives across the street from her gymnastics gym...

Right now its baseball 2x per week for Cam, Gymnastics 2x a week for Annika and a few more indoor soccer games in the season on Sundays...I guess the best way to keep them out of trouble is to keep them busy!

Cam is excited for the Prairie City races that start for the kids in June on Wednesday nights....Annika rides 2x as much as Cam, but I think because Cam does it she "hasn't decided yet..." She is Amazing on two wheels too, a SS just like Dad! They absolutely loves riding with me while I run the hills in Cameron Park, both are now flying up the hills w/o help from me. Most of the time I can barely keep up going uphill!

Well, back to the grind!

Thanks to Pop Pop for the pics!

WARNING...explicit pictures below

Here's my contribution to Marja's CX bike being made by Mike DeSalvo... We are putting black Ceramic Mavic Open Pro hoops with DT Comp black butted spokes..... She will be running a pink King headset too! 42 tooth up front with 9 gears in the rear. I got her to get rid of one derailleur at least!

And on my DeSalvo, thanks to Chris for my birthday:

...spins a lot better than my XT BB did thats for sure!

Tough to swallow...

This weekend is the Cool XC race...its a blast, and looks to be almost "hot" considering what we have been riding in (except this past week, its been nice), 70 degrees! Ouch. Way Too Cool is on Saturday, a 50k trail run also starting and finishing in Cool....now they have it tougher with this temperature...Last time I ran that I stood in a creek crossing at about mile 27 with both legs locked up until someone came by with salt tabs....funny, I couldn't move. Before I knew about the magic of Tums too....yes Tums, you'll have to google it and try it yourself....Anyway, its a big weekend in Cool for the ultra runner and mt bikers alike...

I had signed up early for the race, but between gymnastics and then Indoor Soccer on Sunday my weekend is full. I will admit, at first I was really bummed, but then I remember the look on Cam's face the first time he scored a goal, and well, I am a sap so in the end I will be in the right place, I know that. The folks get to see Annika in her big gymnastics meet at Sac State Saturday too! So its a big weekend for the family and we are looking forward to it!

Today I was supposed to meet with Veloyce at Monsters (of Massage) to get my hip/back worked on, but work is sort of sucking the life out of me these days....lets just say the "company line" comes out of my mouth but its hard to be convincing....industry is hoping for an intervention from the legislature and considering the current economic climate....hmmm....okay these guys, as ALWAYS, waited until the last minute to try and meet a deadline they have known about for 4+ years (some actually 10), but this isn't about work!

After work I grabbed the kids and we hung out at Pete's in El Dorado Hills, oh sorry, the EDH, and just had fun after a crazy week. The love their hot chocolate, even when its in the mid 60s outside. It was nice to NOT have to be anywhere....Cam read Annika and I a few books tonight and they crashed early....

Here's where the riding comes in....trainer time......wow I was so close to curling up in bed and hitting the sack at 8:30, but I made it out to put together my new Cycleops and do a Spinerval workout for a little over an hour. OUCH, but then again its supposed to hurt, right!?

The down side, its almost 11pm and I am still wide awake after that punishment babbling aimlessly here. With that said, I am going to read and go to bed. Tomorrow a.m. its a spin from the Fish Hatchery to downtown on the CX bike followed with a spin back in the afternoon....okay I will be honest, the ride back will be predominantly on single track, and when that happens, especially on my CX bike, I usually go fast (that's a relative term here, maybe I should say I don't "go easy" because my legs will be thrashed from tonight).

Dave noticed it a few weeks ago when we road the dirt back toward the Hatchery, when I hit dirt I sped up. I know Scott does it when we ride, so it makes sense...whether its me being comfortable on it, or just the fact its like being a kid each and every time so I just get lost in it, who knows. What I do know is it puts a stupid grin on my face...well that's deep enough for me...

Quote of the day at Petes, Annika had to use the restroom. As I stand by the door because the lock was not working....she goes by me grunting because she has to pee so bad....the door shuts, and I hear, "oooooooh yeah, that's more like it!!!!"

From the mouths of babes...

brrrrrrr...

Well I have nothing on Seattle, that's for sure, but this a.m. after dropping off the munchkins at school I parked at the park and ride to ride in. Everything was frosted, computer stated 31 degrees. Perfectly clear, a slight breeze from the NW. No worries.

I put my layers on top, pulled my jeans off with my bib under neath and reached into my bag for my leg warmers.....still reaching.....fumbling now......hmmmm.

I pile out of the truck, pull my bike out of the back of the truck and start riding. Lets just say, thanks to my brilliance, I froze. I was torn between getting in fast and not hurting my knees. If only I had even knee warmers I would have been perfect other than some frozen toes....those are standard.

I guess I enjoyed the 60s too much (that's temp, not decade) the past few days....

Well yesterday was not nearly as cold at all. I rode in the darkness along the trails on my CX bike. Lots of slime/mud to play in. I was riding my Moab so it was like daylight on the tight overgrown single track between Discovery and mile marker 3. The coyote I came across didn't mind too much, he took off toward the garden Highway unfortunately, but Mar and I have noticed they seem to be pretty smart about crossing roads....anyway, he was fat and healthy undoubtedly eating the river rats in the area!

As I crossed the river at Watt to come down the Sac State side of the river I passed a couple commuters on their road bikes....I was amazed when one seemed to be giving me the finger as I dropped off the bridge onto the dirt trail....Wow.....I was listening to a good song so I could care less....turned out, I just found out, that it was a guy I know that works downtown. He was giving me grief because mud was flying off my tires as I crossed the Watt Ave Bridge....Sorry Jon!! I reminded him that if he had lights (it was very dark) he would have been fine....he didn't catch my nonsense....need I say it.....ROADIE

Okay okay, I rode my road bike today, I'll admit it. Next week I plan on the Monday night river ride to ride in a group. For all the grief I give'em, there still is nothing like flying along in a pack of bikes at about 30+mph.....its pretty cool. Of course out there you usually get the over zealous yahoo who trys to fly off the front and manages to cross wheels with someone and there's a huge pile of carbon fiber splinters and teeth left over....but I digress....

Where was I? Oh yeah the mud....my ride home was late, EVR consumes my time at the office these days...if you know what that is....don't whine at me, if you don't, don't worry about it, it isn't worth it!

The ride back out was nice, a little windy, and a nice distraction from work!

At least my ride home tonight will be warm...

PS....Yeah Chris I know, you are much tougher than I!

Vinny?

Friday I had a great CX ride with Scott. Great weather, trails were in great shape, a close encounter with instant-karma...can't ask for more. It was nice doing an entire ride with someone else. I usually only ride with Vinny....


Who's Vinny?


Well, lets just say on 250 mile weeks 90% of those miles are ridden with my ipod. Yes I named my ipod....sort of makes me feel like I have friends that can ride with me all the time.


Saturday, Marja had to study. Scott is racing today so no ride woith Scott Saturday, and no one else is dumb, I mean, WANTS to ride the loop with Chucky...

After leaving Marja depressed, she's at her breaking point with Grad school right now, I headed out to Auburn. I was worried it would be a zoo considering low 60s forecast and not a cloud in the sky. I arrive at the top of Russel Road to find rock star parking in one of the actual parking spots. Nice!

I head out down the Manzanita Trail at about 11:15. I was going to try and ride hard all day, just to see how my legs would react to the past two days (Thurs 60 miles on the road, yesterday 34 or so on the CX with Scott). After Manzanita and the rest of the maze on the Stage Coach trails I hit the confluence to start the climb up Clementine. Where are all the people?

My heart rate jumped to the low 160s from the get go and couldn't get out of the 160s until 1/4 of the way up Clementine. Finally I noticed everything settle in and my heart rate finally jumped to where it should pushing my 34x18 up to the connector....

My legs were tired, but in the back of my mind I wanted to catch Dawn and Brenda. They had started around 10 from the confluence, it was a carrot to keep me pushing. After making my way past a lot of hikers, the connector was empty. Two people was all I saw, grumpy too, they must usually ride on the road. :)

Now I was hurting a bit, but noticed my time to certain spots along the ride were fast. Still, in the front of my mind was the grind with my old friend Chucky, but I was looking forward to it in that sick sort of way only a few people can appreciate.

Drivers Flat, a few tag alongs decline my invitation to drop down with me and I eat a gu and a rice krispie treat as I fly down the 2 mile 1000' drop. I see Andrew running up and he tells me Dawn is just in front of me. Across the wash, to the Staging Area for McKeon/Ponderosa and up I go toward Foressthill. About 1/2 way to the picnic table I see Dawn. And I end up eating my PB sandwich talking on McKeon/Pondo...

Dawn is a stud to put it mildly, multiple Western States 100 finisher, and now strong on her SS too! We get down to the river and start up Chucky, she's been off the bike for 3 weeks with a sprained shoulder but she is climbing pretty damn well considering. about 1.5 miles into the climb Andrew is dropping down and he joins in on his 1988 vintage mtb....he's grinding up after an 18 mile run.... these ultra runner people are insane.... we hit the overlook (1.75 miles with the bulk of the climbing done, Garmin says 844 from river) and time to eat as we climb the last bit to the gate and finally Driver's Flat. Andrew is a talker, so we chat at his truck and finally hit the trail.

We get about 2.5 miles in from Drivers Flat and Andrew has to bail to the road, he's cramping....shock after 18 miles of running on 2 gus and 2 water bottles. He better be cramping!! Hats off to him though!

Dawn and I head on, I am feeling really good and we make our way back to the top of Clementine, I opt for the "quicker" way to the confluence and Dawn calls me out and says she is going up and over to descend the culvert trail. After taking the "quicker" way with Scott last week due to time, I couldn't do it again after the rash of s%#$ he gave me....so up we went, then down the other side to the confluence trail. Once at the confluence Dawn is at her car and I hit it to make it down to Sac on time....the first pitch up stage coach is tough, fresh legs or not, then it mellows to the parking lot.

Both triceps and forearms cramping, as expected seeing I have not been on this bike as much as I would have liked due to the weather, I make it to the 180 degree turn and the more mellow pitch up the 3 miles of stage coach. I crank most of it in the saddle, getting that "onset O'bonk" as I crest into the parking area. I spin up the road for a little bit and head on back to Sac.

Great day: weather, trails, bike, legs, everything! Wish Marja could have joined, she needs the stress relief these days!!!

I can now say I am happy with the legs!

Ended the night with Moroccan food with Bob, Nick and Marja...full belly! Marja wouldn't Belly Dance though, and she told me I couldn't either!

Furlough Friday #3...

Well just last night the Governator officially ended Furlough Friday....now we just get to pick what two days we ride, I mean don't get paid....now no one wants to take a pay cut, but the opportunity to ride long two more days a month, bring it on!

I am sure I offended most state employees right there, sorry!

Well Monday I did my third VO2 max test at UCD Sports Med. Marja was running through the protocol in order to gear up for her research study. So I got to be the guinea pig, oh darn. VO2, lactate threshold, etc. most could care less, really cool stuff to me!! The great news, all values up from 3 years ago.

So I sit here, made a big breakfast for Mar since I have no commitment until my CX ride with Scott later today, contemplating the next few days. Big mtb ride manana with Marja and some other friends, followed with a long road ride out to Cameron's indoor soccer game Sunday morning, then a long spin back.

Yes you read correct, ROAD ride. I rode the road bike yesterday and have to say wow that thing moves compared to my orange crush (17lbs vs 30+ on fat semi slicks). Figure I can put more time in the saddle at lower efforts. After riding in to the office, I left work in the afternoon for a 50 mile spin. Other than being a bit dehydrated, I headed out to Lake Natoma and back out to Natomas. Gorgeous day! Nice after several days of rain, even on skinny tires!!

Can't remember who originally said it, but I was describing training for 24 hr racing, and between this quote and what I've learned from Scott and others who have been really successful at it, it fits:

You don't have to ride hard all the time... You just have to ride all the time...

I could babble for awhile, but frankly I wanna run the mutts and go put together my new BBQ at the house! Its a rough day!

Chucky in a bad mood...

2/27/2009

Well, okay...maybe I was simply tired. I met Scott for my "voluntary" furlough Friday for a spin on the usual loop in Auburn with a visit, of course, to Chucky. Ruck-a-Chucky is the crossing used in the Western States Trail 100 run to get across the Middle Fork of the American River. Its about 2 miles losing almost 1000 feet - most of that in under 1.75 miles....anyway, its because of Scott I know this. I used to hate him for it, but have become almost as sick as he and I look forward to it.

We met about 9a.m., Russel Road as usual, except as he drives up I see something odd on the top of the Man-Van....its a geared bike....what??? I am already dead tired from the week before, now Scott has gears...lucky for me he is pooped too. After the standard smack talking because of his bike, we head out. Its allegedly 40 degrees, the forecast temp by the time we finish, almost 70 degrees...roasting for this time of year.

As we head up Clementine I realize just how long of a day it will be...we get to the connector and I am whipped, seriously whipped. We talk, strip off the knee and arm warmers and start up the connector....feeling much better now we limp along. What an amazing day, way too nice to be in the office.

We get to the top of Chucky and head down, about face and start back up. One of those character building days I guess. As Scott put it, "I've suffered more before..." Its nice with something like Chucky, I used to try and make the whole climb....now its making it on the worst of days. Usual days, Scott and I are usually looking at the watch "racing" up it (I use the term "racing" here loosely, VERY loosely)....

Once at the picnic tables at Drivers Flat I lick my wounds and we start off for the second half of the loop that feels better than the first....and what really made my day was Scott's JRA. Maybe the funniest thing I have witnessed in a while.

JRA: Just Riding Along, sort of like UFO, a label used when you either are trying to hide the fact you ate sh&% or you just can't explain it.

As I ride behind Scott, he slowly crosses up his front wheel and slowly falls head first off the trail, still clipped in, with a smile on his face the entire time. I hop off laughing my a$$ off, and grab some roots to make certain I do not slide down the slope as I grab his rear wheel and drag his bike up onto the trail... Scott untangles himself from the bushes, shockingly enough there appears to be very little poison oak where he fell! and pulls himself back up. Minor carnage on the knee, other than that we just ride on...

You always have to appreciate any time your friends eat-it on their bike because you never know when your turn will be! So you run with it....Sorry Scott.

We finish out the ride. I am tired, but not as bad as I thought I might be. I suck down some Clif Recovery and say bye to Scott to meet Marja, Jenni and Joel down at Granite Bay for a spin... Once there I head out on the CX bike for a loop with the dogs included. They had a blast. Looking forward to riding next weekend with them again....

What was learned on the ride? (1) I can actually arrive before Scott for a ride, (2) Scott is racing a geared bike at Sea Otter (bummer), and (3) I need to ride my mtb more! I miss it! Bring on Furlough Fridays!

So now its Sunday a.m., and after a crazy Dad-taxi day with birthday parties, baseball, gymnastics and more birthday parties (Cam is still at Nates for a sleep over) we are kicking back. Sad news, it appears Phil may have pulled or torn something in his left hind leg. The poor little guy will not use that leg at all. May have to alter a Bob Trailer to accommodate Phil on the trail....hmmmmm my project. I will keep you posted on the little guy!

3-4-09

So its been a few days....Phil is fine, he's a dork as usual. Annika was sad for Cameron's return, I think she enjoyed it just being her and Dad.

Its Wednesday on a Furlough week, rode Monday and Tues. Tues. I rode out with Dave from the office, rained a bit up to marker 14, that's where I turned around to head back and out to Marja's. Rain ceased, I warmed up. At about marker 6 I notice the DARK back drop behind downtown Sac to the Southwest...wow... I pick up the pace on my "spin" to try and beat the deluge.

At about marker 1.5, a large mass of something crosses the trail about 25 feet in front of me....I brake hard thinking skunks, but to my delight it was about 8 river otters running from the large containment ponds to the south of the trail to the canal on the right of the bike trail... I am relieved because I hadn't seen them for a very long time, years in fact, along the American River. The coolest animal in the area I have to say!

As I approach Discovery (marker 0) it starts to rain....and I mean rain...

The last 5 miles of my ride I was soaked the bone, now up on surface streets I am riding faster than traffic on Garden Highway because they can't see....Wow...

Today, prior to a run with Marja, I plan on heading out on the CX bike for about a 40 mile EZ spin along the trail with another 40 - 50 miles tomorrow on the road bike nice and EZ as well.

Friday Scott and I are hitting the trails on CX bikes, hoping I can convince him of Auburn!! (hint!)
What made the ride