Intervals

Well, today's ride was fun in a kind of sick way. Since I didn't have too much time Bob and I decided to basically turn a 25 mile route into an intervals ride. We were pretty tired by the end of the ride, but it will be worth it come event day. The plan is to make sure we have at least one interval day a week from here until the Tahoe ride.

Recovery... I think not

Well, today it was hot, hot, hot, but Ross and I still made a go of it on the roads of the TriValley in support of LLS. We rode 25 miles at around 17 mph. Ok, we said it was going to be a recovery ride, but I never ride that fast so what happened? I don't really know, but I am glad I have a couple days to recover before the next ride.

I figure a "Palm Springs" ride jersey can serve as a reminder of how hot it was out there today. :-)

TNT #6 Stafford Lake

Alright, the sun finally made its way out in full force. Our ride and post-ride Honoree potluck at Stafford Lake were blessed with an abundance of sunshine, good spirit, and 55 challenging miles. It was really great for me to be back in the saddle after missing a week of training and a 'Buddy Ride' due to vacation.

It was really great to be back in Novato and reaquaint myself with Wilson Hill and the rollers. (It was also nice to not have to climb the Marshall Wall). Our group showed a lot of team spirit throughout the ride.

The temperatures made the ride a bit challenging and we all had to make sure to continue drinking throughout as Coach Doug had warned in his preparation team email. I think I got my hydration pretty close to right, but I will have to do better once the rides get a bit longer.

The post-ride potluck was, as always, fantastic and it was great to see Stu again. I couldn't help but remember back to 2005 training for the El Tour de Tucson and riding up the final climb past Nicasio with him.

I am really looking forward to this week's rides and next weekend's 'Buddy Ride'. I just hope it is close to my house. :-)

Cheers and Go Team!!!!

Vacation Come and Gone

Well, the 'Mancation' has come and gone. We managed 6 ballparks in 6 days and had a great time. Of course, the diet during that time wasn't so stellar, but I suppose that sometimes you have to make trade-offs. As a representation of our trip, I am merely going to post the caps from the home teams of the six parks we visited.

Getting Faster

Yesterday, I didn't have much time to ride because I had to run to the airport to pick up my wife. So, I figured I would go ahead and pick a flat route where I could kind of just "air out" my legs. The ride turned out pretty well because, despite the serious wind, I managed to maintain a speed of 15.4 mph for 23 mph.

Beyond the stats and wind there wasn't too much to say for this ride. In fact, I didn't even see the turkeys on Stage Coach Road. However, I was feeling really good the whole time. I hope the extended time off the bike for the next 10 days doesn't damage my training too much. Still, I can't wait to go see six baseball games in seven days with my friend, 'The Chief'.

Today's picture is an homage to Chelsea who play Liverpool in the Champions League tomorrow. Go Ya' Blues!!!

Team Ride #5 - Danville

We had a fantastic 53 mile ride from Danville's Monte Vista high school this Saturday. It was great to get out for a ride with everyone again after having to bail out in Point Reyes. The weather was absolutely perfect just a bit windy in Livermore as always. I am going to have to add this ride to my training regimen. It can be ridden at a good hard steady pace. The only issue is the fact that a lot of traffic uses certain parts of the route.

After the ride, we had a BBQ at the house and a number of my mentor group stopped by. David was running the grill and we all ate like pigs (or cyclists). The menu included chicken, burgers, Caspar's hot dogs, chips, salads, brownies, fruit, beer, and soda.

We all had a chance to hang out and talk cycling and TNT. We also spent a bit of time watching the semi-finals of the NCAA Men's Tourney where UConn (my pick to win it all) went down to Michigan State who in turn got throttled by UNC in the final last night.

I am going to miss the next 'Buddy Ride', but I can't wait to get back and ride at Stafford Lake (even with the long drive).

Go Team!

The Windy City Ride

If the Tri-Valley is anything distinctive in the afternoon it is windy. It is so windy that from time to time I use this wind as a surrogate for hill training. Instead to heading up the "big block of granite", as Rich so eloquently calls Mount Diablo, you can just head south to Pleasanton/Dublin/Livermore and get nearly blown off your bike in any direction. Yes, it doesn't matter what direction you are traveling in the wind will never be from the back. Go ahead, I challenge someone to get on a bike and prove me wrong. If you can, please let me know precisely where it happened. I want to feel it for myself.

Today, Ross, Bob, and I rode. It was kind of an eclectic route that made up of wind, some climbing, and a lot of turns "just because". The end result was around 35 miles and a really good time for all of us. Sadly, Bob got a flat at mile 33, but by then we were pretty much done.

I can't wait for this weekend's TNT ride in Danville and the post-ride BBQ at my house. Life really doesn't get too much better.