it doesn't get any better...

i really hope everybody had a as good of a holiday/training weekend as we did. i am in the middle on hard training block right now and the extra days off work always make it easier to get stuff done.

thursday was a normal day with hill repeats in the morning and working after. the riding went very well and i am sustaining higher power than i ever have before up the climbs. on friday i met up the the Celo Pacific crew for a long, holiday ride. my plan was just log a lot of miles and not really push the pace. the group was solid and we got in the 70+ miles, plenty of climbing, and all through inland north county on some roads i have never ridden before. there were some pretty strong guys and luke came out too so there was definitely some work done. i rode to and from our meeting spot so once was all said and done i had 95 miles on the day. i felt really strong throughout the entire ride. i have made some pretty significant changes in my diet and i really think i am starting to notice the difference... both in and out of training/racing.

friday night ryan and sarah crusied down from huntinigton and we were all up early to head to temecula for some 4th of july mountain bike racing. this was the second race in the Racers and Chasers Summer Shootout series and at a new venue, the cahuilla motorcross park. Robert and his crew have spent the last couple of weeks cutting a bunch of single track out there and their hard work paid off. these races have small fields, especially on saturday due to the holiday, but are always a good times and a chance to put in some race pace work.

we got there in time to pre-ride the 4+ mile lap. it was a pretty tough course. it was 95% loose single track and it wasn't fast. a lot of tight turns and sharp corners made it really hard to get in any kind of rhythm. after the riding the course i wasn't too stoked on racing it... just not really my kind of course but was stoked for the beth and sarah because it was great chance for them to work on their technical skills at "race pace".

race photos from chan photography.

the cat 1 race was 3 laps and even though it was only 4+ miles a lap it wasn't fast. it took me about half of the first lap to really get into the race. at first i didn't want to race but then realized it was a great opportunity to work on weaknesses... and this course exploited them all. so i just dug in and put in a solid race. the whole team raced well. beth won her category with sarah taking second. ryan got 2nd in his and i was able to hold on for 4th. not my best day, but with 95 miles the day before and not having my head in the game at the start i was stoked with my effort on the day.

the champ. killing it!


switchbacks.

done.

the ladies on the podium.


i didn't think 4th place would get called up to the podium so i wasn't prepared. i had to borrow annette's vest! i think it fits pretty well


after the race we headed back to carlsbad and to the good times started. we contemplated heading to the beach but opted to not deal with the gnarly crowds and traffic that holiday weekends bring and ended up heading inland to Stone Brewing Company for some lunch and of course epic beer! this was beth's idea... yeah... she's awesome.

the garden at Stone.

we had a great time and had some great food and beers.

me and ryan. me with a man sized stone ruination draft and him with a child sized alesmith yulesmith. come see me!


after Stone we head home, hung at the pool and watched the opening stage of the TDF. i can't think of a better way to spend the 4th!

sunday, of course, was more good times. i got out the door around 8:15am and rode down to Del Mar to meet up with Beth... she was doing an ocean swim. after she was done swimming me, beth, mary, and laura head out for a mellow ride through rancho sante fe. the weather couldn't have been more perfect. it was one of those days where i felt like i could ride all day. i rode with beth back to del mar and then headed back north. by the time i got home i had another 4 hours in the saddle. a very solid end to the week.

we were only home for about 30 minutes and then it was off to the beach, which was actually not very crowded, to lounge and play some bocce ball with Kirsten and Marty. Good times!


so that's was the weekend. now 3 days of work and then it's off to Vermont and New Hampshire on Wednesday night to visit Beth's mom and also attend one of her best friend's wedding. it was also serve as some good recovery time from the block of training I am finishing up. 5 days off the bike. more good times ahead! can't wait.