time for some rest... i earned it.

i just finished the biggest, most challenging training block i have ever put down on the bike... and I ended with hard week. one thing i am really liking about just focusing on the bike is the ability to back up days and weeks with out totally shelling my body. i know that hard training is taking it's toll but my body feels better than it has in recent memory. i know a lot of it has to do with my low running volume (2 days a week) but I think a lot of it has to do with a smart training plan and better nutrition/diet.

this week was tough with a lot of solid riding, a couple of runs, and even got in the pool a couple of times. the swims were barely workouts. i just hit the pool a lunch, under sunny skies, and banged out 1500 yards as 500 swim, 500 kick w/ board & fins, and 500 pull w/ buoy & paddles. it's a great recovery technique and great to get out of the office at lunch and cool off.

on thursday i hit the swami's ride and wasn't feeling great but got through it with a solid effort. a couple of months ago it took everything i had to hang in the front. it's nice to see now that even when i am not feeling like a million bucks i have still have the juice to hang.

friday was rough. my legs felt like junk. i had an ez spin on the schedule and just cruised down the coast and the legs felt better the longer i rode. the rest of the day was about recovery. i made sure to eat plenty and "flopped" in the pool at lunch.

saturday it was on. i was looking to really challenge myself and start getting in some solid base miles for the the 50 mile MTB race on 10/3. I am usually pretty good about getting my long rides but don't necessarily work hard during them. so saturday morning ryan cruised down and we rode up to meet the Celo Pacific crew for a hammerfest through camp pendelton. as we rolled on to the base i was kind of nervous... i wasn't feeling it and didn't know how the legs would respond when the ride really got going. luckily i came around.. quickly as I really didn't have choice.

the group part of the ride was really solid and i worked hard. i was on front a lot and took a lot of pulls. after we got of off the base ryan and i hit a liquor (not for beer) but to fill out bottles and slam a coke. then we got in some more miles in inland carlsbad. i ended the day with an up, over, and back of san elijo and twin oaks valley rd (each at about ~ 10 min climbs), and then charged double peak rd. solid day.

i dedicated my saturday ride to jake peavy. the padres traded him on thursday and he was one of my favorite pads since he got called up. i just hope he gets to pitch in some games that matter.


view from the top. never gets old... especially after 5 hours in the saddle.



on sunday beth and I headed up to the OC to hit the trails with ryan and sarah. we rode all the way through el morro and out to crystal cove. it was a killer ride and beth & sarah were on fire. i was on beth's wheel on one of the long single track descents and she was killing it... seriously! she was taking some killer lines and flying. i was just laughing the whole way down, loving it!

she loves it!


beth rushing the descent.


blown away with beth's riding.


our route took us down to the beach... in a gnarly community with multi-million dollar homes... must be nice.


our crew down at the beach.


beth liked the the beach a little more than the steep climbs!

climbing.


the beach.


team teall heading back to crystal cove and the trails.


this was the longest ride that beth has ever done on the dirt and i think it's the longest ride sarah has ever done... and they both killed. it's so much fun riding with them.


we got in 22.5 miles with about 4,000 ft. of climing on a hot day. solid.

the bonus part of the ride came when ryan bet me 4 x 22oz's of Union Jack IPA that I couldn't clear one of the last, steep climbs in my middle ring. well... i did and now am waiting for the epic brews! great way to end the ride!

so yeah... the last 3 weeks have been awesome on the bike and have definitely been building on my fitness and strength on the bike. the next week is all about recovery and Rim Nordic #3 on Sunday. it's awesome to hit a recovery week when you really feel you need it... and have earned it! my sister was in town and we ended the weekend with some killer mexican food and some margaritas (probably the first one I have had in almost 10 years... seriously). good times.

totals for last week:
training time: 20:51
Road bike distance: 206.5 miles (4 rides)
MTB distance: 44.13 miles (2 rides)
run distance: 13.31 miles (2 runs)
swim distance: 3000 yards (2 swims)
strength: 2 core, 1 upperbody

last 3 weeks.