My Thanksgiving weekend 2009

so it seems everybody does a thanksgiving post. so here's mine.

Thanksgiving is HANDS DOWN my favorite holiday. don't get me wrong i love xmas too but everything gets complicated and expensive when presents/gifts come into the mix. i would rather just celebrate with less superficial things. to me it's all about the F's: Family, Food, & Fun... and that's exactly what started going down on wednesday leading into the t-day.

i am pretty much let the photos tell most of went down.

beth had the week off so we were able to get in some mellow riding.

wednesday night i set up a happy hour at the newly (re)opened Encinitas Ale House. good times.

this could be my new favorite photo of all time. it's my new background on my computer. and yes... she was definitely paying for this in the morning.

thursday beth and i hosted our first thanksgiving. i got up early to ride with Dan on a perfect day and then headed home to prep some food. my sister, aunt, and uncle all came over for an epic feast.
view from my t-day ride. don't hate!


dinner.


fridayi rode long (and it shelled me!) and beth's friends put together a "rolling" bachelorette party for her. they're awesome. i hung at home and made some killer left overs!

the rest of the weekend was spent riding and relaxing.

on saturday i woke up to rain... and stoked. the long ride (70+ miles) on friday worked me. so i got up had a couple too many cups of coffee and then just went on a short cruise on the CX bike. i love getting out and riding in the "weather" since I rarely get to do it. nothing like riding in the rain and 20-20mph winds. then from about 10am to 10pm i sat on the couch watching college football. great day.

saturday night sunset. actually some clouds. rare.

on sunday ryan came down and we hit the trails pretty early.

view from the ride. does it get any better in november... anywhere?


we had originally planned on going to bolts game (i had some free tickets) but opted to just watch it at home. I mean that's why I bought my killer HDTV and the beer and food selection at my house kills anything you can get at the stadium. is it really worth paying $10 for a bud light when you have some Pliny the Elder in the fridge? the game was rad, we grilled up some carne asada, and more friends came over to watch the bolts kills the chiefs. 8-3 and looking good.


that's it... today is monday 11/30.... traing officially started my 2010 campaign, but more on that later.

SCPS#12/SCNCA District Champs race report.

lame.

sunday didn't go as planned.

saturday was a GREAT day. i had a good night of sleep and then got a couple mellow hours in on on the bike. the rest of the day beth and i lounged around the house... a rarity for us. we went out for brunch, did some xmas decoration shopping, watched some college football, had a couple of beers, hit the hot tub, beth cooked me dinner, and we watched a movie. probably a typical "non-athlete" type of saturday. it was rad.

turkey meatloaf, kale, and butternut squash soup.


sunday i was up early and headed up to Ventura. mellow drive. the race site at lake casitas was beautiful. sunny day, no wind, and perfect temps. i got there a little to early and the races were delayed a bit so i had plenty of time to kill. so i just watched all my friends race and then warmed up. my legs were feeling good and i was ready to go.

it was pretty good sized field so i was stoked to get the call up. the whistle went off and we were hammering down the initial 100 yards of paved road. I was sitting just in the top 10 and then about 7th when we made the sharp 180 degree turn on to the grass/dirt. then it was single file and fast on the grass. a guy went around me right before we got to a little log that we would have to bunny hop up.

we were probably going about 20 mph, and wheel to wheel. he attempted to bunny hop the log with me doing the same right behind him. he got sideways in the air and rolled his from tire when he landed and went straight to the ground right in front of me. there was nothing i could. my front went straight into his back (on the ground) at full speed. me and my bike went into full on front flip/somersault mode! i don't exactly what happened. it was fast and i have never hit the ground that hard in any of my bike crashes. then about 5 other guys piled on top of us. sweet.

i jumped up and was dazed and out of it. i tried to get right back on my bike but couldn't. so i started walking a bit as guys were flying by me. i finally got back on my bike, fumbling around and was probably in about 30-40th place.

at this point i was just frustrated. i wasn't thinking about the pain. just the fact that the race had gotten away from me and we were only 2 minutes in. so i did what i do... i chased hard and hammered my way through the field for a couple of laps. i was riding aggressively and making a lot of passes and eventually worked my way back into the top 10 but then the pain started to settle in a bit. i had some significant pain in my chest on my left side, like right under the pectoral muscle. every time i would get out of the saddle it would hurt pretty bad. i wanted to pull the plug, but needed some points for the series... and i don't quit... bad karma. if i can roll across the line, even if it's in last place, i am going to do it.

so i ended up finishing in about 6th or 7th (i think). not sure because i didn't stick around. right after i crossed the line i picked my spare wheels and headed for the truck... and home.

i was pretty sore driving home and once i was home, i showered, got to icing it, and then watching the DVR'd bolts game. that definitely cheered me up a bit.

i got this morning and my chest and rib felt a bit better just sore. i decided to go ahead and go to urgent care and get an x-ray just to rule out the possibility of a break. that's what having good insurance is for. so the x-ray came back negative as well as all the tests the doctor performed. it's just a strain. so that's good news.

so it looks like it will just easy riding on the road for the next week or so. nothing hard and nothing that puts any strain on my uppperbody (riding out of the saddle, offroad riding, lifting weights, or running). no worries. i just want to heal so I am 100% for the start of my 2010 base training and my last 2 CX races of the year on 12/6 and 12/20. I will have to have good races at both to pull of the series.

quick one... and some cooking

some fun, cold morning rides this week on all 3 (road, mtb, cx) bikes. a lot going on at work. cooking some good dinners.

i like to cook a lot more in the winter. a lot of people seem to hate cooking. it relaxes me. i really look forward to coming home, especially now that it's dark when i get home, and making dinner for me and beth after a morning of riding and a long day at work. here's some stuff i made this week.

grilled gluten free, sundried tomato & feta chicken and Turkey sausage tossed with kale, bacon, mushrooms, garlic, and onions. steamed veggies on the side.


turkey bacon wrapped scallops, grilled shrimp, grilled zucchini, and roasted broccoli rabe, brussel sprouts, & mushrooms.


an experiment: sauteed broccoli rabe, brussel sprouts, & green beans with turkey bacon, onions, garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. came out good.


and had it with some cioppino from the Solana Beach Fish House.


and last. Turkey bacon wrapped pork chops. i don't have photo of the finished product but it was good.


the legs are good. i'm ready for SCPS #12 race on sunday up in ventura. It's the SCNCA District Championships so it should be a pretty tough race..... i'm thinking about doing the 1/2/3's right after as well. report next week.

it's all about recovery. thanks hammer.

more of the same: riding and good times....

nothing new on the "training" front. i rode my bikes a lot this week, including 3 group rides. getting out with the groups and pushing the pace/intensity has been my only "plan". good workout without having to think. just ride hard, attack, and stay at the front as much as possible.

on saturday, before heading out to temecula for ryan and sarah's wedding, i hit the saturday swami's ride. it's been a couple of years since i have gone on this ride. back in the day (2+ years ago) I couldn't hang on this ride and would get shot out the back as soon as we hit elfin. my plan was to just get a feel and see if the ride i want to incorporate into future traing.

well... the ride was rad and super hard. there was a really big group and the pace lifted pretty quick with a bunch of fast dudes leading us out. once we hit elfin i went to the front and worked my butt off. i even made one break away and was able to get away for a bit off the front. after regrouping at the church i was feeling it and pulled a lot of the way home down del dios.

very solid ride and some of the hardest riding i have ever done on the road or in a race. it will definitely be in the future training plan when it comes to start working on race speed/intensity. i need to make sure not hit it too much over the winter. it's pretty intense. i

i was pretty shelled when i get home but made an epic breakkie before hitting the couch.
veggie/egg scramble. (eggs, bacon, kale, sweet pots, broc, onions, peppers, mushrooms)


then we headed out to temecula for the wedding. good times. i am stoked for ryan and sarah. they are perfect for each other.

me and the future wife. we're next.


sunday was just about perfect. i woke up with no plans, had some epic 53x11 coffee, and then headed out to PQ canyon with beth. we just cruised around and had fun riding bikes. nothing hard... perfect weather too.


not lost.


she loves the internet!


then we headed home and while beth got her P90X on and i did my own strength work. then it was all about the bolts. we had some friends over, some good beers, and fired up the grill. the bolts got the win (there was never any doubt in my mind) and the icing on the cake was the broncos losing to the skins. next sunday's game is going to be huge.



i am looking forward to another fun week of riding and racing next sunday. the race is in ventura and is the 2009 SCNCA District Championships as well as race #12 of the SCPS.

I am also starting the strength program at Rehab United that I am very stoked about. time to get yoked! if you are interested in checking these classes out come checking it out and check the link for more info.
Rehab United Strenght Class

time to hit the road... it's only 45 degrees. it's going to be cold!

Veteran's Day

most people are pretty shocked when they find out i am a veteran. it's true. i was in the coast guard for 4 years and going into the the uscg was definitely one of the best decisions i ever made... right up there with asking beth to marry me. i don't talk about it much i am very proud of the fact that i served my country. a lot of people bitch and complain about a lot things with the government and our country but never do anything about it. i gave 4 years of my life to "work" for our country and do my part. that's something that no one can take away from me. it may sound cheesey but when i hear people complaining all the time i often wonder what they have done to give back or make a difference. ok... enough of that.

so even though my employer doesn't give us veterans day off i always take it off. i deserve it! the rest of this post may be kind of boring... it's just what i did yesterday... a day in the life kind of thing.

so this year i used my day off to get out on the trails in get in more time on the new bike.

i headed out early in the morning and rode over to the trails and put my bike to the test. it passed. i am still totally blown away by this bike and the sram XX groupo. i really can't wait to race it next year.

3:14, 30.31 miles, 5406 ft. of climbing, 2 crashes

after the ride i came home and just relaxed. i can't even remember the last time i did that. we have been so busy that it seems lately that every time i finish a ride or workout there is something else i have to do... like go to work, make dinner, or pack up wedding invitations. so yesterday i just propped my feet up, drank coffee, watched sportscenter, and watched beth do p90x.... which actually looks pretty solid. i may have to give some of the workouts a try.

after lounging for a couple of hours I headed out to SockGuy, my newest sponsor, to hang out and pick up some gear. when i left SockGuy i headed up the street to Green Flash to pick up the beer for Ryan and Sarah's wedding on saturday, which is going to be rad! I couldn't let them kick off the rest of their lives drinking Michelob Amber Bock so I got a case of West Coast IPA and another of Hop Head Red. it's going to be an epic wedding reception!

i also got a growler fill of their limited release DIPA: Palate Wrecker. it's good. (don't worry. i didn't pour this beer until after i was done running around for the day).


after dropping everything off at home i headed up to B&L to pick the Tricross. Gordon was swapping out the crankset to something more CX specific and to give me some better gearing. I also got some white Hudz. i think the bike is complete. once i got back home i cleand the mtb and cx bike while waiting for beth to get home from get her wedding dress fitted... it's getting close!

once she got home we headed up to Bestawan to meet some friends for dinner. a good ending to a good holiday!

I need more weekends like this...

some more photos from Storm the Beach. These were taken by Richard Murphy a Celo Pacific teammate and awesome photog.


it was pretty much a perfect fall weekend.

Friday was a double ride day. Before work I hit the roads, trails, and paths for a good ride on the CX bike and then took out the new MTB for an EZ spin in the evening just before dark. Loving the new bike!

I was up early on Saturday to pick ryan up in huntington beach before heading up to Bakersfield for SCPS #9a. the course was rad and I had a solid race. I actually had a really good start and was never out of the top 5. At the end of the first of six laps there were 3 of us off the front and then it was just me and a guy from Trek/Helen's Cycles and he was just sitting on my wheel half way through lap two. I made a move right before the run up and got a way and then put in more time on the run, and then hammered. I never let up and extended my lead during the remaining laps an got the win. definitely happy with the race and how i was able to handle some of the technical sections. my bike handling skills are definitely improving, but still need quite a bit of work.


The night before I decided I would also do the Elite 1/2/3 race which was only 15 minutes after my race. I figured it would make for great training (the best training IS racing) and also to get an idea of how much faster riding with top dogs would be. So after crossing the line I spun around a bit, slammed a gel & water, and got back on the starting line to race. i got owned! that's the only way to put it. the 1/2/3 start was fast I was pretty much DFL, but I hung on a battled before completely blowing up around lap 5 of 9. I don't think I have really ever blow up quite like that. I had no more juice... but it was rad! It always feels good to blow up when you know you've completely emptied that tank. I can't wait to do it again.


pretty sure i am crossed eyed and blow in this one.

sunday was the perfect fall day... in my opinion. I started the day with some good coffee and then ryan and I hit lake hodges for 2.5 mellow hours on the mountain bike. the weather was perfect and we just cruised. i really pushed on some of the descents to see what the bike could handle. I am really blow a way how good the shock is and how much it sucks up.



then it was home to sit around and watch some football all day. we had some really good beer and watched the bolts come from behind to take a much needed win. after the game we headed up to pizza port to watch the sunday night game and to our surprise they had Pliny the Elder on draft... definitely a top 5 beer if not my #1 these days.

ryan brought a growler of Huntington Beach Beer Co.'s Autumn Rye Season Ale and I picked up a growler of Solana Beach Pizza Ports Booyah Steez DIPA. Both damn good.


booyah steez. new beer in my top 5!

so definitely a great weekend and i hope there are more of the same in the coming weeks.

rolling... Fast!

first things first... I got my new mountain bike, a 2010 Specialized S-Works Stumppjumper Carbon HT, but it's way more than just a mountain bike. it's a race machine! i have even owned a top of the line mountain bike, or any other bike for that matter. i have always had "good" bikes but this thing is on another level. i can't thank gordon, scott, and B&L for making this happen... and so quickly.

beth and i headed out on our local trails/paths for a quick spin last night before dinner and the bike is rad. i can't wait to get more miles on it and do a full review.

beth on one of the climbs. the first time she's been back on the mtb since the race in september. that's gonna change.


she tried to ride up a curb. it didn't work.


racing wise things are going well and i am having a lot of fun which is hands down the most important thing to me right now... and always. training wise i have just been going about it "beth" style and just doing whatever i feel like on a given day. i have no plan right now except to ride. I am trying to hit the swami's ride on tuesday's and thursday's for some hard riding and good times but if I don't feel like riding with a group i don't. i have also just been jumping in with other people's rides and workouts just to mix it up. i have cut my running down to 1-2 x 30 min runs a week just to keep the the legs ready hammer the run-ups and barriers in the cross races. riding is just more fun... especially when you have 3 rad bikes to chose from. it never gets old!

more photos from Storm the Beach. Thanks Andrew....



I am pretty stoked because i have been really consistent with strength training too. i have either been knocking it out at lunch in the our gyms at work, the ymca in the mornings, or at home. i am really stoked on the home workouts right now. they only take 30 minutes and i just go nonstop. a lot of core on the ball, upperbody using the TRX, and planks. simple... and i can do it while watching espn.

ryan and i are headed up to bakersfield tomorrow morning for SCPS #9 and then hauling ass back home. then on sunday morning, and what I'm really looking forward to, is heading out to hodges with beth, the new bike, and hopefully ryan & sarah. we are going to ride a couple of hours before coming home to watch the bolts game, grill up some food, and have some good beer. perfect fall sunday!

ok...i'm out. time to get out on the CX bike before work.