Taking it easy....

This is a the last rest stop on the Wiggins ride. (From L to R: Gordo Byrn, Dennis Meeker, Justin Daerr, Brandon Del Campo, Brent Sheldrake, Billy Edwards, myself.)

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You know you have gone somewhere in Boulder on a bike when one you can: #1- no longer see the mountains or #2 -you have ridden high enough to be above all the mountains. That’s how you know you gone somewhere here in BOCO. On Saturday, we WENT somewhere!!! As you can see, this was what I saw for 150 miles, looked like were were in Kansas.

So this training block is over and it was a success. I completed all my workouts and actually had a great swim this AM. The ride was long, took about 7 hours on Saturday. I then backed it up with a 2.5 hour run on Sunday. As for the ride on Saturday, it made my Sunday easier since I rode within myself. I hung on and made it back with the lads despite becoming the permanent caboose after about 190K. On the flats rolling back, my HR was perfect, but I was having some difficulties keeping it down when climbing the rollers, so it forced me to stay in the back. Bringing up the rear in the last 60K is what allowed me to have a solid run on Sunday, I am sure of it. This is a new concept for me, looking beyond the workout that I am currently doing. I think so often I would thrash myself in a workout and then wonder why I was having a tough time going to the workout from being tired, but more importantly having a good one. Riding a 80-100 mile bike ride with sections that you HR was at 170 is NOT ok. You pay for that, I promise you. This is a key point for me, especially trying to attack this Ironman stuff. Be patient, workout within yourself at YOUR fitness, regardless of anyone elses. All in all, when you mess up, no one else has to pay for it except you. Besides, it is a lot more fun when you aren’t grumpy b/c of the previous workout.

I'll leave you with a few pics. This is what I ate at the last stop. Needless to say, things were probably on there way south. All you gotta do is look at what your fellow riders are eating, I am sure they knew I was getting close to the dog house.

As for Justin, he kept this rice krispy treat in his shorts for the right time....seems to work for him. It is always good to have some humor after about 110 miles on the bike knowing you still have over 40 to get home.

So I'll be resting for the next 7-8 days, unloading from the past two weeks to do it all over again, this time faster.

Tranquillo,
J

So you have probably been wandering where Mat is. Well, Mat unfortunately got hit by a car a little over a week ago. He is doing well, nothing major. He has a nice size bruise on his right hip/butt and a few scrapes from going through the windshield on his forearm. Check out his blog here.

Brent Sheldrake(click on his name for his website) just moved to Boulder not too long ago and trains with us a few times a week. Was a short course guy until he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Talk about a classic guy that has been through it all. A true sportsman at heart.