Adjusting the annual plan

So 2009 was my first full year back in competitive cycling after 14 years of dormancy. I set my goals accordingly but my early season successes might’ve given me some false hope; the rest of the year would not see the drastic fitness increases that I had become accustomed to since late summer of 2008 when I started training in earnest.

There have been some life changes (my sweetie is now living in CO, I’m moving to a new, much smaller housing situation after 4 years in the same place) and I’ve had lots of job stress, a few chronic injuries and back pain, an extended vacation and a general plateau of cycling fitness. June and July have basically been a wash which is ashame as this was the prime time for laying down the base miles for the september/october season finale.

But I’m picking it back up .. I recently, and just barely, set a PR up Old San Marcos (16:42 at 390 watts) and today I laid down 3 hours of tempo work. Its picking back up but perhaps not soon enough to set off any fireworks at the US Cup or CA state finals.

But this season is no longer about race results (though I will make every attempt to kick as much ass as I can muster ) … rather it is about laying the base for the next few seasons. I’m not really sure what the next few years will bring. Maybe my renewed interest in running and swimming will pull me into endurance off-road multi-sport events? Or I’ll become a hardcore roadie? Or maybe go ultra endurance and focus on the 24 hour and 100 mile races? Who knows. Who cares? As long as I keep having fun and pushing myself to the limits, I welcome it.

Back in business

The last two weeks have been a wash for me in terms of “real” training. After my frantic independence day weekend of packing and moving large heavy objects around, my lower back was tweaked. So I rested. Lots of job and housing related stress left no time or energy for training. Then my much needed vacation came…

I actually laid down some good cross training while in Hilton Head south carolina. I ran, biked and swam nearly every day and put in some miles despite the 90+ degree heat and high humidity. I just love that place and all its humid, swampy, low-country southern goodness.

But mostly I just hang out with the family,

ate lots of good fruit, veggies and seafood,

drank lots of good wine,

did some touristy stuff (here Jos and I are hanging out in oglethorpe square in Savannah, Georgia):

and hung out at the beach in an effort to even out my jersey tan line (it didn’t work .. by now it is nearly permanent!)

Now I’m back and ready to start training again and (re)building my base for the Sept/Oct season finale. Unfortunately Joselyne is heading off to CO for her internship and I have to move and find new living arrangements temporarily. We’ll see how the added stress affects my plans … just have to take it day by day I suppose.

San Luis weekend of independence, packing, crashes and road racing

4th of July. What better way to celebrate our independence than to torture ourselves in the hot summer sun out in beautiful San Luis Obispo.

My first Cat 4 race and “the gang” was back together with Bob, John and I all finally upgraded to the 4s. This was no bunch sprint road race (thank god) as the 1 mile, 5-6% grade climb on each lap proved to be an effective selection point. We did 7 laps of the 7 mile circuit. It was probably the toughest road race I have done to date – the pace was consistently high and the wheel suckers had no chance with the quick but decisive climb looming over every lap.

I hung with the lead climbers on every lap but the 6th where John and I let a small gap form before the descent. It was the decisive break of the race as I tried in vain to bridge it on the long descent. I was in no mans land between two groups and stupidly worked alone for 2 miles before I let up and joined the group behind me. I was just about done but saved enough to avoid blowing up on the final climb. Our small chase group made some decent progress but ultimately could not catch the leaders. We sprinted for 7th place, about a half minute behind the lead group. I got 8th overall – not bad for my first Cat 4 race and a whole 2 points towards my Cat 3 upgrade!

It was definitely a hard, hard effort. On par with the longer XC MTB races I’ve done. There were very few easy portions of the race and the Cat 4 competition, while not intimidatingly superior to my current fitness level, is super strong and *deep* with talent – there were 20 guys who could’ve won and everyone pushed me.

I look forward to doing a lot more road racing in the future but unfortunately SoCal appears to be enamored with crits and grand prixs. Count me out.. i’ll take a long, torturous, hilly road race any day of the week. Riding in circles is paradoxically boring AND dangerous.. check out this video of the crash in the SLO crit this sunday:

So if you couldn’t guess – no i didn’t go to the crit chamionships on sunday. I was home packing for my upcoming move. Same for Friday. After 4 years in the same house, I am shocked and appalled at the sheer volume of crap I have accumulated. Packing and cleaning … what a way to spend the weekend. At least I got to race and hang out last night with some friends and watch the fireworks.