Racing then Restin

Coaching has been great and with race season in full swing I've been busy.  Trying to balance my training, coaching, sponsorship for cross season, and being a full time mechanic is fun, but its challenging and definitely takes up a lot of time!  Especially when the last week of training was big...real big.

My last week of training was pretty tough.  I was shooting for 22 or 23 hours of solid riding.  Add on top of that the core workouts, the yoga, and the heat...yep the heat.  On Tuesday and Wednesday w/ some big hours on the schedule it was scorching.  I was already a little fatigued from Jr. Mtb Camp and racing the Keewenaw Chain Drive.  The heat did me in...I got too dehydrated and my body shut down.  I had to take Thursday and Friday completely off the bike....kind of ruined my plans for finishing big...but as a coach I know things don't always go to plan and you have to adapt.  So I did...I waited till my body was recovered and feeling good and then got back down to business.  Sunday was a solid 3 hours and with a change in schedule a new opportunity presented itself.  TOAD was in my backyard.  An 80 mile road race!

Driving the break w/ John Murphy -
photo credit - Karl

So I pinned on the numbers and went out and had a blast racing with the best guys in the country.  I worked really hard the first half of the race to get in the break...and I made it.  Towards the end I was hurting, but so was everyone else.  I didn't like my chance in the sprint...so I went for the suicide attack with 3k's to go.  I got caught with about 1k to go and ended up last out of the guys in the break....but I went for it!!!

After the race I cruised around for another 20 miles or so to make it 100 on the day.  Then I went out and put the nail in the coffin on Tuesday with a solo 5 hour ride.  By the end I was smashed and ready for a break.







I enjoyed watching the TOAD crit in Sheboygan from the sidelines.  I built up my new secret weapon thanks to Bontrager and Shimano!

I started up with a new client coaching.  I read a book.  I cleaned some bikes.  Andrea, Oscor the In-Laws and I went for a birthday picnic down by the lake.  Just living it up and getting ready for the next phase of training...until then I'll be cold chillin'!

My recliner just got sweeter!!!