Today, was my last ride in Colorado. A short quick effort to see how the legs feel after this past weekends epicness. 5 super quick super hard efforts to get me ready for the weekend.
Leaving is a downer for sure, but I take with me some great experiences and I’ve made some incredible friends.
Moving to Colorado has been a lifelong dream of mine. I’ve spent years planning my escape, dreaming if what I’d do and the great rides to be had.
While I’m sad to leave, I’m glad to be moving back home with my family. For those wondering, I’m still coaching and I’ll still be toeing the line at the races. Just this time I’ll have the support of my family standing behind me. For that I can’t be happier.
I leave for Arkansas tomorrow. Hitting up the ouachita challenge this weekend then heading home to new york.
Headed up to Ft. Collins today to ride with Kerkove, Carney, Joe Saperstein, and Aaron Potts. We hit up Horsetooth Mt Park and Lory Park for the day. Some sick singletrack in there for sure and had a blast ripping it up all day.
The name of the game today was climbing, lots of climbing. The descents and the singletrack were jaw-dropping.
The heat was also on the rise today, 75+ and full on sunshine, def could feel the ‘burn’ on the climbs for sure
Trails were bone dry and dusty. Lots of drifting and sliding out through the corners.
Views were outstanding, and there were loads of riders, hikers, horseback riders and even a few llamas on the trails.
More climbing, Carnizzle has a nice little picture of the area captured from his GPS, pretty sweet.
Huge week of training is now over, 1050 TSS for the week, and the CTL popped up over 100! Time to lay low for Moab next weekend and keep the legs super ready for Ouachita Challenge in a few weeks.
Today, hopped on the Gateway ride, then peeled off to put some extra miles in. As usual the ride was fast and furious. Fireworks didn’t really start till we headed towards the switchbacks. I got to play tailgunner to the first group up the climb. Crazy fast pace on the way to the climb, my nose was to my stem and I was trying to keep from blacking out. Held on fine on the backside and the pace got livid as we made our way towards Lyons. I held onto the never-ending string of attacks, but then peeled off and headed west at the crossroads. Thankful that part A of my suffering was done.
Feeling the burn
Group Shatters as usual up Carter Lake Switchbacks.
Peeling off and heading to the hills
Heading up St. Vrain Canyon
All day long the roads were packed with cyclists, but this side road I had all to myself.
The fatigue is building in preparation for the first events of the season. Yesterday, I continued my anaerobic bliss, with a nice ride over to Carter Lake to do a couple of 1 min, 435 watt+ intervals. I was hosed completely after Tuesday’s efforts. The ride out to Carter Lake, I debated and dreaded the intervals, but I decided to push them out and actually felt really great and was right on target for each interval.
Today, though…. different story. Pulled out the superfly and decided to head up to Betasso Preserve. I haven’t actually been there since I was out here a few years ago, and decided to just have some fun and rip around the trails. The legs were hosed, took every ounce of effort to just get up the connector link. They just didn’t want to turn over at any point. It’s a good sign that the training is where I need to be at this point.
Today was a tough one. 5×2 minute Zone 5.5 anaerobic intervals. To put some icing on the cake I did the workload right in the middle of a solid 60 minute tempo block.
345 watt average for the set, though the incline was not very steep, I was actually big ringing it a few times on the climb. I usually do my intervals on a fairly steep incline to really push out the power, but these guys had me spinning hard a few times and slogging it in a few spots.
Thankfully, I rewarded my efforts with a choc chip cookie and a can of coke in Ward, then had a killer tailwind all the way home. Great ride and great TSS! (200+) I’m hosed but looking forward to tomorrow’s efforts.
Just like J. Caesar thought those around him were his friends till they stabbed him to death, Carney-age got a little too intimate with the trail today and it paid him back with a death kiss, taking out his rear derailleur and smashing a spoke on his nice crossmax’s. Luckily we had snuck in nearly 2+ hours on Blue Sky Trail to Loveland and back.
I was pretty well hosed from yesterday’s ride and could feel the effects right away, I didn’t actually start feeling decent till the derailleur broke…Ah well Horsetooth Reservoir will have to wait another day.
Here’s the day in Pics:
The trail was either rippingly fast or super tough rocky tech. It was a blast and look forward to heading back up there to get some more riding in.
All day long was filled with great view of the valley and sick singletrack. Hopefully we’ll have better luck next time!
Hit up Heil and Hall Ranch today, making the approx 10 mile trip on some dirt roads to get to the trailhead. Put in a solid 6 hour ride and enjoyed the day
It was a bit cool on the way there, but things warmed up fast and I dug in for the full 6 hour ride.
Sky’s were crystal clear enough to grab view of Longs peak from Hall
…and then again from Heil
Found a nice set of trails to hit up on the way back
Hmm, should I go on this trail, friggin a’! That ought scare ya
Here’s a quick video I shot on the way down Hall Ranch.
Yesterday, I made the road trip up to Vail, CO to visit some family. It was really cool to see them and hang out and go out to dinner. They live in Georgia and I only get to see them every few years.
Had a great dinner, then walked around the ski village a bit. I had to laugh as they had to stop at every fireplace and warm-up. While it was cold (25 or so) I was fairly comfortable in just a sweater and light vest. After that went back to the condo and watch the 6!! friggin overtime SU basketball game. I don’t watch basketball, ever. But that game was absolutely incredible, one of the top 10? 5? Sporting events I’ve ever seen. Maybe I should do a post on the greatest sporting events I’ve witnessed from my perspective?
Is it the weekend yet?
I’m dying, I want to ride my bike so bad. So bad that it’s good? My motivation to race and prepare is crazy high right now and even just a day off has me hungry for more. I’m gonna pull out the Superfly and do a nice long ride from here over to Heil/Hall Ranch and back. Should be a nice 6 hour effort. Then on Sunday, gonna head up to Fo Co and ride with the Carnizzle for some more singletrack raging. Look for lots of pics and a few vids to come this weekend.
I so wish I could bring Lizzy on my rides, for now she just gets a good walk every day and maybe a spin on the same trails when I get back from my ride. But at least she’s always happy with it!
So I finally got my superfly back yesterday!! After some work replacing the drivetrain, brake pads, cables, etc she was ready to go today. I took a guess on the settings for the fork and went by driveway feel, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
I headed over to Heil Ranch with Sonya via a few miles of road. Don’t let her fool ya, that chicka can throwdown when she needs to.
It was a slightly chilly but sunny day, and the trails were in great shape even after the snow.
Quick spin down Picture Rock and then back up. This section of trail was just rippingly fast.
Had a good ride with Sonya and she rewarded me with some super sweet homemade cookies post-ride.
The new fork was great, same fork, just brandy new. Like swapping from driving a Jeep to a Cadillac.
Good thing I had a cookie or two, cause the Lizzy Girl was super happy to go out for a short post-ride spin, and my dog promptly dropped me up the first hill. After repairing my confidence I made sure to drop her on the downhill
Just committed to this!!! 3 day Racing in Guatemala!!! Super psyched!
Quick spin tomorrow, might hook up with Mr. Kerkove for a quick spin, then head off to Vail to meet my family up from Georgia for some dinner.
Well, today wasn’t the best day ever. Woke up ready to head to Heil/Hall to ride with Kerkove, Looney and Carney. Upon exiting the shower, I was told my car had been broken into. I’m thinking, WTF?, it’s right outside the window of my bedroom. I get dressed and head out. Not good, not good at all. 2 side windows, rear window and mirror all smashed. Doors still locked, everything inside. You’re kidding?
After filing the police report and a good hour of cleaning up the road and the car, I was still frustrated. I mean, this is a quite lil neighborhood. Shit, sometimes I don’t even lock my car. Guess that’s just me putting faith into people. Sorry humanity, you just lost my hope.
In the meantime, I decided to grab my bike and ride some frustration out. I had shit for legs yesterday and did some quick hard efforts in preparation for todays supposed trail ride. I decided to head over to Flagstaff Mt and do a Field Test. It went so-so. Mentally, I was really fatigued and had trouble ‘pushing through’, when it got tough. Physically I was good for about 12 minutes then faded. I did set a best 5 min and 20 min effort, for the season. Numbers that are far higher than numbers from last season also, but I feel I can do better. All I really did was hit a few watts above my current FTP.
I’m betting with right motivation and decent legs I’m good for another 10-15 watts. My power profile is an inverted V, I have awesome 5 minute power, but just ok at 20 min. Really working on it. I think I should have just stood up for the whole 20 minutes. I put out massive power when standing and climbing, but damn if my seated power really lags. I have really a hard time getting my power up. Thus if you look at my power graph, it looks like a mt. bike power it’s erratic. Perhaps, I’ll go back, but maybe not. Might just be time to gather race data. Meh, I’ll take it, it’s superior to last season and it’s phenomenal for such early season form for me.
