Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

I see hard workouts in my near future. I have been doing allot of hard work these past few months and have made been improvements in some areas and still have to work on others. I find it real difficult to always take it easy and rest when I need to. I kind of see things black or white, on or off, hard or easy. I think last 2 years were nothing but hard, hammer all the time. I gained allot endurance and strength out of it but I became so fried by the end and middle of the year. This hole process of training and becoming on top off your game is very tough to figure out sometimes. There are always so many factors that you have to look at in order to be at the top of your game on race day. But you cant do it throughout the hole season anymore, to many people are focusing on certain races to peek and if your just a little of your game your toast. So I see so many people only focusing on certain races and not extending themselves to far. Look at the pros doing the Tour De France, Or Giro, Veluto, these guys only race a few races leading up to the race and then peek for these races. There early season races seem to be just to fine tune themselves. Most of the time they don't even place. Well you got your few freaks out there, Lance Armstrong, Eddie Merx, who won just about everything they raced, but they are the very few who can pull shit like that off. SO i am just a weekend warrior who is just trying to work his ass off to achieve some level of anarchy, I never really set out to achieve the goals I have today buy it sure has been an awesome experience to get where I am at today. It was that long ago when I was 240 lbs and did nothing to exercise. I started out just trying to loose weight. So after awhile I wanted to do a running race (10k), I almost placed in my age group my first race and was so exited. I guess that's where it all started. I sure didn't know then that I would be where I am at today because of that day. But this path of exercising, racing, training has brought so much good stuff in my life and wouldn't change It for the world. I get off on telling people what I do and they just can't even imagine, and don't want to what kind of work it takes to be at the top level. I think sometimes they don't even believe me most of the time. I'm sure glad for all the friends I have mad through all this too. There have been allot of sacrifices I have mad allot of sacrifices since I decided to see how far I can go with the racing and training. My friends and family are the ones who have had to suffer the most witch is hard to do. I miss seeing my friends an family. It helps also that they support me 100% in this crazy journey I have chosen. without them it would be hard, but nice to know I have there support.
I am writing all this because yesterday I was ask if I could speak at my local chamber of commerce in April so it has sparked allot of different thoughts that I going to have to write down. I will be talking about how I got started in all this and what I have achieved so far. So I hope in the long run I will have changed one person life for the good.

Yesterday was a hard day, I hit lower body weights real good in the morning and a 50 minute run. Aster work I took the bike up to the pinnacle and just hammered myself with hill repeats at 10-18% grade. The route is only 25 miles from the house and back but has 3000 feet of climbing. So there's no easy way around it. So today I am paying the price, hobbling around like an old lady. These next to weeks are going to hurt! At least i hope:)

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

I got the new bike all together and took a bunch of pictures, I will try to upload them sometime this week. What a sweet ride, has all the new new shimano parts, Race face bar, thompson seat post and stem. It weighs in at 24.5 with some big tires it came with, I will change those muddies soon. Probably loose a half pound there. But man its going to be a sweet ride for the 24 hour event. This bike will rip up any course weather it be short or long course. It handles great and responds great in the corners. Even climbs good.
Just got of a rest week and now back to serious stuff for the next to weeks. I will be racing these next 2 weekends at ford Ord. Well the race on the 10Th is at Toro Park near Salinas. They have point results up for the last 2 races. Here are the standing so far. I am in 5Th overall right know. I had 2 six place finishes so far. Not as good as I would like but My overall pictures is my 24 hour races. These help with working on high heart rate intervals. It will tie in with my endurance come race day.
I took some pictures of me swimming at the pool the last night, I think people will get a kick out of them. The pool has been hovering 60 degree's, it takes a full wetsuit and a top pull over with a hood and an extra hood and gloves just to make it through and hour swim. It makes me laugh every time I look at myself before going into the pool. The dedication to my sport is in no short supply!

There's only 1 point separating 1st and 2nd place. Miles Wadsworth has an impressive start with a third place overall so far, not far from second place. I am in 5th place 3 points behind Anthony Leal from Buy-Cell. These group is really tough with some fast guys. Like I said Miles is real fast this year and getting faster, you have Brock Dickie is is very strong. Plus Mike Holt is right on my tail with only 2 points down. I have allot of work to get ahead, and stay ahead of these animals

Keith DeFiebre
Brock Dickie
Myles Wadsworth
Anthony Leal
Brian Sevall
Mike Holk
Scott Zavack
Cesar Chavez
Mike Doyle
David Allen
Evan Adams
Ruben Villareal
Geoff Luttrell
Bryce Renshaw
Matt Jordan
Tim Cannard
Don Palermini
Ian Allen

Friday, February 23, 2007

Its been two weeks since my last post. Things are going good, its frustrating this time because I feel I just don't have the power like I used to. I did the cccx races the last 2 weekend and placed 6 place both times, I figured I would off done better. So I have been questioning my tactics so far this year and kind of don't really know what to do. I wonder at some point have my workouts not have enough intensities in them. Who knows. Even my buddy Miles Wadsworth is kicking my ass all over ford ord races. I envy him at this point. I'm hoping at this point I would fair better when some of the races are over at Toro park with the hilly course. I'll keep doing what I've been doing because I feel I'm getting stronger and I still have allot of racing to go. It just sucks to loose. I do remember doing allot more group rides before but the last year and a half I have been training alone, so I might step up the amount of group riding to get some race intensities in.

Some good stuff on my sponsors. I receive my new Blur last night from ups. Anodized silver and the new xtr group. Took all I had not to put it together last night and go for a ride. I dreamed about it all night. Also going into 2007 I will have Recover-Ease, Carb-boom, and Granite Construction as to help me out this year. Thanks Everybody. I will try and post some pics of the new bike this weekend. Also really need a digital camera. Just a odd thought there. So I am hoping with the new bike will step me up a notch to at least hold on to Miles wheel com March 3rd, watch out buddy, I'm taking you down..lol

Monday, February 12, 2007

First race of the year. I was somewhat sceptical because of the rain but it was nice. There where a few puddles and the bike did get dirty but hell its a mountain bike race. The Blur help up flawlessly as usual. So the race started off pretty hard as usual, everybody hammers to get up front before the single track. The race was 5 laps about 25 minutes each lap. On the first lap I lost the lead group of about 7 riders, I did catch 1 or 2 riders but not sure. I didn't even stay long even after the race to find out what I placed, it really didn't matter to me, we'll it did matter but I was just glad I finished the race and felt good about it. I did spend 90% of the race alone so it seem like for ever. I did miss calculate the time we were going to be out there, I thought a little over an hour but turned out to be a tad over 2. I took 1 Carb Boom and figured it would be enough. The last lap was tough to finish, felt really wasted. It was nice to see some friends I haven't seen since last year and get to catch up on what every body's been up too. Anyway the race for me was a big pain fest, I was on the verge of cramping the hole way it seemed like. It was the hardest I've done workout in the last 2.5 months, hurt like hell but felt good. If you like to race or train hard you would know want I mean. I have taken the last 2.5 just steady to easy and nothing over 145 bmp heart rate. Well I fell I'm ready to start up a nice build period to my main races in May 5Th at the Cool 24 hour race, and 24 race at Laguna Seco in June. There still are plenty more races in between witch gives me some great intensity along the way. I did this 2 years ago and worked out great, and as they say why change a good thing.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Things are going good. This last weekend was amazing, first time in months I didn't have layers and layers of clothes to keep warm on the bike. I rode all day in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, working on the tan in February, only in California. It was in low 80's.

On Saturday I did 6 laps of the 24 hours of Adrenalin course at Laguna Seco race way. 10,000 feet of climbing, The laps were around 55 minutes just cruising, nothing hard. I was surprised I didn't see more people out there. On Sunday rode to Hunter Ligget toward HWY 1 where the wife met me and we went for a trail walk. I love it over there. Just keeping things consistant, I think that's the key in training and wanting to improve. I look at it as putting miles in the bank as how I have been looking at it lately. I'm making huge deposits in order to make huge withdrawal's come race day. It's a weird analogy but true. Looks like rain is coming this week so this will get interesting training wise. It's tough enough o get out there when it's cold, but wet and cold is another story.



I will have to think off new and improved motivations to get off my ass. Maybe I dangle a bag of cookies in front of me, think that will work? I do!

Friday, February 02, 2007

The wife and I have been emailing each other recipies this morning and now I'm affiacially starving. At least thats what it feels like. I guess the 2 bananas and yogurt just are not getting it. And then I look into my lunch box and relized I only bropught and oranga and some pieces of watermelon, Ah its going to be a long day at work. So sometimes I wish I wasn't so hard on myself about Food, calories, nutrition. Although thats not really true, I'm glad I watch this stuff because I care about my health, weight and well being. Not saying it's not tuff but in the long run I know it will pay off huge. Organic, many fruits and vegtables all the way baby!

Thursday, February 01, 2007

I feel even better today and I am ready to hit it hard again. I did a 30 minute run followed by a 45 minute core and back workout and felt great. I'm really started to come together. I signed up for both 24 hours of Adrenalin races at Laguna Seca, Monterey , The first one is on June 9th and the world championship is on September 1st. I made it just in time for the cut off for the discounted price. I think you got 15 more days left for the World championship in September. Not much else to report. I will be still doing weights next week and will up the total amount and lower the reps. I will 4 sets of 15 on week then 4 sets of 20 the following week. Its been working great so far. I was told last night that the pool might be officially closed in 3 weeks. That sucks! The swim last night was a 2000 meter swim broken up as 5x200, 200 rt arm only, 200 lt arm only, 3x200. The water temp was a freezing 62 Deg. Froze my ass off. But I stayed warm enough to think I can start swimming 4000-5000 meters again since I got some more wetsuit cloths. I will be going long again this weekend and also promised the wife to take her on a hike in the back country somewhere so looking forward to some weekend time with the wife.. See its not all about training, it's about keeping everybody happy. Plus valentines day is coming and have to think off something cool to do foe her this year since I failed last year.