Happy holidays!

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Just to update everyone.... Brian has been busy working two jobs and building a retaining wall in our backyard, in lieu of training, these past four months. It has been an interesting break in his routine, but he's planning on coming back to race next year, so watch out!

In the coming weeks, I will be cleaning up the blog, indexing and updating for Brian, so check back in the new year!

Well another week is gone. This Sunday seemes like it is lasting fore ever. I have been training steady and getting stronger and feeling better every week. At least thats what I keep telling myself,"ha ha" hopefully the positive thinking will work. Although I do feel better but not 100 percent. Im working out about 1-2 hours a day. Just keeping it short and simple. Its still tuff to ride anything over 3 hours. I didn't ride yesterday because still trying to build a retaining wall in my back ride. But I did get the footing poured and ready for the rock wall to be set next week.

At the end of last week I was working in buitiful Felton Santa Cruz area. So many hills to ride on. And next week I will be there all week. I can't wait to ride Bonny Doon, Hwy 9 to skyline, Jamisine creek rd during the week.

Anyway thought I would p;ost something to help me to keep writing. I don't get near rthe computer much anymore.

Anybody ever have to go traininig anonymous...lol

Well, Well, Well. Where to start. I see I wrote about my race over 2 months ago so that's good...lol. I have a bad case of fatigue that hasn't been fun at all. Not only fatigue but some depression to go with that. I have been a big baby in excepting what was going on. And like a good hard headed person I can be I didn't want to be defeated by some fatigue. A broken leg or arm would of been nice cause at least I could see it, sounds weird I know but makes sense to me. I have never really had to take time off from training and racing, well at least and extended period of time, meaning more than a few weeks. I did have a bunch of blood work taken but the doc said I have the healthiest blood he has ever seen and nothing he could see was wrong. I thought for sure he had to be wrong. This extended period of no training has been all new to me. I always felt I would never stop unless something serious happened. It has taken me awhile to adjust and except what is going on. I'm getting older and life changes has brought on a new era. I have to rest, rest and more rest to get myself back together so I can get out there and do what I love. " ride ride ride". As I look at it know it wasn't all bad, just seemed bad. Here I was with sponsors and my promises I couldn't keep. So I put a lot of pressure on myself because I couldn't perform at the level I was used to. So I had to except the changes that were dealt to me and move on. I will have to incorporate a lot more rest day's and not hold myself to so many hours a week and focus on speed and my health and life. I have know only started to train again and feel better than ever. Finally the fatigue fog is starting to remove. I just have to be care full and not to overload myself with hammer workout everyday of the week, maybe limit them to a couple and even might scratch those depending on how I feel. I know I just can't handle the volume I used to week after week, day after day. Its just unrealistic for me know. Not saying I wont do it from time to time but very limited know. Cause I still want to get out there and do 200+ weekends, I love that stuff. But it won't happen week after week. That will not help my overall goal in staying fast and strong.

One great thing about all this rest is that it couldn't be more perfect timing, I get to watch every stage of the Tour, what and exciting one it has been. So all my time hasn't been soaking in tears:)

As far as I schedule I'm not really sure yet. I see there is three six hour races that look pretty tempting. I don't think I have another 24 hour race in me. Although before I checked out last may I have acquired sponsorship from Vetta bike computers, so stayed tuned for some new gear write up.

So with my renewed outlook on training and health I feel like I still can be stronger and faster than ever. Look at Tinker pushing real old and still kicking ass.

Nutrtion thoughts

I wanted to write some stuff on nutrition for longer race and training that I do or have have done. I think its a huge key to success in longer races lasting 4+ hours. Because the body can only survive at a high intensity for no more than 1.5 to 2 hours without shutting down and going into a metabolic state of feeding of your muscle and fat. But if you to the right fuelling you can teach your body to use the calories you consume along with stored fat as fuel and not your muscles. At least you can prevent the big bonk from happening.
On my 24 hour racing my goal is to average 300-500 calories an hour through out the entire race. Its so important to hit this goal all 24 hours. And when I say 300-500 calories an hour I don't mean you can quit eating for 3 hours and then double up the next few ours. If you do that you are done and that's not a good thing or healthy way to do it. I used not to be able to handle this amount of calories but over my first year of doing this I trained my body to eat and drink my way to this goal amount. And your calories can not be from cookies and coke, or pizza and bear. It has to be clean burning fuel. I use a lot of banana's and dates, good quality carb drink and protein drink. Not saying I don't eat other stuff like chips and pop tarts and jerky I do, but not as my hole calorie intake, just as a treat. And all this depends on temperature. Obviously the hotter it is the more difficult it is to process calories when the temp are hotter than your use to unless you train like that, but that is always difficult to do. Again this is all done during training. So with the right calorie combination and good fueling of liquids I do not bonk and I am able to hold my pace hard and fast and don't have to let up because Of lack of fueling. My water intake is in the range of 25-35 ounces of water, that's including the carb/protein drinks also. Again your body has limits on what it can do and go over those limits and shit starts to go real wrong. I try and keep my sodium intake no more than 700 mg per hour. I feel that the reason I cramp is not the lack of sodium or water but the lack to control my pace in the beginning. When I go out to hard I will always start to cramp even though I have enough fluid and calories. It is so important not to get behind on the calories, water, sodium in the first hours, those are key factors. Because once you fall behind you can not catch back up. You will be done.

24 hours of Cool race report

Another win to the collection of well earned victories.
Its always hard to know where to start with these reports.

I would like to commend Jim Northey on the excellent job at putting on a race. Thanks Jim! I appreciate everything you do.

I really chilled out 1 week before the in order to rest up and get ready. I had 3 hours total biking before that week before the race.

I left my house on Friday morning to hook up with some new crew members on the way to Cool. My new crew members were a son and father addition to the madness. Not sure if I mentioned it but my awesome wife (Amanda) couldn't make it nor could my friend/mechanic. So i had to approach this race differently mentally. I arrived in Cool early (noon) so I could pre ride the course and get a feel of what to expect beside a lot of pain, and get a feel of what the temperature was going to be. So I get riding the prelap and bike wont shift good. So 2 trips to Auburn bike works (thanks Pete) and 4 hours later I'm back on the trail pre riding the course. Know it was time to make dinner and chill out and watch some of the 2007 Tour de france stages, really gets you pumped up. Saturday morning came and it was time for the traditional pancakes and coffee to get get started. Then it was off to the racer meeting and then to the start line. Because of the amount of riders there were start time gaps in between categories. The solo's went first. As always I hit it hard and fast. I hit the trail in good position and was the first of a few riders out front. By the half way point I was getting passed by the team riders. I was told later I came thru the start finish line the first solo but I could swear I chased a rider in front of me for 5 laps never to catch him. When I almost finished with the second lap I had to evaluate how I was feeling and what pace I could hold. I realized it felt like my fourth/fifth lap and my body was starting to feel it. So I decided to drop my pace and try and hold steady. Going on the next 4/5 laps wee real tough. I just could find my groove or pace, I felt all over the place. But I still have a long way to go and I had to keep going. My pace is where I'm always on the verge of cramping. I will push real hard until I start to cramp then I will let of some and just hold that for as long as I can. So darkness is about to arrive and I'm told I'm a lap up on the next Solo geared nut job. I feel real good abut that and know I'm ready to ease up a little more. And not that I had a choice t ease up. I was hurting so bad by this time and was started to walk a few laps into the night. I always have mental issues with walking. It's tough for me to succumb to that part but. But after a few laps I just gave in and decided not to let it bother me. And a I could see I wasn't alone out there walking up the steep parts. Some time in the wee ours of the morning I get about half way thru the course and come around a sharp corner and there come a gorilla jumps out at me. All of a sudden I find myself screaming like a girl, then laughing so hard I almost fell over on the bike. I will never see that corner the same. But it was freaking awesome and funny. Okay know it was all I had to do was make it to the morning until the sun came up. It was still mentally tough for me than usual to get there. Just never seemed to get comfortable with my pace. But I kept on going like a good suffering rider. I find myself stopping more than usuall. I was trying anything to just keep going and was digging deep. I would stop and thenwhen I knew somebody that would go buy and would jump back on the bike to chat/ride with to get me going again, that helped so much. A little before day break I'm sitting at the halfway point drinking coffee when the Hammer head Dez Wilder geo's buy, on his single speed. So I got of my ass and jump on my bike to catch him. I figured he would be stronger at this point but I wasn't going to give up yet. It took a lot to catch him but I finally did. It was nice to talk to Dez to the finish line. Dez and I were on the same lap but we were in different race division. Every time he shows up to race I'm at I definitely know I have my work cut out for me. As we head out again we rode for a while chatting it up trying to pass the time. I wanted to ride with Dez as long as could just to pass the time. Well that lasted for a while until he just pulled away from me. Thanks Dez for kicking me when I'm down...lol. I was still still only 1 lap ahead of second place ( Mike )so I wasn't out of the woods yet. And it was Mike's first 24 hour race. I was still suffering something terrible but just kept riding and walking the steeper sections just to finish. Before my last lap one of Mike's pit crew came to congratulate me for winning. I thought that was class act. Mike' was one lap behind me. So at that point I didn't have to go out again but decided to after all. It wasn't to put another lap on Mike but just for myself. I figure I had 2 hours to do a lap and was in no big hurry. So I finished with 19 laps. First place in the 24 geared solo division. Even after all the pain and suffering not a bad job. Dez Wilder finished with 20 laps, Congrats Amigo!!! You got me this time, I hope we will meet soon to battle again..

Here's something funny: I carry paper cups in my jersey pockets with different stuff in them. Anything from potato chips, jerky, pop tarts, and a lot of other stuff. This was during the night when I had a paper cup filled with potato chips. When riding on the trail at night I would always here stuff moving in the bushes on the bumpy section. This went on for a while before I figured out it was my paper cup filled with potato chip. Every time I hit a bump it would make a swooshing noise. I just thought I should share that.

Wanted to thank Auburn Bike works for there helping me out with my last minute issues. Also wanted to give a big thanks to Tharyn for taking the time and helping making sure the bikes were all tuned up and in running order.

And the biggest thanks to my Family ( Bill, Bonnie, Tom, Amy) and friends ( Dave and his son Mike). Thanks for everything. It helped me out so much just you being there.

And the bigger biggest support from my Wife Amanda, who I know could be there but was calling all the time to see how I was doing and to give me love! Thank You!

And a big thank to my sponsors
Santa Cruz Bike: The fastest/durable bikes on the planet. My Back didn't hurt at all the hole night.
Fiber wise pasta: For the healthiest pasta around.
Nuun electrolytes: For keeping my cramping issues at bay
Hayes disc brakes: For he braking power one needs when comming into a corner at mach 3
Sock Guys: The most comfortable sock you ever wear. Didn't even have to change once in 24 hours
Recover Ease / Energy Ease: Keeps my training racing above everybody else.

1 week to go

That's right, 1 week to go until race day. This will be the first 24 hour race for the year. As the temperature starts to rise so is the desire to ride in circle's for 24 hours. Who even thought of this shit anyway. A couple guys riding around and said, "lets make a 24 hour race" some crazy stuff. And here we are today with the 24 hour scene as big as ever. I think there is even 3-4 more 24's just in California alone. And the desire seems to get stronger. I even had the opportunity to help a friend (Chuck)catch the desire to ride a 24 hour race. For myself I always find very rewarding to something big. Weather it be a race or weekend rides that would make a normal person say,"you did what this weekend". But it has always been my desire to ride the bike from one mile to the next. Well not always but in the last five years it has been. Who would of thought 9 years ago I weighed 240 pounds and was about to buy next pair pants and a size 38 waist. It was a sight to see. I always laugh at the pictures when I come across one.



With one week to go the body is in shut down mode. The rides have been short in distance in duration but not lacking intensity's. On Saturday I did some hill climbs and on the average watts I was holding 370 average for 10 minute climbs. It felt hard but not maxed out. Since I weight close to 170 the watt to weight isn't all that great but is all I need to have a good race. Maybe even take some cash home. Next week will be real light and need a great big desire to want to get on the bike so bad that it's killing me to ride. I'm all ready to go and the bike are all tuned up. I'm so looking forward to riding the course on Friday and get some ideas of how my transition are going to be like.

My first ride was tonight since the Boggs race. I spun the legs out for an hour. I'm still really fatigued tonight. But I felt real good and strong. If things heal as fast as I hope I will try to race sea otter maybe. But my main focus will be Cool 24 hour. I took the first 2 day's off from the race. The effort I used for the 8 hours was probably a 9 out of 10 on the pain scale. I could barely make it through work with out wanting to fall asleep. And wouldn't you know it there was a 12 hour work day waiting for me on Monday... Fun Stuff. I will try to ease into my next and last phase of training before resting up.

I just take it day by day and see how when the legs will wake up again before I hit it fast and furious. rest is very important to me these day's. More than ever.

Boggs Mountain Race Report

Another race in the legs. This race was a 8 hour race in the Boggs Mountain demonstration Forest on Saturday April 5th. The course was 9.2 miles with 1200 feet of elevation gain (seemed like more). This is an awesome race for a first timer or just too tune up your skills before a 24 hour race.

I was real impressed with the cool laid back Boggs race that Carlos puts on. They did a great job top make it a race to definitely come back. Pretty laid back. Seemed like more dogs than racers. Well not really but there were a lot of pets running around. It made it nice to not have to leave our dog at home.

I really wanted to do this race for a few reasons. One was to get an Idea of what my competition is going to be like when I go race the Cool 24 hour race May 5th. Yuri Haswald and Dez Wilder were there. Very strong riders and have won races before and could put the hurt on you. Also use this race to get my nutrition down. I have been Hammer nutrition more this year. I've used it before but have switch my carb, protein and gel to all Hammer products. Another reason I for this race was to get an Idea and feeling of what I can handle as far as potential pace. The race start was real cold and everybody had on arm warmers, knee/leg warmers, vest, and more just to keep warm.

So the race started of at a good pace. There were 5 of us up front at the start who hit the trail first. I think Dez Wilder hit the trail first on his single speed. I think Yuri and I were 5th and sixth to hit the trail. We were hitting real hard for the first few laps with Yuri and I trading leads. He was on fire on the down hills and couldn't keep up with him. At one point I was using all my lives (as Yuri said to me at one piont) on the down hill section just trying to not slow Yuri down when he was behind me on the down hill sections. So at one point I had to let him go and go at my own speed in fear of my life from hitting a tree of crashing from the boulder on the trail. I really could remember riders who were in front of Yuri and I but by the 3rd lap we started to hit a lot of rider traffic. So it was hard to tell at that point. Going on the third lap I had a gap On Yuri and was feeling good. Yuri was catching me on the down hill section and I was pulling away on the climbs. Going on the 3rd lap I got a pinch flat. 5 minutes later I was hammering away. At the second lap I remember seeing a single speed rider, his name Was Cameron. Every lap I tried to catch him but he was riding real strong. I almost would catch him but then would pull away. Going on the 4th and 5th lap I started to feel the fast pace from the start. So I decided to hold my own pace and ride in my own comfort zone. And what ever that ended me up I was okay with that. I just couldn't push any harder without getting toasted. Plus by this time it was 4 hours into the race and wasn't like I could push any harder anyway. This got real tuff on my 6th lap. I had to go into survival mode and not focus very good and couldn't get my comfortable on the trail and was loosing my momentum on the corners. I contribute this to the high pace for the prior laps just to keep Dez Wilder within reachable distance to keep the gap between us to a manageable time. Toward the end of the race it got pretty lonely. Going on my 8th lap I was told Dez was 10 minutes in front of me. Witch surprised me a lot. Because the hole was all I could picture is him pa sing me with an hour to go and lap me. At that point it wasn't like I could push any harder put maintain the pace I was holding. I was hurting a lot and was cramping on the climbs. My side hurt also front all the hard corner and dodging rocks. Well I finally finished with ten laps and about 15 minutes to the cut of time. I felt real good about my race and was totally hurting. It felt like an 8 hour cross country race. I got first place in the pro division. Congrats on Dez and Cameron for doing the same amount of laps on a Single Speed, just amazing.

My nutrition:
half a banana, 2-3 gu's per lap.
1 bottle (alternating between Carb and protien mix.
carb bottle was 2 scoops carb boom(140 calories)
protein was Hammer perpetum(2 scoops 260 calories)

My total calorie intake for 8 hours was 3,300 calories (over 400 calories an hour) I got hungry only twice during the 8 hours

I probably burned close to 8000 calories, I ate 4000 calories at Cattleman's restaurant(good stuff).

Pic's will come later.

CCCX Race

Look at my crotch rocket!!!! Santa Cruz Blur XC...Its fast, it slices through the air like a jet.

Check out my new SOCK GUY wear. They have the coolest shoe covers and arm warmers, and plenty of socks!!!

I just got back from the CCCX race at Ford Ord. I really like these races because you go all out for 2 hours. I never consider myself for the win but I give it my all. The reason I do them id to help me push when Im tired. At least that is my objective. The races there always hurt like hell:) Though I don't know what hell feels like but Im sure its close...lol

I was tired from my long time trial ride yesterday. I decided not to work out in the morning before the and stack more fatigue on my body than normal.

The race starts out fast and I always have trouble holding wheels in the first 20 minutes. I entered the first section in the first 5 riders and was in good position. The wind was brutal so I had to give it my all to stay with them and not be left out to suffer. I felt real good and was able to move up a few spots before half way of the first lap of 5 laps total. We were moving alone pretty good and was still in the front group during the second lap and was doing pretty good. Were started moving through riders and there was only a few riders front our group left. I was out front pushing hard when one rider attacked and flew of the front. There was no way I could hold his wheel so I had no choice but had to let him go. About that time I was all alone stuck in the middle of nowhere. There was nobody to work with. I thought for sure another rider was going to catch me because I felt I was slowing down some. I was still passing a lot of people from the riders who left in front of our group and felt strong. So I kept doing my thing and hammering alone. On the last lap, with total amazement I ended up catching the rider that took of on the second lap. I knew he was strong but tired. When in the end I came across the finish line first for my first win of the year....yippee. Always feels good when you WIN!

I feel I'm going in the right direction with the training and I am doing pretty good with my power out put. I still feel I have some improvement to go for the 24 hours of Cool race but have have plenty of day's to ride. Plus I have the 8 hours of boggs next weekend!!!! So i have some resting to do to get ready. I have one hard workout next week of about 4 hours on Tuesday doing the sea otter course the its all about focus and rest....

As spring time is here and in full swing the flowers are looking so nice! On Saturday I decided to drive up too San Anonio Lake with my croch rocket (Tri Bike) and do 2 laps of the 1/2 Ironman course at San Antonio Lake. I had some fatigue going into this but pretty much goes very everyworkout unless Im tappering. I felt good and was real exited to get ride the bike with more than myself. Although nobody was riding with me but just to ride with other people around is so nice. My thought on riding the tri bike is that it makes me putt out steady watts for long periods of time without going into the red zone for short perioids of time. Not saying I didn't go into the red zone but just was trying to keep it as steady as possible, working on my peddle strock to keep it turning in full motion. I believe when I do this my efficientcy is better for my racing, keeping your momentum moving forward at all times, rather than hitting only the down stroke on your circles. This burns like hell for so long. During the first lap I contiplated on only doing one lap but I told myself I not count out a second lap but would wait intel I finished my first lap to see how I felt. Also figured I must be pushing to hard to be thinking that early on. So I tried to hold of and save most of the mojo for the second lap. It so nice out there this time of year. I didnt use a heart rate moniter or power and wanted to do this on feel. Well I survived the first lap and felt good enough to continue. So my objective for this was to go hard and push real hard towards the top of the rollers and climbs. Eacl laps is around 5000 feet elevation gain, some goos climbing. I tried to stay aro only to get out of the saddle to stretch or attach the hills. I started to cramp son 1/3rd into the second laps but wasn't going to lay off. I rode hard and it hurt like hell but I wasn't going to give into it and slow down. I suffered pretty hard the last part was so glad I finish. I couldn't hardley walk afterwords, hurt like hell. And it felt so good:). My neck started to really hurt a lot being in the areo posistiuon for so long. I dont think my neck concusion was helping.

Im real happy with training this year. I have deligated more of my time to other responsiblity beside the bike. Plus with the trying to focus on the job change and the lack of work is taking some adjustments on the mental statis. But I will never give up and will keep trying intel the end... Got to go. I have a race MTB rac e in Ford ORd today at 1 pm, wish me luck!

Spring is comming

And you cant stop it:) Its going to be nice. Riding in the my shorts again. Smelling and seing all the spring flowers. And im hoping my fitness with spring also:)
I haven't been writing for a long time in the blog. I had to simplify my life some and the intrenet was on of them. I was working at a concrete plant and it closed on January 1st. So have been going through a work transition period for know. Im not sure if I will write as much as before. It seems this blog is the first thing that will go when I get tired and start training. But I have been bouncing around at work, and know Im offficially being trained to operate an asphalt plant. Instead of making grey material it is know black stuff. My experiance from the concrete [plant has helped me a lot, it has a lot of the same principals. So I have been trying focus on my new job and has taking up a lot of my energy and time. Making sure I get it right. ALthough I did mess up already and tried to load a 6ton truck with 25 tons. Let me tell you know it won't work. Shit goes everywhere. It was pretty funny in a weird way. Im still training as much as I can but Im not holding myself to any figures. The only figure I hold myself to one is a healthy one.

what a time laps between post.. Like I fell of the edge of the earth but have worked my way back up. Posting always seemed like a hassle. Call me lazy I guess.

My training has been going good. Nothing to earth shattering but keeping it steady. I rest when I need to and nothing to long. I'm around the 15-20 hour range right know. Keeping my heart rate low and trying too build on my fitness from last year.

I rode this morning, was on the bike at 4am. too the gym for some weight work then road to work, 9 miles. Si if I happen to skip my afternoon workout at least I started the day of good, witch will more than likely happen. My wife Say's I'm addicted to Law and Order know. I think she's right, seems like all I watch anymore.

I have been walking with the wife on the weekend in the early morning a lot. Keeps me busy and from training to much, the wife likes it a lot too because she gets to see me a lot, I feel bad for her too have to spend that much time with me though, what is she thinking. But it is real nice though. We went on a 5 hour hike at the pinnacles last weekend (10miles), I was proud of her for not complaining at all. I think she is hooked. Although I she think is was my intention on going that far but it wasn't. It is amazing how much stuff I miss when running and biking so fast.