Up, Up, Up and Up

8.0 hrs, 20,000ft, 80 degrees, 4x Palomar...toast.

(Snow, even in SoCal- top of Palomar)
(Totally toast, on top the last time)

Ramp'n Up

Well, i find myself back in Cali for RAAM training camp #2 of the winter. After a great talk with Lon the night before i left, the game plan has changed this time around - i need more miles. Some say the big miles aren't necessary, and that intensity is a better use of time...well there is a reason no one is coming close to the crossing times of Lon, Pete and the records set years ago- no one does the miles they did.....so, i'm hitting the big miles while i can. Since Minnesota doesn't have the big climbs either, tomorrow i'm going to hit Palomar 4 times for a 8ish hour ride with 20,000 feet of up. Then big miles 18ish hrs on Sunday and again Monday. i was hoping to ride out to Congress, the first 350 miles and get a 30+hr ride in, but circumstances won't allow, so it will be more of a local 300...but 300 never the less (i'll get to congress at 36hr ride when i get back in March). So, it may be a few days before i'm back to the post as it is time to train like a RAAM racer and that means living on the bike. Off to bed.

Status Quo

Well, it has been a bit since i've updated here, but alas, the last few weeks have just kind of gone. Training has been very solid and i'm excited about finishing up a little rest period before heading to my second camp in San Diego later this week. The time out there will again be very valuable as i'll get to ride on the race course, hit the desert for some quality riding and do some serious climbing (shooting for a 20,000 foot day on Palomar). Later this week i have a conf. call scheduled with the best RAAM racer ever, Lon Haldeman. He is an awesome dude and is willing to dole out some advice to me the rookie - i can't wait to pick his brain as i think he can sheld some needed light on a few subjects that will be cirtical to my success...sleep, nutrition to name a few.
Due to some time constraints and family illness, i was bummed to not get a chance to race this past weekend at Ripley or Marine...but as luck would have it, there was a 1st running of the Highland Championships in St. Paul. Only two racers were man enough to belly up, my neighbor Chad Giese and myself. The 3 lap, 10KM race started promplty at high noon and was run at a blistering pace throughout. In the end, Saab Factory skier Chad Giese pulled out the win, and i was lucky enought to hold on for second.
Ok, really it was just one hell of a good workout.

Uncle!!

It has been some time since it happened, but i cried UNCLE yesterday. I got up at 5am for my usual ride to the Anytime to lift, and with a -16 temp and -35 windchill, i decided on the trainer.

Today:
Cold
Hi -6°F

I have to admit, i was feeling a bit soft skipping my usual outside ride, but in hind sight I realize the quality of bundling up like a marshmallow and trying to pedal is not real high. Better off just taking the lumps on the trainer. I did get out for a ski as a lesson i had canceled- and it wasn't that bad. The snow was actually faster than I'd have guessed....wow. It is awesome to have quality skiing for the first time in some years- thanks old man winter. Even though i'd like to have some better outside riding conditions, i'm always amazed how good skiing is for core strength, balance, aerobic fitness...it always seems to translate well to summer success on the bike.
I will admit however, i'm getting excited about my next trip to San Diego. Got my cooling vest yesterday from Cool Vest, and i'm starting to get dialed in on my nutrition and hydration for the race. PICC line?? With just 6 months left, this is getting closer and closer by the second. My wife Megan has agreed to come along and crew now as well which is huge for me. She has crewed RAAM, knows me best and will be an amazing crutch for me over the 10 days of hell. Well, time for an OD ski and lessons in -6 with -30 windchills...is it groundhog day? California Dreaming...

Racing Baby!!

Well, the plan says come January i need to get quality intensity in at least once a week...no better way than pinning on a number and bellying up to the start line. I was excited to not have to worry about anything except racing this weekend after our near meltdown last weekend at Como where i was helping organize....racing is so much easier. That said, kudos to John and his entire team for pulling off a first class event - thanks!
I'll have to admit, i was a bit bummed looking a the forecast calling for single digit temps with huge winds...fun? But come Sunday a.m. with the bright sunshine and excitement of the first race in some time, all seemed fine. After a quick breakfast with the kids and a BIG cup of joe, I slipped into my new suit for the first time- very nice - thanks Hidden Bay for the custom cut - they shortened the arms and legs for my stubby limbs and for the first time i have a suit that actually fits! It was great to be a local citizen race again, see familiar faces, and catch up with folks you only seem to run into on race day.
Since i had gotten the "family pass" for the morning, I was hoping to get a good long ski in, but by the time i got registered and finished chit-chating, it was already nearly 9. I headed up the hill the Loppet starts on and got to ski the snow-making loop for the first time - wow, very nice! It was also nice to see how the race was going to finish -it was revealed we were going to have to climb one extra hill than i would have thought....i'm glad i knew this! I finally made it over to the start, got a few hard efforts in and was ready as ever(boy it now seemed a bit cold taking off the warm ups!). The snow seemed pretty quick and i was excited to get it rolling.
i usually start off hard, but having ridden 5hrs on the bike the day before, and this being the first real hard effort in sometime, i decided to "follow wheels" for a bit. Bad idea! Man, skiing back in traffic sucks! Being out front can be hard, but you have "clean air" and trying to avoid poles and miss other skiers can take lots of energy...well, too late. We got to Wirth lake an i was finally able to move up to 2nd or 3rd and was finally skiing comfortably. The pace seemed quite easy as the lead skier was heading into a stiff head wind so riding the slipstream up front was perfect- no extra traffic, but all the benefits of a nice draft. i thought a few times about lifting the pace, but the wind and fear of the bigger climbs at Wirth were in the back of my mind - and with surely less race fitness than some of the college kids around me, i decided playing it conservative was the way to go.
We made it to the park in no time and the climbing began. By the top of the first climb it was a group of 7. We all managed to stay together until the 2nd to last climb when a huge surge came from Nathan and Eric. They, along with John quickly gaped the rest of us and i knew there was no way i was going to hang with the pace so quickly backed off, knowing a 2nd climb followed. I settled in, suffered up the last climb and skied to the finish with Zack. Good, good, good stuff.
Goal: fun, high intensity training session. Objective complete!
Thanks Bruce (www.skinnyski.com) for the great photos, race coverage and as usual support.