Post Memorial Day blog

I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I also hope everyone took a moment to think about the meaning of Memorial Day and not that it's just another excuse to BBQ and drink beer. Regardless of who we like or dislike in office, the elected government officials, or the latest financial scandal, the fact that many valiant men and women have given their lives to defend our freedoms and to keep us safe deserve to be remembered on this day especially.

The newest focus for me has become preparing for Tucson in November again. I'm very focused on having a better strategy and decision making for the 80 mile race. I need to train for longer distances more frequently this year. Specifically, I need to train in excess of 80 miles as much as I can. This year, my third year participating will be when I break the 4 hour mark. I hope to do so solidly since my first attempt was a finish of what...4:01? I had only been cycling for 6 months back then.

Mt. Whitney is another goal and adventure I still have planned. A lot of my time and energy has been spent when I'm at home to make sure I have everything I need and I believe based on the route I've chosen that my current physical conditioning is fine for the trip. If I were going the shorter, steeper route I would not be attempting Whitney with any hopes for success. I will be carrying a SPOT device which will allow my progress to be tracked online (with some transmission delay) and I will be able to check in at the touch of a button. There is an online web page that has been setup and I will post it and email it before I leave so that everyone can check in on my via the online website which uses Google Maps and I think integrates with Google Earth which I'm sure would be interesting.

I rode with Alex on Sunday morning. We did our first 60 mile ride and it went ok all things considered. I felt fine when I got back home. My legs were a little fatigued from not having ridden that distance since last year. I grabbed lunch from Subway and gobbled that down only to realize a few hours later I was hungry again. DUH! Burn 2900 calories and put back maybe 700 via sandwich and you've only given yourself a little of what your body is asking for. So I ate a lot for dinner. =) Alex bonked around mile 50 so he struggled the last 10 miles. For those that have no idea what bonking is, it's literally when your body refuses to work any harder than it absolutely has to because you haven't refueled it properly during your chosen exercise. Bonking is horrible and the time spent just getting back home or to the car or whatever seems like an eternity. I've done it once and that was enough to never let it happen again.

I've been going TT intervals on the trainer twice weekly. I doubt I'll see any real difference in time on June 7th but I hope by the end of summer I start seeing dividends for the work. I'm using the Chris Carmichael system so we'll see. He did wonders with Lance's TT efforts in the past right? That has to give him a lot of credibility.