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Went for a long training ride today.
I didn’t mean to ride in thick, wet fog but that’s where the road went. I’m glad Wes suggested an alternate route to get us out of that.
I didn’t mean to crash, but it’s hard to go down hill and turn when your front tire goes flat. It’s Ok, though, because I understand skin grows back.
I didn’t mean to run over that squirrel, but it’s hard to do evasive maneuvers going 30 mph down a busy Highway 9. Sorry squirrel family.
I did mean to ride over 75 miles- 86 to be exact.
I did mean to ride 10,000′ of climbing- It wasn’t easy, but it seemed to be for Ms. Toeniskoetter. When the road went up, she was gone.
I did mean to stop for an end of ride hot dog. It has kind of become a tradition when I’m in Los Gatos. They sure are good.

All in all a good training ride. The next benchmark is in one week when I ride the Sierra Century. Altitude and heat may become factors.
I’m tired, but the kids are worth it, right?

Well, ice is the miracle drug. After being faithful with ice I was ready to test my knee. Headed up Shannon from Los Gatos towards Hicks- so far so good. Up Hicks, down the other side, back up, up Umunhum and it felt great! Zipped (not really very zippy) back to the car on Blossom Hill and then off to what has become my traditional reward after ending a good ride in the Los Gatos area; A hot dog at the Happy Hound! I think I was happier about the hot dog than knowing my knee was good.

Now I have to keep training. Mmmmm, more hot dogs!

Sunday, May 25th: 4 hours; 40 miles; 5,000 ft: San Jose –> top of Mt. Hamilton –> portions of Quimby Rd –> return to San Jose.

Saturday, May 24th: 2.5 hours; no idea of mileage or altitude, but guessing in the 25 mile/2,500 feet range: Santa Cruz –> Hwy 9 (Felton) –> Alba Rd –> Empire Grade –> Santa Cruz.
Rode with master athlete teammate Brennan Wenck in what we hoped would have been warmer weather. Turned cold about 3/4 of the way through and ended up spinning like crazy to avoid shivering over the final stretch.

Friday, May 23rd: 1.5 hr power yoga

Thursday, May 24th: 2 hours; 22 miles; 4,000ft: San Jose –> Hicks Road, front and back –> San Jose.
Final session with bike guru Curtis Cramblett. Set up guidelines for additional core strengthening exercises to address lower back weakness (i.e. major soreness). First day of Summit Fire and could see plume of smoke when initially heading out on ride at 7am.

Wednesday, May 21st: Core routine.

Tuesday, May 22nd: Day off

Monday, May 21st: 2.5 hours; 22 miles, 3,500 ft: Japantown –> up Sierra Rd –> down Calaveras/Felter Rd –> return to Japantown.
Ground squirrels are in full season – scampering across the roads at very inopportune times.

Part way through a long ride Saturday my left knee developed a lot of pain to the point of being very difficult to ride. I was at the farthest point of my ride loop from Los Gatos to 92 by way of Highway’s 9 and 35 when out of the blue I came up lame. If I was a horse…. never mind. Limped home for the rest of the 80 and immediately did rounds of ice and vitamin I (ibuprofen). We’ll see…

May 12th – May 18th

Sunday, May 18th: 1.5 hour hike, Jones trail in Los Gatos

Saturday, May 17th: 30 minute light spinning/rest day

Friday, May 16th: PACIFIC COAST CENTURY. Carmel to Cambria via Highway 1. 100 miles, 7,000 feet of climbing, 7 hours of amazing scenery, great riders and perfect weather.
This was my inaugural ride down the Pacific Coast and it was truly an experience not to be missed. The Biker Buddy list proved phenomenal, as always. We were a group of about 20 that joined a group of about 150 riders on this Friday. I know how much I love this sport when I was in support of taking 2 days off to participate in a bike ride. We had 3 SAG vehicles circling our group of 20 and never went more than 10 miles without a chance to refuel if needed. The temperatures inland were in the 100s and on the coast we were enjoying mid-70s. All stops were made with a view in mind, including lunch which again looked out onto the picturesque Pacific Coast. A highlight was stopping around mile 90 to take in the hundreds of seals lounging on the beach, before reaching our final destination of the town of Cambria, just beyond Hearst Castle. It was a fabulous day.

Thursday, May 15th: 1.5hrs, 20 miles: Coasting along 17 mile drive in Carmel [Carmel to Pacific Grove and back].

Wednesday, May 16th: Gym/core work.

Tuesday, May 15th: Day off

Monday, May 14th: 1.5 hr power yoga

No really. It seems like it should be getting easier. I was talking to Bill Hyland at Hyland Family Bikes about that and we came to the conclusion that no matter what kind of shape you are in if you keep working at your limit or a little beyond it could seem like no gains are made.

Big month so far. Lot’s of going up. Sierra Rd., Hassler, Metcalf, Highway 9 (100 mile), Hicks.

Bike to work day last Thursday. I actually did… and home by way of Metcalf Rd.

Training Log:

Sunday, May 11: 4 hours; 45 miles; 7,000 feet of climbing: Los Gatos –> Saratoga –> Stevens Canyon Rd –> up Monte Bello Rd –> back down Monte Bello –> up Redwood Gulch Rd –> up Hwy 9 –> return to Los Gatos.

Saturday, May 10th: 4.5 hours; 46 miles; 8,000 feet of climbing: San Jose –> top of Mt. Hamilton –> back to San Jose –> top of Sierra Road (heavy climb, steep grade, goes on forever and is part of the Tour de California’s King of the Mountain climbs).
Road with fellow cyclist Wes, the double century master in preparation for the Pacific Coast Century.

Friday, May 9th: 1.5 hrs power yoga

Thursday, May 8th: 2hrs; 21miles; ~2,500ft: Japantown –> Calaveras/Felter Rd –> down Sierra –> return to Japantown.

Wednesday, May 7th: Gym workout: 30 min. machine work, 30 minutes core (mainly lower back) work.

Tuesday, May 6th: 2hrs; 21miles; ~2,500ft: Japantown –> Calaveras/Felter Rd –> down Sierra –> return to Japantown.

Sunday, May 4th: ~4hr; 50 miles; 5,000 ft climbing: Los Gatos –> up Hwy 9 –> Skyline Rd –> down Hwy 84 –> Sandhill Rd –> Steven’s Canyon –> up Redwood Gulch –> return to Los Gatos.
Headed out with fellow teammate Brennan Wenck in fantastic 70 degree weather in Los Gatos. We found ourselves in freeeeezing fog, strong winds and what felt like a rain storm under the dripping trees along Skyline. Our grand plan for a big ride quickly turned into ‘how to return to warm Los Gatos as soon as possible’.

Saturday, May 3rd: Loop from home: 2hrs, 21miles, 2,500ft: Japantown –> Calaveras/Felter Rd –> down Sierra –> return to Japantown.

Thursday, May 1: ~2hrs, 20miles: Japantown –> up Sierra Rd –> down Felter/Calaveras Rd –> return to Japantown
Second ride with master teammate Dave Rodrigues – we rocked the road (and made it back just before dark).