and sun!

What a sweet day, great weekend, busy, but solid. Dan Williams & family stayed with us for the weekend and while it definitely is an adjustement to have 2 toddlers in the house - and an extra couple labs - had a lot of fun. We hit-up the Acquarium for the action on Saturday, then a friend's 40th birthday, beers were drank, good times had. Sunday we tackled the Mercury Brewing Highland Games in Topsfield. Andy, Brad, Justin and others were on-hand to drink many beers and participate in classic Scottish games of strength. The sun was shining, 200lbs of sand needed to be carried, hammers tossed, rocks flung, and cabers flipped. As the event continued various foods were brought-out for the participants and spectators ($10!). While I found myself outmatched in strength, Justin exploded on the scene and took the winner's cup (full of beer of course), from Andy who had outmatched the others 2 years ago. Dan out-walked everyone in the lightweight's sand carry and did well aginst the heavy's too... just good times, great folks. Our kilts had been fasioned that morning by a quick-sowing Jennifer (4 kilts/1 1/2 hours!), but she got it done with some old bedding - and while we were obviously the new kids at the Games, Jenn's efforts helped us fit-in!

Today we got-out for a freeride in Lynn Woods. Even though this doesn't have much to do with the ride itself, Jenn and I ski at Sugarbush with this really cool couple, Mike and Sarah, and they came-down to Highland Games yesterday which was cool. Anyway, Mike rips on tele-skis and has some real interesting past experiences with getting freaky on any scene involving ripping... anyway, Mike came-out today in Lynn after a 2 year hiatus from the bike. Sweet! Dude hadn't pedaled for 2 years and did just fine riding with a bunch of folks who are fanatics. Crazy. Here's hoping he gets back into it (i'll be calling him to ride, no escape!)... Andy's buddy John rode some insane shit. I watched. Andy made it all look easy even though feeling rough from the night before... I'm better suited for doing a more technical xc ride versus a freeride, but going-on any ride with folks who are far superior to you in any skillset really helps ya' try new things and build confidence... so I dig it. Rode the hardtail today too - with no vision correction - wanted to practice riding blind on the a bike that makes me choose good lines... got some confidence up on the smaller drops at the end of last year, would like to get that back this year. i have plenty of confidence doing anything on a race course, but when freeriding i think too much about the potential for crashes - just need to relax and need time out freeriding to get that. we'll see...

when I got home from the ride it was time to help Jenn clean-up from our houseguests, but still managed to get 90mins in on the indoor to really stretch the legs and open-up a bit after taking 2 days off. It's barely 9p, the windows are open, I'm beat, and it's not completely dark outside yet - finally, summer.

rain!

Going stir-crazy here. Never thought we'd have 2 weeks of rain - with 3-4 major nor'easters this May is officially the coldest in 113 years. The tough riding conditions have begun to weigh on me - and am starting to feel a bit burned-out. With Dalton only 4 weeks away, it's important to be in a place with your riding where you're having a lot of fun. The race is 50% mental and if you go into it burned-out, you're sure to crack at night when the fatigue sets-in... took a day-off yesterday and wanted to today, but with friends coming to visit this weekend and thus riding time at a premium, today's ride couldn't be sacrificed... and while it was still a wet one, the winds have at least died-down to 10mph and weren't quite as intolerable as on monday and tuesday when they were literally pushing you back up downhills. That being said, when i went to put my bike gear on this afternoon, i was not looking fwd to the ride - and that's not normal for May when i'm usually really getting into it... a long winter of saddle time on the indoor trainer, cold/snowy rides, salty slush spraying ya' in he face all leads to May when the sun breaks through, short-sleeves are the rule and there's smiles all around... but not this May. I know some sunshine will get me back in the groove, the question is - when will we get some!? Here's hoping for a better June then May - and a rejuvenated desire to ride!

EFTA #2 - Clough Challenge

Sunday was a beautiful day for a mountain bike race - 45 degrees, light rain, with plenty of water on the course. You couldn't ask for a better mudfest than this! As Rob and I cruised-up to the race, we sang songs of joy. Yeah right!

The Clough course is the longest on the EFTA series and consisted of two 13.65mile loops over much of the same terrain as last year's diverted Second Start Enduro track. The course was a nice mix of technical singletrack, open fireroads, washed-out ATV track, some goathills - including 2 so steep they are re-enforced with cinder blocks (and are unridable by any human I know) - and of course, the infamous river crossing.

The race started on an open roadway leading up and over the Clough Dam, then back down into a few miles of fireroad before turning into a section of sandy singletrack that leads to the river at mile 5. Folks were taking it real easy descending off the dam, so I opted to make some passes and found myself in immediate trouble. The fireroad had been eroded badly on the left side and for 2-3 seconds I thought this was it - the end of a season before it even really started! But the Ellsworth once again saved my butt when common sense had completely fled the scene and I made it through the 2-3' ruts by just holding on and keeping the line. Sometimes in a race, when my mind stops thinking and is just reacting, it seems like someone else is doing the driving - and I'm just a passenger on the bus - driven by Otto - "watch-out little dude, you're gonna die!"

By mile 5 some of the guys around me seemed to be suffering more than others, but it didn't seem like the right time to change pace or make a move. As we made a quick turn down into the river, the guy in front of me looked like he was going to make it across, until he dropped into the main channel and was pushed completely over and submerged in the swift, cold waters. Being a complete idiot, I ignored his fate and also attempted the ride the channel only to be knocked-over as well! But, the drenching was a nice wake-up call and I pushed hard on the next couple miles of fireroads before turning into some proper New England rooty/rocky singletrack where I was able to pass a couple riders and bridge-up to 2 other fella's, which included the lead Vet rider who had passed me very early in the race by hammering the fireroads. I sat with these dudes for the next 5-6miles, but knew it would be tough to stay with them on the fireroads... and they dropped me faster than a teenage girl's prom dress when we made the turn onto the second lap.

For the next 7-8 miles I rode alone, trying to maintain tempo and intensity in the mucky conditions. Each minor lapse of concentration resulted in a decent fall - including two full endos - one of pure superman quality - and one encounter with a rotting tree. Thank goodness it was rotten as I should have been hammered into the ground, but the tree exploded on impact and I made it past with minor scrapes...

With 3-4 miles to go, no amount of Cliff Shots or Gatorade was getting me going and I was losing steam. The second-place Vet rider passed me and I grabbed his wheel, desperate to stay in front of the Senior II guy he'd been dragging up to my position. I focused on his back and just hunkered-down for the final miles and we slowly pulled away. With 2miles to go the Vet rider dropped me, but I held-onto my position and finished strong in 3rd place in Expert Senior II and 11th or 12th overall. I thought I'd done better overall, but a strong showing by the Senior I crowd pushed me farther back in the standings than I'd anticipated. But, a great race for me - and a little taste of podium in the EFTA circuit - something I didn't think would happen this year at all. My goal was to finish in the top 5 once or twice, so this was a nice surprise. To all the Senior II's who stayed home because of the rain - thanks!

EFTA #1, Watershed Wahoo

The best word to describe how I feel after this weekend's race is relief. There's been a whole lot of pedaling leading-up to this first race of the season. It's been 25 months since I began mountain bike racing and this is my first season training to compete as an Expert - and with an expectation of being in the hunt in the endurance events. I understand the limits of a 500 hour training regimine and that it will not put me on the top of the podium, but it's all my legs are capable of at this time, and all i'm willing to take-away from my other life, my real life. But, then again, this is as real as it gets.

To prep for the race, Jamie let me borrow his personal wheelset - some crossmax ust's - a big improvement over my ryhno lites (not so lites) and he gave me some rippin' deals on some stiffer cranks (xtr) and a nice lite fork with adjustable lock-out. Nice, nice upgrades on the Litespeed for this season and for few more. Got to get my own hoops, but all in good time. Support your local bike shop (Western Cycle!) - those guys are the ones takin' care of ya'!

Some background on the Wahoo course: It consists of a 0.5mile quick descent from the starting line down to a 6 mile fireroad loop around a scenic resevoir. It involves a couple sweeping turns, one decent climb, some rollers and one hairpin turn - nothing to get all worked-up over - but it can also be a teeth-clenching big ring grinder if you're willing to put the hammer down and hold-on. Upon completion of the 4th lap, riders ascend the 0.5 mile hill back to the start/finish area. All told there is only about 500 feet of climbing per lap with a few hundred feet back up to the finish line. A number of very talented road racers make one of their only mountain bike race appearances of the year at the Wahoo due to the non-technical nature of the course - and this helps change the dynamic of the race.

My goals for the day included beating 1:50 on the clock for the 25mile course and staying with a couple of guys who had beaten that time the year before. I'd ridden a 1:27 last year as a Sport over a shorter 3-lap (19mile) course and figured if i could be a minute faster per lap, plus do the extra lap for being an Expert, my legs were on-track - but i've sure had a lot of time to wonder if they would be.

I lined-up near the back of Senior II as I thought that was appropriate. Within seconds of the start (involves a guy saying "go") I had a ton of dust in my eyes and had completely forgotten Harry's advice to stay to the left. Big mistake. I got dumped into a mud pit which ground me to a near stop and into last place - or close to it. Wow, what a great way to kick-off the season. With some rapid eye blicking to clear the dust from my eyes, i gained speed and made the first turn onto the course. The adrenaline from being so far back pushed me to immediately make passes and improve my position - and in that action i discovered the answer to the question i'd been asking myself since January.

By mile 2 I had moved into 5th place or so and had surprised the crap out of myself - and if it wasn't for my incessant gaps for air, i'd have been smiling! I did, however, sing some Stones later in the race - for some reason, "You can't always get what you want ... repeat ... and if you try sometime, you get what you need" was in my head. You really have to sing that with Mick's inflection for the full effect... now i'm singing it again. I digress. Once the roadies and more experienced guys got organized and into a group, their pace quickened and I found myself spit-out the back-end of their train. Wasn't sure of my placement on the course, but was happy with my legs and felt like it was all working-out like it should. Of course, as I sit here two days later I wonder if i played it wrong, went hard early to catch-up due to being so far back off the start, used too much energy, then missed-out on sharing wheels. I guess I need to race more to find out, but know that no amount of work this year - or any year - will make-up the 9mins Ben Moody put on me. Maybe 4 more mins next year (yeah and like 200 more yearly hours of training to get 'em), but 9 is an eternity. By the way, that's like 50hours of training for 1minute on the Wahoo course for me. Scary analysis.

The rest of the race was pretty typical. Got passed, stayed with that guy, passed him back... got passed by a couple top Veterans as they raced towards the lead group from their time stagger of 1min behind us Senior II's. Felt good, was happy, and worked hard throughout the race. Had medium-level discomfort from stomach cramping starting at mile 2 and lasting for much of the race, but nothing disabilitating - just need to pinpoint the right mix of fuels the morning of an event as this happened a few times last year as well. The good news was that I had plenty of energy and never felt like I was bonking, so i'll take some cramping to have steady energy. The oranges they handed-up at the water area were a nice, refreshing surprise as well... interesting the things that make a race - for me it was the oranges! And meeting my goals, of course!

In the end, rode a 1:48:43 and finished 7th in Senior II, 13th in category. With two seasons of racing under my belt, I found myself much more relaxed while standing at the start and throughout the race. I didn't feel compelled to ride any pace other than what my internal engine told me was correct and my splits were relatively consistent from lap to lap with the exception of the first lap. However, it took more out of my legs than a Sport race would have. Not sure if that's pace, milage or both. In the past, my legs have felt pretty lively hours after a race - with one of my best training days the day after an event. But now, two days after Wahoo, the legs are more weary, but also kinda lively. Got a decent day in yesterday and am resting today. Don't want to interfere with endurance training, so a medium-long day is set for tomorrow with thursday being a medium distance, higher intensity day, then 2 days or tapering into Clough. Then a couple real long rides during the 2 week hiatus before Bradbury...

Over-reaching? Hopefully not...

I've been re-reading Friel the past couple weeks (actually, at first it was more of an attempt to absorb Friel through osmosis as I had the Training Bible in my bike bag for about 2 weeks before cracking that bad boy open). I'd read the Training Bible in january and didn't see a need to create that structured of a training plan in the base phases. The goal was to slowly increase mileage while listening to my legs. As I moved into the first real build phase of the season three weeks ago, I threw Friel in the bike bag with the intent of reading it immediately - and then planning the rest of the season through thoughtful and realistic "periodization." So much for that.

Instead, I jumped right into two weeks of lights-out, put a hurting on myself intervals with a couple long rides mixed-in. By the time I finally re-read Friel to create some structure, I realized that my new-found muscular endurance may have led me astray and into an early-season "over-reaching" stage - something I do believe in doing, but only before the biggest race of the seaon - and before a nice stretch of planned tapering.

So, instead of coming into this week with lively legs, they are all over the place - and my body is sore for the first time in months - including some nice saddle sores to really round-out the ka-ka poo-poo feeling! But, i don't think I've done myself any damage as I stopped the intervals scheduled for this week and have turned the week into a much-needed R&R week.

Besides listening to my body, another helpful tool for determining a need for an R & R week was the excel spreadsheet I've been keeping as a training log. When I looked at duration I noticed that the move into interval training also included an increase in duration - something I didn't mean to do, but happened inadvertantly as my legs felt really good going into the the Build phase. I've included the spreadsheet to the right if you're curious... it would be helpful to also graph intensity in relation to the duration, but found that I haven't been using the right distinctions for efforts, so that information isn't very accurate.

Here's hoping my legs rebound in a day or two and that I didn't mistakenly "over-reach" and create a peak in late May when I really need to have that peak occur in late June for the Dalton 24. I'm sure all is well and my reading of Friel has made me a little paranoid as I wouldn't even be thinking about this stuff if I hadn't re-read the book... interesting how that works...

Bronte T. Dog and training...

My most consistent training partner turned 4 a couple months ago... Since I've been racing, I've been riding with Bronte (which says a lot as to how new the racing scene is for me), but it's been tougher and tougher to train together...

Yesterday, to wrap-up a medium intensity, medium-high duration day (with a couple 1min power spin-ups thrown-in for good measure) we went for what was supposed to be an e2, 10mile mtbike cruise in the Fells under sunny skies nearing their end. Halfway through the ride, it was apparent that Bronte the Dog has either slowed in her adulthood or I'm at a point in training that we're not compatible anymore. Long stretches of fireroad in the Fells isn't a help to Bronte either. The sun had gone below the ridge and I began to get pretty cold... It's a damn shame. Bronte is an awesome dog and loves to run - but I simply can't afford to ride 10miles at HRM 80-100 with racing (and thus training) goals set where they are.

The good news is that Bronte is still a great riding partner for especially technical rides as our AVS is under 10mph for those. The trails up and around 128 on the North Shore are perfect for it - but with training intensifying those rides are becoming less common in exchange for the necessary road work. It makes me ask myself again, "why am I racing?" It's such a simple question, but a complicated answer as the desire to race and to better one's previous times seems to bubble-up from within... it permeates my thoughts and drives me to put a saddle-sore butt in the saddle again and again and again - and to wonder if that particular session was enough. Enough for what? Enough to win... and it never is, so I push on.

That being said, I promise myself that I'll take the time to stop and smell the proverbial roses and get-out for some nice long technical rides with my favorite, most deserving, and reliable training partner.

sore?

I woke-up this morning with a rather unusual feeling - soreness! Sometimes during training you push through a couple hard weeks, but wonder if you're doing enough as while the body is tired, it ceases to get sore... but not today. The tops of my hamstrings are as tight as a couple of piano strings. Which in some ways makes me feel like I got what i needed to out of last week, but I'm also curious why this soreness would come-on now after a day of rest, then a hrm zone 4, 2hr ride yesterday - which is nothing out of the ordinary. Ahhh, the mysteries of training...

a few paragraphs on my political soapbox

It’s after 11p, we have over an hour till we arrive in Boston, then a short drive home. Jenn is crashed-out in the seat next to me, gathering strength for what will be a long day tomorrow. My thoughts are wandering and I'm not weary though the hour is late. Our visit with my sister was great. I got some spinning and much needed rest in, but training isn't what's on my mind right now...

Since 9/11 (and the onset of Bush's war on terror) I’ve spent much time contemplating the state of affairs in this country. Politically speaking, I consider myself an Independent, but that is an unrealistic affiliation in a two-party system... Our current administration's policies are so in reverse of my own (regarding the environment, pre-emptive warfare, religion in gov't, same-sex marriage, abortion, stem-cell research, continued borrowing from social security and the lobbying for private retirement accounts, rising health insurance costs and the lack of affordable health insurance for millions of americans, lack of focus or concern on global well-being, current tax-cut policies, and that is to name just a few), that I find myself aligned with the Democrats. Robert Shetterly helps sum-up some of my own feelings on our country's foreign policy in this passage he penned in 2003:

"The second strong feeling --- the first being horror --- I had on September 11 was hope, hope that the United States would use the shock of this tragedy to reassess our economic, environmental, and military strategies in relation to the other countries and peoples of the world. Many people hoped for the same thing --- not to validate terrorism, but to admit that the arrogance and appetite of the U.S., all of us, have created so much bad feeling in many parts of the world that terrorism is inevitable. I no longer feel hopeful. If one looks closely at U.S. foreign policy, the common denominator is energy, oil in particular. The world is running out of oil. Political leadership that had respect for the future of the Earth and a decent concern for the lives of American and non-American people would be leading us away from conflict toward conservation and economic justice, toward alternative energy, toward a plan for the survival of the world that benefits everyone. We see hegemony and greed thinly veiled behind patriotism and security. We get pre-emptive war instead of pre-emptive planning for a sustainable future. The greatness of our country is being tested and will be measured not by its military might but by its restraint, compassion, and wisdom. De Toqueville said, “America is great because it is good. When it ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.” A democracy, whose leaders and media do not try to tell the people the truth, is a democracy in name only. If the consent of voters is gained through fear and lies, America is neither good nor great. Nor is it America."

-Robert Shetterly

While this passage does not completely encompass my own stance and slightly exaggerates other aspects, I do agree with Shetterly’s opinion on energy and the ties it has to our foreign policy objectives. In addition, various news sources have been manipulated and man-handled to the point that we are not getting objective news coverage – it is subjective and sensationalized.

I have flown and driven across this country a couple-few times now. I've been to every major region at least once and encountered people of such a different mindset that it is hard to believe we share the same flag – yet that is what makes this country so great – our diversity – our ability to harness so many different peoples into one conducive whole. Yet, I also believe we have become too materialistic, too intent on out-doing our fathers and our neighbors. Happiness has ceased to be found in the heart and is too reliant on the wallet. Myself included. My guilt runs deep on many levels and I have only just begun to understand my repsonsibility to our fellow human beings. Someone recently asked me what I’d do if I discovered I had only a short time to live. It was an odd question, but someone in her family had recently passed-away quite suddenly. I replied that I’d like to travel – not for pleasure, but to see how the rest of the world lived, not in places that mimicked our own, but in the developing world – and to maybe, just maybe, offer aid and assistance where possible. So many souls suffer, while we bask in our trinkets and honor ourselves... only by seeing something can you be moved to action... as I am not moved to action on these fronts, but more so on domestic issues... and furthermore, if I could understand the whole of humanity by seeing it's many sides, maybe I could move into the next existance better prepared.

Traveling always gets me thinking - and gives me time to get some of those thoughts down on "paper." It's easy to sit here and write what's in my heart, the challenge is taking action on something other than ourselves. While it is unrealistic to "save the world," it isn't unrealistic to take small actions everyday which help us work towards a better future... that's all i expect of myself... and by tomorrow my thoughts will be focused on my job, my training and jennifer. All we can do is be conscientious while living the good life - as it sure is sweet.

no nor'easter for us!

Hi mom!

It seems Jenn and I are sneaking-out of town just in the nick of time. A burly nor'easter is rolling up the coast tonight - and is likely to camp-out off new england for most of the weekend. We'll be soaking-up the sun in Florida, visting my sister's family in Merritt Island, while my fellow Bostonian's will be soaking-up their third rainy / windy weekend in a row. Sometimes, things work-out nicely, unlike my ability to plan a snowboarding trip out west when it's snowing. 5 trips, 4 rainstorms and one amazingly sunny week. West=5, Jeff=0. Anyway, my sister's got herself a nice chunk of sandbar - and they're exceptionally good people, so we've been looking forward to the visit.

Training-wise, yesterday was successful - and was the first time since college that i've had a training partner for an interval workout - that was fun - and really helped pass the time. The weather has been very cooperative this week and i've accomplished all the up-tempo work that i was looking to do - which has left my legs tingling, yet more responsive than i could have hoped. The base is there, now i'm waking it up - not too too much, but enough to have a bit of speed & power for the first three EFTA races: Watershed Wahoo on May 15th, Bear Brook on the 22nd, then Bradbury on June 4th. Results from these 3 races will determine whether i continue with more intense speed work in an attempt to be in the hunt in EFTA NECS, or focus more on the enduros of the summer and fall. Either way, the enduro's are being run, it's more about how i use the other weekends, as I feel an obligation to taper for any race - and that effects endurance training. All things being equal, I haven't been very fast in the past and can't really expect to suddenly leap from the top of the bottom 3rd in Expert, to the bottom of the top 3rd [in EFTA], but we'll see in 9 days. While I definitely feel stronger this year, I don't know what that means on a race course yet. For all I know, it could mean only a couple minutes over 20 miles - which would be great - as every athlete knows what it takes to be just 1% faster than the year before...

Tomorrow I'll wrap-up this high intensity week with an indoor session at my sister's plush gym, then take a much anticipated reat day on Sunday in their pool. Sweet-as! While it's raining in Boston, i'll be floating about on a raft with Jenn under sunny skies. There's a good chance there will be a nice, spicey bloody mary in the mix as well...

BTW, it sure makes traveling easier for an athlete when you're family is into being healthy. More on that later, as my dad isn't the only one with the fever!

props to my Pops

It's been a great week so far. Legs feel good considering I've moved into tempo work, the sun is shining away, and i've got an after-work mtb ride planned. I also just received a note from my dad that he did his first 40+ miler on the road yesterday - at 18-19AVS including many stop and go road crossings. For someone who's only been riding fo a few months, it is truly a remarkable accomplishment to be this far along...

Less than two years ago my dad was just like most other hard-working, fifty-something dudes. He was losing fitness, had been dealing with minor injuries and was losing power & distance in his favorite hobby - golf. He decided it was time to get fit. Fast forward through 12+ months of tedious doctor appointments, weights, swimming, jogging, spinninig classes, general fitness training, and now road biking - and this guy's turning into an animal! His long-term goal is to compete in mtbike enduros, so my mom and I got him a road bike for xmas so he could get the feel of being back on a bike and get the muscular endurance necessary for his future endeavors. He's now found a group of fella's to train with and is well on his way to meeting his goal - and as a side bonus, is hitting the golf ball a hell of a lot farther. How sweet is that?

As for me, all winter and spring i've also been working on increasing muscular endurance through longer daily rides. At the end of last year, I knew that if i was to be a podium threat in the 24 hour and enduro-scene, increased base training was necessary. I used to swear by the outdoor-only training plan (for mental toughness - or at least that's what i told myself while pedaling through yet another new england winter), but when it became apparent that we were in for an especially snowy cold winter, I snagged an indoor trainer (aka, the pain machine) from my boy Jamie at Western Cycle. Within a few days on the trainer, a nice routine developed. While spinning, I eat breaskfast, drink da' java and watch the weatherman make forecasts about as accurate as a game of lawn jarts. Jenn arrives from her 6am morning run in the Fells with Bronte and then hangs with me while i spin. Bronte shakes her tail. It's all good.

Later today are hill intervals. Rob's joining-in as well. He's been a great training partner this winter and spring for the long rides - and now he's getting into the tempo work at the same time as I, so it works-out nicely... it also helps that we ride at a very similar tempo - something that can be hard to find. While it can be tough to look forward to something that is going to cause one pain, pain is one way you can feel mentally ready (as well as being physically ready), so you find yourself looking forward to the hard workouts...

first posting...

This being my first official blog posting, I feel it's necessary to write something fitting for the occasion...

Coming-up blank here...

Used my push-powered reel lawn mower for the first time this year. Man, I hate that thing. It doesn't cut the grass any better than a pair of rusty scissors. I'm pysched we're not using any additional gas, but all things being equal, between oil heat for the house and needing a car like any normal american would, we use our share of the black gold. I just figure that if it's possible to save a little bit of the good stuff here and there, we're doing our best. It might not be a lot, but if everyone was bit more conscience of their actions, especially in regards to energy use, it would make a difference. One drop of water doesn't get you wet, but ten thousand will make you freeze your ass off - which i've had the unfortunate occurance to discover more times than i'd like this winter and spring while training... like this past Sunday.

Sunday was supposed to be a solid 100miler on the road around mt manadnock. The rain hung around a lot longer than we expected (or accepted). Within a few miles into our epic, it was clear the rain was going to stick around. The weather exasberated differences in our training, which then split the group. Nathan was in better form and had to split at mile 30 as our pace wasn't keeping his core warm enough for the conditions, but for Rob, Harry and I, the ride was a bad day turned into a solid workout - with a break in the rain for the last 30miles. As my dad mentioned to me the other day - it sure is more fun to ride a group than by yourself. No doubt - especially in cold soaking rain when you thought it was going to be sunny.

While we were out suffering in the rain, a real ride was going down on the north shore - a long, technical mtbike ride. Man, I hate the road bike... but love the results. It's a messy love. Mountain biking is so peaceful, a flow, a part of something simplier, while road biking seems about speed, power and consistency. There is of course much of both in each, but right now i'm just seeing the differences, as i miss the thing I do all the road work for.