I can't yet can believe that it has been a month since my last post. While my training has been solid if my efforts on blogging were to have any impact on race day, I think I would fail. I am sitting at the kitchen table Saturday morning just before sunrise. Trying to compose this blog I am distracted by Tico (our fruit bat rescue puppie) gnawing on Chloe's ears. Chloe, our 9 year old lab, just takes it. They really put a smile on my face each morning.
Well, the excitement is definitely brewing inside me. I could barely sleep last night and sleep is what I need in droves the next 7 days. In 90 minutes we head out on the road for Colorado. The Leadville 100 race is exactly one week from today. At this point pretty much all my training is done. I calculated the other day that in the month of July alone I rode nearly 1,000 miles and climbed nearly 100,000 feet. I love round numbers! In the process I have lost nearly 20 lbs and Beth says I need to stop, that I look gaunt. Then again my neighbor said the other day that I look great! I think all the riding and preparation and bike talk around the house has gotten to Beth.
I have done every bit of preparation...researching and testing out different nutrition items. I've settled on Hammer products. The preferred choice of endurance athletes. Mapping out the Leadville ride and starring at the map hours on end. Coordinating Garmin waypoints and learning what gpx and tcx stands for. Thank you Dan Goese for your on-line conference the other day. It actually worked! I have bought clothes to prepare for any of the insane weather that Colorado throws at you in the summer.....from heat, to sleet, hail or snow, rain of course, cold. Anything. Last year it was rain in the morning and sleet, wind and biting cold on the way up the Colombine climb. Actually, I have been blessed to be working with Hincapie Sportswear as George's brother, Rich has been extremely supportive in providing much of the specialty gear I will be using. They are also making the special commemorative jersey that is to be my Emilio Nares Foundation jersey.
I have been to Black Mountain Bikes countless times this past month. Everyone there has been very VERY supportive of my Leadville experience and of the fund-raising efforts that I have made. Matt has done countless repairs and adjustments to my bike and giving me plenty of humor (and opinions...that's the Matt we all know and love) along the way, Mike has been amazing as well as patient with my inquiries. He spent over an hour with me the other day trying to work on my shoe to alleviate pain I had in my foot. Mike, whatever you did, it worked! (so far...we'll see on race day). Rick did a great job on my final tune and the bike rides like new. And Tricia (I think...I am soooo bad on names) has been awesome with her kindness and supporting words of encouragement.
And then the rides...July started with the long HOT ride in Hemet to Idyllwild followed the next day by a 50 mile organized ride near my house on 4th of July. Then I headed to Mammoth for 5 days and rode every single day. I did altitude riding the first 3 days and then did the annual Markleville "Tour of the California Alps" (aka "Deathride") near Tahoe. This ride is 130 miles with 15,000 feet of climbing over 5 mountain passes all above 8,000. This was THE PERFECT "training" ride to prepare me for Leadville. I signed up for it in case Leadville never came through. I wanted something to shoot for. Then, once in Leadville, as the time for Deathride approach I thought, "hey, this ride is at the perfect time away from the Colorado race, so let's do it". Unfortunately to Beth, the mere mention of "Death....ride" brings emotion to her that, well, we just leave it alone. I think its just the name "death" for she fears for my safety whether I go on a 100 mile ride or an hour ride near the house. 9 hours later, my body was tired but the ride went well and I felt more confident on my chances for the big ride.
The last day of my Mammoth training trip was on the way home. I was driving south on Hwy 395 enjoying the view of the Eastern Sierra Nevada's. I never tire of this ride and am always inspired my these mountain peaks that rise steep up from the desert floor to 13-14,000'. While it was hot on the highway (pushing 96) you could see thunder clouds developing on the mountain ridges. I had read in Bicycle magazine about the Onion Valley road, just outside of the town of Independence, that is considered on of the top descents in the country. Needing one more "challenge" I pulled my car over, parked, quickly changed into cycling clothes and got the bike off the rack and started pedaling up-up-UP. The road climbed from 4,800' to 9,200' in 13 miles. It was hotter than Hattie's the lower part but cooled off as I got into the upper bowls of the Sierra. Even though the day before I had ridden over 130 miles, I felt totally renewed and fresh on this ride. Maybe it was the mountain air or the views that went on forever. Or the thrill of the challenge (the article said this ride was tougher than the famed Tourmelet climb used this year in the Tour de France). I returned to the car 2 hours later and got back on the road for home. Reflecting on the 5 days in Mammoth I knew that I was building a solid foundation to get me prepared for Leadville.
Since then I made a three journeys on bike to Mt Palomar (the local mountain that gets you close to 6,000'), I did a "Leadville Simulation" by riding a loop by my house over and over to get saddle time. I rode that day nearly 75 miles on the mtn bike and over 8 hours with 11,000' climbing. Half way through the ride I broke my rear derailleur cable and had to pedal out of the trail in a high (hard) gear. Mike at Black Mtn bikes was awesome. He did a quick repair and had me back on the trail in an hour. I have done a handful of what the locals call "Torrey Pines Repeats"....going up and down the famed Torrey Pines climb multiple times. Yes, we are nuts! I tallied that I have rode 6 centuries in the month of July when in the past, if I did 3 in a year that was my limit.
This past week, while getting ready to leave, it has been what the "Leadville Yahoo Groups" blogs have posted as "taper week". This means backing off the long rides and focusing on short "keep the legs fresh" rides with some intensity of spinning...meaning lower gear, pedaling faster (those of you in spin classes know of this). I have met a couple local guys through this group that are also doing Leadville. They are there now and I will be meeting up with them early next week to "Pre-Ride" sections of the Leadville course. I also had an amazing massage and therapy given by a local guy named "Tyme". This guy was awesome and inspirational in his own way. Straight out of the 60's, having lived on Indian reservations, monastery's in Mexico and studying at Buddha temples, he has this amazing view of life and of the human body and my visit there for one hour was well worth it for preparing me mentally.
So, as I look at the clock and realize that this blog needs to finish (for today) and that I need to pack the car and get on the road, I go through my mental check list of the month. Rides, research, repairs,reviews....the time is nearing and there is definitely no turning back. I am excited that the trip is now here. Now hopefully I can catch up on other items I have been wanting to write about. The most important being the Emilio Nares Foundation, the charity that I am riding for. That will be next....
Until then, as we say, "keep the rubber side down"...see you in Colorado!
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