Another (semi)Successful Week of Training -1/27/2014-2/2/2014

It's hard to believe it's February already.  As of writing this, there are only 60 59 days until Umstead100; that fact is scary.  Training last week didn't go as I intended but I think that is part of the learning curve when it comes to increasing volume and listening to your body.  I mentioned in my last post that my goal for the previous week was ~70 miles or in the 12+ hour neighborhood of training.  However, as the weekend approached I learned that the training run I thought was going to be 31 miles was in fact only 16.5, or half of the Holiday Lake course.  I didn't realize that the course was comprised of doing the same loop twice, once forward and then running back to the start in reverse essentially making the course a giant out-and-back.  Once I learned that fact, I knew I was going to struggle to hit my goal of 70 for the week but continued to get some solid runs in including a trip up to Cascade Falls and Butt Mountain fire tower on Thursday afternoon.

Monday: Rest
After a long week of training the previous week (65 miles) and two longer runs over the weekend including 21 on Sunday, I gladly enjoyed taking a day off from running Monday.

Tuesday: 8, 1800' 1.5hr
The UltraVT group has made a huge difference in my running over the past year.  One of the main reasons I believe is the steady stream of invites and group runs that are put together over a listserv, which helps me stay accountable on days I need that extra shove to get out the door.  I had an easy run planned Tuesday evening that was just 6 easy miles on Poverty Creek, a relatively flat trail in Jefferson National Forest.  When I saw a last minute email about running around 3, I decided to jump on the opportunity and met Guy Love at the trail head.  The route was anything but flat and much more difficult than what I had planned for the day and it was AWESOME!  There's just something about getting out in really really cold weather for a good run and Tuesday was chilly!  We managed to get in a nice loop out in Pandapas with just under 1800' of climb for 8 miles; far from the flat boring run I had planned.

Wednesday: 8.1, 1765' 1.75hr
Wednesday evening, we had an UltraVT group run that was a total blast with lots of folks coming out for the run.  The group made the miles fly by and running under headlamp is always special.

Thursday: 11.7, 2170' 2.5hr
On Thursday, I headed west on 460 down to Pembroke to check out a new run and find the Butt Mountain fire tower.  I have been itching to do this run since late December when it came up on my Strava feed when a couple of the guys ran it.  They posted a few photos and I knew I had to go check it out for myself.  I arrived at the Cacades parking area a little after three and grabbed my hydration vest and headed up the trail.  I wasn't too concerned about bringing water or nutrition on the run, although I did throw a bottle in the vest, I actually brought the vest to carry my GoPro and GorillaPod.  Michelle and I have hiked the Cascades numerous times over the years but I have only seen the falls frozen once and that was early into our relationship and I had never run it.  The trail was pretty slick because it is a well traveled trail resulting in a sheet of packed snow perfect for ice.  I grabbed lots of pictures on the way up and some video too, which made my trip up to the falls rather slow but enjoyable.  I eventually reached the falls and was treated to this awesome view:

I put together a short film with some cool photos (at least I thought they were) and some of the video I took while I was out there.  It's not too pretty but it gives you an idea of what the trail looks like and the route I took.

At the top of the mountain, I was rewarded with an awesome view and found the fire tower I had set out to find.  It was an awesome run and I will definitely do it again this spring...when there isn't snow on the ground and a solid sheet of ice on the trail down!

Friday: 6.5, 500' 1hr
Time got away from me Friday afternoon and before I knew it, it was 5PM and daylight was fading fast.  The sun is setting around 5:40ish here right now and making a batch of pizza dough stood between me and getting out for a run.  I threw the ingredients in the mixer and let it go to work, you may remember I made a short pizza making video not too long ago! Eight minutes later, I put the dough, now covered in olive oil, in two metal bowls and draped them with a warm towel and headed out to Pandapas.  My intention was to get in roughly five miles but my run wound up being just at an hour (6.5 miles).  The extra time didn't hurt the dough and when I returned home it was ready to throw in the oven to make some delicious pizzas!  I returned home to find Michelle sautéing pasilla and red peppers as well as some onions to go on top of our pizza in addition to a rotisserie chicken she picked up.  Yum!  I've been using beer instead of water to make the dough and I really like it!

I was also checking out some new shoes on my run, which unfortunately are going to be too narrow for my foot and hence go back but they were comfy for the first 2.5 miles or so :-(

Saturday: 16.5, 1000' 2.5hr
The alarm went off early Saturday morning.  I mean like 3:45 early.  Five of us piled into my car and headed North and East toward Appomattox, VA for a training run on the Holiday Lake course.  The course winds around Holiday Lake and begins and ends at the 4-H Center in Appomattox.  I'm not quite sure how I didn't take single picture during the day but it was totally worth the drive up there to know what well see in 10 short days!

Saturday evening, Michelle and I headed over the Chang's, whom were part of the five in the car to Appomattox, for a Sushi feast!  It. Was. Awesome!  A new friend, Henry, whom I had talked with via Strava numerous times but never had the privilege to meet face-to-face, very patiently taught us all to make sushi.  It was delicious!  

Henry giving me some tips on the roll!

Michelle and I are so totally doing this again!  We learned a lot and had so much fun!

Sunday: 10.5, 650' 1.5hr
Sunday's run was a disaster.  I can't blame it on the sushi the night before but simply poor choices getting going for the day and not eating right to go out for a long run.  I had originally planned to get 25 or so in on Sunday (after learning about running a shorter Holiday Lake course) but it simply didn't happen.  I was feeling Saturday's run in Appomattox and didn't have a strong desire to get out the door.  I considered driving to the trailhead a success and once I got out there it was apparent my body was not happy with me...well my GI system at least.  I almost called it quits around mile 3 when I ran by my car but decided I would go out a mile to hit four and then turn around and come home for a whopping 5 miles for the day.  Once I got out there, I kept telling myself to go a little further and a little further and before I knew it I had run 10 miles for the day to round out 60 miles for the week.  I think it just goes to show you that if you push through the hard times...like I'm sure I'll face in just 59 days at Umstead, it gets better!

Perhaps it was the cookie I ate on the way to the trailhead or what I had for breakfast that morning but I was happy with 10 for the day and enjoyed the Super Bowl feast to the fullest!

Totals for the week:

Distance:  61.2 miles

Elevation: 7890'

Duration:  10.5hr

Ultimately, I fell short of my goal but I think that I have to be okay with that.  I listened to my body and respected what it was telling me enough to make the right decision and step back a little.  I'm hoping for a good week this week as well but I'm okay running slightly less with Holiday Lake 50k next week!  A couple months ago, I had never run had a 60+ mile week and now I've had two of them in a row.  I think it's important to keep that in perspective and also that my real goal is longevity and setting a positive example of a healthy lifestyle for my family...at some point!   ;-)  

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I bought it, then broke it...not the reverse.

Unfortunately I haven't been doing much riding, or much of anything it seems these days, and the last time I did ride I managed to break a brand new bike...more on that later.

This summer I succumbed to corporate America and have since been learning to balance work and riding, its not that I'm working too much (40 hours a week) it's that when I was school I could ride during the day and do my 40 or more hours of "work" during the evening/night. Now that I have this whole job thing I have to go to, it's really messing with my riding especially with day light saving time looming around the corner.

If you really want to hear my excuse it's that during a trip to Florida three weeks ago I got sick and have since been trying to get rid of a nagging cough, but honestly it's a combination of the days getting shorter and my frustration with the sport.

Anyways just a quick update with how my life has been during October through a string of photos of videos.

Ready.....GO!

(Imagine a quick flashing slide show with a sweet whooshing sound!)

I turned 23 on October 2nd...Michelle bought me the Park Tool grilling kit to complete the kitchen.


On October 5th I tried to leave for Orlando...plane broke @ 10PM...got a hotel...5:30 AM flight the next morning.


Managed to get a workout in during in a workout the first day there...did some intervals on a stationary bike...


It was my goal while picking out a rental car to get the most awkward/awesome vehicle available...the bug was taken...drats...instead an HHR!


Michelle arrived...we picked out furniture...


Went to VA Tech 2x for homecoming and for a game last weekend against Duke! (1600 miles in my car)


Gillies began selling their coffee whole bean farmer direct from Honduras...delicious shade grown perfect, my life is now complete and I've had coffee every morning since...


Went to wind rock near Mountain Lake (see Dirty Dancing) and saw an awesome hawk gliding and met my friend Lady Bug.


iPhone4 For the Win...


Made a film called Lady Bug - Starring Lady Bug

and a very long pan of the view from wind rock, hit it a week or two late and some of the leaves were gone from the trees but gorgeous none the less...

So as I mentioned earlier I managed to break a brand new bike, well how you ask? Well a few weeks ago I began the search for a single speed cross bike that would allow me to double up on race days (make that 800 mile round trip a better value). I wanted a race ready bike that I could buy, not have to build up and wait for parts. The Felt Breed fell into what I was looking for in the price range I could "afford." Well the mechanic whole built up the bike must have been hulk because as a mechanic I've never had such trouble removing a pedal, I'll go as far as to say they were seized. I finally broke them free and installed my preferred pedal, Crank Brothers - candy's. During a makeshift race at Tech on Sunday the pedal backed out on throughout the race w/o me noticing and finally on the 4 of 6 laps I stood on what most likely only were 2 or 3 threads holding the pedal in the crank and did a number on the crank.

Even though I broke my bike, you can't have a crappy day at a gorgeous place like Blacksburg!

So technically it's not forever broken just temporarily out of order, none the less I can't ride it. I did however finalize what the rest of my cyclocross season will look like

Oct 30: MSG race #5 - Johnson City, TN - SS and CX4

Oct 31: King College Cross - Bristol, TN - SS and CX4

Nov 6 & 7 - VA Tech Cross - Blacksburg, VA - SS and CX4

Nov 13 - MSG #6 Johnson City, TN - SS and CX 4<>

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Grand Prix Cycliste Montreal - (Montreal Part Trois)

As I mentioned in my last post, after grabbing some amazing bagels and delicious French pastries I headed toward the UCI Pro Tour race in Montreal, the Grand Prix Cyclsite Montreal. When I arrived the were still putting the finishing touches on setting up the course and vendors were setting up booths near the Start/Finish.

Everyone figuring out there places.

We rode down this rode down this road the day prior on the Montreal Cycle tour, pretty high hill coming the other direction.

A shot of the finishing straight.

Spider tech was handing out free T-shirts and Cow-Bells. I didn't score a T but I did pick up a bell.

Thule and Specialized booth's.

I scouted out a good spot to watch the pros sign in and camped for about half an hour until the first team arrived. Up first was the Canadian National team which was an extra in addition to the normal 18 Pro Tour teams. I took over 300 pictures throughout the day, so I set up a Picasa album to play through them all.

I did decide to pick a couple of my favorites out though. It was real neat to see all the pros up close and see how huge some of them were and how really really tiny most of them were.

George Hincapie given' the crowd a wave, reping the stars and stripes for BMC.

Ryder Hesjedal the local favorite, went on to take 2nd for the race.

The Shack.

Robert Gesink who went on to win the race.

After the last of the pros signed in I headed over to the start line where the crowds began to gather, as did the riders for the start. I got some cool shots of the pros beginning to line up and the guys in front of me struck up a conversation with the Spanish national champ, Iván Gutiérrez.

The crowds near the start. To the right out of the photo is a huge television I watched the first lap on.

The Shack secured a place right up front.

It seemed like this time was when the pros tried to catch up with friends from other teams and just kick it.

Hincapie looking real relaxed before the start.


Spanish national champ, Iván Gutiérrez. He said he didn't like their bikes, pretty but not good.

Finally the race got underway and man was did it look quick from the start with the Canadian national team getting their country some spotlight as the first attack of the day.

I decided this was a great time to grab enjoy my delicious French croissants while watching the race on the big screen.

Mobile TV display.

Me and 10,000 of my closest Canadian friends watching the race.

Almond et Chocolate croissant.

Field coming through the start/finish the 1st time around.

After watching the first lap on the screen and coming back through the start/finish I started up the hill and found a spot near the base where I watch the field go by for the first time. It was really incredible the past of the hill, with some extended sections of 12%. Overall the hill wasn't huge (764 ft.) and just over 2k long.


A little further up the hill I posted up on a concrete barrier and grabbed some more photos of the fields and a video as well. The crowds were great, super energetic and loud and of course partaking in adult beverages.

Beginning of the peloton.

Near the top there's a cool overlook where you get an awesome view of the city.

This is about 500m from the peak of the first climb, Mount Royale.

Flying down the back side of the hill.

I started making my way back down the hill in order to make my train to Quebec city that evening, but got to see the field go past me a few times while I hiked down.


At the base of the hill was a great vantage point of the field where you could watch from the same place and see the field go by twice.

Sweet shot of the field.

I grabbed a Bixi bike and on my way back to the hostel I stopped by the U-turn near the start/finish for a couple more photos.

The three leaders off the front.

The peloton a moving swarm.

Garmin and RadioShack team cars.

Overall it was an awesome experience to watch and see the pro's race. Look forward to seeing more races in the future.

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