ROAD RACES

Just about two months left in my 2010 Road Race season. I have had a really hard training block over the past 2 weeks, so it is time for some recovery before this weekends races. I need to keep focused on my goals for Road 2010 and always push for positive sensations.

SAT.-SUN. RIDES

My favorite Road DH route- Mt. Diablo...

It was a busy weekend of riding, with the Saturday morning group ride in Monterey at 7:00 a.m.

Then the Benicia cycling event, at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, followed by a steady climb of Mt. Diablo.

Garmin Totals Mt. Diablo

Mt. Diablo has to be my favorite downhill of all the Road DH routes in Northern California. It is definitely one of my most favorite climbs. Yet, the downhill portion of Mt. Diablo stands far and away as the most fun section of Road riding I do in all of Northern California. It has the most turns, excellent pavement, outstanding views, and it is over 10 miles long with 3000 vertical feet lost on the way down. No other DH Road section can compare!~

Other Road sections have their own distinct characteristics... Like Chamisal Road in the Preserve with it's smooth- high speed vertical drop thrills. Chamisal has the highest speeds with most vertical feet descended per mile of all the rides in Nor-Cal. Chamisal has the steepest Road sections by far on the most smooth portions of pavement imaginable. 2000 vertical feet lost in 4 miles makes Chamisal Road one of a kind. And also the most difficult climb in Northern California to go up!

Or Robinson Canyon Road for it's technical sections and tight turns. Robinson Canyon is so technical and tricky, that Hollywood has filmed movies there. Motion picture directors have used the Road's radical turns to create video highlights which riders see & experience each time they drop down this incredible Road. The pavement can be considered rough, and there can be dirt and rocks in any of the corners waiting to surprise....

Fremont Peak is also one of my favorite DH Road sections. It is a big mountain with high speed turns and some super extreme fast sections. Fremont Peak mixes in technical turns and bombing fast sections to give this giant hill it's own unique feel.

However, the one Mtn. that is far and away the best downhill Road section in Nor-Cal is Mt. Diablo!

RIDES

My legs are very sore now after two very hard efforts on the bicycle the past two days. The Tuesday Night Practice Race went well for me. I went solo for the win and that always hurts. Then on Wednesday I did my hard climbing day. This time I added on the legendary Long Ridge climb to the already brutal Chamisal Climb. It was a long day in the saddle, and the kind of day I really enjoy. My Wed. totals were 60 miles & 7600 ft. of climbing in 5 hours.

Tuesday Garmin Total

Wednesday Garmin Total

LOOKING FORWARD

I can feel my speed improving and my form progressing in a positive direction. Being able to excel in the most demanding times of the race is a card I need to hold. I must keep looking forward and keep my vision of racing super strong clear and focused. Dreams can come true, and it is very important to chase my dreams and my goals full on. There will be many times in the chase when things do not work out and I will face set backs. When there is success the dreams and goals are realized and hard work is cashed in. I have to keep looking forward and trying to improve on the bike. I have my best rides ahead....

Starting to feel my turn of speed really come to fore. Almost won the Albany Criterium. Came 1/2 a wheel length from victory.

Garmin Totals Albany Criterium

Rides

Wednesday was my climbing day in the Preserve. The steep grades are so spot on for suffering. My climb rides very much develop my strength and fitness. I was pretty sore going in to the ride from a hard effort on Tuesday. Yet still managed to hit all the hard hills and pump out the 4 hour ride. 5600 Feet Climbing. 52 Miles.

Garmin Totals

The Watsonville Criterium was today. I learned the hard lesson in this race. I must improve my tactics. I felt I had some serious snap and serious speed and I left it unused in the end. The writing was on the wall for success in this race, and I closed my eyes to the words.......

Garmin Totals Watsonville Criterium

TUESDAY SESSION

My legs definitely are turning over better now. It is always a great feeling to ride with some leg speed and comfort instead of virtually having no power and no ease on the bike. As of now my smoothness and attacking style is slowly progressing to a high level.

Garmin Total Tuesday Practice Race

MORE RIDING

I had some good team support at the Salinas Criterium and was able to win the race. It was a good workout on course and the winds made things tricky. I have had trouble doing well at small races, as sometimes the small fields can make the racing super tough. There have been times when the smaller races have been the hardest ones by far. So it was nice to win this race and get pushed very hard on course. In the end, for the day, I had 6 hours of riding and 85 miles.

Garmin Total Salinas Criterium

SPIN

It was a easy ride today with lots of high cadence spinning of the cranks. I continue to work on form, cadence tempo, and recovery. Mix these with extremely hard efforts and then repeat. My best rides are in the future and I need to work extra hard to achieve this.

Tomorrow will be some very hard efforts at the Salinas Criterium.

Also tomorrow Armstrong is going to have to step up on the final climb to Morzine of Stage 8 Tour de France 2010.

Garmin Totals 7-10-10

RIDE

The Tuesday night practice race was difficult for me, because my legs were so blown apart from races on Sunday & Monday. Yet I am happy I went to this session and worked on some speed riding when I was already so tapped out.

Wednesday was a rest day.

Then Thursday I did the hardest climb in the county. Closed roads- private area- and the most difficult climb by far in this area. My favorite ride!

My best rides and results this year are right in front of me.

Tuesday Workout Garmin Total

Thursday Ride Garmin Total

I like the totals from this ride-

52 Miles

5700 Elevation Gain

4 hours

Hard Efforts Achieved

It was 2 races and a bunch of hard efforts on the bike for me over the 4th of July weekend. I still feel as if I am lacking power and snap, and by the second race of the weekend I was done. I will keep working to improve and I know I can get much, much better!

I learned a tremendous amount from races this weekend in Davis and Merced. I need to keep learning from the races. Good results and bad results both teach me so much~!

I was pleased to have a high finish at the Davis Criterium. This was a hard race and for me to stamp out the result I achieved in this race was positive.

Garmin Totals From Davis

Garmin Totals From Merced

RACING

I am off to do some hard efforts at two races. I am very eager to put down my maximum efforts. I am very eager to compete and get in the game.

Today it was 2 hours easy along the ocean.

GARMIN TOTAL

UPHILL

Today it was the most brutal uphill in Monterey County. This climb is the real deal and not even fun to ride at all. And I really enjoyed it! The grade must average 12% and there are constant sections at 15%-16%, plus a bunch of ramps up to 23%. The climb is so steep and so hard- and I must admit that it is one of my favorite rides ever! It is a secret climb here in my region, and I am thankful that the engineers who plowed this road created this challenge for me.

Garmin Totals From Today

4 Hours

47 Miles

5400 Vertical Feet Climbed