Another day in the sun on a bike!

Let's get the numbers out of the way... shall we? 2:28:34, 18.3av/ 41.1mx MPH, 45.65mi, 74av/ 221mx RPM, 150av/ 175mx HR. I rode from my place up the coast to Solana Beach via Sorrento Valley and then headed back home via Torrey Pines. I won't pretend that I felt awesome, but I did feel better than I expected after the good two hours yesterday. Truthfully, I probably started the ride off a little harder than I shoulda, but I got into an early rhythm after my legs loosened up. The bulk of the ride North seemed almost exclusively headwind, while the return trip was more crosswind than tailwind (how is that possible).

I climbed Torrey with a good rhythm and actually felt pretty good, all things considered, but it was humbling to remember the days when I climbed the hill in my big ring at 17-20MPH instead of in the small ring and almost in the bailout gear, inching along at 10MPH. Granted, I was also 30+ lbs lighter when I climbed like that. But still...

The last 5 miles of the ride felt like pedalling through molasses, as my legs began to fade away quickly. I'm not sure if it was the cumulative effect of two days of riding hard or lack of proper fueling along the way... but I was riding on some pretty shaky fumes by the time I had to climb up the last mean climb, Washington, to get back home. I crested the climb in the granny gear and just short of wobbling... but I made it home with an exhausted smile.

I hope I can keep this momentum going as long as possible- I'm hoping to have a date with destiny June 12-13 for California State Master's Track Championships. I'd like to hallucinate that I could get fit enough to contend for a medal in one of my events... so I'll need a lot more wobbly days on the bike!

I admit that I am luckier than I deserve some days. Thanks to the connections I have through a good friend in Denver, I've gotten the chance to "meet" Alison Dunlap in the past few months. I'm not even a "real mountain biker" and getting to email with a former World Champion is pretty exciting to me. I mean... she IS Alison Dunlap after all! I watched a lot of her racing career, from the multiple national titles in cyclo-cross and MTB, all the way to those rainbow stripes. She's an amazing ambassador for the sport, as well as an incredibly nice person. Needless to say, each time I get an email from her, I get pretty excited when I see her name pop up in my email... I mean... Alison Dunlap!

Anyway, here's a part of the last email I got today;

"I'm doing my first live forum on mtbr.com on Tuesday from 11-2pm PST."

Alison is kinda new to jumping into the online world and Social Media- which is part of how we got introduced- so this forum is new and exciting for her. If you have the time and desire to ask a question or two of a World Champion, former Olympian and coach... you should swing by mtbr.com and drop her a note... tell'er the Masiguy sent you! (FYI... stay tuned here for a possible upcoming exclusive Masiguy interview/"funterview" with Alison...)

You've hopefully heard of this; if not, I suggest checking it out and joining to help stop hateful stupidity. I'm all for freedom of speech, but hate speech is kinda hard to defend. Take a second to join the group and leave a message of encouragement and support, if you're so inclined.

Big day tomorrow- my wife and I go to the doctor for her first US doctor visit and baby check up. Needless to say, we're both on pins and needles in anticipation. It's gonna be a big, exciting day... to say the least.

Alright, I'm beat... heading to bed. See you kids in the daylight.

Tim