Xterra Temecula

Hey, that was actually fun! 4th place in my division; 20th overall. Fun crowd. I don't think you can image how steep some of hills were. I'll be doing more of these in the Fall.

XTerra here we come!

Well, the tri's out due to my neck so I signed up for the 10K trail run...we're headed out there next week to check the course out...http://www.xterraplanet.com

MTB Clinic II

I woke up Sunday and evaluated my situation:

...hungover from the ramble yesterday
...cold and windy
...Easter Sunday
...a group ride with four women

I got my sorry ass up, put the new tires/grips on the Sugar and headed to the second clinic with Jimena Florit. We got started and I found you can't just show up at a mountain bike ride...you've got to be mentally engaged. Took a while but finally got into it...lots of fun after that.

So the format was "hang with Jimena"...she'd gracefully ply along while we followed in various stages of compentency/disarray...biffed on a tight left switch back (note to self...that difficulty you have with slow speed lefts needs to be fixed dude) but no major injuries....we even went back over the drop off I pussed out on in the first half hour.

Anyway, I highly-recommend a skills clinic to anyone taking up mountain biking or, like me, anyone who has been away from the sport for a while.


Thanks Jimena!

Ramona Ramble

What exactly is a ramble? My definition is an event that combines riding, running and maybe even swimming to/from an interesting location. Mostly a self-supported event but if a few volunteers help out with logistics, that's great. Throw in a BBQ and it is even better!

Here's the deal...I need variety to stay motivated with my workouts. I just get burned out doing the same loops and out and back courses around our beautiful San Diego.

I heard about these falls/pool you can hike/run to from Ramona/SD Country Estates. At last year's Deadman's Camp we were talking about cool places to ride and run to. I suggested to Mykl a ride/run in the Spring when the falls would be flowing.

Well, one thing led to another (the power of the TCSD network) and we had a group of 10 ride out to Ramona, drop our bikes at a volunteer's house, run to the falls, swim or hang out, run back (1,000' gain in the last mile), ride back to Ramona, have a BBQ at another volunteer's house, then ride back.

Some of the group rode from Solana Beach while the sane members of the group rode from Rancho Penasquitos.

Details

Ride: 60 miles/2,500 gain/loss (PQ group) to 90 miles/3,500' gain/loss (SB group)

Run: 4 miles/1,200' gain/loss

Swim: 25 meters

Calories consumed at the BBQ: 3,000

Calories consumed later that night: 3,000

Nice, tough, long day but everyone got there and back safely...can't wait till next year!

My new toy

Xterra...Jimena's MTB Clinic...it all sounded good...now I need a bike! Decided to go the used route till I see if I like it first...Craigslist here we go! Found a nice Gary Fisher Sugar that fits so this is my new toy for now...just need to figure out how to ride it now!

Du Dementia

For now, I'm a duathlete...my neck continues to be a problem. Chiro, massage helps but doesn't resolve...so now I'm back to "traditional" medicine and a course of PT...we'll see. Have to change my schedule...good news is all this free time I have now that I'm only training in two disciplines!

February Du

Nice club event...perfect day at the coast. Some of the pros showed up too! Guess I need a race bike!