Sea breezes and thin air

It's pretty amazing how a little break from everything can recharge a person. This is, of course, if you let it recharge you. Most of the time, when I travel for fun I have way too many things on my mind to fully soak in new experiences, locations, food and sunshine. I'm proud to say that I've made leaps and bounds towards figuring out the balance of relaxing versus working.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm getting older - or less naive - but I'm slowly realizing that working and racing my bike take some serious energy. And that falling asleep in my chair at work (and sometimes wishing I could take a 20 second nap while training) isn't normal.

After the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, I raced in Winter Park the following Saturday. This gave me only 4 days to try and recover from that brutal effort we all put in the previous Monday. Although the race went pretty good, I had a big realization when it came time to dig deep, suffer, and try and stay with the two leaders. I pretty much said to myself, 'Oh man, not sure if I want to race these guys!'. Well, that's no good. Especially when it's your job as a pro to race. I did hold on to finish 3rd - and 3rd to two extremely talented gentlemen I might add. Upon finishing the race I realized I needed to not only take a break from the bike, but just get out of Dodge completely for a few days. Recharging was the only item on the to-do list.

An opportunity to visit Rachel in Seattle came up and I jumped at the thought of getting up there and to take in the Northwest. I've only spent a little time in Seattle, also known as the Emerald City. Think of the rich green forests. (thanks Wikipedia)

I did bring my road bike since I knew I had a day to explore - AND I was going to have a 'guide' who had some plans to cruise on the Burke-Gilman trail and head out to the beach. With this free week before the Breckenridge 100, (I'll get to that in a second) I was free to enjoy good food, relaxation and a casual schedule. I pretty much took advantage of this and enjoyed every minute of it.



I really owe a huge thanks to Rachel for being an incredible host and making this all happen. I was sent back to Colorado ready and recharged. (and not without the added bonus day after my return flight was cancelled...) I can only try and repay the favor.



One word can describe the Breckenridge 100. Ouch.

Around 14,000 feet of elevation gain over 100 miles, the B100 is a race that pretty much humbles anyone who tries it. Coming off a week at sea level, I found myself out of breath just walking up the stairs to our hotel room. Did that make me a little nervous? Yes, yes it did. However, when we rolled out of town at 6AM and up Wheeler Pass to start the first of three different loops, I felt incredible. I had the mental strength to push it and the legs (and most of my lungs) to push the pace.

Looking around at my fellow competitors in the group, I knew I was in for a tough day. Josh Tostado and Jeff Schalk are the real deals when it comes to 100 milers. I hung on for 50 miles and was feeling incredible, but at that halfway mark I started feeling the lack of endurance in my legs. I don't usually race this distance this time of year - and this was a slap in the face (er, punch in the nose) to remind me that you can't just show up without that type of fitness in the legs.



All in all, I had a good day and a lot of fun. Schalk took the win while Josh finished 2nd in a great battle. Two class-acts who both deserve to win.



As a cap to the crazy weekend, we're shooting a new top-secret project which has been a ton of fun. I even got to jump off a ledge into the Arkansas river...

Burnin' like a firecracker on the 4th of July

It's that time my friends. Time to say, 'I'm ready.'

As an athlete, I believe it's pretty easy to tell yourself that there's still room for improvement. Although this is pretty much the truth all the time, it's a dangerous place to be perpetually living in. That slippery slope of expectations can be frustrating, daunting, and often times pretty dark. Over the years, I've decided that I can no longer scientifically dissect my preparation leading up to race day, but instead focus on the mental side of the sport.

Coming into July I knew I had a few big races on the calendar I wanted to do well in. It's pretty amazing how easy it is to hide behind the '3 weeks until the race' factor and say, 'I'm going to be so ready!' Then, as the '3 days until the race' falls in your lap, it's just as easy to say, 'Well, I did have a stressful week at work, and I'm a little extra tired from not sleeping well, and . . .' These things may be (and probably are) true, but I've been learning to focus on the hay that's in the barn. We've done the work, which is the hardest part. Focusing on the hours and hours on the bike I've put in is much more productive then focusing on one or two little factors that really aren't a huge deal.

I lined up for the annual Firecracker 50 on the 4th, and as I looked around at the competition I got a little nervous - and yes, doubtful of my form. However, as the gun went off and we rolled down Main Street in Breckenridge, I put everything aside and had to tell myself that anything can happen, the work was done, and most importantly - I apologized to my body in advance for what I was about to put it through.

The Firecracker 50 is made up of two monstrous laps each measuring in at 27 miles and about 5,000 ft of climbing. The first 20-30 minutes of the race is a big climb and as we were all jockeying for position, I made it into one of the first selections. As a group, we were working well together, but what I didn't realize was that the guy who shot off the front, Peter Stetina, was fresh off an impressive 22nd place at the Giro 'd Italia. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone climb so fast in my life.

The 'check engine' light came when I reached the top and I thought my day was already done! I tried to relax and stay steady, which proved to be fruitful in my attempt to get back in the game. As the first lap unfolded, I found myself out front with Colin Cares - and just keeping a slight lead on Jay Henry. Those who know Jay know that it's only a matter of time before he comes steamrolling back towards the front.

As Colin and I worked with each other up that first big climb of the 2nd lap, I knew he was about a gear faster than me. I gritted my teeth to stay with him, but when we hit the top, I just couldn't keep it together and he put some time into me. As the race started nearing the end, Jay (looking and riding so fast!) caught and passed me. I knew if I could keep my cool I would hold onto third, but believe me - that's much harder than it sounds in this race. Good friend and super strong rider, Brian Smith, was just over a minute behind me towards the end. I'm glad I held it together to roll through in 3rd. This was definitely one of my best races due to the fact that it was a mental test as much as physical. For me to be in the same zipcode as Colin, Jay, and Brian is an honor. They're not only great athletes, but great guys.

Honey Stinger/Trek rider Jen Gersbach made the podium for the women's side with an impressive 4th place ride. Looking as fit as ever, I'd say she's in for a good 2nd half of the season.

To top it all off I had some friends show up for the race to spectate - and let me tell you, it's a great feeling to see friends after something like that. Thanks Chris, Britt and Livi.

Vive le Tour!

Today marks the start of the Tour de France. Already fanatical about this event, my interest in the 3 week grand tour has only been pushed deeper by getting to know some of the good people riding in this great race. The following links are products of several trips to Europe, interviews with numerous teammates, shooting looong bike rides, and all-night editing sessions.

Driven by Passion: Jani Brajkovic

Driven by Yellow: Andy and Frank Schleck

There's also been some racing for me lately. (which is good - because that's what I do!) I've said it before, but I still feel I don't say it enough - the Wednesday night Summit Mountain Challenge races in Breckenridge are some of the best races I've done. The courses, competition, and most of all, people involved have made this series a standout. The Gold Run Rush (SMC #2) was re-routed due to record snow this season, but the climbs and course were still really hard, yet a ton of fun. I was able to pull it off - although Josh B (who's flyin' right now) was breathing down my neck, making me earn it!



July is looking to be a big month for my race schedule - which is great since I'll be heading out on a 2 week film shoot in August. I'm lining up for the Firecracker 50 (first time since '08) and then I'll toe the line for the Breckenridge 100. (first time ever) Following that will be my final build-up for nationals, including some fun, but brutal events in Park City, SD, and of course, Colorado.

Here's to Andy, Frank, Jani, and the other 195 riders in the Tour - good luck!