Legs are Coming Around

One thing that I have noticed about the weeks after Gila, you have a much higher level of pain tolerance. As amatuers, you often read about the pros talking about riding into form and gaining form from racing. For riders looking do well in the Olympics, many are hoping for a ride in Le Tour, 20 days of leg breaking racing. I only got5 days of high caliber, altitude racing but is has definitely lead to some fitness growth. I didn't get to experience the full effect of the post race form b/c I was sick, but I'm definitely seeing the improvement made. Racing is picking up full steam here in CO. Every Tues night there is a 1/2/3 criterium and Wed evenings is a 10.6mi time trial. Its like back in Belgium where the summer months bring racing and recovery. I will still be training but will be spending less time but keeping intensity high in my effort to keep recovery high. Next weekend, May 31/June 1, I'm doing the Hugo RR and the City Park Criterium. It could be a 4 race week.

As far as the riding is going, CO couldn't be more spectacular.Its been quite warm here the last week, 70s-80s. I did a super nice mountain loop on Sunday following a tempo day on Saturday. I rode north to Lyons then went up 36 to Estes Park. From Estes, I took CO-7 to Allenspark, where I got a soda(ie the perfect on the bike drink). From Allenspark, i hit the Peak-to-Peak Hwy(CO-72) and rode to Nederland before dropping down Boulder Canyon to Boulder and back home. Lots of climbing, not any fast descents unfortunately b/c of the head/cross winds. I did get a nice tail wind as I was cruising next to Mt. Meeker(13,400ft) and Longs Peak(14k?) I was probably in the 8000 foot range. Its pretty sick going 60-65km/h in your top gear on the flats. I gave a few cars a run for their money.

All in all, 164km, 4200kjs, 5hr40min. not too bad for an "endurance" pace ride by myself in the rockies. I think my 164km ride back during Cranksgiving with much less altitude gain was Just under 5hr50min. still had a nice bit at the end so things are good. I followed it up yesterday with a 2hr recovery ride showing my roommate Kelly's friend some of the great riding in boulder. I think the altitude sucked him dry. Its definitely the equalizer out here. Which is why, in my opinion, the racing is so much harder out here as compared to other areas of the country.

On the employment side, I wasn't cutting it as a bicycle salesperson. so I got moved to the service area. Which was my entire goal in the beginning anyways. Now I get to work on bicycles and learn a trade. My rant about bicycle sales is that through my experience, there are some pretty bold statements made about certain bicycles. I think there is a perfect bike for everyone out there, and I'm not into pushing a bike onto someone only to have them garage the bike b/c they don't like it thus creating a waste of resources and an upset person. Also, while I'm on my soapbox, if you are going to sell something, you better "know" the product from use and form your own opinion not the opinion that bike or product makers tell you. They will always say their bikes are superior, to do anything less would be business suicide. Me on the other hand, I have no allegience, and I will gladly tell you when a certain bike sucks or if it rocks.

Ciao,
Roberto