Training Camp Day 12, Sessions on Sancturi de Curi

Woke up this morning with good sensations...for the record...good sensations is the universal english translation that occurs when you interview any non-english speaking winning racer or one that comes close to winning. Muesli was back on the breakfast buffet which was welcomed. I decided to venture into some culinary creations or just create a little home while away...ie oatmeal. Of course I still had my muesli with milk and one with yogurt a la strawberry. They have old fashioned oats on the buffet so I took my culinary wizardry to the buffet. The coffee machine that produces: hot water, cafe, cafe con leche, cortado, cappuccino, milk, and chocolate was next on the order. All products are warm which made this operation successful. I used the warm milk as opposed to the water b/c milk is just a more hearty base and it gives me some added protein b/c cyclists have been shown to have weak bone density. I don't think I fall into that b/c I consume my fair share of milk and I balance the off-season with hiking and rad skiing. To make the oatmeal extra special and add a little euro twist, I place some raisins and a little nutella. Gave it a nice choco-hazelnut flavor. I have probably created some weird looks in the dining room b/c of my unorthodox food ways. For my defense, I have tried nearly everything and I'm still adjusting to beans for breakfast. But I digress. Oatmeal was delicious however.

The plan was to get some intervals in today and fatigue the legs a little prior to Sunday's race. With bike racing, you never want to be completely "fresh." Coming in with a little fatigue is usually better b/c your legs already have some lactic in them and are accustomed to doing work. I found this out dearly last summer in Salida. I had taken a 10day rest period. Started riding 2 days prior but only easy. Saturday I was flat in the road race and suffered very bad. Sunday, as you know, I killed it and was just flying and road away from the field to the win in the downpour. This is also training camp so I need to maximize my training ops. I road out in a pretty high tempo to Randa which is just over 1hr away. That is the base of the climb to Sancturi de Curi. It's a 4,4km climb at 5,6% from the Restaurant to the Sancturi. I did three times up. First one I killed it early on hoping to burn my matches and try to hold on for dear life and possibly enter puke phase. Nearly got to puke phase at the top. On the descent, passed a Katusha rider..he was in the pain cave as well. The descent cooled me down a little too much. The 2nd one took me a little bit of time to get the legs moving and "relearning" how to hurt. After they came around I was going well, but time was a little slower b/c of the first 3-4min. 3rd one was the same. Going deep then cooling on the descent is tricky on the legs even with pedaling on the descent. Finished up with some high cadence spinning and a few power jumps.

Sensations are good and health is on the up and up. So on the food deportation front, I noticed next to the hotel elevator a sign outlawing the taking of oranges. It was in Czech so I couldn't read it but I assume it to say that you aren't allowed to take oranges outside the dining room. It had a picture with a guy's butt in jeans and his hands putting an orange in the back pocket. It was lamenated nicely. Then a big red X across the poster. I guess they assume all the "food thieves" are Czech. What they don't know is that only a amateur would place it in the backpocket. I am a professional and use the pockets of my fleece vest that I hold in my hands when I walk out. Your body appears normal and you are just carrying your coat, or vest in my case. Well enough sharing of my tricks.

Tchüss,
Matthew