My sister is taking on some great events now, follow her progress here since she won't be posting it for herself! Go Ximena!!! She is not new to running but she is new to competing in running events, ever since i took her to do a trail run in Oleta Park, Miami she's had the bug.
Here she is, bib 312
Well maybe I can get her to contribute a bit here about her training progress for 5k, 10k, half and maybe full marathons.
Love ya lady!!
Serge
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Weekending in SF
Stayed in SF this weekend, I finished work and figured why drive home only to drive back on Sunday night. I had an FCC exam scheduled for Monday so I simply parked the car and took the bike around for transportation. I stayed at the Hostelling International Hostel in City Center SF. What a great place, bar, breakfast, kitchen, movies and lots of interesting people from around the world. The neighborhood left a bit to be desired since it sits on the edge of the famous "Tenderloin". This is why I had to park the car in a safe location all weekend and rode the bike.
The bike however had a different weekend, after a nice day of rolling around the city I hung it up in the hotel bike closet. The next day I rolled it out and as soon as I started to pedal to my car because I needed something, I heard a pop! Not as loud as when I busted a chain ring but similar. I looked down and I saw an odd site a bash guard and chain ring wrapped around my crank and not about in site. Now one can speculate where the bolts went overnight but I'd rather think they fell out. This now required a 3 mile walk to the nearest bike shop to then ride 3 more to my car, but as we know that all ends up being part of the fun.
I rode about 4 hrs around the city Sunday and then headed out to eat dinner. I had to go try Don Pistos, a hot little Mexican place in North Beach where 7x7 magazine rated their hamburger a "top ten things to eat before you die". I have to say Sina and Chuck make it a pleasure to eat there and the owner, Chucks brother even bought me a beer. The food was awesome!! I ate the burger and WOW it's ground beef reground with bacon and scallions, served on a fresh roll with GREAT guacamole. Everyone should eat this once. Finally off to Santa Rosa for an early morning Monday.
Once I took my exam I had enough time for a ride or run but being right next Annadel State Park, I figured I should ride there and do a loop then drive home. What a perfect day for a ride, cool clear and sunny. I did a full loop of the park, descending Spring Creek and also climbing Rough Go on the all Rigid Niner. A few times I though I was going to break something but in reality it handled EVERYTHING I gave it.
One awesome thing I noticed was my legs were a bit pooped to start with but after about 30 minutes I started loosening up. I started drinking my Infinit Endurance mix which has protein and no caffeine, opposite my xc racing mix. This together with a swig of my Napalm gel mix, I felt so fresh after a 16 mile loop and subsequent ride back to the car.
I'm hoping for a 200-300 mile riding week. I may need to hit my buddies Tuma and Ortiz for some parts they are selling, lighter, stiffer, and better performing.
Peace bedtime!
http://www.everytrail.com/destination/annadel-state-park
http://www.donpistos.com/
http://sfhostels.com/
http://www.infinitnutrition.us/
The bike however had a different weekend, after a nice day of rolling around the city I hung it up in the hotel bike closet. The next day I rolled it out and as soon as I started to pedal to my car because I needed something, I heard a pop! Not as loud as when I busted a chain ring but similar. I looked down and I saw an odd site a bash guard and chain ring wrapped around my crank and not about in site. Now one can speculate where the bolts went overnight but I'd rather think they fell out. This now required a 3 mile walk to the nearest bike shop to then ride 3 more to my car, but as we know that all ends up being part of the fun.
I rode about 4 hrs around the city Sunday and then headed out to eat dinner. I had to go try Don Pistos, a hot little Mexican place in North Beach where 7x7 magazine rated their hamburger a "top ten things to eat before you die". I have to say Sina and Chuck make it a pleasure to eat there and the owner, Chucks brother even bought me a beer. The food was awesome!! I ate the burger and WOW it's ground beef reground with bacon and scallions, served on a fresh roll with GREAT guacamole. Everyone should eat this once. Finally off to Santa Rosa for an early morning Monday.
Once I took my exam I had enough time for a ride or run but being right next Annadel State Park, I figured I should ride there and do a loop then drive home. What a perfect day for a ride, cool clear and sunny. I did a full loop of the park, descending Spring Creek and also climbing Rough Go on the all Rigid Niner. A few times I though I was going to break something but in reality it handled EVERYTHING I gave it.
One awesome thing I noticed was my legs were a bit pooped to start with but after about 30 minutes I started loosening up. I started drinking my Infinit Endurance mix which has protein and no caffeine, opposite my xc racing mix. This together with a swig of my Napalm gel mix, I felt so fresh after a 16 mile loop and subsequent ride back to the car.
I'm hoping for a 200-300 mile riding week. I may need to hit my buddies Tuma and Ortiz for some parts they are selling, lighter, stiffer, and better performing.
Peace bedtime!
http://www.everytrail.com/destination/annadel-state-park
http://www.donpistos.com/
http://sfhostels.com/
http://www.infinitnutrition.us/
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Stagecoach 400 update
Siren Mary and her partner in crime Sarah finished mapping the SC400! I love the blow by blow footage of her experience.
Read more about it here:
http://marymetcalf.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/mary-and-sarahs-borrego-to-diego-ramble/#comment-1170
I can only hope it warms up some before April...
Read more about it here:
http://marymetcalf.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/mary-and-sarahs-borrego-to-diego-ramble/#comment-1170
I can only hope it warms up some before April...
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Bay Ridge Trail riding
I ran across an article a while back written by Yuri Hauswald in Bike Monkey magazine about the Bay Ridge Trail and it sat in the back of my mind for many months. Since moving to NorCal I've ridden several Parks and trails from the Bay are North and around Santa Cruz as well. This year with my new long distance goals, I figured every chance I get I should hit some sections of the Bay Ridge Trail system a networks of parks and trails and some connector roads that loop the entire Bay Area primarily off road.
So today I started at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge and rode up to the top of the Marin Headlands to start this series of mini-adventures. Doing this alone has its caveats like you can't go one way and get picked up, you have to go out and back or in a loop. I may do all the Bay Ridge Trails clockwise and counter clockwise by the time I'm done.
So I was able to ride the sections that lead up to Mt Tamalpais, with a few wrong turns especially on the Miwok trail and then some extra legs like out to see Tennessee Beach and the Marin Headlands visitor center as well as locating the Marin Hostel which could come in handy one long riding day.
The day was stunning until the winds picked up then it got a bit cooler but still bright, crisp and clear and nothing a good climb couldn't warm up. Most of the trails are wide open fire road, portions are of the Coastal Trail to Portland, there's a lot of climbing but nothing unbearable and so far no hike-a-bikes although a section of Miwok almost exploded my quads. The one thing that is not lacking here are views, nature and wildlife this is such a gift to live so close to a big city and have this so close by. I even got a good look at raptors floating in the winds above my head while a bobcat stalked a field mouse in a pasture.
Oddly enough one of the funnest parts of the day was riding next to the road on a small trail with the Golden Gate at my right and nothing but a plummet between us. No difficulty just a huge precipice and a great end to a 5 hr ride.
Today I was fueled by my usual Infinit Endurance Formula but I had a flask of the test product yet to be named but essentially a gels replacement. I absolutely love this stuff, talk about a swift kick in the ass without any negative after effect and killer flavor, so much easier to swallow then a thick glob of gel.
More to come on this exploration, I call it "training".
http://www.ridgetrail.org/
http://norcalhostels.org/marin/
Peace
So today I started at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge and rode up to the top of the Marin Headlands to start this series of mini-adventures. Doing this alone has its caveats like you can't go one way and get picked up, you have to go out and back or in a loop. I may do all the Bay Ridge Trails clockwise and counter clockwise by the time I'm done.
So I was able to ride the sections that lead up to Mt Tamalpais, with a few wrong turns especially on the Miwok trail and then some extra legs like out to see Tennessee Beach and the Marin Headlands visitor center as well as locating the Marin Hostel which could come in handy one long riding day.
The day was stunning until the winds picked up then it got a bit cooler but still bright, crisp and clear and nothing a good climb couldn't warm up. Most of the trails are wide open fire road, portions are of the Coastal Trail to Portland, there's a lot of climbing but nothing unbearable and so far no hike-a-bikes although a section of Miwok almost exploded my quads. The one thing that is not lacking here are views, nature and wildlife this is such a gift to live so close to a big city and have this so close by. I even got a good look at raptors floating in the winds above my head while a bobcat stalked a field mouse in a pasture.
Oddly enough one of the funnest parts of the day was riding next to the road on a small trail with the Golden Gate at my right and nothing but a plummet between us. No difficulty just a huge precipice and a great end to a 5 hr ride.
Today I was fueled by my usual Infinit Endurance Formula but I had a flask of the test product yet to be named but essentially a gels replacement. I absolutely love this stuff, talk about a swift kick in the ass without any negative after effect and killer flavor, so much easier to swallow then a thick glob of gel.
More to come on this exploration, I call it "training".
http://www.ridgetrail.org/
http://norcalhostels.org/marin/
Peace
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Running article a friend wrote
I thought I'd share this article a friend wrote. It definitely rings true to running but also to just about anything you do that requires endurance, mental and physical.
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/outdoors/2012/02/16/runners-lament/
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/outdoors/2012/02/16/runners-lament/
Friday, February 17, 2012
100 year old cyclist on track bike
I'm 42 and working on being the guy that breaks his record! Only because I admire his tenacity could I hope to be anything like this at 100.
http://m.bikeradar.com/news/article/100-year-old-sets-cycling-hour-record-mark-33217
http://m.bikeradar.com/news/article/100-year-old-sets-cycling-hour-record-mark-33217
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
You want me to do what?
So I have a great friend from back in the Coast Guard days, this guy got pretty sedentary besides diving. From one day to the next he's a changed man, now he's a tri-athlete, marathoner, cyclist and soon to be mountain biker.
Al Maxey tried The Leadville lottery in 2011 but it didn't happen, just as he was considering 2012, we talked about my upcoming year and the Stagecoach 400 (details on previous post). Next thing I know he's registered, has a mountain bike, ordered bivvy etc.. Since then we've talked about the Divide Ride and other epic events.
2 days ago Al contacts me and says AML Allegheny Mountains Loop ITT, yep he has the bug!! The AML is another 420 ish miler in Northern Virginia and West Virginia in October amidst beautiful fall foliage. Al is not just trying to convince me, he's getting blog updates, has spoken with the race coordinator and is registered (although its another free, self supported, individual time trial).
"Al I have 3 big events already" I say, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking, if I want to do the Tour Divide another 420 in October could be perfect! Do I have the time off? So many things to think of, it'll be 1500 miles +/- in 4 events. Free, no prize, bucket list... OK WHERE DO I SIGN UP???
Al (coookie) you've lost your mind and taken mine along for the ride, but now you need to do CTR with me!
http://alleghenymountainsloop.blogspot.com/2012/01/allegheny-mountains-loop-2012.html?m=1
Just keep moving....
Al Maxey tried The Leadville lottery in 2011 but it didn't happen, just as he was considering 2012, we talked about my upcoming year and the Stagecoach 400 (details on previous post). Next thing I know he's registered, has a mountain bike, ordered bivvy etc.. Since then we've talked about the Divide Ride and other epic events.
2 days ago Al contacts me and says AML Allegheny Mountains Loop ITT, yep he has the bug!! The AML is another 420 ish miler in Northern Virginia and West Virginia in October amidst beautiful fall foliage. Al is not just trying to convince me, he's getting blog updates, has spoken with the race coordinator and is registered (although its another free, self supported, individual time trial).
"Al I have 3 big events already" I say, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking, if I want to do the Tour Divide another 420 in October could be perfect! Do I have the time off? So many things to think of, it'll be 1500 miles +/- in 4 events. Free, no prize, bucket list... OK WHERE DO I SIGN UP???
Al (coookie) you've lost your mind and taken mine along for the ride, but now you need to do CTR with me!
http://alleghenymountainsloop.blogspot.com/2012/01/allegheny-mountains-loop-2012.html?m=1
Just keep moving....
Leadville Trail 100 MTB
So today was the big day!! Who's in?? Hope everyone got what they wanted!!
CONGRATS TO EVERYONE
http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/315773-100-mile-mtb-race
CONGRATS TO EVERYONE
http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/315773-100-mile-mtb-race
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
2012 in a nutshell
Last year I gave the Leadman competition a go at it, I trained hard, I felt great and learned a lot. I learned a big lesson in that any small problem can easily eliminate you from such a competition especially if you are competing with very little time margins. That lesson made me decide to shelf Leadman for a little longer and maybe keep working on my ultra-endurance mountain biking.
I really enjoy being on the bike for more hours than most people ever want to. In early January 2012 I woke up very early one morning and chatted with friends around the country as we waited for the Dirty Kanza 200 mile Gravel road event registration to open. After about 45 minutes I could see this event would be full before most people were off to work! This was my first of a few decisions for the year only this one could include rain, sleet, mud, tornadoes and a few wrong turns... Just my style of event.
I get a message from a friend, Don Daly (instigator) a few days later, "hey check this out guys , if any one of you signs up I will come ride with you!". He was talking about the first time event called the Stagecoach 400. The SC400 is a ride from Idyllwild, CA down to the Salton Sea around the Anza Borrego desert across to San Diego and back to Idyllwild. 400 miles, was this my decision maker to step away from the wonderful Leadville Race Series and commit to some different events!? Well, I jumped all over it and signed up for this unsupported, no cost, no prize bragging rights only event in April. I am now truly changing my style of riding to Ultra-Endurance.
Now my year was shaping itself, I still had about 15 days to sign up for a Leadville event since those months were still available. In doing some research on bike packing events, I remembered the CTR or Colorado Trail Race an infamously difficult event, also no prize, no support multi day. This event made some of the best cyclists suffer to no end, people I admire very much in the sport like Jeff Kerkove of Team Topeak Ergon, who in 2010 had so many problems with wet cold blistering feet that he had to withdraw. Jeff is a veteran finisher of the race and has provided me with some great insight of what I was about to commit to. These guys would pass through Leadville each year I was at the Hostel and they would ride through, some stayed, some needed bike repairs, most looked haggard but many never made it past Leadville. Hmmm CTR, is that my next event?? That's right I made the decision that unless I have major issues with these sorts of events, via the SC400, I will be riding from Denver to Durango, CO in late July to early August. This will allow me to visit friends in Leadville before and after the CTR.
That's the plan folks in a very BIG nutshell, another set of Mis-Adventures for me to enjoy. I still LOVE Leadville and the Leadville Race Series and I will return stronger than ever just not to race in 2012.
http://socalenduro.wordpress.com/stagecoach-400/
http://www.dirtykanza200.com/
http://www.climbingdreams.net/ctr/
I really enjoy being on the bike for more hours than most people ever want to. In early January 2012 I woke up very early one morning and chatted with friends around the country as we waited for the Dirty Kanza 200 mile Gravel road event registration to open. After about 45 minutes I could see this event would be full before most people were off to work! This was my first of a few decisions for the year only this one could include rain, sleet, mud, tornadoes and a few wrong turns... Just my style of event.
I get a message from a friend, Don Daly (instigator) a few days later, "hey check this out guys , if any one of you signs up I will come ride with you!". He was talking about the first time event called the Stagecoach 400. The SC400 is a ride from Idyllwild, CA down to the Salton Sea around the Anza Borrego desert across to San Diego and back to Idyllwild. 400 miles, was this my decision maker to step away from the wonderful Leadville Race Series and commit to some different events!? Well, I jumped all over it and signed up for this unsupported, no cost, no prize bragging rights only event in April. I am now truly changing my style of riding to Ultra-Endurance.
Now my year was shaping itself, I still had about 15 days to sign up for a Leadville event since those months were still available. In doing some research on bike packing events, I remembered the CTR or Colorado Trail Race an infamously difficult event, also no prize, no support multi day. This event made some of the best cyclists suffer to no end, people I admire very much in the sport like Jeff Kerkove of Team Topeak Ergon, who in 2010 had so many problems with wet cold blistering feet that he had to withdraw. Jeff is a veteran finisher of the race and has provided me with some great insight of what I was about to commit to. These guys would pass through Leadville each year I was at the Hostel and they would ride through, some stayed, some needed bike repairs, most looked haggard but many never made it past Leadville. Hmmm CTR, is that my next event?? That's right I made the decision that unless I have major issues with these sorts of events, via the SC400, I will be riding from Denver to Durango, CO in late July to early August. This will allow me to visit friends in Leadville before and after the CTR.
That's the plan folks in a very BIG nutshell, another set of Mis-Adventures for me to enjoy. I still LOVE Leadville and the Leadville Race Series and I will return stronger than ever just not to race in 2012.
http://socalenduro.wordpress.com/stagecoach-400/
http://www.dirtykanza200.com/
http://www.climbingdreams.net/ctr/
I just started this new Blog to put all things related to my Mis-Adventures in one small place in the Ether-World. I hope to keep this up pretty well and I welcome anyone to post, reply or comment if related to any cool outdoor and indoor sporting or endurance activities!
Thanks for following or reading.
Serge
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