Hard Core Training, Here I Come!

Well, it's been a rocky start thus far this year as far as cycling goes. It started off well enough in January with the Floyd Landis Power Training Camp in Temecula. That was a blast and a half, plus great riding with really cool people. But I came home sick, and never quite recovered from the down time.

Then came the stint w/ Triathlon training...dashed when I ran on uneven grass and created a stress fracture in my right foot. Couldn't even ride my bike for several days. Talk about frustrating! UGH!

Then came the Landis Hearings at Pepperdine last week, and I just couldn't seem to get myself outside to ride. Too much time wasted in front of the computer watching testimony that for the most part went way over my head, or watching circus clowns and trained monkeys dance. I finally found the power to drag myself away from all of that, and go for a ride.

The weather here has been glorious, so I've had some nice rides on the coast line and in the hills. It felt so good to be out!

So, now it's time to hunker down with my cycling goals for the season. I guess I'm in a rut...it's always Cycle to the Sun, the race up Haleakala on Maui. 10,005 feet of climbing in 36.2 miles. Starting at sea level. What a climb! Last year, with the help of Allen Lim and Richard Stern, of RST coaching, I finally broke my goal time of 4 hours, and landed at the top in 3:55. This year, I want to drop that time by 10 minutes and come in under 3:45. It's a huge goal, don't know if I can do it, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

So, hill repeats have been the workout of choice as of this last week. The muscles are complaining, but they should be...they are working to haul 10 extra pounds up those climbs!

Goal number one is to drop the extra pounds by 1 August. And increase my power at threshold by about 10 watts. I wonder which will be easier????