EPIC TRAINING SYSTEMS
Endure, Excel, Acheive
2006 The Year in Review
2006 Year in Review I feel I had a successful racing season in 2006. I am quite satisfied with my results for most of the events. There are a couple of exceptions but overall it was a good season. In January, I did the San Diego Brevet Series 200km (125 6,500 feet of climbing. I remember getting dropped on Circle R and then chasing throughout the day. I did the 125 miles on two water bottles. And I still had plenty of power left over as I climbed Torrey Pines at mile 120. I finished 2nd, a good result considering I was alone and the three lead riders worked together. I wasn't in good form yet. In February, I was hit by a car. Actually, it was a Ford F-350 Diesel. I was traveling Eastbound and was hit on my left side while riding in the bike lane on Paseo Delicias. I was literally in bed for four days. I was off the bike for almost 10 days--it felt like an eternity. I started my real training with a mini-camp. I rode to Palm Springs, did the Palm Springs Century and then rode back home. That 375 mile weekend was the kick-start to my training. I will do this again. In March, I did the San Diego Brevet Series 300km. (186 11,400 feet of climbing) I finished 3rd on this event but it was touch and go. There was freezing temperatures on Palomar Mountain and plenty of sleet and freezing rain on Mesa Grande. Not until I descended from altitude did I feel some measure of warmth. I was freezing and wet all day. I seriously doubted why I did Ultras that day. In April, I did the Hemet Double Century. I finished 2nd. This is a flatter double but I wanted to work on my speed and this event is just right for that. Andy Zelhoff and Marc Patton really worked me but I was glad they did I was better the rest of the season because of it. I also did the Mullholland Double Century (200 miles 16,500 feet) for the first time. MDC was the first of three climbing centuries for the King of the Mountains Challenge. MDC was really challenging and I faded pretty bad around mile 150 but recovered and finished 11th. I then did the Alpine Challenge (70 miles 7,000). It was nice to ride all my ol' favorite climbs in East County. I lost one of my water bottles early after hitting a pothole in a fast paceline. I did the 70 miles with only one bottle. I rode home from Alpine and trained a client and ended up with 200 miles for the day. In May - competed in the Breathless Agony Century. 112 miles 12,000 feet of climbing. Another successful event. I reduced my time by 52 minutes sub 6 hours now. and moved from 45th to 34th out of 299 male racers. I thought I would break the top 30. There is always next year. Heartbreak Double Century 200 miles 16,500 feet of climbing. I was so sick before even starting the event I shouldn't have done it. It was so cold at the start I thought it would warm up so the only thing I wore was shorts, jersey and base layer. I was hypothermic at the 50 mile check point. I finished 16th but I should not have started and I was a sure thing for a DNF most of the day. This was the last event in the three part series of King of the Mountains Challenge Notice on the finishers report I made the short list of only 6 riders that finished the DC version of the King of the Mountains series. In July- I did the Death Ride for the first time. I didn't think it was as hard as everyone made it out to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the event with great support. 129 miles and 15,000 feet of climbing. My total time was 9:15. There was some GI issues that kept me going to the Porto-Potty. That kept me off the bike for a 1/2 hour -- and of course, I wear bibs. In August- I tortured myself with dedicated mountain climbing workouts. I rode lots of miles but mostly I climbed and climbed. I rode 1650 miles and climbed 124,000 feet. The purpose of this month was to get ready for Everest Challenge. If I prepared well enough for EC then the 508 was only two weeks later and my form would carry over. In Septermber I competed in the Everest Challenge I improved my time by 1 hr and 6 minutes. I moved down in places but I know I had a good race. In October Furnace Creek 508 and Death Valley Double Century. I completed the 508 solo in 43 hours. My goal was 36 hours. A really poor showing but I finished. There were 21 DNF's so I think that is something to be proud of. Two weeks later I placed 10th at the Death Valley Fall Double beating my time for that route by 20 minutes. My goal was sub 12 hours and I was about 11 min over. |
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