Another Wednesday Ride (West Alpine)

We (mike, jan and i) did our usual west alpine loop today (Up old and up West) not a bad ride.  It was chili early in the morning but like yesterday it warmed up really quick.

It was a beautiful day, I went fairly conservative and I felt really good the whole way.  Mike took off on west and he put a decent gap between him, me and Jan. Overall another great day. 

It is getting fairly dark in the morning so I imagine we won't be able to do this ride much longer.

In terms of the 508, I don't have any updates except that we will meet next Monday to see if we are ready to go or we are missing some things (that will give a few days to do some last minute purchases).

Note:  I was wearing the company colors today :)

Another beautiful morning in CA. It was a bit chili in the morning but it was nice and warm around 8am. I did a flat ride (~40 miles) in my tt bike training to stay uncomfortable most of the way (i.e. working). it was a good ride, i felt pretty well and the legs while tired responded fairly well. I really enjoyed starting my days with a bike ride. I am planning to swim in the evening and then go home and keep working on my signs.

I rolled into work around 10am (which is not too bad). Tomorrow we'll do west alpine as usual.

Everyone in the team is gearing up for the trip. So far the plan is to meet at my house on Thursday night, pack the truck and leave early on Friday morning.

Well that is all for now

Training for the 508 (random pictures)

1. West Old La Honda (Wednesday morning ride)
2. Mike on West Old
3. Me on West Old
4. Jess during the Epic (2 weekends ago) playing with her new Iphone
5. More of the same
6. Posing now
   

Monday 9/22/08

Well today is sort of a rest day:

• 1 hour spin + weigths (core)
• 1 hour massage :)

Nothing special to report. I am tired but not too bad, my IT band is a bit tied but other than that I am doing fine.
On the logistic side, I am working on creating a sign to put on the roof of the truck. It turned out to be a bit more involved that I anticipated but it is coming along, i think it will look nice.
Jessica was talking about getting t-shirts for the team but I am not sure that any of us have time to do that.
After witnessing the big debacle of the financial markets and the end of the investment banking era (Goldman and Morgan Stanley are now commercial banks), I am glad to have a job that allows me to be in my bike and do the things that I enjoy the most. Go Google!!!

Today, was the last of the very long weekend. Overall was a great weekend: good riding, great weather, even better company. I felt fairly strong, maybe all that training is paying off :)

In the first picture you see Me, Eric and Lennard in our stop in Santa Cruz (good bakery), on the next one I am taking the picture and Jessica is on the right

Since my last posting on Wednesday, I didn't do much riding until the weekend. Here is the week in a nutshell:

• Thursday AM: 30 minutes spin, lift weights (legs)
• Thursday PM: Swim (masters)
• Friday AM: 1 hour spin, lift weights (core)
• Friday PM: 1 hour spin
• Saturday AM: Swim (masters), 6 hour ride (pescadero and half moon bay). I started with the team and then Mike went with me to Pescadero (he came back tunitas via lobitos creek). My legs felt great but I was a bit tired and I got sleepy during the ride, who knows why.
  
• Sunday AM: 7 hours ride (113 miles), similar route to the sequoia century but we climber old instead. Jessica, Eric and I rode the whole way. Mike started with us and didd west Alpine and Lennard went down all the way to Santa Cruz. Everyone felt really good. We were so happy during and after the ride. I think we are getting there. I rode my tt bike and despite the substantial amount of climbing I felt pretty good and on the flats the bike just wanted to go fast. We enjoyed a nice tail way all the way to Santa Cruz.
  

Next week will be a bit easier and the next one even easier.
I have been dealing with last logistic details, sucha as extra ligths, signs, get the truck check out ($1,200 ouch) and suchs.

My first posting

Well, I decided to create a blog to track to progress and record the experience of my first Furnace Creek 508 (www.the 508.com). This is by far the most logistically involved event that I have ever participated on, even in Ironman things are pretty much layout for you. Here I need to have my own crew and my own support vehicle.

I didn't start this on my own. Jessica (my teammate) was the one with the idea. I just followed along. Now however I am pretty invested on the event and I am looking forward to the challenges of the experience. The magnitude of the event has motivated quite a bit and my biking shape is finally coming around.

Training:

• A 3.5 hour ride (old la honda and West Alpine) in the morning. This is such a beautiful ride. We usually meet at Starbucks in Alameda (although this time was just Mike and I) and we go from there. The weather has been definitely changing and it was a bit chili this morning (fall is in the air).
• I am planning to go a 30 minutes spin and upper body this evening (probably around 8:30pm)