As previously reported, re-injured my Achilles’ tendon at the Eastern Sierra Double Century in early June, and I have, for the most part, been off the bike since then. It has been an opportunity to work on strengthening my core and upper body. I recently started ramping up my cycling again and will begin easing […]
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Hills for Brunch: The Day After the Mulholland Challenge
On Saturday, April 9th, I completed the Mulholland Challenge, which is Stage #1 of Planet Ultra’s “King of the Mountains Century Challenge.” However, I am not writing about that. Instead, I am writing about the next day, April 10th. Because the official results of the event have not yet been posted, I have decided to […]
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March Recap
March was a great month, all things considered: It was a month of recovery and progress. At the beginning of the month, I was struggling with recovery from Achilles tendonitis, although I was hopeful that I would be able to return to training. I was unable to ride in the Solvang Spring Double Century, on […]
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Return to Camp 9
From my living room window, I can see the radio towers at the top of Mt. Pinetos, where the Camp 9 Fire Suppression Camp is located. Mt. Pinetos sits on the southern edge of the Santa Clarita Valley, along the Bear Divide, and it is part of the San Gabriel Mountain Range. The mountain beckons […]
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Turning the Corner?
It’s time for another update regarding my progress in physical therapy. As mentioned in my last post, my recovery from Achilles tendonitis and knee pain has been frustrating. Sometimes it seemed I was taking two steps forward and one step back. Sometimes, I wondered if I would ever fully recover. So, when I say that […]
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Assessing the Damage, Picking Up the Pieces, and Making a Plan
Physical therapy is going well, but it has been a rough week. Along the way, I felt like I had taken two steps forward and one step back. On Presidents’ Day weekend, I was able to ride two days. On Saturday, February 19, I rode 87km (as previously reported), and on Monday, February 21, I […]
Read MoreStruggling to Stay Motivated
Following the Santa Barbara 100, I had planned a couple of weeks of low volume training, followed by the start of the first foundation training block for the 2022 season. Somewhere along the line, I became demotivated, and I did not feel like getting on the bike. In the process, I also lost a bit […]
Read MoreSkyline-Stratus Circuit Climbing Repeats
This short (6.4km) circuit provides a good opportunity for short-interval climbing repeats. Each lap of the circuit includes one small climb on Skyline of approximately 80m (average 7.5% gradient) and a slightly longer climb on Stratus of approximately 120m (average 7.7% gradient) The traffic in the area is fairly easy to deal with. Although Skyline […]
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