Finished up another solid block of climbing mixed with some intensity stuff (e.g. the Short Tracks) and had a helluva lot of fun this week. Za plan is amazing in that it keeps EVERYTHING in balance. Family, work and riding have become a veritable 3 sided sea-saw and all 3 kids are perfectly weighted the same. Nothing is clawing at the other and the stress is way reduced. It's good. It wasn't always like this. Trying to flail at training, life, family, work is bunk and is a recipe for disaster. Predictability to your family and communication of it all is at the core of the success I've found. My lady is way happier and that makes the walls of the home smile.

Yesterday was rad. Went hard with T on this ride. ALL this (below) is within 3 to 3.5 minutes from my house by bike. Sick. T is studying the physiology, pedal stroke, everything as I am doing it so it is amazing to have a friend/coach/supporter in my corner...literally as I am engaged in these workouts. I attacked him on the top of Lee Hill before Deer Trail and threw out 1106 watts for 15 seconds to get the gap which was quite fun if not stupid before he reminded me that I just shot my wad before Deer Trail's slog. Had to be done though. Ride we did is on MapMyRide:Week of slow stuff coming up and I may not be mad about the M & C updates as I have a bunch going on this week. I'll see what I can do at night.

That is precisely what za plan prescribed today and za plan wasn't joking. NCAR, Flag/Amphitheater, Lee Hill/Deer Trail finish up with the humiliator of Olde Stage. Then home. I literally ran out of liquids. 90 degrees by the time I was rolling into my garage. The sensations were good. 2 minutes and 46 seconds faster than I've ever done Flag/Amp. All by watching the Tap. Finished up the day 3 pounds down from what I woke up at and am already 10 + pounds total body weight lost since initiating za plan. Amazing. Who'd've thunk it: eat more, ride 'less' yielding weight loss and becoming demonstrably faster. I likee.

It's fun again.

The work tip is moving along out here in CA. Lots of biz being discussed and strategy is a good thing. Our HQ is in my old home town of SF but we are in Pleasanton in the East Bay to do some off site focusing. Got out this morning for a run near the hotel in classic California open space. I miss it. Amazing to run at sea level again. It's been some time since I've been able to do that. I hate running but it's got to be done. It was like being on EPO. Drinking oxygen and floating up the hills. Awesome.

Done with the first big block of za plan. I am well into the 20K feet of climbing mark. Some of it slow at certain watts, other portions at vomit inducing intensity. 10 lbs of body weight shaved since the start a month ago. Now begins a nice break.

The powertap has been good. Mechanically it has worked perfectly (knock on wood), and psychologically it has helped me immeasurably. I can see and know precisely when to chill, and when to get it on, full gas. Courses I trained on will never be looked at the same. Before it was: "Oh shit, here's that steep pitch. Just keep spinning the legs fast and don't blow up.", Now it's: "...ramp it up to 450 watts, hold, back it to 350, hold..." and before I know it, I'm out of that section spinning faster coming out of it than I'd ever had before. Fresher...and faster.

Travel this week but it's perfect timing for it. Gonna stay off the bike, maybe run but za plan is kind to me this week. Good food is at the core of my week to keep the body humming.

Sunday. Last day of the training week. Time to let the muscles rest. After yesterday's throw downs and climbing fest, I finished up the week needing some final climbing with Flagstaff and Sunshine Canyon with a dip down into Gold Hill, then turn around and bomb back down to home. It is sick living at the apex of all these great training routes.

Surprisingly the legs felt fairly fresh and the power was basically there on both big efforts. The KEY was yesterday's wade into a freezing Boulder creek. It was an unbelievable recuperation and I recommend it to everyone after along hard ride. It's like therapy. Well it is, I hear.

Happy work week everyone. 7 months to Belgie.

An hour ride today. Shake the cobwebs out from my trip and it was perfect. Rode with my lady after she dropped off the kinders at school. Very rare that we get to do this. We flowed down Left Hand and I needed what T says are 'openers'. Back side of Lee Hill, repeats 90 seconds, 60 seconds 60 seconds 30 seconds 30 seconds...repeat! You get the drill. He says that these will 'open' me for my next few days of death and suffering. I love it.

Epically gorgeous weekend here in The Repoobleek. No North Boulder Park crit for me which is fine. Stopped by the crit though after my training to say hi. Saw Hailey from the women's team win while Davis Phinney and Andy Hampsten and I cheered her over the line before Davis' group charity ride. Indeed it was a Boulder moment at that second. Ha!

According to 'za plan', took my medicine by doing my NCAR's...

and my Flagstaff efforts...

Faster and faster this carcass is going up those things. Measurement and rubber goodies getting dialed this week. As is some running I need to do.

Drum roll please: I went for a run today. For those that know me, they are laughing. I hate running. I spent from 5 to 20 years old playing soccer and told myself I'd never run again. Last time I 'went for a (real) run' was January 2006 I think. Freezing cold. My wife dragged me out and I basically almost ruptured my Achilles. So I got gun shy for like a year and decided not to risk it. It felt OK in cross last year with slight twinges of discomfort. So today, all's well it seemed...and drum roll again...I slightly enjoyed it. Maybe it is due to the sweet new iPod Shuffle I scored for myself on Mothers day. Ha! I got one for my lady and decided that the stuff she is gonna put on hers would not be copasetic to my fairly musically snobbish ears.

Today: Shiner was duly jammed. Haven't listened to this album in time ad infinitum. I can not tell you how this band rips...or ripped as they have split up and become The Life and Times. I saw them ages ago opening for Hum...another now defunct band I am in love with...and never looked back. If you ride or do anything that requires you to grit your teeth and you are serious about music that will motivate you (and are serious about music and the depth of composition), I recommend this album. If you are OK with be bopping to like Creed, please do not buy Shiner. These are some significantly talented artists. End snobbery rant.

Finished up my first real work week of training with a Flagstaff/Magnolia climb fest. Flag is tough but Magnolia is an insult. For folks out there who do not know this climb, Google search the Mike Horgan Hill climb hosted by Boulderracing.com. It is an impossibly long and steep mountain pass which starts from Canyon and goes straight up. It borders on ridiculous. Dragging my large carcass up that thing is insulting. I ended up climbing OK and within myself with another guy and the guy working with us this season. It was an OK test and I know what work needs to be done still, but was phenomenal to feel OK after all the sick. A good first week back to being a cyclist again.

Mom's day today and the b-fast in bed was duly made for my lady in addition to a surprise of an Apple iPod Shuffle for my running-crazy lady.

It is unbelievable when you come out of a sickness haze how you get the feeling of what it is like to live like a normal person. It feels like....no...it HAS been months since I felt like a normal healthy guy. I listened to my body and while I i hated doing it, I said no to tons of races and general deep training to give the body and mind a break. This week was my first week back to training and got 5 solid days in between my work and family schedule. The new training program is ramping and is way realistic and something I can execute on and feel good about.

Monday Tempo and cadence Busstop Course
Tuesday Flagstaff Mountain bench mark
Wednesday Tempo and cadence Busstop Course
Thursday Left Hand Lee Hill tempo and Hill interval
Friday Flagstaff early season trial

The body is responding, painfully, but still with a smile. I have been waking up each morning this week thinking "Oh my God, what do I feel like? Do I feel sick again? Did I deplete my immune system like battery acid with yesterday's work out??" And each day I feel better. Miraculous. It's so f'd up when you are sick for so long, your mind is convinced it will never get better. I feel like I am well on my way to something good.

On a totally unrelated note, here's where good kids make good! An old Rocky Mounts devo from a few seasons ago is kicking ass in Italy! Jon Garcia is leading the BMC team over there in Italy at the Giro del Friuli Venezia Giulia . He is responsible for getting us Levon (seen center here) who is racing strong for us these days. Jon's team mate Scott was staying down the streat from me at Dan's for a bit and I can tell you these are good, core kids. It is unbelievable that Jon and this group of kids are breaking legs over there. Kudos.