Final Training Ride of Season: 102 miles

Sunday marked the final major ride of a long start-stop-start again training season. It began with a few small rides at the end of last year, then when my bike was stolen I had a few months off around the beginning of the year. After I purchased my new and improved carbon Felt I was back at it beginning in February. Most of my riding were organized ALC training rides including great biking about San Francisco and through Marin County and nearly always included a pass through gorgeous Golden Gate Park and Presidio National Park. Although fun to meet and be outdoors it can be time consuming and tiring. From preperation the night before including bike maintenence, clothing (laundry) and eating properly to getting up early to post-ride stretching and re-fueling your body.

As The Ride gets closer we tend to do rides of 60-100 miles in March, April and May often on consecutive days. One long weekend I did 140 miles over 3 rides. I skipped several of the longest weekend rides due to my schedule at SFJAZZ where I work many weekends including up until midnight. I was able to lead several rides including one in the Hollister Hills, and the most recent Ben Armstrong Category 2 series to West Marin this last Sunday. This ride is notorious for the Marshall Wall, which is a major climb leaving the Cheese Factory which ends at Hwy 1 near quaint Point Reyes Station. This ride is more difficult then anything one can expect on The Ride itself but adding to it on this particular day were heavy headwinds just as you are climbing and descending the most gruesome part. It was otherwise a gorgeous day, and the views breathtaking. I felt like I was flying with the huge black birds above the slight fog while looking down on the rolling hills and ocean ahead, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. My new riding buddy, Jennifer, wanted me to take her picture at nearly every turn but that may have been an excuse to rest. Never-the-less she promises to send a rare photo of me high above the world. Later we ate BBQ oysters near Tomales Bay before the official lunch stop. Throughout the day I also managed to take in a chai latte, bagel w/cream cheese, chicken salad, a sugar cookie and an ice cream bar - the benefits of being on a bike from 7am-6pm. At lunch I laughed hard when one crazy character proclaimed he was going to blog how proud he was to "WALK Marshall Wall" which he did faster than those trying to ride up it in the wind.

Anyway, as the training season has wound down I feel I'm ready once again and know what to expect. The Ride doesn't get easier but knowing what's ahead is quite the relief and God-willing I plan to ride EFI (every friggin' inch) for the third consecutive year.

Thanks again for all the support, both financially and morally. Listen for voice messages from me during the ride which may appear in your cell phone or via email and feel free to reply to them with messages of support.