Mt Baldy Ski Lifts run2top race report: 7 miles with a total of 4000′ gain. Being that we didnt like our pikes peak performance, me and Bessy Anas’san Leszczynski wanted some revenge. Also I got hit ith an extra low blow at balboa 4 miler xc I was real demotivated to do this one, especially with a hamstring injury. The times put down here are similar to people’s half marathon times (+/- 10 min). Its very grass roots, bet yet a long standing race. We slept in the car next to the start. The start is a 1/4 mile steep downhill that beats the hell out of you from the bat. My fuel belt went all the way up to my chest, so I lost good minute or 2 adjusting it on the course. Just like pikes I had a little too much clothes on so had to ditch my shirt at mile 2. i was able to not powerwalk till mile 4…. 4-5 was technical, then 5 broke tree line to a so beautiful ridge line trail, better than pikes peak… you are on a single track that if you do one bad step, you will have a good 1000 foot fall. 6-7 becomes more steep, where its just boulder climbing. When you get to the finish, you assume there is a chairlift or bus to get back. NOPE! you have to go back down how you came up… with competitors still going up. lucky you can take the chair lift down at the halfway point, or like some other crazy folk, keep going down. Bessy got first place in her age group, and 5th over all! This was no shooting fish in a barrel contest either, lots of good competition out there
Pikes Peak Ascent 2016
Pikes Peak, Colorado is famous for a few reasons, most know it for the most grueling uphill car road race (Pike Peak International Hill Climb). Also accessible via train with the Manitou/Pikes Peak Cog Railway, that’s been open since 1891, is a tourist hot spot to be at the highest railway stop and one of the tallest mountain peaks in the USA. You can find the largest stairway at the gnarly Manitou Incline made of 2,700+ wooden stairs at 41% grade for 1 mile.* The city’s most treasured production is the world’s hardest trail half & full marathon – Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon – starting at 7000′, finishing at 14000′. With so many downhill races popping up here and there, you know, we just have to be different. Plus we have been meaning to visit Colorado, it really helped that our good running buddy from San Diego moved there so we weren’t lone tourists. To appreciate the mountain’s beauty (and pains), Dave booked us for the Manitou Springs/Cog Railway tour that brings tourists to The Peak! This was mainly for altitude adjustment and scouting the course. On the way up due to lack of oxygen, you get sleepy. Some people get severe headaches but we were fine. 
Up the cog rail you learn many history tidbits about the mountain, some that you never knew were nationally popular. For example, there’s a huge monument at the Peak dedicated to the song “American the Beautiful” because the author wrote it while looking at Pikes Peak.
My slideshow from the Manitou Springs / Pikes Peak Cog Railway
The next day we would be experiencing the journey on foot…
I am now a “professional cyclist”
Yes, in quotes because no, not for bicycle racing, but as a bike messenger. It consist of delivering depositions, bills, etc between law firms. The pay is minimal – although I think it is a fair trade off for something that you look forward to doing everyday – no waiting for Friday for it to be all over and being the weekend. Yes, I love Mondays!
Some inspiration was taken from the movies Quicksilver , Premium Rush, Line of Sight, and the USA network tv show Suits
Mike Ross in the show suits is a bike messenger who is hired as a lawyer on one of his deliveries thanks to his intelligence
Preparing for a Race
With one of the most legendary battles in a pool happening last night, Michael Phelps vs. Chad Le Clos in the Men’s 200M Butterfly, I wanted to highlight the mental side of the race prep. Physical training, which is clearly essential, is where most advice ends. However the mental training is what makes the biggest difference in the outcome.
In Meb’s book “Meb For Mortals” he has an entire chapter about training your mind for the battle. As mortals we may not be competing with a rival side by side, yet by paying for an event you’re taunting the course. There are key steps below in order to PREPARE for a race event – mentally.
(M)e (A)nd (R)oger (C)rush (H)ills
(I know it’s Roger and I, but there’s no month spelled RAICH hehe)
San Diego Winter’s “triathlon off-season” means run season. A few events sprinkle in to motivate in January and February, but the following month is exactly that: march. You’ll see below how we’ve been pretty busy in our spring, I hope it’ll be worth the wait!
Hey you! You’re a social media SUPER STAR
To start, I admit guilt. I’m one of the pioneering folks of social media (Facebook in particular) who posted my run workouts to an isolated circle of “non-exercise” friends. Let’s be honest, social media is a platform to share or brag about your achievements like run, bodybuilding competitions, etc. Somewhere via magazines, results from others, and advertisements I was lead to what I felt was the ultimate achievement benchmark: Boston Marathon Qualify (BQ). I thought I was so cool when I achieved that goal.
The key to bike theft
Normal seeming day, I finish my afternoon loop at work, locking up my bike and head up stairs for 10 minutes. I am ready for my next round, coming down…. and the bike is gone. Security was on patrol somewhere else. I was freaking out, luckily found the guard in time so he can capture the security camera feed. Below is the vid from 1:10 to 2 min is the thief in action. Gone in 60 seconds: Continue reading
