With only a few weeks left of my 2008 race season, my current focus is purely on quality race-specific workouts. After getting home from work I threw on the 38 and 50 tooth chainrings partnered up with a 12-27 cassette. The perfect climbing setup! Tonight's ride consisted of a couple climbs at higher watts that I was doing for my 18:57 on Tantalus 9 days ago! Specificity came in the form of cadence and position variance, which makes for a mentally stimulating workout... It sure as hell beats a steady state climb at threshold. Tonight's climbs were completed at combined average watts which were the highest that I've ever done for two climbs of Tantalus, and were also negative split. Think back to back sub -19min climbs! Not short climbs either... I started at the base of Papakolea. The negative splitting was boosted by having to chase Arn Valdez who decided to do a 180 and go hard for about 45sec's of climbing lead-out. I was chasing on his wheel at 18mph for those 45sec before he peeled off then I threw down some more.
SRM File. That shit hurt!
Pretty much every aspect of my life is going damn awesome right now, and Sea to Stars hillclimb is only a matter of days away, so I'm expecting to do something spectacular on Saturday. I have a new pre-race magic bullet which might be put to use at Sea to Stars, but failing that it'll be in use for Haleakala. I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you... James Bond style. All will be revealed in due course!
My team mate David Lelong is currently over in Orange County, California, for US Junior Nationals. He's been rocking out training rides on my time trial bike for the past three weeks and will be racing the 20km TT tomorrow. Fingers crossed for him to have the ride of his life. The junior nats schedule looks quite crazy... TT, Criterium, and Road Race all stacked back to back... With the possibility of qualifying heats. I can't wait until 2009 when I can race fatty masters nats. Maybe I can win something! It would be freakin' awesome if I could snag my first Stars and Stripes jersey - One of my goals for 2009. OK, it's not Elite Nats, but a national title is a national title.
