Coffeeneuring 2023 is underway!

10h Anniversary EOD Ride

Two things to celebrate today! 

One, it's the tenth anniversary of the 2013 Undefeated EOD Ride, a charity ride for the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation. Wow! Ten years!? Hard to believe that was one of my last epic rides. I wore my Undefeated EOD  jersey today in honor of LCDR Kevin Childre -- one of the ride founders and a good man. I appreciate everything he did for me during my time in San Diego.

And Two,,, well, today I kicks off my 7th season of bikes and coffee with the 2023 Coffeeneuring Challenge! There's something so ironic about being excited for a coffee ride challenge in 2023. LOL Ten years ago (tomorrow) I was riding 200 miles down the California Coast with members of the US Navy elite -- and today I'm content to just ride five miles or so for coffee.

It was a gorgeous day to be out on the road bike! I headed to a new place in town but realized I didn't have a bike lock on me, so circled back to Cafe Avellino which has outdoor seating, I ordered an an iced latte and three small Italian cookies, then sat outside where I enjoyed chatting with an elderly gentleman who lives nearby. He walks to the cafe everyday with his tiny, dog Sonny, so Sonny can get his daily meatball. (Adorable.)

Gorgeous day in town

Coffeeneuring Ride 1, Cafe Avellino 

C’mon, Spring! April arrives.

Bike, run, and now swim. March ends.

March went out like a lamb, with temperatures in the low 60s on Saturday, so I turned the heat off in the house — only to then turn around and fire it back up again this week when temps dropped back into the 20s. Hahahahaha. I was so optimistic!

April is going to be a busy month! For some unknown reason I decided to once again participate in the 30 Days of Biking challenge for another year, (number six), despite saying last year I was “retiring”. With so much on my plate, many of the rides will have to be short ones as I don’t want to overtrain, but I hope to get out on the bike every day this month. (We’ll see how that goes.)

My four weeks of base work towards half marathon training wrapped up and segued into the Hal Higdon plan this week. I ran three miles yesterday after a short bike ride to the beach, and then had a swim lesson at 7pm. This morning I’m feeling muscles I didn’t know I had.

We have twelve weeks to go before Julia tackles the Alaskaman XTri. It's still possible she may find a seasoned support runner for the Mt. Alyeska leg, but I'm still training for it just in case.

I got this.

Alaska Bound

February 20th, sunrise after the storm

I made a plane reservation last week for a summer adventure in Alaska. In October, I committed to joining my friend Julia’s support team for the Alaskaman Extreme Tri in Seward at the end of June. The race entails a 2.6 mile swim in frigid Resurrection Bay, a 112 mile bike leg along the Seward Highway to Girdwood, and a 27.5 mile run that includes climbing Mt. Alyeska twice. Kinda insane. Julia competed in Challenge Roth last year in Germany, while a mutual acquaintance, Christina, took on Alaskaman that same month, so it makes perfect sense (to me) that Alaskaman would come next on Julia’s bucket list. These girls go hard!

Christina’s husband, Schreck, who Julia and I rode with during the EOD Undefeated Ride several years ago, also planned to race Alaskaman this year. With Julia’s husband Jim onboard, it was shaping up to be an EOD reunion! (Minus Tim Brown, but plus Christina, who was deployed at the time of our ride. Go, Navy.)

Together again? Me, Schreck, Julia and Jim, (with Tim Brown, front)
EOD Undefeated for the EOD Warrior Foundation

Despite the many Ironmans and triathlons my friends have competed in, I’ve never had an interest in doing the same. I’d much rather be on the sidelines giving aid and support where I can. Different from most triathlons, Alaskaman requires athletes to have a 1-3 person support team during the race. I planned to join Jim, and their son Elye, as part of Julia’s support team — assisting with transitions and driving the support vehicle along the route. (Much like I did during the Race Across America). Jim planned to run the final ten miles of the ultra marathon alongside Julia, as each participant must have a run partner on Mt Alyeska. Christina planned to be Schreck’s support runner for his final 10.

And then plans began to unravel. Jim and Elye will not be traveling to Alaska with Julia, after all, so I am now her only support. (Hopefully she’ll find a runner in Seward for the final ten miles. She is reaching out to triathlon and running groups based in Alaska. Meanwhile, I’m working on a training plan to be her backup runner.) Next, Schreck tore his ACL while skiing and is going to require surgery, so he and Christina are out as well. (Both will now race Alohaman in Hawaii, another X-Tri produced by the same company, at the end of the year.)

I’ve gone ahead and booked a one way flight to Anchorage. It’s possible that Julia will have to bail on the race, and I understand if she does, but I still want to move forward as if it’s a “go”. I had planned to spend the week before the race exploring the Kenai Peninsula with my mountain bike, doing some day hikes, and seeing the fjords and glaciers. The excitement of seeing Alaska is what’s getting me through the long gray days of winter.

February has always been a tough training month, but I do have a plan underway. There are four months to go before race day — I know it will go fast.

Coffeeneuring Ride #2, Cheers to EOD friends

It was chilly this morning when I headed out for coffee -- and Ride #2 of the Coffeeneurring Challenge. Thinking of friends heading out for their second day of the EOD Undefeated Two Day Ride, I laughed at the extreme opposites between us. For me on the East Coast it was 55 degrees, (I needed arm warmers today), a 15 mile ride, with a coffee stop mid-way. (I grabbed my coffee to go from Jaho Coffee and Tea Shop and brought it to Winter Island). In contrast, friends Julia, Christina, Schreck, Tim, and Christine, (along with Matt, Jimmy, and Nancy), were riding on the West Coast in 100 degree temps, 100 miles, with a beer stop (or two) along the way. Hahaha... my ride was so tame in comparison.

Coffeeneuring Ride #2 was spent at Winter Island on Waikiki Beach... another gorgeous day.

Late Summer Update

The summer is cruising along, and while I'm greatly enjoying my adventure rides with Chip, I must admit I miss the discipline of having a training plan in place. This is the first summer in 13 years that I haven't had an event to train for. It's been refreshing, but also a little empty.

My shoulder is doing ok. I have almost full range of motion now, although there are a few spots where my shoulder starts to get tight. I still have some tenderness, (it feels like a constant bruise -- perhaps from the labral tear?), and I still have tendonitis going on, but the crazy pain from the supraspinitus tear is gone.

No surgery and NO MORE PT. Have I mentioned how much I hated my physical therapist? She was awful.

Despite strenghening exercises for my rotator cuff, I find myself weak, weak, weak. I often have to ask one of the boys to open a jar of spaghetti, or carry something heavy, which is annoying. I also find that after a long ride, my shoulders and neck are sore. It's going to take some time to get my strength back.

But, I have a few ride commitments on the calendar --  The Harpoon Point to Point with Chip, (and possibly Rich and Pete), is coming up. The 25 miler up Back Mountain Road, including the Brownsville-Hartland climb, is more than enough for me right now. I'm sure Chip will crush me on the climb, but will burn his brakes on the other side during the descent, so I'll catch him there.

I'm also planning to ride the Krempels King of the Road Challenge with a few of the girls -- Alison, Cate and Kristen -- in October. Brrrrr.... it's going to be chilly in New Hampshire at that time of year!

Before KKotRC, there's still an option to ride for the EOD Warrior Foundation. The UNDEFEATED EOD RIDE is ON this year, and while I would love, love, love to honor Kevin, and join Julia, Christina, Schreck and Tim for another ride in California, there's just no way I can pull off the training between now and then. (Although I understand Schreck just dusted off his bike. Hmmmmm.) Still, while I won't be ready to ride a hardcore 200, I can definitely commit to doing some fundraising for the EODWF and possibly ride a 100 mile virtual ride here at home while the posse is riding in SoCal. (Awwwww, sad. I miss them already!)

Fair Winds, Kevin

It was both shocking and sad to learn that Navy Commander Kevin Childre died yesterday following injuries sustained in a cycling accident on Wednesday. It was Day 4 of the "Train of Pain" -- a 6 day bike ride from San Francisco to San Diego with Navy Cycling friends. I'm shocked by this devastating news.

It was a serious though not uncommon crash -- a collision with another rider -- one that many of us have had as cyclists. I received the heartbreaking news from our friend Christina, who sent me a message informing me of the accident earlier in the day. I was stunned. Sad.

Kevin was the driving force of the Undefeated EOD Bike Ride, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the EOD Warrior Foundation. Ironically, I'd just received an email from him letting me know that this year's EOD Ride was a go, and I'd been wondering if I'd be able to tackle those California hills by October. (Sigh.)  Kevin had a warm and engaging soul, kind, generous, and thoughtful. My heart goes out to his family and friends -- he was an extraordinary person. Fair winds and following seas, Kevin. Rest easy.

Gorgeous Days

New England enjoyed beautiful, almost summer-like weather for most of the week -- with a rainstorm thrown in on Thursday to slow things down. I had a good week on the bike, both inside and outside, riding with E on Tuesday and then heading up the coast on Wednesday out to Magnolia and back -- just enjoying the ride and losing track of time. The weather has been spectacular. (Thursday's rain gave me a break from the road, but with P2 Thursday night, (killer), it really wasn't much of a break.)

VK Mollie Brewer started her training this week for 2015, and in the back of my head, I've done the same. I had some setbacks this summer that threw me off, but I've put it all behind me and I'm ready for a comeback. The "off-season" training and a change in routine is coming at a good time for me.

The Undefeated EOD Ride has been on my mind all week, too, and I've been thinking about Tim, Julia, Jim, and Schreck (and Christina) -- and Chelsea, Matt, Christine, and everyone else who made last year's ride so special. It's hard to believe it's been a year since I was out in California riding with them -- and I'm hoping we'll get a chance to ride together in 2015. Fingers crossed!

Hope this great weather continues next week!

EOD Warrior 5K, Memorial Day 2014

I'm not a runner... but still ran 3.3 miles today for the EOD Warrior Foundation. I couldn't be in San Diego today for the 5k Memorial Day race, but there was no reason why I couldn't run the miles here at home. (Not owning proper running shoes isn't an excuse.)

Chip and Davey joined me for my run. They are both 12 years old and can run a 7 minute mile, but they kept me company anyway. (Good boys.) It was a slow pace -- but I got it done -- and hope friends running in San Diego had a great day. We honor all who've made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our freedom this Memorial Day.

New Challenges, Updates

Sometimes things don't work out like you planned... but they open the doors to other opportunities.

In January, I made the tough decision not to ride this year's PMC. Our family connection to cancer has been devastating -- with the loss of close family members and friends -- and I've been proud of my long involvement with the PMC, and grateful for the support I've received. What started as a grass-roots charity ride has grown into a phenomena, with over 10,000 people riding or volunteering during the course of the weekend, and corporate sponsorships building it into one of the most successful fundraisers in the country. This year, without a doubt, the PMC will meet it's $40 million weekend goal, and I'm so proud of the riders and volunteers who will make it happen.

SMALLER CHALLENGES IN 2014
Last year, the Undefeated EOD Ride raised $320,000 for our wounded EOD warriors, and it was a BIG DEAL. (Just a drop in the bucket by PMC standards -- but so immensely important to our wounded veteran's and families in need of support.) It made me think about the smaller charities who are overshadowed by the big guys, (the Pan Mass Challenge).

As January rolled around, and ride commitments were being made, I planned to join the Undefeated EOD Ride one more time for our wounded service members. That ride, and the friends I made, grabbed a piece of my heart that will always be theirs. We've stayed in touch since last Fall and made plans to ride together in October, but fate has altered the plan a little. Deployments and active duty assignments have pushed this year's ride to 2015, so tackling Torrey Pines together will have to wait another year.

With the Undefeated EOD Ride postponed, I considered riding the PMC, but really want to shift my focus to the little rides -- The charity events that don't receive as much media attention and find support harder to find. (The Harpoon Point to Point and Ride for Angels will be two of them.)

BACK TO CALIFORNIA

I'll also be heading back to California in September -- this time for the Canary Challenge, which raises money for cancer research at The Canary Center at Stanford, (the same way the PMC does for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.)  My VanderkittenVIP teammates will ride the challenge together, with several of the Vanderkitten Pro riders leading the way. (Vanderkitten is committed to the Canary Foundation's mission and will be a strong presence at this year's event.) I'm so excited to be joining them and will post more info about the ride this summer.

I know from the EOD Ride that those California hills can be tough -- So I have some training to do -- and with RAAM keeping me off the bike for much of June, Shayne will have his work cut out for him in creating a training plan that will help me tackle Kings Mountain Road with the pros.

Summer can't come soon enough!

Be bold... Live life fully... Have adventures.

Riding with Tim as we finish up Day 1 of the Undefeated

As I continue to iron out my plans for the summer, I can say without a doubt I'm most looking forward to riding with my friend Tim Brown. It was three years ago, on February 3rd, 2011, (the same day Will turned 12), that Tim lost both legs and an arm to an IED blast in Afghanistan. Tough stuff. His life was forever changed that day in February -- the day he defied death -- as it does for all of our wounded warriors. I don't know anyone with as much focus, grit, determination and courage as Tim. I saw his undeniable strength in action as we climbed Torrey Pines near the end of our Undefeated Ride last October -- and he has reminded me every day since not to take my own strength and ability for granted.

Lately it seems like every time I send him a text message, I'm catching him at an airport heading off somewhere. (The minute he reads this he's going to laugh and nod his head). Whether he's on a mountain bike trip with Ride to Recovery, or competing in the Melbourne Marathon, (where he claims his time was "crap"), or flying out to Crested Butte for a weekend of skiing, you can be certain that nothing is going to slow him down. He truly lives life to the fullest. It won't surprise him to know how much I admire him, how he inspires me, and how much I value our friendship.

When I first learned fellow Vanderkitten VIP athlete Joan Deitchman was forming a crew for her solo effort in the 2014 Race Across America, I called Tim to hear what his thoughts were of me possibly joining Joan's crew. RAAM is one of the most grueling endurance events in the world, and the opportunity to participate with Joan is an exciting one. (While I won't be on the bike in this event, being a part of a RAAM crew is no easy task.) Tim completed the race last year as a member of an 8-man relay team with other wounded servicemen from Walter Reed Bethesda, and knows firsthand what is involved and how tough it's going to be. He expressed his full confidence that I'd be up for the challenge, and hearing that meant a lot to me. I'm thrilled to be joining Joan's crew.

RAAM will now postpone the plans Tim and I made to get together in May, (I had planned to head down to Maryland for some training rides), but he's coming up this way in April for the Boston Marathon with Team Achilles Freedom. (Yaaaay!!) I'm hoping we can ride together while he's here, if the snow ever melts, and I'll try to get down to Maryland this summer. We have an Undefeated EOD ride to train for!

Looking Ahead to 2014

I've been thinking a lot about new goals for 2014. Many of you know I've been a tad aimless since the Undefeated EOD Ride last month, trying to look ahead to 2014. I need something to focus on during the off season.

One goal is to continue riding next year for the charities that mean a lot to me. (Though I did promise to cut back on a few of my fundraising rides in 2014.) I'm already registered for the Tour de Cure in May.

Another definite goal is to get down to Bethesda, Maryland in the spring to ride with Tim Brown. Tim just took delivery on a new custom-made handcycle and tells me it's lighter and faster than the one in the above photo from the Undefeated ride, and he's using more muscles and getting stronger. I'm going to have to stay in shape this winter if I have any chance of keeping up with him.

So... it's time for me to pull it together... because that Marine is not going to cut me any slack.

Undefeated EOD Ride -- The Last Word

Taking a break before Torrey Pines, Day 2 of the EOD Ride

Final thoughts on the Undefeated EOD Ride, and then I'll move on...

My sincerest thanks to all of my sponsors in this ride. My total fundraising, (including check donations not tracked online), came to $4,360. Wicked awesome. I know I pushed my fundraising limits this year and took on a few too many rides, but you really came through for me on this one. (I promise to give you all a break next year.) Thank you from my heart.

Not forgotten in any of this was Sgt. Julian Clement Chase, for whom I rode in memory of during the ride. I hope this ride to support his wounded brothers and sisters and their families honored his memory.

For my new friend Tim Brown, who I enjoyed getting to know and look forward to riding with in the spring, (I will go down to Maryland), I am driving my boys crazy every time they show an ounce of laziness. (Boy #2: "I'm too tired to put away the laundry. Can't I do it tomorrow?" Me: "What do you mean by too tired? Tim just finished the Detroit marathon. What have you done?" Hahahaha...) Tim, my friend, you are an amazing guy.

Julia and Jim, Schreck and Tim, you are THE BEST. And Christina... I will see you in Boston, April 21, 2014. Six months will go fast.

Congratulations to all of the riders and volunteers, especially Jordan, Michael, Chris and Tim... it was an honor to ride with all of you.

Undefeated EOD Ride -- The California Coastline

Jim and Tim along the California coast

Another post about the EOD Ride -- I haven't yet written about the route! Oh, wow... fantastic! It was very different from the New England coastline, (of course), as it was lined with palm trees, wide smooth roads, and warm colors. (As an artist, the colors really stood out to me.) So many shades of sandy brown, burnt orange, and soft pale blue. Gorgeous. We often rode along the water, (and at one point a winding path that cut across a beach), several bike paths and through a park -- quintessential California. We travelled through beautiful neighborhoods, so neatly laid out with modern architecture, and busy cities that were so spread out, a single block would probably swallow half our town. (Three city blocks would gulp it down.) I seriously would have been so lost if I weren't following Schreck.

Riding with the gang of four on Saturday, (five including me), was so much fun. Many, many laughs and great camaraderie. We'd stop at a rest stop, refill water bottles, grab a bite to eat and be off. I packed my own fuel, (dates and dried apricots), but by mile X at the second rest stop, I had a Stinger Waffle and a mini Snickers bar. (Last time I ate a Snickers was maybe last Halloween?!) I wasn't too concerned about the gluten and sugar at that point -- I just needed something.

Riding along the beach in the morning was so, so cool -- I loved it -- and riding through the neighborhoods was fun, too. Julia and I chatted a little bit, (possibly annoying the men, though they didn't say anything), but for most of the ride I was quiet, which I tend to get while riding. We just cruised along down the coast that first day, finishing at 70 miles. I think there may have been a few hills that day, although I didn't notice. Jim showed off his neat talents by calling each intersection "clear" about 50 yards before we actually got there. He has amazing spidey sense.

There was only one tough climb that I remember from the two days, and that was Torrey Pines, near the end on Sunday. It's long and steep, with the first half being a steeper grade than the second, but Tim took Torrey Pines all on his own without any help from the guys or Miss Julia, and I just climbed along at the same pace as everyone else. I can't think of a climb similar to that one here at home, so there's really nothing I can do to prepare for it next year. (If there is a next year.)

(And did I tell you it was warm? I know...  it's California... but when I got off the plane in Boston Tuesday and it was in the low 40s, that was all I could think about.)

All in all, it was a beautiful route down the California coast -- at times challenging, (no Strava records) -- but a great ride. And for all you folks who kept telling me it was all downhill... You lied!

Undefeated EOD Ride -- Extraordinary People

Ready to ride --  Undefeated EOD Ride, Day 2

This ride pushed me well out of my comfort zone. It was on the other side of the country, I didn't know a soul, and had no clue of the terrain. The ride was smaller than others I've done before, (only 96 riders), and very few women. And, it wasn't marked at all, (and given my lack of directional sense, I very easily could have been dropped or lost). I had a few concerns. Ay yi yi.

So much could have gone wrong for me -- but nothing did -- and the credit goes entirely to the people I met. I think what made this ride stand out to me, above all others, were the folks I met who made it so much more than just another ride.

From the very beginning, there were friendly smiles and genuine warmth along the way -- from ride coordinator Kathy Myers who welcomed me to California; to Ted Lucas and his fabulous dad who I enjoyed very much; and Christine Rayl, who I exchanged emails with prior to arriving; and Chelsea Null who made every task seem effortless -- everyone I met was exceptional. (And my concerns that my bike wouldn't make it to the start were erased when Matt Myers personally walked me over to the van that held my bike nestled inside.) All was good.

Heading up to Los Angeles by bus, I had the fortune of sitting next to Tim Brown, one of the wounded EOD techs riding that weekend. Tim had participated in the EOD ride before, and described the route to me, taking the time to point out various points along the way. (The coast line, Camp Pendelton, etc...) He was so nice, and easy to talk to, and I liked him immediately. Tim rides a lot, and had recently participated in the Race Across America (RAAM) in good time with a custom handcycle. I felt confident that I could keep up with his pace, (or at least give it a shot), and asked if I could ride with him -- and he immediately said "sure".

He mentioned he was planning to ride with three others, including Richard Schrekengaust, (aka ("Schreck"), who ironically is the boyfriend of Christina Bologna -- another rider I'd been in touch with prior to the ride. (Christina is in Sicily -- or Italy? -- this year, and rode a Worldwide EOD Ride there. She rode in California last year and gave me great advice leading up to my ride.) I had meant to get in touch with Rich when I arrived in San Diego... so it's funny how things just worked out.

The morning of the ride, I joined Tim and Rich, and their friends Jim and Julia Woods. Julia was really fun and terrific and I instantly felt comfortable with her. Her husband, Jim, was equally warm and endearing, and I'm sure I'll know them both forever. (Love them.) I didn't chat with Schreck as much -- as he lead the way ahead of me for much of the weekend -- but I really liked him a ton and he was very easygoing. The five of us rode together all day, with Tim setting the quick pace, and Schreck and Jim assisting on many of the tougher climbs. They were strong! What a great team.

On Sunday, with a slightly longer day ahead of us, and a more challenging terrain, four additional riders joined our group of five -- Shane, Morgan, Brad R. and Jason. The added muscle gave Schreck and Jim some relief, (as they did a lot of pushing the day before, assisting Tim on the hills). Rock star Julia also joined in to help push Tim's bike on Sunday... I was the only one who couldn't quite manage it... something to work on for next year!

Everyone I met was wonderful... Fred, Jimmy and Brad B., Christine and Matt R.,.. and even those I met only briefly. They truly made the ride special. (More later).

A Few More Thanks

Adding to the above post, a few more people to mention... Many thanks to Fred for dinner on Saturday night! You are so cool; To Andrew Lee and Fredy at Adams Avenue Bikes for taking care of Skipper. (Yes. That bike has a name.); To Kevin Childre for his total awesomeness, great conversations, amazing smile, and for handling my bike after the ride. That was above and beyond nice; Morgan Dahl for "The Purple Princess". Seriously I will never forget that; Shane Cole for some of the laughs on the second day; Jimmy Black and "Bone Daddy" Brad for immediately setting me at ease in L.A. with a packie run. (I'm sorry you don't have Harpoon beer in California). Many folks to thank -- such great people.

Overshadowed by a Tick!

Sunday morning, California sunshine

It has taken me a few days to get back into our routine, and I meant to write a wrap-up of the Undefeated EOD Ride sooner. It seems like one thing after another... including a mini crisis involving a tick, (thanks, Chipper)... distracted me from writing about last weekend's ride. Was it really a whole week ago??! Did that ride really happen?! Amazing how quickly it's all been forgotten.

Last Saturday I had one of the best days I've had on the bike in a long while. The EOD Ride was the last ride of my season... and this one is now close to my heart. I was challenged to ride it, and I stepped up and did it. Mission accomplished. After last year's crash, the broken hand, the concussion, the bone marrow infection the year before, and the crappy low hematocrit that still wipes me out -- I really nailed it this year. I stepped it up, got in kick ass shape, and rode strong this year. It felt so damn good.

It's hard to wrap up the Undefeated EOD Ride into a quick ride report. (I tried and it really needs to be edited down.) So I will do my best and break it down and post something shortly. The tick can not claim victory.

Undefeated EOD Ride Day One

Tim Brown, me, Richard Schreckengaust, Julia Woods & Jim Woods.

Just one of many fantastic photos from the ride. Great teamwork and amazing new friends on Day One. I had an incredible ride thanks to these four -- Tim, Julia, Schreck and Jim. I met some truly wonderful people this weekend, but these four will forever be in my heart.

Arriving Home, Post-Ride Wrap-Up

There are so many great moments from the weekend that it will be hard to wrap it all up into one post, so instead I will break it up into several, and add thoughts during the week.

Life is getting back to normal, although I'm exhausted from all of the travel, change in time zones, and plane delays. I woke up in Swampscott this morning (yay!) to make the boys pancakes, and add a toothbrush and toothpaste to Chip's packed duffle bag -- thus attempting to foil his plan to not brush his teeth for the next several days. (Well, it doesn't mean he'll actually use it.) He's heading off on a three day school trip today -- One Cronin in the door as another one leaves.

I totally missed P2 Cycling this morning, but the added thought of using Will's bike again, (mine is still in California), killed any energy I had for P2, (after I remembered today was Wednesday. Sorry, coach!)

Before I add any posts to the blog, I want to thank the Colemans, Dennehys, Hamiltons, Hauses and Rowe-Cummings for getting the boys to and from school, practices, and games. (And David Coleman for getting my car started when I discovered the battery had died.) It really does take a village sometimes. Thanks for making everything work!

Waiting to board the plane home

Wow, what a terrific weekend event -- Where do I start? I'm so wiped out from the travel that it's hard to believe I actually rode a bike this weekend. I'll write a few quick recaps of the Undefeated ride this week after I've had some down time, REAL FOOD, and get back in synch with Eastern Standard Time. Physically I'm doing great -- just tired -- and can thank my coach, Shayne Gaffney, for my total lack of any muscle soreness after 170 miles. I feel strong. I didn't always love the workouts this summer, but I trusted Shayne and he had a good plan to get it done. Victory. More later...

San Diego

Well, it's been a long travel day -- starting at 4 a.m. -- and everything has gone fairly smoothly so far. I know my bike arrived at Adams Avenue Bikes a few days ago, (packed and shipped out last week by the awesome guys at Fit Werx!), so I didn't have much to worry about travel-wise. I spent my first day in San Diego walking for miles (and miles)... San Diego is big! And so spread out! I'm now totally exhausted, but I didn't want to waste the sunshine. I definitely got a workout today! (EOD Ride check-in is at 9:30 am tomorrow. I should probably get some sleep.)