In other news, I went MTB with super-coach Damon yesterday at El Moro.  Luckily I didn't get eaten by any mountain lions -- they must know I'm vegan, or I was going to fast for them to catch me.  MTB is way more fun that road riding, but in a weird way.  The entire time I'm doing it I'm stressed out and swearing except when I'm climbing up super steep hills, at which point I'm perfectly content.  I've decided to commit to MTB more consistently this off-season, mostly so I can get in lots of climbing, especially POWER climbing (watch out Sea Otter -- L'orignal and my 29 will conquer you next year).   Of course, my love affair with pavement will live on.  Tomorrow is a long cat 1/2 ride with Heather from Banning's.  Yah -- girl time!

Although I only had to do a long z2 ride today, it was very painful.  Why?  Because I succumbed to nefarious influences last night and stayed out until 3am.  There was no amount of coffee or Emergen-C or Double Esspresso Shot that would take that away.  Although my body felt ridiculous, my psyche was strangely at ease.  Maybe all "work" and no "play" really does make Cara an obssessive-compulsive ersatz over-acheiver?  I'll have to do more testing. ;)

Finally, my two weeks of rest/fun time is over.  My new cycle starts tomorrow.  Yay!  The majority of the upcoming work will be focused on big mileage climbing in prep for Everestand the 508, with some additional TT-type work for El Tour.  Then, hopefully, some super-high-intensity ( - much?) work for the new year.  Apart from a huge push to finish the GDD (goddamn dissertation), the next year promises great things in cycling.

Supèr Fantastique!!

(Note to others:  yesterday was the first day where I wore my vest for the whole ride.  Starting ride temps are around 17 now (c).  Once it gets under 12 it's time for Qoleum.  sigh)

Much like I attempted to do with Gila, I've decided to record race prep, details, and nutrition strategies for the upcoming Everest Challenge.  Fantastic.

Coach D and I have decided that, since my end of season blow-up happened 3 weeks ago, I'd use this race as a big base mile block.  What does that mean:  according to him, I should only go at 70%.  Right.  That's very hard to do when the skinny-minies (aka:  Ruth Clemence of Simple Green) take off like they are filled with helium at mile 1 of 200 and something.  Oh well, I will do my best to keep steady efforts.  This will be made easier because I just put on a compact crank.  Last year I raced with a 50-34 and 12-26, but this year.....ah a 50-34 and a 12-29.  Yes, 34-29, how wicked will that be for getting the Orignal over the 20%ers?

I just checked the temp for Bishop.  It's supposed to be mid 30s (celcius -- I think I just learned a trick to convert that, but I can't remember it right now -- something with fractions maybe?).  This will suck.  I think I'd have preferred another snow storm like last year.  What does that really amount to?  Much more electrolyte in my H2O.  Normally I only drink water or Emergency; however, given the temps I'm going to use Cliff Shot and MotoTabs (I've been testing those for a week and they seem ok).  I will also have a follow car this year, so I should be able to eat stuff I want to instead of the "i'm going to imagine it's vegan but it probably wasn't" fuel fed to us by aid stations last year.    TCTMJ caught pneumonia at Leadville and had been sitting on his scrawny butt for the past 6 weeks.    Since he won't be racing, he's offered to be my soingeur extraordinaire.  Supèr Fantastique.  This will make my fueling like much easier, especially since I tend to do much worse in the heat.  However, he will always be behind me telling me to stuff more food into me.  Blah.

Rides this week are very easy.  Apparently coach D has started reading this blog and noticed that I may have a slight tendency to overtrain occaisionally.  Shit.  Spin spin spin all week.  Blah.  Ultimately this will probably be a good thing, especially as I was sick over the weekend.  Since it was my BIRTHDAY weekend, I just took lots of magic powders and hid the effects.  

Look for another update after I get to Bishop on Friday.

Now I must re-glue my tubulars.  Yay!!

I'm trying to stay positive through this re-gluing project.  

Are tubulars really that great?  Great like, oh, I don't know....sex? (i hope no relatives read this -- if they do then, um, great like tofu? or church?) 

The first time, it was great.  8 layers of glue (Thanks Zinn, I'm too cool for Tufo tape) on virgin 38 carbon rims with brand new Vittori Evo CX tires.  Ahhhh.  Lovely.

Too much abuse, not enough love, where's the contact?  It's like my rims and tires don't like each other anymore.  

That is until I tried to tear them apart (Isn't there some Depeche Mode song about something like that?)  Then it was nail-splitting, lever snapping, mayhem.

Now the dilemma:  Acetone, sanding, wire brush, nothing? Tape or more glue? Scrap the whole thing and buy some R-Sys? 

Oh well.  As Anne of Green Gables said: "Tomorrow is another day with no mistakes in it (yet)."  Maybe the tubular fairy will come over night.  And maybe he'll bring the dissertation fairy with him? Please?

Yay!

It's hot, but luckily the lovely Vagabond Inn has AC.

Here's a pre-race vlog

And:  my blog will be cross-posted to caragillis.blogspot.com where anyone can comment.

Wicked!

TCTMJ was awesome with the feeds and the moto back to the car.

The little butterflies went early (Kimberly, Ruth, Flavia).  I plowed along like the moose/diesel engine that I am.

Here's the vid.

More tomorrow.

Now I must eat.  ugh

Total ride time today was 6:45 and 79 miles.  Probably 6 and a bit race time, 66 miles.

4th place W12. Yes I kept it a 70%. No I didn't eat enough.

TCTMJ was a superstar feeding me and everyone else who asked.  The dogs were surprisingly well behaved.  My tires didn't roll.

Yay.

Day 1:  Early.  Cold.  8 miles neutral, 11 miles to base of the first climb.  Climb climb climb.  Cold cold cold.  The pitch was ok for me.  22 miles later descend.  Worry about my tubulars.  Almost get hit by some lame FJ cruiser.  Next climb.  Ahhhh. warmth.  Someone offers me a meat sandwich.  No thanks.  Very nice climb.  Fantastic descent.  Through a big valley.  It's flat and windy.  I love it.  Work in with some guys, 35+ I think.  Then the last climb.  20 miles.  10200 feet.  Forrest fire.  Not so nice.  My feet are on fire.  It's pretty steep.  Oh well.  The last 3 miles are insane.  I get to the top and they have vegetable soup.  Yay!  And peanut butter and bananas (hello fat-girl-salad glicko?).  Descend to where TCTMJ had to wait then motopace back to the start finish.  Very fun.

Not so fun was the no chammy cream.  Ouch.

Day 2:  Still early, but less cold.  I feel fine.  First 3 miles are neutral and then the climb.  It's deceptively steep.  8 miles.  Descend.  Don't get distracted by the precipice.  Next climb is AWESOME.  5 %.  Lovely.  Mellow.  8 miles.  Pro-star feeds from the car.  Last climb.   It was much easier than last year, since I was going as slow as a one-legged moose.  (As TCTMJ points out, I'm a cow moose, not a bull moose, so I don't get antlers.  hmmmm).  There's a nice rolling section at around mile 10.  But that's just a teaser.  After the left hand turn and a bit more flat it gets much steeper.  Where's the 10k to go sign?  No where.  Finally the 5k to go sign.  Very steep.  But I have some juice, so I punch it a little.  It was fun.  I get to the top and have some chips.  Salty goodness.  Then descend to the car.  Very nice.

It was fun.  Next year will be the year of the moose (at least a 3-legged model).

Here are some pics!