Tracy's Blog

Y TRI news

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:54:46 GMT

Once again Team-Magic has provided a wonderful race for beginners and intermediate athletes...

Jenny Pittman, 12, lit a fire in the pool and left everyone in her wake creating 30 second lead. Her lead extended into the bike portion of the race leaving everyone in awe and boostering inspiration!

Plenty of athletes were in the chase but it was TRANSITIONS very own Nan Gelber and Mary Ben Fitts who chased her down...for 1st and 5th place respectively.

David Gottlieb, the web guru for TRANSITIONS came off a long season of IRONMAN training to show his ability as a SPRINT distanced athlete as well. David turned out a 41 minute race placing 6th over all finish!

AFTERMATH...

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:32:43 GMT

WHEW! Its been a while...After such a huge event such as an IRONMAN or an ULTRA we need alittle time to lick our wounds..reflect, generalize as to what just happened to us and figure out what we're gonna do with it in the future.

I told what happened at the race but let me expose myself a bit and bring you up to date....

Following my body weight after an event like this is pretty important...your caloric needs are what they used to be but your metabolism is cranking burning of the calories like you would not believe.

Looking back my crew fed me over 120,000 calories which allowed me to finish the race at the same weight at which ai started. 182.5 lbs.

2 days later I would find myself, not feeling so great but needing to turn the legs a bit so I went ot spin class, sat in the back and turned my legs slowly.

I began to feel a little worse but finished up the cool down and headed home.

Wednesday AM I went owork but something was'nt right, I was feeling sick, bad sick, stomach started hurting and by noon I had cancelled all clients and left work.

Body weight - 177

Thursday AM - 173 - dont ask how....but I cancelled work and by noon I wa slaying in the floor curled up, my gut was wrenching! I made a couple of calls to include my crew chief who was adamant about me getting to the ER. I knew something was wrong with me when I did'nt hesitate and I said OK. Off I went blurry eye'd and lethargic...rushing to St. Vincents..Something just was'nt right...The race was tough but this is the worse I've felt in years! I was doubled over!

Body weight - 172

Into the ER I went, my stomach never let up....2 ltrs of fluid, I started feeling worse....Fever of 102 and then the heavens opened up and a nurse came in with MORPHIINE drip!!

I like morphine....morphine gooood......this was my mantra for the next 4 days.....3 doctors agreed, they were'nt sure, unsure of my story of riding my bike 517 miles....now whithering away ...170 lbs.. I had not eaten since Tuesday, it was now Fruday....

The nurses decided that I had "beautiful veins" which mean't, I was pefect to let the nursing student practice on...And instead of a standard 20 gauge needle, they decided that a 16 gauge needle would support both my "beautiful veins" but the Alaskan pipline as well...16 guage...thats a huge frikken needle and makes a big hole..I swear the catheter was a damn crazy straw!!!

Anyway to shorten the story....I had somehow contracted a bacteria which decided to have an orgy/ mosh pit in my intestines...leaving my intestine infected...so for 4 days I recieved 2 IV antibiotics and a morphine drip.......morphine good....

After 3days in hospital Doctor Doogie Howzer walks in and asks ME WHAT I THOUGHT........

Isnt he supposed to be the doctor? Okay I thought, I'll play this game...so I said to Doctor Doogie Howzer.."Well the samples you wanted to run tests on have been sitting over there for 24 hrs. I've punched cleaner holes with a crazy straw in a milkshake with regards to my IV and I have not had anythng to eat since Tuesday...SO here is what we're gonna do...( hey, he asked...) ..We're gonna finish this round of Antiobiotics, if I quit crapping blood and my temperature stays gone, then you're gonna release my at about 3 o'clock today....and btw, can I have a second breakfast?........

Oddly enough he agreed with my plan of intervention, JCHO would have been impressed! I walked out at 3:00 on Saturday, weighing at 172 pounds....

Tonight I weighed in at 185!

Oh yeah, and the Phlebitus from my IV is finally gone!

517 miles - HEART OF SOUTH 500 - FINISHED!

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:25:40 GMT

......amazing.....

Lets me say that we could spend days talking about this...

I'm here writing these words of appreciation with my left middle finger, thumb and right middle finger all because the others are asleep...painfully asleep...

I am writing this letter of appreciation because my knees are very sore, my tongue is ulcerated, my ankles hurt and my toes are numb, my ass is cut up pretty good and my eyes are swollen partially shut.....things couldnt be better! really!!

I really dont know where to start...so bare with me and my metaphors...

Have you ever fed a dog a morsel of raw meat,...You know how the dog will quickly go for the meat, barely chewing, doesnt even taste it my some would say....then he's ready for the next bite?

It seems as though we, humans, live life sometimes the same way, we just salivate, get our attention span fed, gulp down the details then we step to the next moment in time....

I 'd like to take this process and slow it down so that you get a better flavor....maybe like sipping wine...pushing the general idea up to the roof of your mouth, so that the flavors run across the tongue....taking note of the complicated earthiness, hints of cherry, tobacco and currant, leaving a peppery aftertaste and a stirring of the mind and heart...

Over the past few years my personal race resume of over 140 races had suddenly been uglied up and blemished with a failed world record attempt, 1 DNF's, one broken bike while in first and 1 unnexcusable exit of the same race I am about to detail now...

What happened...

The Heart of the South 500 is actually 517 miles,starts in Bham, Al. and travels north east into Ga. and back to Bham for the finish
I trained with barely enough time to be prepared
I gathered up a top notch crew to assist in this challenge, they we're;

Linda Riemnann - driver, navigator, support
Scott Tankersly - driver, navigator, support
Larry Hairelson - Race strategist
Mary Rountree - Crew Chief

Tracy McKay -Rider

We started the race in rainy raceconditions
We raced for about 390 miles straight in the rain
Emotions were high and I yelled at my crew
The crew stayed composed and guided me through the tough times reassuring me that things were in control
We led the race for the first 260 miles...until,
We climbed 2600 feet in a 7.3 mile stretch
I was wet and cold during the entire time
I hyperventilated, and by the time I reached the top I was hypothermic with gray skin and purple hands

I shivered uncontrollably, wet and incoherent
My crew stripped me of my wet clothes, wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a van for 40 minute nap
Stress levels were very high
My crew chief exercised good problem-solving and tough decision-making
My crew got me back into dry warm clothes
2 other cyclists would pass us by during this moment
I was fed "real food" other than water bottles nutrition
I was put back on the bike for the remaining 257 miles

hey, without risk there is no reward...right?

I raced slowly downhill in on wet pavement and dense fog

I continued in the rain with my crew following closely
The crew told crude jokes and played various IPOD favorites to help pass the time
I caught one rider and followed him for a long while...

Both crew vehicles traveled slowly and carfully, amber lights blinking in the gray backdrop and rain covered pavement
I rode up to the cyclist and talked with him as we approached a 3 mile climb...
My ego got the better of me

I passed his crew and rode beside him talked forth a moment and fell back to my crew
I motioned a thumbs up, took a swig and hammered the hill with all I had...
My competitor simply disappeared behind me....

an un-exercised ego never gains any muscle...

I rode very steady in the wet drab spittle of rain
my clotheswould stay wet
my butt would chaffe, my feet and hands would get cold
every set of clothes I put on would get soaked
My crew used ziplock bags over my feet/ inside my shoe and duct tape to keep my feet dry and warm
The "FLYING J" truckstop was a little slice of heaven, it provided warmth, civiization and coffee!!!!
We travelled on into the night, mile after mile, and then my crew decided to break up the monotony and we did intervals!
I got bloated and started to consume turkey sandwiches with pickles!!!
I decided that pickles are just as good as coffee, sometimes
As the night went on and into Peidmont, I acquired double vision...
My crew and I rode deep into the backroads of Alabama
I found myself with rollers that would lead me to Mt. Cheaha
Then the epic climb! We hit Cheaha at the 400 mile mark...
I changed bikes and started up..my followed providing me with encouragement but NO BS...I felt as though I was being coached up by Johan Bruneel himself himself..
Every pedal, stroke was accounted for
We reached the top in dark of the early morning
We changed clothes and headed to Birmingham
I got real pissy and couldnt get my head straight
I changed bikes and headed out of as hard as I could
We stopped for coffee where we were told that multiple cyclists passed us...
I got pissed and went after him, again

We travelled at crazy speeds for the distance
We went across Lake Martin
Turned on left on Kelley Creek rd
We got word that my next competitor was within 11 miles of us....
The crew would me through a series of enormous effort and really low, lows
I would climb Vandiver and Sterrett turn left on Rex lake
My crew pulled up beside me and ignited a fire telling me that my competition was now within 3 miles away
I pulled off some of my clothing and hammered away
I would climb and take a turn, only to find friends yelling, crying and screaming as I performed my last monumental effort before the finish

I caught the 4 person corporate team, waited for the cliomb and hammered it again....
Up hill, downhill and onto Blue lake rd...
Noone behind me, noone in front, the race would be over in 1/4 mile
We climbed 30,000 feet
We finished the race in 39 hours and something minutes, on the toughest course in USA...and qualified for RAAM as a solo!

How did it feel?

Racing like this brings with it a range of emotion....The distance was not that hard, but when you couple the 30,000 feet of climbing , the intimidation of the climbs and the elements...oh yeah and sleep deprivation for both your crew and yourself, logic and emotion begin to wrestle...for instance, the moment of uncertainty when reaching the top of Ft/. Mountain...cold wet and hypothermic...what do you do when someone you care about is purple and wet, shivering and babbling yet needs to go on........another example was when we put a lot of pressure on ourselves in preparing and climbing Cheaha at mile 400 but when we reached the summit, it was a huge let down...okay, get dressed, warm clothes , time to head back to Bham....woopie.

A truck stop, the "FLYING J" provided the best feelings, giving us warm clothes and coffee...There were moments of anger, sadness, happiness and elation...I found myself confused and incoherent at times, feeling alone and in need of brain food....seconds later I was processing all this and flustered then on to feeling like a champ...It is a complete smathering of unscheduled flavors..like being blindfolded and told - "eat this".

NOW WHAT -
this may take a few days...parts of me wanna just shut down and disappear, other parts of me wanna have a party to celebrate the crew, myself and our accomplishment
THIS was an exceptional crew, diverse in personality and ability, willing to do whatever it took to get my ass across the finish line...They exercise, exceptional problem-solving, guidance, decision-making and compatibility...

I'd like say that Im looking forward to racing very soon, but Ill give it a week or so before making any commitments.

For now -
To Larry Hairelson - thank you for your willingness to take yet another crazy race with me; Im glad we "caught up"...you are my Johan Bruneel

To Linda - thankyou for your willingness to jump right in at the last moment, your emotional support was certainly felt, your going on the next one....

To Scott - Thanks for the "ZIMA and Virginia Slim"...dude you were awesome, thanks for the speakers and the willingness to take on this challenge blindly!

To Mary - where do I start here...thanks for Sleestack socks and really just EVERYTHING, both following me and riding with me in preparation...your problem-solving and quick thinking was exceptional...thanks for believing in me. I look forward to many more miles with you.

To the entire crew - This was a 517 mile race on the toughest race course in USA next to RAAM...WE started, WE delivered,

To all who read this -

Its when we're willing to take the risk of adventure, where uncertainty and the partial unknown wait for us....that is where the edge is, where colors change, flavor emerges and where the heart and mind wrestle and deliberate...this is where we taste, feel, live and grow...

Coach preps for HOS500 Week 9 - 10

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:57:36 GMT

Saturday...time is runnin short, the miles are getting long. Finally!

This past Saturday I got in 3 hours on Computrainer, 2.5 hrs outside. It was very cold...

On the Computrainer I rode the IM Arizona course which is basically uphill for 23 miles before the first relief... Ive been there before...and the miles are BORING as is the trainer for 3 hrs...no music, no TV....I was able to average 20 mph on the dot! Time to go outside! SHT, its freezing! There is snow on the ground and clouds in the air...PERFECT TRAINNIG!

Sunday...Here I am again, but this time it feels more like Im race simulating...How so? Well, afetr you spedn 6 hrs on the bike go to bed and then throw in another 5.5 hours on top...it begins to feel like an ultra...So the weather is absolutely perfect! Out the door I go....

Monday....Okay I was wrong, today feels like Im racing long distance because I have another 6 hours to get in.....he legs are a little stiff but in a good way. IT bands are cranked down tight...overall I feel great...

Clients are sparse right now, they are traveling or moving....just the same I need to ride....no I need to pay bills....no I need to ride....oh the delimmas!!!

Anyway, I got in 3.5. hours on the road followed by 3 spin classes...the last two classes feeling death matches!

My totals are about 420 for the past week..I have 3 days OFF and I am happy!!

Coach preps for HOS500 Week 8 - 9

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:42:43 GMT

Whew! Long week.

Okay Ive had a prety easy week so far...but tommorrow starts a 3 day roll.

It supposed to snow with a high of 39 for Saturday and I have 135 to ride...yippee.

My legs are pretty cooked from Wednesdays intervals...31 of these to be exact followed by a thursday night SPIN class...

Friday posed as a rest day but there was no massage, ice bath or anything of that sort...

Worked very late last night with crew chief on sponsorship reuqests, postcards, and donation page....donation page to go live ASAP. postcards will go out as soon as they get final once over by Mary R. / crew chief.

Which brings me to the crew...Both Scott T. and Larry H. have volunteered their time to helpout during HOS500...We need 1 more female for balance.

Mary Rountree is Crew Chief and is currently organizing the reservations, fees, etc. etc.

Larry Hairelson is navigator and directeur sportif

Scott Tankersly will become most versatile player

Now we need another female...?

My eyes are trying to shut again,..." hey Mary, put saline on the medical list..."

Answers to some questions on nutrition...

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:18:55 GMT

TOP FOOD (REAL) ALTERNATIVES FOR TRAINING

By: Kim Brown, MS, RD, Sports Nutritionist

Are you sick of that same old sugary sports drink, that gooey sports gel, that bland sports bar? You are not alone. After so many training hours put in each year, it is not uncommon for an athlete to get extremely bored with manufactured sports food. In the past, athletes didn’t have such a vast array of sport product to choose from so they resorted to using real food to help refuel during longer training bouts. You can do the same. Get out of your eating rut today and try using the following real foods during your next training bout.

Bananas

There is a good reason why triathlon aid stations are often loaded with tons of bananas. Some health professionals believe the banana is the perfect sport food, loaded with fast release carbohydrate, vitamin B6, which helps fight infection, and potassium, which aids in muscle hydration and recovery from fatigue. Furthermore, as an easily digestible source of fiber, the banana is valuable in preventing the onset of GI distress during training, a symptom that many athletes experience with other fibrous fruits like apples and pears.

For a tasty alternative to a whole banana with a nutrient composition similar to 2 energy bars, spread a mixture of 1 mashed mature banana, 1 Tbsp salted almond butter, and 1 Tbsp dark honey between 2 whole-wheat tortillas. Slice into wedges and place in baggy for easy access during training. The protein within the almond butter may help prevent premature depletion of muscle glycogen while the sodium will help prevent muscle cramping. Almond butter is also rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that may help delay muscular fatigue and enhance recovery by reducing exercise-induced oxidative injury. Another bonus within this whole food concoction is the honey, which has been shown to significantly boost average power and endurance, perhaps due to its blend of sugars, B-vitamins and amino acids.

Watermelon

As the name of the fruit implies, watermelon is over 90% water, making it a very hydrating fruit. Furthermore, watermelon is rich in fast release carbohydrate, which will help prevent that mental “bonk” and premature muscle fatigue during training. While lacking in sodium, watermelon is a good source of potassium, a nutrient essential for optimal muscle function. A little known fact about watermelon is that is rich in a potent antioxidant called lycopene which may help reduce cellular damage, lowering risk for certain types of cancer and enhancing immune function during intense training. Try juicing a watermelon for an alternative, yet extremely tasty, sports drink. Remember that an electrolyte tablet may be a necessary addition for salty sweaters since watermelon is essentially void of sodium.

Hot Cocoa

On a brisk morning, what better way to warm your core body temperature as well as replace fluid with hot cocoa. Plus, who doesn’t love that chocolate flavor? Recent research conducted at Cornell University in New York has found that hot cocoa provides quite the nutritional punch, containing more than double the amount of antioxidant chemicals (phenols and flavanoids) than found in red wine and green tea. According to researcher Chang Yong Lee, Ph.D., these antioxidant chemicals may reduce cell damage that results from strenuous exercise. In a thermo, mix 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder and 1 Tbsp table sugar with 8 ounces hot water to pack in 18 grams of glycogen replenishing carbohydrate. While cocoa does provide plenty of potassium for muscle hydration, it lacks sodium, which makes salt supplementation essential.

Baked & Salted Potato Wedges

Potatoes provide a nutritional profile that is perfect for the endurance athlete. With 34 grams of energy enhancing carbohydrate per 4 ounces, sweet potatoes provide over 100% of our daily needs for beta carotene, and more than a quarter of our daily needs for vitamins C and E, nutrients which have been shown to potentially help protect cell damage in athletes competing in extreme environments (e.g., altitude, heat, cold, pollution) as well as enhance muscle recovery after intense running efforts. White potatoes are also rich in fast release carbohydrate and provide an ample supply of potassium and metabolic enhancing B-vitamins. To make potato wedges: 1) Place two scrubbed and sliced sweet and white potatoes into a baggy with 1 tsp oil and 1/8 tsp salt. Shake, 2) Place potatoes on pan coated with cooking spray. 3) Bake at 475 degrees for 30 minutes (turning potatoes every 10 minutes), 4) Let cool, and 5) Place in a baggy for a nourishing treat while training. The nutrient content of this recipe is actually equivalent to two energy gels, yet has a superior antioxidant and electrolyte profile.

Pierogies

A Polish pasta dumpling filled with mashed potatoes and cheese, pierogies supply 32 grams of fast release carbohydrates, 9 grams of energy sustaining protein, only 6 grams of fat and over 500 mg of sodium per 3 items. They are very easy to boil and throw in a baggy when you are hurried and looking for something to help maintain energy levels during a long bike ride.

Table 1. Nutrient Content of Top Real Training Foods

	Calories	Carbohydrate (Grams)	Protein (grams)	Fat (grams)	Sodium (mg)	Other Noteworthy Nutrients
Bananas, 1 medium	105	27	1.2	0	1	Potassium Vitamins B6, C
Banana/Honey/Almond Butter Quesadilla, 1 item	390	72	8	10	434	Potassium Calcium Magnesium Vitamin E
Watermelon, 2 cup cubes	102	24	2	0	6	Vitamin C Lycopene Fluid
Hot Cocoa (with sugar), 1 cup	86	18	2	1	0	Potassium Phenols Flavonoids
Baked & Salted Potato Wedges, total of 2 potatoes	302	60	5	5	343	Potassium Beta Carotene Vitamins C, E Magnesium
Potato & Cheese Pierogie, 3 items	190	35	6	2	540	Calcium

Kim Brown, MS, RD is a Registered Sports Dietitian who provides nutrition counseling and customized meal planning to athletes worldwide. For more information on her services, go to www.kbnutrition.com . Kim can be contacted at kim@kbnutrition.com .

Getting on the juice!

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:17:25 GMT

INFINIT NUTRITION is selected as official sponsor for TRANSITIONS MULTISPORT...

Coach preps for HOS500 Week 8

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:35:24 GMT

Im getting there....Have had an easy weekend! 100 miles on Saturday.....Easy no problem... Chris MacDonald averaged 17mph during his HOS500 in 2005....finishing in 29:23 and for this route...thats getting on it...

How do I compare and how do the numbers work:

I've done 225 in 10:35....thats 21+ mph its also on an easier course

If the HOS500 has or is equal to 5 centuries

Then I need to complete each one of those centuries in sub 6 hrs to match Chris MacDonalds time....

I had acouple stops and still averaged 16.96 mph....VERY EASY NOT Aun a sub 5 hr for the first 100 during the race....but then I have Ft. Payne, and north Georgia to deal with..

so check this out:

IF I ride at 17 mph = 5:50 Chris McDonalds Pace)

BUT if I ride at;

19 mph = 5hrs 15 minutes / 100 miles mark

19.5 mph = 5hrs 12 minutes / 100 mile mark

20 mph = 5 hr / 100

Do I blast it early and gain the rest or do I go at the est. average and have that saved energy for the mtns...either way the average will drop.....So I if I race at 20 mph for the first 100 then I can gain 1 hr of rest....

Lets race at 17 mph for the next 100 miles...

If that so then the total ave for 200 mile mark would be 18.5

Mile 2 -300 @ 17 then total ave drops to 17.75

My total gain in rest is 2hrs 15 minutes at the 300 mile mark

In other words - If I pace myself as suggested I could earn 2hrs 15 minutes of time towards goal of 29:23

If I ave 16.25 mph for 200 remaining miles then I will meet the goal of 29 hours 23 minutes set by McDonald in 2005.

So far the Mile age goal goes like this:

1-100 @ 20 mph = 5 hrs totals

100 - 200 @ 17 mph = 10 hrs : 50 minutes

200 - 300 @ 17 mph = 16:40

300 - 500 @ 16.25 = 29:30

Coach preps for HOS500 - week 7 - 8

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:12:54 GMT

I have been falling asleep during the writing of this so I am unsure of how it will come out. Very sleepy....

Okay well last weekend posed a challenging series of rides, not bad really 2 x 6 hour ride ina row..total miles about 210...

This week is promising to be as equally challenging...

My weight still good holding on average of 182 - 184

Nutrition is pretty tight...

This week so far I have 1 day off...but I get another on Friday...

I rode my interval set on Tuesday, 1.5 hrs of intervals

Rode 5.5 hours today - 3.5 hrs then 2.5

I ride 8 x 20 minute intervals at 165 bpm plus today , thursday

GREAT NEWS!! We got sponsorship through Infinite Nutrition....this stuff is the best Ive tried yet!!, I have never wanted to drink as much as I do with this product..more o come on that later.

Later..!

Coaches Training Week7 continue'd

tracy@transitionsmultisport.com — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:09:24 GMT

With the last entry I could follow up with about agabillion lines of philosophical garbage but it would just take up space.

Let me get to the details of this training week -

Aside from my training, this past week sucked hard. Many things caught me off guard leaving me a bit raw and uncertain...Moments like this are good for the psyche though, it shakes us out of the trees that we sometimes get comfortable in.., ( going back the bear analogy )

But I am alive and well, last week didnt kill me because of a powerful little tool called "choice".

Sometimes what happens to us creates a belief system that can turn ugly and control the rest of our choices. A victim of our own self-depricating thoughts.

I had a pretty big training week to be finished up with 2 x 6 hour rides back to back.

The training week looked like this;

Monday - 3 hrs

Tuesday - 1 hour active recovery

Wednesday - Anaerobic Intervals - 20 x 20 sec/10 sec sprint

Thursday - Active recovery - but it turned into 1 hour easy, 1 hours ALL OUT EFFORT - hey, just needed to exercise "choice"

Friday - 6 hours - I started at 11:00 on the Computrainer and rode for a couple of hours, then I rode the SPIN bike for a whiule following up with teaching a SPIN class and then an extra hour of recovery ride thereafter

I could have easily blown off that last hour but my crew chief called and kept me straight, kept me true to the plan....

Saturday - 6 hours - I left the house at 3:30AM and was on the Computrainer at 4:00AM sharp. I sent a text with pic to my crew chief for proof. The plan was to ride 6 hours easy.

I rode the computrainer again maintain an easy 150 - 200 watts on level 3 manual mode

My legs / knees were a little sore but keeping a high cadence was good...2 hours passd and the suyn began to rise. The predicted temp was 65 degrees...It was 33...

I grabbed a cup of coffe and was on the bike again at 6:30 leaving from the HOS500 start. It was 35 degrees....I was freezing!

I rode out the upcoming race route and picked up a small group...something about cyclists, triathletes, we always get into a pissin match. Uphill we went. The pace was much faster than expected and faster than I wanted but it felt good.

40 miles later I turned and went for more....I picked up yet another 2 riders, Herron and Ramey...these guys can roll and so when they tried to pass, I responded...Were these guys really trying to drop me? Geez! I was just minding my own business and all the sudden were popping of 26-28 mph no problem..

They turned off and I kept rolling up through Sicard hollow working each hill like there was no tommorrow and my head was almost straight from the previous week.

Upcoming week - They are all big weeks from here on. I get 2.5 days rest Then I have 19 hours in 3 days to get in...