Back on the mtb again for Sunday. Plan was for 5 hours at moderate pace....not too easy....not too hard. Ended up with 3.5 after a quick Spring storm dropped a ton of grapple (ice pellets) on Horsetooth Mountain Park and Lory State Park. Didn't take much, and the trails got sticky and soft. Prior to the storm that passed over I got in some good techy climbs...as well as descents. As much as the moisture falling from the sky sucks...we need it. Very dry here in Colorado. The descents today were like ice!
A lot of folks out today. Ran into local Fort Collins cyclist, Jim Fu. We chatted...and snapped some photos. "Heck yes, this bike is sweet!"
This is good workout. A favorite of Mr. Wiens. Pretty simple to do...get on your mountain bike and hit it hard for 4 hours. No resting....no easy efforts. Basically a mock 4 hour race. It was also a super good way to get a feel for the new Canyon. Which, by the way serious rocks! Slightly longer wheel base make this bike shred the techy trails here in Fort Collins. I had the new Garmin Edge 500 mounted up....here is the route/course I hit for 4 hours:
T-minus 13 days until the 2011 racing season kicks off!!
Say hello to the Topeak-Ergon team issue CanyonGrand Canyon CF. Frames arrives on Thursday from Germany....then I got work building the beast up. Today, I got Wobble-Naught fitted to the bike, then got out on the backyard trails for a quick shakedown. So far so good! Big 5-6 hour ride coming tomorrow for the full break in done proper.
First race is around the corner. 17 days to be exact. Instead of racing at Sea Otter this year, I have opted to race the Julian Death March down in Julian, CA. Looks like a good one with 86 miles and 12,000 ft of climbing.
So, the training continues.
Tuesday was a nice little tempo with some hard 1.5 minute intervals thrown in. Had to battle the wind more than anything.
Wind is blowing at roughly 25 mph sustained...with higher gusts. Wind is blowing right to left in the video.
Today, the intensity was kicked up a notch with 3 x 20 minute sub-threshold climbing intervals up Rist Canyon. Climbing training = more prep for the Julian Death March.
What the workout looks like on paper.
In person, it is a slog up the canyon.
Tomorrow, the first batch of bikes arrives for the USA team members! Can't wait! There will be a massive building and shipping session which will follow. Stay tuned for photos!
It was good to get back out an do another Oval Ride after a break due to travel to Seattle. This is pretty much a 'free' weekly road race. The efforts are hard and the talent level between riders is high. This week was a good training block for me. Good structure and a good amount of suffer. Going into the ride today I felt about 80%-85%. Legs were a tad sluggish from the week of work. On the flats I had the power. On the climb, it was a different story. Only about 1/2 of the 'regular' crew was at the ride today due to a crit down in Boulder. Didn't matter as there were some fast guys that stayed in Fort Collins to train. Notably was Alexi Grewal (1984 Olympic Road Champion) who is logging the miles and planning his 2011 comeback. Needless to say, a lot of pain and suffering today. It felt good.....really good!
The SRM is in for service, new chainrings being installed. So, the training this week has been by HR and on the mountain bike. Trails are dry....very dry. Could spell trouble in the summer months if we don't gets some rain/snow. But, for now, with temps in the high 60F's it is time to shred dirt!
Wednesday I had no camera. I was on a mission doing 3x20 minute race pace tempos. It was a good ride hitting up the singletrack in Lory, Blue Sky, and Indian Summer.
Today (Thursday) was 4x15 minute sub-threshold climbing intervals. I hit the best dirt road climb in Fort Collins....known as Towers Rd. A road? Yes. Does it see any cars/trucks? Maybe 1 or 2 a year and they are with the park service. This climb is steep....it sits at 15-18% grade for all 3-4 miles of it. For me, doing 15 minute tempos up the climb gets me about 1,000 ft of elevation per climb.
Here is part of the climb....looking down.
By the time I hit the 15 minute mark of each interval, here is my view looking east over Fort Collins....
Was in Seattle for the past 5 days for Ergon related work with dealer visits and the Seattle Bike Expo. Got back on Monday, and have been scrambling to get in some bike time and sort team equipment. Lots to get done in the next few weeks including building the first round of team bikes prior to the trip west for Sea Otter and the Julian Death March.
Speaking of team equipment, here is a sample from the RockShox order. Yummy!
I was wondering when this day might come. It is no secret that the mtbing in Fort Collins is 'Grade A'....some of the best in the Front Range. Well, the local mountain bike club is going all out and putting on a 40 mile event on some of the more demanding trails on the western edge of Fort Collins. This race will be tough! Being held in July, expect warm temps and dry, dusty, and loose trails. Add in the steep climbs and white knuckle descents and you have the making for what could become a Colorado classic!
As of now, there is no name for the event. If you can come up with a good name, you could win a free entry! Check out the details here!
Had a good group for the ride in Boulder. For me, I needed a climbing workout. My plan was a 5-6 hour day with 10,000 ft of climbing. Other riders were cool with that plan and joined in on the fun.
It didn't take long...and our group split up. We started with about 12 riders....and 20 minutes into the ride we were down to 7. Different levels of fitness and recovery had speeds all over the place. Have to admit, I had to stay on the gas...wasn't a 'given' ride.
My view all day....bringing up the rear. My heart rate was saying zone 3....legs were saying different. Definitely carrying some fatigue from the Oval Ride the day prior.
Up!
Kurt R. showed us all some new roads. Good and steep roads. This is one of the dead end spots we topped out at. We are looking west....but you wouldn't know it with the snow falling off in the distance.
To reach our goal of 10,000 ft of climbing today we needed to ride up to Gold Hill via Sunshine Canyon one more time. Guys on the road bikes had to dig hard all day!
Training has been spot on this week. Opened up the system with Sonya on Tuesday on the mtb.....then the rest of the week has been structuredefforts on the road bike with the SRM. I love structure...no second guessing. Get out....do the work....spin home....and repeat. Legs have felt good all week...which is a good thing! Today (Saturday) was another Oval Ride. The plan....go hard....treat it as a race....leave it all out there.
Mission accomplished!
While I didn't finish with the lead group...mostly because of need to push the front and pace, I did finish in the chase group and set the PR for average watts during the 3.5 hr and 80 mile training ride. Here is a video recap of the ride:
Tomorrow (Sunday) I am heading south to Boulder to get in a lot of climbing. The ride tomorrow is specific training for the 1st race of the year, the Julian Death March in Julian, CA. Looks like I'll have some company as well!
Monday was a day off....as it is every week. No riding on Mondays...only light core and strength work. Today, I got out to open up the legs a bit to get them ready for the rest of the week of structured and hard training. Sonya was in town for work and she joined me for the 1.5 hour training on the mountain bike. The backyard trails are almost 100% dry....but the good stuff is still a little soft. Need another day of 60F temps.
2005 Results
12 Hr Sugar Creek :: 2nd
12 Hr of Metro :: 1st
12 Hr of Thunder :: 2nd
12 Hr of Winter :: 3rd
24 Hr of 9 Mile :: DNF
24 Hr of 7 Oaks :: 1st
24 Hr in Japan :: 1st
2004 Results
Stump Farm 12 Hr :: 2nd
24 Hr of Rapelje :: 1st
12 Hr Nationals :: 3rd
24 Hr of 9 Mile :: 10th
24 Hr Solo World :: 12th
24 Hr of Moab :: DNF
Bio
NAME: Jeff Kerkove
NICKNAME: Mr. 24
COUNTRY: USA (Colorado)
TEAM:Topeak-Ergon DOB: 2.7.1978
HEIGHT: 6 ft.
WEIGHT: 165 lbs.
RACE CATEGORIES:
Pro (XC & Endurance) Click for full Bio
