Refocusing

After the last week, having been forced to eat humble pie, I'm revisiting my goals. I have unfortunately to scratch the Ojai Valley Century from my plans. I will try again next year. This year it's just too important to get to the Pyrenees in good shape, if not at peak condition. Let's face reality: my body is too fragile to take repeated abuse. Even if I would love to have an additional 100 miler in my legs, recovering and doing specific training now is too important. Another week off would definitely decrease my chances to finish in Hautacam.

Back to studying and preparing for the long climbs, starting with this video (and more specific ones) I just received from Cycle Films:

Cyclosportive Survival Guide - Climbing

Colnago vince!

Not the first time in this Giro, but definitely the most spectacular stage with Emanuele Sella's amazing heart-breaking (in more ways than one) performance.

I'm in!

I checked, and I'm indeed listed among the participants to the Ètape:

Not that there was any doubt, but just in case. It's the classic "I'm not dreaming" pinch of reality. Forty-nine days to the event, as revealed by the classic countdown widget that I added to the blog page.

I', more than a little undecided on what to do next. This week I am still recovering from last Saturday's century so I went for 52 easy miles along the coast. It's getting warmer here, and in two weeks the appointment is with the Ojai Valley Century, that goes from the cool coastline up in the sometimes scorching inland. More prolonged hill climbing is definitely in my near future, and the Ojai Century will definitely have some of that, although on much reduced scale from my ultimate goals.