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The 2011 season is well underway now and the results are pouring in. Two of my best Pro MTB racers have switched their focus to ultra endurance racing this year and this weekend their hard work paid off at the Lumberjack 100. Jane Pearson made the long drive to Michigan from NYC and it paid off with a nice 5th place while Chris Peariso had a solid race and finished 8th in a top-ranked field. 
Jane Pearson on her way to winning in Arizona earlier this year Closer to home, the Test of Endurance 50 saw top 55+ MTB racer Mark Miller take a sweet 2nd place. Mark is steadily climbing to the top step of the podium this year, so it's only a matter of time before he is there! In road racing, California Vanderkitten-Focus rider Starla Teddergreen is off at the Tour of America's Dairyland in Wisconsin showing the country's best a clean pair of wheels. Today she took the field sprint for 4th on the stage, moved up 5 places in the overall and is tied for first in the best amateur classification. Since a horrific accident at last year's Tour de Nez, Starla has made an excellent recovery. On his way to recovering from a serious hamstring injury this spring, Peter Lombard of the Guam National Triathlon Team took the win in the No Frills Dual Distance #3 Olympic Tri today. Peter is targeting the Pacific Games in September and it looks like he is coming around right on time. All of these athletes have shown exceptional focus and dedication this year and now it is beginning to pay off!
This past weekend marked a great moment for AES athlete Brandi Szen. A veteran of several half-Ironman events, Brandi wanted to step up to the full distance this year. She chose the Ironman Texas and finished in style, complete with Texan cowboy hat: 
Completing this race was the happy result of months of hard training, the likes of which Brandi had never before undertaken. She truly rose to the occasion, kept her focus through the rough times, and finished strong in the top half of her field. I think it was nearly as emotional for me to watch her finish as it was for her to finish. Congratulations, Brandi - you earned every bit of it!
After a solid podium-filled start to 2011, Jane Pearson reached the top step a the Stewart Six Pack endurance race yesterday. She's been focused on endurance events this year after several highly successful seasons of XC. Jane often finds herself without a women's class in which to race at which point she beats up on the Expert men, normally ending up in the top 5. Nice work, Jane!
AES Pro mountain bike racer Jane Pearson opened her endurance account last weekend with a solid 3rd place at the Michaux Maximus endurance race. Jane's focus this year has moved from XC to endurance and so far she has one win and one podium. Nice work, Jane! Here is a photo of her with the other podium finishers Sue Haywood and Cheryl (I think she only has one name - at least that is what it looks like in the official results): 
This year's Marin Camp is done and I'm already looking forward to next year. The weather played a big role and forced some schedule changes, but the staff and the Retreat handled it all wonderfully. Thanks to all of the supporters of Marin Camp:
Quarq Technology - makers of the world's best bicycle power meters
Cyfac bicycles - top-end custom bicycles for the discerning rider
Studio Velo - purveyors of top-end bicycles and equipment right here in Mill Valley
Easton - Suppliers of some of cycling's best wheels and components, based in nearby Santa Cruz
Clif Bar - keeping us fueled and hydrated on those long days out, from nearby Berkeley
Strava - Bay Area-based, Strava provided ride analysis and rider comparisons through GPS data of our rides
Corsa Concepts - a new, Portland-based company providing top-end wheelsets to racers and to:
LifeCycle Adventures - offering self-guided and scheduled bike tours in California and Oregon, as well as supporting local bike advocacy organizations and events in each region, LifeCycle Adventures supplied spare bikes and our support van
Marin Camp 2012 is already well into the planning stages and I'm excited to make even more improvements for the future. If you would like to reserve your place, email me at camp@aeolusendurance.com and let me know.
Posted At : April 30, 2011 9:48 PM
| Posted By : Adnan Kadir
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AES athlete and pro mountain bike racer Chris Peariso garnered another podium finish at the Cohutta 100 today in Tennessee. Chris has moved his focus to NUE events this season and is off to an excellent start. Nice work, Chris!
Today we took the decision to ride what we normally do on the final day - the Marshall Loop - in the hope of avoiding the cold soaking forecast for Saturday. We mostly managed that, and ended up having a great day out. More than 6 hours after leaving the retreat, the last riders filed in to a meal of chicken pad thai and rice.
Here are some photos:
Pre-ride briefing
Marshall Wall
Bovine Bakery stop
Jen and Anne tear it up on Hwy 1
Day 2! We lucked out with the weather on Sprint Day and actually got some nice work done in the Marin Headlands before heading around Paradise Loop for some bonus mileage.
Here are some photos from the day:
Sprints!
Cooling down between sprints
Custom bike with demo wheels from Easton
Golden Gate bridge
It snuck up on me, but Marin Camp started with the biggest group ever! After breakfast, we distributed some goodies from Camp supporters before Jeb gave a fantastic presentation on mental skills training and goal setting.
A total of 16 riders left to ride today, including two coaches, two representatives from Strava and one nice fellow from Quarq Technology who will spend the week riding with us. We had a nice spin out Panoramic where we did 5 minute power tests. Afterwards, we climbed up to Rock Spring before descending Ridgecrest down the spine of Mt. Tamalpais to Fairfax-Bolinas Rd. The latter was covered with debris and rock slides from the area's recent storms and we found the gate at the bottom had been closed. Stephan had to drive the van all the way back around to Stinson Beach while we all hopped the barrier and continued. We did our 1-minute power tests on the flat leading to town then kept a nice tempo all the way back to the Retreat.
Once we were home we were treated to a fantastic lunch before massages and a yoga class.
Here are some photos:
I've spent the last five days in Colorado Springs at the US Olympic Training Center. I come here every few years to the bi-annual USAC Coaching Summit, but this time the mission was different. I'm eligible to take my exam for Level 1 Certification, which requires specific coursework - the very coursework offered this week. So, soon I will take my exam and, hopefully, move up to the top level of coaching certification in the US. Perhaps more interestingly, AES athlete Chris Peariso and his wife have been spending a little time on one of my favorite little islands: Guam. They were lucky enough to race the annual Tour de Guahan yesterday and both finished on the podium. Read all about it right here: http://team-adventure212.blogspot.com/2011/02/tour-de-guahan.html
I've just finished another beautiful day of cross country skiing near Mt Hood. It's incredibly scenic up there, but it's a long way from the clear waters and sandy beaches of Guam and Saipan. I must admit - I miss the islands.
Mt. Hood on December 21, 2010
Micronesia is a special place. The remoteness of location makes it less of a tourist draw and allows the beauty of the local culture to thrive. I think about Guam, and what keeps coming back to me is how the people I met were among the most welcoming and generous I had ever seen. I'm still amazed by how we were treated and with what genuine interest everyone took in our journey. Everyone wanted to make us feel like we were always part of the family. Leaving bordered on painful.
As for the cycling, it was excellent. In hindsight, the slippery roads were not so bad, and I would rather risk those than the icy ones we currently have here. The terrain was stunning and the drivers generally courteous and friendly. One guy passed us twice, each time flashing a shaka. On every ride bar one it rained a bit, sometimes heavily, but it didn't seem to matter very much. It is so warm that the rain almost comes as a relief. The local riders seem to like it, actually. I'll take warm rain over the cold stuff we have here any day.
Now that some time has passed, I have had a chance to think about the race and all that surrounded it. I didn't finish as well as I had hoped, but there are lots of things in races one can't control and I'm happy with how it turned out. I was able to show up in top condition. I made some incredible friends and met some awesome people. I had amazing support from my wife Stacey and friends Monessa, Karly, and Rosie. Invaluable material support came from Russell Cree, my good friend Joseph, and from Easton Cycling. Without any of these folks, things would have been very different.
As we settle into what looks to be yet another deep freeze here, I find myself dreaming of the Islands and the warm rain. I'm even thinking about Guam's premier cycling event in February. Who's coming with me?
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