Tour of California - Stage 3

Stage 3 -

We started from San Francisco and went down Hwy 1. It was misty and overcast starting out. Then it morfed into just overcast. After about 20+ miles we turned and started a 10 mile hill climb to first King Of Mountain. We rode through a rain forest and the higher we got the wetter it was. The rain forest was nothing I have ever scene in California. The road was narrow and you almost could not see the sky for all the trees.

By the time we got to the top we were good and wet - then started the decent - one guy hit a yellow line and he was down. A CHP picked him up and took him to the top of the mountain. That is where our sag van was, then the van came and got his bike. We all continued on to the second KOM - this is where we were drying out until we started up the hill again into the mist and the rain.

Not too far from the top we found Patrick crashed on the side of the road -- he was coming down the hill after being dropped off by the sag van to meet us. He had gone down within minutes when we were all coming up. A CHP stopped, Marvin appeared with the sag van -- it was pretty amazing how fast everyone was there -- Patrick is currently at the hospital. He could not get up or walk without being carried. We hope he will be fine -- but his TOC is done for this year.

We all continued on to the top of the KOM. That is where Alice's Restaurant was -- for those of you who remember the song - "Alice's Restaurant" (where you can get anything you want - except for Alice!) It was cold and wet at the top and we spent some time up there getting all our stuff out of the van. Off we went down the mountain, freezing and... then no rain - dried out! But... then headed up to the last KOM. We once again got into the rain and the mist and then down the mountain to no rain and another round of getting dry.

The ride back to the coast was great roads and so much incredible scenery. It was about 5500 ft of climbing and 68 miles.

That's it for now..................

Tour of California - Stage 2

Stage 2 Begins -

Stage 2 - Started out of Davis. It was overcast with no big weather problems until the climb up to the first King Of Mountain. Then we encountered wind and it got nasty! The rain started at the top of the KOM, we did dry out once the rain stopped and continued on.

We all stopped at about mile 65 miles - the second KOM - Howell Mt. It was 2 miles of 12 to 18% grade. Once we got over that mountain we got picked up and that was end of day.

Good thing because it started to rain once we stopped and just got worse as we drove to San Francisco.

We did about 65 miles with 4300 ft of climbing

Tour of California - Stage 1

Here is my chronicle of The Tour of California:

Day 1
We drove up to Grass Valley on Saturday, May 15, 2010. Bill, Rich Strauss and his partner Patrick, Joann, Marvin and other Endurance Athletes from around the country - there are about 15 of us in the group.

Stage 1 - we started the tour in Grass Valley - the stage map looked like 1 big decent. That was pretty funny because after 60 miles my Ergo showed we had done 5100 ft of climbing!
The trip out of Grass Valley to Auburn was breathtaking. Beautiful scenery, great roads and lots of little climbs. We rode the sprint course through town in Auburn. I was REALLY surprised there were no incidents with the Pros as the turns were tight and there were many of them for a 172 man competition.

Notable on Day 1 - we went over the highest bridge in California, that was a bit unnerving!! The scenery was amazing. Over half the guys had a very hard day and the ones that did not make it were either bonked or picked up before the end of the 80 miles Day 1 was tough!

At the end of the ride we drove to Sacramento to watch the end of the race around the town. Wow, that was very exciting!

Los Angeles Half Marathon

This was a great race. The weather was perfect. My legs killed me by mile 12 and I am quit sure that the 3 hours on the computrainer yesterday with multiple grades of 10% - to 15% did not help.

Was not too unhappy with my time compared to Long Beach in October - I was only about 30 seconds slower and Long Beach was a totally flat course done after an 80 mile ride on the Saturday before. So conditions were similar.

The run was a loop and not too crowded, unlike Long Beach. Was around Bonelli Park and the views were nice. The run was hilly and flat - but not too much hill.

Bill, Piper, Bob and I did the race. It was an Inaugural Race so Piper HAD to be there even though he just done Ironman Cozumel 2 weeks ago!!

I would do this again. It was a good training day.

Miami Half Ironman

This was my 4th Half Ironman this year.

The weather was perfect except for the wind on the bike when it was not blowing in your favor! Which was most of the time!

This race was extremely well supported and very different from any other Half we have done because of the Zoo “flavor”

There were concerns about the temp in the lake being too warm for wetsuits. Got there on race day and they posted the lake temp as 77.9 - .1 degree away from being a no wet suit swim! Whew……..that was luck in my favor!

The swim was 2 loops, and once out of the water there was about a ¼ mile run to my rack which was the last rack before you went out of transition – that was nice!

My swim I thought would be around 48 minutes – my best ever – boy was I surprised when I came out in 54 minutes --- ugh!!!! What does that mean for me? More time in the cold pool at the Rose Bowl Sunday afternoons with Barry!

Because of the long run back to my bike, I had left a pair of running shoes by the swim exit to run back the ¼ mile to the bike. Oh... and they did have wet suit strippers!

My transition was s l o w, but got on the bike and started on the ride. My gluts were on fire! Was kicking during the swim more than I usually do because that is what we have been practicing in the “Sunday at the RB with Barry”. Guess I got MUCH more work to do to get those muscles ready for action!

The bike course was all flat – with wind – the tail wind was the BOMB! The cross wind was merely annoying and the headwind was 11 to 13 mph!

The bike went by fast...

Also, let me make a note on the weather, although there were winds there was also a cloud cover so it made for an ideal temp from the time we arrived in the morning at 5:45 through the race!

Then came the run – I think I was 2:43 or something equally horrifying! Needless to say I will be working on my swim and run in the off season. I have been doing a faster time since training with Mackel so I now need to get my endurance dialed in!

The highlights of the run were running through the zoo (twice). None of the animals were caged so you would be running and look up and there was an elephant or a monkey or a 300lb turtle - that was very cool!

The aid stations were extremely well stocked with Hammer gels, water, Gatorade, bananas and oranges and ICE! And they gave out great goodies:

In looking at this race - I ask myself what could I have done better with? Well, it is not like I know better, but there is this thing called recovery and going into a race well rested.

Yeah...don’t quite have that aspect of this sport down yet!

But all in all, this was a great race and I would definitely do it again. It is a good race to bring kids to because of the zoo factor.

This was a good race to end the year with. However, as I got on the plane after driving though the various road blocks set up for the 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater...I can not help but want to be here next year for the World Championship with SOME of YOU reading this report!

I placed 2nd in my age group in Miami Man!

Swim:54:14; T1 5:21; Bike 3:05:31; T2 4:00; Run 2:43:47
Overall Time 6:52:53.

Malibu Sprint Video

Here I am in transtiton from swim to bike! Enjoy!

Long Beach Half Marathon

This race was crowded.

I personally did good until about mile 8 - then it was kind of downhill from there.

Between the 75 miles on the bike the day before - waking up with sore legs - I did not expect anything out of this race except a training day. And it was a good tough training day! So, mission accomplished for me!

It was a great course if the crowds had been a bit less.

I too was in pot-o-potty limbo and got off a wave late - Bob got off 2 waves late and Bill was 3 waves back.

Had we been in the correct wave it might have been a little less of a climb over the sea of people.


11078 Lynda Neuman F 55-59
Half Marathon Start: Gun 6:59:45 Chip 7:08:04
Splits: 10 Km Finish O'All Sex Div
Times: 58:51 2:05:45 2809 986 16
Pace: 9:29 9:36

I would do this race again. However - I would be much more attentive to getting in the correct wave start!