HEALTH AND FITNESS STUDIO

819 Strawbridge Ave

Downtown Melbourne

~Across from city hall~

www.CustomFitofBrevard.com

 Congratulations to Craig Guy - The tri-fecta is complete.  Craig travelled to Colorado for the third time and completes the triple Bypass - 120 miles and 3 mountain passes in one day!!!  Congratulations and thanks for the inspiration - One question.. Do we still have to train hills with you in your Indoor Cycling class or do we get a break now too :)
Great Job Craig!

"Craig Guy's 2010 Ride through the Rockies"

Day 7 - Last Day, Last Pass, Last 82 Miles

Done, finished, completed, fini! 532 miles, Co National Monument, Grand Mesa, Red Mountain Pass, Molas Pass, Coal Bank Pass, Wolf Creek Pass, and today Poncha Pass. This was a fast day with flat road and big tailwind. Then a fast climb up to 10000 ft. Big chainring all the way.  Can't wait to try some new climbing profiles in Indoor Cycling!  See ya' at the studio.

Day 6 - 92 miles to Alamosa over Wolf Creek Pass

Big climb over Wolf Creek Pass!! 10850 Ft. Anyone remember the CW McCall song about Wolf Creek Pass? Then another 70 miles to Alamosa. But tail wind :~)) How 'bout cruisin' at 30 mph ... after the 40-50mph scream down the hill. One more day and one more pass tomorrow.

Day 5 - 86 mile recovery day to Pagosa Springs

This started out with some climbing then got into some fast rollers - and hot. I tore it up. Tomorrow starts with a big climb over Wolf Creek Pass ... and 92 miles.

Day 4 - 73 miles, Ouray to Durango over 3 passes

This is this the view from the top of Red Mountain Pass, the first of three today. From here it was another 60 miles over Molas and Coal Bank Passes. Then they put the overnight at the top of another 2 mile climb.  But the FL Causeway Runner is holding his own thanks to all the Custom Fit training - and the vibes. I've been first in (of our group) every day so far, kicking Colorado Riders butts. Oxygen is overrated. Later.

Day 3 - 67 Miles to Ouray climbing all the way

One of the few shorter days. A mild 2500 feet of elevation gain. Tomorow will be a challenge, three passes into Durango.

Day 2 - 94 miles Over Grand Mesa

Top of Grand Mesa, 10840 feet! Literally rode through the clouds to get there.  Very hard day - should be the hardest of the week.  Cold and rain.

6/13/10 Day 1 - 46 Miles, 4500ft up to 6500ft

Made it to the top of the Colorado National Monument.  2000 feet of climbing.  Easiest day of the week.

6/12/10 Heading into the mountains in a wintery mix!  Colorado in the spring time.

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic (Durango to Silverton) Trip Report:

Okay, I think everybody knows that I was in Colorado this Memorial Day Weekend for the 39th Annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic (please take time to remember why this is a Holiday and salute those who have made the ultimate sacrifice!).  This is a weekend of events in Durango CO; with a race from Durango to Silverton on Saturday, a tour along the same route at the same time, a criterium on Sunday, and a Time Trial on Monday.  The racers included amateurs of several categories and all the way up through Cat 1 pros.  Yours Truely was just a tourist :~))

The miles I got in with the Custom Fit Riders this year was a huge help - as were the vibes I felt from the Saturday morning Spinners (all hills Melissa tells me).  No leg cramps like last year's painful climb and no mountain sickness.  The Iron Horse is a very tough 50 miles on US 550, the Million Dollar Highway, starting at the train depot in Durango (6,523 ft), over Coal Bank Pass (10,640 ft) at mile 34, over Molas Pass (10,910 ft) at mile 42, and finishing with a slight uphill finish on Main St. Silverton (9,308 ft).  There's over 6500 ft of climbing - or roughly a hundred causeway climbs stacked on top of one another - without the downhill side!

The first 34 is is all up(k)ill but it starts to get steep, 5-6%, around mile 15.  Then just when you think you're going to make it, the grade increases at mile 30 to a steady 7% (the maximum allowed on US highways) for the last four miles of Coal Bank.  That's when I put my head down and went into "Melissa Mode" - just push baby, you can do anything for 4 miles.  Once over Coal Bank, the worst is behind you.  There's a short blast downhill then the 4 mile climb up Molas Pass (5-6%).  The last 8 miles is a scream downhill into Silverton.  I must have still been channelling Melissa because I didn't get over 42 mph, riding my brakes over the rough road.  When I stood to sprint down the finish I didn't have much left but I know it looked good for the crowd lining the street with their cow bells clanging!

And yes, I beat the train this year (but I had an hour's head start).  I did it in 4 1/2 hours averaging 10 mph.  Not great but good enough for me to claim that "it didn't kick my _ss" this time.  Besides the challange it's a beautiful ride in the Rocky Mountains and we had perfect weather this year - not a cloud in the sky.   I hope I've made you jealous so think about those rides coming in October.

Oh, and the the winner? Well some skinny young punk, Cat 1 Pro, from Salt Lake City did it in 2:12:15 (that's averaging 20 mph) in a pack of a dozen or more.

So what did you do this weekend?  Did you ride? Run? ... or did ya' couch it?  Is anyone up for a Sebastion Inlet ride on Sunday?  I'd like to get a few more causeways in before going back out to Colorado for the week long Ride the Rockies the following week.  This year's 532 mile, 7 day route is billed as the toughest in it's 25 year history.  Most days are 75-85 miles with only one short day of 46 miles. But there's a lot of climbing in the Colorado National Monument, the Grand Mesa, and over Red Mountain, Coal Bank, Molas, Wolf Creek, and Poncha passes.  There's time to recover each day though on the gym floor overnight and the New Belgium Brewing Beer Garden.... yea!  More on that in a few weeks.

So who's up for forty miles from the Custom Fit Studio to the Sebastion Inlet and back, four causeway climbs, starting Sunday at 7:00AM?  Let's hear from you.

See ya' at the Studio,
Craig