Come Join Me for the Ride - ATOC Here I Come!!

[qb]

Bucket list - a list of things to do before you die!

While I don't plan to kick the bucket any time soon, I am going to be able to cross an opportunity off my list. In May of this year I am venturing down to California to take part in the Amgen Tour of California. What do I mean take part? Well hard to define this adventure as a race but it is more than an etape.

On sunday May 13th, I will toe the "starting line" in Santa Rosa for a 7 day tour experience - riding over 750 miles by the time we finish on May 20th in Los Angeles. Every day 20 riders supported by Chris Carmichael and 4 of his coaches ride the tour route ahead of the pros. If they catch us, then we get pulled by the sag wagon. We get the experience of living out of the same hotels, eat with the pro teams and get pampered with massage for me and pro-tour mechanics for my trusty stead. I will be proudly wearing my 5 different BCC kits (i may need to pick up some leftovers DY!!), hoping to put on a respectable show in this "race".

Training has begun with work on the bike 4 days a week, some strength training and yoga. I have a long way to go, to get myself back into shape in 3 months, but I am looking forward to this experience and hope to capture much of it on film. As they start to release some of the details of the individual stages, I am going to update the blog with my own training experiences.  

I hope everyone is having a good winter. Let's also hope this underwhelming winter doesn't mean we will be facing a late spring!!

qb

 

[Jon Spira]

Oh man, that sound so amazing, QB!  Photos, video, recaps: can't wait to see and hear all about it.

[DY]

Good on you for taking on such a challenge.... Did James put you up to this?!  It sounds awesome!  As far as kits go think I can come up with something you'll like.. maybe even love:-)  Stay tuned!

DY

[qb]

I plan on taking lots of pictures, although probably more accurately I hope to have lots of gopro footage. It will be interesting to see how much of a nuisance i can make of myself at the hotels. Of course, this will all be highly dependent on me being able to remain standing at the end of each day!!

qb

[DRU]

QB, gotta say, pestering Voigt Leipheimer and sounds like way more fun that that swim-bike-run thing everyone's into these days! ;)

[qb]

I agree Dru. I am looking forward to comparing my powertap to theirs!! I am hoping a few of the pros download to Strava so I can compare and contrast my efforts to what a 5'6" and 130lbs real athlete puts out in power. Maybe Jens will be the better benchmark at 6'2", 170!!

We should all think about putting data up to Strava, create a BCC database of route outputs.

[DRU]

LOL Yeah, I'm thinking Jensie could beat us to Simcoe on a tricycle!

PS Are you sure you want to put Strava outputs up? You remember what happened last sprint you and I had! ;)

[qb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SZJUY5TPn8

unfortunately we dont get the bikes provided for us, but hopefully we get to live out the rest of this from the support perspective.

 

[qb]

Trish, i am on the bike 4 days a week right now, 1.5 hours for 2 nights during the week and then 2-3 hours on the weekend days - all at wattsup. I will let you know how much pain as it happens. I have certainly received a wake up call as they finally put out the course, which i will post. It looks brutal.