Cali Trip Review (part 3)

Along the coastal highway just south of Encinitas.
Lots of surfers here.

Fri. 3-24
Another beautiful day.

Load up and ride south. B has the p.m. off and we decide she will meet me at a well known triathlon leaning bike shop in Encintas. Nytro is run by Steve Larsen. Raised in the Davis, CA area, he's a Tour de France finisher. He rode on Lance's early TdF teams I believe. He went off road and chalked up national (and world?) mtn bike champ for a few years. Recently, he's had some success racing Ironman triathlons, winning his first ever such race - Ironman Lake Placid (2002?). He is about my age, still races for fun, qualifies for the world champs in Hawaii annually. Steve was not at the shop when I got there, but I did meet another tri pro.

After 12-15miles working my way to toward the water, I picked up the Pacific Coast Hwy and chased the wind south. Not long before I picked up a closed road and paved path through San Onofre. What a bike friendly place this is.




Then back on the Coastal Hwy and through Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. Shortly after 9-11-01 they closed it to bikers but have recently reopened it, allowing bikers to avoid some high traffic areas or even a few miles on I-5. I showed ID and passed muster at the gate and followed the cycling route signs through the base. About 40mins later, exit the grounds and picked up the coastal hwy again.

This is North of Encinitas. Did not see that guy in green coming.
Closer to Encinitas and SD = more riders.

Downtown Encinitas.

B got to Nytro about 10mins before me, not bad coordination. It's a small town, or at least seemed so where we were. The shop is right on the coastal hwy, amidst some small shops. Starbucks, subway and more shops across the street. I changed in the spacious bathroom of the smallest 'bucks I've ever seen. Then we ventured across the street to Nytro before hitting Subway and checking out the local beach where we saw surfers but no waves.

I should have had food before shopping at Nytro.
Indulge an extension of my extended digression here...

The ride down was a fun and not very tough 60miles, and even well stocked with calories on board for the ride, I was a tad short on brain juice immed after the ride. Not a lot, but enough to give me an excuse for totally choking and locking up mentally when my fave pro triathlete walked into Nytro. I managed to shove the camera in B's hand and manufactured an introduction and photo opp with Normann Stadler.

Normann Stadler, 2004 Ironman World Champ
(hint - he's the tan one)
The San Diego area is a training mecca for triathletes and cyclists, so is Boulder, CO.
Normann is German, as is the 2005 World Champ, Faris Al Sultan.

Imagine you're an avid amateur B&W photographer visiting a photo art gallery or museum on a weekday, pretty much empty. You're doing the art thing and you turn a corner and come face to face with Ansel Adams. You'd be just a bit startled, wouldn't you?

I was speechless, but was doing my best to stick both feet in my mouth.

Rather than offer to buy him lunch with B and I, or bring up some nifty tri topic, I opted to avoid swallowing my feet whole and beat a pretty quick retreat, heart pounding faster than it had at any time on the ride down. Perhaps it was better that I did not veer into the ugly american tourist persona. I could have at least asked him what local rides he favored. I suppose I'll take playing the brain dead stupid American over ugly annoying tourist. Hmmmm, fine line there...

A bit of background to beef up my Normann story.

I've rooted for Normann for quite a few years, admiring his aggressive racing style. Tri is largely about going it on your own as a racer. Drafting behind another racer during the bike portion is prohibited, grounds for DQ. Riding behind another rider allows one to stay with that rider at about 30% less effort. Huge. (Hence, drafting is a big part of draft-legal racing such the Tour de France.)

So, I like the non-drafting aspect of tri. Win it by yourself, not by sucking someone else's wheel and exploiting their effort. Own your speed I like to say.

Normann's style builds on this. He is a world class cyclist and an excellent runner. Among the elite pros I suppose he is an average swimmer. Most of the pros come out of the water and ride conservatively, finding the leaders and then just hanging around at a moderate (for them) pace. The "race" then occurs at some point during the subsequent marathon.

Rather than ride behind someone just out of the illegal draft zone, Normann surges ahead, typically getting off the bike and heading into the run leg with a gap of 10-20mins on everyone else. Perhaps he feels he must do this to win, that others will out run him otherwise.

His approach forces other racers to decide whether to try to match his pace on the bike - if they think can - but risks shredding his legs or burning more cals than he can replace such that he blows up somewhere on the 26.2mi marathon course and loses the lead. In 2004 his gutsy ways finally paid off, he had a huge win in the annual world championship race in Hawaii. Not one but two flat tires knocked Normann out of the '05 champs race.

The latest issue of Triathlete Mag asks Normann and some other pros what is his favorite bike workout. His answer: “My main workout every week during the season is a 112-mile ride. During the ride thee is no talking, just hard riding. The average is about 22-23mph on a not-easy course. It’s like the group ride in San Diego every Wdnesday. I only stop for quickly for a drink, and that’s it. The main reason I am good on the bie is that I love pushing hard and feeling the pain (and seing other guys suffering)!”

Go Normann in '06!

Sat. 3-25
B scored some great comp tix to a 12:30 NBA game in LA - The Los Angeles Clippers v the Washington Wizards. I was a lonely Wizards fan. Not a bad drive up, about 75mins, good traffic. Game was downtown at the Staples Center, where the Lakers also play. The Wiz put forth one of their worst efforts all year. Lopsided Clippers victory.

Seats were dead center court, row one. Only the radio and TV guys were closer to the action.

Traffic after the game was ugly. Immigration bill protesters marched in LA earlier and had messed up driving in the city. The freeway was no better once we got on it. I made out well, nodding off while B drove.

I got in some more riding over the weekend and even finished with the assembly of the IKEA TV cabinet as well as assisting B with disassembling her dinner table and assembling a new one.


B had her 5K Sun. (see prior blog below for that story). I found the steepest hill yet, complete with switchbacks - Modjeska Canyon - on Sunday & Monday, then flew out Tue. Met at Dulles by Mom (Thanks!).