Today's ride on the Blade got off to an interesting start when I came rolling fast up to a Stop sign and found that my brakes were not working. I had been working on the bike and had forgotten to put the brake clamp flanges down when I was done. That'll get your heart pumping when them brakes don't work when you expect 'em to.

Flange up	Flange down	Purissima valley

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop shooting Human Growth Hormone (HGH). I feel compelled to comment again today about my lack of power and energy. I think I've pinpointed some potential causes:

• I ran out of vitamins before I went to Topeka. They're on sale the first seven days of the month and I missed the March window, so I'm riding out the rest of the month without my "clear cream."
• I've not been eating right the last month or so. I've been pinching calories in an attempt to get down to 165 by the Sea Otter.

I rode hard today, turning in a quasi-time trial with only a couple of very brief stops. Setting off on a simple Lobitos Triangle ride with a moderate wind at my back, I sailed south down the Cabrillo, spinning easily at 20 MPH.

It was a gorgeous, warm spring day -- a little breezy for my taste, but better than sitting in a cubicle of recirculated air. The wind picked up a little out of the northwest while I was in the canyons coming back north and when I came out on the coastal bike path, it hit me hard in the face.

I may have focused too much on seated climbing this past winter. The goal was to spend the whole winter building base power by sitting during all climbs. I do feel that I gained some base power from it, but now, with the first race less than a month away, my standing strength and technique is seriously lacking.

Today, I decided to work on standing for climbs, sprints, and attacks. I HAVE to have standing acceleration and endurance for attacking and defending. I'm not going to beat anybody hammering the flats or downhilling. I have to be able to "burst" on hills and unusual sprint situations.

The first standing climb I tried today didn't last more than 25 yards before my legs were burning and I had to sit down for a rest. But I got better as the ride progressed. Next, I made half an uphill rise, then an entire hill, finally I made the whole southern climb of the Grapevine standing. It'll come back, but I need to work on it NOW to use it effectively in the races next month.