Ten thousand riders signed up for the Tour de Palm Springs. It was the first time that I ever saw that many cycling enthusiasts assembled at one place for a biking event. The race started with celebrity game show host Monte Hall (Let's make a Deal) wishing the cyclist good luck and sending us on our way. The race roads were very crowded with serious riders quickly forming into tight packs and heading into a 1200 ft climb out of town.

The first 27 miles I was chasing the lead group of riders. It wasn't easy trying to navigate through hundreds of riders that started the course well before the 7 am start. The race is well supported, well marked, and very well organized. The course had five "SAG" stops where riders could stop and refuel with food and water, but I was focused on catching the lead group. Although this was a charity ride I knew that several club riders were planning to use this ride as a hard training workout. I finally caught the lead pack during one of the last climbs on the initial 1200 ft ascend.

I started the race with two water bottles and several Powerbars and gels. I realized quickly that the lead pack wasn't planning on using any of the SAG stops.

If I wanted to hang with the lead pack I would have to ration my water if I planned on completing the race with the best riders. The pace with the lead pack was fast and furious. The pack started with fifty riders at mile twenty seven. By the time we hit mile fifty there were thirty riders left and three fellow triathletes riding TRI-bikes.

The remaining thirty riders started a fifteen mile down hill stretch that reached speeds around forty MPH. I quickly tucked into the draft and watched in amazement as a tandem bike group joined our lead pack.

I had no idea that tandem riders could ride that fast!! It was impressive to see two riders working together as a team and riding with very fast local club riders. Around mile seventy-five the lead pack was reduced to about fifteen riders. I found myself riding near the front and pushing hard to maintain the pace and survive the ride. I looked longingly at the SAG stations as I drank my last water bottle. I knew that I wasn't taking in enough fluids, but I made a conscious decision to stay with the front pack.

As we neared the ninety mile mark I found myself at the front alternating pulls with the last ten riders in the group. I was really suffering now, but I was the only remaining TRI-bike in a sea of carbon fiber rocket ships. I didn't want to drop after I had come this far. I knew that the local club riders wanted me to finish with them and they offered words of encouragement that boosted my morale and helped me to dig a little deeper and finish the ride.

I crossed the finish line with the other ten riders in a time of 4:45. I was pleased with the effort and glad that I pushed as hard as I could. I quickly transitioned off the bike and went on a quick thirty minute transition run. My wife Sarah finished the ride an hour behind me completing her first ever century ride. The Tour de Palm Springs is a fun event. If your looking for a well organized event and would like to meet ten thousand avid cycling riders I encourage you to check it out.

The following day I woke up and felt pretty good. I had some knee pain in my left knee because of the pace and effort during the long ride. I looked at my workout log and saw that Peter had me scheduled for a two hour and thirty minute run followed by an easy ninety minute spin on the bike. I looked outside and noted that it was rainy pretty hard in normally sunny Southern California. I laced up the shoes and headed out for a 17.5 mile run. Normally I see hundreds of runners and bike riders traveling down the Pacific Coast Highway, but not today.

It was during my run when I realized what Peter's training program was doing for me. I was wet, cold, and tired from a long exhausting week. People driving by in vehicles gave me strange looks as they wondered why I was outside running in the pouring rain. It all clicked inside my head. Training and competing in an Ironman is mentally tough. Don't get me wrong, Ironman training and racing is very physical. At a certain point the legs will feel like rubber, the arms fatigued and you will find yourself going the distance on guts alone. Preparing yourself mentally is very important.

Peter's program is preparing me to keep going during my worst physical moments. I learned that a tough mental mindset can get you to the next mile when the gas in the tank is on empty. I look forward to the next training week because I know the training plan will keep pushing me to improve!

Semper Fidelis,