From one Extreme to Another...

6 weeks after finishing the longest and coldest race I have ever done, my next race ended up being the shortest race of the season in 90 + degree heat at the SeaOtter Classic. Actually, this happens to be the shortest bike race I have ever done.  There was a pretty small field of women in the Pro/Expert Single Speed category, and I ended up winning by a couple of minutes.  Here are a few comparisons/contrasts between the Iditarod Trail Invitational and the Single Speed Cross Country race at SeaOtter:

Iditarod SeaOtter

Mode of transport: Bike Bike

Distance: 350 miles 19 miles

Finish Time: 6 days, 19 hrs 1 hr 32 minutes

Temperature: -20 degrees 90 + degrees

Race Course: Frozen rivers, mountain Single track, fire road   

passes, snow machine trails

no trail...

Terrain: Snow and ice Sand, gravel, dirt

Race "kit": Layers, layers, and layers Shorts and jersey

Eye wear: Ski goggles Sun glasses

Nutrition: Anything with lots of fat and Sports drink and water 

calories, cookies, muffins,

danishes, chocolate, trail mix

Race Support: No support allowed The great guys at Magura, Eric

No. of Spectators: A couple of moose Thousands of people

Biggest Challenge: Surviving the cold Not puking from heat

Scenery: Snowy mountains Spring flowers

Fun Factor: HIGH HIGH

New Career????

This doesn't quite qualify as an Ultra Endurance Adventure, but it was something different, fun, and interesting I did a few months ago with my friend, "ex-boss" and sponsor Rob Naber. Rob who is the owner of Physical Therapy of Los Gatos, thought it would be a good idea to give patients the option to watch a demonstration of their therapeutic exercises instead of just receiving written instructions or pictures. Rob asked me if I could be the "model" for some stabilization and strengthening exercise videos he was making. Patients and others who are interested can go to PTLG's web-site and click on the prescribed therapeutic exercise and the YouTube video will show them how to correctly do the movements.

www.ptoflosgatos.com

Please check out PTLGs web-site. If you or someone you know needs physical therapy, this is the place to go!!! I speak from experience; I have both worked AND been a patient at PTLG.


I know a few people became famous on YouTube, however I don't think it will lead to a new career, fame or fortune for me. We had fun making the videos though, and hopefully it will help show the patients how to correctly do the exercises.... These are some of the videos as posted on youtube.