Not really but its really fun and im ejoying it more and more to just keep out of the road and still manage to log a hell of a workout.

last weekend it was a 3h race in a 5.5km circuit around a monestery. It was fun and really hard on the body, defenetely not used to MTB racing. I was rididng with the leader until the last lap where my back wheel broke, i passed the lap with 4 min to spare witch would mean an extra lap. that 4 min was enough to drop to 5th. Still a LOT of fun.

yes, im in hawaii and im bald

i have spent more time here in the last 2.5 months than at home, always with kona in mind but with a goal in the middle of it, the european Long course champs where i got 11th, then back here to peak my volume to hawaii. So it was mostly 4 weeks here, 3 weeks (and race) at home and another 4 weeks here, ill leave on friday and i am actually racing in my drive home, a spanish double olimpic distance race (not of my liking, too much swim :P) this weekend witch will be a great indicator of how well or how tired i am.

It has been a diferent preparation when compared to last years in every possible way. its far from super hot like in other places where i prepared, Las cruces, NM and San diego. im at 1900m high and unless i go to a tanning “shop” i will be in kona with an alpine tan…

training has been quite diferent as well, hard to explain, just diferent. lots of volume of course, lots of fast stuff, lots of hard training and workouts are arranged to give a diferent estimulation on the body….diferent. i feel great about my training and will look forward to see how it unfolds in hawaii.

Training in font romeu is absolutely awesome, i have everything within a walk or an elevator distance. 50m pool, gym, food, bed, track, running trails and of course roads and special category climbs, you name it and its here.

here are a few photos of the last few weeks

OOOOOOORANJE

Its day one in Font Romeu, i got here yesterday night after 1350km of driving, I came with mister Krep that helped a lot during the 13h with a few stops of driving, here are some good examples of good entertainment i had (taking photos of Krep while he was sleeping), i think he slept half of the way here…

nyway we got here alright but krep is defenetely sharing the driving on the way back in around 3 weeks :D

Today was very calm, just a short ride and short swim to get the feel of the altitude, the rest of the week isnt very tough as well but week 2 and 3 will kick my butt.

i was glad to wake up in the morning and looking at the window with a great day..

Of course at the time im writing this im having severe thunderstorms alert but i think its just a few hours :P

The last month or so where spent at a maintenance threshold, fast workouts to try find some extra gear and indeed i found one. 3 sprint races from the national cup and a kind of 24h MTB race kept me busy and at racing speed.

I starded with an out of the first result page at the sprint in Peniche, got an 7th in the sprint of Oeiras, got 9th at the 24h race with no night riding and ended up in 5th at the sprint of abrantes last weekend, thats a good curve of improovement in speed, although speed and Sergio doesnt quite match.

more soon