What are Champions Made Of?

This past week Katiki Forrest and myself underwent scientific lab tests just to find out what a champion is made of. Administering the tests with only the Mammoth, doctor, and lab assistant, we've broken it down to this :

1. a Champion takes every opportunity to "work" a camera when presented with one.

2. a Champion takes a bite out of every medal of honor...strictly to display their inherent strength and to be intimidating...

3. a Champion can ignore the paparrazi with such unwaivering focus even under the most stressful conditions...as viewed above...

1st race of the season tomorrow. let the angels sing...

Romantic training in the South of France

Keeping with yearly tradition, the Wooly Mammoth squads met briefly by private jet in the south of France (somewhere near Fayetteville, TX) for a secret training camp and round of "supplement" dosing before the early season races begin.

Here: dressed in our handmade kits, the women's team awaits for another brisk morning of leg shredding and general conversations of the size of our quads and the relative diameter of our glutes compared to that of our handsome male racing companions. Quite a romantic setting, no?




The training camp routes brought us to many small villages and rural areas where we as a team were able to meet our fans face to face. Until this point we have only been a beakon of light and motivation for this simple folk. The tears and hugs were endless, and the cheers from the valley farmers will be cherished by all the Mammoths...

It's going to be a great season...

When the training gets tough, the tough get training

Doing an interval workout is one thing...

Doing an interval workout in 20 degree weather with 18 mph winds is another...

Which is why the Wooly Women chose a crotch killing, 2hr indoor workout yesterday...

Don't let the coy looks lure you to thinking we're not working hard. It's a known fact that the Wooly Woman's suffering goes undetected and is often disguised by bright smiles and laughter.

You know when the jokes start rolling the hammer is just about to drop...

You've been advised.

Climbing to 2010 - New Year's in Leakey, TX

To close out 2009 and reintroduce climbing into the quads, some friends and I visited the nearby woodland area of Leakey, TX over New Year's.

2hrs southwest of Kerrville, Leakey boasts deserted roads and long, sometimes steep hills and the perfect addition to any winter training program.

Day 1 I climbed around 1,800 ft in a 60 mile loop out from Leakey through the towns of Utopia and Vanderpool keeping cadence high and paced by BF Jed Rogers (GCCA/Toyota). Our legs were much in need of a cold dip in a Frio River fed pool after that!

Day 2 still met us with gradual grades and around 1500 ft of climbing with cool switchback descents and a need for more winter gear ordered from DeFeet. Temperature at roll out was 25 degrees! This is Texas, y'all. Bring on the sunshine!