Dear Friends and Athletes

This years long, wet, never ending winter wreaked havoc to training programs like twists to Daenery’s best laid plans for the iron throne. Regardless, the training trudged on and successes are piling up along with the occasional sunny spring days. Please take a moment to read the recap of events below and gain a snapshot of the summer adventure that awaits. Spots are limited and some require pre-event training.

I begin by highlighting two athletes at opposite ends of the event spectrum. While Patrick is new to cycling, he judmped right in with a commitment to ride 600 miles from SF to LA with the 2019 ALC (Aids Life Cycle). Our first coaching session was unforgettable, as he rolled up wearing running shorts, a backpack with the “kitchen sink” assortment of gear, on a bike we amicably named “bobo”. Things have changed dramatically in four months. Patrick has traded 25 lbs of “mush” for muscle (his claves now equal my thighs). To match his supercharged motor he’s added a lite weight French titanium bike, fitted with hydraulic disc brakes and carbon everything else. Recently he completed his first century (miles not metric) finishing first, out of a hundred or so riders. The transformation is nothing short of staggering. Last week Patrick and Deb rode from SF to LA to continue the fight against Aids. We wished them safe pedaling and many tailwinds and they rocked the ride. Congratulations!

Jen, having raced in high school, now competes with a tribe of elite women runners aptly named “The Impala’s” who can literally run circles around most men. What I love most about coaching Jen is her unparalleled grace at which she balances home, work, and sport; of which she excels at all three. When her goal of running a sub 6 minute mile was literally hamstrung just meters from the finish last year (strained Semimembranosus), she showed little anxiety that most athletes would have fallen prey to. Instead she doubled down, incorporating pre/rehab and more core work with new modalities like muscle activation (MAT). In addition we attacked her anterior synergist muscles betting that the hamstring was the symptom a less apparent problem. What I admire most is the joy that she finds in training and racing with her friends; which she exemplified at this year’s Bay to Breakers dressed as a team of “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s,” gavels in hand, ready to smash the competition with smiles and six packs abs.

We wish Patrick, Jen and all our other friends the best in their athletic endeavors.

In other news, Stephanie kicked off spring training with the Kaiser 10k to rekindle her running flame. Deb, Patrick and Jack traversed the hills of Northern Marin to prep for the Coastal Fondo of Monterey at this year’s Sea Otter Classic. Merri traded in her running shoes for goggles and learned to swim faster than any adult I have ever seen in 25+ years of coaching. With a laser focus, she perfected her reach/glide in prep for future open water events. Meanwhile, Sabin started Sunday aquatic park swims to prep for Escape. And even though he wears a “millennial” wetsuit vs my “old Vets” speedo, I am impressed with his triathlon chops. Sydney won her age group at Oceanside 70.3. Jonah, Sabin, Darren and myself hammed up the surf sessions in Surf Camp Costa Rica. And Babak started crushing the weights and the squats. But the biggest shout out goes to Jack. Even though he debuted his new mountain bike and first ride with a trip to the emergency room and five stitches, he is determined to break through his sharp learning curve with laughs to match his “elite athletic” DNA (LOL - ask him about it).

Summer is just around the corner and the mountains are calling with wilderness trekking, fly fishing, Xterra tri and mountain bike racing (Downieville), and of course more dirt bike camps in the Sierras. It’s still muddy out there and we’re going to keep getting dirty. Remember, Optime’ is about honing your physical and mental fitness for performance in all facets of life. A strong body, strong mind, and strong spirit is the key to unlocking your potential. To kick off summer, we’re offering free threshold or video diagnostics to quantify you’re your starting point or gains from the first half of the year. Simply sign up for a new package and event before the summer solstice on June 21st for the $300 credit.

Happy Trails,

Joel

Events:

· XTERRA JUN 29 Dirt Tri – Tahoe City

· MOTO JUL 8 Dirt Bike Camp*

· TREK JUL 20 Man up - Trek the Trinities*

· BIKE AUG 5 Downieville Classic

· TREK AUG 12 Trek the Lakes District*

· TREK AUG 26 Man up - Tune Up*

· MOTO SEPT 2 Sierra Dirt Bike Moto Camp*

· TREK OCT 21 Man up - Wilderness Trek Mammoth to Yosemite*

SURF NOV 18 Surf Camp Sayulita Mexico