As a continuation of my latest return to Sufferlandria, I will be completing my first Knighthood Quest 3 days before my 55th birthday.
My history with Sufferlandria dates back to the beginning. Deploying in the military, I often was riding indoors as a form of fitness. I started w/ 3x5 cards generated from Friel’s Cyclist Training Bible. At some point I had a portable DVD player and nearly every Spinervals DVD made. Once Sufferfest came along I was hooked. I downloaded and burned them to DVD. My return is another part of the journey I’ll get to shorty.
My history with insane endurance events is another part of the story. Racing in Seattle, I got in to Randonneuring with 200 to 600 km events. Moving to San Diego, I raced the former Everest Challenge a couple times. I crewed in the 2007 RAAM and 2008 Furnace Creek 508. I love the challenge of performing under extreme mental fatigue.
Lastly, the physical part. Following a military training accident, my right leg and foot were put back together w/ a few screws and a realignment. Cycling was the only thing I could do without a ton of pain. Following my retirement, I pretty much shut down the physical fitness I had been required to maintain for nearly 30 yrs and the bikes (9) collected dust. Finally, I made the decision to buy a Kickr Bike, and beat my ass back in to shape. Today I am 55 lbs lighter and 20 lbs from my goal.
So with that, my Knighthood line up:
Prologue - No Place Like Home
Stage 1 - Hell Hath No Fury
Stage 2 - Angels
Stage 3 - Thin Air
Stage 4 - A Very Dark Place
Stage 5 - The Wretched
Stage 6 - Nine Hammers
Stage 7 - Team Scream
Stage 8 - Best Thing In The World
Stage 9 - The Omnium
Stage 10 - ISLAGIATT
The key stages:
The Prologue, returning to Sufferlandria has renewed the love of “Beating My Ass Today To Kick Yours Tomorrow.” The feeling of 97% max HR is like nothing else out there.
The Climbs, these renew my love of classic San Diego climbing, Kitchen Creek and Palomar Mountain, as well as my first teenage climbs of Mount Lemmon.
The Racing, I started as a junior with the Fair Wheel Cycling Team in 1985 and have always loved the thrill, even though they were only at the Cat 5, 4, and 3 level. Weekly races in Seattle at Pacific Raceways were one of my staples, loved those memories.
Stage 7, established based on all the wonderful advice of the Knights. Team Scream engages me like no other, I can be 30 minutes in without even knowing it. I find myself leaning in to every corner, I love the rider’s view footage.
And Finally, It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time. The name says it all, and has defined much of my life… a why not attitude.
Having completed the current Sufferfest library in its entirety since Jan 12, my next goal is completing the ProRace series in the lead up to the Knighthood. On the horizon is a POS, currently penciled in for Nov 18, the anniversary of my Bimalleolar Fracture of the right Fibula w/ internal fixation and spiral fracture of the right fibula Nov. 18, 2003.
So, here we go, see you May 15!
