This past weekend Mark Miller scored his third top-3 finish of the Oregon XC Series.  So far, he's placed 2nd at Bear Springs and has won at the Coast Hills Classic.  Last weekend, he added another 2nd place at the Chainbreaker Classic.  Nice job, Mark!

Thanks to all who participated in what turned out to be a fun and very productive training camp.  Thanks also to our excellent supporters:  Cyfac Bicycles, Quarq Powermeters, Corsa Concepts wheels, Kate's Real Food, Strava, StudioVelo, Endurofit, SRAM NRS, and LifeCycle Adventures.  Without these partners, Marin Camp would not be the special week that it is!

Here are some photos from that week:

Shakedown on Day 0

Joss reveals his corn rows

Traditional photo of camp in front of the excellent Ralston White Retreat

Riding above the Golden Gate

Karen climbs Mt Tam in the fog

Climbing away from Alpine Dam

Putting in the kilometers in West Marin

Jeb shows how he feels about Marin Camp

The 2012 AES Marin Camp is underway and it's already been a great one.  We've made a huge improvement with professional mechanical and on-road support from SRAM.  Jeb Stewart is my excellent co-coach and he's keeping a nice diary of the event:

http://www.floridacyclingcoach.com/Blog/tabid/82/PostID/83/Marin-Camp-Day-2---Here-Comes-the-Sun.aspx

Check it out!

Culinate.com just published a nice piece about diets for athletes.  It's more of an exploration of the eating habits of endurance athletes than a guide.  I have a few things to say on the subject, too.  Check it all out right here.

AES athletes and Guam National Triathlon Team Members Chiyo and Peter Lombard, along with compatriot Mark Walters took home the team bronze medal in New Caledonia yesterday at the 2011 Pacific Games.  In addition, Chiyo Lombard set the fastest women's bike time of the Games.  Peter and Chiyo placed 7th and 5th in their respective races.  It was an excellent showing after both overcame injuries and setbacks to take excellent results in what are known as the "Olympics of Oceana."

Team medal presentation ceremony

Medals presented!

The Guam National Triathlon Team.  From left, Kelly Dawes, Mark Walters, Joe De La Cruz, AES Athletes Chiyo Lombard and Peter Lombard (Guam Triathlon Champion).

A united Vanderkitten team took home some excellent results last  weekend.  AES athlete Jenn Reither and teammate Jazzy Hurikino achieved podium places on Saturday at the Strawberry Crown Criterium, finishing 5th and 3rd, respectively:

Hurikino (3rd) and Reither (5th) in Watsonville

The next day, the team worked like a well-oiled machine to bring back dangerous moves and set up the win for Emily Collins at the Pleasanton Fast and Furious Festival.  AES athletes Reither and Starla Teddergreen played critical roles in the garnering the team the win:

The Kittens on the podium at Fast and Furious in Pleasanton

The team are now preparing to be on top form for the Gateway Cup in St Louis in the beginning of September.

Guam national team member and Aeolus Endurance Sport athlete Chiyo Lombard overcame a nagging season-long knee injury to take an excellent 3rd in her age group at Hawaii's TinMan Triathlon last weekend.  Her time netted her a 10th place overall and sets her up nicely to represent her country in September's Pacific Games in New Caledonia.  Here's more on Chiyo's accomplishments:

http://tinyurl.com/3ef4no2

and

http://tinyurl.com/3pet248

Last weekend saw a fantastic result from AES athlete and Guam National Triathlon Team member Peter Lombard.  After working his way back to fitness from a debilitating hamstring injury, Peter won his country's national championship triathlon.  This result puts Peter in an excellent position heading into September's Pacific Games, where he will represent Guam.

Peter in action this weekend:

The 2011 season is well underway now and the results are pouring in.  Two of my best Pro MTB racers have switched their focus to ultra endurance racing this year and this weekend their hard work paid off at the Lumberjack 100.  Jane Pearson made the long drive to Michigan from NYC and it paid off with a nice 5th place while Chris Peariso had a solid race and finished 8th in a top-ranked field.

Jane Pearson on her way to winning in Arizona earlier this year

Closer to home, the Test of Endurance 50 saw top 55+ MTB racer Mark Miller take a sweet 2nd place.  Mark is steadily climbing to the top step of the podium this year, so it's only a matter of time before he is there!

In road racing, California Vanderkitten-Focus rider Starla Teddergreen is off at the Tour of America's Dairyland in Wisconsin showing the country's best a clean pair of wheels.  Today she took the field sprint for 4th on the stage, moved up 5 places in the overall and is tied for first in the best amateur classification.  Since a horrific accident at last year's Tour de Nez, Starla has made an excellent recovery.

On his way to recovering from a serious hamstring injury this spring, Peter Lombard of the Guam National Triathlon Team took the win in the No Frills Dual Distance #3 Olympic Tri today.  Peter is targeting the Pacific Games in September and it looks like he is coming around right on time.

All of these athletes have shown exceptional focus and dedication this year and now it is beginning to pay off!

This past weekend marked a great moment for AES athlete Brandi Szen.  A veteran of several half-Ironman events, Brandi wanted to step up to the full distance this year.   She chose the Ironman Texas and finished in style, complete with Texan cowboy hat:

Completing this race was the happy result of months of hard training, the likes of which Brandi had never before undertaken.  She truly rose to the occasion, kept her focus through the rough times, and finished strong in the top half of her field.  I think it was nearly as emotional for me to watch her finish as it was for her to finish.  Congratulations, Brandi - you earned every bit of it!

After a solid podium-filled start to 2011, Jane Pearson reached the top step a the Stewart Six Pack endurance race yesterday.  She's been focused on endurance events this year after several highly successful seasons of XC.  Jane often finds herself without a women's class in which to race at which point she beats up on the Expert men, normally ending up in the top 5.  Nice work, Jane!