I like to do a hard ride early in the year for a few reasons, it gives training at the beginning of the year some direction. It’s a good test of whether the training is on the right track. And it gives some urgency to all those base building rides at the beginning of the year that otherwise might be easy to blow off. That’s what the GranFondo San Diego has done for me the last couple of years. There are actually three versions of the Gran Fondo that happen on the same day:

Gran Fondo: 100 miles
Medio Fondo: 60 miles
Picolo Fondo: 35 miles.

The last two years I’ve done the Medio Fondo. Last year, with very little training and preparation I was cooked and done by mile 40 where I called it a day. This year I was determined to finish. So the training has been much more consistent and purposeful thanks to Coach Chi Planken of Outdoor Fitness Coach.

One of the lessons I’ve learned training in my 60s is that how you approach a ride matters just as much as the ride itself. Going into this one, I didn’t think about it as a long day in the saddle. I thought about it as three distinct 20 or so -mile rides.

Simple. Manageable. Repeatable.

And for the most part, it worked exactly the way Chi and I sketched it out.

The First 20: Get Rolling, Then Start Climbing

Because of the terrain of the course, the first stretch is really 22.5 miles. The first 5 miles or so is just trying to get out of San Diego, settle in, and then… the climbing begins.

I made a quick stop at the first aid station around mile 16—just enough time to chug some carb drink and keep moving. This time I knew what was coming, and I didn’t want to lose momentum heading into the climb. Besides, I had a better rest stop waiting for me up the road—Molly and the beagles (Sparky and Oliver) were waiting for me at Aid Station 2 (mile 22.5).

The next 6 miles were unforgivingly uphill, but I made it through, stopped briefly to cool down, Molly had ice cold water waiting for me, grabbed some fruit, and took a moment to catch my breath pet the beagles and got going.

Confidence Changes Everything

The middle section had two parts. The first 8 miles are a welcome downhill towards the Jamul Casino and beyond. This stretch of the ride got in my head last year. While the downhill is welcome at this point, the road conditions aren’t great: Two-lane highway. Little to no shoulder. Cars flying by.

Last year, it felt tense the whole way through. This year? I felt different.

Same road. Same conditions. Different rider.

I was more confident, and while “comfortable” might be a stretch, I didn’t have the death grip on the handle bars that I had last year. I even found myself passing a few riders on the descent. That’s not something I would’ve done a year ago.
That’s what progress looks like sometimes. Not just faster… but calmer.

The Section That Surprised Me

The last 15 miles of this section was a big surprise for me. The ride out toward Otay Lakes is where things fell apart for me last year. It felt like a grind that never ended. I hadn’t eaten enough and the energy was waning.

This time, I was ready for it. I was mentally prepared for a slow slog.

And then something interesting happened… It wasn’t a slog.

In fact, I moved through that section faster than I expected and even picked up a couple of PRs according to Strava. Same road, different engine.

That’s the payoff from all those “boring” Zone 2 rides. (Coach Chi will like reading that sentence.)

Familiar Roads, New Body

The last third of the ride was on familiar grounds. The route came down the road that took me to work for over 10 years. However, I got to where I was supposed to meet Molly and the pups before she got a chance to park. I kept going. Molly caught up with me and we did an impromptu aid station at a less busy corner. This stop was quick. Same as before, cold water, some orange slices, a banana, a quick pet for Sparky and Oliver and I was on my way to the finish.

Once I got to the San Diego Bay Front, I couldn’t stop smiling. I’ve ridden those roads dozens of times in the past. There’s something powerful about being on familiar ground late in a ride—you stop thinking so much and just ride.

That’s when I started to feel it though—cramping in the inner thighs.

Old me might have panicked a bit. This time, I kept pedaling. Kept chugging electrolytes. Worked through it. The cramps stopped almost as unexpectedly as they started. And I was able to keep a pretty steady pace.

The Last 10 Miles

About 10 miles out, I found a small group—guys who looked a lot like me. Gray beards, still out there getting after it. We rode together for a while, until downtown traffic lights broke things up.

I rolled into the finish feeling strong. Strong… with a little left in the tank.

It’s great feeling when you finish a long tough ride and you realize you have legs for more.

What This Ride Taught Me

As good as it felt, this ride also gave me some clear areas to work on.

1. Climbing Confidence

I leaned on the e-bike’s turbo mode more than I should have on the climbs. Part of that was strategy—trying to save something for the back half. But part of it? If I’m honest… it’s still fear.

Fear of going too hard. Fear of blowing up. So I hold back… or I lean on the assist.. That’s something I need to work through, both physically and mentally.

2. Fueling While Moving

I also realized I need to get more comfortable drinking on the bike.

It’s a small thing, but it matters. I wear a camelback with my electrolytes, that really helps on long rides. I also carry a bottle with the carb drink which is the actual fuel to keep going. For whatever reason I’ve become very uncomfortable reaching for my bottle to take a drink.

Reaching for the bottle, staying steady, trusting the movement—those are skills I need to work on in the next few months.

The Bigger Picture

A year ago, parts of this ride felt out of reach. This year, I rode it with confidence… and finished strong. That’s what happens when you stick to the plan.

Not every ride is a breakthrough. Most aren’t. But stack enough consistent days together, and one day you realize—you’re not the same rider anymore.

And that’s really what this is about for me.

Not just riding longer. Not just riding faster. But becoming the kind of rider—and the kind of person—who can keep doing this for years to come.

Enjoy the ride 🚴🏽‍♀️

GranFondo San Diego: My early season test