Stumped on what to get that endurance athlete in your life? What can you possibly buy for the person that “has everything” and if they want it will just buy it? It’s tough. Believe me. But there are still a few things that every athlete needs…or doesn’t know they need.

It was hot. 90 degrees with 10-13 mph winds. I sat on the trainer in the shade of our van with ice packs down my jersey doing my best to keep my core cool while I opened up the legs and elevated the heart rate for the upcoming event. After the first bit of warm up it was time to make final preparations and roll to the start line. Nerves were subsiding slightly.

It’s snowing and cold in Nashville - so join me for a fun Snow Day Series! Since many of us are stuck indoors, let’s make the most of our trainer time. I’ll be hosting daily Zwift rides to pass the time.

Up next was the day I had been waiting for. I’d seen pictures of this epic climb and knew I just had to ride it at some point. Sa Calobra. It did not disappoint. To get to this famous col, we had to get in a few warmup climbs. Our route wound us out of town and up Coll de Femenia increasing our elevation and my excitement level exponentially. We arrived in a little town, Lluc, where we briefly explored an old monastery, before getting back on our bikes riding along a mountain ridgeline (um, they have a thing against guardrails here it seems) that would deposit us at the top of Sa Calobra.