Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

What you need to know before climbing Caesar's Head Distance:  The actual climb from Hwy 11 is 7.83miles. Elevation gain:  Start at 1078 feet and finish at 3228 feet (total gain = 2084 feet). Grade:  According to my Garmin, the average grade is ~5%. There is nothing crazy steep on the climb but there are two or three segments (right after a switchback) where the grade switches to over 8%. Around 5 miles into the climb, there is a short section that is "flat" - which provides a nice change and a great place to actively recover. It doesn't last long as within a few minutes, you are back climbing again. Road condition:  The road condition is ok but not great. There are several bumps and cracks. There are a few smoother sections that have been recently repaved, but it's more bumpy than smooth. While it's fine for climbing, there are some rough patches in the switchbacks - which requires excellent bike handling skills when descending on a switchback. ...

What you need to know before climbing Paris Mountain: Distance:  The actual climb from the bottom of Paris Mountain (starting on Old Buncome) is 2.17 miles. You can also climb Paris Mountain starting on State Park Road/253, which is a 3.69 mile climb. In total - from one side to the other, it's ~5.8 miles. With a climb to start and a descend to finish, there's a little bit of everything between (rolling). Elevation gain:  From the Old Buncome side (which is where we usually start as it's closer to our house - ~10 min bike ride away) - start at 1168 feet and finish at 1972 feet (total gain = 1565 feet). From the State Park Road side - start at 1283 feet and finish at 1972 feet (total gain = 1690 feet). Grade:  According to my Garmin, the average grade (Old Buncome side) is ~6% but there are only two steep pitches (the first is around 7% and the last one at the top is ~10%. The climb has a few segments where you can change your cadence and pick up some speed -...

What you need to know before climbing Sassafras:  Distance: The actual climb from Rocky Bottom is 4.68 miles. The last time I climbed it, it took me 36 minutes and 32 seconds (7.6 mph average and 66 average cadence). However, if starting the climb from Hwy 11/178 (which is where we were coming from on our ride), you need to factor in the climbing that occurs before the actual Sassafras climb. So technically, it's a 11.8 mile climb with a little descend before Rocky Bottom. Elevation gain: Start at 1766 feet and finish at 3396 feet (total gain = 2580 feet). Grade:  According to my Garmin, the average grade is ~7% but there are several sections that are ~20%. There are a few quick downhills to recover but otherwise, it's a long grind to the top with several 8-14% sections. There's a nasty pitchy segment near the beginning of the climb and another one in the last 1.5 miles. Road condition: The road itself is fairly good (considering that we have pretty bad road ...

I've learned that if you want something in life, you have to put it out into the universe. In late 2013, Karel was placed in a difficult situation. With a change in upper management at the Trek corporation, his 6-year position as the GM of two Trek concept stores in Jacksonville, FL was in jeapordy. With an exceptional boss (before all the changes), he was in a position that he would need to answer to new management - if he kept his job. Around that time, I was was working PRN as a clinical dietitian at Baptist Medical Center Beaches and Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition was in it's second year of being an official business (LLC). In early 2013, I had mentioned to Karel about working with me to help grow the Trimarni business, but that scary ask would require a big change - leaving a secure job with a stable income. With all the changes at Trek, it felt like the right time to take a leap of faith. Karel quit his job (which brought us to Jacksonville, FL in 2008) ...