I woke up a bit earlier on Sunday and met Doog for a short 2 hour loop through LR. I felt pretty shitty when I crawled on the bike, yet my legs felt disarmingly good. I didn't have much more than 2 hours in me, nor did I have any efforts in the tank, but I felt okay after the ride. Sometimes I think you just need to rest a bit and ride easy to get stuff out of the system.
After I rode, I decided to get the bike setup for the 4th. I switched out the cassette to my 13/25 and it shifted like shit. I fuddled with it for 30 minutes and it got no better. I walked away...
Once I got inside, I realized that the 13/25 didn't require the spacer behind it. A visit to Shimano's website confirmed my failing memory. Back out to the ManHole, removed the aforementioned spacer and it shifted fine, but skipped in the 23 and 25!!! WTF!!!!
My chain had been on the bike for a while and the 13/25 had only been used once, so I figured they weren't quite on speaking terms. Upon checking my equipment log, I realized that the chain was well past it's expiration date. Shiny new chain = no skipping and no noise! Go figure!
I'm actually going to test ride the setup this year, to make sure the thing shifts. Last year, I threw everything on the night before and rode it up the street. That was all fine and well, but it didn't shift at all on the 4th ride...
Nothing like hauling 180 pounds up a few big climbs in the NC mountains with a drivetrain that won't stay in gear! It was either the 17 or the 25 on the climbs...no big jump there!
There are no open seats in the battle wagon for the 4th...sorry!
I'll see you at the crit Tuesday...
30 June 2008
28 June 2008
The week that was
Tuesday, the H.O. had a business function in the evening, so she came home early so I could get on the bike. Doog and I went out and did a VERY slow loop of the Fort. Legs...crap! Lungs...crap! HR...crap! Just a bad ride all the way around.
Thursday came and I felt okay through the day. I figured the ride would be thin because Blood, Sweat and Gears was looming on so many horizons. We left with 10. Mark W. and Cisco turned around at the gate. We lost Sam and Joel and the very quick run down to Elon. I sat up to wait on them on the climb, but even at my snail-humping-a-turtle pace, they never returned. I got back on and the ride turmed into a rolling, 6 man, HARD tempo paceline. I felt really good and rode well.
We rolled in together and I took the sprint on Shop with ease.
Friday, right after lunch, I started to feel bad. By the time dinner rolled around, I was a hot mess. I felt like I was somewhere between and bonk and a hangover. I didn't eat or drink much of anything after the ride Thursday and think I got myself into some sort of glycogen/dehydration deficit. You know something is wrong when I go lay on the couch instead of eating pizza. I went to bed at 8:30 last night and woke up at 9 this morning!!!!!!!! I guess my body was trying to tell me something. I still feel a bit wonky today, but better.
Time for yet another big glass of Gatorade and something sweet...
Hope everyone enjoyed BS&G today...I've been laying around...
Thursday came and I felt okay through the day. I figured the ride would be thin because Blood, Sweat and Gears was looming on so many horizons. We left with 10. Mark W. and Cisco turned around at the gate. We lost Sam and Joel and the very quick run down to Elon. I sat up to wait on them on the climb, but even at my snail-humping-a-turtle pace, they never returned. I got back on and the ride turmed into a rolling, 6 man, HARD tempo paceline. I felt really good and rode well.
We rolled in together and I took the sprint on Shop with ease.
Friday, right after lunch, I started to feel bad. By the time dinner rolled around, I was a hot mess. I felt like I was somewhere between and bonk and a hangover. I didn't eat or drink much of anything after the ride Thursday and think I got myself into some sort of glycogen/dehydration deficit. You know something is wrong when I go lay on the couch instead of eating pizza. I went to bed at 8:30 last night and woke up at 9 this morning!!!!!!!! I guess my body was trying to tell me something. I still feel a bit wonky today, but better.
Time for yet another big glass of Gatorade and something sweet...
Hope everyone enjoyed BS&G today...I've been laying around...
22 June 2008
Weekend
Saturday's ride has been moved to 8 am in an effort to beat the summer heat, but DAMN, it's early. The alarm went off at 6:15...it was still dark!
Anyway, we had a really good, even group for the ride. A lot of the usual suspects were conspicuous in their absence, but to each his own.
We went out through the Fort and down onto Old Leesburg for the normal Saturday stroll into Eastover. We were all together and going along nicely and then, as usual, my phone rang. Normally, I just don't anwer it, but it was the H.O. calling, and seeing how we have two toddlers, I felt obliged to answer. I love the H.O., but sometimes, she's a dumbass. #1 got a zinc lozenge and attepted to ingest it. For those of you who have tried 'Cold-eze' lozenges, you know they taste like a bit like a 9 volt battery dipped in fertilizer. He promptly spit it out, but the H.O. still felt the need to call me and make sure I got shot out the back of the group while talking to her on the phone.
I chased and caught the bunch right after the turn onto Chaingang. We all gathered up and noticed the NID made a bit of a sneak attack and was away. The line worked well together and brought it back a bit, but time was winding down before the sprint, and I wasn't going to let him stay away. We'd never hear the end of it.
I warned everyone that my next time through I was going to nail it...and I did. I took it to 60kmh and left it there. The gap closed quickly.
After that, we all stayed together and rode and good medium-hard tempo until the end of the ride. I felt good again and feel like some form is starting to come on.
90km in 2:45 for the day.
This morning, we were supposed to have 6 on the ride. Casey and Rob bailed (weak) and upon arrival at TVH's house, we found him in flip-flops, casual wear and decidedly pillow smashed hair...a bit too much red, white AND pink wine last night.
The ride got shortened for Doogie and I. We did Sandy Run, up into Gaston and home. I was tired and he had one too many beers last night (he had two beers, fwiw). Of course, it had rained out there, so the bike is filthy, again, and has developed a click in the crank/BB. It was a nice, slow, 2:45 on the bike and 75km.
A good weekend of riding overall. Cooler temps, little wind and good company...
Anyway, we had a really good, even group for the ride. A lot of the usual suspects were conspicuous in their absence, but to each his own.
We went out through the Fort and down onto Old Leesburg for the normal Saturday stroll into Eastover. We were all together and going along nicely and then, as usual, my phone rang. Normally, I just don't anwer it, but it was the H.O. calling, and seeing how we have two toddlers, I felt obliged to answer. I love the H.O., but sometimes, she's a dumbass. #1 got a zinc lozenge and attepted to ingest it. For those of you who have tried 'Cold-eze' lozenges, you know they taste like a bit like a 9 volt battery dipped in fertilizer. He promptly spit it out, but the H.O. still felt the need to call me and make sure I got shot out the back of the group while talking to her on the phone.
I chased and caught the bunch right after the turn onto Chaingang. We all gathered up and noticed the NID made a bit of a sneak attack and was away. The line worked well together and brought it back a bit, but time was winding down before the sprint, and I wasn't going to let him stay away. We'd never hear the end of it.
I warned everyone that my next time through I was going to nail it...and I did. I took it to 60kmh and left it there. The gap closed quickly.
After that, we all stayed together and rode and good medium-hard tempo until the end of the ride. I felt good again and feel like some form is starting to come on.
90km in 2:45 for the day.
This morning, we were supposed to have 6 on the ride. Casey and Rob bailed (weak) and upon arrival at TVH's house, we found him in flip-flops, casual wear and decidedly pillow smashed hair...a bit too much red, white AND pink wine last night.
The ride got shortened for Doogie and I. We did Sandy Run, up into Gaston and home. I was tired and he had one too many beers last night (he had two beers, fwiw). Of course, it had rained out there, so the bike is filthy, again, and has developed a click in the crank/BB. It was a nice, slow, 2:45 on the bike and 75km.
A good weekend of riding overall. Cooler temps, little wind and good company...
21 June 2008
20 June 2008
Bigger, faster, stronger...
The 50c has been rebuilt...
White Industries H2 hub (no need for ceramics here...it's smoooove)
Sapim CX-Ray spokes
660 grams
Built by the best...I'll let you guys figure out who...shouldn't be a hard one...
Good?
Wow, I actually felt good last night. The stars must have aligned or maybe it was that chicken I killed under the light of the moon a few nights ago.
The ride itself was a bit of a clusterfuck. Not on the proportions of a few past Thursday rides, but there were a few hinky moments to say the least.
Everyone was together out of the Fort and for the run down Ridge. About halfway down Horrell Hill, a small gap was allowed to open and few guys got off the front. The rest of us were working just fine when some dumbass redneck in a $400 Suburban decided to pass as a car was coming the other way. Instead of waiting the 4 seconds until it was clear and safe for all, he whipped it right over into the group, forcing several into the grass...at 40kmh. Fortunately for us, no one crashed. Fortunately for the asshole driver, he wasn't found later on.
We all gathered back up at the top of Elon and continued on our way.
The paceline was interrupted again by some moron would was attempting a 17 point turn in the middle of the road in a big, black Benz. She was propbably looking for a good place to ditch it and burn it, seeing as we were in Lower Richland and there just is not an abundance of $50,000 cars out there...
Almost immediately thereafter, Der Kaiser ruptured a valve...in his tube. We softpedaled to wait, but I think Doogie had too many Espressos through his day of taking boards and couldn't help himself. The pace ramped from 30 to 35 to 37 and then it was on again. The seven of us in the front group traded pulls down Airbase at 45kmh+ (nice tailwind) until there were 5. Some dumbfuck almost ran me down after the turn off of Airbase. He was going enitrely too fast, both for the road and his piece of shit car.
It felt really good to ride hard again and not completely suck.
The whole group came back together on Double Homey and rode back in. I got boxed on the bridge sprint and couldn't do anything...at 66kmh.
Good, albeit wacky ride...
8am Saturday ride this week...and for the rest of summer.
The ride itself was a bit of a clusterfuck. Not on the proportions of a few past Thursday rides, but there were a few hinky moments to say the least.
Everyone was together out of the Fort and for the run down Ridge. About halfway down Horrell Hill, a small gap was allowed to open and few guys got off the front. The rest of us were working just fine when some dumbass redneck in a $400 Suburban decided to pass as a car was coming the other way. Instead of waiting the 4 seconds until it was clear and safe for all, he whipped it right over into the group, forcing several into the grass...at 40kmh. Fortunately for us, no one crashed. Fortunately for the asshole driver, he wasn't found later on.
We all gathered back up at the top of Elon and continued on our way.
The paceline was interrupted again by some moron would was attempting a 17 point turn in the middle of the road in a big, black Benz. She was propbably looking for a good place to ditch it and burn it, seeing as we were in Lower Richland and there just is not an abundance of $50,000 cars out there...
Almost immediately thereafter, Der Kaiser ruptured a valve...in his tube. We softpedaled to wait, but I think Doogie had too many Espressos through his day of taking boards and couldn't help himself. The pace ramped from 30 to 35 to 37 and then it was on again. The seven of us in the front group traded pulls down Airbase at 45kmh+ (nice tailwind) until there were 5. Some dumbfuck almost ran me down after the turn off of Airbase. He was going enitrely too fast, both for the road and his piece of shit car.
It felt really good to ride hard again and not completely suck.
The whole group came back together on Double Homey and rode back in. I got boxed on the bridge sprint and couldn't do anything...at 66kmh.
Good, albeit wacky ride...
8am Saturday ride this week...and for the rest of summer.
17 June 2008
Signs
I went to the TNCWC tonight and actually felt decent. Warmup was good. I rode with Dr. LP for a long while....a good egg, that one!
Anyway, the race started and I felt okay, not great, but I wasn't suffering like the proverbial dog. About 15 minutes in, I went through turn 3 and the bike felt really washy in the back-end, or 'loose' for you NASCAR fans. You guessed it...soft tire. Sign #1...
I stopped to change it and noticed that the tire itself was fine, but the screw part of the valve had broken off at some point, causing the tire to go soft. Sign #2...
Michelin Pro Race 3 tires are some tight bitches, so I used my skewer as a lever. Evidently, in my haste to get the nut off the skewer, I lost one of the springs in the grass. It probably would have been okay, but I saw it as Sign #3 and just decided to call it a night. At that point, pretty much all motivation was gone anyway, so I just rode home slowly.
No sense in standing around to watch the end.
Uncle Shrews is rebuilding my front Williams 50C wheel. White Industries hub and CX-Rays will make it mo betta. They are great wheels, but the front hub design is shit...and I told WIlliams that...! It's an American Classic Micro design...(scratches head). If you're gonna copy something, copy a good something! Jeez...
See you Thursday...
Anyway, the race started and I felt okay, not great, but I wasn't suffering like the proverbial dog. About 15 minutes in, I went through turn 3 and the bike felt really washy in the back-end, or 'loose' for you NASCAR fans. You guessed it...soft tire. Sign #1...
I stopped to change it and noticed that the tire itself was fine, but the screw part of the valve had broken off at some point, causing the tire to go soft. Sign #2...
Michelin Pro Race 3 tires are some tight bitches, so I used my skewer as a lever. Evidently, in my haste to get the nut off the skewer, I lost one of the springs in the grass. It probably would have been okay, but I saw it as Sign #3 and just decided to call it a night. At that point, pretty much all motivation was gone anyway, so I just rode home slowly.
No sense in standing around to watch the end.
Uncle Shrews is rebuilding my front Williams 50C wheel. White Industries hub and CX-Rays will make it mo betta. They are great wheels, but the front hub design is shit...and I told WIlliams that...! It's an American Classic Micro design...(scratches head). If you're gonna copy something, copy a good something! Jeez...
See you Thursday...
Thought for the day
Thought for the day:
OPEC sells oil for $136.00 a barrel.
OPEC nations buy U.S. grain at $7.00 a bushel.
Solution: Sell grain for $136.00 a bushel.
Can't buy it?
Tough!
Eat your oil.
OPEC sells oil for $136.00 a barrel.
OPEC nations buy U.S. grain at $7.00 a bushel.
Solution: Sell grain for $136.00 a bushel.
Can't buy it?
Tough!
Eat your oil.
16 June 2008
damp
Saturday was thin, borderline anorexic. Some folks are preparing for BS&G, so they left a bit early to ride a bit longer...
The remainder of us ventured out through the Fort, down to Elon and did a new route into Eastover. It was a nice change. Mandrus and I did all of the work, so I got a good workout from the ride.
Sunday, TVH, Il Prof, Doogie and I met @ 8 for a Calhoun County ride. The weatherman said the rain would hold off until lunchtime....it must be mice to be wrong everyday and still draw a paycheck...
We were about 2 miles past the 176/21 split and I saw something that appeared to be smoke. Well, it wasn't!!!!!! A wall of water met us with big, fat, stinging drops. At this point, it was a bit late to turnaround, so we soldiered on through the deluge. We rode out to Big Beaver Creek (heh heh) and cut across to 176. It rained until we got to Eastman Chemical and then the roads were largely dry. Once back into town, I could tell that it didn't rain enough to get wet.
And of course, once I got in the shower, the sun came out and shone brightly...bastard. I will say that riding in the rain is much easier on the body than 95 degree heat.
Another hour spent cleaning the bike...again...! I rode the White Industries wheels...GD, those things ride well.
Overall, it was a good ride weekend. I ended with 6-1/2 hours on the bike and 200km. No real efforts to speak of, but some quality, form building miles.
Oh, Casey won the NC road race championships! A year on the bike and more palmares than most of the guys in town who have been riding for 20...
The remainder of us ventured out through the Fort, down to Elon and did a new route into Eastover. It was a nice change. Mandrus and I did all of the work, so I got a good workout from the ride.
Sunday, TVH, Il Prof, Doogie and I met @ 8 for a Calhoun County ride. The weatherman said the rain would hold off until lunchtime....it must be mice to be wrong everyday and still draw a paycheck...
We were about 2 miles past the 176/21 split and I saw something that appeared to be smoke. Well, it wasn't!!!!!! A wall of water met us with big, fat, stinging drops. At this point, it was a bit late to turnaround, so we soldiered on through the deluge. We rode out to Big Beaver Creek (heh heh) and cut across to 176. It rained until we got to Eastman Chemical and then the roads were largely dry. Once back into town, I could tell that it didn't rain enough to get wet.
And of course, once I got in the shower, the sun came out and shone brightly...bastard. I will say that riding in the rain is much easier on the body than 95 degree heat.
Another hour spent cleaning the bike...again...! I rode the White Industries wheels...GD, those things ride well.
Overall, it was a good ride weekend. I ended with 6-1/2 hours on the bike and 200km. No real efforts to speak of, but some quality, form building miles.
Oh, Casey won the NC road race championships! A year on the bike and more palmares than most of the guys in town who have been riding for 20...
13 June 2008
Better
The Thursday ride was pretty big last night. Bigger than it has been for a long while at least...
The weather was a bit more cooperative as well. It was only 90 when I left the house. Of course, it did start to sprinkle rain on the run down to Elon and it felt oh so good.
There were some horses out last night, but the ride didn't seem to be ballistic. Don't get me wrong, there were a few moments when I was tasting pennies, but it wasn't a ball-breaker.
I stayed in the back for the most part and just surfed. No reason to be a hero when all I want is some speed work.
I knew that'd I'd have to burn a match or two on Airbase, so discretion was called for early in the ride. I was correct in that theory. Once we got to the rise on Airbase, Der Kaiser hit the front. I was last man in the left line and I saw him go. I jumped hard up the rise and tagged onto the back of the lead group. The problem was that I used the jump and sprint to get there and just couldn't stay. I passed Beano and we worked together for the rest of Airbase. The killer was the fact that the gap between us and the lead bunch never opened up. We matched their speed the entire way to the 4 way and stayed away from the rest of the bunch behind us. It was a nice tailwind stretch on Airbase too...very nice!
After that, the group rode piano the rest of the way home. No jumps, no attacks, no sprints...
I felt pretty good, but can tell I need some intensity work. No big lungs just yet...
9am Saturday this week and then 8am next Saturday...time to beat the heat...
The weather was a bit more cooperative as well. It was only 90 when I left the house. Of course, it did start to sprinkle rain on the run down to Elon and it felt oh so good.
There were some horses out last night, but the ride didn't seem to be ballistic. Don't get me wrong, there were a few moments when I was tasting pennies, but it wasn't a ball-breaker.
I stayed in the back for the most part and just surfed. No reason to be a hero when all I want is some speed work.
I knew that'd I'd have to burn a match or two on Airbase, so discretion was called for early in the ride. I was correct in that theory. Once we got to the rise on Airbase, Der Kaiser hit the front. I was last man in the left line and I saw him go. I jumped hard up the rise and tagged onto the back of the lead group. The problem was that I used the jump and sprint to get there and just couldn't stay. I passed Beano and we worked together for the rest of Airbase. The killer was the fact that the gap between us and the lead bunch never opened up. We matched their speed the entire way to the 4 way and stayed away from the rest of the bunch behind us. It was a nice tailwind stretch on Airbase too...very nice!
After that, the group rode piano the rest of the way home. No jumps, no attacks, no sprints...
I felt pretty good, but can tell I need some intensity work. No big lungs just yet...
9am Saturday this week and then 8am next Saturday...time to beat the heat...
11 June 2008
Just what I wanted...
I went out to the crit last night, wanting nothing more than to spin some garbage out of my legs. I rode out, warmed up and rode the first 20 minutes. The group was BIG last night...probably around 50 or so. Attacks started from the gun and I just rode around on the back. I did close a couple of gaps and took a few pulls, but that was it. My legs were still heavy from Sunday and I'm just not going to push too hard until my back is 100%. I figure I'm at 80-85% right now...
I rode in the drops, pushed hard and stood up to sprint a few times with little anguish. It may be time to start introducing some anger and speedwork back into the program...
I actually kind of missed sweeping through the turns at high speed. The back of the bunch is a scary, scary place though...my fitnees precludes time on the front however!
I do feel better today. My legs aren't heavy and my back feels fine...we'll see.
Oh, if you're looking for bike stuff on the cheap, check out www.chainlove.com
And if you want some drama, go to the link >>>>> marked "Hoovis". It seems the new promoter of one of the most successful race series on the east coast has given everyone the big middle finger...! I'll just say that they are waaaay nicer up there than I would have expected. It's hard to believe that none of those guys has an acquaintance that wears shiny suits and has "The" for a middlename. It is right outside of Philly after all...
I rode in the drops, pushed hard and stood up to sprint a few times with little anguish. It may be time to start introducing some anger and speedwork back into the program...
I actually kind of missed sweeping through the turns at high speed. The back of the bunch is a scary, scary place though...my fitnees precludes time on the front however!
I do feel better today. My legs aren't heavy and my back feels fine...we'll see.
Oh, if you're looking for bike stuff on the cheap, check out www.chainlove.com
And if you want some drama, go to the link >>>>> marked "Hoovis". It seems the new promoter of one of the most successful race series on the east coast has given everyone the big middle finger...! I'll just say that they are waaaay nicer up there than I would have expected. It's hard to believe that none of those guys has an acquaintance that wears shiny suits and has "The" for a middlename. It is right outside of Philly after all...
09 June 2008
Tommeke?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jun08/jun10news
Boonen has a 'non-negative' test for Bolivian marching powder @ the Tour of Belgium...
Loses his driver's license twice in two weeks...
(popcorn is popping)
Boonen has a 'non-negative' test for Bolivian marching powder @ the Tour of Belgium...
Loses his driver's license twice in two weeks...
(popcorn is popping)
Long, hot and steamy...
No, it's not what you are thinking...dirty minds...
Saturday, most of our little downtown group went to the mountains for some sort of masochistic ritual. Honestly, I really wouldn't mind going up there to ride for 4 or 5 hours...I just don't have the 12-14 hours in my day to devote to the trip.
Anyway, I got on the cross rig and went out across the river and hit up some trails. SCE&G, with the money from my ballooning power bills, built a little nature preserve and cut some nice singletrack through the woods. It was supposed to be a loop, but I must have lost the trail somewhere because it came to a stop in a big pond o'bullfrogs about 2 miles in. The signs on the trail warning of snakes and alligators were confidence inspiring as well!
I turned and headed out, being harrassed by the biggest mosquitoes known to man. I hit the dirt service road for about 30 out and 30 back. I got home with a bit over 2 hours on the bike, a few bug bites and plenty of dirt.
Sunday, TVH, Casey (sans a sleeping, lazy Rob...bum) and I went out into Calhoun County for a 4+ hour, hot, humid, borderline deathmarch of a ride. It started out all fine and well, then the sun got high in the sky. We did 176 down to 21, across to 6 and back over to 176...THEN, like the brainiacs we are, decided to add on a bit extra and did the Gaston loop. No sooner did we get off the main road, I flatted. Oh the joys of $15 latex tubes and carbon wheels....! Thanks to TVH and Casey for the save. My spare was bad, TVH's was bad, so it fell to C to get us home. Thankfully, there were no more punctures, as the H.O. would have had to come out on a rescue mission...and she just LOVES doing that...
I got home with just shy of 125km and 4:30 on the bike. It was miserably hot for the last 90 minutes of the ride. I got home and the mercury was touching 98 degrees with a 104 heat index...just brutal. I <3 me a cold shower...
Overall, it was a really good weekend of riding. I feel better on the bike. My legs are getting better. The back is holding steady (thanks to the several hundred sit-ups I do a week) and I'm enjoying being on the bike.
Oh, and Casey is going to the OTC for development camp...less than a year on the bike and gone to Colorado Springs...! We'll be able to say that we knew her when...
She learned about town and county limit signs yesterday, so hopefully she'll take it to camp with her.
Out 'til Tuesday...
Saturday, most of our little downtown group went to the mountains for some sort of masochistic ritual. Honestly, I really wouldn't mind going up there to ride for 4 or 5 hours...I just don't have the 12-14 hours in my day to devote to the trip.
Anyway, I got on the cross rig and went out across the river and hit up some trails. SCE&G, with the money from my ballooning power bills, built a little nature preserve and cut some nice singletrack through the woods. It was supposed to be a loop, but I must have lost the trail somewhere because it came to a stop in a big pond o'bullfrogs about 2 miles in. The signs on the trail warning of snakes and alligators were confidence inspiring as well!
I turned and headed out, being harrassed by the biggest mosquitoes known to man. I hit the dirt service road for about 30 out and 30 back. I got home with a bit over 2 hours on the bike, a few bug bites and plenty of dirt.
Sunday, TVH, Casey (sans a sleeping, lazy Rob...bum) and I went out into Calhoun County for a 4+ hour, hot, humid, borderline deathmarch of a ride. It started out all fine and well, then the sun got high in the sky. We did 176 down to 21, across to 6 and back over to 176...THEN, like the brainiacs we are, decided to add on a bit extra and did the Gaston loop. No sooner did we get off the main road, I flatted. Oh the joys of $15 latex tubes and carbon wheels....! Thanks to TVH and Casey for the save. My spare was bad, TVH's was bad, so it fell to C to get us home. Thankfully, there were no more punctures, as the H.O. would have had to come out on a rescue mission...and she just LOVES doing that...
I got home with just shy of 125km and 4:30 on the bike. It was miserably hot for the last 90 minutes of the ride. I got home and the mercury was touching 98 degrees with a 104 heat index...just brutal. I <3 me a cold shower...
Overall, it was a really good weekend of riding. I feel better on the bike. My legs are getting better. The back is holding steady (thanks to the several hundred sit-ups I do a week) and I'm enjoying being on the bike.
Oh, and Casey is going to the OTC for development camp...less than a year on the bike and gone to Colorado Springs...! We'll be able to say that we knew her when...
She learned about town and county limit signs yesterday, so hopefully she'll take it to camp with her.
Out 'til Tuesday...
06 June 2008
Hot!
Holy crap! It's freaking hot! My geek-o weather station said it was 95 when I left for the ride last night...@ 5:45...and it's only June. August will be a barrel of monkeys. At this rate, I'll have to go sell vital fluids to pay the power bill.
After I was in the 75 degree house all day, it was a bit of a shock to the system. I knew I was in for a bad night. I felt flat and really blocked up. Going out through the Fort sucked and the ride didn't get any better from there. Thank God it wasn't a brutal ride. I tail-gunned most of it and after the rise on Airbase, I just gave up. No 'HTFU' last night. I felt sick and quit. Rob dropped off too, so we rode in together.
I need to get out in the heat to get acclimated.
A big group is going to the mountains tomorrow, so I'm likely just going to do a cross ride on the other side of the river. There are some trails over there I want to check out anyway.
Sunday, who knows...
After I was in the 75 degree house all day, it was a bit of a shock to the system. I knew I was in for a bad night. I felt flat and really blocked up. Going out through the Fort sucked and the ride didn't get any better from there. Thank God it wasn't a brutal ride. I tail-gunned most of it and after the rise on Airbase, I just gave up. No 'HTFU' last night. I felt sick and quit. Rob dropped off too, so we rode in together.
I need to get out in the heat to get acclimated.
A big group is going to the mountains tomorrow, so I'm likely just going to do a cross ride on the other side of the river. There are some trails over there I want to check out anyway.
Sunday, who knows...
01 June 2008
And we're done...
I'm tired...
I'm tired...
I'm tired...
I did the Beer Ride Friday Night. It was actually pretty enjoyable. I won't be making it a habit though. It's just a little bit too sketchy.
Saturday was the final nail in my week of training coffin. I woke up with heavy legs and not a lot of motivation. I went to the ride anyway. We did the normal Eastover Saturday loop and while I didn't feel terrible, I was really flat and just felt tired. The legs were nothing more than big, hollow meatsticks. I did everything from taking my pulls to tailgunning to simply just sitting up and falling off the back. I was dehydrated, hungry and grumpy for pretty much the whole ride.
I got home with another 90km and 2:45 on the bike.
For the week, I rode 6 of 7 days, did a total of 17 hours in the saddle and racked up 505km. Considering my back injury has kept me under 6 hours a week for the last 8 weeks or so, this was a HUGE week. I lost 5 pounds, yet ate everything in the house. The metabolism is definitely going again. It's 75 in here right now and I'm sweating like a hooker in church.
I'm going to take a couple of rest days and then ride easy on Tuesday...I'll either completely suck or get some fitness out of the past week.
The H.O. and the management trainees are home, so the quiet has come to an end.
Good luck to Casey today @ the CSC. Don't be intimidated!!!
I'm tired...
I'm tired...
I did the Beer Ride Friday Night. It was actually pretty enjoyable. I won't be making it a habit though. It's just a little bit too sketchy.
Saturday was the final nail in my week of training coffin. I woke up with heavy legs and not a lot of motivation. I went to the ride anyway. We did the normal Eastover Saturday loop and while I didn't feel terrible, I was really flat and just felt tired. The legs were nothing more than big, hollow meatsticks. I did everything from taking my pulls to tailgunning to simply just sitting up and falling off the back. I was dehydrated, hungry and grumpy for pretty much the whole ride.
I got home with another 90km and 2:45 on the bike.
For the week, I rode 6 of 7 days, did a total of 17 hours in the saddle and racked up 505km. Considering my back injury has kept me under 6 hours a week for the last 8 weeks or so, this was a HUGE week. I lost 5 pounds, yet ate everything in the house. The metabolism is definitely going again. It's 75 in here right now and I'm sweating like a hooker in church.
I'm going to take a couple of rest days and then ride easy on Tuesday...I'll either completely suck or get some fitness out of the past week.
The H.O. and the management trainees are home, so the quiet has come to an end.
Good luck to Casey today @ the CSC. Don't be intimidated!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)