So I've got this 70(ish) mile race next weekend and I have hardly ridden this month. September has been a crazy month and my "training" has unfortunately taken a seat further back on the bus. I've only ridden a total of 45 miles for the entire month of September. Lousy.
This race next weekend isn't officially a "race", but it will be timed. I consider that a race. I won't end up on any podium, but I do plan to ride my ass off and post a respectable time. I figure 70 miles in less than 4 hours gives me a minimum average speed of 17.5mph. Of course that's what I plan on telling the event organizers for grouping purposes. I will be riding with team Bad-Ass for this ride. Everyone else on the team has been doing longer rides on the weekends and are in good riding shape. It should be interesting.
I hope to get in at least 25 miles one morning this week in preparation and then some easy stationary riding. I will be riding the new bike (yet to be named). Because of the warmer temperatures, I will add the "behind the saddle" water bottle cages. I refuse to be dehydrated! I'll be rolling with 4 bottles instead of the CamelBak. I'll bring enough nutrition to keep me going and be sure to eat plenty of breakfast as not to bonk.
I'm looking forward to this ride. My last organized ride was last November. Organized rides are a blast because so many people are all there to ride. The comraderie and energy is awesome! Occasionally, there's the complete moron that doesn't know how to ride in a group; but that can only sharpen one's skills (as long as no one crashes into or in front of me).
Should be fun...
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Team Bad-Ass Rides Again!
Tuesday morning the Higley Groves chapter of Team Bad-Ass hit the road. Since Kate is training for the Ironman (the very definition of Bad-Ass), the training schedule called for a 90 minute ride. The start temperature for our ride was 80* and the wind was non-existent.
As I pulled up to the Rosier's, Ron mentioned that he was tired this morning. We headed out with sun to our backs and quickly the "tired guy" set a pace of 21mph. Personally, I think he was sandbagging. We kept this pace for most of the 1st half of the ride with the exception of hitting EVERY red light. As we traveled West on Elliott, it was as if a street sweeper had been there hours before! Smooth and debris free.
We headed north along the 101 frontage road and the right lane was blocked making the bike lane huge. This was alright!
We turned back into the sun to head back along Guadalupe. I should have known something was up when all the bike lane dudes had been ground off in the bike lane. Then came the "bike lane closed ahead sign. Turns out they were re-surfacing the street. The asphault was new, but not smooth. As I drafted Ron, I contiuously had to spit out asphault that was being kicked up by his back tire. Maybe I should back off I thought. I did. This rough asphault created much more rolling resistance. We were working to maintain our 17+mph pace.
After the rough road, I decided that it was time for a sprint. These sprints that I do on our rides are fairly short, maybe 20 seconds; but during those 20 seconds I go ALL OUT. Pedaling as fast as I can, I shoot past the team and actually hit 27.1mph! Unfortunately whatever gas was in the tank at the time was gone. I may have even sprinted on fumes. I was cooked. A little PowerBar goo and a bit of drafting, and I eventually recovered.
As we headed South down Recker, Kate took the lead again. In the sprint bars and hammering, she brought the pace back up to 21mph. I considered another sprint, but didn't think I had anything left after the first. Once we were 3/4mile from home, I went for it! Pedaling as hard as I could, I hit 28.9mph. I pretty much coasted home after that. Ready to start the work day.
25.71miles total
28.9mph max (me)
17.7mph avg
1:27:29 time
80*start temp/85*end temp
All in all, an awesome ride!
As I pulled up to the Rosier's, Ron mentioned that he was tired this morning. We headed out with sun to our backs and quickly the "tired guy" set a pace of 21mph. Personally, I think he was sandbagging. We kept this pace for most of the 1st half of the ride with the exception of hitting EVERY red light. As we traveled West on Elliott, it was as if a street sweeper had been there hours before! Smooth and debris free.
We headed north along the 101 frontage road and the right lane was blocked making the bike lane huge. This was alright!
We turned back into the sun to head back along Guadalupe. I should have known something was up when all the bike lane dudes had been ground off in the bike lane. Then came the "bike lane closed ahead sign. Turns out they were re-surfacing the street. The asphault was new, but not smooth. As I drafted Ron, I contiuously had to spit out asphault that was being kicked up by his back tire. Maybe I should back off I thought. I did. This rough asphault created much more rolling resistance. We were working to maintain our 17+mph pace.
After the rough road, I decided that it was time for a sprint. These sprints that I do on our rides are fairly short, maybe 20 seconds; but during those 20 seconds I go ALL OUT. Pedaling as fast as I can, I shoot past the team and actually hit 27.1mph! Unfortunately whatever gas was in the tank at the time was gone. I may have even sprinted on fumes. I was cooked. A little PowerBar goo and a bit of drafting, and I eventually recovered.
As we headed South down Recker, Kate took the lead again. In the sprint bars and hammering, she brought the pace back up to 21mph. I considered another sprint, but didn't think I had anything left after the first. Once we were 3/4mile from home, I went for it! Pedaling as hard as I could, I hit 28.9mph. I pretty much coasted home after that. Ready to start the work day.
The funniest thing I saw was an older lady walking a BIG german shepard (that's not the funny part). In her left hand, she held the leash and the little bag for poo. In her right, was the biggest can of mace I've ever seen. I swear it was about the size of a can of spray paint! The neighborhood where we were isn't by any means dangerous, I don't think. Besides, it was the morning time in broad daylight. You woould think if anyone was going to start trouble, they'd think twice with this big dog. When I saw this, I actually laughed out loud a little.
Useless ride stats:25.71miles total
28.9mph max (me)
17.7mph avg
1:27:29 time
80*start temp/85*end temp
All in all, an awesome ride!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Team OMWP Rides Again!
Hello,
How about that ride in? I guess that’s why they call it Gilbert (hahaha).
You guys may not know this, but I consider myself…a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one man wolf pack. But when my wife suggested I ride with Kate & Ron, I knew they were one of my own. And my wolf pack, it grew by two. So were three…so there were three of us in the pack. I…I was alone first in the pack, and then Kate & Ron joined in later.
Apparently Team Bad-Ass decided to ride a century in Flagstaff this weekend. That's 100 miles, at altitude (5500-7000'), with not so great weather this weekend. So this weekend, the One Man Wolf Pack rides again! In the spirit of today's TDF stage, I decided to do a "time trial" of sorts. That is, a race against the clock. I'm not riding a time trail bike (I wish I had one), just the single speed. Time trials are typically shorter and the riders maintain a higher speed for longer periods of time. In fact; in order to do well in an Individual Time Trial (ITT), a cyclist must:
-maintain a steady power output for long periods.
-maintain a controlled heart rate for long periods.
-have a smooth, regular pedalling technique.
-position him or herself to be extremely aerodynamic.
-discipline him or herself to operate just below the anaerobic threshold until near the end of the course.
II have no aerodynamic helmet on, my jersey was open and flapping, and I'm not the smallest guy on a bike. I just decided to ride all out!
My route was a "short" 24 miles and I planned to ride as fast as I could. The first half of the ride was slightly uphill, but not a big deal. When I came downstairs this morning, my son was already up; sitting on the couch reading a book. This delayed my departure. Instead of rollin out at 0600, I rolled out at 0800ish afer everyone was up. Not a biggie except it was considerably warmer.
I headed east along the same rout that I rode last week. This time, the urine & poo smells were gone as well as Monsanto's finest. As planned, I hammered the pedals. Legs were feeling great, water was still cold, light traffic, just warm. Once I finally started climbing slightly, it really warmed up. I could feel the sun beating down on me when I stopped at lights. The best thing to do was keep moving. I stopped at mile 11.5 for a cool down and PowerBar. After that brief respite, I headed up the rest of the way to McKellips Road which turned out to only be about 1/2 mile. I crossed McKellips and turned around once the roads were free of trucks pulling boats.
After turning around, I realized that I really was climbing because I flew back from where I came. The climb isn't steep at all; barely noticable in fact, but once I was heading South, it was "go" time. I decided to do some interval sprints during this "downhill" and hit some decent speeds for not having gears. My max speed was 27.1mph. That might not sound like much, but for the lack of steepness of this road, it was cool to see. While heading back South, the wind was starting to blow from the East. I thought, cool I have to turn East soon. As luck would have it, the wind shifted. Now it was coming from the West (the direction I was heading). Oh well.
I made it home without incident or even a close call. Hopefully team One Man Wolf Pack can ride again with team Bad-Ass soon. They're a great group to ride with and help me be a better rider.
Keep it rubber side down!
How about that ride in? I guess that’s why they call it Gilbert (hahaha).
You guys may not know this, but I consider myself…a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one man wolf pack. But when my wife suggested I ride with Kate & Ron, I knew they were one of my own. And my wolf pack, it grew by two. So were three…so there were three of us in the pack. I…I was alone first in the pack, and then Kate & Ron joined in later.
Apparently Team Bad-Ass decided to ride a century in Flagstaff this weekend. That's 100 miles, at altitude (5500-7000'), with not so great weather this weekend. So this weekend, the One Man Wolf Pack rides again! In the spirit of today's TDF stage, I decided to do a "time trial" of sorts. That is, a race against the clock. I'm not riding a time trail bike (I wish I had one), just the single speed. Time trials are typically shorter and the riders maintain a higher speed for longer periods of time. In fact; in order to do well in an Individual Time Trial (ITT), a cyclist must:
-maintain a steady power output for long periods.
-maintain a controlled heart rate for long periods.
-have a smooth, regular pedalling technique.
-position him or herself to be extremely aerodynamic.
-discipline him or herself to operate just below the anaerobic threshold until near the end of the course.
II have no aerodynamic helmet on, my jersey was open and flapping, and I'm not the smallest guy on a bike. I just decided to ride all out!
My route was a "short" 24 miles and I planned to ride as fast as I could. The first half of the ride was slightly uphill, but not a big deal. When I came downstairs this morning, my son was already up; sitting on the couch reading a book. This delayed my departure. Instead of rollin out at 0600, I rolled out at 0800ish afer everyone was up. Not a biggie except it was considerably warmer.
I headed east along the same rout that I rode last week. This time, the urine & poo smells were gone as well as Monsanto's finest. As planned, I hammered the pedals. Legs were feeling great, water was still cold, light traffic, just warm. Once I finally started climbing slightly, it really warmed up. I could feel the sun beating down on me when I stopped at lights. The best thing to do was keep moving. I stopped at mile 11.5 for a cool down and PowerBar. After that brief respite, I headed up the rest of the way to McKellips Road which turned out to only be about 1/2 mile. I crossed McKellips and turned around once the roads were free of trucks pulling boats.
After turning around, I realized that I really was climbing because I flew back from where I came. The climb isn't steep at all; barely noticable in fact, but once I was heading South, it was "go" time. I decided to do some interval sprints during this "downhill" and hit some decent speeds for not having gears. My max speed was 27.1mph. That might not sound like much, but for the lack of steepness of this road, it was cool to see. While heading back South, the wind was starting to blow from the East. I thought, cool I have to turn East soon. As luck would have it, the wind shifted. Now it was coming from the West (the direction I was heading). Oh well.
I made it home without incident or even a close call. Hopefully team One Man Wolf Pack can ride again with team Bad-Ass soon. They're a great group to ride with and help me be a better rider.
Keep it rubber side down!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
An Open Letter to My Son
Most parents are proud of their kids. To say that I'm insanely proud of my son would be a gross understatement.
Last night, I watched some old video footage of you and it reminded me how far you've come and how hard you've worked to get here. I was reminded of how little eye contact you made and what little language you had only a few short years ago. I remembered the day when the public school system labeled you "severely Autistic". I remembered the Tupperware lid spinning and the "pink milk" you carried around. That was then.
Now, I look at you with a swelling pride that only a father that knows how far you've come can feel. Last night, before bed, you were SO excited to be starting school today. This morning, you came downstairs and exclaimed "first day of school today!" with the biggest smile. Then we had the conversation about whether Andy (Schleck) would get back the "yellow shirt" [le Tour de France]. Just 3 years ago I wondered if we'd even be able to have conversations, now listen to the ones we have. The questions you ask are amazing! Your silliness warms my heart!You have worked so hard with your therapists in the past few years. I know they push you beyond your comfort zone and you may not like it; but you do the work. Look at how all that has payed off. You take your slurry of supplements without (much) protest. You are certainly a trooper and I'm proud of you!
Today you start first grade. Wow. Where has the time gone? I never imagined that you'd be in a top rated charter school among "neuro-typical" peers hanging right in there with them. You probably have to work a little harder than your classmates to get the job done, but you do it. Today, at your first day of school, you lined up with your class and gave us a "bye guys". You were ready to go! No hesitation whatsoever. I think you have a great teacher this year who will encourage you and help you grow as well. You will be challenged at times, but you can do it. You've proven that in the past. I can't wait to hear about your first day today. All the new things and new friends, I just may be as excited as you.
I know that sometimes I get frustrated, but do know that I am proud of all your accomplishments; both big & small. I look forward to all of the great challenges and experiences we will have together. I love you, Matthew.
Love,
Dad
Last night, I watched some old video footage of you and it reminded me how far you've come and how hard you've worked to get here. I was reminded of how little eye contact you made and what little language you had only a few short years ago. I remembered the day when the public school system labeled you "severely Autistic". I remembered the Tupperware lid spinning and the "pink milk" you carried around. That was then.
Now, I look at you with a swelling pride that only a father that knows how far you've come can feel. Last night, before bed, you were SO excited to be starting school today. This morning, you came downstairs and exclaimed "first day of school today!" with the biggest smile. Then we had the conversation about whether Andy (Schleck) would get back the "yellow shirt" [le Tour de France]. Just 3 years ago I wondered if we'd even be able to have conversations, now listen to the ones we have. The questions you ask are amazing! Your silliness warms my heart!You have worked so hard with your therapists in the past few years. I know they push you beyond your comfort zone and you may not like it; but you do the work. Look at how all that has payed off. You take your slurry of supplements without (much) protest. You are certainly a trooper and I'm proud of you!
Today you start first grade. Wow. Where has the time gone? I never imagined that you'd be in a top rated charter school among "neuro-typical" peers hanging right in there with them. You probably have to work a little harder than your classmates to get the job done, but you do it. Today, at your first day of school, you lined up with your class and gave us a "bye guys". You were ready to go! No hesitation whatsoever. I think you have a great teacher this year who will encourage you and help you grow as well. You will be challenged at times, but you can do it. You've proven that in the past. I can't wait to hear about your first day today. All the new things and new friends, I just may be as excited as you.
I know that sometimes I get frustrated, but do know that I am proud of all your accomplishments; both big & small. I look forward to all of the great challenges and experiences we will have together. I love you, Matthew.
Love,
Dad
Monday, July 19, 2010
You Don't have to be Crazy...I'll Teach You
On Saturday, I decided I was going to go for a little bike ride on Sunday morning. It has been a long time since I've ridden (see previous post - "Endless Bonk"). I din't want to start out behind the 8 ball so I ate something. See I do learn from my mistakes. The plan was to ride up to the top of Usery Pass the "easy" way (up to 2200 feet at 3% grade) on the single speed. Only about 1000 feet of climbing and not too steep. This hill has kicked my butt before, but I was going to kick it's.
I started out and at mile 3, my legs started to ache as if asking, "seriously? You're going to do this to us?". I told them yes, this was happening and they'd have to suck it up. A little self massage (while pedalling) and I was good to go. I continued on past the dairy farms as fast as I could. The weather was warm & muggy. A nice thick cloud cover held in the warm smell of cow urine & poo. I've riden past and smelled the poo before, but never the strong smell of urine. What an overwhelming stench! Finally past the farms, I gradually start climbing. I was actually feeling pretty good and enjoying the views. It was 89 degrees when I started out and, as I stated before, muggy. It actually started sprinkling a little as I rode, but not enough to cool off. I stopped a part of the way off to take a picture of the Phoenix sign, dump some water on my head and get rid of some extra water I was carrying. After my bio-break, I headed back up the hill.
"I'm almost to the top" I realized. That was enough to give me the extra energy I needed. I made it! No down shifting, no walking, just hammering.
I turned around and headed back from whence I came. I turned west on McDowell and planned to go to Lindsay Road, head south and then home. That was the plan. As I approached the stop sign at Hawes/N. 84th street, I contemplated. Do I go up to Las Sendas, or go straight? "Eff it, it's go time"! I headed North. The climb isn't very long, but it's steep. 6% grade steep. Keep in mind, I'm on the single speed; no downshifting. As I climbed, I felt pretty good. I told myself to stay in the saddle until the first round about; and I did. After that, I was up, pulling my bike side to side to help with the pedal strokes. My left quad started to cramp. Aw hell no. I pushed through and made that climb too! I paused briefly at the top to look down at what I'd accomplished. Not bad for an old guy on a single speed. I headed down the hill and enjoyed the wind blow drying me.
I headed West on McDowell towards my original route. I turned south down Recker instead of the extra 4 miles to Lindsay. Recker has less traffic and it was already in the high 90's. I actually stopped at a Cricle K to refill my water bottles as I had just drained the last one. "Shoulda brought the CamelBak". Refueled and rehydrated, I continued home.
When I got home my bike computer read 104 degrees. Toasty! It was a good 35 mile ride. I averaged 15.9mph and topped out at just over 30mph.
I learned a few things along the way too. 1. When you ride by yourself, it's harder to be dropped by the pack. 2. The little "honey straws" from Sprouts are a good source of quick energy, but unless you have piranha teeth, they're hard to open. 3. My last ride, when I was dropped like third period french, was a fluke. I wasn't preparred then. I know next time I will be.
Was I crazy to ride in that kind of heat? Maybe. Was I crazy to try those clims on the "SS"? Probably. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!
Stay safe out there!
I started out and at mile 3, my legs started to ache as if asking, "seriously? You're going to do this to us?". I told them yes, this was happening and they'd have to suck it up. A little self massage (while pedalling) and I was good to go. I continued on past the dairy farms as fast as I could. The weather was warm & muggy. A nice thick cloud cover held in the warm smell of cow urine & poo. I've riden past and smelled the poo before, but never the strong smell of urine. What an overwhelming stench! Finally past the farms, I gradually start climbing. I was actually feeling pretty good and enjoying the views. It was 89 degrees when I started out and, as I stated before, muggy. It actually started sprinkling a little as I rode, but not enough to cool off. I stopped a part of the way off to take a picture of the Phoenix sign, dump some water on my head and get rid of some extra water I was carrying. After my bio-break, I headed back up the hill.
"I'm almost to the top" I realized. That was enough to give me the extra energy I needed. I made it! No down shifting, no walking, just hammering.
I turned around and headed back from whence I came. I turned west on McDowell and planned to go to Lindsay Road, head south and then home. That was the plan. As I approached the stop sign at Hawes/N. 84th street, I contemplated. Do I go up to Las Sendas, or go straight? "Eff it, it's go time"! I headed North. The climb isn't very long, but it's steep. 6% grade steep. Keep in mind, I'm on the single speed; no downshifting. As I climbed, I felt pretty good. I told myself to stay in the saddle until the first round about; and I did. After that, I was up, pulling my bike side to side to help with the pedal strokes. My left quad started to cramp. Aw hell no. I pushed through and made that climb too! I paused briefly at the top to look down at what I'd accomplished. Not bad for an old guy on a single speed. I headed down the hill and enjoyed the wind blow drying me.
I headed West on McDowell towards my original route. I turned south down Recker instead of the extra 4 miles to Lindsay. Recker has less traffic and it was already in the high 90's. I actually stopped at a Cricle K to refill my water bottles as I had just drained the last one. "Shoulda brought the CamelBak". Refueled and rehydrated, I continued home.
When I got home my bike computer read 104 degrees. Toasty! It was a good 35 mile ride. I averaged 15.9mph and topped out at just over 30mph.
I learned a few things along the way too. 1. When you ride by yourself, it's harder to be dropped by the pack. 2. The little "honey straws" from Sprouts are a good source of quick energy, but unless you have piranha teeth, they're hard to open. 3. My last ride, when I was dropped like third period french, was a fluke. I wasn't preparred then. I know next time I will be.
Was I crazy to ride in that kind of heat? Maybe. Was I crazy to try those clims on the "SS"? Probably. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!
Stay safe out there!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Endless Bonk!
It has been a very long time since I've written anything here (not that anyone reads this). Life has gotten busy. Bottom line: I haven't been riding much.
I did ride with Team Bad-Ass last Saturday. It had been literally months since logging any serious mileage. I've ridden the stationary bike a little and rode a short Bike4Life event a friend from the City of Mesa organized. I also rode in the Ride of Silence which i co-organized (more to come on that later) Other than that, nothing.
The goal for last Saturday's ride was 50 miles with a decent amount of climbing (Usery Pass loop with a trip to Saguaro Lake) . I love the workout that the hills provide. It feels like you lungs are going to burst and your legs are on fire - awesome! Needless to say, I was pumped to be back with the group. The night before, I had all my gear in the car, the rack on the back, CamelBak full in the fridge. Ready.
The next morning, I'm up early (the ride leaves at 0600). Got some coffee & a banana and headed to the starting point. We roll out and I'm feeling great! Everyone is on road bikes, except me, on the MTB. My MTB has big tires. Probably triple the size of the road bikes'. I was too lazy to throw the slicks on and figured I'd be fine. I'm hanging with the group and we're cruising 17+mph. I even passed some of them on the down hill (hit 42.3mph)! At the bottom of the hill, it flattens out for a bit then we start a slight climb. No problem, right? WRONG! I absolutely died. I was spent. Only 5 miles in, and the tank was empty. No energy left. In cycling this is referred to as the "bonk". In running, it's "hitting the wall". I had another 45 miles to go with a big hill in the way. I'm screwed.
I managed to eat a PowerBar gel and get a little energy back. The road all the way out to Saguaro Lake was going to be a long one. The team flew by me. I'm one of the strong riders in this group; at least i used to be. They kept pulling away and pulling away putting more and more open road between us. At this point I realized that I put the "Ass" in "Team Bad-Ass". Everyone was kind enough to wait for me at the four corners stop sign (probably had phone calls to make, emails to return...). I pulled up, thanked them for waiting and told them they didn't have to.
We take off again , and I'm behind Kid Rocket (see earlier posts), I'm going to try to hang with him. That lasted about as long as a pot of coffee at an AA meeting. Next thing I know, Kate, who touts herself as "marginal" and "the girl rider" blasts past me in the aero bars leaving me to my familiar position; back of the pack.
I got to the parking lot of the Salt River tubing area just in time to see the rest of the team climbing up to the lake entrance. I figured "aw hell no". I pulled into the lot, sat and had a Power Bar, and waved off about a billion gnats wanting to feed on the sweat that was pouring out from under my helmet. Feeling a little more human, I decided to head up to the lake entrance. No sooner did I start up the hill, than the team came flying down towards me with Kate (still in the aero bars) leading the way. I decide to turn around and try to catch them.
I was feeling better now. The road from the lot back to the four corners stop was rolling hills which I was able to handle well. At least I handled them better than the way out. I made it to the four corners ready to tackle Usery aka "King Kong" (not my name for the hill another groups'). As I started up the hill, I was feeling pretty good. The hill is only 3 or so miles long and not too steep. I can usually do it in the big chain ring. After about a mile into the climb, I had to go to the middle ring; I was dying. At times I wished I did die, that way I wouldn't have to keep climbing this damn hill. Then I did the unthinkable, I stopped. I was so out of breathe, I couldn't go on. After a few minutes, I started back up the hill, this damned hill. There's no way I was going to let this stupid hill beat me. Down shift. Granny ring (smallest chain ring). No! This hill won't beat me. "Keep going. Keep going", I told myself. Then, I stopped again. This time for a few more minutes than the first time. Before My first "pause", I could see Ron & Kate ahead of me. Now, I couldn't. After what felt like an eternity straddling my bike on the side of the road, I continued. I made it to the top! Once I started down the hill, I was rolling pretty good. Unfortunately, coming down this side is much less steep than the climb. I averaged about 23mph all the way to the turn around/starting point. As I pulled into the parking lot, my left quad cramped up enough for me to take notice. I met the group back at the cars and proclaimed that i was wiped. I threw in the towel.
It turns out that you can't take a significant time out of the saddle and expect to ride like you did before the break. I also realized that my morning "nutrition" sucked which also contributed to my bonk. Typically, I eat a better breakfast before riding (and I will going forward). I have learned a valuable lesson.
On a happier note, I am proud of Team Bad-Ass. They have really stepped up the cycling. Kate in particular. She was on fire! I have seen marked improvement in her cycling. Ron too, he was cranking right along and keeping pace with Kate (something I couldn't do). I have a list to help me improve:
1. Ride more
2. Get a road bike (with gears)
3. Ride more
I have listed my mountain bike on Craigslist (sniff, sniff) and hope to apply the funds I get towards a new road bike.
I suppose when I say "I rode with Team Bad-Ass", it's a bit of an overstatement. Yes, I rode on the same day, on the same route, but certainly not with. It would be generous to even say that I chased them. It wasn't much of a chase. I'm looking forward to building back up the cardio so I can once again hang.
I did ride with Team Bad-Ass last Saturday. It had been literally months since logging any serious mileage. I've ridden the stationary bike a little and rode a short Bike4Life event a friend from the City of Mesa organized. I also rode in the Ride of Silence which i co-organized (more to come on that later) Other than that, nothing.
The goal for last Saturday's ride was 50 miles with a decent amount of climbing (Usery Pass loop with a trip to Saguaro Lake) . I love the workout that the hills provide. It feels like you lungs are going to burst and your legs are on fire - awesome! Needless to say, I was pumped to be back with the group. The night before, I had all my gear in the car, the rack on the back, CamelBak full in the fridge. Ready.
The next morning, I'm up early (the ride leaves at 0600). Got some coffee & a banana and headed to the starting point. We roll out and I'm feeling great! Everyone is on road bikes, except me, on the MTB. My MTB has big tires. Probably triple the size of the road bikes'. I was too lazy to throw the slicks on and figured I'd be fine. I'm hanging with the group and we're cruising 17+mph. I even passed some of them on the down hill (hit 42.3mph)! At the bottom of the hill, it flattens out for a bit then we start a slight climb. No problem, right? WRONG! I absolutely died. I was spent. Only 5 miles in, and the tank was empty. No energy left. In cycling this is referred to as the "bonk". In running, it's "hitting the wall". I had another 45 miles to go with a big hill in the way. I'm screwed.
I managed to eat a PowerBar gel and get a little energy back. The road all the way out to Saguaro Lake was going to be a long one. The team flew by me. I'm one of the strong riders in this group; at least i used to be. They kept pulling away and pulling away putting more and more open road between us. At this point I realized that I put the "Ass" in "Team Bad-Ass". Everyone was kind enough to wait for me at the four corners stop sign (probably had phone calls to make, emails to return...). I pulled up, thanked them for waiting and told them they didn't have to.
We take off again , and I'm behind Kid Rocket (see earlier posts), I'm going to try to hang with him. That lasted about as long as a pot of coffee at an AA meeting. Next thing I know, Kate, who touts herself as "marginal" and "the girl rider" blasts past me in the aero bars leaving me to my familiar position; back of the pack.
I got to the parking lot of the Salt River tubing area just in time to see the rest of the team climbing up to the lake entrance. I figured "aw hell no". I pulled into the lot, sat and had a Power Bar, and waved off about a billion gnats wanting to feed on the sweat that was pouring out from under my helmet. Feeling a little more human, I decided to head up to the lake entrance. No sooner did I start up the hill, than the team came flying down towards me with Kate (still in the aero bars) leading the way. I decide to turn around and try to catch them.
I was feeling better now. The road from the lot back to the four corners stop was rolling hills which I was able to handle well. At least I handled them better than the way out. I made it to the four corners ready to tackle Usery aka "King Kong" (not my name for the hill another groups'). As I started up the hill, I was feeling pretty good. The hill is only 3 or so miles long and not too steep. I can usually do it in the big chain ring. After about a mile into the climb, I had to go to the middle ring; I was dying. At times I wished I did die, that way I wouldn't have to keep climbing this damn hill. Then I did the unthinkable, I stopped. I was so out of breathe, I couldn't go on. After a few minutes, I started back up the hill, this damned hill. There's no way I was going to let this stupid hill beat me. Down shift. Granny ring (smallest chain ring). No! This hill won't beat me. "Keep going. Keep going", I told myself. Then, I stopped again. This time for a few more minutes than the first time. Before My first "pause", I could see Ron & Kate ahead of me. Now, I couldn't. After what felt like an eternity straddling my bike on the side of the road, I continued. I made it to the top! Once I started down the hill, I was rolling pretty good. Unfortunately, coming down this side is much less steep than the climb. I averaged about 23mph all the way to the turn around/starting point. As I pulled into the parking lot, my left quad cramped up enough for me to take notice. I met the group back at the cars and proclaimed that i was wiped. I threw in the towel.
It turns out that you can't take a significant time out of the saddle and expect to ride like you did before the break. I also realized that my morning "nutrition" sucked which also contributed to my bonk. Typically, I eat a better breakfast before riding (and I will going forward). I have learned a valuable lesson.
On a happier note, I am proud of Team Bad-Ass. They have really stepped up the cycling. Kate in particular. She was on fire! I have seen marked improvement in her cycling. Ron too, he was cranking right along and keeping pace with Kate (something I couldn't do). I have a list to help me improve:
1. Ride more
2. Get a road bike (with gears)
3. Ride more
I have listed my mountain bike on Craigslist (sniff, sniff) and hope to apply the funds I get towards a new road bike.
I suppose when I say "I rode with Team Bad-Ass", it's a bit of an overstatement. Yes, I rode on the same day, on the same route, but certainly not with. It would be generous to even say that I chased them. It wasn't much of a chase. I'm looking forward to building back up the cardio so I can once again hang.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
In a Bit of a Slump
Ever since my hand rash flare-up, it seem's I've been in a bit of a cycling slump. My back tire is flat and i haven't taken the time to even fix it. Sure, I have the tube, just not the drive to fix it. I don't know why, maybe I just need a break. I've ridden the stationary bike a little, but no serious mileage (only 108 miles this month).
Work has been crazy lately. Maybe I'm working too hard and it's taking away from my desire to ride. Maybe I'm getting lazy. I've got a bit of a head cold which may be keeping me down.
In any case, i need to snap out of it. I'm heading to the gym today with the fam and going to ride there. I'll get to at least 120mi for the month, maybe-hopefully more.
I am planning to do the Ride for the Children at the end of April which is a metric century (65mi). I need to get moving.
UPDATE: The boy didn't wake up until late so the gym is out. The childcare area closes at noon (lame!). My sweetie & I have a Thai yoga/massage class today and maybe that will count for something, if not the bonding experience. We're now shooting for the gym on Monday since I'm off & the kids are out of school. Just gonna have to ride that much harder.
Work has been crazy lately. Maybe I'm working too hard and it's taking away from my desire to ride. Maybe I'm getting lazy. I've got a bit of a head cold which may be keeping me down.
In any case, i need to snap out of it. I'm heading to the gym today with the fam and going to ride there. I'll get to at least 120mi for the month, maybe-hopefully more.
I am planning to do the Ride for the Children at the end of April which is a metric century (65mi). I need to get moving.
UPDATE: The boy didn't wake up until late so the gym is out. The childcare area closes at noon (lame!). My sweetie & I have a Thai yoga/massage class today and maybe that will count for something, if not the bonding experience. We're now shooting for the gym on Monday since I'm off & the kids are out of school. Just gonna have to ride that much harder.
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