After a cool, rainy weekend, our humidity is back up and temperatures are in the mid-70’s F at 5:30 am. It doesn’t take long to be soaked with sweat with this temperature/humidity combination.
I took the fixie out this morning. There were 8 of us (two fixies). It was a very easy pace with lots of conversation, about Le Tour, the weekend’s rides and activities, and other general stuff. We had some very light sprinkles move through early, just enough to dampen the pavement, but not enough to affect the ride. Good thing. I didn’t look at the radar and removed the fender from last week before the ride. I didn’t get a dirt stripe up my back.
This Ride: 22.3 miles
Month: 283 miles
2012: 3,238.7 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 17,092.3 miles
I really look forward to the Friendly Fixie Friday ride into Annapolis for breakfast. The pace is generally easy and conversation dominates the ride. This morning was no exception.
We had fewer riders than usual, 8 of us at our peak with 6 sticking around for breakfast. Myna brought out big bowls of ice cream with caramel syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry for dessert.
In my “fast week” category, I set a new personal record crossing the Naval Academy Bridge, moving up 20 spaces on Strava’s list. That was on the fixie.
I didn’t extend the ride this morning. I have a lot to do and wanted to get an early start on it.
This Ride: 27 miles
Month: 260.7 miles
2012: 3,216.4 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 17,070 miles
Oops … missed posting yesterday’s ride. Briefly, I knew that I didn’t want to ride hard and would be dropped fast. I was dropped shortly after the start but Dave P pulled up with a flat. I accompanied him as he attended to the flat and then we rode together. We turned around with the group when we reconnected with them and so the ride was shorter than usual. What surprised me was that my average speed was still a respectable 17.2 mph. That realization set me up for Thursday’s Ride.
You see, with 3 rides this week, all of which were over 17 mph average, I tied my personal record of number of consecutive rides over 17 mph. Before going to bed last night, I resolved to make it 4 days in a row. Enter a long day at work, a late night including dinner after 9 pm and to bed after 11 and 4:45 am isn’t looking so good. Sure enough, when the alarm rang this morning the night had been too short and it wasn’t until I was reaching over to silence the alarm with the decision to sleep another hour that I remembered the goal. If I skipped riding this morning, I would have to put in three brand new fast rides on consecutive days to be able to get back to this position. Sleeping would throw away the week’s work. At least that was the thought process that pulled me out of bed and begin to prepare for the day.
Although I figured a 17+ mph average speed was going to be relatively easy, I didn’t want to make it any harder than it had to be. I set a brisker than usual pace to the Rusty Bridge. Keeping the goal in mind, I coasted less and kept strategy in mind. I was committed … after all, I got up for this. On the way to the Rusty Bridge, I encountered the mutant “squnny” again. (A squnny is my name for a bunny that behaves like a squirrel.) It came running out from my left, looked like it would dash between my wheels but at the last moment, turned and retreated back into the underbrush. I attribute that one quick incident to waking me from my sleep-deprived stupor.
At the Rusty Bridge I had 18 mph average. I knew then that achieving the goal would hinge on maintaining a good pace on the ride and most importantly on my speed on Old County Road. As we departed, I set the minimum pace at around 18 mph and watched my heart rate. I intended to be on the reasonable side of cardio output when I hit Old County Road so that the ride up that hill wouldn’t be too slow. I was clearly in the “red zone” part-way up the climb, but with Mike C 20 yards ahead of me I worked to maintain or close the gap. That extra motivation helped. I finally caught him just before we hit the trail again, and drafted for a short while to recover.
The trail was a mess. We had large thunderstorms last night. Tree debris littered the path and the bamboo along the trail was still weighed down by the water on the leaves. In many places the bamboo created a ceiling of 5 feet above the trail surface. I was slapped half a dozen times, and my helmet caught some of the leaves so that I looked like I was preparing for jungle combat. I can tell you that getting hit in the face by bamboo at 20 mph stings, but it didn’t leave a mark. Still I pressed on, keeping the pace up and legs spinning. By the time I reached the end of the trail I had an average speed of 19 mph on the morning.
After a quick turn around, I continued to press on, certain I could coast in above 17 mph average but now I had a new goal. I wanted my second 18.5+ mph average on the week. By the time we hit Glen Oban again, I was down to 18.9. I kept the pedals turning hard on B&A Blvd and by the time I got to Dawson’s, I had 19.3 on the Garmin. Usually after this point in the ride we slow it down some, but not this morning. I kept the pace up through White’s Road, through Jennings Road, and more as I turned for home. Sweat was pouring off of me in nearly a steady stream. I had ridden in that “red zone” for many stretches of the ride (for me that’s a heart rate above 160 where I’m in anaerobic exercise). I felt good, and strong, and very, very wet.
At the end, after stopping the timer and gently riding to cool down some I noted that I had achieved an 18.9 mph average on the morning! Mission Accomplished. It was now done except crunching the numbers and comparing this ride to others.
- Monday – 21.7 miles @ 17.7 mph
- Tuesday – 32.5 miles @ 18.7 mph
- Wednesday – 16.5 miles @ 17.2 mph
- Thursday – 21.7 miles @ 18.9 mph
That means for the 4 days I averaged 18.2 mph! The bar has been raised. I’m still not as fast as most of the other guys, but my speed is improving, and that was a goal for this year.
I’m looking forward to a more leisurely pace for tomorrow’s breakfast ride into Annapolis.
This Ride: 21.7 miles
Month: 233.7 miles
2012: 3,189.4 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 17,043 miles
Cooked: The best word to describe how I feel after the morning ride. My legs are wobbly. I sweated gallons. I started to cramp up some. But … I did go fast and had a great ride.
We had a good group of riders at the Rusty Bridge just after a spectacular sunrise. The sky was a deep red just before sunrise, certainly communicating how humid it was. It was warm, about 77° F. Our forecast high on the day is 100° so despite the humidity, this was the best time of the day to ride. I started out in the front group, so I’m not really sure how many riders were out. We quickly split into two groups, but at streets where there was cross traffic, the groups often came together. We had a quick pace throughout, and true to form I chose to stay on Old County Road rather than doing the hill in Round Bay. Five others went with me. It was fast enough that I logged my 4th fastest time on that segment. We picked up the pace once we got back on the trail, organizing a paceline on the last stretch of the trail. With about 75 yards to the finish, I sprinted around a couple of guys and “won the sprint points” for that section. (Yes, watching the Tour kindles our imagination.)
From there, Dan, Bryan, & I extended the ride. We rode to the peak of the Naval Academy Bridge, then made our way to St. Margaret’s Road and down toward Sandy Point. We had a fast pace going, holding about 21 mph pretty steadily. My heart rate spiked on the hills and settled down into a high range on the long steady flat. But by the time we got back to College Parkway, I was feeling the high speed on the morning. I had an average speed at that point of 19 mph for the day, and knowing that I couldn’t hold that on the hills that were ahead, I simply chose to continue on College Parkway while Bryan and Dan wound their way through the park and neighborhoods. I was hard-pressed to keep the pace up during some of the longer hills and emptied my water bottle with about 4 miles to go. I had some muscle twinges bordering on cramping within the last 2 miles.
By the time I arrived home, I had added about 10 extra miles to my usual morning ride and averaged 18.7 mph on the day. Not too shabby! (In fact, my 5 mile splits for the 20 miles of the group ride were 19.6, 19.8, 20.0, & 19.2 mph.)
The odometer has clicked over 17,000 miles in the last 31 months.
Now, it’s a matter of taking care of recovery while sitting at a desk all morning.
This Ride: 32.5 miles
Month: 195.6 miles
2012: 3,151.2 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 17,004.9 miles
I’m not sure what it was this morning. It was hard to get organized to get out of the house for a ride. Usually I’m out of the house between 5:15 and 5:20 pretty consistently. This morning it was closer to 5:30. I’ve built in enough time so that I still make it to the Rusty Bridge with time to spare … it just influences how many miles I get in before meeting up with the group. I was still blurry eyed when the “Squnny” dashed across the trail in front of me.
I’m absolutely convinced it was a mutant critter. As I posted last week, bunnies run along the path of the bike and then usually dart off the path, rarely in front of the bike wheels. Squirrels tend to dash straight across the path. This critter had a furry powder puff tail and yet dashed across the trail about a foot in front of my tire. It was a little slower than a squirrel and much more decisive. (Squirrels often change directions or stop with great indecision.) This creature is upsetting the natural order of things, and as a result, brought me to full alertness for the remainder of the ride.
There were nine of us out this morning, two on fixies. I changed things up this morning and rather than riding my fixie, decided on the geared bike. I’m getting tired of climbing the hill on Askewton on the fixie. As it turns out, it was a good decision for me. We had a quick pace this morning and I set a personal best time on the Askewton hill climb (without intending to). That was encouraging at the end of the ride. At the south end of the trail the group split. Bryan set out for extra miles toward Sandy Point. Several others decided to ride the wall. They’ve been watching a lot of the Tour de France, or something. Chip, Clint, & I headed back the usual way. Conversation ranged from personal to the incident in yesterday’s stage of the Tour de France where someone threw tacks on the road and 30 punctures resulted. We tried to think of another type of racing where race leaders would slow the pace down and wait for other riders to catch up, but couldn’t think of any. Cycling is quite the unique sport.
I noticed near the end of the ride that my day’s average speed was much higher than expected. I worked to keep it high, and climbed the last hill home with some purpose. When I plugged the numbers in, I discovered that I had my third fastest time on the gentle climb home. The day’s average speed was 17.7 mph, not bad for a Mosey Monday! It is also the perfect way to start a work week.
I’ve been asked a couple of times recently why I post these rides on a (near) daily basis. There are two reasons really, both have to do with accountability. First, this is a way to declare that I am riding and there are people who will “call me out” if I’m not posting or riding. It is a helpful motivator. Secondly, it does serve to encourage some others in regular exercise. I don’t always feel like getting out on the bike, and yet because I do … it makes it easier for some others who follow me to also do something. In any event, this is working for me, so I’ll continue.
This Ride: 21.7 miles
Month: 163.1 miles
2012: 3,118.8 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 16,972.4 miles
I received the following as a comment on this Blog. I post it as it was presented and encourage you to look at the links. It is inspiring.
Dear RevRider,
How are you? We are currently producing a great documentary about a bunch of amazing cyclists and I thought of sending you some info in case you think you could talk about it on your site/newsletter. It is very inspirational and I think you will be interested.
We are following a group of cyclists as they prepare for the London 2012 Paralympic games. Juanjo lost his left arm and left leg in an accident 20 years ago and then he found cycling and has since become the Spanish cycling champion. Eli just took to cycling a few months ago after Juanjo raced by her car and now she is one tenth of a second away from qualifying to represent Spain at the Olympics. Them and a bunch of other cyclists formed the “Pirates Team”, a group of inspirational, socially committed cyclists that break all barriers and stereotypes and show how much good cycling can do for so many people.
You can watch two of our trailers here:
I am 100% certain that you will find them inspiring.
They only take a few minutes s to watch and the more people that watch them will help our page hits increase and that may help us find sponsors/patrons.
Can I ask a big favour? If you like them, can you cut and paste these links and send them on to friends and colleagues please or publish them on your facebook page or site? And if you are on facebook you could add as a friend – http://www.facebook.com/imparablesdocumental
Or you can download the press pack here:
http://www.imparablesdocumental.com/prensa/Imparables_Pack_Prensa.zip (Spanish)
http://www.imparablesdocumental.com/eng/press/Unstoppables_Press_Pack.zip (English)
And finally, if you want to give me any feedback, then I really look forward to hearing from you.
Many thanks and best wishes.
DanielPolanco on behalf of
Richard Galvani
info@blacktrainfilms.com
http://www.blacktrainfilms.com
Yesterday afternoon was a bike maintenance afternoon. I took the time to replace the chains on the Kona and the Fixie. Both were significantly worn and the Fixie chain never recovered from the drenching it got on my trip to Ocean City in early June. The Kona chain was a new design for me, and it went so easy that I don’t know why I didn’t use that type before. It would have saved me about $30. The hardest part of the process was “breaking” the new chain to get it to the right size. They don’t want those pins to come out, do they?
With the new chain on the Fixie, she rode quite well this morning. It is always amazing to me how great a new chain or a newly cleaned and lubricated chain feels on the bike.
We had a large group meet at the Rusty Bridge. Mike B met us there on the beginning leg of his planned two day trip to Delaware beaches. He will do back to back centuries camping along the way. He has a nice day for it. Clouds have rolled in and they are moderating temperatures, at least around here. It was nice to ride until nearly 10:30 this morning without worrying about the heat.
We all made it down to Annapolis for breakfast without any significant incidents. My left foot did come unclipped at one point and my heel hit the rear spokes. None broke, but it moved my cadence sensor just enough that it was not recording when I hit the peak speed on the approach to the Naval Academy Bridge. We had a slower pace than usual this morning, which is tougher in the gearing I have set up on the Fixie. It is actually more work to go slow.
On the return we still kept the pace down. By the time we got to the Rusty Bridge, only Ravi and I were still riding together. We rode into Glen Burnie city center, then it was a solo ride for about the last 30 miles. The loops at the airport were uneventful. I stopped at the 7-11 at mile 50 and grabbed water, orange juice, and a Snickers. After that break, I was simply on auto pilot getting back home. My legs were hurting some. It has been six weeks since I’ve done this many miles, and it shows. I need to keep putting miles on these legs or October will be an epic collapse.
No animals were injured or killed on this ride.
In a couple of weeks, a group of us plan to do an overnight 200k on the Eastern Shore. That’s the best way to ride in the summer. It will be a 7 pm start time, finishing somewhere around 3 or 4 am.
This Ride: 59.7 miles
Month: 141.4 miles
2012: 3,097.1 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 16,950.8 miles
Putting aside the almost crash worthy panic attack this morning, it was a gorgeous morning for a fun ride.
Many of the regulars were absent this morning. Being Thursday, Torture Thursday, I was prepared to once again watch the taillights fade into the distance ahead. We started with a much more sedate pace. Chip and Bryan were trying to work out the details of a longer ride this morning. They have a 1200k ride at the end of August and need to get miles into their legs before that big ride. As they worked it out, the rest of us simply enjoyed the cooler temperatures and lower humidity. We caught sight of Jeff Scho ahead, and picked up the pace to catch him, and that’s when the fast guys decided to peel off the front and move on down the road. Jim K and I were left to take the shortcut bypassing Round Bay and pressing on with a steady effort. That effort paid off. This was a nice faster ride this morning without the need to spike my heart rate into Zone 5. When I started to feel challenged to keep up the speed, I ducked behind Jim and drafted for a while. Soon enough I was in the lead again, allowing him to draft. The pace felt steady and my legs complained about the demands I placed on them, but with a little encouragement, they quieted down.
By the time I got to Severna Park again, my Garmin said I had 18.2 mph average for the morning. I backed off and by the time I got home it was down to 17.8, still respectable.
The “Almost Crash Worthy Panic Attack”? Riding up Ritchie Highway for home I was “zoned out” just pedaling that last climb home. Suddenly, I heard a noise off to my right, and as I turned I watched as a squirrel jumped off the guardrail onto the road, dash toward me in a blur of fur, tag my right foot, immediately reverse course and disappear into the foliage along the road. This all occurred in a fraction of a second but in that fraction of a second my heart stopped, I employed spectacular bike handling skills, and was able to re-start my heart without missing a pedal stroke.
I’ve noticed certain animals have very specific reactions to cyclists. Horses love to run with a group of cyclists. Some cows will watch with interest while others will join their equine cousins to run short distances. Bunnies usually run ahead for short distances then cut perpendicular to the cyclist at the last moment. Deer have been known to do the same. Fox usually give wide berth as they cross in front of us. Squirrels are often dashing onto the path to play tag with the bike or the rider or see how close they can get to proper timing to dash between the wheels. Darwin awards those who can’t get the timing quite right.
This Ride: 21.8 miles
Month: 81.7 miles
2012: 3,037.4 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 16,891.1 miles
In fact, the most relaxing part of the day so far was the ride, and that was relatively brisk. Now, very late in the day, and I’m just now getting around to writing up a little something on the ride.
A bunch of us met at the Rusty Bridge at our usual 5:45 time. About half of the group wanted to go fast, and half of us let them. The five of us watched their taillights disappear ahead of us and were content to hold a brisk but comfortable pace. I’m always fascinated by the way we pair up, break apart, pair up again … usually with different partners. It is the transitions that cause the new pairing: a turn, a hill, traffic, etc. The conversation is casual on the flats and often limited on the descents or climbs. When there are 5, usually one rides alone. It could be in front, behind, or in-between. It is a dance of sorts. Nothing is planned. Everything works. I like it.
I rode the whole route, as I promised I would. I can feel the effects of the time off the bike. It is more effort than it should be. There is a fix for that … ride … and I’m working it.
This Ride: 22.4 miles
Month: 60 miles
2012: 3015.6 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 16,869.3 miles
The road to Hell, they say, is paved with good intentions. I’d say it is paved with excuses. Never underestimate the ability of excuses to derail a plan or to make life harder. There is a fine line between reason and excuse. I’ve crossed that line.
My list began with the Derecho. No power = no water = no shower. I also took that to mean no riding. Did I neglect to mention that I have friends who invited me to visit their shower after a ride? That turns a semi-reason into an excuse.
Then, after power was restored, I rode on Wednesday (July 4th), but kept it short. The group was fast, I wasn’t, and it was warm and humid. I rode most of the morning alone. Shorter ride = excuse.
Thursday, I decided, was too hot to ride. It was 85° F at 5:00 am. (I’ve ridden in 100° + temps). Excuse
Friday, I met the group at the Hard Bean in Annapolis. I had a funeral to attend in Johnstown, PA and needed to leave town by 7:00 am to get there in time. This was the one time in the past 11 days that I had a reason not to ride, rather than an excuse.
Saturday, I had invitations to ride, especially since I was way behind in miles. I declined, since it was still hot, and I reserve Saturdays for home. Excuse
Monday I got up, fully intending to ride. Just as I was ready to head out the door, I discovered that it was raining. Now that I’m not habituated, that was enough to put me back in bed until 6:30. Excuse
Tuesday, today, I got up even though I had been sick all afternoon and evening yesterday. I knew I didn’t have much energy but I also knew that if I didn’t ride this morning, tomorrow would be even tougher. Accumulating no ride days just makes it hard to get out an do what is necessary. Wow, was it work! I paid for every one of those excuse days this morning.
It was an interesting ride. My head really wasn’t into it. I had to fight myself every step of the way. I encountered a lot of broken glass within the first quarter mile. I stopped and picked glass out of my tires for a few minutes before going much further. There were a few pieces that were large enough that they would have eventually caused a flat. My legs felt like logs. It was humid. But I made it to the Rusty Bridge where I knew the plan was for a fast cooperative ride. I hung with the group as long as I could, which wasn’t all that long. I was gapped as we got back onto the trail at the end of Jennings Road and could only watch as the 9 other riders pulled away. I opted to remain on the trail this morning rather than ride Old County Road. I didn’t even make it to the bridge over Joyce Lane before the other riders passed me. I continued on to Glen Oban and simple stopped to wait for them to return. I needed some rest.
As I waited at Glen Oban, I noted that the group had split into three groups. The fast group continued on. I waited while the slower two groups consolidated, and we rode back together. I did kick it up my “Little Sprint Hill” and felt pretty good holding 22.5 mph on the hill. We talked Tour de France and commented for quite some time on the speed that those riders had on the time trial yesterday.
The goal now is to ride the rest of the week, no matter the weather or conditions. I’ve got to re-establish a rhythm for riding once again and regain the fitness I’ve lost during these awful 10 days. I commit also to riding the whole ride … no cutting them short.
This Ride: 18 miles
Month: 37.6 miles
2012: 2993.2 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 16,846.9 miles
Rev Rider 