Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
I didn't ride in today so that I could drive over to Centreville and pick up a Park Tool PCS-5 repair stand that I bought off of Craig's List. It took a while to get the deal struck, but I came out ok in the end and I'm real happy with the stand. This stand is higher up than my other stand and has a variable clamp pressure. Now I can actually use it on a new bike when I get it. It has a really solid base for a stand that's as light as it is. It holds the Sirrus just fine.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Today was the first day of the annual Memorial Baptist Church Ultimate League. All but one of the team members showed up for our opener against the Gideons. My team is the Preachers and we had some sweet red jerseys with white lettering courtesy of Jess and Lawrie. We played about the way we looked and rolled to a 13-6 win. George nearly killed himself a few times by getting spiked in the knee and then hitting his head on a support wire. But really we made the best of the rainy conditions. Unfortunately, I think we're in for a much tougher road ahead. Our defense wasn't very organized and we relied a lot on long bombs to score points. Next month, we'll play the defending champions, the Judges. Should be exciting.
It's amazing that I can get so sore anytime I switch from an endurance sport to a speed/agility based sport. Everytime I get sore in the hamstrings and random spots all over. From the looks of me a day after I play, you'd think I wasn't in shape at all! I figured that Ultimate was a good enough replacement for riding today, so I took the rest of the day to relax.
It's amazing that I can get so sore anytime I switch from an endurance sport to a speed/agility based sport. Everytime I get sore in the hamstrings and random spots all over. From the looks of me a day after I play, you'd think I wasn't in shape at all! I figured that Ultimate was a good enough replacement for riding today, so I took the rest of the day to relax.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Today was the same ride as last week with a small loop taken out. The pace was quicker from the start since the group was smaller and it was a blast to be on the Javelin. The group was myself, Dana, the two Scotts, Bill, and girl from a team Bill was training. She was doing some muscle tensioning intervals, and it was fun to see what happened to the group when she started cranking. She was easily the strongest woman I've ever rode with.
Going up the first hill to the park, I forgot how long it was and made the mistake of slowing down to wait for the group after the first incline. It kept going and after stopping, I didn't have the muscle I needed. I finished up all right, just trailing behind Dana and a DC Velo rider who was doing some hill work at the time.
Later on, going up some hills further out, I looked back and noticed a couple Rockville Harley guys bearing down. At that point I was riding alone up front because I'd gone hard up a hill. But boy did they come strong. The first dude was really moving. I wanted to try my hand at hanging with, but we came to a crossroads and I decided to wait for my guys.
Coming back was pretty uneventful with the exception of an idiot driver pulling over and getting mad after nearly running Dana into me. I had to swerve and go around his stop car and I decided to keep going rather than see what Dana would cook up.
From there, we all joined up again and made our way back into town. My legs weren't feeling nearly as good as they did last week, but they were adequate I guess. Dana was stronger today even though I had the Javelin. I had a lot of fun riding a road bike for a long ride like that and I didn't have any problems with my back during the fifty mile tour.
Going up the first hill to the park, I forgot how long it was and made the mistake of slowing down to wait for the group after the first incline. It kept going and after stopping, I didn't have the muscle I needed. I finished up all right, just trailing behind Dana and a DC Velo rider who was doing some hill work at the time.
Later on, going up some hills further out, I looked back and noticed a couple Rockville Harley guys bearing down. At that point I was riding alone up front because I'd gone hard up a hill. But boy did they come strong. The first dude was really moving. I wanted to try my hand at hanging with, but we came to a crossroads and I decided to wait for my guys.
Coming back was pretty uneventful with the exception of an idiot driver pulling over and getting mad after nearly running Dana into me. I had to swerve and go around his stop car and I decided to keep going rather than see what Dana would cook up.
From there, we all joined up again and made our way back into town. My legs weren't feeling nearly as good as they did last week, but they were adequate I guess. Dana was stronger today even though I had the Javelin. I had a lot of fun riding a road bike for a long ride like that and I didn't have any problems with my back during the fifty mile tour.
No stats . . . Avg. was 19 something, 50 miles total.
Friday, January 27, 2006
I always look forward to a different ride on Fridays and I met up with Bill and Jim outside the Java Shack. I think the threat of more cold weather kept Dana and the rest of the group from coming out. But we pedaled onward and met up with Rich and Joe at the W&OD. I chatted mainly about sizing of the Javelin and we vowed to settle it once and for all at the end of the ride. I rode around just briefly again on Joe's 53 and everyone seemed to agree that the 55 would be the one. I left feeling pretty confident about my new bike choice. Haha, if only it would stay that way!
Dist / Time / Avg / Max
17.4 / 1:08:11 / 15.4 / 27.1
Thursday, January 26, 2006
After staying up late last night getting the Javelin ready to ride, I knew I was going to feel pretty rough when I crawled out of bed. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad waking up as I expected. I wish I could say that about the ride, however. As soon as I stepped out of the door I wasn't looking forward to the miles ahead of me. The wind was howling and very cold. The online temperature was 28 degrees. Riding to work leaves no room for lack of committment. Once you're ten miles down the road, you're stuck. So I started turning the crank and hoping the winds would subside some.
They didn't. It was quite possibly the most miserable ride I've ever done, probably second only to the first ride I did totally unprepared in the cold a few months ago. It was a perfect headwind. Every flag I saw along the way was pegged taught opposite my direction. My speed ground to a crawl in a lot of places. I was fortunate enough to be riding on a road bike, in a more aero position than normal, but even still, it wasn't enough to duck the winds. After last night being my fastest time ever, today was the slowest ever, clocking in for the first time below 15 mph! I definitely mailed it in with ten miles to go because I was so cold and sick of fighting swirls.
Thor stopped by my office in the morning and we chatted a bit about whether the bike fits or not. It seems to be the consensus that it does and I could probably use a shorter stem. Still, I'm worried about the top tube length and wondering if a 53 cm would be a better fit. Unfortunately, a smaller frame also means lowering the bars, which would likely keep the reach too far.
One thing is for certain, carbon forks are awesome. It felt like I had a subtle front shock. Bumps that I hit all the time and rattle my frame felt like nothing as I rolled over them.
The ride home was fast and fun with the wind at my back. I hit an average speed comparable to a group ride. That was terrific--easily my fastest time home ever.
They didn't. It was quite possibly the most miserable ride I've ever done, probably second only to the first ride I did totally unprepared in the cold a few months ago. It was a perfect headwind. Every flag I saw along the way was pegged taught opposite my direction. My speed ground to a crawl in a lot of places. I was fortunate enough to be riding on a road bike, in a more aero position than normal, but even still, it wasn't enough to duck the winds. After last night being my fastest time ever, today was the slowest ever, clocking in for the first time below 15 mph! I definitely mailed it in with ten miles to go because I was so cold and sick of fighting swirls.
Thor stopped by my office in the morning and we chatted a bit about whether the bike fits or not. It seems to be the consensus that it does and I could probably use a shorter stem. Still, I'm worried about the top tube length and wondering if a 53 cm would be a better fit. Unfortunately, a smaller frame also means lowering the bars, which would likely keep the reach too far.
One thing is for certain, carbon forks are awesome. It felt like I had a subtle front shock. Bumps that I hit all the time and rattle my frame felt like nothing as I rolled over them.
The ride home was fast and fun with the wind at my back. I hit an average speed comparable to a group ride. That was terrific--easily my fastest time home ever.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max
23.1 / 1:32:30 / 14.9 / 26.3
23.2 / 1:14:03 / 18.9 / 32.1
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
For the first half of the ride, it was pleasantly warm. I even considered taking off the covering on my ears. But once I hit the Powerhouse at Vienna, it cooled off significantly. It's usually cooler there, but today was remarkable. Just as I was about to think nothing of note would happen on this ride, it started snowing! Granted, it was only wimpy little flurries that melted on impact, but it did snow. I wish the weather would hurry up and warm to where I could ditch the pants, but I think we may be in for a longer stretch of cold weather. Other than the snow, the ride was just your typical spin.
I left just a bit late from work, so most of the ride was in total darkness. But one thing was certain, the wind was up and at my back. It's amazing how little you feel it when it comes from behind you. It's just real quiet and you sail through the air. But I started to notice when I was flying over small rises that I usually stand-n-stomp to get over. I wanted to open up a sail. In some spots I stopped pedaling entirely and was easily coasting faster than I can usually ride. The wind was very strong--thank God it was at my back! I made it home in the fastest time yet, with an average of over 18 mph. It's hard to beat that solo on the Sirrus.
After violin, I drove to Alexandria and met up with Walter Tyree. He lent me his 55 cm Javelin Brunello to try out for a few days. He's really great to let me take it and ride for a while. Hopefully I can come to some consensus about which size I should go with. I stayed up pretty late fiddling with the bike, putting on my pedals, and getting it ready for the morning commute.
I left just a bit late from work, so most of the ride was in total darkness. But one thing was certain, the wind was up and at my back. It's amazing how little you feel it when it comes from behind you. It's just real quiet and you sail through the air. But I started to notice when I was flying over small rises that I usually stand-n-stomp to get over. I wanted to open up a sail. In some spots I stopped pedaling entirely and was easily coasting faster than I can usually ride. The wind was very strong--thank God it was at my back! I made it home in the fastest time yet, with an average of over 18 mph. It's hard to beat that solo on the Sirrus.
After violin, I drove to Alexandria and met up with Walter Tyree. He lent me his 55 cm Javelin Brunello to try out for a few days. He's really great to let me take it and ride for a while. Hopefully I can come to some consensus about which size I should go with. I stayed up pretty late fiddling with the bike, putting on my pedals, and getting it ready for the morning commute.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
21.8 / 1:19:50 / 16.4 / 28.8 / 163 / 185 / 351
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
The only thing worse than riding slow when you're tired is riding slow on purpose to get a base. I hate riding slow on a bike, but I was willing to give it a shot this morning. Fortunately, I didn't have to when I passed a guy riding with paniers. He stuck right on my wheel and off we went. It was fun to have someone giving chase--especially when the morning rides these days so rarely have any folks out on the trail.
Then I did something stupid. I'm not sure what I was thinking. Maybe I was too caught up in the chase, but when I came to a busy interstection and stared right at the oncoming cars and didn't stop. Not sure why. I crossed easily and safely enough, but I made some guys hit their brakes and can't blame them for being angry. I screwed up. That left the guy riding behind me at the intersection and I tore off to ride alone. The rest of the ride I focused on keeping the HR nice and low and it worked. I had a good ride after that embarassment.
Coming home, it was more of the same riding with HR in mind. I think the ride home is a bit easier and I was able to hit the same average speed with a 2 bpm decrease from the morning commute. When I hit Wison Blvd. and got in traffic, my competitive spirit took over and I hammered the rest of the way home. I just couldn't help it. There's something about riding 30 mph and trying to hang with cars that gets me every time. That probaby rose the HR a small bit and set my max for the day.
Later in the evening I stopped by Joe Metro's house. He's a teammate with a 53 cm Javelin Brunello tricked out on Campy Record. It was light as a feather and I rode it a bit around the block to see if it fit me. It seems like the 53 will work fine, but I'm not sure if a 55 would be a better fit. Luckily Walter Tyree, another teammate, has a 55 and has offered to let me check his out. Maybe after all that, I'll be able to make a decision and get a road bike.
Then I did something stupid. I'm not sure what I was thinking. Maybe I was too caught up in the chase, but when I came to a busy interstection and stared right at the oncoming cars and didn't stop. Not sure why. I crossed easily and safely enough, but I made some guys hit their brakes and can't blame them for being angry. I screwed up. That left the guy riding behind me at the intersection and I tore off to ride alone. The rest of the ride I focused on keeping the HR nice and low and it worked. I had a good ride after that embarassment.
Coming home, it was more of the same riding with HR in mind. I think the ride home is a bit easier and I was able to hit the same average speed with a 2 bpm decrease from the morning commute. When I hit Wison Blvd. and got in traffic, my competitive spirit took over and I hammered the rest of the way home. I just couldn't help it. There's something about riding 30 mph and trying to hang with cars that gets me every time. That probaby rose the HR a small bit and set my max for the day.
Later in the evening I stopped by Joe Metro's house. He's a teammate with a 53 cm Javelin Brunello tricked out on Campy Record. It was light as a feather and I rode it a bit around the block to see if it fit me. It seems like the 53 will work fine, but I'm not sure if a 55 would be a better fit. Luckily Walter Tyree, another teammate, has a 55 and has offered to let me check his out. Maybe after all that, I'll be able to make a decision and get a road bike.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
23.4 / 1:22:10 / 17.1 / 28.9 / 160 / 196 / 306
23.3 / 1:21:39 / 17.1 / 30.6 / 158 / 195 / 329
Sunday, January 22, 2006
After church, I convinced Jess to hit the trails with me on our mountain bikes. Katherine and a friend in town from Texas tagged along and we headed out to Wakefield Park. The trails were pretty muddy from the mid-week rain and that made many of the easy sections much more challenging than normal. We rode the first bit in the area around the powerlines and back in the woods and made the big descent once. Then, trying to look for some easier trails for the girls, we ended up trudging through the woods a ways and crossing a couple streams before getting back on the regular trails.
By that time, the temperature had dropped enough to get us all pretty cold. I was riding in just my shorts and a t-shirt with my summer gloves on. We rode over to Accotink park just a bit, then turned around and rode one final loop by the power lines. That final loop was by far the best. It wound around and around on lots of fun switchbacks with a few manageable jumps. Next time I come out to go mountain biking I think I'll limit my time to that loop and see just how good I can get riding it.
It was fun to be back on the MTB a bit and my legs enjoyed the respite after yesterday's ride and the tough week before that. I want to get out more in the woods, but it's harder to find the time to drive out and ride when I can just step outside my apartment and hit the roads. Maybe when cyclocross season gets closer, I'll figure out a plan.
By that time, the temperature had dropped enough to get us all pretty cold. I was riding in just my shorts and a t-shirt with my summer gloves on. We rode over to Accotink park just a bit, then turned around and rode one final loop by the power lines. That final loop was by far the best. It wound around and around on lots of fun switchbacks with a few manageable jumps. Next time I come out to go mountain biking I think I'll limit my time to that loop and see just how good I can get riding it.
It was fun to be back on the MTB a bit and my legs enjoyed the respite after yesterday's ride and the tough week before that. I want to get out more in the woods, but it's harder to find the time to drive out and ride when I can just step outside my apartment and hit the roads. Maybe when cyclocross season gets closer, I'll figure out a plan.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
This was only my second time out on a large group ride and I was pretty excited about it. I got up early this Saturday despite feeling ragged from all the week's riding and getting up at 6. I put an extra water bottle cage on the Sirrus and filled two bottles up with Gatorade for the ride. I also stuck a granola bar in my jersey pocket with my cellphone. I had to hustle to make it to Bicycle Pro Shop in Georgetown by 8a. But I made it in plenty of time and was thrilled to see that there was such a large turnout.
The ride was basically the Sunday ride run backwards and we started off with a large group--the largest I've rode with before. Not more than a mile into the ride, we accidentally went over a big hole and several guys popped flats. We stopped and let them patch the tires, then we were on our way. The pace slowly but surely picked up throughout the ride and the group got smaller and smaller. I was really climbing well and having an absolute blast on all the back roads in Maryland. It was fun to fly down some of those hills and stick with the guys on the Javelin. I love riding with the team.
After the ride, Jess joined me and we rode the five miles to church for the Ultimate frisbee league draft. I'm captaining the Preachers (Red) and we'll be starting up a week from tomorrow.
The ride was basically the Sunday ride run backwards and we started off with a large group--the largest I've rode with before. Not more than a mile into the ride, we accidentally went over a big hole and several guys popped flats. We stopped and let them patch the tires, then we were on our way. The pace slowly but surely picked up throughout the ride and the group got smaller and smaller. I was really climbing well and having an absolute blast on all the back roads in Maryland. It was fun to fly down some of those hills and stick with the guys on the Javelin. I love riding with the team.
After the ride, Jess joined me and we rode the five miles to church for the Ultimate frisbee league draft. I'm captaining the Preachers (Red) and we'll be starting up a week from tomorrow.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
53.0 / 2:50:14 / 18.7 / 39.9 / 160 / 228 / 275
2 x 5 miles
Friday, January 20, 2006
I was happy let let my legs have a rest from the daily grinding out on the W&OD and take an easy spin with the team. I met up with quite the crew for the usual Muffin ride. We had Dana, Bill, Brad, Ryan, Adrian, and Cara I believe. We picked up Rich waiting at the W&OD entrance and Ken Woodrow later on in the ride. It was quite the contingent for such an early hour. I chatted with Ken some and hung around in the back mostly. It was a great way to start the day and let my legs rest. It was also neat to see Ryan riding around on his fixed gear. I really want to give that a shot one of these days. Just need some more cash to get a machine set up.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
16.9 / 1:05:00 / 15.6 / 23.8 / 134 / 202 / 222
Thursday, January 19, 2006
I felt the best I have getting up at 6a this week, but unfortunately that was not a sign of things to come on the bike. I immediately felt tired and sluggish and was surprised how much effort was required to turn the crank. My speed was lower and it felt bad. I got a little something going after the Vienna Depot, keeping the speed over 22 mph for a couple miles or so. Thinking I'd gotten out of my funk, I tried to hold a solid pace, but I had slide back a bit. With six miles to go, I mailed it in a bit and decided to ride with my HR around 150 bpm. I rolled into work nice and relaxed.
The stats say it all. I turned in my second slowest speed with my second highest average heart rate. What's that mean? That I'm tired and on a path to overworking. I had a feeling that was coming, so I'll have to try and slow things down a bit in the next few days. A nice "muffin ride" with the boys in the morning should do the trick. Hopefully the weather will warm up enough to make things enjoyable.
I wish I knew why the computer keeps reading out the wrong mileage. It should be around 23.3 miles every time I ride to or from work, but lately it's been weird.
The stats say it all. I turned in my second slowest speed with my second highest average heart rate. What's that mean? That I'm tired and on a path to overworking. I had a feeling that was coming, so I'll have to try and slow things down a bit in the next few days. A nice "muffin ride" with the boys in the morning should do the trick. Hopefully the weather will warm up enough to make things enjoyable.
I wish I knew why the computer keeps reading out the wrong mileage. It should be around 23.3 miles every time I ride to or from work, but lately it's been weird.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
22.1 / 1:23:30 / 15.9 / 28.8 / 168 / 193 / 205
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
There was a forecast for rain this morning and the weather did not disappoint. The sky was completely overcast and it was pouring when I woke up. That made things very dark in the early hours. Rather than depending on riding the trainer in the evening, I decided to drive in to work with my bike and ride it home. Then I could ride back to work on Thursday and pick up the car.
The ride home was going well until my iPod battery died. I was strong and hammering all the little rises in terrain that are over the first ten miles heading back towards DC. I was upset about having to leave so late despite coming in to work at 7:30a, so I let some of that frustration out on the road it was a blast. Once my battery died, however, I was once again toiling away in the cold darkness. I kept the pace decent and was happy to get home.
My left booty started rubbing the crank arm the way my shoes used to back when I was using toe clips. That made for an annoying squeak on every turn of the crank. All in all, I rode well tonight and I'm glad I didn't let the rain affect my training.
The ride home was going well until my iPod battery died. I was strong and hammering all the little rises in terrain that are over the first ten miles heading back towards DC. I was upset about having to leave so late despite coming in to work at 7:30a, so I let some of that frustration out on the road it was a blast. Once my battery died, however, I was once again toiling away in the cold darkness. I kept the pace decent and was happy to get home.
My left booty started rubbing the crank arm the way my shoes used to back when I was using toe clips. That made for an annoying squeak on every turn of the crank. All in all, I rode well tonight and I'm glad I didn't let the rain affect my training.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
21.0 / 1:20:24 / 15.7 / 31.3 / 156 / 189 / 183
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Today was another strong day in the saddle. My legs felt great and despite wanting to die when I rolled out of bed, I was thrilled to be out riding. The stats say everything. A good ride.
Pat drove me home tonight because the weather has turned a bit nasty. It rained most of the afternoon and even though it wasn't raining when I would have left, it was damp and cold outside and there would have been a decent amount of spray. So I enjoyed a nice warm ride in a car and took the hit in mileage.
Pat drove me home tonight because the weather has turned a bit nasty. It rained most of the afternoon and even though it wasn't raining when I would have left, it was damp and cold outside and there would have been a decent amount of spray. So I enjoyed a nice warm ride in a car and took the hit in mileage.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
23.3 / 1:21:25 / 17.2 / 29.3 / 160 / 186 / 162
Monday, January 16, 2006
I woke up not feeling too bad, but just as I was about to roll my bike out the door, I noticed my front tire was flat. What a great way to start the week! I popped it off pretty quickly, but couldn't find any leak in the tube. Must be some sort of slow leak. I replaced the tube and went outside. I was just starting up the hill when I realized I was missing my light, so I turned around and went back for it. Once I got all the equipment straightened out, it was great to be back on the bike.
My plans for the weekend all fell through due to weather and prior engagments. But this morning's ride in was my best ride since starting back. My speed was nearly up to the speed I had on Friday PM without any real difference in HR from the slower rides. My legs felt stronger and the gears just seemed to turn over without as much effort. Maybe it was having the iPod back that made the difference. In any case, this was the most fun I've had--even though I was carrying a full load of shoes and clothes.
Today being MLK Day, there weren't too many folks out on the trail in the early morning cold. The weather has gone back to a bit more winter like after the days we've had at 60. My gloves and booties did an adequate job though.
The ride home was more of the same. Another good feeling ride, though not quite as quick as the morning. The sun going down made for some pretty cold temperatures, with it reaching 33 by the time I got home. There are even fewer people out on the roads as you might imagine when it's dark and cold. But I put in the miles and felt good doing it.
My plans for the weekend all fell through due to weather and prior engagments. But this morning's ride in was my best ride since starting back. My speed was nearly up to the speed I had on Friday PM without any real difference in HR from the slower rides. My legs felt stronger and the gears just seemed to turn over without as much effort. Maybe it was having the iPod back that made the difference. In any case, this was the most fun I've had--even though I was carrying a full load of shoes and clothes.
Today being MLK Day, there weren't too many folks out on the trail in the early morning cold. The weather has gone back to a bit more winter like after the days we've had at 60. My gloves and booties did an adequate job though.
The ride home was more of the same. Another good feeling ride, though not quite as quick as the morning. The sun going down made for some pretty cold temperatures, with it reaching 33 by the time I got home. There are even fewer people out on the roads as you might imagine when it's dark and cold. But I put in the miles and felt good doing it.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
23.3 / 1:21:40 / 17.2 / 28.3 / 161 / 184 / 115
23.3 / 1:23:26 / 16.8 / 29.9 / 158 / 187 / 138
Friday, January 13, 2006
I woke up this morning in a sad sad state. The last two weeks I've slept very little and I'm paying for it dearly. I slapped the alarm clock and rolled out of bed feeling like hell. At least I didn't have the C-Span replay of Alito's confirmation hearings to keep me up last night, but somehow Jess and I managed to make it a late one. She has the day off, so no worries for her, but I had committed to riding in and I was really hurting.
I did mangage to get out the door at a reasonable hour. I put on the full array of clothes as it was pretty chilly despite yesterday's warmth. I did leave off the booties though because I hate wearing them so much. I strapped on my HRM as well and hit the road. The ride was super uneventful. There are so few people out this time of year anyways and I obviously wasn't in the mood to lay down anything special. Plus it's only my second day "Back in the Saddle Again," so I took it easy.
I've noticed that my HR sits in several ranges. I'm 170-180 bpm anytime I have an uphill of any sort--slight long stretches on the W&OD or anytime I try to turn 22+ mph for an extended stretch. I spend most of my time in the 160-170 bpm range though. That's the relaxed pace but keeping things respectable. I can go much lower if I hit a downhill and coast. So rolling down the hill after climbing over Hwy. 66, I went from a high of 185 bpm to a low of 130 bpm or so in a matter of about half a minute. I was surprised how quick it dropped. It's certainly a neat stat to look at while I ride. All I need are power and cadence and I'll be all set!
There was one incident that raised the HR just a bit. I was crossing the real small road next to the baseball field that's very nearly my last crossing before work. Well, I did as nearly every cyclist on the W&OD does and slowed down for the stop sign, made eye contact with the car already stopped there, and then continued on when I was sure that the driver was letting me go. Unfortunately, the guy in the car behind the nice guy didn't like that too much and I got a, "Hey buddy, you've got a stop sign you know!" I resisted giving him the bird since he's actually right and moved on. I was really too tired to get upset anyway. Get a clue though. I'd like to have seen him yell that at one of the 40+ dudes that ride out there in the morning.
The ride home today was a great indication of where my fitness level stands at the moment. I was able to leave work early and get home totally in the light. As I was crossing the first road from work I picked up a Rockville Harley Team rider. I was content to relax and ride behind him. The wind was strong and I didn't feel the need to push it. But after a while, he indicated I should go around. He told me he was tired and didn't have it. Well, I didn't feel like riding with him in tow, so I took off at a decent pace. I assumed he was staying back, but after several miles, he showed up behind me.
When we reached the Powerhouse section before Vienna, he really went hard. He blew past me and left me struggling to hold his wheel. I stuck on him as tightly as I could, while my HR reached 190. At about mile 13, we picked up two more riders. One was, I beleive, a Rockville Harley teammate. We rode briefly in a paceline until I couldn't quite hang. Once I dropped out of the draft, I really had to hang tough. I kept the gap at about 20 yards until they all turned off at the Vienna Depot.
My bike was loaded down with the battery for my light and my backpack was full of all the clothes I'd had in my office and my shoes. So that's my excuse for getting dropped. But I think I'm just lagging in fitness too. This was only my second day back and I really wasn't looking to ride hard. It was intriguing to see my heart rate hit 201 and really stay at 200 for a mile or two. My legs are tired. I need to make tomorrow and long but easy spin.
I did mangage to get out the door at a reasonable hour. I put on the full array of clothes as it was pretty chilly despite yesterday's warmth. I did leave off the booties though because I hate wearing them so much. I strapped on my HRM as well and hit the road. The ride was super uneventful. There are so few people out this time of year anyways and I obviously wasn't in the mood to lay down anything special. Plus it's only my second day "Back in the Saddle Again," so I took it easy.
I've noticed that my HR sits in several ranges. I'm 170-180 bpm anytime I have an uphill of any sort--slight long stretches on the W&OD or anytime I try to turn 22+ mph for an extended stretch. I spend most of my time in the 160-170 bpm range though. That's the relaxed pace but keeping things respectable. I can go much lower if I hit a downhill and coast. So rolling down the hill after climbing over Hwy. 66, I went from a high of 185 bpm to a low of 130 bpm or so in a matter of about half a minute. I was surprised how quick it dropped. It's certainly a neat stat to look at while I ride. All I need are power and cadence and I'll be all set!
There was one incident that raised the HR just a bit. I was crossing the real small road next to the baseball field that's very nearly my last crossing before work. Well, I did as nearly every cyclist on the W&OD does and slowed down for the stop sign, made eye contact with the car already stopped there, and then continued on when I was sure that the driver was letting me go. Unfortunately, the guy in the car behind the nice guy didn't like that too much and I got a, "Hey buddy, you've got a stop sign you know!" I resisted giving him the bird since he's actually right and moved on. I was really too tired to get upset anyway. Get a clue though. I'd like to have seen him yell that at one of the 40+ dudes that ride out there in the morning.
The ride home today was a great indication of where my fitness level stands at the moment. I was able to leave work early and get home totally in the light. As I was crossing the first road from work I picked up a Rockville Harley Team rider. I was content to relax and ride behind him. The wind was strong and I didn't feel the need to push it. But after a while, he indicated I should go around. He told me he was tired and didn't have it. Well, I didn't feel like riding with him in tow, so I took off at a decent pace. I assumed he was staying back, but after several miles, he showed up behind me.
When we reached the Powerhouse section before Vienna, he really went hard. He blew past me and left me struggling to hold his wheel. I stuck on him as tightly as I could, while my HR reached 190. At about mile 13, we picked up two more riders. One was, I beleive, a Rockville Harley teammate. We rode briefly in a paceline until I couldn't quite hang. Once I dropped out of the draft, I really had to hang tough. I kept the gap at about 20 yards until they all turned off at the Vienna Depot.
My bike was loaded down with the battery for my light and my backpack was full of all the clothes I'd had in my office and my shoes. So that's my excuse for getting dropped. But I think I'm just lagging in fitness too. This was only my second day back and I really wasn't looking to ride hard. It was intriguing to see my heart rate hit 201 and really stay at 200 for a mile or two. My legs are tired. I need to make tomorrow and long but easy spin.
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
23.1 / 1:25:58 / 16.1 / 27.6 / 159 / 187 / 70
21.6 / 1:14:15 / 17.4 / 29.4 / 173 / 201 / 91
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Today is my first day back on the bike and really the first day doing any major exercise since I got sick before the holidays. I'm not sure why I picked today really, but it was as good as any and the weather didn't disappoint. This was also my first day using my new Heart Rate Monitor that Jess gave me for Christmas.
I suited up and was out the door. I managed to stay nice and warm all the way to work. There was quite a bit of fog and the moisture on the ground made it seem like it had just rained. I couldn't find my iPod charger last night, so this one was all in silence. My legs felt fine riding but I can't stand the feeling I get from the chilly air. My muscles are just too tight to feel quick and comfortable. And I especially hate wearing the booties. I feel like I have wooden blocks on my feet.
My calfs are recovering nicely from my very average 4:39 at the Alumni Meet in Boston. They were so tight in the days right after that I was struggling to walk in to work on Monday morning. Now there's only a trace of soreness. Since my goal right now is purely base, there's not much of an issue with tight calves. I don't need to sprint or climb much to get in to work.
Coming home was surprisingly nice. I was able to ride ten miles or so before the sun went down and that was very encouraging. The weather was warm enough that I was able to ride without my jacket and pants. That, along with shedding all the weight I carried in with clothes this morning, made me a happy camper. I kept the pace nice and steady and really didn't see many folks. The one exception was a guy just getting on the trail near work. He was riding a Specialized Tri-Cross. I asked him if he rode 'cross, but he said he'd just gotten the bike. I did recommend it though, because it is "A lot of fun."
I suited up and was out the door. I managed to stay nice and warm all the way to work. There was quite a bit of fog and the moisture on the ground made it seem like it had just rained. I couldn't find my iPod charger last night, so this one was all in silence. My legs felt fine riding but I can't stand the feeling I get from the chilly air. My muscles are just too tight to feel quick and comfortable. And I especially hate wearing the booties. I feel like I have wooden blocks on my feet.
My calfs are recovering nicely from my very average 4:39 at the Alumni Meet in Boston. They were so tight in the days right after that I was struggling to walk in to work on Monday morning. Now there's only a trace of soreness. Since my goal right now is purely base, there's not much of an issue with tight calves. I don't need to sprint or climb much to get in to work.
Coming home was surprisingly nice. I was able to ride ten miles or so before the sun went down and that was very encouraging. The weather was warm enough that I was able to ride without my jacket and pants. That, along with shedding all the weight I carried in with clothes this morning, made me a happy camper. I kept the pace nice and steady and really didn't see many folks. The one exception was a guy just getting on the trail near work. He was riding a Specialized Tri-Cross. I asked him if he rode 'cross, but he said he'd just gotten the bike. I did recommend it though, because it is "A lot of fun."
Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
23.3 / 1:25:50 / 16.3 / 27.6 / 164 / 199 / 24
23.4 / 1:25:31 / 16.4 / 28.4 / 156 / 190 / 47
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