For something different, I got to the WCCC ride early with a queue sheet for the A- ride. I'll go out easy, and pick it up in the last 10 miles of a 65 miler - good plan.
So my friend Joel was running late and wasn't ready as the large group of 30 riders took off, so I waited for him to help him catch up. Well, it only took 5 minutes for him to get ready, but the group was really moving. So we saw them in the distance a few times and thought we were making up some ground, but Joel just wasn't feeling the hills climbs, so we would pull them close, then they would drift off again.
10 hard miles later, we caught them stopped at a traffic light. The next few miles were easy pedaling in the draft of the pack, talking to a few few folks here and there.
Eventually I found myself near the front of the group again, charging the hills.
After our mid ride break, the ride leader decided to divert us from a long stretch of a major road. This detour wasn't on the queue sheet, so I wasn't quite sure where I was.
I found myself at the front of this run away train with 30 passengers going downhill at 30 mph, when suddenly a gap revealed itself in the road, which I had to bunny hop over, which in turn dislodged my water bottle, which I was bobbling between my legs as I tried to keep it from landing in the spokes of one of the hapless 30 riders behind me, just as the road dropped into a steeper, shady descent full of potholes. Okay, are you following this so far?
At this point I decide to move into the oncoming traffic lane and let the rest of the group pass as my water bottle falls to the ground and rolls who-knows-where, and I hit the breaks. Of course there was no on-coming traffic, but not a very sophisticated ride move and probably shocked the crap out of several of the riders behind me, who where holding on for dear life down this sharp descent full of pot holes moving at high speeds.
Well it didn't take long for the train to pass and for me to begin to search for my water bottle. I found another one before I found mine and thought it was nice for the group to wait for me at the top of the next hill.
As I rode up to the group, it turns out that 3 people got flats along that nasty little section of road, and much grumbling from the ride leader.
Eventually we regrouped, got our nerve back, and attacked the last 10 miles of the course, of which we were all familiar.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
4 dogs, 2 bikes and a car
I decided to kick my weekend off early yesterday and called a couple of friends for lunch and a beer at 4 Dogs Tavern.
4 Dogs is only 4 miles from my house, so I decided to ride my bicycle over. 1 mile down hill, 1.5 miles flat, 1 mile uphill and then a short ride in. I took my mountain bike and got there in 15 minutes, just before my body started to auto-cool itself with heavy perspiration ; )
My friends were late and I was a beer in when Joe called, trying to figure out where he was, coming all the way in from Philly. Turns out he was just about there and he drove his car into the lot a moment later.
Fred comes in on his beautiful Harley - seriously nice bike, but a bit different than mine ; )
It was a good lunch and I was feeling no pain as I rode home with 3 beers in me a couple of hours later. I don't remember riding my bike after drinking before. Probably safer than driving, but not much.
It was pretty cool, flying down the gravel hill in Strouds preserve - I was being pretty cautions knowing that my motor skills would be somewhat impaired.
The final hill coming home could have been a chore, but I put it in an easy gear and just cruised up. Nice ride!
4 Dogs is only 4 miles from my house, so I decided to ride my bicycle over. 1 mile down hill, 1.5 miles flat, 1 mile uphill and then a short ride in. I took my mountain bike and got there in 15 minutes, just before my body started to auto-cool itself with heavy perspiration ; )
My friends were late and I was a beer in when Joe called, trying to figure out where he was, coming all the way in from Philly. Turns out he was just about there and he drove his car into the lot a moment later.
Fred comes in on his beautiful Harley - seriously nice bike, but a bit different than mine ; )
It was a good lunch and I was feeling no pain as I rode home with 3 beers in me a couple of hours later. I don't remember riding my bike after drinking before. Probably safer than driving, but not much.
It was pretty cool, flying down the gravel hill in Strouds preserve - I was being pretty cautions knowing that my motor skills would be somewhat impaired.
The final hill coming home could have been a chore, but I put it in an easy gear and just cruised up. Nice ride!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Black Bear
I met some Tri Club friends up at Beltzwood Park yesterday - home of Black Bear Triathlon. I thought I might do this course this year, but I'll want to wait for another year. It was good to see the course.
Swimming was closed, but I brought my kayak. So after a riding the very hill course (2 loops - 55 miles), they went for a run and I mountain biked the run course, then kayaked around a bit.
The run course looks pretty easy, but a lot of trails, lots of turns and small hills, so not a super fast course.
The kayak was nice - it started raining just as I was getting onto the water. It was warm, so I was comfortable.
The calm lake was covered with tiny white water 'pearls' - as the rain hit the lake, droplets bounced forming white balls of water for a half a second each 1 inch above the surface of the water - as far as the eye could see - it was beautiful too see as my kayak silently knifed through the still lake waters.
It's funny how you can go your whole life without noticing something like that.
I left my house at 7:30am, and returned home at 6pm. It felt good just to get away and relax.
Charleston
Had a great trip to South Carolina. Swam 3 times in 2 days! The first time out was pretty awkward, but then things felt a bit more natural.
Got a little sunburn on the first day, but we had some rainy weather, so it wasn't too bad.
It was great to see the Erika and meet her boyfriends family. Spending more time with my wife is always a plus - life gets so busy, we don't get enough relaxing time
together - she is an awesome chick - no wonder I married her!
Friday, May 8, 2009
58:19 - best bike commute time yet
I was moving pretty good today, even with several slow downs at stop lights and bad traffic patterns. It's almost 20 miles for me to get to work, so 58:19 is pretty damn fast with a 12 pound backpack and plenty of hills.
Now I intended to ride hard today, knowing I'll have all weekend to rest up with no bikes available.
I could knock off over a minute if I have a good traffic day and don't need to slow down so much.
The good news is that I'm in pretty good shape to pull off that kind of time.
Anyway, just another ride that keeps things interesting.
Now I intended to ride hard today, knowing I'll have all weekend to rest up with no bikes available.
I could knock off over a minute if I have a good traffic day and don't need to slow down so much.
The good news is that I'm in pretty good shape to pull off that kind of time.
Anyway, just another ride that keeps things interesting.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Polska!
Last week I found myself in Poland on a business trip.
A 7pm flight out of Philly put me in Munich around 8am on Monday morning.
My 4 years of German in high school provided me with a small bit of confidence as I went through passport control, security, and an German eatery.
After my short layover in Munich, a twin propeller plane to Poznan Poland, and a short taxi ride to my office, I found myself entering an eastern European version of my companies offices at 1pm.
I met with several counterparts and found them quite open and knowledgeable. By 6:30pm the out-of-towners were on a coach bus south to Sierakow, a small resort town 70 kilometers from Poznan.
I brought my swim suit in hopes of finding a pool, but the pool was closed and the lake would have required a wet suit.
When I asked to see the exercise room, I was guided into a very narrow, windowless storage space where the limited circa 1950 equipment was collecting dust and not set up for use. The receptionist offered to get the equipment set up, but I declined, knowing that I would find it very difficult to workout in that environment.
I then asked her if they had any bicycles, she said no, but offered to let me use hers! I took her up on the offer and road into the town only 2 kilometers away. Hey, it was something to stretch my legs out.
Other than that 1 bike ride and a game of volley ball, I did nothing all week but stay up late, drink beer and vodka, dance, etc. It was lots of work during the day, but everyone partied late into the night - I probably averaged 5 hours sleep.
Many of the people were very interested in my Ironman status and thought it was great. One guy was trying to break a 4 hour marathon, and wants me to send him some training plans.
So now I'm trying to get motivated to begin exercising again. I'm pretty worn out, but managed to get a 25 mile bike ride in last night in between rain shower episodes.
A 7pm flight out of Philly put me in Munich around 8am on Monday morning.
My 4 years of German in high school provided me with a small bit of confidence as I went through passport control, security, and an German eatery.
After my short layover in Munich, a twin propeller plane to Poznan Poland, and a short taxi ride to my office, I found myself entering an eastern European version of my companies offices at 1pm.
I met with several counterparts and found them quite open and knowledgeable. By 6:30pm the out-of-towners were on a coach bus south to Sierakow, a small resort town 70 kilometers from Poznan.
I brought my swim suit in hopes of finding a pool, but the pool was closed and the lake would have required a wet suit.
When I asked to see the exercise room, I was guided into a very narrow, windowless storage space where the limited circa 1950 equipment was collecting dust and not set up for use. The receptionist offered to get the equipment set up, but I declined, knowing that I would find it very difficult to workout in that environment.
I then asked her if they had any bicycles, she said no, but offered to let me use hers! I took her up on the offer and road into the town only 2 kilometers away. Hey, it was something to stretch my legs out.
Other than that 1 bike ride and a game of volley ball, I did nothing all week but stay up late, drink beer and vodka, dance, etc. It was lots of work during the day, but everyone partied late into the night - I probably averaged 5 hours sleep.
Many of the people were very interested in my Ironman status and thought it was great. One guy was trying to break a 4 hour marathon, and wants me to send him some training plans.
So now I'm trying to get motivated to begin exercising again. I'm pretty worn out, but managed to get a 25 mile bike ride in last night in between rain shower episodes.
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