“d - anything I can do to help :D
Roam - thats cool that your dau went with ya...never to young to get started!
Path - I'm tired just reading that :)
SG - cool link :)”

“I'm supposed to get 2.5 hours of riding in, but I have a meeting at 0700, another at 1800 and 14 hours of work in between. The only solution I can come up with is to ride to work. 45 mins in, stretch out the ride home. Not the same as 2.5 hours continuous, but better than nothing.”

“got in 2 hours, like I said better than nothing. took 40 minutes to get in, relaxed, slow grade, 80 minutes to get home in the dark. Nice weather though, and I have a great route to work, with good variations as well.”

“Over vacation; one 18 miler at 15 mph, one 67 miler at 16 mph, a 20 mintues run and a 46 minute run and a tiny bit of ocean swimming (plus a lot of playing in the water)

Yesterday a 30 minute jog, this morning my usual 21 miles (1:16 minutes)”

“Last Saturday Morning

On Saturday morning, a roadie gets up early, as he has
for so many Saturday morning rides, and softly slips
out of the bedroom.

He dresses quietly in the next room, grabs his helmet
and water bottles, and goes out to pump the tires. As
the garage door opens, he's confronted by an icy,
windswept rain.

He's ridden before in these conditions. He doesn't like
it, but when it's Saturday morning he never misses. He
ponders the dismal conditions and then retreats to the
kitchen to tune a small TV to the Weather Channel.

The forecast only sounds worse. This is one Saturday
when he just can't summon the determination.

With a sigh, he slips off his shoes, quietly returns to
the bedroom, undresses and slips back into bed.

There he cuddles up to his wife's back and whispers,
"The weather out there is terrible."

To which she sleepily replies, "Can you believe my
husband went riding in that crap?"”

“oh thats bad!”

“lee, cute

did you write that?”

“Doh! now I see where it came from. Speed reading again! ;-)”

“I think I have heard that one only it was a golfer.”

“So thats why my wife never complains when I go riding????









Oh wait a min...she DOES complain every time I go and she can't!!!
lol”

“UPluver, try the following method. It's worked for me.

1. dress in the appropriate clothing and shoes for the activity
2. Prepare hydration pack and put it on along with your bike helmet and gloves
3. Stick one index finger on each ear
4. Utilizing your tongue on the roof of your mouth, repeat the sound "la la la" over and over again until you are in the garage
5. Check tire pressure
6. Begin your ride

Disclaimers: Failure to don riding apparel and fill hydration bladder prior to the remaining steps may result in less than perfect results. Removing your fingers from your ears prior to exiting the house may expose you to potentially severe tongue lashings.”

“Course that's why I just keep a dog now. lol

4:30 came awfully early this morning after a late night at the softball diamond. The game started at 9:10 and ended way past my bedtime. I am weak though and couldn't say no to the team despite my hectic schedule. Six miles felt like at least 16.

I swear I'm not playing next season! ;-)”

“went out this morning early. Stopped last night at the shop and got myself a Nightrider "TrailRat" light system.

Work pretty good. Igot underway at 5:30 and it was still pretty dark. By the time I hooked with the other two folks it was 5:45 . . I kept it on for another 15 minutes or so.


One of the riders got a flat about 4 miles into the ride (I was at 8.5 mileshaving ridden 4.5 to meet with them).

Put a new tube in . .but the tire had sidewall damage, so when he inflated it to 110 psi . . .it blew outthe sidewall again. The third rider headed home to get his car (he lived closest) and I continued on by myself.


21.47 miles. Inludes 6 miles of up hill. 16 mph avg. speed.


Two days in a row .. . I am whipped.”

“I had to bag my ride last night, made it into a 30min recovery ride. too busy at work. Will make up 1.75 hr ride tonight. 2.25 and 3 hr on the schedule for sat and sun.

”

“Didn't make my entire ride last night but got out for an hour and a half. I had forgotten to recharge my headlight battery, went out, decided to head in a few minutes early. The ride home was nice though, my Zipka "Moonglow" headlamp nicely merging with the illumination from the full moon.”

“"So I found this "fitness trail" yesterday. YOu know = one of those things where every hundred yards or so there this little exercise station set up. It winds around the woods around the branch campus of FAU here not too far from where I live. So I was riding along the trail just to check it out and I spooked a deer out of the woods, she sorta just hopped across the clearing and into more growth just opposite where she had been hideing. Then, just a few feet beyond there when I reneted the woods, there was a 5 or 6 foot black snake in the trail. It just slithered into the palmetto as I approached.

Very Cool Stuff.

I'm thinking the trail doesn't get used very much."”

“Cool encounters Roam. I see wildlife frequently as well. Unfortunately the most commen are skunks. That get's your heart rate up, eh?”

“skunks = bad!


lol”

“Long ride today, 3 hrs, that'll take me 35-40 miles. Then a couple of days of recovery scheduled before ramping up to a field test on Friday. I can tell I am stronger, it will be interesting to see if it translates into a better time on my test runs.”

“Got in my ride as prescribed. 2:53, 37 miles, 85F, +/-1330 ft.”

“dhutch, thanks for the suggestions I'll try that next time....course when I get back I'm gonna blame it ALL on YOU!!!LMAO
As for that softball thing, maybe we need to start a support thread for ppl tring to quit playin softball...gawd knows I could use on....lol...if I would just learn to say NO I could go BPing next weekend instead of spending the whole weekend at the diamonds!!”

“BUT I WANT TO DO IT ALLL!

Sports Anonymous... yeah it could go somewhere.

Got in a nice trail run Saturday and squeezed a bike ride between the raindrops on Sunday. Had two good training sessions with my horse this weekend. It was a good one despite the weather.”

“what a bunch of enablers we'd all be though, huh!”

“today is a rest day for me. I'm not sure I can cope.”

“Our gym is closed for the entire week for yearly maintenance. =( No swimming or biking for me this week.”

“Did a hill traiing ride of sorts on saturday.

20 minutes warm up (riding down the hill and beyond).

10 hard mintues 80-90% effort riding back up the hill.


10 minutes rest riding beack down.


10 minutes of work at 80-90% riding back up.


10 minutes cool down.


60 minutes of riding.”

“It's sick. I'm packed and ready to go for my 8 day trip. I've been looking forward to this for 6 months. But i've got anxiety over not training on my bike for that long. Running, no biggy since I'll be hiking.....

Yet another indication that I'm overstressed and need the break, right?

I'm Diane and I'm a workoutaholic...”

“44 minute sof running in 87 degree humidity yesterday”

“i've got anxiety over not training on my bike for that long I've had the same thoughts about my Pecos trip a mear two weeks before the Ride for the Roses. Breaks are good, but the timing is key.”

“Ok, lady listen up!!!
Pick up your pack and walk sloooooowly out the door. Do NOT look at your bike!!!




NOW GET YOUR BUTT TA BACKPACKING!!! and quit worrying....believe me your bike will be there when you get back!!!
:-)”

“That's it UP (lol) we'll all support each other. So much for anonymous though, eh?

I'm sure the beauty of Yellowstone will distract me once I get there.

Train on!”

“Core strength and upper body lifting syesterday.


1:15 on the bike this morning. The usual 21 mile loop with the gang.


here's a funnythiing.


(well . .its funny to me).


Some days we really seem to hammer. Push on the flats, push up the hills, pedals hard on the downhills.


Other days (like today)we chat, we coast we drift. No one pushed to hard, I felt like I could have gotten out front to lead, but it would have disrupted the vibe.


but... and here's the funny thing .. .


The timing and average speed are never far off.

Today's average speed was 15.84, about 1:16 or so and 20.74 miles.


Which .. . .is really no better than on days when we push


About the only conclusion I can come to is . ..


That on days when we push hard, I go up the final 2.5 mile hill, which i do to get home by myself, more slowly, therefore whacking the time and average speed.


And on days when we coast and go slow, I go up the hill faster.


But I still don't think I could go up fast enough for impact . . .


I dunno . .. .just kind of funny”

“Lee, you should do some specialized training on your own and surprise them one day by breaking away on that final hill.

I have a field test tomorrow. Today is Power Intervals in prep.”

“PAth --

that's kind of what I tried to do on Saturday. I did an hour of hill climb training. I need to do it more frequently.


Today's ride was a bit short. Only one guy rode. We moved right along, but rather than completing the 21 mile loop, I doubled back when we reached his house and headed up a backroad to mine. It is the first day of school, and the main road is really busy with buses. At 7:05 am I go through an intersection that is right by the High Shcool and all the kids who drive, the teachers and the buses are all trying to get through at once .. . .and me on my bike.

So today, I just backtracked to avoid it.


anyhoo.


16.5 miles 1:04, ave +/-16.25mph”

“Cut about one minute off my 3 mile time, got much higher HR this time, 170 max vs 155 max.

Test Date: 9/3/2004
Distance: 3
Average Speed: 9.39 mph
Weight: 187
Elapsed Times: 19:10 / 20:21
Average HeartRates: 155 / 150
Max HeartRates: 170 / 170
Average Cadences: 80 / 80
Temperature: Mild
Wind: Breezy
Humidity: High
Terrain: Uphill 800 ft increase in elevation from 5300 to 6100 ft.
Course: One-Way
Intensity: 10”

“did the 21 mile loop today.

Right before the hill we were at 57 minutes, average speed of 18mph


By the time I got to the top of the hill, (15 minute climb) and then rode beyond to cool down, turn around and come back at I ended at 1:14 minute, average speed of 16.5

So the trip up the hill (about 2.5 miles) does lose me 1.5 mph on the average speed.


Ran today at lunch .. ..about 3 miles in 30 mintues.


A gorgeous day, even though I was beat, I had to get out.”

“seems I belong in the biking club these days. Staying on schedule for my Century ride, 10/17, doing a warmup ride in DC the week prior. After that, I start transition to the nordic ski season. :D”

“and I get to go backpacking in

ONE WEEK

”

“Backpacking the ultimate cross training!”

“3:15 with PowerStarts on the schedule for today. Wet, cool day in ABQ. Guess I'll do a 35-40 mile Tour de ABQ. Can't afford to miss today's workout.”

“Rode 35 miles yesterday. Nagging chest cough and accumulation of mucus caused me to puke several times.

ONc eoff the bike at 18 miles, twice on the fly, then several times off the bike at 25 miles . ..then whatever was left came up out behind the garage after I got home.




Wanna hear more???




PS: I felt great . .but was concerned with all the fuel I was losing!”

“naw, that's ok

I got in my workout yesterday, 40 miles in 3.25 hours + Powerstart Intervals. Today is rest!”

“woo hoo!!! Training ride today. 5500 ft to 7200 ft and back including a 13 mile, 1600 ft climb. The time includes a road repair of a spoke and 5 min "rest break". The climbing didn't seem too bad, the downhills perfect for a workout, able to pedal down most.

Half Century Training Ride

I think I'm on track to do my century one week from today. Big doings in Austin before and after.

Yesterday, the Tour of Hope DC ride was a hoot and I got to practice riding in a bunch, working my way through etc. I don't know my official time yet. I think I rode faster in a group, but we were held to 12 mph by the DC Police escort. I may have averaged faster, as my group started after the first 150, I was able to pass a bunch through the morning. We even made the Metro Section of the Sunday Washington Post.

Article, requires free registration

Saw Lance and Chris Carmicheal, didn't want to wait in line for Chris' autograph, Lance wasn't doing them. USPS there too, had a chat with one of the women riders.

Gewuerstraminer and dried mangoes for desert, steak and potatoes for dinner.”

“The funniest part was that if felt like the Tour de Potomac. There were police motorcyle escorts the entire route and cheering people and schoolchildren(Saturday mind you)along the route and when we arrived they lined the barricades at least 5 deep. Lots of signs and yellow galore.”

“Very Cool!”

“Recovery ride tomorrow, rest Sat, Ride for the Roses

Sunday

.”

“Wooo Hooo! A full "trip" report will be anticipated.”

“SWEET! Can't wait to hear about it Pathman.”

“I say rest Saturday, but not quite. Spend the day with old friends from Houston, and 2004 Ride for the Roses Weekend
Presented in partnership with
the John Wayne Cancer Foundation”