Not a high activity week for me, between work and life I let some miles slip through my hands and came up with a bit less mileage than I had hoped for. Not a good enough excuse so the next update should be better.
Anyways down to the numbers this week:
Miles: 81
Elevation: 1407 feet
Hours: 5hr 2min
I have been working on cadence by feel. I currently have no cadence monitor, but am working on getting one. I wish someone made one that would sync up with my phone (Galaxy S3) but so far I have had no luck locating one. If anyone knows of anyone making a cadence monitor that will sync up please let me know, otherwise it will be a bit before I can afford to get a Garmin unit plus monitors.
Currently saving up for a trainer so I can get some indoor miles when the weather gets too rough to ride. I know I should tough it out and ride in the weather but lets be real here, there are some days it just won't happen and it also opens up the option to get in some training when time is short and I need to stay close to home for one reason or another.
Oh yeah, I have been tracking my diet closely using MyFitnessPal which Strava will export to and count my exercise against my caloric intake. Still dialing some things in and have been in a caloric deficit pretty consistently, but I think I have that dialed in a bit better. Eating mostly fruit through the morning and into the afternoon really makes caloric intake a challenge, but when I am under I have no hunger or loss of energy at all because I am constantly eating throughout the day.
Well dinner is ready so until next time keep it rubber side down
John
Monday, September 29, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
That magical feeling of flight
I read an interview a few years back with Robin Williams and the interviewer asked him, "What is it about bicycle riding you love so much?"
Williams replied with, "It's the closest you can get to flying."
The other day I felt that exact feeling on a ride and I am not so sure I can do the feeling any justice with words.
I had decided to go put in an extended ride of 80 miles, had the route pretty well decided, legs were feeling good, mind was in the right place and the tunes were carefully selected to provide further motivation.
I got a couple miles down the Hanford Highway and the headwind was doing it's thing once again. I gear down and get into my mental zone and for the next 20 miles I cruised right into a steady battle and winning with good time. Finally I get to the gate at the end of the highway (badge only entrance). At that point the options are to turn around and go back or take a left turn onto the "Hanford High Line" or Highway 10 as the state calls it.
I stop at that point and take stock of my options, have a swallow of water and decide to go left to make my way to Benton City. As I began down that 7 mile stretch I kept spinning to the next gear until I realized there was no more gear to shift to. Sure enough the wind was now coming from slightly behind me and slightly to the side but helping me along in just the right way.
I didn't want to put too much thought into exactly what I was feeling and focused simply on my cadence, but the smile on my face had to have been the widest I have smiled in some time. I cranked out mile after mile with no idea of what my speed was, only that I was making some pretty serious (for me) time.
When I reached the intersection to join the highway to Benton City I had to stop and think about what had just happened and how I wanted that feeling again every time I rode. It was as if I had just gotten validation of some kind for the hard work I was putting in on the bike day after day and had finally achieved lift off. The rest of the day I could have endured gale force headwinds and I would have had that same goofy smile while doing it.
I have no doubt that years from now when someone asks me about why I ride I will go back to this day and my endless pursuit of achieving that feeling once again because it was indeed as close to flying as I have ever felt under my own power.
Williams replied with, "It's the closest you can get to flying."
The other day I felt that exact feeling on a ride and I am not so sure I can do the feeling any justice with words.
I had decided to go put in an extended ride of 80 miles, had the route pretty well decided, legs were feeling good, mind was in the right place and the tunes were carefully selected to provide further motivation.
I got a couple miles down the Hanford Highway and the headwind was doing it's thing once again. I gear down and get into my mental zone and for the next 20 miles I cruised right into a steady battle and winning with good time. Finally I get to the gate at the end of the highway (badge only entrance). At that point the options are to turn around and go back or take a left turn onto the "Hanford High Line" or Highway 10 as the state calls it.
I stop at that point and take stock of my options, have a swallow of water and decide to go left to make my way to Benton City. As I began down that 7 mile stretch I kept spinning to the next gear until I realized there was no more gear to shift to. Sure enough the wind was now coming from slightly behind me and slightly to the side but helping me along in just the right way.
I didn't want to put too much thought into exactly what I was feeling and focused simply on my cadence, but the smile on my face had to have been the widest I have smiled in some time. I cranked out mile after mile with no idea of what my speed was, only that I was making some pretty serious (for me) time.
When I reached the intersection to join the highway to Benton City I had to stop and think about what had just happened and how I wanted that feeling again every time I rode. It was as if I had just gotten validation of some kind for the hard work I was putting in on the bike day after day and had finally achieved lift off. The rest of the day I could have endured gale force headwinds and I would have had that same goofy smile while doing it.
I have no doubt that years from now when someone asks me about why I ride I will go back to this day and my endless pursuit of achieving that feeling once again because it was indeed as close to flying as I have ever felt under my own power.
Week in review 9/15 - 9/21/14
Pretty lackluster week overall. I think I pushed a bit too hard the previous two weeks and I have been dealing with trying to recuperate this last week.
Total miles: 59
Hours ridden: 3hrs 40mins
Elevation gain: 617ft
I jumped back in pretty fast for someone who hadn't been riding much over the last year and a half, in fact it was too fast with not enough time to let the body heal and it politely informed me, by politely I mean I felt as though I was on the edge of a cold all week, legs were heavy and my energy level was at an all time low even though I was getting what I considered enough rest, food and drink.
So lesson learned, 120-170 mile weeks are a lot of fun and very easily done but make sure you are in such a condition that your body recovers properly while doing it.
I plan to be back on the bike and building the miles back up beginning tomorrow.
Not much really to say in this update, so until next time keep it rubber side down.
Total miles: 59
Hours ridden: 3hrs 40mins
Elevation gain: 617ft
I jumped back in pretty fast for someone who hadn't been riding much over the last year and a half, in fact it was too fast with not enough time to let the body heal and it politely informed me, by politely I mean I felt as though I was on the edge of a cold all week, legs were heavy and my energy level was at an all time low even though I was getting what I considered enough rest, food and drink.
So lesson learned, 120-170 mile weeks are a lot of fun and very easily done but make sure you are in such a condition that your body recovers properly while doing it.
I plan to be back on the bike and building the miles back up beginning tomorrow.
Not much really to say in this update, so until next time keep it rubber side down.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Week in Review 9/8 - 9/14/14
I don't like the format I used last week, gonna admit it was pretty stupid looking back on it so I am changing things up a bit.
First lets get to the numbers.
Miles ridden: 178.14
Total time ridden: 11hr 0 mins
Total Elevation Gain: 3,064ft
My biggest week on the bike since I have returned to riding and I have to admit that while the accomplishment feels good my legs were a bit tired on Sunday and I had to rest even though I wanted to get some miles in. As someone else told me, "It is best to listen to your body and take the rest day".
It was a week of some accomplishment as I knocked out my metric century so I can check that off the list. In fact right I ended up stopping to fix a flat tire at exactly 62.5 miles which I got a bit of a laugh out of.
The goal on that day was to knock out the Gran Fondo challenge on Strava, unfortunately I am used to imperial measurement (miles, inches etc.) so somewhere in my head that 130km was just a bit over 79 miles, you can imagine my surprise when I discovered my mistake after I had already sent the data. Oh well just gives me an excuse to do it again.
I am not going to lie it was a bit difficult to polish off the final 15 miles of that ride, but I think with a bit better pacing in some sections I would not only do a bit better overall but also have more energy at the end of the ride. During the ride I also learned that I didn't pack as much to snack on as I had thought, and let me tell you, stopping at a gas station for fried chicken strips and jojo's does not make for good fuel. A lazy decision on my part and lesson learned there.
I think the biggest smile came to my face when my daughter looked at me and said that she was noticing I was dropping a little weight and starting to look a bit more toned than usual. I am not good with compliments so I kind of downplayed it, but I am happy to say that I have indeed lost 10 pounds, which is a good start and my legs are most definitely starting to show more definition...need to work on that gut though.
Overall I had some really nice rides this week, and as I watch the weather slowly turn cooler, the days getting shorter and the nights longer I know that in the not too distant future I will be spending more time on the trainer than the road. In the meantime I plan to use every chance I get to move some pavement.
Which reminds me, I still need to pick up a trainer...more on that as I get the money together for it.
As always, comment as you wish and I will do my best to reply.
Until next time keep it rubber side down.
 |
| Lots of this in the high desert |
Miles ridden: 178.14
Total time ridden: 11hr 0 mins
Total Elevation Gain: 3,064ft
My biggest week on the bike since I have returned to riding and I have to admit that while the accomplishment feels good my legs were a bit tired on Sunday and I had to rest even though I wanted to get some miles in. As someone else told me, "It is best to listen to your body and take the rest day".
It was a week of some accomplishment as I knocked out my metric century so I can check that off the list. In fact right I ended up stopping to fix a flat tire at exactly 62.5 miles which I got a bit of a laugh out of.
The goal on that day was to knock out the Gran Fondo challenge on Strava, unfortunately I am used to imperial measurement (miles, inches etc.) so somewhere in my head that 130km was just a bit over 79 miles, you can imagine my surprise when I discovered my mistake after I had already sent the data. Oh well just gives me an excuse to do it again.
 |
| Fast Flux Test Facility sign |
I am not going to lie it was a bit difficult to polish off the final 15 miles of that ride, but I think with a bit better pacing in some sections I would not only do a bit better overall but also have more energy at the end of the ride. During the ride I also learned that I didn't pack as much to snack on as I had thought, and let me tell you, stopping at a gas station for fried chicken strips and jojo's does not make for good fuel. A lazy decision on my part and lesson learned there.
I think the biggest smile came to my face when my daughter looked at me and said that she was noticing I was dropping a little weight and starting to look a bit more toned than usual. I am not good with compliments so I kind of downplayed it, but I am happy to say that I have indeed lost 10 pounds, which is a good start and my legs are most definitely starting to show more definition...need to work on that gut though.
Overall I had some really nice rides this week, and as I watch the weather slowly turn cooler, the days getting shorter and the nights longer I know that in the not too distant future I will be spending more time on the trainer than the road. In the meantime I plan to use every chance I get to move some pavement.
Which reminds me, I still need to pick up a trainer...more on that as I get the money together for it.
As always, comment as you wish and I will do my best to reply.
Until next time keep it rubber side down.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Headwinds
Today was a rough day of riding, but I had to since I took yesterday off.
Started off with a staple through my tire within the first mile or two of riding, never a great sign but it happens.
Tire repaired and I am off again, then I begin to realize just how strong the wind is. In fact the entire time I was riding today I don't think that I didn't have a headwind which really makes it tough sometimes, but here is what I figured out.
When riding into a headwind there are a couple things that can make it worse.
Rough jarring road: Quite possibly the worst of the bunch because your whole body takes a beating while you are trying to keep your pace.
Solution: Turn onto a smoother road or make your way to one, you could give up but that isn't what we do now is it? So suck up a couple rough miles and get to better roads.
Trying to get a "best time": This can be a lot of different things from a personal best time, best speed, segment time (for Strava users) or simply thinking you have to be somewhere.
Solution: Gear down a bit, hit the drops and just focus on keeping your cadence. No kidding this very simple concept when put into action is amazingly effective and before you know it you realize you need to go up a gear and the legs are feeling less strain...because you aren't focusing on speed and time, both those things come easier the less you focus on them.
Hill climbs suck: No really they do suck in a major way, especially long hill climbs that never seem to end.
Solution: Same as before, quit trying to impress your friends, gear down and pace yourself right up the hill. Over time and repetition that hill that had you in first gear for endless days is suddenly your bitch as you romp up it in fifth gear, but first you have to condition your legs, lungs and heart to be able to do it.
There are no easy ways out, cycling takes time, dedication and conditioning to get to the goal. Like Greg LeMond once said, "It never gets easier, you just get faster".
Until next time, keep it rubber side down.
Started off with a staple through my tire within the first mile or two of riding, never a great sign but it happens.
Tire repaired and I am off again, then I begin to realize just how strong the wind is. In fact the entire time I was riding today I don't think that I didn't have a headwind which really makes it tough sometimes, but here is what I figured out.
When riding into a headwind there are a couple things that can make it worse.
Rough jarring road: Quite possibly the worst of the bunch because your whole body takes a beating while you are trying to keep your pace.
Solution: Turn onto a smoother road or make your way to one, you could give up but that isn't what we do now is it? So suck up a couple rough miles and get to better roads.
Trying to get a "best time": This can be a lot of different things from a personal best time, best speed, segment time (for Strava users) or simply thinking you have to be somewhere.
Solution: Gear down a bit, hit the drops and just focus on keeping your cadence. No kidding this very simple concept when put into action is amazingly effective and before you know it you realize you need to go up a gear and the legs are feeling less strain...because you aren't focusing on speed and time, both those things come easier the less you focus on them.
Hill climbs suck: No really they do suck in a major way, especially long hill climbs that never seem to end.
Solution: Same as before, quit trying to impress your friends, gear down and pace yourself right up the hill. Over time and repetition that hill that had you in first gear for endless days is suddenly your bitch as you romp up it in fifth gear, but first you have to condition your legs, lungs and heart to be able to do it.
There are no easy ways out, cycling takes time, dedication and conditioning to get to the goal. Like Greg LeMond once said, "It never gets easier, you just get faster".
Until next time, keep it rubber side down.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Week in review 9/1 - 9/7/14
So this update is being brought to you by a well deserved Vanilla Coffee Stout I am enjoying currently, so if things get weird lets go ahead and blame the beer.
Lets start with what I learned this week:
On Monday: I learned that sometime when your legs feel heavy all it takes is a stop at the coffee shop and some conversation a few miles in to get the sand out.
Tuesday: That I have the idea of a short recovery ride before a meeting is going to probably end in me getting a lot more of a workout than I want and therefore show up at the meeting hot and sweaty...my bad, sorry folks.
Wednesday: That there is a great 10.6 mile loop that I can use to do intervals on and has a couple small steady climbs I can use even further in a pinch for a quick ride before the sun goes down.
Thursday: That the aforementioned loop gets faster and is still enjoyable.
Friday: This one was a lesson I already knew but since my extended break from riding I got it out of the way early. Always make sure you have fuel in your belly before going for a ride and take something to snack on along the way if you are either not sure or haven't eaten recently and just got off work. The fast story is I did a 29.3 mile round trip to grab some parts from across town. Company was paying me to ride my bike so I jumped at the chance and took off feeling strong. Grabbed the part, drank some water then hopped on for a return trip and sure enough in the middle of nowhere I was feeling less than energetic suddenly. A stop for some more water and a short rest and I was fine...for a couple miles but it was getting worse and I knew what was going on. Luckily I worked my way back and made sure to have some food before leaving work, but the risk was very real. I have bonked before and it is a scary feeling, I do not suggest anyone try it and carry a snack with you on every ride just in case.
Saturday: I couldn't ride Saturday due to an event I had to be at, so I guess I learned that rest days are good because...
Sunday: Awesome ride day, did what is known as the Hanford 40k loop which in total ended up being 37.5 miles. It was my best ride since I started back up with a good average speed, awesome views and the chance to explore a place I have wanted to see since I moved to the Tri-Cities of Washington. Hanford is the key to this areas economy and was the key to ending WWII. It has a lot of history both good and bad, and on this day it was very relaxing as I only saw a total of 5 cars and 4 other cyclists the entire time (football being on didn't hurt those numbers either).
I am thinking I may just start posting pics in the blog I have taken during my rides, in the meantime I have them on my G+ should you be interested. I would do it now but I am feeling like dinner and a movie is calling me right now.
Post your comments, questions or whatever below and subscribe if you wish.
Until next time keep the rubber side down.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Setting Goals
I once read that to reach a goal you should put it into writing since it puts a sense of accountability into your mind. In this case it is twofold since I am putting it into public writing and am now accountable not only to myself but also to any of you reading this...now that's a bit of commitment.
Weight goals:
Weight goals:
170-185lbs
Trim up the usual spots (love handles)
Core strength
Weight goals are pretty self explanatory really, but are honestly probably the most difficult to reach. I am not a big fan of static workouts so core strength training is a bit more of the mental than the physical for me.
Cycling goals:
Ride consistently 5 days a week
Winter training schedule (purchase trainer)
Metric century (62 miles)
Century
Double century
2 charity rides
First race
The cycling goals are again pretty straightforward. The only goals that may change is the "first race". I am a pretty competitive person in some aspects but mostly with myself which means I push myself pretty hard, this can be good and bad both which leads me to think maybe training for a race might push me over that edge...I will make that decision as time goes on though.
Diet goals:
More vegetable and fruit centric
Meats becoming less of a focal point of the meal
Cut processed sugars and sweets
Diet is another pretty big deal. When I say diet I am not talking about the overused term for abstaining from everything for a time then returning only to binge eat every candy bar on the shelf. No I am talking about how I eat every day whether I am riding, training or lounging.
I am an American so my diet has always been high in processed sugars as well as meat being a focal point of meals and not so much in fruit and vegetables. Well after 43 years of living this way and doing ok with it I have decided to shift that a bit and focus on fruits and vegetables being a bit more focal in my eating. In this process I am hoping to be able to cut out processed sugars to the point of being the rare treat. I love meat but am starting to think it should be the smaller portion on the plate as opposed to the center piece of the meal. I will probably post some more thoughts on this later on, I don't want to sound preachy or like I am pushing my choices on anyone else, personally I don't care what or how you eat as that is an individual choice each person must make for themselves.
So those are the goals as of right now. I may work on breaking these into separate sections within this blog so they are easier to follow for you the reader and easier for me to update and focus my thoughts.
Thanks for reading and as always any questions, thoughts or general rants post below in the comments and I will reply as I can, dialog is good.
Until next time keep it rubber side down.
Monday, September 1, 2014
A Simple Concept
This blog is pretty straight forward, it is about bicycle riding, specifically my progress as a rider.
I have been riding bikes for as long as I can remember, BMX and freestyle until about the time I hit high school, then along came a new kind of riding called mountain biking which appealed to me because it was the same kind of aggressive riding style as I was used to but with bikes that fit me.
Over time life got in the way and cars became a larger focal point in life for me. I always had a bike somewhere in the garage but they didn't get much use. Until about 4 years ago (as of this writing) when the economy suddenly swung it's axe my direction and I had to re-evaluate some things...mostly money. In doing so I realized I had a way to cut some cost easily enough, about a year earlier I had randomly bought a mountain bike off an old roommate who needed to thin out his herd. This was an older hardtail with suspension forks, specifically a Diamondback Topanga SE (unsure of year). I dusted it off and rode it regularly, the more miles I rode the better I felt so I kept doing it.
When I started riding I had just come off a customer support position doing customer service and network troubleshooting as relates to a popular gaming system. I loved the job and the people but lets be honest here, it was the least healthy environment I had ever worked in. No exercise, high fat food at the cafeteria was all that was available, everyone had snacks consisting of sugary goodness...and I have a mean sweet tooth. So needless to say I gained some weight, in fact I went from 209 to 245 in the course of a little over a year and was not happy about it at all. I have always been pretty active in one way or another and here I am becoming a help desk blob.
Anyways I rode and was seeing some benefits in many ways. Then I had to move from Western Oregon where it is either raining or getting ready to, over to the South Eastern corner of Washington which is high desert and rains very little and decided I was making the switch to bicycle only transport (some public transport here and there of course). I commute to work, do my food shopping, pay my bills and also get my exercise and sport by way of cycling. It is a huge change for someone who comes from an automotive racing, off roading and general all around car culture background. Don't get me wrong I still love cars and racing but my priorities have changed.
So after moving here I got a lot more serious about my miles and in my first year I ran up a little over 3,000 miles on the MTB, dropped 55 pounds to hit 190lbs and was keeping some impressive averages (especially for an MTB). Money was tight and sadly my maintenance schedule was slack so the bike was feeling what amounted to "roadie miles". A couple valiant attempts by me to return it to it's previous glory failed and it has been retired at this point to the 1 mile commute to and from work but I had to stop putting any real miles on it over the past year or so.
Until about 2 weeks ago, that is when I had finally saved enough money to get "Lucinda" which is a 2014 Specialized Roubaix SL-4 with disc brakes in 58cm. Found it on Craigslist being sold by a guy who decided it just wasn't for him, he says he had put 100 miles on it and decided to go a different direction. So I test rode it, had the shop inspect it and at the price it was being offered I had the numbers run on it to make sure I wasn't buying a hot bike. The stars aligned and here we are.
OK long winded introduction but I will wrap it up with this.
My goal with this blog is to chronicle my thoughts, adventures, trials and tribulations with being a noob to road cycling. I am not the kind to only talk about the upside of what I have done, I will freely talk about my mistakes, my general opposition to the status quo and where that all leads me. I will also be chronicling the physical effects and diet changes as I am looking to again drop some of the weight that has creeped back due to a minimum of exercise again.
So here are the starting stats:
Age: 43
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220
At this point I have been on the bike for about two weeks my Strava details are to right in the widget column.
If at any time there are any comments, questions or general banter then post below and I will always listen to reason and reply as I can.
I have been riding bikes for as long as I can remember, BMX and freestyle until about the time I hit high school, then along came a new kind of riding called mountain biking which appealed to me because it was the same kind of aggressive riding style as I was used to but with bikes that fit me.
Over time life got in the way and cars became a larger focal point in life for me. I always had a bike somewhere in the garage but they didn't get much use. Until about 4 years ago (as of this writing) when the economy suddenly swung it's axe my direction and I had to re-evaluate some things...mostly money. In doing so I realized I had a way to cut some cost easily enough, about a year earlier I had randomly bought a mountain bike off an old roommate who needed to thin out his herd. This was an older hardtail with suspension forks, specifically a Diamondback Topanga SE (unsure of year). I dusted it off and rode it regularly, the more miles I rode the better I felt so I kept doing it.
When I started riding I had just come off a customer support position doing customer service and network troubleshooting as relates to a popular gaming system. I loved the job and the people but lets be honest here, it was the least healthy environment I had ever worked in. No exercise, high fat food at the cafeteria was all that was available, everyone had snacks consisting of sugary goodness...and I have a mean sweet tooth. So needless to say I gained some weight, in fact I went from 209 to 245 in the course of a little over a year and was not happy about it at all. I have always been pretty active in one way or another and here I am becoming a help desk blob.
Anyways I rode and was seeing some benefits in many ways. Then I had to move from Western Oregon where it is either raining or getting ready to, over to the South Eastern corner of Washington which is high desert and rains very little and decided I was making the switch to bicycle only transport (some public transport here and there of course). I commute to work, do my food shopping, pay my bills and also get my exercise and sport by way of cycling. It is a huge change for someone who comes from an automotive racing, off roading and general all around car culture background. Don't get me wrong I still love cars and racing but my priorities have changed.
So after moving here I got a lot more serious about my miles and in my first year I ran up a little over 3,000 miles on the MTB, dropped 55 pounds to hit 190lbs and was keeping some impressive averages (especially for an MTB). Money was tight and sadly my maintenance schedule was slack so the bike was feeling what amounted to "roadie miles". A couple valiant attempts by me to return it to it's previous glory failed and it has been retired at this point to the 1 mile commute to and from work but I had to stop putting any real miles on it over the past year or so.
Until about 2 weeks ago, that is when I had finally saved enough money to get "Lucinda" which is a 2014 Specialized Roubaix SL-4 with disc brakes in 58cm. Found it on Craigslist being sold by a guy who decided it just wasn't for him, he says he had put 100 miles on it and decided to go a different direction. So I test rode it, had the shop inspect it and at the price it was being offered I had the numbers run on it to make sure I wasn't buying a hot bike. The stars aligned and here we are.
OK long winded introduction but I will wrap it up with this.
My goal with this blog is to chronicle my thoughts, adventures, trials and tribulations with being a noob to road cycling. I am not the kind to only talk about the upside of what I have done, I will freely talk about my mistakes, my general opposition to the status quo and where that all leads me. I will also be chronicling the physical effects and diet changes as I am looking to again drop some of the weight that has creeped back due to a minimum of exercise again.
So here are the starting stats:
Age: 43
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220
At this point I have been on the bike for about two weeks my Strava details are to right in the widget column.
If at any time there are any comments, questions or general banter then post below and I will always listen to reason and reply as I can.
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