10 March 2009

I sort of rested yesterday, slept in till after 11am; I was wiped out from Sunday's long ride, followed by staying up too late. So, I took the day off (from cycling) and didn't ride. Today, when I did get back on, I was still tired. Worked it out though, and got in 25 miles. I feel a little tight in the hamstrings, but good. No retreat, no surrender! Besides, I have only 68 days left in preparation for Mt. Mitchell. I am studying elevation graphs and trying to determine strategies, and figuring out what I need to carry and what I need to leave behind.
Kind of like the guys in the WWII Airborne Divisions, except the chances are pretty good no one will be shooting at me. I started watching "A Bridge Too Far," a 1977 movie about Operation Market Garden, an effort to win the war by Christmas and get our soldiers home. It was a bold, aggressive plan that failed because of lack of supplies and reinforcements. When you are jumping out of an airplane, there's only so much you can take with you. Therefore, what you take had better be necessary. There will be a lot of climbing involved and I am a big guy; between just me and the bike, I have a LOAD to carry up those hills, several up to 9% and some up to 11%! So, I need to figure out how much of what so I can make it to the top. Because when the serious climbing starts, I'll already have ridden over 80 miles. I am still excited to do it. Bring it on, because this is what I have worked and trained for, and I will be ready.
Be blessed, be safe.

8 March 2009

For a lazy man, I rocked it today! What a beautiful Sunday it has been! Worshiped this morning, then went home and got my gear together and took off for a ride. I averaged over 16mph for four-and-a-half hours and covered a distance of nearly 73 miles! My butt hurts!!! But it was so worth it. I want to be doing more long rides like that to get prepared for Mt. Mitchell, I need to be strong enough to pedal for nine hours and tough enough to stay in the saddle that long. I must have chosen some pretty good roads too, as I climbed a cumulative total of greater than 3100 feet. It's painful now, but it's gonna feel so sweet when I roll beneath that time clock on top of Mt. Mitchell!
Just a side note, because this is important to me, my 7-year-old daughter is artistic (so's my son; his medium is drawing) and likes to make clay sculptures. This is a (somewhat fuzzy- my fault) picture of a squirrel she made, and a snake's house with a banana tree in the yard. Check out the detail! I got me some smart kids.
Be blessed, be safe.

7 March 2009

Ole Mike has been lazy lately; well, not really lazy, just exhausted. Work has been overwhelmingly busy and wearing me out so I didn't ride yesterday or today. I'll have to make up for it. It has been a beautiful, warm weekend, and is supposed to be so tomorrow. So after I go to church and worship the Creator, I am getting out to enjoy His creation, hopefully about 60 miles of it. I'd love to get in a good long ride and just enjoy myself on my new bike. It's okay if cycling's fun, right?
Be blessed, be safe.

4 March 2009

Not alot to report today, jumped on the trainer and watched my climbing DVD. Showed some slight improvement in average speed, average heart rate, distance, etc. Just happy to be able to say I made progress. I'll really know how much progress in two-and-a-half weeks when we go to Marion to ride up to Mt. Mitchell. The trainer is a great tool, but it is not the road. The truth is told out on the asphalt and the hills. But I know I am better prepared than I would be otherwise. Be blessed, be safe.

3 March 2009

Even though I got caught in the rain Saturday, I was happy to get in a good ride. I managed to stay warm and not crash, so I was happy. But, doggone it, my new bike got mussed! So, I got out today in the freezing cold and washed that sucker and shined it up. Almost looks new again.
Too cold to get out on the road today, popped in a movie instead: "Batman Begins" with Christian Bale and Michael Caine. Oh yeah, Tom Cruise' love slave is in it too. I like Bale as Batman, probably my favorite to play the Dark Knight. Wasn't in me to pedal through the whole thing, so I ended up riding about 22 1/2 miles and called it a day. Good ride, need to keep pedaling and keep losing weight. Only 75 more days till Mitchell. Going to the top!
Be blessed, be safe.

2 March 2009

Spent yesterday wrapping things up at the beachhouse and driving home in the rain. Wanted to get home before the snow came, haha! There was snow in South Carolina, but it wasn't here. The kids didn't care though, they still got the day off from school. I have lived here forever almost but somedays I still don't get SC.
Started a new month on the bike today, with new goals. I was ten miles short of my 500 in February so I'll add those to March and go for 510 miles. I only lost about half of my 10-pound weight loss goal, but I'll eat that because I don't think I can wrap my mind around a 15-pound goal. So, ten it is!
Jumped on the trainer and switched on the Carmichael Training Systems DVD, "Climbing II." I didn't do as well as those folks riding trainers with Chris Carmichael, but I was able for the first time to pedal the entire DVD, warmup to cooldown. I am proud of myself! I also got a new computer for my trainer bike, a computer which has a cadence feature on it. I am trying to get used to pedaling at a higher cadence rate and now I am able to monitor it. My legs are strong but slow, but I am now pedaling in the 80's instead of the 70's. This will improve my cardio and my ability to recover. There's alot more to this biking thing than just throwing your leg across and going for it.
Every day gets better, and it needs to. I now have 76 days until Mt. Mitchell and I need to be ready. It will hurt, but I'll survive.
Be blessed, be safe.

28 February 2009

After spending the night hoping the rain would move on through and not cancel the Saturday shop ride at Grand Strand Bicycles, I dodged the bullet, at least for a little while. It was cloudy and cool, but I left the beachhouse at a few minutes past 7am and rode the ten miles to the shop. I had checked the shop's phone tree at 6:30, before Tim could change the message at 6:35 that the ride had been cancelled. Oh well, three other guys showed up and we had ourselves a bike ride in some iffy weather.
We did 25 miles around the Murrells Inlet area, and they hammered. I love a group ride, but it always exposes the weakness of riding alone. I get content riding alone and I don't quite hit it as hard. It was all I could do to keep these guys in sight and even had to grab a wheel when it was offered to me, so I wouldn't get dropped. I was pulled in by a guy 18 years my senior. No shame though, only pride. Proud that I am improving and becoming a better rider, and proud of this man who is not content to sit down throughout his later years. He is another awesome example to me.
We made it back to the shop just before the rain came back. Couple of Gu's, some coffee, and a little while hanging out with friends (old and new) and I was ready to head back to the beachhouse; I had painting and repairs to do. My ride home in the rain was without complaint, I could not have imagined a better way to spend my Saturday morning.
There was one disappointment, however: I fell short of my February goal by ten miles. I can handle that, though, because I had ridden 490 miles in February. I lost a few pounds but not the ten pounds I wanted to. That's okay too, I'll keep trying. I have an awesome new bike, some nice new road shoes, and Spring is just around the corner. I'll be just fine.
Be blessed, be safe. Tim, Mary, and Fallon in front of the shop. I snagged this pic from their website; I hope y'all don't mind, Tim, I'm blessed to call y'all friends!