This morning was almost perfect for cycling light winds, sunshine and comfortable temperatures. What’s more we were joined by a mate who we hadn’t seen for a while (The Legend ). It was our group ride route that stays east of the A43 after stopping in Oundle for It was also one of those days that seemed to work for me and I was able to concentrate at times in pedaling more with my calves which seems to get me 30-40w more for the same effort through my thighs. I can feel it now and the compression socks are on
Left early to beat incoming rain and had a beautiful ride with very low bike and car traffic. Even though the humidity was at 80%, the starting temp of about 75 and ending below 85 was a very nice break from the extreme heat we’ve had this summer.
3 hours solo with four 16 minute intervals at around 80% FTP during the first hour and a half, and then 90 minutes of relaxing and exploring in the cool temps along with a couple sprints to end things out.
Other half went on a fritter ride while I was working last weekend so today I planned our route to go past the fritter place. It also included “Clara’s Climb”, named after Clara Hughes who used the hill to train for the '96 Olympic Cycling events.
Just past the crest of the hill, there is sunflower field - OH said he’d get a nice picture of me as I rode by. Here’s the picture. Jered Gruber he is not!
There’s a heat warning in effect this weekend. By the time we got to the fritter place my braid was sodden, as was my jersey, but at least there was a nice tailwind chasing us home.
The easiest way to do this is to take video and then screenshot the frame you want.
Top of Mt Shasta climb, right now:
Only 252 feet of descending!
Energy circle and drummer:
New helmet from @ericallenboyd - thanks Eric!
Route:
More pics later!
Awesome views
Franklin County, Maine, USA
Tried a new route (I love exploring new roads) but even though RideWithGPS showed a loop, it ended at someone’s house who, as it turned out, was not happy that I was there, and let me know it. Something about “this road hasn’t connected through in 40 years.”
So, I wished him a happy day, turned around, and decided to try some sprintervals (e.g. SIT) in a short local hill from the public beach. I ended up doing 9 x 25 sec @ 185-200%. I’ll definitely take it given how I never practice sprints; don’t race at all, especially crits; and prefer long, slow rides like fondos and centuries. Anyway, was fun, type 2 style, 25 seconds at a time.
Being in the back woods of Maine, there are some unique things to see, including the infamous (at least around here) “man in the can.”
This picture of a group of loons was off our dock last night. We always love seeing them.
Random trivia: What is a group of loons called? There are multiple correct answers.
- Asylum
- Cry
- Flock
- Gaggle
- Herd
- Raft
- Waterdance
- All of the above
- None of the above
0 voters
Answer: A group of loons can go by many names, including a raft, a waterdance, a cry and an asylum.
Super Flagstaff ride in Boulder, CO.
Today was my longest ride of the year. Emerald Epic mountain bike race. It was hard. I could tell I haven’t been riding much this year.
On the bright side, good training for SBT GRVL next weekend - although maybe a little late for that ??. I haven’t ridden my gravel bike since April, so that will be …. interesting. More suffering on the bike in store I guess.
Emerald mountain looks so inviting from the hot tub. 4 times up and down however is less appealing - well, by time #4 anyway.
Glad it fit and looks good.
Not much in the legs today, they were a bit too DOMmy (if thats the word) overnight. Almost as good a day as yesterday though. A little windier but barely a breeze if truth be told I met some mates in Peterborough town before heading to Elton in Northamptonshire where we normally meet more folk. But despite it being glorious weather everything was extra quiet. We then headed a mailnly off road route to Fineshade Woods and cafe, via Warmington Mill, Fotheringhay and Kings Cliffe. After the cafe we came back to Peterborough by a mainly road route with a few off road excursions (Peterborough via Kings Cliffe, Apethorpe, Nassington and Elton).
DOMmy - I know that feeling!
I’ve been working on heat acclimation and doing longer rides in anticipation of a cycling vacation and an upcoming gravel event. Been feeling cooked for a few weeks now despite taking some breaks and doing mostly zone 2. Not sure if it’s the heat, the hours, or just general overtraining/fatigue, but I’m considering taking a full week off the bike. This ride was harder than it should have been.
On my ride earlier I spotted signs that had went up late morning that the short cut I take regularly is going to be closed. So after the Moto GP, with then 80km still to go in the Commie Road Race and since the weather was good I went out to see. I decided then to bimble into town. Its 20km to go on the RR now.
Mount Rainier National Park. Beautiful area and awesome day to ride yesterday!
What a lovely farm! Cute ponies.
94% humidity will do that. Ugh!
Follow up to my previous post):
I rode the full 103-mile route in Pelotonia yesterday in Columbus, OH USA. Struggled (again) with leg cramping and hip flexor pain at the 80-mile mark. First Aid station attendants were wonderful and helpful and patched me together enough so I could finish. Despite walking my bike up the killer hill around mile 90, I still completed the entire route in a new PR of 6:34 moving time. That makes 3 completed imperial centuries this summer and 1 DNF (Akron ABC ride).
Resting and recovering today. Considering what my next event may be; I’m thinking the Cleveland Fundo 65-mile route in 3 weeks. Trying to formulate a game plan to work on my leg muscular strength between now and then…
Best kit I saw all day:
New bike day is coming for you, I see…
I like the miles (lateral) to feet (vertical) ratio! Getting ready to visit me in Switzerland?
I’m seeing more signs that read something like “Your GPS is wrong, this is not the road you want,” like this from a local route:
What a great elevation profile for a race (written as if I were a light climber). Good on you!
Well done. Look at a shortage of electrolytes and fuel as contributors to the cramping and pain, in addition to the body just needing to acclimate to the time spent pedaling (ie constantly working rather than intervals with rest or shorter overall durations) as you increase time in the saddle. Also, look at the saddle position (off center or wrong height, like on a rental bike for me) can induce similar problems, so consider a fitting.
I haven’t ridden outside since my Haleakalā ride ten days ago. It’s a good thing I canceled my rental reservation for this past week for an intended West Maui loop as it seems I caught chickenpox when I was in Los Angeles en route to Maui, based on the estimated incubation. As a Los Angeles native who lived there through my first four decades, maybe this was LA’s way of getting back at me for not wanting to return. No, I didn’t have it when I was a kid and fortunately the main of it was mild and quick without itching or sickness. Yes, I was cleared to fly from Maui to Boston. Well into recovery, I now look like, as my wife says, I have “bad skin.” I’ll be off my bike 15 August (I return to Switzerland on 14 August). My semi-isolation for the second half of our Hawaii trip (restricted to the condo-thing and away from the cousins and family) wasn’t terrible but it was boring and often lonely as the wife and kids, the wife’s brothers’ families enjoyed the pools, beaches, hikes, etc as I, Quasimoto, hid out. I eagerly consumed these posts as a lurker.
The sickness put a dampner on my planned runs and gym replacements for saddle time, so I’m leaning fully into detraining – er, recovery or extended taper – now with the AlpenBrevet and Haute Route Davos on the calendar later this year, two events I expect to severely suffer at. I look forward to getting in the saddle and sharing future ride pics…
The next NBD is always around the corner
Gonna be pretty boring though.