Training Log Archive: OutdoorsMama

Time includes going to the variety store in Comber and eating a bag of chips (yum!) and another painfully slow sandwich-run at Timmies (in Amherstburg this time....if we wanted to wait 15 minutes for a sandwich, we'd go to a proper sit-down restaurant......).

The wind was NE and was advertised to be at about the same speed all day. So we started by going E and N (and NE) up the rail trail to Staples then Comber. Many of the gates were open on the trail, which was nice, as we didn't have to do-si-do around all the little openings that are meant for bikes/hikers. After a snack break in Comber, we headed east on gravel just north of the 401. Closer to Manning Road, we headed south over the 401 (and were excited to see that a normally tar and chip road was now gravel.....but probably it is an interim state before it gets re-tar and chipped.)

A bit of jig-jogging around on tar and chip (that township doesn't have gravel), to get us back down to the gravel South Talbot Road that we often ride into Essex. Then rail trail heading to McGregor. We could see a rider with drop bars ahead of us, and Paul wondered out loud if it was a fellow who had reached out to him on line with questions about tires etc for DK. And it was (small world, smaller county......). He's doing the 100 mile and isn't worried at all, citing his Ironman experience. Then on to A'burg, where we jigged and jogged around to get to Timmies without riding down the busy main drag.

Heading home (east), the wind seemed more east than north. Paul might be able to ride 18 mph in a race with a bunch of fast guys, but he sure was dragging along there. I was waiting at every cross road (and he wasn't inclined to ride in my draft, not that my 5'2" frame does much windblocking at the best of times......) We ducked down the Greenway rather than staying on the 6th, as there would be some wind protection along there.

Good ride. Now to decide whether we should do the Almanzo 100 or the Royal 160 next weekend........

C • Timmies 2

After a frightfully long day for work, and another frightful USDA report for anyone long grain (that would be pretty well every grain farmer in North America), I figured some riding therapy would be good for me. So I headed for the hills.....the ones south of the 401 between Woodstock and Ingersoll.
Some of the roads had gullies down the "driving lanes" from this week's rains. The sun peeked out a few times and of course there was wind. Only crossed paths with 2 vehicles so it was a very peaceful ride.
Very good for the soul.
Then I listened to a couple bike related podcasts on my long drive home. If you haven't yet, give The Gravel Lot a listen. Interviews with road cyclists, bike advocacy folks, CX, volunteer organizers, gravel riding pioneers......

Endurance was the theme today. 75 chest presses. 200 punches (that was fun!) 80 leg extensions. Etc

Shorts and a tshirt. We took longer walk breaks than usual.

Standing and sitting. Sweaty as usual.

A shortened Banded Goose ride as some people didn't embrace riding into the wind as much as I did. Well, most people didn't show up due to the wind. 35 km/hr with something crazy like gusts at to 50 klicks. Those just about blew me over when waiting for traffic to clear at open intersections. Just Paul and I and one other fellow.

I cut out from our after work jog early to get to my massage
appointment. This was after we cut out of work early to get the jog in.....I have good co-workers.

Instead of yoga tonight, I did some very therapeutic gardening. Good for the body and the soul.

Hellkaat 100

Only 12 minutes behind Paul.

This was our first Hellkaat. We didn't pre-ride (or drive) any of the course, but knew that the advertised elevation changes were less than the Barry Roubaix. The day started off in single digits degrees C, but sunny, and with the promise it would warm up soon. It was odd not to wear multiple layers/merino/shoe covers etc, but I'm not complaining. About 15-20 miles in, the fellow I was riding back and forth with asked what kind of pace we were doing. I said "this is faster than I usually ride". And it was for the whole event. Maybe it was because I remembered the rice balls I had made. Maybe it was the 2 good nights sleep leading up to the event. Maybe it was the sunshine.
I just got a sticker at the first check point/aid station. Then switched out some wardrobe items and used the porta-pottie at the second one. And just consolidated my water bottles at the third. By the end, I was down to bare arms and legs!!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!
The gravel was good (some smoother, some rougher). A bit of jeep track for some fun times. A few lengths of pavement, which provided opportunities to fuel up without worrying about choking on something.
My hand-me-down Garmin threatened to shut down twice in the last 25 miles, even though I had it plugged into a battery pack after the 3rd checkpoint (the cable must have wiggled loose). I'll start with it plugged in next time.
I always say there is no one who rides my (slow) pace at these events, but there was a fellow that I was back and forth with for several sections of the event. That was a first! There were a couple single speed guys who would be at each checkpoint before me, but would be standing there chatting and eating and drinking, and would leave after me. Then would blow by me 5-10 miles later. One of them said to me "hey Rohloff" as they shot by me.....and I said I enjoyed every one of my 14 gears. He replied by saying that he was too dumb for gears. That kept me chuckling for a couple miles.
A well run event that raised over $30,000 for Juvenile Diabetes (type 1).

For the record, I didn't have a beer afterwards as I was driving back across MI to get home. The Cinqo de Mayo beverage seemed very tempting.....but I took a pass on that too. Next time!