Training Log Archive: iansmith

A ride with a purpose: I traveled to Whitby to purchase a bike saddle from a guy selling it. My current saddle is sad and particularly uncomfortable; the wings have bent down, so it's profile from the back is a dome. This results in even more pressure on soft tissue instead of my tailbone. The new saddle is a Fabric Line Elite Shallow - Fabric is the manufacturer, Line is the endurance model with a pressure channel, elite refers to the rail material (cromium-molybdenum), and shallow refers to the intended seating position.

I set off at about 5:50 after faffing around for twenty minutes. I had my 18L backpack, mechanical gear, 2.5L of water in my platypus, 750 mL of concentrated gatorade, and three granola bars. The first half of the trip was delightful - it was cool, there was little traffic, and red lights were infrequent. Lawrence after Victoria Park was reasonably pleasant, but things really opened up on Steeles. I had a snack break at 1:01 for four minutes, stopped twice to check directions, and continually nursed my fluids. I made it to Whitby at 2:13 with 59 km traveled, and after buying the saddle, I drank a Monster and ate a bag of chips. I applied sunscreen, then set out for home. I detoured to Rossland to avoid some road construction on Steeles that had been uncomfortable. I had another snack break at 3:20 and 90 km for six minutes.

Unfortunately, the last quarter of the trip was unpleasant. The weather had heated up (it was 10 AM), and the sun beat down on me. Worse, traffic had considerably worsened, and I seemingly hit every red light on my intended route. While I still had water, I hadn't eaten much breakfast, and my mood was souring. The finish came at a good time.

Some lessons are clear: I need to eat more even before a modest distance, and I need to start earlier so I can avoid the sun and people. Bike held up nicely. While the shifting is a big improvement upon its previous state, the effective braking is the most dramatic difference. It looks like my yellow SPD cleats are wearing out, so I will need to replace them soon. I am also looking to buy some bags, like a frame bag and a big bikepacking saddle bag.

C • I'm amused... 7

I took a quick trip to a bike shop to check out their inventory for Katie, then I wandered around Lawrence before finishing on my usual route. Traffic was miserable.

Congestion and traffic were much worse at 8 AM than at 5 or 6 AM as I've done previously.