Training Log Archive: PGIn the 1 days ending Oct 15, 2021:
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Friday Oct 15, 2021 #
biking - dark blue bike 5:14:00 [3] 77.34 mi (4:04 / mi) +2850ft 3:55 / mi
weight:138.5lbs
Another birthday ride. They do seem to get a little longer each year, but this one certainly wasn't as hard as last year (around Quabbin). North to Brattleboro with no hills to speak of. Back along the lower hills on the west side of the valley. And then a few miles of flat to finish things off.
Felt pretty much OK the whole time. No stops other than for 4 red lights. Two bottles of water seemed enough, as did the three Cliff Bars. Covered 31 miles in the first two hours (which got me just about to Brattleboro), then 13 in the third hour (the hilliest part). Then just about 15 in hours 4 and 5.
The reason I mention the hourly marks is that the Garmin failed. Seemed to work the whole time, saved the data when I got done, everything just as usual, but when I tried to upload it seemed that all the data had disappeared. Oh well, too bad, but in the overall scheme of things no big deal. And I did get the entertainment value during the ride, which is the main reason for having the gizmo. So the distance I remember exactly, but the time only plus or minus a minute.
No aches or pains, quite remarkable, other than my right foot falling asleep (and the outside of it being sore afterwards but not during). Time to go to have someone look at my spine, as the PT sessions don't seem to have made any difference.
And in the meantime, well, another year, and things could certainly be worse.
Route.
Felt pretty much OK the whole time. No stops other than for 4 red lights. Two bottles of water seemed enough, as did the three Cliff Bars. Covered 31 miles in the first two hours (which got me just about to Brattleboro), then 13 in the third hour (the hilliest part). Then just about 15 in hours 4 and 5.
The reason I mention the hourly marks is that the Garmin failed. Seemed to work the whole time, saved the data when I got done, everything just as usual, but when I tried to upload it seemed that all the data had disappeared. Oh well, too bad, but in the overall scheme of things no big deal. And I did get the entertainment value during the ride, which is the main reason for having the gizmo. So the distance I remember exactly, but the time only plus or minus a minute.
No aches or pains, quite remarkable, other than my right foot falling asleep (and the outside of it being sore afterwards but not during). Time to go to have someone look at my spine, as the PT sessions don't seem to have made any difference.
And in the meantime, well, another year, and things could certainly be worse.
Route.
C • 77 16
Note
As I mentioned above, all along the outside edge of my right foot started hurting after I took my bike shoes off, and within a few minutes it was really hurting, to the extent that it really didn't want to be stood on.
But I needed to get something to eat and drink, so I staggered into the kitchen, stepping on it as little as possible, and then back to the dining room table with the nourishment. On the way I had also grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and a Tylenol, happy to try anything that might make the foot feel not so awful.
I've had only limited success with icing, and after a bit the ice came off, no clue as to whether it helped.
I used to take ibuprofen rather often when I was running/orienteering, as those activities are much harder on the body than biking, but I've been taking it or Tylenol only very rarely nowadays, figuring that maybe when I really need it, it will work better.
So anyway, it seemed that my foot was starting to feel not so bad. Hmm, that Tylenol must be really working. And then noticing that the Tylenol was still on my plate, quite amazing as I hadn't even taken it yet. So down the hatch it went. And by the time we headed off to dinner (after a short nap) I was walking rather spryly. The body is often surprising, sometime in a good way, sometimes not.
And dinner at the Blue Heron, just down the street, was superb.
77 seems off to a good start. At this age the realistic assumption has to be that the year will bring more downs than ups. But that's no reason not to try for as many ups as possible.
But I needed to get something to eat and drink, so I staggered into the kitchen, stepping on it as little as possible, and then back to the dining room table with the nourishment. On the way I had also grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and a Tylenol, happy to try anything that might make the foot feel not so awful.
I've had only limited success with icing, and after a bit the ice came off, no clue as to whether it helped.
I used to take ibuprofen rather often when I was running/orienteering, as those activities are much harder on the body than biking, but I've been taking it or Tylenol only very rarely nowadays, figuring that maybe when I really need it, it will work better.
So anyway, it seemed that my foot was starting to feel not so bad. Hmm, that Tylenol must be really working. And then noticing that the Tylenol was still on my plate, quite amazing as I hadn't even taken it yet. So down the hatch it went. And by the time we headed off to dinner (after a short nap) I was walking rather spryly. The body is often surprising, sometime in a good way, sometimes not.
And dinner at the Blue Heron, just down the street, was superb.
77 seems off to a good start. At this age the realistic assumption has to be that the year will bring more downs than ups. But that's no reason not to try for as many ups as possible.
Note
And something else. Doing the 77 miles on my birthday has been in my mind since late July. I'd not been riding much this year. About then I went for a ride with Ceil, Bill, and Walter up in the hills, and I was definitely the caboose. And a struggling caboose.
There have certainly been times when riding (or running) my age was no big deal, but that's not the case now. And so there has been a very nice structure to my rides over the last two and a half months -- longer/hillier rides one day, recovery rides with Gail the next, keeping repeating until 10/15 rolls around. And slowly feeling stronger.
So making it around today was no surprise. What was a bit of a surprise was after a section around 2.5 to 3 hours where I was feeling quite tired (and going uphill into a light breeze), the last couple hours went by rather easily. Granted there were few hills. But the legs kept at, pushing the same gear on the flats at the end as I was at the start.
Finished up with the last mile on North Main Street (where we live), coming north from the center of town. The repaving was just finished this week. Cruising along, a slight breeze at my back, it felt so good. Felt like I could keep going for a while, but there was no reason to. What a nice way to end.
There have certainly been times when riding (or running) my age was no big deal, but that's not the case now. And so there has been a very nice structure to my rides over the last two and a half months -- longer/hillier rides one day, recovery rides with Gail the next, keeping repeating until 10/15 rolls around. And slowly feeling stronger.
So making it around today was no surprise. What was a bit of a surprise was after a section around 2.5 to 3 hours where I was feeling quite tired (and going uphill into a light breeze), the last couple hours went by rather easily. Granted there were few hills. But the legs kept at, pushing the same gear on the flats at the end as I was at the start.
Finished up with the last mile on North Main Street (where we live), coming north from the center of town. The repaving was just finished this week. Cruising along, a slight breeze at my back, it felt so good. Felt like I could keep going for a while, but there was no reason to. What a nice way to end.