Thursday, May 31, 2012

The air is a little cleaner, the sky a little brighter...

...and you can guess why. Tomorrow around noon I will conduct my celebratory bike ride commemorating the passing of yet another school. Number 26, to be exact. Eligible for retirement in 5 years. It's hard to wrap my mind around that thought...

I was watching the winds and weather today, and don'tchaknowit, the wind was light and steady out of the southeast, perfect for a time trial on the pace line course. I wanted so bad to be out there. Turns out I missed the all-time record for the course by three measly seconds... I bet I could get it, now that I know what it is.

I texted Miller, asking him if he wanted to take a crack at the course. Texts were exchanged, and we settled on 5:15-5:30 at Spring Mill. He wasn't thrilled about the idea, but he was game to try. Good boy.

Of course you know how it turned out. Line of storms came through about 4:45, and the ride had to be cancelled. That's okay, there'll be other days. But mark my words... sometime this summer, that record will fall, or I will die trying. It's become my goal for the summer. Of course Miller or John T. may beat me to it first, but that record will fall. 21:06 is the number to beat.

I did get a short swim, but other than that the day was a rest day. That's fine. I was going to take tomorrow off, so today or tomorrow makes little difference. I'll be lifting anyway, so I guess it wasn't going to really be a day off as I planned it.

Recap: tomorrow at noon, from my house, 30-mile ride. All welcome.

Saturday: 7 AM Parkview Track, 65-mile ride, Allen and I will go to 80. All welcome.

Sunday: Kenray swim at 4, followed by a ride?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Book keeping and such

About the mysterious text you all received tonight - I purchased an app for iPhones that allows you to make groups for texts. I needed to have it set up for cross-country, but also find it handy for arranging our little get-togethers. I'll try it awhile and see how it serves. I don't really want a listserve deal, so if it turns into that, it'll get dumped.

Our first speedplay workout of the summer was conducted under sunny skies and cooler temps this afternoon. Jimmy, Dan, Galloway, Kathy, Robin, me, and eventually Ryan all took part in the exercise. We ran down to the start of the tempo course, then ran the measured half mile back-and-forth 3 times (3 miles total) before running back. Total distance was around 5.5 miles.

The purpose of the run was to begin working on and retaining speed. One of the things we often ignore over the summer training is running speed. This year, with Cicero being the big race, that 5k speed will impact the results a great deal.

The half-miles were not all-out. They were to be uptempo, maybe 85% effort. My suggestion was to run hard enough to be unable to talk. There would be enough of a break to allow everyone to regroup, then we'd go again. This worked out to around a minute or so rest for the front group, less for those behind.

The splits were 3:16, 3:20, 3:10, 3:15, 3:08, 3:06 for an average of 3:12.5, or 6:25 pace. Erratic? You bet. We were targeting 3:22 as a starting point, a total guess for what we needed to do. I found I had to keep hitting the brakes. By the end I just let it go.

Jimmy and Galloway were a bit behind this pace, closer by far to what we set as the goal, but both were under it. Galloway was right around 3:20 if I heard correctly, and Jimmy was 3:18. Robin was 3:34, and I never really heard Kathy's. Dan didn't discuss it much. He had the least amount of rest, and his comments were confined to "What rest?!", and "3-mile tempo".

Tomorrow... looks like a ride, weather permitting. I'd like 20-40, but that will also depend on my schedule. Last day of school coming, I have adult swim, and the grass needs cut...

For those looking for a handy Excel spreadsheet to calculate pace, download here.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Finally, time trial!

Tonight's post is brought to you courtesy of Wendy's of Mitchell (by virtue of my notes being written on the back of a receipt).

There was a forecast of rain today, 40% until noon, and indeed it did rain. Still, by noon it was obvious the weather was going the right direction for a ride, so I stopped worrying about whether or not we would ride. Now I could start worrying about what we would ride.

We had a time trial scheduled, but as the day wore on the conditions became less and less favorable for a fast one. While the winds had been light out of the southeast at noon, by afternoon they had switched to WNW at 7-9 mph. This isn't strong, it wouldn't ruin the time trial, but it would slow it down. Wind from that direction are an exact headwind. Even though it was relatively light, it would be felt.

Eleven riders made it - I really like the direction riding is going this summer! Everyone participated in the time trial, something else that was really cool. Our methodology was to stagger everyone by one minute, starting with the least experienced rider and winding up with the presumed strongest rider. This would give 10 minutes between the first and last riders at the start, but with any luck the distance would telescope inward, and all riders would be fairly-well grouped by the end. At any rate, if done correctly, no one would have to wait more than five minutes at the finish.

The order of start, by committee decision:

WinD
Dan
Strunk
Allen
Rand
Mike
Jimmy
Galloway
John T.
Miller
IronBill

I was noticing from the pee tree to the official start of the course took most riders around 30-34 seconds. This could impact the results inasmuch as, while your official course time could be one thing, your total time could be another. If you took your sweet time getting to the start, you could give up valuable seconds that could result in your getting passed by another rider.

Allen had asked me previous to the start for advice on how to ride a time trial. "Steady pressure. It's about the average, not how fast you climb, or how fast you sprint. Only the average matters." That pretty much summed it up. We noted how he went into aero right away at the start, and he looked sharp. I wondered if he was thinking about our discussion.

Speaking of aero, I thought Jimmy and Galloway in particular really dropped into a nice aero on the jump. Not much wasted effort on either one.

My turn finally came, and boy, having to chase down Miller and John T. on the same ride is a tall order. I was lucky enough to pull Miller in past Bromer, and I finally caught John T. (and Galloway) with 2 miles to go. The wind was the biggest factor here. I've ridden all winter, even when it was windy for the most part, and I am in better shape at the moment to ride the wind. Of course Miller's 12-mile run by the airport today contributed a bit too - along with a 38-mile bike last night and a 19-mile run Sunday. Yeah, he rested for this one!

The wind slowed everyone down. That was expected, and really it didn't make any difference. Relative to one another, our placements were pretty much what they should have been. I do have to quote Allen again while we're talking about the wind. He suggested the wind would be an equalizer. "Quite the opposite. It will expose the weak," says I. The wind widened the gap between the relatively fit and unfit.

So, here are the results, by time. Do understand, these times are cobbled together, as most guys got away before I could write them down:




  1. IronBill - 25:39 - 23.39 mph
  2. John T - 28:15 - 21.23 mph
  3. Miller - 28:27 - 21.08 mph
  4. Mike - 28:38 - 20.95 mph
  5. Galloway - 29:24 - 20.40 mph
  6. Jimmy - 29:36 - 20.27 mph
  7. Allen - 30:30 - 19.67 mph
  8. Rand - 30:53 - 19.42 mph
  9. Strunk - 31:41 - 18.93 mph
  10. Dan - 32:41 - 18.35 mph
  11. WinD - 34:03 - 17.62 mph
If you flip the order of finish you can see we were pretty close to nailing it on the order of start. 

Notes: 
  • WinD is mismatched on her bike. If she can get into something that fits better, she will pick up serious speed. Not being able to go aero really hurt her in a headwind. 
  • Miller is going to be a brute if he ever shows up rested, or even half rested.
  • Mike - confidence! You are riding well. Enjoy it!
  • Jimmy is climbing like a champ. Noticed this Sunday at Kenray.
  • Rand is progressing quickly for not having ridden much at all this spring. 
  • Dan is getting fit as well, dropping some weight and picking up speed. 
  • Allen is applying all the lessons we're heaping on him. He's focused!
  • Galloway is a study of efficiency. That man thinks about it every time he's on a bike. 
  • John T. was self-awarded with the "Wendy's Sweet Potato Award". He was disappointed (a little) with his ride tonight, the only person I overheard speaking with dissatisfaction (if only slightly). It was a great effort, it was tougher out there than it looked. 
  • Just getting Strunk to the ride was great, and then he followed up with a great effort. 
Tomorrow's run will be from the office, and it will include a bit of speed play. I'll let Jimmy direct this one (it's his idea). 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Three-day mini camp

Sorry to be away from the board so long... it was a holiday weekend, there were plenty of events going on, and on top of it all the Lawrence County group managed a nice little 3-day mini camp.

It started 7 AM on Saturday. Once again we had a good-sized number of people (distort, reading impaired, your lack of education is not my concern!) doing the 43-mile Amish tour. Eight riders wound up doing part or all of the ride (Kathy met us at Lighthouse), then we turned to the run.

The option was open to run only 3, and half of us took that path - or started to. Jimmy, Dennis, and I headed on to the circle. As we neared the end of it we saw Dan, Rand, and Michael starting around. I guess we shamed them into it. Truthfully, though hot, it wasn't the least bit unbearable. It would have been a good day to go longer if anyone was so inclined.

Sunday saw the semi-annual Me-N-Steve training day, composed of a mile swim, 25.5-mile bike, and a 3-mile run. The swim portion would be conducted in beautiful Kenray Lake, beginning off Jimmy's pier. The water was calm, water temperature was 81 degrees (a bit warm for my taste), and the afternoon heat was building fast.

My plan was to help Allen get started on his first open-water swim. He planned to wear a wetsuit, and as might be expected he had some trouble getting it on (properly). Rand and I soon had him worked out, and he entered the water. I told Rand to go on, I could handle watching him, so Rand got started on his workout, already a lap or so down from the rest of the group.

I watched Allen go across the bay. He swam crosswise instead of swimming to the buoy for safety reasons, and I was glad to see the wetsuit kept him absolutely buoyant regardless of what he did. After he crossed and came back, I knew I could swim and not worry about him.

I fixed my attention on Steve and Mike. I knew I was at least a lap down, and likely much more. Jimmy had returned in time for Allen to come back across the bay, and he stayed long enough to watch Allen get back. Steve and Mike were ahead of him, so... it would be a tough, no, impossible catch. I didn't want to hold the group any longer than necessary, but if those guys were going a mile, I was going a mile. I decided the better plan was to try to cut the gap to one lap before they quit.

Weightlifting helps swimming, I want to say it again. A bunch. It's something I learned in high school, but I guess some lessons have to be relearned. I chugged along, completing the first out-and-back in 4:50. The rest were in the 5:15-5:20 range, with a total time of 26:09. I believe that's the fastest mile I've ever done there.

Of course I was boiling hot when I got out of the water. Sweat was pouring from me, and I couldn't stop it. What a perfect way to start a ride!

Jimmy mapped out a rolling 25.5-mile tour into Jackson County, turning at Norman Station and doubling back (more-or-less). Things were kicking off to an easy start, I was trailing behind as sweeper, when I saw Steve pull to the side of the road. Turns out he'd forgotten to pump up his tires, and they were quite low. I offered to go back to the car with him to take care of it, and back we went. The rest of the group went on. So much for an easy ride! We both knew what was coming... as soon as there was air in those tires, we'd start gobbling up the gap until we'd caught them.

Steve did a great job of getting us going. He didn't exactly pull per se, more he kept a steady riding pace through the hills. This kept me on my toes where I might have eased off a bit. It's not the style of riding I would ordinarily do alone, but it was sound training technique.

After we got to where things flattened a bit, a couple miles south of Zelma, I took over. This time we went into line, and with a slight tailwind, I knew we could make time. I took it to 27 mph and held it there until the curve in Zelma, then we got back on it again going through the rollers east of town. I was 25-26 mph until we got into the steeper stuff, but shortly before the county line I caught the first glimpse of the group. They were ours.

We caught them just before Norman Station. Mike and Scott passed by going the other direction - apparently they'd gapped the group. As we entered town Roy needed to look at his bike, so we waited for a couple of minutes or so for him to get it sorted out. Once done, we set about getting back to the lake.

At this point we were grouped peloton of Steve, Jimmy, Allen, Rand, WinD, Roy, and me. The group didn't remain intact long. As we hit the rollers on the return, Steve maintained the pressure throughout as he had before. This broke WinD and Roy off the back. Rand laid back to pick up stragglers, and since I didn't think WinD could catch Steve I tried to focus on Roy. I held back, trying to encourage him to hang onto my wheel, but it was too much at that moment.

By now we were entering Zelma, preparing to turn south on the straightaway, and I could see the line forming, Steve on the front. Things were about to go from bad to worse. I knew now there was no hope of getting the three behind on the train, so it was time for me to move. I laid into aero, and though my legs still burned from the previous day's ride, I surged on to catch the line. Sure enough, I no sooner got on when it took off. The headwind was very noticeable, and Steve did a terrific job across this stretch.

The course turns west, then south again for another straightaway, and I pulled to the front for a turn. "I knew that was going to happen," grumbled Jimmy. He got on anyway, and withing a couple of minutes we were at our next turn. The course falls, twists, then climbs for a bit at this juncture, and once we were through it and onto a south leg, Jimmy did the unexpected.

He took the lead. And I don't mean for a minute, he took us all the way back to highway 50, through all the rollers in between. It was a monster pull, very uncharacteristic, and it took Steve and me by surprise (Allen didn't know better).

Of course it was his undoing. Once across the highway I took the lead again, and after a few rollers he and Allen were gone. I didn't know it at the time, because Steve was behind me, and I can only see the one guy behind. Jimmy and Allen were on an opposing hill behind us, maybe 200 yards, and it didn't appear as if they were making a real effort to overtake.

This was about when I spotted Mike and Scott.

They were nearing the end of the south straightaway, and I called to Steve, "We can catch them!". Steve didn't think so, but I watched them round the corner, heading west, three bike lengths separating them. They weren't working together, so we had a very good chance even though we were a half mile behind. I'd put the distance at about three miles to the finish.

Steve pulled us a bit, we hit the corner, then the road became a bit unfamiliar to him. I took the lead, through the nasty left turn, up the sharp climb, and to the next turn. Now those that were on the last Me-N-Steve will recall Steve hitting a pothole and becoming... irate... so I warned him we were on the same stretch of road that had caused trouble before. Still... Mike and Scott were right there, and we were closing...

I pressed again, but now I noticed the gap wasn't closing as quickly. I also noticed they were looking over their shoulders. Uh-oh. The jig was up! They now knew what I was trying to do, and they were fighting to keep my away. How... Galloway!

Try though they might, the distance was steadily narrowing. We hit the final left turn, pitched up, and I saw Scott's furtive look back. He was mine. I know his quads must have been exploding - after all, he'd run 20 miles the day before in Buddha at 5:42 pace - but there was no mercy then. Over the top I saw Mike shortly ahead, in his final sprint. My beloved Airfoil, the Hidalgo of bikes, rose to the challenge and overtook with half a mile to go. Scott sprinted by to win the day, but that was okay - my goal was to catch them before the end, and that I'd done.

There would be a price for this exercise in the form of a very hot 3-mile run. As the picture shows, the sun was bright, the heat was on, and there was nothing for it but to tough it out.

I will comment here that Jimmy's timetable for the day was pretty darn close to right-on. We started the run a little past 5:30, very good for Jimmy scheduling. Too bad we forgot about Dennis. We were 3/4 mile into it when he drove up yelling about the grace period. Hah! I told him I'd wait right there for him, get parked and start running!

It didn't cut much off the run in the end. Roy had taken Jimmy's cooler to the turn at 1.5 miles, and since they got a drink and waited a couple of minutes we met them as they were topping the first hill on the return leg. We turned with them, netting around 2.75 miles.

So it all ended at the lake. We reconvened at Jimmy's for a fine meal and fellowship, finally breaking up around 10 PM. It was a terrific day, and it was fantastic of the Sowders to open up their home for us!

Think that's where it ends? Nope.

Today we met again. Lighthouse books, 8 AM, and we had another large group. Josh and His Agent were there, too. We rode to Amish country, turned at 10, then returned. Well, not all of us. Four of us (Dan, Roy, Kathy, and I) climbed a pretty big hill just off our regular course. You don't really get a feel for how steep this thing is until you are breathlessly pumping your legs up it. Or, as we all did, enjoy the exhilarating plunge as a reward. I was 40 mph from a dead stop at the top.

We did run after, first going south on Dixie Highway, then turning north, passing the start point for a short distance, then returning for a total of 3 miles. This turned out to be the smart way to do it (albeit accidentally), because a couple of our runners struggled near the middle of the run. This layout offered a good out if needed.

Wowza. That's a lot of typing.

I guess I want to add a couple of observations about the Me-N-Steve...

  • Scott Breeden is a monster. Look out, Grandma's Marathon, you're about to get scorched!
  • If Allen can wear a wetsuit at Cicero, whether or not he scores, he should. 
  • WinD is taking this triathlon thing seriously. I think as she rounds into shape, she's going to fall in love with it.
  • Wes does not appreciate me trying to, how did he put this, "indoctrinate people into my lifestyle"? heh. Suffah, Pope!
  • We need to have a shifting clinic for our new riders. First Scott, then Josh today. 
  • While we're on that topic, we might look at downhills and how to use them. 
  • Heck, let's just have a clinic. 
Time Trial tomorrow, weather permitting. I'm going to be all Aunt Jemima on this one (flat as a pancake), but a data point is a data point...

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Best training partners I ever had

For whatever reason, there were plenty of energy reserves in ol' IronBill this morning, and they were used to execute a rather timely and efficient gym workout before work. This cleared the early afternoon for a ride. But where? How far?

There were of course limitations. There was the Regional track meet, a ballgame (niece), and perhaps some inventory work after hours for school. The possible ride ranges were 32, 42, or 65. What to do?

65 was almost immediately out because of time constraints. There was the enticing possibility of a time trial on 337, made more appealing by favoring winds. Would it be legit? No way. But it could be fun.

There was the possibility of riding from Lighthouse, which would garner at least 42 miles. This was out because of the work on 60. Would it be passable? There was no way to know without first going there, so it was on to option 3.

Spring Mill. Park at Spring Mill and do the Tuesday thang. Yup, that wound up being the choice. Would it be a solitary ride? Mike opted out. The rest of the gang was otherwise engaged. It looked to be a loner. Then my training partners, my TRUE training partners, showed up.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the best training partners I ever had: Me, Myself, and I.

First off, I had to convince Myself to attempt the workout. If it were up to Me, there would have been only two for the workout. I gave Myself a pep talk, which did the trick. It even satisfied Me.

I drew up the battle plans - somehow things never work out when they're left up to Me, and when it comes to making workouts, there isn't much to recommend Myself. The plan was to ride out to the county line, do the flip and go fast.

This went according to plan going out. It was windy, more from cross than directly headwind, but it would be favorable on the return as planned. It was time to discuss the order of pulls, the target pace, etc. I conferred the honor of the first pull to Myself, with no complaints from Me. The second pull would go to Me, and I would take the anchor leg. Since all riders were super-strong, there would only be one pull apiece.

Once turned, the real fun began. I must say, after watching the first pull, I really like Myself. It was an incredibly strong pull, climbing the first hill at over 27 mph. The pull was excellent, as was the draft, and though the speeds topped 30+, the effort didn't tax Me at all.

Would it be possible for Me to top that effort? Time to find out! Past Pumpkin Center turn, a short leg north, then the rollers to Lost River Valley, nothing was too hard for Me. It didn't take Me any time at all to scoot through the valley floor and race toward the big hill of the course. It wasn't possible for Me to maintain 20 mph all the way up, the effort was beginning to show. Over the top, I knew it wouldn't be long before I had a turn.

I took over as expected, and it was time to put in one more effort. There was still the final hill to climb. I had a secret goal that was challenging for Me, so I kept telling Myself it didn't matter. I wanted 22 minutes. No. I wanted less than 22 minutes.

This was going to take a team effort now. I growled a challenge at the last climb, felt Myself whip Me into a frenzy, and totally went for it. The speed dropped to 18 mph over the top, still a great ride, but would I meet the goal?

I went into a glide, using the hill to help Me pick up some speed, then quickly urged Myself back into action. Harder and harder I pedaled, hoping to maintain as much of the average as possible. I knew if the target was missed, it would really upset Me. It's a long stretch to the finish from the break hill, and all eyes were focused on the line. Reaching over to hit the split button, the outcome was still in doubt.

21:09. Goal shattered. Average speed was 28.36 mph, the fastest time trial recorded on this course by this group. Wind aided? Certainly. I didn't care, it didn't bother Me, and I was happy for Myself.

*Congratulations to Hope Sowders, newest math teacher at BMS!*
Sorry, had to give a shout-out!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Another 5 in the books, plus swim

There wasn't a whole lot of training tonight, due as much to my end-of-year schedule as a need to moderate training as I rebuild. A staff meeting held me beyond the point of a pre-run ride, and besides, I'm trying to space my training over the week more intelligently as I heal. So I opted to run at 5 for 5, then swim at 8.

The run was fine. It felt slow, but we were actually a little quick. We went under 40, and I can't say anyone pressed. Well, okay, Rand was, and he kept coming back for us. Dan had a bit of a hard time, but the poor guy hasn't had time to run for a month. He did well to hang in as long as he did.

After dinner, I had some time to relax before the swim, so I commenced to relaxin'. There isn't much time to gather myself at work at the moment, so the little time I had here was quite welcome.

The swim went well. I was right on time, the kids left the pool as I arrived, and I was able to hop right into lane 2 all by my lonesome and swim 1000 yards before the crowd began to pick up. Normally I pull, but tonight it was straight swim. It's not quite as fast as pulling, but my overall times have really improved this year.

Tomorrow I'll probably ride after school. I know boys Regional is tomorrow night, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to make it. I'd say not very likely at this point, things are busy enough.

Saturday is a 7 AM ride (43 miles), followed by a 3-5 mile run.

Sunday, 2:30 start for Me-N-Steve. 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Pace Line

Just getting to the park turned out to be impossible for some of us tonight. Highway 60 is in the process of a chip-n-seal treatment, and the crew was directly in front of the park applying the heavy coat of tar as our starting time drew near. Allen, Strunk, Galloway, Jarrard, Jimmy, Rand, and Robin got into the park; Miller, WinD, John T., Dan, and I went to Huck's in Orleans. DfO met the other guys out on the course. We finally all joined up near 337, and our wagon train made its way out to the county line.

It was an impressive sight to see so many bikers out there! It would make setting up the workout a bit more complicated, but that's a problem we like to have. There were riders of all levels, which is good news because it is more inviting to beginning riders to know they won't get left behind.

The real issue was what type of workout we should do. Realistically there were only going to be 10 possible riders for the pace line. That number is a bit large due to the oscillation that sets in when the number gets that high. This is exacerbated by the various fitness levels of the riders AND relative experience. There would be virtually no chance of holding the line intact throughout the ride, so risking unnecessary wrecks for an unattainable goal didn't seem reasonable.

We had two reasonable was to go. First, we could time trial. This is an individual event, so there would be no risk of wrecking others. The other way to go would be to split the group in half and have two groups. This was thrown out to the group, and the majority favored two group pace line. I'd have to agree with this based on the direction of the wind. Though light, there was enough headwind on the route to make a good effort for everyone difficult (and discouraging). Better to go with the pace lines.

The ladies turned back before Bromer, and Rand went his usual solo at the turn. Galloway, Strunk, Allen, and Dan followed a minute or so later. We planned to give them a bit more time, maybe a minute-and-a-half, but DfO needed to make a last-minute adjustment to his bike. That stretched us out to two-and-a-half minutes, and a dead stop start at that. The chances of catching the first group seemed slim.

Our order, as determined before, was Mike, Jimmy, DfO, me, Miller, and John T. As we rounded the corner onto 337, DfO said, "You're not going after ME, are you?!" The last two weeks I've followed him, and my first pull is where he got dropped. "Ok, I'll go in front of you." Now our order was set.

When we were determining who would go in what group, I stated our group would be going 25-26 mph. Mike took it up to 25+ and held it there nicely for a great 2-minute leg. Jimmy followed up with a solid 24+, also for around 2 minutes. My leg began as we were heading into the turns leading into Bromer. I brought it back up to 25+, held it through Bromer, then began to accelerate as we headed west out of town. We entered the first hill at 26, and I started watching. I could see DfO's shadow, and I watched the distance open. I backed down. He slowly caught back on, then I edged up again, perhaps 23-24 mph. He fell again, this time for good. He pulled out and was done.

I don't feel good about that. I know he doesn't care, but it does bother me a bit. I'm going to be certain to position myself away from his slot next week.

Down to five riders, I rode a bit further and then tapped. Miller came on, started 26+, then settled down a bit into the high 24's. His computer was dead, so he had no idea what he was riding. He was followed by John, who had a solid high 24 average ride. He too sported a dead computer, so hats off to both guys for pulling blindfolded.

Mike's 2nd turn was just past Pumpkin Center turn, just as the road turns north and pitches up slightly. This was directly into the light headwind, but in my opinion made it one of the toughest (if not THE toughest) pull tonight. He took us through the rollers to the lip of Lost River Valley before handing to Jimmy.

Backing up again, I had a guess when John T. was pulling that Jimmy would rotate into his 2nd pull in time to do Lost River Hill. I told him I had no trouble doing it, but he'd need to decide well in advance what he wanted to do.

Now Jimmy was gliding down the big drop, then husbanding his speed as best he could across the flats of the valley. I estimated he had to the big tree to make up his mind. If he went beyond that and tapped, getting dropped was a certainty. I was totally fresh.

He tapped before, so the hill was going to be mine. I held constant speed until I heard the call, then I picked it up. I hit the bridge around 24-25 mph, but tried hard to hang onto as much as I could. Two-thirds up is the moment of truth, and we still had over 20 mph. At this point I knew we could get over the top above 20, so I kept at it. This was also the point we caught and passed the first group. We topped at 21 mph, Galloway waiting on his troops to regather themselves.

Ordinarily, if you get Lost River, you stay in the lead until you can bring the pace back up, then tap. I recovered instantly over the top, then brought the pace back up. I'd looked back and saw Miller was there, so I had to assume the group was still with me. 25, 26, 27 mph... into the rollers we were really starting to cook. I was not pressing, it was all coming so easily. I decided to give up the lead as we ended the rollers and headed into the final downhill before the last uphill.

This was Miller's 2nd pull. He did a good job, but near the top I could feel he was straining a bit. This is where the Jimmy in me came out - opportunity knocked. John T. took over after Miller tapped, and by now opportunity was banging on the door. We were down to three, Miller looked a bit spent, and John T. was burning some of his edge. I was in the perfect spot at the perfect time to capitalize.

John T. didn't lay off. He took us to the break at 27+. At the break I knew to win I had to hit it right away. Any longer and Miller would recover, or John T. could control the pace long enough to out kick me.

When I broke, I went wide and fast to make it difficult for John T. to attach. Miller had no such trouble, heck, I telegraphed my move by looking over my shoulder. He was ready the second I went. John T. was peeled away, so now it was down to what Miller had left. I took it 30+, holding it down the stretch. It was just enough. Miller was coming around, but couldn't quite press pass me. I knew he was there, I could hear his tires, but he was just tired enough not to get back.

The real excitement came moments later. A car screeched to a halt beside Miller, pretty much forcing him off the road. I was 100 yards away, turning around, watching it unfold. This guy was going aggressive, so I was hurrying back. About that time, Miller got on his back, took one more disgusted look over his shoulder, and started to ride away. The guy jumped out of his car and began to chase Miller.

By this time I was close, maybe 20 yards. "Knock it off!" I yelled as I moved quickly toward him. He might have been drunk or high, but obviously he could still count. He had the one he was chasing at 12 o'clock, a biker chasing him at 3 o'clock, and 10 more coming at him at 12 o'clock. He darted back to his car, got in, and peeled out. Sure, he cursed something unintelligible as a parting gift, but no one got hurt.

So, drunken brawl averted, we get down to the numbers.

Group A - Galloway did the bulk of the pulling I am told, and the group was rewarded with a 21.7 mph average.

Group B - Other than DfO getting dropped early, everyone got a couple of good pulls. The overall average was 24.4 mph, better than the last two weeks.

Group R (Rand) - I never did hear his number. He complained his bike only got up to 24 mph on the final sprint, but Jimmy adroitly pointed out he'd pulled all the way. Excellent point!

Run tomorrow, ride again Thursday?

Monday, May 21, 2012

Easing back into it

I will confess, I'm still disappointed in not being able to go to Terre Haute this year. I was ready for a great bike leg, and probably swim leg, too. It was great to ride the Crane ride, but my heart was in Terre Haute.

Speaking of the swim, I've knocked 2 minutes off my regular swim time, something I will attribute to lifting. I'm much stronger in the upper body, and it's directly impacting swimming. I could tell how weak I was getting last year during the swim season, but believed if I did enough yardage it would come around. No sense denying it; weights will have to be a part of training, at least during off-season (if not more).

The calf did not hurt tonight. That's good news. Two days of 5-mile runs - we'll see how long it lasts. I'd be thrilled with 25 miles per week over the summer.

Back to the swim, I saw Allen, Josh, and His Agent tonight. All were advancing just fine. Cicero will be interesting this year...

Pace line Tuesday tomorrow! Right now weather calls for a high of 78, winds north up to 10 mph. That shouldn't be too bad, though far from optimal. We'll feel it, trust me. Meet at Spring Mill, 5:45 PM start. All welcome!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Crane Ride

Yes, that's Rand on his new Airfoil. It's blue, as was reported, and it looked pretty sharp. We'll have to work on Rand's outfit - it wasn't quite the perfect match, though it was obvious there was an attempt. I think the helmet will have to be upgraded too.

Initially I dubbed the bike "Bigfoot", mainly because sightings had been as scarce as the namesake. After I thought about it, and after the maiden flight, I think "Blue Angel" would be better. Both are sleek aircraft that have a habit of inexplicably flying into the ground.


This is most of the starting group. From left are Lori, Mike, Tim, Jamie, Allen, John T., Dan, Rand, Ken, and Jason Mathis tucked in. We also spotted Sipless Seidle, Alpha Chris, and even Roger the Philosopher (from Sullivan).

Hooking up with everyone was simple, the base was an excellent place to stage, and other than the overly long opening ceremonies, it was a good start.

We hadn't gone two miles before the first two wrecks happened. The pace was slow, so the only logical conclusion is the incomplete paving of the road resulted in some folks getting unseated when they crossed the pave line. One lady in particular was cradling her wrist in the tell-tale fashion of a broken limb.

It started to get hot from the jump, and I don't just mean temps. First, Sipless charged up the first hill as fast as he could go. His buddy Kelly commented it was a long day and too early to get that attitude. John T. bit, and that was the last we saw of John T. The rest of us had planned to ride together all day, and that's exactly what we did. It was Rand's first outdoor ride of the year, and Dan's longest ride. It was going to be hot, so it paid to be wise.

The second hotness happened when Allen began channeling his inner Jimmy. He made an ill-timed attempt at musical expression, breaking into the chorus of "Fat Bottomed Girls" at precisely the wrong time. It was a loud chorus, loud enough for the lady 15 yards up the road to nearly stop dead in her tracks and turn to see the musician. After topping the hill, I called out, "Nice job, Mary". I didn't know her, it was that the race directors had provided everyone with a throwback license plate with our names on them. Cool really, as it allowed you to encourage riders by name.

Anyway, she didn't say, "thanks", she said, "who is that?!" Mike, thinking she meant him, said, "Me?"
"No. HIM!", she said, emphatically pointing at Allen. If I had any doubt before she'd heard him, this removed all doubt. We rode on.

We didn't go fast at all, barely breaking 11 mph for the first 18 miles. After a longish break, I considered our time. Something would have to change, because the math wasn't going to add up. We had around 5 hours or so to run 65 miles. At this rate we would run short of time. The stops would have to get shorter, we'd have to ride faster, or both.

Fortunately for us, the speed did pick up. I watched Dan and Rand, and they held up pretty nicely. The climbs were a challenge I'm sure, as they were longish, but they weren't crazy steep. Strunk looked good on them all day, as did Allen and Mike. I don't think I saw anyone stand on their pedals, even once.

Eventually we did arrive at what was termed "Dead Rand's Curve". I can see why he went off the road. The last bend in the road would have been hard to see, and by the time you did, it would be way too late. I was talking to Scott Johnson, event director, and he said a guy broke his bike up today going off in that same spot. Eventually, someone's going to get killed.

Rand didn't avoid crashing altogether. We were late into the ride, climbing a steepish hill, when Rand decided to look where he didn't want to go. This was off road, and once his wheel slipped off, he hit the ground. Fortunately it was a zero-speed crash, and he avoided all serious damage to himself and his new bike.

Despite not having Jimmy, there was plenty of singing. I broke into a verse of "YMCA" that had Strunk clutching his chest on a long climb. Some poor fellow wearing a YMCA jersey was walking his bike up the hill. After asking if he was okay and had everything he needed and getting the nod, I went into something like:

Young man,
Put your bike in low ring
I said, young man
Get back up on that thing
You can climb here
If you pedal real hard
If you do, you'll, get, your man card

That's not precisely it, but you get the idea.

Other things of note:

  • The Barnes Mobile was there. It's a stair stepper vehicle. Interesting part of it is it contains the solution to my adult Big Wheel concept - the front axle. More on this another post. 
  • We saw wildlife! One black snake and one bald eagle. 
  • Jame wrecked! She went off the road at mile 18 of 30 and had to be carted in. She's fine, but it's a shame she couldn't finish. 
There will be a run tomorrow morning, 8 AM. There will also be a ride at 2 PM, Lighthouse. 

Friday, May 18, 2012

BMS 5k, Crane Eve, and so on

This morning dawned clear and bright, there was just the right twinkle in the sunrise, and since the planets aligned properly I was feeling pretty peppy. Combine that with the major guilt trip I was feeling over not running for my team at today's 5k, and well... I decided to give it a go. After all, Terre Haute was no longer a factor. The race was only 3 miles. On top of it all, the kids had shown a great deal of disappointment I wouldn't be running.

We did all the pre-race setup, and I took a short jog to warm up. I would put it right at a mile or so, around 10 minutes, and everything checked out. I'd tried to get Ritter to warm up with me, but by then he saw me as the enemy. He didn't want anything to do with me at that point. This I found hilarious. No way I was a threat to him today.

At the start the crowd took off hard, as usual. I'd warned the kids on the front line to be careful, keep the hands up at first, watch your step, etc. I'd even mentioned to the adults up there to be careful because falls are common with downhill starts and kids. Sure enough someone took a header within 50 yards. Bad spot too, because he had to have been run over from behind.

Ritter went hard down the hill to open a gap. The lead boys also darted, as was expected. I casually reeled it all in, and by 3/4 mile we were all together. Mile one passed right at 6:10, slower than I thought, but completely comfortably.

Down by the church Ritter started putting in a move. He broke ahead of the kids, something we'd both said we wouldn't do. We really wanted a kid to win. We could make it close, but we weren't going to win.

Someone forgot to remind Ritter.

By 27th he was opening a gap, I was in 2nd, and two boys were falling off behind us both. I hit the brakes, looked back, and began to motion them in. As they came up, I instructed, "You can outkick him if you just hang onto him now. Get up there!" They made a move to go. I kept my distance, allowing only so much closure. After a bit they seemed to recover, and moved on.

I had settled in at this point to something like a 6:15 pace, way better than I could have hoped to have done a week ago. I focused on keeping my foot plant where I wanted it and watched the race unfold.

Ritter never let up. One boy almost caught him, the other died again. Near the end I felt the presence of another kid who'd been shadowing me. I began motioning again, and he passed me. I cruised in 5th, just behind the 3rd and 4th kids and about 30 seconds off Ritter. That's about where we should have been, so our teams weren't hurt that way.

Good thing I ran - if I'd stayed with the original plan I would have won. My proxy time was faster than the winning time today. That wouldn't have been right, and we'd have had to adjust it somehow. I feel pretty good about the way things went, got some confidence back, and helped my team and school.

Crane... the ride is tomorrow. Looking forward to a relaxing tour with my buds. Haven't done one in years... I wonder if Seymour still does theirs? This may be the year to pick up a few.

Anyway, Bedford McDonald's at 7:30!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

A bit better

It might have been a short run, but I did do it without pain. Three miles, slow, and easy. It is the way it will be for a while. Relax. Recover.

So I caved to the pressure of Josh's agent and went to the pool to observe his swimming tonight. Purportedly he couldn't swim all that well and needed some help.

Right.

He swims fine. Great. There isn't going to be any trouble with Cicero for Josh, take it from me. At least, not in the swim portion. The bike leg remains to be seen of course, but don't we know he can run? Two out of three already in the bank.

After the swim, this FoxNews reporter caught up with Josh's agent.
"Is it true Josh said he'd beat Miller at Cicero?" (The reporter, in true FoxNews fashion, had totally made the question up)
"Yes." Of course she said a lot of other stuff, but this FoxNews reporter didn't care to place this statement in the proper context. Better to tell you the part that fits into the tapestry I'm creating. Allen vs. WinD may be the main event, but maybe the Josh vs. Miller undercard will help the draw?

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tom Petty

Breakdown, go ahead and try to shift it
Breakdown, the shifter won't go
[Chorus]Break-dowwwwn!
Breakdown, I'm stuck in the lower ring
Breakdown, I'll go slow... I'll go slow... I'll go slow

Flexing my musical biceps once again, I think I've encapsulated the gist of tonight's events. It was a night of firsts, a night of seconds, and a night of lasts.

Firsts! In the first time in my memory, we took all 9 guys riding a pace line all the way to the finish. I can't remember ever finishing with every single starter.

Second First! If anyone's crank has ever fallen off of their bike during a ride, I've never heard of it. Tonight it happened. We passed Mike standing by the road holding up his left crank, shoe still attached. Picture that...

First second! It came down to a sprint, and there was little doubt Miller would win it. Still, I was positioned to have a shot - sort of. With a fresh John, Mike, Jimmy, and Miller right behind me there was no way I could carry the lead all the way to the line. All they need do is let me wear down, then zip around my draft in the final seconds. So my plan was to do the unexpected - take it out hard, then quickly fade. I knew the second I began to drop, they'd sense weakness and pounce. The trick was to go hard enough to break the chase pack to two riders (John T. and Miller), then latch on as they moved around. If I could get them to jump soon enough, I could draft off them, and pounce at the line. It almost worked.

Jimmy was able to hang in there.

This gave me a critical one-more-bike distance I had to deal with. I made up the gap, came around, and was beginning to close it tight to Miller when we hit the line. I simply ran out of time. I would call it a three-way tie for second (first second, second second, third second). Obviously I was first second.

Lasts! One of IronBill's inviolable dictums is "Never disrespect anyone preparing your food". Just don't do it. Jimmy forgot this tonight when talking to the night manager (who also happened to be running the register). He asked for a sweet potato (or is that "sweat potato"?), which Dan had already told him was unavailable. "Out", was the terse reply. "When did you run out of them?", Jimmy asked with a smile and a laugh. "Because there are none in the store" said the manager, cold, dead eyes staring through Jimmy. Needless to say Jimmy's levity was not well received. Since I was standing behind Jimmy, next in line, and obviously with him, I got the splashback on the service, or more correctly, "lack of service". That's the last time I get in line behind Jimmy at Wendy's!

At last! Galloway paid up on the Frosty he owed me. Thanks, Tim!

Good political advice says you define yourself before your enemies get the chance to do it for you. With that in mind, my exact quote was:

"Mike, Lori might be interested in this... since Mrs. Strunk got a bike, Leisa has gotten interested in riding. There might wind up being a good sized women's group out there!"

A couple of the more weight-sensitive lady-type dudes that rode with us tonight (whose names rhyme with "bike" and "shao-lin") began to instantly make something out of nothing (kind of like the scientific belief that all the matter in the universe sprang into being from nothing, which to science makes more sense than the possibility of a divine being?). For the record, the statement is describing the size of the group, not the ladies in it.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Again with the calf

Tried to run 5 miles tonight... couldn't do it. The leg got to around 4 and I had to stop. Yup, the calf is still hurting. Good thing I went ahead and signed up for Crane last night. It was obvious running at Terre Haute was a bad bet, and I'm happy to say I didn't throw money away on that entry. I don't think biking will be any trouble, and even if a problem does arise, it's not as much money as Terre Haute. I hate that I won't be going, but that's how these things go. 


I went out to swim, partly because I needed to do a bit more exercise tonight, but also because Allen has needed some help with his stroke. Jimmy was there as well, and as they say, there was something for everyone. I think I can chronicle the events of the pool in the following song:


It’s eight o’clock on a Monday night
The regular crowd comes for a swim
There’s an old man swimming next to me
And I can speak German to him
He says, Bill, can you split the lane with me
I don’t like how a circle goes
I tell him it’s fine, just find the right line
Just so everybody here knows

[Chorus]La la la de de dala la de deda dad um

Swim me a lap, I’m your swimming coach
Swim me a lap, do it right
‘Cause Jimmy is making a video
Which he’ll be posting tonight

Now Al in lane one is a friend of mine
I’m trying to teach him to free
And he’s quick with a joke, but I told the poor bloke
Slow down, so you’re able to breathe
He said Bill, I believe this is killing me
As the limbs of his body did quake
Well I’m sure that I could beat WinD’s bike
If I could get out of the lake

La la la de de dala la de deda dad um

Now Jimmy’s a local optometrist
Well known, even larger than life
And he’s talking to Allen, with whom he’s a’pallin’
In the midst of aquatic strife
And WinD is writing her running blog
‘Bout a man, who’s gonna get horned
Yes, they’re gonna both meet up at Cicero
Both trying to get in the zone

Swim me a lap, I’m your swimming coach
Swim me a lap, do it right
‘Cause Jimmy is making a video
Which he’ll be posting tonight

Okay, that pretty much describes the evening... want in? Add a verse!


Sunday, May 13, 2012

Biking takes over

The last two days have been bike-heavy. Yesterday morning Dan, John T., Jimmy, Galloway, and I rode from Parkview to Huck's and back, a total distance of 43 miles. It was a coolish start, but since there wasn't a wind to speak of, and since we took it very easy, the ride was no problem at all.

John T. sported his new wheels, a set of Zipps. He snagged them off eBay, and they appeared to help a bunch, especially in the looks department. We have some really fast looking bikes in the club this year! Even Galloway was talking about a carbon Fuji he was eyeballing...

There was a short run after the ride, three miles. I didn't feel a thing on the calf until we were nearly done, and even then it wasn't much. Still, I won't be doing Terre Haute. It doesn't make any sense.

After the run, Leisa wanted to try out Rand's bike. I took her back down to Mitchell, choosing to park near the entrance to Amish country. It was only 11 miles, but I think she enjoyed it quite a bit. The only scare she gave me was when she dropped onto aero position halfway down the fastest downhill on the course. Oh man, I thought she was going to buy the farm! Turns out her only discomfort of consequence was saddle soreness. Welcome to the club, my dear, welcome to the club... everyone goes through that...

Today we started with a run, a regular 5. It wasn't fast either, though I was tired enough to make it seem less than easy. The forecast rain hadn't really yet arrived, and it looked as though it may hold off for a while. With that in mind, and since no one talked as if they'd be at Lighthouse at 2 PM, I decided to ride in the morning while the gettin' was good.

I did go ahead and lift before riding. It works out pretty well to do the Sunday lift right after the run, mainly because there is no one in the gym at that time, and I can get circuit training in without distraction.

I went from my house to Huck's, just like yesterday. A Milky Way and Diet Coke was my reward, and on the way back I gave myself dessert by going off course. Taking a side track, I explored a portion of the Orleans bike tour. Wow! I found a pretty good sized hill. I can't see us taking this path often, but once in a while, it might be a nice change. If we're looking for a hill for repeats, I found it. It's a 40+ mph job, and close by.

The rest of the day was spent in Mother's day activities and then laying about a bit. Nothing much to brag about for sure.

Tomorrow will be just a run. I've ridden four days in a row, and I'm a little tired. 

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The one good thing...

Tonight was a bust in many ways (kind of like school), but one good thing did come out of it... the ride.

I hit the bike as fast as I could. I left work and set a land speed record for getting bike-ready, then I flew south. There was a light north wind that pushed me south, and I knew my time would be fine going that way. Coming back... would I have the gas to hold it? Was I still as tired as yesterday?

Tired - yes. As tired as yesterday - no. I sustained the motion, reaching home in a total time of 55:30 for 20 miles. That's 21.6 mph, a fine ride, and I was happy to have it. I'm even happier to be able to consistently nail 20+ mph on a course that has as much climb in it as does this one. Removing the cut would certainly add to the average, but that's too easy!

Stopped at the Hardee's drive-through on my way out to the track meet - a mistake I'll not make again. What is it with kids now? 10 minutes to process one person in a drive-through line? That's a bad business model no matter how you slice it. Bad part is the new tacos were quite good. Too bad I'll never take the time to get another. I have no patience for workers that don't give a crap about work ethic. That boy figured out if he hurried through this car, another one would pull in right behind it. Why rush if the pay is the same? Pay 'em by the car, says I.

The track meet was delayed. If I'd had any brains, I would have lit out of there, gone to lift, then came back. I've never been accused of being smart, so I wasted a load of time doing nothing but enjoying the sunshine. I guess that kept it from being a total loss... it was a supremely pleasant day.

Tomorrow... I have to lift, that's for sure. I will either ride or run, not both. I think maybe ride, allowing my calf to rest some more. I wore compression socks all day. Early in the day I could feel twinges, later not at all. Since I am out of Terre Haute, I think the smart move is to come back to the run slowly.

Ride and run Saturday, 8 AM. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Calf not much better

Ran for the first time tonight since the mini marathon. The right calf is still sore, though not really bad. I didn't give it much of a chance to get bad, either. We all stopped at three miles, and that was quite enough for the first run. I may run tomorrow if time allows. And the calf.

I'd intentionally set the run for first so I would have plenty of time to ride afterward. I also hoped the wind would lay a little. At least one part of the plan worked! I hit the road about 6 o'clock, and the wind was still gusty out of the north/northwest. I went south, and since it was later, I went all the way to KFC in Mitchell on Highway 37. The way out was a breeze (pun intended). The way back was work, and lots of it.

I wish I could tell you exactly how fast I went, but for the second night, my computer quit, this time for good. I know I left at 5:58 and was home by 6:55, so give or take the extra seconds we'll call it 58 minutes, which is well over 20 mph.

It should have given me confidence, but my calf really has me in the dumps again. I was looking forward to Terre Haute, but for one reason after another it's becoming quite apparent it just isn't meant to be this year. The race is not worth an injury, which looks like more than an average bet if I go.

I think instead I'll ride Crane. I've wanted to do it anyway, and this would be the year to do it. I won't get the race I've wanted, but I can pick up a triathlon in June if things improve.

Other Riders Love Every Airfoil Now Seen

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Other Riders Left Envious At Natural Speed

Thank John T. for the title tonight. Jimmy laid down the challenge at Wendy's to come up with words for the acronym "ORLEANS". I was just sitting down to compose my own before posting, but instead decided to check Twitter first. John T's tweet came on immediately, and what could I say? Great job!

It was a healthy turnout for the inaugural 2012 pace line season. John T., Galloway, Miller, Jake, Jimmy, Allen, Dan, DfO, and I wound up doing part or all of the course (Dan showed up late, caught us out on the course). It was coolish (compared to lately), with 10-15 mph winds coming from the northwest - the worst possible direction. This guaranteed headwinds coming right down the pipe all the way through the pace line ride.

John T. and I discussed the strategy for the evening. I had been thinking we might try a time trial, but with the headwind it would have been a useless exercise. For starters, riders would have struggled to complete it at all, much less fast. Even more, it would be a worthless data point with the headwind resistance.

A better choice was to do a pace line, but hold the pace down some. 22-24 mph seemed about right; there was every chance the wind would hold the speed down anyway. We hoped to keep everyone on this way.

Allen was on his first pace line, so we laid out a few basics to help keep him out of trouble. We probably should have given him more intel. More on that later.

DfO chose to go first. Allen was going to, but we convinced him it might be better to let a couple of guys go first, so he could see how the routine worked. Since those two more or less took off to the start without waiting, and since I responded quicker than the rest of the group, I wound up in second. DfO resisted, saying he didn't want me to drop him after he tapped. "I'm only going to go 22," I promised, a vow I kept.

DfO pulled a minute or so and tapped. I didn't think it was too much; really the speed wasn't tough, and I gave him plenty of time to get on. No, let me restate that - I didn't change the pace a bit from where he left it. I kept the line steady at 22. I didn't let the little rises take us under 22 at all, and I didn't let the pace go above 23 even in the slight drops. 22.

I pulled until we entered Bromer. I wanted to get clear of the wide-open areas, because the wind was strong, and Jimmy was coming next. Once in the temporary shielding of the small burg, I tapped. I didn't need to - I could have gone all the way to Orleans -  but everyone said they wanted a pull, so I wanted to make sure I didn't hog it all.

Jimmy went 45 seconds, then handed to Allen. This left Allen with a small stretch until our first hill. Allen made two rookie mistakes which cost him his pace line life. First, he pulled too long. Second, and much more importantly, he tapped at the base of the hill. He was slightly gassed, sitting at the bottom of a hill that would tax him more, and he handed to someone fresh. The inevitable happened. He got popped off.

At this point I want to back up a bit. When I tapped entering Bromer, I looked back for DfO. I didn't want anyone dropped, yet when I passed to the back of the line, Miller was the last rider. Nearly 400 meters back was DfO. How did he get dropped?! I maintained discipline throughout my pull. It shouldn't have happened.

I decided to drop back and try to pull him back in. Trouble was, the more I dropped back, the more he fell off. I could soon see there was no way to bridge the gap. He was off, and that was that.

Enter the present, and Allen has just tapped.

I watched the tableau unfold right in front of me, and I could see Allen had just screwed himself. I don't know who was on the front at that particular moment, and really, it didn't matter. That person was fresh, accelerating, and leaving Allen.

Since I was already placed to do so, I tried to pull Allen back in. He urged me to go on, saying he was finished. I hadn't given up. "You'll recover quickly once you top the hill," I called, "just tuck in here really tight." He was game, and really did try. It was too much to ask. The group was beginning to move away, Allen was red lining, and it reached the point of no return for me. If I didn't soon make a move to rejoin, it would become impossible. Not only that, I still needed to get back in the rotation to help the group.

I told Allen I was moving on, and I lit out. We had been on the downhill portion just west of Bromer, the group about 400 meters or so ahead. I was alone and working against a stiff headwind. With a little push, not too much, I caught them by the Pumpkin Center turn. Rejoining, I got Jimmy to let me re-insert in my original spot. I felt good enough to go any time.

Galloway was finishing up his turn by this point, and Miller was on deck. At the top of the hill leading into Lost River, Galloway tapped, and Miller grabbed the lead. Through the bottoms we went, speed slowly bleeding off as Miller churned into the headwind. As we neared the bridge, I wondered what Tim would do. This was his first Cervelo ride of the season, and I wasn't sure about his comfort level on it yet.

He did the Miller thing - he held the lead and pulled us up. Over the top, he did the smart thing; he held the lead until he could bring the speed back to normal. Then he tapped.

I held up two fingers and flashed them twice - signaling "22 mph". Jimmy thanked me for holding this limit, and through the gentle rollers I kept the line very well. We dipped ever so slightly below once or twice on the peaks of the rollers, other than that it was an even speed throughout.

Now there was the final hill. I coasted down the final drop into the big climb, trying not to let the speed get too high (thus breaking my promise). From there on, it was a steady climb to the top. We held good speed until the very top, where we dropped to 16 mph. I looked back to see Jimmy still on my tail. Good. We were going to finish this more or less intact.

There really was no reason to relinquish the lead now. We had about a quarter mile until the sprint, might as well take it in. At the release point I waved, and pushed my pace up a bit. I hit maybe 26 mph, but sure enough a train of bikes came by with a quarter to go. John T., Miller, Jake, and Galloway all jumped me and left. I had no intention of even trying. Maybe I could have gotten on, maybe I couldn't, but I played it safe. Calf trouble has been an issue lately, and I had a new spot popping up.

Overall speed for the ride was slow as you might expect for a headwind-laced first ride of the season. It was still fun. For my part, I was not seriously pushed at all. John T. and Galloway especially looked pretty tough. Miller has obviously been riding something, and even Jimmy hung in there.

We got back to the cars, headed to Wendy's, and the first ride of the season was in the books!

Optimal
Riding
Length
Equals
Attack
Not
Surrender

Let me tell you why my acronym sings - the whole idea was spurred on by Jimmy's comment there was a sign right where he likes to insert his kick. What does the sign say? "Orleans", said Jimmy. "Wonder if we can make an acronym out of it." Yeah. I like it.

We are planning to ride from Parkview, Saturday morning, 8 AM. 40 miles, then a run after. First group brick of the year!

Monday, May 7, 2012

It's torture

To have time, desire, and a window of weather to train and to turn away is awfully hard for me to do, but that's exactly what happened tonight. When school released there were storm clouds to the east, which didn't matter. Those to the south were slow moving, and I would have been clear of them in no time. It wasn't wet or too hot, and the wind wasn't awful. It would have been easy to get a ride in, much more so a run.

But I'd promised myself not to train either the ride or run today. I don't want to run again until Wednesday and even then only a short way. The calf trouble I experienced last year was quite sobering, and if that can be avoided again, just about any price is worth it - even throwing away a perfectly good day to train.

There is the big picture to consider. Boston was less than a month ago, I did a hard 5k a week ago, and Indy was this weekend. Throw in I'm considering a hard triathlon next weekend, and I'd better tread carefully here.

I'm not worried about being able to bike at all - that will be fine. There is however a better than average chance that my calf will blow in the run portion of the race. Mulling it over, I don't know it's worth the risk. I'm going to reassess Wednesday.

There is another wrinkle, of course... I've been called up for jury duty. I'm supposed to report on Thursday. I don't know if they hold court on Saturdays, but if they do, it makes the whole thing moot.

Went to swim tonight, the only workout I did. It was quick, then it was on to helping Allen. He did very well tonight - he actually swam complete lengths of the pool adding up to 350 yards total. He didn't stop once on any length until he reached the end. That's a huge accomplishment! Once he settles into a comfort zone, the distance will stretch, mark my words. Can you say "Claude"? I thought you could.

The calf is only slightly sore today, and walking is no trouble. Riding didn't hurt it a bit, in fact helped it, so I think tomorrow should be a good day for pace line. We'll have a northwest wind (light), which will be a direct headwind, but let's face it, we aren't going to go over-the-top hard on the first ride anyway. Mike and Miller won't be there either, so a good deal of the power will be missing. It should be an interesting event. Perhaps a time trial?

Spring Mill, 5:45, upper lot. 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Calves, heat, and good enough to make Dan laugh out loud

Indy Mini
Another spring milestone is over; the Indy Mini was yesterday, and for the second consecutive race, heat was a major factor.

I listened to Jimmy try to put a happy face on the forecast. Sure, it'll be hot by the end of the day, but we'll run in the cooler part. The sun won't be directly on us. There'll be a bit of cloud cover. All true. But you don't have to be in the sun's core to be burnt to a crisp - the corona will do just fine. Likewise, dew points in the upper 60's means suffering.

How bad was it? The Kenyans leading the race called conditions "brutal". Kenyans. Africans. Yikes.

It didn't take long to see we were in for it. Jimmy never really talked the entire race, and by mile 5 the pace was slipping away to unmanageable. We were up by almost a minute by then, but when Jimmy complained of his core temp going up, we'd lost a bunch of time on that mile. I ran the numbers, and the loss of pace would outstrip our margin in only a few miles. 1:30 was lost, and I knew it.

"Settle down. Run the pace you need. Get comfortable. Don't worry about the time", I coached. I hoped he'd recover, but doubted it was possible. It was too hot.

By mile 6 I was beginning to get twinges in the lower portion of my right calf. They were light at first, and I wondered if it was really happening. By the end of mile 7 there was no doubt. I told Jimmy I would try to get to 8 before I walked, and to go on. I kept up, though slightly behind, and at mile 8 I decided for 9. That's pretty much how the rest of the race went.

I did feel better as we cleared the track, picked up the pace, and began dragging Jimmy again. I was up for trying one more time to get him to 1:30. Sure, it'd be tough; we'd have to be on pace the rest of the way (or under), but it was still possible. We lost another 20 seconds in the next mile, and there was no longer any doubt. My calf was back by then too, and now I began to doubt my ability to finish without walking.

That two-mile stretch from 9 to 11 is awful. I hate it so much, it takes forever. Having a severely cramping calf didn't make it any more pleasant, so it was with a great deal of relief we turned the corner south. I stayed with Jimmy until mile 12, when the cramping became severe enough I had to slow again. Jimmy went on, slightly faster than me, and I vowed to make it in no matter what.

I really didn't let him open much, and even had the thought of just picking it up and getting him again. I was afraid to do it though, and just cruised. As we came into the final crowd, I began to clown around and mug for the crowd. I heard my name yelled several times, saw a few Bedfordians, and posed for the cameras. All that, and I was still under 1:32, something I didn't expect.

The toll had been heavy for most. Josh and Aaron both blew up midway through the race. Jon couldn't break 2, despite his strict adherence to the Sullivan Training Doctrine. JD turned an ankle and walked off. Jessie lost a couple of minutes off last year's time. Steve had a hard time with the heat and fell off his goal by a bit.

There were some who did well. Chelsea went 1:55 and took 3rd in her age group. John T. had a fine time. Rand did okay. Scherschel had an outstanding 1:28 and change. Kathy did a great job pacing Chelsea.

I'm sure I've left others out for which I apologize; I was hurting enough by the end of the day I didn't get to talk to too many of our runners.

Sunday Ride
Galloway, Dan, and I rode this afternoon, the Amish Loop, Lighthouse Books start at 2 PM. It was hot out, and the light winds we faced seemed to be from everywhere at once. It was an easy one, at least for me, as my right leg was still sore from yesterday.

The big story for me was getting to use my new helmet for the first time. I like it! Even though it's black, it's vented extremely well. I think it's cooler than my other helmet! Better still, my sunglasses fit seamlessly into it, and best of all, it perfectly matches my bike and shoes. I'm no Galloway, but I'm starting to pull this whole look together.

Oh, and it's fast, too. On the test hill, from the pole at 13.6 mph and into a light headwind I was able to go to virtually the same spot I ordinarily hit. What makes this remarkable is ordinarily the glide test is started at 22 mph without a headwind. So, despite starting at a slower speed with more friction I was able to reach the same ending point. The only thing different about my equipment was my helmet. I wouldn't have believed it could matter that much, but apparently it does.

After the ride, I convinced Dan to let me look at his tires. Once I took it to my shop, I discovered the Vitorrio tires, as I suspected, are junk. I replaced them with a competition-grade set of Continental 4000s and his bike rides as smooth as glass.

The Avengers
Sometimes the sum is greater than the parts, and in the case of The Avengers, it is absolutely true. Marvel has been building toward this moment since the release of The Hulk; the bread crumbs inserted at the end of each of its superhero epics all formed a trail to this point. Thor might have been weak, The Hulk never found its stride, even Captain America was missing something, but put together it culminates in an outstanding movie, one of the best I've seen in years.

What makes it so good? Honestly, the writing is pretty strong, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is flawless. It is one of the rare times in cinema where taking creative license with an iconic character has created a refreshing update and actually improved on the original (see: Heath Ledger, the Joker).

Seeing it in 3D was okay, but not a must, so if you suffer from vertigo, go to the regular show (it won't matter). This is the way 3D is supposed to be done, that is to say, the 3D helps move the story, not the other way around.

Don't worry if you were a fan of the comics, there's something in this for everybody. Okay, maybe not everybody. There wasn't a big love story embedded, so romantics won't be that involved, but for those that love plot twists and surprises, well, I haven't laughed so hard in a theater in a long, long time. This is definitely a film with a sense of humor. 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Yowza

Miracle of miracles, the gym was pretty much empty when I got there after school. This allowed me to use the brief time at my disposal to maximize my workout. I was able to set up most of my lifts into circuit format, and I was out of there before I knew what hit me.

I read Allen's tweet earlier, or rather, saw the picture of the Washington/Orange County line sign and read between the lines - Allen would night be at the evening ride. Mike bailed (with good reason), Jimmy was out of town, and well... the odds of finding someone waiting when I got there were slim to none. None as it turned out. I was on my own.

It was windy, really windy. I was glad I'd driven to Lighthouse, because the thought of going up and down that cut under those conditions didn't sound safe at all. Five minutes of riding bore that out. The wind was very stiff out of the south/southwest, and going crosswise with it created a great deal of buffet with my aero wheels. Going into it was no picnic either.

I rode the course backward, just for a change. The pace was very slow, partly because of the wind, more because my legs felt awful (and I have to race in two days). The final stretch south into Orleans was especially bad, but then again, that's directly into the teeth of the wind.

I took the Huck's stop, headed west, finding the outward leg not all that hard. In fact, things were beginning to improve dramatically. By the time I turned north again, there was a definite feeling in the air it would be a special segment.

It was.

It was easy to hold over 30 most of the way. Twenty-seven to 30+ the whole way back to the eastern crossroad, some 3-4 miles disappeared almost instantly. In fact, things had gone so well, I decided to stay on Highway 37 instead of crossing over to head for the Bernards.

Once out of the Main Street area and headed true north, I was so glad about the choice. In no time at all speeds had gone over 35+, eventually topping out at nearly 38. Someone asked me recently why you need a cassette with fewer than the 11 teeth my smallest one has now... this is why. That's pretty much the top end of what my bike can do, because honestly, the pedals simply won't turn over any faster than that. In the rare case you get a big tailwind like tonight, the 9-22 cassette would have been real handy.

The ride was right at 20 mph average, a pretty good ride under the conditions.

Ended the night with a short swim. Now it's time to rest for Indy. I'm meeting Jimmy in the K-Mart lot at 5:15 AM Saturday. Hoping for cooler weather than forecast!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Not much to report

It's hot out. It'll be hot Saturday. Oboy.

We ran only 3 tonight. That's all I wanted, not so much because it's hot; I'm tired. The last three days have been doubles, and I'm feeling it. When the option to carry on for 2 more tonight came, the urge to take it quickly passed.

We'll ride tomorrow night from Lighthouse, and it'll be easy. After that, it's rest. Oh, 5 PM on the ride, 31 miles. 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Another ride

It came down to a virtual toss of a coin. There were three workouts available, but only time for two. I could ride, run, or lift. With an award ceremony tonight, it wasn't possible to do it all.

The weather made the choice. There was a southwest wind with gusts of 25 mph. Storms were in the area, and some were forecast to be possibly severe. Of course that meant I rode. I was able to slide another ride in between the rain, held over 20 mph, and got home in time to make the next choice.

The rain was on my heels again as I rolled in, so the weather had spoken again. It would be lifting. The gym wasn't too busy and I was able to get to what I wanted to do, if at a slower pace.

There was no time left to run, and really, it wasn't necessary. In a sense it's another taper week for running, as we have the mini on Saturday. I will run tomorrow and possibly Thursday, possibly not. Either way, I want to be rested for Saturday. I don't expect a hard time making the goal, but it is supposed to be warm. You never know how that will play out.

Leisa was nominated for the Women's Walk of Excellence tonight. It's an honor, and I was proud to go with her. I saw quite a few area women (surprise!), including Mike's daughter Andie, and Arlene's daughter Elizabeth.

Tomorrow... run. I will swim later.

Thursday ride at Lighthouse is still on. 5PM!