Final Tuesday Night

This was it - the final Tuesday night ride of the year, officially. I can state for sure I will not be back next Tuesday. No way.

We did the same pace line rotation as last week, though this time with fewer riders. Five of us did it: Dan, John T., Jimmy, Galloway, and myself. Strunk's empty slot was filled by Dan this week, who took on the task with gusto. When the pace stressed him to the limit, he channeled his inner Strunk and fought back into it. When he fell off, he found a way back in. When he fought his way to the top of lost river on my wheel, I handed him the lead as quickly as he caught up. Yup, heck of a ride for Dan.

Rand didn't do poorly either. While it may be true he wore a skirt to a man's workout, he did redeem himself almost completely by holding us at bay for nearly the entire ride. Not as easy as it sounds, since the winds definitely did not favor an individual ride.

The five of us did catch him, though not until the end. I had to make a break earlier than I would have liked, since Rand would have beaten us otherwise. Jimmy jumped on the wheel, and well, the predictable happened. Jimmy got his victory by a hair.

Rand, Jimmy, Allen, and Galloway ran after, while Dan, John T., and I went to Wendy's. Other than the irate customer throwing a fit over a sandwich and me getting a bite from Dan's sandwich it was business as normal.

From here on out I think it's going to be runs on Tuesday. Office? Parkview? We'll see. I likely will miss either way.

The routine is coming back, somewhat

So now school has gone on for a little over a week, and the routine is settling in. It's like last year, but different. Coaching certainly rearranges my afternoons, but that's fine; I love doing it. It has curtailed my training, which has rearranged my midsection. Sure, you folks have politely avoided mentioning it directly, but your wide-eyed stares at my belly haven't gone unnoticed. I'd be gawking, too. I must look like a two-legged Jell-O mold running down the road.

Kathy dropped some times from last year's races over, and I've been pouring over them. Interesting stuff. I broke it down for the girls here, if you are interested. I'm happy to say we're doing better than I thought, given what's been going on.

The five miles this afternoon didn't feel difficult, though I think I was wearing an old pair of shoes. I honestly can't tell. I buy the same kind all the time, and since they all look alike, it's easy to mix them up. I've so many miles on all of them I don't think it really matters much.

As for the run, we broke 40 minutes without any effort. That's okay by this fat boy's standards. Dan nearly broke his body.

Tim and Bill
Ran down the hill
To see which one could go faster

Kathy broke out
Without a shout
And Dan came tumbling after

We finished the run, Dan having fallen off the back, which often happens. This is the first time in a while I didn't drop off and finish with him, and man, I wish I had. Apparently near the end he tumbled on the sidewalk and busted himself up. He was dripping blood as he finished. He's okay, those Nordic types are a stoic breed, but I felt bad for leaving him. That dang fraternization clause we have in our contracts sure hinders safety...

Boy, that was fun!

It was supposed to be the last Tuesday night ride of the season. We would do pace line once more, retire the structured workouts for the winter slumber, and begin again late next spring.

Dan and I rode Sunday, and we mulled over the best way to finish the season. "Why not try a different pacing technique? We could rotate constantly, like the Tour de France. We haven't tried it before... let's!" And so it was settled, inasmuch as we resolved to broach the topic during the Tuesday ride.

Very little resistance was met, so we proceeded with the plan. What plan? Easy. The leader would pull for 10 seconds (enough time to overtake the person who had just pulled off the lead). Then the leader would pull out to the left (no tap necessary), and the next person would immediately come through. The idea was to have a constant rotation of riders on the front, keeping everyone fresher.

Of course there were the minor misunderstandings and some rough edges to work out, but all in all it was a resounding success. We kept the group intact for most of the way, and even had a large cluster going for the sprint finish. We averaged 24.2 mph, which included a wait to allow riders to regain. It's easy to see that, given a little practice, this would be the way to best any team time previously posted, perhaps even surpassing the Holy Grail of Pace Lines (30+ mph average).

Okay, okay, you're probably wondering who won the sprint. In brief:

We were nearing the end. Strunk was still on, but it was a real push to hang in there. All credit is due here, because Tim was on the hairy edge a few times. It was a gutsy ride.

Anyway, we were rotating quickly, enough so I couldn't be sure where I'd be at the break point. In the last 100 yards it was clear I might come on exactly on the break. Quick mental calculation had me on the front (fresh), Strunk right behind me (tired), and everyone else behind him. It was the best possible scenario for me, because I only need a few bikes lengths separation to to win.

So my turn came up at the line, and I jumped, right away. This caught the group by surprise like I hoped. By the time folks had sorted out what happened, I was too far gone to catch. I carried 30-31 mph smoothly through the half-mile stretch, not really going quite all-out, and listened for the approaching wheels. None came.

Okay, I'll be the first to admit, it was a cheap win. It fell into my lap and I couldn't resist. John T. was way out of position because he helped Allen get back to the group, Jimmy had just come off the front, and everyone else parked directly behind poor Strunk. It was punching down.

But I did it anyway. I looked at my "WWJD" bracelet (What Would Jimmy Do) and knew what I had to do. A win is a win!

First meet

I'll tell you gang, I wasn't sure what to expect.

Just one week ago, we had a disastrous tempo workout. Only 5 girls finished. The rest struggled to finish a mile at walking pace. I was seriously considering running only 5 runners tonight. I'm glad I didn't.

Read the race analysis.

Here's something I haven't told them yet - every girl (except the last girl) beat the time for the All-Time Top-25 list for BNL. Granted, 5k isn't that old, but hey, it feels good to be on the list.

It's better than I could have hoped for. And I'll tell you, that Danielle/Shelby combo was a thing of beauty. The way they worked together to break girls down, to keep one another in the race... outstanding!

We have something to build on. We still have a chance to do well in conference, and hopefully we'll be ready for Sectional. We just need a little luck on the health side...

Pace Line Tuesday

I was wrong. I would have sworn last week was my last Tuesday ride. Who would have thought I could manage another one? Give credit to the girls; they did their jobs, getting themselves out on time (actually, a bit early).

We wound up with nine riders (okay, ten if you count DfO). Dan, John T., Miller, Jimmy, Mike, Troy, Allen, Greg, and I pulled out of the parking lot right on time - a first in pacelinedom. The winds were from the northwest at 5-10 mph, which was quite noticeable on our way out. It would definitely impact the ride back negatively!

Greg was visiting, this being the last week before he moves into college. He and Mike have hooked into Strava, a website and app where you can create segments of courses that others can ride and rank themselves on. Mike had created a Strava course on, you guessed it, our 10-mile time trial course. Greg wanted the high score.

We didn't talk much about the plan on the way out as everyone was involved in small group conversations here and there. I was turning it over in my mind though, especially as I watched Greg warm up. He was itching to go for a good time, of that I was certain.

Would we break into two groups or stay in one? If we stayed in one, Greg had no real shot at the record. We had to go two. Our group was comprised of Miller, John T., Greg, and me. What happened to Jimmy, you ask? He wimped out. He "volunteered" to take Galloway's place in the other group. Cop out!

John T. kicked it off with a strong opening surge. He took us to 27 mph, held it 25-27 for a couple of minutes, then tapped. That wasn't bad at all considering the headwind we faced.

Greg was next. He too pulled it into the 27 mph range, but held a bit better average for a bit longer than John T. We were off to a pretty good start!

Miller was next. He took over going into Bromer, where the wind pretty much hits you square in the face. On top of that, he had the first climb. It was a tougher section tonight due to conditions, so his speed wasn't as high as the others. He topped the hill, then struggled a little to bring the speed up to his starting speed. To be fair, this section just above the first hill is harder than it looks under the best of circumstances, which these weren't.

Miller tapped, then I was given the lead in the stair-step down. Up to 27, slowly, then it dropped into the 25-26 area. Any little rise dropped me down under 25, but I tried to bring it right back above 25 the second the terrain leveled. This I was able to do over and over, so I stayed on. Miller had the first hill; my mind was made up to get Lost River.

I topped Lost River at a measly 16-high, but as soon as we went over the top, we dropped right down and took it to 25+. At this point, I tapped.

John T. was on again, this time not as strong. The wind was beginning to take its toll. He held it through the rollers, giving over to Greg as we prepared to climb the last hill.

This turned out to be a fatal mistake for John T. Greg was F-R-E-S-H! He blasted uphill into the wind at 25-26 mph, topping at nearly 24 mph. John T. Was G-O-N-E. I was snapped off the back, having failed to anticipate how well the speed would be held and being caught in too high a gear. By the time I shifted down, Miller and Greg broke away. What was first 5 yards became 50 in a heartbeat.

Now my work was cut out for me. I judged I could catch them. It was going to be tough, because time was running out. We were right at a mile to go, and the break hill is one-half mile from the end. Half a mile to cover the 50 yards. And Greg on the front, pouring on the coals.

Close it I did. I got to them 100 yards from the break, and gathered myself. I felt I could stay on the wheel of anyone trying to take off IF I could anticipate the move properly. Greg had the lead, Miller followed, and I was on the end. The setup was perfect for me.

What to do? My best bet was to let Greg do the work. That would leave me Miller. Miller is faster, I'm stronger. I would have to time my jump to be far enough out to prevent Miller's speed from being decisive. So, with a little over a quarter left, I jumped.

I slid by Greg smoothly, not decisively. I was trying to posture strength I didn't really possess. I was also amazed Miller didn't pound past me right away. This might actually work!

Then it happened. Greg made a comeback. He overtook me, grunting with every pedal stroke. I knew I couldn't stay with him. I figured Miller would be right on his wheel, but amazingly, he wasn't. And that's how we finished - Greg, IronBill, and Miller. John T. came in about 30 seconds later.

It was a good ride. Our group had ridden pretty darn well together as a team, only losing John T. at the end. We averaged 24.8 mph, not our best, but hey, season is over for all of us, we had a headwind, it's how it goes. It felt like a good effort to me, anyway. Heck, I overheard Greg say his heart rate went over 200 - at least if I couldn't win, I made him work for it. ;)

Great meal afterwards at Wendy's. Wouldn't you know it? They finally get their act together as our season ends. For two weeks in a row service has been stellar. Sure, they ran out of Berry Salad after Jimmy ordered (leaving poor Dan in the lurch), but aside from that we couldn't ask for anything more. It was a fun night that ended all too soon.

And.... we're back!

*flick*

And just like that, the switch between summer and work is flipped. One cannot comprehend how it is, to be off for a couple of months every year, then go back to work as if it never stopped, unless of course one is a teacher. It's like living two different lives, in a schizophrenic sort of way. There is no transition; it's on/off.

Today was the regular first teacher day stuff - meetings, meetings, and more discussion. Being a tech guy, I also had the added task of aiding many teachers in getting their computers up, getting logged on, opening mail, etc.

This was the first day practice was after school. We did hills on the course, finishing in time for me to make a dash for the run (or is that a run for the dash?). It would be tight, but I felt I could squeeze in a couple miles with the guys.

My plan was to catch them on the back half of the five, but I'd sent a text stating I was on my way. As I neared home, I was about to park and get changed, but I guessed the guys might be waiting because of the text. I went up the alley, and sure enough, they were there. Okay. I was in cargo shorts and had a worn-out pair of running shoes. Close enough! Stripping off the shirt, I was ready to go.

I should do this more often. Dan and I brought up the rear of the run, and we went a tic over 41 minutes. That's pretty good compared to what we have been doing. The cargo shorts didn't hurt me at all, apparently.

It was a bit past six, and I was hungry, but there was the lift thingy to do. I was already sweaty, so there was nothing to do for it but go for the lift. The place was pretty busy. I had to alter my workout a bit, which is okay. Lifting has to be changed periodically anyway, and I suppose it was time.

So, the ride tomorrow... possible? Maybe. Depends on the girls. If they get right on things, yes. If not, no. We'll find out then. 

Dormant, almost

I know I'm not writing much right now, but there's not a lot to write about. My training is at the lowest point it's been in years, and I don't have a lot of contact with the rest of the group at the moment. That leaves very little of interest to my readership, so I don't usually drag it out.

I guess I could report on the Girls' Cross bake sale today. They raised over $500, which gives them (along with the car wash money) plenty to buy sweats and T-shirts. They did this on their own, too. This is an organized group of girls, they know how to set their goals, prioritize, and get tasks done. I also like how they cooperate with one another. Very nice!

Cicero was today. From Jimmy's brief report I got the following:

Josh Anderson - 10th overall, 1st in his age group
Jimmy - 15th overall, 1st in his age group
Steve - 23rd overall, 2nd in his age group
Roy - 23rd overall (that's what Jimmy reported!), 4th in his age group
Robin - 46th overall, 6th woman, 1st in her age group
Arlene - a bit behind Robin, no results beyond that.

That's a good effort, I'd say!

Running in the AM, riding in the PM. 

Hot, again

Man, will this heat never end? Over 100 degrees again today. It's supposed to get much cooler this weekend, but I'm becoming pretty cynical about it. I'll believe it when I see it.

Dan, Galloway, Jimmy, and I ran at 5. Since the humidity was so low we didn't suffer as much as we might, which is good I suppose. It still slowed us down. Thank goodness for Polar Pops and shaved ice!

My calf is sore again. That was inevitable, given the workouts this week. I'll have to be very careful about the hard stuff I do with the girls. I'm getting too old to jump into hard workouts without being properly trained.

School starts Monday. Fine by me. I'm not enjoying this weather anyway. Might as well work.

"Aaaaaaaagh!"

The question: what is the last sound Allen makes before entering a cornfield?

Tonight was the final time trial of the 2012 season, and it was interesting in many ways. We had 21 riders total make the event, the largest number all year. We had 7 women, also the largest group yet. Ten riders participated in the time trial, and with a slight headwind, it was a slightly tougher ride than anticipated. However, the times were legit!

As near as I can remember, the order was Roy, Allen, Strunk, Troy, Mike, Galloway, Jimmy, Miller, John T., and me. This order appeared to be just about right because I didn't hear a lot of people speak of being passed. We also managed to bring it in front to back within around 5 minutes, a good target goal.

We allowed one minute between riders, making a total gap of nine minutes between the first and last rider (at the start). This has always seemed the perfect space of time, providing a target for everyone far enough way to be difficult, but not impossible, to catch.

I'll confess I didn't have a lot of confidence I'd do well. I've had to run with the girls the last two days, and as fate would have it, they were hard workouts. Without WinD to lead the hard stuff, I'm forced to take on the task. Yesterday we did Jimmy's heinous quarter/half/quarter/quarter/half/quarter workout, and since I lead it, I ran it harder than I have all summer long. Hey, girls kept with me, so I was forced to push to see what they could do! Today, after evaluating the splits, I decided to piggyback on a tempo run. This too was a challenging run, and so it was with tired legs I arrived at the start of the ride. I guess I'd also add my hard training has been over for a couple of weeks now, so I'm completely out of the race mentality at this point.

I went last - probably as well, because John T. and Miller had both run intervals today at lunch. While that leveled things some for all of us, I still have carried the fastest speed all summer, so though hope was dim for a catch, I resolved to give it my best.

It was not an easy ride. First, the headwind, though light, was noticeable. It wasn't enough to overpower, just enough to slow you down. The secondary effect of the wind was, since it was so dry out, to completely dry out the throat. It got to the point of being difficult to breath because of sinus drainage that hung in the back of a dry throat. Thank goodness I had water in an aero system; those that didn't suffered much more.

I didn't think I'd ever catch John T., but finally, after 6.5 miles, I did. There was no way I would catch Miller. I could see him, but there wasn't enough distance left to get it done. I got close, no more than 100 yards separated us in the end, but that's as close as I could get.

Apparently I missed the excitement. Allen, "Mr. Excitement", decided to get an exact stop on his Garmin. Unfortunately he can't hit the stop button and steer a bike at the same time - he went off road and into the cornfield. It is too bad there was no film on this, because I can promise you it would appear here. That Allen... he's been a veritable gold mine of comedy this summer!

So, what are the results tonight? Let me relay the numbers, in ascending order (speed):

1. Josh - 28:20 - 21.1 mph
2. Troy - 27:30 - 21.8 mph
3. Roy - 27:20 - 21.9 mph
4. Allen "Cornfield" Burris - 26:52 - 22.3 mph
5. Jimmy - 26:46 - 22.4 mph
6. Mike - 26:41 - 22.4 mph
7. Strunk - 26:39 - 22.5 mph
8. Galloway - 26:20 - 22.8 mph
9. Miller - 25:13 - 23.8 mph
10. John T. - 25:08 - 23.9 mph
11. IronBill - 23:49 - 25.2 mph

There was an excellent second group that took an easy tour of Amish country west of Highway 37. It was a good time (except for a thrown chain and lack of chivalry! - heh). It's too bad this didn't start earlier in the summer. 

Of course we capped it all off with a nice visit to Wendy's, and believe it or not, we actually got served relatively quickly. It was a nice time, especially the part where we ribbed Allen for getting off road. 

So another season comes to a close. I hope the group continues to meet on Tuesdays for a while longer - I can't due to practice schedules, but there's no reason why the bulk of the folks couldn't continue on. 

IronBill's Ride Data

Nice Ride

I slept in this morning. It's something I plan to do from now on Sundays, at least until cross is over. I need one day a week to recharge, and I'm going to take it.

Dan, John T, Leisa, and I did a shortish ride from Lighthouse. John T. had a short time to ride, so we all adjusted. Who cares? We were just out there for an easy ride.

I will likely run in the morning with the girls. There are plenty of things going on tomorrow night and the next day.

Only the second run this week

The all-night relay took it out of my legs. Hamstrings in particular seemed singed, and I knew it was time to rest them. This week, I did. No doubles, low mileage, few runs. Bike limited to 20 miles. Slow swim. The only thing I picked up slightly was lifting, and that wasn't much.

Today I ran five miles, down to Hillcrest and back. The hamstring didn't bother me at all, but the low back did. I've been a bit lazy about the core strength, and I'll have to get back on top of it. Other than that, it wasn't a hard run, despite the over 80% humidity and 76 degree dew point (!!).

Most of my time has been put into the girls, which is the way it should be. I've also been going into work, so my mind is decidedly off my own training for now and onto more germane issues. This too will pass, but it's a necessity of the time of year.

Leisa and I did get a nice ride this week, going out on 337. We brought it home right before dark, thoroughly wringing everything out of the day.

Allen and I will be meeting tomorrow at 10:30 AM at Lighthouse Books. Anyone and everyone is welcome.  

Yay! The lab is fixed - for now!

Finally, after the swim tonight, I decided to give my lab a whirl. I skipped going by this morning, figuring it would be a waste of time. Surprise, surprise, it was working when I got there! Now I can go in and finalize my classes before we get started. Please, let it be done!

Speaking of the swim, I am happy to report Allen swam 500 yards tonight without the assistance of any flippers or flotation devices. That's right, he swam 500 yards! He looked good, too. Ladies and gentlemen, we have entered the realm of Ironman possibility now. The dream is alive!

I didn't run or ride today. I am happy to report I am happy to be resting. For now. I caught a glimpse of my stomach in the mirror. Uh-oh.

One more run or ride this week. Allen and I are planning to meet at Lighthouse at 10:30 AM Saturday morning. All welcome. 

Making friends (as usual)

To all my (former) Twitter followers, sorry for my rather innocuous post earlier today regarding Olympic results. In this day of DVR, I've come to realize I cannot speak sports with my friends - unless it is delayed up to one week past the actual event (witness: Tour de France).

Work is creeping back into my life. Half my day ever day now is consumed with work-related activities. Not looking for sympathy, but I don't get paid for it (for you GM guys that are about to go on about overtime).

Speaking about work, I hope my lab does when school starts. As of today, it doesn't.

Took a ride this evening, finishing even as the sun set. It was really nice.

Not much else to discuss, so that's it for now.