Friday, June 29, 2012

Today was worse - can tomorrow be worser?

Hard to imagine today being worse than yesterday with regards to the heat, but it was. The humidity rose a bit, and the temperature was every bit as hot as yesterday. Miserable.

We ran, Galloway, Jimmy, and I, with the girls this morning. More accurately, I started their practice and we ran. It was muggy, and I was drenched when we got back.

Jimmy and I were going to ride from the track, but we decided to meet at Lighthouse instead. Good plan, as it took the cut out. Then, as we rode, it became apparent the heat was going to get insufferable. Jimmy also had stuff to get on to, so we cut it down quite a bit from there. I don't care. It was the right thing to do, especially since we are riding in the morning again.

As soon as I got home, Leisa drug me out to a flea market in Edinburgh. I have to admit, it had a lot of stuff, and as indoor yard sales go, it was the best I've seen. I know I'll see it again, because Leisa kept going on about it all the way home.

Tomorrow we ride from the track, 7 AM.

Run Data.

Ride Data.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Can you believe the heat?

It was crazy hot out there today. Crazier still, when the girls practiced this morning, I was cold enough to don a sweatshirt.

I didn't do a whole lot of anything until 4:30. That's when Strunk and I were supposed to ride from Lighthouse. I thought he might change his mind - after all, it was the hottest day in 25 years. He showed. He really showed!

We took it sooo easy, and we had to. If the temperature outside was 106, then the road temperature was 10 above that. I actually had a reading of 118 on my computer while we were riding, by far the highest I've ever seen.

We made it to Huck's and stopped to enjoy a cold drink and a snack. After that, we cruised back. I immediately headed to the pool, where I met Galloway for a swim. And that was that.

I did do one other thing today - I went to see "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" with Leisa. The breakdown is simple - great casting, acting, and to some extent, even a great take on historical events, much in the vein of "Forrest Gump". The action scenes were entertaining and visually stunning. But there it is, the crux of the problem: no matter how you get to the point, however masterful the delivery, no matter the suspension of disbelief to this point, you ultimately are jarred by one salient point... that's Abraham Lincoln killing vampires.

I had laugh-out-loud moments during very fluid fight scenes because my suspension of disbelief lost its balance and plunged over the cliff of rational thought. Abraham Lincoln. Abraham-fricken'-Lincoln. Fighting vampires. Abraham Lincoln, kicking butt and taking names. Abraham Lincoln, martial artist. Abraham Lincoln, MMA superstar. See what I mean?

Rating? I'll have to give this one the brand-spanking-new "Thirty-two Teeth Award", so-named because the absurdity of the premise at times sent me into a full-throated, howling laughter, thereby exposing every tooth in my mouth. It was unintentionally hilarious.

Ride Data.

Swim Data.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The damage done, now on with today

Miller scarred me yesterday. Not scared, scarred. Two r's. He horse whipped me and left me for dead along the road.

I recovered enough to face today's ride, but how much would I have? There were conditions that made me look forward to riding, or at least, a carrot to give me a reason to try to go hard again. The wind. Yesterday when we rode it was awful, but it had one pleasant aspect - 337 heading northeast was easy and fast. Really fast. With a similar wind today, could it be possible to set the team pace line record?

Without Miller, it would be tougher. That would leave us with John T., Jimmy, and myself from the regular crew. Galloway and/or Jarrard could both contribute if they desired, but that might be a tough sell. John and I talked it over on the way out. The wind was strong at times as we headed to the county line, so the plan began to take shape. He and I would do the bulk of the work. We agreed we needed to hold a 28-30+ mph average wherever possible, and do our best to hold whatever speed we could on the three climbs. Beyond that, we had to recover fast and get back up to speed. If we were on the front and could no longer hold the goal speed, we needed to tap and bring the other guy back up.

As it turned out, Galloway wanted no part of it. Jarrard agreed, if somewhat less than enthusiastically. I tried to be clear about what exactly we planned to do. He and Jimmy gave it about half their attention, so I hoped for the best.

Mike lead first, and he took it up to 27 mph for a short bit. Recognizing he wasn't getting the speed, he tapped. Jimmy was next. He was 25-26, and took a good 2-3 minute pull. He tapped, and it was John's turn.

By this point in time the record was gone. There obviously wasn't the wind aid necessary for the attempt, and though John and I could probably take the speed over 28, it would only snap the guys off the back. When Jimmy tapped, I called to John, told him what I thought, and he asked what he should do. "Just ride steady. We don't want to lose these guys".

John stayed in the 26-27 range, which wasn't tough. He pulled for 3-4 minutes, then tapped as we were leaving Bromer. I maintained his speed, and we entered the first hill at 27 mph. About halfway up I heard a voice. I looked back and a gap had opened. I sat up, letting the next rider catch on - Jimmy. I didn't know how that happened, since DfO had started behind me, but I waited. They got back on, and then I slowly took it back up.

The next mile or so is a slow staircase downward, so speed at times went above 28 and dropped as low as 25. Everyone was still there, I think. Near the end of the staircase, Jimmy yelled he was pulling off. Now it was John T., DfO(!), and myself. I finally tapped after the final north stretch heading into Lost River. I'd been on since Bromer, about 7 minutes, and John T. took over.

Through the dip, around the bend, then down the hill, speeds over 34 mph, then the dash across the valley. John was cruising, and he looked powerful heading into the second climb. I played coachman again, urging him to maintain the speed, which he did nicely. Once he topped the hill, he laid over, brought the speed up a bit, then tapped.

At this point we had 2-3 miles to go. I planned to take it all the way in from there - John had taken the hard hill, no way I was going to hand it back on the last climb. DfO was gone. It was just us. I asked if he was on, and he said, "Yes!". If there was any wind aid tonight, this was the place it happened. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31... we were rolling now. Into the rollers, the speed really didn't drop off below 27. I ran hard at the last hill, topping it at 21.6 mph (I looked!), then prepared for the final assault.

Now I'm thinking of the last stretch. John T. was relatively fresh, since he hadn't biked much over the weekend. I was flat from Saturday and the ride yesterday. I'd pulled almost 2 miles by now, with a hard mile ahead. If John had anything at all, anything, I couldn't respond. So I did the only thing I could do - just rode hard and smooth.

At the break line I waited for him to go by. I imagined him coming up on me, several times even thinking I could hear him approaching, almost catching glimpses of him making his move. I hoped I'd be able to jump on his wheel when he went by, hoped he wouldn't time it right and dust me right at the end... Then I crossed the line. No John T. I looked back. He wasn't there. Turned out he'd pulled too long the last time through, and was blasted after the Lost River hill. A minute later, he came through.

I hadn't intended to lose him, didn't even consider it possible to be frank. That's a tough conundrum though. If you have Lost River Valley, do you hand off before the hill, or do you take your chances on tapping at the top? I was fresh in either spot, and following. Tap before, and I might blow up the hill faster than you can recover. Tap after, and you might not recover fast enough to stay on. Of course the best answer is to get off the pull before you're too flat, but we intentionally went longer, and anyway, DfO sure wasn't going to take a turn on the front. I would have been in the same boat if I'd had the pull and he was behind me. Or Miller. Interchangeable parts, and the luck of the draw.

We did run after, and easy one, and of course ate at Wendy's. Mike, Lori, Strunk, and Jamie were already there when the rest of us arrived, and it was a nice sit-down. All too soon the sun set and it was time to leave.

Paceline Data.

Mile repeats tomorrow! Jimmy's at 5.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Full day

I made the snap judgement last night that today would have to be the day to start running on the trails. WinD is leaving for the rest of the week starting tomorrow, and moratorium is next week. The only day we'd be able to hit it would be today. So we did.

I wanted an easy run, and forgot how hard it is to get there from the BNL campus. It rolls! The girls were already panting once we arrived, the high humidity already beginning to take its toll. Well, too late to worry about it... we were in for the long haul.

I ran with half the team, WinD with the front half. I sent them off on a side trail and we never saw them again for the rest of the run. That was a mistake on a couple of counts (we didn't establish a rally point, and I let people head out for the challenging course I shouldn't have). WinD also lost her way for a bit, but all's well that ends well, because they came in with a bit more distance than I planned, but all survived.

Trail Run!

On my way home from practice, Miller called. He wanted 60 miles, and he had to have it by 1 PM. It was 9:37 and I was 10 minutes from home. Worked it out yet? We'd have to do at least 20 mph to make that work.

I looked out the car window. The wind was blowing hard out of the northeast, at least 15-20 mph. That meant a hard trip home. I felt the sweat still dripping from me. My quads ached every time I clenched them. I just didn't have a hard 60 in me, and I knew it.

"Go on, I can't help you."
"I don't have to have 60. How 'bout 50?"
"I don't know..."
Silence.
"Let me check when I get home. I'll call you right back."

You know what happened - we went. And if there is any question about who the better biker is, it was settled today. Two days after the Jim-N-I, I'm still suffering. He isn't. He drug me through that ride, letting me have the easy pulls while he took the hard ones. I noticed, even if he pretended not to. Every climb he effortlessly pulled away from me. All I could do was claw my way back in on the flats.

I was salt-encrusted like a Wendy's french fry when I got home. Miller went home and told WinD it was an easy 50-miler. He was on a different ride than me, because we topped the cut averaging 20 mph for 48 miles. Did I mention the wind? I cruised in after that, not caring one bit what he thought of my manliness.

Miller the Killer.

WinD, John T., and I met at BNL for the swim. That at least went well, and with that, my triple was done.

Easy Swim.

Pace line tomorrow. Don't know how I'll feel, but I'll give it what I have. 

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Jim-N-I... what a day!

Yesterday's post should have revealed how I feel about this event, this whole day, and how I consider it to be one of the highest of the high points of the summer. If you've never gone, you have to go. Have. To.

We had the promise of some pretty decent weather. The skies were clear, the air calm, the humidity low. There was no reason to expect anything but stellar results in every leg.

Speaking of low, the lake was low. Really low. It was so shallow we were scooping handfuls of bottom silt with every stroke as we neared the turn buoy. I've never seen the like this low. Fifteen brave souls entered the water, including one Allen Burris.

Greg of course dominated the swim, as if there would be any doubt. He let me hang around for the first lap or so, but after that, totally all Greg. He was out of the water and gone before I got back.

This was the first opportunity to use my Garmin open water, and it worked like a charm. I swam 2225 yards, which is 20 yards longer than 1.25 miles. Since the swim was supposed to be 1.2 miles, the path I swam was long. I suspect few people were able to swim a much better line (I know Miller didn't!), so folks, those swim times are better than you think.

Check out my data for the swim.

We took our time transitioning to the ride, and by the time we'd gathered, there were 19 riders, which is almost certainly a record. The start of the ride is a 6-mile easy procession to Highway 40. Once across, we stopped to gather those willing to go hard. I looked back dubiously, noting the numbers of novice pace line riders. I followed my instincts and moved to the front. If there was a crash, and there was a better than average chance there might be with so many newbies, I didn't want to be in it.

Steve had the ceremonial first pull, and in typical Steve fashion, laid down the law. It might have included some downhill, but also in typical Steve fashion, Steve had downplayed his fitness. He looked strong.

Jimmy got on next, and I must say, I'm more and more impressed with his riding every day. He took a very long pull, over 5 minutes, and he held pretty good speed. He tapped, and I was on.

I'd noted how long each guy pulled, and how hard. It worked out to a bit over 5 minutes, and they averaged around 24.5 on the flat. I figured the pulls would be long, so I decided to pull longer. I took it up a bit, then settled back into the 25 mph range and held it - until we had to start making turns, there was a truck in our path, etc... I wound up in front for a bit longer, but it wasn't all hard work. Then it was Miller's turn.

He'd been watching too, and he tore it up without nearly as many interruptions. He was steady, he ground it out, and he had a tough stretch of wind to fight. After a strong pull, he handed to Greg.

This was the moment I'd been waiting for with a mixture of dread and excitement. How fast would he go? How long? Would we survive it?

He did pull hard, for a short time, but he settled in to the more sedate pace we'd been holding. Ah! He was taking mercy on us!

Around this time the line started breaking up. Well, actually, the line really broke up from the start (novices were almost immediately lost), but now more veteran riders were dropping out. The crazy thing was we weren't going fast. It was simply hard riding out there because of the wind. It wasn't terribly strong, but it seemed to be in our faces where ever we were. Even at that, it wasn't aligned in a way that drafting helped a great deal. It was a quartering headwind, forcing riders to get into echelon formation to get any benefit. This type of riding really takes experience, and obviously those that haven't pace lined for very long suffered. For my part, whenever I pulled, I tried to stay in the middle of the road. This offered the greatest variety of options for those behind me.

Around this time, Merom, we had been whittled down to Steve, Jimmy, me, Miller, Greg, and Bob (in that order). Greg came off the front a bit past Merom, Steve came back on, and off he went on another long pull. This one wasn't quite as fast, for good reason - the wind was really starting to pick up. By now it was hard to hold much more than 23-24 mph for any distance.

Jimmy's second pull was every bit as good as his first. He was steady, he was almost as fast as Steve, and he pulled long. This area was flat and wide-open, which had the disadvantage of being totally exposed to the wind.

My turn came, and we were still in the flats. I felt pretty good about this one. I'm best when I can get in aero and go steady, and the area really allowed me to do that. We had a few turns, but overall I was able to pull some steady speed, reaching 28 mph heading into the infamous "Corner" (it's a whole different story). Once again, I held it for over 5 minutes before giving over to Miller.

Miller was just as good the second time, too. His second turn starting gently rolling and twisting, and he was just the man for the job. Miller could take things up to 22-24 mph and hold it there, very impressive under the conditions.

Greg took one more short pull directly into the wind, and he was out. Steve was back on, and by this time we were headed right into the wind. This pull was his shortest, maybe a couple of minutes or so, and by now the speed was dropping to 21-22. It was getting tough.

Jimmy was up, and he tried to match. He did, for a time, but his pull was shorter too. I could sense him beginning to lose it, could feel he was ready to tap, and when he did, I told him I'd just hold the pace for a little bit.

Steve had asked us to do a 30 count before pressing, which I did. After that, I slid it up to 24-25, holding it as long as I could. I wanted at least 5 minutes at the helm, and despite a couple of rollers that reminded me over and over I can't climb right now, I held on to pace nicely. I wasn't happy about how slow it seemed, but we'd gone far enough for me to see no one was able to really tear it up.

Figuring I'd slowed down too much to stay in front (I was down to 22-23 mph), I tapped. That's when I saw what was left of us - Steve, Miller, and me. Jimmy had destroyed himself with his last pull, and the others are a bit behind on their training. It was now down to us, and Miller was up.

This particular leg is noteworthy because it might be the most impressive pull of the day. Not because of its speed, because it wasn't the fastest. Not because of its length, because it wasn't the longest. No, it's the most impressive because of when it came. That last 2-3 mile stretch features the last climb, which, while not large, is the hardest climb of the entire course. It comes at precisely the worst possible time, and the run up to it was all into headwind.

Miller did it all.

Steve and I both understood we should have had it passed to us. Miller didn't. I kept shouting encouragement, I knew what he was thinking, it was a challenge, and he wanted to beat it. I started singing to him (which I'm not sure helped). He chugged all the way up that thing with no help. Pretty dang impressive.

The remaining fragments of our original party began trickling in, and we took our break. Thanks to the support group, especially Kayla, who made those cookies I couldn't stop eating! One-by-one the bikers arrived, some looking fresh, some flopping on the ground in a nonverbal declaration that the day's riding was OVER!

The biggest part of us collected after a time (and many promises we wouldn't go hard on the way back) and began to make our way home. There was the promise of a tailwind home. After all, it'd been in our faces, right?

You wish. Steve jumped on the front, and it was obvious the wind was beginning to swirl, shifting directions capriciously, but with vigor. It was actually going to be work getting back!

We formed up in a loose line, and as the animal awakened in Steve, we were forced to go more aggressively in our line. Jimmy picked up where Steve left off, actually taking the speed up to 24+ mph. This was going easy?!

Okay, if that's how it is...

My turn came next. Jimmy came off at 21. I was going to hold 21. I did, for a time, but it began to creep up.

21... 22...23...

Jimmy called he was dropping back. (What?! You started this!) Okay, I yelled, I'll take it to 20 mph. Which I did. We rode for a few more minutes at that speed, and I was quite comfortable. My thought was to go ahead and pull the group back in to Highway 40. Then I looked back. I could see Miller, maybe 50 yards back, the whole pack formed loosely behind him. He was trying to gradually bring them back to me, while I was only going 20 mph.

Folks, if you can't hang in behind a guy pulling 20 mph on the flat, you're whipped. This group was whipped, entirely so. Pace line was over.

There wasn't much descriptive beyond that point, just a gentle ride in. Well, there is one thing... I was able to snake up to the front when we forded the gravel pit, hopped on my bike, and rode in alone, crossing the finish line uncontested. ;)

View the ride data. There is a small discrepancy because I failed to restart the Garmin after a stop. I adjusted the time and distance manually, but the bulk of the data is intact. The error occurs around 43 miles or so.

As for the run, it was all Scott. We might have started with 16 runners, but we quickly broke into groups of 2, 3, and 4, except for Scott, who disappeared. Immediately. Authoritatively. I started off the back, but eventually made my way through to the Millers. I needed to talk to WinD about cross practice. My plan was to run with them for 3, then check on Steve. I wanted to be sure someone was running with him - how could we have the host of the event run alone?

So at stop 2 I start to send them on. Then Jimmy came up, grabbed a water, and started chasing them. What?! I couldn't have that. I got back on. I knew Strunk was still back there, and Rand said he'd wait.

We were running around 8-minute pace, chatting and such, until Jimmy smelled the barn. The last mile was around 7:30, and it was all I had. It was quickly completed, and that was the end of the day's training for yours truly.

View run data.

Of course there was the dip in the lake, the fellowship, but sadly I had to miss the meal and Frisbee golf. Still, I would be totally remiss if I didn't thank the Blacks for inviting us all into the home and hearth, and going to such lengths to make this annually the day to remember for the summer. 

Friday, June 22, 2012

Jim-N-I Eve

It's here again, that magical time of year when spirits are high and everyone is giddy with joy. Shops have closed early, everything's packed, and now it's time for anxious kiddies to hustle off to bed, sleepless in anticipation of the morrow's festivities.

"But how did it all begin, Daddy?"

Once upon a time, there were two roommates in college. We'll call them "Jeve" and "Stimmy". Jeve and Stimmy did everything together, dressed alike, and were so close they even chose the same profession. Both having completed their college, they wandered back to their home towns to establish their practices and gain their fortunes as best they could.

But they never forgot one another. Often Jeve would stare at a full moon and wonder if, at that exact same moment, Stimmy might be looking at the same moon, wondering if Jeve was looking at it too...

After a time the two friends were joined again, and vowed to never again be separated. They began to arrange different excuses to meet, to get away together as often as possible. But what would a good cover story be? Athletics!

But what to do? Jeve hated golf. Stimmy was no good at bowling. Jeve could cycle, Stimmy could run... was there some way to meet in the middle? How about triathlon?

Ever the adventurers, they set their goals high. Discovering a particular race with a particular reputation for savagery, both masters of daring-do quickly signed up. And they trained. And since it was a particularly difficult event, they trained a lot. Together.

Then, the unthinkable. The event was cancelled.

Since both friends were honed to a razor-sharp edge, and since they still enjoyed their time together, they decided to run their own even, just the two of them, and set the distances to similar lengths to the cancelled event. And they ran it. And it was good.

The next year they decided they shared enough love for more than themselves, so they invited some friends - a few. And lo and behold, they too loved it.

Year by year it grew, and piece by piece, and with every retelling, the legend grew more. It became so big it gained the notice of a wood nymph, who was so swayed by the camaraderie, she declared, "I have observed your doings, and I find them well. Hearty souls you are, and so you shall bear a common seal. Each year, I will weave a special garment, worn only by those who complete the tasks. It shall bear all the colors of the rainbow, symbolic of the completeness of your training and friendship." And so it was.

The rest is now legend. It's a tradition throughout the land to observe this universal holiday on the third Sunday in June, to exchange gifts, and for the lucky boy or girl who has been especially good, perhaps a pair of cycling gloves or a swim cap will be found under the pillow.

Sleep tight, kiddies. Tomorrow is the day!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Ride and swim

After practice this morning, I headed to Bike Doctor in Bloomington. My beloved Kestrel was way past her checkup date, and with the miles piling up, I knew the chain would likely need replaced. Eric wasn't busy, so it looked like a fast turnaround.

The chain was definitely ready to go. For those of you who care, they should be checked/changed every 1500 miles. I also got the bike tuned, and with little fuss the bike was ready to go.

Fuss. There was a little fuss. A Fed Ex semi dropped off some goods, then clipped a power line on its way out. It blew a transformer, and it was sizzling when we went out to look at it. I stupidly crept up to the downed power line to be certain it was dead and away from the road.

It wasn't.

This is a mistake I will never make again. You have no idea what kind of power is coming off one of those lines until you are close to it when it cooks off. O.M.G. I'm glad there was no video of me running away, screaming like a little school girl.

Speaking of screaming like a little school girl, you Garmin fanbois might want to take note of a couple of specials running at the Bike Doctor. First is the Garmin Edge 200, a GPS bike computer which will record downloadable data from your ride. The main advantage it has over its wrist-mounted cousins is it displays current speed in a more user-friendly fashion. It's going for $125 in store, with a $30 rebate from Garmin tacked on. $95 for a Garmin? Not bad.

The other Garmin deal is the Garmin 910, the model I recently bought. It retails for $399 (which I paid), but Steve can get it for $319. I love mine, it is so versatile. I was even able to get lap swim info from an indoor pool tonight! Waterproof to 50 meter depth, 20-hour battery, multi-sport capability... it's exactly what I was waiting for in a Garmin.

With nothing to do until the ride, I did what any unemployed person does in the middle of the afternoon - I slept. I took an hour or so nap, and I feel much better for it. I've been letting myself get behind on sleep again, and it finally caught up with me.

Dan, WinD, Miller, and I met at the Lighthouse for an easy ride into southwest winds tonight. It was blowing pretty steadily, so there wasn't a whole lot of conversation on the way out. What I did notice was how well WinD is riding the borrowed Kestrel. Very, very well. There might still be some adjustments to be made, but if she can clean up her aero position a bit and get comfortable there, look out.

We finished the ride with the highway dash, a quick 2-mile stint that had Miller playing the coachman - whipping his workhorse (me) into higher and higher speeds. Actually, that's not what really happened. He road pretty much beside me, unwilling to take the easy draft. I just liked the sound of "The Coachman". Heck, if anyone deserves that name, it's Jimmy, especially after his Tuesday night performance. What am I talking about? When Jimmy drafted off Miller's monster pull out to the start, then in the last quarter mile asking to take a turn on the front. Yeah, that one!

I was able to arrive at BNL somewhat late, but on time to get my swim done. I went ahead and tested the Garmin, not expecting the satellite pickup to work. It did! I got a bit of data I didn't think I could get, and I'm finding the thing to be even more useful than I imagined.

Ride workout data
Swim workout data

Jim-N-I is this weekend. Rest up tomorrow, gang. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Lazy days, and I love 'em!

I took a much easier day today, only running 5 miles. With the big days behind and the big days ahead, I'd best be careful. I've been experiencing some tendinitis in both knees, warning enough I might be pushing too hard.

Jim-N-I is Saturday... I can hardly believe it's here already. It will be hot, as usual. We'll have some good riders there that day, so I'm expecting a fast one. Let's hope at least the wind favors us.

Swimming tomorrow! If you want in, BNL pool around 7:30. There's also a ride from Lighthouse Books at 5 PM. Come on in and brick with us!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Time Trial Deux

May 29, 2012 Time Trial
  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
I wanted to lead with this tonight, because these were the results of the first time trial we conducted this season, some three weeks ago now. On that particular evening we did not have a favorable wind. Tonight, we did.

I'm still assembling the times as of the writing, so if I make errors, I'm sorry. This is as accurate as the data I have on hand.
  1. IronBill - 21:32 - 27.86 mph
  2. John T - 23:13 - 25.84 mph
  3. Miller - 23:13 - 25.84 mph
  4. Galloway - 24:28 - 24.52 mph
  5. Jimmy - 24:47 - 24.21 mph
  6. Mike - 24:48 - 24.21 mph
  7. Rand - 25:00 - 24 mph
  8. Dan - 25:13 - 23.79 mph
  9. Strunk - 25:14 - 23.78 mph
  10. Allen - 25:19 - 23.70 mph
Of course I would be quick to point out there was a favorable wind (read: tail wind) tonight, so the times in terms of absolute personal best times must be recorded with a big, fat *. It does not invalidate the data. There is more than one way to compare these numbers, even if they were gathered in dissimilar conditions. 

The thing that jumps out at me first is how much more packed the riders are. If you compare the first TT with the second, it's obvious some riders have elevated their game. To whit - there is less than a minute between Galloway and Allen, riders 4 and 10. Seven riders bunched in one minute? 

Now look at the first TT. There were over 4 minutes between rider 4 and rider 10 last time, and if you want a direct comparison, over 3 minutes between Galloway and Dan. That gap has significantly closed in just three weeks. 

Now let's analyze top to bottom, excluding WinD (she wasn't here tonight). First TT, 7-minute differential; tonight, about 4. You might argue that I didn't ride well tonight, but I did - very well. That the last rider closed 3 minutes on the previous gap says a lot for the last rider. Even more incredible, the group as a whole closed the gap. I'm riding as well or better than I ever have before. Folks, you're gaining. 

Quick hit thoughts about tonight:
  • John T. and Miller both ran at lunch - and both were still tough as nails tonight.
  • Miller and I rode to the park, rode the course, then rode home. 63 miles, 18.5 mph average. 
  • Dan was not passed by anyone tonight.
  • Rand needs to change his Twitter handle to "Lobo", or "Lone Wolf", or something similar. Can't tame him!
  • DfO too. 
  • Galloway too too.
  • By the way, Galloway time trialed yesterday on 446. Just sayin'. 
  • Jimmy and I seem to be on the same wavelength about the workouts in an eerie way - like symbiotic twins or something. Separated at birth?
Run at Jimmy's tomorrow at 5.

Oh, examine the obligatory Garmin details here.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Is it August already?

You'd think so. It's bone-dry outside, parched grass dying in the blazing sun, and temperatures are already in the mid-90's on a regular basis. Toss on a little humidity, and voila! August.

I ran with the girls this morning, not fast, but it had its fast patches in it. I was moving back-and-forth between different groups of girls, so I had my pickups here and there. It was five miles, nothing tough.

After that, there was a whole lot of nothing. Not. A. Thing. I was tired. Yesterday's swim was cancelled, and it being Fathers' Day, I thought I'd skip the ride. Miller's text changed that. He wanted a ride, and though I was tired, I figured it would be better to get it yesterday than today. So I agreed to go.

We left from my house. I hadn't asked how far he wanted, but felt sure he'd want at least 40. Two-thirds there on my answer, because he wanted 60. I didn't think I had that in me, and even if I had, I didn't have the time. Family commitments would have prevented me from making it all the way.

We gave it a shot anyway. We hit the aerobars and stayed down the entire ride. We were 18.1 mph average in a headwind all the way south to Huck's. After leaving there, things picked up considerably. The stretch on Highway 37 in particular did much to bring up the average. By the end I had 19 mph average on a day I was pretty tired. Good enough.

Back to today... the park pool has been really unorganized lately, so I exercised the option of possessing a key to a more... private... facility. That's right, the BNL pool isn't being used for anything right now, I'm a coach, so what could be more natural? Bonus - I can go when I want and stay as long as I want.

I sent out a call to see if anyone wanted in, but only two bit. John T. and Allen joined me, and we all had a couple lanes to ourselves.

These guys are both improving. John T. wanted some pointers, but to be honest, there isn't much need. He'll have no trouble at all with open water swimming, so long as he doesn't panic.

Allen is also greatly improved. There were moments tonight he actually looked pretty smooth.

Weights after the swim, and the day was done.

Tomorrow's ride... right now, time trial is scheduled. The wind direction will have a lot to do with what we ultimately choose, because right now it's going to be rather windy. Will it be more west or south I don't know. If it's more southerly, I say go for the TT. If west, we'd better consider pace line. 

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Century, first in a long time

I don't think I ever got around to riding a century last summer... I was traveling and then hurt for most of it. It just never seemed to happen.

So, on one of the hottest days yet this summer, three of us tackled it. Allen, Strunk, and I did get a hundred mile ride completely totally absolutely finished. Was it hot? You bet. Was it too tough? Not really. I think Strunkilicious might have gotten the worst of it, mainly because his longest prior ride this year was 65 miles. It was a big jump - over 50% increase in distance, if you want to work the math. Allen looked surprisingly good.

We started with two other riders - Roy and John T. They only planned for 60 or so, but they were through with us long before we got to their turn. We started from Parkview, passed through Amish country, stopped at Huck's, then pointed ourselves towards Bromer. Roy, as he often does, began to lead out. It wasn't too hot just yet, only in the lower 80's, and we'd been pretty pedestrian. John T., who can never let anyone go, soon followed. It was just as well, because we needed to be cautious.

Just past Bromer we took one of Allen's favorite detours, a road south that takes you directly to 56. We hit the state road, turned east, and hit Livonia. Once there, we turned northeast onto 337, then turned right on Saltillo Road. This took us back to Highway 60, where we crossed, made our way east, then south again to the gas stop in Campbellsburg. And here we broke bread.

The other guys grabbed cheeseburgers and fries. As for myself, I went for the breaded steak tenderloin and a candy bar. We ate at the little table set up in the back, enjoyed the A/C, and cooled off a bit. Sure, normally you'd have to go to a bowling alley to get the same quality of food, but I happen to like the cheap stuff.

Allen was stricken with wanderlust, so we wound up meandering around the back country, around West Washington High School, finally landing back in Livonia. Back to Bromer, back on the side road to Highway 56, this time turning west and taking the next road right (couple miles down the road), then north back into the Amish back country. We wound up back in Bromer.

Following this?

Allen had one more trick up his sleeve. He wanted to turn north off 337 near the house where the windows were being pulled out (west of Lost River, first turn). I was a bit worried about this one. We would be forced to climb a pretty big hill, and I was watching Strunk. His face was saying, "Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be". I've seen that look more than once on long rides, no shame in it, but Allen was feeling so good I don't think he noticed.

Inevitably we got to the climb, not huge by any standard, but when you are feeling awful, anything is huge. "Take it easy climbing up", I tossed to Strunk. He did, and after that it was pretty much smooth sailing back to Huck's.

From this point on the evils were well known. All Strunk had to do was get back to Spring Mill, and we had a tailwind home. Parting company just before Highway 60 (side road just north of the St. Bernards), Allen and I were left to finish our ride.

We had enough in the pocket to get on the highway for a bit of the ride. This served two important purposes: first, would lose the rollers on Rabbitsville Road, and; we got the best exposure to the tailwind. I didn't want too go hard, we still had around seven or eight miles left to ride. Allen dropped in trail, and we started to pick up steam. Inevitably, the tailwind did help, we did pick up speed, and as we flattened out, I wanted to keep it as long as possible. I heard a muffled call, and looking back, I could see Allen had fallen off a bit. His heart rate had popped up, and he wanted to get it back down. Smart call. The end, when it comes to these long rides, can come swiftly.

The cut wasn't too tough, and by that time we knew we had this thing in the bag. We finished with over 101 miles, good enough to cover any margin of error. Speaking of that... there was only 4 tenths difference between my Garmin and my computer, which stunned me. More, there was about a 25-second difference in the time (Garmin was slower), which probably means the real difference between the two was more like 2-3 tenths. Folks, that ain't bad. True, nothing says my bike computer is the end-all, be-all of measuring distance, but I was amazed at how close they actually were.

Pouring over the data, I learned a couple of things:

  • the Garmin 910 has an unreliable barometric altitude sensor (a known issue)
  • my heart rate is much lower on the ride than I could have imagined
I'm a little worried the heart rate isn't measuring properly. I can test that manually, and I will. 

Here is the latest Garmin report. Enjoy!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Lotsa riders, Lotsa fun!

I'm flat, really flat. 8 lbs. have disappeared since our return from the west, and it takes nothing to spike my heart rate out the ceiling. Jimmy's workout yesterday was really tough on me!

The day started with 5 miles at the hatchery with the girls' team. It was slow, until I did the last mile alone. I tried to pick it up, then I noticed how pooped I was. Glad it was only 5 miles.

The lift followed directly after. Once again, I tried to do circuits, and I was successful, but I was much slower moving through it. It was tough.

Later was the ride. This was from Lighthouse, and included Dan, Strunk, Mike, WinD, John T., and Allen. I was especially looking forward to Allen, because he promised to bring his extra heart rate monitor for Garmins, which I wanted to try. Unfortunately, he forgot it. Now Allen was just another rider in the crowd, maybe less... ;)

We did the Amish country, and the most noteworthy things were:

  • the wind was almost dead calm, and;
  • WinD was taking Jimmy's Kestrel Talon out for the first true road test.
Too bad we can't ever seem to get the great wind conditions on Tuesdays, but that's how it goes. 

WinD looked great on the Talon - perfect size for her. If nothing else, now she knows what size bike she needs. 

Not really much else to add, other than the obligatory Garmin data, found here! (Note: I started the Garmin too late, losing nearly 4 miles at the start. I'll correct this on the next ride.)

Upon request, here is a list of lady riders. This request came from a lady at lap swim who is very interested in starting a splinter group, women-only.

Wendy Miller
Kathy Hammel
Robin Day
Arlene Brim
Kelly Fitzgerald
Lori Jarrard
Morgan Jarrard
Jamie Strunk
Robin Elliott
Claudia Seidle
Mary Hall
Karen Voigtschild

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

General Jimmy

Galloway and I left our fates in the hands of Jimmy today. He is really into these Wednesday quality days this summer, perhaps because of Steve and Cicero, perhaps another, unseen goal, but his zeal for the workouts is unmatched. With so much energy invested, it only makes sense for him to lead the effort.

His plan tonight was for a quarter/half/quarter interval, repeated once for a total of two miles at quality. That's less quality than we did last week, but this reporter is sure happy it wasn't more.

We jogged down to the tempo course, then ran the first quarter of the first half-mile of the course. Reversing direction at the end, we came back to the start and did a half-mile. Jogging north, we started the second quarter halfway back to the start, giving us an uphill quarter. Then we repeated the whole process again.

Our target pace was 1:35 for the quarters, 3:20 for the halves. I don't need to tell you we blew it nearly every time. I also hit stop instead of split on the first quarter, so when you look at the stats, bear it in mind. You can peruse the workout here.

I felt awful on every single one without exception. I'm tired, very tired. Lucky for me I didn't ride first today. Too bad Galloway did. He was suffering as much as I was. Only Jimmy seemed to coast through it, chirping away like a school girl with a new Justin Bieber poster.

Tomorrow, I run with the girls at Avoca at 8, then swim at 11, and cap the day with a ride at 6 from Lighthouse Books with Allen, maybe John T.-Strunk-Dan. All are welcome to join!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Pace Line Tuesday - Will the wind ever blow another direction?

Tuesday. Northwest winds, 10-15 mph. Yup, we were biking from Spring Mill, and it was Pace Line Tuesday.

10 of us made the ride tonight. A Group (as we've all come to call these things) was Miller, John T., Jimmy, Sam, and me. B Group was Galloway, Strunk, Allen, Dan, and DfO. This was settled almost before the ride began.

With the brisk tailwind going out, we all got into a loose line and stayed to the promised 20 mph limit imposed by Jimmy. It was tough. When you're sitting up and coasting uphill to avoid breaking 20 mph, you know it's easy. You also know there's going to be an awful price to pay.

Once at the county line, it was time to set the first group out. Two minutes was the decided gap, and after the time elapsed, the chase was on.

Jimmy started us out with a nice little turn of 24+. It wasn't easy, even in the early going. The wind was strong! He passed on to Sam after a minute (we'd agreed it wise to take shorter pulls tonight), and Sam took it over 25. He tapered down a bit before handing to John.

John's pull was strong in spite of being in the open and in the hardest part of the straightaway heading into Bromer. He held 22-24 mph, and it couldn't have been easy.

Miller took over in Bromer, leading us almost directly into a headwind for much of his pull. He tapped on schedule as we left town, and it was my turn.

I had the first hill, and I wanted to take it as strongly as possible. I was 24-25 going into the hill, but it didn't last. We topped around 18 mph, and it was tough to get the speed up again. I knew it would be - the tailwind had been particularly kind at this segment on the way out - but I felt I was holding up the group because I couldn't better 21.5 mph at that segment. I was over 2 minutes in at that point, so I tapped.

Jimmy took over, and I could see it wasn't just me. He struggled to hold 20, as did Sam after him. John T. didn't struggle though. He kept the steady 22-23 for the next bit, holding a longer pull until Pumpkin Center. Miller was up.

We'd been seeing the B group inching closer to us for some time. At first it seemed as if we'd get them quickly but whoever took over for them halfway to this point was doing a nice job of keeping us at bay. With Miller on lead, it was only a matter of time. I figured we'd catch them during his pull, but he handed to me just after the very difficult north stretch heading into Lost River.

There was no doubt in my mind I would hold the lead until we caught B group, just as I was determined to avoid getting "jumped" by a B team member. We went hard and wide past the group, and sure enough one of the members attempted to attach as we passed. Momentarily it looked as though it might succeed, but Lost River Hill would soon settle that. I went hard up the hill, and despite topping out at just over 15 mph, it was enough to break off the jumper. I was trying to take the speed back up, but Jimmy was beginning to struggle to hold it. I decided to tap and let him lead (and set pace) for a bit.

Jimmy misunderstood and dropped to the back of the line, passing his turn. This put Sam on the front, and he did a great job of pulling again. Unfortunately, he held it too long, tapping himself out with a little over 2 miles to go.

John T. went to work again, pulling us up the final hill. Once again, it was a strong effort, and I had begun to assess my chances for getting a third win in as many weeks.

Miller took over at the top of the last hill, but it was a relatively short lead of half a mile with some trees shielding much of the downhill course he had left. This meant the pull probably wouldn't tax him enough to remove him from the sprint picture. What to do?

At the break hill, I stayed on his tail. I made no move until about a half the remaining distance had passed. I felt if I waited any longer his superior speed would be unbeatable; if I went now, my conditioning might decide the issue.

Taking one last look over my shoulder (thus telegraphing my intent to John T., right behind me) I went. I didn't bother to check to see if anyone was there, because I knew they must be. I could only muster 27 mph in the strong headwind, which was far harder on me than anyone following. If John T. or Miller were right on me, it would likely be child's play to make the move around me at the end.

I went anyway. As the line neared, I kept waiting for the pass that never came. I crossed the line, surprised as anyone, winning the sprint again.

Now to be fair to my compatriots, let me assess how this was possible:

  • John T. had what I thought were the strongest pulls under some of the hardest conditions
  • Miller rode to Spring Mill from home, and who knows what he did at lunch time
  • I might have pulled two of the three hills, but I got to rest from that point on to the final sprint
  • Miller keeps getting the bad end of the order (it happens!)
  • Oh, and John T. rode 100 miles at 24 mph average on Saturday.
It's tough to take the last pull and win, especially the way the wind was blowing tonight. A win is a win, but don't think I attribute it to anything more than luck of the draw. I haven't ordered my "Pace Line Dynasty Ring" just yet.

See what Garmin has to say about it here.

We ran 3 miles in the park afterward (I know the Garmin said it was only 2.67 - I don't care). After that - Wendy's. It was great, apart from the very sad news the Sweet Potato Experiment (tm) is officially over for Wendy's. Apparently corporate decided there was no profit in it. 

Tomorrow night we run Jimmy's speed workout from his office, 5 PM(ish). 

Thursday is a ride from Lighthouse, 6 PM. 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Good-bye, Mesa Verde, Hello, Colorado Springs!

The longest drive of our little trip was today - a 6-hour jaunt from Mesa Verde to Colorado Springs. It was accomplished without incident, and I must admit, if one must take a long drive, it would be difficult to find one more varied and beautiful. It was fascinating to observe how minute changes in distance could result in marked alterations to the biomes. One minute we were in desert plain, the next in lush grass and tree-covered mountains, then back to sagebrush and rolling hills filled with hard scrabble rock... over and over it changed. There is no one classification for climate like there is in the midwest.

The drive accomplished, our next task was feeding Erin. We landed at Outback Steakhouse, and after a more-than-ample feeding, we needed some entertainment. What better thing to do than to drive to the top of Pike's Peak?

It's a long drive, folks. Nineteen miles up, and for much of the way, no guard rail. The road ran right along the rim, which meant one moment's inattention would likely be your last. Leisa got very squeamish about halfway up. This was similar to the attack she had climbing up Mesa Verde (a momentary and involuntary reaction to the height). Mesa Verde topped at 8200 ft. Pike's Peak is 14,110 ft. One can only imagine how much more intense the feeling was this time!

It takes a long time to drive that far on a mountain road because it is impossible to go faster than 30 mph. On top of that there are several switchbacks that bring speed down to near nothing. I can understand Leisa's apparent inclination to consider this an Andes Mountain bus ride - I won't lie, it was a thrill to look out the car window and see the sheer fall below - but I like height. Anyway, it is a drive that's supposed to take an hour, and I would guess it was pretty close to that.

First thing you notice on top is how cold it is. Very cold! The next is how heavy your legs feel. I don't care who you are, if you come from our area, you feel this height. I had no trouble running at 8200 feet - I couldn't have begun to consider it today. I could feel my legs tingling from oxygen starvation, and I was only standing!

We stayed a short time on top, then it was the long drive down. We were making decent time, but when we stopped at the checkpoint 6 miles down my brakes were smoking. Stupidly I ignored the warning to run in 1st gear, and now we were forced to take a 30-minute break.

Leisa chose to ride in the back seat on the way down, both because she was car sick and she didn't particularly want to watch the trip down. Erin became my co-pilot, and I daresay enjoyed the view nearly as much as I did.

For now we are back at the hotel, enjoying a few quiet moments. We are heading out to see Snow White in a few minutes, and that will be the evening. What will tomorrow bring? One thing for sure - we're coming home. Beyond that, we'll have to wait and see.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Check some stuff off

There have been some great things about this vacation already, bucket list items ticked off.

- I have seen the western mountains
- I have run in them
- I have run the highest altitude I will likely ever try
- I have seen one of the great biking Meccas in America
- and of course I've spent some wonderful quality time with the family

Mesa Verde is interesting, but a 4-hour tour? I was a 5th grade teacher for 17 years of my career. The Indian nations of the US is a central theme. There wasn't much shared today I haven't already taught, so... I could have skipped this part.

Didn't sleep well last night, so I took a nap after. Ten it was a 5-mile run at an altitude of 8100+ feet. It is amazing how fast you can get winded, which will be evident once I upload my vacation runs. It was breathtaking in every sense.

Oh, and another side effect - 10% humidity means no sweating and dry sinuses. Nose bleeders beware!

Tomorrow we drive to Colorado Springs.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

The Odyssey

You know it's going to be a long day when your first flight on the itinerary gets cancelled. We received no advance notification, no call, no e-mail, no nothing. Thanks, American Airlines.

We managed to convince the lady to try and get us to Moab TODAY. Sure, she could get us to Dallas, but the flight to Grand Junction happened only once a day from Dallas, and we'd miss it. The only other option was to fly to Salt Lake City, Fly to Denver, lay over at Denver, then take some unknown airline (picture "Raiders of the Lost Ark II", cattle and chickens running loose in the passenger area)... and on top of that, it would be 6 hours in Denver. If all went well.

Fortunately I had an epiphany. "Why are we flying to Utah, flying out of Utah, then flying back into Utah?", I asked. It was only a 3-hour drive from SLC to Moab, we could surely rent a car and make it today. So that's what we did.

Getting the car wasn't as easy as it sounded. No company wanted to rent one-way, that is until Avis. They put us into a nifty little Dodge Avenger (you know, what state troopers now use?), red of course. It did take a while to straighten out the red tape, but Leisa is a bruiser in negotiations.

It was the best way to go, as it turned out. We saw a huge hunk of Utah, noting how the grey hues of the northern mountains change to clay coloration in the southeast. The terrain varied greatly too, far more so than you can imagine. This state has a strong demarcation of geography, with one foot in the Rockies, another in the high plains, and a third still in mesas.

Entering Moab, one could not help but notice all the bikes and jeeps. Every third vehicle was either a jeep or a vehicle with a bike on it. Off-road vehicles littered the countryside around, and once in town, there were at least four different bike shops within a square mile.

You had me at Moab. You had me at Moab.

We ate at a little a little Italian place called Pasta Jay's, and it was the best pizza and bread I've eaten since Italy. It really was worth every penny. It was even better the excellent Japanese restaurant we hit at lunch, "The Last Samurai". Lunch was delicious, and it was all the more fascinating because of the three homeless guys dancing half-naked outside the window, begging passing cars for change. The climax of the performance featured one homeless guy pouring a jug of water over the head of another, who was by then in the throws of rapture. The only thing, and I mean the ONLY thing missing was "Frankie Goes to Hollywood".

Tomorrow we go to Arches National Park. I also find a biking jersey. Oh yes, I find a biking jersey...


- Making the world a better place, one post at a time!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Getting it done

My knee was sore last night after our Spring Mill run. I'd hoped it would pass quickly, and I would be able to get up and run with the girls this morning. I couldn't. The knee was VERY sore, and I played it cautiously and didn't run. It was tough, because I really wanted to go.

I did ride. I'd planned 50 but settled for 32, once again because of the knee. It was sore again after the ride. By this point, I was becoming concerned.

Walking around the house after the ride, I managed to pop it a little - just a little. It seemed to make a difference. I also got another surprise - the Garmin came in. I really wanted to test this baby out before heading on to vacation tomorrow, so if there was any way possible, I was going to run.

Jimmy had his heart set on quarters. I can't remember the last time he lobbied so hard to get people to join a workout, or another time when it was met with such decided indifference. I hadn't planned to be there, and had warned him of such; since I didn't run this morning, I surprised him and showed up. Galloway, Dan, Robin, Scott, and Miller were there too, along with Bartlett.

Miller and Scott were only along for a few miles, and Bartlett did what Bartletts do and went straight on when we started the workout. Robin did it here own way, of course, leaving Galloway, Jimmy, Dan, and me to conform to Jimmy's wishes.

The workout was 12 quarters with a minute break, starting when the last person came in. This afforded a longer break for the guys who finished first, but fair only exists in a vacuum sealed glass jar orbiting earth on the space station.

If you want to scan the results, look here. It's the breakdown from my GPS. The short of it is we were between 1:30-1:35 on all of the splits. Sounds fine until you realize that means between 6:00-6:20 pace, which isn't even at all. We'll have to do better.

Gotta go for now. Packing and such!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Winds not favorable - again!

It wasn't quite a northwest wind tonight, but it wasn't much better. We had a strongish wind blowing out of the NNE. Speed was around 10-15 mph, with gusts of over 20. The impact of this wind could be felt both going out and coming back.

We'd planned to ride pace line slowly out, maintaining 20 mph max. It didn't take long to see this could work. The strong lateral winds prevented a stable line from forming, and we abandoned the exercise by Lost River Valley. Better to save the energy for the ride, which was sure to be more difficult because of conditions.

I wound up falling completely to the back, playing sweeper to DfO's relaxed pace. We talked, and I observed the wind conditions throughout the course. It was a variable deal, always strong, but shifting about directionally. Any hope for a tailwind of any kind was out the window.

We joined the others at the tree. WinD and Kathy had turned back at Bromer, leaving 10 of us to decided how to manage the drill. Rand took off on his own; Galloway, Strunk, Allen, DfO, and Dan formed the first chase group. Allen took the first lead, and when they hit the start only 30 yards separated Rand from the chase. It wouldn't take long to catch at that rate.

Apparently there was some sort of gentlemen's agreement between the riders of this group to stay 20-21 mph, though sadly I must report there were no gentlemen in the group. Rand was caught. The group average 21.7 mph. The math doesn't lie. Sure, it made interesting dinner theater listening to Allen gyrate through verbal gymnastics, attempting to explain how a promise that wasn't kept wasn't broken. Dan didn't attempt to explain it at all.

We gave the first group a couple of minutes, then we let Jimmy take us out. I figured the first two pullers would have an easier time of it, and they did. Jimmy gave us 2 strong minutes at 24.5-25.5 mph, then handed to John T. John took it right up to 26-27, settling in to 25.5-26.5 range for 2.5 minutes. Miller took a long pull of 4.5 minutes, though he wound up with a tougher leg. He got Bromer, with the first really strong headwind leg and the first climb. I figured he'd hand off at the top, but he didn't. He held it for a lot longer, finally tapping near the log cabin.

I took over midway through the descending straightaway, a mixed blessing with a favorable terrain drop and a mitigating vortex of wind. My pull was strong, going 26-27 mph as we headed to the Pumpkin Center turn. This was about when we caught the first group.

Interesting thing about that; Rand had been absorbed. There were six of them now in a pretty good line, which meant we'd have to be careful on the pass. The timing of the pass would mean our line wouldn't get around their line until we were headed straight north, pretty much into the teeth of the rather strongish wind. We needed to clear them quickly and by enough distance to allow four riders back in front before we hit the series of turns directly ahead. I didn't want any of us forced to the center of the road where we couldn't see clearly.

To this end we topped 28 mph as we passed. I won't lie; passing people decisively feels good. We went around with authority. I called out, "On your left!", and heads turned our way. I caught the eyes of DfO, and wondered to myself if he might think about jumping on.

We slowed a bit by the end of the straightaway, perhaps 24.5 mph, then it was Lost River hill. I'd been on for some time at this point, but I wasn't the least bit fatigued. I considered briefly giving to Jimmy at the top of the drop (where he normally gets it), then decided against it. I was going pretty well, felt good, they were hanging in there, I'd go for a while longer. 33 mph downhill, scatting across the bottoms, slowly bleeding speed, and once again I thought about giving to Jimmy. Nah. I'd take the climb. I wanted to see if I could hold the speed over the top. I'd give it up once we were over the top and up to speed.

We topped at over 20 mph. I feel good about that because there was no wind aiding about it, not one bit. It was a legit climb. The weird thing was what was going on behind me. My aero helmet can really be impacted by wind, and at times I can't hear a thing at all behind me. I could glance back and see a shirt which should have been red-white-black (Jimmy), but was solid red (John T.). I figured Jimmy had been dropped, but I thought I could still hear his voice. Right before we climbed the hill I heard Jimmy saying something, so I knew he was there. Halfway up the hill I noticed the shirt change, but didn't worry too much about it. I was focusing on the job ahead of me for the time being.

Over the top I resumed the fast pedal, taking it right back up to 26 mph. I was still amazingly fresh, instantly recovered, but I was feeling selfish. I'd been on for over 9 minutes by now, and though I could have easily taken it in, I tapped.

I rolled out, fell back to take my place at the end, and counted only two behind me. Jimmy was gone. We were maybe 200 meters past the top of the hill, and Jimmy was just coming over the top, clearly slowing. There was no hope he could catch us, John T. was motoring on, and I had to make a choice. I stayed with John T.

John took us quickly into the rollers, touching 26 mph again. Near the end of the last roller he tapped, handing to Miller for the final climb. This was shaping up nicely for me the second week in a row. Miller would have the last pull.

Miller climbed well, better than last week (he only ran 5 hard miles at lunch instead of 12), and over the top he endeavored to recover his pace. He had it back up in no time at all, and we were fast approaching the break. Exact speed I cannot say; I was already strategizing.

The last pull would make it harder, not impossible for Miller to catch onto me if/when I made my move. I need a sizable speed advantage to keep him from taking my wheel. His instantaneous acceleration necessitated something drastic. I resorted to an oldie but goodie. Since I was behind him, I let him pull away a bit near the end of his pull, near the break line. Then, as he was nearing the bottom of the last roller, I hit it hard. The timing was perfect. I was 30 mph already when he topped the break hill, and I got around him.

This by itself would not have been enough, even with him pulling last - the guy has wicked speed and acceleration. John T. was on my wheel, which meant Miller had to attach to his wheel. This put one bike between us.

I had no idea what either guy had left. We had a lot of buffet from the wind, so much so I could only make and hold 30 mph. But hold it I did all the way to the line. John apparently faded in the stretch, and since Miller was behind him, the gap was too great to close, sealing my second sprint victory in as many weeks. I was so excited I forgot to stop the watch!

Of course I suspect these guys just let me have it. They're way too good to be taken like this. I'm still keeping the trophies. ;)

On the rather fastish 3-mile run that followed the ride, we got to hear about DfO's rather interesting ride. First he started with the group, then he tapped out and disappeared, only to reappear a few minutes later, passing up the right side of the line and cutting in, then jumping out of the line when our group went by (and attaching to us), then dropping off that group, then attaching to Jimmy when he got dropped... not sure how to score that, but it was suggested he might be the "Wendy's Sweet Potato Award" winner of the evening because, whatever we were expecting, we weren't expecting that!

Speaking of Wendy's sweet potato, Jimmy apparently died inside since every attempt to purchase a sweet potato has been met by bitter disappointment. Since he nor Dan had the guts to try, I ordered one. And got it. Trouble is, I hate sweet potatoes, so guess who got it? Jimmy and Dan! They split it, and both apparently enjoyed it greatly.

I guess I showed them... wait a minute...

Monday, June 4, 2012

This is how summer should be

Had the first cross practice this morning. Eleven girls showed, and we had three nice groups going three different distances (2, 3, and 4 miles). I was pleased with the turnout and the practice. We're young, but given half a chance, I think we can make a go of it by tournament.

After practice, Galloway and I met at Lighthouse despite the very steady shower falling in Bedford. Turned out there was nothing south of the river, so our roads were dry and clear as we headed for Huck's. The wind was calm, or very nearly so. We kept a brisk pace all the way despite sitting upright. All-in-all it was a smooth first half of the ride.

We stopped at Huck's, as usual. I'd considered passing it, but my bladder wouldn't hear of it. Galloway's either, which is unusual. We wound up chatting with a gentleman a little longer than we desired, but soon enough we headed north.

The wind changed by then, a lot. On the way down, not a twig or leaf rustled. Now the tops of the trees were being pushed over, and as you might guess, we had a headwind. Not a severe one, but it made things harder.

The rain didn't start until we hit the highway on the final stretch. We finished off in some steady drizzle and a 25 mph pull north on the highway. Galloway hung right in there, not giving an inch.

My guess is we had the best window of opportunity we'd have all day. I was in Bloomington for most of the rest of the day, and I can say the weather really didn't improve, actually getting worse as the day wore on.

Tomorrow is the pace line. Jimmy has a little surprise for the way out. Just be ready. 

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Three times fun

Seven miles sure didn't feel easy this morning. It could be Galloway and Rand drug us through it. It could be the longest run since Indy. It could even be the 80-mile ride yesterday. My guess is it was all of the above.

We did keep the 7 under an hour, though only barely. Man. A few short years ago that would have been more like 45 minutes. It didn't take long to fade, that's for sure. I was hoping for a bit more tapered decline, not the absolute collapse that actually occurred.

I waited for a while to do the ride. There wasn't a lot of mental energy to go right after the run, but in hindsight I should have. By afternoon the wind had picked up drastically, and my tired legs begged me to change my mind about riding at all. Too bad. We leave for vacation on Thursday, so the only exercise I get this week is the first four days, starting today. The ride had to happen.

I parked at Kenray, arriving early enough to get a similar ride to last week's. The wind was strong, 15-20 mph from the WNW. It wasn't the worst-case scenario, but it sure wasn't easy. What made it worse is the course is constantly rolling for the most part. It was hard to stay in aero, which would have minimized the impact of the wind. Only thing for it was to tough it out.

Twenty-eight miles is what I got. I thought about going out for a couple more since I had some extra time, but that road is rough. I had no desire to take my bike out on it again. I don't know how often I'll try this workout - the main problem is the roughness of the roads. The bike takes a pretty good beating.

Rand and Jimmy showed after a bit, and we all decided we were too tired for the mile. We agreed to go for two laps, with an option for a third. I finished a bit ahead of the other two guys (Jimmy let Rand do all the pace work!), then asked Jimmy if he was going on. Rand was climbing out, so there wasn't really any need to read his mind. Jimmy wanted a half-lap so he would have a half-mile. No way I would let him swim more than me. I offered to lead, then he took off.

It didn't take long to catch him, but once in front I kept going for the buoy. Half-lap? Who does that kind of crap? Either you do it or you don't, you don't half anything! Jimmy stayed with, hanging on to my feet. I lost him a couple of times, but I slowed and let him get back on. It really didn't take that long to finish, and heck, we'd driven all that way to swim. Had to do three.

The rest of the evening was supper and mowing grass, throwing in a mom visit for dessert. And here we are!

Tomorrow morning is the first practice of Girls Cross for the summer, starting at 8. After that, Galloway and I will meet at Lighthouse for a ride (10 AM, 32 miles). All welcome to join!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Things went awry

When I woke up, I knew things were going to come unglued fast. The weather was awful. It was cold, it was cloudy, and there was the promise of rain to come. Miller had already ducked out of the ride because of a scheduling conflict; Galloway followed a couple of hours later. It was easy to see coming.

The nice benefit was a free schedule. Leisa and I had a nice lunch without the stress of any schedule pressure, and afterward I opted to wait it out to see if things improved. They didn't. If anything, things only got worse. Though short of miles, I couldn't see going out today. We're riding long tomorrow anyway, so it makes no difference, other than getting fewer miles this week.

I'll be fresher I guess, so I'm kicking the idea around of perhaps going down to Creepy Town. I haven't done that in two years, and since Allen is wanting to go long, perhaps tomorrow is the day. Probably not - but he and I could go to the Huntingburg General Store for Dan Brand YoHoo. That might be an interesting ride. We'd avoid the worst of the hills in the process.

School is over. It's not real yet. It won't be real until about this time next week when I realize I haven't had to ride anyone about trying to sleep in class all week. I never get tired of the teaching part, it's the battle of wills that wears me down after a while.

Parkview, 7 AM, 65 miles for the main group. There is a splinter for 80, maybe a splinter/splinter for more.

Sunday, 7:30 AM, 7-mile run, Parkview Track.