Mice or Men?

There is an old saying that refers to being "trapped like rats". I'm guessing that's of nautical origin, where a ship is sinking and the rats are caught on board with nowhere to go. We got a little taste of that tonight on the ride.

There were six brave souls there - John T., Miller, Allen, Roy, Scott, and myself. Jimmy bailed with what just may be the weakest excuse ever concocted. He didn't take his bike to work. Tuesday night. He didn't even give himself a chance to ride. If I were a bit less cynical I might not be thinking this was a purposeful act. I am that cynical, and that's exactly what I'm thinking!

This should have been a sign the weather would turn against us. Without our good luck charm, we ordinarily consider ourselves doomed, but you know what? I just didn't care. It's going to rain all week long, and the weather is only going to worsen in the next couple of days. If there was any way humanly possible to get the ride, I was going to do it. Jimmy or no Jimmy.

So we headed out from Allen's church, and of course the further south we went, the worse it looked. Scott began to look back at me at around 7 miles out... it was easy to see the downpour in the southwest just beyond Orleans.

"We knew we were going to get wet the second we left for this ride" says I. Scott lamented he'd spent a couple of hours lubricating his bike and cleaning it up. I felt for him, but it didn't change what I was going to do. "Turn back if you like. If you want to stay dry, now's the time."

We were around half a mile to 337 when the rain started. It was decision time. For a second everyone paused, waiting to see what everyone else would do. "Are we mice or men?!" I shouted, and charged to the fore. That broke the ice, and we moved forward as one group.

I stated at that point my intention to pull out to the county line, anyone wishing to join was welcome. We held 22.6 mph under neutral conditions - the wind was lateral and light. This effort was easy, in fact I was restraining myself quite a bit. It was exactly what I wanted to do - get down in aero and ride smoothly. Since this segment is uphill and I felt no pressure, it gives me a great deal of confidence going into Saturday.

We made a quick turnaround at the line. We had dropped Allen, and the common sentiment was that he had turned early and returned. Just as we started to leave, we spotted his bike. Allen's a trooper! We gave him a second to recover, he said he was ready, and off we went again.

I should say this was more or less the place where I heard the cage door shut. What had been a small cell of rain activity had exploded in the half hour it took us to get where we were. Now the horizon was covered as far as the eye could see north to south with dark, ominous clouds. I was thankful I had not yet heard thunder. We had a chance, a small chance.

Then it thundered. There was nothing for it. We had no choice but to push forward. I was leading again, this time a bit slower because we didn't want to lose anyone. There still was no wind to speak of, or if there was, it might have been a bit helpful. That changed of course as we neared the squall line. We caught the first downburst about 5 miles out of Orleans. From that point on it was a growing headwind from the northwest.

Surprisingly it never rained the whole time we were on 337. Once we turned north, within a mile we were in quickly worsening rain storm. By the time we got to Meridian, it was a stinging downpour with wind severe enough to knock down visibility. It was coming down in sheets! For a few minutes there it even felt as if hail was stinging our skin. Lightning pierced the sky. It was a bit nervous for a few moments.

As we finished, so did the rain, at least temporarily. We packed our bikes, headed to Wendy's, and reaped our rewards.

Back to the Jimmy thing, during the ride I was taking the blame for us getting wet, which probably isn't fair to me at all. It was Jimmy's fault. That sissy. If he would have shown, I'm sure we would have found the window that would have made the weather just good enough to get it all in safely. But nooooooo, he had to "forget" his bike. Sheesh!

Run tomorrow from the lab. Swim Thursday night, 8:15.

I know education is a bad thing...

...or so it seems. Try this link out (if you were at the swim tonight) and you will see the point I was trying to make.

Survey

Let me counterbalance that link with another one:

Grammar Nazis

I'm a pragmatist, so I'll let it go there. <insert smug smile here>

It was a triple day. I ran first, biked, then swam, or as Allen calls it, a reverse triathlon. Distances weren't large, however I did manage to find some quality here and there.

Let's start with the run. I've been wanting to get back to the Milwaukee Trail since they graveled more of it, and I'm sure glad I did. It was beautiful! The part that is (nearly) complete was fantastic, and I can only drool at the prospect of some day have 21 miles of it. Though it was 85 degrees, down in the woods it was significantly cooler. Yes, a great many of my summer miles will be made down the line...

Next came the ride. John T. had texted me, and we set up to ride at 5:15 from Parkview. It wound up being a short ride, since I had to open the pool later. The wind was also very strong out of the SSW, so we were kind of slow going out. However, this made for pretty good KOM weather on Highway 37, and we went for it. John T. nipped me by one second, but we both shattered the existing time.

Finally, there was the swim. I got in for the first time in a couple of weeks, and I can tell I've been out. No matter. There have been years I haven't been in the water at all at this time. Terre Haute's swim will be whatever it winds up being.

Some of us are running tomorrow evening from Dr. Jimmy's, 5:15. We plan to run down the Milwaukee Trail. All welcome!

Trying to like the new Garmin Connect

I'm a techie, and I love all things, well, techie. The new Garmin Connect interface is pretty, and it has some nice ideas, but the performance just isn't there. Just moving around in it isn't as intuitive as Strava, it's clunky, and frankly, making segments (a huge deal in Strava's favor) doesn't compete. Somebody may have worked it out better than I have, but let's be honest; I more or less do this for a living, and my opinion is the idea isn't fully mature yet. In development circles this is a beta, or at best the 1.0 version. There have to be improvements coming, or it won't survive.

Officially registered for Terre Haute just now. Back off, Allen.

My health seems almost normal now. I still have some light congestion, but nothing I cannot handle. My performance is almost back to where it was before. I did notice Rand's voice cracking tonight, and he complained of a sore throat and drainage. Uh-oh. It only took me three weeks to get over mine.

I am continuing with the light riding week plan. Part of me hates that, but it really is for the best. The runs are feeling better, that's for sure. I hope it translates into a strong effort next Saturday. That's the idea anyway.

There will be a swim tomorrow night, 8:15 at BNL pool.

Saturday, the plan is to ride at 8 AM, Huck's and back, then a 5-mile run. This is of course if the weather permits. There will likely be a run no matter what. I'll even go out on a limb and say I will be at McDonald's at 7 AM. All welcome, of course. 

Finally, feeling much better

I didn't go out early tonight... with the race next weekend, it's a good time to pull the miles in a bit. It's not a full taper, but it's definitely time to rest a bit. A two-hour race is nothing to sneeze at.

We had a bunch tonight - Galloway, John T., Jimmy, Roy, T-Roy, Dan, Scott, even DfO... and of course myself. The wind was light out of the southeast, which though not strong was favorable. There was no way anyone who rode the earlier time trial (the windy one from a month or so ago) could possibly beat it tonight, but we would have a good night for an individual time trial.

I wanted to test my health on the way out, so I pulled the group to the starting point. It wasn't fast, only 20 mph or so average, but it was into the light headwind. It wasn't hard enough to seriously curtail me, really only puffing in places. My wind seemed fine, and I was confident enough in my fitness to stay in the front the whole way out.

We quickly sorted things out at the line, and one-by-one we left. I offered the coveted(?) last spot to John T., Scott, and T-Roy. T-Roy jumped, John T. did not want to go after me, and Scott went earlier. That left me in the next-to-last slot.

The spacing was generous, so when I hit 337, John T. was almost completely gone. He's been riding like a monster, so I thought he would be gone for good. However, by Bromer I could see the gap closing. It took a couple more miles, but catch him I did. I was wheezing and rasping, but I also knew T-Roy would be breathing down my neck. He might catch me, but I didn't have to make it easy. So, using the riders ahead of me as incentive, I kept climbing the ladder rung by rung.

I got to Jimmy, and caught Galloway 200 meters from the finish. That was it. DfO did his famous disappearing act, so who knows what happened there. Dan was caught early on. Roy and Scott were long gone and finished before I came in. There was never a question they would be caught.

No wonder. Scott rode 26.4 mph, Roy over 25 mph. I rode 27.7, not nearly fast enough to close the distance. T-Roy went 26, Galloway 23.1, Jimmy 24.5, and Dan went over 21 mph. I'm not sure how John T. did, it's not posted yet.

When that was done, Roy, John T., Jimmy, Scott, and I went for a short run. T-Roy tagged along on his bike, and I was glad to see how much he enjoyed this portion however vicariously.

Good workout, boys!

Run tomorrow night! 7 miles!

Decision time coming

It appears as though health is returning to my body, enough so I need to go ahead and register for Terre Haute. The other piece of that puzzle I was watching doesn't appear to interfere as much as I feared. My daughter graduates college the night before, and so long as I can make the ceremony, I think I'll be fine. It may be a short sleep night, but hey, that happens all the time anyway.

It was awfully warm out there tonight. I suppose it was inevitable that the weather would suddenly switch from uncomfortably cool to uncomfortably hot in an instant, which is pretty much what it did. It was 86 degrees tonight at the start of the run, by far the warmest day we've yet seen this year. I felt it, too. By mile 3 I knew there'd be no extra miles at the end.

Tomorrow we ride from the church. The weather looks fine, even great if you consider the SSE wind of 5 mph or so. That is slightly favorable inasmuch as the wind is the perfect direction, if weak. It would be a great night for a time trial, if one is so inclined.

I don't think I'll put in any extra before the group ride. I need to peel the miles back the next couple of weeks to get ready for Terre Haute. I'm not exactly tapering, but I don't want to go in tired or sick. Hopefully I have it timed right and I'll feel fresh, which is all I really want. Maybe that will be enough to bring my running back a bit. I won't lie, I'm a little worried about the 5-mile run segment of the race. It gets harder every year.

First things first. Pace line ride, possibly a run after, tomorrow night. 

More Like It!

Please allow me to introduce myself,
I'm a man of stealth and haste.
I've been riding for a long, long year,
Left many a man's slower pace.
And I was 'round when Burris cried,
At his moment of cycling pain.
Made dang sure the pace line,
Hit the gas and sealed his fate.

Pleased to meet you!
Hope you guess my name.
But what's troubling you is the,
Nature of my fame.

Rode around in Orangeville,
When I saw it was a time for a change.
Killed the climbs and the rolling hills,
Jimmy Sowders screamed in vain.
I turned my crank,
Though the hills sure stank,
Through the savage hills,
Jimmy grabbed his flank.

Pleased to meet you!
Won't you guess my name, oh yeah.
Ah, what's puzzling you is the,
Nature of my game, oh yeah.

Just like every Tim is an animal,
And all the Burrii faint.
The Boogie guys just call me Ironbird,
'Cause I'm in need of some restraint.
So if you see me show some courtesy,
Grab the front and set the pace.
Use all your hard-earned canniness,
Or the road will lay your soul to waste.

Pleased to meet you!
Hope you guessed my name! Um, yeah!
But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game.
Um, mean it.
Get down!
Woo, hoo! Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo!

Nod to the Stones, "Sympathy for the Devil"

It's the first time in nearly a month I felt like my old self. It's funny. I was tired this morning, didn't run particularly well, and my legs were tired from yesterday's 100. Yet somehow, as we were on the Super 2, I snapped out of it.

The 50-mile distance meant we'd have to wrap around a bit in the normal areas, so I suggested we go to Orangeville. This found a mixed reaction, and in one (two?) case(s) open rebellion. Eight of us started the ride; two turned back the second the road threatened to really climb.

Now if I'm going to be fair, that individual did ride 100 miles yesterday, and it was a rough one. I can't really blame him for not wanting to have another hard ride. Okay, I can, but not fairly.

It's such a beautiful area to ride, so much so I don't care how hilly it is. I've ridden around this area for years, but nothing really compares to it in my book. Tunnelton might be hillier, but it's also uglier. I can't explain it really, other than to say if Orangeville is Rivendell, Tunnelton is Mirkwood. You LOTR fans will get that. The rest of you are out of luck.

I made up my mind that Miller, John T., and Bartley weren't going to simply drop me on every one of the climbs. It actually became more Miller and Bartley, as John T. didn't go after the climbs at all (by choice). I guess I figured the only way I would ever climb with these guys was to, well, climb with them!

Don't get me wrong - they're still a lot better than me. I just didn't let them completely drop me as they usually do. I figured it was better to keep contact than to let the break completely develop.

We found one hill in particular I think we'll all remember. I tried to create a segment from it, though I'm not sure how that turned out. It was a tough one, and I consider anyone who rode it today to have completed their "Pike's Peak" challenge. It was tough!

Shortly after that climb things smoothed out, and we wound the back country all the way out to 337 about a mile from the Time Trial start. The six remaining riders formed a line, I was at the head, and we pace lined back. It wasn't a hard ride, though I did go faster than the 20 mph I promised. However, and this is the most important part, no one was dropped.

A short stop at Huck's, and we were back to the Super 2. Bartley pulled this bit, doing a very fine job. After that it was an easy cruise into the church and we were all done.

My compliments to all on a great ride. It's the most fun I've had on a bike in weeks, no kidding. Special kudos to Brent, who took his first ride with us today.

Heinous Hundred

Wind is no friend. It always takes more than it gives, always seems to be against you, and when you are weakest, strikes. It grinds you, wears you out, beats you down.

If ever there was the "perfect storm" of wind forecasts, today's was it. The wind would start southwest (in our faces), shift west (in our faces mid-ride), then shift again northwest (in our faces for the return trip). And wouldn't you know it? For once the forecast was 100% right.

Scott, John T., Allen, and I were the only takers for the ride. Scott was only sort of a taker - he had to be home early. Of course all that meant was he could be reckless on the early part of the ride, and poor John T. was sucked into it at first. Allen was ever his conservative self, coasting the back in his full-cover ear gear, black arm warmers, and Mickey Mouse oversized white gloves.

Going north or south wasn't all that bad today, though not at all fun. Going west was torture. Going east was the only fun part, and we didn't have nearly enough of it, or so it seemed. We wound south of Orleans, moved east toward Pumpkin Center and Syria regions, ultimately getting to Livonia via 337. We'd hopped onto 337 near Pat's Plants, and with the prevailing wind I almost made a stab at the record. Looking at the Garmin, I realized we were only 44.5 miles into 100, and I've been sick. Seemed like a really bad idea, which made me want to do it all the more. What kept me from doing it was Allen wanted me to. Anything that man recommends has to be bad for me.

We left Livonia headed north, and boy, it was really starting to get rough out there. It was a long 13-mile trek, and it seemed as if it would never end. Of course it eventually did, and we were at Campbellsburg a bit after noon, buying our lunches. It was a tasty lunch, I might add.

So there we were, 66 miles in. The original plan was to head back to the Washington/Orange County line on 337 and go home from there. However, that line is 32 miles from home. We were at least 7-8 miles from that starting point. We would be way over miles no matter what we did, and on top of that, John T. had a time limit.

Instead we headed due east and got to Leipsic, wound our way toward Liberty Church, then northwest toward DNR. It was pretty rough. Long western stretches went on for an eternity. I kept looking back to see Allen off the back, head sagging, grinding out the gears. The open country sure wasn't much fun today!

Eventually John T. was forced to leave us and head back. Allen and I then started playing with the course to get the extra miles we'd need for the 100. Allen kept turning us south to pick up bits and pieces. After the second time I firmly stated I would not be turning south again until I hit the finish line. Enough was enough!

We did eventually get back, and I was pretty tired. No run today... no reason. I need 5 miles for the week, and there was no way I would do that after the ride. No, might as well wait until tomorrow and do it then. There'll also be a ride in the afternoon. I've heard 2:45 from Allen's church, distance being 50 miles.