At about 7:30 am this morning I strolled out of my driveway heading for the same route I went on last week. I wanted to make sure all the statistics got recorded. I had planned a route early in the week to head south but decided against the idea due to lack of knowing the area properly and really wanted to make sure I got some data from the Black Smith Fork ride.
I started up the canyon and my GPS suddenly shutdown I checked the battery and they were low but I think something jostled it. I called my wife on my cell phone and she brought me an extra set of batteries. About an hour later I had to replace the batteries.
This week's ride was much colder than last and I had a bit of a head wind going up Black Smith Fork partially and partially going down Logan Canyon.
It was a beautiful day. I enjoy the morning sunshine and the fall colors that are out so vividly. As the sunrise was slowing creeping up the morning took quite some time to warm up. It wasn't until I left Logan Canyon that the temperatures reached above 70 degrees. It may have been even later than that.
I tried to pace myself a little batter this week but I think I really under paced myself. I ended up completing the course in 4 hrs and 11 minutes moving time. The last time it took me 3 hrs and 59 minutes. I'm not sure what the setback was this time around. I really don't think I pushed my self as hard as I did last time, the head winds were a factor and I may have stopped longer for drinks and I had to swap out batteries for the GPS. So this is a setback but really not that big of deal.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Same But Different
I took my 12.8 mile ride and made a slight modification to it. I wanted to get a full hour of riding in so I extended my ride to 14.7 miles. I was quite impressed with myself not only did I increase my ride length but I increased my average miles per hour to 14.7 mph. I finished the course in approximately 1 hour. I'm trying to figure out when to push hard and when to ease up a bit. I know my limitations and I know my strengths; it's just a matter of understanding where to use them and what to do to recover from what I call leg burn out. I've noticed that if I pace myself my legs don't get as tired but my time is not nearly what it should be. It's just a matter of getting to know how to take it all. I'm trying short little bursts of energy with more cool downs in between to see where I fit in. It seems that if I consistently push my self the harder it is for me to maintain and the more time it takes to recover. I would be very curious to know how I ride on a road bike. I have determination.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Fall in the Canyon
Fall is here. I could hardly wait for today to begin. I've been looking forward to this day since I plotted the ride several days ago. I heard thunder clouds late last night and I was worried the weather was going to be a rain out for the ride.
I ate breakfast at about 6:45 am. I packed all my things the night before so I could set out early. I said goodbye to my wife and started off on my journey. This time I really didn't hit the road hard to begin with. I've started to learn that making a fast first impressing won't really help me down the long road. I deviated from my original course I plotted and instead of going directly into Hyrum, I decide to take Hallow Rd. coming down from Blacksmith Fork into Nibley. Shortly after I started up Hallow Rd. prior to the mouth of the canyon I noticed a few feeding stations. For a moment I thought there was some bike race going on that I was unaware of. But as I progressed I noticed it was not a bike race but a running race and eventually I saw the sign for the Top of Utah Marathon. I was going in the opposite direction. My dad had warned me about this but I didn't realize it until he mentioned this after I had finished my course.
So the journey began. I had a goal to make it to left hand fork, which is about 11 miles from the my starting point, by 8:00. I started my journey at 7:00. This meant climbing uphill about 600 ft in 11 miles. Not a steep climb but a gradual climb with a few low spots. I started passing the runners mid way to Lefthand fork. I met up with a few paraplegics riding a modified wheelchair, prior to the encounter with the first runner. I greeted them. They all seemed very friendly.
I didn't have any water until I really started to climb on the back roads of Lefthand fork. I stopped and removed my sweats and put them in the bag and had a good drink of water.
While on my way I couldn't help but think how fortunate I have been. I have been blessed with great health and yet I have not utilized my body as a tool. I hope that in my endeavors, I might inspire others and give them hope that they too can achieve physical fitness.
I made my way to Cowley Herd Hallow Canyon Rd. which is an additional 5 miles from Lefthand fork. I was a little slower getting to the Herd Hallow. I wanted to be to Herd Hallow by 8:30 but I made it there by 8:40. As I started up the trail I had to stop and rest a bit I ate my granola bar and had some more water. It hit the spot. But I was quite exhausted and still had to push my bike for a little while until I could get a better position on the bike. Going up Herd Hallow was a bit more of a challenge than I thought it would be. I had to get off my bike a few more times in some of the steep areas. It was proving quite rough for me. I drank some more water towards the summit of herd hallow.
I noticed the fall colors were very vivid. My climb eventually peaked at 6700 ft. I saw a ranger and a few motorists at the top and greeted them. I asked if it was all down hill from here. The laughed and said yes. I replied, "That's what I'm here for!" I really started to motor down the trail. My time was really picking up. I made it to the summit at about 10:00. I made it to right hand fork at about 10:12 which means I was really booking it down the canyon trail. It was fun. But my cheap mountain bike didn't seem like it was going to hold up. A few times I thought I should get off and check to see if the wheels were going to stay on.
Eventually I made it to Logan Canyon. I hoped I could increase my time even more but I soon realized that Logan Canyon is not as steep as I thought it was. In fact there were a few times I really had push hard uphill. I stopped near third dam as I noticed the wild Oregon-grapes were ripe on their vines. I pulled them off and had several bunches. The Oregon-grape is not a true grape but is a berry. It is very tart but it seemed to be just what I needed to get a little juice into my system.
I'm sure I hit my peak speed coming down the canyon. I was keeping up with the cars at one point but eventually simmered down and started down the canyon road in Logan. I again caught up with the runners. I don't think they had any idea I was the same person at the beginning of the race going the wrong way on a bike but it gave me satisfaction knowing that I endured a marathon length race on my own bicycle. My final time was 3 hrs 59 minutes moving with a total stopping time of about 20 minutes. The average moving time was about 11 mph. I rode a total distance of 42.9 miles. It was another great feeling.
I ate breakfast at about 6:45 am. I packed all my things the night before so I could set out early. I said goodbye to my wife and started off on my journey. This time I really didn't hit the road hard to begin with. I've started to learn that making a fast first impressing won't really help me down the long road. I deviated from my original course I plotted and instead of going directly into Hyrum, I decide to take Hallow Rd. coming down from Blacksmith Fork into Nibley. Shortly after I started up Hallow Rd. prior to the mouth of the canyon I noticed a few feeding stations. For a moment I thought there was some bike race going on that I was unaware of. But as I progressed I noticed it was not a bike race but a running race and eventually I saw the sign for the Top of Utah Marathon. I was going in the opposite direction. My dad had warned me about this but I didn't realize it until he mentioned this after I had finished my course.
So the journey began. I had a goal to make it to left hand fork, which is about 11 miles from the my starting point, by 8:00. I started my journey at 7:00. This meant climbing uphill about 600 ft in 11 miles. Not a steep climb but a gradual climb with a few low spots. I started passing the runners mid way to Lefthand fork. I met up with a few paraplegics riding a modified wheelchair, prior to the encounter with the first runner. I greeted them. They all seemed very friendly.
I didn't have any water until I really started to climb on the back roads of Lefthand fork. I stopped and removed my sweats and put them in the bag and had a good drink of water.
While on my way I couldn't help but think how fortunate I have been. I have been blessed with great health and yet I have not utilized my body as a tool. I hope that in my endeavors, I might inspire others and give them hope that they too can achieve physical fitness.
I made my way to Cowley Herd Hallow Canyon Rd. which is an additional 5 miles from Lefthand fork. I was a little slower getting to the Herd Hallow. I wanted to be to Herd Hallow by 8:30 but I made it there by 8:40. As I started up the trail I had to stop and rest a bit I ate my granola bar and had some more water. It hit the spot. But I was quite exhausted and still had to push my bike for a little while until I could get a better position on the bike. Going up Herd Hallow was a bit more of a challenge than I thought it would be. I had to get off my bike a few more times in some of the steep areas. It was proving quite rough for me. I drank some more water towards the summit of herd hallow.
I noticed the fall colors were very vivid. My climb eventually peaked at 6700 ft. I saw a ranger and a few motorists at the top and greeted them. I asked if it was all down hill from here. The laughed and said yes. I replied, "That's what I'm here for!" I really started to motor down the trail. My time was really picking up. I made it to the summit at about 10:00. I made it to right hand fork at about 10:12 which means I was really booking it down the canyon trail. It was fun. But my cheap mountain bike didn't seem like it was going to hold up. A few times I thought I should get off and check to see if the wheels were going to stay on.
Eventually I made it to Logan Canyon. I hoped I could increase my time even more but I soon realized that Logan Canyon is not as steep as I thought it was. In fact there were a few times I really had push hard uphill. I stopped near third dam as I noticed the wild Oregon-grapes were ripe on their vines. I pulled them off and had several bunches. The Oregon-grape is not a true grape but is a berry. It is very tart but it seemed to be just what I needed to get a little juice into my system.
I'm sure I hit my peak speed coming down the canyon. I was keeping up with the cars at one point but eventually simmered down and started down the canyon road in Logan. I again caught up with the runners. I don't think they had any idea I was the same person at the beginning of the race going the wrong way on a bike but it gave me satisfaction knowing that I endured a marathon length race on my own bicycle. My final time was 3 hrs 59 minutes moving with a total stopping time of about 20 minutes. The average moving time was about 11 mph. I rode a total distance of 42.9 miles. It was another great feeling.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
New Scenery
So today on the way home from work the southern sky did not look too inviting. There were no thunder clouds forming but the weather seemed like it could turn to rain but as I approached my home it didn't look as bad.
I decided to head north on a bike ride today. Originally I was planning on going to Hyde Park to visit with my parents but considering the fact that Marci was not home when I got home I decided to cut my ride short. I made a quick trip through Logan up to the USU campus and then back to Willow Park cutting through the Logan River Biking path. It was a nice ride with a bit of wind coming from the south. The wind didn't affect me until I got nearly home heading directly south on 800 west.
I completed the ride in about 50 minutes for a length of 10.8 miles that's an average of 12.6 mph.
The fall colors are really starting to come through the canyon now and it won't be long before all the trees are sparkling with red, orange or yellow. The aspen trees usually are the last trees to turn in the fall. They are my favorite. I'll try to get a few pictures of the leaves and post them.
I'm looking forward to the ride on Saturday. I really hope I can make it in less than 4 hours. I'm trying to analyze the route better to get an understanding of how fast I can make the ride. I think I can easily average 8 mph on the uphill stretch and between 20 and 30 mph on the downhill side: 20 mph on the dirt road and 30 mph through Logan Canyon. I'll have to see.
I might pick up a helmet either tomorrow or Friday.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Progress is Moving Forward
Today, I rode the 12.8 Mile bike ride again. I wanted to see if I could improve my time. I was quite positive I could make some improvements to it considering the 43 mile ride on Saturday. I was feeling quite well and I knew I could do it in less that 50 minutes.
I started out quite well and made my way to 3200 South. I got to Hyrum and I decide to do something a little different. I pushed my uphill movements by not shifting down to an easier gear until I got to the very base of the steep hill. Once I got to the base of the hill then I geared down. Towards the top of the hill my rear tire somehow dislodged from the frame jolting me forward with a sudden stop. I wasn't going very fast. I could see the chain was catching near the near the rear derailer. Upon a closer inspection, I could see the axle had slipped off the frame probably because the axle wasn't tightened down well enough to begin with. I have to be a bit more careful when reassembling the bike.
I still felt I was making good time and my entire trip was 51 minutes for 12.8 miles which is about 15 mph on average. This is an improvement over my ride on Saturday... plus I had no water. I tried a breathing technique to help relax my muscles, it seemed to help me but it will be interesting to see how a longer ride will take.
I've plotted a path to Black Smith's Fork Canyon and from there through Left hand Fork to Logan Canyon back to Nibley. It is about a 44 mile ride, it's about a 2700 ft gradual climb uphill. I really think I can do it. This would be my first uphill ride. Hopefully the weather will turn out all right on Saturday.
After the ride. I went on a relaxing bike ride with all my family. The two youngest Jake and Madison rode in the trailer that Marci was pulling. It was very relaxing as the sun was setting.
The days are definitely getting shorter and my evening rides will soon come to a close. I'm going to miss riding my bike. The winter time will soon be here and I have another sport that I love! Snowmobiling. It's a bit of work out but not nearly as tough as riding a bike. I'll have to supplement my training with weight lifting. I've been considering a stationary bike to keep the endurance factor up. It's a tough call though.
I started out quite well and made my way to 3200 South. I got to Hyrum and I decide to do something a little different. I pushed my uphill movements by not shifting down to an easier gear until I got to the very base of the steep hill. Once I got to the base of the hill then I geared down. Towards the top of the hill my rear tire somehow dislodged from the frame jolting me forward with a sudden stop. I wasn't going very fast. I could see the chain was catching near the near the rear derailer. Upon a closer inspection, I could see the axle had slipped off the frame probably because the axle wasn't tightened down well enough to begin with. I have to be a bit more careful when reassembling the bike.
I still felt I was making good time and my entire trip was 51 minutes for 12.8 miles which is about 15 mph on average. This is an improvement over my ride on Saturday... plus I had no water. I tried a breathing technique to help relax my muscles, it seemed to help me but it will be interesting to see how a longer ride will take.
I've plotted a path to Black Smith's Fork Canyon and from there through Left hand Fork to Logan Canyon back to Nibley. It is about a 44 mile ride, it's about a 2700 ft gradual climb uphill. I really think I can do it. This would be my first uphill ride. Hopefully the weather will turn out all right on Saturday.
After the ride. I went on a relaxing bike ride with all my family. The two youngest Jake and Madison rode in the trailer that Marci was pulling. It was very relaxing as the sun was setting.
The days are definitely getting shorter and my evening rides will soon come to a close. I'm going to miss riding my bike. The winter time will soon be here and I have another sport that I love! Snowmobiling. It's a bit of work out but not nearly as tough as riding a bike. I'll have to supplement my training with weight lifting. I've been considering a stationary bike to keep the endurance factor up. It's a tough call though.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
My First Attempt at 53 miles
Today I woke up at about 7:30. After mounting the GPS on the bike this time instead of in the backpack, I was on the road. The first few miles were a breeze it was quite cold this morning but I knew as the day progressed it would warm up. I basically made my way to where the Logan to Jackson Classic started, then followed the entire route to Trenton, UT about 21 miles from my starting point. Honestly I wasn't feeling too bad at all when I arrived in Trenton.
The stroll through Trenton was quite nice. It is an extremely small town with not much
there at all. I made my way to the Highway and from there continued to Newton. The road to Newton I got my first taste being exhausted, but I pushed through. There is a bit of a challenging hill just outside of Newton. When I made it to the downhill side I peaked my best speed at about 33 mph today. After that it was a small incline to the next highway.
The next Highway I experienced a bit of a downhill push. It was quite nice until I got to the other side of the bridge that goes over Cutler Reservoir. On the other side there was another hill and then a long and steady gradually hill awaited me until I got to Mendon. It was on this trail that my legs were really beginning to feel burned. The other problem was my butt was getting sore as well... not chaffed thank goodness, but just sore from sitting on that seat and all the exercise.
When I got to Mendon I decided to cut it short from my original route an
d head home a slightly faster way. Instead of 53 miles it would have been more like 50 miles. But part way between Mendon and Logan. I could really feel my legs starting to cramp up. I had exhausted all my water supply by then and new that discretion is the better part of valor and made the phone call for my wife to pick me up.
I was going to walk the bike but instead got off and laid down to stretch out the muscles before cramps set in. So in all I went 43 miles in 3 hours and 28 minutes roughly 12.4 mph average. I had to make a few stops to readjust the back pack. I ended up tearing off one of the ear buds for my mp3 player. Oh well I can get another set of ear buds.
I think I've learned a lot from this ride. I'm not giving up yet on my attempt to ride the Logan to Jackson Classic next year. But it has given me better perspective and admiration for those that have done it.
I need a few things that will help me out. The first thing is a good road bike. Pushing around an extra 20 lbs. is a bit tough. But I look at these attempts as my way of getting back in shape so I will deal with the extra 20 lbs.
It's not only 20 lbs of bike I'm carrying around it's another 30 - 40 lbs or fat I'm pushing around too! Getting my weight off is going to help me increase my times and speeds.
I need a good helmet with a mirror. While riding there were several cyclists that I observed, one of them had a mirror mounted to his helmet so he could see cars coming from behind. I noticed that as I rode it really wasn't until a car was 3 or 4 car lengths behind me that I could hear them, which really doesn't give me a lot of time to react. Most of the time I rode near the shoulder of the road. Once in awhile I even had to ride on the soft should just to be safe. I figure I can make better adjustments if I can see what is behind me. With the MP3 player it makes it even more difficult to hear the cars approaching from the rear. Right now I'm not even wearing a helmet. I probably look pretty "redneckish" but I don't really care. Until I see some real weight loss I just don't think some things are necessary but I think a helmet is definitely a good thing.
A good pair of biking gloves would also be helpful. While riding the foam rubber on the hand grips is starting to come off. Gloves will help my hands.
A good pair of cycling pants will definitely help my sore rear! I may want to even consider buying a better seat for comfort.
So now my goal is to actually make 50 miles in around 4 hours.
I've got to figure out a way to keep from cramping up as well. I'm not sure how to do this but I might ask Kory what he does or how others do it. I know that foods will help with this but I'm not sure how to implement food while out on the road without carrying the back pack.
The stroll through Trenton was quite nice. It is an extremely small town with not much
there at all. I made my way to the Highway and from there continued to Newton. The road to Newton I got my first taste being exhausted, but I pushed through. There is a bit of a challenging hill just outside of Newton. When I made it to the downhill side I peaked my best speed at about 33 mph today. After that it was a small incline to the next highway.The next Highway I experienced a bit of a downhill push. It was quite nice until I got to the other side of the bridge that goes over Cutler Reservoir. On the other side there was another hill and then a long and steady gradually hill awaited me until I got to Mendon. It was on this trail that my legs were really beginning to feel burned. The other problem was my butt was getting sore as well... not chaffed thank goodness, but just sore from sitting on that seat and all the exercise.
When I got to Mendon I decided to cut it short from my original route an
d head home a slightly faster way. Instead of 53 miles it would have been more like 50 miles. But part way between Mendon and Logan. I could really feel my legs starting to cramp up. I had exhausted all my water supply by then and new that discretion is the better part of valor and made the phone call for my wife to pick me up.I was going to walk the bike but instead got off and laid down to stretch out the muscles before cramps set in. So in all I went 43 miles in 3 hours and 28 minutes roughly 12.4 mph average. I had to make a few stops to readjust the back pack. I ended up tearing off one of the ear buds for my mp3 player. Oh well I can get another set of ear buds.
I think I've learned a lot from this ride. I'm not giving up yet on my attempt to ride the Logan to Jackson Classic next year. But it has given me better perspective and admiration for those that have done it.
I need a few things that will help me out. The first thing is a good road bike. Pushing around an extra 20 lbs. is a bit tough. But I look at these attempts as my way of getting back in shape so I will deal with the extra 20 lbs.
It's not only 20 lbs of bike I'm carrying around it's another 30 - 40 lbs or fat I'm pushing around too! Getting my weight off is going to help me increase my times and speeds.
I need a good helmet with a mirror. While riding there were several cyclists that I observed, one of them had a mirror mounted to his helmet so he could see cars coming from behind. I noticed that as I rode it really wasn't until a car was 3 or 4 car lengths behind me that I could hear them, which really doesn't give me a lot of time to react. Most of the time I rode near the shoulder of the road. Once in awhile I even had to ride on the soft should just to be safe. I figure I can make better adjustments if I can see what is behind me. With the MP3 player it makes it even more difficult to hear the cars approaching from the rear. Right now I'm not even wearing a helmet. I probably look pretty "redneckish" but I don't really care. Until I see some real weight loss I just don't think some things are necessary but I think a helmet is definitely a good thing.
A good pair of biking gloves would also be helpful. While riding the foam rubber on the hand grips is starting to come off. Gloves will help my hands.
A good pair of cycling pants will definitely help my sore rear! I may want to even consider buying a better seat for comfort.
So now my goal is to actually make 50 miles in around 4 hours.
I've got to figure out a way to keep from cramping up as well. I'm not sure how to do this but I might ask Kory what he does or how others do it. I know that foods will help with this but I'm not sure how to implement food while out on the road without carrying the back pack.
Friday, September 12, 2008
On the Road Again
I got my mountain bike up and running again. I had to get a new rear wheel. I had a little trouble getting the brakes back on it but finally got that. I had also taken the front wheel off after the break down a few weeks ago so I had to put that back on too. It was not until I had them on that I discovered the quick release for the brakes to make the the clearance for the wheels easier without dismantling the brakes. Oh well I guess it is a learning experience.
After I put the wheels on I decided to ride it down the street about 50 yards or so. I noticed right away that the front wheel was making a popping sound. My guess was that the front tires bearings were messed up too. I took the hub apart and sure enough the bearings were out of place I inspected the hub better this time and it seemed to be good. That was yesterday.
Today, I picked up the bearings for the mountain bike at my friend Kory's shop. He was there today, yesterday he was not there. I talked with him for a little bit and then hurried home to put the bearings in. I got them all in and it works and sounds great, no popping noises!
After putting together a few things for a short ride, namely water and my GPS, I took off for a ride. I basically finished the ride I started a few weeks ago when my bike broke down. It was a good ride. I felt a bit winded though. It was only a 12.8 mile ride. I thought it was a bit further than that but I was wrong. The ride lasted 54 minutes moving time, with an average speed of 14 mph. My fastest speed was 30.2 mph. There is a big difference between my wife's bike and my bike. My bike is much more softer on the legs... but my seat sucks! I should invest in some cycling shorts. The graph above is the elevation change and distance I rode. So it was a bit of climb but what goes up must come down.
I think I might wake up early tomorrow and see if I can't knock out a 53 mile ride. I have plotted the course so I'm hoping I can make it. I really don't have a clue on how long it will take me but I figure if I do this in about 4 hours I'm doing well for just beginning
After I put the wheels on I decided to ride it down the street about 50 yards or so. I noticed right away that the front wheel was making a popping sound. My guess was that the front tires bearings were messed up too. I took the hub apart and sure enough the bearings were out of place I inspected the hub better this time and it seemed to be good. That was yesterday.
Today, I picked up the bearings for the mountain bike at my friend Kory's shop. He was there today, yesterday he was not there. I talked with him for a little bit and then hurried home to put the bearings in. I got them all in and it works and sounds great, no popping noises!
After putting together a few things for a short ride, namely water and my GPS, I took off for a ride. I basically finished the ride I started a few weeks ago when my bike broke down. It was a good ride. I felt a bit winded though. It was only a 12.8 mile ride. I thought it was a bit further than that but I was wrong. The ride lasted 54 minutes moving time, with an average speed of 14 mph. My fastest speed was 30.2 mph. There is a big difference between my wife's bike and my bike. My bike is much more softer on the legs... but my seat sucks! I should invest in some cycling shorts. The graph above is the elevation change and distance I rode. So it was a bit of climb but what goes up must come down.
I think I might wake up early tomorrow and see if I can't knock out a 53 mile ride. I have plotted the course so I'm hoping I can make it. I really don't have a clue on how long it will take me but I figure if I do this in about 4 hours I'm doing well for just beginning
Friday, September 5, 2008
Race Day in Logan
So tomorrow is the big LOTOJA race. It is a ride from Logan, UT to Jackson Hole, WY which is the longest sanctioned race in America 206 miles. I had no idea this race even existed. Like I said, I'm not a professional and I just decided to take this plan into action as of a few weeks ago.
I did some reading and saw the course. I've driven the course many times. I love that ride in my car. I'm sure I will love it in a year from now.
I called my friend Kory and asked him about the race he said he has participated in the race. I asked him if was doing it this year. He said no but he's been thinking about getting back in shape. (It's funny, when I saw him he looked like he could run a marathon.) I told him I would be extremely interested in it. He mentioned a rough training guideline. Training over the winter and then doing 100 mile rides in the summer leading up to the race. I'm really serious about this and I want to take on this challenge. He said he could hook me up with a bike and go on some rides with some of the guys from the shop. This is just what I need. I just need to commit myself and not give up!
I finally told my dad about this goal and he asked if my knee was ready for this kind of stress. I really think it is. It feels good and I would love to try this out.
I finally let my pride go and decided to ride my wife's pink bike just to get back on the rode again. It was strange but I was winded almost right out of the gate. I haven't been eating right and I know I haven't had enough fluids. But the other problem is my wife's bike is a bit smaller than mine. I had to adjust the seat since my 10 year old son had taken it to school. It really felt weird that low to the ground. After the adjustment it felt better but the distance and position my body sits on the bike is completely different. It took me a while to get use to it. Also the gearing on the bike is not the same as mine. Her bike is a 15 speed and mine is an 18 speed . I really noticed the difference in the gearing on the top end. I kept my GPS with me and noticed I never got up over 19 mph. I have ridden that ride before on my bike and clocked myself at a faster time. I only went 6.2 miles and it took me about a 1/2 hour to ride. I wasn't really pushing it because for a few miles I was on my cell phone talking to my dad, helping him with a computer support issue. I thought it was a bit ironic riding my bike, usig a cell phone and doing phone support... now that is multi-talent at it's best!
At any rate I have set a few bench marks for myself and I have a better idea of what I need to do. I'm really hoping that in doing this ride it will help me understand really what it takes to qualify for the Olympics. If it is all just a political process then I'm sure I'm not going to qualify. But if it is raw talent and I have what it takes I really believe I can do it. This is my test. I still haven't told anybody about this blog, other than my wife, or my desire to qualify for the Olympics because it is so far off, I'm sure they would say I was crazy!
I noticed no one has even bothered to vote, so... I'm really wondering if anyone is reading this. If not I think this is a great journal of my ambitions. Maybe someday someone will look back on this and get an idea of my thoughts as I embark upon this journey.
I did some reading and saw the course. I've driven the course many times. I love that ride in my car. I'm sure I will love it in a year from now.
I called my friend Kory and asked him about the race he said he has participated in the race. I asked him if was doing it this year. He said no but he's been thinking about getting back in shape. (It's funny, when I saw him he looked like he could run a marathon.) I told him I would be extremely interested in it. He mentioned a rough training guideline. Training over the winter and then doing 100 mile rides in the summer leading up to the race. I'm really serious about this and I want to take on this challenge. He said he could hook me up with a bike and go on some rides with some of the guys from the shop. This is just what I need. I just need to commit myself and not give up!
I finally told my dad about this goal and he asked if my knee was ready for this kind of stress. I really think it is. It feels good and I would love to try this out.
I finally let my pride go and decided to ride my wife's pink bike just to get back on the rode again. It was strange but I was winded almost right out of the gate. I haven't been eating right and I know I haven't had enough fluids. But the other problem is my wife's bike is a bit smaller than mine. I had to adjust the seat since my 10 year old son had taken it to school. It really felt weird that low to the ground. After the adjustment it felt better but the distance and position my body sits on the bike is completely different. It took me a while to get use to it. Also the gearing on the bike is not the same as mine. Her bike is a 15 speed and mine is an 18 speed . I really noticed the difference in the gearing on the top end. I kept my GPS with me and noticed I never got up over 19 mph. I have ridden that ride before on my bike and clocked myself at a faster time. I only went 6.2 miles and it took me about a 1/2 hour to ride. I wasn't really pushing it because for a few miles I was on my cell phone talking to my dad, helping him with a computer support issue. I thought it was a bit ironic riding my bike, usig a cell phone and doing phone support... now that is multi-talent at it's best!
At any rate I have set a few bench marks for myself and I have a better idea of what I need to do. I'm really hoping that in doing this ride it will help me understand really what it takes to qualify for the Olympics. If it is all just a political process then I'm sure I'm not going to qualify. But if it is raw talent and I have what it takes I really believe I can do it. This is my test. I still haven't told anybody about this blog, other than my wife, or my desire to qualify for the Olympics because it is so far off, I'm sure they would say I was crazy!
I noticed no one has even bothered to vote, so... I'm really wondering if anyone is reading this. If not I think this is a great journal of my ambitions. Maybe someday someone will look back on this and get an idea of my thoughts as I embark upon this journey.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Working Out and Considering a Diet Plan
Well, my bike wheel won't be in for quite some time so I have to continue to work out to get into shape.
It's tough getting back into shape. I think the hardest thing is eating right. A few years ago I really cut out all the snacks, sugar sodas and a lot of sugar in general. I noticed a big weight loss back then using a protein diet or "Atikins" diet to lost a bunch of pounds. I've never returned to that weight when I first started the diet. I lost about 30 lbs. observing the "Atkins" plan. I've since gained most of the weight back on. Cutting out carbs is extremely hard to do. Eating protein type meals is tough too. There is not a lot of varity with the Diet. I have completely cut out sugar sodas from my diet. But I eat cookies and other goodies. So cutting back those sugar foods will definately help. I don't want to go back on to the Atkins Diet just because it is tough to follow, I know I could lose weight fast... but I'm not looking at shedding pounds instantly just gradually getting back down to weight like 150 or 140 even. I really haven't noticed a weight drop with all the extra work outs I've been doing but I've only been at a regualar excise program for about a week now. My progam consists of working my quads, using free weights for my calves, a hamstring curl and a bench press. I might mix it up a bit but it is what I really need. My calves really are in good shape I just want a little more defination. My quads and hamstrings will bennifit the most. I've noticed that in doing the hamstring curl my stomach tightens too, which is one area I could stand to lose few extra pounds. A good bench press is just what I need to work out my upper body. I'll consider a few bicept curls and tricep stretches to round everything out later on.
I really want my bike back because excersising for 1 hour vigorously was actually quite enjoyable. Maybe I'll try to find a cheap ten speed until my mountain bike is in working order. My wife offered her bike but it is pink and has a girl frame... no thanks! I just can't gain up enough courage to jog arround the block not that it is something to fear it's just I hate jogging and running it's too slow for me although I might consider a brisk walk now-and-again.
It's tough getting back into shape. I think the hardest thing is eating right. A few years ago I really cut out all the snacks, sugar sodas and a lot of sugar in general. I noticed a big weight loss back then using a protein diet or "Atikins" diet to lost a bunch of pounds. I've never returned to that weight when I first started the diet. I lost about 30 lbs. observing the "Atkins" plan. I've since gained most of the weight back on. Cutting out carbs is extremely hard to do. Eating protein type meals is tough too. There is not a lot of varity with the Diet. I have completely cut out sugar sodas from my diet. But I eat cookies and other goodies. So cutting back those sugar foods will definately help. I don't want to go back on to the Atkins Diet just because it is tough to follow, I know I could lose weight fast... but I'm not looking at shedding pounds instantly just gradually getting back down to weight like 150 or 140 even. I really haven't noticed a weight drop with all the extra work outs I've been doing but I've only been at a regualar excise program for about a week now. My progam consists of working my quads, using free weights for my calves, a hamstring curl and a bench press. I might mix it up a bit but it is what I really need. My calves really are in good shape I just want a little more defination. My quads and hamstrings will bennifit the most. I've noticed that in doing the hamstring curl my stomach tightens too, which is one area I could stand to lose few extra pounds. A good bench press is just what I need to work out my upper body. I'll consider a few bicept curls and tricep stretches to round everything out later on.
I really want my bike back because excersising for 1 hour vigorously was actually quite enjoyable. Maybe I'll try to find a cheap ten speed until my mountain bike is in working order. My wife offered her bike but it is pink and has a girl frame... no thanks! I just can't gain up enough courage to jog arround the block not that it is something to fear it's just I hate jogging and running it's too slow for me although I might consider a brisk walk now-and-again.
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