MSers In Training 2011

[pawpaw]

Marina, Great ride. Hills can be tough. I haven't learned to ride them well. So glad you reached your goal.
I am in Minneapolis and did a 6 mile wog (walk/jog) this evening along the Mississippi. My DH rode a 28 mile route with Marrea, a cycling friend, as his stoker. They went fast- 20 mph- but he says he had to work a lot harder on the hills. He has a new appreciation for my hill climbing contribution.
I am missing the bike rides and am ready to go home. My brain will only hold so much new information.

Pell

[Marinadca]

Well... its over.

I decided to do the 60 mile ride and make my goal making it to the lunch stop - mile 31. I decided to do this so that DH could continue on the 60 mile route if he wanted to.

I made it... but the hills nearly killed me, the area was much hillier that I anticipated! At the lunch stop I stuck around to catch the bus back and DH continued on with some random guy we picked up at the first rest station. Unfortunately they had to close the course when he was about 6 miles out because of hail and thunder.

All in all it was quite the experience. I learned ALOT.

Also... I hurt my knee at about mile 28, so I get to see the sports medicine doctor tomorrow to make sure it is nothing serious. I am not messing around with my knees

Hope everyone else is doing well. Pell - I am totally coveting that tandem. Me and DH want one badly.

[AMFADVENTURES]

We did ride the tandem this morning and had fun again. While I am gone Mike is booked with women who want to try the tandem. Not sure what I think about this....

Pell, sounds like the perfect opportunity to ask for a raise. DH is likely to find out that a good stoker isn't that easy to come by. (Raises do come in all different sizes, shapes, and degrees of clarity and carats)

[pawpaw]

Good luck Marina - have fun and report your success.

Larry- great job on the fundraising and the training.

Tomorrow am we are off to Athens Ohio for our son's college graduation. The next morning I fly to Minneapolis for a meeting, so no bike rides for the next week. We did ride the tandem this morning and had fun again. While I am gone Mike is booked with women who want to try the tandem. Not sure what I think about this....

[AMFADVENTURES]

6/10/2011

Only got 8 hours this week, some of them were pretty high intensity. Going to try to hit it hard next week then a rest week before the MS 150.

Good luck Marina, I'm sure you will do fine and I hope you really enjoy the ride.

Ride Safe,

Larry

[AMFADVENTURES]

6/9/2011

6/9/2011
Hey Dave, we are seeing some effects of the fire in AZ, mostly in the form of increased haze and striking orange sunsets. I had noticed some difficulty breathing occasionally which I had chalked up to the latest pollen count. But now that you mention it, it's probably the smoke. What a shame, that is such a beautiful area.

What did you learn today?

Pell

Brilliant Pell, we should all try to learn something from our rides. I've been trying to do longer more difficult rides lately and it's reminded me of the importance of eating something regularly during the ride, energy bars, gels, powdered drink mix or even a couple of candy bars. The last thing you want to do is bonk when you know you’re going to encounter some climbing no matter what direction you go.

Another thing I was reminded of yesterday was to anticipate your gearing requirements. On a climb, the gradient frequently steepens by several degrees in the switch backs. Trying to shift under heavy load after the gradient has increased can be very difficult leading to much gnashing of gears, loss of momentum and even a fall. It is much better to shift before you get to the increased gradient and peddle up with relatively more ease.

Did 25 miles and 2,800 ft. of ascent in 2 hours yesterday. It included a 5-mile continuous climb in 49 minutes, my best time so far this year. At my peak last year, I was able to do this climb in just over 45 minutes, still got a ways to go and less than a month to get there.

Ride Safe,

[pawpaw]

How NOT to ride...

No smoke or haze here Dave.
So, Monday night we rode the tandem pretty hard. Averaged 19.97 for 28 miles.
Tuesday morning I decided that I needed to get out and do an interval ride to improve my fitness. Headed out about 8:30 am. Started with a warm up for about 20 minutes and noticed it was pretty hot and there was a lot of traffic- big trucks. Also noticed I had forgotten my sunglasses and bugs were hitting my eyes.
Started my intervals and couldn't push myself to get the HR up into the 150s at all- highest was 148. HUMMM, maybe 13 hours of recovery before intervals isn't enough. Also, couldn't seem to make my intervals line up with topography. Kept pushing and managed to turn way to close to a big truck. I then realized I had no form of ID with me.
So, I think, maybe I should just work on my biking skills. Decided to practice leaning down and grabbing my water bottle without looking. Stuck my right hand into the bike spokes- ouch.
Rode for 90 minutes but it wasn't pretty. 15.3mph.

About 6pm- DH wants to go on a bike ride on the tandem again. Legs say this is a bad plan, but we have new saddles- selle an-atomica. So, we ride over to a country restaurant and have dinner- about 10 miles, pleasant ride. After dinner, back on the bike but legs now say they are really done. Hobble home. Today I am happy to walk.

Every time I ride I learn something new.
Yesterday's lessons-
don't ride intervals unless you have rested a day
don't ride intervals during morning rush hour
Wear the hydration back pack and give up on riding and drinking from a bottle
I need a check list at the door- sun glasses, ID, cell phone....
What did you learn today?

Pell

[ActiveMSers]

Ack, thick smoke from the big fire in Arizona is interrupting any attempt at outdoor training! It's pretty thick here in ABQ and docs are warning against any vigorous exercise outside. How are you folks in CO handling the haze?

[AMFADVENTURES]

Cycling tip # 105, Never Text and Ride

So I’m out on the bike trail for a recovery ride (that’s about all you can hope for on the trails) when I notice a bike about 40 ft. away coming toward me. He’s in the middle of the path, not looking at what’s in front of him because he’s texting on his phone. I yell out a “HEADS UP” and he looks up and we both engage in accident avoidance maneuvers. Well, I managed to stay up and on the trail but he went careening off and fell over on his bike. And of course, being the Rhodes Scholar he obviously was, he was not wearing a helmet. Anyway, he was OK, just a little roughed up and all I had to show for the incident was a brief spike on my HRM.

While I was quite in awe of his deft abilities and very grateful that he did not hit me head on, I have serious doubts about his ability to survive according to Darwinian theory. The lesson is DON’T TEXT AND RIDE! Oh yea, and always wear a helmet.

[AMFADVENTURES]

6/4/2011

Yay Team! Once again the team was the first to raise $25,000 in May and won the air-conditioned room with free snacks and BEER at the finish (and we're talking top shelf stuff here too)! It could be a big one this year because the team is also on the way to having raised a grand total of $1,000,000 since it’s inception a mere five years ago! I love this team! I’m also happy to report that I made my fundraising goal of $1,000.

I understand loosing the push to train Pell. Actually I’m kind of a proponent of it. My thinking is that a few weeks off the bike helps prevent repetitive motion injury, not to mention how much the old butt appreciates it. Can’t say I know anyone else who thinks like that though, could be it's just an old guy thing.

Hope you’re doing well Marina. Next week you might want to take it fairly easy, just put in 3 or 4 hours on the trainer and don’t ride the day before your event. Good luck the day of, remember to keep the rubber side down and may the wind be always at your back!

AMF

[pawpaw]

Sorry the Tahoe weather didn't cooperate. I am a bigger wimp- don't like rain at all for riding. I can do cooler weather but anything below 40 isn't pleasant. You are correct- the training is really the deal.
We aren't riding the MS150 this year- son is graduating from college and moving out of his apartment. I also had a book chapter I was writing so I wasn't sure I would have time to train. They changed our MS150 this year and it is much improved. I will do it again in the future.
Maybe not next year due to vacation conflicts.
I haven't been on a bike since Monday. I hope to ride in the morning on the single bike. It will be interesting to see how the fitness level has suffered. Somehow the big push to train is gone for me. I need to get it back. I haven't been doing the upper body stuff either. I will be sorry.
Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

6/2/2011

Well, I blew off Tahoe. The weather forecast is calling for temps in the 32 to 48 deg. range and 40% chance of rain. Event organizers are scrambling to up the SAG fleet, shorten the course or even provide an indoor venue. Cold is OK, rain is OK but, call me a puss, cold rain on a bike is miserable. Guess I should have opted for the Horsey 100 this year.

So, back to the schedule, I've already got 8.5 hrs in this week and am looking for another 3.5 tomorrow. Not sure there is any amount of training that will get me through the Triple Bypass, but cycling with MS really is all about the training more than the event anyway.

Stay safe,

[AMFADVENTURES]

That does sound gorgeous Pell, I've definitely got to get there one of these days. Your training program must have really paid off if you were able to keep your heart rate in check that well.

DW's cousin IS doing the century at Tahoe so guess I'll have to give it a shot. The century really wasn't part of my training plan so guess I just won't push too hard. If I finish in under 9 hours I'll be happy.

Did a team ride yesterday. The ride was billed as a "how to" for sprint and interval drills but it turned out to be just group riding practice. It was nice to see some old acquaintances again but kind of disappointing as far as the ride.

Anyway, good luck on the MS 150. Will it be on the single bikes?

Talk to you when I'm back from Tahoe,
Stay safe everyone,

[pawpaw]

Back on the bike

We went for a recovery ride today and I felt amazingly good. Twenty miles was plenty, but I enjoyed it. It was the first time on my single bike for weeks and it was great.
Keep riding everyone.

[Stella]

Congratulations Pell, well done! Sounded like lots of fun too!