Wabash Cannonball - Long Loop

OK.

So, having few rides in during the past 30 days due in part to seasonal changes, i.e., less daylight and colder temps, I decided to just take a fast ride around the block as it were.

OK, now for the truth.

I was so discussed with the previous ride's attempt to push the envelope with faster HR SS intervals that I felt like a slug or damaged goods and should just stick with what I know; the Wabash Cannonball - Long Loop.

That said, I push hard through each section recording the usual average lap speeds as follows: 17.0 / 18.1 / 16.8 / 17.0 mph.

Surprisingly, this was my second best time for this route; the previous best of Aug. 13th may have had an easterly wind advantage.

Curiously, is the average HR of 152 bpm versus 142 bpm for the same previous ride, Aug. 13th as is the average speed of 17.1 versus 17.6 mph and a faster cadence, 85 versus 83 bpm.

So am I to conclude that the fewer rides of late has hurt my efforts till now? What is the reason for a 10 bpm faster HR? Was I less hydrated?

MXS: 24.8 mph.

Weather Conditions: Clear and cool. Light wind around 3.5 to 4.6 mph mostly from the ESE.
Min: 54 Avg: 60 Max: 63 ºF

Steady State Intervals down County Rd B

Started out attempting to increase my interval HR range for Zone 3 using 170 bpm as my max HR (versus my previous 160). "...Of mice and men...."

However, it took half of the interval to reach the targeted HR range. Also, a HR within this range was unsustainable, i.e., too aggressive an update to the Garmin training table for Steady State intervals. Thus, I will adjust said table in Garmin to be more realistic.

MXS: 22.4 mph.

Weather Conditions: Clear and cold. Wind mostly out of the N / NW at around 6.9 mph ending around 4.6 mph out of the west.
Min: 48 Max: 49 ºF

Hubert's Birthday Ride: 73 miles for 73 years.

The day began as a fun ride from Monclova School to Wildwood via Albon Rd and King Rd to pick up more riders onward to Metamora via Brint Road (later County Rd T) and North US-64 for breakfast returning via Secor Park via County Rd 6 to County Rd T.

The ride was fine until about a mile or two from Metamora where I got dropped due to high winds; I could no longer draft.  A break occurred during breakfast.

The ride out of town was just as difficult, again due to the the winds.  Got dropped from the two faster groups and rode alone all the way to Secor park.

Three riders about a half mile ahead of me lead me to go south on County Rd N from south bound Counrty Rd 6.  I figured "N" was Bancroft since I was 1 country road or a mile south of US-20 or Central Ave.  Secor Park would be somewhere ahead once I cross back into Lucas County.

Rode into the park and followed the drive all the way to Central Ave.  Turned around to avoid that route back to Monclova.  Decide I would pedal back to the Bancroft entrance.  I figured I would just head out on my own returning to Monclova.

Halfway back into the park I came across the last group who I apparently had been ahead of; Hubert who had been riding next to me on County Rd 6 had left my side.  I didn't know there was yet a third group.
I turn around to join and follow them to the rest of the group resting.

Left via Wolfinger Rd to Bancroft St to Centennial Rd to Angola Rd returning to Albon Rd to Monclova School.  I got dropped again on Albon just north of Garden Rd and finished the ride last.
So...group riding is great as long as you don't tired and get dropped.

I did not continue with the Sunday afternoon group ride from Monclova School which would have completed Hubert's Birthday Ride; 73 miles for 73 years.  I would only have gotten dropped again and the ride benefit of drafting would not have been there making for a miserable hour and a half.

Weather Conditions: Started out cool warming throughout the ride. Cloudy changing to clear skies. SSW winds at 6.9 mph increasing during the ride to a max of 19.6. Gusts to 24.2 mph. It was a beautiful day for a ride in the country.
Min: 63 Max: 72 ºF

Wabash Cannonball - Long Loop

Grey, very grey. Rode the long loop for a quick jaunt "as it were". Lapped the journey in Garmin to see my progress from months ago. Lap speeds for the four sections of the loop are as follows: 14.7, 17.7, 17.8, and 15.4 mph.

The westward section was difficult due to the wind. For a 5.8 mph wind, it was harder than it should have been. Why? Perhaps the report wind speed via KTOL (Toledo Express) was not accurate.

Weather Conditions: Cool and mostly cloudy. Winds out of the SW at 5.8 mph.
Min: 56 Avg: 59 Max: 60 ºF

Ride to Napoleon

Scattered clouds once leaving Whitehouse. Stopped at Cycle Works to welcome the store owner to the community.

Wore the new Hincapie Cycling Arenberg Bike Bib Tights that arrived last night via ebay and The Gear Movement.

I was more than a little concerned over the size; Mens XXL. I had tried Jimmie's bib shorts at XL and they were a little loose.

The tights I ordered the night before following the manufacturer's size chart lead me to believe that the XXL would be appropriate as was Jimmie's experience with the accuracy of the size chart. But his loaner made me a little nervous.

I tried the tights on prior to today's ride and they felt pretty good. Great sight of relief!!!

So off I went to Liberty Center. Pretty breezy wind from the west but the tights felt cozy as it were. The ride was enjoyable and I continued the route suggested by the TAB directions printed on the pavement as I rode through Henry County.

Pasted through Colson and found my way to LC via Maple and Kline. Not being able to leave enough alone and with Napoleon being about 9 miles or 36 mins. ahead, I decided to press on.

Crossed through US-24 and took US-424 into town along the Maumee River and found my way to the "City Center". Nice town. Look forward to a longer visit, perhaps in the spring.

Bolted north on Oakwood Ave out of town, crossing US-24, as the route turned into County Rd 13A. Continued to County Rd B (Fulton County) heading east bound which was largely fresh paved and thankfully so; my "seat bones" were more than a tad sore!

Planned on going north on Country Rd 1 to Wabash-Cannonball South Fork but some how missed the trail and instead took County Road C into town and home.

In all it was a good ride. However, I was surprised how the cooler air made things a little too cool given what should have been warm tights and a warm wind breaker. Layering, I guess can really be a challenge!

Average speed to Napolean was 14.6 mph; speed home 17.0.

I think the max HR reported about 15 mins.  into the ride is in error.

MXS: 22.3 mph.

Weather Conditions: Cool and mostly cloudy. Mostly a westerly wind at 11.5 mph  falling to 6.9 by the end of the ride.
Min: 57 Avg: 57 Max: 58 ºF

Ride towards Liberty Center

Today was a fun ride. A little on the cool side and I wore for the first time the Hincapie Power Bib Shorts borrowed from Jimmie. The shorts felt ok; a little more roomy than I am use to given that the Pearl Izumi short are a large and these are a XL with no waist band. The shoulder straps stay put while cycling, but not doing otherwise.

I was more than a little too cool as I started out and while I was headed south and west from town I was not sure where I was headed. As I progressed west I thought I would just head west towards Liberty Center or even ride to Napoleon and see how things went. Of course, once I rode into Henry Country, I was lost in the sense that the county road signs meant little to me. Still, the ride was nice and I had sufficiently warmed up enough to just kicked back as it were. Found TAB's route signs several times along the way; will look later to find what route to which they gave directions.

The first lap before going north to return home averaged 16.2 mph. The head wind made consistent advancement difficult. The second lap home proved faster. Spent most of the ride east on County Rd C in the low 20s averaging 18.0 mph.

In all it was a pleasant ride since I had not ridden in ten days.  Looking at google maps, I missed reaching Liberty Center by about 3 miles.

MXS: 23.7 mph.
Weather Conditions: Cool and party cloudy. The sun was warm. Wind mostly from the north west from 12.7 to 10.4 mph with gusts of 17.3 mph.

Min: 63 Avg: 64 Max: 63 ºF

Cervélo tops again at 2010 Kona bike count for sixth straight year

Written by LAVA on Saturday, October 9, 2010

Every year, dozens of triathlon industry employees take a break from the action of race weekend in Kona to find out what brands are the kings of the triathlon world. The annual Kona Bike Count involves five hours of tallying bikes, wheels, saddles, aerobars, aero helmets, power meters, and components as athletes check in their bikes the day before the race. The count gives the industry a scope of the previous year’s buying trends and an idea of who the players will be for the following year.

After an entire afternoon of tallying, the results are in and Cervelo is top dog once again. The Toronto-based bike builder has 468 bikes on the pier in Kona this year, 355 more than runner-up Specialized. Here are the complete results from all the categories.


Bikes

Cervelo: 468
Specialized: 113
Trek: 108
Scott: 98
Felt: 96
Orbea: 82
Kuota: 77
Cannondale: 72
QR: 62
Argon18: 58
Giant: 52
Look: 48
Kestrel: 46
Guru: 40
Ceepo: 28
Pinarello: 18
Isaac: 18
Stevens: 17
Ridley: 16
Litespeed: 14
Colnago: 11
Storck: 11
PlanetX: 11
Fuji: 10
Blue: 9
BMC: 9
Jamis: 7
Beyond Fabrications: 7
Cube: 7
Focus: 6
Parlee: 6
Willier: 6
Griffen: 5
Elite: 5
Canyon: 4
Aegis: 4
Seven: 4
Time: 3
Javlin: 3
Serotta: 3
Linskey: 3
De Rosa: 2
BH: 2
Principia: 2
Louis Garneau: 1
Valdora: 1
Teschner: 1
Lemond: 1
Wave: 1
Softride: 1
Cheetah: 1
Renovo Hardwood Bicycles: 1


Wheels

Zipp: 1910
Hed: 255
Mavic: 164
Xentis: 149
Bontrager: 118
Reynolds: 86
Shimano: 81
Easton: 81
SRAM: 45
Rolf Prima: 33
Lightweight: 28
Campagnolo: 26
Edge: 26
Corima: 25
Token: 25
FFWD: 23
Planet X: 19
Blackwell: 3
Beyond Fabrications: 8
American Classic: 7
Spinergy: 7
Ceepo: 6
Nimble: 4
Profile Design: 2
Fulcrum: 1

Aero Helmets

Garneau: 223
Giro: 221
Rudy Project: 114
Specialized: 62
Lazer: 57
Divers: 29
Spiuk: 28
Bell: 27
LAS: 10
Ekoi: 10
Met: 8
Catlike: 7
Limar: 6
UVEX: 4
Scott: 3
Alpima: 2

Saddles

Fi'zi:k: 508
Selle Italia: 347
ISM: 201
Specialized: 173
San Marco: 87
OE Spec'd: 70
Terry: 68
Cobb: 67
Profile Design: 44
SMP: 38
Prologo: 37
Bontrager: 35
Serfas: 27
WTB: 7
Forte: 6
Koobi: 5
Vision: 2
Pro: 2
Velo:

Aero Bars

Profile Design: 591
Vision: 446
Zipp: 136
Bontrager: 99
Easton: 88
3T: 69
Syntace: 67
Hed: 64
PRO: 56
OVAL: 51
Felt: 35
Argon: 27
Giant: 23
Specialized: 9
Deda: 8
Drop Handle Bars: 8
Xentis: 7
Cobb: 5
Most: 5
Use: 4
Shinamura: 4
Valdora: 3
ITM: 3
Scott: 3
Storck: 3
Uberland: 3
Ritchey: 2
Cheetah: 2
Walser: 2

Component Groups

Shimano: 1307
SRAM: 391
Campagnolo: 85
Other: 5

Power Meters

SRM: 163
CycleOps PowerTap: 153
Quarq: 51
Ergomo: 2

Hydration

Profile: 955
X-Lab Rear Carrier: 448
Hydrotail: 94
Speedfil: 86
Jetstream: 48
Bontrager Front Mount: 32
X-Lab Front Mount: 27
Specialized Rear Mount: 22
Podium Quest: 8
HED Lollipop: 8
TRAX Rear Carrier: 5
Never Reach: 3
Torhans: 2
Vision Front Mount: 2

Tires

Continental: 704
Vittoria: 193
Schwalbe: 164
Michelin: 144
Zipp: 108
Bontrager: 43
TUFO: 43
Vredestein: 28
Maxxis: 7
Hutchinson: 7
Specialized: 6
Challenge: 4
Panasonic: 1

Source:  LAVA

Why LAVA?

This new magazine was named after the chain of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean where the first Ironman race took place. Since that inaugural race more than three decades ago, people from all over the world have descended upon Hawaii's Kailua-Kona every year to watch the ultimate athletic feat unfold.


LAVA magazine invites you to join our journey into the fiery center of triathlon. On our pages, hot new gear, training and nutrition advice, inspiring stories, and the latest news in the sport await.


Get Serious. Get LAVA ... Serious Triathlon.

Louisville, Colorado Cyclocross

Louisville, Colorado cyclocross practice course. Boulder has the "Wednesday Worlds"?? Louisville has the "Saturday Smackdown"...




Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/drago522#p/u/13/yEDSKClp1eM

Ride Across Indiana

RAIN is an annual ride across the State of Indiana sponsored by the Bloomington Bicycle Club. Its 160-mile length runs mostly on the Historic National Route 40, an older divided four-lane road with light traffic. It has gentle rolling hills. You should be able to average at least 12 to 14 mph for over 11 hours. See:  http://bloomingtonbicycleclub.org/tours/rain/rain.html

Red Bull Rampage 2008 Highlights

Alex Prochazka: 2008 RED BULL RAMPAGE - THE EVOLUTION

Ride from Sidecut Park to Grand Rapids

Jimmie and I rode to the Stitts/Jerome hills, unto Sidecut Park following with Waterville, then 64 south to 65 west to Grand Rapids, then north to the Wabash Cannonball South Fork and home.

What began as a cloudy very cool afternoon turned into sunny comfortable ride to Grand Rapids. The hills along the way on 65 were fun but at times very challenging for this weak cyclist. Jimmie was kind in not to dropping me to far back. Found myself belly breathing often but riding to Grand Rapids was too cool.
Hitting a small town with good eats can be very rewarding. Hitting these kinds of towns during a ride across a state would make the ride more enjoyable.

Finally, two other issues. The HRM was squirrely again at the beginning of our ride. Also, I forgot to start the lap on the Garmin when leaving Grand Rapids; should add about 2 more miles.

MXS: 28.0 mph.

Weather Conditions: Cool and cloudy, later, sunny. Wind mostly out of the north at 10.4 to 11.5 mph with gusts of 18.4 mph.  Min: 61 Avg: 61 Max: 63 ºF.

TAB Monday Evening Group Ride

A quick unofficial post-season ride with TAB. It was fun and cool how we all rode in high-visability colors. Jimmie, Dave, Cindy and *. I would have preferred another 10 miles!

That said, I did pull for a short time; about 10 mins. That was cool but I was having to work too hard. I I guess I have a long ways to go to become a stronger rider.

***More intervals, please!!!***

MXS: 22.0 mph.

Red Bull Rampage - Onboard with Alex Pro - GoPro

GoPro is in the desert at this year's Red Bull Rampage and so are all our riders! Today's edit is with Alex Prochazka (#2 qualifier) as he talks about his line and then gets down and sends it for us.

Enjoy the video.
Alex Prochazka



Source: http://www.pinkbike.com/video/102556/

TAB Sunday Afternoon Group Ride

Rode 6.46 miles to Monclova Elementary to meet with the other riders at the starting point of the ride which was 27.8 miles long. Afterwards, rode home.

This was a much harder ride. Tried to stay in the lead group once the group splintered up. Push hard most of the ride even while drafting but several riders rode ahead essentially rendering me further back.

While it was hard and it was fun (I think), I am glad it was over. It was the hardest ride to date. I see how this kind of group ride encourages a faster ride.

MXS: 24.6 mph
Weather Conditions: 1235 hours. Cloudy with a lighter wind of 5.8 mph or less variable primarily ENE.
Min: 56 Avg: 61 Max: 62 ºF

BTW...some other stud had the power meter!

Cyclocross: An hour In hell

Cyclo-cross (sometimes cyclocross, CX, CCX, cyclo-X or 'cross') is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter (the international or "World Cup" season is September–January), and consists of many laps of a short (2.5–3.5  km or 1.5–2  mile) course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike whilst navigating the obstruction and remount.  Races for senior categories are generally between 30 minutes and an hour long, with the distance varying depending on the ground conditions. The sport is strongest in the traditional road cycling countries such as Belgium (and Flanders in particular), the Netherlands and the Czech Republic .

Cyclo-cross has some obvious parallels with mountain bike racing, cross-country cycling and criterium racing. Many of the best cyclo-cross riders cross train in other cycling disciplines. However, cyclo-cross has reached a size and popularity that racers are specialists and many never race anything but cyclo-cross races. Cyclo-cross bicycles are similar to racing bicycles: lightweight, with narrow tires and drop handlebars. However, they also share characteristics with mountain bicycles in that they utilize knobby tread tires for traction, and cantilever style brakes for clearance needed due to muddy conditions. They have to be lightweight because competitors need to carry their bicycle to overcome barriers or slopes too steep to climb in the saddle. The sight of competitors struggling up a muddy slope with bicycles on their shoulders is the classic image of the sport, although unridable sections are generally a very small fraction of the race distance.

Compared with other forms of cycle racing, tactics are fairly straightforward, and the emphasis is on the rider's aerobic endurance and bike-handling skills. Drafting, where cyclists form a line with the lead cyclist pedaling harder while reducing the wind resistance for other riders, is of much less importance than in road racing where average speeds are much higher than in cyclo-cross.

A cyclo-cross rider is allowed to change bicycles and receive mechanical assistance during a race. While the rider is on the course gumming up one bicycle with mud, his or her pit crew can work quickly to clean, repair and oil the spares. Having a mechanic in the "pits" is more common for professional cyclo-cross racers. The average cyclo-cross racer might have a family member or friend holding their spare bike.

Origins and history
There are many stories about the origins of cyclo-cross. One is that European road racers in the early 1900s would race each other to the next town over from them and that they were allowed to cut through farmer's fields, over fences or take any other shortcuts in order to make it to the next town first. This was sometimes called steeple chase as the only visible landmark in the next town was often the steeple. This was a way for them to stay in shape during the winter months and put a twist on road racing. In addition, riding off road in more difficult conditions than smooth pavement increased the intensity at which the cyclists were riding and improved their on-the-road bike handling abilities. Forced running sections, or portage, were incorporated to help deliver warm blood to the feet and toes, as well as exercise other groups of muscles. Daniel Gousseau of France is credited as having inspired the first cyclo-cross races and organizing the first French National Championship in 1902. Géo Lefèvre, the originator of the idea for the Tour de France, also played a key role in the early days of the sport.

After Octave Lapize attributed his win in the 1910 Tour de France to his off season training in cyclo-cross the sport began to spread to countries bordering France. Belgium organized its first National Championship in 1910, Switzerland did so in 1912, then Luxembourg in 1923, Spain in 1929 and Italy in 1930.

Cyclo-cross proved itself as a sport extending beyond the boundaries of France when in 1924 the first international race, Le Critérium International de Cross-Country Cyclo-Pédestre, was held in Paris.

Like many international cycle sports, CX is administered by the Union Cycliste Internationale; although it wasn't until the 1940s, around 40 years after cyclo-cross' inception, that the UCI began its regulation and the first world championship was held in Paris in 1950.

Cyclo-cross began to become popular in the US in the 1970s and in 1975 the first race was held in New England but the first US National Championship was held in Berkeley, CA. The Surf City race series held in Santa Cruz, CA holds a lot of history of cyclo-cross in the US. The sport has experienced a growth in popularity in the US since the mid 90s and now the northwest hosts some of the largest events in the country.

Racing seasons
Cyclocross is typically an Autumn and Winter sport, the northern hemisphere season running from September to February. The World Championships take place in late January. The Canada and US national championships are held in November and December, with little racing after that except in the climates of the Southern and Western United States like California.

Riders' age categories for cyclocross under UCI rules are currently determined by their age on the 1 January which lies in the middle of the international season, i.e. they compete in the same category that they would be in for the following road season.

Souce:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclo-cross

The following video was produced for a University Of Oregon electronic media class. It is designed as a short documentary to give people a better idea of what is cyclocross racing.



Source:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRZOa_E9Qs8

Ride to NSBSS

This was a ride to work filling a 12-hour shift, followed with a 90 min workout in the fitness center and a ride home in the morning and thus there are separate stats.

The ride to work was a rush to be on time taking approximately 70 mins. averaging 16.3 mph and an avg HR of 155 bpm and a max of 163 bpm. Avg cadence of 81; max 105. Also had to ride an extra 3 miles to keep off of US20 from Delta westward to County Rd 9.

The ride home was difficult due to the fog condensing upon my glasses and the probable fatigue from the long night. It took about the same time; 69 mins. averaging a faster 16.6 mph and a slower avg HR of 146 bpm and the same max of 163 bpm. Avg cadence of 80; max 99.

Interestingly, the ride out was primarily within a HR Zone 4; the ride home while within less time was primarily within HR Zone 3. Why?

Weather Conditions: 1732 and 0846 hours. Little to no wind during the ride out to Northstar or during the return home which was foggy.
Min: 62ºF Max: 78ºF

County Rd C Steady State Intervals

County Rd C Steady State Intervals

Weather Conditions: 1100 hours. 12.7 mph winds out of the west. Warm and cloudy. Avg: 73 ºF

TAB Monday Night Group Ride

This was my first group ride. Jimmie met me in the driveway and we met Mark at the park adjacent to General Ice Cream.

There were quite a few riders and I was happy to stay at the back of the pack and observe the mechanics of group riding. Mark and Jimmie hammered down on Monclova Rd and I reminded myself that I was here to observe and learn even though I could have rode faster although what I take away most from this experience was how easy the ride was and how much faster I was biking.

Ergo, it was this thing called a "draft" that I had heard so much of during this past four months' madness.

It was a pretty cool thing!

MXS: 24.5.

Weather Conditions: 1800 hours. Easterly wind at 10.4 mph and partly cloudy.   Min: 66 Max: 68 ºF

Country Rd C

OK...so I go out to the garage to "suit-up" as it were for some SS intervals only to find the front tire flat again.

Long story short the air loss previously on County Rd C was not due to a leaking valve stem but a small hole on the inside surface of the tube between the tube and the tape on the rim.

I patched the tube in about an hour given my lack of recent experience and was off for a quick ride with the time left before I would have to leave for work.

Average 18.1 mph for the first half of my run and expected to return with a head wind out of the east and was not disappointed.

Overall, it was an enjoyable ride.

MXS: 25.3 mph.

Weather Conditions: 1643 hours. Mostly cloudy and a calm wind going out and an easterly wind of 9.2 mph during the return; 53 percent humidity.   Avg: 70 ºF.

County Rd C Steady State Intervals

OK...this was a poor attempt to use a better route for intervals that I discovered while biking to work earlier this past week. It was a poor attempt because I failed in reaching my goal due to mechanical difficulties, namely, a flat tire. The presto value was found loose and vented most of the air as I was riding.

I made it down County Rd C, about 11 miles, just past 109. Then upon the realization of a flat, I did the math, turned around and started walking back home, a brisk walk, one that would result in a long enough pilgrimage to realize how and why I failed in my training this day and how proper planning i.e., a CO2 inflator would have saved the day. Oh, btw, that journey would take about 3 hours.

But alas, my fair wife knowing my route and expected ETA got very concern with my lack of a timely return and I was promptly rescued from a plague of blisters upon the souls of my feet when she drove up within the final two miles of said journey.

Oh, well. I will try again for the route is less traveled and there are few stops along the way. Perfect for interval training. Also, I ordered a roomy bike wedge for under the seat that has tools and an inflator with CO2 cartridges.

Weather Conditions: 1643 hours. Mostly cloudy and a calm wind going out and an easterly wind of 9.2 mph during the return; 53 percent humidity.   Avg: 70 ºF.

Bike to Work and Fitness Center Workout

Biked to work to workout in the fitness center for about an hour and then returned home.

It was a beautiful morning and I thoroughly enjoyed tooling down country roads that I had not journeyed through before this day. It was an adventure in a way much like that during one's youth.

That said, the short run from Delta to County Rd 9 was scary given the close proximity to trucks on US 20. In the furture I will take instead County Rd 10 from Couny Rd F to the south of the plant and then the more open section of US 20 in front of Northstar.

Of a technical note: I decided to delete the "2nd lap" from the fitness center leaving the first and 3rd. This caused some issues with the available stats. Note to self: delete from Garmin software or WEB site; not from the unit itself. The target HR Zone info was corrupted as was several of the graphs.

MXS: 27.1.

Weather Conditions: 0952 hours. Clear with westerly winds from 8.1 to 10.4 mph. Min: 67 Avg: 71 Max: 81 ºF.

Hilly 50 in the rain

OK... so if this was cyclo-cross it would have been way cool! The more rain and the more mud the better!!!

Weather Conditions: 1107 hours. Little wind out of the east at 5.8 mph and then north north east 3.5 to 4.6 mph; thus, while changing direction not much of an issues. Also, about half way into the ride (about Keener going north) a very light rain began progressing into a full down-pour along County Rd 1 all the way home.  Min: 63 Avg: 65 Max: 62 ºF.

Wabash Cannon Ball Long Loop

Garmin battery krapped out; the info may be in question although the numbers seem fine. Also, the max HR was reported incorrectly at 203 bph. Weak Garmin battery?

MXS: 22.1 mph.

Weather Conditions: 1616 hours. Partly cloudy with winds mostly out of the NW 8.1 to 13.8 mph.   Min: 700 Avg: 70 Max: 70 ºF.

Muddy Cyclocross Crusade Race 7

Hillsboro, Ore. - THIS IS CYCLOCROSS. Cold, rain, mud, fun, and not fun. Turn up the audio for some bonus commentary.



Source:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lghImPUL2h0&feature=related

Lance Armstrong Comeback - Las Vegas Cyclocross 2008

The Boss is Back and he's serious about getting back into his training! Cyclefilm caught a glimpse of the action at Lance Armstrong's first official race back at the Cross Vegas Cyclocross event. Will it be Armstrong's 8th Tour de France victory in July'09 or just an extended PR drive for his Livestrong campaign? Either way is fine by us. We're happy to see him back on the road and on 2 wheels. Includes interview at the end.



Source:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG4WEpy0dnU&feature=related

Wabash Cannon Ball Long Loop

From the get-go, the HR was way off @ 229 bpm. Could this be the result of low power from the battery?

Weather Conditions: 1537 hours. Mostly cloudy; low humidity. Wind out of the west from 19.7 to 21.9 mph; gusts from 27.6 to 31.1 mph.  Min: 65 Max: 67 ºF.

60-90 min EnduraceMiles 4x6 min SteadyStates

Again, still wrestling with the HR zones suggested by CTS.

Also, had trouble making HR zone goal of 150 which was not an issue during prior intervals. Perhaps this is due to having made several fewer rides over the past month.

Or has my max changed that much that I am a more efficient rider, a monster bike geek? Ehhhh... I doubt it.

More like a fat ladden slob due to fewer rides for the month!!
Weather Conditions: 0856 hours. Wind SSW 8 to 11 with gusts up to 18 mph.  Avg: 74 ºF.

60-90min EM 4x6min SS

 These intervals are Grrreat!!!!

Got my heart rate up to 231. Finally, a payback for all this effort!

Thanks to CTS and Jimmie!

Seriously. Still wrestling with the HR zones suggested by CTS. Also, the max HR was a hardware/software glitch. I pulled over re-wet and re-positioned the HRM and when I was certain it was monitoring properly, I continued with my training intervals.

MXS: 22.7 mph.
Weather Conditions: 0845 hours. Warm and clear. Mostly calm; little wind out of the south.
Min: 62 Avg: 69 Max: 75 ºF

60-90 min EM 4x6 min SS Interval Training

MXS: 20.0.

Weather Conditions: 1143 hours. Warm and mostly cloudy. Started out with 11.8 mph NE winds. The rest of the ride had lesser winds 5.8 to 6.9 mph.
Min: 75 Avg: 75 Max: 75 ºF

30 min ride just in case of a rain out for TAB Monday evening group ride

Was feeling the need to ride that morning even though I had to wait later in the day for a group ride which in the end I did not take part.

MXS: 20.8.
Weather Conditions: 10:03 hours. Warm and overcast. Northernly winds from 8.1 to 10.4 mph; gusts up to 17.3 mph.
Min: 70 Max: 72 ºF

60-90 min EM 4x6 min SS intervals.

60-90 min EM 4x6 min SS intervals.

MXS: 21.1



Weather Conditions: 18:51 hours. Warm and clear. Wind falling from 8.1 mph westerly to 3.5 SW.
Min: 76 Avg: 83 Max: 86 ºF

45-60 min. EM ride to Jerome Rd

45-60 min. EM ride to Jerome and a spin around the Fallen Timbers Mall

45-60 min. EM @ HR between 130 - 148 with cadence between 85 - 95 rpm. Had to shift often to keep within HR zone and cadence range. Not sure if this HR was correct. A HR between 50 and 91 percent is suggested for an EM workout per CTS. Given a max HR suggest by Garmin, my top HR, according to CTS, would lie somewhere between 93 and 168 bpm and that would be colnsidered a HR Zone #1. ??



Weather Conditions: 1957 hours. Warm and clear. Northernly and westerly winds at 4.6 mph.
Min: 73 Avg: 76 Max: 77 ºF

Resting HR: Take 2

Wore HRM while asleep; also, took 3 mg Melatonin. Resting HR: 42.

Web from a Coked-up Spider: Actually, it conveys my resting HR

Wore HRM while asleep. Resting HR: 47. And no, I was not sleep walking around the house and through my neighbors' homes!

Hilly 50

Fallin Timbers hill climbs within a 50 mile ride. Was great using the "705" on the hills. Jerome Rd has a 9 percent grade while Stitt has a 4 percent grade. The" speed bumps" are a 4 percent, too. Jimmie says he can hammer Jerome at over 18 mph! That's very impresssive.

On a side note: I found a suggestion on changing the "705" setup from saving power and memory to accurately presenting the the route taken, that is, mapping that won't suggest I short cutted through a field. I will have to change the GPS to update every second instead of updating when it senses a change.



Weather Conditions: 1047 hours. Warm and clear. Winds started out southerly at 3.5 mph increasing to 9.2 mph out of the SW.
Min: 82 Max: 84 ºF

Wabash Cannonball Trail - Long Loop

25 mile clockwise route of both the South and the North Fork.

Maiden voyage with the Garmin "705".

It was great to have the feedback of a HR monitor again. I had really missed the Ironman Timex borrow from Jimmie.

This was my first time monitoring my pedal cadence. While I had been working on a light cadence all along, I was not very aware of just how light I may have been. Turns out that I had not been quite as light as I thought. An avg cadence of 83 rpm is not to bad, though.

MXS: 20.9 mph.



Weather Conditions: 1930 hours. Warm and clear. Winds started out easternly at 11.5 mph falling throughout the ride to 5.8.
Min: 78 Avg: 81 Max: 83 ºF

Wabash Cannonball Trail - Long Loop

Miles: 25.22
Average Speed: 16.60 mph
Ride Time: 01:31:18
Calories Burned: 1,107 kcal

Didn't push very hard. Just too humid.

Did try not to loose any speed from the 16.7 mph; managed to avg 16.6 overall.

16.6 / 16.7 / 16.7 / 16.6

MXS: 21.1
142.3 calF.

Weather Conditions: 1000 hours. Quite warm and humid, 84 percent. Wind, mostly calm.
Avg: 79 ºF

What's Next, full film. by Aaron LaRocque

Source: http://www.pinkbike.com/video/102556/

See also: http://larock.pinkbike.com/

Toledo Hospital to University Park to King Road: 20:57 Miles

Road from Toledo Hospital through Ottawa Park and connected to the University/Park Trail to King Rd in Sylvania. Then followed King north for a spell to accum 10 miles. Averaged 11.8 mph. 100.5 calF. Attemped to achieve a heart rate in the mid to high 150s throughout the ride. This was easier to achieve given a tail wind and slight descent.

Weather Conditions: Warm, cloudy and short moments of sun; no rain. Light head wind and incline. 1230 hours
Avg: 75 ºF

See Goggle map: University/Park Trail

Ottawa Park Trail: 5.84 Miles

Short recovery ride. Felt better; could have continued for longer ride. Bought IRONMAN gloves which helped reduce numbness. Will see whether they work on a longer ride. calF:25.9.

Weather Conditions: Warm. 1800 hours.
Avg: 74 ºF

 http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Upton+Avenue,+Toledo,+OH+to:Unknown+road+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FQrXewIdqmoE-w%3BFQnWewIdK4kE-yn3KUswpoA7iDGznttka_d_Pw%3BFVS7ewId6D8E-w%3BFQfXewId8GkE-w&mra=dme&mrsp=3&sz=16&dirflg=b&sll=41.669017,-83.598425&sspn=0.006908,0.020707&ie=UTF8&lci=bike&ll=41.669033,-83.598404&spn=0.013785,0.041413&z=15

Ottawa Park Trail: 12.59 Miles

Ruff ride: some pot holes, broken pavement. Moderate to difficult climbs. Wanted to at least meet the previous ride distance of 8.4 so I made 3 laps around the park. Push through the pain (as it were) and reward my effort with a bonus lap to complete 12.6 miles. Moderate climbs were managable but the difficult climb while short was a lung and knee buster. Managed not to stall here but 3 mph on a 30 degree slope (my guess) is a nut buster. Need to strengthen legs, i.e., intervals; sprints might have made the slope easier to climb.  calF: 45.6


Weather Conditions: Warm and somewhat humid. 1700 hours.



See google map:http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Upton+Avenue,+Toledo,+OH+to:Unknown+road+to:41.670395,-83.596816&hl=en&geocode=FQrXewIdqmoE-w%3BFQnWewIdK4kE-yn3KUswpoA7iDGznttka_d_Pw%3BFVS7ewId6D8E-w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=2&mrsp=3&sz=16&dirflg=b&sll=41.669017,-83.598425&sspn=0.006908,0.020707&ie=UTF8&ll=41.669033,-83.598404&spn=0.013817,0.041413&z=15&lci=bike

3.20 Mile Recovery Ride to S Berkley Southern Rd.: Wabash Cannonball-South Fork

Felt pretty good Sunday evening but as the night wore on my legs started tighten up and my rear felt pretty sore. When I got home from shift I forced myself out to try and stretch out my legs. Also wanted to further condition the gluts et al. I took it real easy with only the above in mind. Didn't even take the comp with me. Tried a few standing sprints as Jimmie suggested but could only mannage about a fourth of the distance between the utility poles. The pins are just too weak right now. Will follow Jimmie's othe suggestion to sprint in the saddle, e.g., a mile or so faster.

The humidity made breathing more difficult and my neck was tight.
Weather Conditions: Cool and humid, overcast. 0745 hours

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=6622+Merritt+St,+Whitehouse,+OH+43571&daddr=S+Berkley+Southern+Rd%2FOH-295+S&geocode=FUmLeQIdRzMB-ymNWLMph248iDHEwH9jnLXdWQ%3BFURheQIdbeYA-w&gl=us&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=b&sll=41.506553,-83.823366&sspn=0.013852,0.041413&ie=UTF8&t=p&lci=bike&ll=41.515422,-83.818946&spn=0.01385,0.041413&z=15

First Real Ride 8.40 miles: Wabash Cannonball-South Fork

See google maps link of ride:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=6622+Merritt+St,+Whitehouse,+OH+43571&daddr=Neapolis,+Ohio&geocode=FUmLeQIdRzMB-ymNWLMph248iDHEwH9jnLXdWQ%3B&gl=us&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=b&sll=41.44723,-83.992538&sspn=0.013864,0.041413&ie=UTF8&t=p&z=14&lci=bike

Wanted to ride out about 4 miles, body permitting. Felt good at S Berkley Souther crossing, Berridge where we had looked at the Wayne REO at its corner, then past Yawberg and Jeffers. Felt good at Manore but decided not to push it so I turned around at Main St, Neapolis also known as Providence-Neapolis-Swanton Rd or Co Rd 109 (that 109 Lucas; not Fulton) - a little confusing.

Saw no one but on the return. Good ride time; little traffic.

Weather Conditions: Dry cool partly sunny. Avg. temp about 64 ºF.

Finished with a short walk and run with the hound to cool down and stretch out; about 1.9 miles.




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