Last night was a perfectly dry, warm respite for the trick-or-treaters and we sat on the front steps and handed out candy. Then in the night the rain came. I'm talking true rain, not just some sprinkles, but pouring down, windy rain.
Today was scheduled for our 80 mile ride--the peak of training before tapering for the event two weeks away. Riding in a little bit of rain, as I did on Thursday, isn't too big a deal--avoid metal and paint on the road-those white lines are slick. Riding in a ton of rain can be a bit dangerous AND being wet for an extended period of time makes your body work hard to keep you warm, in addition to racking up miles. So, the ride's been postponed...to Sunday. An occasional short ride works for me on Sunday, but 80 miles won't be happening. I'll do a longer ride on Thursday, but coach says 80 miles is too much that close to the event, so maybe it'll be 60-65 miles. Today, I'll head to the gym, get some running and spinning in and some core work. It won't even come close to a day on the road, but it'll have to do.
Two weeks until Solvang! Fundraising goals met. Oh, and happy birthday Mom!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
One goal met, one to go!
I've reached my fundraising goal!!! Thank you all so very much for your support! And it's so sweet to hear the appreciation for thank you cards.
On Saturday we had a buddy ride beginning at Orinda BART. The BART lady gave us an etiquette lesson when we went to use the bathroom, but the morning smoothed out quickly.
Rocky start to the ride--in the first 5 minutes we heard "rider down"--heart rates raced. Turns out it was Sarah--people not calling out properly. The beginning of the ride was a good suburban tour through Orinda and Moraga, onto Walnut Creek, Alamo, and a stop at Peet's in Danville. I rode with the front pack and we pacelined for a few miles. This style of group riding is still new to me but my frustrations with people who burn themselves out at the front were already building and I wanted to be with my friends. I was already craving pizza (I don't even like pizza that much) but the only options were sweet. The first group rode out and I chose to hang back and wait to ride with Sarah and Molly.
We rode out, past the development that was once my jr high and the mortuary that was our hometown library. We passed a guy setting up his "yes on 8" signs. "NO, sir." was all I could say to him. We rode past Susan's street and then the creek, the house I was raised in and on to San Ramon--GREAT tailwinds! In Dublin, we approached the 580 on-ramp. Tamara had a flat-glass.
Changed it and headed over to the SAG--chips-yum, otter pops-refreshing! I gave myself a bite mark parking my bike--gear wheel jammed into my leg.
We got back on the road, people were pretty lethargic and we weren't even halfway through the ride. Long, steady, boring incline along 580. Flat tire--Molly this time, although we never found the reason. Re-grouped, back on the road. Little climb and a descent--passed Holy Cross, Mark's church.
Then onto a couple more climbs. I was having troubling with the mileage counting on my cycling computer, but heartrate showed up fine--Riding slower meant I wasn't pushing into heart rate zone, an important part of training. K Sue told me to for it on the real climb--ride on ahead and wait. I did. It was a longer climb, but I pushed into zone only a couple times. Got to the top and gauged that I could ride down and encourage others who might be more tired. They were a ways back, but rode up behind Lisa, who needed to stop for a bit. Another flat tire down the hill. Headed on up one last time and enjoyed the beautiful descent into redwoods.
At this point we'd all had enough of being in the saddle, rode into Moraga, full of signs proclaiming "this is Moraga, not Berkeley!" Really? Huh? You really had me going there.
Post ride pizza and beer were yum. Headed home to finish my sermon and be up at 6 am.
This Saturday: 80 miles!
On Saturday we had a buddy ride beginning at Orinda BART. The BART lady gave us an etiquette lesson when we went to use the bathroom, but the morning smoothed out quickly.
Rocky start to the ride--in the first 5 minutes we heard "rider down"--heart rates raced. Turns out it was Sarah--people not calling out properly. The beginning of the ride was a good suburban tour through Orinda and Moraga, onto Walnut Creek, Alamo, and a stop at Peet's in Danville. I rode with the front pack and we pacelined for a few miles. This style of group riding is still new to me but my frustrations with people who burn themselves out at the front were already building and I wanted to be with my friends. I was already craving pizza (I don't even like pizza that much) but the only options were sweet. The first group rode out and I chose to hang back and wait to ride with Sarah and Molly.
We rode out, past the development that was once my jr high and the mortuary that was our hometown library. We passed a guy setting up his "yes on 8" signs. "NO, sir." was all I could say to him. We rode past Susan's street and then the creek, the house I was raised in and on to San Ramon--GREAT tailwinds! In Dublin, we approached the 580 on-ramp. Tamara had a flat-glass.
Changed it and headed over to the SAG--chips-yum, otter pops-refreshing! I gave myself a bite mark parking my bike--gear wheel jammed into my leg.
We got back on the road, people were pretty lethargic and we weren't even halfway through the ride. Long, steady, boring incline along 580. Flat tire--Molly this time, although we never found the reason. Re-grouped, back on the road. Little climb and a descent--passed Holy Cross, Mark's church.
Then onto a couple more climbs. I was having troubling with the mileage counting on my cycling computer, but heartrate showed up fine--Riding slower meant I wasn't pushing into heart rate zone, an important part of training. K Sue told me to for it on the real climb--ride on ahead and wait. I did. It was a longer climb, but I pushed into zone only a couple times. Got to the top and gauged that I could ride down and encourage others who might be more tired. They were a ways back, but rode up behind Lisa, who needed to stop for a bit. Another flat tire down the hill. Headed on up one last time and enjoyed the beautiful descent into redwoods.
At this point we'd all had enough of being in the saddle, rode into Moraga, full of signs proclaiming "this is Moraga, not Berkeley!" Really? Huh? You really had me going there.
Post ride pizza and beer were yum. Headed home to finish my sermon and be up at 6 am.
This Saturday: 80 miles!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Broke a Spoke
Today was slotted for an easy 40 mile endurance ride. It was warm, calm, and absolutely gorgeous. I made it over the gauntlet, which was too bad at the lunch hour. My plan had been for the Tiburan Loop, but as I approached Camino Alto Scoop ice cream in Fairfax was calling out, so it was into Larkspur. There was some construction going on at the bike path.
Just as I passed Bon Air, I heard a loud POP! Something seemed off and I pulled off to the side. A quick check showed the problem: a broken spoke on the back tire. The tire wasn't sitting correctly. Fortunately the Village Peddler was just ahead. The desk guy said "when the spoke breaks the wheel isn't true." He wasn't sure they could do anything. Vanessa was willing to help out if I was stranded, despite her sick children. We chatted about shoe styles while they did a temporary fix of my spoke and trued the wheel.
No need to miss out on Scoop--I was hungry and it was only 4 miles away. Pumpkin ice cream and walnut maple. Yum.
Fueled, I road home. 40 miles. 1350 calories. High speed: 30 mph.
I stopped on the bridge--bike side, some thing I NEVER do, but it was so calm and the water so blue. We live in an inspiring place!
Just as I passed Bon Air, I heard a loud POP! Something seemed off and I pulled off to the side. A quick check showed the problem: a broken spoke on the back tire. The tire wasn't sitting correctly. Fortunately the Village Peddler was just ahead. The desk guy said "when the spoke breaks the wheel isn't true." He wasn't sure they could do anything. Vanessa was willing to help out if I was stranded, despite her sick children. We chatted about shoe styles while they did a temporary fix of my spoke and trued the wheel.
No need to miss out on Scoop--I was hungry and it was only 4 miles away. Pumpkin ice cream and walnut maple. Yum.
Fueled, I road home. 40 miles. 1350 calories. High speed: 30 mph.
I stopped on the bridge--bike side, some thing I NEVER do, but it was so calm and the water so blue. We live in an inspiring place!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thank you
Thank you. Thank you to everyone who has donated money to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on my behalf. Thank you to you all for checking in on how the training is going. Thank you for your patience with my schedule. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for taking part in caring about this cause and people dealing with cancer. Cancer sucks. Let's get rid of it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Can't you hear that whistle blowing?
Yesterday I cut out of work early to head to Walnut Creek for some good climbing. It was warm, sunny, and a small group of us headed for the hills. Mt. Diablo, to be exact. In my haste to leave, I forgot my heart rate monitor and cycling computer, so it would have been a challenge to track intervals. We rode about 20 miles, 2000 feet in elevation. There were very few cars and it was peaceful and a nice ride.
I usually get a random song in my head on rides. This time was I've been Working on the Railroad-singing keeps your cadence and heart rate in check on climbs--you're breathing hard but have to be able to speak.
Tomorrow's time for an endurance ride--65 miles, maybe. Just have to decide where to ride!
Thank you for all your support! I'm halfway to my fundraising goals!
I usually get a random song in my head on rides. This time was I've been Working on the Railroad-singing keeps your cadence and heart rate in check on climbs--you're breathing hard but have to be able to speak.
Tomorrow's time for an endurance ride--65 miles, maybe. Just have to decide where to ride!
Thank you for all your support! I'm halfway to my fundraising goals!
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Just Keep Spinning
I need your help in reaching my fundraising goal: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/solvFnst08/jhornbeck !!!
On Tuesday, it was a short ride over the bridge into the headlands and back to the office before sunset. We have been having phenomenal weather in S.F. and it was warm and lovely, even facing the climbing.
My cycle computer had died. I've put off putting on the new one that I purchased with the heart rate monitor, but this forced the issue, so this morning involved figuring out all the pieces.
Today my endurance ride included hitting the gauntlet: the non-cycle side of the Golden Gate Bridge. The GGB opens a cycling side on the West after 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. This makes a HUGE difference from the gauntlet which includes people stepping out right in front of a bike, or stopping quickly on their rental bikes to take photos, or just not looking where they're going. It's dangerous, but over quickly enough. I did the Tiburan loop--absolutely beautiful! The Bay was truly blue and clear today. I felt good and strong and knew today was my day to push for miles, so on my way back, I took a right turn at the Headlands tunnel (a dank, dark tunnel--a little Harry Potter-ish) and into the headlands. On the return, I turned right again--up McCullough road--good, long climb. Did some out-of-the saddle time on the way up and enjoyed the descent, despite cars literally parked in the road and people not paying attention. Park Ranger was on it!
At the Bridge I stopped to take care of a couple phone calls regarding evening plans and as I got ready to ride back over the bridge a sweet man in his 70s, with his wife, said "Is good to go to San Francisco?" Yes! It is good, but they were seeking directions and made their way. School groups on the bridge, and the Blue Angels practicing directly overhead--Lively!
48 miles, some good climbing, 1636 calories burned, Peak heart rate: 170, average: 140. Day: beautiful. Prayers for all those sick with any kind of cancer and all those seeking cures.
On Tuesday, it was a short ride over the bridge into the headlands and back to the office before sunset. We have been having phenomenal weather in S.F. and it was warm and lovely, even facing the climbing.
My cycle computer had died. I've put off putting on the new one that I purchased with the heart rate monitor, but this forced the issue, so this morning involved figuring out all the pieces.
Today my endurance ride included hitting the gauntlet: the non-cycle side of the Golden Gate Bridge. The GGB opens a cycling side on the West after 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. This makes a HUGE difference from the gauntlet which includes people stepping out right in front of a bike, or stopping quickly on their rental bikes to take photos, or just not looking where they're going. It's dangerous, but over quickly enough. I did the Tiburan loop--absolutely beautiful! The Bay was truly blue and clear today. I felt good and strong and knew today was my day to push for miles, so on my way back, I took a right turn at the Headlands tunnel (a dank, dark tunnel--a little Harry Potter-ish) and into the headlands. On the return, I turned right again--up McCullough road--good, long climb. Did some out-of-the saddle time on the way up and enjoyed the descent, despite cars literally parked in the road and people not paying attention. Park Ranger was on it!
At the Bridge I stopped to take care of a couple phone calls regarding evening plans and as I got ready to ride back over the bridge a sweet man in his 70s, with his wife, said "Is good to go to San Francisco?" Yes! It is good, but they were seeking directions and made their way. School groups on the bridge, and the Blue Angels practicing directly overhead--Lively!
48 miles, some good climbing, 1636 calories burned, Peak heart rate: 170, average: 140. Day: beautiful. Prayers for all those sick with any kind of cancer and all those seeking cures.
Monday, October 06, 2008
What's next?
So, the event is the Solvang Century on November 15, 2008. It will be just over 100 miles and is a timed event (you have to get off the course by a certain time). The team goes to Solvang on the 14th, eats a giant pasta dinner, stays overnight and awakens early for ride-out.
This week's training:
Monday--cycle and gym class
Tuesday--ride to the office, after-work: 30 miles, hill sprints
Wednesday--ride to work and home
Thursday--40-50 miles, yoga class
Friday--15-20 miles, sprints
Saturday--50-60 miles, endurance
Sunday--15-20 miles, off to Tahoe for friend's wedding
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/solvFnst08/jhornbeck
Should be a great week! We're getting gorgeous weather--perfect for riding!
This week's training:
Monday--cycle and gym class
Tuesday--ride to the office, after-work: 30 miles, hill sprints
Wednesday--ride to work and home
Thursday--40-50 miles, yoga class
Friday--15-20 miles, sprints
Saturday--50-60 miles, endurance
Sunday--15-20 miles, off to Tahoe for friend's wedding
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/solvFnst08/jhornbeck
Should be a great week! We're getting gorgeous weather--perfect for riding!
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