3/9/10 to 3/13/10

3/13/10
Wednesday swam 2000 yards in an hour before work. Not any great effort or speed but at least I showed up and put in the work. Thursday it was raining, so I slept late before work and just did about 15 minutes of doing 100 pushups and 60 crunches. Friday I got to the Y after work and a nap and it was going to rain soon. I decided to run to my apt. from the Y and then back or 6 miles total before the rain really came down. It rained very lightly and the ground was soaked from previous rains. I ran along Taylors Road in the grass at the shoulder half of the time. Traffic was pretty heavy and the grass has less impact. Got a good look at a dead racoon on the roadside. He had been running too I guess but was not careful. 26 minutes to home and 24 minutes back. Then to the pool where I got in only 700 yds before a lifeguard heard thunnder and we had to exit the pool. I headed to the workout room and got on a rowing machine. This would workout my arms similar to swimming. I had used the machine once so I knew a little about the computer monitor but spent time learning more. I did 2000 meters row in about 10 minutes and then did it again. about 2200 meters total in 25 minutes. I got on the ab curl machine and did 20 curls at 50 lbs and 100 curls at 40 lbs. Time was up had to go pick up the girls.
Saturday was a ride of about 50 miles solo. I usually like to get with a group but overslept and got a late strart. It was still cloudy and a chance for an isolated rain shower but it was about 45 degrees at 930 am when I started. I went up north to Tigerville. Then to climb Callahan Mountain road. Along the way I saw several toads that were flattened on the road. The previous night as I was driving I had swerved to avoid hitting a toad hopping across the road in the rain. I guess it is perfect conditions for toads (or is it frogs?) to be out and about. Took 4 minutes from base to summit at 149 ave HR. I kept the HR out of the red zone but it was a hard effort. Headed next not up the watershed but to River Road with the thought of going into Travelers Rest and maybe the backside of Paris Mountain. I was not sure where I was going but I wanted to get there fast. I took an unknown road and got kind of lost. A real remote road that made the ride interesting. It was Parnell Bridge Road and it had alot of mud across the road from washing out due to heavy rains. All the sudden it had a short steep hill that must have been 25% grade (my monitor spiked to 21% ) which was fun to struggle up. Had to get backhome before 1 pm. Lots of stops to eat or remove clothing. I did not have time to torture myself up the backside but heaeded home from TR on Little Texas Road and so on. I got back feeling fine. Could have gone farther but another good ride and did not overdo it.