Mid may - spontaneous assault

Mid May 5/14 Monday. Just work. Walk 10 miles as usual.  5/15 Tuesday. After work I ran 5.2 miles. Started slow at near 10 minute pace and got faster. For the last 1.1 mile it took me about 8 minutes. I did not get the exact seconds so it was at about a 7.5 minute pace which was about a 90% effort. 45 minutes total.  5/16 Wednesday. Got a late start but rode up to Tigerville. Went up the Callahan mountain climb (12%) slowly. The Poinsett bridge has had a lot of work done on it with sidewalks and such. Beautiful day in the peaceful woods.  Continued on to the Greenville Watershed and past the Saluda/Hendersonville split toward Saluda. Turned around since I wanted to be downtown at 6:30 pm. They were having a "Ride of Silence" bike ride to honor cyclists killed on the road. I was slightly late but joined them for most of the very slow ride around Greenville (a 7 mile loop). Had to leave them around 8pm so I could get home before dark. 70 miles total.  5/17 Thursday. My knees were a little sore so I avoided much climbing or running today.  5/18 fri. Ran 5.7 miles. 49 minutes.  5/19 ran same 5.7 miles 47 minutes.  5/20 Sunday   Thought about the assaults on Marion and Mitchell. They are tomorrow morning.  After work, looked online (8:30 pm) but online registration is closed for Marion. Might go over there in the morning.  Btw. Bro Andy is in California  following Tour Of California bike race.  He took his bike.   5/21. Monday. Woke at 4 am. Drove to Spartanburg with bike. Signup for Marion 6am. Couple thousand of us leave at 6:30. End up at Mt. Mitchell summit 8 hrs later (7 hours of riding). 103 miles & over 11,000 ft climbing.  5/22 Tuesday. 6 mile easy ride. Rear end so sore. Used unpadded seat yesterday. Clean 2 bikes (making back sore). Later twist wrong and develop lower back spasm/pulled muscle. Can barely stand up.  5/23 Wednesday. Work 13+ hours. Walk 9 miles. After work run moderate 3.2 miles. 

Early-mid May workouts

5/7 Monday. Did a time trial on a familiar route of 22 miles/1300 feet vertical. Took 1 hour 6 minutes. Real hard effort.  5/8/12 8:18 pm run to Taylors Elementary and do 4 laps on their mini track. Back to mailbox and get email. Easy .35 home. 2+ .6 + .7 = 3.3 miles. 33 min; 132 ave, 148 max heart rate.  5/9. Ran 6.5 miles after work.  5/10 just work. Drive home.  5/11 Friday: worked on the bike (more flats, seat change, remove clipon aerobars) ran a bit but the big effort was swam 2900 yards in about an hour at outdoor pool.  It was a cool day and my hands got numb. Shivering cold when I quit. A young guy poolside was like "dude - how far have you swam??" in a manner of disbelief at my seriousness you might say.  5/12 Saturday. 7:35 am   Rode down to Carolina Triathlon shop and joined a couple dozen riders for about 50 miles.  Wet roads and dark clouds, but no real rain.  Discussed tubular tires with owner Randy. Met a few new people. Then with 4 miracle hill riders to do Paris Mtn (15.3 minutes backside) and back to the shop. Oh, Doug was fastest on the climb with 14.5 minutes or so.  Went the with Doug awhile to the southeast. Split off when I thought it might rain soon. Did 77 miles and 4600 feet of climbing.  After about 20 minutes at home (transition), went for a 4 mile run. 6 hours total today. Time for a movie and a pizza.  5/13 Sunday.  It was lightly raining at about 1 pm when I started my run. I ran a different way than normal, but I think I've done it before. I headed down to Wade Hampton (US 29) and headed toward Greer. Huge nice shoulder on this section. Ran past the Target, home Depot and all the other stores and turned around at SC 290 or the Taco Bell. It was raining steady but still light. I ran about 7 miles at a 9:15 pace. Junk miles? Soggy shoes!  Time to watch a movie. 

Siezures aHead: skinny tire headaches

May 3 2012 Thursday My ride to Seizures aHead was an adverse adventure. Chose my heavy 35 lb Allez to use . Started around 2pm And by going toward Paris Mountain. Climbed Audubon (like 9% ave and 15% peak) To get warmed up. I had to stop near the top and rest a few minutes.  Egads. Sweating alot. Mid 80's and sunny. Oh yea before Paris mountain I rode and the two baby chipmunks ran out in the road not knowing where to go. They would soon be roadkill if they didn't get out of the road. One went right the other went left. And as I passed the leftbound one I looked over and a huge hawk was at the roadside and I could quickly realize it just caught a nice little snack.   Then up onto climb steep part of Altamont and the summit.  Onward to Green Valley and so on (on the Miracle Hill Route) toward Seizures aHead - I mean Ceasars Head State Park.  On past the pretty Tall Pines Lake and then onto Talley Bridge Road. Ate a powerbar; My fluids are getting low. As I approached the bridge I knew it had a bad sharp rise with a metal edge.  For some reason I did not properly slow down and thought I could go to the other lane and get a smooth line. Not seeing one I tried to bunny hop over it. I guess I landed my back tire right onto it because it blew out. Dummy! I quickly pulled over and got off. Got on a driveway and began to change the tube out.  The tube I removed was a double thickness one I thought would survive almost anything. Snakebite punctures. I had two new tubes so I felt fine. I watched a gecko that came to visit me as I fixed my bike. He was light brown and about 7 inches long. I saw him catch a small bug with his tounge on the driveway.   Back on the bike in about 20 minutes. Ceasars Head was only about 30 minutes ahead and it was about 4:30. I wanted to get to the top by 6 pm. I began the climb and expected a 50 minute climb.  On the way up there was a huge tow truck towing a huge crane truck coming at me. So of course an idiot behind me in a pickup had to pass me and go into the lane with the tow truck. Near miss (not with me).  Then I passed a tractor (headed down) with a bush hog going - stuff all over the road. I climbed on with weak legs just wanting to be done and at home. At least the temperature was lower at 80 degrees. Bit off more than I can chew again?? I climbed and all the sudden about 3/4 of the way up I feel my rear wheel being weird. Oh great, it is flat (nearly). I have to get to the top. I am out of fluids and thirsty. I just leaned the bike against a guardrail and pumped up the tire pretty full (maybe 60 psi). After 4 minutes I had to do it again. 3 or 4 times total. Did i run over debris?? Got to the top (park) about 6:05pm. An hour to do the climb. They closed at 5 pm anyhow. Darn. Oh well- There was a water thing up the hill - I hoped. I got to the upper restrooms and was seriously thinking I was going to buy a Coke or something for my stingy self. But wait $2 per can/bottle??!  Oh yea I have a Gatorade powder packet for 20 Oz. and an off brand for 16 oz.  The water standpipe was there and filled a bottle in about 1 second! I drank 16 oz Of water right off and then made the 16 oz of sunburst or whatever electrolyte drink and drank it.    Now I walked up to a picnic table and removed the rear wheel. I determined the source of the leak was at the valve stem.  That tube is worthless now but how did it go bad? I guess I mounted it wrong. Dummy. This time I was very careful installing the new tube. Caught myself not seating the stem right. Also the tire didn't seat right after a tiny inflation. It was not at all seated on the rim.  It has to be right so I can get home!  And before dark. Got out a second Powerbar for the ride home. The mosquitoes were pretty annoying. Belly full of fluid. Hopefully not too much. Left the park at 6:28 pm. When is sunset ?  End of dusk I wondered. As I descended I was very careful and slow weaving around potholes and bush hog debris. The purpose of a bushhog is to covert logs and limbs on the shoulder and put sharp pieces of wood all over the road so as to give cyclists flats. Stupid bushhog. I saw cars with their headlights on and I thought why. I realized the sky behind me was getting dark due to thick clouds. Oh no. I got to the bottom and was feeling better. Now just try to ride hard and careful.  The route quickest to home is via SC 11 and Highway 276 to Travelers Rest.  It can be busy but it sure is in terrible shape. They have chip and seal all over to try to "paper over" the big cracks and potholes.  I saw several layers down into some potholes. Yikes. So at some point, maybe near Travlers Rest , the road got better. The clouds were thick but the sun peeked underneath them some near sunset. Marietta at 7:15. North side of T. R. At 7:30. Cross over US highway 25 at 7:40. Might get home before dark. About 30 more minutes of riding if I held up ( and my tires).  I was putting out over 200 watts for some of the final climbs on State Park Road so I felt better and better. Hit Reid School Road and it was dusk. Got home at 8:08 pm. 73 miles and about 6600 vertical feet of climbing. 2 flats. One nervous ride home. Thank you God. A bad day on the bike is better than a good day at work.

Late April resurgence

Tuesday 4-24 Rode up to NC state line (toward Saluda) but turned back there. Dividing Waters Road both times.  55 miles in 3.5 hours.  Wed 4-25 ran 5.2 miles. First 3 miles in 26 minutes ; did 3- 15 minute sprints/ intervals. Last 2.2 miles slowed it down to 10 min pace.  Oh yea there is a new free running magazine in upstate SC called "Pace". Local running news. Great read.  Friday 4-27 Ran 6 miles total to/from the Y.  Swam the most this year by far at 3300 yds or 2 miles in 1:22. It wore me out. Was stopped right at 3300 yds due to thunder ( lifeguard says get out). Last Y swim this year maybe unless I rejoin in September for one month.  Sat 4-28 rode over to Furman late to check out the "Wheels for Meals" riders/event. Did 39 miles and 3500 ft of climbing. Backside of Paris mtn. still so slow I don't even want to say how long. I want improvement! Sunday 4-29 rode 55 miles.  For the first time in 6 months I got back on my light road bike. It felt good. Been training on the nearly 35 lb bike or 45 lb/32 c tired bike. I went up to the watershed and intercepted Doug. Then I tried to lead him back home in a hurry. He was doing the 110 mile Saluda ride and had a deadline. I averaged 17.5 mph overall.  Mon 4-29. Just work. Walk 20,000 steps.  Tuesday night after work ran about 7 miles steady.  Wednesday 5-2-12. Volunteered to work. No swim bike or run.  Thursday 72 mile ride 6600 feet vertical. Details to follow.