My father gave me some grief today at our Mother's Day get together about how I've not posted anything on my new blog, so I figured I'd better get my act together. So here's post number three tonight, the first two of which I wrote earlier last week. I also wanted to give an update on my riding experiences.
I didn't ride much last week. I fully intended to put in a huge week, but between Sunday's homecoming service inspiring an inclination to reflect, general physical lethargy that I only slowly realized and admitted, and an eagerness to study and write that I found nearly impossible to contain, I concluded I was due for a rest week, but not until it was halfway over. Probably not the best timing seeing that the Assault on Mt. Mitchell is now 7 days away, but it's not like my training has ever been particularly well-structured. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants and by the fact that I ride my bike more than I do anything, so I typically find a way to do okay in various events, so long as I'm not expecting or expected to be super-competitive. I know a little about periodization, peaking, and etc., I guess enough to make me dangerous, as they say, but I'm not sure if resting a week out and then doing a few hard days at the beginning of this week will bode well or not. No time to read The Cyclist's Training Bible, I'm too busy riding and reading the real thing :-) I was planning to get up early in the morning to ride a few hours, but now that it's 2:30 a.m., that won't be happening. Stretching out the Monday night club ride will have to do.
Anyways, I had some good rides this week, and for the mileage I rode, I covered a lot of ground in my York County riding goal. Alik and I took in some new roads southeast of town Wednesday evening, and Jenny and I did some neighborhoods near Northwestern HS, followed by a trek out highway 5 and a few subdivisions on the north side of town. I was even able to get in an hour at something approaching climbing intensity to semi-simulate Mitchell. I didn't feel too bad either, even though I'd already done 20 miles of commuting, and the Mayor's ride earlier in the day, and 45 miles with Jenny. Keeping the heartrate above 160 in neighborhoods after dark wasn't easy. Now that I think of it, it was quite a challenge and a bit of an adventure. Thankfully I only hit one bad bump, coming down twin lakes onto the bridge over the creek. Should've known that was there, I've bunny-hopped it dozens of times when I saw it in daylight. Even with my 600 lumen headlight, it didn't look as bad as it felt. No flats, though, so it's all good. But what about Jenny? Riding for only a year, she did 50 miles Saturday with sneakers. It took me much more than a year of riding and better equipment than that to get to that distance. She's a trooper; I was very impressed with her progress.
Confession time: my reckless cycling deed of the week was talking on the phone all the way home from work Friday night. I've talked on the phone while riding before, even texted (actually I sent 8 or 10 texts during Saturday's ride, come to think of it), but never done a complete ride without hanging up the phone, or in this case only hanging up while stopped at a light, so Carver could pay his pizza delivery guy. I suppose part of what motivated me to do that, or what motivates me, since I haven't stopped, is that motorists do it all the time, and don't think twice about it. Since I ride my bike as much as many people drive, I'm comfortable phoning while riding, even if drivers might think it crazy and reckless. It probably is reckless, but no moreso than what drivers do consistently. So I guess I'm hoping when people see me doing that, they won't just realize my idiocy, but theirs as well. That's probably a long shot and a vain hope, so I need to stop.
In any case, the theme of the week seemed to be unexpected changes and tests of whether I could adapt and adjust to them. Hopefully nothing more unexpected and exciting this week.
Here are the latest images of where I've ridden:
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