I is for Insomnia

I feel terrible this morning. Didn't sleep well last night. Woke up at 2am and my stomach was uneasy. Couldn't get comfortable. Flipped and turned for about an hour before I finally just got up.

I hate not being able to sleep. It's in my top five of worst things ever. As a matter of fact, here is my current list (it is my right and duty, to change this list as often as I like).

Worst Things Ever

1. Cancer
2. Applebee's commercials
3. Insomnia
4. T.O. & Drew Rosenhaus
5. Wal-Mart shoppers

Honerable mention: Adam "pac-man" Jones making it rain

So, what do you do when it's 2am and you can't sleep? You watch bad Matt Dillon movies like Factotum. For what it's worth, this will do nothing to help with the insomnia or the queasy stomach.

All indications are that this is a "lost" training day. I guess we'll shut it down and try again tomorrow.

In retrospect, not the greatest of plans (wind didn't help)

I am pretty much a brilliant guy (at least that is what my mom used to tell me). So, as a brilliant guy, I know when I hear a brilliant idea. And conversely, I know when I hear and idea which is, not so brilliant.

If the above hypothesis is true, which it is, than I have no explanation for what happened this morning. The plan was that Dan would leave his house at first light and ride to Chris' house. Then the two of them would leave from there and ride to my place. Together we would ride kind of a loop taking them back towards their houses, I would "drop them off" and then ride home. At least, that is how I understood the plan.

We are usually pretty good with specifics of times, locations and routes. Not so in this case. I assumed Dan would leave his place around 5:40am and history suggests he can get to my place in just under 30 minutes (OST to just past Speedway is all downhill going north).

I want to be ready when they arrive, so I gear up and go outside to wait. As I exit my house, I notice it's a very windy day. Not sure how much this will effect the ride. Just after 6:00am, I ride to the top of my street and begin riding back and forth on Catalina Hwy between Harrison and Prince. Figuring I would see them coming and could ride to join them. It is at this point that I notice a brutal headwind when going north on Catalina Hwy. The force of the wind was completely amazing, as it whistled through the spokes of my front wheel. Riding in this was not going to be easy.

Thirty minutes later, when I am already a little tired from fighting the wind, and there is no sign of them, I begin to get worried. As I ride back to my house, I wonder if something has happened to them (flat tire? Javelina attack? we have a history, ya know... with tires. Not Javelina). I decide to call Chris to check status. He answers (kind of a surprise) and says they are on Soldier Trail, just about to turn west onto Ft. Lowell. "Ft. Lowell?" I say. I had no idea they were going out that far. I assumed they were coming down Houghton.

Since I know where they are, I decide I will ride out to meet them (A couple of minutes later, Chris calls back to suggest I ride out to meet them). I ride out Price, down Houghton and find them on the corner of Houghton and Ft. Lowell. By this time its nearly 7am and traffic on Houghton is too heavy to ride south (no bike lane or even shoulder on Houghton between Ft. Lowell and Tanque Verde). So we decide to go east on Ft. Lowell to Conestoga. There is a bike lane on Conestoga that I had not clue was there. Interesting! It doesn't go 'to' or 'from' anywhere, but it's there. We reach Tanque Verde and make the short jog west to Tanque Verde Loop. South on TVL to Speedway on over to Ridgeside. Again, another nice bike lane on Ridgeside all the way to 22nd. As usual, the ride south from Speedway to 22nd is a steady climb (in this case, winding as well) and a good workout. As we reach 22nd street, it is about 7:10 and I need to head home.

Chris and Dan head west on 22nd, as I begin a reverse traversal of my route. Approximately 25 minutes later I'm pulling into my driveway, and I'm not sure how, but the wind was just strategic enough to make every north AND east leg of the trip 2 times (or maybe 3 times) more difficult than usual. I only got 18 miles in this morning. This just didn't seem to go as planned. But perhaps the problem was not with the plan, but with my understanding of the plan. Live and learn. Mental note: more detailed plan = better ride!

Juggling time and training

It's been a really busy week and I have had to make adjustments in my schedule just to get my training in. Today is another example of that. With no time to train this morning, I will get my workout in tonight.

Like every year at this time, it's time to get the soccer season underway. That means a number of meetings, long weekends, and some late nights. As a matter of fact, there is a coaches meeting at the Clements Center tonight @ 7:00pm.

Arriving at the Clements Center about 45 minutes early allows me time to hop in the pool and get a swim workout done. I start off with 100 yds of breast/freestyle to get warmed up. Then I go into the main body of the workout, an 800 yd freestyle session. Just under 20 minutes later I complete my workout with a 50 yard cool-down. This session wasn't too difficult, just a bit of a recovery workout.

Time to get cleaned up and head into the meeting. Boy it's hot and humid today. I hope they don't mind too much if I sweat through me t-shirt a little bit.

workout:
1 x 100 warm-up
1 x 800
1 x 50 cool-down

Same day, different workout

I have to take my daughter to Lincoln park for TVSC soccer practice. I will bring my gear, because this seems like the perfect time to get a sprint workout in.

The grass at Lincoln is a little long and needs to be cut. It doesn't help that I brought my turf soccer boots, but they will have to do. ( I've got the Adidas Beckenbauer #5's which I have been wearing forever. They are as old as Methuselah).

Since I brought my soccer ball out, I start off with some dribbling drills. In the process, I attract the attention of a guy and a kid who want to "have a kick". So, we end up passing the ball around for about 30 minutes. But, soon it starts to get dark and I have to get started if I am going to get my workout in.

Eager to complete the task at hand, I bid my passing session partners farewell and I start my workout. Beginning on the endline of the full-size field, I do five sprints to the center line. Using the jog back to the endline as my rest period. This amounts to sprinting 5 x 50 yards with about 30 seconds rest between sprints. At which point, I am sucking some serious wind. I take a few minutes to catch my breath. Then use the area bounded by the endline and penalty area to do some agilities: lunges, side shuffle and some grapevine work.

The sun is almost fully set. Coach is wrapping up practice, and it's about time to head home. I'm glad I was able to get some work in. Now, let's see how I feel in the morning.

30 seconds may not seem like alot

I have decided to go for a run this morning. I have also decided that the Sunnywood 5K course will do quite nicely. After a couple of days off I am feeling good. Since I know I can handle the distance without any problems, I think today I will focus on attempting to increase my pace.

I am going to try and run without the Tifosi Slip sunglasses today. Not sure how this is going to work out. I generally like running with the sunglasses. The problem is that I am constantly having to take them off to wipe the sweat from my face. And, a couple miles into the run they tend to fog up and stay that way for the remainder of the run (at that point, I have no article of clothing on my body which is dry enough to clean them off). So, this will be an experiment.

In a related development, I am carrying an handkerchief on this run as well. The logical thing would then be to suggest that I could use the handkerchief to clean my sunglasses, which is true. But, I will still go sans Tifosi (at least for now).

I start my run like I start most runs; hit start on the Timex, play on the mp3, and long strides, just trying to get comfortable. At a little over a mile in, I am approaching the Houghton intersection and feeling good. I think I am doing a good job of pushing the pace, but I'm not sure. That is, not until I reach Sunnywood Rd (the turn-around point). My watch flashes 16:30 as I begin to make the turn. NICE! If you have been reading TriVida for long you may realize that I consistently make the Sunnywood 5K turn at 17 minutes. So today, I managed to get to the same point 30 seconds earlier. Now, 30 seconds may not seem like a huge improvement, but I think it's significant. So, I am pleased with this accomplishment (no matter how small).

So, as I make the turn for home (feeling quite pleased with myself), I notice, just ahead of me, a lady that I see quite often when I'm out running. She is traveling in the same direction and has a pace slightly faster than my own. I use her pace to set my own and allow her to "pull" me on my return leg.

As I slow to a stop in front of my house, I stop my stopwatch and look down to see a total time of 33:26. Not too bad. The first leg, up to the turn-around point, is what I am most pleased with. The chase-aided return leg is less significant and a bit artificial (anyone who has run a race before will tell you that you can run faster times when "chasing" another runner with a faster pace).

By all accounts, today's run was a success. Time for some stretching, a little protein and a good size breakfast. Jeez I'm hungry today.

A day off #2 (and a li'l reading)

I'm going to double-down (or would it be double-up) on the day off thing. I feel a little bad about it, but I think it will be okay. I don't want this to become a habit or I may lose my intensity.

Anyway, I will use this opportunity to catch up on some reading. I am just finishing reading Your first Triathlon by Joe Friel. It is a short read, just over 200 pages, with tips and a 12-week training plan for preparing to compete in your first tri. Now I know it's not my first triathlon, but this is a really good book with lots of info I wish I had had when training for my first tri (as well as things that are helpful in my current training). In addition to the standard swim, bike & run chapters, Joe also covers nutrition, strength training and Heart Rate Monitors, among other related topics. Some consider Joe to be America's top tri coach and this book is well worth the read. What better way to spend a day off from tri training, than reading about tri training?

A day off

I think it's about time for a day off.

Went to Vin Tabla last night. Dray and M are moving to Corvallis, OR (home of the OSU Beavers). So, the crew got together for a little going away dinner. I had a good week of training and some wine last night. Figure this is the perfect time to sleep in a bit and enjoy a day of rest.

Blame it on the rain

It's early Saturday morning, about 5:15am, and I am just about ready to head out for a long ride. Around 2:00am last night the rain woke me up and I was concerned it might still be raining this morning and we might not be able to ride. But, it looks fairly clear outside and not especially wet either. Should be a good day to ride.

About 5:40am and I call Chris to tell him that I am heading out. The plan is that Chris will ride over to Dan's and I will meet them there. From Dan's we will head south on Houghton to Mary Ann Cleveland, make the left and Head east to Wentworth (Colossal Cave Rd). From there we will head north to Pistol Hill and take Pistol Hill to Old Spanish Trial which will take us west, back towards town. We can then make a right on Freeman, just after Saguaro National Monument Park, and head north again, up and around the northeast side a bit. Eventually, we will emerge on Catalina Hwy where my journey ends at my house and Chris and Dan continue the final 7 or so miles back to their houses. All in all, the route we established is just over 50 miles. It will be the longest ride for all of us and almost twice as long as any ride Chris has done.

My ride takes me down Catalina Hwy to Tanque Verde and south on Houghton to Dan's crib. As usual, it's about a 35 minute trip. When I arrive, Chris and Dan are there waiting. In that first half-hour I had a few sprinkles but no real rain and the overcast sky made for a nice ride.

As the three of us set out, everything looked good. I think everyone was a little worried about riding on Houghton. But, the thought was that riding south early on a Saturday morning would probably be the best time to do this. It was only about 5 minutes into the ride, with Chris leading the team, that the first car going south on Houghton passed us. Just as she got beyond Chris, the car drifted slowly across the lane, across the bike lane, and into the dirt off to the side of the road. The driver slowly corrected and there was no harm done. But, Chris turned to look back as if to say "WTF? Did you see that?". I did indeed. This was weird and a little disconcerting, but we pressed on.

The bike lane on Houghton was surprisingly adequate. At least until we reached the Civano area. It is right here that the Irvington right turn lane merge onto Houghton takes place. Coincidently, this is also the place where there is no bike lane and no road shoulder to speak of. So, of course it was just as we reached this section of Houghton that a full-size truck towing a full-size horse trailer went rambling by us at top speed. Whoa, that was not cool! But, after that point, the bike lane resumed, and we had plenty of room to ride.

As we traveled south on Houghton, it started to sprinkle again. It was not a big concern, as a matter of fact, it was kind of nice. However, as we approached Valencia, that all changed. The rain started to come harder now and I was getting soaked. I had taken the lead position a mile or two back and kept checking on Chris and Dan behind me. As we approached the Fry's shopping center at Rita Rd. I decided it was time to pull off into some shelter and see if we could wait out the rain. We gave it a few minutes, but decided it might just be one of those rainy days. Chris ended up calling his dad to come and pick us up.

Yet another planned long ride which didn't work out. Chris, Dan and I seem to have a hard time getting together for long rides (you might remember the Arivaca debacle). Chris' pop dropped of Dan and then me. I was really disappointed we didn't get to complete today's ride. But, at least I got 15 miles in. Dan and Chris only got about half that.

Whoa... that is twice!

It's 5:30am and my traditional Friday ride/swim/ride is underway. On the Motobecane Super Mirage, headed toward the base of the mountain. Got out of the house on time today, so no need to make the turn for Udall too early. Just past Houghton (and yes, I stopped at the stop sign. As usual.) approaching the Mt. Lemmon mile post zero marker. I hear what sounds like a large truck coming up behind me. The sound of traffic is to be expected and something you get used to. However, just as the truck passes me, the dog, which I later realized was hanging out the passenger side window, starts barking. Holy Snikeys Batman! That scared the bajeezus out of me. However, apart from the HRM spike, I continue on, unfazed.

Completed my ride to the base and back to Udall. Now for a dip in the pool. Since I am a good poolizen, I use the deck shower before entering the pool (I know it's just pool water, but noone wants sweaty guy who just rode his bike here, jumping in the lane next to them). For some reason the pool is less busy today, I even get my own lane (the only unoccupied lane available).Today's swim workout consists of a 200yd warm up, followed by two 400yd sessions. Nice and easy nothing too intense. A 50yd cool down finishes off a nice workout. Time to hop out, suit up and make my way home.

The ride home was pretty standard. 7:00am traffic heading east on Tanque Verde is not too bad. Over the bridge and navigate the steady climb toward Catalina Hwy. Then the steady climb of Catalina north(ish) approaching my place. I'm in the aero tuck position, head down, eyes up, trying to force every last little bit of speed and effort out of the end of this workout. As I crest the hill just before me street, I begin to raise up to a seated position, breathing hard, relaxing my effort. In changing hand position, I gave a little wobble and the bike drifted toward traffic just a bit. Not usually a big deal. But, in this instance it happened to be right at the same time as a Jeep was passing by. He layed on his horn and for the second time this morning I had a Bajeezus moment and a heart rate spike. I need to get into the house where it is safe.

Just a little bit farther

The idea today is to take my run just a little bit farther than the last few times. So, I'm not exactly sure how far I will end up going, but I will turn around somewhere around the 20 minute mark.

Jeez, today's run seems hard. I have been running for a while now and can't seem to get comfortable. Wondering if I might still be a little tired from the workouts of the last two days. I usually don't have this much trouble. Anyway, I press on.

At about 23 minutes I reach a street (good stopping point) and make the turn for home. 46:40 and I have completed today's run. Not one of my best, but I'm glad I went and glad it's over. Time for my post-run protein shake and a cold shower (it's really hot, even this early in the morning). Also, my knee is a little sore. Might need to back-off my distance a bit and give my body a chance to adjust. Something to keep an eye on.

Link for today's run: 08/23/2007 Run

Look, Dan is clipless

It's Wednesday and this week, that means it's mountain-day. Plan is for the standard 5:30am start. And, since we are riding Mt. Lemmon, we will meet at my place. Dan rolls in with some new Pearl Izumi cycling shoes and Look pedals. Nice! He is now part of the clipless pedals contingent.

It's just past 5:40 and we have started to ride the 3.5 miles from my crib to mile post zero. We stop at MP0 for a few minutes, something we didn't do last week, and it will mean that we won't be able to go as far up.

Just like last week, I only have a limited amount of time and need to start heading back at about 6:50. Today, that means we will only reach mile post 4. I try to push myself a little harder than normal this morning, and as a result, do more climbing out of the saddle than usual. At one point my heart rate hits 176 bpm, that is the highest I have ever seen on the bike. Even on our descent, I work hard enough to keep my heart rate in the high 150s.

We finish our ride with no major (or even minor) glitches. A good thing. I slowly sip my post-ride recovery protein shake, which this morning consists of Nitrean, half a banana, plain low-fat yougurt, apple juice, water and ice. I just completed a Nitrean re-up as my supply was getting low. Another Training secession complete, and I'm feeling good. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

An alarming start to the day

Nothing real special about today. Up kind of early (5ish) watch a little TV, and pay a few bills. As the sun starts to come up, I realize that I am feeling pretty good and today might be a good day for a morning run.

'Bout 5:45 I hear my alarm go off. Oops, I thought I turned that off. By the time I get into the bedroom, my wife has reached over and turned it off (she is not going to be happy about having to do that). Predictably, she gives a low groan (more of a growl) as I fiddle with the morning annoyance which has already interrupted her sleep. Thirty minutes later I hear her alarm clock sound. No telling if she was able to go back to sleep in the interim. If she was, or if she wasn't, either way, I will hear about it.

As 6:30 approaches, I have made the decsion that I will in-fact run today. So I pull out a sleeveless dri-fit Adidas shirt, a pair of shorts, and lace up my Mizuno Wave Inspires. Just add a couple of decent size drinks of water and my mp3 player and I'm ready to roll.

I have decided to run the Sunnywood 5K route today. As I get started, I am feeling pretty good (my glutes are still really sore... damn lunges). Pace is very similar to the same route last week, right around 17 minutes when I reach the turn-around point. I maintain about the same pace as I make my way home. Complete the run in just under 34 minutes (that's about a 10.7 minute/mile for those of you scoring at home). Overall, a good run to start the day.

At some point, I am going to have to work on increasing my pace. But, I suppose that can wait for now.

08.21.2007 run

Taking a break

No training today. It's an off day for me.

Fast twitch (the day after)

I have to be up early again and across town for another 7:00am start. It's 5:50am and my alarm just went off, I'm staring at the clock, but I'm not moving a whole lot. OMG am I sore! This is ridiculous. I had no idea the sprint work we did yesterday was going to effect me THIS much.

At one point last night, I shuffled gingerly across the family room, ice pack in hand, sat down on the couch, placed the ice on my knee and groaned as I lay back. My wife asked with curious tone in her voice "was the class too physically demanding for you?". I think she thought that was a silly question. And, silly or not, I dismissed it quickly. "No" I said, "it was just hot and its been a long day".

Today as I get out of bed, my knee is sore, my lower legs ache and my glutes are screaming. Don't get me wrong, I have been exercising forever, this is the kind of thing that happens with a good workout after a long layoff. I just didn't expect it in this instance. I swim, bike or run six days a week (on average). I should be in pretty good shape. But, the reality is, it's a different kind of fitness.

After I get out on the field again, go through some warm-up and get loose, it's all good and I'm ready for another day of soccer. But, I am now more convinced than ever that I need to do more fast twitch work. I'm thinking at least one and sometimes two sessions a week, we'll see how it goes.

BTW, I completed the class, passed the exam, and am now a certified Intermediate Coach.

Lemonade, Lemonade...

There is no training significance to this post (unless you consider my 'diet' last night consisted of a pretzel, nachos, lemonade and In-n-Out burger).

Bug and I went to the UofA Meet the Team as promised. He was more amused by the inflatable obstacle course and football throw, which were part of the pre-game festivities, than he was with the game itself. However, he had a great time at the game talking and laughing with the boys.

The title of this post is in honor of the concession vendor who worked the stands at the game. He was a large Black man who shouted calls of "Lemonade, Lemonade, like grandma made" as he made his way through the stands. As it turns out, the lemonade wasn't really like grandma's, but I appreciated the creativity and the effort.

We concluded our 'boys night out' with a trip to In-n-Out for burgers and shakes. This is what having a little boy is all about... seriously!

Fast twitch cross-training

It's early Saturday morning and I'm headed to class. Yes, I said class. I am in the middle of attending an Intermediate Level coaching course for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). I have been coaching at least one of my kids in soccer for the last nine years. This Intermediate Coaching course will instruct the attendees on soccer terminology, required skills and laws of the game. It is a 19 hour course which extends over 3 days. We started with a three hour classroom lecture last night. Today, we follow up with ten hours of field work and then conclude tomorrow with six more hours of field work and the exam.

Now, I'm up early so that I can make it across town to the Northwest Neighborhood Center by the 7:00am start time. A little bit of coffee and an Egg McMuffin on the road (I realize this is a terrible breakfast, but it will have to do). We start the day off with a little jogging and agility drills to warm-up. One of the instructors has brought some of the players from his team out to demonstrate some of the drills and skills we will be covering.

A couple of hours into the day the players are excused and it's time for the coaching certification candidates to run the drills. I have been doing endurance training for the last six months (and felt pretty good about it). This is the first time I have done any sprint work in a long (long... long...) time. We spent the next eight hours running, sprinting, jumping... playing soccer, in the hot sun. And believe me, it was hot!

I had been considering incorporating some fast-twitch work in my training, but this makes it official. It is absolutely necessary. By the time we were finished for the day I was spent. Dragged myself home in a heap. But, my day wasn't done yet. I had promised my son that I would take him to the UofA football meet the team. So a quick shower and a handful of red seedless grapes and we were out the door again headed to meet Chris, G$ and the crew at the U.

Free swim coach

It's Friday and you know what that means (or at least you should). It means I start the day with a ride and swim. I got to bed on-time last night, so at 5:15 I'm up and ready to go. Shorts, jersey, goggles, $1.50 in quarters and I'm almost completely geared up and ready to go, when... Whoa! I forgot to clean up the kitchen last night. Damn it! Well, I gotta do that before I go.

The kitchen is clean, but its 5:40 before I get out the door. Already running a little late (you have to get to the pool as close to 6:00am as you can, or all the lanes will be taken). So, because I was late getting out the door, I need to cut my Catalina Hwy ride short, won't be able to go all the way to the base of the mountain. Instead, I turn around at Houghton and begin making my way to Udall.

It's 6:05 when I roll into Udall and just as I suspected, it's packed. There is 12 lanes and all are being shared by two people. Except one. I get the final spot. Score! (BTW, once I claim my lane, there are 3 or 4 other people just wading in the deep end, waiting for a lane to open up). Strip out of my bike gear, take a quick rinse under the pool shower (because I am a good pool citizen) and into the water I go.

Decided I was going to do 100s today. So I'm doing my 100s (4 lengths) with rest in-between. When Barbara, a lady I have seen and talked to a number of times while swimming at Udall, who is swimming in the lane next to me, tells me that I am resting too long in-between 100s. "you get 15-seconds rest" she says jokingly. She is a nice lady and a beautiful swimmer, so I assume she knows what she is talking about (I kind of new this already anyway). I agree to comply and go back to my 100s now with only 15-seconds rest. After completing eight 100s, Barbara suggest another training tip. Two 100s with no rest between, with the 8 lengths done in the following fashion:

length 1 & 5: slow/recovery
length 2 & 6: medium
length 3 & 7: fast
length 4 & 8: sprint

1000 yards complete, elevated heart rate, heavy breathing, nice workout! As Barbara is leaving, I tell her that maybe next time she can teach me how to do flip-turns ( I really need to learn those).

With my swim complete, it's time to hop back on the Motobecane and make my way home. It's about 10 till 7 when I leave Udall and fifteen minutes later, I am in my driveway (sprinting the last mile,of course, like I always do). Another good workout to start the day. This is getting to be a habit... a good habit.

Quick and yet effective

Dan is out of town this weekend, so we decided to do our Mt. Lemmon ride on Thursday this week. Only problem is, with the kids going back to school this week, my weekday morning training window is significantly smaller. So this will have to be a rather quick ride.

We left my place by 5:40am and were at the base before 6:00. About fifty-five good minutes of climbing later, I was approaching mile post 5 and Dan was not far behind. What is even more amazing, as I turn around to check my position, is that Tom is right behind me. Where in the hell did he come from? Apparently, Tom was supposed to ride with a friend at 5:00am. The friend couldn't make it, so Tom just decided to ride across town and catch us as we rode the mountain. Wow!

A couple of minutes pass and Dan has arrived where Tom and I are stopped. We take a few minutes for everyone to catch their breath and begin our descent. Fifteen minutes later we are pulling into my driveway just as my wife is pulling out to take my eldest to school. Perfect Timing!

We had a good workout with a nice climb in a short amount of time. Mission accomplished. Tom still has the 18 or so miles back to his place. I think I will start calling him Vinokurov (Vino or V for short).

Morning mile

On today's training agenda; a Udall morning swim. Leave my house at about 6:00am and I'm in the water by 6:20. A couple of laps of breast stoke to get warmed up and I'm ready to start my workout. forty-five minutes and 1700 yards later, that's 68 lengths in a 25 yard pool (short course), I'm done! Feelin' good.

Gotta get home. It's time to prep the kids for today's school runs.

update: I realize that 1760 yards is one mile, but that didn't divide into 25 evenly, so...

Sunnywood 5K

It turns out that from my house, north on Catalina Hwy, just past the Houghton intersection is a street called Sunnywood. And the round-trip from my crib to Sunnywood and back is almost exactly 3.1 miles, or 5K. So, from this point forward that run route will be known as the Sunnywood 5K.

Now that we have established that background. I ran the Sunnywood 5K for the first time this morning. Mostly on the dirt along-side the bike path. Not an especially fast pace, but had a good run. you will find more run details in the link at the bottom of this post.

Tuesday's Run

5 miles, easy like Sunday morning

Bright and early Sunday morning. Outside the Lines is talking NFL concussions and the Sports Reporters are on next (Lupica is such a geek). Time to lace up my ASICS Kayanos, I have decided to go for a long run. A little bit of elevation and hill work is in order, so I head north on Catalina Hwy.

Running against traffic, spending most of my time on the outer edge of the bike lane. Pass a few cyclists that have already done their mountain ride for the day and are clearly headed back to the warm confines of the LCS (local coffee shop). Just as I pass the two mile mark, I see a familiar sight. Hey... that is a tall guy on a Bianchi. It's Tom! Pull out one of my mp3 earbuds and let Ludacris slowly fade out of listening range as I slow my pace to a stop. I now entertain Tom with tales of long drives, blown tubes and missed ride opportunities of the day before (clearly, all stuff he has heard before, but he is polite and listens to my versions of the tales anyway). I ask him to send me an email so that I can make sure to include him in our next planned grand adventure, and we are off in our opposite directions.

After that pleasant distraction, the rest of the run is rather uneventful (except for it being difficult). I reach the 4-way stop at Snyder and make my U turn for home. More hills to climb on the return trip, and the realization that my toes kind of hurt in a tingly sort of way. It's possible that running on the road is a bad idea.

The run was difficult, but satisfying. Five miles is the longest I have gone in quite a while. Today was a good day.

Sunday's Run

You can not be serious...

Now that my tire is good, time to go for a test ride and get back at least a little bit of the workout I missed this morning (I would find out later that Dan rode OST to Rincon Market... great minds).

It's approaching 6pm and there is a thin layer of cloud cover filling the sky. Not sure what the temp. is, but it feels great. Excellent riding weather. I head down Catalina Hwy to Tanque Verde. Head west on TV, not really sure how far I intend to go. Over the bridge at TV Wash, past Udall park and past Sabino Canyon Rd. The ride is nice, but the traffic in this area is making me a little uncomfortable. Coming up on Tucson Country Club, thought crosses my mind... riding through there could be really cool. But, there is a little man sitting in that guard shack. I don't know that he would stop me, but I AM a large black man on a bike, for most, that is the definition of suspicious. Decide to save that confrontation for another day. Make a U turn and start my return trip down TV.

Back over TV bridge and to Cat Hwy. Not nearly ready to quit, decide I might do a little climbing... to the mountain I go. As I approach Mile Post 1 on the Mt. Lemmon climb, I start to check my rear tire. Tire seems fine, but back end feels like it's slipping a bit. I chalk it up to my imagination (I find out later, it wasn't my imagination).

Back down the mountain and I decide I will take a Melpomene Rd. side trip. The Mel ride takes me past Emily Gray Junior High and Tanque Verde High School (which right now is housed on the Emily Gray campus), oh yeah, I forgot that was there. Not much farther, it's getting a little dark and I need to make my way home. As I make my turn to go home, Ice Cube comes on my mp3 player. This makes my laugh. What is the percentage of large black men, riding road bikes, listening to Ice Cube? Gotta be small, fractions of 1% perhaps.

It is between Ice Cube lyrical flows that I hear a strange clanking sound. Hmmm, this can't be good. I slow to a stop as I attempt to locate the source of the clink. OMG.. the smallest chainring of my 3-ring Shimano crank is completely off and rattling around the pedal axle. It appears that there is three bolts which typically hold it in place and I have managed to loose all three. You can not be serious... what a day.

Not going to even try and ride this home. Straight to the saddle wedge for the cell phone. Pops brought the Chevy Avalanche and we are on the way back to my crib. It is clear that I will not get to complete a full workout today. It is probably best if I just sit quietly, in my empty house, and wait for tomorrow to come.

Damn Chris. I really wish he wouldn't have kicked that Jehovah's Witness this morning.

Who is that guy?

Back home. Chris dropped me off. So, I flip on ESPN. I figure I can catch a little SportsCenter as I try and solve my tire issues. Get a comfortable seat, flip my bike over, remove the rear tire and go to work. Slow air, a little tire massage and everything is all good. Damn it! why couldn't I do that in Amado? Oh well... I'm so excited I text Chris and Dan with the good news. (Little guy on my shoulder, who looks strangely like a turtle, tells me "Dude, You so totally rock!" and I respond with the appropriate... "Dude!") But, now it's still early and I've got nothing to do. Wife and kids are gone to visit her parents. House is eerily quiet when they are not here. Creepy! Anyway, off to Viv's for a little late breakfast. A couple of eggs over easy will do nicely right now.

What the heck? I just passed by the hall bathroom and could have sworn I saw 'bike guy' in there. I know, I know, it was clearly the mirror and my eyes playing tricks on me, because I am home alone. But seriously, that was weird.

The Arivaca ride... that wasn't

It's Saturday morning and I didn't sleep much last night. I was really looking forward to today's ride. Chris, Dan and I have decided to do our first out of town ride. Amado to Arivaca. A low traffic, long ride with huge potential. I was up early and ready to go. Half a banana, a little coffee, and a Peanut Toffee Buzz Clif Bar to snack on as my pre-ride fuel. Chris came by the house in the truck around 5:30, and we were off to get Dan. Added Dan and after a quick stop for gas we were on our way, out Golf Links to I-10, south on I-19 and in Amado about 30 minutes later.

We pull into a quiet little parking lot, just off the road, no one around. As we begin unloading our bikes from the back of the truck, a late model Lincoln pulls up along side of us and a short Hispanic young man gets out of the back seat. He proceeds to ask us if we might be interested in some spiritual enlightenment and lite reading. I have averted my eyes as to avoid the situation, but Chris dispatches the Jehovah's Witness quickly by letting him know that we are not interested. The young man attempts a polite smile and sulks back to the threadbare Lincoln backseat clearly dejected by this crushing defeat. The two older gentlemen in the front give him the "no supper for you" look as they pull away.

As ride preparations continue, I notice something amiss with my rear tire. I had a rear flat last time out and figure the tire just wasn't seated properly. Should be a quick fix. I was sorely mistaken. Ninty minutes, a different tire and 5 tubes later, we are rapidly approaching the tipping point. We have been at this a long time, situation is not improving, first Dan and then Chris have already had an aerobic workout just from manning the pump. Then the final straw, the smell of sausage comes wafting through the crisp morning air. Apparently, this wasn't meant to be. I voice my displeasure to Chris; as it is clear to me Jehovah has smote my tire as retribution for Chris' handling of his disciple. Ah well... time to pack it in and go for breakfast (where is that sausage smell coming from?)

Well, we didn't find the source of the sausage smell. Instead, we decide to head back to Tucson. It is Dan's birthday and he has a breakfast date with K at Gus Balons on his agenda (Well played!). For me, its time to go home and see what I can do with this rear tire. Totally frustrated that I didn't get to ride today.

Ride for Q and Key Lime pie

It's Saturday morning and Chris & T are having a BBQ slash birthday party tonight. In short, that means that Chris has too much stuff to do and can't ride this morning (even though switching the Sunday ride to Saturday was his idea). Anyway, no worries. Dan and I have decided to forgo the mountain today and take a long semi-flat ride instead.

New route! woo hoo!

We agree that Dan will ride to my house, arriving around 6am, and we will go from there. The 7.5 miles from Dan's house to mine is not too bad at 5:30 in the morning, but the traffic on Tanque Verde and Houghton will make it less desirable as it gets later in the day.

Dan rolls up, right on time. Last minute check of tires and water bottles and we are on our way. We head south on Catalina Hwy to Tanque Verde then head west to Sabino Canyon Rd. The Sabino Canyon bike lane is that old school Tucson pebbled asphalt, not nearly as nice to ride as the silky smooth stuff along Catalina Hwy. Plus its old with lots of cracks.

We make our way north on Sabino Canyon past Cloud and River Rd., and bank right staying on Sabino Canyon Rd. Now begins the climb up Sabino Mountain (I grew up out here on the Tucson northeast side, but to be honest, I just found out this area was called Sabino Mountain a week earlier). This is a steeper more steady climb than I realized, but no worries our regular trips up Mt. Lemmon have improved my climbing abilities. We crest Sabino Mountain and head down the backside toward the Sabino Canyon Park entrance.

As that road ends, we loop back and decide to head West on Sunrise. Some more climbing through hills on Sunrise until we come to Craycroft. Now what? A right turn on Craycroft will loop us back around to Sunrise at the Ventana Canyon entrance. BUT... that means we have to climb the Craycroft hill. I don't know the angle of incline, but it looks like 45 degrees and is completely intimidating. But, you only live once (and riding that hill may kill me). Off we go, up the Craycroft hill, standing..., cranking..., wheezing...., made it to the top, and it was just as hard (if not harder) than I imagined. Dan is right behind me. Need to stop for a break. That was insane.

After a few long drafts of water and at least 10 minutes, we are off again. Loop back around to Sunrise, west to Sabino Canyon and south to Tanque Verde. The left turn from Sabino Canyon on to Tanque Verde is the worst part of the ride (I hate traffic). East on TV to Houghton, south to Speedway and east again to Freeman. Another decent size hill on Freeman as we approach Old Spanish Trail, but this climb seems almost easy after climbing Craycroft (I remember when Chris and I started riding a couple of years ago, climbing Freeman and both of us thinking we would die). Head down OST to Dan's place. Dan's ride is over,but for me, just a quick stop to get a cold water refill so I can make the trek home.

The ride home is not too bad, later in the day so it's a little hotter and Houghton traffic sucks, but I make it. And, as usual, I do my best to 'sprint' the last mile between TV and Catalina Way (i.e. The Way). Cruise into the driveway pretty damn tired, but feeling good about the 45 mile ride we just completed.

I can feel good about myself the rest of the day. I have earned the Q and key lime pie I will enjoy at the Baker's tonight.

Saddle up!

So, I picked up a new saddle off of eBay a couple of weeks back. Been kind of busy, so I just now got around to mounting it (this bike talk makes me feel funny). Anyway, the saddle is a Selle San Marco Aspide (ass-pee-day), weighing in at only 200 grams (saddle weight included for benefit of 'bike guy').

First ride on the new saddle was slightly uncomfortable and mostly uneventful. Second ride on the new saddle was a route that has become a bit of a Friday tradition with me. North on Catalina Hwy to the base of Mount Lemmon, then South to Tanque Verde, West on Tanque Verde to Udall park and into the pool for a swim. So, first impressions of the new saddle.... I HATE IT! It hurt, I couldn't get comfortable, felt like I stood out of the saddle almost the whole time. The last couple of weeks, Chris has been going on about yoga and 'sits' bones and "that" is where you are supposed to ride on the saddle. Well, I have no idea what 'sits bones' are, but whatever they are, I must have been missing them... cuz I couldn't 'sits' down.

After I managed to make it to Udall, I had a good swim. Got about 1200 yds (3/4 mile) in. Then hopped back on my bike for my standing ride home. I should point out that I was wearing my Tri shorts. Which, of course, have a thinner pad than traditional cycling shorts. However, I have worn the same shorts with other saddles before and had no issues.

I understand that it takes time to get use to a new saddle. So, I am not ready to give up, but, it doesn't look good at this point.

What alarm clock?

5:30! Damn it! I'm late. I'm almost never late to get up and train. And yet, this is two times in a row that I am going to get to Dan's house late. I don't have an alarm clock, have never needed one, I just always seems to wake up on time. But, obviously not, because not this time. The silver lining is that I mounted my trunk rack, secured my bike and got everything ready the night before (stubbing my little toe in the process). So, I can just grab my bag and jump in the car. But, that only helps so much, because I am already going to be late.

It takes me 15 minutes to get to Dan's place. I call on the way to tell Dan and Chris that I am on the way. (Jeez that call sucks... almost as bad as when you were in high school and had to go tell your dad you got he neighbor girl pregnant... or wait... never mind).

As I pull into casa Dan, it's 5:45am and I am the reason we are getting a late start today. I gear up as quickly as possible, Shimano cycling shoes w/ Look cleats (Look is the only way to go), skull cap, helmet, Pearl Izumi half-finger gloves and Tifosi Slip Sunglasses. By the way, stuffing my size 13's into cycling shoes while my little toe is still throbbing from its encounter with the Oak baseboard the night before is my most unpleasant experience of the week (maybe even the month). Oops almost forgot the Heart Rate Monitor. Not as nice as Chris' Garmin Forerunner 305 , but it works.

Dan and Chris explain that the late start combined with work schedules means that we need to cut today's ride short. So instead of our usual route out to Colossal Cave (30 miles round-trip), we will stop short at Camino Loma Alta (reduces ride distance by about 8 miles).

Got a new Selle San Marco saddle... not sure what to say about it yet, so I will withhold comment until later. Expect review in future posts. As it was, today's ride was a good steady ride, Dan lead most of the way. On the way back Dan got a rear flat just before the Widow Maker hill (I have no idea what the real name is, or if it even has a name. However, I wanted something to make it sound ominous and treacherous). Since we were running short on time, Chris rode back to get his Jeep while Dan and I proceeded to change his tire. We got the tire changed and back on the road as Chris came by a few minutes later. Chris gave Dan and his rig a ride home and I finished out the ride.

22 miles was a pretty good days work. I might just stop at Le Buzz for coffee and pastry. I should fit right in as I click-clack up to the counter.