Training Ride: 120 Minutes and a Climb up North Mines

 

Training Ride: 120 Minutes and a Climb up North Mines

 

Today was a two-hour training ride.  Not really pegged to a distance just pegged to time.  I thought I was riding 90 minutes, so I am glad I checked my training schedule before I headed out.  Now when it comes to my bike routes, I am a planner.  I plan them out, I normally then go drive them, and take stock in what I am undertaking.  Well, today when I left the house all bets were off because I didn’t have a clue where I was going but sometimes the fun is in the journey.

 

First, thing I did when I got going today was move set my bike into middle rings in the front and in the back. No longer do I need to be a big ring rider who is trying to be a macho a-hole.  I don’t know I always think of that line from Point Break when I think of big ring riding.  The original Point Break, with Roadhouse and Keanu in it.  The line that goes “Big Wave Riding is for Macho Assholes with a Death Wish” So, I think about that when I talk about big ring riding.  “Big Ring Riders are Macho Assholes with a death wish.”  Don’t ask why some of the shit that goes through my head goes through it.  There is a constant party going on up there and normally, I am not invited to it.  So, I got into my gears, and I started to push out to Greenville.

 

I was tired this morning out there.  Probably because of inconsistent fueling over the weekend.  Must eat better on the weekends.  Saturday and Sunday are just like every other day of the week. I got lots of rest this weekend.  I just needed to warm up a little bit.  So, the cranking out Greenville was tough.  Plus, the heat was back and that is never fun.  However, sometimes you just have to go.  So, I went. 

 

Climb #1 wasn’t bad, but I was all over the bike lane.  Swerving left then right, then back again.  I got it under control and made it up and over.  Climb #2 I found myself thinking why in the hell is this so hard today, did I lose my back tire again, but I didn’t, it was just hard today, but after Climb #2 man, I got in the zone. 

 

Climb #3 while it wasn’t easy, climbs never are, I felt good going up and over. I was cranking and I love the downhill, I got up to 35 mph coming down today. I think that is the second fastest I have gone.  Climb #4 again was back in the I felt good, but I was hot, and it wasn’t easy, but I did it.  However, after that climb I didn’t really know where to go.  I looked at my watch and I had another 60 minutes of riding to do, so I had to figure it out. 

 

So, I decided since I was on Tesla already and Tesla turnings into S. Livermore and S. Livermore turns into North Livermore, I would stay put and take it through downtown and head to Los Positas and then to North Mines Road.

 

North Mines Road off Los Positas is not the same as the gateway to the White Whale which is Mines Road.  I am not even sure if the two connect.   They might via bike trail, but I am not sure.    What the two do have in common are climbs.  Climbing North Mines to First Street isn’t in the same ballpark as the Del Valle climb.  Same sport yes, but a different league, much different like T-ball v. MLB.  However, I knew in my heart that to chase the White Whale, I needed to get up and over North Mines first.  So, up I went.  It was hard.  It was only a few hundred feet of up, but it took all my strength to get up and over.  Up and over though I went.  I was so fucking proud of myself when I got to the top, I let out a loud scream of victory.  I am doing it.  I am taking these hills one by one. 

 

I looked at my watch and I still had 30 minutes to ride, so ride I continued to do.  I even road in a big circle at one point.  I thought about riding back out to Greenville and coming back over it the other way but my legs were tired from the North Mines experience. 

 

During my ride today I got in some interval training.  Where I cranked myself up and over 100 cadence all on flats where I could get my bike up to 20 mph.  I felt really cool and really fast.  I am trying to work intervals into my Monday and Wednesday rides.  I need to re-read the training guide Coach Janna sent to me and try to understand intervals better.

 

The major problem I had today was not with riding itself it was with starting after a stop.  This weekend I put a new bike pump onto my bike.  It was a necessary upgrade, especially after last weeks flat tire.  This has a foot peddle and a PSI gage on it.  It was also a Coach Janna recommendation. She has been on my team since 2005 and I love her to death for all the help she has given me over the years.  My biggest cheerleader and fan.  She even told me she thinks I can make it Del Valle today :D

 I took the bike out for a mile yesterday and it felt good with the pump.  No issues.  Well, none that was until today.  Were I cut the zip ties to keep the pump on my bike I didn’t cut to well apparently.  The were some very jagged edges and jagged edges in combination with thighs of thunder, means when I am stopped and if I was not careful and I pull up my still clipped in right foot, I would run my shorts right into those jagged edges. You see I always unclip with my left foot these days, ever since I took the big ring into the right calf when my foot slipped off the peddle.  It only required three or four stitches.  I should have listened to Coach Janna back then too.  I did most of the time but not that time and it would have saved me a trip to the emergency room.  Anyway, as I was saying when I was pulling my right leg up to get my peddle in good place to launch from the stop, the damn zip ties would reach out and pinch my shorts.  The next thing you know I had a runner in my bike shorts.  That is not good.  Not good at all those shorts are expensive.  You try to buy big and tall bike shorts.  We are talking about 60 plus dollars per pair.  I can’t go around riding on a bike that is going to give me runners in my bike shorts.  No, no, no that just won’t do, won’t do at all.  So, I came home and did some bike surgery, and clipped the ties a little shorter.  Now, I am trying to find something I can put over the edges of them, so they don’t catch on my cycle shorts.  Anyway, since that was the worst thing that happened today, I guess it was a pretty great day out on the bike.