SpokEasy

October 2020

Leg Candy?

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“Leg candy” is what I call “sweet spot” training. Sweet spot training means a lot of riding at 95-98 percent of one’s threshold heart rate. I don’t know what my THR is, but I do have heart-rate zones calculated from a VO2 max test. What it boils down to is, which of my HR zones is my sweet spot? Where do I find that leg candy? Is it the upper reaches of Zone 4? This morning my ride data showed the better part of an hour spent in Zone 4, but I suspect the reading’s accuracy. Most of the ride I didn’t feel like I was working all that hard. At the same time, it didn’t feel easy, either. My Garmin showed an average HR of 131 bmp; that’s in Zone 3. My max HR was 144 bpm; and that’s about mid-Zone 4. I’ll check the settings again. Maybe I need to re-do something online, and then re-sync the device. I hope I remember to recharge that Garmin after I ride tomorrow; last weekend I forgot! While I’m talking about satiating my legs’ appetite for goodies — how about goodies for me? Goodies as in hitting Whole Foods tomorrow before work. And hunting for bargains at the salvage store on Saturday! Cooking projects are on hold. I can think of plenty of good stuff to fix, but the freezer is still too full!  

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Litany of Woes

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My litany of woes today doesn\’t include a train wreck. I do, however, feel somewhat wrecked. This morning I couldn\’t get up in time to go for a pre-work ride. I\’m still tired and sleepy from four consecutive nights of insomnia; and yesterday evening\’s ride put me behind schedule. I didn\’t get to bed until 11 pm! I rode to and from work today, but finally decided not to go for a ride after work. Listen to your body\’s warning signals! Right now my body says: Don\’t push me, I\’m worn out! Ergo I stayed home. To continue the litany of woes, it\’s hard to eat right today. I feel hungry, and the real problem is that I\’m tired. On top of that, when I\’m tired I crave sweets. I hope I can ride tomorrow morning. If I\’m still tired, I can do an easy ride; I don\’t have to work on intervals if I don\’t feel like it. A pro cyclist\’s job is to ride, train, and race; but I\’m not tied to that. The weather still doesn\’t feel much like Fall. The upside: I can leave the leg warmers home. The downside: no leg warmers means I still need sunblock on those legs for any ride longer than 20-30 minutes. I\’ll see how things are tomorrow morning. I hope the situation won\’t include a train blocking the crossing!

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Sunset Limited

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Sunset Limited sounds like a passenger rail service. Today, it meant an evening ride for me. Yesterday my prescription refill finally came in. With my med I could sleep again; but I\’m not surprised that I was too tired and sleepy today to try a morning ride. I decided to ride after work. During the day the wind strengthened. At 5 am it was 5-6 mph. By 4:30 pm it was blowing at 12-13 mph; and of course it was a headwind on the way home! While I had the tailwind, I made one effort to see just how fast I could get. I hit a max speed of 23.92 mph! One day maybe I\’ll finally get up to 25 mph for a moment. And do you know what? I\’ll still feel slow! \”It never gets easier…\” I used my lights, as usual for any ride; day or night. I even wore my wrist blinkie, in case my game of Sunset Limited ran past sunset. I got home before dark, but it never hurts to be prepared. This morning I had another session with the nutritionist. She says I\’m doing well as far as meal planning goes; but we need to adjust my calorie intake — can you believe, UPwards? I\’ve lost weight, and I needed to; but I don\’t need to lose any more. Incidentally, I\’m glad I\’m not a pro cyclist who has to worry about making weight. That reminds me: last night I cooked up a new creation. It\’s good cold or warm. Oh, now I\’ve made myself hungry. Time for hummus and raw carrot!

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D.C.

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D.C. This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”   Love monuments? And do you prefer to get to look at them, instead of watching where you’re pedaling? Monuments by Moonlight might fit the bill. Many, many years ago, just before I entered high school, we visited Washington, D.C. We had heard how bad the smog could be there; but during our visit there wasn’t much of it. The Capitol Building was beautiful at night, when all the electrical illumination made it glow. If you still want to ride a bicycle for your tour, try the D.C. Sites at Night tour. It’s only four miles long, and graded as Easy. The entire family can join this four-mile long guided tour to the National Mall and other major points. Don’t like being rushed through things on a “schedule”? D.C. also has self-guided tours. I like that idea. If I want to give one stop on the tour merely perfunctory attention, that’s fine. I can move on to something else. If I want to linger for hours, that’s fine, too. When is the best time to visit Washington, D.C.? For cherry-blossom lovers, Spring is a good time; and in Fall, leaf peepers can enjoy the changing foliage. Summers in D.C. are typically hot and humid. I don’t need to travel to find that; I get plenty of it at home! But whatever season you go there, remember to bring sunblock! A hat is a good idea, too. So head off for the United States capital — and have a capital time!   ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL Quantum Leap December 12, 2023 Afternoon Ride? December 11, 2023 Think Ten Times! December 9, 2023 Going Farther Afield December 8, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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No Zs No Brain

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No Zs no brain. Nearly everybody knows the sluggish, dragged-down feeling that results from a night of poor-quality sleep. The pharmacy still hasn\’t gotten my med, and without it I\’m half-awake all night. After three such nights, my brain function is barely half-steam ahead. This morning I decided to take a shorter Sunday ride than usual. As I turned on my Garmin, I suddenly thought: Hey, did I charge up this thing? No, I didn\’t. I completely forgot about it. Brain fog! Brain fog also kept me from remembering to adjust my heart-rate settings in the Garmin yesterday. I knew something was amiss; the crazy thing kept telling me I was in Zone 5, and I knew I wasn\’t! Anyway, I was almost to my turn-around point when the Garmin beeped and showed Low Battery on the screen. I finished the distance to turn-around, and switched the Garmin off. When I got back home, I multiplied the data by two. Today, for a change, I rode the full distance back home without any extra stops! No Zs no brain didn\’t keep me from realizing that it would be wise to take it easy today. I rode the small ring most of the time, and didn\’t try to push the pace. I did, however, pedal quite rapidly. My legs don\’t want to slow down, no matter what!

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Back in the Kitchen

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I\’m finally back in the kitchen! Today I let riding slide. I made a short trip to Whole Foods; but that was it. I absolutely had to do my laundry; and when that was out of the way, it was more than high time I ate lunch. Today I created another new dish! All morning I mulled over ways to use up the cabbage that I bought a week ago. By the time I finished washing clothes, I knew what I wanted to do. The result: Sweet & Sour Sesame Cabbage! I enjoyed this new dish, but unfortunately it doesn\’t \”stick to my ribs\” very well. I ate an apple, too; but 90 minutes later I already feel the edge of hunger again. I have further cooking projects in mind: soups made with a mixture of black beans and field peas. I can use up more of the cabbage; and some canned tomatoes, too. Today I bought wild rice, and I plan to add some of it to at least one soup. I\’ll be back in the kitchen for some time to come! But not all day. Tomorrow looks good for riding! It will be warmer than today, which is fine with me. This morning it was a rather nippy and windy 62 degrees, and my nose drove me crazy on the way to and from the store. It ran so fast, I could\’t possibly keep up with it!

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Oh Put It Off

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Oh put it off! has been going on for several days now. Specifically, I keep procrastinating over the laundry! Wednesday evening I was very tired; last night something else came up; and this evening I had to go to the drug store to pick up a refill. Last night I ran completely out of that particular medication, so I had to get the refill pronto. The errand didn\’t take very long, but when I got back home I was hungry. Now that I fixed my supper, I have two pots to wash; and dishes from both breakfast and supper. After I ate, I unpacked the bag from the drug store. The prescription I GOT is not the one I NEED. I called the pharmacy, and they\’re still waiting on the thing I need; and I can\’t return the script that\’s the goof. Laundry will have to be done tomorrow, after I do my grocery shopping. The salvage store is exerting its usual pull, but Whole Foods has bulk bins! I want to get black peppercorns; and maybe I\’ll get some tofu. I sure don\’t need to procrastinate over my riding the way I do laundry! Tour de Cure is barely over one month away. I doubt that I can do much now to improve my pace in the next few weeks, but I need to keep up my endurance. My training has been suffering in the last couple of months. I\’m more tired than usual; perhaps because of the reduced carb intake. Too often I get to bed too late. I\’ve become too lax about my off-bike exercises. I get very busy with blogs; and when I see it\’s already past 8:30 pm, I say Oh put it off!

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You Never Know

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You never know how you like something until you try it. This evening I tried a cucumber-tofu salad. The cucumber was about a week old, and needed to be used. Ditto for the tofu. I was just in time with the \”cuke\”. Another day or two and it would have had to go into the garbage. I peeled, quartered, and sliced it; and put it in a bowl. I cubed 3 oz of tofu. It\’s firm-style, and held its shape pretty well. I put the tofu cubes over the cucumber slices. There was a scallion that was rather old, too. (This is starting to sound like Garbage Soup!) I chopped the scallion and sprinkled it over the cucumber-tofu; and added four sliced, pimiento-stuffed olives. The crowning touch was a tablespoon of sweet and sour sauce; and some soy sauce. I admit I hadn\’t had great hopes for this strange, new salad; but it\’s good! You never know, do you? While I\’m talking about cooking: the freezer is finally getting emptied out! Soon I can plan my next Hoppin\’ John variation. And another sweet potato mash, too; maybe this time with broccoli. I guess I\’ll be on KP for a while. Cooking was far from my mind early this morning. I did a short, easy spin on the road bike, and went very early. I hoped to see the final sliver of the moon before its dark phase. To my disappointment, no moon was in sight. After I got the road bike home, I readied the hybrid for a trip to the grocery store. On the way there, I did see the moon! Maybe my road bike jaunt was too early. I\’m glad I saw it; and I\’m glad tomorrow is Friday!

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Alabama

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Alabama This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” When I hear mention of Alabama, I think of red dirt. And kudzu vine, aka mile-a-night. During the Summer when I was twelve, we planned a road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. Our route there went through Alabama; and we kids flew ahead to Birmingham, where an aunt of ours lived. That was when we first saw kudzu, nicknamed mile-a-night because it grows so fast. We were fascinated by the sight of orangish dirt. It’s also hilly around Birmingham. Time to haul out that mountain bike and hit some trails, wouldn’t you think? The Vulcan Trail is an easy route with views of the city. Trail users can walk; jog; bicycle; skate; and even walk the dog. But is that too tame for a hard-core MTB enthusiast? Black Creek Park features a Rails to Trails route; smooth and level. That’s a good one for me; but again, the MTB fan might find it overly easy. Ruffner Mountain? Are we finally getting somewhere? This one sounds like it has possibilities for MTB fans. Unfortunately, it looks as though mountain-biking is forbidden there. I guess they don’t want MTB riders tearing up the switchbacks; and I really can’t blame them. Ruffner Mountain is, after all, a nature preserve. How about heading for Anniston? There are a number of MTB trails to choose from. These range in skill level from Easy to Difficult. Something for everyone! Alabama has more to offer than MTB trails, of course. There are beaches; and there are museums, such as the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. In Birmingham you can take a Civil Rights Tour. Whatever your tastes, the “Heart of Dixie” has plenty to offer!   ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL Mini-Ride! December 7, 2023 I Still Can’t Ride! December 6, 2023 Unseamed December 5, 2023 A Stitch in Time December 4, 2023 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Sleepyhead

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I was a sleepyhead again this morning! It drives me crazy when I fall back asleep and don’t have time to go for a ride. Well, OK, I could have squeezed in a short ride by frantically rushing myself. I decided to wait until after work to ride. I’m glad the temperature won’t be in the 90s this afternoon! Oversleeping isn’t my only complaint today. My hybrid has a flat tire; and I can’t ride to work until I get it fixed. I don’t quite dare to try fixing it myself because of tendonitits in my left thumb. That was too much on my mind, in fact. On those sleepyhead mornings when I shut off the alarm and fall back asleep, I dream. I dreamed about checking that tire to see why it went flat. I also dreamed about sitting in a lecture, and taking notes in German! Never mind that the lecture was in English. Some people might wonder, why don’t I put the alarm clock on the other side of the room? Then I have to get up to shut the thing off. This is why: if I fly out of bed like a rocket, I go staggering all over the place. I might even land on the floor! But now I have to get ready to go to work. Tuesday morning means on-site. I wish I could continue remote work full-time. It’s much easier! 7 pm addendum: I got the hybrid’s tire fixed. As I thought, the valve had torn away from the tube. I decided not to try going out on the road bike. I had 5-6 weeks’ worth of ride data to enter into my “big log”; dishes to wash; and I was tired out, anyway. Maybe that’s what drove me to a candy binge!

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