We\’ve had a big change in our weather. For weeks there was the constant threat of rain and T-storms; but now we have heat advisories every day! These advisories aren\’t only during the afternoon; yesterday\’s went into effect in the wee hours of the morning!

I\’m glad I have only 2.5 miles to ride home from work. By then, the heat index is typically over 100 degrees! A co-worker of mine has six or seven miles to ride; and I\’m not sure he uses a water bottle. In this sweltering heat, I think that\’s risky.

For my Sunday long rides, a cooling device of some sort might not be a bad idea; especially during the second half of the ride. The catch with using such a thing is that I\’ll get spoiled; and if I forget it at home, I\’ll be miserable. Incidentally, I don\’t envy the athletes who are competing in outdoor events in Tokyo!

I haven\’t made a big change in my so-called training; but Tuesday I did try something different. On the way out, I did two, 7-minute efforts at 15 mph. There wasn\’t time for a third such interval before I had to head back in.

Coming back home, I tried two, 3-minute efforts at 17 mph. The first one in particular seemed endless! It pushed my heart rate into its maximum zone. That\’s not comfortable; but probably I need a certain amount of that effort level to help improve my fitness.

So there I go, switching tactics; but if I want to ride a long event at 14-15 mph in October, I have to start trying to ride at 17 mph now.

Plotting

That reminds me: I must do a bit of reconnaissance if I\’m to do a 100-miler. Out to the Spillway and back is only half that distance; so getting in a century ride over that stretch of bike path means a certain amount of doubling back. I can start by doing laps of the park; and making my first pit stop at home. Then I can head out for the Spillway; but I have to plan my stop-and-turn points so that I don\’t finish too far from home.

This is a big change from my usual long-ride thinking. Doubling back over the same section of path is irksome; but with all the road construction messes all around here, I want to stick with a route that I know.