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Second Guessing

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Second Guessing ? Were all familiar with second guessing; and I sure am doing it now. Not exactly what I like to see recorded in my training diary! This morning I had an appointment at 8:45, and I didn’t go for a ride beforehand. I didn’t want to arrive there all hot and sweaty; or, worse, be late because I forgot about the time. When I got back home after the appointment, it was already hot enough that I didn’t want to start a ride. (Geez, what a wimp I am!) The forecast for tomorrow looks like there might be rain and even T-storms by my usual ride time; and that’s triggered second guessing! I Should Have Ridden! ?? So here I am; thinking, I should have ridden. Doesn’t matter whether it’s road bike or hybrid; just so I’m riding.  But at 6:45 pm, it’s too late to be going for a long or vigorous ride. They say, you should finish workouts at least one hour before trying to go to sleep. So, suppose I tried to go for a regular weekday ride right now? Allow at least 20 minutes to get ready: fill the Camel-Bak; prepare an electrolyte drink; get dressed; apply sunblock (it won’t be dark for an hour or so). Then, if i put in 19-20 miles, as I often do, I won’t be home until nine o’clock or later. That leaves almost no time between riding and hitting the sack. Gee, I should have ridden this morning, after all! 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.” 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 Second Guessing July 25, 2024 Ready for More? July 24, 2024 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Ready for More?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Ready for More? ➕ How do you know when you’re ready for more? When are you ready for more miles; more intensity; more speed? It doesn’t have to be cyclocross, either. Today, as I was approaching the end of my ride, I realized that I wanted to keep going. Does that mean that I’m ready to push for 25-mile rides, several times a week? Am I ready for more? If so, it seems that I’ve succeeded in my plan for July; namely, to extend my daily mileages. August Plan ?️ My August plan certainly includes keeping that cool rag handy! The eighth month of the year is often one of the hottest here; and having my neck cool helps a great deal. In fact, it’s quite spoiled me! The rest of my August plan is to reduce mileage; but work on greater intensity. My Garmin will help with that, because I can get a direct reading of my heart rate. Perceived exertion, in my humble opinion, isn’t necessarily the same. On a day when I feel tired at the start of a ride, my perceived effort level might be higher than it was the previous day, when I was better rested — even if my actual heart rate is the same or lower. Part of working on short, fast, hard bursts is easing up a LOT in between efforts. That lets your body recover for the next effort; and it’s something I’ve never been very good at doing. I think I’m too hung up on my overall average speed. I hope that my August plan won’t have to include dodging hurricanes. At present, the tropics are quiet; but that isn’t necessarily good news. There are four months left of official hurricane season; and the busiest part of the season is approaching. 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.” 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 Elementor #177205 July 24, 2024 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Selective Blindness

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Selective Blindness? ?️ No offense meant to people who are blind; but I think we’re all subject to selective blindness now and then. If we don’t use something, we soon stop noticing whether it’s there or not. For those of us who live car-free, availability of parking spaces for motor vehicles is a non-issue. I, for one, hardly notice how many parking spaces are empty when I arrive at a store; and for people who use cars, the presence — or lack thereof — of bicycle racks probably doesn’t enter their minds. For example, this morning I rode my hybrid to the bank. When I got there, I found that the bike rack was gone. I asked one of the bank’s personnel what had happened to it; and they said that they’d never noticed that there was a bike rack. Selective blindness, I suppose; that person probably uses a car. Sun Blindness ☀️ Then there’s sun blindness, which I’m sure we all know. Today I kept finding myself heading into the sun; and sunglasses don’t do any good under such circumstances. That’s all the more worrisome when I have to ride near traffic. I’m lucky there wasn’t a lot of it this morning; but I bet that will change soon, when school starts. I might avoid sun blindness if I rode later in the day, when the sun isn’t so low in the sky; but when the weather is hot, riding early is important. We’re actually getting a break from the extreme heat this week; but cool it is not! I don’t expect cool weather for at least two months; probably longer. Speaking of heat, RAGBRAI is in progress. Last year’s RAGBRAI suffered a bad heat wave; and I hope this year’s event is cooler. 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.” 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 Selective Blindness July 23, 2024 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Downhearted?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Downhearted? ? 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.” We all get downhearted sometimes. Our training isn’t going as well as we might expect; or constant bad weather gets us down. Let’s hope it isn’t blood pressure problems that sit heavily upon our shoulders! Then there’s downhearted as in, get my heart rate down as I ride. Lately, my road bike’s computer often tells me that I’ve spent much of a ride in my heart rate Zone 4; which is 85-94% of my maximum heart rate. Could I be spending too much ride time there; and do I actually need to pull back on the intensity? Slow Down Get Faster? ⏩ Slow down, get faster? That’s what I’ve read; and here is where keeping records of your rides pays off. As already mentioned, I often spend a considerable portion of my ride time at a quite intense effort level. Is that why I seem stuck at an average speed of 11-12 mph? Am I riding too hard, too much of the time; and not allowing myself adequate recovery time? This morning I worked to stay in my heart rate Zone 3; and for the most part, I succeeded. But guess what I noticed? In order to keep my heart rate down, I do better riding in a relatively hard gear, at a rather slow cadence. Today I did most of my ride on the big ring; and used the larger cogs. Actually, that’s how I usually ride, anyway; but this ride I needed to keep in Zone 3. So I made a special effort to pedal more slowly. If I had stayed on the small ring, I would have pedaled faster; with the result being a higher heart rate. Slow down, get faster? It’s worth a try. 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 Downhearted? July 22, 2024 Forget the Split July 21, 2024 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Pretend July 19, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Forget the Split

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Forget the Split ➡️ I decided to forget the split ride today, for two reasons. First, like the bicycle in the joke, I was two-tired to get up at 6:00 am for a trip to the supermarket. Second, the forecast I checked last night predicted rain and T-storms from about 10:00 am. It was already around 8:15 when I finally began my ride; and already there were a number of ominous-looking clouds in the sky. I wasn’t trying to push the pace; but I still wanted to try for more than 20 miles. All I could do was hope. When I stopped to eat a GU-Gel and reapply sunblock, I thought I heard faint thunder. That made me uneasy; and as I rode, I kept an eye on the sky. When I arrived home, I heard thunder just as I was heading in the door; and 15-20 mintues later, we had a full-blown T-storm in progress. I just made it! If I had gone to the supermarket, and then tried to put in 20 miles, I would have been caught in that storm; so it’s a good thing I decided to forget the split. Compensation ? Happily, I got some compensation for the storm. It wasn’t entirely overcast while I was riding; but part of the time the sun was behind the clouds. That kept me from getting so hot. Since I got home, it’s been mostly overcast; and that keeps it cooler indoors. What a relief that is! Compensation isn’t always financial. Today on the bike, I ate a Gatorade Whey Protein Bar; and part of a Zone Perfect Bar (plus the “goo”). Frijoles would be great; but my bike-handling skills are far from the a ability to ride no-hands while spooning frijoles out of a pouch!   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.” 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 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Pretend July 19, 2024 Nature’s Fury July 18, 2024 Gearhead? July 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Split Ride

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Split Ride ⇉ I was considering doing a split ride tomorrow. First, a trip to the supermarket to get a few things that the salvage store didn’t have; then a longer ride with the road bike. I’ve got to watch the weather, though. The forecast is for showers and T-storms; and of course that is bad news. It’s no fun to be caught in a downpour so heay that you can hardly see; and if strong winds and lightning enter the picture, I don’t want to be out there! A split ride would allow me to get in some miles; and if the weather cooperates, I might make it to 25 or even 30. And wouldn’t a banana split afterwards be good! Meanwhile in the Kitchen ? Meanwhile, in the kitchen there’s always something to be done; and I don’t mean Feed Zone or frying eggs. I’ve got to use up some of the rice and dried beans in my cupboard; and today’s result was Wild Saturday. Another addition to my SpokEasy recipe collection! The pleasure of inventing a new recipe, alas, is always dimmed by the chore of cleaning up the kitchen afterwards! Despite my uncertainties about tomorrow’s weather, I’m thinking about tomorrow’s ride: what to use for on-bike food; which electrolyte drink to take along; what time to ride for the best chance of avoiding storms; and so on. Meanwhile, in the kitchen there’s a pile of pots and dishes to be washed! 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.” 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 Split Ride July 20, 2024 Pretend July 19, 2024 Nature’s Fury July 18, 2024 Gearhead? July 17, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Pretend

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Pretend ?‍♀️ Since I don’t have any real hills, I have to pretend; and simulate them as best I can. One way to practice climbing is to ride in a hard gear; and that’s what I did today. I was on the road bike, which made this exercise somewhat trickier. Many a time I’ve ridden to the top of the levee via a vehicular access ramp; that’s my route home from the salvage store. I know how that climb feels on the hybrid; but on the road bike, I’m not sure that my memory isn’t tricking me. The’s the catch when you’ve got to pretend! Quasi-hills ? Today I had to be content with some quasi-hills. Recently I began using a new pair of cycling shoes; and it helped that my left foot didn’t keep coming unclipped. How do you do quasi-hills? Keep shifting into harder and harder gears. When it feels really tough, stay there for a while. This morning I worked to do it one minute at a time for a total of six efforts. I didn’t worry about speed; just effort level. That’s all very well; but how long are the climbs on RAGBRAI; and how steep are they? Recently I met some people who are going to this year’s RAGBRAI; and when they return, I mean to ask them about this. As with so many things, though there’s a catch. The RAGBRAI route changes every year! 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.” 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 Pretend July 19, 2024 Nature’s Fury July 18, 2024 Gearhead? July 17, 2024 Sweet Spot Training July 16, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Nature’s Fury

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors /

Nature’s Fury ⛈️ I’m glad I dodged Nature’s fury today! A helmet cover would have been of no use at all against lightning and a torrential downpour. Rain gear wouldn’t have been much help, either; that’s how hard it rained! When I went out this morning, at about 7:30, there were already clouds building up. The sight of them always makes me rather nervous; you never know how fast bad weather might develop; and Nature’s fury is not to be trifled with. Once again, I was lucky. I got home around 9:30; and it wasn’t until around 1:00 pm that a T-storm moved in. It was a doozy, too: lots of close lightning; and after it had been pouring for an hour or so, a flash flood warning was issued. I hope we don’t get any more rain for a few days; we need to dry out after today’s deluge. Caught Out ? What do you do when you’re caught out by nasty weather? I wish I were better at reading Nature; then I’d likely be better able to judge whether to go riding or not. Farmers of past times, who worked outside much of the time, were probably whizzes at this! But as I’m not that sophisticated about weather prediction, I have to rely on online forecasts; and they change all the time. Naturally there are times when I take chances; and sometimes I lose the gamble and get caught out in the rain. What’s the best thing to do if you’re out riding and the lightning starts to fire up? That’s a huge concern when I’m up there on the levee; and totally unprotected. Maybe I need to learn how to ride on a slanting surface; then I could pedal along on the side of the levee, if there’s no place along the way for me to take shelter. Riding in the park when lightning breaks out isn’t much better. There are many huge oak trees there; and I figure that lightning is more likely to hit a tree, than strike me directly. Even so, that could be bad news if I were just riding under that tree! So what am I to do? Just keep an eye on the forecasts; and hope for the best.

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Gearhead?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Gearhead? ⚙️? Am I a gearhead; or merely a pretender? I love to ride; but I certainly don’t strike up conversations about bicycles and the sometimes odd gears with everyone I see. I’m not a bicycle mechanic; and I have only rudimentary knowledge about how a bicycle works. So how can I be a gearhead? Maybe I Am! ? On the other hand, maybe I am a gearhead, after all. Folks who ride at least 26 times per year are considered “avid” cyclists. If 26 rides per year make you avid, I must be downright rabid! Or do those 26 rides per annum mean only big rides, such as races; long tours; and centuries? I do at least some riding five or six days per week; and am working to extend my daily distances. I want to improve my pace, too; because no matter how much you love to ride, there are always other things that must be done. Ergo I need to ride faster if I don’t want to be on the saddle all day, every day. Maybe I am a gearhead; but even gearheads must guard against burnout!   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.” 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 Gearhead? July 17, 2024 Sweet Spot Training July 16, 2024 In Similar Vein? July 15, 2024 Too Hot to Ride? July 13, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Sweet Spot Training

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food /

Sweet Spot Training ? ? ? Sweet spot training certainly ought to appeal to me! My sweet tooth always has been all out of proportion to my size; and for all I know, the parallel to that is legs that want to go and go. What is this sweet spot? It’s not found in the candy shop; so where is it? I have to look to my bicycle computer for that. About seven years ago, I did a VO2 Max test; and worked out my heart-rate zones from the results. These zones are entered in my bike computer’s program; and I can see after a ride how much time I spent in each heart-rate zone. I spend a lot of my pedaling time in Zones 3 and 4; often mostly in Zone 4. That puts me in the sweet spot training zone! ? Too Much? ? But do I spend too much time there? On the one hand, if I want to extend my daily mileage, I need to increase my pace if I don’t want to spend hours a day on the bike. On the other hand, there is such a thing as diminishing returns; or even burnout. Nobody needs that! It might be helpful if I could consult an exercise physiologist: what’s the best training schedule for me if I want to work up to RAGBRAI 2025? Am I doing the right things to increase my force (aka strength)?  In addition, how can I determine whether I’m burning more of fat or carbs on the bike? I know that, the greater the intensity, the more the body turns to carbs (aka glycogen) for fuel. But how do I avoid getting too much of carbs, and still get enough calories and protein? On-Bike Carbs ? I need on-bike carbs; that’s certain. The Athlete’s Guide to Diabetes goes into sports nutrition for diabetics in quite a lot of detail; and I admit that it’s a bit over my head. What I do get out of it is: people who have diabetes, and who practice sports, have to watch that their activities don’t cause their blood sugar to drop too low (yes, that’s LOW). It all sounds quite complicated; particularly for those who need to take insulin. So far, I don’t have diabetes; but I’m certainly flirting with it. I hope soon to find a doctor who can point me in the right direction for my on-bike fueling! 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.” 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 Sweet Spot Training July 16, 2024 In Similar Vein? July 15, 2024 Too Hot to Ride? July 13, 2024 Another Heat Wave July 12, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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