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Training

A Fine Line

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

A Fine Line 〰️ There’s a fine line  between tapering your training and maintaining fitness. I wish I had a wise old owl to help me be sure I’m holding that line. I know what I’ve read: reduce distance considerably; but maintain some intensity. And I guess the intense work should be reduced as event time draws closer.  So that’s what I’ve done this week. A day or two ago I spent a total of 6-9 minutes riding hard; and today, a total of three minutes. Tomorrow I plan to ride to the salvage store; and Sunday, I’ll put in 15 miles or so. Then, Monday through Thursday, 10-mile rides. Still with the Camel-Bak; I need to stay used to the load! That’s a fine line, too: enough weight to keep my body used to it; but not too heavy. Then next Friday is travel to RAGBRAI day; and I’ve got double duty in mind for that Camel-Bak! Double Duty 🔀 I like things that can do double duty; it means less stuff that needs storage room. My Camel-Bak can do double duty when I travel! I plan to pack the Camel-Bak shell separately from the reservoir; and, just in case my duffle bag can’t pass the carry-on size test, I’ll pack the stuff I’ll want on the plane in the Camel-Bak. There won’t be many things: a jacket (planes tend to be cold); some snacks; writing materials; and a crossword puzzle book. My duffle bags are supposedly carry-on size; so I should be able to put all my carry-on stuff into the duffle bag. I feel like it’s a fine line, though! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Humpty-Back?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Humpty-Back? 🐪 Wearing a Camel-Bak makes me feel like a humpty-back, as the song says. But being a humpty-back is a good way to bring along enough water for several hours of riding. For me, that’s a necessity. I’d need to ride out of my way to get water if I weren’t carrying it; and I’m not keen on spending money for water if I can bring it from home. Using the Camel-Bak also means I can spare a bottle for electrolyte drink. It’s surprising how much I need that stuff, too. This morning I found myself wishing I had some Propel (or other electrolyte drink); and I wasn’t riding hard; and I was in the park (where it was actually pretty shady); and I rode for barely over an hour. It wasn’t terribly hot, either! Maybe I’m spoiled by having used it almost daily for months.   Spoiled? 😷 I guess you could say I’m spoiled; but not like a rotten apple, I hope! You’d certainly want a mask if you were anywhere in my vicinity. But retirement has me spoiled! I can ride pretty much anytime I want; I don’t have to get up at 4:30 am to get that ride; and lots more! With RAGBRAI in mind, I’ve been riding humpty-back for months. I need to be used to that load, because I’ll want plenty of water during RAGBRAI. I don’t want to be spoiled by riding without a load; and then suffer during the big ride because of it. Today, though, I did take a break from it. I’m tapering for RAGBRAI; and I need a rest from the load once in a while. Just don’t let me get spoiled so that the big event seems too hard! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Pare It Down

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Pare it Down 🍎 Now it’s time to pare it down; and I don’t mean peeling apples. It’s that taper that I keep talking about. I’m reducing the mileage considerably, but today I threw in some intensity work; perhaps five minutes total. I want to keep up a little bit of hard riding, so my legs stay sharp for RAGBRAI. Not that I’m too worried any more about the hills. The maximum grade I’m likely to encounter is about 4%; and as it’s the maximum grade, I probably won’t  be climbing all day. True, there are some grades of 7%+ on the final day, but mostly in the second half of the day. I’ve opted to hop on the halfway shuttle to be sure I get to the finish town on time for the shuttle bus to Omaha. When I look at all the stuff I have to pack, I wish I could pare it down! I won’t be taking seven kits; but there’s still lots of stuff! Lots of Stuff! 🧳 Yes, there’s lots of stuff. It seems that, every time I think I’ve collected everything, I remember something else I’ll need! “Lots of stuff” includes a sleeping bag. And a sheet to use in case it’s too hot inside the sleeping bag; but not so hot that I don’t need some kind of cover. I’m taking three or four pairs of cycling shorts; clean socks for every day; and some merino wool tees. I plan to wash the shorts in the shower each evening; then I won’t need to take seven pairs! I don’t know how easy it might be to buy sugar-free electrolyte drink mixes along the route; so I’m packing Propel Powder Packets; and Nuun tablets as well. The tablets are in a pop-top tube; and that’s easier to manage when my hands are slippery with sweat and sunblock. The list goes on and on. I wish I could pare it down! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Reining In

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Training /

Reining In 🐴 It’s time for me to be reining in the training. Although it’s tempting to keep going at a full gallop, I need to do shorter rides now; and not too much intensity. Today I rode 31.1 miles; and I’m thinking of doing 20 tomorrow. That’s so I can take Tuesday off while I get my road bike shipped off to RAGBRAI. Reining in the training means using the hybrid; and keeping the  distance between 15 and 20 miles per day. Maybe even taking an extra “off” day! Meanwhile, I’ve got packing the bike on my mind. After tomorrow’s ride, I’ll have to lube the chain; and give the bike at least some cleaning — something I’ve never been good at doing! Packing 📦 Oh, packing! Probably the worst part of any travel plans. What do I need to take? What do I have room for? Will I really need this or that? Can an item do more than one thing? I decided to use a bike shipping service rather than buy a bicycle travel case. I’m not comfortable with disassembling my bicycle; and that’s what using a bike travel case would mean. I’ve purchased a bike assembly service in addition to the shipping, so I shouldn’t have to worry that I’ll put my bike together the wrong way. Besides, where will I keep a bicycle travel case at home? If I get much more stuff, I’ll crowd myself right out of here! Reining in isn’t only about tapering my training; it’s about keeping the acquisition of stuff in check! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Salt and Vinegar?

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Food, Training /

Salt and Vinegar? 🧂 Do salt and vinegar, aka pickle juice, make a good drink? Today I tried mixing a quarter-cup of dill pickle juice with water to make one pint; and drank a little of it. I wondered whether it would work as an on-bike drink. Full-strength pickle juice at a rest stop is one thing; but I don’t think I’d enjoy sipping at that diluted stuff every five mintes. For on-bike electrolyte drinks, I’ll stick with things like Gatorade Zero. Tomorrow I’ll take along half a giant dill pickle, and eat some of it when I take a break from pedaling. That’ll give me some salt and vinegar without the diluted taste. And the sodium ought to be helpful. They talk about pickles and pickle juice shots at RAGBRAI. I’ve had these things along the Tour de Cure routes; and I’m aware of  how good a shot of pickle juice tastes on a hot day. And now it’s almost time for the final countdown! Less than two weeks to go! Countdown! ⬇️ I can’t believe it’s almost countdown to RAGBRAI time. Now that the event is getting so near, it almost doesn’t seem real! But it is. I’m considering what to do in the next few days as far as riding goes. I was thinking of riding 30 miles tomorrow; and maybe 20 on Monday. But the RAGBRAI training plan shows short rides during this week; 15 miles at most. Also, I’ve read plenty about event training; and I know that it’s counterproductive to try to make up miles in the last week or two before event day. I have only tomorrow and the next day for the road bike; on Tuesday I must get the bike shipped off. That will make the countdown seem more real! Oh, and maybe I should tank up on salt and vinegar before I  head to Iowa? 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Forty on the Fourth

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Forty on the Fourth 🧨 I rode forty on the Fourth! In fact, 43.5, to be exact. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten in that 70-mile day suggested in the RAGBRAI training plan; but my weekly totals have been keeping pace. And I’m so happy I don’t have to resort to a Chair Workout! I know that it’s the only way some people can get exercise; but it sounds tedious to me. Forty on the Fourth — or any day — doesn’t seem bad at all. 🙂 First I went out and put in about 22 miles; then I stopped at home for a break. Then I went out and did the rest of the miles. If anything, the second part of today’s ride seemed a bit easier than the first! But I had to break it up; and do two shorter rides instead of one long ride. My bicycle computer was acting up! Break It Up ⛓️‍💥  My Garmin’s antics meant that I had to break it up. Apparently the thing didn’t like being on Pause for 20 minutes. Or did I forget to put it on Pause? Forty on the Fourth was not without its problems! At any rate, when I began riding again, I kept getting a screen with a GPS display, instead of the usual data (speed, time, etc.). I had to stop and tinker with the Garmin until I could save the ride I had already done; and start a new ride. Oh, well. I’ll have to break it up during RAGBRAI; the daily routes are too long for me not to do it that way. And that’s OK. RAGBRAI is meant to be enjoyed! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Falling Behind

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Training /

Falling Behind 😰 Oh dear, I’m falling behind in my RAGBRAI training now. And someone tell that cow that it’s not a laughing matter! Training is important; and I’ve missed more than I like in the last fortnight. I had been doing fine. Then came the week of dire-sounding weather forecasts day after day; and I kept cutting rides short to avoid getting caught out in a T-storm. Then I got a cold; and for several days I had to ride short and easy because I wasn’t feeling so great. Maybe I don’t need to be alarmed; my weekly mileage totals are still pretty much in line with the recommended training plan. It’s getting too late to push for much more in the way of increased fitness; and if I do try, I’m apt to get to the big event already tired. Here is where fitness maintenance comes in. Maintenance 🔨🔧 I feel like I’m falling behind in my training; but now is the time for fitness maintenance. I have some hard efforts in mind for next week, but not too many; and after that, it’s time for the taper. I’ll be doing the taper on the hybrid, too; in just over a week, I’m going to be shipping the road bike off to RAGBRAI. In a way, maybe fitness maintenance will be easier on the hybrid. It’s heavier than the road bike; and X amount of effort on the hybrid is more like (X + 25% of X) effort on the road bike for any given speed. The important thing is that I get in some riding! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Dry Up Already!

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Dry Up Already! 🌵 “Dry up already!” is what I want to tell our weather. Although we actually need some rain, constant rain and T-storms make real riding difficult.  It does look like the rain chances will be greatest in the afternoons, except for tomorrow. That’s a good thing; RAGBRAI is less than three weeks away; and I need to keep training. If the weather won’t dry up already, I must drag out the trainer. It looks like there might be a weather window between 9:00 am and 11:00 am tomorrow; but I can’t count on it.  Weather Window 🪟 Even a weather window might not mean it’s a good idea to go out. Who knows how fast stormy conditions might return? If I take the chance on it, I might find myself wishing for a boot dryer!  I think I’d better not do intense work this coming week. The climbs on RAGBRAI aren’t worrying me as much as they did. That will let me have the following week for force work; I do still need to keep up some of it. The week after that, it’s time to taper. I hope I get a daily weather window for my riding! And in Iowa, I hope I won’t be saying, Dry up already! 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Discouraging Word

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Outdoors, Training /

Discouraging Word 🗣️ Never is heard a discouraging word? Maybe that’s true on the range; but the weather forecast for the coming days is a discouraging word, all right! Maybe more than one word. Showers! T-storms! When will it change for the better? I definitely do not need to curtail my riding for the next week or so; the final week before I head to RAGBRAI is the time to taper. I don’t need to lose a lot of fitness because the weather forces me not to ride. Today, at least, I got in a few hard efforts; each two minutes long. The last one felt tough! I got another break from the wind this morning, which helped a lot. Taper ⌲ By all I’ve read, you need to taper during the last week before a big event; whether it’s a race or a long recreational ride. The trick, they say, is reducing mileage while maintaining some intensity. Of couse, don’t go out the day before your event and do a workout packed with lots of hard intervals; but a few short, hard bursts keep your muscles sharp. I’ve even read that it’s better to be slightly undertrained than to be overtrained. The latter is apt to mean you go into your event tired; and that means you probably can’t give your best performance. So don’t forget to taper. And the weather for event day? I just hope your forecast isn’t a discouraging word. 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 No Layout Found TRANSLATOR

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Trial to Avoid Error

BACK ISSUES, equipment, Training /

Trial to Avoid Error ⚖️ It’s time for some trial to avoid error. We all know that 1 + 1 ≠ 3; and I didn’t want to discover halfway through RAGBRAI that a 3-oz bottle of body wash wasn’t enough. Or that a similar amount of shampoo wouldn’t last a week. So I tried out a  travel-size bottle filled with body wash to see if it would last a week; and it checked out. I did the same thing for shampoo. It helps that I have short hair! The same applies to, say, electrolyte drinks. I’ve been using Gatorade Zero quite a lot; or Nuun tablets. Day before yesterday someone suggested LMNT; and I got a sample pack to try. LMNT is higher in sodium than many electrolyte drinks. I mixed one packet with a pint of water; and the first sip told me that LMNT will take some getting used to!  It was too strong; and I diluted it with another half-pint of water. I still find that too strong. I’m not going to try LMNT on the bike until I can see how my body handles it at home. It’s trial to avoid error; I’m worried that an unaccustomed, salty, and strongly-flavored drink during rides might trigger GI issues! Time Is Short ⌛️  Time is short now for RAGBRAI prep. I can’t believe it’s getting so close! I hope there’s still time for training to help; I’m just easing back into the miles following a cold. I need to fit in at least one ride of 50 miles or more; and I hope the weather cooperates! Tomorrow I plan to do a short, intense ride; and the next day it’s time for a ride to the salvage store. Maybe I can push for 50 miles on Sunday; but I’ll have to ride early. We’ve got another forecast for T-storms from early afternoon. I hope I have everything I need. I’ve already done some practice packing; when time is short, it’s no time to be frantically trying to get things sorted out. It’s the old “trial to avoid error”! I’ve got two duffle bags; one for camping things and items that I can’t take onto a plane; and one for my other stuff. I admit that it will be good to get them packed, so I can free up the floor space! But I don’t think it will be good for my sleeping bag to be crammed into a compression stuff sack for several weeks! 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 © 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 ✍🏻 Facebook Twitter Youtube INTERPRETER

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