Cycladdict Road Blog

I was going to try and knock out the half-century today. I feel confident that it’s no problem. However, as Hurricane Gustav approaches, the ever-present coastal winds have picked up. Today was a beast. Winds were solid on the leg back at 15-20, gusting even higher. At one point, climbing an overpass and pushing really hard I was fighting to maintain 14 mph. It seemed like another lack-luster day.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 08/31/2008
• Time: 10:30:00
• Total Time: 2:22:00.00
• Distance: 38.6 miles
• Average Speed: 16.31 mph
• Max Speed: 21.9 mph

This week has been the first week of serious high school football for my sons. That means lots of booster meetings, phone calls, practices, etc. It also means that training in the middle of the week go shut down.

After driving five hours to a football game in St. Augustine, eating from a drive-thru I went to sleep at about 1:45 A.M. Don’t get me wrong. I loved watching my son play. He makes me very proud. He loves the game. He made three tackles and one assist at Defensive End and they won 34-30.

This morning, however, with just 5.5 hours of sleep I thought I would go for a ride. What was I thinking? It was raining. The wind was up, gusting to about 15 mph whenever I headed east. I had no energy supplements and the only water bottle I could find was my daughter’s pink insulated coolie!

Nevertheless, I was going to ride 50 today. Instead I cut it short at 36 miles and went to the bike shop to see if the new 09 Trek Madone or 09 Specialized Roubaix. No such luck.

So today, I will take a nap, eat better and get up early tomorrow. Some days, it is just not your day.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 08/30/2008
• Time: 09:30:00
• Total Time: 2:12:00.00
• Distance: 36.2 miles
• Average Speed: 16.45 mph
• Max Speed: 31.4 mph

Today was great fun. I decided to go into work late. I wanted to see if I could break my next barrier, which was maintaining over 17 mph for over 20 miles. I nailed 22.6 miles in 1 hour, seventeen minutes for an average pace of 17.61 mph. I remember when I had trouble maintaining 14 mph for over ten miles. I finished the run with a 2-3 mile cool down at 16 mph. That’ why the entry shows a slower pace.

Back workout at the gym tonight. 25 miles of climbing the overpasses tomorrow. Five weeks left until the Six Gap!!! I am so glad I got back into exercising.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 08/27/2008
• Time: 09:15:00
• Total Time: 1:35:00.00
• Distance: 25.1 miles
• Average Speed: 15.85 mph
• Max Speed: 34.2 mph

Elliptical training after lifting. Just trying to sweat today.

Workout:

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 08/25/2008
• Time: 21:30:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00

Upper body work out. Flat, incline and decline bench. Flies. 120 crunches.

Workout:

• Type: Strength Training
• Date: 08/25/2008
• Time: 20:30:00
• Total Time: 00:50:00.00

I definitely took it easy. Just riding and talking. All of the training books I have read say that you need to take it easy at least once a week in a 4-5 day training schedule. This was definitely easy. Any slower and I might have drifted off. . .

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 08/24/2008
• Time: 10:45:00
• Total Time: 1:46:00.00
• Distance: 21.6 miles
• Average Speed: 12.23 mph

I went out today again just to log some miles. Total course was flat as could be. I did fine for the first 10 miles, bumping along at 12- 13 mph. By the time I was in the last 10 miles of my ride I was averaging 19-21 mph. I really have trouble taking it easy. I will try again tomorrow

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 08/23/2008
• Time: 11:37:51
• Total Time: 1:59:00.00
• Distance: 30.3 miles
• Average Speed: 15.28 mph
• Max Speed: 24.2 mph

I’m at the age where my kids are in high school mostly and they are very busy. So, when I got home from riding, the house was empty. One at the skate park, one a the movies, one at a sleep-over and my wife is out with a friend. So, . . . I went to the gym. Worked out my biceps and triceps: Preacher curls, dumbbell curls, flat bar curls; tricep dips, pull downs (flat bar), and rope extensions. It felt great!!!!

Workout:

• Type: Strength Training
• Date: 08/22/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 00:35:00.00

Finally, . . . after four days of non-stop rain and winds from 30-50 mph, Tropical Storm Fay is out of our area: sort of. I didn’t care today. I just wanted to ride. So, I took off early on a Friday, put on a kit and went to ride. Dear lord, it was windy. I almost got knocked off my bike. I went through a puddle so deep that the bottom of my Sidi’s touched standing water!!

It was difficult to maintain 15 mph against the wind. I must have looked like I was going in slow motion. I don’t care. At least I was riding. On the way back, I was rewarded for my fight against the wind, cruising along at 23 mph at an easy cadence. Tomorrow, I will ride somewhere between 35 - 50 miles depending on how I feel.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 08/22/2008
• Time: 16:30:00
• Total Time: 1:38:00.00
• Distance: 25.1 miles
• Average Speed: 15.37 mph
• Max Speed: 24.4 mph

Tropical Storm Fay continues to dump water on us in Florida: about 3 feet so far. So much for cycling. I did about a half hour each on the elliptical and the cycle trainer at the gym. Yuk!

It’s just not the same as being outside, passing through neighborhoods and streets. The rain is begining to die down today. Maybe I can ride tomorrow. . .

Workout:

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 08/21/2008
• Time: 14:30:00
• Total Time: 1:01:00.00