One Busy Weekend

This was one busy weekend riding wise. I went with the club & we did about 54 miles today. There was even more climbing (yeah), but I do need to work on that aspect of my riding. I'm sure my legs will be sore tomorrow, so I'm planning on taking a nice easy spin on the way home from work if the weather permits. It was nice to be able to ride every day this weekend. The weather was great, the company was great, & the legs actually felt pretty good during the rides. I've been using Hammer Nutrition products seeing as I'm a Type 2 diabetic & their products are supposed to be better for diabetic athletes. So far all I've used are the Hammer gels, Perpetum energy drink ( for rides longer than 2 hours), & their recovery drink. I have been impressed with each product, though the taste of the Perperum drink might take some getting used to. I really like the Hammer gels. My legs don't really feel tired when I have used them. I'll have to keep trying them & the energy drinks they have to see how they work in the long run. Stay tuned for further updates........

Sore Legs

Yesterday I went to The Bike Store, hoping to meet some people for a ride, but no one showed up so I went for an easy ride to work the kinks out of my legs. Today I went for a ride doing the CGC Tuesday long route with a couple of changes. I didn't know that the changes I made to the route were going to hurt like they did. I did more climbing today then I have in quite awhile & I'm feeling it right now. I'm planning to ride with the club tomorrow @ 1:00 pm. They say it's supposed to be an easy ride, but that depends on who shows up. We'll just have to see what happens tomorrow. I'll post the events here & let everyone know....

Nice Thanksgiving Day

Today I went on an easy ride the some of the guys from the bike club. We did the short version of the Thursday ride & just took it at an easy pace. The weather was great & the company was great too. The hills on the route are still hard on me, but the more I ride them, the easier they will become (I hope). I'm hoping to ride tomorrow & the rest of this weekend depending on the weather. I'll just have to see how it goes. I had a great dinner & really didn't overdo it on the food. Stay tuned.......

Sometimes I'm just too hard headed

Last week I started the Cyclo-Core workouts, but instead of easing into them, I, in my brilliant kind of insanity decided to do all 3 body resistance circuits in one workout. BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!!!! After the one time doing all 3 workouts, my hamstrings hurt most of the week. I laid off the workouts & checked out the forums for Cyclo-Core. Most everyone said to ease into the workouts if you haven't done anything like that for a long time. I decided to break up each circuit into a single workout & just repeat them twice a week. There is also a bonus ab & core workout, but the Graeme recommends only doing that twice a week total. Today I was able to get out & finally ride. It felt great to be on the road. I'm hoping to get to ride a bunch this weekend seeing that I have the next 4 days off of work. I'm hoping to ride at least 2 hours tomorrow, take it kind of easy on Friday, then do at least 3 hours or more on Saturday. On Sunday they changed the time for the ride so I can do at least the 40 mile route. That's about all for now, stay tuned for further updates..........

Tough workout

Yesterday I started the Cyclo-Core workouts. I had previewed the exercises last week & most of them didn't seem too bad. Boy was I wrong!!!!! I was just using my body weight & it was a tough routine. Some of the exercises required balance & mine isn't that great so it was difficult. I'm looking forward to getting stronger with the program & the exercises should be easier later down the road. I rode home from work today & the legs definately felt the workout last night. They were tight & I just tried to keep a comfortable pace on the way home. I'm going to try the exercises again tomorrow night & see how it goes.

Nice day for a ride!!!!!!

Today was a great day for a ride. I left the house a bit later than I was planning. I was waiting for the weather to warm up a bit more so I wouldn't have to wear as much clothing. When I left, I had shorts, jersey, wicking t-shirt, & arm warmers. I decided I was going to do at least 3 hours on the bike today. I rode a combination of rides I've done in the past. It was a hilly route that I did today, only a couple of hard climbs, but most of the route was rollers. My back started hurting after about 2 hours in the saddle. I had to stop a few times to strech it out. I tried some Hammer gels today & they really worked great. My legs never really felt bad the entire ride. I could probably have rode faster if my back hadn't started hurting, but I haven't ridden this long in quite awhile. I'll get used to it as the winter goes on. I think I'm going to start the Cyclo-Core workouts on Monday & do them during the week, leaving the weekends free for more riding. I'm still going to try riding home from work as often as possible. I don't think that will be a problem for a bit seeing as I get off work @ 3:30 pm & there is still plenty of daylight to try and get at least 20 miles in a day. We'll just have to see how thing go from this point on. Stay tuned...........

The Off Season Begins

The weather here this week has been fantastic!!! I've been able to ride most of the week home from work. The wind has been a pain sometimes, but that's just the way it goes. Today, my Cyclo-Core DVD came in. I'm going to preview it & see what it's like & probably start it next week. I hope it will help get my core muscles ready for next year. I have no idea what to expect with this program, but I think it's worth a try. I have absolutely nothing to lose by trying it out. I'll let everyone know how it's working as the winter goes on. Stay tuned.......

Great time on the bike!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday I went to Snellville for the grand opening of a new Jittery Joe's franchise. They had Ceasar Grahales & some of the other riders from the pro cycling team there. Thery were going for an easy ride of about 30 miles. The Gwinnett Touring Club was there to guide the ride. There was a surprise on the ride also. Nathan O'Neil from Healthnet presented by Maxxis showed up just to ride along. Seems he lives in the area & heard about the ride & decided to join. I can't tell you what a great time I had riding with everyone. It was so cool getting to ride & talk to the pro's. Nathan had one of the new Cannondale System Six bikes. I asked him what he tought about it & he told me it was one of the best bikes he's ever ridden. I asked him about the team & he said he's looking forward to next season. I really had a great time & look forward to the next time I get to do something like that. I also orded the Cyclo-Core DVD to help get ready for next season. We'll just have to see how the system works for me. I'll let everyone know how the system works. Stay tuned......

Nice week so far

So far the weather this week has been fantastic. It's been a bit cool in the morning to ride to work, but the rides home have been great. Yesterday my legs felt great & the ride showed. I've been off the bike since last Friday, so I was very well rested. I managed to average 19.9 mph for the trip home. The ride today wasn't as fast, but I still managed to average 19.3 mph. I am happy with that considering I pushed it yesterday. I'm hoping the weather continues this week & weekend for some good riding. Stay tuned......

Good news from the doc

Last Monday I had an MRI done of my head. It's been six months since I've seen the neurosurgeon. Today I went to see him & got the results. Things haven't changed in the past six months, so I asked him if I could race next year & he told me I could. So I guess it's time to start seriously getting in shape for next season. I have to see him again in a year, so let's keep hoping things stay the same. I'm looking forward to racing next year & I hope I can be somewhat competitive. Only time will tell.......

Beautiful Day for a Ride

Today was a beautiful day for a ride. There wasn't much wind & the temp wasn't that bad. My legs felt heavy the first part of the ride, but about halfway, they really felt great. I was able to keep up a good pace the entire ride. I'm hoping the weather is like this all week. If so, I will be doing some serious riding while it's here!!!!!! Let's hope it lasts until the weekend. Stay tuned......

Nice weather for riding

This past week has been great for riding. I rode home from work all last week & really enjoyed it. On Friday I was up in Marietta to help my dad with a project. I took the bike up there with me to ride the Silver Comet Trail at least one day if not both. The weather up there was a bit cooler than at home, so I made sure I took some cold weather gear. When I decided to finally ride, it was a bit on the cool side, but arm warmers worked fine for me. I rode out for 20 miles then turned around & headed back to my starting point. I forgot that the trip out is mostly on a slight incline, but nothing really bad. The trip back was more fun, I was able to get some good speed going & keep it up for a bit. I was able to up my average speed by a half a mile per hour due to the return trip. All in all it was a great week of riding. I was busy all day with my dad Saturday, so no riding. This week, we'll just have to see. I had a good ride home from work today, but tomorrow is not looking that great. The forcast is calling for a 90% chance of rain, so looks like trainer time, but I'll survive somehow........

Good Ride Today

I've had to stay off the bike for a bit due to being a bit under the weather. I felt good today after work & went for a 24 mile ride. My legs felt good considering & I'm glad I went for a ride today. The weather was fantastic today & looks good for the entire week. I haven't gotten the Raliegh fixed, probably won't till the end of the month. I'll just have to suffer & ride the Orbea home from work for the time being. lol Here's to a good week riding & good weather.

The Ride from Hell!!!!!!!

Yesterday was the proverbial ride from hell. On the way to work, I managed to flat the rear tire. I saw a rock in the road, but the rear wheel managed to hit it & caused a pinch flat. Where it happened was totally dark & it wasn't that far from work, so I limped into work with the flat. On the way home, the front derailleur became loose & started falling down. It kept hitting the big chain ring & sounded awful. I managed to fix it, but then there started a sound from the rear wheel. I don't know exactly what it was, but had to limp home, hoping it didn't lock up & cause a crash. I hope to get a new rear wheel this weekend, but until then I'll catch a ride to work, & ride the Orbea home. I have to admit, it's not what I want to do, but it's better than walking & it's still saving some gas.

Doc's happy so far

I went to the neurologist this past Thursday. He asked how I was doing and had me do some simple tests, which I passed with flying colors. I told him I was doing fine & I had a couple of appointments next month with Dr. Smisson, my neurosurgeon. He asked that I tell Dr. Smisson to pass any notes from the visit to him. I told him that I have been riding my bike as much as I can & he said that was great. This past week I managed to commute on the bike 4 days to work. The weather is great, a bit cool in the morning, but the ride home is fantastic. I love riding in the spring & fall time, makes it all worth while. That's about all for now, I'll keep in touch......

The commute is working

I have been commuting to work on my old Raliegh since last Monday. So far the bike is working great. I forgot that it's a bit heavier than my Orbea, now even more so with the rack & my panniers filled with clothes & food for work. My average speed isn't usually what I would like, but I guess the weight has something to do with that. Today I rode home & then switched bikes. I rode the Orbea for a little over 19 miles today. I remember why I really like that bike. It felt great riding it again. I hadn't ridden it since a week ago this past Sunday. Climbing wasn't much of a problem after commuting all this week. The bike really felt light & my legs felt pretty good even after the commute home. Added all together I put in over 52 miles today with the commute to & from work plus the Orbea ride. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow, but I'll try to take it as easy as I can but still have a good ride. That's about all for now, stay tuned for more stories........

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!

This past Saturday, I finally got my old Raliegh road bike finished. I have managed to ride to & from work at least 3 times this week. It would have been 4 but on Tuesday it was a 70% chance of rain. I managed to get soaked on the way home Monday. I was nearing the end of the ride, but the closer I got to the house, the harder it was raining. Oh well, things like that happen from time to time. I'm hoping to go for a reasonably long ride this weekend on the Orbea. I hope the weather co-operates with me. My legs have felt pretty good so far this week. I forgot how much heavier the Raliegh is compared to the Orbea. Then add the rack, panniers, & the stuff I carry in them to & from work & that adds a little more weight. My legs were feeling a bit heavy the trip home today & I don't really know why that was, but I got home ok & look forward to a new adventure tomorrow morning (weather permitting)...........

Better be prepared next time

Once I arrived at work yesterday, I realized I forgot my water bottles for the trip home (I catch a ride to work from a friend until I get the Raliegh finished). I had to try to find somewhere to get some water for the ride home. I stopped at a convience store near work, hoping to find Gatorade in the sports bottle, but true to the way the day was going, they didn't have any. I bought a couple bottles of water & was on my way. Once on the road, I found out I had a crosswind that was going to be difficult on the way home. It was a pain, but I decided to go a different way home. I took the shorter, but harder route home. This way home as a few more decent climbs on it. I actually didn't do that bad on the climbs considering I haven't ridden them for quite awhile. I only got 15 miles in, but the hills made me work. Needless to say I made sure I had water bottles on my bike before I was heading to work today. I hope the wind won't be as bad, but if so, I'll just deal with it. That's about all for now..........

Sorry it's been so long

It's about time I caught up with this. I'm sorry it's been so long, but I haven't been riding much as of late. The weather has been the main reason as to my not riding as much. It's kind of hard to ride when the heat index is about 105 degrees & you have been in the heat working all day long. Once I come home, the last thing I'm thinking of doing is going out & sweating trying to keep up with everyone. Now that the weather is cooling down, I have been riding home from work. My legs have felt pretty good considering it's been awhile since I've been on the bike. I'm working on putting my old Raliegh together as a commuter bike to ride to & from work. I only need the tires & cables adjusted before I'm ready to get commute again. Weather permitting, I should be able to ride to & from work until sometime in November. I'm hoping to be able to race next year. I have to see the neurosurgeon on 10/30 & will ask if I can race depending on how things turnout with him. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Catch up time

It's time to catch things up here. I'm sorry for not posting lately, but other things have kept me busy. I rode last Thursday for the first time in 9 days. I usually do the 35 mile route & average somewhere between 19 & 20 mph. That was not to be on that day. The heat & humidity did their best on me seeing as I was out in the hanger most of the day at work. I drank like a madman, but it still wasn't enough. I did the short route & struggled to manage a 17.6 mph average. Not one of my better days. On Saturday I did the short Tuesday route. My legs felt better managing a 18.3 average for 31 miles. Last night I just rode the trainer for an hour & pushed it once or twice on certain songs I was listening too on the cd player, but mostly just spun the legs to loosen them up for the usual Tuesday ride. I hope it doesn't rain, but if it does, I'll ride the trainer for a couple of hours instead. Here's hoping the weather holds off to get some good riding in.