Indoor Season Update

In my last post I commended those who are still riding their bicycles in this time of bad weather and darkness. Sometimes I wish I could be one of you. There are days that are bicycle riding freindly. If could just quite my day job.

I'm not slacking however; I'm embracing my indoor season with excitement and exuberance. On my rollers I have been training hard. Working on perfecting my pedal stroke. I was watching some Eddy Merckx videos on you tube the other night. He had an excellent pedal stroke. Nice, easy, relaxed, strong, no wonder he was so fast. Thats what I'm striving for a pedal stroke like Eddy's. I've also been working on intervals. Short intervals of 30 seconds to 1 minute as hard as I can to build anaerobic capacity. Then longer intervals of 3 to 5 minutes building up endurance. Other times I'm spinning at high rpm to get the lungs working. Motivation is high. I look forward to my work out. I have some new music play list too. I try to pick music with tempos that will match the tempo I want to do on the bike. I'm having a great start to my indoor season.

Winter Riders

I want to commend the cyclist who are getting out and riding their bikes this time of year. Your motivation inspires me. I especially want to acknowledge the commuters. They get up everyday climb on their bikes and battle the weather, the darkness, and the traffic in an effort to get to work or school. You folks are the back bone of the cycling community. I see the speed orientated guys out on the road getting a ride in between rain storms. The touring riders are out in the weather too their bikes loaded with gear. They all know Whidbey is a special place to ride even when the conditions are less than favorable. Ride on proudly my cycling bothers and sisters. Chapeau to you all!!

Up date on Ankle Injury

My ankle is much better. I was off the bike for over a week. I've been on the rollers a few times since then. The first time there was a little pain and stiffness but felt better when I was finished. Not only did my ankle feel better my whole body and mind felt better. Each time I work out the ankle feels better and the range of motion is better. I don't like injuries I'm not good with them.

Daylight Saving Time Ends

Daylight Savings Time Ends today. It marks the end of my outdoor season and the beginning of my indoor season. The lack of light in the evening is the biggest reason for focusing my training indoors; nonetheless, the rain and cold are contributing factors as well. I have set goals for my indoor training.  

1. Stay Motivated. 

Motivation is sometimes hard to come by in the middle of the cold dark winter. I keep myself enthusiastic by watching cycling videos and reading cycling blogs and magazines. I like to find inspiring music to listen to while working out. Something fast paced and upbeat.  I try to change up the work out through the week. One night I'm spinning, the next night I doing intervals, another night I'm lifting weights, etc

     2.  Build Strength.

Core exercises such as planks and crunches. I want to get serious about developing core strength. This is where I can make the most improvement and benefits will have the greatest effect on my cycling. Core exercises are not my favorite and in the past I have neglected them and did them half ass. I'm hoping to change this winter. Weight lifting for arms, chest and shoulders. I don't want to go too crazy with the weight lifting. I'm not wanting to put on much muscle mass; rather, harden up what I have.

     3. Develop Capacity

Ankle Injury

I'm suffering from an ankle injury that's kept me off the bike for over a week now. I hate injuries it not only keeps you off the bike but makes everything else in your life miserable as well. I suffered this injury by stepping off a porch onto uneven ground. I felt my ankle roll over and then a slight pain. I should have stopped right there and started icing it. No, I'm too tough and in denial for that. This way of dealing with paining injury was ingrained into me by my athletic coaches when I was a kid, especially football coaches. When you've been hurt so bad you're laying on the ground rolling in agony they'll say "Come on, your not hurt get up and shake it off." Naturally I jump up trying not to show the pain in fear of being humiliated by the coach and teased by my teammates. You'd think I'd be over it by now. I've been managing the pain and swelling with medication along with ice and heat. I hope to be back on the bike soon.

Rollers

Worked out on the rollers tonight. It was a great workout on a rainy day. I've been training on rollers going on thirty years. I had a turbo trainer back in the day.  A RacerMate just like this one.

I trained on it for years. Sweat all over it and it was rusting away. I needed something new.
When I was at Evergreen I rode with with a buddy of mine Pete. Pete was from Georgia. He was an athletic young man and an avid cyclist. One day he and I where going to go for a ride. I rode over to his house and of course he wasn't ready to go. So I was sitting around waiting for him to get his cycling clothes on and telling him about how I needed a new trainer. He told me I should try a set of rollers.  I had no idea what he was talking about. He says "You don't know what rollers are? Let me show you." He went into his bedroom and came out with a metal frame with three wooden rollers and a rubber band that connected the back to the front.

Pete says "I'll set it up here in the door way." I said "Why?" He said "You'll find out." I brought my bike inside. I put it on the rollers then climbed onto it. It was quite a chore. First of all the bike stood about six inches higher than usual. Secondly the bike kept falling off the rollers. I figured out that the door jam was useful for getting on the bike. After a few attempts I was up on my bike. I had one hand on the handle bars and the other was hanging on to the door jam very tightly. Pete says "Start peddling and when you start filling comfortable put your other hand on the bars." So I started  peddling and the wheels started to go around and the rollers were moving and I was totally amazed that all of this was happening. I peddled in this position for a while. I became annoyed with Pete repeatedly telling me to put my other hand on the bars so I finally just hauled off and did it. When I did all hell broke lose. The bike was wobbling back and forth, my shoulders were banging against the door jam, the right side then the left, I was struggling to stay up right. What I didn't realize, because I was in a panic, is I was looking straight down on the top of my front wheel. Pete held his hand out in front of me about waiste high. He said "Look at my hand." I looked up at his hand and when I did the bike straighten up. I no long went from side to side. I rode on those wooden rollers for about fifteen minutes while Pete got himself and his bike ready to go. From that then on I knew I wanted to train
on rollers.


I'll be on my rollers all winter spinning and doing intervals. I'm looking forward to it now. I'll be sick of it by February.

Links:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_rollers

https://www.cycleops.com/post/blog-15-bike-trainer-vs-rollers-whats-the-difference

http://www.davescheapbikes.com/trainer-vs-rollers/

French Rd. Epic Climb

One of my favorite cycling memories was on French Rd. In my early 30's I rode with a group on Sunday mornings We would meet at the Peddler bicycle shop; where the Tap Room is now, in the Bayview Cashstore. I would ride from where we where staying on Saratoga Road to the Cashstore via Lone Lake Road. A little warm up spin I enjoyed before the group ride. One Sunday morning I was running late. As I approached the Peddler the small group of seven or eight cyclist were mounting their bikes and heading for the highway. With no time for socializing the group moved out and I joined them as they left the shop. I noticed we had a new rider with us an older guy on a very nice bicycle. We crossed the highway and rode along Bayview Road behind what was Casey's, now the Goose. We where talking and joking and getting ourselves comfortable on our bikes. When we reached SunLight Beach we started getting serious and formed a single file pace line. We went up over the hill where Bayview turns into Ewing and down the other side. On the flat stretch someone in the front asked "Which way?". We were approaching the intersection of Ewing and Sills Roads. You have a choice either go straight where it stay's responsibly flat, down a hill across the valley to Maxwelton Road. Or you can go right onto Sills Road. Sills Road takes you around a couple of corners over a hill then drops you down onto Maxwelton Road across from French Road. The old guy yells out "Right!" Someone else says begrudgingly, "You just want to climb French Road." We went right at the intersection. We went up around the corners over the hill and down on to Maxwelton road. We crossed the road and on to French Road. 

We were bunched up as we approached the hill. By the time we reached Bailey Road the old guy had moved up alongside of the group. I was boxed in next to the white line with a rider on my left. I was thinking, “The old guy is making a move and I don’t want to miss it. I have to get on his wheel.” I accelerated and gave a head nod to the rider next to me. He yielded letting me over and  I caught the old guy's wheel just as the grade began to increase. The old guy come out of the saddle and really started to crank on it. I came out of the saddle and stayed with him, my front wheel overlapping his back wheel. When we were out front of the group the old guy did a casual glance over his shoulder. He didn’t expect anyone in the group to be with him. I can still remember the surprised look on his face when he seen me with him. He quickly turned around and started peddling even harder. I responded to the acceleration. Although we were only at the bottom of the first corner I was starting to breath hard with plenty of hill go. We went up side by side to the next corner. I was certainly being challenged, breathing hard and thinking to myself “Who is this old guy?” Shortly after the corner the grade pitches up becoming the steepest section of the hill. At that point the old guy came out of his saddle again! This acceleration was his hardest one yet. He was throwing his bike back and forth between his legs. For the first time he was breath hard. I came out of my saddle as well  to match his effort. I was throwing my bike back and forth and breathing so hard drool was coming uncontrollably out of my mouth. Every peddle stroke my legs were screaming "STOP!" I stayed with him to about the middle of the pitch, where I sat back into my saddle, my legs where done. I shifted into my lowest gear and watch the old guy ride away over the top of the climb and out of site.

By the time I went over the hill he had passed the golf course and was riding circles at the stop sign. I couldn't believe it. ”Who is this guy? ”I freewheeled past the golf course sucking on my water bottle and catching my breath. I kept thinking ”Who is this guy?” I hadn't ridden with anyone this fast since I was in college. When I reached the stop sign I said "Who are you?" With an out stretched gloved hand he said "Bill” I put my gloved hand in his and said "Steve". 

Bill rode with us quite often. The way Bill rode, hard and often, I believe Sunday was his recovery ride after a hard day in the saddle on Saturday. I think about Bill occasionally and our epic ride up French Road, or rather how I got my but kicked on French Road. It motivates me to put in a good effort when I climb French road now. Not too long ago I was remembering Bill and some of our rides and realized that Bill was younger than I am now. At that time I was thinking he was an old guy. Now I realized he wasn't old, he was in his prime.

Be Safe out there.

Fall

     It cleared up today and I was able to get a ride in. Fall is setting in. I was thiking how many more chances will I get to ride outdoors before it gets too dark to ride in the evening? Then I started making a list in my head of where I wanted to ride one more time before the darkness prevails. Baby Island, Glendale. I’d like to ride out on West Beach Rd. again and climb Campbell Rd. a few more times. We’ll see where I can get to and how much riding the weather will allow. I’m also starting to think about my indoor season. Doing intervals on the rollers, working on the core muscles. Wondering how I am I going to keep from being bored and stay motivated. I’m sure it will all work out.

     I reached my personal goal today of 2000 miles riden this outdoor season. All mileage after today is icing on the cake.

I didn’t have a picture for this post so here I am with my helmit on.

 

Be safe out there!