Training blocks for the big ride...

Today was the the day for the Passage shake down cruise...I barely got out of the harbor before turning back.   That is fodder for another post.

In addition to working on the Passage this week I have been riding my Handsome Devil, now the title of this post is with tongue firmly in cheek, by training I mean being able to go more than 5 blocks without having to dismount and bend over to gasp for breath.  And by big ride I mean the 10 mile short route I will be doing at the end of the month on Lopez Island.   The first step to doing rides longer than the 2km round trip farmers market run was to put my bike rack on the car.

When you are fat and out of shape you don't need to add hills into the mix to start things off, hence the bike rack to drive to the nice flat beach side Alki trail.  My goal for the week was to gradually increase my distance.

Monday

• Distance 10 km.
• Weather; dry and overcast

• Rest stop - midway point, just a mocha

Wednesday

• Distance 15km
• Weather, wet - rained the whole time and was the wettest ride I have done in probably 5 years

 

• Rest stop - about 3/5ths of the way into ride.  I sat outside, under cover, so I wouldn't leave a puddle inside the shop.  Mocha and snicker doodle.

Friday

• Distance 20km
• Weather, Sun glorious Sun!

• Rest stop - about 3/4ths of the way into the ride, Mocha with a side of donut for "refueling"

• Extra credit - a Hill! this ride was long enough that I ran out of flats, and ok its not much of a hill; short and maybe a 3 or 4% grade but when you're used to riding the dead flat route it counts.

(Postscript) I forgot to mention the best part of the Friday ride, besides the sun anyway, I got passed by a Grandma on a mid 70's Peugeot 10 speed, I am guessing it was a U-08, in a lovely blue.  As she passed I muttered "Go granny Go" between labored breaths.

Speaking of Hills that is on the menu for next week along with maintaining some distance work now that I have exceeded the length of the ride I will be doing.  I am also hopeful that I will have the Passage ready to go for next weeks riding and the event.  I don't care about speed or even dismounting to walk hills I just want to be as fit as possible in the short time before the ride.

 And while I am doing the short route I am not doing the really short route (5 miles), who knows maybe this will be the spring board for more event rides this year.  It would be nice to get to a point where riding exceeds wrenching.   Riding, Smiling, Repeating.