Training Log Archive: veinbuster

Wanted to get back to the house by 7:30 so Goldie seemed a good choice for a short ride. I don't take it out often, but the quiet, early Sunday morning roads are well suited to a fixie. It took a few stop signs to plan how far in advance the legs had to slow things down. Then the first time a light went red when I was close to the intersection my instinct to STOP pedalling kicked in, and was corrected very quickly.

After that it was a nice power ride. I looped around to the biggest hill close by on the return and have to say the power up felt good on the quads. The downhill is just as long and the light at the bottom is guaranteed to be red, so as soon as I crested the legs had to go into braking mode to contain the speed. Repeats would be a great leg workout.

Day 2 free weights and push ups

The protein drink wars.

On long rides I tend to have to manage protein intake to make sure I get enough. Protein rich portable food tends to have lots of soy, which my system doesn't appreciate. My go to protein infusion has been to make a smoothie with a banana, a bit of juice as thinner, chocolate whey powder and whatever scraps of fruit, usually berries, are lying around. This is pretty hard to beat, but isn't especially portable.

A while ago there was a 'save a bro' campaign that offered a buy one, get one for a bro deal which I took them up on. Once found a store that carried the stuff, I thought I might as well sample a few.

Organic Valley - Organic Fuel: heavy on protein and quite a few calories. This was decent, but tasted somewhat like an energy drink. Relatively short expiry date, so I might have to drink the one I saved for a bro.

Stonyfield Organic Protein: I like other products from them, so was optimistic. A bit light on protein at 15g but lower fat and very good on electrolytes. The problem was that for an all organic product, it tasted really artificial. I'm not sure why, but one was enough for me.

CocoLibre protein coconut water: 20g of protein, 130 calories, 5 fat calories and huge electrolytes. This one tasted like something I would make for myself. Packaged in a nice tetra pack, so highly portable. All fair trade is a bonus. I'll bring home a spare for Bash - as unofficial winner of my little Facebook game.

Winners by a long shot: Cocolibre and home made.

C • Yay, I won!! 3

Cleaned and lubed the road bike then replaced the rear tire. The metal I road over a couple of days ago punctured the tire with a hole the size of a pin head and there were two holes in the tube. It was getting a bit late so I went for a ride. I'll replace the front on the next rain date, or if I get bored.

Nice ride in a moderate 26C, before the Saturday shoppers hit the road. On a nice flat stretch I tried riding in the drops for a bit. I haven't been able to do this for over 20 years and hadn't given it another go since I last tested race bikes. Managed about 500m, which is significantly better than the 50 or so I've always had to bail on in the past. I may try to double that and try a kilo.

I rode by the metal that tore my tire and it is ugly. 3 heights off the ground. Two type of metal. Very ragged. Now off at the side of the road where it shouldn't hurt anything.

Riding the single speed early won out over cleaning and replacing rubber on the road bike for a ride stretching into the commuter window. Less traffic and cooler at just 34C.

Nice uneventful ride in the country. I forgot to grab the camera, but the single speed pace lent itself to selecting photo opportunities, well unless like Flight you have a tiny little 11 tooth cog on the back.

Given the temperature, I think even a slow ride deserves a pint.

Food experiment: bison, bacon, cranberry bar. Brought one to try for the high protein to calorie ratio, without soy. Nice texture but it tasted like half cooked bacon you stuck in your pocket at the breakfast buffet last Sunday. And the taste lasted for far too long.

Put a new tube in the rear late last night. I noticed that the tire was pretty thin - as in not a hint of tread on the upright surface. I planned to replenish my tube supple and put on new rubber, but thought I could get a few rides in on the old tire before heading out to Calgary. I always change tubes when I change tires and that would have required using the spare I carry on the bike. Besides, it was getting late to do a full cleaning of the bike and change 2 tires.

That prep let me get out on the road bike and hope the thunderstorms predicted between 4 & 6 held off. They did. Traffic was pretty orderly today even though it was heavy. I did hit a lot of red lights - almost all of them in fact. About 15 km into the ride I noticed my heart rate was on the high side. I attributed that to the number of times I had to power surge through the intersection when the light went green - I was generally hitting 20 km/hr before crossing it and usually made it about a block before the first car caught back up to me. I did ride along with a BMW i3 for a few blocks and found myself wondering how to recognize an electric is coming up from behind in that brave new world when they are popular.

Things went a bit sideways at about 25km. I decided to add an extra loop by the bike shop to get tubes and snacks. Doing quick stop at a red, my right shoe didn't want to unclip (I always unclip right at stops) - my fault for not lubing the Speedplay cleats recently enough - a harsh reminder, but no harm done. Then charging up the climb, reminding myself to lube the shoe and eating the half of a Honey Stinger waffle I had in my pocket (fuel for the bigger climb to follow) I road over strip of mangled tin, heard a hiss, stopped and reached back to confirm I was flat.

I wasn't too far from the apartment, so I stopped the clock and headed back there to replace the tires - after getting more tubes.

Walk back from bike flat to apartment. It didn't strike me as very far. Normally my legs are barely thinking of being warmed up at that spot, but it turns out it would have been quicker to change the tube and ride home. I was well under a km away, but there was a highway between where I was and where I wanted to be, so it took a while - Speedplay cleats are quite large.

The 5th cyclist who came by stopped for a chat. He didn't have anything to help with on his mountain bike, but was prepared to ride to the bike shop to get a tube or patch kit. Very friendly guy, who really liked the bike.

Day 1 free weights

Hot and sticky with rain likely so I went out on the single speed. A but of rain came at12km, but it didn't amount to enough to provide any cooling. I've had good luck with traffic behaving recently, but today made up for it.

The worst was a big black guy in a small black sports car who didn't even slow at his stop sign (not a 4 way). I was maybe a bike length away when he passed the sign. Good thing we both had good brakes because because there was a car at my shoulder headed my way and oncoming traffic. My lower legs would have been a mess. It made no sense for him to charge into the intersection even if I wasn't there. In the end, no damage done other than him needing to endure my "you are an idiot" stare until I cleared the intersection.

Lower back showed signs of skipping this yesterday. Should be able to get back in proper shape in a couple of days.

Day 3 soloflex
Dips and pull ups were surprisingly strong given that it has been a few weeks since I did this work out. Come to think of it, my tennis elbow is noticeably improved as well.