Training Log Archive: OutdoorsMama

There was a mid-day break in the rain forecasted, and it held true! Lee and I rode to the Colchester harbour. Mostly cross winds. Some day it will be warm again.

C • next week! 1

I missed the noon hour class today as I was on a conference call with my boss and her boss and a colleague in the States. All good, but I didn't have the nerve to ask to reschedule it due to my boot camp.
So I went after work. It was partner workouts. Medicine ball, box jumps, TRX, burpees, womanmakers..... I got my moneysworth!

My first Banded Goose Brewing ride night. There were no slow roadies tonight. The fast roadies headed east and since Paul was running late, I waited and headed west with him on the Greenway. We pushed the pace a bit and would have had new Strava PRs had I had a better recollection of where the segments started and ended. D'oh.
The Kickaginger beer and conversation was very good afterwards.

Back into the heavy stuff....sumo squats to start.

Prolonged intervals

Wheat crop tour at mom and dad's. A beautiful evening to walk around the winter wheat fields with dad. He had hernia surgery last week and I think this was his longest walk so far. I assured him this was some of the best wheat I have seen in a couple weeks! Hopefully that was good medicine for him.

Sunshine! 3C at the start with a windy high of 8 or 9 forecasted. As we were putting our bags and bottles on our bikes, I realized I had left my precious rice-based nutrition in the fridge at the place we were staying. Oh no. My tummy gets unhappy on a continuous diet of gels/blocks, hence the addition of the rice and cream cheese squares to my rations. This is not good.
I made it up the 3 Sisters without dropping my chain this time (LOL). There is a LOT of elevation in the first 20-40 miles of this event. The amount and the fluffiness of the sand seemed worse than last year....or maybe I have selective memory. I rode what I could and rode up in the leaves along the "road" sometimes. And walked. Oddly, I caught up to and passed a few guys in these sections. They promptly passed me once we got back on normal roads.
When I turned on to Sager Road another guy caught up to me and asked me if I knew how strict the organizers are with the cutoffs. I knew I was close, but didn't want to find out! See ya, buddy! A dry Sager road with my adventure bike is an awesome ride! A volunteer was shouting something as I pulled level with the aid station but I kept barrelling through. The cutoff time was posted and once I turned the next corner, I checked my time.....10 minutes to spare. Whew. I knew I would pick up my pace and have more of a cushion at the next two aid stations. A couple miles later I paused for a nature break and to swap out bottles, take some more Sports Legs and stuff some pecans in my mouth (can't do that with full finger gloves on), lamenting the absence of my rice blocks. I had started with Tailwinds in one bottle and Infinit in the other, and hoped that those calories would help get me through without too much gut distress. So I was drinking more than I usually do (I usually don't drink enough), hence the nature break.
I rode the rest of the event by myself, except when the 62 milers passed me and when I passed a few slower 62 milers or suffering 100 milers in the last 10 miles.
Paul was standing by the side of the road around the 40 mile mark. He asked me if I had a spare crankset. His had fallen apart. WTF? I should have stopped and gotten a) his lighter gloves b) a full bottle of drink mix c) his turkey sausages. But I didn't think of that til a couple miles later.
The wind was a factor in the legs that headed west, and sometimes the cross winds in the north or south sections blew me over a couple feet. But the sun was still shining and I was riding with bare hands as my mid-weight gloves were too warm. I stopped at the 60 mile aid station to refill my hydration pack with water and my bottles with Infinit. I certainly was drinking more than usual, but the calories in the drinks were needed. I also ate a whole banana at that aid station, which is very unusual for me. But I knew I needed a break from the gels and brownies I had been eating. Out in the woods, it was time for another nature break and some chamois cream, and a handful of pecans.
I also refilled one bottle and had a half banana at the 81 mile station. Despite my wonky nutrition, I only had 1 Tums.
My Garmin died at 95 miles but the route was marked from there on in. When I got the low battery warning, I flagged down a volunteer to confirm that the 100 mile and 62 mile routes were indeed the same for the rest of the course (the 62 is marked).
Even though I was well within the allowed finishing time, the traffic light a few hundred feet from the finish was no longer monitored by police/volunteers, so I had to come to a screeching halt and wait for cross traffic/the light to change. But I got 'r done and therr was still food and beer left.
When we got back to our cabin, I went for a pleasant ride on the backroads and on the paths in the woods and fields in the area. I do enjoy riding my bike. I may be pretty well the slowest one out there, but I made the cutoffs and did it with a smile on my face.

C • Congratulations! 7