Training Log Archive: PG

Day 2 of hill-climb week.

Up in the hills to the west, starting just past Charlemont. The hill for the day was Whitcomb Hill Road, 1,450 feet in a little less than 3 miles. Was feeling my legs from yesterday so took this one a little easier, though of course it still hurt. But got up it faster than expected, 34:45, so rather pleased.

After the top, Whitcomb summit on Rt. 2, I went maybe 50 yards extra, then up a side road to pay a quick visit to The Rose and Goat, site of one of the higher O' maps in Massachusetts (maybe the highest?), coincidentally also the spot where Ross and Sam got married. Good memories!

The rest of the ride -- well, the car was easy to get to, just down route 2, almost all downhill. But that's not so interesting. So I headed off more or less to the NE, the high road to Monroe Bridge and Readsboro (VT), most of which I'd never been on.

Just fine, until it wasn't. From miles 11 to 14 it just sucked. The first part, uphill, had been recently graded, some mixture of sand and gravel, very loose, terrible traction. Almost lost it a couple of times (meaning my speed was approaching zero despite hard work, the back wheel slipping and sliding and spinning).

Finished with most of the uphill about as I passed the last house. The road got narrow (one lane) and rough, lots of rocks. At some point it turned down, now even rockier. I was close to the point of getting off and walking down, but not quite, just unclipped and went about 5 mph, bouncing from rock to rock, just trying to keep both wheels under me.

Eventually that too ended. But still 20 miles to go. Could have cut out about 3 or 4 miles by going down Kingsley Hill Road, but that wasn't all that appealing either, wasn't sure how steep a hill needs to be before you just go over your handlebars.

The rest was actually all fine. A bit in Vermont, then past the remains of the Yankee Atomic nuclear plant, then past the start of the Monroe Trail Race where I did my Cyclops imitation a few years ago, and then the east entrance to the Hoosac tunnel, and then eventually route 2 and my car.

Pretty beat. But a mostly good and certainly interesting outing.

C • maybe so 3

Day 1 of hill-climb week.

Up to the summit house on Mt. Holyoke, plus a lap around the western part of the range. Pretty much a max effort on the climb (18:38). Did it once last year, 19:17, heart rate was similar so one assumes a similar effort. Not so bad. And would end up, as expected, in about the second percentile of all the folks who have done NCC's climb there over the years. And second percentile is better than first. :-)

C • second 1

Very pleasant and very mellow ride with Walter in the valley, trying to find a few places he hadn't been. Just perfect. Even finished up with watching a bear swim across the Deerfield River.

Ride with Phil up in the hills to the west, start/finish at The Creamery in Cummington, chosen (obviously) for the various possibilities it offered for immediate post-ride refueling.

Very pleasant, also hard work of course, have to try to keep up. But a beautiful day, good company, not much traffic, and some roads I hadn't been on in quite a while.

Hamstring was tender, but didn't notice it much because the biking is so different from running. Don't think I did it any good, but maybe didn't do it much harm.

And afterwards -- chocolate milk and a slice of ham quiche, get those calories in the system. Quads are feeling pretty tired.

Just thought I would try to jog a few steps down the driveway. Felt not too bad. Except a while later my left hamstring (which has been behaving itself during my biking) was complaining.

Had thought I might try the corn maze, but it makes no sense.

On the west side of the river, most flat with a few small ups. Good breeze out of the N/NW.

No particular ambitions, just out enjoying the nice day.

And then took the bike in for it's "30 ride" adjustment. Looked for arm warmers -- cooler weather is coming, and I hear these are useful things to have -- but slim inventory, new stuff not yet in.

Day off tomorrow.

I'd been wanting to see if I could make it up the Ascutney Road and today was cool enough to give it a try. Though I wish my legs had had a little more life -- the couple of miles of warm-up felt like it was going to be a bad day.

But then the climb started, and before long you have enough invested in the effort that stopping is not really in the cards. And eventually I rolled into the upper parking lot right about when I expected, 55:40 for the 3.7 miles with not quite 2,300' climb. Over an hour would have been disappointing, and the odds of anything much faster than this were closer to none than slim. And I was delighted at the top.

The plan was to finish the ride by finishing the loop around the mountain. And it too was a struggle. Going down is just too steep to be fun, though I was thankful for disc brakes. And then all the way west/northwest along 44 was into the wind and on tired legs and it just took a while.

Much better after I turned south on 106, and especially after a leisurely stop at a general store for more fluids. One more turn, this time onto 131 heading east, one modest climb and then the last 4 miles all slightly down, all with a tailwind, the legs felt fine again, but then they weren't being asked to do much.

Just for comparison, they have had a race up the road, not sure if they still do or not. Found the results from 2012. Hah, 157 finishers, best was 27:52 (half my time!), but I would have edged out the last 4, rather than the expected DFL.

I just don't have much of a motor. But it is fun trying. An adventure, even if a rather mild one.

C • Trying 5