Had a good month of training in June. Out all but one day, 767 miles. More importantly, I don't recall a day where I wasn't pretty eager to get out, and I don't recall a day where I had any ailments. No muscles or joints acting up, no colds, no headaches, not even any saddle sores. The one exception might be various aches around my butt, but the cure seems to be getting out of the saddle regularly, so I do that and it seems to take care of things.
Count my blessings. Don't know how much longer it will last, but sure is nice right now.
7 AM
biking - dark blue bike1:15:26 20.09 mi (3:45 / mi) +385ft3:41 / mi ahr:123 max:152 weight:138lbs
Old Deerfield - Montague City loop, mostly flat with the occasional little up or down. 70s, high humidity (dewpoint about 70), pretty calm when I headed out but breeze picking up from the south by the time I was done. Supposed to be near 100 later.
I'd hoped to get out earlier, but actually this was early enough, not unpleasant at all. An earlier start would have been useful if I'd been on a more ambitious ride, but I decided yesterday there was no need for such until it's cooler again. As it was, took me several miles to get some life in the legs, but after that felt pretty good.
And overall pretty pleasant. I think there were more bikers out than cars. And nobody tried to run me over like yesterday. Well, the guy actually didn't try to run me over, he just wasn't really looking as he pulled out of his driveway without slowing down in the slightest. Fortunately my defensive riding skills are pretty well established. I'd already pulled out closer to the center of the road, both to make myself more visible (that didn't work) and to give more and easier options for evasion. And the latter did work, with still a reasonable space between us. Didn't even have to get the brakes seriously involved.
Sure am glad I'm not trying to run in this weather. The few runners I saw didn't look like they were having all that much fun.
biking - dark blue bike3:43:42 41.44 mi (5:24 / mi) +4601ft4:53 / mi ahr:124 max:150 weight:138.5lbs
Warm day, mid-80s and a little humid, so heading for the hills again, this time NW of Greenfield. Didn't feel zippy at all starting off, felt like what I really wanted to do was do the first 5 miles of the planned route, very gently rolling along the Green River, and then turn around and go right back to the car. But before too long my system gradually got going, and it seemed to get a little less humid, and there was plenty of shade, so on (and up) I went.
One place I'd been interested in trying was the steep and rough section of Abijah Prince Road (yup, that's really its name). I'd been down it once, had low expectations for being able to make it up, even though the hard part is only a couple hundred yards. Was about ten yards short of making it but lost my momentum on the last rocky bit. Though, to my great pleasure, I managed to unclip rather smoothly and get a foot down, almost as if I knew what I was doing. Ten yards pushing the bike and then I was on again.
After that, well, I'd go up a bunch, slow as could be, and then down a bunch, way faster but always in control. Actually had one good test of the latter, a dump truck suddenly appeared around a corner taking up about 90% of the road but I was in control of things and no problem.
Could have used a little more water, had two bottles and finished that off at the top of the last hill. Still 10 miles to go, but the first 5 were zoom downhill and the last 5 slightly downhill. And, one of the benefits of the narrow dirt roads, almost always in the shade. I'd guess about 90% was on dirt.
Trying again for an "all-day" pace. Seems like a good idea, not getting totally trashed. Certainly don't need to do that every day.
biking - dark blue bike1:05:44 17.72 mi (3:43 / mi) +358ft3:38 / mi ahr:122 max:152 weight:138.5lbs
Wasn't expecting to get out today, lots of rain, but there was a break and out I went, figuring I might get a little damp but maybe not soaked. It rained lightly for about 10 minutes early on, and so I did get a little damp. Thought that was going to be the end of it, but about 10 minutes from home it started to come, much more seriously this time.
And I certainly got soaked. Not a dry spot on me, and even felt like my shoes had filled up. Haven't had to wring out a pair of socks since I stopped running/orienteering, those this time it was certainly more pleasant, no swamp creatures or odors to deal with.
And a good workout, slowly getting a little more endurance when I ride out of the saddle.
My mom would have been 100 today. She got pretty close, 97 3/4. Not so bad.
Has me thinking, as I often do, about my own life. While there would be ample reasons to feel depressed if I were so inclined, I actually have few regrets. In that regard, as in some others, I consider myself very lucky.
12 PM
biking - dark blue bike1:46:41 21.41 mi (4:59 / mi) +1073ft4:45 / mi ahr:114 max:158 weight:137.5lbs
Didn't seem to have much energy today (psychic or physical), so I finally decided to just head out at whatever pace was needed to match my energy. Meandered up the river with a nice tail wind, then back down towards Old Deerfield, still meandering. But along the way I decided that I should ride the trail along the top of Pocumtuck ridge, hadn't done that this year.
But first I had to do the Eaglebrook climb, just take it easy was the plan. But about halfway up that went out the window and i was getting wobbly on the last bit. Unnecessary, in retrospect, but sometimes things just happen.
And then up the dirt road to the towers, a better pace now (slower). And the ridge trail? Didn't feel any headwind because I was too busy dealing with the rocks and roots. But I survived with no incidents, and apparently the bike did too.
And, as is so often the case, even a little bit of something different was enough to turn a blah outing into something interesting. :-)
biking - dark blue bike2:31:48 25.76 mi (5:54 / mi) +3460ft5:14 / mi ahr:122 max:143 weight:137.5lbs
Up in the hills above Colrain. Another perfect day, mid-70s, sunny, low humidity. A bit of wind from the south, but it doesn't matter much when you're going up and down big hills most of the time. About 135' of climb per mile (100' is a rough average for such rides around here, but I picked a route to be extra hilly).
A couple of goals:
-- do the ride at an "all-day pace" or at least a "half-day pace."
-- see if I could get up Pennel Hill Road.
Successful on both counts. Kept a pace on the climbs that kept my breathing well under control but still had me climbing at a decent pace. And made it up Pennel. It's steep, especially the first half, and it's dirt, so the traction is variable. But I was never close to bailing.
And didn't feel particularly tired when I was done. :-)
biking - dark blue bike2:41:42 39.07 mi (4:08 / mi) +2433ft3:54 / mi ahr:128 max:160 weight:138.5lbs
Legs were certainly feeling better after a couple of easy days, so I decided to take a trip up Mount Lincoln in Pelham, with the return through the upper hills. Lincoln is really just a pimple on the landscape, totally insignificant, but it has a fire tower and some communications stuff and so also an access road. Also trail access but my memory of it was that it was too rough for biking for me.
It's a steady climb up from the valley floor, maybe 30 minutes, but nothing steep other than one little section of the access road, which at that point is a mix of loose gravel and old bits of pavement. So I had to pay attention for about 100 yards. But then you're up, a nice view of the trees on all sides and nothing more.
Beautiful day, 70s, low humidity, but also windy, 10-15 out of more or less the north, and gusty. The trip down to the start of the climb had a nice tailwind. Enjoy it while you can.
Took the high route going home, over to 202 and then north through Pelham and Shutesbury and eventually down the Lake Wyola road to Montague Center. Into the wind all the way, rolling road all the way, little up and downs for about 10 miles, putting out a good effort, it became an unintended interval workout, the jagged heart rate proof. But I didn't get frustrated like I sometimes do into the wind, just kept at it until the road turned seriously down. So actually a rather pleasing ride.
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Got home to find Gail had a cast on her left wrist, a smallish fracture from her fall a few days ago. She's had arthritis issues with both wrists for a long time. Hopefully this will heal up and not add to the problems.