Training Log Archive: Bash

Morning lap at 24 Hours of Summer Solstice. Trails had dried out, so the biking wasn't treacherous like last night was. Felt like I was working less hard than last night, but cut 6 minutes off my lap time. Really fun race course design.

Our highly sociable and not-so-competitive team had a respectable showing: 26th / 134 teams in our category (6-10 person club teams). Last night was a disaster for us with a flat tire, a chain problem, and two people whose lights died. We did 21 laps, with our speedy 17-year-old Secret Weapon finishing at 11:58 a.m., allowing Bent to do the "victory lap". As usual, he attracted quite a crowd with his recumbent mountain bike.

24 Hours of Summer Solstice mountain bike relay race

Night lap at 24 Hours of Summer Solstice, the largest mountain bike relay race in North America (possibly in the world!) - at Albion Hills, just 8 minutes from our place. I felt good, lights worked great, and the cool weather was perfect, but the race course was really slippery, especially the many off-angle roots. I hugged two trees and had one other fall, all of which pulled at the chest muscles that were injured in last weekend's crash. Compared to previous years, some of the top riders were overly aggressive for a recreational race, trying to pass on tight single track when there was a long line of riders ahead of me, preventing me from going any faster. Luckily, I wasn't passed in the first 6-7 km, but did have occasion to use some of my best Anglo Saxon vocabulary later on!

Bent and I are packing for this weekend's 24-hour mountain bike relay. The Tree Huggers have entered a team of nine riders, so the plan is to socialize extensively at the campsite and take turns going for the occasional lap around the Albion Hills trails. This year's team ranges from age 15 to 50, including a father-son team, which should be fun.

Trail run with BulletDog to the Palgrave Post Office to mail my Father's Day card, then a couple of loops through the conservation area on the way home. Tried hard to keep the pooch and myself out of all the poison ivy, but sometimes it was impossible to avoid. Legs felt good, but chest muscles hurt from the bike crash - although only when I breathe or when my foot hits the ground. (I'm still looking for the perfect sport to do with this injury, but it's not easy.)

Rode at Albion Hills with Bent and Crash, including a lap of the 24 Hour race course. After last night's torrential storm, there were a few puddles, but the main problem was that the trails had the traction of wax paper with a little oil spread on it. After last weekend's crash, I kept the pace down. My chest muscles now only hurt when I climb a hill, go over a bump or breathe. In other words, this weekend's bike race is going to be one big OUCH.

Wildlife: 3 wild turkeys, 1 deer