WEEK 2

The depressing thing is that after two weeks I weigh exactly one pound less than when I started… I’m hoping that this is because building muscle faster than I’m burning off fat due to the excessive tofu I’ve consumed as post work out recovery meals…. But maybe that’s wishful thinking…. Whatever – Start with getting fit and into a routine of riding, then I’ll worry about the slimming down.

I thought I’d mention – for anyone that cares – that all these road rides have been on THE ROCKET. Not trying to brag or anything – just put things into perspective – help you understand things like why I might not be so hot on riding great distances in very strong headwinds … 54x18 is a big gear to push sometimes.

Here we go another week of “serious” “training”:

Date: Monday, 26 May 08
Time: 40min on trainer
Notes: At 5AM it was -1°C (-5°C with windchill…). By fall I’m sure that will seem “refreshing” – as it would have in March… Right now it seemed way too damn cold!

Feeling tired and generally stiff and sore. Tired is probably because I stayed up too late fixing my wheel and building up Amanda’s new bike. My knee is feeling less sore.

Watched the rest of “The Flying Scotsman” while on trainer (backed it up to watch the bit at the ’93 worlds again…). I love that movie. Have I mentioned that…?

Stretching+
25 Ball Crunches
30 Back Extensions on Ball
10 Leg Raises
25 Push-ups

…. To quote Roy Batty; “… that….hurt….”

I better have middle bits that look more like a six-pack than CAKE by the end of the summer or I’m going to cry…


Date: Tuesday, 27 May 08
Time: 1:16:24
Distance: 29.5km
Average Speed: 23.17kph
Temp: 3°C!?
Wind: S 4kph
Conditions: Clear. Beautifully clear.
Notes: I hooked up with Ryan at the Roastery at 5:30AM for a little ride. We headed out Lorne Avenue and then turned at the Concordia Club towards the willows and I was SHOCKED to discover that the road – that last time I rode it was surrounded by wheat fields were now lined with half million dollar condos and malls!?! It was staggering – the size of the houses and buildings and just how many had sprung up! Wow! No wonder nothing gets done at River Landing or on 19th Street – everyone’s been working out there!?

Stretching+
30 Ball Crunches
30 Back Extensions on Ball
15 Leg Raises
1 Push-up

The crunches were hard. Leg raises, so-so. Back extensions, not so much. All day yesterday my upper body muscles were aching from the previous days push-ups and when I tried to do some this morning it just plain HURT! So I decided to lay of them for today. In my defence I’ll point out I haven’t bothered to do any in years and last time I did I wasn’t pushing up nearly so much weight!

I like riding with Ryan – hopefully we’ll make this a regular thing.

I also took Finnegan to the grandparents, Keira to gymnastics, and then Keira back to the grandparents… another 12km?


Date: Wednesday, 28 May 08
“Rest Day”

I had gotten into bed at a decent hour – but probably didn’t fall asleep until 9:30 or 10 (just couldn’t sleep – not because I was… y’know… doing something else…). I also had fewer disturbances through the night – Keira only woke up screaming once… But for whatever reason, when I got up at 5AM I felt just WRECKED. I checked the weather – negligible wind, totally clear – couldn’t ask for much better (though 4°C did seem a bit cold) and then went back to bed for an hour.

So we’ll call it a “Rest Day” today to do a bit of “Recovery”.

I did take the kids th the library for Story Time ~ 7km


Date: Thursday, 29 May 08
Time: 1:12:46
Distance: 30.86km
Average Speed: 25.45kph
Temp: 13°C
Wind: SE 10km
Conditions: Cloudy
Notes:
Dragging my ass a bit this morning and got out the door a little late so I didn’t ride all the way to the Berry Barn – turned around at the big “Tuff Turf” sign (30km out and back). Tired and sore when I got up as usual – not quite so much, though – and once I got out on the bike it totally faded and I was feeling GOOD the whole ride!

30 Ball Crunches
30 Back Extensions on Ball
20 Leg Raises
25 Push-ups


Date: Friday, 30 May 08
Notes: I stayed up way too late and forgot to set the alarm – slept in until 5:30. Got up checked email and the weather and went back to bed. I was just too damn tired to function – I NEED to go to bed EARLIER!

Hauled the kids over to visit Dean and Isaac’s. ~12km


Date: Saturday, 31 May 08
Time: 2:04:54
Distance: 50.68
Average Speed: 24.52 kph
Max Speed: 45.1kph
Temp: 3°C - 8°C
Wind: W 8-11kph
Conditions: Light Fog –cleared up – SUNNY!
Notes: Dragged my ass again and didn’t make it out until quarter to six…

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)




...then had to wait 10 min. for a train near the landfill….


If only…

A GREAT ride in all. A little chilly to start but soon warmed up.

I saw Red-winged Blackbirds, loads of Meadowlarks and a dead porcupine.

So many pop bottles and beer cans in the ditches…

30 Ball Crunches
30 Back Extensions on Ball
30 Leg Raises
30 Push-ups


Finnegan and Dad exercising.

Finnegan decided to get down and do some exercises with Dad… of course he did them complete with exaggerated heavy breathing – trying his best to sound just like Dad – who, honestly, probably sounds a little like two yaks mating while dong these….

Date: Sunday, 1 June 08
Time: 2:32:28
Distance: 60.25km
Average Speed: 23.71kph
Temp: 3°C - 10°C
Wind: N 10kph - NE 17kph
Conditions: Sunny!
Notes:
The wind to my back to start was fun – though I knew every moment of effortlessly cruising at 30kph mean twice as long suffering to maintain 20kph on the way home!


I saw some Deer

I also saw another Red Fox – quite close, less than 50m but wasn’t quick enough with the camera. I was thinking I should get a top bar bag like Amanda has on her road bike to put the camera in for a little quicker access… Something like THIS one…

Just for giggles I took a slightly different route home – at the north end of valley road, instead of heading into town and through southwest industrial area I turned right and headed down the road that turns into spadina – just to see how bad it’s gotten. In parts it’s pretty bad – loose gravel and/or washboard clear across the road. But then since I’m “training for cyclocross” maybe a bit of bumpity-bump in my weekly routine wouldn’t be so bad.


Also going this way I was able to avoid a wait for another train – though riding under that bridge seems a bit precarious – it feels like it’s going to collapse at any moment and all the cars are going to fall down on your head!

30 Ball Crunches
30 Back Extensions on Ball
30 Leg Raises
30 Push-ups

This was considerable less painful than it was earlier in the week.

Hauled the kids to swimming class then over to the Grandparents... another 12km...?

RIDE #2!
Time: 1:50:28
Distance: 43.96km
Average Speed: 23.87kph
Temp: 16°C - 18°C
Wind: ENE 15kph - NW 10kph
Conditions: Sunny! Sunny! Sunny!
Notes: Went out for a second ride in the afternoon with Amanda, Susan and Roger.


Roger, Susan, Amanda.

We went out valley road again but took a little side detour to explore a newly paved road none of us had been up before. There was WAY too much traffic at this time of day – at least for a group ride.

The wind was all over staring off from the east ending up from the north…

Because I’ve done a rather lot of riding this weekend I think I’ll start off week three with a “rest day” – also Amanda has been wanting to get out to the skate park early in the mornings (when there’s no one there to embarrass herself in front of – or crash into …!)