Where’d All The Power Go?

broderic on May 20, 2017

It was in my head towards the end of the work week. It’s an off Friday. I’m trying to fill the circles. I should start working on the cycling aspect of my resolution. I’m going to break out the bike.

So I did. And I went to an easy ride: the airport loop.

It was a hot day for May yesterday so I tried to get out early. I left my house at 9 and arrived at 9:30. I quickly pulled the bike out of the truck and started turning those pedals. I went counterclockwise around the airport. That way you avoid the hill. But you are still punished with the other hill past the school which is an easier hill to go up. I thought.

As I road through the trees from the parking lot, I felt uncomfortable. I had decided to wear my mountain biking stuff rather than nice tight spandex. It’s a 3/4 pant and a shirt. But I was feeling hot already. And annoyed. One thing being that I chose to ride the Kona. She’s a single speed so I was hoping that I had something in the legs for the hills. How hard could it be? I used to do this all the time!

Was I wrong? Or what? It’s not that it wasn’t hard. It’s that I was old and am not young so that which I did when I was younger is a bit more challenging as I am older. It’s only really been about 7 or 8 years, but there is nothing in these old man legs. I thought the squats I was doing for the gorilla workout would’ve helped, but that was 3 months ago. Power is not found.

I emerged from the trees and into a warm sun. This is when the clothes started bothering me. The 3/4 knickers style sucks and I wish I was in tight spandex.

As I cranked the pedals, it was easy because it is flat at that section. Yet when the road rose up, the cadence got slower. If I kept the cadence up the ride was simple and smooth. As the cadence dropped, I had to find some power in the legs to drive the bike forward.

Then came the school hill. I was following behind some couple with the baby carriage attachment. They slowed thinking that I could power through them. I did but not for very long. I think they thought I could ride. I couldn’t. So I let them pass me on the hill.

As I wound my way around the airport, all I could think about was what a bad choice the Kona was. I should’ve had the crutch of having some gears. I thought I was physically ready for this considering I was trying to exercise regularly all year. Now I know I wasn’t really pushing my physical boundaries, but still I thought I was stronger than I had been the last few years.

I knew around the 4th mile that it was going to be a long ride. In my younger days, I would’ve done this loop in 45 minutes. I did this in an hour with a few breaks in between. I hate the thought of that.

I really need to start riding some more with dedication. I said I was going to try for 200 miles this year. I hope somewhere within those miles I find my legs again.

Benchmark

broderic on May 7, 2014

I threw the Kona on the Jetta this morning so that after work, I would head out to the NCR Trail and ride. I use the NCR to gauge my fitness. The ride today tells me that I am not ready for anything more than 20 miles, and those miles have to be hill less .

So on the trail, it felt like I was riding in sand. Or at least my brakes may be rubbing. So I unhook the front brakes, but the bike still felt heavy. You feel it in your thighs. I concentrate on pumping the legs. Still slow and heavy. I average about 14 MPH. I don’t go fast — maximum was 18.6 MPH.

I felt like I was going slowly. Maybe later in the season, I will be fast. I’m going to have to work on it.

Pedal to the Metal

broderic on April 13, 2014

It’s been a long time since I ‘pedaled in anger’ as Phil Liggett would say. I got on the bike in the cool of the morning and rode for thirty minutes putting 8.5 miles on this year’s cycling log. I looked at my historical cycling logs and see that I really stopped biking in 2009. In 2009, I put in 500 miles. In 2010, it was just 22 miles. In 2011, only 32 miles. Mileage went up to 65 miles for 2012, but last year it was just 13 miles. So far, 8.5 miles is a start. Hopefully, those will be only the beginning and not the end.

I’m riding my bike, because rowing has caused some issues with my shoulder and elbow. Lately, I can’t row as hard or my elbow begins to ache with overuse, and my shoulder feels funny. Lifting my left arm up feels awkward. So, I need to give rowing a rest. Although, I thought that it would help in my cycling, but as much as I can tell, I still feel slow on the bike. I do feel that my cardiovascular system is functioning better than it would as I wasn’t too much out of breath. I currently don’t have the cycling legs. They need another 100 miles to feel right.

But I looked the part. The weather was about mid-50s, so I dug out the knickers and the jacket. Because I am now under 200 lbs, they fit better like they used to back in 2009. One thing I noticed which I had forgot is that these knickers don’t fit me well. When I am in the saddle, the padding rids up in front of my crotch barely doing its job which is to pad my buttocks in the saddle. I have to pull the back up just to get the padding to slide onto the saddle. The jacket fits except for the neck being tight, but that’s because I am still 10 lbs too heavy for it.

My prescription eyewear is the safety glasses I bought several years ago. The shoes fit perfect although I wish I had toe covers on. They don’t fit perfect to the pedals as my left foot feels too far forward on the pedal. I’ll make an adjustment to get a better fitment.

The bike rides okay. I feel too low in the saddle. Might adjust the height although I know that if it is too tall then my knees begin to ache. The stem I put on it is now too long, because I dropped it down 2 notches in height. I may revert to the old stem or bring it up a notch.

The route was short and the roads were brutal. Winter messed things up.

I’m looking forward to more cycling.

On The Road Again

broderic on June 5, 2012

Broke out the Gios this past weekend, because it was a very cool Saturday. I only went a few miles, but I did go out both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, I went out in the afternoon for a quick jaunt around the neighborhood. It was only a fifteen minute ride that was about 3+ miles. On Sunday, I went out early, felt good, but also did a quick jaunt around the neighborhood. It was twenty-five minutes and 5+ miles. It looks like I’m averaging 12 MPH. Back to the beginning.

I also recompiled my bike logs since 2005. I rode the most 2007: 663 miles and 45 hours 22 minutes of saddle time. I did well in 2008 logging 517 miles. It was shaping up to be a banner year in 2009, until I stopped riding in July. I had logged 497 miles by then, and would’ve surpassed 600 if I only kept riding. I fell off the cliff in 2010 and 2011 riding only 21 and 34 mile respectively.

I just have keep going. Anyone up for a ride on the flat Eastern Shore?

“Presenting ‘Dave the Insane Maniac,’ a play in one act, by Beth and Bill.”

broderic on September 2, 2011

Quote of the Day [9.02.11]

”The voluptuous pleasure that cycling can give you is delicate, intimate and ephemeral. It arrives, it takes hold of you, sweeps you up and then leaves you again. It is for you alone. It is a combination of speed and ease, force and grace. It is pure happiness.”

Jean Bobet about La Volupté, “Demain, en Roule (Tomorrow, We Ride)”

Link of the Day [7.26.11]

broderic on July 26, 2011

I think I’ve decided on which size cycling shoe to keep. I’m gonna go with the slightly bigger one, the 42.5. I came to this decision after reading about how shoes should fit. Most sites were specific to men’s dress shoes. Today’s Link of the Day is cycling specific.

The main reason why I chose the larger size is because the tightness worries me. They may be snug, but fifty miles into a ride, they’ll be tight. I don’t want that. My feet don’t want that. Hopefully, this is the best choice.

The 42.5s fit decent. No tightness anywhere just a snug fit. The toe box is where I felt the tightness in the smaller size. My toes felt as if they were touching the front of the shoe. Also, around my forefoot was slightly tight. With the larger size, tightened down I feel snug in the shoe: not tight, but not loose. These feel good. Let’s ride.

Now about my Oakleys.

http://www.fitwerx.com/cycling-shoe-fit-how-should-a-well-fit-shoe-feel-and-other-considerations

Shoe Sizing

broderic on July 23, 2011

I can’t decide on what size to keep for a new pair of cycling shoes. The sizes are European 42 or 42.5 or the US 9.5 or 10. The 42 are a snug fit and my toes feel squashed. The 42.5 are slightly not as snug and the toes have plenty of room, maybe too much room. I am torn as I have to return one of the them as these are making a dent into my savings.

My last cycling shoes were slightly too large, a Nike 10.5 when I wear 10 in Nike. I had always wanted smaller cycling shoes so that the clips were in a better position. When the 42.5 are measured against my old shoes, they are slightly smaller. Are they small enough?

The 42 seem to be the better fit except they are slightly tight. If they are now, how will they feel 40 miles from now? 60 miles? 100 miles? Will I be complaining after a century ride? Will I wish for the 42.5 forty miles into a ride? These are the questions that I dread to find out.

For the 42.5, will I be wishing for a snugger fit as they become loose. Will they break in even looser? Will the 42 break in better?

Crap. I can’t decide. At least I know that these 43.5, are too big.

My mom’s French. We only celebrate Bastille Day

broderic on July 14, 2011

Thomas Voeckler

Maillot Jaune courtesy of By Laurie Beylier

I have to admit Thomas Voeckler is one of my favorite cyclists ever. I’ve already recounted his heroics in 2004. How he battled Lance Armstrong for 10 days. Well here he is again in the Maillot Jaune. And on Bastille Day!

His team this year is young and inexperienced. Only through a surprise break away did he win the jersey. In interviews yesterday, he feels that he can’t keep the jersey today, Bastille Day. But knowing him he’ll fight to hold onto it. Alléz, Tommy! Alleéz!

Happy Bastille Day!

Alléz!

broderic on July 8, 2011

French Champion Thomas Voekler is always a crowd Favorite
Thomas Voekler courtesy dseaton

Have you been watching Le Tour?

I’m sure you haven’t. I have, and since I’ve gotten on my bike again, I have watched almost every day of the race. It’s been a weird start to Le Tour. Ever since the director changed last year, the normal rhythms of the opening week have been upset. Gone is the time trial prologue; they race the first day. There are a few categorized climbs in the first week. It’s no longer flat stages punctuated with a bunch sprint. There is much racing to be done. It’s rather exciting.