Today’s training plan called for 75 minutes of hard effort. Since the weather was not wet, just cloudy with some sun, I decided to ride outside today. I choose a very flat route north of home. I warmed up for twenty minutes and then started the main set. I made a mental error about just how hard I was to ride. I thought the training plan called for an effort of 171-187 watts. I was feeling good and I did work a bit harder than I should have. I finished the main set with an average effort of 197 watts. When I got home a reviewed the plan, I discovered that my effort should have been between 151-179 watts. Opps. I must pay more attention to details.

At least I did set a personal record on the “Monster Cookie Hill” Strava Segment!

Well, maybe not rain, but certainly showers.

My training plan called for three hours today, but the forcast called for rain. What to do? Well, sit in the hot tub of course.

While enjoying the warm waters, I noticed that it was not raining. It was cloudy, but the type of clouds that do not speak of rain. Checking the weather radar, I noticed that the rain was already past my home and there was no rain on the way. Yea, I’m going to ride my bike!

Even though I did not expect rain, I did bring my rain jacket and rode the bike I don’t mine getting wet – the Litespeed.

I crossed the Wheatland Ferry and headed north to Dayton where I enjoyed a Latte and a snack. Then I headed westward and found myself in the middle of the Reach the Beach ride, well at the end of it at least. True they were moving slowly and I was easily passing them, but I have to respect them for venturing out in so so weather to ride 100 miles to the ocean. Good job!

I left the Beachers and headed for the Amity hills. I did Walnut Hill, Amity Hill and Eola Hill in that order. Each was work but each was fun.

After the last hill, I headed back to the ferry and came upon friends Winnie, Al and Tom. I finished my ride with them setting my all time slowest ride up the “Monster Cookie Hill”.

Oh, yes it did rain on me. I got a bit wet, but the rain jacket came in handy!

I get my best interval workouts by using the trainer. Tonight was a great workout! I did five eight minute intervals with just a slight drop off in the last. I felt great afterwards.

The Ride of Silence…

Tonight we number many but ride as one
In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons
With helmets on tight and heads down low,
We ride in silence, cautious and slow
The wheels start spinning in the lead pack
But tonight we ride and no one attacks
The dark sunglasses cover our tears
Remembering those we held so dear
Tonight’s ride is to make others aware
The road is there for all to share
To those not with us or by our side,
May God be your partner on your final ride

– Mike Murgas

Hank Bersani, I was thinking of you.

After last Saturday’s 400k, I was still feeling a bit tired so I joined my wife in a longish recovery ride.

Originally, my training plan was to pre-ride the Kings Valley 400k. However, my coach asked me to rest the weekend I intended to do the pre-ride, and then ride the Brevet with the rest on the day it was scheduled. Working with Susan France, the local RBA, I was able to accomplish this. However, I would need to check in riders who finished behind me. Keith Kohan, who will be my FC508 crew chief agreed to do the pre-ride and check in riders until I arrived.

The brevet was scheduled to start at 4:00 am, so that slow riders would be able to get pass the gravel section after Logsden before dark. I thought the 4:00 am start was a bit early, but I understood the reason. So, at 4:00 am, 22 of us started out from the LaQuinta Hotel in Willsonville. I intentionally held back and rode with some of the slower folks. This to prevent me from riding too hard too early, which has been known to happen. I rode with Lynne and Leslie for the first ten miles. Then, I picked up my speed and started reeling in folks in front of me. I did this until I caught a group of six that included Del and Michael. These are fast riders who always turn in very good times. As such, I knew I was in trouble. So, when we reached Amity, I intentionally stopped to use the restroom (which was needed) and let them continue on without me. As such, I rode the rest of the ride mostly by myself.

My original ride plan was to take it easy as it was a long ride. However, I was feeling very good so I decided to continue to ride at an quicker pace. This decision reinforced a decision I made before the ride which was to eat more and eat more often.

Food I brought with me:

• Ten ounces of Hammer Gel (consumed all of it)
• Six baggies of one scoop of Perpeteum / one scoop of HEED (only one bag was left over)
• GU Brew Electrolyte Drink Tablets
• Assortment of bars (Think Thin and Clif).

Food I purchased along the route

• Corn dogs – one in Otis and one in Blogett
• Two Chicken tacos, both in Monmouth

I decided to consume an ounce of Hammer Gel every half hour (90 calories) and wash it down with a bottle of Gu Drink Tablets – 1/2 bottle per ounce of Gu.   At times would change to a Clif bar instead of the Hammer Gel or drink my liquid food (Per/HEED – 240 cal per bottle).

When I had to stop to refill my water bottles, I tried to find food I could get quickly and consume on the bike, that is where the corn dogs came into play. I tried to limit myself to food that I would eat during The Furance Creek 508 but I did have some exceptions. The only food I did not eat on the bike were the tacos.

This plan worked well for most of the day, but when it got hot in the afternoon, I ran into problems with the power bars and liquid food.  When it was hot, I could only eat the Hammer Gel washed down with Gu Water.

In the end, I managed to eat more calories per hour than I had in the past.

The bottom line is that I finished my fastest 400k ever, and by over 2 1/2 hours. I am very pleased.