The Approaching Storm

At this point with the impending race of my life looming on the horizon I find myself not be very excited.  I find myself being more apathetic and resistant to training and wanting to do more of other things that won't benefit me.  Maybe it's because I don't think that I have done enough training? Maybe I have done enough and will somewhere find the mental fortitude to reach down deep and be able to pull out some amazing riding. Maybe I am burned out from other things, such as work and that is affecting my mindset?  What ever the case is I can not figure it out.  I had a good time at Wagon Train 12 hour MTB race.  I rode for about 10.5 of the 12 hours.  Felt pretty good at the end and I think that my fueling was good, it was my wrists that eventually forced me to throw in the towel.

I find myself debating whether or not to join RD, Douglas and others this weekend for a grinder, nothing against those guys, I love hanging out and riding with these guys.  This is my last weekend that I have available due to work to get in some decent miles before the race.  Join the group or head out on my own or just sit at home and do nothing?  I need to figure out what is going on and get on my horse or stay out of the stable.

Mud and Butter

So headed out to do my first solo gravel ride to train for Dirty Kanza.  I like riding with other people but I figure that I will be riding most of the 200 miles on my own so I figured I should train from time to time riding alone.

With the recent bought of snow, the gravel wasn't as dry as I was hoping but it was very ridable.  HERE is the map.  Saw a few other cyclists and one other fellow Gravel Grinder riding down Pawnee Road.  I think it was "The D."  Tried to catch up with them, I was looking for some company, but I couldn't catch up and decided to turn back to my original route plans.  Found out the hard way that Google can't be entirely trusted as well.  Originally planned on turning off of Dutch Hall Road at 216th.  Found out that the road has been commandeered and blocked by the county landfill so had to go a bit further than had planned to 225th street and then come down.  Wasn't horrible, but not as planned.

Product notes:  Recently picked up a Garmin Edge 500 with the cadence and heart rate.  This is the first Garmin or even heart rate monitor that I have used.  Been playing with it for about two weeks and it is very easy to set up and customize.  Also Garmin has a really cool online program that you can download the data and share with other folks around the world, for free.  Even better they have a program that you can download, for FREE, and analysis your data directly on your computer.  The best thing of all... it is all Mac compatible.  :-)

Another new product that I tried for the first time today was Hammer Nutrition's Perpetuem.  I have had lots of issues in the past with "bonking" and feeling like crap after long or high intensity rides.  So far I feel good for doing 52 miles and 4 hours in the saddle.  A definite recommendation.

Last new product used today, I know taking some risks using three new products in one ride, was chamois butter.  First time for this product as well.  I purchased some Paceline Products Euro-style Chamois Butter.  I was very hesitant to try this product out hence the whole rubbing cream on myself in the nether regions.  It would be all good and fun if someone of the female gender was doing it for me.  :-P  But in all seriousness, the product works.  Usually have all kinds of saddle issues when I get up around the 40 mile mark.  But none to speak of this time.  I'm sold.  The Euro-style has a interesting cooling sensation similar to Icy Hot compared to the standard stuff.

Bike held up pretty good for it's first ride for more than 20 miles and on gravel.  And of course the mud!

Oh yeah that's some build up.  First time I felt mud slow me down.  The only time I had to stop and clean off some of the pancake batter like mud.

Made a pit-stop at The Bike Way.

And I caved on the way home and stopped at McDonalds for a post ride meal.

Overall a very good day.  Got some miles in, tested out some new products, and had no mechanical issues to speak of.   Planning on making this a regular occurrence to train for DK200.  Anyone is welcome to join.

First round of training

Ok, so in my attempts to get into shape for the Dirty Kanza I have designed a riding schedule that I will hopefully be able to maintain along with my normal everyday riding.

So this Saturday, January 16th lets say around 11 am roll out I am going to be heading up north to dutch hall road, out around Elkhorn on skyline drive and return via my neighborhood commute route with some papio and keystone trail mixed in to give it some length.

Here's a link to  a map:  http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/59-mile-dirty-Kanza-training.

Leave a response if you want to go, anyone is welcome.