Hot, but I got out!

Yesterday's workout here, and I was psyched about my first two miles coming in at under 17 minutes! My third mile was slower, but it included 2 minutes of walking as opposed to the normal one minute. Walking every 6th minute means that if I finish 2 miles by minute 17, I will have only walked two minutes, and I need to go MUCH faster to only walk one minute on that 3rd mile. Also, I was tired from going so fast in the heat ;-)

Good run this AM - now to increase mileage

Ran a short and sweet 3.2 miles this morning - here's the workout link - my average time is definitely falling. I am using a Galloway method to increase speed and endurance - that means I walk every 6th minute, so the pace is actually better than it looks.

I have now been running on minimal shoes, the running barefoot idea, for over six months and I love it. Shorter stride, mid-foot strike, more thoughtful and careful running and working to avoid injury.

Next step - find a marathon to train for so that I can work towards my Boston qualifying time. I am thinking Kiawa Island in December.

Death Ride Rabbi Confirmed!

On Saturday, July 10, after nearly 12 hours on the bike, and more than 13 hours on the course, I rolled into the final rest stop atop the fifth and final pass to climb, completing the entirety of the Death Ride, and receiving my 5-Pass pin and patch (lost the patch in the final descent, oops! ;-D).

Physically drained, but thankfully not that sore, and missing the promised ice cream (they had sent the truck away to the main finishing area), I said the "Shehehcheyanu" with my Bahai Biking Buddy (everyone should have one!).

Along the way, I did enjoy moments of the ride, especially downhill moments. In truth, after the first climb, I regularly told myself that I had no need to finish, and could accept 2 passes, or 3, or 4, or 4 and a half, since not everyone rides all 5!

Still faced some tightness and pain in my right hamstring, but found some on-the-bike stretches to work those out. Got off the bike to drink and supplement with energy goo and snacks often. Raced to make the cutoff to start the 5th pass (4pm), and made it to the 5:15pm cutoff with time to spare so that the last climb, Carson pass, could be taken "at leisure".

Finishing the Death Ride definitely counts as a mental and spiritual triumph, at least equal to finishing my first marathon, and completing my first under 4 hour marathon as well.

Here I am after having completed the last descent and met up with Ginny and Jude:

I look forward to more relaxed riding for the rest of the summer!

2 Passes of the Death Ride!

Made it up Ebbets Pass (starting at route 89) in 1:45 today!

Then continued on to Hermit Valley, and made it back - a long ride, but excellent progress and preparation for the Death Ride in 7 days.

Here's the workout link.

Great soundtrack for today's ride too...

- A few episodes of Fresh Air - 5/31/2010 - stories from wars; 6/2 - a great interview with Samantha Bee, and a fascinating interview with a film maker working on a documentary about two Jihadi's; 6/4 - Ayelet Waldman, another good interview, and a good talk with Paul McCartney - including a fantastic poem he wrote about John which I will have to find for Yizkor this year; 6/7 - about the "poverty industry" - loans and credit to the poorest Americans; 6/8 - interesting story on the building of the Hoover Dam.

- And my downhill mix, which played: Black Eyed Peas, Gogol Bordello, Aretha Franklin, and Bruce Springsteen.

On the road again

Finally, after 16 days of struggling with a cold/allergies and traveling without my bicycle (I did get a run in and some great yoga), I made it back out to train some today.

The gap took its toll - one of my slower performances up Kingsbury in a while - even giving myself the excuse of plenty of headwind on the climb.

Here's the work out link.

Hoping to hit two passes on Friday - then come and join me for an easy ride with TBY's Bike & Beer on Saturday afternoon - details here.

East Side of Monitor

Went out on Sunday with high hopes, and found myself fighting a cold and a stomach flu that really hindered my riding, but did it anyway!

Bridget and I rode up the East Side of Monitor pass - so I now have completed three out of five of the passes (East & West Monitor, and East Ebbetts), albeit separately and not in sequence, that comprise the Death Ride.

We did the climb in 1:35 riding time, with a few brief stops.

Felt better by the time I got to the top, but have been feeling crappy for the last three days following.

Here's the link to the workout log.

I hope to feel better and get out to ride tomorrow or Friday, before leaving town on Sunday for four days.

Kingsbury Down and Up

From home, down Kingsbury Grade and back - a good ride, a little wind, excellent workout.

Total time: 1:37 - a little more than 16 miles, a little more than 2500 feet of climbing.

Time up the Kingsbury Grade, stop sign in Valley up to Tramway - 1:16 - a personal best for me.

Nice to be able to do this ride out my front door.

Here's the link to the workout.

Sunday - join a small group of us for a ride up one or both sides of Monitor.

Little Luther Loop

Had to get out on Tuesday, despite still recovering from Sunday's big 100 mile ride.

Made it up the back parts of Luther pass with little problem - still got passed by some cooler cyclists on the flats though.

11.5 miles, 900 feet of climbing, under an hour - not terribly bad! Here's the workout link.

Will try to get out again on Friday for a short ride, and on Sunday for at least one side of Monitor Pass.

My First Century this Century

After a great little mountain bike yesterday behind the Temple - under 10 miles, and lots of fun up and down - I undertook America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride, and tried the 100 mile version. (Route)

Going out with David and Jim, two amazingly experienced riders - they regularly do centuries, and Jim is prepping to do an outrageous two week ride averaging 100 miles a day - meant I got to push pretty hard. I tried to keep up with David, and managed for the first 25 miles, mostly. Then Jim and I kept pace together and enjoyed the rest stops, and the beautiful scenery.

Riding around Lake Tahoe is amazing, and everyone should at least try a little of the shoreline.

Taking tomorrow off, hoping I can recuperate, and then back on the road Tuesday or Wednesday, I hope.

Where's our great Tahoe weather?

Planned to ride today, and instead I'm working, since the weather is so depressing - rainy, cold, possible snow on the passes - that may anticipated try at both sides of Monitor will have to wait until next week.

Come out and join me for a mountain ride tomorrow behind Temple Bat Yam, in South Lake Tahoe - 2pm. We will follow that up with our first TBY beer tasting - Guinness draught tomorrow at 4pm.

Sunday morning, 6am - ride around the Lake with a few of us for the annual America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride.

Shabbat Shalom everyone!

A Little Ride, and extra precious cargo

Took a quick ride this afternoon up a really nice steep hill in Berkeley - here's the ride link.

Would have been something of a cake walk, and longer, were I not carrying Jude in the back seat on my mountain bike! He asked to stop and go back, and ride in Mommy's car, so I couldn't continue, especially as he even admitted that it was nap time!

I have forgotten how much perspiration happens with humidity! The lowlands are wet.

Nice to get out - next training ride of substance probably on Tuesday, back in Tahoe.

Longest, most difficult ride yet!

Wednesday, May 26 - I started out sometime after 10am in moderately sunny weather at the bottom of Kingsbury Grade, on the Valley side. Climbed Kingsbury in occasional snow and hail (the little stuff, not the chunky stuff), and managed to climb in 1:19, my fastest Kingsbury time yet.

Descended Kingsbury towards the Lake, out of the precipitation, headed towards Meyers on Pioneer Trail, into pretty strong winds that slowed me down to under 15 mph most of the time. Started up Luther Pass, and as soon as I began to gain altitude, got into real snow - big flakes and all. I was tired at that point, and stopped to drink a few times on the climb. Left the snow at the top. 

Fun descent - all those miles down from Luther, joining route 88, and then descending towards Woodfords, but was it cold! Especially as I was a little wet from all the precipitation. Headed over on Emigrant Trail to Foothills, and dried off in the warm wind pretty quickly.

Temperature differential from the bottom of Kingsbury when I finished, to the top of Kingsbury when I got home around 3:15pm - 67 degrees at the bottom, 41 degrees at the top!

Altogether, an awesome ride, and I was thrilled to finish it!

52.4 miles, 4160 feet of climbing, 4 hours and 25 minutes. Link to full route here.