Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Vacation day ride NW of Concord


I made it out today, on a vacation day from work. This is nearly the classic ride although I cut it short by a mile or two because I was running short of time. I felt much better today, which means I am finally beating this bout following the flu. I rode at 16mph and felt great during and after the ride.


I usually take Pope Road to Strawberry Hill Road to Barretts Mill Road to Lowell Road. The cutoff on Westford Road saves several minutes and a mile and a half.



Bike: IF Club Racer 2007

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Why I train, or why I don't?

When I talk about what kind of exercise I do and how often, friends always ask, "what are you training for?" And I always say, I'm training for life (or, more accurately, life after 50). I find that I don't need an event to train for. And I don't need a partner to encourage me, although I do enjoy riding with people who I am compatible with. I do well enough on my own. I can push myself hard when I am feeling good and slack off when I am tired or lacking sufficient blood sugar. And I push myself a lot of the time. I consider myself very lucky.

Now I am riding in what should be called the Infamous D2R2 2009 in August. Am I actually training for it? Maybe, maybe not. I am doing some hill work but I've meant to do that in the past and what makes it palatable now is that with a 10 month old boy, I have less time in the mornings, even when I get out at 5AM for a ride. I will try to do several hill rides in western Massachusetts, like this one that Bobby and I did last year (and I have done in various permutations over the last 15 years): http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2889476. And I definitely want to ride around Killington when we go for a family vacation this summer. But mostly I will ride hard, or not so hard, when I have time. So no, I can't say I am training. But I am paying attention to how hard this ride might be. It is intimidating.