The LIVESTRONG group for conversations about Cycling
 It's been a rough week, as life has hit a major detour.
We've been battling with our mortage company for a year now to save our home, and as of
Monday.....they bought it back in foreclosure.Â
So now we're waiting to get the offical notice served on us, to see how much time we have
to vacate?Â
It's good & bad all at the same time, but rental homes around our area are hard to
come by.
I've only riden a total of 2hrs this week but have plans to ride over the long weekend.
 This puts a small damper on me racing next month too, at least in the beginning :(
But there will be plenty of Crit Races I can try and get to...... wanna try for 2 a month.
And there is also a weekly 14 mile TT series starting here next month, so I will be all
over that one to keep working on my speed & LT power.
Â
Ciao,
Â
Dennis
hay big guy.so sorry to hear this....i love your positive out look.there is always good from everything.you always have a place to stay with me.ya i know its a long camute.....but im serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just let me know when you are coming.i can get you a job teaching spin classes at my local YMCA.be strong by livingstrong
 Thanks my cycling brother, I really do appreciate that.
I've built up a good personal training client base this past year, otherwise Texas could be a possiblity.
But in the meanwhile, I'll take any prayers and hamme-down cycling stuff you can ship my way :) Â These are always welcomed and can go a long way.
Â
On a different note:
I fnished 7th overall in this months Hill Climb TT Series :)
Today was my attempt at 20 miles, my first organized ride. Well, apparently my limit right now is somewhere around 13-15 miles. Did good with my speed (10-13 mph)till the rolling hills got the better of me. Had to have the sag wagon come get me while my husband finished the rest of the 25 miles. When he come back he said that I would not have made it( he knows me so well)! The first part of the ride was thru beautiful horse farms in Hanover,PA. We were able to see a newly born colt(about 2-3hours old), and a lot of other young colts running around. Hard to believe that some of those colts will sell for millions of dollars( race horses). Overall I am proud of what I was able to accomplish. I started cycling to help me lose weight and get in better shape. On the right track!
A great ride along the bay this morning with some of our Church Teen Youth Group. They
were doing a fund raiser for their accounts for youth event trips!
Last ride before heading off to India for a week so I took it nice and easy. 30 miles of quiet bliss on a beautiful, sunny day. Over 1,300 miles in so still on target. Going to have some makeup time when I get back but it doesn't get much better than this.
5 1/2 hr hammer fest.legs were screaming...man i just love it...its great being me!!!!livestrong
well a few good reasons.one the bike handling skills of riders these days are terible.and i am not going to risk me or more so my bikes in a crash.when i retiered from racing in 1992 i had enough...the sport was changing,in a bad way.riders were getting to much of a me myself and i.and not the all for the team mentality,which is what i am all about.but most of all i have no desire at all.racing was my heart and sole for a longtime,then i met the love of mylife,it was continue racing or hang up my wheels and live in harmony with my love.i cant do the long distance relationshp thing.so in 92 i retiered,and have no regrets at all.cycling gave me a lot,and i put a lot into it.saw a lot of the world,and met some great people..and some real assholes.i just love the training.the time i spend by myself.partialy why i dont ride with others.livingstrong
WOW....you my brother chose wisely and will continue to inspire others around you.....even me, and I live almost 2000 miles away from you.
I too ride for myself & with my wife. We enjoy the zen like freedom with get when we're on the bike :)
My racing dreams (at 47) are just for me, to see what I am capable of? Cause I wanna know what it's like.
Our first organized ride is this Sunday, 20 miles, and I am both excited and a little nervous. Any suggestions on what to eat prior to the ride? I work Saturday 12 hours but have the evening off. I was not sure if cyclist were like runners who carb load before a ride or not. I was told to make sure I eat something about every hour while I am riding, so I plan to take some protein/energy bars. Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Tina, for a 20 mile ride there is no need to carb load. Depending upon what time your ride starts...... make sure you can a solid breakfast about 3-4 hrs before, that consist of slow burning complex carbs (oats), lean protein (egg whites, low fat cottage chz or protein shake) and some healthy fats. (almonds, flax oil, nut butters)
Then about 30-45 min prior to riding, snack on a banana drizzled with a little honey if possible. As for eating during the ride????? Doing 20 miles is about 90 minutes at a moderate, and you shouldn't really need any on bike fuel. But I would pack a small something just in case you feel your energy dipping faster than you expected.
Good Luck and we look forward to hearing how it went :)
Dennis
Went out for a morning training ride along the Yaquina Bay time trial course, to practice
form & control for next months flat TT's.
After a 2 mile easy spin warm-up, I hit the start/finish line of this out & back
course with one main objective today...... keep HR hovering around 160 and don't go
breathless.
I was riding with a good buddy of mine, and we're eqully matched. (except on hill
climbs....he KILLS me)
We covered the 14 mile course (with me sprinting across the line ahead of him :) in 37:30.
Avg Spd : 22.4 mph HR: 155-167 (right in the zone)
Total overall ride:
Time = 1 hr
Dist = 18 miles
Avg Spd = 19 mph
Avg HR = 145
Max = 176
Had too much of people telling me what to do this week (LOL) so I decided to skip the club
ride and strike out on my own. Did a few hours of yard work, drove #2 to work and then
headed out. Some days its nice to get out and just think. Before I knew it, I had 35
miles in and was feeling strong. Finished up in a little under 3 hours when the knees
started to get a little cranky but overall I feel good. Less than 100 days until the
Philly LIVESTRONG Challenge and I'm right about where I want to be.
Today was one of those Living strong and loving life days.
50.45 miles
2:51:04
1789' of climbs
17.7 average
Hi everyone,
Last night my husband and I went for a bike ride on the rail trail. It was the fartherest
I have ever ridden in my 2 months of cycling. We biked 13 miles! I was very proud of
myself because he first 5 miles were up a slight incline. While not hard, it was a little
challenge for me ( being overweight), but my husband kept me motivated. We are going to
try to ride again tomorrow. It would be a short ride of 8 miles which will be a challenge
after working two 12 hour shifts (3am-3pm). Hoping to get ready for our first organized
ride of 20 miles on 5/20.
its very good you are taking small steps at first.it will keep the desire there to improve and go farther.remember this is saposed to be fun,and yet a challenge..a happy balance.livestrong
A little disapointed in my BodyFat test results today. (16.5%) It's up 2% since 9/11/11
(14.3%) and I'm also up 5#. Now I know for some that may not seem like a big deal, But I'm
just trying to keep those numbers down to help my up coming race season. I'll get it
figured out soon I hope? LOLOLOL
In the mean time, here is today's strength maintance workout.
Barbell Complex: 6 reps each (no rest between moves)
Stiff-Leg Deadlift's
Bentover Rows
Power Clean
Squats
Push-Press
Rest 90 sec, repeat 2 more times.
Then rest 2 min after the above is done, and finish off with:
Dumbbell Chest Press: 3x6-10 w/55# (rest 60 sec between sets)
Asst Pull-Ups: 2x6-8 (rest 60 sec between sets)
Total Time = 35 minutes
body fat and weight can change,its the desire that you have.dont let those number define your fealings.if you were going to try and get the pro"s it would be differant.dont beat yourself up over it.those numbers are all about diet.look at that.if you want to be lean and light you have to change your diet.bottom line.just be you.livestrong
havnt ridden at all this week,short one today with a lady i have been helping.i have been
working on a friends bike.an old english bike.took it completely apart.every nut bolt and
washer.redid bearing etc...i realy enjoy working on the old school bikes,they were built
so much better then the stuff out there now.happy hppy joy joy.livestrong
Thanks Guys...... my legs are feeling a little weak & tired after 3 days of work in the saddle.
I wish I was ready for whatever is thrown at me...... but I'm not. I know you Alan are a cycling master and I'd bet an All-Rounder on the bike?
Me? I'm coming into this dance late at 47yrs old, going on 5 years of riding and still have a hell of a time with hills/climbs........ I flat out hate the crap out of them. But I also know that I need to work at what I hate, to become stronger at it.
Next month will be my first time of stepping into the ring for Crit races, so I need to come up with, and focus on a few goals for these Races. Cause I hate to come in last...... and after my first road race last year when I came in 2nd to last, I told myself never again!
So I'm locking onto some solid guys to train with to see if I can earn my spot on the local bike race team..... that's my #1 Goal :)
Your thoughts Guys?
dont be so hard on yourslef.its saposed to be fun remember...dont forget that.training with stronger guys/people(i know some crazy strong ladys)is the best road to travel.you have the work ethic,you do train hard and it will come.cycling is all about paitiance.not everyone is a climber,or a sprinter or a rouler(guys who go to the front push a huge gear and chase down breaks)just because you want to get over those hills with the little guys doesnt mean you will.and yes weight is you biggest enamy in that.but think about the sprints,do have a strong sprint?can you go to the front and trun a big gear for a lot of miles?every team needs diferant guys to do diferant job.time for some soul surching.vini vidi vici.livestrong
Ditto. We all have our strengths and weaknesses (well, maybe not Alan
) so play to your strengths like Alan said. I love hills most days but hate being the guy to chase down a break... it just doesn't work out for me no matter how hard I try. So I concentrate on climbing and lending my wheel or setting a pace up front where I can do the most good and feel most comfortable. You're doing the right thing working out with the group that can help you get better so keep at it. Maximize your strengths, minimize your weaknesses and find your spot D. No worries... it'll come.
(This is part 1 of 2) Training ride this morning with a good buddy of mine. The plan was
simple, warm-up for 2 miles then do 2 x 8min Intervals at LT, with 5 min recovery between
each effort. After 2nd effort we rolled for an extra couple of minutes to grab a break
before starting the 2nd part of our workout.
at about 7 miles into my ride on sunday i hooked up with a group(which i normaly dont do)that was doing a 6 day 500 and something mile ride from houston to new orleans.they were reiasing money for the red cross(a very good thing)i just so happen to be with the so called FAST guys.and they wanted to get to baumount TX.first.(about 73 mi.so me being me,i went to 20 mph and stayed there for 73 miles.of course no one came up to help me,nor do i want them to.it was a good group of guys,very nice.they even let me have water at there lunch stop.at baumont i turned around and headed home.they didnt realize i was doing a loop/out and back kinda sorta.they just asumed i was part of there group(no i didnt tell them i was,and they never asked)all in all a good day.126 miles,a little over 7 hrs.love being me.livestrong
My husband and I went for a ride tonight to try out our new bike shoes. What a challenge they are to use at first! I fell twice and have since learned to tuck my elbows in:(. We rode for 7 miles tonight with speeds of 7-8 up hill and 10 going down. The down hill was much easier! Trying to get ready for our first ride in 2 weeks of 20 miles. I am looking forward to the challenge.
The weather man called for the fog to burn off by 11:00 and for temps in the mid 60's.
Wrong again. Did 45 miles with the club and unfortunately there were a lot of
unscheduled stops and slowing down. Seemed more like being in the military today with
orders being barked out. Some days I should just go it on my own but I do like a few of
the other riders in my group so I grin and bear it. The weather was overcast and misty
for the entire ride and now the bike needs a major bath. Tomorrow's another day...
45.28 miles
2:27:39 elapsed time
18.4 MPH average
1800 ft. total ascent
Great spin class this morning with lots of climbing, to the first ever full country music.
I especially had a blast teaching this one, as it is my wife's birthday and she's a
country girl at heart :)
Time = 55 min
Dist = 15 miles
Cold, overcast day and I wasn't feeling motivated. Hmm... WWAD (what would Alan do?). After reading these posts and being off of the bike for two days, I decided I NEEDED to get out there. As always, I feel much better when I get back and wonder why I was resistant to going out in the first place. Thanks for the motivation amici.
Hi, my name in Tina and I am very new to cycling. My husband and I just bought our first road bikes and are planing on doing our first ride in June of 32 miles. I am just starting to train for that ride, so any advice or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. I talked him into this as a way of losing weight. So far the only cycling I have done has been to take my boys to the rail trail near us and ride. What a great family outing!
Welcome Tina! So glad to hear that you and your husband are getting out on your bikes and making it a family affair. Its a great example to set for the boys and will pay off in the long run. As far as training goes, slow and steady. Set yourself reasonable goals and don't be disappointed by any setbacks. I think that most here will agree that riding and accomplishing your goals will motivate to push yourself a little further or faster next time. Also, remember to take the time to enjoy your ride and soak in the experience. Some times it will be a destination but most rides will be a journey. You'll be surprised at how quickly the miles melt away if you take the time to enjoy your surroundings.
If you have any specific questions, by all means post them. There is a wealth of knowledge ready to be shared by the group members. Good luck and happy trails.
As usual sweating buckets although I drank over a ltr of water While training I was still dehydrated
having carried out the pee test, so I think on Thursday I'll have some water before I
start, during and after see if that helps.
Rest day today no cycling, now I have started, I feel like thrashing some peddals and not
resting but HayHo this isnt going to happen overnight so I should rest to recover.
resting is as important as the training,its a big part of it.hard work always pays off.vini didi vici livestrong
Nice Lee. Glad to see that hydration and rest are on your radar. Make sure to drink consistently through the day leading up to your ride to maintain a good level. I've always found that loading up right before I go out does nothing but give me a full, uncomfortable bladder. Instead, I'll drink .5 to .75 liters per hour for every hour I intend to ride. During a normal ride, I drink the same amount to maintain my hydration (more if I'm exerting myself).
This is a very short post for yesterday:
The Monster Cookie Metric Century.
This was our 16 yr old daughter first metric, and she had been training for 7 wks for it.
The main goal was to make sure she made it through with an average speed of no less than
15 mph. After the 5 mile warm-up to get out of town and onto the back country roads, our
group of six settled into a paceline of 17-18 and rolled along for the next couple of
miles. I kept Brit tucked in right behind me and asked her is she felt like going up front
with me and pulling the group? She said YEAH let's do it! So we pulled out and powered
up to the front telling everyone that Brit wants to experience the front of the line.
And there her & I stayed for the next 6 miles........ I am so pround of her :)
SHE DID AWESOME!!
Time = 4hr 6min
Dist = 61.7 miles
Avg Spd = 15 mph
Now that April is coming to a close and the weather is turning (although there was frost on the car this morning), its time to start ramping up a bit. Fifty days in the saddle so far and just under 1,100 miles. Looking at putting in a minimum of 100 miles per week but I have to make sure that I don't get too consumed. Bike - life - work balance. Sixteen weeks until the Philly LIVESTRONG Challenge and I'm on track with my training and conditioning. Looking to knock 15 - 30 minutes off of my time from last year. Wish me luck!
Hello all
I'm Lee from Nottingham UK, I'm new to Livestrong in fact I found it
by accident. I like it that much i'm a gold member now. Just hope I can find some friends
to help me get going.
I have been cycling for about three years, but recently i have been
lazy and need some encouragment to get going again. Weather here isnt to good so I'm on
Turbo trainer tonight.
Anyway I'll keep people informed nice to meet you all. Lee
Got out with family & friends for a very easy ride, before doing our first event
ride of the season tomorrow.
The Monster Cookie is the kick-off ride of the Oregon Cycling season, and it's a fun
Metric Century.
This year, our 16yr old daughter (Brit) has been training for the last 7 wks to get ready
for this event...... it will be her very first Metric :)
We had a little fun of course......as at one point, Cyndi (my wife) decided to get playful
and make a jump for a break away. Our family friend, who is new to cycling and one who
has been training 9 weeks for this event, decided to jump onto Cyndi's move and they both
were coming around me.
I missed the jump and quickly had to make up ground and stay out of the saddle as I
covered their move and pulled out in front of them at 27 mph before backing off :D
Time = 1hr 29 min
Dist = 20.2 miles
Avg Spd = 13.6 mph
Max Sprint = 27.1 mph
What a perfect afternoon ride with my family & our close friend....Krica.
Hey Alan & Sal,
I'm getting redy to replace my worn tires and I'm looking Conties. Ultra Gaterskins, as my
#1 choice. (I can only afford 1 pair.)
So I can use them for all my road riding & races, as the NW roads can be a pain at
time.
Your thoughts?
as for me you cant beat continentals.and the gator skins are great tires.its what i use.i even like the bontrager race or race lite.i like the colors they come in.1st choice continentals.vini vidi vici.livestrong
FInally cracked my first thousand miles out on the road yesterday during a club ride. The weather was good (in the 60s) and everyone pretty much behaved themselves (even me... no rebukes this week). Average speed was 19 MPH over 43 miles, 1,200 feet of inclines so a little rolly but nothing dramatic. Rainy today so I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing day with the family.
I would of rather done this workout outside..... but as a Spin Instructor, I often try
to blend the workouts I need to get in on the bike, with what I teach in a Spin Class
:)
9 min warm up
20 min at the upper end of the endurance zone (75-80% HR), with a few intensity spikes.
20 min doing 3-to-1 min Intervals in the LT Zone. (82-89% HR)
8 min cool down & stretch
Time = 57 minutes
Dist = 17 miles
Avg Hr = 143 / Max HR 168
by dgaskill on May 27, 2012 at 6:26 am
 BRUTAL