login
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View albumEnjoying life one day at a time
August 23
August 22
- 37m
- 19.82 kms
- 32.14 KM/hr
Slept in this morning... so I went a little faster then I probably should have. Legs still feel tired, but handled the speed well. The sit bits were not too happy, but not nearly as angry as they were on Sunday.
Good ride this morning... beautiful sunrise and cool temps, makes for a good time. Local traffic is still pretty stupid... we had far better behaved traffic on the Tour then I've ever seen around here.
In zone: 29:56
Calories: 409
- 43m 19s
- 21.14 kms
- 29.27 KM/hr
fast ride home as i left work late and i am BBQing the steak tonight. Used all my skill to ride fast but not using pressure. I sppun a very high cadence and big gears when i could. Was a good sweaty ride, except i forgot my water bottle at work so rode the entire time dry. I was parched by the time i got home.
In zone: 39:45
Calories: 515
Had another cyclist hit by vehicle yesterday... cyclist will be fine. Charges are pending though... probably something minor like failure to share road. After the fiasco this spring of a driver KILLING a cyclist and getting off with careless driving and NOT manslaughter... I don't expect too much to happen. I believe it's the onus of the prosecutors and judges to hand down more severe sentences and charges to drivers for injuring or killing a cyclist... as well as charges to cyclist's for disobeying the traffic laws. It's only when the authorities start doing THEIR jobs will the situation improve. As it stands now, the drivers in their vehicles assume they have the right of way in ALL situations, when dealing with cyclists. Many cyclist's make it more difficult by disobeying traffic laws at will. I saw it continuously on the tour... packs of guys rolling thru stop signs and traffic lights without stopping or slowing. We did have some controlled intersections, but most were not and we were expected to follow the rules of the road... which meant stopping at all stop signs and traffic lights.
The last group I rode with was good... we would stop at most stop signs... the one's we didn't stop at, we sent a rider up to check for traffic, stopping in the intersection and controlling traffic if needed (which it rarely was on these quiet roads). THAT is the way it should be done when riding in a pack. I witnessed other groups, rolling thru stop lights without these precautions, passing stopped traffic in the left lane, to roll thru in the right lane. I don't care WHO you are (top fund raising team)... you're not above the law. I wouldn't ride with that group, even if they invited me too (not that they would, they were quite snobbish).
So... if you're a cyclist... O-B-E-Y the laws of the road. If you're a driver... O-B-E-Y the laws. If we all cooperate, there is plenty of room for both of us.
- Calories out: 4495 From lifestyle:3011, From activities:1484
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
August 21
quiet day at home ... resting for the most part... at least until the boys woke up and it got busy.
Disassembled #3's bed to sell as we bought him a new one... the old bunk bed doesn't fit the 6'4" baby anymore. :o ;)
Got my final shot at the Dr's, took wheel in to LBS to have it fixed. My mechanic said I should take it into the Specialized place I bought it from.... as this is the 3 spoke to be replaced in 4 months... for a wheel under 2 years old, it should be under warranty. Let's hope.
Cleaned up kitchen, make burgers for supper, stretch the legs, nap... busy day! ;)
August 20
so tired this morning, I could have slept another hour or two... which is unusual, I'm usually awake at 5... maybe six. Today, when I had to get up, I was sleeping! DAMMIT
No riding today... and probably not for another couple days... the butt really took a wuppin' on the weekend. No open sores, but it's definitely painful. Thank goodness for diaper rash creme. ;)
So the totals are in... 4 days, 23 hours riding time, 675 km, and $1500 dollars raised for the charity. I was a small amount of the final number or $1.6 MILLION.... but it all helps. Together we have helped to show kids with cancer, that there is life and fun outside of the hospital. Some very moving stories were shared and also some tragic ones... but they ALL shared the same theme... we CAN make a difference. I feel totally spent from that weekend, but I'd do it all over again, because the kids fighting cancer never give up... what gives me the right to?
Have a great day everyone. I'm working today and off tomorrow hopefully by Wednesday I will be back on the bike. Thank you ALL for your wonderful inspires the last few days. I'm sorry I couldn't answer them all, but my old cell phone is just not up to the task. Let it be known though, I got them all and used the words to power me onward.
August 19
- 4h 40m
- 132.50 kms
- 28.39 KM/hr
Tour for Kids Day 4... the finale.
We were given the ultimatum at the beginning of the day... 200 km riders had to ride at a MINIMUM of 30 km/h, 160 km riders a minimum of 28 km/h, everyone else should ride 100 km. So I decided that I would do the 160 km distance and round a group to ride with. We started out with 24 or so people and as soon as we got out of Barrie we started setting up the pace line. It took several tries, but eventually everyone got the idea that you move up the left and back the right, pulling at the front for 30" at the longest. With this arrangement, you were never working long and we were able to maintain a great pace, working well together and having a great day.
After some early morning climbing, it flattened out and we had some fun on some nice roads. At lunch, we were sitting together eating, when some folks suggested we head back on the 100km route, effectively cutting our ride short by 30 km. We all agreed that we had had enough for four days and it would be nice to get back early to enjoy the libations and party.
So we headed home... only to be greeted, in the last 20 km, with the worst climbing of the day... a never ending series of hills, steep, rolling hills. It was difficult and rewarding at the same time. I never quit on any of the hills, and my legs just kept going. A couple of the hills I had to back off the pressure, but I was able to finish all climbs comfortably... I thought I wouldn't like the compact crank on this bike, but now I'm LOVIN' it!! LOL
In zone:
Calories:
Ok... I'm going to try to keep this positive... I am happy, thrilled and ecstatic on completing this ride. It is the most amazing weekend of riding around... tough, but extremely rewarding, because we are doing this for a great cause. The children with cancer go thru so much pain and suffering, that giving them a reason to feel happy is the least we can do. Any discomfort we feel as cyclists is secondary to the pain that these kids go thru on a daily basis... usually for years.
That being said, this is just for information purposes... this morning the sitting bits were extremely angry with me and I suffered thru the entire day sitting on razor blades. I used Chamois creme ... a LOT of chamois creme... and reapplied at lunch, but it never felt good. Never. I did finish though, but that was the only reason I cut short my ride. Everything else was working well... tired but well enough... and working with a group would have made it possible.
Even with all my issues, I still would collect "strays" if they dropped off the back after climbs... I did this many times today... and throughout the weekend. Everyone was very appreciative of having the "Draft Horse" to pull them back to the herd. ;) Often times, I had to slow down on the pulls back because they couldn't keep up, but we always made it back to the group. It was a fun time, knowing that I'm back to "normal" :)
- Calories out: 7336 From lifestyle:2851, From activities:4485
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
August 18
- 6h 55m
- 202.70 kms
- 29.31 KM/hr
Tour for Kids Day 3. Keep me in your thoughts, as today we go down the same road I crashed on 11 months ago... to the day! :O
Well, all went well today...in fact it was one of the best days I've had on a bike. I found out before the start that both 160 and 200 km routes went down Pretty River Rd, so decided to bite the bullet and go long. I was going to ride with a group i met Thursday. This group was amazing, we worked well together and just flew along. No crazy attacks on hills, no sprinting off stop signs, just steady riding all day. Truly a wonderful experience.
I took my turns up front, which they ALL loved, but i also did rescue duties off the back, pulling folks back in after getting separated for some reason. Felt strong today, even though the cimbing was hard on the legs, i kept spinning and climbed all the hills without cramping.
When we got to Rob Roy and the beginning of Pretty River Rd, we had a quick pit stop. There we were given instructions to TAKE IT EASY! While waiting to leave with our group, my heart rate started to beat faster, so i let them roll out first and i brought up the rear. When we finally started the descent, i was well off the back and taking it easy. Braking when i couldn't see what was ahead and letting loose when it was safe. There was one other guy with me, he is a nervous descender, and we rode to the bottom safely. I didn' t have any flash backs or nervous moments, but i think i saw the place where i crashed....but no memories were jarred loose...that moment in time is gone forever.
After that i was happy and went on with the ride like all was normal...a big time in my life. I guess i am back.
In zone: 1:49:55
Calories: 3479
max speed=75.4 km/h
If you haven't done so already, please help send a child with, or recovering from, cancer to camp. Together, we can bring a small ray of happiness to the lives of kids and their families.
Click this link to leave a secure, online donation.
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=3237729&langPref=en-CA
- Calories out: 9390 From lifestyle:2743, From activities:6647
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
August 17
- 5h 48m
- 165.50 kms
- 28.53 KM/hr
Tour for Kids Day 2
Today was about hills, hills and more hills. Throw in some vicious headwinds for the first half of the day and you have a perfect day. My hope was to be able to do the 200 route but at the decision point I bailed out and took the 165 km. My feeling is I am not ready for the longer distance...maybe at a slower speed, but not at these paces.
The group i was riding with was pretty solid, working well and climbing the hills at reasonable paces. The first half of the day was brutal with a never ending series of steep rollers, with the odd long climb thrown in for fun. We did however get to experince some amazing roads...one in particular was cycling Nirvana, gentle downhill, tree lined, no traffic and brand new pavement...it was absolutely stunning. Of course we paid for that with plenty of climbing afterwards.
again i had trouble near the end, i still don't have a good nutrition strategy. I really need a reminder of when to eat cause i often go too long between taking in food. I was seriously fading on the last 25 km, but it got better as i stuffed more food into me.
Good ride, very tough but good.
In zone: 1:41:00
Calories: 2611
If you haven't done so already, please help send a child with, or recovering from, cancer to camp. Together, we can bring a small ray of happiness to the lives of kids and their families.
Click this link to leave a secure, online donation.
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=3237729&langPref=en-CA
- Calories out: 8370 From lifestyle:2796, From activities:5574
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
Bopper's Training Log
Add to friends
August 2012 
Volume
Upcoming races
- Centurion Ontario (Cycle)6/16/2013 Oro-Medonto, Ontario
- Tour de Waterloo (Cycle)6/23/2013 Waterloo, Ontario
- Centurion Canada (Cycle)9/15/2013 Collingwood, Ontario
Processing your request, please wait...
Really pushed the speed this morning as it was a little chilly this morning and needed to stay warm... .because it's too early in the year to be wearing a jacket. Used small ring mostly spinning fast, until the downhill sections demanded bigger gears.
In zone: 24:56
Calories: 402
Left work late and had to rush home. I needed to be ready to leave at 7... my brother's and wives had to go over details for my parents 50th wedding anniversary in November.
I decided to spin easy, but go fast... all small ring work. I am quite surprised at the results though... I was able to maintain a 31 km/h pace in the small ring only. In fact, on flats, I was able to hit and maintain 41 km/h... that was a fun time, but tough.
In Zone: 41:14
Calories: 539