Quarantine fitness jam

A 30 would make things so much easier but probably slower :shrug:

It's good for the very occasional short and steep stuff on that bike. New bike should be handier with that. 50/34 11-34 vs 50/39/30 12-28.

Work been slow and I just slept like 14-15 hours. Good because I haven't been getting near enough sleep. Rode a creaky 45 miles in $8 canvas slip-ons from walmarts. Size 10 :eek: Soles need scuffed up but they're way less bulky and squishy than what I was wearing.
 
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I used to think flat was easier, but it's got it's own brutality: you never have descents. You see my Strava entries (and thanks for the kudos) - I'm almost never ceasing to pedal throughout those rides.

I haven't done the climb-y, shorter route yet this year. It's a little about the weather, but much more that I've finally come to feel frightened on the state highways. Wide shoulder or no, people text while driving 70, and I just feel funny about it these days.
 
Spent the usual 40 mins on the erg. I need to up my game...40 mins is really getting easy. Been doing 40 or 50 burpies almost daily after the erg. Then 10 or more minutes of stretches.
 
I used to think flat was easier, but it's got it's own brutality: you never have descents. You see my Strava entries (and thanks for the kudos) - I'm almost never ceasing to pedal throughout those rides.
I think running flat is way rougher than running hills because it's so much more repetitive. Going up and down hills uses different muscles and distributes the impact forces in different ways; all flat all the time always uses the same muscles (and it's more mentally monotonous too)
 
I think running flat is way rougher than running hills because it's so much more repetitive. Going up and down hills uses different muscles and distributes the impact forces in different ways; all flat all the time always uses the same muscles (and it's more mentally monotonous too)
what is this flat you speak of ?
 
I used to think flat was easier, but it's got it's own brutality: you never have descents. You see my Strava entries (and thanks for the kudos) - I'm almost never ceasing to pedal throughout those rides.

I haven't done the climb-y, shorter route yet this year. It's a little about the weather, but much more that I've finally come to feel frightened on the state highways. Wide shoulder or no, people text while driving 70, and I just feel funny about it these days.

Frankly I would love to have a long flat section to ride with no hills whatsoever. Theoretically they could exist down by the bay since it's sea level but it's too built up and too much traffic/lights etc. I almost never stop pedaling either even downhills just in a bigger gear and with a bit less effort. I tend to want to "take advantage" of a downhill to up the average speed since some of the climbing can be in the mid single digits. Especially since I tend to be fast going up hill mostly because of my bike's gearing I think, but I tend to be slower than average going downhill. Ditto on the kudos.

It's good for the very occasional short and steep stuff on that bike. New bike should be handier with that. 50/34 11-34 vs 50/39/30 12-28.

Work been slow and I just slept like 14-15 hours. Good because I haven't been getting near enough sleep. Rode a creaky 45 miles in $8 canvas slip-ons from walmarts. Size 10 :eek: Soles need scuffed up but they're way less bulky and squishy than what I was wearing.

My main long distance bike is a 50/34 11-25. Nice in that the difference between the gears isn't big, not so nice on +10% grades unless they are very short. The ones that are over a mile are not really a lot of fun for me even though I do them sometimes, like last week, and maybe a 5 mile 2200' climb on Sunday if I'm feeling perky...if I don't decide staying in bed is the better part of valor :Wave:
 
I literally have no idea what a climb like that would be like. :embarrassed: Almost all of the relief here is from water erosion so either crossing a valley or rolling along one. Speaking of which, we're entering another wet heat/storm streak, so there goes my 40+ every other day.
 
Struggled to keep the pace on this mornings run because it was super humid. Well that and too many malted beverages last night
Had a good lift this afternoon. I gotta admit that I just did a shameless pump of my chest and arms cuz I'm going swimming later. I'm a shallow, shallow man.
 
I literally have no idea what a climb like that would be like. :embarrassed: Almost all of the relief here is from water erosion so either crossing a valley or rolling along one. Speaking of which, we're entering another wet heat/storm streak, so there goes my 40+ every other day.

IF I do it it will not be that fun which it why there is a IF. I have done it a couple of times already so I would know what I'm getting into. The first 1/4 of a mile or so is about 15% so you are already suffering right from the beginning and the 1st 2 miles average about 9%. It's on the first part that I have most of my misgivings about trying it. It gets easier for a while (a false sense of security) then kicks up at near 10% for the last mile with a couple of sections (short mercifully) that are ~20%. It's possible to continue on along a fire road for even more pain but I don't trust myself on gravel with a road bike (my gravel bike doesn't have clips so I can bail out easily). This isn't the longest climb around or the hardest but it's up there. The good part of it is that there is very little traffic on this road generally speaking.

Tomorrow isn't supposed to be too hot which is why I might do it as a climb like that in hotter weather would be no good for me. There is 0 chance of us getting any rain, probably until October so we never have to worry about that, just heat.
 
I did the ride. It wasn't as bad as I remember so I suspect that all the hours on the bike due to the Covid19 virus is paying off. It was very cool and windy at the summit but otherwise a prefect day to do the ride. I actually would ride it more often but I remembered today why I don't. I'm not a great descender and this road has a number of tight corners and switchbacks. They are fine going up but a bit uncomfortable for me going down, especially given the steep slops and the speed you can pick up between corners. Today was a 39mile ride with 3865' of climbing and my legs are not dead :thu:

Mpg6NZFv0ik3jsxGQRv4vNzj7494HDLFDNW3sRl0VhU-128x96.jpg
R7cdoZwbi3GhaXh4Er_zTU-GB9pawVX0jRXXeRoo_Cs-128x96.jpg


Pictures from the top. The marine layer made the valley a bit hazy but the air quality was terrific. Sorry I have them on the phone and in Strava and they can't seem to be made bigger when I copy them from there
 
I did the ride. It wasn't as bad as I remember so I suspect that all the hours on the bike due to the Covid19 virus is paying off. It was very cool and windy at the summit but otherwise a prefect day to do the ride. I actually would ride it more often but I remembered today why I don't. I'm not a great descender and this road has a number of tight corners and switchbacks. They are fine going up but a bit uncomfortable for me going down, especially given the steep slops and the speed you can pick up between corners. Today was a 39mile ride with 3865' of climbing and my legs are not dead :thu:

Mpg6NZFv0ik3jsxGQRv4vNzj7494HDLFDNW3sRl0VhU-128x96.jpg
R7cdoZwbi3GhaXh4Er_zTU-GB9pawVX0jRXXeRoo_Cs-128x96.jpg


Pictures from the top. The marine layer made the valley a bit hazy but the air quality was terrific. Sorry I have them on the phone and in Strava and they can't seem to be made bigger when I copy them from there

Far out. I watch this guy sometimes and it is nervewracking.

 
That guy is nuts. I would never assume there isn't anyone coming uphill and cross over into the other lane, good way to become a hood ordainment :eek:

I found this, this is a video of the descent of the road I road today from a few years ago. The road has been repaved so it's not QUITE as rough but still pretty bumpy is spots. Not nice at 30mph for me, I have no idea how guys handle going faster, maybe faster is smoother but I'm not going to try it

 
Got back on the stick today after taking a break last week (staycation). Had a good chest and back routine and managed to pick up right where I left off before the hiatus.
 
I just am not losing weight, despite exercise. I need to clean up my diet more. And my diet is not that bad. Probably just portions, and snacking. And a little cleaner on carbs and such. Probably need to get strict on desserts and sugar.
 
Ran this morning but definately felt slow after taking almost 2 weeks off. Oh well, back at it this week
 
Seen my mum today and she commented on my gains :thu:

My wine guy is quitting (truck must have worked out a way to stop crates falling off the back of it :embarrassed: ) so I'll no doubt be drinking less once I get through this last cases.
 
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