The weather makes the headlines

As I write this I am sitting in Binghamton, New York (South Central) at the Best Western. The riding around here would be great if I had my bike and the weather was a little nicer. There are long gradual climbs with many bike lanes. All you guys back home enjoy the 70 degrees. Welcome back Wiford and thanks for bringing the weather.

This week saw all kinds of weather but there was more good then bad. I was able to get a century in Saturday and ride with Connie and Chris on Sunday on the Bike club's St. Patrick's day ride.

Monday: 58 mile tempo ride with rain the last 15
Tuesday: 42 miles 3 nine minute intervals at lactic threshold before Tuesday night ride. Windy and cold.
Thursday: 30 miles easy
Friday: 35 miles, 3 ten minute intervals at lactic threshold
Saturday: 100 miles easy/med
Sunday: 65 miles Med/hard then easy finish with bike club
Total: 330 miles

This week the intervals got longer. The second interval was done at slow RPM's into the wind to simulate a long hill climb. This is the only way to get ready for the long climbs in Iowa. On the really windy days I think it is mentally harder to ride into the wind at a slow cadence sitting upright as the wind beats you up.

Tuesday's ride was a weather nightmare. It started with temperatures in the low 60's when I got off work at 3:00. By the time I got to the shop for the Tuesday night ride it was 56. I did a one hour pre-ride and got back to the shop and it was 48. Chad, Greg and I rode 24 miles and when we got back it was 38 at 7:00 with 30-40 mph winds. At least it was not raining/snowing.

My century on Saturday was nice. The weather was in the low 50's with very little wind. I rode the first 30 easy by myself to Mike Doyle's house, we then rode 25 miles back to my house to meet my son Chris and Jon Sulzberger to do a loop out to Durant and back for another 36 miles. When I got back home I needed a little 9 mile loop into town for 100. I did not eat or drink enough on this ride even though the pace was pretty easy I was dragging about the 80 mile mark. I really need to focus on that part of the training rides.

Sunday there was a 11:00 group ride from Greg's house before the 1:00 St. Patrick's Day ride. The 11:00 group was mainly the same characters that show up for the Tuesday night ride. The pace was very controlled on the way out and then got a little spirited on the way back until Chad, Wiford and Bill Harper turned into the hills. At this point Greg, Mike, Jon and I just cruised into town. The St. Patrick's Day ride had 25 riders. It was a nice social group ride for the first 11 miles then there was a split and the pace got pretty quick until we all re-grouped as we got near town. Chris and Connie both rode and it is always nice to ride with them. Both of them have not ridden outside much this year but were both riding really well.