Finger Lakes Cyclist

Amazing late January weather

2012-01-30T15:07:00.000-05:00

Saturday was most incredible. Lots of hills and not too cold. Road salt temporarily vanquished.

Windy late January ride

2012-01-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's ride up Mt. Pleasant was a bit breezy. Hard to believe cycling could be so good in late January! 73 miles this weekend.

A Big Game Run Amok

2011-07-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

My plan was to once again (for the third consecutive year) participate in the Le Tour Challenge, a crazy online virtual challenge where those of us with Tour de France fantasies can compare stats and compete for prizes and points on a leaderboard. It's far from scientific, but it has been a kickass challenge to force myself to ride for virtually every day in the glorious month of July, then collapse on the couch with a giant bowl of Kashi Go Lean (best cereal ever invented) and blueberries (best fruit ever invented) and watch the day's stage of the real Tour.

The plan started to go south last Tuesday when some of us fools got caught out in a torrential storm during the Tuesday Night Races. I've never cycled through such a heavy downpour and the lightning was a bit too exciting for my tastes. I also knew that my hard-working Garmin Edge 205 would be suffering as well. I've logged over 10,000 miles with my Garmin since ordering it in the spring of 2009, and starting last year it started to crash after riding in the prolonged rain.

The day after the deluge it was functioning fine, but the day after, I started it up and then it would automatically stop. I kept having to press the start button to get it going again. I put it in a plastic bag with some rice to dry it out (advice from tech support at Garmin), but things only got gradually worse as the week went on.

Le Tour Challenge 2011, Stage 1

To fully participate in the Le Tour Challenge and have your rides ranked, you have to submit data from a GPS device like a Garmin or a smartphone. So yesterday I rode a pleasant 58 miles, mostly with Dave, around Genoa, Lansing and Salmon Creek, and the Garmin started crashing on my repeatedly. I remembered how to reset it, but every time I reset, I lost some miles and the average speed and calorie estimates got totally messed up. I submitted my data and emailed tech support at MapMyRide, asking them to ignore my average speed data, which evidently they do anyway. The worst part about this was getting distracted from an otherwise nice ride.

I was hoping that another night in the rice bag would get my trusty Garmin back to working order, but I was sadly mistaken. I headed out for a moderate ride, meandering up through Cayuga Heights, then through Cornell campus and off to the familiar Ringwood, Midline and Ellis Hollow/Ellis Hollow Creek route. I really felt like a fool as I stopped or slowed down at least 14 times to reset the damn computer. I realized fully for the first time that my frustrations in my quest for data was completely ruining my cycling experience. I was far from being in the moment as I kept my eye on the odometer to see if it would once again lock up.

Why was I doing this? What really was the point of participating in this virtual challenge anyway? And why do I feel the need to log every single cycling mile and compare the stats with the previous year or week or whatever? Well, if you know me at all, you know that I tend to be obsessive and I take my addiction very seriously. It seems that the older I get, the better I get at following obsessions to their logical conclusions. I'm not interested in changing this undeniably annoying personality quirk, since I honestly believe that it's O.K. or even fantastic to embrace your obsessions as long as you pick the right ones. However, I feel like this one particular activity is actually not worth the stress and frustration. Why do I really care how far up the leaderboard I go? In the first year I won a heartrate cycling meter, so there is the allure of winning stuff and the recognition that I could do pretty well when competing with thousands of others around the world. However, I don't think it's worth getting worked up over anymore. I remember last July I was pushing so hard through the month that I was actually greatly relieved when the event was over. I was really strong by the time August rolled around, but I think I can ride just as much and have more fun if I lay off a little and just ride for fun. Maybe my Garmin issues are a happy accident that led me to a helpful realization.

I'm still leaving the Garmin in a rice bag overnight, however...

Running?!

2011-07-01T07:49:00.000-04:00

After some serious procrastination, I finally started my running training in preparation for the upcoming Warrior Dash at the Windham ski resort in the Catskills. I've always disliked running, but it's so much more fun when I run with my sweetie. Gail took me on one of her regular routes which takes you up Seneca St. and then north on Stewart Ave. and back down University. What a lovely morning!

My plan is to start running up one of the cemetery hills, since the start of the Windham Warrior Dash involves running 1.5 miles straight up a ski trail. This seems like quite a challenge for a non-runner, but from what I hear, it's quite a fun affair and nobody takes it too seriously. My plan is to run two or three times per week in preparation.

Last Day of the Month Desperation Push

2011-06-30T16:55:00.000-04:00

For the third month in a row I started to mildly panic because my total mileage numbers were down in a month-to-month comparison with the previous year. I know it's just a game and that mileage totals is not a complete measure of success in training. However I'm not one to shy away from such mental games.

I knew that I had to ride 30 miles to match last June's total, so I explored a familiar route with some new variations, namely Lounsberry Rd., Burns Rd. and Creamery Rd. in Brooktondale. It's a very pretty stretch with broad vistas of Ellis Hollow and Buffalo Hill. What a gorgeous day, though the winds offered quite a challenge on a low-energy day.

I managed to eke out just over 37 miles, surpassing last year's June total, though I doubt I'll be able to match last July's total of around 900 miles.

Some stats for the year:
Total mileage through the end of June: 2520 miles
Average miles per week since January: 100 miles
Average miles per week since May: 166 miles

June 2011 Summary

2011-06-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

Wildlife out in full force!

It finally started warming up. No in-between this spring, so I'm getting out earlier and earlier.

Working on climbing. This Ringwood Mt. Pleasant route is a great way to wake up...at 5:30 am and before breakfast!

Not my best race. Tummy problems all week plagued me.

Definitely my best race yet. It felt good to be in it at the final sprint.

Looking forward to this relay tri in August.

After months of saving, I placed an order on this great Fuji Cross 1.0. Hopefully I'll get it soon.

This ride was very scary indeed. When will I learn that lightning and cycling don't mix?

May 2011 Summary

2011-06-30T09:54:00.001-04:00

I really had the jitters before Hollenbecks.

It was a really good Masters race, and I had enough energy in reserve to push hard on the final climb.

Gail had a 5K race on the same day as Hollenbecks!

Pretty decent pace, for sure.

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Yellow Barn Rd. is always imposing. Bill is teaching me to stand less frequently...makes sense.

Humbled by the As.

Longest ride of the year thus far. Good tempo and it rained all the way.

I'm happy with my improvements, though it turns out that I finished 6th overall, not 5th.

This is a beautiful circuit.

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April 2011 Summary

2011-06-30T09:39:00.000-04:00

Though I didn't write in my blog for the last three months, I did microblog about cycling on Facebook and Twitter. Here's a summary of April activities:

In April I started a weekly family bike ride, which heads out on Saturdays at 10:30 from our house. This has been loads of fun for all, the kids all get along nicely with each other, and it's hard to beat the snack options at the Farmers Market.

My friend Bruce joined me for part of this ride. Warmer days meant longer rides and hillier terrain.

I was so eager to get back to the Tuesday Night Races. No one else showed up, so I rode through some pretty intense conditions.

Still working on form after a long winter.

We participated in the annual cleanup of the Waterfront Trail. We're loving the Phase 3 section of the trail between the Farmers Market and Stewart Park, and were happy to help.

Who knew that bladed spokes could cause a bike to be so unstable? I really thought that I'd be pushed right off the bike at the crest of Snyder Hill Rd.

I naively thought that the cold, rainy days would soon be over...

Longest ride of the year to this point.

Hiatus is Over!

2011-06-30T09:03:00.000-04:00

Yes, after a 3-month hiatus, I'm finally getting back to the blog. Family, work and cycling have been priorities, and if I ever had to choose between cycling and writing about cycling, you can probably guess what I chose.

It's been a very fulfilling spring and early summer, in spite of endless rainy days and colder-than-usual conditions. Lots to share, so I will submit several summaries of the months that I've been away from the blog, April, May and June.

Frozen Dairy Frenzy

2011-03-27T22:47:00.001-04:00

Ithaca's winter 2010-11 will go down in history as one of the most real and stubborn seasons in a while, if perceptions are indeed accurate. After experiencing many Buffalo winters that challenged its' citizens to the core, I felt positively coddled by the relatively tropical Ithaca winters, that is until now. The big differences between these two locales are the cold winds coming off of frozen Lake Erie and the sudden, massive lake effect snowstorms. I remember all the wear and tear on the paint and the decking on our front porch resulting from driving snow, rain and mixed precipitation, and I must have replaced the storm door closing hardware four times in six years. Portions of the decking needed to be replaced frequently, much like weather-beaten homes on the coast of Maine, and if you didn't keep on top of exterior maintenance, you really paid a price. Meanwhile, Ithaca winters, at least in the downtown area, have always been mellow until this year. I've been so used to a week of oddly warm weather sometime in the middle of winter and then an early spring, so it's been a bit of a readjustment.

This year has been particularly trying for cyclists desperate to log winter and early spring road miles. It seems like every time we are teased with a warming trend, the cold and snow swoop in once again. In spite of this annoying pattern, I feel fairly successful in getting the best of a challenging situation. Today I crossed the 600 mile threshold for the year, and should have close to 1K miles logged before my first race on May Day. Rather than despair like I did last year, I just kept looking for opportunities and concocted a winter cycling wardrobe that worked for the most challenging of conditions.

King Ferry, Ledyard, Genoa, Lansing

While my last two rides were all about climbing (Snyder Hill, Ringwood and Mt. Pleasant), today I concentrated more on distance. This was my longest ride of the year, a tad under 48 miles, along a familiar route that I'm quite fond of, up to King Ferry and Ledyard along Cayuga Lake, east to Genoa (big dairy country) and back home through West Groton and Lansing, and it was the most brutal and memorable ride of the year so far for sure!

The first 20+ miles up to Ledyard via Lansing and King Ferry were rough. Direct headwinds of 15-20 mph had my digging deep and averaging only 15.8 mph, and my legs felt like rubber by the time I turned on Ledyard Rd. I concentrated on keeping my cadence up high, but my legs were stinging a bit from the cold, in spite of my layers. After toying with the idea of using my remaining pair of ski hand warmers for a month now, I finally broke down and shoved them into my winter cycling gloves. It was really good move, since my hands never got cold during the entire ride.

As soon as I headed East I felt liberated, since I was no longer battling a powerful invisible force. The eventual tailwind had me flying home and every hillclimb was a breeze (pun intended). It was great to be back in big dairy country, and a big hats off to the friendly dairy farmer with the vanity plate on his pickup "Milks4U" who slowed down to make sure I wasn't chased by a dog and gave me a hearty wave. Winter and early spring can be dangerous times for cyclists, since drivers aren't expecting to see bikes and folks are less likely to tie up their dogs. This kind gesture by the friendly farmer had me wanting to buy up a big supply of his milk, even if it wasn't organic and didn't come from a small farm! I've always found farmers to be very friendly to cyclists, even though you'd think that they'd be annoyed. They're working insanely long days and then some overgrown kid with a fancypants carbon fiber bike zips by, seemingly oblivious to their hard work and daily back breaking chores. I usually feel guilty until I imagine that somewhere in farm country is a crazed cycling farmer getting ready for the racing and growing seasons simultaneously.

The ride into Lansing went so fast, as did the ride down East Shore Drive, and I was home before I knew it. The tailwinds really boosted my average speed, and I managed 18.1 mph for the windy loop. It wasn't my best time for that route, but all things considered, it felt pretty good. My fuel management and recoveries keep getting better, thanks to my latest sports nutrition obsessions. I'm hooked on the Heed products of late, and I'm using Perpetuem instead of gels and bars during the ride. The stuff really works, and it makes so much more sense to take on fuel in smaller quantities with less time in-between than the old gel and bar approach. You just adjust the mixture according to how long you'll be riding and you'll never bonk. The Recoverite seems to work like magic to reduce post-ride soreness and restore muscle. I was skeptical for the longest time, but my body is telling me that this is the magic elixer.

The Fuji Bordeaux, Jean's new road bike.

Finally, I was thrilled to be able to help my friend Jean buy a used road bike today. I called her the moment I saw the posting on the FLCC listserv, and she is now the proud owner of a 2005 Fuji Bourdeaux in mint condition. Thanks, Stephen, you did right by Jean, and I can't wait to go for a ride with her on her spiffy new toy.

Spring is Fickle

2011-03-19T17:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday and the day before we were basking in temperatures in the 60s, so it felt like cruel and unusual punishment to be back in the 40s with overcast skies and blustery winds. This made motivation especially hard, but it was well worth it. I took a new figure 8 route on familiar roads to get my distance up to the mid 30s. This was my first time on Ringwood coming from Ellis Hollow Creek Rd. and my first time on Snyder Hill Rd.

Who cares about the weather? Bring it on!

Spring Ahead and Speed Up

2011-03-18T16:43:00.001-04:00

Loving the Maxxis Hors Category tire, great for training

Spring fever has struck for real, and never mind the road grit, this has been a glorious week of cycling. This is such an exciting time for cyclists, as we finally see ample riding opportunities on the horizon. Who cares if it's raining, as long as the temperatures are in the 40s or warmer.

I finally eked out a 100 mile+ mile week, and today I shed my jacket and tights for the first time. It felt pretty strange to be suddenly so liberated, especially on the climbs.

As I headed up to Terpening Corners for me pre-work commute/workout, I noted with delight that my average speeds kept climbing, and then it just got better on the return trip down East Shore Drive, as a friendly tailwind pushed me all the way to work. I managed the 15 mile ride (900+ ft of vertical climb) averaging 20.9 mph, which was by far my fastest ride of the year. This has me wondering how much aerodynamics is a factor—my rain jacket does flap around quite a bit, so riding without it probably does increase my speeds, but also, the wind direction is truly a wildcard variable. Either way, it feels good to be pushing the speeds up, especially as racing season is nearing.

Tuesday night racing starts up in a few weeks, and Hollenbecks is on the horizon, so I look forward to riding with others again soon.

Against All Odds, Spring Has Sprung and Family Cycling Fever is in Full Bloom!

2011-03-12T10:30:00.000-05:00

Regrettably it has been a while since my last post. My most recent entry from early February was about my valiant efforts to keep going with winter cycling. February was a strong month, in spite of plenty of snowfall and cold temperatures. All told, I managed to eek out 115 road miles during the month, along with some hearty workouts on the trainer. The touring bike was an adequate substitute for the road bike, but I was getting increasingly itchy to get back to a more rigorous road biking schedule and really test out my new wheelset. I was getting all excited about March, since last year my season started, and then this happened. That's Ithaca for you—not enough snow when you want it most and then a useless and ridiculous early March blast.

March Madness

Enough already! Over a foot of snow on March 7th really put a damper on cycling for a few days, and I was cursing the weather gods once again. It used to be that snow got me all worked up in a good way, but these days I just see it as an inconvenience. Fortunately for me, the warmer temps and heavy March rains made short work of a record snowfall. Finally the road bike resurfaced, and yesterday marked the beginning of my daily commute via Remington, Triphammer Lansing and back along East Shore Dr. It's so gratifying to take the road bike out after a long absence and get the confirmation that all that wintertime conditioning and cross-training really paid off.

Toby, the proud owner of a Fuji Ace 24

This week Toby finally got his Fuji Ace 24 from Glenn Swan's, and he is such a proud and happy guy. As Glenn predicted, Toby understood immediately that a road bike is so much faster and responsive on the roads than his mountain bike. It's sad that there aren't more road bike options for kids, but we are so fortunate to have Glenn's shop and his tireless cycling advocacy. Those 24" wheels are pretty cute, and it's a pretty impressive package.

Leo finally learns to ride...today!

And today, in the midst of submitting this latest blog entry, Leo has finally decided that it's his turn to learn to ride! Look how proud and determined our little guy is! Now that he's on two wheels, we are looking forward to family cycling adventures galore. This afternoon I'm taking Toby out to Lansing to start working on some moderate hill climbs. I'm not sure which one of us is more excited...

Slushy Winter Cycling

2011-02-06T08:46:00.000-05:00

Post-ride radar. The red band hit while I was in Freeville.

I hit the road yesterday, in spite of the fact that a band of mixed precipitation was heading our way. It was in the mid-30s, so I was achin' to get out there. I've developed a full-fledged allergy to the trainer. I though I could get my ride in before snow started to accumulate on the roads, but my desire to tack on some extra miles, combined with the intensity of the slushy, icy wintry wet stuff led to a tricky situation.

I should have worn goggles, and more importantly, I really should have put the studded tire on, but no, I wanted the road wheel to take on the hills faster. I won't make that mistake again! By the time I reached Lower Creek Road, the snow was really starting to stick, and as I neared Hanshaw Rd., it really got dicey. Fortunately there was almost no traffic and drivers knew to give me lots of room.

Grit and grime, but I beat the salt trucks!

By the time I reached Bush Lane in Lansing I was officially waterlogged and started to get the chills. Boosting the RPMs really helped to warm me up, and then it was time to face the tricky descent down Sunset and Remington. Talk about an adrenaline rush!

On Hanshaw Rd., wondering what the hell I'm doing.

Better than a spa!

Groundhog Reminder

2011-02-03T11:51:00.000-05:00

If Punxsutawney Phil is correct (let's call him P-Phil to give him some more street cred.), we only have two more weeks of winter! Even if he's off by a few weeks, our chubby little lowland marmot friend has me all fired up about endless days of spring cycling. So let's welcome all the snow, sleet and freezing rain and bide our time, as we notice the days getting longer and sooner than we can imagine, the local roads will be filled with beaming cyclists breathing in large gulps of warmish air, taking in the beautiful roadways of the finger lakes yet again.

My trainer isn't quite gathering dust, but it's seeing a lot less use than last season, thanks to inspiration from Keith T. and Andy G., who remind me via Facebook that winter cycling is a viable option. I somehow managed to log 170 road miles in January, and those short hill climbs have me feeling so great. I find it so challenging to get motivated for a cold weather ride, but the payoff is always huge.

So thanks to P-Phil for the boost...time to take stock of the spring cycling wardrobe!

Zesty Wintery Ride

2011-01-15T15:37:00.002-05:00

I can't think of a better adjective than "zesty" to describe today's wintery road biking adventure, after a week of the flu and no exercise. Temps were in the mid 20s, but the 10-15 mph winds and the occasional snow posed somewhat of a challenge. Ski goggles were and absolute requirement today. Roads were mostly clear, though there was a lot of fishtailing on the lesser-maintained roads behind the airport. I'm glad that I'm not riding a studded tire in the rear, in spite of the decrease in traction on the sloppier roads. Studded tires really do add quite a bit of resistance.

19 miles, a little over 1,000 vert. ft, 16.1 mph. Not bad for a heavy touring bike and a studded tire.

Fingers were freezing on the way up the hill, though they finally thawed by the time I got to the airport. My left foot was an ice cube by the time I got home, but curiously, none of that mattered. Here's hoping for a mid-winter thaw so I can take the road bike out again...

Winter Cycling: Saved from the Trainer!

2010-12-31T16:34:00.000-05:00

After resigning myself to the dreaded trainer, Andy Goodell inspired me to reconsider winter cycling after I read about his ambitious adventures. During the holiday break I broke out the crappy old mountain bike and surprised myself. I guess the hard work is really paying off, because in spite of only being able to use the large chainring (lots of chain slip), I was able to still climb up to Lansing and Forest Home with relative ease.

I started off the winter cycling routine somewhat modestly, but thanks to dry roads and sufficient winter cycling gear I kept upping my distances. On Dec. 26th I rode in 16 degree weather, and managed not to freeze, thanks to my dreamy new mittens and the fact that climbing was involved. On yesterday's ride, lower back pain was a clear indication that the mountain bike wasn't the way to go, so I pulled out the trusty old Miyata 1000 touring bike. I was surprised by how good it felt—it's been almost two years since I rode the Miyata. Then today I decided to test the brand new Mavic Ksyrium front wheel on the 28-year-old touring bike, and it was a truly revelatory experience.

Today was a glorious day, with temperatures in the mid 40s, and after my hillclimb, I met up with a FLCC group organized by Andrejs Ozolins for a short ride to Buttermilk Falls. How great to spend the last day of 2010 on the bike! Final mileage for the year: 5220. It was nice to see Jim, Wayne, Ron, Andrejs and Andy.

Tomorrow's weather promises some rain and continued moderating temperatures, so if the rain washes the salt off the road I'm taking the road bike out on Sunday, my first ride of the new year.

Full-fledged Withdrawal Leads To (gulp) Running!

2010-12-22T20:50:00.001-05:00

'Tis the season for cycling withdrawal, and it's never hit me this bad before. Last season I even felt a secret bit of relief when the road salt ended my season, but this year I'm just fit to be tied. While I'm hoping that my 2011 road biking season will start in early May like last year, I shouldn't expect such good fortune. After years of rejoicing at the first sight of snow and celebrating any and every bit of wintery mix, today I confessed to a friend of my hope for drenching rains, followed by several days of sun and warmth.

Hope alone won't get me through the off-season, so instead I have refined my off-season strategies. The first stage was to save up for a really good wheelset, which I finally picked up last weekend. The new Mavic Ksyrium Elites are sitting in a box under the tree, a marvel of industrial design. The anticipation of testing out what shaving nearly one pound of rotational weight off of my ride will really keep me excited and inspired in the next few months. Comparing the Ksyrium and Aksium wheels side by side, you can really see the differences and refinements, though the Aksiums have held up quite well after nearly 10K miles. Beefier hubs, wider spokes, 18 spokes up front (as opposed to 20 on the Aksiums), and the inter spoke milling are all obvious differences and improvements. I did the math, and the weight savings cost me approx. $45 per ounce, though since rotational weight is evidently three times as valuable as fixed weight, you can argue that it costs $15 per ounce! Either way, I look forward to comparing ride stats next season to see if I can increase my average speeds.

My other off-season survival strategy has been to dramatically increase the cross training. I've been doing a combination of EA active (Wii Fit-based workouts), riding the trainer, swimming and running. I've always hated running, but in the last few days I've noticed some changes. My roundabout walk/jog to school has been supplemented with a 2.4 mile lunchtime walk up Kline Rd to Highland and over to Hanshaw, Devon, and Renwick, a climb of almost 400 ft. After several days of gradually increasing the running, today I ran the whole course. My body is still getting used to the pounding, but as long as the roads stay clear, it's not horrible, and all that fresh air and daylight is so welcome during these short days.

Not Quite Ready to Call it a Season

2010-11-28T19:12:00.000-05:00

It's been an embarrassingly long while since my last blog post, and though my priorities have been necessarily elsewhere in the last few months, the cycling blog will undoubtedly continue. As the season wound down, I was seizing every last opportunity to squeeze in a ride, but the writing is on the wall—I have perhaps half a dozen rides left before road salt and ice will drive me to off-season activities.

Last season I felt a certain amount of panic toward the end of the season that I didn't want to see end. This year, however the addition of some carefully selected winter cycling wear has led to a much more relaxed tail end of the year. I know now that I can comfortably go riding in the low 30s without getting too cold, and damn, do those cold weather trips feel great!

My goal for the year was 4500 miles, which I easily exceeded, thanks to my obsessive quest for yet another ride. What a satisfying season—lots to reflect on in the coming three off-season months. Hopefully I'll be back on the roads in early March, if next spring is anything like this spring. In the meantime, I'm off to Glenn Swan's to get my second chain of the year, and then in a month or so, I'll be upgrading to a Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelset! I can't wait to see what happens when I lose close to 500 grams (.88 pounds) of rotational weight...

A Reminder of the Joys of Group Rides

2010-10-09T20:47:00.000-04:00

While I truly enjoy and appreciate my solo rides, it's hard to beat a good group ride, especially when the cyclists are well-matched and no one rides off of the front and disappears. Add kindness and good cheer to the mix and you have a road biking experience that can't be beat. Also, when someone else chooses the route, it helps me to get out of my routine. I'm feeling so fortunate to have finally found this great group to ride with, and look forward to more adventures in less familiar territory.

Today I had the distinct pleasure of riding with Steve, Travis, Stephanie, Liz, Garth and Ashu, and we headed out to Lansing, then took Cobb Rd. to Moravia. Moravia seems to be a pretty popular crossroads for Finger Lakes cyclists, and it makes sense, since it's a connecting point to Auburn, Owasco Lake, and some gorgeous country with challenging hill climbs. Climbing out of Moravia on the aptly named Long Hill Rd. was an exhilarating challenge, with 570 ft. of ascent spread over 1.5 miles. This hill was around an average 9% grade, which was similar to Ringwood Rd. in terms of distance and elevation gain. The rolling hills that followed took us to right past the Hazard Public Library in Poplar Ridge. I was tempted to get on a ladder and add an extra z to their very cool sign.

The return trip took us back on the familiar 34B through King Ferry and Lansing, and we had a most excellent tailwind that brought us back to our starting point in Cayuga Heights in short order. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day in mid-October, and now that I'm three miles away from making my 4500 mile goal for the year, any and all road biking this season is yummy fluff.

Finally, AIDS Ride for Life 2010 Recap

2010-10-04T19:52:00.001-04:00

From left to right, Walt, Steve, me, John and Hank. Taken by Mary Kaminsky right after arriving at Cass Park at 12:00 noon. Precisely.

It's been almost a month since the 2010 AIDS Ride for Life, and so before I forget any more details, finally here is a brief summary of yet another inspiring event. Thanks again to all of you who sponsored me and supported the Southern Tier AIDS Program. (Just a little disclaimer: Please note that I fully recognize that the AIDS Ride for Life is not a race! It just happens that group at the front of the pack tends to treat the last third of the ride as a fun competitive challenge.)

The weather was gorgeous, albeit a wee bit chilly, so I headed out with arm warmers and the hope that the day would warm up quickly. I had the chills pretty bad as I waited around at the Stewart Park pavilion, trying desperately to find a way of warming up. There were so many familiar and friendly faces, and the opening ceremonies once again reminded us all of our family members, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. (By the way, The Southern Tier AIDS Program will gladly accept donations any time of the year, and if you're not familiar with this terrific agency, just follow the link to learn about their many programs for an 8-county region of Central New York and the Southern Tier.)

We left at 7 am after a somber ceremony, and I headed out in the front of the pack and was quite surprised that I had no company until just before King Ferry, about 20 miles into the century, when I was joined by three cyclists who were not participating in the AIDS ride—they coincidentally chose to ride a century around the lake that day. (I found out later that the Out Spokin' group stopped to help a teammate who had a flat.) Included in this trio was Changxi, a Cornell Cycling Club and Tuesday night races regular, and a really nice guy. These gents kept me company until Union Springs, at which point Changxi and I dropped the others and were joined by Matt, a young, relatively new and very strong rider.

The three of us led the pack until the 55 mile point, when Changzi had a minor mechanical incident and went off the road. While he was surveying his body and bike for possible damage, I noticed the formidable train of strong cyclists heading our way. We took off quickly, but it didn't take long before we were caught, which was good news for my average speed and spirits. I felt great that I was able to ride strong with this bunch of riders, some from the Out Spokin' team, as well as a few Glenn Swan/Chris Cookies teammates. This group included Walt and Steve (Out Spokin') and John and Hank who you see in the photo.

From the 65 mile point, we were pacelining at a really good clip with about a dozen riders in the mix. By this time the weather was absolutely perfect, with only a light breeze, no humidity, and temps in the mid 60s. Hank was an incredibly strong and inspiring rider who effortlessly worked his way up and down the paceline, providing valuable coaching about when to slow down and when to accelerate. Thanks to the paceline and Hank's great coaching, we were able to maintain a very strong and consistent pace right to the end.

We stopped briefly for a nature break and a quick snack at Thee Amish Village, and then headed out for the last stretch. (I was off the bike for a cumulative 12 minutes.) Our lead group kept getting whittled down until there were about eight of us heading up that last tough Glenwood Pines hill, which is much easier if it's not coming at the 95 mile point of a century ride! After the climb, I looked back and realized that Hank and I gapped the rest of the group, but I had no time to think about this, since Hank turned on the afterburners and dropped me like a stone! He graciously allowed me to catch him, but as soon as I caught his wheel he dropped me again, and the once more just before we arrived at Cass Park.

Hank and I at the Cass Park finish line.

As you can see by this photo, I was only about 50 feet from Hank as we arrived at Cass Park, and needless to say, I was totally elated! This was by far the best single day I ever spent on a bike, and it was a real high point for my season. Fortunately I'll have plenty of opportunities to ride with this fun and friendly group next summer and on occasional weekend rides in between.

Hank and I arrived at precisely 12:00 noon, and we averaged 20.8 mph for the century, 1.1 mph faster than my last year's average. After downing my new favorite miracle substance Hammer Recoverite, followed by a restorative massage, then a beer and some kalamari with my new friends, I must say that I've rarely felt more alive!

Cascadilla Hill Climb

2010-09-25T15:59:00.000-04:00

The annual Cascadilla Hill Climb was my last race of the year. Much like a tennis tournament, Glenn Swan paired up riders with similar abilities, and they faced off on the .35 mile, 204 vertical ft. climb up Cascadilla Park Place, the prettiest street in Ithaca, with plenty of switchbacks and steep bits.

I won the first round, lost the second (against Peter Ozolins with an electric assist bike), won the third and fourth rounds, and finally lost my 5th round. By then I was just thankful that it was over. I love hills, but riding full bore on this ascent over and over was fairly brutal. I can't wait 'til next year, however!

8,000 Miles

2010-09-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

It's official: I've logged 8,000 miles on my road bike since I bought it in April, '09. My bike has cost me 31 cents per mile, including accessories, upgrades, tires, tubes and repairs. Also, it comes to $48 for each pound I lost in the last 1 1/2 years. Pretty good economics, eh?

Where I've Been This Year

2010-09-16T05:39:00.000-04:00

Comparing Data With Garmin Training Center

2010-09-13T20:02:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the 2010 AIDS Ride for Life century, and it was probably the best day I ever spent in the saddle. I'm savoring my memories and am waiting a few days for more photos before I post a complete report. In the meantime, I'm posting one photo of me at the finish at Cass Park with no explanations, other than to say that I'm not the guy in front. That's Hank and...wait, I told you I'm not sharing my report right now, so instead, I'll just string you along with some data analysis.

Not too long ago, Garmin came out with version 3 of its Garmin Training Center software, which I use to import data from my Garmin Edge, retrieve data, and export to the TCX format for subsequent import into RideWithGPS. Anyway, without getting too technical, I've been really appreciating a new feature of the Garmin Training Center software. Since I habitually take the same training routes frequently, now the software allows me to compare data from one ride to another to see where my speed increased or decreased along the route. This is very helpful when you're trying to improve your performance, since you can really pinpoint parts of the ride where you want to improve.

Here's what a comparison looks like. This is my latest workout/commute up Remington, Sunset, Oakcrest and Triphammer, then down Asbury to East Shore Drive. Notice that the elevation profile is virtually identical (discrepancies are caused by GPS margin of error), while the speeds in different sectors are clearly different. The blue line represents today's ride, while the red line represents my ride on September 8th. First of all, today I was .3 mph faster than on 9/8. I'm guessing that after a fantastic century followed by a relaxing rest day, I'm riding stronger. Also, you'll notice that my speeds on the East Shore Drive flats today were somewhat slower than on 9/8, and this is partly due to a generous tailwind last week that wasn't there today.

So there you have it—data analysis got even more fun. If I had a Garmin with heartrate, that would be even cooler. I still can't justify the the price, however.