Long ride for Father's Day

Sunday, June 20, 2010

I find Father’s Day to be a day of reflection. Reflection on the father I think I’ve been, my own father and his father, my grandpa. I tend to look at the things I haven’t done as well as I should and re-commit to being a better dad in the coming year.

I planned for an afternoon ride…the time between church and checking my pulse and the time when the family comes over for dinner. I had decided a day run-free would be a good thing and if I did a long run, I wouldn’t have the energy for anything else. I also wanted to see if I could make it two days in a row without a flat.

I started the ride around 1 p.m. to very pleasant riding weather. It was sunny, but hovering around 80 degrees and not overly humid. I had two 20-ounce drinking bottles filled to the brim and headed for the country roads via the ‘Iron Lung’. I had also convinced myself that, if I was to survive a long ride, I’d have to take it easy. I still tend to want to push everything, but after the day I’d had yesterday, it would be wise to go easy.

I felt fine over the first hour, but things started catching up to me after that. I could tell it was going to be a struggle and I still had another hour and a half, so I tried to dial it back some more. I could feel the hamstrings cramping whenever I got out of the saddle on a climb and I had that bonking feeling (low blood sugar) that can accompany long, hard efforts on the bike when you’re not eating. I knew it was just a conditioning thing and didn’t let it bother me too much. I kept reminding myself ‘it’ll be over soon.’

I ended up riding about 40 miles in around 2.5 hours. Slow for me, but I am a bit out of shape for riding. All the running in the world does not maintain the cycling conditioning I’d built up earlier in the spring. Still, it was fun. I received a text from Marie that her arms and shoulders were not functioning…day after affect of her first Survival workout. I warned her that it would get worse before it got better and that it takes three or four workouts before you really get used to it.

Later that night, Holly and I went on a 25-minute walk in the neighborhood. Not a bad idea since I’d eaten her famous, fatty beef and dumpling dinner and finished it with a piece of butterscotch crème pie.

Oh…and Reza…the ninja deer story is completely true. Why would you have any doubts? I always write the truth.

Bike duration: 150 minutes.

Training Heart Rate: 125.

Calories burned during workout: 2250.