I had the alarm set for 5:45, but didn’t make it until then. I was up and eating my Kashi cereal with a banana by 5:30 and at LaDue Reservoir with my kayak ready to roll by 7 a.m. I was going to do all three events again, but time was limited since I had to visit Holly’s parents and drive to Akron to meet Heidi for dinner. There was no time to dally.
I’d decided on LaDue on the drive to the upper Cuyahoga River. I had to cross LaDue to get there…it was another 15 minutes…and decided any body of water would do – why pass one? It turned out to be a good choice.
I paddled south on the Reservoir and found myself in the shallows after twenty minutes and had to reverse my course. When I did, I had a large, immature eagle fly overhead and back in the direction I was going. The chase was on. I spotted it on three different occasions and it would let me get within about 200 yards before flying to another perch. My camera is being repaired and the one I was carrying did not have a telephoto lens…so I needed to get closer. It never happened. It did get me to kayak longer than I’d planned though, and so by the time I returned to the take-out, I was behind schedule.
I had perfect conditions for the run. It was cool and sunny as I entered the woods to the hoot of an owl. The sun was filtering through to the forest floor, giving it that golden glow that makes me want to run all day. I felt strong as I started and continued feeling that way throughout. My concern was for my calf of course, particularly since I’d run an hour on Saturday and wasn’t sure if doing it again so soon was really a good idea. I had some twinge at 45 minutes and I was close to three minutes ahead of the pace I’d run on Saturday, so I slowed a little to make sure I’d make it. I hit Clear Creek in 54 minutes…3 minutes faster than Saturday…and ran the final 3 minutes to make it 57 for the day.
I was now certain nothing would stand in my way. I drove home planning my outfit to allow for the cooler temperatures I’d deal with on the ride. Once home, I showered, and decided I’d refuel the tank. I remembered what my cousin Donny had told me on Saturday when I’d told him what I’d eaten for breakfast.
“John…what were you thinking? You should have eaten French Toast smothered in butter and doused in maple syrup…about 8 slices…like you used to when you were young. That’s all carbs and that’s what you need…right?”
So I broke out the eggs and milk and whipped up the batter while heating the griddle. I ate only seven pieces…it was all the batter I had…and I felt like I had lead in my belly as I climbed aboard the bike. Why do I listen to that guy?
I packed three little roses in my saddle bag and headed north for Willoughby. I rode past the house where I’d grown up and made my way to the cemetery to visit the graves of my parents and Jim and place a flower on their headstones. From there, I swung through Mentor to say hello to my sister and grab some juice to re-energize myself for the long push home.
It was a cool, breezy ride, but I felt strong throughout and with no leg cramps. My hip was still a little sore from the spill on Sunday, but I finished the ride feeling tired but like I could easily have done more. The worst soreness I was experiencing continued to be the hamstrings from the edging I’d done on Monday night.
I made a huge smoothie to replenish my depleted muscles and headed for Akron and dinner with Heidi, Jack and Holly. We went to a burger bar and had an amazing hamburger. I passed on the fries and milk shake, but when the waiter found out it was my birthday, he offered to make me a shake on the house. I couldn’t say no to such a generous spirit…though I wish I had. By the time I went to bed, my stomach was churning…probably from the abnormal amount of fat I’d consumed. But it was a small price to pay for a perfect day.
Kayak duration: 75 minutes. Run duration: 57 minutes. Bike duration: Three hours.
Training Heart Rate: 90-120 for the kayak, 140 for the run, 120 on the bike.
Calories burned: 750 for the kayak, 1000 for the run, 2500 for the bike.
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