Time for my annual "I don't know if I can do this" post

[Hammer]

Once again I'm registered for the Tour de Kota. Last year I was freaking about my preparation, what with remodeling a house to sell and moving and all. We haven't had any of that, but I'm still farther behind - I feel.

The weather has been not nice. I do have a trainer, the longest I've ridden on the trainer is 12 miles. Thank goodness for the trainer, it has helped at least moving my legs in that motion. My attention span is just limited.

I did cycling class last fall, but over the winter quarter I didn't because I wasn't in town enough (due to work) to really go. And, I didn't sign up in the spring because I figured that I would be on the road soon enough, and I did get the trainer.

I have been running over the winter. Usually 3 times a week, distances between 2 and 3 miles, sometimes 3.5. And I walk.

I've been outside on the bike twice so far. 16 miles, half into around 20mph winds. And earlier this week I got out for a 22 mile ride. I was fine, but my back was achy. I think that I tweaked it shoveling or using the garden claw or something. I want to spend my indoor time with additional strength training, though it feels like my upper back might take a little time to heal.

Any suggestions? What are some good last minute cramming tips? I am confident that I will be able to do the tour. IT's not a race. Though I hope to be comfortable. I remember being pretty achy after a couple days last year, I didn't get to finish the week.

Rough Mileage this year:
I was out of town in Jan and Feb a lot, didn't log my activity. I did use a hotel treadmill quite frequently.
March: Only 80 miles on trainer and 16 miles run
So far in April: 81 miles biked and 18.5 run I've lost a few opportunites due to deadlines at work and being out of town on shoots.

My plan is to clean house today so that when the weather does let up, I hopefully won't feel bad about taking a few hours for a ride. And my bike will be going on the trainer this afternoon.

[RoadRaven]

Yes you can... it might be tough, but you can.

I can't remember what the Tour de Kota looks like in terms of profile or distance, but you have done this before. Your body will remember, and more importantly, you know you can do it - so your head-space will be in the right place.

With limited preparation, you just need to tell yourself that you are not out for a personal best time. And once you know that, relax into the build up, do the prep you can, enjoy the experience and who knows... be pleasantly surprised if you do better than you thought.

How far away is it? Then I'll relate it to how I have "crammed" when illness has got in the way of training. I got it from Friel's Training Bible...

[Hammer]

The tour is Sunday June 8 through Friday the 13. This year it loops Sioux Falls to Mitchell then to Chamberlain to Highmore to Huron, To Brookings and back to Sioux Falls.

There will definately be some hills. I find it easier to get out and run in chilly weather. Granted, I don't run too far... But, it takes me like 36 minutes to run 3 miles. I kinda am thinking that there shouldn't be any hills on the tour that take me that long to get up. I shouldn't explode. Now, those hills by the river with a headwind, that'll be a challenge. I *may* explode then.

I rode two 12 mile sessions on the trainer today. I'm hoping that the weather shapes up enough to bike to work 2-3 times a week (16 miles one way). And I'll just have to do my best and accept that there are schedule issues beyond my control and try to use my time wisely.

The weather hasn't been ideal for anyone. I think that I'm probably not the only one feeling the crunch this year. I just get nervous.

For anyone curious, here's the route map and elevation charts.

http://www.tourdekota.com/route08.html

Thanks RoadRaven for the words of encouragement.

[OakLeaf]

Does it make you feel any better, that you've made me feel better about my (lack of) preparation for TOSRV, only two weeks out?

[RoadRaven]

June, eh?
Well, you still have a reasonable ammount of time to train for it.
No need to panic.
Just keep on doing what you are doing.

I was thinking of crash training - where you train intensively for about 2 weeks and then do almost nothing - the idea being your body will compensate and you will peak for your race. However, you have to get it just right or you will be absolutely nowhere near a peak...

So don't bother with that... just keep steadily building. Sign in here with weekly planned rides to keep yourself accountable, if it will help...

[Hammer]

Alright, I figured that I would check back in. When I started this post I had an achy back. I tweaked a muscle that got worse before it got better over the weekend. On the 28th I did run 4 miles, even though the ibuprofren had worn off and I was fairly sore after. But I was happy and even though I felt like crap, it kinda felt good too. It was the farthest that I'd run yet.

The 29th I biked around the section, 5 miles on my hybrid. No biggie. On the 30th I did plan to bike more than 16 miles. The wind was out of the SE 24-33 mph wind/gusts. I was just going up and down a N-S road, and would've done a few more mile out/backs but I got hungry and didn't get back out that evening.

I ran 3 on Saturday, just laps on my N-S driveway. Winds 23-29 from the NW.

I'm still running because I have entered a 5K on the 17th.

So my bummer day was today,

My plan was to do a substantial amount of biking, at least 40 miles. I ran some errands for my family and figured that if I were home by 3 and on the bike, I'd get a healthy ride in.

My stomach had been kind of foul all day. I thought that maybe if I got out and rode the hormones would tell my body to knock that crap off. I was maybe a half mile from my driveway and my stomach started knotting up again. It didn't get better, I turned around. Blah. Now I'm sitting in a chair and don't feel bad, but the stomach is still gurgling and, well, I'm a bit gassy. Sorry!!

I'm going to go and lift my freeweights, do some shoulder shrugs, stuff that doesn't involve bending at the middle.

It's supposed to be super nice tomorrow. I will possibly bundle up and ride to work or come home early for a ride afterwork. The second option might be easiest so that I don't have to pack my clothes. We'll see. I may have to pack a skirt, those don't take up much room.

Thanks for letting me vent.

[Aquila]

LOL, when I read the title, I thought it would be about something else entirely. :/

[Hammer]

Curious, what did you think the thread was about?

i got 33.23 miles in last night, but it took me quite awhile. I only averaged 11.8 mph. Ah well. I felt pretty good. Except that I should know better than to eat a snickers bar when I'm exerting myself physically at all. I pulled over to let a couple tractors by. I hadn't eaten a ton for lunch. It was early in my ride, so I ate my candy bar. The peanuts did a number on my stomach and I had a gutache for the next 10 miles. I was going up some rolling hills, small headwind (like 12mph). Not bad, but a challenge with sidestitches.

I stopped in a small town to make a pitstop. A cycling friend lives in that town. She was out walking, so I chatted with her.

5 miles from home my gutache resumed. The candybar should've been well digested. It'd been like an hour or so.

Overall, any further distance and I should be using chamois cream again. My shorts were aggravating. But my back/neck/arms felt fine. I could've kept riding, really. I wish I'd been able to go faster. And I felt good today too. A touch stiff, but fine. My plan had been to run today. I walked at noon, but storms rolled in before I was able to run otherwise.

[Aquila]

Sounds like you're making progress, at least, except for the candy bar.

I read it sort of as, "time for my annual; I don't know if I can do this" post. If that makes sense... but I always sort of feel that way about getting the old tires rotated and oil changed, so to speak.

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Hammer

looks like you are staying on track and focused. Well done you.

As for that candy bar - don't know how you could do that. I would feel sick with all that sugar and chocolate that close to a ride. I don't eat stuff like that any closer than about 3 1/2 hours from a good training ride or a race...

[Hammer]

I spent a week sick with an ucky cold. I'm still coughing a bit. I missed a 5k that I'd registerd for and a really nice opportunity to bike. Ah well.

Last week I biked to work twice. It's 15 miles one way to work. I rode back via a different highway the first day to add 3 more miles. No biggie. The wind was fairly breezy on the way home, I had a headwind. Total 33.

The next day I biked to work again. A cycling friend of mine lives NW of me in a nearby town, about 12 or so miles away. She biked with me home, but we added another loop before we headed out. I got a total of 45 miles that day. That day I was kind of tired. I meant to pick up some extra miles a bit when she and I parted ways. But my legs felt like led. My cold may still have been lingering. OVerall, a good day though.

Due to work and the weather I didn't get to ride until Sunday again. I went out for a 26 mile loop. I was going to go on into town to do one continuous ride, due to phone issues I did stop home for an hour. I took the opportunity to make lunch. Then I went back out for a couple more hours. I got 60 miles in total. I felt pretty good, though I only averaged like 12 mph.

I don't often break many speed records on my own. I generally need a faster rider to push me. I was on the bike for several hours and felt fine. And it was a gorgeous day to just putz around. YEsterday I didn't ride, helped family move my grandpa's stuff out of his home. Though, I wasn't sore anywhere except a little in my neck and shoulders.

Long story short: I will be achy on the tour de kota, but should be fine in general.

[RoadRaven]

OK Hammer... no more sick weeks ok!!!
Not allowed!

Glad you are feeling ok, and ready to ride.
Remember if you are still feeling a bit achy, panadol (or your pain-killer of choice) is your friend!