Training Begins, Bring on the Doubles

[Starfish]

Starfish - Mt. Shasta is a great idea. I bet that I could even convince DH to train for it. Ratpod sounds like a blast.

The Shasta ride is ALWAYS a great idea!! I have learned that. The pattern of roads and climbs is such that even if you decide for whatever reason not to do the exact ride you went there for, you have a LOT of great mid-ride choices you can make.

One thing about RATPOD...Dillon MT is a tiny town. They have some lodging for the ride in a school dormitory that you can reserve, and they have a few motels. But, I know those motels do sell out early-ish. If you're interested in RATPOD, probably need to keep that in mind.

SSSooooo glad you're getting sucked in...resistance is futile!

[jobob]

http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/ I think these folks do some stuff, but I have always shied away from them because they require fenders and stuff (I think). My bike doesn't take fenders.

Where is it said they require fenders?

[Starfish]

Where is it said they require fenders?

I have to admit, I cannot put my finger on where I saw that. It would bear checking with the folks who know.

It seems to me that I have read that participation in **** (whatever rand. association ride I was looking at, and for all I know there are many, and they all have different rules?) requires fenders if it rains.

It might be that the one thing I saw that one time lodged in my mind and has dissuaded me ever since.

If I run across what I saw or am thinking of, I'll let you know. Maybe it was the Canadian 200K I was looking at last year? There is one in Nelson BC I was interested in.

ETA: I found this blurb on the listings for many of their 2007 rides. Perhaps the "Required" part was something I picked up while looking at a ride with a different association? For awhile there, I was looking a lot at the BC association's site. Anyhow, here is the blurb: As a courtesy to other riders, fenders (with 1/4 coverage front wheel and 1/2 coverage rear wheel) are a must or you'll face the scorn and abuse of your fellow randonneurs. Additional rear splashguards are recommended for group riding.

[maillotpois]

Yeah, they're generally recommended, not required.

For rain rides, I do have the clip on carbon SKS fenders which will work on any bike - probably yours as well, Starfish. My frames are racing frames with no fender braze ons, etc. Indeed, minimal wheel clearance and adjusting the fenders was tricky but they work well.

[Starfish]

Yeah, they're generally recommended, not required.

For rain rides, I do have the clip on carbon SKS fenders which will work on any bike - probably yours as well, Starfish. My frames are racing frames with no fender braze ons, etc. Indeed, minimal wheel clearance and adjusting the fenders was tricky but they work well.

Hey, great to know. I would like to make it a little less painful to train in our crummy winters, springs, and, well, this year our crummy July 19th

The Sequoia makes a great rain bike - long and stable - so I would like to look into the fenders that might work. I had assumed none would. Guess that's the trouble with assuming!

[Veronica]

Ideally I'd like to be training twice a day, 30 - 60 minutes in the morning, 90 minutes or so in the PM. That doesn't mean riding twice a day - training for me also includes the Core stuff, yoga and weights. I'll be happy if I can get in 3 AMs and 2 PMs this week. I have Back to School Night Thursday, otherwise I'd go for 3 PMs.

Wish me luck! I'm gonna need it.

Well my week did not go as planned. I got in two AM workouts - Yoga and Core. By the end of today I'll have two PM workouts, only because we got out early today because of Back to School Night last night.

Monday Thom and I did a great mountain bike ride. It's a 3 mile climb with an average grade of 6% and a couple of super steep sections. I got distracted on one of the steep sections and had to step off. I tried it again and was so mad at myself for goofing up the first time. I messed up the second time. The third try at it, I was determined. This time that hill was going down!

After this steep section, the climb levels out a bit and I usually take it easy. But this time I actually got out of my granny gear and hit it hard so I could catch up to Thom. There is one more steep section and when I caught up to Thom, he suggested we race up the last section. I whined and told him I had nothing left. But he took off anyway, so I had no choice. I caught him, and he starts yelling stuff like, "Come on, beat me! Spin! Spin! Spin! Circles!" And I am just cursing him inside. This last section is a little more technical. It is a little loose and has some embedded rocks and so I'm concentrating on picking a good line and trying to go as hard as I can. He edged me out at the end. But then as we were drinking and catching our breath at the top, he says, "I thought you said you had nothing! That didn't look like nothing!"

The descent was what really made this ride. Since my accidents, mountain biking descents have filled me with trepidation. For no good reason - neither accident was on a gnarly descent.

I was still cautious on this one. But I was pedaling hard on all the little swoops up, instead of coasting. When Thom caught up to me back at the truck he said that it seemed like I was finding my mountain bike place again. My max speed was 31 on the descent.

Today I'm heading out for about twenty miles - just to stretch my legs a bit.

Tomorrow I'm planning on doing Morgan Territory. That will be about 50 miles with around 3500 feet of climbing.

Sunday another mountain bike ride, but longer.

Ahhh... the work week.

I have a meeting with a parent Monday, a Leadership Team meeting on Tuesday, a staff meeting Wed. a meeting on Thursday about testing our ELD kids. I'll be amazed if I get in one after work ride next week.

Three AM workouts is the goal again.

I keep hoping things will get into a routine. Work is causing me a bit of stress. I've got a fairly good class. But I have one girl who can't read. Seriously, she cannot read much of anything. She's new to our district and needs so much help. I have 34 students in my room and someone needs to read her everything! I feel like a failure because I can't do it all. I can't meet all of her needs and help my other students. Almost all of them have some issues.

Time to go ride.

V.

[DirtDiva]

Urgh. Classes like that are such hard work.

[Veronica]

Yep, it's sad! I've taught nearly 500 5th graders in my 16 years of teaching and I don't recall ever having a student quite like this. Just talking to her can be an ordeal because she seems to have such a hard time processing. She tries though. I read every question to her on the quiz I gave on Friday and she answered every one. I can barely read it and a lot of them are incorrect, but she tried.

She's moved at least once a year every year she has been in school. That doesn't help her because as soon as a district begins to work on a plan - it looks like she has moved. Once she gets to middle school I'm afraid it will be all over for her and she will never learn to read.

Back on topic - only rode 8 miles today. Thom's rear derailleur cable snapped. But I still managed to lose two pounds this week.

V.