So slow, so irritated

[skywalkerbeth]

@Melissa - I'd love to hear the Fig Newton story! Re: your brother: that's exactly it. I have the last laugh here, too: when we got back he showered up and then took a two hour nap on the couch. ha!

@indy: I'm not sure. I don't get the sense it's a fast cadence - 90 sounds awfully quick. Cadence is one full go 'round, right? How do you know, other than counting? I have a garmin watch, not a bike computer. I'm not entirely convinced that a quicker tempo wouldn't tire me out more quickly. So far my stamina is good even if I'm not fast... What gear should I use? The lowest? I probably do use too hard of a gear during the flats... probably in the middle (and then really make it easy gear on the hills).

@Koronin - I think we are on the same page. I've also spent too much of the last decade on my butt. I would always get some exercise, but less each year and not enough to counteract a desk job. I am hoping stamina will get to where I want it and then I can up the pace. In the end, I just want to finish this century!

@roo4: yes!

@crankin, you are right, I am going to have to pick one extra day. It's going to be tough to do because taking it to the trail adds a minimum of 30 minutes to the whole endeavor (min) because of loading/onloading the bike, getting there... and leaving from my house is problematic because rush hour starts early and the drivers right outside my subdivision are maniacs. 6 AM would probably be OK but that means coming back to my house at 730 AM which means 2 miles of roadway with fast drivers. It's the only way to get it in, though.

@buffy @lawchick @bluebug @pll: I did yesterday! We went out again and I decided that on the first hill I was NOT going to let him pass me and I really hoofed it. I stayed way out in front and let me tell you, when I finally slowed it down my legs felt like jelly and I just breathed hard for several minutes. Forget about doing anything other than grunting... the distance I rode for that amount of "holy hell" was pitifully short though, which only serves to tell me how out of shape I am. (maybe 1/2 a mile up hill).

Definitely having fun!

Injury: I think something is in the mail. Last Sunday (35 miles) my lower back on the right side/right hip started to hurt at mile 30. Tender. Not quite sciatica but like that. I figured it was the fanny pack hitting a tender spot and when I was done biking and took a shower I was fine and the next day (Monday) I was just fine even with contorted sitting - no pain at all. This weekend the pain started earlier (no fanny pack) and now it's even off the bike. I am wondering if it could be yoga causing it? I started that too, thinking that I needed to limber up as well as exercise.