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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    9,324

    Number Seven and a Little Redemption

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    Yesterday I completed my 7th 200K on my way to an R-12. It was also the 4th time I finished Jobob's East Bay Permanent.

    http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=26076

    Two weeks ago I attempted this ride and the temps were over 100. I DNFed at mile 103. It was a huge disappointment for me because it totally messed up my training plans for the rest of the month. I have a sprint tri next weekend and I have not done a brick since before my Half Ironman that was in early August. The sprint tri doesn't have an Athena category, so it's not like I'll win any prizes. I'm just going to go and have fun.

    Yesterday's weather was totally different. The temperature stayed in the mid 60s - low 70s all day and the sun didn't appear from behind the clouds until 1 o'clock.

    I saw lots of deer and wild turkeys climbing Calaveras and lots of motorcycles and other cyclists. It was a huge contrast to the ride two weeks ago when hardly another soul seemed to be on the road.

    Climbing Palomares I got caught in the middle of a group riding from Alameda. I stopped at the summit to have a Hammer Gel and chatted with them for a bit. On the descent I saw MelissaM and Dachshund climbing. I shouted hello to both. In the middle of the descent I got the warning that battery power was low on my GPS. I haven't been riding with the GPS lately, but since my Polar was in the shop, I used it to track my mileage and speed. Fortunately, I was coming into Castro Valley and I stopped at a Radio Shack and picked up some more batteries.

    The next section I think of as a three "bumps" climb with each bump getting smaller. The first is Redwood, with views of the reservoir off to your right. The second is Pinehurst and you know you are at the top when you see Dan's name in the road. The descent begins with a reminder for Dan about his hair. Every time I ride this I wonder what the event was and why the hair reminder. Canyon's bump is really little, but it always gets me and I end up going into my little chain ring for it. It is at mile 68 or so of the ride.

    Down into Moraga where I got a large Red Bull, a bottle of water, a banana and a bag of ice at the Safeway control. I definitely have a routine for each stop when I do this ride. Even though it was not hot, I know I'm more likely to drink if the liquids are cold.

    I have a relatively easy section for the next 15 miles or so, until the climb up Pig Farm Hill. The wind was gusty and was a little cold. I guess Autumn really is coming. Pig Farm is a tough little climb. It starts out relatively gently with two small stair steps that are quite widespread. But the end has three stair steps that are very close together and the last step is a bear. However, once you conquer Pig Farm, you can coast at 20+ mph for the next few miles.

    My last checkpoint is at a Starbucks in Martinez. I gave Thom a call, so he knew he had about two and half hours before he needed to pick me up. I had thirty miles to go and I was definitely feeling the effects of little riding this month. Fortunately, I'm settling back into a work routine. Every school year is different because every class is different. It takes me a few weeks to adjust.

    I was a little nervous about this next section because I was coming up on where I DNFed. I knew I was feeling much better than I did two weeks ago. This section was new for me as Jo changed the route. It is a good change. The new road has more shade and less traffic. It feels like the climbs on it are shorter as well - at least until you get to the last one. The last climb on a road is always the worst.

    The final 15 miles are always a bit of slog for me. The road does tilt up slightly and I just want to be done. I was listening to Bowling for Soup on my Thumps. Music definitely makes this section more palatable. I beat Thom to the pick up at the Safeway in Dublin. The last 30 miles surprisingly only took me two hours and 15 minutes.

    I wasn't thrilled with my overall time or average speed, but given how little I've been riding - only five rides, including this one, this month and three of them were my sub 5 mile commute to work and so don't really count - I can't really complain.

    Only five more 200Ks to go.

    Veronica
    Last edited by Veronica; 09-21-2008 at 09:16 AM.
    Discipline is remembering what you want.


    TandemHearts.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Traveling Nomad
    Posts
    6,763
    Congratulations, V. You are amazing!!!!
    Emily

    2011 Jamis Dakar XC "Toto" - Selle Italia Ldy Gel Flow
    2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD "Gloria" - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow
    2004 Bike Friday Petite Pocket Crusoe - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Marin County CA
    Posts
    5,936
    Good job!
    Sarah

    When it's easy, ride hard; when it's hard, ride easy.


    2011 Volagi Liscio
    2010 Pegoretti Love #3 "Manovelo"
    2011 Mercian Vincitore Special
    2003 Eddy Merckx Team SC - stolen
    2001 Colnago Ovalmaster Stars and Stripes

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Folsom CA
    Posts
    5,667
    Oh excellent, V did all the work on the report so I can just tack on mine.

    I did that same ride today, and I was with V on that ill-fated ride a couple of weeks ago. Amazing what 30 degrees or so cooler temps will do for you!

    Two weeks ago when I reached the mile 75 point I was thinking to myself "50 more miles? No way!!" and promptly made a beeline to the nearby BART station. But today when I reached that same spot I was thinking "50 more miles? No problem!"

    I'm still, as always, slower than snot in the Arctic on climbs. I was hoping to complete the ride in under 12 hours total time, but then I made the mistake of getting into a conversation with two older gentlemen cyclists at the Starbucks in Orinda. They were very interested in my ride and randonneuring in general, and blabbermouth me was only happy to oblige. So I wasted a lot of time there. And darn it, my total time wound up being 12 hrs 6 minutes, ack! But I really enjoyed our conversation, and in the end that's all that really matters, since I made it in well under the time cutoff. (Still, I would have loved to say I did it in 11:59 or something like that. Oh well).

    And wonder of wonders, I felt GREAT at the end of the ride! I'm really thrilled about that.

    Only 10 more 200Ks to go.
    Last edited by jobob; 09-21-2008 at 09:04 PM.

    2009 Lynskey R230 Houseblend - Brooks Team Pro
    2007 Rivendell Bleriot - Rivet Pearl

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Folsom CA
    Posts
    5,667
    Quote Originally Posted by Veronica View Post
    This section was new for me as Jo changed the route. It is a good change. The new road has more shade and less traffic. It feels like the climbs on it are shorter as well - at least until you get to the last one. The last climb on a road is always the worst.
    Oh, that last climb on Reliez Valley Road is simply hideous. I spit in it's general direction. Ack, ptooey!! All it has going for it is that it's in the shade. And that it's the last freakin' climb. But apart from that, it sux.

    2009 Lynskey R230 Houseblend - Brooks Team Pro
    2007 Rivendell Bleriot - Rivet Pearl

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    463
    Veronica, I'm totally impressed that you did this ride!

    I thought that was you, but I was still blinking and thinking "is that Veronica??" when you had already whizzed past. Well it was nice to see your smiling face for 2 seconds. Congratulations!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    691
    Veronica,

    Congratulations on completing being 7/12 of the way to the R12!!

    It was great seeing you as I was inching my way up the north side of Palomares. My thought process went as follows:

    - Pant, pant, pant -- almost to the top of this booger
    - Look over there -- a cyclist just beginning their descent -- lucky dog!!
    - Hey, that looks like Veronica
    - It IS Veronica!!
    - Hmmmm, I wonder if she's doing the Permanent.... (The answer to that question is ... YUP!!)


    Jobob,

    Good job!!! You're 2/12 of the way there!!!!!

    dachshund and I were enjoying a post-ride celebratory beer and thought of calling you, but I thought you might be in the middle of your permanent and didn't want you to succumb to temptation. You'll be happy to know that we were able to finish the pitcher....

    - Mel
    I'll get back on the bike soon, I promise!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Folsom CA
    Posts
    5,667
    I prefer 1/6, it sounds better.

    Glad you were able to finish the pitcher. Standards Must Be Maintained.

    2009 Lynskey R230 Houseblend - Brooks Team Pro
    2007 Rivendell Bleriot - Rivet Pearl

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Benicia, CA
    Posts
    1,320
    Great reports from the two of you! Yes, PF back side (as we call it) is a tough little climb. And the last part of Reliez Valley after Withers is also a doozy. I do those roads pretty regularly if I'm out to get a metric in. Of course I'm tackling the east side of PF (U Turn) and then to the top of Reliez valley so I'm usually at about mile 36 or so. Hats off to both of you getting up there with the miles behind you.

    My bike club goes to the Martinez Starbucks every Sunday Morning. Nice farmer's market on Sundays too.

    Hey V- how's school this year? Are you 6th grade by chance?
    Nancy

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    9,324
    I'm still 5th grade. I keep getting held back.

    My kids are sweet, extremely chatty though. And whatever happened to knowing your math facts?

    Veronica
    Discipline is remembering what you want.


    TandemHearts.com

 

 

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