“One of the fitness standards that I set for myself a long time ago,” I said to Tori, “was that on any given day, I could bike 200 miles. I guess this would be a real test of that.”
Indeed, as a side effect of a high-mileage year for running, I’ve had the lowest-mileage year for biking ever since I started doing long-distance cycling events 17 years ago. I’ve actually run three times more than I’ve biked this year distance-wise. The number of times I have pedaled could be counted on my digits; my long ride in 2010 was a mere 40 miles.
But since the summer is winding down and the amount of daylight hours is decreasing, I figured I’d better squeeze in a 200-miler now to continue my annual double-century streak. Besides, I figured it would be a good way to whip me back into cycling shape. I call it the shock-and-awe approach. Continue reading »
During the last couple of years, I’ve become of huge fan of various applications by Google. Google — founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who attended Stanford at the same time I did but somehow managed to accomplish a whole lot more — seemingly has more collective intelligence contained within their Mountain View headquarters than the CIA, Microsoft, and Pakistan combined, and virtually every month they come up with brilliant, intuitive, new software that makes our lives a whole lot easier. Not only that, but their software is always FREE.
The latest Google application I have been using is Google Calendar. While there are several calendar applications out there, Google’s is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of 1) sharing and 2) adding new entries. For example, instead of having to click the mouse button incessantly to fill out a dozen form fields, one can do a “Quick Add” by typing in (for example) “club meeting every Thursday 6p for 10 weeks.” Continue reading »
By completing the Badlands 200k and RMCC 300, 400, and 600k brevets, I have once again qualified for the quadennial Paris-Brest-Paris. However, even before completing the 600k brevet I had decided I wouldn’t be doing it this year. In an email to a friend I explained why: Continue reading »
“It remains to be seen how the 600k goes,” I wrote to a friend the day before the ride, “but right now I am thinking it won’t be that hard. I am doubtful it will make it onto the Toughest Events list.”
Such bravado might have been more appropriate in a trash-talking NBA locker room, but I had reason for such confidence. First, my body had been performing well and recovering quickly in the last few weeks, as demonstrated by cycling 400 km and then running 10 km in PR-time a couple of weeks ago. Second, unlike in the epic 2003 Davis 600k Brevet — I fully intended on sleeping a good 5-6 hours after 400 km, essentially turning the single event into two separate 400 + 200 kilometer rides. This also would keep riding in darkness to a minimum. Continue reading »
Repeat after me: “Don’t get lost, don’t get lost.”
Riding a bunch of “extra-credit” was something I was absolutely intent on not doing since doing just that in my last brevet two weeks ago. Unfortunately, I did not have a mantra for other issues, and like last time ended up: Continue reading »
I guess I am still not a morning person. This would explain why that, I pulled into the Littleton Park & Ride with just 10 minutes to spare before the 5:00 start, and while I was putting on Canny‘s front wheel, everyone else had already rolled out of the parking lot on their bikes. “Wait for me!” Continue reading »
