Sunday, March 22, 2009

Nice Weather and Good Riding


All the good things about Spring seemed to arrive at once this year. Daylight savings time was brought out of exile as the warm weather sneaked, if for a moment, out of the southern hemisphere. The pears are beginning to blossom in the back yard. Winter's bitter varnish is yielding to more than the sun's golden bomardment; it's brittle shell crazes with the thundering of a thousand bicycle tires. Yes, the cyclists have taken to the roads.

Last week, I climbed astride the saddle for three rides and amassed about 65 miles. Previously, I rode this much in two to 3 weeks' time. I hope to increase my distance quite a bit over the next month.

I had a great conversation with the JDRF national coach a while back who provided some great advice. He encouraged me to ride about 500 miles of long, steady distance (LSD) over a two-month period. Then, he said I should vary my rides each week in this pattern: (1) Tuesday interval ride; (2) Thursday pace ride; (3) Saturday LSD ride. I should shoot for roughly this breakout on distances: Tuesday, 1/6 weekly mileage; Thursday, 1/3 weekly mileage; Saturday, 1/2 weekly mileage. By August 1, I will be on track if I can comfortably ride 75-80 miles.

Changing gears a little, my fundraising reached $3,000 last week. This was a major milestone for me, and it gives me reassurance that I can reach the required $4,200 even in these tough times. I continue to be humbled by my friends and colleagues who give selflessly for this great cause. No recession appears ready to stop you. Amazing. Thank you.

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