Good Ride--Just Not as Far as I Hoped

I'm on my 2nd beer post-ride. Turns out I wasn't sufficiently recovered from IMLP to go the distance. Still, I did this:

Duration: 7:17:56 (7:51:55)
Work: 3740 kJ
TSS: 461.2 (intensity factor 0.795)
Norm Power: 171
VI: 1.2
Distance: 106.449 mi
Elevation Gain: 8786 ft

That is still a very solid ride, I don't care who you are. In case you are wondering, I set my FTP for LGL to 215 (it's about 180 on Bitchie). I'm sure my coach will claim it's even higher, but when I've done interval rides on LGL, that's the number I use and am able to hit for the FT intervals.

So if you know anything about riding with power (as compared to some idiots I've seen post on their blogs as if they know what they are talking about--they are really just using a fancy bike computer), you will observe that I rode pretty "hot." I can ride near 80% of FTP for a LONG time if I'm not running off the bike, as I know all too well (coach doesn't believe me, but it's true). If the rest of the ride had been flat, I could have continued on, but my legs were just not into climbing any more, and I was having trouble unclipping from my pedals, so I decided to bag it.

The ride started out rather cool and overcast. At about 40 miles in, we got rained on for a long time. It's not that much fun riding screaming descents when you can barely see in front of you let alone the road let alone gravel let alone the curves. After it quit raining, then the sun came out in blazes (about 87 degrees) and the winds picked up to about 15MPH or more.

When I took a shower post-ride, I was even happier that I stopped, because my ass was chafed! That's what you get sitting on essentially a wet diaper. I shudder to think what I would have ended up with after 180 miles!

So, no there were no tears today. In fact, I'm quite good with what I did, just 3 weeks after an Ironman. I am looking forward to being able to run next week, and also bike, and also swim! I still put in 17 hours of training this week, and that's nothing to complain about (I will probably swim about an hour tomorrow, too, just to get over this, and I think I can run, too--so I am a lying mofo--it will be about 18.5 hours).

I'm about to head out to the Land's End store here in Dodgeville, then buy some more beer, because I've got a few guys who will be finishing 300K today that will be showering back at my ranch, and I think they'll appreciate a beer. I offered to have a three-way with them...one is married, but the other guy is single, so we'll just have to see how that works out :)

The Time Draws Near

I was hoping to "sleep in" until 4:15AM today, but got out of bed at 3:15, so I've got a bit of time on my hands. No worries--this will give me more time to process the calories I'm dumping in before I ride today.

Weather forecast looks relatively good if it's correct. No matter how you slice it, it's going to be fucking hot riding all day. YEAH!!!

I am at least starting the ride, and then depending on how it goes, hanging with, Dino, a guy I met at Ironman Brazil last year. He listed "Bikini Model" as his occupation on registration, and I had listed "Butt Model." So we refer to each other by those names. Dino's bib at Brazil got messed up, and instead of printing his real name, it said "Bikini Model." Dino's a good sport, so he just went with it. I'm not sure how many Ironman races Dino has done--maybe as many as me? Anyway, he's a great guy, part of the Headhunters triathlon club in Wisconsin. Last fall when I was volunteering for IMWI, I stayed at Dino's house, and he gave me honorary Headhunter status. I have a sticker on my car, a hat and some awesome water bottles. I think next I need to score the cycling kit, because it would look totally awesome on either LGL or Bitchie.

You can see what I did to the wrist band that I'll be wearing today. I'll be gazing at it once I'm 133 miles in, as that will be the start of my longest single ride ever. I'll be looking at it the second time I'm climbing Shop Hill, which is the meanest, baddest mother fucker of a hill I've ever been on.

Time for my Gag Juice and then I need to suit up!

Getting Psyched for Dairyland Dare

I've arrived in Dodgeville for the Dairyland Dare 300K ride that takes place tomorrow. I've already begun compiling pics here.

Weather forecast calls for a high of 85 with light winds, day beginning with high humidity tapering off. PERFECT!!!

The crap I rode in last Sunday was worse, although there really weren't hills involved--just WIND!

I met a woman who's attempting the 300K as well. I don't think she has any idea of what she's in for. Furthest she's ridden is 100 miles, but hey, if she gets it done, great! I know one thing--I won't be riding with her for very long, unless I see she's a player. But it's nice to know there are other women attempting this.

Now I need to do some calculations to determine which rest stops I want my extra bottles dropped off at. They will be HOT no matter what--I'm not sure why I chilled them--but maybe, just maybe, they will put them into a cooler??? I'll ask anyway.

I'm picking up my crap in about 1/2 hour and then heading to Pizza Hut for dinner. I ate a bunch of pizza before Horribly Hilly, so I'm going to stick with what works. I will stuff myself, and then I'll be in the whirlpool...