Saturday, March 16, 2013

Back to Back First

So after returning home I'm finally back in the saddle and completed two rides back to back. Yesterday afternoon I went north on the Trace. The weather was beautiful, warm 75 degrees (eat your heart out Dan) with very little wind. The first time out not wearing a jacket or arm and leg warmers felt exhilarating. Completed 31.2 miles in 2 hrs. 8 minutes with an average pace of 4:8/mile. Climbed 1654 ft in elevation and burned 1040 calories.
This morning I headed out early, this time south on the Trace. There was a mean head wind of at least 20 mph that made the ride a lot harder than yesterday. Another warm, sunny day though, and besides the wind I had a good ride overall. Completed 30.4 miles in 2 hrs. 15 mins. with an average pace of 4:28/mile. Climbed 1486 ft (although that South stretch of road seems hillier than the North), and burned 956 calories.
The wind was so strong today, I could smell the distinct aroma of cow dung from a farm a few hundred yards away. There is some really pretty farmland down this stretch of the Trace.
So I met with Scotta from Butterfly Yoga Friday. She thinks I may have a pulled or have an inflamed hamstring attachment that is causing the pain in the muscle by the bone on my butt (pelvic cavity). She said it may take anywhere from six weeks to a couple of months to heal. Scotta gave me some Yoga exercises to help strengthen the muscle area. Between that and my right foot, I'm hoping both will heal before my journey in late May. While both are painful, I just will grin and bear it as I continue to train. If I'm leaning forward on the ride it's not too bad, but when I sit up to drink water or just change position I can really feel it.
This weekend I have to finailize my route and get my accomodations booked. With less than 68 days to go, time is flying by. I now have over 1,000 miles of riding either on the bicycle or on the gym bike.
I am also looking at other ways to garner support. If you are members of any clubs or organizations that may be interested in my journey, the preparation,training, planning etc. please let me know and I am more than happy to come and speak about the experience. Please tell your friends about my journey and the opportunity to support the charities even if it is a small amount, every little bit helps. Thanks again to all of you that have pledged or donated. I really appreciate your support and I'm really getting excited about the ride in the U.K. Please don't forget Simon in this endeavor!