May begins with gloom and cold and overcast skies. And me waking late and just not feeling the push to go get cold and sweaty in the wind and drizzle.
Finally got the shop cleared up enough to have room to workout. First core workout in a long time. I added two exercises. The whole thing took around 1:15. Burned nearly 500 calories. Ended not being able to do the last two press-ups or the last three overhead presses. Arms and core are shaky after. I let my heart rate drop back to around 90bpm before the next exercise. Felt good. I’ll ride on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and core work on the off days. I’ll see how I feel about doing a core workout on a weekend day I don’t get a ride in.
First ride in May is in the books. My usual short ride today. Perfect weather.
10/05/2023 – Ride #2 for May. Same as it ever was. I was a bit quicker today with the tailwind and a good bit of effort chasing, catching and dropping a faster and younger rider. Got the old HR up there for a bit and burned down some calories. My weight is slowly inching back down. I’d say, I’m ten kilograms from my target, give or take a few. Another couple of weeks of this intensity should get me back.
Weight lifting and core training went well yesterday. My weight bench arrived. Tomorrow will be a bigger lifting and exercise day. Plenty of good solid work available with the bench to support me.
Got out for a long one today. 3:12 for around 73 kilometers. Some climbing up to Santa Margarita and back. The Wahoo Bolt jumps to the climbing page on climbs now. Kind of cool.
Monday was another ride up to Santa Margarita and back, also skipping the harbor loop to save a bit of time. 3:14 for the 73km or so. Slow and steady work. Down another half kilo too. Worked pretty hard and even with the left pedal power meter dislodging the connection I still managed a bit over a thousand calories burned.
I need to find a couple more baselayer undershirts. A cotton t-shirt is a bad idea. I soaked the thing in the heat up the hill then got very cold when I got back under the marine layer along the coast.
At this pace, I should be able to pull off a birthday ride without too much pain.
Out for a birthday ride, 70. Did a Gran Fondo because I could. Wet and drizzle and damp at times.
100.5km over 4:23. A good day on the bike. Did some standing on the pedals on hills to get some real work done. The. head wind off the ocean on the return leg made sure I worked all the way home.
Out today for a quick ride out the park on Ortega then added the first climb up Antonio. Worked pretty hard on this one and got my six minute power up around 195w, so getting there.
Memorial Day ride was set to be another gran fondo, but the weather just kept getting wetter. By Santa Margarita I was in steady rain, soaked to the skin from my head to my toes. Rain running to of my shoes and helmet. I was warm enough going uphill with only my Voler base layer, and Castelli arm and leg warmers from GCN.
When I set off the sky looked to be clearing which convinced me to skip the light rain jacket.
By kilometer 27 I had passed through heavy mist into honest rain with spray flinging off my tires.
After I U-turned and headed back down Antonio from Santa Margarita, I was pedaling into the wind and heavy enough rain to make it hard to see and only getting about 40 kph for all my effort. I kept up the work to stay warm with that much wind chill. By the time I got to the base of the shallow side of the Antonio climb, even the mist was gone. By the park it was dry.
I decided to skip the harbor loop what with the holiday and took to the river trail.
For the end of May, I can state it has been a good month for cycling. I’m feeling fitter and stronger on the bike. I can stand on the pedals on the hills and put a bit more work into the climbs. I’ve still to test myself on the Olympic course. I’ll leave that for June and my attempt on a self-supported century.
I’ve been successful in both regaining my cycling fitness and dropping weight. Progress on both fronts has been steady. I’m a bit less than ten kilograms from my ultimate goal. I figure to announce that milestone once I get there.
May Totals:
Distance: 587.8km
Time: 25 hours, 19 minutes
Along The Way 