May was a pretty good month for me riding. My weight is trending down and my cycling fitness up. Good to experience this. My weight loss goal is a moving target. I have an ultimate goal I’d like to hit for many reasons, cycling performance and health metrics included along with how my kit and clothes fit. The single most important reason is working this belly off will help my poor old back the most when coupled with increased core strength. So, that is where we are. I figure 70kg as my ultimate goal. I’m less than 8kg from that goal now. Back in about 2011 when my work schedule allowed me to run just about every evening, I was a bit under even that.
It took all the ay to the 17th to get in the first blue sky summer ride in. Full summer kit, half a tub of sunscreen a. bit of an onshore to keep me honestly working and quite a nice day out.
I worked hard early thanks to a group of guys on TT bikes who were mashing. big gears early on the coast trail, so I spun the Roubaix up into hard work and held it there to Capo where a short time later the group began to filter by me as I’d dropped off about 4kph from my peak. I spun up and caught a draft to the light where they ran the red and I pushed the button and waited. I caught back on as everyone spftpedalled through the parking lot. Once I was back on the road, I got my spin back up to moderate for the inland leg. Tailwind!
Hard work on the way back to Dana Point with the on shore working against me. The southbound leg I had a little push with the wind and was able to work it and force myself to hammer the climb up from North Beach. It felt really good to work that hard.
Almost a week goes by before my ducks are in rows so I can ride again. Same short route, though the parking lot at Capo is under construction so a long section of walking the bike. Then a traffic light was wonky and confused cars. Wednesday will be my next chance at a ride I suspect the walking section will still be there since the equipment hadn’t moved in the time I was through and back by over on the coast road. I’ll get one more ride in on Friday to end the month.
I over dressed by a wide margin for this ride. no need of arm or leg warmers or indeed the base layer, but it was chilly when the school bus stopped by and still chilly when I took the bike down off the hooks. When I opened the door and pushed the bike outside it was warm. I could have gone back upstairs and pulled off the warmers and base layer, but didn’t.
I wasn’t real uncomfortable at all and I didn’t have to put sunscreen on my legs or arms, so a bit of a positive.
I ended June with a core workout and lifting then a short exploration attempt at yoga using our shared family plan with AppleTV+, Fitness. As an old guy and noob to this activity I chose a ten minute session. I skipped the mat figuring I wasn’t going to be doing anything too energetic and I was right. What I had not planned for was our grandson deciding that I would make an excellent play structure. Try planking with a 50+ pound near five year-old on your back, scrambling around then standing on my back! Eagle pose was even worse. He quickly scrambled up toward my shoulders. I did manage to burn around 300 calories in the ten plus minutes it took to get through the workout/viewing/wrestling match, so there is that coupled with my view that this is very doable. I figure a week of ten minute sessions then I can increase that. I want to work flexibility mostly, but the balance and core control is good too. We have a very. small space but yoga really only requires a mat or carpet. Though I did this session on the bare floor. At 70 it wasn’t a problem. Well, other than the help I was getting from our grandson.
Month totals:
3 rides, 135.5km, spread over 5:45 and 518m of climbing. Not a huge month, but I feel OK. The. back spasms I was having last week are eased enough I’m sleeping better.
July will be a shorter month with a planned motorcycle ride across the last week and beginning the month late due to being the solo daycare for our grandson. So, more yoga gyms fun.
Along The Way 