Catching up Part 2

I'm really going to make a concerted effort to keep this blog up to date. (Here's my whine... it's my blog I get to whine, right) It's just that between work, family, training and logging just the basics of workouts and food that one more thing feels like too much. Some nights I just want to go to bed and close my eyes and not worry about "logging" everything. I mean who cares anyway right?

So here's what I've done the past couple days:

Link to Friday ride

Friday was sunny so I asked for the afternoon off. I had planned on riding the RACC metric century route starting from work and ending up at home. However I got out of work late and knew that route would likely take me 6 hours and I didn't really want to get home at 7. So I decided to head up to Corbett and Crown Point. It was a beautiful day for it.

I felt really strong. It's amazing there are some days when I just feel like I could take on almost anything. And yesterday was one of those days. I never felt fatigued. I did feel hungry a couple time but over all I felt really good.

I really feel like since losing some weight my climbing has really improved. I don't feel that gravity pulling me down so much. And the other part of that is that I don't feel like I've lost strength on the flats either. It probably actually helps because if I'm not pulling so much weight up hill then I have more to spend on the flats right? Or does it all become even? Who knows....

So total for the day with my commute in 5:30 hours and 85 miles. Not too shabby. Oh yeah and I also saw a sealion feasting on salmon in the Columbia river. I even called my sister and let her know my seal count for the day. :)

Today I had planned on not riding but yesterday felt so good I thought I'd go out for a little jaunt. The forecast was also for rain and I have to tell you I AM SOOOOOOO READY FOR SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This extended winter is killing me! Anyway.....

Link to Saturday's ride

I meet at the Bakery to ride with Sorella Forte. Who shows up but Maureen and Uma. Both strong cyclists and Maureen just spins right up the hills. And guess what they want to ride? Hills, of course. So being the good sport that I am I saddle up and head out with trepidation of getting left in the dust as we head up Cornell, to Thompson (argh that's a long steep hill) then out along Skyline to Cornelius pass road.

They had plan to head up Logie Trail as well and I just didn't think I had that in me after yesterday. But plans changed and we decided to head back Skyline to add more mileage as desired when we hit Thompson. When we got to Thompson they both decided to head back to flatter land while I (the anti climber) continue along Skyline.

Now, I have only done this route once and I did it in the other direction. So I didn't really know where I was going but knew that I would probably figure it out. I wanted to go on Skyline then to Council Crest and then drop to downtown so I could go to work.

Wellllllll, I kind of got lost at Skyline and Scholls Ferry. SURPRISE! Not me! HAH!

So I look over and I'm like Humphrey sounds familiar but I don't go with that gut instinct and instead travel down Scholls Ferry Road. Not a big deal as it is all downhill there but no shoulder, lots of traffic, rough road and I'm lost. And I'm also tired and getting low on Perpetuem.

Fortunately I figure out how to get back to downtown but probably added another 5 miles to my trip. It just feels like more when you're not really sure where you're going. Fortunately I got onto roads that if I had to I could get more fuel for the tank.

So I made it. I felt pretty good throughout the ride. I still feel like my climbing has improved. There seems to be a steepness that just makes me fall off the back but as long as it isn't probably more than 4% I do pretty well keeping up. Especially if it's rolling because I'll catch ya on the descent and can use that to help power up the next hill.

So tomorrow I plan on swimming. So hopefully I'll keep my resolution and log in again tomorrow.