Thursday, July 30, 2009

Rocky Canal Biker

DAY 20
Time: Record in 32.01min
Record home 33.58min
Weather: Morning forgetable, maybe tailwind, blinding sun.
Afternoon strong headwind.
CO2 Emissions saved: 113kg


Tailwind
Tires smoking from speed on the way to work. Caught all the green lights. Raced the bus. Was very surprised at the stopwatch. Thought I must have a tailwind pushing me quickly to work. But look at my hair?

Shattered old to and fro records and daily total by four minutes: record 65.59min. Proud especially because of headwind coming home. Storm was perched on the horizon. On the bridge climb going home, 3 people had momentum issues and stopped and walked.

Breaking Wind
Decided this would be my Mont Ventoux climbing simulation from Stage 20. Rabobank won this stage. Could see people hopping off seats, so turned up the inner commentator who said, "You can pass all five of these people. Three of them are walking. Don't stop. Lean forward. Push."

Cue the Henderson Jr. High Band version of Rocky Balboa stair climbing music. Didn't think "quitters" because I was very pleased that 3 of them had quit. Just didn't want my momentum to hit the wind wall. Didn't want to join the quitters. Passed 5 going up and 1 going down.

Thighs for the Climb
Cannot imagine climbing for 25km/15 miles. Or even one. My climb was about 250meters/yards. Mont Ventoux has claimed many quitters. As far as I can assess and guess. If I climb 1km of Mont Ventoux, and then quit, I would still brag my ass off.

Wondered what kind of muscles tissue I was building with these climbs. Do I really want the legs of a woman who can comfortably pump my body weight? To move my weight up the hill, don't I need more thigh muscle mass than the Rabo Tour guys?

Wind Breaker or Climber
Most people passed me today on the flat. I passed the most on the climb. Decided that I should be categorized on the Rabo Team as a climber or certainly a broad shouldered, ample wind breaker. I'm no sprinter, either. Quite sure Team Leader Kniebel isn't up tonight deciding where my biking skills would best fit the squad.

Upper arm needs own blog
Trying to figure out my body chemistry and reconstruction during my canal training. After 40, women lose bone density. Exercise replaces it, somehow. In just three weeks, have acquired dense bones (again), meaty thighs and the formidable forearm of wrestler Andre the Giant.

Supportive co-worker Marisol took this pic while screaming "Go Rocky Go" or "I love you Rocky" or was it "Hurry up, the light's green, all I can see in this picture is your formidable forearm."

Trip in: 3 passed me, I passed 6
Trip home: 7 passed me, I passed 9
Total passes today: Record 15

Song of the day: Rocky theme song and stair climbing tune

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