Fast Bike, Dead Fridge.

Yesterday was a fun little whirlwind.

All good things in life are aero!

I slept until noon... Ok, before you simply navigate away from the page in disgust, I can explain.  Monday night, I got home after 15, count 'em, FIFTEEN weeks on the road.  By the time I got the camper situated, it was late... like pushing midnight. My refrigerator, which died last week, laughed at the idea that a change in balance might inspire it to start functioning again, but that did not stop me from trying to coax it. It was easily 1:30 am by the time I crawled into bed totally exhausted, so yes, I slept until noon.  For some reason, I never sleep like that on the road.  Being home is the final piece of the puzzle that has to fall into place for me to fully relax.  I needed it and it felt, OH, SO GOOD!!

After waking up and seeing the time, the chances of following DD's master plan for the day were shot.  I was planning to do a time trial that evening so he had me doing a morning run, then taking a nap.  He 86'd the run because he wanted uncorrupted data for the TT.

I had to get the bike into the shop to have some adjustments made and to see if the wheels that arrived were going to work for the race.  So while ignoring the somewhat dubious odor emanating from my very warm fridge, I jumped in the car and headed downtown.  I stopped by Austin Bikes and brought the bike and a cassette to Sol so that he could work his magic.  I was kind of hoping he could tune up the jockey as well as the horse but alas... no.  The workload I had for the last several weeks along with that little overreach after the last race was going to take it's toll.

Smile Sol!!
What's that look say?  Death be unto you and your camera?

**A quick side note:  I have blogged in the past about having a bike shop "home".  In Austin, that home is Austin Bikes.  There are bigger shops and shops geared more towards the triathlete but Sol and his boys know their trade and do it very, very well.  Road or Tri, it's got the best fitter and wrenches in the city all wrapped in great attitudes and topped with an appropriate amount of grease.  It is a fun little bike shop burrito.  They also have this racing team... and they let me play!!!

Goes Faaaaaast!!!

Everything came together just in time and I made it to the TT with the bike all spiffy and ready to go fast.  It was my first time out in my new team skinsuit.  I was really pleased with how comfortable it was, though for me, it felt awkward on two levels.. one, to be in public in what amounts to body paint, and two, to be representing a team at all.

Oh, wow.  Me in bodypaint my new skinsuit!

I rode out on course.  I was a rolling start.  You rode over a timing mat at the start and finish so you got up to speed ahead of time.  There was a lot of traffic and that occasionally posed some problems.  Sometimes you have to square off with the idea that living is more important than your TT time.  Overall, though it went pretty smoothly.

The one true difficulty was the deep front wheel in the gusty cross winds.  The firecrest 808 is supposed to handle more like a shallower wheel.  I am used to a 404 on a 650 circumference which, according to my research, is comparable to a slightly deeper wheel as the rim depth covers a greater portion of the wheel's overall area.  I am not sure that I ever rode the 404s with wind like we had yesterday but the front 808 gave me some substantial trouble.  I ended up coming out of aero for a stretch to gain leverage just to keep from being blown all over the road.  I need to do more training miles on the deep wheels but I also think I will add a shallower front wheel to my arsenal at some point for days like this.

There is a massive learning curve with racing and little events like this one help work the bugs out so that you can go have a good race when it really counts.  I am still developing and even my bike is not even close to dialed in yet so this kind of info is invaluable.  Also, pedaling like a mad thing for 8 miles is bound to sharpen your speed a bit.

At the end, the last woman to ride the course knocked me out of first place.  I sent a text to DD with the results and he responded: "No donuts for you."


Then I went and bought a new fridge.

Already coming out of aero.  There was a sharp turn right after the mats!!

Crash... Mash! Things That Matter and A Few That Don't

Decided to sport the Women On Wheels kit (covered by a jacket. I was cold!)

I am trying to decide what days to stay at the horse show next week and what days to commute.  This show is always difficult because it is about a two hour drive from home.  Last week I tried to commute several of the days but since the interstate was shut down for construction, two hours became three and a half in a hurry.  That meant that I was essentially burning the candle at both ends trying to work, drive, and train.  I did get a couple of quality sessions in but more days than not were sub-standard and the fatigue I carried into this week ruined my best training day of the week.  I would like to avoid a repeat of that, if possible.

Last week was disappointing.  After feeling like I was finally turning a corner the week before, I had a really tough week.  Monday and Tuesday are always my best/long training days (my weekends) and yesterday was no picnic.  I had planned to do a master's practice for the first time in a long time but was so tired that when the email telling me the pool heater was broken came through, I was all too happy about it.  There is nothing quite like a long... oh, like 18 hours long... sleep to make you question your well-being.  Still, when I woke up I was hoping that I had cleared the hurdle and was looking forward to a good workout later in the day.

That afternoon, I headed out for my run and immediately knew that my breathing was not right.  I kept my head up and tried to control my breathing as much as I could but by 15 mins, I was starting to hack and wheeze.  It quickly snowballed into an attack that shut down the rest of the run.  I had been avoiding taking the meds prescribed for my breathing as I felt like I was just drowning in chemicals lately, but when I got up today, I immediately started on them.  I wish I had some answers to why my entire system (oh, yeah baby, absolutely covered in hives today) seems to be in revolt.  I don't really have any answers.

If I can persuade my skin to let me put on cycling clothes, I will head out for a ride today.  A little bike therapy seems to be the cure for all that ails me... except for the times that I don't keep the rubber side down.  THAT is another matter entirely!  I am not sure anymore what is happening with my body and I am no longer sure that I am doing myself any favors by continuing to indulge the problems, but I am tired, itchy, cranky and running low on motivation.  The road back to health for me right now seems to be a long one, poorly lit and full of potholes.  I just wish I understood this more.  It would be easier if I could tell myself, you have "X" and this is what you can expect.  Instead, I am just dealing with a myriad of symptoms and without knowing of a central underlying problem, I feel like the treatments are scattered and disorganized... and an awful lot like the mad scientist's chemistry experiment.

I am making progress but it is not an easy thing.  I will have a couple of good days and then.. BAM!.. back to square one.  Fortunately, the quality and duration of the good days has been on the rise.  Now if only I can keep my frustration levels in check, I'll be okay!

On the upside to last week, I attended the Pedaling For Safer Roads II ride.  It was a large gathering of all types of cyclists at City Hall.  We then rode slowly through downtown, with a police escort, to the (state) Capitol.  There were speakers at both ends and it was an incredible experience.  There is nothing like looking around and seeing everything from hipsters on fixies to racers on $10,000 racing machines, to pedi-cabs, folks on cruisers and commuters... everything.  Some people had their bikes really decked out with  Christmas lights and others had them really decked out with carbon fiber.  It didn't matter.  We were all there to honor some cyclists that had lost their lives and send a message to lawmakers.  It was a great experience not to mention a challenge.  It is not easy to keep a TT bike upright going less than three miles per hour in a huge group!

The riders were beginning to gather at City Hall.

Part of the crowd listening to speakers at the capitol.

Awesome bikes everywhere!

Nothing more to say.

I have come to realize lately how much I like the cycling community.  On the second or third ride I did after getting the bike fixed, I was prepping to leave from where my car was parked when another cyclist pulled up on his bike.  He was returning.  We chatted for a moment and in my insecurity, I mentioned that I wasn't feeling very strong or confident because of the crash.  He offered the customary words of encouragement and concern for Seabiscuit's health (a true cyclist), then I headed off.  That particular ride was... trying.  When I got back, I was feeling a little defeated.  Then I saw a piece of paper stuck under my wiper blade, along with a gel and a little patch kit.  It's things like this and the protest ride that throw everything into perspective.

Mike on a Colnago has no idea how much he helped a duck that day.

...Father's Day

Lately, I have had some really cool settings for my workouts.  Here are a few of the pictures I have taken.

These were taken along the Town Lake Trail in Austin, TX.

I took these on a day when I had a bad run and took a minute to take a deep breath and look around.  It kind of changed my attitude that day.

Then another day, after a GREAT swim in a new pool, I snapped this.  It was a swimmer's paradise!!  How often can you enjoy an outdoor long course pool with five lanes and only one other swimmer!

Most recently, I have been training in Waco, TX.  I wasn't sure if there was any nice place to train until I discovered Cameron Park.  At the entrance, it looked like a nice, pleasant park trail.  

As I went deeper into it, it turned out to be a fantastic, challenging hike/mountain bike trail which was a blast to run on!  I did not, however, handle that trail like a sure footed... anything.  Ten minutes into the run, I caught a toe on a rock and went sprawling on my face.  I got up, dusted myself off, and headed on down the trail.  Aside from getting some knowing smiles from other runners ("Since you are clearly going to slow to be evading an assailant, you must just be clumsy!"), I was really no worse for wear!  

On another note, this weekend was Father's Day.  I have no pictures of my father as they were destroyed in the water/mold incident.  My father was, among other things, a runner.  He ran Western States in 1981. He told me about triathlon when I was a little kid, and triathlon wasn't much older than I was.  I never imagined it would become the love of my life.  He gave me many gifts, that is one.  He succumbed to cancer 21 years ago.  He chose the music to be played at his funeral.  He chose this.

 

Happy Father's Day, Dad.  I miss you as much today as I ever have.

A Duck In Winter

After a couple of rough nights at work, the result of careless nutrition and sketchy sleep patterns, I slept well today.  The RV park decided to repave the road under my window while I was sleeping today.  I woke up to the noise long enough to think "Oh great!  Now I'll never get back to slee..... ZzzzZzzzzZzzz."  Isn't exhaustion a beautiful thing?

I also need to mention that while my life has been a little intense with the start of the horse show, the camper gremlins have been mercifully quiet (and yes, I just knocked on wood!).  So far, life in a vintage Airstream has proven, well, nice.  There is certainly a lot of though that needs to be given to placement and storage, as well as discipline when it comes to tidying the work/living space often.  But as with nutrition awareness, that mindfulness is a skill I need to cultivate anyhow.  I see this lifestyle as good for me.  On the upside, 200+ square feet is easy to clean if you do let it get dirty.

There is another airstream that has all kinds of plastic flamingos two spaces down from me.  They even have black skeleton flamingos.  Kinda weird, but I definitely feel like the Tri Cave is not keeping up the standards right now.  I wonder if I can get swim-bike-run flamingos?  I also wonder if they have bicycle light strands.  All the cool campers have light strands.  Ooof, seems complicated.  Maybe I'll just settle for a potted plant.

Florida: A1A at sunset taken from the bike

Anyhow, after pondering how I could rearrange my schedule so that I did not have to ride indoors on the trainer, I realized that even though it's 78 degrees outside, it IS January.  Being in the tropics doesn't change the fact that daylight hours are scarce and sometimes you just have to SUCK IT UP!!  I haven't been on the trainer (except the computrainer at the Doghouse) since I got to Florida.  I also realized that while I was feeling sorry for myself because my 3rd shift hours mean that I sleep away these beautiful days, every office worker in the world is no better off.  They spend the time indoors.

Biking in Michigan in July 

Trail running in NC in January

Broad River: taken on a trail run in January

I guess I have very little to complain about, since my job allows me the flexibility to often adapt my work schedule to accommodate the things I want to do and takes me to the most beautiful places in the country.  I get nice weather year round and a variety of training conditions to work with.  Not exactly suffering.  A little gratitude, as well as a little fortitude (get thee on thy bicycle) might be just what this duck needs.

I still miss home, though!!

Austin's skyline and Town Lake Trail

All Moved In and Loving This Town!

I am all moved in (as you may have gathered from the title of the post.. feelin' clever!) and aside from a case of cardboard poisoning, appear to have survived the whole experience rather well.  So far, I am loving Austin.  This is one excellent town.  Bikers abound.  Runners abound.  Kayakers abound.  Musicians abound. I think I am about the only thing here with all feet on the ground, though I will bound just as soon as I can!  Seriously, this might be the most bike friendly, outdoorsy city I have ever seen.  

Now that I have that little bit of gushing out of my system, I have other news.  I started back cautiously this week.  I am not running but carefully... like a child handling a bird's nest... began training again.  Just a little bike ride.

The first trip out felt horrid.  I came home and wanted to cry.  I had to get off my bike after about ten miles because I nearly passed out.  I didn't have my HR monitor on but it felt like it was about to leap through my mouth and go screaming down the veloway.  I got back on after a couple of minutes and cautiously peddled back to the car.

Today was a different story.  I was doing low intensity work, just spinning really, but I found the zone.  I was churning out my miles with a smile.  I felt like my form was pretty good too.  Knees in, back flat, pulling around the back side of the pedal stroke, rhythmic, turning the crank like a piston...  Pure bliss.  I didn't have a long workout on the schedule, but after so much forced downtime, I am just happy to be back in the saddle!  Tomorrow I get back in the pool.

The rest of this week and next are all swim-bike.  I don't know when the run will appear but I am fairly nervous and anxious about it.  It has been such a long road this year and I am so afraid that I will try to run and go back to square one.

It has occurred to me that it would be easy right now to give up on running, say I can't, walk away and put it into the past.  But that is not what I want.  I want this, running and particularly triathlon, to be a part of my life.   I took the other road once before when I ushered martial arts training into my history.  Even though I stand by that decision, there isn't a day that I at least for a moment consider going back.  I don't believe that tri's have the same intrinsically detrimental movements that martial arts had and that, with the right conditioning, I should be able to train and race well into the future.   I certainly hope so.

Fingers crossed!

Change. Yes, more change.

Before I start this post I need to acknowledge the hard work of a good friend.  She just placed second in the Escape to Miami triathlon!!  Go J!!

Another week of work is in the books and I get to enjoy three... read it THREE... days of rest.  Normally I would be planning several long, hard workouts but with this injury, I am planning to rest and go for a leisurely bike ride.

Now since there is more to life than swimbikerun (no, I am not kidding), I am also planning to go to Austin to sign my lease and pick up the keys to my new place.  The duck will be in the wind no more.

YAY!  YIPPEE!  WOO HOO!!  ahem... I mean.... Yay!

I am gambling a lot, spending all my recently earned money to relocate myself to Austin.  I'll be leaving my beloved south Florida and becoming a Texan.  I have picked up some clients in Texas and hope to have a steadier year round circuit instead of the seasonal work that Florida offers.

Austin is a great town for cycling and triathlon, as well as live music. I am trying hard to keep my focus forward and look to the things that the future offers rather than the things I leave behind.  For sure, there are a lot of things that I will miss but if I dwell on those things, I will never be able to be happy going forward.

Forward.  It is the ultimate concept in training horses.  It is the only direction a bicycle will go.  It is how life is lived.

Kiss the sky.

-Duckie