Saturday, March 30, 2013

Where does all the time go?

Well it's been almost two weeks since my last posting. YES, I have been riding, although not as much as I would like. But I have put in a couple of 60 mile rides and five 30 mile rides along with a couple of days in the gym. Of course the weather has been unseasonably cold, and we've been spending quite a bit of time following up on the hail storm damage. Our adjuster says we need complete new roofs along with the replacement of some air conditioners, repainting about a third of the building, broken windows, broken outdoor lamp globes etc. It's amazing what damage a golf ball size hail can cause. Anyway back to cycling.
Only 53 days left before I fly Virgin to the U.K.  By now my legs are rock solid and I'm holding my weight around 140 lbs. The real test now comes in getting a couple of 100 mile rides in (which if you haven't yet figured out takes approximately 9 hours of riding - a full day). For those in the metro Jackson area, we're planning a little Bon Voyage party on May 22nd. Free appetizers and complimentary first drink to those who stop by and make a small donation to the charities. The party is from 5-9p.m., so if you feel the urge, please stop by and wish me luck! Thanks to all of you who have donated to the charities to date. I am truly grateful for your generosity and support! I have booked some of my accomodations, but need to finalize them all on Monday. Now busy getting ready for over 400pp visiting us for Easter Brunch. Happy Easter and/or Passover to all. More soon.......

Monday, March 18, 2013

Final route for all to see

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2247459

We had a pretty severe hail storm here this afternoon. Trying to clean up, contact the insurance folks and document the damage. So I thought you may be interested in my actual route. You can open the document above in google chrome and follow along. 1,022 miles all told. Riding tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Back to Back First

So after returning home I'm finally back in the saddle and completed two rides back to back. Yesterday afternoon I went north on the Trace. The weather was beautiful, warm 75 degrees (eat your heart out Dan) with very little wind. The first time out not wearing a jacket or arm and leg warmers felt exhilarating. Completed 31.2 miles in 2 hrs. 8 minutes with an average pace of 4:8/mile. Climbed 1654 ft in elevation and burned 1040 calories.
This morning I headed out early, this time south on the Trace. There was a mean head wind of at least 20 mph that made the ride a lot harder than yesterday. Another warm, sunny day though, and besides the wind I had a good ride overall. Completed 30.4 miles in 2 hrs. 15 mins. with an average pace of 4:28/mile. Climbed 1486 ft (although that South stretch of road seems hillier than the North), and burned 956 calories.
The wind was so strong today, I could smell the distinct aroma of cow dung from a farm a few hundred yards away. There is some really pretty farmland down this stretch of the Trace.
So I met with Scotta from Butterfly Yoga Friday. She thinks I may have a pulled or have an inflamed hamstring attachment that is causing the pain in the muscle by the bone on my butt (pelvic cavity). She said it may take anywhere from six weeks to a couple of months to heal. Scotta gave me some Yoga exercises to help strengthen the muscle area. Between that and my right foot, I'm hoping both will heal before my journey in late May. While both are painful, I just will grin and bear it as I continue to train. If I'm leaning forward on the ride it's not too bad, but when I sit up to drink water or just change position I can really feel it.
This weekend I have to finailize my route and get my accomodations booked. With less than 68 days to go, time is flying by. I now have over 1,000 miles of riding either on the bicycle or on the gym bike.
I am also looking at other ways to garner support. If you are members of any clubs or organizations that may be interested in my journey, the preparation,training, planning etc. please let me know and I am more than happy to come and speak about the experience. Please tell your friends about my journey and the opportunity to support the charities even if it is a small amount, every little bit helps. Thanks again to all of you that have pledged or donated. I really appreciate your support and I'm really getting excited about the ride in the U.K. Please don't forget Simon in this endeavor!

Monday, March 11, 2013

On the road again!

So it's been too long since my last post and I apologize for not communicating sooner. Last week was super busy at the Inn, therefore not allowing me to get out for extended periods and ride. However,I did take my first Spin Class at St. D's Health Club on Monday. It was an intense 45 minute routine that was in some ways tougher than a 40 mile ride on the road. Although you are setting your own pace, the instructor somewhat guilts you into keeping up with everyone else, and you end up pushing a lot harder than you would if you were alone. At least that's how my body felt after the workout. Friday I left for Chicago for a conference for URJ (Union of Reformed Judaism). I was able to get two workouts in at the gym both averaging 20 miles on the bike. It's now Monday evening and I'm in Baltimore. I'm attending the Mid Atlantic Conference of Innkeepers and a PAII Inn-keeping Foundation Board Meeting. This is really playing havoc on my cycling regimen, but I'll just have to work much harder when I return to Jackson on Thursday. Plan to hit the gym again tomorrow morning and get a work out in on the bike. I much prefer riding outside on the road than working out in the gym, but any workout is better than no workout. More soon....I promise.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

81 days to Bon Voyage

With just 81 days left of training, I'm feeling pretty good about my conditioning. After a weekend of two weddings, a Bar Association dinner, a fundraiser for Little Lighthouse (210 pp.) and two Bridal Showers, plus dinner and the lounge, I wasn't sure I had the energy to ride this afternoon. However, I didn't want to let the fans down (or myself), so I headed up to familiar territory on the Natchez Trace. It was a chilly 47 degrees starting out about 1:30 p.m. I headed north and had a smooth yet windy ride in sunny, cool weather, with light traffic on the Trace. Completed 42 miles in 2 hrs. 58 minutes at an ave speed of 13.5 mph. Climbed 2005 ft in elevation and burned 1273 calories with an ave. pace of 4:26 mins/mile. Felt weak several points along the way, but snacked on goo, bananas and raisins and was able to sustain myself for the ride. After just over two months of training, I have figured out I have an issue with my spine. I have sciatica on my left side (bum), yet it does not go down my leg. The only thing I can attribute this to is that my alignment is off. I hate chiropractors (only tried one once), so I'm going to take Tamar's advice and schedule a visit with Scotta Brady at Butterfly Yoga .
Hopefully she will be able to help me "straighten" me out! I'm working towards building my endurance over the next eight weeks and then completing two Jackson to Natchez overnight  rides on the Natchez Trace (101 miles), fully loaded with gear, at the end of April and early May. Thanks to all the recent sponsors. Together we have reached 24 percent of the $30K goal. Let's keep it going. Please tell your friends. More soon........