Archive for May, 2007
Thursday morning cross-training
Another 5am day. High fives! In attendance: Heather (our injured and therefore sidelined coach), Rizzi, John, Patrice, Nicolette, Brian and me.
Cross-training. Met at the Niskayuna High School track. Did a warm-up lap or two, some stairs repeats (x3), jumping jacks, etc. At one point Heather had the grand idea of pairing us up and having one of us carry the other across the infield, then switch off. It was more funny than anything. Well, OK, it was pretty tiring too. (I shoulda given her my camera to take video.)
Some hundred meter sprints for time. (x3) More stairs (x3), some hurdles (tackled in unique and various ways by each of us) (x1, since none of us were willing to put our heart into it and likely injure ourselves). Then two cool down laps. Nope, make that three. Coach is sneaky.
We thought we were done, but Nicolette said “Wait, what about the situps?” H HAD mentioned those earlier, but forgot. THANKS, Nicolette. It became painfully obvious that I have no core strength. I’m sure I looked like a turtle on his back thrashing about pitifully. Nice. I run strong, then finish with THAT. That’s the image I want to finish with.
Anyway… back to the H&R’s crib for another scrumptious oatmeal/strawberry/almond/banana/walnut breakfast. Almost as good as the pancakes yesterday.
All that, AND I’m the FIRST ONE at my office this morning at 7:35ish. Good stuff. I feel great. A tad tired, of course, but energized. 
Ready for a rousing day of IT work (Information Technology, for you acronym-impaired readers). IT work doesn’t exactly get my blood flowing, so I have to supplement my daily activities with stuff like this week’s PRO Team.
Suit up. Get out. And get on the road. Or at least put the remote down.
Dear Idiot Driver…
This was supposed to just be a comment on Kellie’s post about idiot responses to her request for childcare ad, but for some reason it doesn’t want to stick… So it’ll find life here…
Dear Idiot Driver,
I appreciate a friendly honk of the horn to let me know you’re back there and about to pass me as I cycle in the foggy early morning hours with my group. However, several honks, some of which are long, can only be construed as impatient and angry.
Also, do you have to rev the engine as you pass us? Are you worried we’ll suddenly speed up and embarrass you? Making you work harder to push down another 1/8″ on that accelerator to finally pass us?
And was it really, I mean REALLY, necessary to pass us only to slow down several hundred feet up the road to turn off? I mean, come on…
Sincerely,
A cyclist who’s just glad you didn’t just run me off the road
Wednesday’s rides
This morning dawned foggy and wet at 5am. But no rain. Wet roads, but no rain. No prob. Our group consisted of Rizzi, our ride leader, Stacie, John and me. I’m new to many of these roads in Schenectady and enjoyed the scenery–we rode through some pretty spiffy neighborhoods. And, we swung by the Extreme Makeover house.
Another hill session… we did five repeats up Mohawk Rd. The elevation profile is amusing with its sawtooth pattern.
Oh, and those flat spots on the profile? I think my GPS didn’t fully wake up and record data, The road wasn’t THAT flat.
The evening ride was a combination of an easy spin and the Ride for Silence. The turnout was surprisingly good, I thought, for the Ride for Silence. Given the threatening weather and all. There were probably close to a hundred people there, riding the 4+ mile loop. This is a public awareness event intended to get motorists (really anybody, actually) more aware of cyclists on the road. The police presence and blocking of traffic as our enormous group crossed busy intersections went a long way towards getting motorists’ attention. Unbeknownst to Heather, she was volunteered as the ride leader, so the PRO Team rallied ’round her and lead the way around the course.
