The Challenge - Part 5 - Going Solo - Simply Because I Can

 I stopped one last time to slide off the bike saddle and wash down the last bite or two of an energy bar. About 35 miles of riding was behind me with another 5 miles or so to go to finish off my first 40 mile bike ride in a good number of years. As I stood in the shade of a small roadside tree, I took time to simply look around and absorb the scenic Kentucky landscape. A perfect blend of riding conditions had carried me to this point; no wind to speak of, about 80 degrees, blue skies. There's something enjoyable about riding the backroads alone. You ride at your own pace, stop when you want to, and just enjoy the day. Riding solo has its benefits and rewards...and at times, its risks.

I actually enjoy riding with another rider from time to time when our schedules align. Riding with another person actually makes the time go by faster as you tend to carry on a conversation that helps pass the time. That conversation is actually a good indicator of your effort level. Being able to maintain a solid pace and carry on a conversation that falls just inside being out of breath indicates you are riding inside a Zone 2 training level. Zone 2 allows for solid fitness gains when paced across longer rides. Riding solo sometimes makes it more difficult to gauge where you are. It's easy to push a bit too hard or not hard enough. At this stage in my training level, I just want to put in the miles and not worry too much about how fast I'm riding. Even so, my legs felt pretty strong that day which of itself is a milestone with my recent history of restricted blood flow issues into both of my legs and hip areas. That seems to have been solved, but regaining endurance and strength in my atrophied riding leg muscles will take time and consistent riding. Completing my first 40 miler, well, I feel pretty good about that. I'm well on my way to completing my first 100 kilometer ride. I've not done that is many years.

Going solo allows you to simply get away and leave behind, at least for a while, the daily issues we all face. I especially enjoy riding on days like the one I just described; not too warm or too cool or too windy, just right really. After the first few miles, the miles seem to roll along and before you know it, you've put 20 miles behind you...then 30...then...well, you get the idea. Sort of a mini-vacation you might say where you find a few hours to simply do what you want without anything interfering.

The joys of road cycling offer benefits far beyond the physical. Not only does it improve your overall physical fitness, it improves your mental and emotional fitness as well. A bicycle is one of the most efficient mechanical devices ever designed. Listening to the sounds of the tires as they roll along the road, is music to most cyclist. Riding atop a classic bicycle carries its own kind of fulfilment not unlike driving a classic car down the road. My old bike is near 40 years old, yet it still performs flawlessly and hums with its own unique vibration as it cruises. It's like sliding into a favorite pair of comfortable shoes...it just feels right. To me, my old bike looks like what a road bicycle should look like. 

The newer versions look more like tiny wheeled missiles, high tech and capable versions for sure, but somewhere along the way the aesthetic flow of the classic bicycle design elements have been forfeited for the sake of technological advances.

You know, the more I think about it, riding solo is what a good road bike provides. It's just you and your bike cruising along with the wind, the sun, and your thoughts. Having a reason to do so, well, most of the time I do it simply because I can.

The Challenge - Part 4 - Making Progress

 Headwinds. More wind, and then hills. Headwinds and hills are the bane for a cyclist. Combine the two, and you have a recipe for a tough day of riding. Recently, near the end of a 20 mile ride, I struggled up a long hill that gradually increased in steepness the closer I got to the top. A stiff 15 to 20 mph headwind made me feel like a drogue shoot trailed behind me. Even so...I made it to the top, winded for sure, but I made it. A year before, even thinking about climbing that hill was out of the question as my right leg and hip would have screamed in protest. But, all of that has changed.

A couple months back I underwent a surgical procedure to install several stents into a clogged right side Illiac artery and a partially blocked left side one. This blockage restricted the blood flow to my right leg and hip area so much, it resulted in a great deal of discomfort when I stressed the leg. The surgery appears to have been a resounding success as the discomfort is virtually gone now. Riding a bike during the past 3 or 4 years became an exercise in pain where I simply could not ride effectively because of that discomfort. But, now I can ride virtually pain free...with the caveat that I am really out of shape. My intended goal of being able to make a 100 kilometer ride this season is still in play, but I have a long ways to go to regain lost time and conditioning. In this, Part 4 of The Challenge, I'll explore the reality of trying to climb back into shape as someone who is approaching his mid-70's. 

I've remained at least somewhat active in spite of the rebellious leg and hip and that activity helped me retain at least a measure of physical condition. I've kept my weight in check for the most part but still carried 10 or 12 pounds more than I needed to. As of this morning I weighed in at 171 pounds. That is down about 10 pounds from just a few months ago. I want to drop down to about 168 or so with 165 being a good target weight to shoot for. Losing a few pounds from around my midsection will undoubtedly improve my ability to climb those steep, longer hills.

As far as riding goes, my intent for now is to simply rebuild my base mileage to a level where I can begin to train at a higher level of intensity. I'm up to almost 200 actual road miles now with still a ways to go before I will feel confident I have rebuilt that base. Even so, I tend to ride too fast out of the blocks which causes me to lose too much energy the deeper I get into a ride. Refueling is also a key factor I still need to refine. At this stage of my fitness rebuilding, I just need to slow down and put the miles in and not worry so much about how fast I am going. Taking a break every so often hurts nothing and allows my legs to recover somewhat, and also allows time to ingest a few grams of carbohydrates to keep me going. Speed will come later once endurance has improved. 

On those days when the weather prevents me from getting out, I'll use the Cyclops trainer and do a 30 minute session with a few intervals thrown in just to push my legs beyond what a normal easy ride might employ. Been monitoring my resting heart rate as well, to determine how well I am recovering from each ride. So far so good on that. My resting heart rate hovers down around 52 bpm or so when I am fully recovered and there are times it actually drops into the upper 40's. Oddly enough, it seems I sometimes have a difficult time getting my heart rate high enough to generate that training effect. My highest rate so far has been around 120 bpm when it should be climbing upwards into the 140's for that Zone 2 type of endurance riding. I guess it is all relative and depends on many different factors. At my age, 120 is probably fast enough to provide a solid level toward that training effect.

I have been tinkering with my bike trying to optimize its performance. Seat height and forward position, handlebar position, body position on the bike, plus checking and rechecking the mechanics of the bike to ensure it is optimally performing as it should is a constant, almost daily routine. Was out riding yesterday in fact when my chain came off...twice. A simple adjustment on the derailleur solved the problem. One pedal seems to gradually loosen just enough to induce a very slight amount of movement around the bearings. A slight turn with a socket and its back in good form...at least for now.

With each ride, I grow stronger. With each extended mile, my endurance improves. So far, 20 miles is my limit. Respectable, but still well short of my desired intent. Weather, wind, and staying motivated are all factors affecting my reaching that goal. I expect I will eventually make it, but for now progressing toward it is the key.