I told you...

that it was a c-o-n-spiracy. Today, finally, me and my brother embarked on a ride. We were just going to knock out the Lake Merced Loop. We got out to Ocean Beach on the Great Highway before the Look pedal on the rental bike spun off the crankshaft and older brother's left foot was no longer connected to the bike. No accident, no harm, just super annoying. We had to call middle brother to come pick us up and abandon our ride. Oh well - we tried.

Day - Wednesday, 12/18
Ride Type - Road Training
Ride Distance - 7.3 miles
Ride Length - 0:38:37
Avg Speed - 11.4 mph
Avg Cadence - 86
Avg Heart Rate - 154
Time in zone - 00:16:48
Time above zone - 00:19:20
Calories burned - 588
Total Training Distance To-Date: 385.3 miles

It's a C-O-N-spiracy!!

So lots of different forces are conspiring to keep me off Clyde: Sick brother vomiting upon his arrival from Singapore (but thankfully he's better now!), holiday overeating early due to early family holiday gathering, then this morning, my buddy Liz's back is acting up so she had to bow out, plus it's a bit drizzly. None of these things are really avoidable or changeable, mind you, and I realize that, but it just all sort of sucks. I've been a bit bad this month. Better to slack in December than in May - only one month from the ride - I suppose...

But here's where cross-training comes in handy. I'm going to go off to the SOMA location of Gold's, check it out with my other brother, and run. Should be interesting. Perhaps I can begin to work in one to two days a week at that gym, leaving my house early, riding my bike, working out, showering for work there and then I'll only be like 10 mins from work, if that. That would be nice. Or maybe I could go during lunch? Who knows.

At any rate, the Singapore brother is feeling better and we are to go for a shorter bike ride this afternoon on the Lake Merced Loop (provided it doesn't rain again) - so I will mount Clyde at some point today... And I'll get back on him on Thursday as well for indoor interval training. I guess all is not lost.

Ambitious Wednesday

JT rolled up to my front door on her "city bike" ;0) at 6:15am today and we put out the Lake Merced Loop. CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY. Thank god I found some running tights and that I also purchased sleeves last weekend. Um - and now I understand the need for toe covers. I hate that I will have to visit Sports Basement this weekend. Yeah, not really. I freaking LOVE that place.

Day - Wednesday, 11/21
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 20.9 miles
Ride Length - 1:40:37
Avg Speed - 12.5 mph (this is good improvement)
Avg Cadence - 84 (this rocks!)
Avg Heart Rate - 148
Time in zone - 1:01:56
Time above zone - 0:35:38
Calories burned - 1435
Total Training Distance To-Date: 257.0 miles

Ocean Beach and Lake Merced

Today I went on a ride with my new friend and cycling buddy Liz. She's a nurse/midwife and all-around cool chick that I met through my friends/sis-in-laws EPL and JT. She took me on a nice loop from our house (we live in the same 'hood, conveniently enough!), through the panhandle, through Golden Gate Park, up to Ocean Beach and along the ocean, around the Lake Merced Loop and then doubling back home exactly the same way we came. It was awesome. Below are my stats (compliments of my sweet new cyclometer (details in my gear info on the right side over there) and then a couple of pics I took. All in all - a GREAT morning. THANKS LIZ!!!!!

Day - Sunday, 11/11
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 21.0 miles
Ride Length - 1:45:54
Avg Speed - 11.9 mph
Avg Cadence - 76
Avg Heart Rate - 138
Time in zone - 1:10:23
Calories burned - 1339
Total Training Distance To-Date: 180.7 miles

Thanks to GoogleEarth and powerpoint, here's a look at mine and Liz's route today:

A Waterfall in Golden Gate Park

Another view of the same waterfall...

A statue at Lake Merced