Genesis of a Ride

Or, A Dangerous Stream-of-Conscience E-mail

To:  MikeD 
Date:  Tue, Nov 10, 2009 6:02 pm

I probably need a break from "my group". But I probably need to do some shorter, faster rides even more. Since my crash on Sep-19, I seem to repeatedly find myself either soft-pedaling or working hard but having no "zip" in the legs. I think I may have "willed" myself through my two informal 200k rides, but am experiencing a post-crash let-down -- or maybe I'm just a bit tired. (And I can't even say that I "willed" myself through both 200k rides -- the first one ended 10 miles short with leg-cramps that scared me even more than my crash did !)
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Interlude: 

On the Oct-10 failed 200k ride, I was walking the bike and at first my legs were starting to feel better. I started thinking that maybe I could ride again after walking for a mile or so. And also started calculating how long it would take to walk the bike the last 10 miles, and whether I could finish with the 13:30 rando-allowed time if I had to walk the entire distance. I had just concluded that I could make it walking when -- WHAM -- both legs locked up worse than they had just the half-mile before.

You may have been there. Can't move because any movement makes the cramps worse. Can't not move because not moving allows the cramps to "deepen". Trying to take all the weight off my legs by leaning on the bike, one hand on the stem, the other on the saddle, cramps getting worse, crying out for help, it came to me that I would have to massage those muscles one-by-one while holding onto the bike. That worked. Sorta'. I would get one muscle to release and move on to a second muscle, only there seemed to be about a 50% chance that the first muscle would re-lock while I was working on the second. I finally managed to release the cramps enough to shuffle across the road and somehow, painfully laid the bike down, and then, after more massaging and I don't know what, I tried to sit on the edge of the ditch. Everything locked up again, but not as badly as it had been.

I had to be pulled to my feet when my rescue ride arrived. Somehow I got the bike and me across the road, and the rescuer had to do almost all of the work to get the bike into the rear end of the pick-up truck. I managed to heave myself UP into the passenger seat, and once in a "normal" sitting position, the legs started to relax.

I was pretty sure I was a bit dehydrated when I started that 200k attempt. I made sure that was not a problem the next week.
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I was quite tired this past Saturday, but knew I could knock out the promised 72 mile course, no problem, with the two others. One had eyes that had bit off more than her legs were ready for (actually, I don't entirely agree with that assessment). One particular time (Gordon Moore Rd headed for NC-56), I found myself slipping off the back and decided I'd rather check out the remaining autumnal color than work to stay on. When I caught up to the two-some at NC-56, Smitty said "you should have said something". I replied that "by the time I realized I was slipping off the back, it was too late to yell; besides, I knew that neither of you knew where you were going, and would have to wait for me."

Aah, the power of picking the course, and not preparing cue sheets!
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I am short on lights and clothing for real cold. Also, short on clothing for wet weather. As I tend to adjust my riding to fit the weather (I have no previously scheduled brevets or permanents, nor a 95-month century streak, nor an R-12 to think about) I am disinclined to invest in much clothing and gear for "seldom-use".

So given the lack of clothing and equipment, and the tired body, of course I am still up for a ride. Just probably not 200k, at least not right now. If you've got a 70 or 80 mile fun ride from north Raleigh in the near future, send me a message.


Oh, re:  Nov-21: 

When I first read about "Sauartown 200k", I thought "man, I rode up that mountain in the tender month of May, a heck of a lot shorter than 200k, I wouldn't want to go up that sucker in the middle of 200k!" But I found the course listed on RUSA, and Mr. Goodnight only claims 6000 ft of climbing -- that's actually a bit less than "veloroutes" came up with for the Hurdle Mills 200k I did -- but then I saw your estimate of the "Kerr Lake Loop 200k", "veloroutes" came up with more than that just for the 84 mile version "my group" did on Jul-3rd (and we did NOT ride down into Grassy Creek on our Kerr Lake Loop because I did NOT want to ride that "little climb" back out from "downtown" Grassy Creek if it could be avoided  -- and I found a way to avoid it -- at least I can say I came up with a "little bit" of original route that day -- in addition to Mountain Rd south out Stovall).


Hey! There's an idea. Ride from north Raleigh straight up to Stovall the flat way, then eat pizza in Stovall, then come back using Mountain Rd & Horner Siding Rd onto Salem Rd thru Oxford. Just enough of a loop so it might not seem out-and-back.

Martin

btw, you are a LOT faster than me. So is Branson.