What's new

Today Today - March 2015

thomas

The Crank Engine
Nov 1, 2005
2,084
605
Your exploits in March 2015 - post away!

Disclaimer: post inserted so that the ignorami can continue to ignore.
 
Ah, March! Promise of warm breezes and smells of blossoms soon to come!

The last day of February was clear but still cold and with some wind as I did my last ride (125 km) to bump the total up to 720 km. Usually I end up with the lowest monthly distance that month, a combination of it being the coldest month with some chance of snow and me always spending a week abroad in what is already the shortest calendar month.

I headed out to Wada leaving only around 13:30. Took off my winter jacket for the river routes. Lots of flying protein in the air.

I climbed Wada East in the fading daylight. The 14% gradient never gets any easier. Near the top I was passed by two cars. I saw them again when I reached the locked gate towards the west side. They had not known that Wada West was still closed due to the land slide last year (no repair work started yet) and had to turn around, while I to their envy could sneak past the gate.

Here is the view they missed:

DSC_0323.JPG


The descent was cold. Returned home in the dark via Takao and the Tamagawa.

Looking forward to riding many mountain routes again this month :)
 
With the weather being shoite, I took my first virtual trip to Zwift Island today. This destination came to my attention via Strava, when @Musashi13 made an excursion there.

I really enjoyed it. The competitive game flavour of this software makes riding a turbo trainer bearable, for me.

Screen Shot 2015-03-01 at 2.48.09 PM.png

I had intended to maintain a structure to the workout: 100W first lap, 200W second lap, etc. But I frequently found myself being seduced by the virtual hills and the other real riders into making unscheduled 'efforts'. More discipline is required.

There are bonus power-ups, jersey packs, timed segments and various other encouragements. The software is still in ßeta. So far there is just one course, but more courses and lots of features are 'coming soon'. The developers are working on making the system compatible with more trainers and rollers, too.

A unique aspect is that the software translates the virtual kilometers ridden into the GPS coordinates of laps of non-existent roads in a real place - Jarvis Island in the (only just) South Pacific. This is a bit cheeky, but means that turbo-trainer or roller workouts can now contribute to real distance totals on sites like Strava.

30.2 km later I was a panting, dripping wreck. Mission accomplished.
 
Pretty poor Feb total for me. 560km on the bike. Feb is always a tough one as it is usually pretty cold, although this year it has felt pretty mild. We were especially lucky with the weathe. I can't remember it being anything but perfect for every Saturday in Feb. I've been upping the running training recently so I can certainly feel that in my legs during the weekend rides.

Yesterday was pretty damn awful weather, although I did manage to get out for 42.2km down the Arakawa (running, not cycling). I was soaked to the skin and frozen by the time I got back. I had planned on a slow 50km but the rain made me cut it short and go a little faster than I would have liked.
 
I had to go to Kyoto today for a meeting. The meeting would only take an hour but getting there and back would take the whole work day so I arranged to take my bike - much quicker to get to where I needed to be in the old capital by bike than by bus. And then I would be in Kyoto, with my bike, with nothing much else to do for the rest of the afternoon.

As this plan was germinating I recalled @kiwisimon's short-lived Challenge to members in which, inspired by @WhiteGiant's BOOB ride, we were asked to design a new Strava course based on (preferably rude) parts of the body, and specifically my entry which involved Kyoto. At the time I didn't have any intention of actually riding this course, although @rommelgc threatened to do so.

Now that was a silly challenge. But then I am a very silly person. However I'm not randomly silly. Rather, I prefer an extreme level of precision in my silliness. So, as a silly way to spend an afternoon cycling in Kyoto, instead of visiting touristy temples and shrines and gardens, I drew a big bird...

Screen Shot 2015-03-02 at 10.12.42 PM.png
"Birota Impudens" - Half-Fast Mike's 33 km contribution to the world of Strava Art

The thumb didn't work well, and on reflection it could have been tucked away behind the index finger. TBH I didn't really look critically at the picture before transferring it to the Garmin. Whatever. It was a very silly thing to do and I'm suitably ashamed.
 
Last edited:
Penalty for crashing today was high... I will be paying for it the rest of the week I am sure... both knee caps bruised, one deep bruise in my thigh and another bruise in my quad. BUT.... the scenery was nice...
10801531_10153074058422808_3893381730688796692_n.jpg

10403137_10153074066132808_4689534643341848314_n.jpg

11046890_10153074066557808_6779668336451177166_n.jpg

10685545_10153074066742808_8498677022902254292_n.jpg

11042674_10153074067017808_4719030916083151312_n.jpg
 
Early this morning I set out to ride one of @leicaman and co.'s recent sorties into Tokigawa.

I had high hopes for the day.

Things started going bad after I woke up at midnight on the button after going to bed at half ten, no sleep till two am. Up at 5:05 and out the door with the sun.
Not feeling too cold and knowing I'd warm up I got to the Arakawa and hit the icy north wind head on. Plenty of grinding and a little rain later I was at the Famima.
My toes were numb and so were my fingers, I'd miscalculated the weather. A coffee to think on it and I decided to push on and see how I fared. Grabbed some feet warmers @GrantT had introduced me to last year and hit the road again.
Things went well and I loved riding the familiar territory I hadn't seen for far too long. Only one missed turn and I was at the first climb.
Then the snow came. Then the temperature was lower than it had been when I left my house. Then I missed another turn and thought I was fine.
I'd had a look on google street view and checked with Mark about where lunch was. Found it. Tuesdays it isn't open, bugger.

Thought the next conbini would suffice so carried on. No conbinis. Up and down, colder and colder. It had been a while since I had ridden for this long and I felt it.

A sign for Hanno.

130km done. Shivering on the train.

Home for a hot bath and a big coffee. I never did like going out on my own.

https://instagram.com/p/zwBCLBvt9i/
 
Hardcore nonetheless. I doff my cap to you for sheer bloodymindedness.
 
Today I was feeling a bit sick, so I compensated by pushing the order button a few times....
 
@bloaker Are you riding a lot of MTB? I would love to attend on a TCC MTB ride.... My Bianchi 29er is feeling very lonely tucked away in the spare room!
 
In contrast to the Chinese no label lightweight trend in this forum I bought a complete carbon wheelset from Campagnolo, the Bora One 35 tubular.
Since my other Campagnolo wheelset has lasted almost 14 years without even having to true the wheels I went for a safe option?
I also reallly wanted to try the claimed braking performance of this wheel.

There was a shortage of tires available but I bought the Continental Competition 25 tubular. I have no idea if they are any good though.
 
In contrast to the Chinese no label lightweight trend in this forum I bought a complete carbon wheelset from Campagnolo, the Bora One 35 tubular.
Since my other Campagnolo wheelset has lasted almost 14 years without even having to true the wheels I went for a safe option?
I also reallly wanted to try the claimed braking performance of this wheel.

There was a shortage of tires available but I bought the Continental Competition 25 tubular. I have no idea if they are any good though.
Very nice stuff. I would have possibly bought the bora one 35 if I had had a campy drivechain. I got two conti competition 25 tubs on Sunday from my local LBS. Have yet to try them out but they seem nice. Pretty good reviews too.
 
@bloaker Are you riding a lot of MTB? I would love to attend on a TCC MTB ride.... My Bianchi 29er is feeling very lonely tucked away in the spare room!
I get out on the trails a 2-4 times a month. Every now and then it is planned in advanced. Yesterday I just needed a break so I took off for a couple hours.
If you are in the Zushi/Yokosuka area - let me know and I will try and give you a heads up to meet me sometime when I head out.
 
Today I had an afternoon off so I went out for a "recovery" ride. I'm only good with self control sometimes, this wasn't one of those times.



Thanks for the Virb @paberu :tup

I got a false sense of how I was feeling by the South wind pushing me up the Edo river. Once I turned around it became apparent that my ride yesterday had taken quite a bit out of me.

Oh, well. Got a KOM before my legs fell off:warau:
 
Yesterday went out after work & did 50 km just to see if I dare start the Sportive I have entered next Sunday. Pleasantly surprised that my chest didnt hurt too much. However I did wake momentarily because of my chest during the night & had a very weird dream where a female clubmate of mine swapped my wheels for ones with ALL the spokes broken & stole my konnyaku during a refuelling stop at a Y's Road. What that tells about my subconscious I have NO idea.
 
Back to back 30km runs today and yesterday and 116km in four runs since Sunday. Feeling tired but I can feel I'm getting my fitness back. Very much looking forward to converting that running fitness into cycling fitness going through Spring and into summer.
 
Back
Top Bottom