Long time gone

How did Daddy's bike get here?

It has been a long time. A lot of riding (but not enough!) and a lot of life going on.
After the B2B I took a week off the bike. I didn't really need it but scheduling rides in was getting crazy so I just took the week off. After that was the 4th of July weekend. It was a three day weekend and I really wanted to get in three rides. I was able to get in rides of 40, 30, and 50 miles. I was really happy with that. The 50 miler was a trip back up to Kimball's in Jaffrey NH. I like that ride because it gives me an idea of where my fitness level is. The was a strong headwind most of the way but I made it fairly easily. Jordan and Annie joined me and we had some lunch and ice cream. Here is a picture of Jordan eating her first cone without the help of mom. Very impressive.

The weekend of the 10th we went camping with the RJ Gray crew. Great time and got in one short ride. Here is a picture of Scary Bear Jordan.



Were you scared???

Jordan loves camping!!!!!!! I did get out for a quick 25 mile ride but I am not that comfortable riding in strange locations so I didn't go any further.
We came back a day early so we could pack for our big move. On the 13th we moved down street to our new house. Most important thing about the new house is I no longer have to store my bike in a shed in the back yard. Just ride into the garage and I am done. Thanks to the Irwin and Gaebel family's for helping with the final push. We could not have done it without your help (well Annie probably could have, but it would not have been pretty).
On the 18th I went out for an easy 22 miles with a friend. We went through Westford, Carlisle and back. It was a great day.
Sunday was the Climb to the Clouds. It is a ride to Mt Wachusett organized by the Charles River Wheelmen. We elected to do the 62 mile ride out of Bolton. I decided to ride to the start to get some extra mileage in. Of course I left the house late and had to ride as fast as I could to get to the start. There wasn't much food at the start so I grabbed my bike and off to Wachusett we headed. It was a great ride but I did not eat enough and really paid the price coming home. The last 20 miles were exhausting. I did get 75 total miles out of it so I was happy with the day. Once I got home, it was more unpacking and moving stuff around.

B2B down, PMC to go

I'm a little behind in my blogging. First let's start with the B2B. That is the ride from the Harpoon Brewery in Boston to the Harpoon Brewery in Windsor VT. Here are the stats.
148 Miles
8 hours 39 minutes on the bike.
Average heart rate of 141
5882 Calories burned
Average speed of approx 16.7 MPH
Max speed of 43.0 MPH
On Friday night I wanted to go to bed early. Unfortunately I was not able to fall asleep. I had the alarm set to go off at 3am so we could meet up in Boxborough at 4. I finally got to sleep at about 1 and then received the 2am Jordan wake up. I rolled out of bed at 3, had a couple of english muffins with peanut butter and headed to Boxborough. Getting no sleep before the longest ride of my life is probably not a good idea but there was nothing I could do. We loaded up the bikes (two on top and two in the Pilot and headed into Boston. Once we got there, we unloaded and for the small fee of $15 I parked the Pilot. I was with a great group of guys so while parking, they took my bag to check in and brought my bike to the starting line. A quick porta potty trip and I was headed for the corral. We stood in line for 20 minutes and then we were off. Immediately, I had to go to the bathroom again. I am always very aware of hydration, the problem with that is I always have to go to the bathroom. We snaked our way through Boston, across the Mass Ave bridge and down past my office. At 15 miles there was a rest stop and I was really not feeling well when I got there. A quick stop and we were back on the bikes. After the stop, I ratcheted the pace back a bit and started to get into a nice rythym. The next 45 miles were on roads that I have ridden frequently. This makes it alot easier, knowing what is in store. We got to Ashby and cranked up the first major hill of the ride. I was feeling better and better but was careful to go at my own pace. After the Ashby hills there was about 40 miles of rolling hills. Somehow here, Geoff and I had gotten separated. I tagged along with a couple of different groups but it was boring riding without having someone to talk to. There was a rest/food stop at 90 miles. Once we started again, we finally took a right off of 119 (we had been on 119 for 3+ hours) and started the second (and hardest) climb. This was a relentless 10 mile stretch that almost did me in. I was again alone and really felt like quitting. The uphill finally ended and there was another stop for food. It was here that I ran into Geoff again and we rode together the last 50 miles. The last 50 were mostly flats and some small rolling hills. It was a long way in, I started cramping a bit but just kept drinking and eating energy gels and we made it. It was an amazing feeling to round the corner and see the brewery. This was by far the hardest single day event I have accomplished. There were a few Harpoons downed and I took the bus back to Boston. You would assume we would all sleep the entire way home but there is something about punishing your body for that long that won't allow you to get comfortable. I was back in Boxborough by 9pm. 17 hours and an incredible expierence later. Props go out Geoff, I would have probably made it if he wasn't there, but it wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable.

Almost Here

The B2B is only two days away and I must admit I am a bit nervous. Possible rain in the forcast does not make me feel any better. On the positive side, we have a great group to ride with and I am sure that will make most of the 148 miles go by quickly. Last weekend was the last big ride before the B2B. I had my bike serviced earlier last week and they put on a new rear cassette and chain. The cassette (gears in the back) is a little smaller so I was nervous trying the climbs without my 'granny' gear. I headed out at 5:30 to meet up in Boxborough. Finally the weekend comes and I have to get up earlier than during the week. As Homer Simpson would say "Doh!". I got to Boxborough and everyone was ready to go. We headed out through Littleton, Ayer over to Rte 119. Rte 119 has to be one of the worst roads to ride on, but it is part of the B2B so it is good to see the terrain a few times. So far there weren't any big hills so I wasn't able to tell how the cassette was going to work. We rode through Groton and into Townsend. Once in Townsend we left 119 and headed up towards the hills and New Hampshire. This is where the serious climbing started and my cassette was awesome. I think these hills are as steep as anything on the B2B course so I was pretty excited. We looped up through NH and back to Ashby center. From there it was down to Fitchburg, and back home. In total it was an 82 mile day for me,averaging 17.5 mph. I was pretty satisfied and although I should have gotten more miles, I feel ready for Saturday. Saturday is a 3am wake up and a 4am departure from Boxborough. I am excited an anxious. As I get older, it is harder to 'test' myself. I think this will be a major test. I expect to be on my bike for about 8 hours with the whole trip (including breaks for food and bathroom) to take 9. I will have a camera so hopefully I have some good pictures of us enjoying a Harpoon!

A long day

This is a weekend that I should have gotten in two solid rides but Saturday ended up being a busy day so I only got out on Sunday. I met some guys that are doing the B2B at 7:30 and off we went. About 5 miles in I actually got my first flat of the year. It was an easy change so we were back heading to Bedford. We picked up the B2B course in Bedford and rode out to Ashby. For some reason I just didn't have it today and struggled the whole way. Not sure but I have been very busy and maybe I am not getting enough sleep. We ended riding 80 miles and I averaged 17.8 mph. Not bad but I had to work very hard for it. Hopefully next weeks rides will go well to give me some much needed confidence going into the B2B

Buddy's Bash a success again

Last Saturday was the 4th annual Buddy's Bash. The first two BB were just cookouts. The last two we used to raise a little money for the PMC. This year was a huge success. We sold 30 t-shirts to raise $300 for the team and then raised $550 in a raffle that will go directly to the Pan Mass Challenge. I would like to thank all the doners. They were extremely generous.
Nashoba Package Store in Littleton
RJ Bradleys Ski and Patio in Westford
Wachusett Brewery
Colonial Spirits in Acton
The Crossroads in Acton
Scupper Jack's in Acton
Main Street's Cafe in Concord Center
Littleton Sub Shop

A special thanks to Tony for handling the announcing duties of both the band and the raffle.




As you can see, Jordan really ran the show. I think in this picture, she was checking ID's at the beer cooler. The top picture is of Jim's Wicked Awesome Garage... band. The band was a new twist and was enjoyed by all. They allowed me to play a few songs with them, as long as I turned the volume of my guitar all the way down.
The day ended up having perfect weather and I think all had a good time.
Here is a picture of Jordan wearing her new Team Lick Cancer t-shirt.


Sunday morning (after waaaaaaayyy too many Wachusett brews I was up and on my bike by 7. I decided to tackle the first big hill of the B2B course again. I rode out through Ayer and over to 117. I felt great, especially on the hill. The ride ended up being a bit under 60 miles and I was able to average 17.2 mph. A few more big rides and I will be ready for the 20th.

Memorial Day Weekend

Finally, a long weekend. Somehow the week prior to a long weekend goes by so slowly, but Friday is finally here. It was a good week of cross-training. I got in two runs in Lincoln (one around Walden Pond) and a run in Brighton. I also got in a yoga session as well as to circuit training sessions. Unfortunately this has not yet led to a weight reduction. On Thursday I had a great 55 minute run around Walden. It seems that as soon as you start feeling to good about yourself, someone one-ups you. I am fairly proud of my morning runs. To get out on the road/trails at 6am for an hour run is a pretty good accomplishment and one I could never have dreamed of in my single days. Well on Thursday, I was about 30 minutes into my run and feeling pretty special and I came upon Walden. I looked out into the pond and there were 6 or people working out. That is tough. That water has to be cold at 6am. Hats off to those people, although they are probably a bit crazy. Last night was the second to last practice session of the band before our big debut at Buddy's Bash. I can say that they are playing awesome and I am hoping that I can sit in on a few songs and not make too many mistakes. It will be quite a show.
My goal for this weekend is to get in 150 miles. Hopefully the weather and scheduling will cooperate.

B2B Course

Here is the profile of the Harpoon ride. If you click on the box that says elevation, you can see, there are few hills out there. I will be trying to add an extra ride each week, just concentrating on hills!!!!! This morning I got out for another run in the woods behind Walden. Almost went around Walden as well but think I will wait for later in the week for that. I got about 4.5 miles in and a quick little circut workout at the gym in. Time to up the intensity!!!!!

Getting Ready for the B2B

I have been slacking on my posting so I will try to work my way backwards from today and update my progress. First, this is a picture of Jordan at her Grandmothers 70th birthday dinner. As you can see, she wasn't all that impressed with the goings on. I am impressed with her multitasking ability at such a young age.
Today we had a ride on part of the Harpoon B2B course. The course spends a long time on rte 119 so we rode out on 119 from Groton to Ashby. The day started with a 4:30 am alarm. It is hard to believe that I would get up that early just to ride my bike. We left my house at 5:30 to head to the start in Boxborough. Here is a big difference from running. I used to drive to the starting location now I ride there. That adds about 6 miles to my days total. We left Boxborough at 6:00 and wound our way through Littleton to Groton. Once on 119 it was a straight shot towards Ashby. This was much faster than I am used to riding and I was pushing it to stay on the pace. Once in Ashby we had a huge climb. This will end up being on of the harder climbs in the B2B. I did feel much better on the climb than in the flats. We turned at Ashby center and worked our way home. It was pretty uneventful. For the day I got in 62.4 miles at an average of 17.2 mph My heart rate was an average of 140 with a high of 169. I burned 2405 calories. I've ridden 478 miles for the year. I am hoping to get 2000 before the PMC.
Last week I started back running in the woods of Lincoln. I had two 5 mile runs and felt great. It is an awesome place to spend the morning. Last Monday I was able to get out in the afternoon. It was a bit cool but a good day for ride. I rode 41.9 miles with an average of 15.5 mph. My average heart rate was 130 my max was 167.
Last Saturday was my first ride with team Lick Cancer. We rode 82 miles out to Mt Wachusett and back. Alot of hills but a great day in the saddle. We were out for about 6 or 7 hours.

100 Mile Weekend

Last weekend was a busy one. On Saturday we went out to Westfield to see the track be dedicated to the man above, Jerry Gravel. It was an incredible ceremony, WSC has really stepped things up. Because of the day at WSC there was no time for a ride. On Sunday, I headed out early. I didn't really have a loop in mind and just headed out towards Carlisle. I ended up traveling through Westford, Acton, Carlisle, Concord and back. It was a casual 30 mile ride. I had Monday and Tuesday off from work so I figured I could get some rides in.
On Monday I got in 50 miles. I headed out through Ayer and Shirley. This time I followed symbols on the road. Once I got out to Shirley I started to get a bit nervous. It was a beautiful day but I wasn't really sure where I was and how quickly I could get back. My plan was to ride 40 but once I figured out where I was it ended up being 50 and the last 10 were through the hills in Harvard. Actually this is a good thing because it will help me get ready for the Harpoon ride (I am riding from the Harpoon Brewery in Boston to the Harpoon Brewery in Vt in late June). After the ride I was sore for the first time this year. I may have been a little dehydrated due to the temp spike. I think it got to about 90 degrees.
On Tuesday I went out for another 40 miles. I was a little sore from Monday, especially my butt!! The ride went well but was a little slow. After the ride I went out to ask for raffle prizes for Buddy's bash. I have to say that the places I stopped were very generous.

Beautiful Weekend

It's been a while and I will start updating weekly. I had some pictures of the Jordan's first big easter egg hunt and wanted to post them but none came out that well. Last Sunday I got out for a cold 28 miles. I felt great on the bike but it was just a chilly ride and not as enjoyable as the rides in June and July. I rode the hills of Harvard and Stow. I figure that the hills are the best way to get back into shape. After the ride we went to Plymouth to celebrate Easter. We had a great easter dinner and Jordan got to see a live (easter)bunny in the front lawn. During the week I got in a couple of runs and a couple of yoga classes. I had my first run in the woods of Lincoln. I ran over to Walden Pond and back. I haven't been in those trails since the night before Jordan was born so it was a little bit of a weird experience. I hope to get in there twice a week now.
This weekend I got in my first back to back rides. On Saturday I rode 35 miles through Harvard, Stow, Boxborough, and Littleton. It was the first day I could be out in shorts and it felt pretty good. On Sunday I just rode a quick 20. I rode through Westford Chelmsford, Carlise, and Concord. It was another good day for a ride but not as warm as Saturday. After the ride we went out to Johnson's Drive In in Groton for lunch. Nice day to eat outside.

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!

Here is my first post for the 2009 PMC training log. Much has happened since my last posting. But the most important thing is that I signed up for the PMC again. This year I committed to raising $4200 so it will take a little more work on and off the bike. After a winter of getting fat I have been back on the bike, doing a little running, and even added a day of yoga to my routine. Two weeks ago I took my first ride. Just an easy 23 miles, averaging under 15mph. It was a great way to start the season and a nice little shakeout of the legs.
Yesterday I got out for my second ride. It was actually broken up into two segments with a friendly shuffleboard game in the middle (don't ask!!!!). The first segment was a 22 mile ride from Littleton to Stow via Boxborough and Harvard. I averaged about 16 mph and really enjoyed being back on the bike. I was bundled up with gloves, long pants, two shirts, a jacket, and a hat under my helmet. I am looking forward to riding when it gets a little warmer out!!!. After shuffleboard I rode straight home. It was a 12 mile ride and I averaged 16.8 mph. I was riding as fast as I could as I had to get home to get ready to go out to a fundraiser in Gardener. The ride was tough and it started to drizze a bit. Not what I needed during an early April ride.
The fundraiser was a great time and appeared to be a huge success.
Today I ran the Doyles road race in JP. It's one of the best races in Mass. I ran 37:30 for five miles. Nothing to write home about but pretty good considering my current state of fitness. Gotta get out on the roads more often.

"It takes a leap of faith to get things going
It takes a leap of faith, you gotta show some guts
It takes a leap of faith to get things going
In your heart you must trust
-Springsteen "Leap of Faith"