Sportstracker

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Full W&OD Ride with Tim

What a gorgeous day for a bike ride! Tim and I rode from the Shirlington trailhead to the Purcellville trailhead and back on the W&OD as a preparatory ride before this Saturday's Sea Gull Century. My legs were a bit dead from yesterday's 50 mile ride. I felt great and was spinning well, I just didn't have the power in my pedal stroke that I would've liked to maintain a kick-ass pace. Tim kindly pulled for me for much of the ride, which helped to maintain my reasonable pace, and he obliged my pulls in return. The old knees and hips and my big old butt started to hurt on the return trip but I pushed through the pain to finish strong back in Shirlington. Great ride in spite of the aches and pains. Yeah, we're ready for Sea Gull, and we're gonna kick some serious butt! Bring it on!!!!

Full W&OD Ride with Tim by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday, September 28, 2013

NOVA-CBG Extended Korte Vasa, the Fall Edition

Had a nice but slightly breezy and cool day. Spinning was easy and comfortable today and was able to add miles on the end to get my 50. Now for the full W&OD tomorrow and its 100 miles. Bring it!

NOVA-CBG Extended Korte Vasa, the Fall Edition by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Sunday, September 22, 2013

NOVA-CBG The Whiskey Ride

Had a lovely day for a ride on another of Carl's patented rides. I'd never been to George Washington's Grist Mill and Distillery and it was a fascinating place. The ride down was very nice with perfect weather. Got to stretch out the legs on the ride to the ride and a few points within it, and had a nice, slow jaunt home after the ride. Great way to end the weekend's riding, plus the whiskey tasting at the end was really enjoyable as well.

NOVA-CBG The Whiskey Ride by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday, September 21, 2013

NOVA-CBG Super Duper Oxford Loop - Metric Century

We beat the rain and finished before any precipitation fell. It was a windy ride and all seemed to be headwinds. Riding on the aerobars was difficult and in places not possible or advisable. Additionally, Talbot County decided to put down lots and lots of tar and chip in place of smooth asphalt, which resulted in lots of gravelly roads. In spite of all of that, it was a great ride. I had nice company with Franklin who kept me honest and pulled a few times when the wind was kicking my butt. I got some nice sprints in and it was a good exercise in steady spinning. And the ride after the ride was quite enjoyable as well.





NOVA-CBG Super Duper Oxford Loop - Metric Century by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Sunday, September 15, 2013

NOVA-CBG Hills and Trees, Thrills and Breeze Plus an Arlington Triangle

Had an absolutely beautiful day for a bike ride. The day started off with a series of malfunctions. Pre-ride, Sue lost a screw from her Look cleats. Luckily, I had some at home from my old Look Keos so I had Sue drive me home and I got it and fixed her cleat. Also pre-ride, Aileen discovered her tire was flat so that had to be rectified. And to top it off, I didn't get to eat my breakfast as I ran around tending to this mishigas. But for all of it, we left on time at 10:15 and bounded off to the Arboretum for a lovely jaunt around and through the gardens. While there, Sue couldn't get her cleat on the other shoe to release only to find that she had lost yet another screw. We jury-rigged it with one screw at the top and one at the outside and got her going again. After climbing all those hills, we set off for Hains Point for some laps. I worked with John and Aileen on pacelining, intervals, and cadence. My average speed is nothing to write home about but I got a good workout anyway. We had a nice lunch/dinner at Beckett's when we got back to Shirlington but I wasn't satisfied with only 40 miles so I did a clockwise Arlington Triangle to bring me up to 57 miles for the day and over 100 miles for the week. Now we get to do it all over again next week.











NOVA-CBG Hills and Trees, Thrills and Breeze Plus an Arlington Triangle by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday, September 14, 2013

NOVA-CBG Dueling Triangles

Had a blast doing the "Dueling Triangles" ride. I broke everyone up into two groups, flipped a coin, and that determined who went which way. We rode together from Shirlington to the split for the reverse triangle and then it was game on. Went out strong and fast but lost my little pack as I approached the Route 1 underpass and had to stop to retrieve it. I tried to spin it back up to speed and did get out in front of some who passed me. I started to see the clockwise folks right around the Key Bridge Marriott, which is right around where I expected. As per usual, the westbound Custis rollers slowed me down but I motored through them smoothly and picked up speed wherever it was flat or downhill. Caught up to some of the "boys" on my team on the W&OD and we all finished strong to Shirlington. I'm really looking forward to running this challenge again and I even have plans for a "double triangle" challenge: out one direction, back the other. That should be a hoot. Now gotta rest up for tomorrow's Hills and Trees, Thrills and Breeze ride.


NOVA-CBG Dueling Triangles by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Monday, September 9, 2013

Indian Head Century: 46+ Miles My Way

This was my "recovery" ride from yesterday's Amish Country 107.3 mile century and it was a good workout but not without its little trials and tribulations. I got to ride with Steve and Sue, who were wonderful, especially after I pulled a "Randi" leaving the first rest stop. I fell, hard and smacked my left knee right on the patella. That took the wind right out of my sails but we pressed on and Steve and Sue kept slowing up for me to catch up. I decided I wasn't going to do the killer "Rose Hill" hill and set out to find my own end-around to bypass it. I was able to find a route that took me a bit further but without any substantive hills and I was able to rejoin the route a few miles later, where I found Joseph and Raaj, joined quickly by Gary and Paris. I started to draft (my favorite activity!) and got my mojo back. I finished strong with a 13.4 mph average. It won't set the world on fire but it's fine with me. Now, what to do tomorrow? Perhaps some more CaBi rides.




Indian Head Century: 46 Miles My Way by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Amish Country Bike Tour: Full English Century (and a Little More)

I wound up adding 5 extra miles by making one wrong turn, but that makes this my longest ride ever to date at 107.3 miles. It was a fantastic day in Dover and a lovely ride through the flat, flat, flat little towns by farmers' fields and lots of friendly Amish folk. Did my share of both pulling and drafting on the course and some solitary cruising. I was humming for the first 65, averaging 17 mph. The next loop, with the unexpected "detour," I started to slow down and my average dropped into the low 16s. But the last 12 miles, I got my groove back for the most part and rode for a good part of it with the DC Spokesmen group and brought the average back up to 16.5. This is definitely a must-ride on my schedule for next year.





Amish Country Bike Tour by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Monday, September 2, 2013

NOVA-CBG Arlington Triangle Minus Fish Plus Xtra Miles

Hot, sticky day but had a great run out the Arlington Triangle. Had to skip the Hains Point/Fish Market/Washington Monument loop and rush back to Shirlington for an 11:30 lunch with the Nebbish. I was a few minutes late because I was checking out Randi who got felled by a errant hose across the trail in Rosslyn. Poor thing was really bruised up. Had a nice lunch and then waited for the crew to arrive back in Shirlington. Rode to Falls Church with Randi to deliver her home and then went to FreshBikes to get a noseless saddle and some other goodies. The new saddle is perfect: gets rid of that pain in the aero position. Not as many miles as I wanted today but still not a bad day. Back to work tomorrow. Boo!!!



NOVA-CBG Arlington Triangle Minus Fish Plus Xtra Miles by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details

Sunday, September 1, 2013

NOVA-CBG Two Rides: Boot Camp & Kennedy Center

Started off the day doing GySgt Claudine's much sought after and killer boot camp ride (the ride's fine, it's the boot camp that kicks my butt). After a nice relaxing lunch at Best Buns, it was off on ride number 2, Sam and Dana's Kennedy Center loop. Had a lovely "ride after the ride" at Guapo's and finished up by adding some extra miles to bring the day's total up to 51. Still need some more tomorrow but a good day today.







NOVA-CBG Two Rides: Boot Camp & Kennedy Center by kwarkentien at Garmin Connect - Details