Cycling and Yoga

Well... I survived yet another Sunday class. I am finding it very interesting how fast the time appears to go in there. One moment we're doing Surya Namaskara A, then all of the sudden we've made it to Navasana and next thing you know, Shirshasana, and then we're outta there. The pacing today was markedly faster than the last few weeks. Everyone is getting it down and I'm really glad that I'm in good aerobic shape.

One interesting thing about today was during Navasana. Kelly was thinking that we'd done five rounds, the class caught it and then then we did two more for a total of six. The interesting part is that some people in the class swear it was five rounds total and others... swear it was six. I believe that this is because that everyone has lost all high order brain function or maybe it's everyone's mind repressing the memories.

I'm about to crack 1000 miles for the month and 7500 for the year. That is just amazing me. This is shaping up to be a really big mileage year. I'm now starting to think about what I'm going to be doing ride wise next year and how to work in the spin classes, yoga, and limited outdoor riding this winter. I think that one of the reasons that I'm tolerating the bigger mileage is the yoga practice. It is work for the body that is very different than the limited range of movement and position on the bike. It is stretching those same over worked muscles, helping to flush out all of the lactic acid, and providing general body strength work. (Some of you might scoff at that last statement, but... believe me, it's 100% true.) Then there is the work for all of those little muscles that don't get used on the bike.

Seven Hundred Billion Dollars

I will destroy your economy unless you give me Seven Hundred Billion Dollars.

Ahoy Matey

It's International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Here is some helpful advice to get it right.

Semi Monthly Post?

It seems that I'm slipping into that mode. All is going well. Still putting the miles in, although not at the same rate as last month. Let see...

1. All of the tri folks that I was training with did well at IronMan Cheeseland. Jen kicked butt and qualified for Kona next year. I think that is a good thing... I'm suspect that I'm going to be getting hammered more than this year.
2. The weekly Ashtanga practice continues. I believe that this is the third week for the Sunday class and myself now. I still am muddling through. I had the sweat going big time today. It was also the debut of the cloth rug for the seated poses. It worked really well, much better than the bath towel that I'd been using. Although, I think a wet-vac might have been in order at the end.
3. Did the Heartland Century yesterday with Laurel, the person that does body work on me. That was fun. It was raining big time the whole way. She was time constrained so we did the half. I believe we were two of the maybe twenty people that rode. I suspect that I was the only nutter that actually signed up day of the ride. I rode the 1x1 with the fenders and lights. Did ok for a single speed (40x17), something like 3:30.
4. I came close to having a zero day today. It was nasty cold and rainy this morning. Fortunately, it stopped raining and I was able to slip out for an hour and a half. I'm going to have to manage 33/day to hit 1000 for the month. It's do-able, but I have to keep this fun and not obsess on the numbers.
5. Cleaned the espresso machine and the grinder today. It was past time. The shots were starting to be a bit off. I'm also going to need a dry day to roast. I'm getting down there to the point the coffee won't have as much rest as I like. Stupid rain...
   

Another Post?

Wow... My posting has been slacking off. I guess that's because I have been spending lots of time on the bike and in the yoga studio. I guess I'll just do them in list fashion.

1. Big mileage month... I wound up with 1392 for the month with just one day off the bike. I seem to be tolerating it. I don't think I'll have anything approaching that in September. I'm hoping for something between 1000 and 1200. We'll see...
2. Yoga - That has also been picking up. I'm how managing to practice four times a week. Two with Mark at Indigo and two at Gold's. Today was a "bonus" practice. The daughter and I showed up for Evan & Kelly's Ashtanga class at the Davenport School of Yoga. That consisted of the full primary series. I managed to get through it with a few substitutions here and there. I haven't sweated like that in a long while. Then it was lunch and 30 miles on the bike,
   
3. Last Friday, I meet up with Rick and we did a little ride to the Chief Blackhawk Antique Motor Cycle Swap Meet and Races. That was way cool. It was very interesting to see all of the very old motorcycles. It's very evident how much motorcycles have in common with bicycles when you see the old ones.
4. I also wandered through a WWII ship that was in town. The ship was the LST 325. It was brought back to the US by a small group of veterans in 2001. I can't image taking that across the Atlantic. It is the only remaining one out of 1061 that is still in use in the original configuration.
   

Well... That's all for now. I think I need to have a little nap... about ten hours worth.

Woah... It's Been Awhile

Holy Socks! It's been almost a month since the last post. I've been shirking my blog responsibilities, such as they are. Here are the last few items of interest.

1. I managed to ride RAGBRAI and not fall down or flat. A good time was had by all. I was hanging with ShortBus and riding with them some. I'll try to get a RAGBY post together before all of it gets out of my head.
2. I also managed to win the Tour de France. Well... at least I won the Kim West Radio Cycling Show Tour de France contest. I'll be claiming my t shirt when I head to Ames later this month.
3. I've been stacking in the miles and I'm starting to feel a little bit of fitness returning. RAGBRAI was an almost 500 mile week, followed by a 300 mile week, and this week is looking like it will be around 350. W00t!

Today's little ride was just a bit over 90 miles in just a bit over 5 hours. That averages out to about 18mph for the ride. And it was in the rain too. Tough guy points might be in the offing. That depends if I do the 50 or so planned for tomorrow.

Gotta go... I feel the need for a beer and some tunes. Hard Quarter is playing at the Bier Stube tonight. I'm not to wild about the beer there, but they do have Warstiener ,which will do in a pinch. Or I might just slip next door to Bent River and get either an Uncommon Stout (a coffee stout) or the Pale Ale. Maybe I can listen to the band from there.... the best of both worlds.

Le Tour Begins

Le Tour begins for real. The high mountains have arrived. We'll finally get a glimpse of who's going win. Given the 24 km descent to the finish today, nothing should really change. The stage tomorrow ends on a climb and that will cause the first major split. CSC has been very quiet so far. Given my pick in an online contest, CSC needs to wake up.