Uuuunngh!

Came down with a big cold Monday night...you know the drill. Stuffy head, coughing, aching, sneezing, fever, wish you could detatch from the office so you could rest, cold.

I got out for an easy lap around the park Thursday night and was happy with my performance...maybe when I'm 80.

I am turning the corner though and look forward to getting back into some interval work Friday and over the weekend.

Illness taper is not what I had in mind!

Another fun week!

I admit, I do miss group rides but the solo training efforts that I've done this past week have been good for me. I've also become pretty intimate with the Elm Creek Park Trails.

Elm Creek Park Reserve has about 30 miles of paved bike path through 5000 acres of varied Minnesota forest and prarie. If you haven't ridden here, you need to, it's absolutely beautiful! The outer loop is a subtle 15 miler that'll sneak up on you if you push it.

I put in a couple of 15 mile laps on Monday. Got three hours in on Tuesday hooking up with the LSC riders at the Trailhead Cycle ride. Traveled on Wednesday. Got back home on Thursday and went to Nicky's soccer game (his team won!).

Friday was another solo ride in Elm Creek. 5 laps this time for a total of 75 miles. Normally 75 miles doesn't make you feel so bad but like I said, it's subtle and after 3 laps you're feeling it. Saturday was domestic labor of the spring cleaning variety (I think the 5 laps in Elm Creek were easier...). Finally I put in three easy laps in Elm Creek on Sunday. Total Elm Creek laps this week were 10...more than I've ever done in there before. You know, I never did get bored with that wonderful place!

Week in review

Work life balance was tipped towards the work side for the last week.

I was able to get an hour in last Thursday and an hour last Friday, followed by 6 days of travel with only about 2 hours of light aerobic activity and 1 lifting session. Washington D.C. and Boston were nice though...

Back on the bike last night with the Loons for a 50 mile loop. I could feel my legs being resistant to what is normally effortless. I don't like feeling that way. They would close back up whenever the pace slowed or got really fast. The sprinting felt pretty good though. Brian and I went head to head going up super prime side by side! I had just a little more leg and was able to pull ahead at the line. Good fun!

2.5 hours last night 149 avg HR, 193 max HR (1 beat over my previous max HR so I know I was pushing hard at one point)
Below Zone 1 8 min
Zone 1 28 min
Zone 2 56 min
Zone 3 39 min
Above Zone 3 1 min

Century weekend times 2!

What a great weekend! 100 miles on Saturday and 100 miles on Sunday! Neil once again knows how to attract folks to a ride (even with a 6am start).

Starting at 6AM we traveled from Trailhead in Champlin to Fletcher, Hanover, St. Michael, Albertville, Monticello, Buffalo, Montrose, Watertown, Maple Plain, Hamel, back up to Fletcher, and completed the route back to Trailhead. Great group, great ride!

Sunday was the Ironman Bike Ride out of Lakeville. A great early season wakeup call for 5000+ hardy Minnesota riders. It's called the Ironman for good reason...late April in Minnesota is usually brutal with potential weather from cold rain to snow to heavy winds. It's never perfect weather wise but always enjoyable.

Huge Kudos to fellow Loon State rider, Erik Johnson, who completed his first ever 100 miles ride. That is a major accomplishment!

Best part about all of this basework I've been doing all winter is that I felt REALLY good for the duration each day...good enough to push pace and sprint for all the primes!

Here are some of the Saturday photos: