I stopped off during today’s training ride and recorded this short video blog.
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So, the weather has NOT been cooperating with my training schedule at all. In the past week I’ve had to run in the rain (twice), had to call off my ride yesterday because I almost got blown off my bike by wind gusts, and now, it’s like Oz out there!
Hopefully I’ll get a short run in this afternoon if the wind settles down a bit.
Getting in shape is fun! Since I started training for the ride I’ve lost almost twenty pounds and increased my physical fitness and overall stamina by leaps and bounds.
I’m fitting into all kinds of clothes that I wasn’t previously, and looking pretty good in them too (if I may say so myself).
Took on a short (16.8K) training ride yesterday from James Garden Park to the Humber Bay at Lakeshore.
The ride itself was a bit disjointed (riders with mechanical trouble, our group got split up, that sort of thing) but the route was spectacular! Who knew Toronto had so much green space?!
Click the picture of Khalil and me to check out the route map.
Had a great training weekend! I ran 7K on Friday, then cycled 50K on Saturday and another 62K on Sunday with the riders from All The Right Gears bike shop.
Good bunch of skilled cyclists in that team. Met a lot of cool people and I think I might be back a few more times this season.
So that’s two more off my to-do list: first 60K and first back-to-back 50Ks.
After all that work I think I might take a rest day tomorrow. Maybe some light weights after work but that’s it. I need to rest the muscles and restore protein.
Today I can cross off this week’s training goal: I did my first 50K of the season.
And, assuming the weather holds (and it looks like it’s going to) I’ll do another 50 tomorrow to check that off my list 2 weeks early.
Obviously training is going well. In addition to the cycling and running I’ve been paying a lot of attention to my diet. I’m trying to eat like an athlete: Carbs before and during rides, and high on proteins in my rest periods. And it’s really working! I’m down about 20 pounds since January, and it seems like every time I try to get dressed, another slim-fit top or pair of pants is suddenly roomy on me.
That’s not a bad side-effect at all!
Today is day # 78 of my training. There are nine weekends remaining until the ride, 64 days in total.
To that end I thought I’d publish the milestones portion of my training schedule. This is by no means my entire training plan, but these are my goals:
By April 9/10 (nine weekends to go): complete a 50K ride.
By April 23/24 (seven weekends to go): complete a 60K ride.
By May 7/8 (five weekends to go): complete two back-to-back 50K rides (gotta learn how to handle riding on tender muscles).
By 21/22 (three weekends to go): complete an 80K ride.
Also, at mo particular deadline:
It’s a tough schedule, but entirely possible.
Several of us at work have started a running club. Three times a week we run a 5K circuit around the neighborhood to train for the ride. It’s not a bad run too, it’s got a noticeable incline to it at the mid-point. You can really work up a sweat if you keep your pace up.
I post all my results and routes on my Runkeeper page.
74 - days in training.
35 - fitness activities logged.
244 - total KMs run, cycled, spinned and/or walked.
16,378 - calories burned.
16 - pounds lost.
The bike is DONE! I picked it up from the shop last week and it is ready for the season. Last year I bought a Giant OCR 3 (with all stock parts) and have been collecting parts over the winter to upgrade it as best as I can afford. It turns out, the only thing I’m keeping is the frame. The new bike consists of:
Giant OCR 3 Aluminum/composite frame & fork. Selle Italia Gel Flow saddle. Felt carbon seat post. Ekko carbon fibre ergo handlebars and stem wrapped in Lizard Skin. Look Keo 2 Max carbon pedals. Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 group set. Rolf Vector Pro aluminum wheels with Specialized Mondo Pro 2 tires. Dual Tacx water bottle cages with Camelbak podium chill bottles.
It’s time to bring sexy back to amateur road cycling.
I can’t believe the ride is only 2 months away! It looks like the weather might break this weekend so I can get out and get a few real road kilometers in. Should be fun.
About Scott's Ride to Conquer Cancer
