gds wrote:
> bbaka wrote:
>
>>jj wrote:
>>
>>>OK, it's time for everyone to post their winter mileage and stats
>
> and
>
>>>props...
>>>
>>>From October first until today is approximately 190 days.
>>>
>>>Post weekly, or total or monthly. If you did a cool ride or got
>
> over a
>
>>>plateau or lost weight or put an inch on your quads, that's fine
>
> too.
>
>>>Me, 1670 miles, lots of hills, lots of speed. Broke 30mph on the
>
> flats.
>
>>>Only missed 8-9 days riding, or 180 of 190 days on the bike, though
>
> I'm
>
>>>cheating because I'm including about 4-5 days forced to ride
>
> indoors on the
>
>>>stationary bike.
>>>
>>>Lost 10 more lbs, and am down to about 219lbs.
>>>
>>>When the tights came off the wife and daughter were whistling at
>
> me(*).
>
>>>Worth all the blood sweat and tears right there.
>>>
>>>jj
>>>(*)(yeah, they probably were secretly mocking me but I'll take what
>
> I can
>
>>>get)
>>>
>>
>>Non-brag here. I did go out for some half centuries and a lot of 20
>
> mile
>
>>rides but the layering of clothing kept up the frustration factor.
>>Leaving the house freezing then after about 3 miles of hard pedaling
>>sweating like crazy messes up the long rides. Close to the house you
>
> can
>
>>come back and drop the excess clothes but hope that you don't get 20
>>miles out and break the bike or hit a thermal drop and rain. That has
>
>
>>put me into near hypothermia a few times when I got too brave.
>>
>>Hurry up summer. It is easier to carry a bunch of water bottles than
>
> to
>
>>shed clothes while riding. I am going the total phred routine this
>>summer and plan to use car heater hose clamps to mount some water
>>bottles on my front forks and maybe a few more spots. If I can carry
>
> a
>
>>gallon on a 90F day I will be happy, not too aero, but set for a long
>
> ride.
>
>>Personally I gained 20 pounds this winter and can't wait for the good
>
>
>>riding weather to lose about 25.
>>My 2 cents.
>>Bill Baka
>
> Well, some of your problems with clothes and weather have to do with
> your often repeated view that you don't need performance oriented
> clothes. There are plenty of good options for riding through the
> winter--but jeans, etc are not on the list.
>
> For carrying water, a decent Camelback + 2 large water bottles will get
> you close to your gallon and be a lot easier to deal with.
>
> As to gaining 20 lbs in a few short months. You must not have been
> riding as hard on all those 20 milers as you thought.
>
There were less 20 milers due to a number of factors, all cold related.
Cold wind makes my eyes water to the point of not being able to see so I
can't ride fast enough to get a good calorie burning workout. Clothing,
jeans at least, were not the problem since I did 50+ miles last week
with jeans on and carried a back pack to put my shirt layers into as I
peeled down to the comfort zone. I also have a problem with my wife and
all my friends thinking I am too skinny and feeding me every time I go
to see them. When it gets to where I don't have to start out in 40F
something weather I can carry more food and water and go back up to the
near daily 50 to 80 mile rides with the occasional unplanned Century.
This is a seasonal thing for me so soon the pounds come off again.
Health wise it is a toss up, but I can still run, not jog, for about 2
full blocks without getting totally winded, and could not do that a few
years back. The Cardio/lung capacity does not seem to diminish, the
weight just fluctuates.
Bill Baka
