Of Mice and Marathons

PM: 41.9-mile ride. HR 146.

2 x 20' w/ 7' recovery

Warmed up about 50' to Stony Creek and did my first outside interval session. I was shooting for 235-245ish, which is about 93-95% of FTP when last tested. I was under that by a bit, but I did have anything on for lap average only 3 second average

Lap 1: 222 watts; HR 166; 19.3 MPH

Lap 2: 229 watts; HR 169; 19.9 MPH

Cooled down back home. I saw a runner on Avon who look super lean and fast and thought, "That can only be Mike Morgan." And it was. You don't see too many 2:15 marathoners in the wild, though Desi Linden does have a house out on the dirt roads, which I am sure I pass right by.

PM: 3-mile walk w/ Megan. HR 86.

Lots of woodland creatures.

PM: 10 miles, averaged 10:00. HR 159.

Felt pretty rough. HR and breathing elevated.

PM: 50-mile ride. HR 157.

Thursday Night Dirt with a full crew. I led B group, but somehow ended up doing more work as I was checking on people with flats and trying to make sure no one got left behind. Had to work to get back to the group. We stopped toward the end of the ride and had a few beers and someone had had pizza delivered. Things felt normal and we had a good time. Rode to the ride and rode home for some extra saddle time.

PM: 10 miles, averaged 9:37. HR 152.

Hot and very dry, but bad air quality and pollen and cotton wood fuzz.

PM: 3.6-mile walk w/ Megan. HR 76.

Evening: 10.6-mile ride. HR 128.

PM: 63.7-mile ride. HR 144.

Had a very good ride. Good effort coming up the Dequindre hill @ 16.2 MPH and 327 watts. My third fastest and all other times were in a group.

PM: 11.2 miles, averaged 9:22. HR 155.

Broke out my trail shoes and went to Bald Mountain to run the trails for the first time (the north trails farther up than where Megan and I walked/hiked a few weeks ago). It was one of the best runs in recent memory. I started out not too impressed as it was supposed to be hilly and didn't see much for the first two miles and then it got fairly steep and hilly even if only for short climbs. I tried to do the full loop (about 6-7 miles) and circle back for a second loop but just ended up missing a turn, so I ran the loop backwards (in the direction of the mountain bikers). I made sure to give any mountain biker all the room they needed when I heard the wizz of a cassette. I think the guy that passed me appreciated that I was alert and he didn't even have to call out and that I moved completely off the trail.

Around 1:45 of running time and I hit some harder miles on the way back. I haven't spent this mich time on the trails since I left Philadelphia. This one works quite well for my purposes. Difficult enough without being out of my skill range (I'm definitely out of practice).

PM: 60.8-mile ride. HR 151.

My buddy Joe texted me that he planned on 2 hours of gravel so I got in some lunch and made sure the bike was ready to go. Decided to ride to meet him after coming up with an approximate 2-hour loop. I was running a bit late as it is a little hard to time things on a bike exactly. We headed out and had a very enjoyable ride. It was hot, but never felt that bad (85-90). I dropped him back at his truck and went through Stony Creek. I died a bit around three hours after I left him and looked for a store. Somehow, there was nothing in the strip malls I passed. I stopped at a gas station a mile from where we live because I knew I wouldn't go back out as I would later see the items as not being necessities. I grabbed a slushy for the first time in who knows how long, a Gatorade, and two diet Pepsi's. I sipped my slushy on the way home and it tasted magical :-)

Just under four hours of riding time. I can't believe my legs felt as good as they did after trail running yesterday after it's been so long. Something short and easy running tomorrow and Thursday Night Dirt on Thurday.

Night: PT routine

PM: 5 miles, averaged 9:39. HR 153.

High dew point, but lower humidity. Still a bit tough, so I didn't go to long. Did a 15' near all out stride. Decent fast for me. I think I peaked in the 4:20s or 4:30s, which is about as fast as I have run in quite some time.

PM: 50-mile ride. HR 153.

Thursday Night Dirt + there and back. We stopped for beers at one of the guy's houses again. Quite dry and pleasant. I tried my best to lead the B group. Tried to help the stragglers and ended up getting in a really solid effort. Really enjoyable ride again this week.

As one of my earlier posts hinted at, Megan and I are expecting. We are expecting identical twin boys in early November!

Lunch: 12.2 miles, averaged 8:20. HR 159.

Progression through 8 miles (930-6:40) and then 4+ miles down.

Cooler, drier weather so I figured why not get in something?

PM: 3.25-mile walk. HR 84.

We talked a bit about me getting my coaching certification. I'm planning to pursue it. Lots of people seem to have the same idea as everything is filled and wait listed.

Off.

Rough day. We talked to Issac, someone in Kenya that Megan met on a trip who we sometimes help out a bit financially. Megan ask me to get her a banana. She went back into the kitchen and I heard her fall (she's fine). She was passed out leaning against the fridge and it took her a few seconds to come to and she was very confused for several seconds, but then she straightened out. I got her some fluids and food, trying not to have a panick attack.

I took her to the ER just to be sure and they examine her and did an ultrasound. All good. Apparently this sometimes happens with pregnant women. Her blood pressure apparently dropped. Not sure if it was food related or the position of the babies. We did figure out that she must have been able to almost get down in a sitting position before she fully passed out.

PM: 22.1-mile ride. HR 145.

Rode to Addison to ride some single track. Got about a mile in maybe less and my electronic shifting died. Called Megan to bail me out. I thought it hadn't been that long since I charged it, but it was over 900 miles, so about time.

Rob Krarr now follows me on Strava

PM: 11.7-mile ride to look at a house. HR 139.

I think this was the same day we got a realtor. Anxiety a bit rough in the early part of this week. Felt good to get out and be productive though.

PM: 3-mile walk w/ Megan. HR 89.

PM: 8.6 miles, averaged 9:12. HR 157. + 1.3-mile walk. HR 103.

Warm but very dry (27% humidity and it doesn't get much lower than that in these parts). Wanted to do 10-12 and felt solid, until I started to faint. I walked home. Felt pretty loopy. The run helped to burn off some anxiety.

All of the places we wanted to look at from the round of houses we received yesterday were sold. Stuff is going quick.

PM: 62-mile ride. HR 149.

We did the summer solstice ride a few days early. It was great weather and we had a good group. Fun ride.

PM: 4.1 miles, averaged 8:11. HR 162.

Started out hot, then thought I was getting dizzy, so I slowed way down. I think this was the day we looked at houses. Things are flying off the market and stuff that isn't, is pretty sketchy.

PM: 49.6-mile ride. HR 161.

Did the Thursday Night Dirt route + there and back by myself. I tried to tempo the segment, but got buried after 40 minutes. Took some recovery then another hard 20' effort. Basically idiot intervals.

PM2: 2.75-mile walk with Megan when I got home. HR 110.

Off.

Megan and I look at houses. No luck. We went to the White Horse Inn and had a fantastic meal. It is our 6-year anniversary.

PM: 3.25-mile walk with Megan. HR 83.

I think this is the day I went out to meet the realtor as Megan was working. Struck out.

Off.

Should have got something in as the drop in exercise seems to have made my anxiety worse. I called the doctor to get in next Monday.

PM: 67.6-mile ride. HR 157.

Anxiety has been brutal these last few days. The ride definitely helped, but it took me almost 3 hours to start feeling good. Need to not take days off unless absolutely necessary and to at least walk if I am not going to ride or run.

I tried to ride to the Fall 50 route and do that, but my GPS wasn't playing nice with the preprogrammed route, so I just changed plans a bit. I think the total mileage would have been closer to 90, which would have been fine but perhaps too much time to get back at an appropriate dinner time.

We are going to look at a few houses tomorrow.

AM/Lunch: 10.3 miles, averaged 10:38. HR 140.

We looked at two houses. We loved the first one. It was the first house that felt like "We could live here." The second one we looked at was doable, but not as nice as the first.

PM: 3.3 miles, averaged 11:27. HR 134.

A beautiful tie-dye looking sunset. First double since last fall I would have to guess.

Megan changed the preapproval and we signed documents to make an offer on the house.

AM/Lunch: 7 miles, averaged 11:08. HR 137.

I had to get out as I was waiting for numbers to be crunched. The seller's accepted our offer. So everything is not set in stone, but it's certainly advancing.

PM:

Lunch: 6.8 miles, averaged 11:08. HR 139.

Night: 3.2 miles, averaged 11:45. HR 138.

PM: 81.1-mile ride. HR 159.

Started out not feeling well, but then felt better. I planned mid-ride to try for a 100, but I went through 4 bottles in 2.5 hours, so I stopped at a Dollar General and seriously reloaded. Ended up with a really good ride. My longest by time and distance.

Night: 3.2-mile walk. HR 88.

After-dinner walk with Megan. House inspection was today. Doctor's appointment was well. I got on some meds finally. Feel pretty solid, though some of them will take a bit to kick in.

The home inspection was an amzing experience and you learn a lot about the property. Many of the areas are in great shape. A few issues we are negotiating and we are going to buy a dinning room table set from them, which we liked. Strange process, but I am learning a lot.

Lunch: 7 miles, averaged 11:28. HR 139.

I started packing like a mad man. I went a few places and picked up boxes and slavaged/stole a bunch from the backs of stores. I went around at night and got some that were on a cart out back of a strip mall and they were Frito-Lay boxes, which ended up being amazing, though technically the property of Frito-Lay as they are returnable.