RONA MS 150 Bike Tour - Leduc to Camrose - Day 2

So, Sunday morning seemed not too bad initially, but it got darker and more overcast by the time we got through the breakfast lineup, packed up, and hit the road (that and it was kind of cold out actually). Note to self - if we do this again, ignore the breakfast shift times and just get in line when they open, they'd run out of a number of breakfast items by the time we got through the line (we waited and didn't line up until 5 minutes before our scheduled time).

We ended up starting fairly late, almost 9 am, so having to pass lots of people again. It didn't rain, but it was quite damp and there was a strong crosswind while we went north, so not very pleasant riding conditions. I was just warmed up when we came across a rider with a flat (apparently she'd walked for 2 km without seeing any bike marshals go by to help) - we ended up stopping for 20-30 minutes to help (of course, *then* 3 bike marshals came - but we all seemed to struggle with getting her tire off), and I really cooled down. It took me a while to get warm again, and I was really slow and sluggish.

It was much easier once we headed west as we had a tailwind - Ed and I did some good drafting behind each other (and passing lots of people still). It was funny actually - we passed Alan and some of his teammates on the road initially, then they passed us when we stopped to help, then we passed them again at the next checkpoint.

The hot soup for lunch in Hay Lakes was greatly appreciated (as was the indoor area to sit for lunch in the Agri-plex). Ed and I really only stopped to stand/stretch briefly at the remaining checkpoints, and arrived back to Leduc around 1 pm - 3 hours 4 min riding time for 76.9 km.

Ed and I put on some dry (non-sweaty) clothes and waited for Alan and the rest of Team Pronto to arrive (which was about 2 pm). Michele from New York was at the finish line - Alan almost forgot to brake when he pulled up right in front of her! Lots of photos and hugs and congratulations - overall a fun experience.

(interesting how many trucks went by with bikes on the back ie. people not finishing the ride - I guess some people perhaps don't train enough or over-estimate their capabilities?)

RONA MS 150 Bike Tour - Leduc to Camrose - Day 1

So, last weekend Ed and I rode in the MS Bike Tour, a total of about 160 km over 2 days. Our friend Alan was part of Team Pronto, so we sort of hung out with some of the team members at various times - they seemed a lot of fun. And Alan's friend that he was riding for, Michele, flew out from New York to be there for the start and finish, which was inspiring to see.

First impressions - a bit scary with the traffic jam to get into the parking area, but then registration/check-in was really well organized for such a large event (1500 cyclists). Saturday was a sunny warm day, but not too hot, so it was great cycling weather. I know now that if you want to get an early start, you get there really early and put your bike at the start line first thing - we didn't get to start until about 35 minutes after the official start time of 8 am. Which meant that Ed and I were passing people almost constantly, but particularly at the start and up the first hill. We stopped only briefly at the first checkpoint, and a bit longer at the second so I could stretch my back (as I could feel it a bit).

We made it to the lunch stop at the Wetaskiwin Hospital Grounds by 10:30 am, took a 30 minute break to eat something (but not a full lunch), and were on our way again. Now we were on a primary rather than secondary highway, which meant a much wider shoulder - but that was actually scarier as I think then there were more inconsiderate cyclists who figured they could ride side-by-side (meaning if I needed to pass someone, I had to pull onto the busy highway!) The number of people wearing MP3 players (or in one case talking on a cell phone) while riding on the highway was also quite scary.

We skipped the third checkpoint (other than to stand up briefly and grab a drink at the top of a hill), but again I had to get off my bike and stretch (ie. lying on my back on the grass) at the final checkpoint before Camrose. Ed pulled ahead of me coming into town and probably finished about 10-15 minutes before me at the Augustana Campus, about 12:30 pm. 3hr 10 min for 80.4 km.

Again, it was well-organized regarding check-in and the bike lock-up (other than all the signs seemed to show the other set of dorms to where we were located). We finally found Ronning Hall across the bridge (mini-ravine/creek across the property) - I remember staying in one of those dorms with Nicole for MusiCamrose band camp in the summer of 1986 or so. I'm not sure there's really been any improvement in them since then - our door lock was incredibly finicky to the point of initially not working at all, the main room light didn't work, the curtain was falling off the curtain hooks - lol. Still better than tenting though, especially when it rained that afternoon a bit and a lot in the evening.

We checked to see how Team Pronto was doing (Alan got in at around 2pm), then pretty much napped until dinner. The dinner at the community centre was again well-organized, and afterwards, an early night for us.

Ups and Downs

And just over a week ago, my family was all happy for some family friends - John received a double lung and heart transplant at the U of A Hospital a few weeks prior and it was featured on the news as part of a "transplant marathon" that ended up occurring here right then (15 patients, 18 organs in 56 hours).

Only a couple of days later, we found out that a family member is ill with (most likely) a terminal cancer, and it was a devastating comedown.

Longest ride so far

A few Saturdays ago, I did what was my longest ride ever, so far - 76.2 km. Ed and I went out with Alex Stieda and some others, starting just on the outskirts of Edmonton and heading west basically - looking at a map afterwards, we were as far west (Range Road 10) as Stony Plain actually (just further south). We started at Woodbend Hall, looped around by Blackhawk golf course somehow, then headed west on Graminia Road crossing Highway 60 and kept going. I'm sure the rest of the group could have gone faster without me, but it was nice that Alex kept everyone together - even made me ride out front at times. I got some good tips - I know I should be spinning more but it's hard sometimes to resist pushing a bigger gear to try to keep up better, but in the end I think I was less tired thanks to the reminders to keep spinning at a higher cadence.

A few tense moments (for me at least) with some dogs trying to chase us on one road ... then we headed back along Garden Valley Road and that's where everyone went their own speed. Except my back was really starting to hurt by then (it was sore the night before while sitting, but seemed to be okay initially that morning), so I really slowed down and at one point even stopped. Ed waited for me :-) and was supportive and encouraging when I thought I wasn't going to be able to ride again - but just getting off the bike and stretching a bit seemed to help (so I did that a few more times before we finished).

Somehow I had in my head that Winterburn Road = Range Road 231, so I was getting quite discouraged that we were in the 260's for range roads - but then we were at the turn and back again. (Winterburn Road = Range Road 260 actually I think it was).

Other than my back concerns (which didn't improve the next 2 days so I ended up going to physio three times that week - SI joint inflammation and hypomobility apparently), it was a good ride and good confidence booster for the MS Bike Tour the following weekend. I started plotting the route we took that day on Google Earth and will add it when I finish.

Edit (June 17) - here it is:

Coronation Triathlon 2007

Just like last year, I did the Coronation Triathlon at the end of May. I was a bit concerned leading up to it, in that I had been doing mostly bike training but little running and only a bit of swimming. Then in the week before, when I was trying to run with my new orthotics they gave me blisters on the very bottom of my feet (in the longitudinal arch) even after only a very short time of running. So, I had resolved to myself that my main goal was to get a better bike time (and my rationale in entering was that I wanted to ride the bike course on Groat Road with it closed to traffic) - and decided not to worry about the swim or run.

They improved lots of the organizational things this year compared to last year. I keep hoping that I'll get a later start time, but something always changes to prevent that - last year they had mountain bikes first so I thought I'd be later now that I have my road bike. But, they decided to go teams first then women then men, so I ended up starting about the same time anyway (scheduled for 8am, compared to around 7:30 am last year I think). The swim went pretty well, best time this year and only about 45 seconds off my overall best time for 1 km.

And the weather was nice - sunny, not too cold in the morning, but didn't get too hot through the race either. I cut about 10 minutes off last year's bike time (and went under 1 hour for the 25.3 km), so I achieved my main goal for the race :-).

Then there was the run. I was starting to have some back pain on the bike (just like when I was going up the Maligne Lake Road at cycling camp a few weeks before), so my legs felt really stiff when I started to run and my back was sore as well. My overall fitness has improved greatly and my bike fitness had obviously helped me for running, because I managed to do my first 8:1 interval okay. By the time I was at the bottom of the hill towards the turn-around point, I was actually feeling quite good on the run - except the blisters seemed to be recurring. Between the blisters on my feet and my back being sore, the run back uphill was mostly done in 1 and 2 minute intervals I'm sure - yet when I finished, I had an overall PB of 2:24 and an apparent PB for an 8 km run (though I later found out that the run course was shorter than it was supposed to be, which didn't surprise me - I had thought the turnaround point seemed to be closer than the year before).

So, overall I was happy with my race. Not so happy when the bandaid on one foot ripped off some skin from a blister when I took my socks off (the bandaid was stuck to the sock) and by 2 days later it was infected and I needed antibiotics :-( , but I was able to ride again by the following weekend. And, I managed my fluids much better - not dehydrated, but didn't have to stop to use the bathroom on the run course and probably didn't need to have my own water bottle with me either. Also, minimal abdominal cramps on the run - yay! I think I found out how much I can eat prior to a race without having problems.

More pics here...