Greetings Readers
A rest day for me, so to speak.
I bought a bike trainer earlier this week, well another bike trainer. The "Roller" trainer and wow what a difference from the one that you hook up to your back wheel trainer!
The first day was "hard" for me to actually ride/balance without the fear of not staying on the rollers. I would say I spent about an hour or so trying the rollers out.
So, last night I designated that I would not go out for a ride. I had to physically make myself take a "day off". I sort of held to that but, I saw the "Rollers" leaning folded up against the dining room table. My brain was making me think the rollers were calling out to me "Ride me ride me" and "what you giving up on trying to ride me?" "You wussy" "You gonna throw $ 122.00 down the drain?" Not really readers, but I was watching TV and I could not help looking at the rollers.
Well, I could not take the thoughts my head was making up any longer. I grabbed the roller trainer and headed out to the balcony. I grabbed Andrea and we took on the rollers. A few minutes on the rollers were basically the same results as the first time. Holding onto something for balance with one hand and the other hand on the handlebars. I would not let go, and pedaling. Then...
Magically it happened - I was riding on the rollers without holding onto something. I was pedaling. (Imagine me saying that like Forrest Gump saying "I was running") I was smiling and thinking to myself "This is so awesome (as my old co-worker would probably say)" The feeling was the same as me riding in the winter, on ice. Do not over correct your steering or do not think about your position. I kept up a good cadence - average was 11.8 mph and I was using a higher gear to make my pedaling smoother/cleaner.
All in all I did seven miles on the Rollers trainer. I got the rollers down. My progress only took two tries and now I feel like a seasoned pro. Being stationary I did not realize how much sweat I was producing. As opposed to actually riding out on the road. Since the wind is blowing I am assuming that the sweat I perspire is drying out just as fast, unless I am really pushing myself harder than usual. So, I had sweat dropping onto the balcony. Oh yes, I was pretty proud of myself. Seeing, feeling, the sweat made me aware that I was actually building up a sweat.
Total for the day - I did do 20 miles yesterday, which is nothing for me. A piece of cake. A piece of Crumb cake.
Tour de France - Day 4. I was watching some of the day 4 stage yesterday evening. I see that Juan Antonio Flecha was in a breakaway group yesterday. Yes, I do remember him from years back and yes because of him winning a stage and him mimicking pulling an arrow back from a bow crossing the finish line. So, when I saw Flecha yesterday I could not stop myself saying "Flecha!" Yes, I thought it was stupid, but I just could not stop saying "Flecha!" "Flecha" while doing laundry. "Flecha!" while riding the rollers. "Flecha" while walking room from room. By the way readers - That is "Flecha!" pictured on my blog today.
Go ahead readers say "Flecha!". You see, the name just rolls off the tongue. "Flecha!"
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
A rest day for me, so to speak.
I bought a bike trainer earlier this week, well another bike trainer. The "Roller" trainer and wow what a difference from the one that you hook up to your back wheel trainer!
The first day was "hard" for me to actually ride/balance without the fear of not staying on the rollers. I would say I spent about an hour or so trying the rollers out.
So, last night I designated that I would not go out for a ride. I had to physically make myself take a "day off". I sort of held to that but, I saw the "Rollers" leaning folded up against the dining room table. My brain was making me think the rollers were calling out to me "Ride me ride me" and "what you giving up on trying to ride me?" "You wussy" "You gonna throw $ 122.00 down the drain?" Not really readers, but I was watching TV and I could not help looking at the rollers.
Well, I could not take the thoughts my head was making up any longer. I grabbed the roller trainer and headed out to the balcony. I grabbed Andrea and we took on the rollers. A few minutes on the rollers were basically the same results as the first time. Holding onto something for balance with one hand and the other hand on the handlebars. I would not let go, and pedaling. Then...
Magically it happened - I was riding on the rollers without holding onto something. I was pedaling. (Imagine me saying that like Forrest Gump saying "I was running") I was smiling and thinking to myself "This is so awesome (as my old co-worker would probably say)" The feeling was the same as me riding in the winter, on ice. Do not over correct your steering or do not think about your position. I kept up a good cadence - average was 11.8 mph and I was using a higher gear to make my pedaling smoother/cleaner.
All in all I did seven miles on the Rollers trainer. I got the rollers down. My progress only took two tries and now I feel like a seasoned pro. Being stationary I did not realize how much sweat I was producing. As opposed to actually riding out on the road. Since the wind is blowing I am assuming that the sweat I perspire is drying out just as fast, unless I am really pushing myself harder than usual. So, I had sweat dropping onto the balcony. Oh yes, I was pretty proud of myself. Seeing, feeling, the sweat made me aware that I was actually building up a sweat.
Total for the day - I did do 20 miles yesterday, which is nothing for me. A piece of cake. A piece of Crumb cake.
Tour de France - Day 4. I was watching some of the day 4 stage yesterday evening. I see that Juan Antonio Flecha was in a breakaway group yesterday. Yes, I do remember him from years back and yes because of him winning a stage and him mimicking pulling an arrow back from a bow crossing the finish line. So, when I saw Flecha yesterday I could not stop myself saying "Flecha!" Yes, I thought it was stupid, but I just could not stop saying "Flecha!" "Flecha" while doing laundry. "Flecha!" while riding the rollers. "Flecha" while walking room from room. By the way readers - That is "Flecha!" pictured on my blog today.
Go ahead readers say "Flecha!". You see, the name just rolls off the tongue. "Flecha!"
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
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