Training Log Archive: iansmith

A run at dusk with a JFK - River St. river loop. Uneventful, apart from some unpleasant chafing on my chest.

I had not previously been able to gain a measure of my bike's performance; there was so much stopping and waiting for cars on my past run that only a rough guess could be made. I decided to bike the Minuteman trail (which also, unfortunately, has occasional cross streets) to make a more accurate measurement.

I spent most of my time in the 2-6 and 3-5 gears, but on the way back, I pushed it into the 3-6 gear and really started flying. I felt great throughout the session, though I started too fast and had to cut back. Once I get my derailer adjusted and can bike in the 3-7 gear, I expect to be able to move reasonably quickly on extended stretches.

The minuteman website lists the distance as 11 miles, but wikipedia and an actual measurement at gmaps give almost exactly 10 miles. It's a bit disappointing, but my times were (from Alewife to Bedford):

3759 to Bedford
3604 to Alewife

This gives an average speed of 16 mph, which is not particularly impressive. I'm confident that at times I exceeded 20 mph (particularly when passing other bikes), but I have grander aspirations.

CSU Training at Peter's Hill, designed by Ross; others attending were Mark and Pia, Lori, Sanna, Brendan, and Audun. Ross sent us up the hill four times very deliberately and the thick grasses turned out to be more of an obstacle than anticipated, especially on the downhill components. I had planned to get a bit more running in at Peter's Hill, but my knees hurt from charging downhill, so I aborted.

The maiden voyage of my new bike was exhilerating and without significant problem. I forgot my watch at work, so the time is approximate. My front gear shift needs calibration; in the highest gear, my chain was clicking against the derailleur, so the very highest gears were inaccessible to me. I spent most of my time in 2-4 (starting), 2-6, and 3-5; later in my ride, I compensated for the clicking by partially depressing the gear shift. My route was through Cambridge to the Longfellow Bridge, past MIT and Harvard via Memorial Drive, around Fresh pond, and home.

I haven't been on a bike in almost a year, and I don't think I have ever been on a bike as fast as my new bike. In Texas, I always rode a mountain bike, which was especially important in the absence of bike lanes, riding on rough roads, passing horses, riding a stable platform so I could shoot my six-shooter at bandits, and mounting my French horn. My current bike (whose mileage I will record as a pair of shoes) is essentially a road bike (though nominally a hybrid), and doesn't handle potholes and inconsistencies in the road particularly well.

I spent a fair bit of time waiting at traffic lights. Memorial Drive was sufficiently inhospitable and populous with automobiles that I rode on the sidewalk and had to occasionally dodge pedestrians. I purchased lights before riding, which was invaluable. I started my ride at 8:30 PM after installing said lights, and I found cars to be generally respectful of my presence. On Aberdeen street, I believe I built up speed in excess of 25 MPH on a downhill run; riding a bike is so liberating after naught but running and canoeing.

Earlier today, I contemplated a 2 hour ride to achieve my monthly goal. I had hoped to have a monotonically increasing monthly training total for some number of months, but because of my ankle and other choices, I will be unable to make 19.5 hours for June. Swayed by injury considerations, prudence, and Lori's argument that I was being foolish, I elected to keep the ride short. I was shooting for about an hour, but without a watch I wasn't sure.

The next investment is a GPS tracker (no garmins with screens, per IOF) with a heart rate monitor. But, after spending a fair amount on a bike, I will wait some time.

C • gps 8