Training Log Archive: Danny Riley

Started on a cold and rainy morning, and stopped only a few minutes in to verify that the rear brake rubbing wasn't slowing me down too much. Changed me route to stop at a bike shop in Belchertown and see if there was a quick fix to stop the rubbing -- he ended up extending the rear fender a bit and the rubbing noise stopped. It's weird that only certain parts of the tire rubbed against it though.

It started raining a lot heavier so I pulled into a Subway, ate lunch, and waited for it to pass. I was very slow to get going again and ended up setting out in the rain anyways.

The next hour and a half was super rough. Underprepared for how cold it was, my ankles and feet were absolutely freezing, and each gear change and bump started to hurt them more and more. I knew the only store along the route for a long time was in New Salem, so I held out hope that they would have a warm pair of wool socks waiting for me.

I asked the worker there, and he said "no, we don't have any socks. Which is a shame, everyone could use a good pair of socks." You're telling me. I ended up taking my clothes out of their ziplock bags and wrapping my socks in those. That kept them just on the verge of tolerable for the next hour as I held out all hope that the only other store along the route, in Petersham, would have some form of sockage.

I dismounted at a very crowded (for how small the town was) Country Store, waddled in, said the Hail Mary under my breath, and asked if they had any socks. "We do, but they might be a bit much for you." I don't know if she meant too pricey or too thick, but that was the best $25 I've ever spent. Immediately I felt the feeling return as I drank a cup of coffee, and began to realize how much this extremely slow start would affect the rest of the ride.

I thought back on all the adventures I've had at West Point, all the orienteering races I've done, the marathon, and all the other weird shenanigans I've done throughout my life. I think that stretch of freezing cold two hours which I easily could've prepared for (but didn't) was perhaps the toughest mental battle I've ever had. If the Country Store didn't have those socks, I'm not quite sure what I would've done.

Cycling became infinitely easier and the stops were no longer so frequent. I stopped in South Lancaster as the sun was setting to charge my Garmin at a tiny gas station (thanks random gas station attendant for letting me borrow your brick charger). He let me know that people there hate cyclists and to leave town as quick as I could (lol) or at the very least be extremely careful.

As it got dark, I put on the rest of my clothes to sum to two tank tops, a rain jacket, new socks, and two shorts -- cycling shorts were they belong, and running shorts starting at the knees and covering some of my shins.

By the end, the only thing that hurt was my ass. I guess the cycling shorts I had weren't the best because oh my god every single bump and protrusion in the road became simply unbearable, and sitting back down in the saddle took ages after standing up.

All in all, fun weekend, but I've decided that I don't like cycling.

C • Impressive 4

Started a little later than I would’ve liked as I waited for the rain to pass. Roughly 70F for the whole day which was uncomfortably warm for the most part, but thankfully a constant 15mph headwind the whole trip kept it from getting to me too much.

Noticed around 30 miles in that something was rubbing on the rear and adjusted the brakes to alleviate most of it, but it still was a hinderance — I was losing speed on the downhills.

A guy around 40 miles in yelled “you’re not fucking special” as he drove past. Around 50 miles in a lifted pickup truck did that thing where they floor it as they pass to cover you in smoke and the passenger recorded me as they did that, I hope one day I find that video. It made me feel like I passed initiation and I’m finally a for real cyclist.

Shortly after saw a giant crab statue in some guys front yard which was odd I guess.

Event: LAOC: Orienteering USA Nationals
 

A very slow run just to see how the ankles felt, per the recommendation of the PT. Only minor pain, except when really pushing off, i.e. race speed. Resolved the L ankle injury, but the R ankle still has probably a month before it's actually good to run run on.

Plus a coffee stop

This new rear cassette is niiiiice

Aaaand needed a new cassette as well. Thankfully it was pretty cheap.